April 10: Facility and Recreation Committee Meeting

Staff recommended renaming the Recreation Center of Highland Park to Park Fitness to better promote the brand and all the amenities and programs the facility has to offer. The presentation was to gather feedback from the Board Committee liaisons.

Architects Holabird and Root reviewed the updated schematic layout for the new community center at West Ridge Park and the site changes.

April 10: Workshop Meeting of the Park Board

PMA Securities, LLC, recommended the Park District sell General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds this year, and hold a public hearing on April 24, 2024, concerning the intent of the Board of Park Commissioners to sell $7,000,000 General Obligation Limited Tax Park Bonds.

Staff reviewed the Park Site Plan Initiative Report, which documents the findings and possible recommendations which will inform capital and operational planning.

Staff presented the process proposal for review of the personnel policy manual.

Staff provided construction project updates for the Lat 3 Paddle Facility project, Sunset Valley Club House project, Larry Fink Memorial Park Baseball Field Improvement project, Park Avenue Boating Facility North Beach Improvements project, Sunset Woods Park Improvements project, and Park Avenue Boating Facility South Parking Lot Restoration project.

April 16: Finance Committee Meeting

PMA Securities, LLC, provided an arbitrage overview and the Park District’s project draw schedule for 2024 bonds and the spend down requirements over a 24month period.

Staff provided a quarterly financial report for Centennial Ice Arena comparing budgeted vs actual revenues and participation figures.

Staff provided a five-year financial analysis report comparing budgeted vs operational and programming revenues and expenses.  

Staff reviewed the bid results for the 2024 Sports Courts Improvements project. It was the consensus of the Finance Committee to place the Base Bid Item 2 from US Tennis Court Construction Company for the 2024 Sport Courts Improvement Project and authorize the Executive Director to enter into an agreement in the amount of $34,465.

Staff reviewed the Playground Replacement Bid and the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for Playground Equipment at Old Elm Park and Port Clinton Park.

The District is looking at purchasing one (1) John Deere 2700 E Cut Hybrid Triplex Mower and one (1) Toro Groundsmaster 3500-D. There is $108,500 budgeted for this expense. It was the consensus of the Finance Committee to place the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for Golf Maintenance Equipment on the consent agenda at the April 24, 204 Regular Meeting.

April 24: Lakefront, Parks and Natural Areas Committee

Staff reviewed the proposed parking lot improvements for Deer Creek Racquet Club and Jeff Fox Field.

The South Parking Lot Restoration project at Park Avenue Boating Facility will not commence until the winter or early spring of 2025 due to piping challenges from the North Shore Water Reclamation Center.

Lamar Johnson Collaborative reviewed community feedback for the Sunset Woods Park Improvements project. Another community meeting will be held in May to review proposed concepts for the skate and wheeled plaza and game and multi-use court area.

April 24: Regular Meeting of the Park Board

A public hearing was held concerning the intent of the board of park commissioners to sell $7,000,000 general obligation limited tax park bonds for the payment of land condemned or purchased for parks, for the building, maintain, improving and protecting of the same and the existing land and facilities of the District and for the payment of the expenses incident thereto.

The Park Board of Commissioners approved 2024 Sport Courts Improvement Project Bid, the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for Golf Maintenance Equipment, Authorization for Park District of Highland Park to Enroll in and Purchase from Cooperative Purchasing Program OMNIA Partners, Ordinance 2024-05: Authorizing and Providing for the Conveyance or Sale of Surplus Personal Property, the 2024 Old Elm and Port Clinton Playground Replacement bid, and the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract for Playground Equipment.

Staff received consensus from the Park Board of Commissioners to allow the recommended new name for the Recreation Center of Highland Park to wait for a sixty-day period, as required by Section 4.02.2 of the Park District of Highland Park Policy & Procedure Manual, and a vote be taken to re-name the Recreation Center of Highland Park to Park Fitness at the June 26, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Park Board.

Architects Holabird and Root presented the schematic design for the proposed new building that is based on a schematic budget prepared by WB Olson and a variety of alternate scope additions that do not fall within the Park District’s funding, however, those alternates can be contemplated by staff and the Park Board when competitive bids are received for construction, as well as considered for future construction, if and when funding becomes available. 

Staff provided an annual report on athletic programming comparing budgeted vs actual revenues and expenses.