Parks Committee Meeting — Minutes

Town of Oregon Park Committee Minutes Wednesday October 1, 2025 1) Meeting was called to order by Dave Frankson at 6:02 PM. 2) Roll call: Jeff Nelson, Dave Frankson, Gloria Compton, Eugene Lewis, Steve Jernegan, Diane Packett 3) Approval of minutes 8/27/25. Diane moved, Gloria seconded, passed unanimously. 4) Budget items a. Kennedy Park – There might still be some money from this year’s budget. Eugene estimated next year’s total at $3,300. Includes new sign; plants, edging, and mulch at sign; paint for exercise station posts; two 6-ft benches; picnic table; mulch and edging for exercise stations; paint for exercise stations. The Town of Rutland may contribute some money since they also use the park. b. Ravenoaks Park – Maintenance at sign and safety areas: plants, stain, wood chips. Estimated total $500. c. Bicentennial – Sign board planter enhancements; gravel for parking area; snacks and water for invasives workdays; mulch for paths. Estimated total $600. vv mulch source, Heartwood out of Madison. Gloria has contact info. d. Hillcrest Park – Tree, fertilizer, sand, and pea gravel. Estimated total $600. e. Storytown Cemetery – Tree/shrub and flowers by sign; composted manure and fertilizer for those plantings; prairie stewardship (most of that can come out of 2024 Hillcrest budget). Estimated total $1,955. f. Town Park – Dead tree cutting; concrete pad for new shelter; accessible path to new shelter; landscaping at shelter; paint for playground equipment; signs; picnic table. Estimated total $19,500. 5) Kennedy Park Update – Eugene Lewis a. Playground equipment arrived ahead of schedule and was installed by Lee Recreation. b. 2 semi loads of playground-certified mulch are arriving and will be installed on Oct 11. Eugene has made signs inviting the community to a work party to spread the mulch inside the edging. 6) Hillcrest Park – Gloria Compton a. Gloria thinks additional sand and pea gravel are needed, as well as another tree. 7) Ravenoaks Park – Eugene Lewis a. The Town crew seeded the playground border areas and spread straw mulch. (Team – is this correct? My notes were garbled here, sorry.) 8) Town Park – Jeff Nelson a. Duncan raised more than the $2,200 that he budgeted for the new shelter materials. He is waiting to get a delivery of materials from Menard’s. His documentation suggests a plain metal roof, but the Committee prefers it to be colored and discussed possible options: green, blue, brown, red. Ryan and Abel prefer a shelter location closer to the parking lot for ease of access. Jeff and Duncan will stake out a new area for the crew to excavate to create a flat area for the pad. b. Jeff marked 13 dead trees near the paths that should be cut. He is waiting on a callback from the County Forester and an estimate from Arbor Systems. The Committee discussed possible uses for the wood such as giving it to Wood Cycle or chipping on site. 9) Bicentennial – Diane Packett a. Shawn Sutter completed his project to install erosion bars on the paths. Committee members individually walked the paths and agreed that the project is complete. Shawn delivered the material receipts to the Town Clerk for reimbursement of 50% of the material costs which the Committee agreed to cover. b. Diane spoke with the Town Clerk who said she would take care of reimbursement of 50% of the receipted amount. The Committee discussed who should file and keep the Menard’s rebate and whether pre- or post-rebate costs should be reimbursed. A policy does not currently exist. Dave will talk with Jennifer and clarify. c. There was discussion of what to do with the lower paths that have extensive areas of torn or folded landscape fabric exposed. Diane had spoken to the Crew about ripping up the fabric, but the Committee suggested that large amounts of new mulch might be placed instead. Diane will investigate sources of mulch. Gloria has contact information for a company called Heartwood that offers free mulch. 10) Lake Harriet Cemetery – Dave Frankson a. Jeff Lundgren had agreed to work on the new sign; Dave will contact him to see if he still intends to do so or if health problems preclude it. 11) Storytown Cemetery – Gloria Compton a. No updates other than consideration of plantings mentioned in the budget items. Maybe a tall flowering shrub for next to the sign. 12) The meeting was adjourned at 8:13 by Dave Frankson. Dave moved, Jeff seconded.