Parks staff told the County Property Committee on Sept. 2 that work at Catlin Park continues on trail repairs and a new modular building, and the committee agreed to hold a site meeting at the park on Sept. 12.

Parks staff described repeated erosion on park trails and said crews are resurfacing paths with a gravel/aggregate mix, grading the routes and compacting them with a roller. Staff showed photographs at the meeting of erosion channels and of repaired sections the crew reopened and compacted. “You can see there’s no more erosion,” the staff presentation said when comparing the before-and-after images.

The modular building at Catlin Park has been cleaned, fitted with “employees only” and women’s restroom signage, and ramps are installed, staff reported. The parking lot work was delayed by recent heavy rain; staff said the building itself is usable but the parking lot should be complete the following week. Committee members agreed to schedule an on-site committee meeting for Sept. 12 so members could inspect progress. The chair asked whether officials wanted to hold the meeting in September or move it to October; committee members settled on Sept. 12 to accommodate the schedule.

Staff said accessibility work remains, including an ADA-compliant handicap parking pad already placed adjacent to the ramp and a plan to pour a concrete path from the building ramp to the pavilion to reduce maintenance compared with limestone paths. Staff said funding for the concrete path could come from an existing grant and that staff would obtain cost estimates.

Other park items: staff reported ongoing outreach to schools (the regional office of education and a community-college cross-country coach showed interest in using the facility), work to produce improved park maps and signs, and an exploration of historic-preservation grants to restore a monument at the park. Staff noted mixed responses from local artists about doing the map/monument work and mentioned the Boy Scouts as a possible volunteer option.

No formal votes were taken on construction work during the meeting; committee members discussed scheduling and directed staff to obtain estimates and continue grant and signage work. Staff also reminded the committee that bid openings for other county projects will occur in September and said they will coordinate scheduling so site visits do not conflict with advertised bid dates.

Background: the committee handles county park property and scheduling of on-site meetings. Staff repeatedly emphasized that weather delayed finishing the parking lot and that trail work requires repeated resurfacing; details of grant applications and exact cost estimates were not provided in the transcript.