Parks committee reviews 2025 capital plan, Fabic grants and Budweil annex funding; sets Arbor Day and meeting dates

The Fenton Parks and Recreation Committee and Tree Advisory Board on Jan. 8 received a staff briefing on the city’s 2025 parks capital plan and several project updates, and the committee set calendar items including the Arbor Day observance and an alternate September meeting date.

Committee members were told the city increased the annual tree removal and trimming line from $100,000 last year to $150,000 for 2025. Part of that allocation will pay for tree removal and pruning at Fabic Nature Preserve under a separate grant-funded effort: staff said about 38 trees identified in the Fabic tree study are planned for work covered by a TRIM-style grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The committee heard a rundown of other capital-line items carried into 2025 and underway. The parks master plan carryover line is $12,500 (the amount the city would use to apply for a municipal park grant), and park signage is budgeted at $20,000. A previously approved contract with Boulders by Design (fabrication vendor) is in production; installation dates remain weather-dependent. Invasive-species control at Fabic has moved into phase 2; staff reported the Missouri Department of Conservation provided grant funding and that pre-treatment work around Presler Lake has already occurred.

Staff described on‑site clearing completed with a contracted forestry cutter and said Native Landscape Solutions is slated to perform turf restoration in Area D (the overlook/main park area) when weather allows. A prefabricated restroom unit for Fabic was approved by the board but staff reported the selected vendor is still reviewing the city contract; if pursued with that vendor the lead time was described as about three to four months. The Fabic overlook will receive additional clearing funded by the grant and staff asked the committee to consider future amenities such as benches and fencing once stairs and access are in place.

At Budweil Park, staff reported ongoing pavilion repairs and roof replacement work handled by Maximum Construction; two roof areas were completed previously and the final main pavilion roof is in progress. The Budweil Annex (upper portion) was described as having an estimated phase‑1 cost of about $670,000 for driveway, parking and an ADA connection into Fabic Nature Preserve; staff said the awarded grant portion of that estimate is about $350,000. Engineers are scheduled to begin design work, which staff estimated will take roughly six months, with construction likely in the fall.

Other capital items discussed included riprap work at Westside Park Lake, stair replacement by R.B. Wagner using colored and stamped concrete, and replacement of park benches and picnic tables on an annual cycle. A $500,000 line for soccer field lighting was noted. Committee members were also told the city plans to replace stolen bronze Heroes Memorial plaques with black marble cut stone to reduce theft risk; design fabrication is under way.

Pickleball courts at Fenton City Park remain a multi‑part item: staff said lighting and related fixtures are not fully installed and that roughly $200,000 remains rolled into the 2025 budget for outstanding work. The board is evaluating vendors and vendors’ pricing for permanent metal pavilion covers and players’ benches; staff listed $100,000 for players’ bench coverings and said the board prefers metal pavilions rather than fabric awnings. The parks supervisor has proposed a reservation system and limited city-run league nights; staff said the system will run through the city’s CivicRec online reservation system and that Emma, the parks and recreation supervisor, is the contact for programming and league registration.

Committee members discussed a proposed playground on the city’s southwest side. Staff recommended first identifying a specific site and then issuing a request for proposals so vendors can propose layouts and cost estimates; no location was selected at the meeting.

Staff also summarized maintenance and repair activity across parks: riprap and emergency riverbank repair work on the Merrimack Greenway was completed under an emergency contract with R.B. Wagner after flooding damage; Westside Park zip‑line repairs were completed after parts delays; Fabic Nature Preserve clearing to remove honeysuckle has continued, and staff reported isolated vandalism (a broken fish‑limit sign). Old Town/41 Gravois Road property options were discussed at a conceptual level, including reusing the existing pavilion and potential low‑impact event space, but no design decisions were made.

Votes at a glance • Approval of Oct. 2 minutes — motion to accept as presented; seconded; outcome: approved (mover/second not specified in record). • Alternate 2025 meeting date for September — motion to hold the September meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9; seconded; outcome: approved (mover/second not specified). • Arbor Day observance date — motion to hold the Arbor Day event on Saturday, April 26, 2025; seconded; outcome: approved (mover/second not specified). • Arbor Day location — motion to hold the Arbor Day observance at Fenton City Park; seconded; outcome: approved (mover/second not specified). • Adjourn — motion to adjourn; seconded; outcome: approved (mover/second not specified).

Staff said additional follow-up materials will be circulated, including details on the pickleball reservation system and contact information for program signups. Several committee members asked staff to bring a playground‑site map and options back to a future agenda so the committee can direct an RFP process when a site is chosen.