Lawrence Parks Board elects officers, accepts minutes and clears advertising for spring programs

The City of Lawrence Board of Parks and Recreation elected Jeff Best president and Tom Burns vice president at its January meeting, accepted the Dec. 11 meeting minutes and directed staff to allow a vendor to begin advertising spring pickleball and softball schedules.

The votes and direction came amid staff reports about upcoming winter markets, a Sprouts market, a Black History Month celebration, partnerships with Helping Hands and CenterWell for senior activities, ongoing park bench replacements and repairs at the community activity center.

Board members opened the meeting to officer nominations after noting one member was absent. Jeff Best was nominated and seconded for president and the board recorded a verbal “aye” to approve the nomination. Tom Burns was nominated and seconded for vice president and the board again recorded a verbal “aye.” The chair said she would name Crystal Puckett secretary by proclamation. The board then moved, seconded and approved acceptance of the Dec. 11 minutes.

Staff and board members reviewed the winter market schedule and related vendor details. According to staff, there will be two winter markets in January and two in February; specific dates mentioned in the meeting included the 16th and 30th of the month for January markets, and a Sprouts market on the 18th (the transcript lists additional February dates but sequencing and exact dates were not fully specified). Staff said one recent market was held inside the community center while the center’s floors were replaced and that foot traffic in the building appeared higher than at the community center location.

Senior programming updates included a Golden Game Hour supported by a community organization called Helping Hands and ongoing visits from CenterWell, which provided bingo and small prizes. Staff said a proposed calendar is being developed but not yet finalized.

Board members reported park maintenance and small capital improvements: 18 new benches have been ordered or installed in parks; crews replaced nearly 200 square feet of flooring at the community activity center after testing and removing sections that sounded hollow; new doors and lighting were noted as planned work. A citizen noted appreciation for recent snowplowing by the street department and raised a separate concern about cars left in driveways in the Kensington Farms neighborhood making snow removal harder.

The board discussed a community project in which collected bottle caps would be processed into a bench and asked staff to authorize placement if the project meets park standards; the project’s presenter was not present and the board did not take a formal vote on siting or authorization at the meeting.

Staff said Ron Taylor will return to work soon after an extended absence and that a field house team has received keys, though staff had not yet observed recent activity at the field house. On programming, staff said they will bring a contract next month for a CCA vendor’s spring pickleball (Tuesdays starting March 25) and Wednesday pickleball (starting March 26) and softball (starting March 25) and asked permission to let the vendor start advertising those dates; a board member responded, “Let’s get it done.”

During public comment, a resident who identified herself as Lizzie thanked crews for plowing and told the board her Kensington Farms neighbors should move cars off the street during snow events. Another public commenter reported hearing positive feedback from Shannon Campbell, identified as a board president at an organization hosting the morning Chamber event, about native pollinator plantings near FC Pride and Veterans Park.

Madam Mayor addressed the board and thanked members for their service, emphasizing administration’s open-door approach: “The doors are open,” she said, and encouraged the board to help broaden recruitment and diversify future board appointments.

The meeting closed after the board confirmed items for follow-up: finalize the events calendar, bring the CCA contract for vendor advertising and continue park maintenance work. No ordinances or statutes were cited during the meeting.