Burton Parks and Recreation reviews holiday events, assigns park monitors and notes $200,000 land-acquisition grant

The Burton Parks and Recreation Commission met in January 2025 and approved previous minutes, elected officers for the year, reviewed December’s tree-lighting and Pizza with Santa events, assigned volunteers to monitor city parks and acknowledged a $200,000 grant intended for future park land acquisition.

The meeting’s lede items were event recaps and staffing of park monitors, followed by a brief public update about a grant the city is pursuing for park land. Amy, the commission’s administrative staff member, opened the administrative report and then the commission moved through routine business including elections and event scheduling.

Commissioners said the pizza-and-tree-lighting events drew large crowds and few complaints. One commissioner noted the food giveaway reached 27 families on the day of distribution, with additional drop-offs in the days afterward. The commission reported serving about 100 hot dogs during the tree-lighting event and that leftover stockings and some individual questions about notification had been raised on social media. Commissioners said the events were promoted on the Burton Parks and Rec Facebook page, the Burton City Chat group and with flyers at local schools and businesses; some residents still reported not receiving notice.

Commissioners assigned park-monitor responsibilities for the coming year. Jim Craig agreed to monitor Kelly Lake; Deb agreed to keep an eye on Water Tower Park; Kevin agreed to monitor Fireman’s Park; a volunteer said she would walk Settlement Park several times a year. Commissioners noted Veterans Park currently has no assigned monitor. The commission also noted that some park locations are covered by surveillance cameras maintained by the city and that winter trash can maintenance (where tops can fill with water) is a recurring issue the commission will watch.

The commission reviewed the 2025 events calendar: Pizza with Santa and the tree lighting are scheduled the same day in December (Pizza with Santa 11 a.m.–2 p.m.; tree lighting 6–7:30 p.m.). The Sugar Street Trail event is set for Oct. 18 from noon to 2 p.m., and the Easter egg hunt is planned for April 12 with contingency plans to move indoors if weather requires. Commissioners said meeting dates will remain the second Wednesday of each month except March, which will fall on the third Wednesday; the next commission meeting was set for Feb. 12, 2025.

During the meeting commission members raised the recently announced $200,000 grant intended to purchase land for a future park. Mayor Gary (speaking at the meeting) said, “I honestly don't know what I can say about it. I mean, what's made public is it's a grant to purchase land or a future park in the city,” and added that some details were discussed in closed session and that the mayor had been authorized to begin discussions with potential sellers. Commissioners said the city must submit a plan to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by a required date but the exact deadline and required acquisition timeline were not specified at the meeting.

Elections and motions: the commission approved the minutes of the Nov. 24 meeting and carried motions to elect Jeremy Shar as chairperson (nomination supported and carried) and Jim Craig as vice chairman for a January–December 2025 term. The meeting adjourned at 6:14 p.m.

The commission asked residents and volunteer groups—scout troops and local sports teams were specifically mentioned—to consider park cleanups and Eagle or service projects; commissioners said they will continue outreach to recruit volunteers.

Votes and formal outcomes described above reflect motions made and announced in the meeting record; where a specific vote tally or roll-call name was not provided in the transcript the article reports the recorded outcome as stated by the commission during the meeting.