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Porter County Park Board appoints designee for campground subdivision, approves budget transfers and hears safety, capital campaign updates
Summary
At its meeting, the Porter County Park Board authorized the board president to sign subdivision documents for the 700 House parcel, approved several budget transfers to cover payroll and operating accounts, and discussed installing AED towers, suicide-prevention signage and a $50,000 foundation grant application for a shelter and garden.
The Porter County Park Board on Tuesday authorized the park board president to sign documents needed to subdivide the “700 House” parcel at the campground, approved budget transfers to cover payroll-related and operating accounts, and received updates on public-safety signage, the board’s capital campaign and master-plan work.
Board members voted to appoint the park board president, Brian Wiesenen, (or a designated alternate if he is unavailable) as the board’s signatory to expedite subdivision paperwork for the small white house next to the campground entrance known in meeting discussion as the “700 House.” The board approved the appointment by voice vote; members recorded as voting yes in the transcript include Red Landon, Carl English and Bob Rents.
The board also approved a set of budget appropriations and transfers intended to correct payroll and operating lines. The adjustments discussed in the meeting included a $10,000 transfer into hourly wages, a $10,000 transfer to FICA (payroll tax) to cover a combination of a newly created full-time position and existing hourly accounts, and a $1,500 transfer from a livestock-supplies line to a general-other-supplies line to make funds available for ambulance and other purchases. A motion to make the appropriations passed; members recorded as voting yes include Brian Linder, Carl Anderson and Bill Dress.
Board members and staff reported several planning and safety initiatives under way. Jake, park staff, told the board he has been working with Carrie at the county health department and the local 988 suicide-prevention task force to place informational signage at high-use locations in Sunset Hill Park, including Cross Pacific (as referenced in the meeting). Funding remained the primary barrier; staff said they hope to install signage in the fall if grant or department funding arrives.
A public commenter identified as Mister Norris described a model installed elsewhere — a small outdoor tower housing an automated external defibrillator (AED) and “stop the bleed” supplies — and told the board the unit is unlocked for emergency use after calling 911. He said he is certified in adult CPR and offered to volunteer support if the board pursues an AED tower installation. The board asked staff to investigate costs and potential grant sources and to coordinate with county councilman Greg Shims on related emergency-response efforts.
Board members said the Park Foundation meeting on the board’s capital campaign produced momentum; Dr. McAfee (identified in the meeting as the foundation’s fundraising chairman) and other foundation board members signaled support and next steps. Separately, a board member said staff will submit a grant application to the JW Couch Foundation seeking $50,000 to fund a shelter and improvements to the hosta garden at Daffodil Hill; staff estimated the shelter and associated concrete and small building work would cost about $30,000–$35,000. The board member said the Couch Foundation’s grant window closes in October.
Members also discussed master-plan work and a feasibility study for a property south of the Kankakee; staff said they need to contact consultants for a study and that a consultant fee has not yet been specified. Other operational items reported included forthcoming campground toilet installation and electrical-service work to bring power underground to the campground site; contractors were scheduled to begin site work late next week and the county permit had been obtained.
The meeting included routine committee updates — maintenance, animal/education programs (including new goats on site), and marketing and events — and several board members praised staff for the recent concert and related events, noting roughly 300 attendees and positive public reaction. The board closed the meeting after a short public-comment period.
Votes at a glance - Motion: Approve minutes as submitted. Outcome: Approved. Vote (as recorded in the transcript): Bridal Lezard — yes; Carl Anderson — yes; Tom Duran — yes. (Mover/second not specified in transcript.)
- Motion: Appoint park board president Brian Wiesenen as signatory (with Carl [vice designee] as alternate) to sign subdivision documents for the 700 House parcel. Outcome: Approved. Vote (as recorded in the transcript): Red Landon — yes; Carl English — yes; Bob Rents — yes. (Mover/second: motion made and seconded on the record; names not specified for mover/second in transcript.)
- Motion: Make the budget appropriations and transfers as listed on the meeting sheet (including $10,000 to hourly wages, $10,000 to FICA, $1,500 from livestock supplies to other supplies). Outcome: Approved. Vote (as recorded in the transcript): Brian Linder — yes; Carl Anderson — yes; Bill Dress — yes. (Mover/second: motion made and seconded on the record; names not specified for mover/second in transcript.)
