Parks advisory board highlights volunteer efforts, park plan progress and funding needs

Yamhill County parks staff and the Parks Advisory Board briefed the Board of Commissioners April 3 on maintenance work, the park system plan and community outreach.

Travis Pease, identified in the meeting as the county's parks manager, said staff have focused on maintaining existing sites and addressing deferred maintenance, including repainting restrooms at Rogers Landing and Ed Grenfell and repainting a picnic shelter at Ed Grenfell. Pease said the department is also upgrading the camera system at Rogers Landing by replacing hardware and software and adding a camera.

Nessa Hayes, chair of the Parks Advisory Board, told commissioners the volunteer board has focused on outreach, planning and administration since early 2024. She said Design Workshop, the consultant the county selected to produce the park system plan, is about 75% complete and that staff expect to bring a draft to the advisory board and the commission before final approval. "We're very happy with the firm that we have selected," staff said during the update.

Fundraising and events The advisory board described community fundraising plans. Hayes said the board's July 12 event, "Positively Electric," is a dog-friendly fundraiser at Ed Grenfell Park with a goal to "raise $10,000 to restore power to the park and shelters." Hayes said volunteers recently raised $750 by "passing the hat" and plan repainting of picnic tables as part of broader volunteer efforts.

Park use and preparedness Hayes reported traffic counts showing high single-day vehicle visits at some parks: "1-day highs included 106 vehicles at Ed Grenfell and 617 at Rogers Landing," she said. The advisory board has also begun emerald ash borer preparedness in partnership with the Oregon Department of Forestry, including a tree inventory and trap placement; Hayes said the board is preparing grant applications for treatment and replanting.

Numbers and governance Hayes told the board that Yamhill County Parks manages 272 acres across 18 properties but that only 83 acres are developed for public use; she added that the advisory board has logged "over 646 volunteer hours this fiscal year," with a volunteer time value of nearly $22,000. The board also revised bylaws, helped update ordinances, and contributed to the county website redesign for parks.

Why it matters Commissioners praised the advisory board's volunteer engagement and staff leadership, and they discussed the advisability of additional county support as the parks plan moves toward final approval in late spring or early summer.

Provenance: Parks presentation began when staff were invited at the department updates portion of the April 3 meeting and continued through the Parks Advisory Board remarks and commissioner feedback.