Kearney Park Board reviews capital outlay, hears staff updates; Lisa Cheesebrow sworn in

Lisa Cheesebrow was sworn in as a member of the Kearney Park Board during the board’s Jan. 23 meeting.

The board spent the bulk of the meeting on park operations and capital outlay requests earmarked in the forthcoming city budget, with staff reporting on winter maintenance, playground and skate-park upgrades, a planned upgrade to a dechlorination system at Lions Park, riprap work along Bear Creek and several equipment purchases if the budget is approved in February.

The oath of office came near the meeting start. During her oath, Cheesebrow recited the statutory pledge: “I, Lisa Cheesebrow, do solemnly swear that I possess all the qualifications of the office of park board member as prescribed by law, that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, provisions of all laws of this state affecting cities of this class, and the ordinances of the city of Kearney, Missouri, and faithfully demean myself in office, so help me God.” The board chair collected the signed oath for city records.

In operational updates, staff described ongoing winter monitoring of the restroom at the Pit, Ball and Skate Park Complex after last year’s freeze-related water line failure. Staff said they installed a more efficient electric heater and have been checking the facility on weekends. Board members discussed that the city does not perform systematic snow removal on the wooded trail system because of liability concerns raised previously by the city’s insurer.

On Tree City USA recertification, staff said the city compiles an annual packet by Dec. 31 documenting tree work, volunteer hours and related expenses; Kearney has maintained continuous participation for roughly 12 years. The board discussed scheduling an Arbor Day tree planting and noted the city could include trees replaced during a recent culvert/storm project in its recertification submission.

Budget highlights that staff previewed as likely to appear in the city’s full presentation on Feb. 3 included: a $52,000 replacement for the Jesse James Park web climber; a $10,500 “T-spin” merry-go-round; two corner ramp pieces for the skate park with installation priced at $48,000; a John Deere mower listed at $25,000 to replace the department’s oldest mower; new regulation soccer goals estimated at $15,000; a movie-in-the-park package (screen, projector, sound) estimated at $9,000; a dechlorination feeder and containment at Lions Park estimated at about $2,500; riprap improvements along Bear Creek; and three specially sized field restroom doors estimated at $5,115. Staff emphasized the listed items were included in the city’s capital outlay and use tax requests but noted the full budget must be approved by the Board of Aldermen after the Feb. 3 presentation.

Board members asked about public input and vendor selection for skate-park features; staff said the original skate-park layout was designed by the ramp supplier and that two additional corner pieces were recommended to improve flow. Staff also reported third-quarter department metrics and participant counts across programs, and said youth-sports sign-ups for spring are open. The board heard that the department’s scholarship fund (referred to as the “no kid left behind” account) has a balance sufficient to cover spring scholarships; an exact dollar amount was not specified on the record.

A high-school botany class presented a design for an interpretive trail at Jesse James Park at a preceding Board of Aldermen meeting; board members praised the students’ QR-code-enabled website and discussed inviting them to present to the parks board in a future month.

Votes and routine motions recorded during the meeting included approval of the meeting agenda and November minutes by voice votes; the meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn. The department reminded the public that the citywide budget will receive an in-depth presentation Feb. 3 and that park-specific items will be covered in that session.