Evansville parks board approves multiple projects, seeks bids for zoo security

The Evansville Board of Parks Commissioners on Feb. 19 approved permits and contracts to advance several park projects, authorized staff to seek proposals for daily security at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden and approved renovations and plantings at Wesselman Woods and other park properties.

The board voted to ask the city purchasing office to solicit quotes for daily zoo security services, authorizing staff to begin the formal procurement process required for purchases over $50,000. "With the city purchasing process, any item or service over $50,000, the first step in the process is getting approval from the board to seek quotes," said Eric Beck, executive director of Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden. He said the zoo maintains on-site security year-round and that the board’s approval will allow staff to update pricing and return with proposals.

The board also approved a first amendment to the construction agreement with Garmon Construction for Next Level Trails Phase 1 to clarify retainage language. Paul Balsman, deputy director of parks and recreation, said the amendment corrects an inconsistency in the contract’s retainage paragraph and that staff consulted city counsel and others when drafting the revised language. A board member noted staff had "parsed out the statute on the retention" and planned to adopt the clarified language as standard for future contracts.

Wesselman Woods received board approval to proceed with renovations to The Muse, the site’s raptor facility. Amy Rhodes, executive director of Wesselman Woods, described plans to replace the roof, renovate interior spaces and extend the bird enclosures. George Fleming, the parks department director of facilities, said the work will "probably take about 6 months from when we start" and that staff are waiting to confirm how long the resident raptors can be rehoused. Rhodes said the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has approved an extension of the cages' footprint using posts rather than new concrete.

The board approved a native prairie planting project on the former Par 3 golf parcel, a roughly 22.5-acre site the department recently assumed responsibility for. Rhodes said crews will site‑prep with herbicide applications beginning in August, seed with a dormant sowing in December–January and maintain the new prairie with limited mowing (about twice a year for the first one to two years, then as needed).

At Gulfmoor Field, the board approved requests from Gulfmoor Baseball Association to replace damaged batting cage structures and to build an expanded restroom facility using private donations. "We have over 400 kids and get over 1,200 families or 1,200 individuals, including families, on any given Saturday," said Bridal McClish, president of Gulfmoor Baseball Association, describing the user demand. McClish said ice storm damage destroyed wooden supports for the existing cages and that donors and contractors have committed roughly $7,500 plus about $25,000 in sponsorships to cover the batting cage work. Separately, she said a $50,000 private donation would cover most of a planned restroom building; the project remained about $22,000 short of final cost but would be privately funded.

The board also returned to a previously noticed consent-item permit and approved a park property use permit for the Haitian Center of Evansville to hold a Haitian Flag Day community event at Wesselman Park on May 17. Jolina Mosco, representing the center, told the board the event last year drew "about 700 people" and that organizers expect attendees from across Indiana. Mosco said the center opened about two years ago and provides community services, training and cultural programs.

Other routine approvals at the meeting included reapprovals and permit extensions on the consent agenda (park passes, a pedestrian event, a trunk-or-treat event with the Evansville Police Foundation, a restroom/shelter cleaning agreement extension and a parks mowing agreement extension), acceptance of payroll and vendor claims, and scheduling and outreach updates for upcoming volunteer and community events. Parks staff highlighted an upcoming Traveling City Hall meeting moved to Feb. 25, the first Park Squad cleanup on March 1 and the next Park Chats event on March 4 at Fenrick Golf Course Clubhouse.

Motions on the items were made, seconded and carried by voice vote with no formal roll-call recorded in the meeting transcript. Several board members and staff participated in the discussion and asked clarifying questions before votes.

The board adjourned after completing the listed business.