Parks & Recreation committee backs two Rocket Park pavilions, approves Miller Center sound system and recommends naming Potter Lane site 'Nora Park'

The Parks & Recreation Committee on the evening agenda recommended a contractor for two new pavilions at Rocket Park, approved a Miller Center sound-system purchase and voted to forward a proposal to name the new Potter Lane park "Nora Park" to the full McMinnville board.

Justin Scott, presenting pavilion and facility plans, said the Rocket Park project would remove four small existing pavilions and install two 20-by-20 metal pavilions on 24-by-24 pads. "We did receive 3 bids," Scott told the Committee and said he "recommend[ed] Recreation Concepts" as the low bidder to provide the two pavilions. Scott said the project is being funded in part through the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grant; the transcript reports a $115,000 award with a $115,000 local match for a total of $230,000, and Scott said portions of that funding were allocated toward capital purchases for the park project.

Because the transcript contains unclear numeric text for the individual bid amounts (the recorded bid figures for some bidders were garbled in the meeting transcript), the Committee’s public minutes should be consulted for precise dollar figures. The Committee moved to forward the recommendation of the low bidder to the full board and approved that motion by voice vote.

Scott also described the Miller Center sound-system procurement, reporting a mandatory site visit and that one bid was received from The Sound Machine. "We received 1 bid, and that was from The Sound Machine for 19,009," Scott said; he explained that he had budgeted $19,150 and expected to find the approximately $750 needed within his budget. Committee members approved the purchase by voice vote and Scott said he expected installation around January to support spring rentals and larger events.

On a separate agenda item the Committee heard a proposal to name the recently acquired property at the end of Potter Lane after Nora Potter. The presenter said the property had been in the Potter family for roughly 50 years and described converting a former house site into a stormwater detention pond and a multi-purpose neighborhood park. The Committee voted to recommend the name "Nora Park" to the full board.

The Committee’s approvals were procedural recommendations to be transmitted to the full City Board where final appropriation or formal acceptance of contract awards will occur. The Committee adjourned with the items forwarded for further action.