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Superintendent and staff report on Millennium Plaza demolition, zoo grant and golf course upgrades
Summary
Superintendent reported the city council approved rainy-day funding for Millennium Plaza demolition; zoo director Jamie Huss secured a $95,000 award for a generator and exhibit improvements; golf staff described new irrigation satellites and higher green fee revenue.
Superintendent Missus Eason told the Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board on Dec. 3 that the city council on the prior night passed a rainy-day fund request at second and third reading to fund demolition of Millennium Plaza, and she thanked Councilmember Bryant for sponsoring the item.
Eason also reported a community roundtable with GAF, which offered volunteer labor and donated shingles for roofing projects if labor is reduced. She announced that zoo director Jamie Huss received a $95,000 award from the Margaret and Otto Zack Foundation; the funds will buy a generator for the zoo diet kitchen and support exhibit improvements including climbing structures and shade for the leopard exhibit. "We could not afford to lose over $60,000 of meat in our freezers," Eason said, noting the generator is critical for animal care.
Golf course superintendent Michael Moore reviewed season-end maintenance: greens aeration by a contractor, completion of irrigation winterization, and installation of 17 satellites on the South Course and six on the North Course with a new irrigation computer system. Moore said the system will allow remote operation by phone once IT completes the internet hookup; he expects the hookup to be completed over the winter for use next season.
Paul Cornwell, PGA director of golf operations, reported winter hours and a holiday sale, and said year-to-date revenues show cart fees up about $7,000 and green fees up about $110,000 over the prior year. Cornwell said membership sales and outreach to 2025 outing customers were under way; he expects some increased rounds due to the recent closure of a nearby course.
Eason reminded the public the zoo's final open day for the season is Saturday (11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather-dependent) and noted a tree lighting ceremony scheduled at 6 p.m. the following Friday at 7th Street Plaza on Franklin Street.
