Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Landscaping topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
O'Fallon parks staff preview spring field openings, new lamppost baskets and robotic field striper
Summary
Landscape Division Manager Bob Dierduff told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board that athletic fields are beginning to open, the city greenhouse is producing about 16,000 plants for spring displays, and the department is trialing a subscription robotic paint striper and new 360-degree lamppost planting trays on Main Street.
Bob Dierduff, the city's landscape division manager, told the O'Fallon Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on March 11 that athletic fields are beginning to open for the season and that residents should "check the website before you drive" because spring availability can change.
"My name is Bob Dierduff, and I'm the landscape division manager for those who may not know me," Dierduff said, and he highlighted several operational items staff are preparing for spring and summer. He said the department "grows about 16,000 plants in that greenhouse every spring," which are used across city properties and event sites.
Dierduff showed a short video and described a subscription-based robotic paint striper the department is using to mark soccer and football lines. He said crews set a GPS reference the first time and can then send the machine out to stripe fields, freeing staff to perform other maintenance tasks. "I don't think we purchased the machine. I think it's the machine comes with the subscription," he said, describing the vendor model for GPS and data access.
The landscaping report covered repairs and maintenance after winter weather: staff are obtaining quotes to replace stadium awnings damaged in a hailstorm and are repairing fencing after a vehicle-related vandalism incident at West South Park. Dierduff said the O'Fallon Police Department traced alleged perpetrators from camera footage and tire marks.
Dierduff walked the board through Main Street and civic-area planting plans, including new stackable lamppost trays the city will use to create wraparound, 360-degree pole displays. He described horticultural testing conducted in the greenhouse, the choice of multiple plant species to prevent wholesale failure, and a trial mix of potting mix with agricultural-grade polyacrylamide gel in the trays to keep the bottom inches saturated and limit daily watering. On those tests he said, "That bottom 2 inches or so is going to stay saturated." He also flagged a potential operational trade-off: fuller, more dramatic displays could require additional watering frequency on very hot days.
Board members asked about safety and species selection for plantings near playgrounds. Dierduff said staff evaluate toxicity and placement to reduce risks to children and pointed to O'Day's native gardens and a longstanding volunteer honeysuckle-eradication effort as examples of broader habitat work.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the meeting agenda and the January 14, 2025 minutes by voice vote after motions and seconds were made; the meeting was later adjourned by motion (mover: Wilson; second: Williams). The board heard the staff reports and took no further formal actions at the March 11 session.
The board will next receive regular divisional updates; the meeting adjourned after brief comments and welcomes for new staff.
