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Barnesville parks staff report on staffing, tree removals, equipment and summer events
Summary
At its March meeting the Barnesville Parks and Recreation Board heard a detailed grounds report: staff described pump replacements, hazardous tree removals, an aging park truck, sponsorships raising roughly $1,850 for spring events, and plans for seasonal hires; no policy changes were voted.
Barnesville Parks and Recreation Board of Trustees members reviewed a lengthy grounds report and updates on park operations during their evening meeting at City Hall.
Ashley, who delivered the grounds report, said the park replaced a failed pool circulation pump after a second unit began showing problems. "That pump stopped working last year. We had another one that was going out, so we had to end up replacing those pumps this year," Ashley said. She also said interviews for a facility team lead position are underway and staff plan to narrow candidates to two or three finalists next week.
Board members discussed tree maintenance. Ashley said the city will remove a dead tree at Doris Daily and the board will consider planting a replacement sapling. The group also identified two large trees near shelter houses as hazardous; a contracted tree service will remove them with a bucket truck and volunteers will assist with cleanup to limit costs.
Members raised questions about offering park firewood to residents. The board discussed state limits on transporting firewood across county lines as a pest-control precaution and agreed to check with the clerk's office about any rules that would govern sale or distribution from park material.
Ashley reported progress on event planning and sponsorships: the parks department has collected $850 in sponsorships for an Easter egg hunt, $500 for a May 2 movie night (featuring Cars) and $500 for an adaptive swim night in June, the latter organized with Visit Warren County and "League of Miracles." Registration for the adaptive swim event was set to open May 4.
Staff also described maintenance and equipment issues. The park's 2011 red Ford truck has recurring mechanical problems despite recent repairs; staff said they limit its use to local trips within Martinsville and will consider alternatives if the vehicle fails. Office roof leaks were investigated and addressed with attic insulation and flashing repairs, and shelter 3 received cleaning and repainting ahead of the season.
On finances and usage, Ashley reported shelter rentals generated $1,750 in February and pool rentals $2,400 in February; she also told the board there were 708 shelter-house rentals in 2025, a figure referenced again in discussion as 78. The board did not act on policy items during the report but noted several operational items will continue to be tracked.
The meeting adjourned after routine business; the board scheduled its next meeting for April 14 at 6 p.m. in City Hall.
