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Parks subcommittee recommends five-member board, urges fast-tracked master plan to chase grants
Summary
A parks subcommittee presented a recommendation for a five-member parks board (two town, two Richland Township, one school appointee), proposed a $10,000 budget line for upkeep of two abandoned cemeteries, and urged a faster parks master plan to be completed sooner than five years in order to pursue grant opportunities. The council asked staff and committee members to continue weekly meetings and to submit materials to state reviewers.
Members of a parks subcommittee told the Ellisville town council they recommend reorganizing the parks board into five seats (two representing the town, two representing Richland Township and one appointed by the school board) and urged the council to prioritize a parks master plan to improve chances for grant funding.
In presenting the recommendation, the subcommittee reported responsibility for two abandoned township cemeteries and proposed a $10,000 line in the budget for their upkeep. The subcommittee said the proposed board composition reflected National Park and Recreation Association standards and local practice; members debated whether any at-large seats or additional representation (for growing areas such as Seven Oaks) should be added.
The council directed that the subcommittee continue meeting weekly through May, possibly into June, to finalize details; once materials are submitted to the state reviewer (Department of Local Government Finance or DLGF), staff said the information would be held until review is complete. Committee members said they had contacted several firms that prepare parks-and-recreation master plans and planned to review neighboring towns’ plans as models.
Paula, who the council invited to become secretary during the meeting, described her relevant background: "I actually have a degree in parks and rec," she said, adding she worked 23 years in a business office and currently works at the Indiana Institute on Disability. The council welcomed her background as relevant to parks planning.
No formal ordinance or budget appropriation for the parks master plan was adopted at the meeting; the council discussed timeline and next steps and asked staff to return with a recommended vendor list and estimated costs to allow grant applications.
