Washburn parks board approves financial report, weighs $19,000 field resurfacing and revives community garden plans

The Washburn Parks Board approved a routine financial report and spent much of the meeting discussing maintenance priorities, including a proposal to resurface the community athletic field and plans to restart the community garden.

Chair (speaker labeled 'Chair') opened discussion of the financial report and moved for approval, saying, "If no one else has anything else, I'll make a motion to approve this financial report." Another board member seconded the motion and members present voiced assent. The item was approved by voice vote, as recorded in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: the board is balancing routine fiscal housekeeping with several near-term maintenance projects and staffing questions that could affect summer recreational programming.

Field resurfacing and costs

Board members discussed a multi‑part plan to remove the top layer of the athletic field, add a clay base and apply a top dressing. The speaker outlining the work said the vendor Brown Rock Products quoted material at about $143 per ton and that delivery and base material would push the project cost to roughly $18,000–$19,000. The speaker summarized the package as "Altogether, we're looking at ... $19,000," noting the estimate could change with material-price fluctuations.

Members debated logistics, including whether vendors accept credit‑card payments or require purchase orders and who would handle procurement. One member offered to obtain a purchasing card to expedite ordering. The board agreed to move forward with steps to secure materials and schedule work, with final contracting details to be confirmed.

Community garden and parks maintenance

Separately, members agreed to revive the community garden, reporting they have four to five raised beds available and a likely planting site across the highway near the Heritage park. A board member said, "We're gonna get something going with that again," and volunteers offered to arrange tilling and watering schedules.

Staffing, equipment and building access

The meeting covered routine hiring and maintenance tasks. Members discussed re‑advertising or re‑asking former maintenance workers to fill seasonal roles; the transcript records prior maintenance help from individuals named in discussion. The board also reported changing a lock on the maintenance building to restrict access and noted keys for some vehicles were recently located. Members flagged a dead battery on a pickup and other equipment starting issues that they plan to address before the busy season.

Park safety and facilities

Board members reported a vandalism incident at a park (items taken or damaged and an item described in a police report as a fake knife). The group discussed liability from holes and other hazards and whether cameras monitor park locations; they agreed to prioritize filling dangerous holes and providing porta‑potties if restrooms cannot be opened in time.

Next steps

The board directed staff and volunteers to follow up on vendor procurement and scheduling for field work, to confirm staffing applications and to secure equipment and building access. No formal contract award for the field resurfacing was recorded in the transcript; the discussion established an estimate and a plan to seek quotes and finalize arrangements.

Attribution: All quotes and attributions come from speakers listed in the meeting transcript and are attributed to the role titles used in the transcript speaker list (Chair, Committee member, Staff member).