OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Columbus Parks Board Meeting - June 10, 2026

Meeting PortalWednesday, June 10, 2026
BodyColumbus, Indiana
SessionMeeting Portal
DateWednesday, June 10, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:23:44

Transcript — Verbatim
1:19

Okay.

1:20

Um, so new great time, but same great place for all call the meeting to order.

1:28

And the most staff reports.

1:32

Okay.

1:34

So first for rec sports, uh, we finished up spring talk reading most of uh May and uh middle of a bunch of other seasons uh for record except for Fridays and Sundays.

2:00

We were supposed to one was running out, so we had three fast fish.

2:29

Um golf, we had a Columbus North alumni uh part three.

2:36

Um last month we had four meeting golfers.

2:39

It was fairly well attended.

2:41

This Friday.

3:50

Um year's school field day.

3:55

So they start doing it every year because perfectly each year because each time they have like it rains outside, and so they're gonna go to have a field day, so that's been pretty good.

4:37

Um, like such a day, we may miss on May we had the book came a little bit earlier than expected, but uh we have more time for additional.

5:05

May I was very busy with events.

5:08

We had multiple prompts, multiple graduation parties, office full celebration at us on our coast.

6:11

So for Hamilton, obviously uh the month May was a little a little quiet with our shutdown.

6:17

Um but we again like some extra maintenance, um just trying to get all that ice out, put it all revamping and trying new things and bringing some old things back.

6:39

Um so I'm really excited to be open again.

6:41

Um this tech show it is the and there's been one staff transition just to call out for Hamilton.

7:12

Uh we've Jacob is on his way.

7:15

Uh we had Jacob's former position, the recreation manager.

7:20

Uh that role has been filled by Veronica Fazio, who was the customer service specialist at Hamilton.

7:27

Her background is rec.

7:29

Um, and so she was um a great internal promotion for us.

7:35

And so Jessica and team are working to fill, we are so sorry, that position.

7:42

Um in the throw of everything, at least it wasn't the winter.

7:47

But we're really excited to have Veronica, and she is actually out running our Come Out and Play program right now, and so she will not be in attendance today.

7:54

Um, but we're excited to have her join the team, and we're looking forward to seeing what what comes of that next filled spot.

8:01

So thank you.

8:04

Jim.

8:06

Open Memorial Weekend.

8:08

Um slowly, but now we're up and running and it's hot.

8:15

Um the second doctor.

8:51

Thank you.

8:53

Uh Dawn.

8:55

So our office budgeting, working on pulling a lot of data, uh back data.

9:16

The uh the city is going through their uh annual audit right now.

9:20

So those requests have been coming in, and the office has just been cranking them out, finding anything and everything that they need.

9:28

Um we've had uh some postings for positions.

9:35

We have been blessed with having a lot of uh of our internal or part-timers that have really stepped up and then showing that um we would be blessed to have them as full-timers, so we have a lot of we have a lot of movement going on right now.

10:00

Um direct tires or direct reports Celeste uh has resigned, so we are working on filling in those gaps right now as we speak as well, and uh looking for um the next person to get to fit that position.

10:11

Thank you.

10:12

Casey.

10:14

Yeah, so why would you say that out loud?

10:23

Why?

10:23

Um we we still I'm gonna be here.

10:28

As of right now, we are fully.

12:57

So it's April or March.

13:00

So picking up there's more trash and thank you, Casey.

13:21

Uh Jacob, and just so you know, I used the opportunity to introduce Veronica in the new role as a transition from Hamilton.

13:28

So I did cover that already.

13:29

So if you want to do the rest.

13:50

Um our fitness programming for the classes have been contracted as a rollout date for a whole new slate of classes.

14:06

So currently we only run um an elevate class and a signature class, like an introduction and a higher level class.

14:14

Um I think he has a slate of like six different classes, so introduction to strength training, introduction to cardio, different levels of that, um, also with some recovery programs and some um like passive programming using the TVs for like a cardio club.

14:33

So if you're coming in as an open gym member, you might like your jumping on a treadmill right here.

15:31

So the fitness centers is a really exciting place, right?

15:34

There's a lot of them.

15:36

As far as recreation, like you said, right?

15:44

And so we have vacant taking place at Texas Park, come out and play is taking place.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation██████████████████████████████████████38%
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Fiscal Sustainability███████████████15%
Budget Equity Analysis█████████████13%
Human Resources██████████10%
Public Safety██2%
Engineering And Infrastructure1%
Summary of Proceedings

Columbus Parks Board Meeting - June 10, 2026

The Columbus Parks Board met on June 10, 2026, to receive staff reports, review financials, approve action items, and discuss the director's report. Key approvals included the creation of a new non-reverting budget for the teaching kitchen at Nexus Park and standard consent items.

Staff Reports

  • Rec Sports: Spring programs concluded; Columbus North alumni golf event; upcoming field day at school. May was busy with events.
  • Hamilton Ice Rink: May quiet due to shutdown for maintenance; full ice swap completed; new turf installed; positive feedback on ice quality. Reported staff transition: Veronica Fazio promoted to Recreation Manager from customer service specialist.
  • Office: Budgeting and data requests for city audit; multiple internal promotions and part-timers stepping up; Celeste resigned, position being refilled as Resource Development specialist (focused on fundraising) reporting to Dawn.
  • Fitness: New fitness manager Nate (former Army wellness coordinator) hired; slate of six new fitness classes to be rolled out. Teaching kitchen under development.
  • Other: Bug complaints (county health department handles); Express soccer partnership discussions; maintenance updates.

Financial Review

  • Cash Balances: Reviewed non-reverting funds; Commons fund aging facility with lull in leases; board requested split revenue lines (subsidy, rent, other) for Field House and Commons for clarity.
  • Expense Increase: Non-reverting fund saw 25% increase due to capital items (e.g., Hamilton HVAC) expensed from operations; board requested callouts for one-time large expenses to avoid misinterpretation.
  • Director's Report: Presented capital requests of nearly $5 million (not expected fully approved) to city council; adopted proactive capital planning. Progress on master plans (site assessments, mystery shopper, public survey in August). Donner and Millrace bond discussions underway.
  • Freedom Playground: Full replacement design received; turf surface planned; construction expected September/October; working with BCSC for annual maintenance stipend.

Action Items

  • Consent Calendar: Approved minutes from previous meeting (motion carried). Approved claims and payrolls (motion carried).
  • Teaching Kitchen Budget: Approved creation of a new non-reverting budget (Fitness, Health, and Wellness umbrella) for the teaching kitchen. Budget shows projected revenue $217K for 2026, expenses $88K (primarily for partial year staff). Revenue includes grants, rentals, and programming. Board emphasized self-sustaining nature; expense details will be refined. Formal appropriations to be brought next month.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved meeting minutes.
  • Approved claims and payrolls.
  • Approved creation of the teaching kitchen non-reverting budget for 2026.
  • Directed staff to include one-time expense callouts in future financial reports.
  • Directed staff to restructure revenue reporting for Commons and Field House into subsidy, rent, and other line items.
  • Staff authorized to proceed with communications on staff request for additional position.
  • Lemonade Bros partnership for life vest distribution and free swim event on June 15 at Donner.
  • Capital requests submitted to city; proactive planning emphasized.

Note

No public comments were made during the meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. Um, so new great time, but same great place for all call the meeting to order. And the most staff reports. Okay. So first for rec sports, uh, we finished up spring talk reading most of uh May and uh middle of a bunch of other seasons uh for record except for Fridays and Sundays. We were supposed to one was running out, so we had three fast fish. Um golf, we had a Columbus North alumni uh part three. Um last month we had four meeting golfers. It was fairly well attended. This Friday. Um year's school field day. So they start doing it every year because perfectly each year because each time they have like it rains outside, and so they're gonna go to have a field day, so that's been pretty good. Um, like such a day, we may miss on May we had the book came a little bit earlier than expected, but uh we have more time for additional. May I was very busy with events. We had multiple prompts, multiple graduation parties, office full celebration at us on our coast. So for Hamilton, obviously uh the month May was a little a little quiet with our shutdown. Um but we again like some extra maintenance, um just trying to get all that ice out, put it all revamping and trying new things and bringing some old things back. Um so I'm really excited to be open again. Um this tech show it is the and there's been one staff transition just to call out for Hamilton. Uh we've Jacob is on his way. Uh we had Jacob's former position, the recreation manager. Uh that role has been filled by Veronica Fazio, who was the customer service specialist at Hamilton. Her background is rec. Um, and so she was um a great internal promotion for us. And so Jessica and team are working to fill, we are so sorry, that position. Um in the throw of everything, at least it wasn't the winter. But we're really excited to have Veronica, and she is actually out running our Come Out and Play program right now, and so she will not be in attendance today. Um, but we're excited to have her join the team, and we're looking forward to seeing what what comes of that next filled spot. So thank you. Jim. Open Memorial Weekend. Um slowly, but now we're up and running and it's hot. Um the second doctor. Thank you. Uh Dawn. So our office budgeting, working on pulling a lot of data, uh back data. The uh the city is going through their uh annual audit right now. So those requests have been coming in, and the office has just been cranking them out, finding anything and everything that they need. Um we've had uh some postings for positions. We have been blessed with having a lot of uh of our internal or part-timers that have really stepped up and then showing that um we would be blessed to have them as full-timers, so we have a lot of we have a lot of movement going on right now. Um direct tires or direct reports Celeste uh has resigned, so we are working on filling in those gaps right now as we speak as well, and uh looking for um the next person to get to fit that position. Thank you. Casey. Yeah, so why would you say that out loud? Why? Um we we still I'm gonna be here. As of right now, we are fully. So it's April or March. So picking up there's more trash and thank you, Casey. Uh Jacob, and just so you know, I used the opportunity to introduce Veronica in the new role as a transition from Hamilton.

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