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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Crestwood Park Board Meeting – June 23, 2026

Board of Aldermen & Boards — Tuesday, June 23, 2026

BodyCrestwood, Missouri

SessionBoard of Aldermen & Boards

DateTuesday, June 23, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:39:57

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

1:30

Yeah, well, I always wanted to draw my report, but yeah.

1:34

Okay.

1:59

And then we call it okay.

2:05

It is 7 03.

2:08

We'll go ahead and call the meeting to order.

2:12

Um roll call, Deborah.

2:15

Obviously, I'm here.

2:16

Dan.

2:17

Orion is absent.

2:20

Tim.

2:23

Um Lisa and Zach are excused.

2:27

John.

2:29

And Eileen.

2:30

Here.

2:31

Jim and Megan are out and John is in.

2:35

Um we were thinking we should rearrange the order of the agenda to accommodate our guests.

2:41

Is there a motion to reorder it so that we can work on the White Cliff playground presentation and public voting first?

2:49

So moved.

2:50

Motion by Tim, is there a second?

2:52

Second by Dan.

2:53

All those in favor?

2:55

Okay.

2:56

Opposed.

2:57

The motion passes.

2:58

So we'll move on to starting new business right away with the White Cliff playground presentation and public voting.

3:07

Okay.

3:08

Can what's my mic working?

3:11

All right, let me go the rundown really quick of how we got where we're at today.

3:16

So we are going to apply for a municipal park grant, and that will be in August.

3:22

In order to apply for that grant, you have to have a playground to submit.

3:27

Once you apply for the grant, you can't go back and change the playground.

3:30

So we need to start this process really early.

3:34

As you all know, in the last meeting that we met was in February.

3:37

We discussed if we want a theme or not.

3:40

You all decided you wanted to do either nature or aquatics.

3:44

I had a meeting with 12 vendors on site, gave them the option they could do um nature and aquatic, or they could do one, whatever they chose.

3:54

And so we had um nine companies submit.

3:58

Uh eight of them submitted two, two submitted just one.

4:03

Um didn't matter, they could choose which design, they could do multiplatics or both nature, however, they decide to do it.

4:09

And then um during the splash tacular, we started the online voting and then closed it June 10th, if I remember right.

4:18

We ended up getting eight hundred and or nine hundred and fifty-eight total votes, eight hundred and thirty were online.

4:25

Unfortunately, we didn't have the system at that time to only allow people to vote once, so we don't know how many of those are multiple people or multiple times.

4:32

Um after tonight, we're gonna have 48 hours of voting.

4:37

That we did get a different system, which will only allow one vote per person or per um, I guess computer URL.

4:46

That's how I'll read it.

4:48

Um at that point then we'll we'll take that top one.

4:52

I will work with the vendor at that point.

4:55

Um if we have to make any tweaks, I meet with our inclusion person, Terry Johnson.

5:00

She goes through it.

5:01

If we need to adjust anything, we do.

5:03

So I have enough time to take it to the Board of Alderman in July, which will be July 28th.

5:09

Um we'll discuss there.

5:11

Then they need to approve it, and then they also need to approve for me to apply for the grant at that point.

5:16

Which then is due at the end of August.

5:19

So let's say I submit that.

5:21

Hopefully, we get the grant at that point.

5:24

Um I don't find out until the end of November normally, beginning of December, and then we'll get the ball rolling.

5:32

Hopefully, we get the grant.

5:33

Um so that's kind of where we're at right now.

5:36

So tonight I did ask the top three that were selected to come speak, go through it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████66%

Procedural██████████15%

Public Safety███4%

Budget Equity Analysis███4%

Economic Development██3%

Disability Rights█2%

Personnel Matters█2%

Community Engagement█2%

Engineering And Infrastructure█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Crestwood Park Board Meeting – June 23, 2026

Despite the agenda listing June 16, 2026, the official meeting timestamp is June 23, 2026 at 10:15 UTC (7:03 PM local as indicated in the transcript). The board convened in the Aldermanic Chambers to review playground designs, approve fee schedules, and receive departmental updates.

Consent Calendar

Agenda Reorder: Motion to move the Whitecliff Playground presentation ahead of the consent calendar passed unanimously (motion by Tim, second by Dan).
Minutes Approval: Minutes from February 17, 2026 were approved with an edit to add Lisa Bozdeck as Vice Chair (motion by Dan, second by John).

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were offered.

Whitecliff Playground Presentation and Public Voting

Director Eilien Ramirez explained the municipal park grant timeline: application due in August, with the Board of Aldermen review on July 28. 958 total votes were received (830 online) by June 10; a new system will restrict to one vote per person/URL for the 48-hour voting period following the meeting. 120 camp kids will also vote.
Three designs (numbered 5, 6, and 7) were presented:
- Cunningham Recreation (Dave Farson and Renee, position #5): Proposed an inclusive destination playground certified as a National Demonstration Site for both inclusion and play on. Features include play towers, tube slides, nature zones, swing garden (three bays with adaptive swings), music instruments, and shade structures. Surfacing: pour-in-place.
- Playground Consultants (Dana Amini and Christy, positions #5 and #6): Presented two designs. Design #6 had the most online votes. Designs emphasize inclusive play, turf surfacing (PlaySafe, 15-year warranty, no crumb rubber), ramps accessible to wheelchairs, a 360-degree loop slide, ninja course, and sensory elements. Design #5 also featured a misting tree and a large ramp system.
Board members asked about maintenance, mallets (secured with steel cable), fencing (permanent metal fence recommended), and ADA/fall-height compliance.
No formal board vote was taken on the playground design; public voting outcomes will determine next steps.

Discussion Items

Aldermanic Report (John Moore): Announced the city administrator recruitment process nearing completion; four charter amendments passed in April 2026 (including two-year budgets, April-only elections, and four-year terms starting in 2028). Mentioned new e-bike rules, the Ridgewood historic overlay, the Whitecliff loop trail (Prop A), Forest View evictions, and commercial developments (Dunkin', Club 65 pickleball, corporate HQ for Cyburgs, Chase, Seven Brew, QT, Dutch Bros).
Staff Report (Eilien Ramirez): Community center construction progressing (walls, track pour around next week); reported severe vandalism across parks (hole in Whitecliff slide costing $12,000, restroom damage, spray painting). Moving to metal fences and earlier restroom closures. A new facility coordinator/special events position has been budgeted to start in July with five strong applicants. Mayor’s statement on community center renovation costs: estimates significantly higher; options to be discussed by Board of Aldermen.
Membership Fee Schedule for Aquatic Center: Proposed ~20% average increase to offset a $250,000 loss and rising minimum wage. New resident rates: individual $85→$105, Lindbergh $135→$160, non-resident $155→$190; family and additional-member adjustments discussed. Staff noted the loss of $250,000 last year, record membership revenue under $200,000, and high non-resident family rates relative to peers.
Membership Fee Schedule for The Cliffs (new community center): Considered monthly vs. annual pricing, daily fees ($6 for youth, $8 for adults, etc.), and inclusive family definitions (e.g., four adults in one household). Board discussed simplifying discounts to one month free with annual payment, but no motion was made.

Key Outcomes

Aquatic Center Fee Schedule Approved: Motion to approve the proposed pricing (as presented on the sheet) passed. No vote was taken on the Cliffs membership fees.
Playground Voting: Initiated 48-hour public voting period (including 120 camp kids) to select from the top three designs; results will guide the grant application.
Next Meeting: Scheduled for August 18, 2026, at the Government Center Chambers.

Meeting Transcript

Yeah, well, I always wanted to draw my report, but yeah. Okay. And then we call it okay. It is 7 03. We'll go ahead and call the meeting to order. Um roll call, Deborah. Obviously, I'm here. Dan. Orion is absent. Tim. Um Lisa and Zach are excused. John. And Eileen. Here. Jim and Megan are out and John is in. Um we were thinking we should rearrange the order of the agenda to accommodate our guests. Is there a motion to reorder it so that we can work on the White Cliff playground presentation and public voting first? So moved. Motion by Tim, is there a second? Second by Dan. All those in favor? Okay. Opposed. The motion passes. So we'll move on to starting new business right away with the White Cliff playground presentation and public voting. Okay. Can what's my mic working? All right, let me go the rundown really quick of how we got where we're at today. So we are going to apply for a municipal park grant, and that will be in August. In order to apply for that grant, you have to have a playground to submit. Once you apply for the grant, you can't go back and change the playground. So we need to start this process really early. As you all know, in the last meeting that we met was in February. We discussed if we want a theme or not. You all decided you wanted to do either nature or aquatics. I had a meeting with 12 vendors on site, gave them the option they could do um nature and aquatic, or they could do one, whatever they chose. And so we had um nine companies submit. Uh eight of them submitted two, two submitted just one. Um didn't matter, they could choose which design, they could do multiplatics or both nature, however, they decide to do it. And then um during the splash tacular, we started the online voting and then closed it June 10th, if I remember right. We ended up getting eight hundred and or nine hundred and fifty-eight total votes, eight hundred and thirty were online. Unfortunately, we didn't have the system at that time to only allow people to vote once, so we don't know how many of those are multiple people or multiple times. Um after tonight, we're gonna have 48 hours of voting. That we did get a different system, which will only allow one vote per person or per um, I guess computer URL. That's how I'll read it. Um at that point then we'll we'll take that top one. I will work with the vendor at that point. Um if we have to make any tweaks, I meet with our inclusion person, Terry Johnson. She goes through it. If we need to adjust anything, we do.

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