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Record of Proceedings

Board of Park Commissioners Regular Meeting - May 6, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, May 6, 2026
BodyEvansville, Indiana
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, May 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 16:21

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:21

I'd like to call the Board of Park Commissioners regular meeting together for May 6th.

0:29

First item on the agenda is meeting memorandum of the April 22nd 2026, which was a special meeting to open bids.

0:39

Minutes have been provided.

0:40

I'll take a motion for approval.

0:42

So moved.

0:43

Second.

0:44

Motion of second.

0:45

Any discussion?

0:47

All in favor?

0:49

Aye.

0:49

Opposed?

0:50

Thank you.

0:51

We have one item under the consent agenda.

0:53

Request permission to dispose of equipment in the equipment list is a 1997 land pride overseeder.

1:01

A 2006 Toro Moor.

1:04

And 1999 Thai crop quick pass top dresser at Fendrick Golf Course.

1:14

I'll entertain a motion for the consent agenda.

1:17

I guess my question would just be where is it?

1:20

Where are they disposing it to?

1:22

They just anyone.

1:35

I'll make a motion to approve.

1:38

Motion and a second.

1:39

All in favor say aye.

1:40

Aye.

1:41

There is no old business.

1:42

We are going to for right now skip items A, B, and C under new business.

1:46

We're going to move to D.

1:48

Permission to seek quotes for paving and asphalt repairs at Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden.

1:54

Mr.

1:55

Payne.

1:59

Hi, thank you.

2:01

Uh Ben Payne, Messi Park Zoo and Botanic Gardens.

2:03

We are asking you guys to consider permission to seek bids for paving, painting, and uh ethos projects throughout the zoo.

2:16

Okay.

2:18

Any questions?

2:19

Is that in the zoo, parking lot, all the above?

2:22

It's all the above, yeah.

2:23

All the past footpaths, the roads, and uh, you know, we just water all up into one big project.

2:30

Okay.

2:32

How often do we do this?

2:34

Usually yearly.

2:35

Uh we'll do our big projects yearly and then maintain as needed, you know, anything that might be a hazard or tripping hazards or anything like that.

2:42

But as a whole, we keep it assessed and then try to do big projects once a year.

2:47

All right.

2:49

Any other questions?

2:51

I'll entertain a motion for approval.

2:53

So moved.

2:54

Second.

2:54

We have a motion and a second.

2:56

All in favor say aye.

2:57

Aye.

2:58

Opposed.

2:59

While you're there, we have the next item is permission to see quotes for fencing, shelter and containment projects at Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden.

3:08

Sure.

3:09

We're asking again to uh for permission to seek quotes for fencing, perimeter fencing, and also exhibit fencing.

3:17

Uh, that we do also on a preventive maintenance and a yearly project thing to keep our zoo and all exhibits in tip top shape.

3:27

Okay.

3:28

Questions?

3:30

No.

3:30

I'll entertain a motion.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████82%
Infrastructure███████12%
Community Engagement███6%
Summary of Proceedings

Board of Park Commissioners Regular Meeting - May 6, 2026

The Board of Park Commissioners met on May 6, 2026, to approve meeting minutes, dispose of surplus equipment, authorize multiple projects at Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden, award construction contracts, approve change orders, and receive a departmental report. All votes were unanimous unless noted.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: Approved the April 22, 2026 special meeting minutes.
  • Equipment Disposal: Approved the disposal of a 1997 Land Pride overseeder, a 2006 Toro mower, and a 1999 Ty-Crop Quick Pass top dresser at Fendrich Golf Course. A board member requested clarification on disposal location before the motion carried.

Discussion Items

  • Permission to Seek Quotes for Paving and Asphalt Repairs at Mesker Park Zoo: Ben Payne of Mesker Park Zoo requested permission to seek bids for paving, painting, and asphalt projects covering footpaths, roads, and parking lots as an annual preventive maintenance project. Approved.
  • Permission to Seek Quotes for Fencing, Shelter, and Containment Projects at Mesker Park Zoo: Request to seek quotes for perimeter and exhibit fencing, part of yearly maintenance. Approved.
  • Permission to Seek Quotes for Painting EFIS Projects at Mesker Park Zoo: Request to seek quotes for repairing delaminated EFIS coating on the entry building and Amazonia building. Approved.
  • Award and Execute Agreement with Art Construction for Eigelhardt Splash Pad: Danielle presented the low bidder, Art Construction, for the splash pad project. The anticipated completion date is September 2, 2026 (Labor Day weekend), with penalties for delays. Motion to award and execute carried.
  • Award Agreement (Not Execute) with Midwest Contracting for Golf Renovations: Danielle requested approval to award the agreement to Midwest Contracting as low bidder, with execution delayed pending language adjustments. Approved.
  • Approve and Execute Amendment to Concessions Agreement at Helfrich Golf Course: Amendment transfers liquor license responsibility from the Board of Park Commissioners to the concessionaire, Wilson of Evansville (adding them alongside Britt Wilson, who remains personally liable). Needed for license transfer approval. Approved.
  • Change Order #2 with Midwest Contracting for Fourth and Main Park Project: $37,150.03 to address unstable vaults discovered during excavation, replacing topsoil with geosynthetic material. Approved and to be executed after language verification.
  • Change Order #4 with Midwest Contracting for Westman Playground Restroom Project: $13,900 to fix drainage issues in the playground adjoining the restroom. Approved.
  • Change Order #3 with River Town Construction for Next Level Trail: $5,825.41. This item was tabled to the next meeting to allow detailed information to be provided.

Key Outcomes

  • All votes on the consent calendar and discussion items (except the tabled change order) were approved unanimously by voice vote (all ayes, no opposed).
  • The board approved seeking quotes for three separate zoo maintenance contracts (paving, fencing, painting) and awarded two construction contracts (splash pad and golf renovations) as specified.
  • The concessions agreement amendment was approved to shift liquor license responsibility to the concessionaire.
  • Two change orders were approved; one change order was tabled for further information.

Departmental Report

  • Danielle introduced the new Program Director, Catherine Van Hook, who began May 4, 2026, focusing on social media, programs, community connections, and senior programming. She is assisting with pool hiring for the May 30 opening.
  • Danielle announced the 2026 Movie Nights in the Park series, sponsored by City Council and in cooperation with Evansville Police and Fire Departments:
    • May 29 – Van Park – The Minecraft Movie
    • June 12 – 11th Avenue Park – The Parent Trap
    • July 17 – Stevenson Park – Space Jam
    • August 7 – Howell Park – Zootopia 2
  • Payroll and vendor claims were approved.

Meeting Transcript

I'd like to call the Board of Park Commissioners regular meeting together for May 6th. First item on the agenda is meeting memorandum of the April 22nd 2026, which was a special meeting to open bids. Minutes have been provided. I'll take a motion for approval. So moved. Second. Motion of second. Any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Thank you. We have one item under the consent agenda. Request permission to dispose of equipment in the equipment list is a 1997 land pride overseeder. A 2006 Toro Moor. And 1999 Thai crop quick pass top dresser at Fendrick Golf Course. I'll entertain a motion for the consent agenda. I guess my question would just be where is it? Where are they disposing it to? They just anyone. I'll make a motion to approve. Motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. There is no old business. We are going to for right now skip items A, B, and C under new business. We're going to move to D. Permission to seek quotes for paving and asphalt repairs at Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden. Mr. Payne. Hi, thank you. Uh Ben Payne, Messi Park Zoo and Botanic Gardens. We are asking you guys to consider permission to seek bids for paving, painting, and uh ethos projects throughout the zoo. Okay. Any questions? Is that in the zoo, parking lot, all the above? It's all the above, yeah. All the past footpaths, the roads, and uh, you know, we just water all up into one big project. Okay. How often do we do this? Usually yearly. Uh we'll do our big projects yearly and then maintain as needed, you know, anything that might be a hazard or tripping hazards or anything like that. But as a whole, we keep it assessed and then try to do big projects once a year. All right. Any other questions? I'll entertain a motion for approval. So moved. Second. We have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye.

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