OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Board of Park Commissioners Regular Meeting - August 5, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, August 5, 2026
BodyEvansville, Indiana
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, August 5, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 20:15
Transcript — Verbatim
0:05

All right.

0:06

We're going to call to order the Board of Parks Commissioners regular meeting for Wednesday, August 5th, 2026.

0:13

First item of business is the meeting memorandum for July 15th, 2026.

0:19

Could I get a motion to approve?

0:20

So moved.

0:21

Second.

0:22

Got a motion and a second.

0:23

All those in favor say aye.

0:24

Aye.

0:25

Those opposed?

0:26

Ayes have it.

0:28

Moving on to the consent consent agenda.

0:32

Request requests approve and execute execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Brock Hall.

0:41

Request and approve and execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Elodie Thomason.

0:50

Request and approve.

0:52

Execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Kristen Hayes.

1:00

Request the approve and execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Brianna Linenberg.

1:08

Request and approve park property reserve use permit application with Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library for the Day of the Dead Cultural Celebration at the West Side Library Park on November 7th, 2026.

1:23

Request and approve, execute access agreement for Jacobsville, Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination Site at 612 Monroe Avenue.

1:34

Request approve and execute agreement.

1:37

CK CK Newsom Playground Site Work 2026 with uh Dyke Brothers Lumber and Construction Company.

1:46

Request approve and execute agreement, Caldwell Playground Site Work 2026 with Dyke Brothers Lumber and Construction Construction Company.

1:56

Request approve and execute agreement with Custom Mechanical Inc.

2:00

for replacement of Amazonia boardwalk at Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden.

2:05

Request approve and execute umpire service agreement with Darren Noel.

2:12

And then uh previously approved by Mesker Park Zoo and by Tanny by uh on item I for the Amazonia boardwalk was previously approved by Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden Advisory Board.

2:26

Anybody have any questions for any of that?

2:28

No.

2:28

If not, I would take a motion to approve.

2:30

So moved.

2:31

Got a motion and a second.

2:33

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

2:35

Aye.

2:36

Opposed, eyes have it.

2:38

We do not have any old business.

2:40

Move on to new business.

2:42

Um, item A request permission to install a temporary water spigot for the community garden at TP Park.

2:52

That's uh community one.

2:59

Good afternoon.

3:00

Thank you for the opportunity to be here.

3:01

My name is Jessica Welcher.

3:02

I'm the executive director at Community One.

3:05

I do have a map if it would be all right to permission to approach.

3:09

Yes.

3:17

Again, I'm with um Community One.

3:19

We're a local nonprofit.

3:21

Uh we do affordable housing and community development work here in the city.

3:25

Um as relevant to this request, we are a lead agency and work in the Teepee Park neighborhood.

3:31

Thank you already for the significant investment you have made in the park.

3:34

The splash pad is used every single day, uh brightening uh many children's lives, and they love being able to come over and play.

3:42

Uh we are requesting the opportunity to uh assume the cost to put a water spigot into one of the lots we have on the map in front of you.

3:51

It shows uh the park proper in that soft green.

3:55

Um the lots that are in orange are ones that community one has purchased blighted and abandoned properties and torn those all down.

4:03

Um we are going to be in the process of transferring those to the park to have that expanded green space as it's in alignment with the neighborhood's quality of life plan.

4:14

On that final lot that's closest to the community garden, we still have water access for when we tore down one of the properties, and so we would love to put in a water spigot.

4:24

We would assume the full cost and take on all those responsibilities, but then when the lot is transferred over to the park, uh that water spigot would become the water cost of of the parks department.

4:38

Currently, uh the community garden is overseen by neighborhood leaders, and uh I've always like hesitant when someone wants to do a community garden because you're always thinking how is this gonna be maintained?

4:49

But it's many neighbor leaders, they involve children.

4:52

Um they've been working on um helping teach kids about the importance of gardening, and so they are running five 100 foot uh water hoses from the park clubhouse all the way to the garden right now.

5:00

And so they are running five 100 foot uh water hoses from the park clubhouse all the way to the garden right now.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████67%
Procedural█████8%
Affordable Housing█████8%
Youth Programs████6%
Procurement████6%
Public Engagement███5%
Summary of Proceedings

Board of Park Commissioners Regular Meeting - August 5, 2026

The Board of Park Commissioners met on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The meeting covered consent agenda approvals, several new business items including a community garden water spigot, change orders, agreements, and bids for tennis lighting. All actions were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved skating professional agreements with independent instructors Brock Hall, Elodie Thomason, Christin Hayes, and Brianna Linenburg.
  • Approved a park property reserve use permit for Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library to hold a Day of the Dead cultural celebration at Westside Library Park on November 7, 2026.
  • Approved an access agreement for the Jacobsville neighborhood soil contamination site at 612 Monroe Avenue.
  • Approved agreements with Deig Brothers, Lumber & Construction Company, Inc. for CK Newsome Playground Sitework 2026 and Caldwell Playground Sitework 2026.
  • Approved an agreement with Custom Mechanical, Inc. for replacement of the Amazonia boardwalk at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (previously approved by the Mesker Park Zoo Advisory Board).
  • Approved an umpire services agreement with Darron Noel.

Discussion Items

  • Temporary Water Spigot for Tepe Park Community Garden: Jessica Welcher, Executive Director of Community One, requested permission to install a temporary water spigot for the community garden at Tepe Park. Community One will assume all costs. The spigot will have a lock with keys held at the park clubhouse to control access. The board discussed efficiency improvements over the current use of five 100-foot hoses. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
  • Change Order #2 for Igleheart Park: Danielle Crook, Executive Director, presented Change Order #2 with Arc Construction in the amount of $64,792.11. Changes included splash pad service lines, sewer line relocation, removal of old Lloyd Pool remnants, grade adjustments (from 3:1 to 4:1 for mower safety), and addition of double gates for mower access. The park remains on track for a Labor Day weekend opening. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
  • INDOT Access for Bridge Retrofit: The board approved a request from INDOT to access the Greenway Passage to retrofit an existing bridge at Pigeon Creek/State Road 62. No cost or labor to the parks department. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
  • Veritas Agreement for Owner’s Representation: The board approved an agreement with Veritas to provide owner’s representation services through December, citing 21 active projects and the need for additional oversight. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
  • Superior Asphalt Agreement for Van Pollock Basketball Courts: The board approved an agreement with Superior Asphalt to resurface basketball courts at Van Pollock. The parks department is collaborating with the Department of Metropolitan Development, which will reimburse the department for both the court resurfacing and new playground equipment selected by neighborhood youth. Motion to approve carried unanimously.
  • Bids for Wesselman Tennis Lighting: Three bids were received: Sellers Masonry ($295,999 base plus $8,000 for alternates), a second bid with base $108,580.30 (no alternates detailed), and Deig Brothers ($348,555 base plus alternates). The board took the bids under advisement for purchasing review.

Report

  • Executive Director’s Report: Danielle Crook announced that Lorraine Pool will remain open for additional weekends with themed events: Glow Night on August 8 from 6:30-9:00 PM and a Disney-themed weekend thereafter. She also promoted the 812 Days event on August 12 from 3:00-5:00 PM in partnership with Willard Public Library to promote literacy.

Key Outcomes

  • All consent agenda items approved unanimously.
  • Temporary water spigot for Tepe Park community garden approved.
  • Change Order #2 for Igleheart Park approved.
  • INDOT access for bridge retrofit approved.
  • Veritas owner’s representation agreement approved.
  • Superior Asphalt agreement for Van Pollock basketball courts approved.
  • Bids for Wesselman Tennis Lighting taken under advisement.
  • Payroll and vendor claims approved unanimously.
  • Meeting adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

All right. We're going to call to order the Board of Parks Commissioners regular meeting for Wednesday, August 5th, 2026. First item of business is the meeting memorandum for July 15th, 2026. Could I get a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Got a motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed? Ayes have it. Moving on to the consent consent agenda. Request requests approve and execute execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Brock Hall. Request and approve and execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Elodie Thomason. Request and approve. Execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Kristen Hayes. Request the approve and execute skating professional agreement with independent skating instructor Brianna Linenberg. Request and approve park property reserve use permit application with Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library for the Day of the Dead Cultural Celebration at the West Side Library Park on November 7th, 2026. Request and approve, execute access agreement for Jacobsville, Jacobsville Neighborhood Soil Contamination Site at 612 Monroe Avenue. Request approve and execute agreement. CK CK Newsom Playground Site Work 2026 with uh Dyke Brothers Lumber and Construction Company. Request approve and execute agreement, Caldwell Playground Site Work 2026 with Dyke Brothers Lumber and Construction Construction Company. Request approve and execute agreement with Custom Mechanical Inc. for replacement of Amazonia boardwalk at Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden. Request approve and execute umpire service agreement with Darren Noel. And then uh previously approved by Mesker Park Zoo and by Tanny by uh on item I for the Amazonia boardwalk was previously approved by Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden Advisory Board. Anybody have any questions for any of that? No. If not, I would take a motion to approve. So moved. Got a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, eyes have it. We do not have any old business. Move on to new business. Um, item A request permission to install a temporary water spigot for the community garden at TP Park. That's uh community one. Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to be here. My name is Jessica Welcher. I'm the executive director at Community One. I do have a map if it would be all right to permission to approach. Yes. Again, I'm with um Community One. We're a local nonprofit. Uh we do affordable housing and community development work here in the city. Um as relevant to this request, we are a lead agency and work in the Teepee Park neighborhood. Thank you already for the significant investment you have made in the park. The splash pad is used every single day, uh brightening uh many children's lives, and they love being able to come over and play.

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