All right.

We will call to order the Waukeshaw Parks Recreation and Forestry Board meeting on February 16th, 2026, with roll call.

Alderman Camacho.

Eric Hummer here.

Steve Johnson.

Sarah Roth.

Here.

John Schmidt absent.

Alderman Wells, absent.

Jennifer Walner.

Here.

And Erica Yoss.

Here.

And that completes roll call.

Great.

Thank you.

We will move on to public comment.

Does not look like we have any public comment this evening.

So we will move on to the approval of minutes for the board minutes from December 15th, 2026.

I'll make a motion to approve.

Second.

Motion by Sarah Roth and second by Eric Hummer.

Any further discussion?

All right.

Say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

And that passes unanimously.

Moving on to discussion decision items.

Item A, review and possible action on special use request recheat received from the Waukesha Allied Veterans Council regarding the 2026 Memorial Day and Veterans Day events proposed for veterans and colour parks.

All right.

Joanna's here tonight.

Talk about both of these important events.

Every year we have this special use process.

And this year's no different except earlier, which is good.

Joanna.

Thank you, Ron.

So yes, this is an annual request by the Allied Veterans to utilize both Cutler Park and Veterans Park for Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

The Memorial Day parade, they would like to host that again.

I understand the permit has been approved by the clerk's office.

So they'll do the riverside ceremony in at the plaza, and then the parade will start at the state office building.

That permit has also been approved by the state.

And then they'll conduct the parade and then use Cutler Park for the rest of the service.

On Memorial Day, uh Veterans Day, they utilize Veterans Park for a short service there.

So they are requesting use of the parks for both of the uh remembrances.

Any questions?

Right.

I will make a motion to approve.

I'll second.

Motion by Jennifer Walner, second by Eric Hummer.

Any further discussion?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

And that passes unanimously.

Thank you.

Thanks, Duanna.

Item uh that takes us to item B.

Public Street Planting Program Public Hearing.

And we will this will be a vote to open the public hearing.

I will make a motion to open.

Motion by Jennifer Walner, second by Steve Johnson.

Any further discussion?

Um, all in favor to open the public hearing, say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed.

And that passes.

Any public here for the hearing.

No.

Okay.

That will bring us to our item.

Thank you.

That's a motion by Steve Johnson, a second by Eric Hummer to close the public hearing.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

And that passes.

Brings us to item D.

Recommend that the common council set a public hearing on a date to be determined to review and act on the proposed assessment for the spring 2026 public street planting program said to call said cost to be $397 per tree.

All right.

Well, Aaron Leonard, our city forester is not available tonight.

But Melissa Lipska will take that on and uh review the briefly.

Go over the program and answer any questions the best we can on it.

Melissa.

Yes, thank you, Ron.

Um, so this spring uh we're looking at uh what would be considered a relatively small planting.

Um in your packet, um, you should have uh different information.

Um that Aaron put together.

Let me see which one here.

Um so the planting summary uh will show the spring 2026 tree planting summary we're looking at.

Uh we are looking at between uh 15 and 18.

Um he's got without charge three.

So new developments, we're only looking at assessed trees, uh 15 of them.

Uh other than that, mostly replacements uh is kind of been the tradition with our planting plan the past several years.

Uh we do have a couple memorial and retirement trees uh already in the hopper.

Uh so those will be going through.

So for um 2026, 158 trees total.

Um, of those uh this year, um, as in some recent years, we've been kind of doing some different things with contracted services and the different work units.

And so working with the forestry supervisor Aaron, we're looking at contracting out uh all of the street tree planting this spring.

Uh the three memorial and retirement trees, our staff would plant.

We always plant those in-house with our staff.

Um so we're be g going to be getting quotes for installation.

Uh we have some quotes from last fall from Johnson's nursery and some other nurseries for installation of the trees.

Uh one thing that we're looking at doing uh to kind of keep the quality control is we are going to purchase the trees ourselves, and we're going to hold them in our yard, so then the contractor will come get the trees from our yard.

So we're not looking at different markups or some contractors only have access to certain species.

So then we're getting the species and the size of trees we want to ensure that we have a diverse urban forest and we keep maintaining that.

So Aaron solicited quotes from one, two, three, four, five, six nurseries this spring.

So trying to get as much kind of pricing as we can from various ones.

And so we'll be purchasing trees from five of them.

Um Johnson's nursery, um, we've worked with kind of on and off over the years.

They tend to be more expensive.

So at least for this spring, we're not looking at purchasing any trees from them.

Um kind of if it's something where we have last minute um sort of requests or some other park trees that come in.

Um we do utilize them for things because they are so close and can generally uh dig dig trees pretty quickly upon request.

Um, but we are not looking for those for the spring planting.

Um so if you will look in your let's see, uh tree planting assessment packet.

Um, I guess I should apologize.

Um, also within the the tree packet before you also is the EAB treatment history, uh kind of the forestry division update.

It shows histories of annually how many trees we prune, how many trees we remove, how many trees we plant.

Um he also has the our urban forest breakdown by the genus um species chart, which shows us uh trying to diversify our urban forests so that way if we have an emerald ash borrow, Dutch elm disease, uh that wouldn't be as uh dire as it has been in the past.

Yeah, all right.

Um just out of curiosity.

Um or is Piallas more expensive?

They are.

Yeah, yeah.

So it's like anywhere in the area of um generally uh generally when we we look at where we're getting prices from the nurseries, a lot of the nurseries that we get good tree pricing from are ones that are more strictly nurseries and don't have a commercial landscaping side as much.

Um so leaves inspired, Meachum, Turtle Creek, uh Breezy Hill, they're a lot more focused on the nursery aspect than like the landscape installation aspect, um, which means they primarily focus just on growing, um, which is why we're looking at purchasing the trees direct.

We get a little better pricing that way too, umstead of having the markup.

So we have solicited from piallas in the past, um and they've either declined or they've they've been on the um more expensive side.

Yep, so I can um actually yeah, do you want to get my screen?

Um well no, we're purchasing from five different nurseries, and we're doing an average of the trees.

So for example, maybe, yeah, maybe it'll be maybe it'll be better or not if I show this.

We'll see.

Is there a spreadsheet on your guys' screen?

Yeah, I think I should be this one.

There we go.

Can you guys see that now?

Okay, so this is a breakdown of all the quotes that you guys can see expout Excel spreadsheet, yes.

Okay, this is a breakdown kind of summary of the quotes that Aaron solicited from all the different nurseries, um, and then the pricing he got from each, and then the highlighted columns are which species and quantity we're purchasing from which nursery, and then the yellow on the bottom is the total.

So he takes care to cross all the species and all the sizes across the different nurseries to make sure we're getting kind of the best bang for the bucks, so to speak.

So um it is it is even for me and I love spreadsheets.

Um, it is really quite the spreadsheet that he's put together here.

Um so through all of that, um, the numbers that you guys are gonna want to look at is the bottom right hand corner, and then what our average cost per tree comes out to is just for the plant material is just under 200.

Um and if you'll look at some of the other costs, you'll see some of the tree species um are well over 200.

Um that depends again on the type of tree, uh, the size of tree, uh, and then also um the nurseries have their own different uh pricing as well.

Yes.

Okay, here we go.

Oh, yes, it is.

Um because the we have the requests in, but we do not have those committed.

Is that what you're looking at?

Well, and you didn't charge.

Oh, yeah.

Oh, okay.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Trees.

Placements.

Yeah, the total, yeah, the total amount of trees that we'd be contracting would be one fifty-five.

Um let me see.

Um, so the without charge trees, um, Aaron has um it's not noted on here, um, but he has the park staff or forest parks and forestry staff planting those in-house.

So I can make sure that we clarify that on our future reports.

Um, yeah, the without charge umes are correct.

Um, but it's it's not a good, I guess, differentiation showing the different totals in the chart.

So we can just pick that a little more here.

And Melissa, when we're saying with charge, that's that 397.

Yep, that would be the assessment, correct.

Right.

And then without charge will be the in-house plant.

Correct, so um, that would come from the non-assessed planting budget line item within the forestry budget.

Okay, great.

I also brought this up to Ron, but in the plan commission, we have been working on redoing the zone zoning code.

And it was brought up at our last special meeting that there were recommendations from the DNR about plantings, specific geniuses and things that work well.

And I guess they mentioned Aaron, they said they had talked to the forestry manager, but I just wanted to make sure that those conversations are happening.

We had a conversation, I believe, back before the holidays.

And Aaron and I have reached out to try and further that conversation.

Aaron Clude me into it because we've been talking for a couple years about rewriting the forestry um city ordinances.

And we have not heard anything back.

Okay.

So I'll put a bug in just because she had like a whole packet.

Okay.

And she had a whole packet that came from the DNR and was saying like this is what we should be using.

Okay.

Great.

But no one's in the room here that will make those decisions.

So we'll connect those dots.

I know Aaron and I would appreciate that.

Yeah, no problem.

So thank you.

No problem.

Okay.

Let me find the correct street here.

Any further questions?

I can't find the correct sheet.

I'm sorry.

Oh, there we go.

Um so based on uh quotes that we received last fall from Johnson's nursery, um, which again are a little on the high side when we actually solicit uh quotes, we anticipate the labor to be less expensive.

Um, but that is what we've utilized to calculate the assessed tree value for this year.

Um so estimated labor cost per tree, um 229 dollars and seventy-two cents per tree is what was estimated uh by Johnson's nursery, and that includes uh planting the tree, mulching it, watering it in, uh all of those things.

Uh and so our average um, of course, like everything else climbs a little bit every year uh to 428.88 cents.

Uh but because again, we're using kind of an estimate, um, and there was uh such a decent um size increase last year, um, we would look at recommending uh keeping the assessment flat at uh 397.

Um but of course, um any questions, comments.

Um take some more if anyone's got any.

Is there any sort of guarantee of work with the contractors that we're hiring?

Like if they were to for some reason put in the tree wrong or not fulfill the watering, would they be responsible for replacing the tree?

Yes, absolutely.

Um if you know they were to put a tree in the wrong spot, we don't uh pay them until the work has been inspected to our satisfaction.

Um and we're gonna be getting two different types of uh warranty quotes.

Um one that would include the contractor watering throughout the season, and then one that would include the city watering.

Very, very likely we'll go with the city city watering the trees throughout the season.

Um, because when we get uh forestry seasonal staff and interns, their uh labor is a lot less expensive um than contracting it out.

Um, but just for comparison's sake, we do like to request costs of watering from the contractor as well.

Thank you.

I'll make a motion to approve the recommendation for $397 per tree.

Motion by Sarah Ross, second by Alderman Camacho.

Any further discussion?

Okay, we will take this to a vote.

Um all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

And that passes unanimously.

Yes, thank you.

And if there's questions that come up in the meantime, too.

Um again, since I'm pinching for Aaron, I know um he always welcomes questions from the board.

Yeah.

Thanks, Melissa.

All right, moving on to item E, review preliminary 2026 pool program season and fees charges.

All right, perfect time with the weather.

Yeah, yes, the pool season's not too far off.

Mark's here tonight and Logan.

Uh to talk about the pool program.

Again, preliminary.

So we'll hit on very high level, you know, like the pool season, what we're looking at.

We've got some new ideas with the uh learn a swim program, which uh it's pretty exciting.

Uh maybe a little talk about cabanas as well.

It's Mark's favorite subject.

So take it away, gentlemen.

All right, thank you very much, Ron.

Um, so I do have Logan here this evening to uh help out with the pool reports.

Um I'm gonna cover um just how the pools uh performed in 2025, as that was you know my season, I own it, all the numbers in there.

Uh, and then Logan will cover the 2026 proposed season.

Um we do have uh after analyzing the data, um, realizing some trends and then some gaps in services.

We are going to be recommending some major changes to the Horeb swim schedule.

Um, and we'll be getting to that at the end.

So that's just a little bit of a teaser right there.

Um but this uh first picture right here, this is just one of our staff in services.

So this was before a fire department in service.

So that is just one of our pools right there.

We do have a couple of our managers that are there, but that's just a kind of an at-a-glimpse idea of what it takes to staff just one of our pools.

Um so next page, please.

All right, so um overall at a glance for attendance figures, uh, we did awesome in uh 2025.

Uh, weather-wise, it was kind of a mild season.

Um, it definitely wasn't a hot summer, so we seeing an additional 4,000 people at the pools was awesome.

Um, so as far as the memberships go, our memberships continue to uh go up.

Um we are seeing a little bit or we saw a little bit of a dip in our learn to swim enrollments, and uh we will get there in a little bit of what our proposed changes will be on that.

And we really think that we've come up with a solution that is going to be uh a win-win for both our budget and then also the community for the amount of seats that we can serve.

Um, and then with weather closures, we did have four full-day closures early on in the season.

Um, our operating costs between both pools is right around $550 an hour for staff costs.

Um, so in order for us to sustain that, we need to have about a hundred people that come through our doors every hour.

So we really were uh taking a critical look on those days when it's 73, 74 degrees, and you know, you have some members there, but there's just not any paid admissions that are coming through the door.

Um so we we pulled the plug early in the season when we had those high 60 days when we just knew we were gonna be barely maintaining our minimums if that and tried to be more fiscally responsible with our taxpayer dollars.

Next slide, please.

All right, so um overall, the uh combined recovery rates uh we were at 85%, and uh we'll get down there, but that's trending um pretty much exactly where we have been for years past.

Um our pool pass revenue uh is up again, and the trends that we're seeing in the pool passes is our city of Waukesha residents are really leaning into our pool memberships, and we're seeing more usage of city residents for pool memberships.

And then on the other side of that, we are seeing more non-residents going for our daily rate, um, which it's a 50% inflated rate for non-residents that they're paying for that non-resident fee to come in.

So we actually overperformed our daily admissions by about $15,000 this year because of those non-resident rates that we did implement um a couple years back.

Uh, just some other notable expenses that I want to uh add.

Um talked about the personnel services that will always be our number one driver in the pools.

We need to maintain you know, lifeguards at the pool per state code.

Um, that will always be the highest figure.

Um, the other uh expenses that jumped out at us this year that we weren't necessarily were expecting uniforms.

Um the tariffs on uniforms and swimsuits in particular.

Um in 2024, we were paying $30 for a men's suit and then maybe $40 for a women's suit.

That more than doubled last year.

And if you didn't buy your suits before June, you could not find lifeguard suits anymore.

Um we had staff reporting that they were paying almost a hundred dollars for a second suit.

Um so we're putting our orders in early this year.

Um we've we've negotiated some discount pricing by locking in 2025 pricing in December with estimated orders to try and save ourselves some dollars there.

Um, and then utilities are always uh variables and you know what utilities are gonna cost, and it was a high season for those.

So if we could scroll down to the bottom, please, Mark.

Um so overall you can see how we were performing um in the past since 2017.

Um revenue-wise, our revenue was up $7,000 this year.

Um we did acquire the Turbo Chef, so we did have a $17,000 uh outlay, and then um just some increased expenses with uh supplies, expenses, and utilities.

So moving on to the 2026 revenue plan.

Um we are anticipating or that we're going to have an additional 45,000 in revenue this year, and essentially this page lays forward how we think we're going to do that.

Um, so I think this is a conservative revenue plan.

Um, we're we're thinking we're going to reach essentially the the numbers that um we underestimated in 2025, and then we think that we're gonna sustain with our uh concessions.

We got a little over aggressive uh with how much the turbo shovels were gonna sell.

Um we did very well, but the ROI on those is gonna be more like 2.5 to 3 years, where originally we thought it would be more like 1.5 to 2.

They're actually overperforming more at our youth sports complexes than the pool, and we thought it was gonna be the other way around.

So it's kind of interesting how the numbers are showing here.

Um, and then the the biggest addition to our budget this year is gonna be the $13,000 in uh cabana rentals at the two pools.

So we are eagerly putting that together right now, all our marketing material and getting everything purchased and ready for the season.

And then also just a friendly reminder that we have new pool features that we're gonna have over at Horeb this summer as well.

Um we'll have a dump bucket, we'll have a new um like spray shower, and then the lemon drops, which we called them before, which were the stationary three pillars.

There was a little uh yellow top, there was two little areas that sprayed out water, those will now be pivoting water shooters.

Um, so there will be a stop on them to where you can't shoot the water onto the deck, um, but then essentially that'll be a play area to where the kids will be able to shoot water on each other opposed to just non-interactive features where you're walking underneath a water stream.

All right.

Last page here.

Um I'm gonna kick it over to Logan here, and then I am probably going to interject a little bit uh as he makes comments.

Um now the biggest thing that uh I want to lay forward is this proposed pool plan is not Logan coming in and trying to turn the pools on its head.

This is 100% my doing in um just the operations of the pools for the last nine seasons, seeing where I think there's gaps in services, where we can best utilize the taxpayers' dollars, how we can possibly open up the pools longer, or how we can be the most responsible with our dollars.

So this is the plan that I laid forward that I asked Logan do I have your blessing to present this to the board?

And he said, absolutely, this this makes sense.

This sounds like a good plan.

Um so I just want to be very clear that this is not Logan coming in and just trying to totally redo the uh the way that we do things here.

Thank you, Mark.

Evening everyone.

Uh as Mark said, uh, with his little teaser, um, let's get right into the Horeb schedule compared to last year.

We'll be open 71 days to minus three days just due to the school year schedule is probably the biggest term for that.

Um so with that, we're just proposing that that first weekend, we just open Horeb on the weekend and then have Buckner open during the week and then open the horub the rest of the time period just to maximize our attendance until school gets out for the school year.

Um the big item to review is the school the pool schedule itself.

Um so we'll be moving swim lessons from the morning to directly into the evening.

I'll get more on that later into it.

But we'll be opening the pool for open swim from 11.30 to 5, and then from 5 to 8 p.m., we'll be having swim lessons.

So just to compare this with Horeb from Buckner, we'll be having swim lessons in the evening at Horeb for those families that are working during the uh day and just want to have some lessons in the evening, and then we're having all of our morning swim lessons at the Buckner Aquatic Facility.

Um and then come August, we'll be able to open Horeb from 12:30 to 8 p.m.

to extend our operating hours at Horeb to maximize until the school year starts back up later.

Uh at the Buckner pool, um, it's pretty similar to the normal schedule.

There's minimal changes there other than adding additional swim lessons to really hit those key swim lessons that we're not having at Horub.

So just to recap all the pros and everything of why we're making these changes is simplifies our swim lessons for our staffing for WSI instructors, so that way they can focus in the morning and in the evening, they're not trying to jump back and forth between double mornings and evening schedule.

Um, this really hits a home for avoiding um availability for having those evening evening swim lessons, and then having those morning swim lessons just so it's less confusion, especially when it comes to registration.

Um then having the pool open longer at Horror, but we'll hopefully boost those concession sales that Mark mentioned that we're hopefully gonna overhead as well.

Um Dennis, anything?

Thank you, Logan.

So the the biggest statistic or the driver in all this and not reopening the pool in the evening is really um the economics of it.

Um we for our historically we closed the pool down at 4:30.

Uh then we would have two blocks of swim lessons, a five o'clock swim lesson and a 5.30 swim lesson.

Those are our most popular swim lessons.

They would fill up like a level one and a level two class.

If you were a non-resident, you couldn't get those options.

They would be gone before non-resident registration day.

So what this does is it effectively doubles our capacity in the evening when our lessons are the most demand, when we know that we're gonna be able to fill them.

And then in addition to that, when we were reopening the pool from 6 30 to 8 o'clock PM, over the course of those eight weeks, we had an average of 10 paid admissions that were coming in the door.

So an average of about $50, and it was costing us close to 500 in staff salaries.

So over the course of the season, that correlates to 26,000 in staff salaries, and we took in about four.

So this arms usually to take away that gas guzzler in our budget of reopening the pool and nobody showing up, and now we're gonna have the pool open, doubling our swim lesson capacity where we know we're gonna have bodies in the pool and we know we're gonna fill those hours.

We still will have a pool available over at Buckner for people who want to swim in the evening.

And then when our learn to swim program comes to a conclusion at the end of July, we do intend on keeping that pool open until eight o'clock Monday through Friday.

Pool will remain open until eight o'clock on Saturday, and then it will remain open until 7 o'clock on Sunday.

So really the changes here are isolated to Horeb schedule.

Buckner will kind of remain as it always has.

Um, you know, Buckner is firing on all cylinders from seven o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock at night, seven days a week.

Um so we're maximizing the the usage of that facility at 13 hours a day where Horeb was primarily only being used, call it 10 at the very most.

Um I think that this uh it just gives the community the best use out of uh the pool.

So that's a lot that we threw at you guys.

Um I know that there is no uh recommend recommendation for approval that we have here this evening.

Um Logan and I are more than welcome to entertain any questions that you have this evening.

Um we totally we anticipate lots of questions on this, so by all means feel free to email either Logan or myself.

Um any concerns that you have, um, anything that you think that we may not have vetted or um you know things from your angle that you think we need to take a closer look at.

Um this is you know by far the largest change that I'm recommending in my 10 years here with WPRF, but I do think that it was going to be uh for the best, both for the taxpayer dollar and then also maximum utilization for the pool.

Um one thing right away.

Um sorry, um additionally, when you're saying like if we switch to this format, does that also then reduce the cost per hour in staff time?

So the statistic that I gave you was our open swim staff time.

Um learn to swim is going to be a little bit different because we do pay our instructors a higher cost, but that is um we know we're gonna make a profit on those lessons because we're gonna cancel them if we don't uh if we don't meet our minimums.

So it's more of a controlled environment with the learn to swim where regardless we're making money off from learn to swim, where open swim is just kind of you're rolling the dice based on the weather.

And in order for us to get a hundred bodies through the door with paid admissions to sustained, you really need to have 80 degree plus weather.

How do they pass this?

So it would be are you talking about like with the the loss at Horeb?

Yeah, because if you're saying the body feelability has no, it doesn't.

I mean that's the problem, and that is essentially the biggest heartburn in all of this.

Where we had more than 10 people that were in the pool.

We had 10 paid admissions, but we'd probably have somewhere around 40 to 60 people in the pool.

So that does mean that there are call it 30 or 40 members that were planning on coming to the pool, or they paid for an admission, and then they we kick everybody out of the pool at 4:30, and we give people a hand stamp to re-enter the pool later.

So it's likely a combination of those two.

Um, but we will have a pool to refer people to.

It's not just uh the pool's closed, you can't go swimming here.

We can refer people over to Buckner, and your hand stamp is universal.

If you get stamped at Buckner, you can go over to Horeb.

This makes a lot of sense just for the only Buckner is one little archive.

Oh, and open earlier.

I would have wanted to need to be there.

Right, and the concession stand wouldn't open until one o'clock because um, you know, reality is you're not hitting the concession stand the first thing you do when you get into the pool.

Um, so yeah, and and for the rest of the board, historically we opened up at 12 30 for Monday through Friday.

Well, just open swim in general.

Um and now this is gonna push it up to 11 30 because you know we want to put in an added benefit of not just eliminating that evening open swim and just saying tough deal with it.

This is kind of the compromise of it definitely serves those younger families.

Um because I know when my kids were little, you know, both of them less than five, they're up at six o'clock in the morning.

So you know, trying to get to a pool at 12 30 seems like a lifetime away.

And then you at 30 minutes away.

What did you just say?

What do you do?

Yeah.

I should know this by now, but if you have a pass to one of the pools, you have access to both.

Correct.

Okay, thank you.

Do you anticipate any sort of backlash or like what questions are you like maybe potentially getting from folks that do buy the pass and say, like, why go to Horb every every night?

And now what am I gonna, you know, like what are you anticipating there?

That that is the biggest question that I anticipate is this was our go-to.

We always went over here, you know.

We live two blocks away, we walk to the pool.

I don't have a solid answer for you outside of come visit us on the other side of town.

Um, but from a financial standpoint, when you really break it down, and then the amount of residents that we're missing out on that can't come to our morning swim lessons because they have two working parents.

Um, I I just think that the amount of people we can serve greatly outweighs the amount of people we're going to impact with this change.

Yeah.

Any other questions?

Yeah, you didn't dodge the cabana question.

So the cabanas are um, so it is a essentially a private little like gazebo area of the deck.

Um so we're looking at having um a minimum of five total between the pools.

Um we're just trying to negotiate in on specifically it's the wind loads that we're worried about on these.

Um and the wind loads for like a lower level are right at like 70 miles an hour, and we get that.

So we're gonna have to bump it up to the next level, and once you get up to the essentially hurricane-rated cabanas, um, you know, they're a little bit more expensive.

Uh, but you'll be able we're gonna price them very competitively.

Um we just were at the Kalahari for um a state conference, and they were charging anywhere from 300 to 600 a day for their cabanas on top of your hotel stay.

Um ours for a resident is gonna max out at 100, and Buckner and Horeb will be priced differently, and then there's different prices based on the um the weekday and weekend.

So it's a 99 dollar rental for a Buckner weekend rental, which can get you from 12 30 until 8 o'clock.

So when you break down, you know, per hour what you're paying on that, it's it's an amazing deal.

And thank you for bringing them up.

Um, but the cabanas essentially what this does is it allows us to hold the line on all of our additional pricing for 2026.

So we don't need to raise the price of memberships, we don't need to raise the price of daily admissions or swim lessons with the addition of the premium seating.

Um and the $13,000 that I had in there, that is with the cabanas at a 25% occupancy rate.

So that's like one weekend day essentially for each one of them.

And I think that they're probably going to do both weekend days at both pools.

I anticipate all of them are going to be full.

It's that weekday, I think is gonna be real hit or miss.

Um, because again, as a parent, it's a really cheap birthday party outside of our birthday party options that we're already offering, where if you only have, let's say, you know, three or four neighborhood kids, I can rent a cabana for sixty dollars or a hundred dollars at the very most, and now I've got a private birthday party for my my kid.

Not yet.

So this is gonna be our first year.

We're gonna allow drinks in them right now.

Um, but this is our first experiment on how this is gonna go.

Um I I truly do think that these are going to be received extremely well, and then um we'll have to talk about what expansion of the program looks like in 2027.

But so we might not be too many years off from cabana boys and cabana girls.

So get your liquor license at that name.

Right.

Well, if there aren't any other questions at this time, by all means, please do email Logan and I with any sort of trepidation, any concerns that you may have about this.

I know that this is a lot to um digest.

It's a big change, um, but I truly do think that it's gonna work out for the best.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

And again, this is uh no action record.

This is a preliminary review, give you a taste of the upcoming summer season, and next month we'll have the the final on that, and uh they'll wrap things up.

Um, because we're making progress on uh believe it again, another believe it or not, summer activity guide, and uh obviously that's a big part of it is the pool program.

So thanks, Mark Logan.

Great report.

Can I just ask one other quick question about the cabanas?

Will they be like will you reserve them when the activity guide comes out or will how like yes?

Um so reservations will be available as soon as uh registration goes live for residents and non-residents.

Um you will be able to rent them online up until 24 hours or the day before, and then any capacity that we have available the day of will be on a first come first for basis at the pools.

Cool.

Okay, thanks.

Actually, I do also have a follow-up question.

Um we're excited about it.

I know.

Uh are you working with like the marketing team to be able to kind of I don't know, drum up some excitement about it?

Absolutely.

Um you're probably gonna see River and Splash um doing a video here in the near future about our cabanas.

Um, and I saw that our recruitment video just hit the socials, I believe on Friday.

So if you know anybody who's looking for a job, send them our way.

Great, thank you.

Thanks.

Okay, we will move on to the board president report.

Um, as I mentioned, uh plan commission currently is the big project they have.

We have are we doing the zoning code?

Um, and that one piece that came up was just about the DNR and the species for trees.

So I'll connect the dots there.

Um, otherwise, nothing else to report.

Um, so we will move on to director and staff report.

All right, thank you, Jennifer.

Uh a couple things, and then uh move to the manager reports.

Uh making good progress on Miniola Pavilion.

So uh hoping by the April meeting we'll have some plans to share and hopefully uh uh how it's looking.

But so far, so good.

And uh they've been uh I have to say a good firm to be working with uh and uh engineering department's been a very good partner to help keep things on track.

So we want to again the goal is to be able to have this open for the spring of 27.

So next year, around uh roughly getting around this time, April Fool's Day, we'll use that one, uh, for uh the grand opening.

So think positive, and uh I just want to let you know so far that's looking good.

Uh lots of planning initiatives going on.

Uh we're uh gonna we're very close to having a kickoff meeting with our uh park and open, not that's the old term, the park and recreation system master plan, which used to be known as the park and open space plan.

It's really the the mother load of our park planning for us.

Uh we've been working off a plan that dates back to 2007.

Uh it's amazing how fast that went, but uh we've accomplished a lot uh from that plan, but it is definitely time to take uh a whole new look at it, refresh it, and um take what we had from the past and then merge it into the present because things have changed a lot in all those years, uh to say the least.

Uh so look forward to that.

There'll be opportunities uh for board input, etc.

All to come.

So we just kind of finalized that contract.

Uh, we'll be working with a firm called Damon Far Farber.

Uh I got it right for once.

Uh they're also doing our wayfinding, directional signage.

Um, sure Melissa will touch on the progress of that because that's much much further along.

Um so that's a companion plan to this a master plan.

And if that's not enough, uh strategic plan.

So we've had a little mileage on the strategic plan.

We like to do like an annual update uh to that.

So we're gonna be looking at uh I'll be soliciting like a Saturday uh down the road here, not too distant to get the board together to really kind of spend time to go over uh the revised strategic plan and uh keep keep that up.

Uh if we touch base on it at least once a year, it will never get too far away from us.

And uh so I think that's important.

Uh the city as a whole is doing a very nice job uh with uh the city's strategic plan.

And uh so we like to do the same.

Keep our again a companion plan, our strategic plan uh aligned with the city, overarching plan, a lot of plans.

And most, you know, most importantly, the you know, the stay on track with the initiatives that we're looking at that are what we feel critical, especially the next five years, uh the keep PRF on the right track.

The um yes, there's a citizen survey that's out.

You maybe have heard, but every two years the city uh has participated.

Uh that started in 2022.

Uh was conducted again in 2024, and guess what?

It's 2026.

So it's time for it's called the national community survey.

Uh there's two pieces, two big pieces to that.

There's a statistically valid survey.

So it sent out a random sample uh of two residents throughout the the city.

And uh that's a plus or minus, I want to say four percent on that.

Uh and then there's the online survey, so it's a great way, and would encourage anybody and neighbors or whatever, uh, take the time to fill that out.

Um easy to do.

Uh that closes on the 23rd.

Okay, February 23.

So take a peek at that.

It's again a chance to give input on not just uh you know parks and recreation type things, but the whole gamut.

And it's very helpful.

Um it's utilized.

Uh I have to say that uh it a lot is gleaned from that survey information.

So more to come on that.

Just wanted to make you aware that that is out and and available to take the online survey.

So anyone can do that if you're a resident.

And uh this the other survey is one.

If you'd haven't received one by now, I believe you did not get one.

So uh that's a random sample.

And uh the way that works out again, it's uh statistically uh validated sample of that.

Uh with that, we got lots of other projects going on, and uh Melissa will touch on a few of those.

And uh Mark kind of hit on a couple other ones.

Uh so from pools to rotary building, um frame park, formal garden, um a little bit of everything.

Uh playground projects getting ramped up, I think next month.

Uh I think we're gearing for next month to have the playground project that's earlier than usual.

We're trying to push that one up.

Uh this year is Greenway Terrace, another uh little known small little pocket park, kind of in the Banting area.

And uh it's our oldest playground in the system right now.

So that goes back to 99.

I want to say it's in the 90s, that's all I'll say.

Late 90s.

Uh so that's our oldest.

And uh it's a never-ending process.

We have 32 playgrounds in the system, and uh every year we need to at least do one, ideally two, but we're doing one uh this year.

Uh so with that, uh Melissa.

Thank you, Ron.

Uh Zeron.

Uh Ron uh mentioned uh the next month we'll be having uh public uh input meeting on the Greenway Terrace Playground.

Um also coming up hopefully in the next month or so, a public input meeting on the wayfinding uh signage and design project.

Um so we're getting close to having um some good locations, um, some good renderings to get that public uh input and stakeholders um before we would bring any recommendations to the park board.

Um so you'll be receiving those invites as well, so kind of keeping an eye out for those.

Um along the line of CIP projects, uh the formal gardens one will be hopefully wrapping up if the weather stays nice.

Um the deadline for that one to finish is the end of May.

Um so uh kind of a little bit longer in the spring, uh depending on how Mother Nature uh cooperates or doesn't cooperate with us.

Um and then also buttoning up uh horror pool retaining wall and new zero depth features as Mark mentioned for start of the new pool season.

So that pool have a little facelift uh for 2026.

Um those are kind of the the main uh projects that are holding over, so to speak, uh, from 2026.

Um 2020, no, from 2025 or finishing in 26.

Sorry, I'm already in 27 in my head.

Um so uh for 26 projects.

Uh yep, we have the Greenway Terrace uh playground project.

Um we also have one project.

Um it's multiple budget line items, but it's going to be bid as one project is the prairie park uh pickleball and tennis courts and lighting.

And then also as part of that project, the prairie baseball and softball backstop fencing and the Banting tennis and pickleball court resurfacing.

So combining all of those into one project, hopefully we'll be enticing to some contractors, and we'll get some some decent uh bids on those projects.

That one would look to start uh in August.

So get through the summer season for rentals, for programs, things, uh, and then do fall renovation, and then hopefully too at the ball fields.

Uh, that gives us some chance to do sod installation in the fall, uh, which is very good time to get some sod established uh at both of the ball diamonds there.

Um other operational items, um, we do still currently have a couple open positions, um, two Arborist positions, and then two positions in the buildings crew, the plumber and assistant supervisor.

Um, but also along those lines, we have begun hiring seasonal staff.

Um, so we have a couple um they've already committed to returning, so we're very excited about that.

Um, it definitely helps us get going a little faster in the spring.

So if anyone's looking for some outdoor work, um that uh we're we're very very flexible.

We've had seasonals start at as early as 5 a.m.

We have seasonals work until you know 11 o'clock, 11 30 at night.

So we're very flexible with schedules.

Um so that that's actually benefited us.

Um other operationally wise, uh forestry crew has been working hard to uh get on to a routine pruning schedule uh for the different uh forestry work units that are slightly different than the Aldermanic districts.

Um they're slightly smaller and they have to do a little bit more uh with uh the street layouts and how they can access them.

So working through those.

Uh also winter is a very good time for training uh when we've had the negative 30 degree days or days when it's particularly rainy or snowing, uh CDL training, pesticide training, forklift certification, we've got CPR and first aid uh that Mark Thompson and his staff are leading for our whole department.

So very thankful to be getting those done um kind of making hay while the sun is not shining.

Um of course um continuing on, even though it's 60 degrees, we still have a couple months left of snow plowing.

Um so I appreciate um comments and feedback that we've been getting.

So if anyone continues to have comments, feedback, notices, issues of concern, um, please continue to communicate those.

Uh we are keeping track of all of that.

Um and then a couple uh kind of rejuvenation projects.

Um Buckner Park, uh, if you've been past, um you'll notice that some of the shrubs have been cut down a little bit.

Uh the U that's been on the corner of Broadway and Oakland for approximately 35 years is no longer there.

Um so feels feels a little different.

Um as part of what we've started doing in other parks.

Uh we're trying to reduce the amount of shrub plantings that require annual or semi-annual maintenance, and then increase the native uh plantings, your native perennials, your native grasses, uh, which also are much more benefit beneficial for the pollinators, particularly the monarchs uh and the honey bees.

So um trying to go less maintenance, more environmentally friendly.

Um, and also we've been working on some invasive species removal, buck thorn, primarily undergrowth in the Fox River Sanctuary, kind of behind the the target behind the police department shooting range if you're familiar with that section.

Um so we work on mowing kind of every couple of years that keeps the buckthorn down.

Um, and then we're kind of working on areas where we might be able to plant some trees or just get it restored as um as an understory.

So um trying to again uh when the ground is frozen in the winter is perfect with no snow.

So that's ideal.

Any sort of forestry um shrub or restoration projects.

So that's most of what uh we've got going on at the moment.

All right, thanks.

Thanks, Melissa.

Um not to add more to that list, but uh could you uh expand a little bit on the formal gardens project?

What's all gonna happen with that for the board?

Yes.

Um so currently uh the formal gardens project, the base of the project um has been done, and I mean literally kind of the base.

Um so a lot of the storm sewer under drainage work.

Um if you've ever been to the formal gardens, even a couple days after it rains, um, you'll notice there's some puddles on the stone pathways.

Um so this will alleviate that uh make it uh quicker to dry out.

Um particularly we've seen that be issues when we have rentals um or things like that.

You know, people don't necessarily want puddles uh with their wedding pictures, some do.

Um, but that will be happening, and then um kind of the flip side of the coin and keeping things wet.

Um the irrigation uh will be kind of reinstalled.

We've had irrigation in there.

Um it's several decades old now.

It's kind of been pieced together and accidentally um kind of dropped up over the years.

So we'll have a new irrigation system.

Um and that will include drip irrigation too for the hanging baskets that you see.

Um, and those require watering on a daily basis.

So even Saturdays and Sundays, if there is absolutely no rain in the forecast, we do bring in staff, typically seasonals, um to water those on the weekends.

Um so this will save a lot of uh staff time in watering, um, and then also hauling hoses out with hose bibs.

Um so we should be able to kind of control the quality of the gardens a little more with the irrigation.

Um, along with that portion, uh the kind of final portion that goes on top is the new pathway installation.

So we'll call it the main arterial of the formal gardens, the stone pathway is going to still look like stone, but it is going to be um a type of installation.

Uh the brand name is typically flexi pave.

It goes by a couple different names.

And it is looks again, looks like a stone, but it has a binder to it.

Um, and it's also porous.

So we will not have puddling on the top of it.

Uh we will not have to add stone to it every year as it won't erode away.

And uh with all of that binder as well, that makes us ADA compliant.

So that's been some requests we've had over the years um for getting better access into the the formal gardens.

Um and so those pathways will be realigned slightly over the years.

Some of them have gotten wider and some of them gotten narrower.

Um, so we're going to realign them as they should be in a formal formal garden setting.

Um, so that will be done this spring as well.

And then we'll have some new uh edging along that, um, some new sod, um, and then that will go along the flexi pave pathway to kind of formalize it will be uh brick pavers um to kind of finish off that that formal look for it.

So um we are looking at uh stubbing out um not as part of this contracted project um but through this summer to get electrical back into the gardens as well.

Um so both outlets for um rentals to use for you know speaker sound systems, but then also lighting uh in the gardens.

So we'll have some bollard lighting, just provide some low lighting for security.

We've had um some people go in and occasionally dig up and pull plants.

So um with we've got cameras pointed that way, but it does help a lot at night.

Um, but getting some more lighting in there too, and then also kind of extends the the usage hours of the gardens as well, um, and then kind of enhance um the formal part.

You know, we want to keep them very much at the top tier of that level.

So those are a couple items that you'll be seeing coming up.

Too much, just enough.

It's just right.

Uh two other little things combined with that with the prairie project.

Uh it's good to note that pickleball, those courts, that's a new addition.

I mean, we're reformulating the courts.

So they'll give us this is uh for those elevator talks, uh 32 dedicated uh outdoor pickleball courts and uh a critical south side you know location.

So we're very excited about putting some love into prairie park.

Uh definitely needed in the ball fields, the best way to kind of describe that is uh if you have a chance to go over to um banting.

Uh you see how the baseball field was redone and with the uh softball field or the little league field, pretty much ditto uh that type of thing.

So not only backstops, but uh the baseline fencing.

So they'll get a brand new facelift.

Um prairie is used by South High School for their JV games still.

And uh so overdue in the lighting, some of those oldest lighting that we have is gonna be redone.

So it's a big project.

Steve.

Uh speaking of Prairie Park.

I was by there today, and that parking lot way in the back where you put the uh wood chips and stuff.

Uh on the backside island by Weldall.

The parking lot was full today of cars.

I don't know if they're parking from Weldall or where they're where they're parking from.

But I'm assuming that's our parking lot.

It is.

And so just you know something to be aware of.

No, I appreciate that.

In fact, or the placement of the wood chips out there during the summer.

I don't know if well people are parking there or what.

The only thing that comes into mind, um, is if you recall the electrical easement that came through Prairie through the board last year.

Um, Weldall was doing an expansion and renovation.

So I think I can think of is that that's temporary while they're doing that, but certainly something we'll look into.

But they're utilizing the parking lot.

Correct.

Yeah.

So yeah, if if that's yeah, truly what they're what they're doing.

But that's the only thing that's going to utilize.

I hope they've asked permission or you know, or I'm sure they did, obviously, but just FYI.

Everyone always I I saw that and I just kind of clicked and said that's not right.

So yeah, we appreciate that.

And uh we'll definitely check into that.

It'd be it's never a good thing, but it's gonna be more of a pressing item once uh summer kicks in and the parking lot will be in demand by park users.

Okay.

So good to know.

Uh but right now speculation if it's you know, weld all or some other entity, uh, but not a program that we're aware of at least that that we're conducting.

But you know, speculation, but good good to good to know.

Um the more eyes and years we have on the park system, the better.

So appreciate it.

Okay, uh, we'll move over to Mark Shram and Admin Report.

All right, thank you, Ron.

Um, so as Ron already hinted at, uh the admin team is prepping for the summer activity guide.

Um, we will be bringing back the turn book.

Uh so um that seemed to go pretty fairly well and a one-stop shop for information for the city.

Um the activity guide, you should expect that early April in your mailboxes.

Uh online registration for residents will begin and April 13th, and then it will be April 16th for non-residents.

Um, outside of all of the prep work for the summer activity guide.

Um, the admin team had been working on um updating content on our jambree uh web page.

Um so the admin team uh manages all that uh during the November through January time frame for that event.

Uh as a part of our uh contract with Civic Plus every two and a half to three years, we're up for a redesign or a refresh.

So we are now starting that process of a uh a redesign for that.

So come this um next year, the Dranbury website will have a little bit different look and feel to it.

Um trying to stay up with market trends and make it appealing uh for our audience.

Uh another big big uh part of the website redesign is ensuring that we're going to maintain ADA compliance uh coming mid-April, there is some compliance changes, um, which ultimately to um have a more accessible website for those that might be visually impaired um and need to use uh things such as like screen readers.

Um so we're very excited to be going through that process.

It's about a 16-week process.

Um from a CIP standpoint for IT technology.

We have installed three meeting displays at our Shutzi Recreation Center that'll be able to get utilized by instructors, staff, users input content on a screen.

Uh we have one that still needs to be installed at our EV shirts location.

Um that'll go into the community room.

Uh this spring, we are working on getting scheduled a digital display out at WRO, which will primarily be used as a concessions menu, um, but also um can be used for scheduling marketing materials and what have you.

Uh from a Baycom standpoint for keyless entry and cameras.

Since we've last met, we um installed cameras and keyless entry at River Valley and also at Grandview.

Um, and then we have completed um keyless entry over at our Rotary building in Frame Park.

Um locations coming up here are to be determined, but it's going to look like either Prairie Bethesda or Banting.

Umside of the keyless entry and camera report.

Uh since we last met, our full-time customer service specialist that was housed at aviation um accepted a position, a full-time position as an administrative assistant at the clerk's office here.

Uh so we uh lost our customer service specialist.

Um, but she's staying with the city, so we're very, very happy for her.

Um so we have been focusing on recruitment and in interviews to uh get that position filled.

Uh, we do have an offer letter out there right now, so knock on wood.

Uh, hopefully by uh our next meeting, I'll be sharing some good news on uh a new staff member joining the team.

And that is my admin report.

Thank you.

All right, thanks, Mark.

And before I forget, I have to remind you that uh we have our banquet coming up.

So it seems to sneak by and one of the most obvious things to talk about to you.

But uh, as a friendly reminder, March 19th.

If you can make it fantastic, it's at Tuscan Hall this year.

So right down right down the road.

Um, and a very nice facility.

We had it uh we had the banquet there that's over 10 years ago for sure.

But uh again, it's that time of year for our annual banquet, and uh should be a great time.

Last year we had about a hundred attendees and uh wide variety of very worthy recipients of the different uh awards recognition.

So I better get that in before I forget.

Last but not least, Mark Thompson.

Recreation.

All right, thank you very much, Ron.

Um, so just gonna cover uh just kind of some of the highlights of each one of the supervisors.

Um I know Logan was just here and shared, but in addition to all the exciting things that we shared, we're also gonna be revamping the birthday parties this year.

Um, and we're going to be adding an additional uh ultimate birthday party package, which is going to be guaranteed indoor space inside the Buckner community room.

Um so the way that we're streamlining this is in the past, uh, we literally had a staff member that went around and asked each one of the kiddos if they wanted chicken nuggets, pizzas, um there's one other item on there, and then they got a drink, and then they also got a snack.

Hot dogs, there you go.

So trying to get kids to give you three decisions and then 12 of them.

Um, it's a nightmare.

So essentially it's now pizza parties, and then we're gonna get two liters of soda and water bottles, and then that will streamline it for the staff, and it'll ultimately be a better user experience because we don't have frustrated parents or hungry kids.

Um, then in our sponsorship program, um, I don't know if this is a promise or a threat, but next meeting we should have a naming rights policy, uh, a first kick at the can here ready for you guys.

Um, and then Cheryl, she is knee deep in the middle of soccer season right now.

Um, we had just under 2,000 players last uh last season, so we're anticipating the same numbers.

Um, and then uh Cheryl's also helping out with the CPR and first aid training.

Um, as Melissa mentioned, uh, we're in the process of recertifying all full-time staff and it's taking place over the course of about a month with three different trainings.

In the rentals world, uh Greg, Greg's been doing awesome.

Um SC Wave and Elmbrook United recommitted to their spring schedule of what they did in fall over at Mendiola.

Um, so the rentals over there look fantastic.

We also secured a new lacrosse clinic.

Um, so it's almost like, well, it's just that, it's a clinic.

So not necessarily like a tournament, but more learning the game.

Um, and then in addition to that, he secured a new um basketball group that is going to be utilizing shooty during our underutilized months.

So during summer when the gym's pretty much sitting vacant, we're now going to have a club uh basketball that's going to be doing practices inside of the gym.

In the youth enrichment world, um, Gayla and her team are working on the Summer Explorers program.

We are going to be offering Summers Explorers out of the Schutze Recreation Center for the first time.

Um, I believe as we shared in the past, the trend has really moved away from outdoor shelters, and parents want accountability, they want indoor spaces, they want air conditioned spaces.

So, you know, gone are the days of kids being able to come and go from the playground program.

It's you're signed in, you're signed out, and um we'll have structured activities for the kiddos during the day.

Then last but certainly not least with our special events.

We are in the process of locking in um like all of our food trucks, all of our lower level agreements, all of our main acts and everything have been signed.

Um, and then also exploring the possibility of hosting a um a moving memorial, something similar to the wall, but not quite as big to help celebrate our 250th uh anniversary.

So those are the highlights of the rec world.

Thanks, Ron.

All right, thank you, Mark.

I think that uh covers a lot of territory, and uh that concludes our report.

Great, thank you everyone.

Um, if there is no further discussion, then we are adjourned.

All right, thank you very much.

Thanks, everyone.