The Peotone Park District swore in their new commissioners – incumbent Barb Sim and newcomer Chris Miller. They also elected their board, which shows no change: Sim is president, Shaun Ziems – vice president, Lindsay Schwiesow – secretary, and Aimee Saari – treasurer. Right after that, they got to work.
Review of finances, with some minor corrections along with legal and compliance, was breezed upon.
Park Maintenance Director Jeff Eschbach addressed the ongoing graffiti issue at the east end of the park. He said he’s gone through 1-1/2 gallons of black paint already. Seems the culprits strike at night and just leave ridiculous marks or words around the skate ramps. The suggestion was to ask for increased police patrols to nip it in the bud.
Mulch was needed for $3,360 and field mix for field seven also was needed for $3,300.
When time came for approval of expenses, Commissioner Saari suggested they table the approval of the field mix for the baseball field until they find out if the school district (207-U) will contribute to the cost.
Eschbach retorted the district really doesn’t use the fields. A discussion ensued that led into the board reviewing a contract the park district has with the Peotone Baseball Softball Association for contributing expenses related to the fields. Sim said PBSA wasn’t interested in contributing more earlier this year.
Ziems said, “This is the biggest drain. This is where all the taxpayer dollars go,” in reference to the maintenance of the fields. He suggested if PBSA doesn’t use the field, they grass it.
Schwiesow suggested they ask, but ultimately the park district needs to care for their property. She referenced how PBSA assisted with the expenses of the dugouts and other maintenance items that were really helpful.
The board’s final decision was to approve the $3,300 expense with agreement from 207-U and PBSA to share the cost. If both entities refused, the park district would only approve half the amount of the field mix, up to $1,650.
Peotone School District 207-U has pulled bonds and spent more than half a million in engineering and planning for a sports complex to be built behind the high school. Those plans recently were scrapped due to concerns of potential flooding on Oak Street due to the area being in a flood plain. Consequently, 207-U held a Committee of the Whole meeting on May 14 to discuss the sports fields with the new board.
Sim mentioned the 207-U meeting and said no one from the school district has reached out to the park district. She did suggest a commissioner attend the meeting, if possible. Sim also said resident John Maxedon had called the park district and encouraged the board to seek an intergovernmental agreement with the school district rather than build the sports complex because the school district had pulled $10M in bonds.
After the discussion of ball field expenses, an approval for $600 for a community garden at Lloyd Bate Park unanimously was approved. The expense will cover limestone for a path and plants. A resident was involved in the upkeep and is planning a “pizza garden.”
In some other discussions, Commissioner Ziems said the pickleball courts get used. He suggested converting the tennis court to a pickleball court. Sims said a survey of the public should be taken first; people play tennis.
Commissioner Schwiesow mentioned the summer programming looks fantastic, and she feels proud there’s something for everyone in it.