REGULAR MEETING OF THE OREGON PARK DISTRICT
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2010, AT 7:00 P.M.
NASH RECREATION CENTER ROOM 4,
304 SO. FIFTH STREET, OREGON, ILLINOIS
AGENDA
1) CALL TO ORDER
2) ROLL CALL
3) RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
A.
4) APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. REGULAR MEETING MINUTES, JULY 13, 2010
B. SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES, JULY 13, 2010
5) FINANCIAL
A. TREASURER’S REPORT
B. CLAIMS PAYABLE AND CHECKS DRAWN
6) REPORTS
C. FINANCE COMMITTEE – NO REPORT
D. PERSONNEL & POLICY COMMITTEE – MET JULY 28, 2010
E. PARKS & FACILITIES COMMITTEE – NO REPORT
F. PROGRAM & SERVICE COMMITTEE – NO REPORT
G. PARKS REPORT – INCLUDED IN PACKETS
H. RECREATION REPORT – INCLUDED IN PACKETS
I. ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES REPORT – INCLUDED
7) UNFINISHED BUSINESS
8) NEW BUSINESS
A. DISTRICT POLICY REVISIONS
9) COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS
10)DIRECTORS COMMENTS
11)PRESIDENTS COMMENTS
12)ADJOURNMENT
NEXT REGULAR MEETING – SEPTEMBER 14, 2010
Oregon Park District Board of Commissioners
Nash Recreation Center
304 So. Fifth Street
Oregon, Illinois
Regular Meeting Minutes
July 13, 2010
Steve Pennock, President,
order at 6:01 p.m.
called
the
Regular
Meeting
to
PRESENT:
Karen Churney; Steve Pennock, Bob Pickel, Mark
Tremble, Dave Bakener
OTHERS PRESENT:
Jim Coutts, Executive Director/Treasurer;
Dan Griffin, Business Manager; Andy Egyed, Superintendent
of Parks; Erin Folk, Superintendent of Recreation; Don
Griffin, Superintendent of Environmental Services; Don
Fuller, Treasurer; Jeannine Wing, Secretary to the Board
RECOGNITION OF VISITORS:
Mary Jo Griffin, Vinde Wells.
Mr. Pennock said that with the permission of the
commissioners he would like to move agenda item 8A under
New Business, Oath of Appointed Board Member to this part
of the meeting.
Mr. Pennock asked Mrs. Churney to read her oath.
Churney read aloud her oath.
Mrs.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion by Bob Pickel, seconded by Mark Tremble, the
minutes of June 8, 2010 be approved as printed. Roll Call:
Steve Pennock, Bob Pickel, Mark Tremble, Dave Bakener ,
Karen Churney – yes. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUS.
Motion by Dave Bakener, seconded by Mark Tremble, the
minutes of June 23, 2010 be approved as printed.
Roll
Call:
Bob Pickel, Mark Tremble, Dave Bakener, Karen
Churney, Steve Pennock – yes. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUS.
FINANCIAL
Treasurer’s Report
Motion by Karen Churney, seconded by Bob Pickel, the
Treasurer’s Report be approved. Roll Call: Mark Tremble,
Dave Bakener, Karen Churney, Steve Pennock, Bob Pickel –
yes. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUS.
Mr. Fuller said the balances are stronger than last
month or perhaps last year because tax revenues were
received early.
Claims Payable and Checks Drawn
Motion by Bob Pickel, seconded by Mark Tremble, the
Claims Payable be approved as presented. Roll Call:
Dave
Bakener, Karen Churney, Steve Pennock, Bob Pickel, Mark
Tremble – yes. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUS.
Mr. Pickel asked what the Forward Oregon payment of
$3,648 to Merlin's was for.
Mr. Coutts said the payment was for plant materials.
REPORTS
Mr. Coutts asked Mr. Pennock to establish a Personnel
and Policy Committee meeting on July 28, 2010 at 4:30 p.m.
Mr. Tremble asked if the committee assignments would
be changing as a result of the appointment of Mrs. Churney.
Mr. Pennock said that Mrs. Churney would take over Mr.
Nelson's committee assignments.
Mr. Pennock and Mrs. Churney agreed to a Personnel and
Policy Committee meeting at 4:30 p.m. on July 28, 2010.
Parks Report – Included in Board Packets.
had nothing to add to his report.
Mr. Egyed
Mrs. Churney commented on the releasing of pheasants
on Hawk Prairie.
Mr. Egyed said the birds would disperse
with probably one-third to one-half staying.
Mrs. Churney asked if quail would also be released.
Mr. Egyed said two batches of quail would be started about
July 26th.
Mr. Pennock said seeing the kids'
pheasants were being released was priceless.
faces
as
the
Recreation Report – Included in Board Packets.
Mrs.
Folk said Jena Grover included information in her report to
the board about the upcoming Triathlon.
Registration has
started with 18 participants so far. Phone calls have been
received from people in Iowa and Kentucky which is
encouraging.
Mr. Pickel asked if
is going to relocate to
Mrs. Folk responded that
as he gets acclimated, he
the new Recreation Program Manager
Oregon or commute from Rockford.
for now he will be commuting but
may move to Oregon.
Mrs. Folk said that he starts on Monday.
Environmental Services Report – Included in Board
Packets. Mr. Griffin said that natural gas energy in June
was down again 1600 therms and in the report in the current
packet was down 900 therms for May.
Mr. Griffin said that more natural gas has been
purchased filling 81% of storage. The highest amount paid
is about $.46 a therm and the projection for the year is
$.76 a therm so the district is in pretty good shape.
The electrical demand and usage is up
buildings because it has been pretty hot already.
in
both
BUSINESS (unfinished)
BUSINESS (new)
Budget & Appropriations Ordinance 10-07-13
Motion by Dave Bakener, seconded by Karen Churney, the
Budget & Appropriations Ordinance 10-07-13 be approved.
Roll Call: Karen Churney, Steve Pennock, Bob Pickel, Mark
Tremble, Dave Bakener – yes. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUS.
COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS
Mr. Pickel said he was pleased to see that the park
district had used the Ogle County Life for distribution of
the concert insert.
Fifteen years ago there were nine
people running for election and he and Doreen O'Brien each
paid $300.00 for an ad in the Ogle County Life.
People
commented that if he was willing to spend his own money to
get an unpaid job he must not have a personal agenda. Mr.
Pickel said that this newspaper can get results.
Mrs. Churney said she wanted to thank Mr. Coutts and
the board for having the confidence to reappoint her as a
commissioner. She said she is looking forward to being on
the board again.
Mrs. Churney commented that the Environmental Water
Use Modification is really neat and the shower water is
just perfect. It looks like there are a lot of good things
going on.
Mr. Bakener said the events he has attended have been
running very well, he is looking forward to the concert
tonight and everyone is doing a great job.
Mr. Tremble said the slide shows coming with the board
packets are really great.
The touch-a-truck event was
really cool and the pictures just highlighted the event.
He said those pictures need to be on the website to get
those out so everyone can see them.
Mr. Tremble said the parks are looking really good.
DIRECTOR’S COMMENTS
Mr. Coutts had no comment.
PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS
Mr. Pennock said he would reiterate what the other
board members said, nice job in the parks, keep up the good
work.
ADJOURN
Motion by Mark Tremble, seconded by Dave Bakener, the
meeting adjourn at 6:15 p.m. ALL WERE IN FAVOR.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jeannine M. Wing
Secretary to the Board of Commissioners
Approved______________________________
Oregon Park District Board of Commissioners
Nash Recreation Center
304 So. Fifth Street
Oregon, Illinois
Special Meeting Minutes
July 13, 2010
Steve Pennock, President,
order at 6:00 p.m.
called
the
Special
Meeting
to
PRESENT:
Dave Bakener, Karen Churney, Steve Pennock, Bob
Pickel, Mark Tremble
OTHERS PRESENT:
Jim Coutts, Executive Director/Treasurer;
Dan Griffin, Business Manager; Andy Egyed, Superintendent
of Parks; Erin Folk, Superintendent of Recreation; Don
Griffin, Superintendent of Environmental Services; Don
Fuller, Treasurer; Jeannine Wing, Secretary to the Board
RECOGNITION OF VISITORS:
Mary Jo Griffin, Vinde Wells.
Steve Pennock asked if anyone would like to speak about or
had any questions regarding Ordinance 10-07-13.
ADJOURN
Motion by Mark Tremble, seconded by Dave Bakener, the
meeting adjourn at 6:00 p.m. ALL WERE IN FAVOR.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jeannine M. Wing
Secretary to the Board of Commissioners
Approved______________________________
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
July 13, 2010
Parks Department
Projects
We have finished seal coating Fairgrounds Park. The parking
lot, all of the paths and the basketball court has been
sealed. We painted the stripes for the parking stalls, the
center line on the walking path, the lines on the basketball
court and the parking blocks. We have also seal coated the
two small parking lots at Lions Park. The parking stalls and
parking block were also painted. We are waiting for a four
day window of good weather in order to accomplish seal coating
Nash Parking lots. Weather permitting we will be seal coating
the fifth street parking lot and the upper handicap parking
lot on a Thursday and Friday. Then we will close the main
parking lot on a Saturday in order to seal coat this area and
come back on Sunday morning and paint all the parking lines.
The main parking lot will then be open to the public on
Monday.
Nash Paving Project
We have begun to replace the paving bricks that are at Nash.
The years of salt and moisture have taken a toll on the block
and they have become brittle and are breaking apart. We are
replacing them with a block that incorporates 4 different size
blocks to create a unique pattern. These blocks will then have
the cracks filled with polymeric sand. This sand will hold
them tight in place. A sealer will then be applied to seal the
block from salt and weather. This sealer will also bring out
the color in the block and it bonds to the polymeric sand to
make a seal so salt can’t get in-between the block and
prevents weeds from growing between the blocks. At this time
we have finished the large area west of the main parking lot
where the bike rack is. We will then be working on the two
areas at the south end of the main parking lot and also the
bird sanctuary. This will cut down on weeds from the bird seed
and make it easier to clean up after the birds.
Park Projects
We are working on security lighting at some parks making it
easier for deputies to patrol at night. We have been replacing
bulbs in some areas to brighter bulbs and also adding security
lighting under shelters.
We have finished sod cutting and edging all of the ball
diamond areas. New lime was added to a lot of these areas to
bring them up to grade. This will make it easier for us to get
fields prepared in the spring when ball season rolls around
again. We had a group of Eagle Scouts build bird houses this
year for a project. They built 60+ bird houses of all types
for different species and constructed of cedar. We have been
placing these bird houses throughout our parks. Some can be
seen at Nash, Park East, Fairgrounds, and Park West. Some were
put on poles and others in trees. The Eagle Scouts did a nice
job in selecting material and the construction of the houses.
Traffic Counter
We have placed a traffic counter at the entrance to Park West.
This is for us to get some kind idea how much traffic is going
through our parks. This counter comes with computer software
that not only identifies how many vehicles but also lets you
know day by day how much traffic goes through there. This
could give us some important information for future events and
up graded to our parks. This can be moved to any park we want
to get a count on vehicle usage.
Surrogator
We released our second batch of 65 Ring-neck pheasant chicks
last week. After four weeks in the surrogator they were all
looking healthy and ready to be let go. We have the surrogator
back at the shop now giving it a good cleaning and preparing
it for the next batch. The next batch of day old chicks will
be quail and will be delivered on August 3rd. With quail you
can have as many as 125 in the surrogator at a time and they
will need to be in there for 5 weeks before release, which is
longer than the 4 weeks for the pheasants. We will have our
last batch of quail on September 8th which will then run into
colder temperatures not recommended for surrogation. This so
far has been a fun project and looking forward to next year
and surrogating in prairies at other parks.
Japanese Beetles
We have had some problems with the Japanese beetle on our
trees. They were not as bad as they were last year but we were
also watching for them and able to spray the trees as soon as
we starting seeing activity. We use a product purchased from
Reinders in Rockford called Amvac Wisdom. This is a
concentrate that is mixed with water and sprayed from our
herbicide sprayer. We spray the tree with the chemical and
within minutes beetles are falling out of the trees dead. It
also leaves a residual on the tree and kills beetles that may
show up later.
Special Events
For the OPD Triathlon the parks department built the bicycle
racks that were used to hold the bikes while the competitors
were swimming and running. Erin found a bike rack design that
we were able to buy material at Menards and construct here at
the shop. After constructing them they were painted and caps
were installed on the ends for added appearance. I was glad to
see that they worked out well at the Triathlon with no
problems.
Respectfully Submitted,
Andy Egyed, Superintendent of Parks
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
August 10, 2010
Superintendent of Recreation Report
Recreation Department
The recreation department has made many changes over the past few
years in an attempt to create recreational opportunities that meet
the needs and wants of the community. Changes have included a shift
in personnel, increased programming, new operational practices, and
a refreshed image in the community. The staff that is currently in
place has made these changes possible and a success. Everyone on
staff has evaluated their responsibilities and is approaching each
day with a positive outlook. I am proud of each of my staff and am
very excited for what the future will hold for the recreation
department.
Ogle County Corporate Membership
The Ogle County Board has agreed to re-enroll their employees in the
corporate membership program. The enrollment period will begin
August 9th and conclude on August 14th. Memberships will take affect
August 16th. In 2009 over 38 county employees (82 total memberships
including family members) took advantage of the corporate membership
discount.
Community Art
I met with Nancy Early on Wednesday, August 4th to discuss art
projects in the community.
Nancy Early is an artist who moved to
Oregon during the fall of 2009 and was one of the visiting artists
as part of the 2010 Fields Project.
She is very community minded
and wants to get involved on many levels. During my discussion with
Nancy she mentioned her love for the history of our community and
working with kids. I will be working with Nancy to develop projects
that reflect the rich history of the community and workshops that
involve kids. We are in preliminary talks over an art workshop for
teens during the winter months.
The workshop will introduce
different painting techniques to the participants and allow them to
develop their own artistic style!
We hope this will generate a
great deal of buzz and wish to involve these same kids in the
creation of a mural downtown with Nancy’s supervision and guidance.
Intergenerational Programming
Nancy Kerwin and Melody Welty worked together during the month of
July to create an intergenerational program, I Spy Nature. The
program was offered for preschool age kids and was very well
received. Several volunteers from the Rock River Center were on hand
to guide the children through nature at Park East, Fairgrounds Park
and Park West. You may have seen the article in the Republican
Reporter recently. Staff plans to continue to work together to
develop programming that will bring together the youngest and oldest
Park District participants in a fun and educational setting.
Children’s Center
All summer programs are winding down in preparation for the upcoming
school year.
A total of 80 participants were enrolled in this
summer’s preschool programs. This is a 19% increase from 2009. In
fact, this is the highest number of participants, during the summer
months, since 2006. Staff expects another big summer in 2011 with
large 3 year old preschool classes expected for the 2010/11 school
year.
After twenty years, and very few changes, the Children’s Center will
be undergoing a facelift! Staff has been working with Jacki Gommel
to provide a new look and feel as we have done in several other
locations of the building.
A muralist will be on hand beginning
August 9th to paint a more kid friendly environment. The mural will
include a large tree with birds and animals on the south end.
Clouds will be painted on the remainder of the walls with shapes
hidden in the clouds to spark each participant’s imagination. The
clouds will fade to white on the lower half of each surface.
In
addition, staff plans to paint cabinets, replace the tables and
chairs and purchase a new computer desk.
Respectfully Submitted,
Erin Folk
Superintendent of Recreation
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Aug. 10, 2010
Environmental Services

Nash Center Building operations and system are performing
well. Repairs completed this month include: Replaced a
chemical controller / analyzer for the spa after the old
pulsar unit failed. The five exhaust fans on the pool roof
were removed and the new skylights were installed to improve
safety and lighting to the area. Staff installed and
terminated cat 5 cables to provide WI-FI capabilities
through out the building. The pool personal lift was removed
after the obsolete unit failed and a new ADA compliant lift
was ordered. Three west pool window sections were repaired
after coming loose from building structure. New cold water
shut off valves for the showers were installed to provide a
more unified operational temperature. The plumbing for the
soft water system was started in preparation for system
installation this month. All OSHA safety inspections were
completed for the month.

Blackhawk Center
The building operations are performing
well and the building summer projects are completed and
ready for the new school season. The final projects focused
on floors and walls including stripping and recoating
concession and link hallway. The majority of staff time was
allocated to the starting installation of gym light
fixtures for improved lighting that will provide additional
electrical savings and a grant has been applied for this
project.
OSHA safety inspections were completed for the
month.

We have reductions in gas pricing for this budget year at
present however electrical usage is up do to added building
usage and extreme heat and humidity resulting in increased
electrical load to cool the buildings. We are well on our
way with these years sustainable energy projects and we
will begin installation of hands free faucets for the Nash
facility
along
with
water
saving
shower
heads
and
completing the soft water installation.
Respectfully submitted,
Don Griffin
Superintendent of Environmental Services
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
August 10, 2010
Business Administration Report
District Finances
The District remains in great financial shape. As summer winds
down, the District will be fiscally ready for
the Park West
Recreation Expansion slated to begin in early 2011. The District
has received approximately 50% of this year’s real estate taxes.
The District’s general obligation bond will be issued in early
2011 to assist in completing the Park West project.
Park West Project
The District held an Eco-Charrette and a Skate Park Open House on
July 27th. Twenty-two people, including local community leaders,
members of CDF, and staff and commissioners participated in the
Eco-Charrette.
The interactive workshop was a success on many
levels, including informing community members of our park plans,
as well as the environmental effect of our project. Many members
had great suggestions for this project as well as future plans
for the park.
Approximately 25 people attended the Skate Park Open House.
Jason Baldessari from Spohn Ranch Skateparks presented some ideas
for our new skate park.
Area youth provided some good input
pertaining to the skate elements they would like to see. Spohn
Ranch produces some new ‘skateable art’ elements that will give
our skatepark an individualized and visually appealing park.
Activity Guide
The District’s 2010 Fall/Winter Activity guide will be printed
the beginning of August. It will once again be inserted in the
Ogle County Life Newspaper and should be in the August 22nd
edition.
Included in the Guide are all of the District’s
activities, park locations, rental information and a few special
items.
Information about the District’s Energy Conservation
Practices, recent Triathlon, summer recap, and the upcoming Park
West project are also included. The District is once again using
Rochelle Printing to publish our guide. We have developed a good
relationship with Rochelle Printing and their final products have
always been excellent.
Nash Interior Design
The District continues to work with Gommel Design on the interior
renovation plans for Nash.
The District will install new ADA
signage throughout the building in the coming months. The final
areas of Nash under consideration for paint plans, improved
furniture and other elements are the Snack Bar, Multipurpose
Rooms and the Pool area. This year’s improvements include some
painting as well as the Children’s Center re-design.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan Griffin
Business Manager
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
August 10th
Health Activities Coordinator Report
Five-Star award
The Starfish Aquatics Institute (SAI) awarded Oregon Park District
the prestigious Five Star Award following a risk management audit of
the aquatic center. The lifeguards who contributed to achievement of
the 5-Star award included Ben Speck, Caitlin Ditto, Jessica Moser,
Matt Speck, Kamille Kielsmeier, Alyssa Stahl, and Justin Holm.
Leslie Donovan, President of SAI provided the following comments.
“Very few aquatic facilities qualify to receive this honor”.
“It
represents a tremendous commitment to safety and training, and
exceptional performance by the lifeguard staff on duty at the time.”
Triathlon
The first annual triathlon offered by the Oregon Park District was a
success.
76 participants registered with sixty-nine competing on
Saturday July 31st.
Staff was fortunate to be assisted by 40
volunteers the day of the event. A big thank you must be given to
Karen Churney, Sarah Earl and Jane Messenger.
All three were
instrumental in the planning process.
We have received many
compliments from participants and bystanders on how well the race
was organized. I look forward to beginning the planning process for
next year. Changes will include more signage along the race route
and adding an option of teams participating in a relay format. This
would accommodate people who are not comfortable with the three
portions of the event.
Blood Drive
Our biannual blood drive with Rock River Valley Blood Center on July
28th, 2010 was a success.
A total of 26 units of blood were
collected. Two individuals donated double red, which is when two
units of red blood cells are donated and the plasma and platelets
are returned to the donor.
Nash Recreation Center Visits
Members and Patrons paying a daily fee for the facility, aerobic
classes or pool for the month of May. There was an 9% increase in
patron usage in July 2010 compared to July 2009.
Nash Daily Visits July 6000
5451
5710
5069
5000
4000
3000
Nas h Vi s i ts
2000
1000
0
2008
2009
2010
Fitness Center Attendance
Members and daily fee users who have used the fitness center during
the month of June.
The fitness center had a 14% decrease when
comparing July 2010 to July 2009.
Fitness Center Visits
July 4000
3500
3503
3224
3022
3000
2500
2000
Fi tness
Vi s i ts
1500
1000
500
0
2008
2009
2010
Pool Attendance
Members and
Open Swims,
during the
during July
daily fee users utilizing the Pool during Swim Lessons,
Lap Swim, Water Aerobics, Twinges and Multi Use Swim
month of July.
The pool saw a 1% decrease in usage
2010 compared to July 2009.
Pool Attendance
July 3500
3349
3361
3337
3000
2500
2000
Pool Vi s i ts
1500
1000
500
0
2008
2009
Respectfully Submitted,
Jena Grover
Health Activities Coordinator
2010
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
August 10th, 2010
Athletics Facility Manager Report
Fall Soccer
The wheels are in motion for fall soccer. August will be a busy
month. Staff will be busy arranging coaches meetings, area athletic
coordinators meetings, ordering jerseys, and trying to line up team
pictures. I am eager and excited for another sport season to begin.
Baseball/Softball Leagues
Our youth baseball and softball leagues have officially come to a
successful conclusion. I have gathered a great deal of information
from this season so I can begin to make productive changes for
seasons to come.
These changes include the addition of skill
development programs for each level, structural changes to the
younger
levels
and
informational
meetings
for
league
representatives, parents/coaches, and umpires.
Men’s Softball
Our men’s softball league will come to an end on August 9th. This
season saw more participating teams than in the past several years.
Increased participants often times create scheduling challenges.
This softball season did not produce those challenges and the league
is wrapping up on time. Staff will look to implement changes in 2011
that will further increase the number of teams and the possibility
of additional USSSA tournaments.
New Programs for Spring/Summer 2011
Now that we are nearing completion of our spring/summer activity
guide, I have looked hard at what athletic events I want to offer
next spring/summer.
We have two very nice and well maintained horseshoe pits at Park
West, and I would like to try to start a horseshoe league and have a
horseshoe tournament.
Tennis lessons, with a new instructor, were well received this
summer. I would like to build upon this and offer a tennis league
and tournament in 2011.
A new up and coming sport that people of all ages are getting into
is bags (corn hole). We tried our first ever bags tournament in
conjunction with Kerwin Night this year and we had a decent turn
out. I feel that if we publicize a tournament or a league in
conjunction with the right event we could have a lasting fun filled
program.
I am also going to try to introduce a fall men’s softball league.
Men’s softball is not offered very many places during the fall and I
believe it will be well received in Oregon.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jonathan Bakener
Athletic Facility Manager
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
August 10, 2010
Concerts In The Park Summary
Concerts In The Park (Tuesdays at 7 p.m.)
There was a 6th concert added to the series this summer. All 6 of
the concerts were held at the band shell at Park West. All of the
sponsors were pleased and talked about sponsoring again next summer.
This summer Jerry Frana with Dogs On The Run Concessions (Grand
DeTour) tried to be at all the concerts where there was not a
food/beverage giveaway. He was pleased with this arrangement and by
the end of the series, folks were asking for his “dogs”. After the
series, he donated $170 to the Oregon Youth Scholarship Fund as a
thank you and as his way of giving back since OPD did not require a
percentage of sales or a fee to sell product at the events. This
year the shuttle stayed on the paved trail for safety reasons (no
backing up near the crowd) and to avoid damage to the grass. This
change worked very well.
Signage was added half way through the
series which helped prevent patrons from bringing dogs into the
concert area.
At each of the concerts there was at least one
Farmers’ Market vendor selling plants, veggies or nature crafts.
The following is a summary of the 2010 concert series:
June 22-StingRays (Rock& Roll, 60’s-70’s)
Sponsor: City of Oregon-$1,000
Giveaway: None
Attendance: 200 (humid from afternoon storm, but nice)
*Ken Williams was the only City Rep in attendance. This was the
first year that the City of Oregon chose not to have a giveaway.
June 29-Southern Heritage (Country Music)
Sponsor: Community Bank of Oregon-$850
Giveaway: Hot dogs, chips, beverage and cookie
Attendance: 350 (beautiful weather)
*Prior to the concert, the CAL Committee unveiled and dedicated the
5th public sculpture “Solar Reef”. Bank employees grilled hot dogs
and provided a dinner for all.
July 13-Decatur Park Singers (young group of vocalists and
instrumentalists that perform everything from pop to jazz)
Sponsor: Williams & McCarthy-$2,220
Giveaway: Ice Cream Bars/Fudge Bars
Attendance: 355 (beautiful weather)
*This is everyone’s favorite concert and the only one booked
annually. They cater to all ages and in addition to great music, the
crowd enjoys watching this group of young talent perform on stage.
Included in their contract is a meal which has always been provided
by Pizza Hut ($150 product donation).
July 20-Heartache Tonight (Eagles Tribute Band)
Sponsor: KSB-$1950
Giveaway: Culvers Dinner (burger, chips, beverage, custard) plus
KSB beach balls for the kids and hand sanitizer for the adults
Attendance: 300 (beautiful weather)
*This was their second year in a row. This is a great group
appealing to all ages. This concert is a favorite as well as the
generous giveaway of food and trinkets from KSB.
July 27-Mr. Myers (calypso to reggae & some rock & roll)
Sponsor: Exelon-$1,100
Giveaway: Ice Cream Sandwiches and drawing for six gift bags filled
with Exelon goodies.
Attendance: 275 (hot and humid)
*Paul Dempsey, new Communications Manager was very pleased with the
venue, band and entire event. They gave away several very nice
prizes. Employees walked the crowd and handed out their ice cream.
August 3-Breeze (jazz)
Sponsor: Stillman Bank-$975
Giveaway: Slice of Pizza (Father & Sons) & bottled water
Attendance: 110 (extreme humidity & mosquitoes from earlier storms)
*Stillman Bank was a new sponsor this year and with the additional
concert, the series went into the first week of August. Jill
Russell (Bank Rep) was very pleased with the event in spite of the
weather. The weather was a concern all day, but we managed to get
the concert in. The extremely high humidity and overwhelming bugs
kept people away which resulted in low attendance.
Total Monetary Sponsorship for Summer 2010 Concerts-$8,095
The Event Coordinator obtained sponsorship from 6 local businesses.
Each business sponsorship includes the additional $100 (in addition
to entertainment expense) paid to OPD for publicity and Parks Dept
expenses (shuttle, freezer, prep of event area). The primary
sources of advertising for the summer 2010 Concert Series was the
full color, glossy, ledger size insert/poster. This was the first
year these were inserted in the local paper, vs. the center of the
Activity Guide as in years past. In addition, small wallet size
promotional guides for summer entertainment were placed in numerous
local businesses and the surrounding communities. We had positive
feedback on the wallet size cards.
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbie Leffelman
Event Coordinator
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
August 10, 2010
Events Report
Farmers’ Market
There have been two vendors on a regular basis on the Coliseum lawn
on Saturday mornings for the Farmers’ Market. They both like being
down-town although they are looking forward to the move to the
Courthouse lawn next year. They are more visible this year on the
Coliseum lawn then they were at Nash, but there is no parking and no
shade. The Courthouse Lawn should be a better setting and hopefully
will help with vendor growth.
Both vendors have tried to recruit
for us at other markets. However, the two comments heard the most
is that Dixon has a well established market already on Saturday and
so many vendors prefer to go there, and the other is that there is
not currently enough business to make it worth their time. Once we
can grow the market with vendors, the shoppers will come.
Concerts in the Park
We managed to get through the summer concert season with wonderful
weather. Only one Wednesday night concert was moved indoors. All
of the concerts are very well received and appreciated by all those
who participate. Staff added a 6th Tuesday evening concert this
year with Stillman Bank joining as the sponsor. A complete concert
summary for the sponsored concerts on Tuesdays is included. Photos
are included.
Brown Bag Concerts
The second Brown Bag Concert for the summer was held on Friday, July
16.
The entertainment was provided by Mike Donze.
Efforts are
being made to invite business owners and residents to these free
concerts and to support the three food vendors who have been on
site.
The next Brown Bag Concert is August 20 with Chip Messner
providing country music for entertainment.
Trips
The Milwaukee Zoo trip, scheduled for July 31, was cancelled by
Rockford Charter Coach. Upcoming trips include Cardinals vs. Brewers
(at Miller Park) on Sept 8, Cubs vs. Brewers (at Miller Park) on
Sept 11, and the Wine & Harvest Festival in Cedarburg, WI on Sept
18. Partnering with Rockford Charter Coach is a necessity in order
to keep costs reasonable for the participants and eliminate outlying
expenses for the Park District.
Other
As Event Coordinator, I am again serving as the liason from the Park
District on the Candlelight Walk Committee. The town Christmas Tree
will be donated this year by George Poe of Mt. Morris and upon
approval will be placed on the Coliseum lawn for this years event.
The Coliseum is also booked for Candlelight for the Park District
and Forward Oregon to program in. OPD ideas being looked into are
additional entertainment, new light displays, a new holiday
“character/costume” added to the elves from last year, crafters and
vendors selling holiday goods/gifts, and possibly a Holiday House
Walk.
In addition to the Holiday Light Decorating Contest and the Photo
Contest, a FACEBOOK Scavenger Hunt for fall and a Bird House
Building contest have been added.
Guidelines and Entry forms for
these new programs will be available at Nash and on line by the end
of the month.
The final movie night is co-sponsored by Oregon Booster Club and the
movie will be played on the big screen at the football field
following the red/white game. We hope with the captive audience we
can get more people excited and expose them to the outdoor movies.
The next big family event is the Family Fun Fishing Day scheduled
for Saturday, September 25. This year the event will be held at the
LOMC pond. All are invited and volunteers will be needed.
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbie Leffelman
Event Coordinator
MEMORANDUM TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
August 10th, 2010
Recreation Program Manager Report
New Beginning
My first day of employment with the Oregon Park District was on July
19, 2010. I have taken the first couple of weeks to familiarize
myself with OPD policies, procedures, and organizational structure.
I have spent a great deal of time preparing materials for the
upcoming school year and introducing myself to participants and
parents. I have already taken time to evaluate the programming
needs and identify improvements that must be made to existing
programs. I look forward to my future with the Oregon Park District
and am very thankful for this opportunity.
Summer Camp
I have investigated the summer camp numbers and have found that
enrollment is down significantly from 2009. I feel this is due to
the local economy.
Parents are struggling financially and are
looking for cheaper alternatives to traditional day camp.
Staff
will be investigating ways to meet these needs for next year. The
final week of this year’s summer camp will be held on August 9th –
13th. School begins August 18th.
Extended Time
The school year is around the corner and I am very excited and eager
to begin the ET program. The first day that ET is being offered is
Wednesday August 18th. I was on sight at school registration on July
29th and August 5th to introduce myself to parents and introduce the
Extended Time program to new parents. Introductory packets have
also been sent out to the parents from last school year and parents
who are already signed up for the upcoming year.
I have spent a great deal of time interviewing candidates for the ET
assistant supervisor position. Many of the staff from the 2009/10
school year are not returning.
Future Programming Opportunities
The current general recreation offerings are a great start to
what opportunities can exist for the community of Oregon. I
have been brainstorming ideas for the last couple of weeks and
will be putting a plan in place to better serve our community
by offering opportunities for all ages on a more frequent
basis.
I plan to accomplish this by forming partnerships
within the community and utilizing the resources that are
right outside our back door.
Respectfully Submitted,
Oscar Martinez
Recreation Program Manager
MEMORANDUM TO THE OREGON PARK DISTRICT BOARD
August 10, 2010
Senior Recreation
I Spy Nature
The highlight of my month was working with Nancy Kerwin in the I Spy
Nature Camp. This was an amazing inter-generational activity. Each
of the older adults that participated truly enjoyed the experience
and would be willing to volunteer if the camp were held next year.
Watching the joy the older adults had in sharing their knowledge and
the children’s thirst for learning about the world around them was
amazing.
Ice Cream Social
An ice cream social was held on July 30 with 35 in attendance. The
ice cream was provided and served by Home Bound Healthcare and
everyone enjoyed making their own sundaes. Discussion about the Wii
bowling led to a nice group staying until closing and learning to
use the Wii. The Wii events have had a small numbers ranging from
six to eight most weeks. My hope is that introducing others to the
game will get them involved.
Stump Jumpers
Stump Jumpers continues to draw from 6-12 people each month and we
have been staying closer to Oregon the last couple of years.
In
July we did go to Byron Forest Preserve to see the prairie in bloom
followed by lunch at Weld Park.
Many of those attending did not
even realize Ogle County owned a park.
In August we will be
exploring Fairgrounds and Park East.
Outdoor Tea
The annual outdoor tea held at Lemme’s Hosta Heaven in Dixon was
again very successful with about 40 participants from Rock River
Center and The Meadows of Franklin Grove. Tea could not be served
in more beautiful surroundings. The weather was very hot but there
was no liquid sunshine that has plagued many outdoor activities this
year.
Trips
The three van trips I have planned for the park district are
beginning to raise some interest and I am hopeful they will be
successful. Stillman Bank has graciously agreed to sponsor the
transportation cost for the Fireside Christmas trip planned for
Thursday, December 2. We are already taking reservations for that
trip and I am hopeful we will sell all the seats reserved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Melody Welty
Senior Recreation Coordinator