HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13- 2023 Park Board MinutesPARK BOARD MEETING MINUTES
FOSTER COMMUNITY CENTER
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023
BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Mike Dombrowski, Kimberly Whitfield, Nate Scramlin, Isaac
Francisco, Joan Lenhard, Tirstan Walters, Ravynne Gilmore
BOARD MEMBERS EXCUSED: Rick Kibbey
CALL TO ORDER: 6:36 P.M. Foster Community Center
I. ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA
II. BOARD MEETING MINUTES
A.June 22, 2023, Approved by Scramlin, Seconded by Walters, passed unanimously.
III.NEW BUSINESS
A. New Board Member Introduction: Ravynne Gilmore was introduced as our new At Large Member.
B. Michigan Waterways Stewards – Mike Stout: Mike Stout gave a presentation to the Board outlining the
mission and recent work of the Michigan Waterways Stewards. Michigan Waterways Stewards was founded
in October 2022 and for its first organized event partnered with 32 business partners and organized
approximately 270 volunteers to clear deadfalls and removed over 70 tons of trash from local rivers. They
have been focusing on the Red Cedar and Grand Rivers in the Lansing area from Okemos to Delta Center.
They are providing Eco Tours and are advocating for local people to be stewards of our rivers. During
another recent cleanup event in East Lansing they were able to recover 203 bikes and electric scooters from
the Red Cedar River. Mike Stout highlighted an issue of rentable scooters being found in the Red Cedar and
Grand Rivers.
Several members of the Board asked the Director to find information and present this to the board at the next
meeting. The information requested is which scooter companies have contracts with the city of Lansing to be
able to operate within the City. Information is also requested about what are the terms, length, and
enforcement mechanisms of these contracts.
Scramlin to draft a letter to be sent to the department, mayor, and council to meet and put pressure on the
scooter companies to locate the scooters to make clean up easier and to be a good partner to the city. Stout
believes that the companies have broken their contracts by not removing the inoperable scooters in the rivers.
C. Fulton Park Overlook - Bids: Another bid went out in September 7th 2023. The contract will out for 3 weeks,
the bid will be for stamped concrete overlook, bike racks, and benches.
D. Lansing Forager Park & Trail: Jeremy Worman made a presentation about the Lansing Forager Park & Trail.
He proposed to create an area along the river trail that has fruit trees and forgeable plants. He plans on
fundraising and having groups adopt sections of the proposed forgeable trail. His first area that he proposed
was in an area of Moores Park. He confirmed prior to any installation within Moores Park he would present
his proposal to the Friends of Moores Park.
IV.OLD BUSINESS
A. Playground Projects: The Director will recommend 2 Parks per Ward that are in need of most
improvement to have the Board review and recommend CIP projects.
B. Ranney Skate Park: Scramlin will be meeting with Konar with the Ranney Revamp soon to speak about
amenity recommendations.
C. Public Participation Policy: A resolution for the Parks Board to adopt the Public Participation Policy was
made by Scramlin, Walters Seconded and all voted in favor.
V. UPDATES
A. Storm Debris: All available park staff have been working on clearing storm debris from our Parks. Cleanup
efforts are expected to continue through Mid-November. On September 2nd there was a tree limb and yard
waste drop off event that had over 90 Lansing Residents participated in.
B. Grants Update: A grant has been submitted to the County for the River Trail Bridge. Grants have also
been submitted to the state through the Spark program for our Community Centers. A Grant from the State of
Michigan was received for a Fit Park.
C. Fenner: Fenner Nature Center is searching for a new Executive Director.
VI.CORRESPONDENCE
A. Don Dean – Bancroft – Trees down back loop
B. Nancy Mahlow – Memorial Event
VII. INFORMATION
A. Playground Ribbon Cutting – Riverfront Park 9/15 @ 4 p.m. (Raindate 9/22)
VIII.REMARKS BY BOARD MEMBERS
IX. STATEMENTS OF CITIZENS
All meetings of the Park Board shall be open to the public. Those in attendance shall have the opportunity to speak
on any issue related to parks and recreation services not otherwise on the agenda at the end of the meeting and may
speak on any agenda issue during the meeting after park board members have had an opportunity to discuss the
issue or prior to the board voting on the issue. The President may impose a time limit on public comments.
Meeting Adjourned 8:56 PM
Minutes approved October 11, 2023