Parks and Recreation Board - Regular Meeting

So good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining us both in person and online. We appreciate everyone taking time to attend. We also hope that our adjusted meeting time made it possible for some new attendees to participate this evening. So at this time, I would like to call the meeting of the Hancock County Parks and Recreation Board to order. I should probably slow down. I'm speaking fast, aren't I? Today is July 16th and the time is 5 o'clock. This meeting is being recorded and streamed live. By participating, you acknowledge that your image, voice, and comments may be captured and made available to the public. This meeting was properly noticed in accordance with the Indiana Code 514.1.5. I, Mary Morales, will call roll call for attendance. Please acknowledge as I call your name. Heather Van Dyke. Here. Kelly McLaren. Here. Jenny Shively. And Terry Gottschalk. Let the record show that even though we have two absent, that we do have a quorum of board members present. So we had the minutes from our last meeting, which was on June 18th of 2026, and they were distributed to all members. Are there any corrections or discussions?

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes as presented.

Second. Thank you, Kelly. Any opposed? Motion carries. June 18th, 2026 minutes are approved as presented. So next on the agenda is the treasurer's financial report.

Okay, thank you.

So at this time, I'm going to call out our treasurer, Kelly McLernan, to present the report. Kelly, the floor is yours. Thank you.

So we've passed out a statement, the most recent statement. Of course, we're just starting out, but... At the last board meeting, the impact fee balance was $10,300. And since then, we've collected $8,240 in new funds with no expenses or payments out of those funds. Bringing our current balance as of July 15th, now 16th, at $18,540 total.

Wonderful.

So getting that built up rather quickly there, actually. Does anyone have any questions or Any discussion of the financial report as presented?

I'm excited that it's growing. Great. All right.

Thank you. Back to you, Madam President.

Yeah. Thank you very much. So moving on to new business, our first item on the agenda is the launch of the Hancock County Parks and Recreation Facebook page. Please hold. This page is now live, and for those who are able to view the monitors, I've put it up on the screen. The platform will serve as an important communication tool between the board and our community. It already includes a substantial amount of information and will continue to be a central place where we share updates, milestones, events and ongoing progress as we move forward. Our goal is to keep the public informed, engaged and connected as we build our vision and implement our Parks and Recreation Master Plan. So transparency remains a priority and this platform is one of the ways we're going to deliver on that commitment. So we encourage everyone to follow us, like, and share the page so you can stay up to date and help expand our outreach within our community. You can access the page directly by visiting our website where the link is available. It's right on the margin. Does the board have any questions or discussions regarding the new Facebook page? Any questions?

No?

All right, moving right along. Next on our agenda is a recognition of July as Parks and Recreation Month So on the 7th of July, here's that proclamation, the Hancock County Commissioners read and issued an official proclamation at their Board of Commissioners meeting, formally declaring July as Parks and Recreation Month here in Hancock County. And we wanted to extend our sincere appreciation to our commissioners for their leadership and for their continued support on the parks and our natural spaces that enrich our community. This proclamation highlights the important role parks and recreation play in promoting health and wellness and spending time in nature that boosts both physical and mental well-being. It strengthens community connections and improves overall quality of life and even contributes to economic growth through increased property values, tourism, and reductions in crime. We encourage all residents to take part in Parks and Recreation Month by getting outdoors and visiting one of our local parks and enjoying activities like walking, hiking, and any other outdoor recreation that supports a healthy, active lifestyle. The Hancock County Parks and Recreation Board remains committed to expanding, improving, and preserving these opportunities for everyone in our community. So once again, we want to thank our commissioners and all of our supporters for believing in and helping make the important work possible. So next, I'm going to point towards our QR code. Smaller. If you haven't already, those could take a moment to scan before you leave today. You'll be able to access the public survey. It's currently open regarding future Hancock county park locations. This survey is an important tool for gathering the input on where residents would like to see new parks within the unincorporated areas of the county. Scannable copies of the QR code are available around the room on the tables. So just open your camera, hover over the code and tap the link that appears for you to participate and help us gather community feedback. So this survey is going to remain open until August 14th and we're going to compile and review all the results at our next board meeting. If you run into any issues with the map question at the end, those that are here and present, we've provided an easy alternative. You're welcome to place a dot on the large map displayed here in the room to show where you think you'd like to see a park. And dots are available at the map and there's no need to worry about the color because every dot contains, they just count the same. So it simply just represents your suggested location. Alrighty, are there any questions from the board about the survey? Nope. All right, so if you guys will give me a moment, I am going to pull up. Just one second. Today is July 18th.

My half birthday.

It's your half birthday. Thanks.

It's kind of like your unbirthday.

All right, so this presentation includes photos and information about a potential property acquisition. As you'll see, the property is truly beautiful and offers unique opportunity for our community. For the record, there's no formal action going to be taken by the board at this time. and note that it is not a public hearing and public comments can be made by submitting your ideas and suggestions or feedback on an index card over on this table in the front room or the front of the room. As mentioned at the start of the meeting, we adjusted the meeting time to give interested residents better opportunity to attend and observe today's presentation and discussion. And we hope that the schedule change made it easier for more of you to join this evening here in the room and online. So while providing additional information about the property, we're considering these photos will continue in a loop so everyone has an opportunity to view the property and its natural features. If you're online and cannot view the property, I will post the loop to our Facebook page. So this property under consideration is located at 400 North and 100 West. The acquisition effort is connected to our board's goal of partnering with the President Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust. Two appraisals have been ordered and we anticipate receiving the results soon to establish a fair market value. Completing these appraisals is required. It's a required step when working with the PBH Conservation Trust on potential land acquisitions. The land is positioned along the Sugar Creek, which runs the full length of the western boundary, creating a significant ecological value. Its 26-acre parcel includes internal trails, wetlands, a pond, mature trees, substantial creek frontage, The wildlife observed on the property includes white-tailed deer, owls, eagles, coyotes, and evidence of a bobcat. There's shagbark hickories. They're also present providing important habitat for Indiana bat species. According to IPAC report, which is the information for planning and consultation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the property contains potential habitat for multiple protected species. These include migratory birds, Indiana bat, whipping crane, snuff box mussel, monarch butterfly, and possible bald and golden eagles. The owner also believes that the endangered Indiana barn owl may be present on on the land. So from a conservation standpoint, the property aligns with long-term protection goals, and potential objectives will include enhancing habitat integrity, improving drainage near the Sugar Creek, and protecting Rasparian ecosystems, strengthening wildlife corridors and preserving passive recreation space, and the property has a strong history of low impact recreational use. So that use, the site supported a 28-cage disc golf course with events that exceeded 200 participants. It has also been used by cross-country teams, families, and kayakers. There's a log cabin near the pond, and it served as a gathering and coordination point. And even with all of the activities that have been on the property, it's stayed remarkably clean because the owner's taking great care of it. Water and other site features on the property include two wells, one of which is artesian well maintained in coordination with the U.S. Geological Survey. A pond was created to address standing water and supports fish habitat. The property has strong potential to serve an upstream public access point along Sugar Creek, and the long-term vision could connect by water to Nine Star Park. beginning a park-to-park paddle corridor. The land is in a strategic location that aligns perfectly with our recent investment at Nine Star Park. So Nine Star Park was added to the county's park system last year, and we currently are the recipient of a $400,000 DNR grant to build a three-quarter mile trail right there, and it connects directly to the Penzey. And this proposed acquisition site is located to the north, upstream from Nine Star Park. So the upstream site is 26 acres property that would function as a natural habitat and nature preserve along the Sugar Creek, and it would primarily access a paddle launch, creating a formal put-in point for recreation. So further downstream, Nine Star Park provides a natural connection. It already has existing public park access and would serve as a designated takeout location, making it ideal for downstream destinations. Say that five times fast. So by acquiring this upstream property and linking it to Nine Star Park, we're establishing a continuous park-to-park paddle corridor along the Sugar Creek. This corridor connects protected land upstream with the county's existing investment downstream, giving residents a public water trail for paddling, passive recreation, and nature-based access. It also enhances Nine Star Park's role as a true downstream destination that I said twice. Anyway, so the funding strategy, phase one, It would focus on acquiring the property through the President Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust Fund, which provides a 75% to 25% match. And once the property is conveyed into the land trust, it will be preserved as parkland in perpetuity, essentially forever. Phase two would focus on preparing a 2028 Land and Water Conservation Fund application to support additional project amenities, like parking and lights and things like that. So I'll reiterate that the potential property acquisition represents a rare opportunity in Hancock County. It strengthens conservation efforts, it protects important habitat, expands passive recreation in a meaningful and responsible way, and it creates the foundation for a connected park-to-park corridor along Sugar Creek, linking upstream natural areas with ongoing investment at Nine Star Park and providing residents with a new way to explore, learn, and enjoy the outdoors. So as we're going to continue to evaluate the property and work through the required steps with the President, Benjamin Harrison Conservation Trust, your feedback is really important to us. So if you want to share any comments or ideas, you can submit them on an index card so they can be reviewed and considered, or you can email me. You can find my email online. so is there any questions from the board about the park can we use impact fees for our 20 i believe impact fees are for only capital project capital projects i'm going to have to review the restrictions on the zone improvement plan to make sure, because I was thinking it was, we have to have a deficit, we have to match the deficit, and it can only be used for capital project. So I'm not, I will get back to you on that, but I'm pretty sure that it's on essential amenities.

You, Kelly?

Yeah, we'll find out. Okay, if we can't use that funds, what do we use?

We have the support from the county commissioners. Since we are a board, we are not a department, we don't have funding, that's why we look for the grants. So we would have to find a, we could fund raise.

Without saying a number, do you...

that you have an idea that match will be I do not this is a very unique piece of property based off of all of the photos and what I've been told by the landowner I have no idea what the cost is gonna actually or to get those appraisals back I should have them back by next week what a unique find to have someone that has used it in such a way and then wants to keep it that Forever. So, yeah.

Awesome. Great.

Anything else? Okay. We're going to move along then. Next on the agenda is an update on the Shirley Heritage Trail Extension, and the project has been made possible through the IGNITE grant from the Hancock County Community Foundation, along with incredible collaboration work from the Town of Shirley, the Jane Ross Reeves Octagon House organization, the support of our commissioners, the highway department for sure, and the dedicated Shirley visionaries. They've all championed this effort. I'm going to pull this off the screen. and play an update on the town of Shirley here in a second. So the trail has been laid and get this thing rolling. Here we go. So the trail's been fully laid, including the photoluminescent aggregate and the silver dollar thermoplastic artwork. The new slatted fence is in place, along with low maintenance grasses and flowers, and our wonderful volunteers have been helping with watering while everything gets established, all the flowers and grasses. We're currently waiting on the installation of a bench and a memorial plaque. And once those are in place, we will schedule ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open this trail extension. And so these are the progress photos right here. And you guys enjoy it. This is the thermoplastic getting burnt into the asphalt.

That's really cool.

It really is. So I hope everyone joining us online and here in person We'll take time to visit the Town of Shirley and learn about the historic Octagon House and enjoy the artwork and new trail extension and our Parks and Recreation Board is committed to making meaningful, impactful improvements like these for the entire county. And this project is a great example of that mission. So this project was really great. So I really wanted this to go a little faster. Because I'm walking, and then I speeded up the whole film on here. So it's actually double time, but I wanted it to go even faster. But all of these little sayings came from one of the seven men that moved the home from, I believe, the Willow Branch area. all the way across the county to where it sits today. And he is the survivor of the seven men. And he came up with all of the little taglines, I guess you'd call them.

That's a history.

Yeah, the facts. It's just been a really great project. I'm really proud to be a part of that. Does the board have any questions about the update on the Shirley Heritage Trail extension?

No. Nope.

So as soon as I find out, see that bench right there? That's the bench that we're waiting on because we want to have it look just like the rest of the trail for placemaking purpose. So they're not easy to come by, but we did get someone to.

It was really hot, by the way.

It was.

I need to pass out by the end. I thought it was going to be really simple. Those are my initials right there. Yes, that's right.

I forgot you put your initials in the glow. Yeah. Those, the buckets of stone were something else.

Yeah, they were.

So is there anyone, does anyone else on the board have anything to talk about? Okay. Anyone from the audience, from the public who want to address the board, ask any questions? If so, you can approach the podium and Say your name and spell your last name, anyone? All right. So before you head out this evening, please take a moment to place a colored dot on the large county map to show where you would like to see a future park. And don't forget that you can also share your input through our online survey by using the QR code provided. If there's no further business, I will entertain a motion to adjourn.

Make a motion to adjourn at 5.21 p.m. 5.21, that was the quickest...

Information sessions in the history. Good. Efficient. Okay. Yeah. Anyway, thank you guys for being here and joining us in person, participating online. We appreciate your time and interest and your engagement in our work. So the support helps us continue building meaningful opportunities and strong connections in our parks throughout Hancock County. So we look forward to seeing you in the future, at future meetings. Thank you so much. We're adjourned. August 20th at 10 a.m. We're back to the normal time. Thanks, ladies. Thanks for coming.