Parks and Recreation Board - Regular Meeting

Thank you.

Okay, we're going to have a call to order. So good morning, everyone. I hope you're all doing well. I would like to call this meeting of the Hancock County Parks and Recreation Board to order. Today is May 21st and the time is 10 a.m. 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 Indiana Code 5-1415. I, Miriam Rawless, We'll call the roll for attendance. Please acknowledge as I call your name. Heather Van Dyke.

Present.

Kelly McLaren. Here. Jenny Shively. Here. Terry Gottschalk. Here. Let the record show that a quorum of board members is present. Approval of the minutes for the April 16th, 2026. The minutes were distributed to all of our members. Are there any corrections or discussions?

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes.

Okay. May I have a second? Second. Thank you, Heather and Kelly. Financial report. I'm switching to the financial report here. We are rocking and rolling, and I just heard that there were some builds that were permitted for the Mohawk area. So we'll be looking for some more impact money from those permitting, but currently Our balance as of May 19th is $8,240. Are there any questions, discussions, or anything regarding the financial report? It's a really super easy report. Anyone wants to be treasurer. Just saying. Anyway, any questions? All right. We're going to move on to new business. This was really awesome. This is... This was giving to us. Okay. So our board recently was given this research opportunity. So the community foundation of Hancock county generously provided us with this subscription and, um, it's a limited time subscription to grant station. It runs from June 1st to, um, May 31 of 2027. And we're really grateful for the community foundation of thinking of our board. and investing in our ability and support our new park system and our initiatives. This is, if you can see up here, you've got find grant makers, building strategies, writing proposals. I can also collaborate with other board members who would like to get on this and help look for grants. It's an online database that helps organizations identify funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, government agencies. It provides grant makers the eligibility criteria to help meet deadlines. It gives you application guidance along with tools and the ability to save your searches. So you can track your deadlines, build funding pipelines, and access resources that strengthen your grant writing and fundraising. For our board, this tool is going to help us find those fundings that align with our mission. So we deeply appreciate Community Foundation's commitment to supporting us, and I'm wondering if you have any questions about this online portal. Okay, well, if you guys are wanting to get in there and take a look around, just send me an email.

Oh, yes, absolutely.

All right, moving along. Look at this. This is amazing. So our five-year master plan has officially been approved. The Indiana Department of National Resources. This is a major milestone. It affirms Hancock County is a long-term vision for parks, trails, natural resources, and recreation. It confirms that our plan meets all the state requirements for public input, accessibility, environmental review, and strategic planning. This approval now makes us eligible for significant state and federal grant opportunities, including that Land, Water, and Conservation Fund, which is the biggie. This fund, the LWCF, is especially impactful because the land acquisition or development through the program, it's a permanent approach to protect property and outdoor recreation. So these funds can support trails, park expansions, improvements in future recreation assets. So this approved plan is our roadmap for the next five years. Well-planned growth in outdoor recreation, our board's goals are now closer than ever, and we are going to apply for the Land, Water, and Conservation Grant Fund as early as this August. We'll be partnering with the Highway Department to submit this application. So we have some proposals for park property. It's in your packets. In there you'll see the executive summary, our objectives. As our park system grows, the board is going to explore strategic land acquisitions and meaningful green space for future generations. and we welcome conservations with land owners in the unincorporated areas who may wish to preserve their property as parkland. So depending on the property, options could include conservation easements, life estates or partial land donations or other voluntary legacy tools or gifted land for future public use. And this is kind of an announcement to our community and those that are out there listening on YouTube, if you're a landowner interested in exploring these possibilities, especially if you have like a historical or environmentally significant property that has wetlands or things of that nature, we'd be glad to speak with you. The preferred method for acquiring the parkland is a willing landowner who wishes to pursue a fee simple conveyance for fair market value. So conserving land in this way helps preserve the natural beauty, it protects the wildlife, and will create park spaces that serve children, families, and future generations. The key word there is forever. So it would be forever. It'd never be a data center. any of these things, so it will protect and conserve that land forever. So if you're interested in conserving your land, please contact me for any additional questions at 317-477-1828. My email is also miriam.rolles, that's M-I-R-I-A-M dot R-O-L-L-E-S at hancockin.gov. And we appreciate every landowner who reaches out.

Miriam, are these, the numbered, are those, like, in priority? No. Okay.

Those are just to separate the acreage and identify which parcels. Okay. And then as you read through the rest of the attachments, that's what we're looking at. Okay. We don't have, we've only got one landowner who has come forward, which we are setting up meetings now. Okay. We have to have a... pre-application interview with DNR regarding the LWCF before June 30th. So we really need to be on this to apply for this particular grant. It's quick. Last year the LWCF was canceled. DNR is now opening it back up for those even-numbered years. So we can apply this year. And then in 28. And then in 28.

And so on and so forth. And so can you apply, you've got like an estimated like fair market value here. So can you apply for a grant that totals that even though maybe you haven't had those conversations yet?

I don't have this up on the screen for the viewers or in the audience here, but there is, if you look at the page right here. This one?

Yes. This includes

not only the land acquisition itself, but those budget estimates on different amenities that we can add to it.

Oh, okay.

So those are a total of all four sites. And during the application interview, we'll have several questions, obviously, for DNR. But we'll want to make sure that I believe it is only one property that we can apply for. So we can't apply for all four. At one time? Only one at a time. Because this grant is a $2 million match.

Oh, got it.

It is a large 50-50 match.

Oh, got it. Hey, wow.

Yeah. The minimum is $250,000. The maximum is $2 million. Wow. Yeah. It's significant.

I know we have some residents that have... They've set aside on their property. How does, and those are a plan that's been made with DNR. How do those translate? I wanted to sell that. Well, that we would guarantee it.

I would first have to look at their deed and the verbiage inside their deed to see what that language spells out regarding that legal description of that particular property. I don't want to get into the weeds with that. But once we have all the covenants, conditions, and restrictions recognized, then we would move forward with appraisal. We would get two appraisals to see what that fair market value is based off of the average of the two appraisals, and then just negotiate at that point. But regarding the forestry and all that, it just all depends on the verbiage.

So the forestry plan is not on their deed. It's afterwards with the deed. they've done that the assessor taxes on that land but there's if they are to sell it they lose they have to pay that back too don't they a portion of it because it depends on the way they sell again the verbiage yeah it depends on if it was sold to stay a reserve or not I think that's the whole point is that because you're promising to take care of that that will be a good question to ask DNR during the application

Any other questions about this exciting?

This is exciting, Miriam.

It really is.

It is.

So, and we've got more special things going on. So I'm going to scoot on to our Nine Star Park webpage announcement. So the internet, I put on our webpage an introduction of the Nine Star Park. You'll find this on our page. If, let's see. If you don't know how to navigate that, it's pretty clear. You just go to the Parks and Recreation Board, and then you'll see it in the left margin. It'll say Nine Star Park on that margin, and then this will appear. And this page will describe the Nature Focus Preserve and ask that visitors park at the main entrance located at 100 South. The pedestrian entrance is actually along the Penzey Trail. You can park at 400. west and then walk back east to the entrance there but we currently don't have any trash bins so we're asking people that come in to take out what they bring with them and it says pretty much all of that here on the page okay any questions have you been there yes does this live

Only on the county website or does it live on its own somewhere?

It lives on the parks board page. On the county? On the county website. We do not have social media yet. Okay. Yeah, but we're working on it. Okay. Right? We're working on it. It's still infants.

Has there been any more feedback from the public after the? The session that you did, the people who live on it.

We had the survey. Right. And then the survey was implemented into our five-year master plan. Right. That got approved, yay. And then we will be having another input session because we want to hear what the community would like to see as a regional type park. I would like to have that very soon. I do, I will need some help with that and I will be sending out some requests. Okay. I'll probably need another facilitator, and it'll probably take up one of our board meetings, unless we do it at night, which sounds like a lot of people were wanting us to do it in the evening rather than during our normal hours, which kind of makes sense. But again, because we are, or I am, a county employee, I don't want to abuse taxpayer dollars by having them pay me after hours. Anyway, let's see where we are. Oh, so this, we are not going to be talking about the benches, and they're placed on hold, but I have some exciting stuff for you guys here in a second. So there's great news. The trail-based stone is officially in place, so it's been packed down in the base, and the path is now walkable. And progress has been on pause as we've waited for two key materials. One was a brand-new paver that the highway had to purchase and a long-anticipated photoluminescent aggregate. The paver has arrived, and of yesterday, the glowing aggregate is finally on site. Its delivery was delayed to postal strike in Canada, which held up the receipt. I'll give you the clue here in a second. And then, so we pushed really hard. I wanted to make sure that we let Shirley know that we pushed really hard to meet the May 15th deadline and have the trail ready for the Strawberry Festival. But persistent rain and the delays and the aggregate made the goal impossible to get it done. So the bright side is next year's festival is going to celebrate alongside a fully completed, beautifully designed photoluminescent aggregate art and multi-use trail. That begins in the front of the Octagon House and extends westward. A glowing, one-of-a-kind experience. So even better news. And if anybody's afraid of the dark, I suggest you leave now. So here we go. Yeah, come on up. This is what's going into... Oh, I see it. That's cool.

Wow.

Can we... I don't think we can dim that.

You can close the doors, right? There you go. That's pretty cool. Yeah, come on up.

That's cool. Don't be afraid of the dark. Oh, wow. And what's nice about this is they've added blue rock.

I see that.

So I wish we could zoom in for the public, but yeah, that will be impregnated into the asphalt.

Wow, that's amazing.

Okay.

So I wanted to ask if the trail that connects to Nine Star Park is the section of trail that has this...

It is.

Okay.

It's in between 400 and 300.

I saw it was, you know, the middle of the day.

So we do have a schedule.

Whoa, our eyes, right?

We do have a schedule of completion, and this is for those folks that are online. Do you have that back up?

Okay.

Okay, we're Should I leave it here for a minute? They're going for a ride on YouTube. There we go. This is what the photoluminescent aggregate will look like installed. This actual picture is taken at 350 West on the Pinsey Trail. So that's pretty cool. So we've also had our scheduled completion date, weather permitting for the trail and Wednesday of next week, they will be putting the binder down. So that is the first binder on top of the stone that goes down for the trail. And then on Thursday, May 28th, the photo luminescent stones will be scattered across the county section. followed by the surface. Now, if any board member would like to take part in the photoluminescent art tossing process to help scatter the aggregate, please check your schedules and let me know. I'm going to coordinate with the highway superintendent so we can assist in creating our vibrant, glowing trail and art together. It's next Thursday. We don't have a time yet, but, um, I will let you guys know, and we will gather these and get in front of the pavers and scatter it and take a photo up for the ignite grant. We're again, very thankful for the community foundation for the ignite grant that they gave us because this stone is super expensive. It is not cheap. And, um, it's just beautiful. So let me continue on about the work. So additional artwork is going to be installed on the octagon frontage. And this is just a little chat GPT I did a while back when we initially started the application for the IGNITE grant. So the installer is working on our four foot silver dollars here. Now they're in, obviously you can't really read them. They will go in the frontage of the octagon house. They will scatter east one way to read and west one way to read.

This is how you know a woman designed the house, 16 rooms and 16 closets.

Yes, Jane Ross reads, right? Yes. So this is kind of what they're going to look like once they're done. And here's the actual design. So additional artwork is going to be installed, as I'm talking about, on the Octagon frontage. The installer is working on this approved design that incorporates these 10 historic fun facts created by Dennis Westridge. He's the president of the Octagon House.

Can I steal this real quick?

So he created all of the 10 phrases. Right here. Oh, thank you, friend. So the 10 phrases that are going to go inside this type of design, one will say built in 1819. You see the one saying designed by Jane Ross Reeves. Then the cost was $2,500 to build, but those were silver dollars. That's why the silver dollars have this trail look. And then it'll say saved silver dollars in a shoebox, because that's what she did. 16 rooms, 16 closets. And another one says, vision of seven men to save history. 3,192 square feet, so 3,192 square feet, eight rooms, same size, brought to Shirley in 1994, and maintained by volunteers. That was what he wanted, that's his property, and we appreciate his fun facts and his history on the building. Let's see, where am I at? Okay, so the silver dollar art coins I've already talked about, they will go down after the asphalt's finished, and then the concept and artwork have already been approved by our installer and by the county. And following paving, we're going to install a slatted fence and a bench and a low-maintenance landscaping. And I'm still looking for groundhogs. I don't know where to find them, but I would love to get us some statues to represent the ones that had to rehome themselves from the shaking and the rocking and the rolling of the trail. And then when we purchased this property back in 24... On the purchase agreement, I had asked that, well, actually, Mr. Sorowski said, hey, would you please put a monument up in our name? And on the purchase agreement, under further conditions, I added that within six months of the trail completion, that we would get a monument in his name. So I'm going to remind the commissioners after the trail is complete to get that ordered. Is there any questions, any more questions regarding this Ignite grant, the trail, or the Octagon House. Okay. So now we're going to move on to an update on the, not that one, I'm just going to let you guys look at this for a while. The Indiana Trails Grant for Nine Star Park. So Hancock County was awarded the Trails Plan Grant on March 30th in the amount of $3,760. I'm sorry, $3,760. $376,496 to support development of the three quarter mile trail that winds through Nine Star Park and we're currently on a pause waiting to hear from our community trails grant coordinator. They're going through some staff changes so we're gonna have to be patient to coordinate with them and discuss the next steps in our ITP process so we can move forward with And in the meantime, we're going to continue to review the program handbooks in preparation for the post-award meeting. And once the Parks and Recreation Department is established, then we'll be in a well position to begin adding appropriate assets to the nature park. And the long-term vision for Nine Star Park is to preserve it actually as just wild land for all to enjoy. So I still would like to put those 988 benches, but we won't be circling back to those until the trail, I believe, is put in because unless it turns into a really long delay, then we might want to put some benches out there in the meantime. But there's a lot of landscaping to be dealt with. Would you agree? Yeah. So.

Pretty, but it's raw.

Yeah. Yeah. So I was able to attend this executive development program. It was wonderful. That opportunity, I went on April 19th, and the executive program was through IU School of Public Health, and I was able to complete some continuing education credits. The program covered a variety of topics, including sessions on emerging technologies like AI, That was a really interesting class. It helped not to be so afraid of it, but it also helped to be cautious. It was very well presented. We also visited Brown County State Park and the program included multiple breakout sessions with attendees from across the country. It wasn't just Indiana folks. There were people from California, from Delaware, from Wyoming. They were It was just a great collaboration to go, and I do plan on asking to attend the second year class for year two for us. And I don't know if I could ask for another member to go. I will be looking into that to see if I can take another member. Now, you guys would be in year one, and I'd be in a different breakout session and classes until the last day. What I also wanted to say was there was a really meaningful session. It was titled Culture, Money, Ethics, and the Body Politic. It was led by a gal by the name of Jamie Sabatch. She's the founder and president of a company called 110%. And she works with elected officials, executive teams, and practitioners across the country, helping them navigate complexities and confront hard truths and hard trade-offs. to align public investments with public purpose. It was amazing. During the session where she was speaking, her book went live. This is her book, she wrote it, she gave it to all of us. And I said, Jamie, I need you to sign my book. So she signed my book and then I said, I came home and I bought another one. So the one that I bought, I've given to the commissioners. It's called The Bison Principle, and I thought that was really cool because normally, like cows, they'll turn their butt to the storm. A bison, he runs through it. He runs directly through the storm to get through it and be done with it and have it. So anyway, the book is in regards to clarity, discipline, and courage in local governments through the lens of Parks and Rec. So when I get the book back from... After I get done with this one, when I get the book back that I gave to the commissioners, I'll funnel it through us if you guys want to read it.

I can order it.

Okay, you can order it? Okay. Anyway, does anyone have any questions about this program? It was just fascinating. It was four days. It was very exhausting. By the time I got home, my brain, I thought it was going to explode. But it was well worth all the information that was provided. And the collaboration was excellent. Because I can call somebody from Wyoming now. I can call my friend in California. I can call this guy from Arkansas, you know. And there's a gal that I met from the Pendleton Parks up there, and we're going to have lunch, and she was amazing. So the collaboration was excellent. Anyway, highly recommend it. Also, I wanted to share these with you. So during one of the breakout sessions, one of the facilitators had, and I believe he might be a professional, and he created this deck of cards. So everybody had a breakout session. And they gave us these cards, and it's a deck of cards, so pass it all the way down. All right. And then we ended up having like three or four cards, and they had asked us, to read the card, or if you couldn't answer the card, you'd hand it to somebody else, and then the table would rotate. So they made a game out of it. But this one says, how do you measure impact? And I don't know, what is your say, Kelly?

What's the biggest funding challenge of your organization?

Oh, boy. See, and if we could sit and discuss these issues, you know, 52 different issues is pretty significant, and it was just a really amazing game to play. No, it's not really a game. It's networking.

Conversation starter.

Networking and helping to finalize some decisions.

How many other counties were there versus just municipalities, or what was the mix?

It was a huge mix, and I was the only one from a board. Everybody else was a department already.

Okay.

But I begged them to appear. I wanted to be there because we are in our infancy, and that's our goal is to become a department in the next three to five years, more likely five. But the more information that we can learn and collaborate on, it was really great. We did have at least... There were two people that I know that are from Hancock County that were there. Wardsville was there, Stan was there. And like I said, Pendleton was there. There was a lot of Hendricks County there. That is an amazing county, as you well have seen. Yeah, it's just very, all have gone. I did get lost in the middle hotel. The middle hotel is huge. Beautiful, beautiful architecture. The bus ride, it was pretty bumpy and windy and nauseating to Brown County, but well worth it. You know, get together there, but highly recommend it. And by the way, our baskets that we provided for the silent auction, they did pretty well. Everyone in the room raised over $2,000. They're going to offer eight scholarships for 50% off of next year's tuition. So I'm going to have to ask, I'm going to have to ask, is that mine?

The one that was on for the highway department.

Interesting. Thank you so much. It must have fallen out in my office when I was leaving. Thank you so much. You can join the meeting if you'd like. Okay, so anyway, moving on. Does anybody have board discussion or items they want to talk about that's not on our agenda? Okay. I do want to

Uh-oh.

Sounds like a storm warning. So I would like to nominate a secretary and a treasurer today.

So I have given much thought to this, and I'm trying, you know, to get Patton's Third Army under control. Yeah. I think in my next life I'm going to come back as his aide-de-camp and operations officer. But I would be happy to try the secretary role. That's amazing.

I'm going to roll right back here to these finances. Look. They're real easy. It's one page. I just need somebody else to step up for treasurer. And I send this to you and you just read the report during our meeting. And it's pretty easy peasy.

Maybe I should be the treasurer.

Until we start getting into really moving funding and all those things. So I would, I can guide nominations for each position and board members can nominate themselves or others like Jenny already did. And after nominations are closed, we'll hold a, a voice vote and then the nominee obviously with the major votes will be elected and I will now move to the nomination of Secretary for the Hancock County Parks and Recreation Board. The floor is now open for nominations.

I would like to nominate Ms.

I'll second that. But Miriam, I'm going to be making appointments with you to come and just go through the process.

Please, please.

And we can make a booklet of the process.

I can guide you through the process to create minutes quickly. Yes. And help me with the agenda. Yes. And then you do the agenda and I oversee the agenda. Yes. And then work on that. Yes.

So we'll talk about that later.

Okay. So Heather, was that a first from you? Mm-hmm. And then who had the second? Me.

I nominated myself. So you nominated yourself, you seconded yourself. Yeah.

Okay, thank you.

Anybody feel on the treasurer job?

Well, let me get through the, let me, yeah, thank you. So we're going to vote now. So all those in favor of Jenny Shively serving as secretary, please say aye. Aye. Any of those opposed, say nay. The motion carries and Jenny Shively is elected as our secretary.

And I would like everyone to please take a sticker.

Absolutely. All right. So I will now move to nomination of the treasurer of Hancock County Parks and Recreation Board. The floor is now open for nominations. Board members, please feel free to nominate yourself or other member. Are there any nominations for treasurer?

I can read the report.

I'll second that. Okay.

Fingerprinted and everything.

I don't even think we have to, because we're not spending it yet. I don't even think we have to get bonded. It's going to be a bit.

Good. So now we're going to proceed with vote. All those in favor of Kelly McLaren serving as treasurer, please say aye. Aye. All those opposed, say nay. The motion carries and Kelly McLaren is elected treasurer.

Thank you so much.

So excited. Onward and upward. And I'm still going with our board. We are amazing. We're an amazing team.

Are you wanting a motion?

I'm getting to that.

Okay.

So she could not be here yet, or she couldn't be here today. She requested a letter of support for her project, so it's Danny's dream letter of support, and a draft letter is what you see on screen. It's been prepared and distributed to the board members for review, and before we move forward with a motion to approve the letter, I have a summary of her grant proposal that I'm going to read, and then open the floor for the discussion and proceed with the formal. Here's Donna Griffin's note. It says, summary of white family grant proposal, two-year-long internships for new Palestine high school students of $1,000 a semester for a total of $2,000 for one internship. There's going to be a contract, pay schedule, and weekly check-ins via phone and in-or-person meetings. So Danny's dream internship program is a five-hour a week at $20 an hour, Ten weeks equing the $1,000 for a full year, it's $2,000. $4,000 for two positions. Duties will be allocated depending on interns, interest, and abilities. Those duties will include updates to the website, and she gives her website address for us to look at. Social media marketing on Facebook and Instagram. They want to create two digital newsletters each semester from existing templates. Event planning, fundraising and activity coordination for earth day event that happens on April 20 happened on April 20th. No, it was, yeah, this is may, uh, 2026 visitors to new pal elementary schools with Danny's dream activities and help with Danny's dream club at Zion. So they want to plan a community fundraising event for the internship program. They want to establish a go fund me for their internship program. Their goal is to raise $10,000 via social media marketing website and activity coordination. This grant request is the second phase of their plan to build an internship program, and hopefully with the goals outlined, the internships will become self-sustaining through fundraising efforts, and we hope to gain community support and sponsors to grow the program and expand to other school districts. We plan to collaborate with New Pal High School work-based learning and the New Powell High School Earth Club and provide opportunities for Danny's Dreams Clubs at area elementary schools. And these efforts will provide the seed money for their future sustainability through collaboration and expansion with civic organizations and schools. Their home base, Zion Lutheran School, has a thriving Danny's Dream Club that reaches out to other area schools with activities and events. They're going to continue discussions and collaborations with Hancock County Parks, recycle Hancock area businesses, school districts, civic organizations to expand our community events and involve students from other Hancock County school districts. So she gives us the mission. I'm going to read it. The mission of Danny's Dreams Outdoor Education Program is to encourage and support teachers in the use of creativity in the classroom, to foster an interest in science and discovery with projects designed to help in appreciation, responsibility, and concern for the natural world. So Danny's Dream Innovation and Education Corp will use media, technology, to connect students and teachers to the world around them through innovative student-led multimedia and STEM classroom after-school projects with paid internships. Are there any questions or discussions regarding the program or the letter of support for her grant application? I will entertain a motion to approve submitting our letter of support for Dani's Dreams to include with her application for the White family grant. Is there a motion to approve the letter of support as presented?

I make a motion to approve.

Second that. Okay. So motion passes. I'm going to sign the letter of support and email her a copy. And I will also be emailing Katie Oettinger the grant Organizer at the Community Foundation oversees the White Family Fund. And this letter is actually late, but I called the Community Foundation on behalf of Danny Streams to find out if they could still get that to the White Family Grant, even though the deadline was earlier last week. And Katie's expecting that if we were to forward. I just wanted to make you guys aware of that. But our board wishes Donna and Danny's dreams. We want to thank them for their passion for students and supporting our park system and her continued collaboration with us and the very best luck with that grant application. Is there anyone from the public who would like to address the board? Nope. Okay. If there's no further questions, comments, may I have a motion to adjourn?

I'll make a motion to adjourn at 1040 a.m. 48 a.m.?

Second. Kelly. Thank you, Heather. All right. We are now adjourned. Thank you, guys. Thank you, Maria. Let's go outside.