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MINUTES OF THE
<br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION
<br /> Thursday, November 5, 2020
<br />6:00 o’clock p.m.
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<br />Page 3 of 6
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<br />additional costs. Carter explained the second or third option – B or C – and said assuming the project is
<br />finished, of the $200,000, he suggests planning for only $150,000 of it, because the City gave $40-50,000
<br />more and they may need a contingency in the future. That would leave about $150,000 to do things that
<br />are not on the list; that would possibly include a second bathroom, a historical marker, some additional
<br />trail, additional interpretive signage, and perhaps additional barriers. Carter reported they have two
<br />additional picnic benches and four sitting stones donated. He is very excited about the project.
<br />Mayor Dennis Walsh approached the podium and shared that whatever is committed already is committed
<br />and there is an extra $300,000. To him, they have the $717,000 to spend and they need a second toilet
<br />(perhaps $100,000), the veterans memorial/historical marker (perhaps $75,000), and another $25,000 can
<br />be for contingencies, trails, markers, etcetera. Mayor Walsh suggests getting everything done at once
<br />with all the dollars they have and making it professional, nice looking, and first class.
<br />Carter agrees with Mayor Walsh and that they need to allow for some “soft costs” which will be at the top
<br />of the budget. He also wants to be sure there is a contingency and hopes Mayor Walsh will be at the
<br />Legacy meeting. The bottom line is they will end up with $750,000 worth of improvements on Big Island
<br />and the City will only have paid $80-$131,500.
<br />Chair Roath noted in the past they have talked more about trail expansion than he is hearing tonight.
<br />Carter said trail expansion is one of the things included, as well as soft costs, contingencies, interpretive
<br />signage, additional barriers, trail extensions, historical marker and second toilet. To do all of those things
<br />would probably require another $100,000 raised by the Board and if they can’t, they will need to make
<br />choices. Carter said there are three Board members who feel passionate about one or more of those
<br />projects and they are all different so discussion will be necessary.
<br />Klaahsen said she is very excited about the extra money and asked if they went with option B, where the
<br />City is still committed to $80,000, would it be the difference between the $80,000 and the $131,530, or
<br />$51,000 that they could potentially allocate to other parks.
<br />Edwards explained that is what they have been talking about as contingency; he clarified they cannot take
<br />the bond money and put it directly into the park fund, but they could use some of the bond money to pay
<br />for some things they already have, which then means they did not spend everything out of the parks fund.
<br />Klaahsen said she wants all of the grant money, Legacy Fund, and donations to go to Big Island, but if
<br />there is an opportunity to squeeze a bit back into the remaining park fund, she likes that idea.
<br />Carter said he will make the recommendation to the Park Commission from the Legacy Board.
<br />Mayor Walsh said the Council feels the parks fund needs to have a sustainable balance every year so they
<br />have budgeted at least $100,000/year. This year, they have allocated $50,000 with the intention of putting
<br />another $50,000 in. He noted the park budget has always been zero and has relied on the park dedication
<br />fees.
<br />Carter noted Edwards more or less singlehandedly got the DNR grant and Mayor Walsh got the bonding
<br />bill, but he hopes they can find a way to remotely replicate this model on other parks.
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