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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br />April 3, 2023 <br />6:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 10 of 11 <br /> <br />In further Parks updates Lemons said the City has been planning for an exciting project at Hackberry <br />Park. The City has asked Bolton and Menk for a quote to do a draft master plan for the park and will <br />bring the quote to City Council. The house at 140 Hackberry Hill was turned over to the City of Orono. <br />We'd like to have a draft master plan to the park commission by July 5 and then to have the Park <br />Commission make a recommendation at the August 7 meeting. That means we could get the master plan <br />over to City Council for approval on September 25. Once an August timeline is approved by the City <br />Council, that's our opportunity to really engage with the public on the use of the park. He said the <br />Hackberry Park subcommittee would be Roach and Stofer. <br /> <br />Stofer said he and Roath have been working on this and have engaged with the five associations that are <br />active there. Now there's softball, baseball, soccer, flag football, and lacrosse. All these groups are using <br />it and they all want something out of it. So we're going to try to come up with a plan that makes the most <br />people as happy as possible. He said a listening session is planned in late April or early May. <br /> <br />Lemons said both Police and Fire will be using the old house for training including a controlled burn and <br />then demolition. As far as staff reports, he said with the third snowiest winter on record staff has been <br />busy plowing trails and parks. As mentioned earlier, we've had some great equipment upgrades over this <br />last two years thanks to the City Council We just got our fertilizer and top dresser for the golf course, and <br />we’re taking on our own pesticide program at the golf course and all of the parks. He said that staff can <br />provide a much better program for the City while saving quite a bit of money. A sprayer was purchased <br />for that and two mowers. Parks is working with the Police Chief on increased security for the parking lot <br />at Lurton Dog Park as well as enforcing parking passes. Parks is working on hiring for the summer. The <br />Golf Course Clubhouse manager is doing a great job, he said, and has started a junior league and there are <br />already 40 kids signed up for the program. She is also taking over management of the women’s league <br />and has started a mixed league. The target opening for the golf course is the week of the 17th. They will <br />be implementing a new and very aggressive bent grass that is more drought resistant. Current focus is <br />transitioning all parks and the golf course for spring. <br /> <br />The Big Island dock repairs have been completed. We have docks going out or closing some of our lake <br />access points where snowmobiles had access, and done playground inspections and tree work. <br /> <br />SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORT <br /> <br />None <br /> <br />COMMISSIONERS’ REPORTS <br /> <br />Porter congratulated the Golf Course manager for innovative programming including kids’ birthday <br />parties. <br /> <br /> <br />ADJOURNMENT <br />