The Syracuse Parks and Recreation board member, David Johnston, left, and Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, discuss business at the meeting Monday night, Dec. 14. InkFreeNews photo by Phoebe Muthart.

By Phoebe Muthart
InkFreeNews

Syracuse Parks and Recreation Board met for the last time of the year Monday night, Dec. 14. Most of the meeting consisted of updates on current park projects and progress on other ones.

Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, gave an update on several ongoing projects. Restrooms at the Syracuse Community Center will be renovated.

“We need to do that first,” said Jonsson. “We need to get grants and a cost estimate.”

After the restrooms, he said, he will move onto the next projects.

As for the tree board, Jonsson said he’d like to do a memorial for Jerry Riffle, who passed away recently. The memorial will be located at one of Syracuse’s parks. He also applied for a grant from Tree City USA.

He gave an update on Schrock Fields. Excavating will need to be done, he said. All the equipment has been removed and will be reused at the new athletic complex. The engineer has been notified about plans for the new complex.

An update on Ward Park was given by Jonsson. The parks department received a Harkless Family grant for $7,500. It will be used for the Ward Park project. He is getting quotes for the pavilion and restroom replacement. It will have four individual restrooms.

Jonsson gave the update on the Veterans Memorial Park dredging project.

“It is complete,” he said. “That’s the last part of the seawall dredging.” It will also help maintain the road better, he said of SR 13.

Jonsson also told park members new park rule signs need to be updated. He’d like to do signs that can be updated, similar to ones at Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s property off SR 13. “There’s some updates,” he said of rules.

He told park board members to think of five to six things that can be put on signs. “I’ve sent these to a couple of builders,” he said of the projects.

During the November and December meetings of the park board, there was discussion regarding the appointment and/or reappointment of members to the park board. There are two park board members, who have terms expiring at the end of 2020 — Mary Hursh and Paul Newcomer, both of which are appointed by the town council.

At the December meeting of the park board a motion was approved to recommend to Syracuse Town Council Hursh and Newcomer be reappointed to the park board. This would be a three-year term that would expire at the end of December 2023.

Darin Lursen, program director, gave his report. He said Breakfast with Santa went well and 30 letters were sent to Santa. About 150 breakfasts were handed out.

The basketball league has five teams so far. Only players will be able to attend games, but no spectators. They can have a minimum of six teams. Lursen is working with the health department to ensure games are played safely, added Jonsson.

“We are at least attempting things,” Lursen said.

Jonsson reviewed the financial report for the end of November. The park’s non-reverting operating budget for 2021 is $39,500.

“We have some leftover money we can use next year,” he said.

Lastly, next year’s meeting dates were approved. The park board meets at 7 p.m. the second Monday of every month, at the Syracuse Community Center, 1013 N. Long Drive, unless notified otherwise.

The first one is Monday, Jan. 11.