A new long-range plan is in the works for the Trenton park system as park board members accepted a proposal for development of that plan during a meeting held Wednesday evening.
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The board accepted a proposal from Olsson Associates of Kansas City to develop the plan, with Park Superinten-dent Jason Shuler and Trenton City Administrator Kerry Sampson authorized to negotiate with the firm at a cost not to exceed $12,050. The Long-Range Plan Committee is currently in the process of developing a questionnaire that will be distributed throughout the city in an effort to determine what citizens would like to see in the park system. In addition, the board is working to put together an application for a Missouri Department of Transportation Enhancement Grant, with an application deadline of Oct. 26.
The Long-Range Plan Committee is planning to meet with a representative of Olsson at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 20 and will likely hold a special meeting prior to Oct. 26.
Board President Mike Bosley presented a year-end report on the Trenton Family Aquatic Center. Total attendance for the year was 10,096, with 184 passes sold. Total expenditures are listed at $171,761.63, and among those expenditures are $58,699.25 in part-time wages, $16,153.90 in supplies, $8,625.01 in concessions, $19,874.86 in equipment repairs and maintenance (which included painting the pool), $10,411.95 in utilities and $48,691 in aquatic center payments.
Total receipts for the year totaled $80,529.98, which includes $65,098.27 in pool receipts and $15,431.71 in pool concessions. Bosley said that he feels likes the pool receipts should be able to cover part-time wages and concessions (which totaled $67,324.26) and cannot be expected to cover the cost of utilities, the payment on the facility, etc
Bosley noted that 65 persons were employed at the TFAC this year, with nine lifeguards, four staff members and one manager on duty each day.
Board members met with Les Spickard, representing the North Central Missouri Fair Board. Spickard said that the utilities in the fairgrounds area had inadvertently not been switched from the fair board to the park board following the August event and asked that the board pay the utility cost from Aug. 13 forward. Spickard said the agreement between the two entities states that the fair board will pay for the utilities for the week prior to the fair, the week of the fair and the week after. He also noted that he will be sure the utilities are switched back from now on. The board agreed to pay the utility cost from Aug. 13.
In his report, Shuler told the board the softball seasons are wrapping up and he has been taking care of items needed for the Missouri Day Festival. He said Gary Hanes Construction has completed the painting at the TFAC and his employees will begin winterizing and shutting down all of the outdoor bathroom facilities in the park system.
Shuler said the department recently renovated the Steve Crawford memorial at Gladys Grimes Park. Two new benches have been installed, with the flagpole painted and a concrete pad poured around the benches and the flagpole. He noted that the family of Mr. Crawford recently made a $100 donation toward the cost of the renovation.
The regular November meeting is scheduled for Nov. 3, however if the board holds another meeting in October, that meeting may not be necessary.