The Trenton Park Board June 9th accepted bids for replacement of the entrance sign at Eastside Park and playground border at VanMeter Park.
A bid was accepted from Greg Sharp for replacement of the sign at Eastside Park for $2,830. It was the only bid submitted. Park Superintendent David Shockley reported the bid only included labor and materials and did not include the letters. He said the letters would probably cost less than $300.
Board President Duane Helmandollar said the new sign at Eastside Park would be like the one at the Ebbe Sports Complex. The Eastside Park sign would be in the same place it is now. The old structure will be taken down, and a new one will be put in its place.
The board accepted a bid from Playground Equipment for nine-inch playground border at VanMeter Park for $3,003. Playground Equipment also submitted a bid for 12-inch border at $3,347. Shockley noted the company was the same one used at Eastside Park. He believed the nine-inch border would work fine.
Board Vice President and Pool Committee Chairperson Andy Cox reported the Trenton Family Aquatic Center has 12 lifeguards and eight employees to work concessions and the front desk. It has been operating like normal so far, and no sections of the pool have had to be closed due to a lack of lifeguards.
It had been reported at previous Park Board meetings there had been a lack of lifeguards. As of a special meeting May 14th, there were only six applications submitted for lifeguards, and the pool needed 11 to be fully staffed.
Helmandollar noted a lack of lifeguards has been a nationwide problem.
The pool was originally scheduled to open May 29th, but it did not open until June 1st due to cool weather. Cox noted there has been an average of 180 swimmers each day.
Shockley reported the pool is being checked in the morning and at night to make sure it is ready for patrons each day.
A diving board pad was shipped June 9th, and it is to be delivered by Monday at the latest.
Board Member John Hamilton asked about what happens if an upset parent wants to talk to the manager about something that happened at the pool.
Helmandollar said the pool manager usually handles problems and goes to the park superintendent if he or she feels uncomfortable with a situation. He commented there had not been much backlash if attendees are kicked out of the pool. He thinks it would be a good idea to post something for parents about how situations are handled.
Shockley mentioned there was a situation one day that he thought management handled well.
Mayor Linda Crooks said she told Manager Taylor Richman to call her for help if it was needed.
Helmandollar would also like to see parents fill out a card with information on children if the children are being dropped off at the pool. That way the information would be available in case something would happen where it was needed.
Helmandollar announced that Crooks had asked him to serve on the Park Board again, and he decided not to serve again. He said he had served on the board about a third of his life, and he was stepping down.
June 9th was Helmandollar’s last meeting as president. He noted he was not saying he would not be back, but he wanted to take a break.
Several Park Board members thanked Helmandollar for his service and work on the board.
Shockley reported the Green Hills Recreation Association is more than halfway through its season. It will start a softball tournament next week.
The American Legion has four games scheduled at Burleigh Grimes, and North Central Missouri College will host two tournaments at Burleigh Grimes this month.
Shockley said broadleaf herbicide was sprayed at Griffin, Johnson, and Burleigh Grimes fields. The Park Department is going around a second time on trim spraying all the facilities.
The Park Department is working on getting areas with the leaf vac where there are still leaves.
Irrigation has been checked at Johnson, Griffin, and Burleigh Grimes to make sure it is working correctly.
Shockley reported the flag pole light at Moberly Park has been removed, and the ground has been leveled where it was.
