2018-04-10 committee agenda lop rabbit 1 12‐mardied ‐ natural causes surinam toad 1 2‐mardied...

FOREST PRESERVE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AGENDA ‐‐ 4/10/18 at 3:30 PM 13010 Niabi Zoo Rd, Coal Valley, IL – Administrative Building, Education Room

Roll Call:

Old Business: Approval of the Committee minutes from March 13, 2018* pg 2

Public comment:

Claims:* Forest Preserve General Fund claims @ $50,967.44 pg 7 Liability Fund claims @ $2,766.00 pg 32Marvin Martin Fund claims @ $764.59 pg 34

Niabi Zoo Fund claims @ $131,822.36 pg 18Loud Thunder Spillway & Camping Fund claims @ $16,865.00 pg 33 Treasurer’s Disbursements @ $14,371.42 pg 35

Transfers of Appropriations Transfers of Appropriations in the General Fund and Niabi Zoo Fund* pg 36

Other Business: Consider Giraffe Yard Shade Structure bid for Niabi Zoo* pg 38

Consider Playground bid for Loud Thunder* pg 40

Other business as needed

Louisa Ewert – Treasurer’s Report* pg 53Jay Verstraete pg 64 & Todd Collins pg 65 – Indian Bluff report* Mike Petersen ‐ Illiniwek report* pg 68Jeff Craver – Director’s report* pg 71

Reports: Approval of all routine reports: District Budget Performance Report* pg 41 April Palmer – Auditor’s Reports* pg 58 Ben Mills – Loud Thunder report * pg 66 Lee Jackson – Niabi Zoo report * pg 69

Tour of Niabi Zoo by Zoo Director, Lee Jackson

* items are in members’ packets

The Next monthly meeting of the Forest Preserve Executive Committee will be at 3:30 PM on May 8, 2018 at 3:30 PM ‐ Indian Bluff Clubhouse, 6200 78th Ave, Milan, IL.

Upcoming meetings of the Forest Preserve Executive Committee:

June 12th, 2018 at 3:30 PM‐Illiniwek Forest Preserve picnic pavilion, 836 State Ave, Hampton, IL.

July 10th, 2018 at 3:30 PM‐Loud Thunder Forest Preserve Park Office, 19406 Loud Thunder Road, Illinois City, IL.

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Monthly Animal Inventory Report

March 2018

Increases in inventory Quanity Date Explanation Cost

Veiled Chameleon 2.0 9‐Mar Purchase from Strictly Reptiles

White Leghorn Chicken 3 24‐Mar Donation

San Clemente Goat 3 14‐Mar Loan in from Willow Valley Farms, NE

Decreases in inventory Quanity Date Explanation Cost

Madagascar Hissing Coackroach 1 20‐Mar Died ‐ Natural causes

French Lop Rabbit 1 12‐Mar Died ‐ Natural causes

Surinam Toad 1 2‐Mar Died ‐ Natural causes

Common Agama 1 10‐Mar Died ‐ Natural causes

Ornate Garden Lizard 1 7‐Mar Died ‐ Natural causes

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Our mission: is to maintain and acquire lands with the intent to restore and conserve such lands for the

purpose of preservation, education, and recreation for its residents with fiscal responsibility.

Members of the Rock Island County Forest Preserve District Executive Committee,

please accept this report to the Committee for the month of March 2017.

Notes from the prior Forest Preserve Executive Committee Meeting

Nothing to report at this time.

Issues or Items noted on the agenda for the month of March

District Finances

The monthly claims & Treasurer’s Disbursements for the month are included in the packet are

those typical for this time of the year. There were several claims flagged by the Auditor for sales

tax being included in the transaction. The Director notified all staff that is an unacceptable

practice and included the District Tax‐Exempt Form which should utilized at all times when

conducting District business.

Several Transfers of Appropriations were needed in the Zoo Fund and a couple in the General

Fund to cover unforeseen changes and adjustments. The exhibit enhancements, new exhibits

and structures as well as general upgrades and modifications are pushing the zoo budget to the

limits.

While expenditures are in‐line proportionally with the FY 18 appropriated funds (note Auditor’s

Trial Balance Report), there is some concern that revenues will be lower than average for the

month of April which may have an overall effect on appropriated FY 18 revenue totals. The Staff

and Director will closely monitor the situation and make any allowable adjustments, however

the District is entering the last quarter of the fiscal year and many of the larger expenditures for

the fiscal year have already occurred and the remaining funds in the various departmental

budgets are necessary to continue to provide minimal service.

Loud Thunder & Illiniwek

The campgrounds at Loud Thunder and Illiniwek Forest Preserve did open their campgrounds on

March 30th, however to very little interest. It was not only Easter Weekend but a little on the

cold and dreary side of things. I have heard various reports of the coldest Easter on record to

the seventh coldest start to April on record. Needless to say not the most desirable conditions

whether you are a tent or trailer camper. Illiniwek did encounter some minor plumbing

problems when turning water on and both Illiniwek and Loud Thunder still have not turned on

water to the campsites due to freezing concerns. The restroom facilities that have heat have

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been turned on at this time. The outlook based on todays extended weather forecast is not all

that favorable for the remainder of the month.

Staff conducted several prescribed fire burns through the preserves for maintenance or future

planting preparations. A nice article documenting one of the burns at Illiniwek was in the

Dispatch/Argus and Illiniwek staff assisting the Moline Parks & Rec. Department with a

prescribed burn as well.

Shelter rentals are now available.

Trail enhancement and work continues at all the preserves and are open when the trail

conditions allow.

Staff have been in contact with the Black Hawk College Trades program and proposing projects

for 2018.

Indian Bluff Golf Course

The Indian Bluff Golf Course has had a few days of play as of the date of this report but I

emphasize the word few. Last year the course opened for play on March 22nd and the year

before that March 17th! It continues to be a waiting game for appropriate playing conditions.

The Director instructed the Golf Course Superintendent to acquire a proposal to address the

water level with pond at hole #18 and review the causeway from #6th green to #7th tee. Staff

reported a visual amount of erosion occurring near the causeway which needs to be addressed

as well. The proposal will be brought forth in the upcoming months for review and

consideration. Chloe Gale, WIU Graduate Assistantship, will begin conducting the golf

satisfaction/importance survey. A copy of the survey in enclosed in this month packet and the

results of this survey will be provided later this Fall.

Website and District Information

The District’s website update has been completed and is online. Currently Mindfire & Sedona

Technologies updating the Indian Bluff Golf Course site and intend to have the job completed by

the end of the month. The Niabi Zoo website is a complete rebuild and plans on being available

in Mid‐May. As mentioned before the content management system (CMS) will be upgraded and

with the upgrade the sites will be mobile friendly and ADA compliant.

Informational brochures and hotel rack brochures are being delivered to sites the first week of

April. In addition new informational, educational and trail signage will be install throughout the

District’s preserves in April to assist and educate visitors at the District facilities. Social media

and other promotional efforts will be priority.

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Zoo & Community Advisory Board

The Zoo Director and I briefly met with the Village of Coal Valley to continue discussion about an

intergovernmental agreement to have a municipal water supply. A draft agreement was created

by the Civil Division and was shared and is currently under review with the Village Administrator

and Mayor.

The Member’s Only Egg Hunt and 2018 Preview was held March 31st. The event had

over 1000 RSVPs but actual attendance was 638 people and for comparison purposes

545 attended last year’s event which was increase to the year prior to that. The zoo will

open April 14th and several new animal species will be on display; Allen’s Swamp

Monkey, Taveta Weavers, Cowfish, Green Anaconda and Yellow‐Backed Duikers.

Visitors will also notice a considerable amount of new signage throughout the zoo. The

zoo’s Science Conservation Speaker Series continues this month on March 28th with Dr.

Greg Rasmussen from the University of Zimbabwe and will be discussing conservation

and ecology of African Painted Dogs.

Community Advisory Board (CAB) Chairman, William Nelson, has informed the Director that the

CAB members are moving forward with obtaining a 501(c)3 and will be putting forth efforts to

have a visitor satisfaction/importance survey conducted. The intent is to extend the WIU

Graduate Assistantship of Chloe Gale assist with this survey effort.

IMRF Fund

The District’s received its IMRF preliminary rate notice for the calendar year 2019 and

the preliminary rate has moved down from the current rate of 18.16% to 15.39%. While

preliminary, the District has seen the rate drop from 19.27% in 2017 to 18.16% in 2018.

The Director utilized an average of 18.33% for FY 19 since the District’s fiscal year

encompasses the calendar year of 2018 and 2019 respectfully. Any surplus in the

District’s IMRF Fund is welcome due to the potential of the rate to dramatically swing up

or down based on IMRF’s investments and its sole source of revenue being its levy.

Note the rate in 2016 was 13.86% and the Early Retirement Incentive (ERI) was a major

contributor to the significant increase in 2017.

Union

No grievances were filed by the union for the month of March.

Bond Fund Projects

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Strand & Associates continue to be in contact with staff about the design of the campground

improvements. Currently Strand & Associates are working out issues pertaining to the amount

of electricity needed to meet the proposed conceptual design demands. In the simplest of

terms, Mid‐American Energy has put a cap of the total amount of electricity they will provide to

Loud Thunder. Due to the increased need of electricity based on the proposed design Mid‐

American Energy will need to upgrade its nearest power station but have stated it will only go to

a specific level. So there are concerns that during a peak usage event based on the conceptual

designs, if Loud Thunder exceeds that specific level, power would be cut off until demand is

lowered. So at this time the conceptual designs will need to be significantly downsized or a self‐

administered source (generator or solar panels) will be needed to meet the conceptual design.

IMEG formerly known as Missman Inc. has begun the field survey of the dam. They are

continuing to work on the details pertaining to the dewatering system, the IL DNR verbally has

granted a variance from what was initially requirement many years ago. The dewatering system

variance being proposed is a sluice gate installed in the weir instead of a pump and dewatering

tube.

Items of note for the Current Month

Claims & transfers.

FY 19 budget amendments and bid preparations.

A follow‐up meeting and site visit will be scheduled with Musco Lighting pertaining to the light replacement project for Dorrance’s ball diamonds. The sales representative is comprising a bid through the National Joint Purchasing Alliance (NJPA) and will be presented in the upcoming months.

The next round of zoo master planning is scheduled for the April 11 &12. Both CLR Architecture and Design and Schultz & Williams representatives will be in attendance. The Director provided the most recent agenda and preliminary notes via email to the Commissioners.

Still inquiring with IAPD about scheduling a board evaluation.

Continue to reviewing best practice policies and procedures as recommended by the Illinois Distinguished Agency Accreditation program.

Planning out the FY 20 budget.

Reviewing and comparing salaries of exempt employees of the District to those in the 2018 Park & Recreation Compensation Survey.

John Fellman, IMEG formerly Missman Inc. will be conducting the required annual inspection of the Spillway and Dam at Lake George. The inspection will be for 2017 as the District received a variance to delay the inspection until the vegetation on the downstream side of the dam could be burnt for a more thorough inspection. A full report should be available come next month.

Warm & Dry weather hopefully!

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In lieu of park inspections the Forest Preserve Executive Committee will begin hosting meetings at the various facilities this month, this month Niabi Zoo then Indian Bluff Golf Course in May, Illiniwek in June and Loud Thunder in July. All meeting times are at 3:30 PM.

Respectfully submitted this 3rd day of April, 2018

By

Jeffrey D. Craver

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2018-04-10 committee agenda lop rabbit 1 12‐mardied ‐ natural causes surinam toad 1 2‐mardied...

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