00:00:11,600	And welcome to the June 19th meeting of the Bismarck Board of Park Commissioners. I will call the meeting to order and ask uh Julie to take the role, please, Comm Gilbertson here. Herzog here, Redman here Jeske President Zimmerman here our second item on the agenda is pledge of allegiance.

00:00:34,200	If you wish, I would ask you to stand and join us, please. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Our 3rd item on the agenda is approval of the agenda. I would entertain emotion. So moved. Second.

00:01:02,470	Motion made in 2nd to approve the agenda. Julie, if you’ll call the roll please, Comm Gilbertson. Herzog, yes, Redman, Jessky, a President Zimmerman. Our next item is our future partners and programs. We have several on the agenda for this evening. Our first is the USA Patriots Kids Camp and Mr. Jack Jones will make a presentation.

00:01:30,200	I assume If you would please. And welcome Jack. I’m sure you are busy. What you’re just about a week out or whatever from all the excitement. Go ahead, sir. Yes, um, not only am I, do I work with the USA Patriots, but I’m also a co-tournament director of McQua tournament.

00:01:52,600	So, which, as you all know, is one week from tomorrow. 370 teams will be taken to field all in the name of charity, which is going to be incredible. Um, there’s another group of athletes that will be coming in though, the day after McQuaid is over. And that’s uh 16. Um, limb deficient children.

00:02:15,100	Between the ages of 8 and 12 from all over, from all over the country, 8 different states. And the USA Patriots veteran amputee softball team who has played at McQuaid for this year is the 11th year. Um, this is a camp we started putting on, uh, actually this is our 11th camp too, which is pretty neat.

00:02:33,270	It’s been all over the country in various places. This year it’s in Bismarck Mandad. Um, we partnered with um Bismarck State College. To use dorms and food service, so that has helped tremendously. We’ve got amazing support from local businesses and basically we use our players as coaches and mentors and it’s not just a softball camp, it’s a softball and life skills camp.

00:02:57,330	Because obviously if you’re missing hands, you’re missing an arm, you’re missing legs, um, your challenges are way different than some of the rest of us, um, the kids come in. Some of them have a have some softball experience. Most of them do not.

00:03:16,730	It becomes a very simple from just standing 5 ft away from each other and tossing the ball back and forth to, by the end of the week, they, they really and truly look like ballplayers. It’s an amazing thing.

00:03:34,730	Um, we have, we play softball in the mornings, in the afternoons we do a lot of fun things, particularly with it being the weekend of the 4th, we’re going to the rodeo in Mandan. We got 3 kids from New York. That’s gonna be really neat for them. Chad Berger is going to take us out to the ranch and give us a tour of the bulls.

00:03:50,600	That’s gonna be pretty cool, um, we, we also, uh, are going to be the uh Grand Marshals of the Mandann Fourth of July Rudy or parade too, so. We’re really looking forward to it. The week concludes at the end on on on Saturday, July 5th, um, at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark where the kids will play their game. And Thanks to, to Kevin and you folks. We, we can use the ballpark.

00:04:12,530	The larks are going to help us with their game staff, uh, to make it kind of an exciting thing. We divide the kids up into two different teams, and it’s uh it’s just a really neat experience and I just want to thank you for letting us be, uh, part of your programs this year.

00:04:32,870	Commissioners, any questions for Jack before he Comm Jessy. Thank you, President Zimmerman. Jack, thank you for all that you do, um, you’ve mentioned New York, what other states are some of these kids coming from a girl from Bismarck, which is neat, another girl from Dickinson, we have a little boy from uh Rapid City.

00:04:52,200	We also have kids from Well, let me look at my notes here. 3 from Texas, 3 from New York, Oklahoma, Washington, Mississippi, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. And at the camp. Our organization pays 100%. There is no cost to the families.

00:05:17,770	We pay their their airfare, their hotels or in this case, we’re staying at the dorms, which all the meals, everything. It’s about a $100,000 project that is, the money is raised basically when our team goes out and plays normally about 2 events a month in various cities just like when we come to uh Bismarck for McQuaid. And what we asked from those cities is to pay us, uh, our expenses.

00:05:37,430	And then give us a $5000 donation for Kidscamp. And so basically that’s kind of how the whole thing came about and I’ll tell you, it’s, I do a lot of, I, I’ve done a lot of softball things over the years, but getting to be part of this thing is pretty neat. I’m sorry.

00:05:57,730	Comm Redman, thank you, President Zimmern. Jack, how are these kids chosen to come to this camp process on our website that you can, can. Uh So anyone can apply.

00:06:21,230	We do get preference to military families, but usually that’s not an issue, um, so yeah, if you know someone and it’s not just uh Some of our kids, you know, were born that way and um so it’s not like you have to have an amputation, um, I will tell you our, our softball team itself started out as a military veterans. We now have 2.

00:06:38,430	Alumni kids, I guess you could call them, that were at our camp when they were 8 years old. Scotty Feer is now 22, and, um, Vander Simms is 18. He just finished his freshman year of college. Landis will in all likelihood become the new poster boy of the team because he’s born with no hands and no feet. And he played on his high school baseball team in Indiana and hit over 300.

00:06:59,530	And when he got cut from his college baseball team, he’s really disappointed. And we said, why don’t you start traveling with us? And so he will be at McQua Tournament this year. And if, if you want to see somebody that, that is really a special, special kid. This kid is a special kid.

00:07:18,970	Comm Jeske President Zimmerman, one more question. So I think in the past, um, that game had been televised? Will it be televised again this year? No, not, not that I’m aware of. Thank you, uh, Jack, I have a question. So, You said, you know, the game will be played, I assume it’s open to the public.

00:07:37,730	We want, you know, we have a lot of folks watching us online. So make sure they can attend. It is open to the public. No charge, and we, we would love to have his 500 people or 1000 people there if that’s what happened. It’s at one o’clock Saturday afternoon, uh, July 5th. Well, thank you, Jack.

00:08:01,030	It’s a great event and uh you know, tying it in with McQuaid and we’ve lots of softball going on in Bismarck. So, as, as you know, Shannon McQuead Eli. This was her idea, so she gets her way when she starts thinking of ideas. Thank you, sir.

00:08:24,570	Our next uh presentation for partners and programs is uh Sleepy Hollow Summer Theater, and I’d like to welcome Joe Satram. Good evening, Joe. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Through our uh programs uh from last year. the schedule or a newsletter for this year and There’s one each and then some. Ha Promotion of this year’s program. The Mr.

00:08:59,730	Chair, members of the park board, I’m Joe Satram, and I, I can’t not start with a story that I um got it’s as old as I am, uh, older than I am, I’m sure.

00:09:18,030	55, 5 or years ago I was on a frontier airplane from Denver with, and it happened to be that Dr Ann Carlson of the Ann Carlson School was on the plane and I had not met her and I asked if I could meet her in her handle or she had assistance because of her disabilities and Um, I asked to meet her and I met her while we were getting on board in Denver, and when we got, she, she said, please sit with me.

00:09:34,000	I’d like to visit and get acquainted and I had a wonderful conversation with her and when we pulled up to the old terminal in Bismarck. She uh And we, the plane pulled up and they were, at that time, they brought a ramp out and, and I started the playing a buzzer sounded or the little bell sounded and I popped up

00:09:55,300	and she said, oh, she put out her partial limb and held me back a little bit and she said, oh, Joe, let the cattle off first. I think it’s a marvelous program and uh it’s just a reflection of what, how deeply, or some something can evolve.

00:10:19,970	I am here on behalf of Sleepy Hollow Theater and Arts Park, and it’s been a long-term involvement of Catherine’s and mine and That it’s 56 years old because I came to Bismarck as tourism director in January of 19. 69 and I had the opportunity then to become acquainted with how significant The Medora Musal was to not only Medora tourism but state tourism.

00:10:43,570	It frequently people would inquire and say, I’m going to travel to North Dakota at a travel show in Minneapolis or Detroit and say, but I’ve heard about the Medora musical and Rod at that time and more recently, Randy got that qualified as the great, greatest show of the West, and it’s become a motor coach destination for the country and

00:11:04,070	and it wait now to see what will happen, but that perked my interest and I wasn’t tourism director all that long, 8 years, but I became aware some years ago that the Weinberg sisters had the idea of developing an arts park in Bismarck, and we’ve been supportive and I’ve had the pleasure of working

00:11:22,830	with them and. Bill Sorenson. And we trade off on giving this report bill is tied up, as you can imagine with the tourism season starting. We are very pleased to be a partner of the Bismarck Part board.

00:11:44,130	And that partnership is just fundamental to what’s going on, not only at the park, but fundamentally to the community of Bismarck and its ability to host people, visitors, our own people in quality outdoor entertainment. Some people look for during the summer months. In the fall months even. And we are very pleased with the long-term partnership.

00:12:06,530	It’s already been, I think we’re entering our 13th or 14th year, and it’s a 25 year agreement. And it’s been very important. Very briefly, I’d like to say that 2024 was a good year for us, a good challenging year in many respects with two productions, Cinderella and Jersey Boys. And if you’ve seen those productions, you’ve certainly heard about them, but there are uh were tremendously successful.

00:12:29,170	We encountered some weather problems and also we had a major uh lead singer in the Jersey Boys that became ill, seriously ill, and we missed 3 performances because of his illness, illness, so it was a good year, but it could have been better.

00:12:48,200	And as we’ve, I found out with the Medora Musal when I worked with the Gold seal at that time. Whether it has a big, is a big determinant of how summer seasons work in many areas of our economy. I’d like to add that in the in 2025, the material you’re seeing there, we have two very exciting productions.

00:13:13,870	We, we have the Wizard of Oz and also Greece and these are productions that have been very popular and In New York on Broadway, and also in touring companies and productions like ours all over the country.

00:13:36,370	Uh, Joe Christiansen, a well known North Dakotan who spends a lot of his life in New York is directing the excuse me, the Wizard of Oz and uh lady and educator from New Salem, Laura Muis, uh, the director of, of the second production. The idea of, of, of engaging.

00:14:05,300	In producing very, very substantial productions like this is to give Bismarck and Mandan and regional youth an opportunity to be something and part of something really bigger than themselves, bigger than maybe what they’ll encounter in school and, and expand their capabilities, their sense of, of what they can do. And it’s been extremely successful. And that partnership that you have allowed us to join with you and I, I’m marvel that you’re using the word collaboration in your, in your very mission statement. That’s what this is about. It’s collaboration of resources.

00:14:28,200	And the Lundberg sisters and others have contributed tremendously to our ability to be collaborative. But there are many partners in a production like ours. Let me give you an example. This summer, those two productions will involve 96 young actors and actresses and musicians. It will involve 52 musicians and orchestras and band.

00:14:53,670	It will involve numerous set builders, the lighting specialist, countless donors, an audience. From far and wide, we hope, and it’s a great thing to do on a summer evening, as you know.

00:15:20,330	Not to mention the, the collaboration we had with Bismarck schools recently during the Canadians uh air problems here with the fires, the school superintendent for Bismarck allowed Sleepy Hollow to use the Century High facilities for indoor rehearsals. That’s, that’s a major thing, as you know, a number of people were seriously impacted by those that air quality.

00:15:41,900	In addition to all that, you can imagine the numbers of people that homes that uh that adjust their schedules so that they can be fully supportive of their children being a part of something like this. It’s a a big commitment, but an important one because these children are evolving into what they’re going to do in life and a tremendous opportunity exists for them right here, something they don’t have to go away from for.

00:16:03,600	Now, our organization recognizes that it’s this partnership with the park board that has created a pretty high expectation of our program and of all the programs they expect you expect and our citizens rightfully accept, expect things that are conducted on park property be high quality and be of a certain nature to attract and serve the families of our community, but also our visitors.

00:16:25,700	And we take at Sleepy Hollow, we take that responsibility very seriously, and I have to say that I think we’ve done a great job. I’m very proud of the, the way that the program has evolved and the excitement it generates for families and for visitors as well. So.

00:16:46,270	We have a total of 400 volunteers involved in the program this summer and uh they will be doing everything from helping set up. And serving meals to helping sell tickets, um, providing assistance in any way they can. You know, a busy day for people associated with rehearsals and so on.

00:17:10,870	And this year involves things like building a ramp for a, a person with a disability who’s going to be in the production and building a ramp so they have ready access to the stage. It involves coordinating costumes, hundreds of costumes and immense more so we realized the people of our community want entertainment and we want to be part of that and we’re elated that the Bismarck Parkboard so many years ago to be part of

00:17:33,930	this partnership, and we look forward to it, to continuing. Are there questions? Thank you, Joe. Uh, questions from commissioners, Comm Herzo Zimmerman Commissioners, thank you guys so much for being here and Stephanie and Susan, um, for being here as well.

00:17:50,930	Do you guys, are you still looking for more volunteers? Do you need more help, um. Coming up, I mean, 400, that’s a good number, but are you, are you still looking for anybody or is there are ways that folks can, can still help out. I’m sure there are always ways we can accept all to work. OK. Absolutely.

00:18:08,530	We have, uh, a volunteer coordinator and actually people sign up online. Our parents are the first ones to. and then we’re most welcome. Awesome. Well, thank you guys for everything you do in the community and, and Susan and Stephanie, I’ve got to work with you on a number of different capacities, you’re legends, uh, the bell, um, the gallery and Sleepy Hollow, so

00:18:26,670	thank you for everything. I appreciate it. Commissioners, any other questions? Joe, I have a question, or the ladies, the performers, are they from out of town, we do you draw performers from Say New Salem or Washburn or a few, it’s always random.

00:18:55,500	Uh, when we have we got one of the gals that is, um, out in LA. That has actually at the grand theater. She’s a group of uh, um, movie makers. That she had, where did she come from like from losky or something. We also have one in Denver there is a, um, No, she’s from, I was out of town and she’s running a camera.

00:19:24,330	We have one of our kids, Claire Wellen, who’s a performer. In New York and she’s been on what we tour, so the one sum up from more from town and other ones were for state and came in. And found families to live with, so every year we find out.

00:19:51,000	was Who that person or those extra people and we help them find places to live, so I think we’ve got 2 out of town. But Thank you, Comm Jesske President Zimmerman, um, yes. Sisters, you are, uh, 1 in a million and the community is so blessed to have you here. For each production, how many hours go into rehearsals.

00:20:15,300	Um, I work with Jennifer Fink and I know her sons are pretty involved, but I’m just curious about how many hours of practice going to each production on June 2nd and they’re practicing from 1 o’clock until 7 o’clock. 2 productions.

00:20:39,170	And they meet with their vocal director and um and then of course Krissaic and Jeremy Overbeck are the orchestra conductors. We have live orchestras and you don’t see them because they’re underneath. Although the crease orchestra, I think is gonna be on stage kind of in the vein of the show. And, uh, and so, you know, there, um, It’s just a lot of them, yeah. Yeah, and, uh, it’s probably stand too.

00:21:02,000	I have a couple of years ago, a lady called And she said my friends said, It’s all lip syn and your orchestras all, it’s just taped music. And I said To welcome to go downstairs and see the orchestra and just see, those are microphones. It’s not that.

00:21:32,400	She says, I told him we have talents and they said, believe it, our people in the Midwest. Our family’s team with 5s and 4s. And as we had, um, National people come in giving us advice. They said, you don’t realize in the Midwest, you have the talent. You have music, other regions did not come with this back. You came with it.

00:22:04,600	So when you fostering it, it’s out here now, so. Bringing it. Your kids, it’s not. So we are fortunate to have this in our community so. W. I And I’ll piggyback on that a little bit cause I had a chance to see um both casts for Cinderella. Was that was Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty last year, but I’ll tell you both.

00:22:33,570	Cass were phenomenal and it does, um. It just leaves me speechless. The amount of talent that we have within this community because if I had to sing for my soul, um, I wouldn’t be here anymore.

00:22:52,030	Um, it’s just not a God-given talent for me, but I will tell you that, yeah, these kids get out there and they sing and they dance and, um, it’s, it’s, it’s amazing how they know their part so well. I should add Corey and Leslie Fong. I have a, a dog in this year’s production.

00:23:14,530	Uh, they’re, they’re little dog is playing the role of Toto, and it’ll be really interesting to watch that production because Stephanie was telling me earlier today that they’re going to limit dogs at in among the customers because it would be disruptive to the actor, you know, so thank you very much. Well, thank you, Joe, and thank you all for the great presentation on Sleepy Hollow. I, I enjoy the productions, but I also enjoy just the setting.

00:23:34,230	Sleepy Hollow is a just a great setting to have here for our city. So thank you and best wishes for great weather, all the, for all the evening productions. Our next, our next uh. Yes. Yes, you will. Our next uh schedule or present presenter under featured partners and programs is our own Spencer Arnie. We’ll speak of the July celebration. Good evening, Spencer.

00:24:06,900	President Zimmerman, Comm, executive Director Klipfel, thank you again for having me here. Um, it’s something I always mark in my schedule when I pull out the June 1, just know June park board meeting, talk about your last celebration, so I’m always happy to be here, tell you guys kind of what’s going on, um, in

00:24:23,870	our parks and facilities this summer. Um, as many of you know, National Parks and Recreation Month is July, um, so we try piggyback off of that, just to really bring awareness to the impacts Parks and Rec has in communities all over the country.

00:24:40,900	Um, we only get a few months of decent weather here, so we really try to capitalize on those with lots of opportunities, both low cost and free for our community and the community, um, nearby, especially those smaller ones that maybe don’t have the facilities and access to the things we do. A few of the events I’d really like to.

00:25:00,130	Highlight for this upcoming year, um, a month-long photo contest, which is always popular. It’s always fun to see the the community really getting involved, showing us those pictures because obviously we are not out at the parks 24/7 getting pictures of the families interacting. Um, so it’s really fun to see those and see what people are really enjoying doing.

00:25:18,470	Um, the pickleball social always very popular, as you know, that is one of the fastest growing sports in America, um. And that is no different here in Bismarck. So it’s really fun to see that, see the people of all different skill levels coming out, trying it out, um, and those really veterans in the sport really.

00:25:34,400	Opening up to the new people and really teaching them, that’s really a fun aspect to see. Uh, we have a movie out at McDowell Dam. We’re going to show Moana too. Um, very popular event we have every year out there. Uh, Family Day River Rock is on July 16th.

00:25:51,970	Again, just very popular down in Cer Toma Park, a great opportunity to get out, try some food from some of the food trucks, check out the local vendors, um, and just enjoy kind of a day in the park. We have our partner kind of events with uh the Bizan bombshells they’ll be doing another skating event at.

00:26:08,570	Um, Capital I at the end of the month. Again, very popular. People love to see that the kids get out and try roller skating, um, and those players love to just Give back to the community they’re in. We also have two community or two different pool parties.

00:26:24,530	One is Rock the deck, which is for a middle school only, which we really have found is very under Served age group, you have kids programs, you have an adult programs, you don’t often have that kind of Um, middle school age, so we always have a good turnout for that. That’s always a fun one to be at.

00:26:41,600	Um, and then our community pool parties as well, which again is for the family, all ages, uh, one event I really want to highlight actually starts next week and rolls into um July, which is our park clue um event. We’ve done that maybe 34 years now.

00:26:59,370	I feel like we’ve really ironed out all the details, um, and that’s a really fun event for the community to kind of get out and try on their own when they have the time. It’s going to be at North Central Park this year. Which being one of our older parks, still has a lot to offer, and I think a lot of people forget about it because it’s a little harder to find.

00:27:12,170	It’s not, you don’t pass by driving everywhere in town, so, um, that’s a fun one. People can get out, explore the park, look for the signs, um, and submit their online form and we give out a few prizes at the end of the year. So that’s always a popular one and really fun to. Be a part of.

00:27:27,000	I’ve already gotten a few calls from people from neighboring communities, even communities as far as Grand Forks that they’re going to be coming through in July and just want to see what’s going on, if there’s any family activities or any opportunities, so it’s always fun to hear from people that are coming through town,

00:27:43,030	um, during those days just to want to see if there’s something going on that they can be a part of, so, um, thank you again so much for having me. Thank you as well to everyone involved with this.

00:27:56,900	This is definitely not a one man show our operations staff do a great job getting everything Read for me. Um, and then the different facility and program staff that assist with these are vital in making these events run. Questions for Spencer. That fun Comm Herzog. Us my allergies, everybody. Um, President Zimmerman Comm Spencer, uh, um, thanks.

00:28:22,570	It’s, it’s awesome and I hope people take advantage of it cause it’s um in sort of what you you get from Parks, is, um, taking advantage of these awesome things. I’ll just mention one thing I see Mike’s back there. I can’t tell if he’s having a snack or some gum.

00:28:36,370	If you’re having a snack, send it up here, but, uh, Mike Wald and I were, were, um lucky enough to help with the red, white, and boom event that’s going to be happening at the Community bowl for fireworks on the 4th as well. So, um, Encourage everybody to come up for that as well, and we’ll see how it goes now that it’s in a new location. Spencer, uh, folks can certainly access the schedule online.

00:28:53,400	Yes, that is correct. All right. Um, any other questions or comments from commissioners? Thank you, Spencer, and again, I hope you have good weather throughout the month of July as well. Yes, yes, I do. Thank you so much. Thank you.

00:29:13,770	Our next item isn’t um is fun as hearing what’s going on in the park district, I guess, is disposition of bits, certainly a business matter and our first item on that is the BSE Aquatic and Wellness Center Video board replacement. Uh, Thank you again for coming by. So we’ll have, I think West Guex. West, thank you for coming out this evening.

00:29:41,530	Thank you, Comm Zimmerman or President Zimmerman Commissioners, um, I’m here to present the bids for the BSE Aquatic Center, uh, video board replacement, uh, the existing video board is at its end of life. Parts are getting hard to, uh, come by obsolete and very expensive, um. We did receive bids May 21st at 1:30 p.m. at the district office.

00:30:04,430	Um, we did have a baseit and an alternate bid. We received 2 bids. Uh, the first, um, bids were from Aronics and Skills Electric. Uh, the low bid was from Actronics for $200,000 for the base bid amount, um, That’s right at the project estimate but in budget, uh, so at this time, we would recommend uh approval of the bids for an award the project

00:30:30,770	to Dotronics. And not accept the alternate bid at this time and the alternate bit is to replace, uh, fluorescent lamps with LED lamps on the side panels around the video board, and that can be done, um, any time really in the future that The, the budget allowed. Questions, uh, Comm Jeske Zimmerman Zimmerman, um, West.

00:30:55,800	Comm Redman and I were lamenting. How long has that video board been up there? We’re thinking it’s 1516 years. Uh, yes, Director Klipfel says yes. I guess I should have asked, uh, executive Director Clipfel, so it went, that’s the original one from when that um project was. Presidentsimer Comm, Comm Jess, you’re correct.

00:31:18,270	That is the original video board. Yeah What’s, my question is, uh, for you or I, I guess for Director C Klipel. What’s our timeline on this? Uh, there’s some windows that the facility is not being utilized and um they’re, uh, was it September and October is probably the largestwind, if I remember right, where there’s nothing going on and there’s a

00:31:42,670	window of time where the work will have to take place. Um, it’s spelled out in the contract documents that That it needs to be up and running for, for the events to start taking place at a certain time, so, um, so it’ll be in that September, October time frame when it would be installed.

00:32:00,800	My second question, is there any Reusable value to the existing board or is that, that’s trashed or Discarded It’s, it’s discarded, um. I, you know, I guess uh. You know, I, it, it would probably be you’d have to find somebody that has that board and it it’d be more.

00:32:25,400	More effort or work to to do that and uh. To uh You know, cost-benefit ratio would not be, be there to, to try and find a place to send it to and just, I just wanted, you know, folks say, well, how come you couldn’t just fix the old board, but I’m assuming parts are up, you know, obsolete, outdated, not replaceable.

00:32:45,870	Yeah, it’s electronics. I mean, you know, at 17 years, 15 to 20 years out of electronics, that’s a long time. OK. So, Any other questions, uh, Comm Jeske? President Zimmerman. um, Wes, one of the question, how long will the installation take and will you have to close the pool down while that’s taking, that’s happening.

00:33:04,330	It’ll probably take a couple weeks for him to do it and um they’ll be able to do it with the pool open, um, they’ll be putting some barricades up around, um, so it, it’ll all take place on that north north wall, and there’s an access through the garage door and the the northwest corner, so, so they

00:33:23,200	can limit to their, um, so there is provisions in there that they need to, to barrier off where they’re working and and maintain, uh, use of the pool during the project. And then second part of that question is, will there be any additional functionality that we don’t currently have with the existing board.

00:33:43,900	They’re, they’re probably be a few more um. Things with the graphics, you know, better graphics that they come in with the new graphics package, but, um, you know, it’ll still have the timing system built into it and, and you’ll be able to run ads or whatever you want on it, so.

00:34:03,200	It’ll be a higher quality, you know, uh, sharper image and everything too. Well, I look at the, The new video board at the municipal ballpark and it is stunning and it’s amazing how um. I was always told that technology is all the minute it gets on the shelf.

00:34:22,870	Yeah, so when you buy a computer at Best Buy, it’s, it’s already old and the new one is already in the works, but yeah, it’ll be exciting to see this new video board. Yep. Be a nice addition up there. Any other questions for uh Wes? If not entertain emotion. Comm Jeske President Zimmerman, I move that we awarded the bid, the base, the.

00:34:52,730	Ba bit amount in the amount of $200,000 to Detronics Incorporated for the replacement of the video board. I’ll second that by Comm Gilbertson, seconded by Comm Jeske. Any other questions? If not, Julie, if you’ll call the roll, please. Comm Gilbertson. Hi. Herzo, yes, Redmond, I, Jessy. President Zimmerman, thank you, Wes. Thank you.

00:35:20,000	Our next item on disposition of bids is the Tam O’Leary golf cart Path project and, uh, Mr. Thomas Demke. Thank you all for sitting here on a nice summer evening to give us the information, much appreciated. Good evening, Thomas. Good evening. Uh, President Zimmerman, uh, commissioners, executive Director Clip Fol, thank you for having me here today.

00:35:47,200	I am here to present the bid results for the Tom O’Leary golf course cart path, uh, project. Uh, bids were opened on June 12th. And uh there was one bid. And the bid was from Knife River for the amount of $858,000 858, $924.25. Uh, this was over the engineer’s estimate of $347,000. Um Based on the bid results and the available budget.

00:36:21,570	Epex Engineering Group recommends the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District, uh, reject the bid and rebid the project. Questions for Thomas said, you know, I guess number one question is holy cow, we’ve got quite a, quite a difference there. So.. Um-hum. Be prepared to give us an explanation for Comm Herzog. Did you have, I’m sorry.er Jessy. I’ll, I’ll ask it.

00:36:46,070	Why the big difference between the estimate and what came in as the bid. Um, some of the, uh, having the conversation with the um person that uh submitted the bid, uh, just they were just unknowns with it. Uh Don’t really know the exact reason why. Uh, speaking to other contractors and, and reasons why there was no other bid submitted.

00:37:07,430	It, it ranged from, they just didn’t get the bids in on time to, uh, they couldn’t get a North Dakota contractor’s license in time for the bid, so. That’s why only the one bid. So when we put this out on for another bid, um, is that something that would be completed.

00:37:28,370	Still in 2025, or is this looking at 2026. There is potential to get it done in 2025, the fall, uh, we’ll explore the options of potentially extending that completion date, uh, down the road a little bit, but still get it completed in 2025. Thank you.

00:37:58,530	Other questions? I think Comm Gilbertson, did you ever lay on there or Thomas or, or executive Director C Klipfel would Would your recommendation be to rebid this year or? Wait, President Zimmerman and Commissioners are, uh, thought processes that we would like to look at the project, uh, uh, Thomas has got some ideas to maybe change a few things up, make some clarity, uh, and hopefully, uh, some people will get their contractor’s license

00:38:20,130	and or their bid on time so that we can have multiple bids for this project, and we would like to try to get it done yet this fall. All right. Thank you, Thomas. Um, any other questions? If not, we’ll entertain a motion. Zimmerman, I move that we reject the bid received and, uh, reopened the project for um.

00:38:41,200	Forbid. I second that motion. Motion by Comm Gilbertson, seconded by Comm Redmond to accept the bid to reject the bid. Yikes, on the, um, Tom O’Leary golf cart Path project. All in uh Julie, if you’ll call the roll, please. Comm Gilbertson. Hi. Herzog? Yes. Redman, I. Jess President Zimmerman, thanks, Thomas. Thank you.

00:39:08,930	Our next item on the uh disposition of bids is the hot tubretiling at Capitol Rackett and Fitness Center, uh, Mike Wal. Good evening, Mike. Good evening, President Zimmerman, Commissioners, uh, we were scheduled on June 12th to open bids for the hot tub retailing project at the Caperacket Fitness Center.

00:39:34,670	Um, we received 0 bids for the project, um, the recommendation from staff is to, um, ask for approval. To rebid the project and with hopes to still get it done this summer. Questions for Mike. Mike, I would ask any indication just No one interested or they’re all busy with this kind of work. Any ideas? Not sure, excuse me, we reached out to President Zimmerman Commissioners.

00:39:59,170	We reached out to, um, the vendors or the companies that we sent to 11 said they just wouldn’t do the project. One. I’m gonna say maybe forgot about the, the getting the bid, bid in and, uh, it, it’s kind of, I, we’re thinking it’s a little bit of a, uh, a specialty project too,

00:40:18,530	you know, being in the water, chlorine and that sort of thing. So we have some ideas of extending the project because the window was, might have been a little tight at the end of August, we’re looking at extending that project to the end of September and, uh, so we’re hoping that we can get it

00:40:34,970	rebid and, and still get the project done. Thank you, Mike. Any other further questions? If not, I’ll entertain a motion. I’ll make a motion that we, um, request staff to call for bids for a 2nd time for the retailing of the capital racket and fitness hot tub. Second.

00:41:02,130	Motion by Comm Jeske, seconded by Comm Gilbertson to reject the bill and look at, uh, well, look for new bits, because we didn’t have any to reject. If you’d call the role Julie, Comm Gilbertson. Herzog? Yes. Redman? I, Jessy, I, President Zimmerman, thank you, Mike.

00:41:28,870	Our last item on disposition of bids is the reconsideration of General Sibley Park playground, engineered wood fiber bid, and we welcome Dave Mayer. Good evening, Dave. Good evening, President Zimmerman and Commissioners. Interesting, um, item I bring to you, uh, we have one contractor that would like to withdraw their.

00:41:49,130	Price that they were, they received a nice letter from us a warning them of the project and they want to withdraw their Their bid for that amount and we are looking for the board approval to move to the next lowest bidder. Uh, which is Weber Recreation, um, to provide the engineered wood fiber for the project down at General Sibley for the playground replacement in the amount of $5,065. Questions, uh, Comm Herzog.

00:42:10,600	Yeah, I think Steve was it, did they ask to have a hold back because of material prices or um do we not send a Christmas card to them. No, the, the reasoning was that they did not feel comfortable in their words, they did not feel comfortable. Um, providing and placing engineered wood fiber on somebody else’s playground.

00:42:32,330	We have never had that response before. We’ve done this multiple times, uh, this is a first for us, uh, but I guess teaches their own. And does it fit within our budget still the the second President Zimmerman Commissioners, Comm Herzog, yes, it, uh, raises the project.

00:42:53,200	costs a little under $400 and we’re still well under our budget for what we estimated for the entire project for the playground replacement and then engineered wood fiber replacement on the whole, the whole project. Other questions for David? Now we’ll entertain a motion on this, uh, bid. President Zimmerman, I move that we award the surfacing, uh, of the playground. a general Si Park to Weber Recreation for the engineered wood fiber.

00:43:17,430	I’ll second that. Motion by Comm Redmond, seconded by Comm Jeske. Any further questions? If not, Julie, if you’d call the roll, please. Comm Gilbertson, yes. Redman, I Jeski, a President Zimmerman, thank you, David.

00:43:42,970	Our next item on the agenda is the consideration of around two matching grants and the Comm Gilbertson will, uh, inform the board of that actions. Uh, thank you, President Zimmerman. Um, Last week, Comm Herzog and I had the opportunity to Uh, participate in.

00:44:11,270	What I believe is one of the, the, the best things that you know, the district does many things well, but this, uh, the matching grant program is is really a phenomenal thing, um, in this customary, um, $125,000 was budgeted. For the year for the program, um, after round one, there was 81,000. A tadd over $81,000 left, um, the, the grant application this round, we had 4 applications, um.

00:44:38,970	There was, well, there was 5, but 1 withdrew, um, and we had 4 that people came in and we visited with, um, you can see on the um provided materials that they were the Teddy Roosevelt Family Day, Bismarck Optimist Club, the Fast Track BMX, and the Nisshu Bowman, um. It was really amazing to listen to uh these groups and these individuals come in and talk about um.

00:45:02,470	What their plans are for the Teddy Roosevelt Family Day. They plan to Um It was like slingshots and arrow uh foam axes and targets and um and um a wood press to, uh, so they can make their own medallions, which, you know, is we’ll just, we’ll pay off and in the future and um and. Having taken my Kids to that program in the past.

00:45:29,700	It’s, it, it really is a really cool thing, um, item 2 there, we had the Bismarck Optimist Club come, and this is for enhancements to the Optimus Park, um, where we, we were up there on Monday for the Flag Day, um, well, more importantly for the chicken, but, but for, for the flag day, um, event which is always a

00:45:52,670	great, a great event. Um, but these enhancements are to Make the the park more accessible, um, and to add some more um play features like a sand table and and such, um, you can see, um, by the assistance requested the Bismarck Optimist Club, um.

00:46:21,030	We put in $10,000 but um the Parks and Rec department also has money left in the, in the ADA. Improvement line item, um, that will go to help with this. The, um, so if you see, if you see that there, that’s where that extra, extra money comes, but the um this will be a real, uh, this will be a real nice, um, addition to the park with

00:46:43,870	and making it more accessible to the community, um, the Fast track BMX that is all of you know, that is just. Amazing what they are doing there, um, like I mentioned from the time when I, I remember it as, I remember when I was at Century High School, and, you know, in

00:47:04,700	the middle of a parking lot and then down there, there was a time where the scoring tower looked run down and it was overrun with tumbleweeds, and now you drive by there and it’s like, oh my gosh, and and he really, um, he told us some really amazing things like I think they, they have a top 20.

00:47:25,030	Their track is top 20 in the nation out of like 300 and some tracks, um, it’s the top 10 track in the region, um, they, what they’ve asked for is, you know, help with the scoring system, which, um, You know, gets gets away from parents hand timing and and so there’s no, no issues of, of who the

00:47:50,800	winner is, um, but it’s just, it’s awesome to hear what they’re doing, and then again, um, number 4, the Nishi Bowman, um. What they do, um, down there and just hearing the numbers of people that they, kids that they have, it’s just.

00:48:15,230	It’s just spectacular and these, um, the maintenance work and target replacement on the outdoor range will go, um, a long ways in making that outdoor range, um. Usable and safer with rearranging some of the ways that they shoot and I mean they were talking about how one, at one point now, they, where you shoot, if you’re shooting across that you’re kind of blind if you’re right handed, you’re blind to the

00:48:38,600	back of that, that’s not a good situation, so they’re gonna take care of that and then, um, and then the targets are just more durable, um, they will last longer and such, so it’ll go, uh, it’ll help them. long ways to um. To further their program.

00:49:01,070	So, um, you can see here that we had requests from the 4 groups for a total of $25,840 which um means that there is. Some left over, but, you know, hopefully next, uh, next year, we’ll give it all away and, and be there, but um it’s our recommendation to the board that we um that we approve, um, all of the, uh, the requests in the total of

00:49:26,900	$25,840. Comm Jeske, President Zimmerman, uh, thank you to, uh, Comm Gilbertson and Comm Herzog for being part of the, um. Review process on this full disclosure, I am the current um board president for the Optimist Club.

00:49:51,870	Uh, for Bismarck, so I’m going to abstain from making any other additional comments or for voting on this because I feel it’s a conflict of interest. Any other questions or comments? Comm Herzog Zimmerman, Commissioners, and this is the first time I got to sit in on this, which was really fun.

00:50:12,170	Um, one of the things I thought was interesting with the, the BMX, um, grant is, is with that timing system now that they they can host, you know, regional and national events here because you can’t have, you know, dad with the timer and that’s not gonna fly.

00:50:27,600	So, um, you know, they’re hoping to attract that in the next couple of years, so hopefully that’s something that we can snag by doing, by doing this, and Jamie does a great job down there and I was just Comm Gilbert Soros, it’s um.

00:50:46,200	It’s addictive to watch them talk about their individual thing that they love and how many kids are doing archery and um it’s just, it was, it was a great afternoon and appreciate the staff getting it all ready and, um, I agree again with Comm Gilbertson and and all. It’s one of the Um Best things I think we do as as a district because we’re getting partners involved, they’ve got skin in the game and and then improves our facilities and programs, so, um, it was it was an awesome afternoon. Thank you.

00:51:05,930	Um, other comments? If not, we’ll entertain a motion. I moved to approve the 2nd round of matching grant funds of $25,840 to Teddy Roosevelt at Family Day, Bismarck O Optimist Club Fast tracks BMX and Nishhu Bomant Archery Complex. Is there a second? Comm, a motion by Comm Redmond, second by Comm Herzog.

00:51:31,630	Any further questions? If not, uh, Julie, if you’ll call the roll please, Comm Gilbertson. Herzog, yes, Redmond, I, President Zimmerman. Before we go to the uh consent agenda, I would, uh, I’m looking at the clock, we’re not running all that long.

00:51:53,670	If commissioners would like to just make any general comments, you know, summertime is The whole year is always busy for the park district, but summertime is certainly a more busy part. I thought of any commissioners would like to make a comment or observations. I would, I was reading BPRD briefings and for those of mine I know it’s a newsletter of explaining what’s happening in the district and just all the amazing hirings that are being held and.

00:52:12,730	Pools that are open and ice is still going on in July celebration and the water project on Broadway. So Dylan, need to fill the pool with a garden hose, it sounded like at Eks. Amazing. So thank you for not running away, screaming into the night, coming back to work the next day.

00:52:33,030	And I know that goes across the operations, mowing and taking care of Richardson’s ground squirrels all over the place. I know they’re not gophers, Dave. So anyway, just all the work, all across the board, um, hiring people and keeping everyone safe and happy and that’s not an easy task.

00:52:48,600	So you’re appreciated and thanks to all of you for doing all that hard work and to all our partners that work with us, so I see you, all the hard work. Thank you so much. Commissioners. I guess I’d just say that, uh, President Zimmerman that, um, yes, the, the facilities look great. Um, the, the courses look great. The parks look great, um, turf at.

00:53:11,400	Municipal ballparks amazing, um, just it’s, it’s awesome and it’s, it’s an honor to be part of it, um, on this side of it because you guys, you guys are amazing, so thank you. Comm Jeske Zimmerman, thank you.

00:53:32,830	So yeah, I had a chance to golf in the Bismarck Recreational Council golf tournament on Tuesday and Riverwood looked great and hopefully we raised quite a bit of money for Bismarck Recreational Council, and I know they gave Dana a really big shout out, um, at the reception after the tournament and it takes a lot.

00:53:50,330	I used to do the golf tournaments for University of Jamestown and um you know, there’s so many things you can plan, you just The weather is Unpredictable and um I know how much stress goes into planting one of those. So thank you for putting that on, and I was telling the executive Director Cliff was out for a run this morning and I’m on the corner of um.

00:54:09,170	Schaeffer and Tyler, and here comes Mike driving this big green. Hey loader and it was pretty cool to see, you know, and he waved to me and I waved back and you know that was at 8:30 this morning or something like that, but yeah, you know, good work, you guys, it’s, uh, it’s, it’s, it’s cool to see you out there and especially in

00:54:24,130	the mornings when I do go for a run, um, you see the trucks in the, in the parks and they’re already cleaning the restrooms and mowing the yards and, and it’s, it’s, it’s impressive. So thank you for everything.

00:54:41,130	Comm Herzog echo that too when I, I always get a lot of people, let’s say they give a compliment and say, please pass it on to, you know, X, Y, and Z, and just this week when we were up at Optimus Park, um, Kently from Optimist Club that I just pass along to your staff that.

00:54:56,300	I don’t know somebody had been there the night before and whatever again, I didn’t quite clean up all the way and he said they were up here cleaning up early in the morning and I really appreciate that. Um, I was up at uh Tom Malay, same thing.

00:55:09,930	We had the Shiloh there last week and a ton of compliments about the the shape of the course and, and the shape that it’s in. Um, we were at the art tunnel unveiling, um, yesterday. Again, fantastic and our staff all all worked on that. So it’s fun to see those things come to fruition and you guys are a huge part of making that happen.

00:55:27,730	So hopefully feel some ownership and and pride and um for doing, doing what we what we can for the community. So thank you guys all so much. Well, thanks to the commissioners, I would like to add, um, just listening this evening, you know, when we have folks here from Sleepy Hollow Arts Park. To, you know, all of our programs for the whole month of July.

00:55:46,200	I I think the city of Bismarck, I believe the city of Bismarck should be very proud of the Park District. Like I say, we go from Flag Day to Sleepy Hollow, the, the bald diamonds and the great turf, it looks. horrific when you drive by the Bald diamond on Washington Street.

00:56:03,870	And what that means now for more teams to play. Um, you know, these 4 groups for the, uh, for the grant program. I would agree Fast Tracks is amazing looking place. I’ve gone down there and watched some of their events. The numbers of kids and adults racing bikes, uh, the Optimist Club.

00:56:25,370	I was out at, uh, McDowell Dam this past weekend for an event. Every shelter was full. People on the beach. Um, I can’t compliment our staff enough. Please know that this commissioners, I think we represent the people of Bismarck. We appreciate what the parks, what you do to keep our parks. Our pools, all the programs open.

00:56:48,200	I’m gonna hesitate and point out one part, uh, staff employee, it’s always a, you know, you hesitate to do that, but I wanted to compliment publicly Renee gave a great assistance to uh Anne Wadney did a, a presentation on the history, early history of the Bismarck Park District at a local meeting of the Bismarck Historical Society over at our new generation’s Park, and I’ll

00:57:10,030	divert a little bit to say I’m sitting in the. holding a new generation’s Park and Ann’s given this great presentation, but you’re looking outside and there’s kids dancing around in the splash park. I thought that was pretty cool.

00:57:26,770	But I wanted to, uh, Just give a shout out to Renee for the great help she was with uh Ann and digging up that information on the history of the park district, but to all of our staff, Summer’s a busy time. We’re busy all year round, but people are out in the parks. I was at, I went by the bald diamonds at Tatley Field the other night.

00:57:45,330	People working in their gardens, the bald diamonds were full. There were people playing volleyball. I just hope as I again think of the people that watch our meetings. You know, uh, I hope you appreciate it. I know you appreciate what the Bismarck Park District has to offer.

00:58:06,130	Appreciate your support for everything that the Park District does for our citizens and visitors, and we’ll certainly see it next weekend with McQuaid tournament in town. So thank you to all of you know that we appreciate everything you do. Our last item and thanks to Director C Klip Fallon and the staff, uh, for all of that as well. Our last item on the agenda is the consent agenda.

00:58:25,000	Allow me to read our statement here. A variety of items have been placed on the consent agenda. A consent agenda can be approved with one motion or an item or items can be removed for additional discussion and separate action. Staff recommends approval of the following items consideration of May 15, 2025 board minute meetings.

00:58:48,570	The minutes were included in the commissioner’s packets consideration of the real estate purchase agreement. for lots 456, and 7 of block 1, the Hay Creek Park Edition, the purchase agreement was included in our packet for signatures, consideration of the Shia Schaffer user fee. At the uh Dakota Junior Links, of course.

00:59:18,670	The request board of authorization to call for Riverwood concession bids consideration of concession extension at the before the Bismarck Sports Group. Has requested a one year extension to the VFW Sports Center, Tom O’Leary golf course concession agreement. Staff recommend approval of the extension and related addendum. Consideration to accept the 2027 transportation alternative grant funding.

00:59:49,670	The Park District has been awarded a 2027 TA grant to assist with the Bismarck Sunrise Trail construction project. Staff requests board approval to accept the funding contingent upon the city commission doing the same at an upcoming meeting. What are the wishes of the commission. I’ll make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented.

01:00:11,630	Second, Any further discussion Zimmerman Zimmerman, I have, um, I just wanted to mention with the consideration of real estate purchase agreement. I do know that person and so I’m, I’m happy to abstain.

01:00:27,200	I have no financial interest in their company, but I do know who they are, so I, but if we could approve the agenda, um, separate from that, and then I’ll abstain on on that vote, so I don’t know if the motion in the second or, or if you don’t want me to abstain. I’m going to look to John there, John. I think you could make the motion as one and then when um. When, uh, oh I’m sorry, President’s ever been.

01:00:48,570	Uh, Commissioners, and then when, uh, I think you vote, uh, Comm Herzog, I think you would just abstain as to that. Uh, specific item. The real estate purchase agreement. OK. OK. Does that make sense? Yeah, I didn’t hear all the I didn’t hear all of that, John. I’m sorry.

01:01:09,730	Yes, so President Zimmerman, I think you can still make it as a As a full motion on the consent agenda, but I think when Comm Herzog votes, she would just vote I abstaining as to the real estate purchase agreement. OK. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, John. No further discussion, I’d ask Julie to call the roll please, Comm Gilbertson. Herzog. I, and I will abstain, um, on the item of the real estate purchase. Redmond, I Jessky, I, President Zimmerman.

01:01:40,730	Item 8 is the approval of the bills, so. Motion by Comm Gilbertson, seconded by Comm Redman. Any further discussion? If not, call the roll please, Comm Gilbertson. Herzog, yes, Redman, I. Jessky, President Zimmerman. Thank you all for attendance this evening. The next regular board meeting is July 17, 2025, 5:15 p.m. in the one and only, fabulous, outstanding. Tom