Notes from Friends of Medlock Park meeting, 13 Feb 2016:
Review of action points from January meeting (updates in italics):
1. Identify
landscape architect/designer/playground designer to help figure out what can do
a. Set
up working group to provide input (Lisa will coordinate): Lisa is
organizing work group with Jen Raby and Katie Curtis. Will send information out via existing
channels and try to recruit parents with kids who use the playground to provide
input.
b. County is supposed to maintain
playground, including replacing mulch on regular basis but inconsistent. Parks Department budget has been cut in half
in recent years and causes inability to provide a lot of necessary maintenance. County should still respond to actual safety
issues.
c. Working group will collect list of
safety issues with photos and send to Parks Department: Paige Singer (Supervisor of Maintenance),
Revonda Cosby (County liaison to Park Pride), copy Roy Wilson (Director of
Parks & Rec), as well as Commissioner Jeff Rader.
2. Identify
and review grant opportunities: below is link to Park Pride website
i. According to Dave Butler, we could
potentially apply for 2 types of grants with Park Pride. Small grants (up to $2,500) which are awarded
throughout the year as well as the large community grants (up to $50k) which
are only awarded once per year with deadline in the fall for applications
c. Create list of items for smaller grant
or donation options, like benches or message board to place near playground to
display notices of interest to Park users.
MANA could potentially help raise funds for these types of small
projects. Identify possible Eagle Scout
projects. Notify Revonda of any such
projects.
3. Organize
cleanup of floodplain lots (debris; undesirable plantings; etc.) – tentatively
in Mar 2016 (prior to significant Spring growing season): possible dates
3/26 or 4/2
a. Action
point: Casey to contact Dave Butler for assistance: Dave has agreed to help. Dave to
confirm whether or not 3/26 will work for him.
Consider having monthly events to increase opportunities for
neighborhood and user involvement, such as create "Medlock Park
Rangers" group
b. Identify
and review grant opportunities: Casey made contact with Trees Atlanta,
need to follow up but could be possible.
Casey sent email requests to Trees
Atlanta 2/13. Further research needed to
determine if should apply for grants through Park Pride.
4. Lots
of mud & sand get washed out during rain, hard to clean up (may be coming
from Horse Park); Dave has pursued working on mitigating these issues with the horse park
for a number of years without significant progress
a. Tex
to contact Paige at Parks & Rec: County is supposed to come out next week to
power wash PATH (paved area) and other areas to remove mud
5. Better
maintain creekside trail
a. Action point:
Lisa to contact South Fork Conservancy & Keep DeKalb Beautiful for
help KDB
needs 5 day lead time to provide supplies for event. No response yet from SFC – Dave B is
currently working with SFC, which has no Exec Dir. Suggest plan for fall event (creek usually lower
in the Fall), coordinate with Rivers Alive program
b. Action point:
Identify landscape architect with appropriate expertise who can assist
with project. Table for now.
c. Action point:
Organize cleanup (potentially piggyback with Scott lots clean-up in March 2016)
- Suggest change of plan to have fall
event instead of Spring (creek usually lower in the Fall), coordinate with
Rivers Alive program; Dave Butler has experience organizing creek cleanups (and
has relationship with South Fork Conservancy) and he will help in Fall.
i. More
plantings (trees help soak up water)
Dave Butler: on Parks Community
Advisory Board (CAB). Fuqua (and Selig)
owe trees to DeKalb county tree bank due to development. Tex:
has been informed by Paige that Medlock Park is on the list to get trees
but no timeline. Type and size of trees depends on request and location. He has a plan for the park proper (by PATH
and along field in back), will send to Paige and Steve Strickland, County
Arborist. Casey will review with MANA to
ensure tree request is on radar for both Selig and Fuqua. There are no good options to plant trees (for
shade) or bushes (to soak up water) near playground.
Consider involving other groups such as trail runners to assist with
maintaining creek side trails. Lisa has
Intown Ace gift certificates that could be used as incentives, rewards.
DHYS:
Update on capital campaign?
Not yet started, still in planning
phase of multi year proposal. There will
be a field work day next Sat, 2/20 from 9 am – 1 pm. Focus is mainly on ball fields and immediate
areas, including culvert area near playground and playground itself. Chris and Tex will be present to organize
volunteers, there will be a sign in table and some equipment provided. Lisa will send out notice of clean-up to
Friends of Medlock Park Facebook group and main Medlock Park Neighbors Facebook
group to try to get residents to volunteer.
Inquiry about land
survey few months ago: DHYS commissioned to mark boundaries for proposed plan
to increase compliance with ADA and assist with potential future drainage
work. Lingering plastic ties will be
removed during cleanup day, anyone can also remove – please just ensure proper
disposal!
MANA:
Update on bids for 979
Scott Circle – vacant white house: Email from Brian Shoun, DeKalb Flood
Management on 2/11: Still working
on it and the demolition date is not set.
Continue to followup with Brian on 979 Scott. Also discussed flood plain lots on Hunting
Valley – KDB is supposed to maintain but inconsistent and inadequate
response. Consider cleanup day, either
linked to Scott lots one or other day.
Hanging wires near the community garden are likely phone lines that
neither the demolition companies nor the utilities will remove. As they are not electric, can be removed or
at least trimmed during a cleanup day.
Emails from Medlock residents:
Lights in ball fields: Are on
timer, max is 12 hours which means sometimes could accidentally be on past 11
pm cut off time. DHYS tries to ensure
lights are off before departing, and will investigate replacing some timers to
ease manual shut off. DHYS will provide an
after-hours phone number on main light box to report problems, this number will
also be shared on MANA web page when made public.
Inquiry about dog park:
as previously reported, a dog park
is NOT possible in the current MP footprint nor in the Scott lots greenspace
due to being in floodplain and close proximity to stream or ditch – law requires
200 foot buffer. DHYS requested reminder
that dogs are NEVER allowed on fields, and both MANA and DHYS remind dog owners
to comply with state laws to keep dogs on leash (if caught, ticket can be
$200+) and to pick up and properly dispose of poop.
To Stay Informed:
People can find updates relating to the park at:
Friends of Medlock Park Facebook Group -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofmedlockpark/
can subscribe to for the Friends of Medlock Park email list
at:
http://eepurl.com/bQeTrH
Updates are also posted on the MANA web site:
http://www.medlockpark.org
Next Friends of
Medlock Park meeting:
Saturday, March 12 at 9:00a at the Clubhouse meeting room in
the park
