Minutes - March 22, 2017

NOBLE COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD

MINUTES OF THE March 22, 2017 MEETING

Present: Scott Allen, Jim Haddock, John Metzger, Ray Scott

Guests: Steve Hook, Noble County GIS; Leisha Howell, Parkview Noble Hospital Center for Healthy Living: Matt Getts, KPC Media.

President Ray Scott called the meeting to order at 10:00 AM.

The Minutes of the February 22, 2017 were approved after a minor clarification.

Old Business:

Five Year Master Plan – Our 5 year Master Plan needs to be renewed by June 2019. We will begin working on the renewal early next year (2018). The consensus is that it will primarily be a matter of updating.

Website Review – No new updates.

“Take a Stroll” Program – Our guest, Leshia Howell, of Parkview Noble Hospital’s Center for Healthy Living is a nurse with 28 years of clinical experience. What is exciting about her work is that it is proactive. She introduced us to how the Parkview Wellness Program coordinates and advertises their work through an association with Activate Noble County. This community-wide organization’s goal is to promote wellness through increased physical activity, nutrition and calming mental exercises (eg. Yoga). We see a good possibility for a mutually beneficial association developing in terms of fostering an increased public awareness of what Noble Co. has to offer in terms of wellness-promoting, outdoor recreational activities.

Activate Noble County maintains a website including a Calendar of Events. They desire contact with groups such as schools, agencies, volunteer and parent groups. Board members were enthusiastic about a forming a relationship that would help both of us attain our goals.

The central theme of our discussion was to foster increased coordination and communication among all groups and individuals in Noble Co. having a “wellness” orientation in the large sense. Our specific interest, of course, is to promote the use of trails and other hiking opportunities as a way of promoting physical activity and healthy living.

Relative to specific organization of our initial “Stroll” on May 27, the hike will run as an “Open House” between 9:00 and 11:00 AM at Parkview Noble. The event will be enhanced by Leshia Howell providing an information table as well as a blood pressure screening opportunity before and after the event. Bottled water will also be available for all participants.

It was also determined that Doug Keenan should serve as our link between the two organizations.

New Business:

Two suggestions: bring David Ober into the conversation as well as Visitor’s Bureau personnel; start to develop a list of organizations with names of key people involved.

Meeting adjourned at 11.25 AM

Next meeting – Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Noble County Public Library.

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