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AGENDA
MINUTES OF PARKS & RECREATION BOARD MEETING
Monday, January 5th, 2026
City Auditorium West Room – 7pm
Present: Dan Moran, Aaron Paden, Connie Giese, Aaron Paden, Dan Gillis, Tim Marsh, Nick Hansen, Nate
Schwanke, and Jody Sanders.
Call to Order: Meeting was called to order at 7:00pm by Chairman Moran. The agenda displayed
at City Auditorium and was distributed to the Park Board, Mayor and City Council on December
30th, 2025, and is open to the public. The open meeting law is posted continually for public
inspection.
Roll Call: Roll Call showed members Moran, O’Reilly, Geise, and Paden present. Absent:
Eairleywine and Christensen-Hillis.
Open Meeting Law posted for public review.
Reading of the Parks & Recreation Board Minutes, October 6th ,2025. Giese moved to suspend
the reading since the board had read them, seconded by Paden, to suspend the reading of
October 6th, 2025, minutes. Motion carried.
Hansen discussed a request by Fremont and Bergan Schools for use of Christensen Arena,
Kitchen, and Meeting Room Post Prom Waiver Reduction for Aprill 2026. The board discussed
the request and had no concerns about the event. The board made a request for a 50%
reduction on the waiver fee. Motion carried.
Hansen discussed a request by Fremont Area Car Club for use of Masonic Park West May-
September Thursday’s 6pm-8pm. The board discussed the request and had no concerns.
Hansen mentioned that Area Car Club will provide insurance. Motion carried.
Schwanke discussed the Fall and Winter report activities in the recreation department.
Schwanke discussed over 400 people attended the Hormel Haunted Trail as Parks and
Recreation partnered with Fremont Soccer Club, the event provided hayrack rides, concessions
and spooky fun. Schwanke discussed over 60 participating in the pumpkin painting in Clemmons
Park. Schwanke discussed that over 250 people attended Breakfast with Santa as Parks and
Recreation partnered with Kiwanis and High School Key Club, the event provided pancakes,
sausage, fruit, story time, kids activities, and Jolly old Saint Nick with an appearance of the
Grinch. Schwanke discussed an average of 300 free skate participants for three-day event, an
average of 50 bowling participants for two day event, and 52 participants attended the Zootopia
2 movie showing. Schwanke mentioned that P&R seasonal staff were able to return during
break and help with the activities. Schwanke discussed Civic Recreation software went live and
staff has built out the site by adding meeting rooms and kitchen bookings online for facilities.

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Schwanke mentioned the next step would be to build out POS system for pools and ballfields.
Schwanke discussed the steps for summer hires and changing a few things for playground pal
program. Schwanke mentioned that he’s still trying to set up a meeting with baseball and
softball organizations for the upcoming summer changes.
Hansen presented the director’s report and discussed no major repairs for facilities. Hansen
mentioned that a 220 outlet was placed in the main area in the auditorium to help with events
being held in the auditorium. Hansen mentioned parks crew helped with projects at the
friendship center replacing assembling and replacing older chairs. Hansen mentioned that P&R
met with Eakes a couple times for office designs for P&R east room offices for the Auditorium.
Hansen mentioned Eakes was providing a layout for two offices and the cost of the project.
Hansen discussed that the motion sensors faucets will be replaced with metering faucets in the
bathrooms at the auditorium.
Hansen discussed that all the facilities are winterized and closed for the season. Hansen
discussed the high school XC meet that was move from Clemmons to Johnson Park. Hansen
mentioned staff visited with FPS about possibly moving the XC Twilight race out to Christensen
Field if feasible. Hansen mentioned the parks crew graded the grounds at Christensen field for
the greenhouse to be relocated from the park shop. Hansen mentioned the green house will be
moved in the spring. Hansen discussed Van Anda restroom is graded and water, sewer, and
electricity was rough in, the restroom should arrive in March. Hansen mentioned the craft show
for the Friendship center had most of the tables filled and over 1000 in attendance. Hansen
mentioned that CivRec is live, and software is operational, and P&R will no longer use
Sportsmen. Hansen mentioned recreation staff transitioned over the software and working out
some small issues. Hansen discussed the vandalism that occurred at Johnson Park bike trail and
Christensen Field, IT was getting the parks trail cams that our guys can move to different park if
needed if presence in repeated vandalism occurs. Hansen mentioned the community gardens
are closed for the season and will be mowed next spring not tilled. Hansen discussed parks crew
finishing the new parking lot for Wildwood and added in new signage in Hormel and Wildwood
Park. Hansen mentioned that maintenance worker Heinke built the entryway for the P&R office.
Hansen mentioned the wreaths were placed on the electrical poles downtown and will be
removed in January. Hansen discussed the park system will move to less trash cans as they
move to the winter cans, P&R finished the fab work on the dumper and added a water tank to
the truck. Hansen mentioned P&R logo plastic totes will start replacing the metal cans
throughout the park system. Hansen mentioned a concern citizens had concerns of Miller Park
Skate Park. Hansen mentioned a new skate park is scheduled for 2030 capital improvement
plan. Hansen discussed D.R. Anderson has placed footing in ground for amphitheater and
auxiliary building, Department of Utilities capped the north and south water main that ran
through the park. Hansen mentioned a flush hydrant was installed on the south end of the park.
Hansen mentioned there were some minor change orders that were needed for unforeseen
underground work. Hansen mentioned DU buried electrical at 9th and Main that could supply
power to the amphitheater. Hansen mentioned an RFQ for North Downtown Revitalization was
sent out and awarded to Veenstra and Kimm for design of North Downtown. Hansen
mentioned there’s a city council retreat in January at the Friendship Center; a big discussion will
be the P&R Master Plan and the next steps for Johnson Park redevelopment.

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Hansen mentioned that forestry crew working in Hormel to remove brush and trees for
Wildwood new parking lot. Hansen mentioned door hangers were created for a quicker
response for pruning tree limbs. Looking to go out for quotes and contract on call that can have
prune a ROW within 10 days and charge hourly if needed. Hansen mentioned a couple trees
were removed, and some were trimmed in Van Anda and Barnard. Hansen discussed 2 mature
cedar trees we illegally cut down Hormel. Hansen mentioned a policed checked the scene and
filed a report. Hansen mentioned that parks were applying for the Tree City USA application.
Hansen discussed the purchasing of smaller CIP projects for trail work and new removal. Hansen
mentioned Auditorium new doors, handicap buttons, and keyless entry project will take place in
Spring. Hansen mentioned Christensen Field will have new security cameras and handicap
buttons installed.
Next Meeting – Monday, February 2nd, 2026, 7:00pm, West Room City Auditorium.
Adjournment- Motion was made by Paden, seconded by Giese to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting
adjourned at 7:45pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Nick Hansen, Secretary
I, the undersigned, the Secretary for the Parks and Recreation Board, Fremont, Nebraska, hereby certify
that all of the subjects included in the attached proceedings were contained in the notice of said
meeting of January 5th, 2026 kept continually current and available for public inspection at the Parks &
Recreation Office; that such subjects were contained in said notice for at least twenty-four hours prior
to said meeting; that the minutes of the Park Board of the Parks and Recreation Department, Fremont,
Nebraska were in written form and available for public inspection prior to the next convened meeting of
said body. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of January 2026.
Nick Hansen, Director of Parks & Recreation January 5th, 2026