Cedar Lake Parks staff announce departure of Mindy Ray; staff report summer programs, maintenance updates and public praise for new walkway

Board members and staff informed the Cedar Lake Parks & Recreation Board that longtime employee Mindy Ray has left the Parks & Rec department for a new job closer to her home.

A board member announced, "Mindy Ray has left the Cedar Lake Parks and Rec department… She's gonna be missed by all the people," and members thanked her for establishing and supporting programs. A town council representative later reiterated that Mindy’s experience will be hard to replace and urged the board to be selective and expedite hiring.

Recreation report: The Recreation Coordinator said fitness instructor Janet will return via Zoom and restart classes next Thursday. Staff highlighted recent events and upcoming programming: a senior gathering that drew 36 attendees, a Bingo with 38 participants, fall soccer registration opening June 15, a bus trip to the Blueberry Festival, Nerf battles at the Farmer’s Market on June 24, and Movies in the Park starting June 10 with Zootopia following the Farmer’s Market.

Maintenance report: Josh (maintenance staff) said crews have been busy with dirt work and a foundation project that is nearly complete but delayed due to a tractor malfunction; work included branch clearing after a storm, chip deliveries to Potawatomi Park, drainage repairs for a walking path, and new planting beds at the community garden. He stressed that watering and routine mowing are taking significant staff time.

Public comment: A resident praised a new crushed-gravel walkway and noted prior informal use of the path. The resident asked the board to post signs at four entrances to prohibit wheeled electric vehicles and golf carts: "No golf cart," the resident said. The chair closed public comment after two calls for speakers and adjourned the meeting at 6:02 p.m.

Why it matters: The departure of a long-serving staffer can slow project momentum; event and maintenance updates affect accessibility, programming capacity and near-term priorities for staff. Public requests for signage touch on enforcement and maintenance considerations.

Next steps: The board will advertise and seek a replacement for the departed staffer, continue planned summer programming, address maintenance scheduling, and consider signage options for the walkway.