“the choice for illinois park & recreation districts” winter 2018-19.pdf · 2018. 12....

A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER WINTER 2018/19

Illinois Parks Association Risk Services“The Choice for Illinois Park & Recreation Districts”

UPDATE

www.iparks.org

IPARKS Board of Directors

Gary GillisChairman

Pekin Park District

Timothy BartlettVice Chairman

Urbana Park District

Peter MurphySecretary

Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD)

Jay MorganSouth Barrington Park District

Ken CollinFreeport Park District

Jason AnselmentEx-Officio IPARKS Board Member

Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD)

Be Sure toUpdateYour Info@ www.iparks.org/Contact Us

Don’t Forget!Routing

(Name)

� _____________________� _____________________� _____________________

Above photo courtesy of Salt Creek Rural Park District.

Property Coverages Updated!The IPARKS Board of Directors, as a continued commitment to its members, ispleased to announce that the property coverage form – Governmental PropertyAgreement (GPA) – has been updated and expanded in coverage.

The new GPA is designed to respond to new and trending exposures that impactpark districts. It also refreshes and clarifies coverage provisions to reflect changesand trends in the insurance/pooling industry.

The effective date of the new coverage document will be the IPARKS Member’sanniversary occurring on or after January 1, 2019. Highlights include:

• Easier to Read - the new layout and terminology of the coverage provisionsmake it easier to read and understand.

• Inclusion of Coverage - Miscellaneous Property has been included in a broadProperty Damage Section.

• Coverage Amendment - For clarification and ease of review, a Crime sectionhas been created to include exposures that were treated in separate sections inthe current GPA.

• Trending Coverages - A specific Additional Property Damage Coverage hasbeen added for smart parking meter systems and electric automobile chargingstations to recognize their growing use.

• Collision Deductible Waiver - Collision deductibles are now waived if themember driver is not at fault for an automobile accident.

• New Property Damage Coverage Extensions - Automatic coverage, withvarying limits of coverage, has been added for a wide variety of exposures: FireHydrants; Golf Course Sand Traps, Tees and Greens; Use of Green materialsin replacement after a loss; Guide Rails for traffic safety; Locks and Keys; NewGeneration Equipment; Underground Fiber Optic Cable; and UnscheduledPlayground Equipment.

These are just a few of the highlights included in the newly enhanced propertycoverages available to all IPARKS Members. We encourage you to review theupdated GPA in its entirety and to contact your IPARKS representative if youhave any questions.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this newsletter. Professional counsel should be sought before any action is taken or decision is made based on this material.

IPARKS 8pgr_Layout 1 11/28/2018 11:45 PM

Located in Cook County, Illinois, just16 miles south of Chicago’s Loop,the Blue Island Park District serves apopulation of approximately 24,000residents.

Executive Director Mr. Tom Woganis proud of “the resourcefulness ofour staff. Day in and day out, my staffcontinues to produce exemplary workwith limited resources and funding.”

Ms. Karen Zielinski is the OfficeManager for the Blue Island ParkDistrict, a role she has held for fiveyears. When asked about what aspectof the park district she is the proudestof, she replied, “Our staff is hugelyimaginative; we’re always coming upwith new ideas. I’m proud that ourcreativity is only outmatched by everystaffer’s dedication to the communityand our mission.” The mission of theBlue Island Park District is to enhancethe quality of life for all Blue Islandresidents by providing clean, safeparks, well-developed recreational facilities, and a balanced range ofleisure and recreational activities forall ages.

“We take steps to be extraordinarywith everything we do,” observed Mr.Wogan. “However, of special note aretwo annual events: BBQ on the Hilland the Dragon Boat Festival. Bothevents are inclusive, and promoteteamwork, community, and competitivespirit.”

BBQ on the Hill is a celebration of family, friends, fun, and BBQ. Entertainment includes Bingo, games,live music, and a bounce house forthe kids. In June, the Dragon BoatFestival invites individuals and groupsto pick up a paddle and race in Chinese-inspired boats rigged with adragon head and tail. The team consists of 20 paddlers, a cox, whosteers the boat, and a drummer seatedin front keeping the paddlers in time.The day includes practices, the race,music, a vendor village, an awardsceremony and an after-party. “The eventwas recently named one of Illinois’Top Festivals by TravelMag.com,”noted Mr. Wogan. “In addition to agreat day on the water with friends,coworkers or neighbors, the DragonBoat festival makes use of an industrialwaterway that was previously

inaccessible to res idents . The intergovernmental collaboration thatmakes it all possible is quite unique andspecial to Blue Island Park District,”said Mr. Wogan.

Ms. Zielinski added, “We host freeSenior Lunches and Bingo, which are

always very popular and appreciatedby attendees. Christmas is a specialtime for our park district as well. Eachyear, we feature a traveling Santa Houseso that as many children as possibleget to enjoy the magic of the season.”The Santa House is a custom-builtSanta-themed home situated on a mobile platform. Its primary functionis to offer the community at large accessibility to Santa Claus. The houseis spacious – accommodating Santa,his elves, and a visiting family. Inside,guests can rest in the waiting area,hang up their mittens and winter wearon coat hooks, visit Santa in his chair,and gather around a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Even onthe coldest days, the Santa Housewelcomes guests into its fully heatedand insulated interior.

An IPARKS Member since 2001,Blue Island Park District understandsthe benefits of IPARKS Membership,including the IPARKS Resource eLibrary. The Park District is a high-frequency Resource eLibraryuser and especially appreciates theonline training courses.

“Reflecting on my first year as theBlue Island Park District ExecutiveDirector, I can attribute much of mylearning to the eLibrary resources and

Member Profile: Blue Island Park District

Cont’d on pg. 3

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Cont’d from pg. 2

training programs. I’m a huge believer in continuing education foreveryone on our team, and the eLibrary provides those resources and opportunities, while also providinghelpful training materials for new employees,” commented Mr. Wogan.“For our team, the value has been on-demand access to the breadth ofresources contained in the library. It’sa great confidence boost to know wealways have up-to-date information,wherever and whenever we need it.”

“We’ve put the IPARKS ResourceeLibrary to good use at Blue IslandPark District. In particular, we’vefound the human resources informationto be extremely beneficial, along withtraining materials and the latest newsand updates from the industry,” commented Ms. Zielinski.

Ano t h e r b e n e f i t o f I PARKS Membership is the iGrant initiative.

It’s designed to help Members reduceor prevent liability claims and prop-erty losses by permitting all IPARKSMembers to apply for up to $500 ing r a n t m o n e y t o f u n d , o r partially fund, items that will aidthem in their property and liabilityloss control or risk management efforts. The Blue Island Park Districtapplied for, and was awarded, iGrantfunds in 2017 to purchase playgroundsurfacing material.

Mr. Wogan commented on why theirPark District selected IPARKS: “Ourbudget drives the importance of investing in partnerships that arevaluable and fiscally responsible.IPARKS is the partner we need tocontinue to operate a first-class parkdistrict while mitigating the risks inherent with our industry.”

Thank you, Blue Island Park District,for your membership and ongoingparticipation! If you would like tolearn more about Blue Island ParkDistrict, we invite you to visit itswebsite at www.blueislandparks.org.

If you would like more informationa b o u t I PARKS , p l e a s e c a l l (800) 748-0554 and ask to speak withan IPARKS representative.

2019 IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference

The 2019 IAPD/IPRA Soaring toNew Heights Conference takes placeJanuary 24-26, at the Hyatt RegencyChicago. As the premier s ta te conference for parks and recreation,forest preserves and conservationagencies in Illinois, more than 4,200professionals and elected officialsgather together for educational

programming, networking and professional development.

For more information about thisstatewide gathering, please visitwww.ilparksconference.com. Pleasestop by the IPARKS booth to visitwith IPARKS representatives. Welook forward to seeing you there!

3Claims Services (866) 964-6257


Make Sure You Lock YourScreen When You Are AwayFrom Your DeskScreen locking policies exist for areason. Even if you are leaving for justa few minutes at a time, be sure to lockyour screen. Though physical intrudersare rare during daytime and in conventionally secured offices, intrusions do occasionally happen.Screen locks also thwart opportunisticinsider attacks from other employeesthat may seek to obtain informationor access information beyond what theyshould normally have. If you don’tadhere to a screen locking policy, anattacker can simply walk up and startmanipulating or stealing your information without having to evenwork at getting into your system. Andremember, you are ultimately responsiblefor everything done under your login!

Don’t Write Down Your PasswordsOr User CredentialsThe same concept applies here as inestablishing a screen lock on yoursystem. On the rare occasion physicalintruders gain access to your deskarea, they will immediately look forwritten passwords and authenticationmaterial. Post-it notes, index cards,etc., aren’t secure from intruders even ifyou think they might be out of sightunder your keyboard! From lookingat your written password, they can getright into your sensitive protected officesystems and start stealing data orcompromising assets. This risk isn’t onlyfrom a completely unknown outsider,but could be coming from contractorsor internal staff with malicious intent.

Don ’ t Reuse You r O f f i ce Computer Password For OtherSystems And ServicesOne of the most risky things you cando is use the same password acrossmultiple accounts or systems. Cyberthreat actors are constantly stealinglogin credentials from numerous systems that may be more insecure,like online shopping sites for example.Many times, these credentials are leakedonline for other cyber criminals to alsoexploit. They then are able to take thesestolen credentials and use them to tryto access more secure systems, likeonline banking or your office systems.If you unfortunately follow this practiceof reusing your work password elsewhere, you leave yourself andyour organization open to this type ofcompromise.

Don’t Ins tal l Unauthor ized Software On Any Office SystemsThe installation of unauthorized software can negatively affect yourworkplace’s security posture. Thissoftware can include everything fromstand-alone programs to plug-ins foryour web browser. Not only can thispose a stability issue leading to sloweror unreliable system performance, butthe installation of unmanaged softwarecan pose a direct security threat eitherbecause it may be malicious softwareitself, or because this is introducingsoftware that is not part of the patchman a g emen t s y s t em i n y o u r environment. If this new unauthorizedsoftware ends up making you vulnerableto cyber attacks in the future, but ITisn’t aware of it or implementing

regular patches or fixes, you leavethat avenue open for a t tackers who easily leverage these known vulnerabilities to compromise systemsand potentially steal information.

Don’t Check Your PersonalEmail While On Office SystemsBy checking your personal email onyour office computer, you are extendingthe risk profile of your workplace toinclude your own personal activities.Attacks that target you as an individualare now naturally extended to the entire enterprise. Your office emailaccount is carefully managed and secured by policies and the vigilanceof your IT team to minimize the riskfrom suspicious emails, links and attachments. Once you open yourown email account on your officecomputer, you bypass many of thesedefenses and render them less effective.If you open that suspicious attachmentin your personal email on your officecomputer, you can infect your system(and eventually many other systems)with mal ic ious sof tware ( l ike ransomware) that may prevent you oryour colleagues from performingtheir duties.

If you follow these few commonpieces of IT wisdom, you will lead amuch more secure and productive lifein the workplace. Remember, if youare handling your park district’s information, you play a big part in itsprotection and safety. Let’s all workto make it as difficult as possible forattackers to affect operations in theworkplace.

Common IT Wisdom That Keeps Your Park District Secure

4www.iparks.org

Day in and day out, employees hear the same thingsfrom their IT staff about cyber security and safety.Though they may sound like broken records, thereare very important reasons and rationales behindthese practices and advice. Keeping safe and secure

while connected isn’t just about how your system isset up – it is also about how you end up using it.Below are a few pieces of IT wisdom that will assistin keeping your park district more secure.


Loss Control Services (800) 367-4818 5

IPARKS iGrant Initiative

The iGrant initiative is designed to help Members reduceor prevent liability claims and property losses by permittingall IPARKS Members to apply for up to $500 in grantmoney to fund, or partially fund, safety items that will aidthem in their loss control or risk management efforts.

Qualified expenses include safety items which purpose isthe prevention or reduction of liability claims or propertylosses. The funds are available for purchases or expensesincurred during the application period of January 1 throughDecember 31, 2018. Examples of qualified expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Life vests

• Playground surfacing material

• Safety glasses

• Safety mats under swings and slides

• Traffic barrels and road cones

The simple, one-page grant application is easy to completeand available on the IPARKS Website at www.IPARKS.org.Submit the completed application with supporting documentation of the expense, such as an invoice, advertisement or price quote, via mail, fax or email to:

Wendy French, IPARKS Customer Service RepresentativeIPARKS Service Center 315 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, MI 49007Fax: (269) 276-4095 Email: [email protected]

Griggsville Community Park District - (left to right) Glen Cooley, LocalAgent, Mid-State Insurance Agency; Ray Daniels, Griggsville CommunityPark District President; and John LaBanow, IPARKS Representative.iGrant funds were used to purchase enhanced LED lighting in the Park District.

Macomb Park District - (left to right) Rachel Lenz, Macomb Park DistrictExecutive Director; and John LaBanow, IPARKS Representative. iGrantfunds were used to purchase playground surfacing material.

Pekin Park District - (left to right) Cameron Bettin, Pekin Park District Executive Director; Dori Smith, Assistant to Executive Director and BoardSecretary; and Ryan Pnakovich, IPARKS Representative. iGrant fundswere used to purchase an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).


After the Storm: Equipment Breakdown

Reprinted with permission from Travelers Re

Importance of Contingency Planning

The large number of severe storms causing catastrophicproperty damage has reinforced the importance of contingencyplanning and postdisaster actionsand events. Mechanical and electricalequipment used to support a publicentity is just as vulnerable to damageas any other part of the property.Many times, equipment is out ofsight and out of mind until the heatgoes off, the lights go out or theproduct stops being produced. Inorder to minimize damage anddowntime, it's imperative to identifykey equipment and document plansto protect and restore when disasterstrikes.

Key Equipment

Key equipment has a high dollarvalue and is usually critical to business operations. It can include,but is not limited to:

• Boilers and pressure vessels

• E l e c t r i c a l e q u i p m e n t - Transformers, switchgear, cable,bus, motors

• Air conditioning and refrigeration

• Information and communicationssystems - Computers and telephonesystems

• Mechanical equipment - Gear sets, engines, compressors,fans, turbines

• Production machinery - Mixers, presses, shredders, mills,extruders

Once key equipment is identified and its impact on the publicentity quantified, a plan can be designed to address thebreakdown of that equipment. Items to consider may include:

• Consulting with equipment manufacturers and expertcontractors

• Relocating to a safer area or adding protection in place

• Determining availability of total replacement and spareparts

• Determining availability and feasibility of rental equipment

• Preplanning with contractors

• Imp l emen t i n g r e c i p r o c a l agreements with neighboring public entities.

Action to Take if Equipment isThreatened or Damaged byWater Infiltration

Water from a natural disaster is themost common cause of damage toequipment. Special precautions mustbe taken when any equipment isthreatened by water infiltration.First and foremost is to shut downthe equipment while it is still ingood working order.

• Boilers should be shut down far enough in advance so that they are cool

• Pressure vessels should be anchored securely so that they are not able to float and break away from piping

• Electrical equipment should be de-energized individually and the disconnect from the ut i l i ty should be open

• C o m p u t e r s a n d telecommunications systems should be moved to a safe area and backups of all data created.

Getting your entity up and running after equipment hasbeen damaged by water requires time and patience. This iswhen the planning pays off. The safety of those who areworking in the impacted area must be top priority. The areamay contain hazardous chemicals and bacteria that requiresafety and cleanup procedures before restoration begins.

After the area has been tested and confirmed safe to work in:

• Work in conjunction with equipment manufacturers andexpert contractors

6www.iparks.org


7IPARKS Service Center (800) 748-0554

• Verify all utilities are shut off to each piece of equipment

• Conduct careful visual inspection of all equipment anddocument the findings

Boilers:

• Waterlogged insulation on piping and boilers shouldbe removed by qualified contractors in case of hazardous materials

• Verify condition of boiler settings, foundation and piping supports

• Verify integrity of refractory, and dry out or replace

• Inspect and clean all support systems (fuel, chemical,feedwater, condensate, etc.) of contaminants

• Inspect, test, clean, repair or replace all controls andsafety devices before use (safety valves, operating controls, fuel and flame safeguards, etc.)

• Verify combustion air supply and chimneys and vents areclean and open

Pressure Vessels:

• Waterlogged insulation on pressure vessels and pipingshould be removed by qualified contractors in case of hazardous materials

• Verify condition of pressure vessels, foundation and piping supports

• Inspect, test, clean, repair orreplace all controls and safetydevices before use (safetyvalves, pressure controls, temperature controls, levelcontrols, etc.)

Electr ica l Equipment (Inc luding Data and Telecommunication Systems):

• All wiring, cables and bus should be disconnected andtested for grounds and short circuits

• Switchgear, motors, controllers, computers should becleaned, dried and tested prior to energizing

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Systems:

• Waterlogged insulation on pressure vessels and pipingshould be removed by qualified contractors in case ofhazardous materials

• Verify condition of foundation and piping supports

• Inspect, test, clean, repair or replace all controls and

safety devices before use (safety valves, pressure controls,temperature controls, flow controls, etc.)

• Verify condition of lube oil in the compressor, gear box,coupling, etc.

• Verify condition of electric motor and power system.Clean, dry, repair or replace.

Mechanical Equipment:

• Verify condition of foundations and hold down bolts

• Test lubricating oil for contaminants

• Disassemble, clean and dry

Production Equipment:

• Verify condition of foundation and hold down bolts

• Clean and dry

• Perform necessary steps for associated electrical a n d m e c h a n i c a l components

F o l l o w i n g t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r ’ s

recommended practices and consulting with qualified contractors during the planning and then the restoration period will result in:

• Less damage to equipment

• Less downtime

• Reduced cost

Catastrophic events do occur that are uncontrollable. Whatcan be controlled is the amount of damage to your propertythrough proper planning.

Resources

For additional information, please visit www.fema.gov.

Water from a natural disaster

is the most common cause of

damage to equipment. “”


If our mailing records need to be updated or if you want to receive newsletters electronically, please contact the IPARKS Service Center at (800) 748-0554, ext. 3136.

IPARKS Service Center315 S. Kalamazoo MallKalamazoo, MI 49007

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSOUTHFIELD, MIPERMIT #63

Upcoming Events

8

The Resource eLibrary is one exampleof IPARKS’ risk management solutionsoffered to members. Providing trainingat members’ convenience and free ofcharge, the Resource eLibrary makesavailable online training courses,streamed video courses, seminars,webinars, documents and DVDs.

New DVDs

The following DVD titles were recentlyadded to the Resource eLibrary:

• Aquatic Risk Management: KeepingYour Head Above Water

• Backing and Parking: The Keys toSuccess.

Human Resources training is utilizedmore than any other topic in the eLibrary and can be found in everysection of the eLibrary. In the HumanResources section of the eLibrary,m emb e r s h a v e a c c e s s t o a comprehensive Human ResourcesDatabase. Resources include: currentstate and federal employment laws,customizable policies, an employeehandbook generator, a job descriptionbuilder, and guides covering complextopics, such as the Family and MedicalLeave Act (FMLA), backgroundchecks, drug and alcohol policies, exempt vs. non-exempt employeedefinitions, interviewing, safety orientations and terminations.

Previously recorded human resourceswebinars are also stored here forviewing at members’ convenience.The following are a few examples ofthe webinars available for viewing:

• FLSA & Federal Exemptions fromOvertime Requirements

• H IPAA P r iva cy Ru l e s a n d Compliance

• Telecommuting:� Top 20 Ins &Outs of Working In & Outside the Workplace

• Understanding Cyber Security: WhatYou Need to Know

• We l l n e s s , S o c i a l Med i a & Compliance.

Public Entity University

Public Entity University (PEU) is avendor-driven portal offering an additional 300 online training coursesspecifically tailored to public entities,some of which may count for

IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference

January 24-26, 2019Hyatt Regency Chicago

For more information, please visit the conference website: www.ilparksconference.com

continuing education credits for certain members. PEU is accessedthrough the Resource eLibrary andoffers a number of in-depth onlinetraining courses. HR training modulesinclude:

• Americans with Disabilities Act & ADA Amendments Act

• Family and Medical Leave Act

• Guide to Interviewing

• Information Security and PrivacyAwareness

• Wage and Hour Laws for Supervisors.

Video Streaming

Nearly 400 HR streamed videos areavailable for members to view fromthe convenience of their own desk.Topics include:

• Employee Orientation

• Job Safety Analysis

• OSHA Recordkeeping.

We invite all IPARKS Members totake advantage of this valuable andconvenient resource and visit the Resource eLibrary through the IPARKSWebsite at www.IPARKS.org.

IPARKS Resource eLibrary


“the choice for illinois park & recreation districts” winter 2018-19.pdf · 2018. 12....

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