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Presentation of the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer TiggesCity of Dubuque City Council Meeting Presentation(s) # 01. Copyrighted April 17, 2023 ITEM TITLE: Presentation of the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges SUMMARY: City staff will recognize Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges for receiving the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award. SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: ATTACHMENTS: Description MVM Memo Staff Memo Jennifer Tigges I PRA Claude Ahrens Award Nomination Photo Type City Manager Memo Staff Memo Supporting Documentation Supporting Documentation THE CITY OF Dubuque DUB TEE1. All -America City Masterpiece on the Mississippi � pp zoo�•*o 13 zoi720zoi9 TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: Presentation of the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges DATE: April 11, 2023 Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware is sharing the award nomination packet for the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award which was recently awarded to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges. Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award will be presented to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges at the City Council meeting. v Mic ael C. Van Milligen MCVM:sv Attachment CC' Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager Dan Kroger, Recreation Division Manager THE CITY OF DUB E Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager Dubuque MI -America City 2007*2012-2013 2017*2019 SUBJECT: Presentation of the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges DATE: April 10, 2023 I' k I:to] 111101lei Z 1 The purpose of this memo to share the award nomination packet for the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award which was recently awarded to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges. DISCUSSION The award was presented at the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Annual Spring Conference held in Davenport. The award nomination packet is attached to this agenda item. ACTION REQUESTED I respectfully request the opportunity for re -presentation of the Iowa Park and Recreation Association Claude Ahrens Community Service Award to Park and Recreation Commission member Jennifer Tigges at the City Council meeting. cc: Steve Fehsal, Park Division Manager Dan Kroger, Recreation Division Manager IOWA MV PARKS AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION Awards Program Nomination Form "Recognizing contributions and commitment to municipal parks and recreation in Iowa" All nominations due Noon, Tuesday, January 31, 2023 Award Nomination Cover Sheet: (please check one; each nomination requires separate cover sheet) ❑ Slattery / Trueblood Professional ❑ Dr. Carole Hanson New Professional FIT. Ray Frame Park Maintenance ❑ Permanent Part-time Team Member ❑ Administrative Assistant Nominee Information: Name Jennifer Tigges City Dubuque Nominator Information: Name Marie Ware ❑ Business Support ❑ Volunteer Group ❑ Service Club ❑� Claude Ahrens Community Service Title/Organization Volunteer Address 2200 Bunker Hill Road City Dubuque Phone 563-589-4264 Title/Organization Clty of Dubuque Leisure Services Email mware@cityofdubuque.org Information to be included in all nomination submittals: 0 This nomination cover sheet. Make copies as needed for additional nominations. 0 One page describing reason for the nomination (single or double spaced -minimum font size 12 point font). 0 One page list or bullet point list of professional, volunteer, and/or community involvement (see above style). 0 Nominator should follow the nomination criteria which can be found on the IPRA web site (www.iapra.org) or refer to the 2023 Awards Program Information brochure. 0 Preference is to merge all materials into one PDF document. Up to two (2) digital photos can accompany the nomination. All materials must be submitted at the same time. Electronic submission and direct questions to: Steven Jordison, CPRP, President & CEO steve@iapra.org 515.291.4917 Claude Ahrens Community Service Award Statement of Reason for Nomination Jennifer Tigges Jennifer Tigges demonstrates extraordinary commitment to Dubuque on each of the committees, boards, and Commissions she serves on in addition to being a lifetime community advocate. Jennifer started volunteering in the community as a stay-at-home mom and has continued even after they became adults. Jennifer began her service to the City over 31 years ago and still serves on the Cable TV Commission. She joined the Parks and Recreation Commission in 2015. From day one she has been active in advocating, educating, and volunteering her time, passion, and energy far beyond the monthly meetings. She has been involved for many years through setback after setback since 2005 with KIDS (Kids in Dubuque Skate), a group of youth and adult supporters which focused on building a new skate park for the community. Her tenacity, hard work, and leadership paid off with a ribbon cutting ceremony that took place in August of 2019. Jennifer is an avid animal lover and actively participated in the Pet Friendly Community work group representing the Park and Recreation Commission. Her hard work, passion, and dedication led to a Pet Friendly Community Assessment and a new city ordinance allowing pets in most parks in July 2020. Recently Jennifer was elected President of Friends of Mines of Spain after 20 years of being part this non-profit Board and an active volunteer at the E.B. Lyons Interpretive Center located in the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area. She actively advocated and participated in a multi -year process that ended with the adoption of new 28E agreement between the State of Iowa, Dubuque County Conservation Board, the City of Dubuque and the Friends of Mines of Spain, three government entities and a non-profit focused on providing what each does best in a new partnership. Through the years she has been involved in the expansion of the E.B. Lyons Interpretive Center and the most recently $2.2 million expansion of land and development known as the E.B. Lyons addition. Her work includes volunteering, education, fundraising, and more. A supporter of all things arts and culture in the community, Jennifer has served on additional various boards and committees and provided countless volunteer hours to community. Just some events and committees she has volunteered with include DBQFest, Art on the River, Julien Dubuque Film Festival, Dubuque 365, Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque Farmers Market, and the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Most recently she volunteered at the Toys for Tots Tri-State Holiday event at Five Flags Civic Center taking photos of Olaf, Elsa, and Anna with the kids present. With her background of web development and social media marketing, Jennifer is the voice behind the information you see in the public realm. She is often the voice of reason providing facts in social media posts and on websites she helps to maintain as a volunteer. Jennifer is a non-stop community advocate. She positively impacts people, projects, and initiatives in our community. When asked she always says yes. Her skills, knowledge, willingness to help others, and her dedication to the City of Dubuque makes her most deserving of the Claude Ahrens Community Service award recognizing her support and contribution to strengthening Dubuque's programs and resources. 1 IPRA Claude Ahrens Community Service Nomination Jennifer Tigges Community Service Involvement - City of Dubuque Parks and Recreation Commission Commission Member - Pet Friendly Community Work Group member - Pesticide Free Parks/Integrated Pest Management Work Group member - City of Dubuque Cable TV Commission Volunteer Activities - Friends of the Mines of Spain Longtime member of the Board and recently elected as President - Volunteer at EB Lyons Interpretive Center - 28E Mines of Spain Advisory Committee member - Dubuque Camera Club Longtime member, member of the Board, and currently Treasurer - DBQfest and Dubuque? County Fine Arts Society { Volunteer and member s K - Julien Dubuque Film Festival Volunteer - Kids in Dubuque Skate PAR►= (KIDS) Si' M Volunteer, Fundraiser - N4C camera clubs: oversee 11 states of �` '• Camera Club board Professional President of Digital Dubuque — a company focused on creation and implementation of video production services, event videography, DVD authoring, non -linear video editing, digital photography, website design and hosting and specializing in social media and social network marketing. They capture the places and people of Dubuque through photos, video and share via the web and social media. https://www.digitaldubugue.com/ THE CITY OF DUB TE Masterpiece on the Mississippi Dear IPRA Awards Committee, Dubuque AN-AmOffice of the Mayor "� City Hall 50 West 13th Street 11 i Dubuque, IA 52001-4845 2007-2012.2013 www.cityofdubuque.org 2017*2019 January 29, 2023 I am writing today in support of the nomination of Jennifer Tigges for the IPRA Claude Ahrens Community Service Award. Jennifer is a very active volunteer in our community and serves on two city commissions, Park and Recreation and Cable TV Commission. The City Council in 2018 set a high priority goal of becoming a Pet Friendly Community. Jennifer was appointed by the Council to the Pet Friendly work group tasked with performing a pet friendly community assessment as well as looking at policies. She along with other community members and city staff put together the Better Cities for Pets Assessment presented to the City Council. This required lots of research, public meetings, surveys, and more. She then was active in one of the initiatives out of the Assessment which was to look at the then current city ordinance which had no dogs allowed in parks. Through another series of work group meetings, public input meetings, surveys, and more sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Commission a new policy direction was explored. She used her promotional and social media skills to get even more people in the community involved in the discussion. The result was an ordinance change allowing pets in most city parks and all trails. She helped navigate a very contentious issue to a successful completion over a two-year period. In addition to service on the Commissions I see Jennifer actively volunteering in the community during community events. She has led and volunteered at DBQfest, a two-day family friendly festival in Washington Park celebrating and creating art, music, and culture. She is there helping set up and tear down, sitting in booths, brining water to volunteers, helping with activities and more. Volunteers like her are treasured for their dedication. She is involved and supports activities of the Dubuque Museum of Art and the Julien Dubuque Film Festival. All these events engage our community in quality -of -life activities and introduce them to our vibrant arts and culture organizations, programs, and activities. Sincerely, t3rad Cavan u h Mayor THE CITY OF DUB-'&'--kTE Masterpiece on the Mississippi January 29, 2023 Dear IPRA Awards Committee, Dubuque AI•Awrin Cily NAIX- L: N:AII' III11.F 2007-2012*2013 2017*2019 Leisure Services Department 2200 Bunker Hill Road Dubuque, IA 52001 Office (563) 589-4263 TTY (563) 690-6678 Fax (563) 589-4391 www.cityofdubuque.org It is with great pleasure that I write a letter of support for the nomination of Jennifer Tigges for the Claude Ahrens Community Service Award. I had the pleasure earlier in my career to meet Claude Ahrens and hear him share his message about leaving this world and your community better than you found it. Jennifer's volunteer work embodies his message. I met Jennifer Tigges first as a member of the City of Dubuque Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. Other cities would envy having such an active member of a Commission. Jennifer goes far beyond just showing up to the monthly meeting. She is a major advocate for parks and recreation. Jennifer is active in the budgeting processes by reviewing projects and advocating for projects she feels are very important to the community. She attends budget hearings for Leisure Services. She is not afraid to contact the Mayor or City Council regarding projects, initiatives, and policies that she feels are very important. She takes that beyond the city and advocates the County Supervisors and state legislators on topics that affect the department and the community related to quality of life. She works to educate herself and has attended IPRA conference and brings back important knowledge that she shares with her fellow commissioners. This last year Jennifer represented the Department, our partners, and city when we had community coaches (judges) from America in Bloom come to our community to evaluate the city on seven different areas. She hosted a visit at the Mines of Spain and accompanied us to Valentine Park where she explained the community garden that got started there through citizen involvement and the large native planting area in the park. She then represented the Department and the City at the America in Bloom symposium in St Louis where we received numerous awards and the top award for cities. Jennifer is an active volunteer in our community for parks and recreation and quality of life. Dubuque is a better place for all her efforts. Sincerely, Marie L. Ware Leisure Services Manager THE CITY OF DUB-%TE Masterpiece on the Mississippi January 29, 2023 Dear IPRA Awards Committee, Dubuque All -America City I I 2007-2012.2013 2017*2019 Leisure Services Department 2200 Bunker Hill Road Dubuque, IA 52001 Office (563) 589-4263 TTY (563) 690-6678 Fax (563) 589-4391 www.cityofdubuque.org I am pleased to offer my letter of support for the nomination of Jennifer Tigges for the IPRA Claude Ahrens Community Service Award. Jennifer is the member of the Commission that volunteers for work groups and committees that she has a strong interest in. She had a son that was very interested in skateboarding and although her son was grown by the time the finished skate park opened, she gave tirelessly of her time to the making a new skate park a reality. She used her social media and marketing skills to rally the youth to come to meetings about what they would like to see in a skatepark. She promoted every meeting whether it was planning and working with the consultant on the layout and flow of the park or the public meetings on potential locations for the skatepark. As you all are aware often those meetings result in the public saying they do not want "those kids" in the park, especially skateboarding. Jennifer made sure at each of these meeting that kids were present and explained the sport and weighed in on the pros and cons of each location. She helped the youth understand and engage in the civic processes from requests for City Council consideration of funding to public hearing and meetings related to the skate park project. She was instrumental in fundraising efforts by KIDS (Kids in Dubuque Skate). The project has been a great success due to her unwavering support over many, many years that it took to get the ideas of a new skatepark to become reality for the opening. She jumps in with both feet when it comes to initiatives she has a passion for. Several residents came to the city and wanted all parks to be pesticide free. Jennifer volunteered to be on the work group because she too has a passion for reducing chemical use. She came to meetings, researched, read, debated, and made suggestions but also assisted the residents to help them understand that through processes you may not get everything you wish the first time but step by step progress is important. The result was an Integrated Pest Management Program for the Leisure Services Department where one -fifth of the parks were designated and promoted as pesticide free. Jennifer is very deserving of this award for her commitment to community initiatives. Sincerely, Steve Fehsal Park Division Manager " " t,� � t E. s� cUM�r E q}i SERVI� Aw`A.RD 1ENNIFFR ��� Yari uut��fing; rlr�lrrytrr/ un,/ an �irrnlrrn,nr rs � �n-+fhrrrlwu lu �r/fi,/� ,prrrl u� your cunrmun/ty • 't