PLAINFIELD, IL — The Plainfield Park District decided on its leadership team for this year on Wednesday, re-electing current president Mimi Poling and vice president Bill Thoman to new terms.
“I am very pleased to have been re-elected to president of the Plainfield Park District Board of Commissioners,” Poling said. “All seven of our commissioners are active and committed to the district and the board. Their cooperative positive spirit makes it an honor to serve together.”
Poling was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2014 and was elected to her first term in 2015 and re-elected in 2017. She has been recognized as a Master Board Member by the Illinois Association of Park Districts.
She said the uncertainties related to the coronavirus pandemic created several challenges for the district, and along with her team, she was forced to make tough decisions about not opening the pools for summer or canceling the annual July Fourth fireworks show.
“These are longstanding traditions in Plainfield, and we did not make those decisions easily,” Poling said. “But it has also brought a new sense of creativity with online classes, now in Phase 3 outdoor bingo and exercise classes and our first-ever drive-in movie experiences.”
She said it’s exciting to think that even with restrictions, “we can continue to serve our community for recreation.”
“And our Parks have had lots of families walking just to get out and enjoy the out- of-doors safely. We have been able to keep functioning during this very difficult time thanks to a very dedicated staff. I am very grateful to them,” she added.
As Poling embarks on shaping the district’s future, she will be aided once again by Thoman, who was first elected to the board in 2017 and re-elected in 2019. He has also been recognized as a Notable Board Member by IAPD.
She said while the future cannot be predicted, she knows that the future of the Plainfield Park District is “strong.”
“Right now we are adapting to changing situations with COVID-19, but we will continue to maintain and build our parks,” Poling said. “We have been awarded a large grant for Eaton Preserve where we will focus on history of the property and nature. We will be developing a new five-year plan as we continue to replace old playgrounds, develop new programming and serve our diverse community.”
For more news and information like this, subscribe to the Plainfield Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
This article originally appeared on the Plainfield Patch