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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFBMINUTES040407Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. Board Meeting Minutes April 4, 2007 Friends of West University Place Parks Board met on Wednesday, April 4th, at 11:40 a.m. at the West University Place Recreation Center, 4210 Bellaire Blvd. The following were in attendance: Board Members Executive Director Guests Joni Fichter Donna LaMond Bob Kelly Lynne Goddard Bob Fry Judy Bouillion WU Parks & Rec Staff Philip Bryant Susan Sample Tim O'Connor Sue Hanna Leah Ragiel Joni Fichter called the meeting to order at 11:38 a.m. President's Report - Joni Fighter Welcome to mayoral candidate Bob Kelly, and city council candidates Phillip Bryant and Bob Fry. Bob Kelly urges the Parks Board and Friends board to get behind the next bond issue in order for it to pass. Welcome to new board member Susan Sample who was officially appointed on 3/26 and who will work on Development. Susan is an attorney with F&J. Donna will send a press release regarding Susan's appointment to the board. Thanks to Kim Wilson for hosting and Vicki & Penny Grams for helping her with the thank you party for PLB last week. Thanks to Vicki & Penny, too, for getting their comments about future balls to us to us as we plan. We are in the market for a PLB Chair or co-chairs, so please share any ideas! We received another wonderful check for $13,054.38 from the Barbara M. Osborne Fund. Since we are not sure how this donation came about, Donna was looking into this and will report on this in her report. Donna will be sure the thank you notes to the appropriate parties are sent. Thanks have been sent to TRAPS for our recent honors. Meet the City Arbor Day and Easter Egg Hunt took place on Saturday, March 31 in spite of the bad weather. Events were moved inside and Friends choose to cancel the bunny photos due to the inclement weather. Thanks to those who helped to plan and volunteered to work at the event, and to Donna for getting out press releases. At some point, we need to review bi-laws and update to be consistent with today's practices. Approval of the Minutes and Siqn-In Sheet - A motion was made by Lynne Goddard and seconded by Sue Hanna to approve the March 7, 2007 minutes as sent. The motion carried. Executive Director's Report - Donna LaMond After making a few calls, discovered that the $13,054.38 donation received by Friends is designated for Whitt Johnson Park and was donated by Bizet Siegel of West U through the Barbara M. Osborne Charitable Lead Trust. Thank you and acknowledgements letters will be mailed now that we have all the information. Attended Council Interview for Susan Sample on March 26. As you know, she was appointed to the Friends Board at the Council meeting that evening. As a reminder, she has agreed to head up our PR and Marketing/Development efforts. Will send out a press release regarding her appointment, will take a photo of her today following our meeting. Sent out press release on Judy Bouillion with her photo, waiting until this week to send out Susan's. As stated at our last meeting, Judy Bouillion has agreed to take on the role of Membership Chair. She is trying to hook up with Katy Holt to get the scoop on how she did the newsletter, software she used, etc., then Judy and Donna will meet to get the annual newsletter and membership campaign underway. Thank you, Judy, for serving in this capacity in addition to your board secretary responsibilities. PLB 07 - Donna is continuing to work on collections of underwriter commitments and ball auction purchases. Auction Tracker can generate invoices and statements, so that has been useful. Sue Hanna and Donna have been working closely with each other to keep track of the receivables. Invoices have been mailed out. Payments are continuing to trickle in. Attended a PLB07 wrap up party last Thursday evening hosted by Kim Wilson, Friends Advisory Board member, at her home. It was a great opportunity for key players to visit and review the event and how successful it was. Thank you, Kim! PLB 08 - Yes, it is time to start working on the next ball. The date is tentatively set for Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008. Two hotels are holding space for us at this time. The Houstonian has penciled us in and Hotel ZaZa has us scheduled as well. They have sent us a contract that we have to execute by May 3, 2007 in order to finalize our agreement. Donna has asked for comments from Vicki, Penny and Joni before finalized the contract, if indeed that is where we decide to book it. The InterContinental Hotel and the Hilton of the Americas downtown and both are unavailable for our choice date of Feb. 9. The search is on for the next ball chair(s). Donna needs your assistance in nominating someone to take this role on. Assisting Danielle Kernell and Kelli Watson (and other host committee members) on the Crawfish Boil, which was a PLB07 sociable. The date is Saturday, May 5 at the home of Kelli and Chris Watson, 3516 Tangley. Will work with Sue Hanna to move/deposit Friends money at Bank of River Oaks with Andrew Lane. Donna will also check in with Walter Thomas to be sure that Friends receives the funds (or credit for the funds) generated by interest on the money we wrote a check to the City for the Lewis match. Usually, we keep the restricted funds in our accounts so that we can collect on the interest. This was a special set of circumstances requested by the Lewis Family Charitable Foundation. Donna will contact the Lewis Foundation to see if they want the invoice now, or wait until year end which is how they had requested it be done in the past. Friends' chose to cancel the bunny photos at the Arbor Day festivities held on March 31 at Colonial Park due to the inclement weather as stated earlier in Joni's report. Other Arbor Day events were moved indoors. Thanks to Maria Elena and to Vicki for their efforts to be ready for it. Thank you to Cece McCann for the signage she created for the photos with the Easter Bunny. Donna attended a Best Boards conference at Rice University on March 8. It provided useful information that is applicable to Friends and how we operate. More on this will be forthcoming. One idea for Friends was thank you notes coming from kids who use the parks. Discussion ensued regarding selling Friends items at classical series coming up at Colonial Park, or at future events. It was suggested that we use teenagers to man booths and sell items. Board Reports Treasurer's Report - Sue Hanna Income and Balance Statements distributed. Sue and Donna reported that the Lewis match was met. Ultimately, we will get $500,000 in total from the Lewis Grant since we did match that amount. This includes amounts already invoiced and received. The amount remaining to be invoiced is $314,336.40. PLB07 has thus far netted $314,463.76. More money from PLB07 commitments continue to come in, in excess of the amount needed to meet the match challenge. Therefore, the net number will increase. Discussed mailer program. Park Lovers Ball - 2007 - Penny Grams and Vicki Grams Covered by Donna in her report. Parks & Rec Report - Tim O'Connor Park Planning Proiect: • City has entered a contract with Carter & Burgess Inc. to assess the failed November 2006 Bond Election, to plan forward in revising the redevelopment strategy for the West University Recreation Center and the Colonial Park Swimming Pool & Recreation Center, to assist in preparing for a new Bond Election and to assess and possibly update the City's Parks Master Plan. • Special Workshops and the first Town Hall meeting will be scheduled for mid-May 2007. • Goal is to have a presentation/recommendation ready for City Council Preview in June of 2007. Rice Pocket Park: • Final Construction Documents have been completed. • RFQ packets are complete and shall be mailed out on April 5. • Prior to construction beginning, staff will present final plans to council and request that the project be fully funded and not phased-in. • Anticipate beginning construction in May 2007 with an anticipated completion date of late summer 2007. • Staff is preparing a proposal to Council that the park be named FRIENDS PARK, in honor of the many efforts of and contributions the Friends have made to the Parks and Recreation System. • We will plan a formal Park Dedication Ceremony and ribbon cutting, once all the work is complete. An "official" date and time for the ceremony shall be established by the Friends Board. City Wide Tree Maintenance Project: • RFQ's were mailed to qualified vendors on February 28, 2007. • Bids were opened on March 20, 2007. • Bid has been awarded to Texas Services, LTD. • Work to include comprehensive tree care in parks and identified trees on municipal property. Including removal of the three "trash" trees growing in the corridor on the west end of Whitt Johnson Park • Cost: $8,935.00, to be funded through the WUP Tree Trust. Parkland Acquisition Sub-Committee: • Investigating potential park properties, between Edloe & Buffalo Speedway / Bissonnet & Bellaire, for the development of a future neighborhood park. • 2 million in funding was approved in the November 2006 Bond Election. • A final report/recommendation to be presented to City Council in May of 2007 Colonial Park Drainage Proiect: • Project involves re-grading the east end of the park, to terminate the ponding that currently exists. • Project Cost: $5,800.00 - not budgeted, but will be requesting the funding from the Friends of West University Place Parks Inc. • Involves grubbing and re-grading approximately 9,000 square feet, with new turf being rolled in place. • Involves approximately two days work, requiring the east end of the park being closed. The new turf will require being undisturbed, no foot traffic, for approximately thirty days. • Still contemplating scheduling the work for either mid April or early Fall of 2007, pending funding approval. After further discussion of the Colonial Park ponding issue, a motion was made by Lynne Goddard and seconded by Leah Ragiel to fund $5,800 for the correction of drainage issue and re-seeding of the low-lying areas at Colonial Park. The motion carried. Meet The City Day / Arbor Day / Easter Eq, strvaganza• • Scheduled for Saturday March 31, 2007 -11:00am until 2:00pm • Event was rained-out. 0 Moved Easter Bunny and Entertainers indoors - approximately 75 citizens attended. • Sixty Trees were distributed to residents - funded from the WUP Tree Trust. • Donated surplus candies and eggs to the Houston Women's Shelter. • Re-stocked all non-perishables for use in summer camps and recreational programs. Classical Concert Series: • Entertainment secured and contracts signed for the 2007 series. • To be conducted on the east end of Colonial Park, 7 until 9pm, staged at the pavilion, with free admission. • Advertising campaign to begin this week, with event banners being posted at Wier and Colonial Parks. • April 13th - River Oaks Chamber Orchestra • April 201h - Zeger Strings • May 41h - Shepherd School of Music - Rice University First Annual West University Place Tennis Tournament: • Scheduled for April 13th through 15th, using all West University Courts. • Have registered approximately 30 players to date. • All equipment, supplies and awards have been ordered. Noted that this is not intended to be a fundraising event, all fees go back into funding tournament. Parks & Recreation Operations: • Judson Park Tennis Court is being completely renovated and will be back-in-service by April 13, 2007 • Summer/Fall 2007 Leisure Guides have been delivered to the printer and shall be mailed to all WUP residents by May 1, 2007. • Colonial Park Pool enclosure was taken down for the 2007 Spring/Summer season. Pool was scheduled to be closed from March 26th through April 9th, but staff facilitated the work in record time, allowing for the pool to re-open on April 3rd - six full days ahead of schedule. Staff anticipates our getting at least one more year of service from the existing inflatable enclosure. • All new deck furniture was purchased and installed at the Colonial Park Pool, with the "old" deck furniture being placed into service at the West University Recreation Center Pool. • Staff is preparing an updated Fee Schedule for all PARD facility memberships & admission fees, as well as facility rentals. Plan on presenting to Parks Board for review in June 2007. Plan on presenting to City Council in conjunction with the 2008 Budget. • Parks Foreman and Recreation Manager are enrolled for and scheduled to attend a Certified Pool Operators Certification Course on April 16th & 17th. • Senior Services was budgeted for a new vehicle for their transportation program in 2007. The vehicle has been ordered and should be in service by the end of May 2007. • Senior Services continues their efforts in planning, promoting and implementing a variety of "active" programs for older residents, includes water exercise, weightlifting, anaerobic exercise and Tai-Chi. • The Park Maintenance and Facility Division's 2007 Work Calendar's have been completed with all work progressing as scheduled. • A RFQ has been prepared and will be mailed to qualified vendors by April 13th, exclusively for the preventative maintenance of the city's HVAC systems. • Preparations have begun on producing RFQ's for both the city's janitorial and mowing/landscaping contracts. We anticipate facilitating those bids in the fall of 2007. Friend's Board: • Developing a five-year playground improvement plan, for the period beginning 2008 through 2012. • Intended to allow the annual Park Lovers Ball Planning Committee to promote definitive park and playground improvements at Huffington, Colonial, Judson, Wier and Whitt Johnson Parks, in their fundraising efforts. • Goal is to have the plan approved by September 2007. Eagle Scout Project: • Palmer Wilson has undertaken the landscape island at Weslayan and Riley as his Eagle Scout Project. • Landscape Design & Plan has been completed and approved. • Full funding for the project has been secured • Work will begin and conclude on Saturday, April 14th. ( 8am - 3pm ) E-store & Pavers - Diana Brown No report. Admin Committee - Margaret Wallace No report. PR/Marketing & Development Committee - Susan Sample Will check on Earthshare for donations. Membership/Newsletter - Judy Bouillion Communicating with Katy Holt to get up to date on the newsletter. Special Proiects/Wish List/Giving Tree -Maria Elena Herbst Business Partners and Stork Project- Lynne Goddard No report. Friends Guild - Leah Ragiel No report. New Business Signage - There was a discussion regarding the use of signage to inform the public what projects have been funded by the Friends of West University Place Parks. Could signs be used at the Colonial Park project as it is going on....Donna will check with Sue Hanna to see who Greenwood King uses for their signs and see if they would be willing to donate signs for this use. The next Friends Board meeting will be Wednesday, May 2nd at 11:30 a.m. at the West U Rec. Center. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:48 pm. Respectfully submitted, Judy Bouillion*