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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFBMINUTES020608Friends of West University Place Parks Fund, Inc. Board Meeting Minutes February 6, 2008 Friends of West University Place Parks Board met on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, at the West University Place Recreation Center, 4210 Bellaire Blvd. The following were in attendance: Board Members Joni Fichter Vicki Grams Judy Bouillion Sue Jensen Lynne Goddard Susie Boyce Leah Ragiel Sue Hanna Executive Director/Staff Donna LaMond Others Chuck Guffey Dorothy Kaldis Diane Cain Joni Fichter called the meeting to order at 11:40 a.m. Chair's welcome - Joni Fichter • A huge thanks to all who have been getting tables together, encouraging underwriters and donors, and securing auction items for PLB. It is going to be amazing! Dorothy and Diane have been tireless leaders and the rest of you have been awesome. Can't wait! • Please arrive around 9 am on Saturday. We'll bring coffee and lunch. We'll validate your parking tickets, but try to carpool to save money! Approval of the Minutes and Sign-In Sheet - Judy Bouillion A motion was made by Sue Jensen and seconded by Vicki Grams to approve the January 7, 2007 Minutes as sent, with the change of Vicki Grams as a Board Member. The motion carried. Executive Director's Report - Donna LaMond No regular report, discussed the PLB below. Board Reports Park Lovers Ball - February 9 2008 - Diane Cain & Dorothy Kaldis • Catalogs are done and being delivered. • Going to ZaZa today to make sure all is in order. • Sold out and oversold, at least 30 people on the waiting list. • Board Members and Volunteers report to the ZaZa at 9:00 Saturday morning for setup. Coffee and lunch will be provided. Need to have the Human Slot Machines manned. Need volunteers. PR/Marketing & Development Committee/Garage Sale Event - Susan Sample - No report. Resident Decorators/Special Proiect/Wish List/Giving Tree - Maria Elena Herbst & Vicki Grams - PLB08 Business Partners and Stork Project- Lynne Goddard - No report. Friends Guild - Leah Ragiel • Meeting on Friday at K. Watson home • Will be tying ribbons on the vodka bottles and pasting sheets on boards for the PLB. Fathers & Flashlights - Daryl Hoover & Jennifer Gatto - No report. Parks & Rec Report - Tim O'Connor not present but sent in report. Park Planning Proiect: • Survey netted a 24% return, compared to the national average of 10% • A public presentation of the Citizen Survey results was presented publicly to the City Council at the January 7, 2008 Council Meeting. • Council directed staff and the Parks Planning Sub-Committee to move forward in developing a timeline for possibly conducting a Municipal Bond Election in November 2008, specifically addressing the redevelopment of the Colonial Park Swimming Pool & Recreation Center, the West University Recreation Center & Swimming Pool and the Community Building/Senior Center, and to have the plan in place/completed by June of 2008. • PGAL has begun working on conceptual designs, based on the results of the Citizen Survey and direction from Council, Park Planning Sub-Committee and staff. • Staff is developing a preliminary Business Plan, in anticipation of the redevelopment of the Colonial Park Recreation Center & Swimming Pool, the West University Recreation Center & Swimming Pool and the Community Building/Senior Center, including projected operation & maintenance budgets, staffing levels, facility schedules and a long-term capital replacement plan. • Staff is investigating the possibility of using the Lewis Foundation/Friends funding, $1M, to move forward with the design and construction of an indoor fitness & instructional pool at the West University Recreation center location. • It is anticipated that weekly planning meetings, relative to the complete redevelopment project, will be conducted over the next 3 to 4 months. Friends Park: • Friends Park is officially open to the public! • A formal Park Dedication Ceremony and ribbon cutting was conducted on Tuesday, December 11, 2007. • An annual maintenance agreement has been facilitated for the clock tower. • The Dedication Plaque for the park and for the park bench have been ordered and we anticipate delivery & installation in late February. • Monies have been set aside from the contingency for some additional color planting this Spring. City Wide Tree Maintenance Proiect: • Phase II of the program is being developed, with the City Forester taking the lead. • Project is completely funded through the WUP Tree Trust. Parkland Acquisition Sub-Committee: • City has purchased the property at 3501 Corondo Court. • No immediate plans for development as a neighborhood park have been discussed or authorized. • 2 million in funding was approved in the November 2006 Bond Election, specifically for the purchase of parkland. • The Sub-Committee has requested the City retain a Realtor to assist them in moving forward with development of a definitive plan, to be presented to City Council for approval. Colonial Park Drainage Proiect: • Work began in early January, but has been delayed due to wet weather. • Project Cost: $5,800.00 Friends of West University Place Parks Inc. approved fully funding the expense and City Council authorized the expenditure. • The grubbing and re-grading of approximately 9,000 square feet, has been completed. • Weather permitting, the top-dressing and the new turf being rolled in place, should begin the week of February 4th. • Once in-place, the new turf will require being undisturbed, no foot traffic, for approximately thirty days. • The signage that the parks Board requested has been in place since January 18th. Eagle Scout Proiect @ Whitt Johnson Park: • Renovate the Gazebo - inclusive of power-washing, staining and resealing the structure. • Plant a "butterfly garden" at the entrance of the park, to the immediate of the inside of the front gate. • Re-Plant the large cast-iron planter at the entrance to the park. • Enhance the plantings on the landscape island at the corner of Carnegie and Wakeforest, around the utility boxes. • Facilitate a general park clean-up, inclusive of power-washing the sport courts. • Waiting on Eagle Candidate to finalize his plans and funding. Project could possibly be delayed until the Spring of 2008. Friend's: • All efforts have involved the planning for the 2008 Park Lover's Ball, to be conducted Saturday, February 9th at the Hotel Za-Za. • Friends Guild is growing and efforts have improved the overall effectiveness of the Friends many efforts. • Five-Year Playground Renovation Plan is very close to completion, staff is working with T.F. Harper and Associates, out of Austin, Texas, in developing the plan and identifying actual costs. • The planning for the 2008 Friends - Fathers & Flashlights Event is underway. Tentative date is October 4th. Parks & Recreation Operations: • Colonial Pool Operations, post pool enclosure removal, Update: o The pool heater was out-of-service for almost three weeks, and the efforts in restoring the system were successful only after determining that the system was installed and calibrated incorrectly. Subsequent to the system being fully operational, it was determined that the cost for correcting the problem would be approximately $4,500.00, which we shall bill back to the group who we purchased the system from and who installed the system. More disturbing is the fact that the current water heating system was designed for an indoor application and would have to be upgraded to effectively handle the water heating needs during sustained lower temperatures. • All classes, swim lessons and public swim programs are suffering in terms of attendance and subsequently the revenues have fallen significantly. • New Fee Schedule was implemented beginning January 1, 2008. Fee increases were estimated to generate an additional $50K in revenue for the 2008 Fiscal Year, but the pool heating systems issues and the lack of an enclosure will reduce that projection significantly. • The Rental Caretaker Program began January 1, 2008. We are still experiencing some difficulty in securing interested/qualified applicants for these positions, but are using existing personnel until the necessary positions are filled. • The deforestation of Poor Farm Ditch, specifically between Bissonnet and Holcomb, has been substantially completed. This project was a joint venture between Harris County and the City of West University Place. We are currently in the process of pruning the Oleander shrub line along Edloe, beginning at JMH and running north to Sunset. We are also 90% complete with removing all of the "volunteer growth" along that same stretch. • Staff began work on preparing a DRAFT of a Parks Naming Rights Policy for review by the Parks Board, which will go before City Council for approval in the Spring of 2008. We would ask that a sub-committee from the Parks Board be formed to assist with this effort. • Staff implemented an E-Newsletter in January of 2008. The document has received rave reviews and will continue to be prepared and distributed at the end/beginning of each month. Special recognition to Kim Rottet, Recreation Specialist, for developing the concept, designing the model and continuing to grow the service. • The remodeling of Susan White's office and the construction of additional storage space at the Community Building was completed in late December. • The remodeling of the Public Works administration kitchen/break-room and the Public Works operations break-room were completed in January. • The remodeling of the Fire department kitchen and dining areas is scheduled to begin in February - this project has been delayed for over three years and is to the point where it can wait no longer. • Staff is investigating the process and costs for installing a water sensor system in all of our irrigation applications. Currently we are irrigating at a rate that is not prudent, as the systems are on timers and do not take rainfall into consideration. • A new air conditioning & heating system was installed in the Animal Control Facility - the former system failed and State Law requires that such a system be 100% operational at all times. • Experience several plumbing malfunctions at the Colonial Park Recreation Center. Staff was able to repair the issues, but not without the need for also repairing damages the leaks caused to the drywall. • Installed new slide at Whitt Johnson Park - replacement slide was under warranty, but labor was paid out of operating budget. Treasurer's Report - Sue Hanna - • Distributed reports • Discussed that over 20 underwriters of the $2500 tables have not paid. We need to contact. Invoices were sent out on 2/4 to those who have not yet paid. City Council Report - Chuck Guffey - No report. Old Business - None New Business - None Next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5th at 11:30 at the West U Rec Center unless otherwise posted. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:35 pm. Respectfully submitted, Judy Bouillion Secretary 0