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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRBMINUTES080107-version (2)Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Wednesday, August 1, 2007 West University Place, Texas 1. Call to Order: Chairman Russ Schulze at 6:30pm. II. Introductions: Chairman Schulze recognized Eva Ruth with the Village News. He announced that Eva was leaving the paper to join a newspaper group in San Antonio. He commended Eva on her work with the Village News and wished her every success with her new endeavors Board Members Present: Russ Schulze, Mardi Turner, Joni Fichter, Helen Talianchich, Dave Agerton, Janine Schueppert, Laura Theis - Tim O'Connor. Members of the Public Present: Ramsay Elder and Eva Ruth III. Citizen's Comments: No Public Comment IV. Review and Approval of June 6. 2007 Parks Board Meeting Minutes: A motion was made by Mardi Turner, with four ( 4) noted changes, and seconded by Helen Talianchich to approve the minutes from the 6/6/07 Board meeting. The motion was unanimously passed. V. Friends Board Report: 9/29 Communitywide Garage Sale scheduled. Please save hangers, grocery bags and boxes. A location to store items is needed. The following items will not be sold: mattresses, computers and non-working electronics. On 5/5 $2,300.00 was raised at the Crawfish Boil. Recent groundbreaking for Friends Park. Diane Kane will chair the 2008 PLB that will be held at Hotel ZaZa on 2/9/08. Fathers and Flashlights has $11 k in cash donations as well as many other items donated from Coca-Cola, JMH, Starbucks. Will be held on 10/27/07 (11/3/07 rain date) for kids ages 3-12. The cost is $50 per Dad and $35 per kid and moms are required to volunteer for 2 hours. VI. Update on the Parks Board Park Acquisition Sub-Committee's efforts: Russ & Janine A meeting was held on 7/5/07 with Mayor Bob Kelly. See Departmental Update below. VII. Update on the Park Planning Project with Carter & Burgess Inc•Russ A meeting was held on 7/5/07 with Mayor Bob Kelly. See Departmental Update below. VIII.Staff Reports DEPARTMENTAL UPDATE (JUNE & JULY 2007) Park Planning Project: • 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. • Park Planning Sub-Committee, Mayor Kelly, Councilmember Cohen, Michael Ross and I met with Carter & Burgess on July 19t". The Scope of Service was reviewed and updated. • We anticipate a "final Report" from Carter & Burgess to be presented to the City Council, Parks Board and General Public on Monday, August 13, 2007. (`yinal report" will be released to the media at that time. ) Friends Pocket Park: • Construction began on July 2, 2007 with an anticipated completion date within 120 days of start. • An official Groundbreaking Ceremony was conducted on June 28, 2007. • Mobilization of project well under way. • Layout is established. • Tree protection completed and satisfactory. • Demolition is complete. Two Chinese pistache trees have been removed by the city. We removed the Oak Tree. I have a request for proposal in to Jack regarding cost differences due to oak not being transplanted. • Grading has been started and excess soil is being stored on site to be used later. • Drainage is complete and satisfactory. • Piers have been moved back to second week in August. This puts the project about a week behind schedule, which we don't consider to be excessive due to rain delays. • A formal Park Dedication Ceremony and ribbon cutting will be conducted, 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 Proiect: • Bid has been awarded to Texas Services, LTD. • Work began on June 1, 2007 and is approximately 60% complete as of 7/31/07. • Work to include comprehensive tree care in parks and identified trees on municipal property. • Cost: $8,935.00, 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 recommendation was presented to City Council. • City Manager Ross has been contacting identified property owners to determine if they are interested is selling and is identifying what the asking & ' fair market" prices are. • The Parkland Acquisition will be an ongoing process 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 Friends of West University Place Parks Inc. approved fully funding the expense and City Council authorized the expenditure. • 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. • It has been determined that the work will be scheduled after the start of the 2007/2008 School Year - early to late October 2007. Friend's Board: • Developing a five-year playground improvement plan, for the period beginning 2008 through 2012. Plan 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. • Friends received a $25,000.00 donation from Comcast. This donation qualifies for the full Lewis Foundation Matching Grant - $50,000.001 • The date for the 2008 Park Lover's Ball has been set for February 9, 2008, tentatively at the Hotel Za-Za. • Friends Executive Director La and and President Joni Fichter are working with the Fathers & Flashlights Planning Committee and City Staff in preparation for the first annual event scheduled for Saturday, October 27, 2007. Potential for revenue to the Friends is estimated to exceed $10,000.00 • Friends Board is working towards facilitating a Community Garage Sale fundraiser in the Fall of 2007. Parks & Recreation Operations: • Summer classes, programs and activities are in full swing, with a majority of our offerings making the registration minimum requirements. The rain has had a negative impact on Public Swim participation and subsequently pool revenues. Swim lessons and camp programs have not been fiscally impacted by the inordinate rainfall. • Colonial Park Pool: 1) Mechanical Room has been renovated 2) The replacement of the pool water heating system has been completed and all systems are operational. 3) The "baby pool" shade framework has been completely renovated and the shade material has been installed. 4) All new deck furniture has been received and is in use. The "old" furniture has been put into service at the West University Recreation Center Pool. 2 • City Council approved the hiring of the requested Administrative Recreation Specialist position. This full-time position has been posted and we anticipate it being filled by September 1, 2007. • Staff is preparing an updated Fee Schedule for all PARD facility memberships, admission fees and facility rentals, working with Parks Board Member Dave Agerton. We will present an updated fee schedule to City Council in conjunction with the 2008 Budget. • We experienced a series of three buglaries at the Community Building during June and July. The Police Department put in place several security measures and were successful in arresting the culprit and recovering the stolen equipment and supplies. The Police Department is investigating the installation of a security system in the Community/Senior Services Building, beginning in early 2008. Parks & Recreation Operations Continued: • The 2008 Budget Process is underway. 1) We are not requesting any new positions. 2) 1 anticipate any park playground and park equipment Capital Improvement Projects CIP's ) will be funded through the fundraising efforts of the Friends Board. 3) Preliminary listing of CIP's we will be requesting funding for: A) Fibar Upgrades, $3,000.00 B) Re-plaster Colonial Pool, $25,000.00 C) Renovation of Public Works Kitchen, $4,300.00 D) Renovation of Fire Station Kitchen & Dining Area, $5,800.00 E) HVAC Equipment Replacements, $28,000.00 4) We will be proposing increasing fees to recover whatever percentage of the operations and maintenance budget the Council directs us to. 5) Cardio Equipment for Colonial Park Recreation Center, $7,500.00. Operations and Maintenance budgets should remain close to the 2007 Budget, but with gasoline prices rising, we anticipate many of our contract services and goods increasing in price - exact percentage unknown at this time. A RFQ has been mailed to qualified vendors, 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. Eagle Scout Proiect (a Whitt Johnson Park: Mardi Turner and I met with Eagle Scout Candidate, John LaMond, at Whitt Johnson Park on July 31, 2007. The following is the scope of that proposed project: • 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. • Estimated completion date early to mid October 2007. IX. Board Reports A. Park Ambassador Reports B. Proposed Fee Schedule: Dave Agerton and Tim O'Connor A revised Fee Schedule involving: daily admission and membership fees for Colonial Park and the Recreation Center, along with Facility Rental fees, has been prepared and will be presented to Council during the 2008 Budget Process. The Board directed Tim to provide them with a copy of the fee schedule and all supporting documentation. The Board recommended that the fee schedule be reviewed annually, as to prevent a lengthy delay in adjusting fees and in dealing with potential citizen complaints regarding significant changes in the fees and charges. The Board recommended that Tim prepare a "cost center" and "revenue history"for each identified element of the parks system, specifically Senior Services, Parks Maintenance, Facility Maintenance, Colonial Park Swimming Pool & Recreation Center, West University Recreation Center, Community Building and Administration. X. New Business None XI. Adjournment-Meeting adjourned by Chairman Schulze at 8:00pm 3