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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Board Minutes 10-12-22 MINUTES OCTOBER 12, 2022 6:30PM IN PERSON, REC. CENTER TYPE OF MEETING Parks and Recreation Board Monthly Meeting CHAIR Will Bertron SECRETARY Richard Cunningham filling in for Evan Mintz ATTENDEES Members Present: Sami Morrison, Will Bertron, Richard Cunningham, Amar Patel, Manish Agrawal, Stephen Damiani, Lulu Lopez, Laura Turley, Arlene Wells, Bret Bingham Staff: Susan White Council Liaison: John Montgomery VISITORS Kim Do, John Moffitt, Beth Smith, Jenny Toups, Julie Guyton, Sandeep Khurana, and WUP City Council member John Barnes. I. Call to Order: Will Bertron called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. II. Meeting Minutes: Manish Agrawal moved to approve the minutes of the September PRB meeting and Stephen Damiani seconded; approved unanimously. III. Friends Update: Sami Morrison, Friends Board Chair: Had meeting earlier today. Planning for Fathers and Flashlights is in the home stretch for the November 5-6 event. Registration so far is 263, including about 55 new families. Two sponsorships available, including a $750 sponsorship for a new ride called “The Whizzer.” The “Kid Fish” also needs a sponsor. Cost has gone up to $4,000. Mary Frances DuMay, who has sponsored Party on the Patio for the last two years has committed for the summer of 2023 as well. Happy to have her sign on so early. Council Update: John Montgomery, Mayor Pro Tem: Council has had three meetings, including a special hearing Sept. 19 on the budget and tax rate. The 2022 tax rate and the 2023 budget were adopted in a meeting Sept. 26. Capital improvement plan for 2023 to 2027 was also adopted. This is a concept-only plan at this point. More detailed plans will be developed as funding is available. Bond sale was also approved at the Sept. 26 meeting, but rate for the bonds went up between the time sale was discussed and when the sale was executed. The bond sale will fund projects including a new public works site near the Goode Company Taqueria. Also in the Sept. 26 meeting, approval for the new fee increases for water and for Parks and Recreation. October 10 Council meeting approved the Tri-Sports maintenance and operations agreement, including sharing of costs up to a cap of $100,000. Also approved capital projects including fencing, new air conditioning in volunteer concession area, and safety bars on bleachers in the West U. Elementary field. Total for these projects: $22.500.00. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes page 2 Also on October 10, Council voted to reject the single bid on the Edloe pathway project. Council was not confident that the contractor could handle the project, and that the bid was far too high (about $750,000). Council will rebid the project. Citizen Comments: Lack of staffing and expense for extended hours are issues at the recreation center. Looking for ways to improve. West U. residents Kim Do, John Moffitt, Beth Smith, Jenny Toups, Julie Guyton and Sandeep Khurana signed in to make their case for a 5:00 a.m. starting time for opening the rec center and pool. Discussions followed over pros and cons. John Barnes spoke about reviving the idea of a West U. garden club. John noted the history of WUP garden clubs and the fact that they are volunteer organizations, seeking no funding from the city. He stressed the community building benefits of a garden club. The organization might include informal partnerships with other organizations such as the Nature Discovery Center, the Audubon Society, the Native Plant Society and others. The garden club would be a resource that would support larger WUP projects and goals. John presented lists of officers and proposed projects. (John is a current City Council member, so he excluded himself as a potential officer of the new garden club.) Discussion followed with the board. Generally strong support all around. IV. New Fee Schedules: Susan White noted that facility use fees will increase. The Parks & Recreation department is looking for a consultant to help assess such things as staffing levels and hours, resident vs. non-resident participation, fees, demographics, and other issues. Also looking at cost recovery and revenue management plans. V. Edloe Street Project: Susan explained that the single bid for the project was rejected. In the next round of bidding, potential bidders will be allowed more time to submit the bid and increasing the time for substantial completion of the project (from 90 to 120 days). Labor and the availability of materials are concerns for contractors. Susan met with CenterPoint representatives about relocating two power poles and some guy wires, but the poles need to stay. Guy wires and one of the poles can be moved slightly to increase access to the path for disabled persons. VI. Upcoming Events: Movies in the Park this weekend. The Full Moon Fest will be Friday, Oct. 21 (even though that’s not a full moon night) at Colonial Park. Susan asked for volunteers to judge the costume contest. Halloween Dash fun run also needs volunteers. VII. Colonial Park Deck: Serious deterioration of the wood needs immediate attention. Susan is working to have the deck replaced before the next season. For now, maintenance crews are replacing damaged or rotten boards as needed to make sure the deck is safe to use until more extensive repairs can be done. VIII. Park Ambassador Reports & Remarks - Colonial Park: Amar Patel (east). The grass in central part was turning brown in September but now looks better. (Susan said our regular contractor had mowed it too low.) - Friends Park: Sami Morrison – No problems to report, and the Christmas tree looks great. - Huffington Park: Brett Bingham – Looking great. The park is getting lots of use. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes page 3 - Jennie Hughes Park: Laura Turley – No problems. The park looks good. - Judson Park: Richard Cunningham – Work is continuing. The park looks good. - Recreation Center: Manish Agrawal – Question: is there an age limit for kids to be left by themselves? He noticed kids on their own who seemed too young. - Whitt Johnson Park: Arlene Wells – Everything looks fine - Wier Park: Lulu Lopez – Park is busy with the nicer weather. Susan noted that we are getting a new survey of the park. XI. Adjournment Motion to Adjourn – 8:35. Unanimous consent.