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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Board Minutes 2-8-23 MINUTES FEBRUARY 8, 2023 6:30PM IN PERSON, CITY HALL TYPE OF MEETING Parks and Recreation Board Monthly Meeting CHAIR Will Bertron SECRETARY Evan Mintz ATTENDEES Members Present: Sami Morrison, Will Bertron, Richard Cunningham, Amar Patel, Manish Agrawal, Stephen Damiani, Lulu Lopez, Laura Turley, Staff: Susan White Council Liaison: John Montgomery VISITORS WUP City Council member John Barnes Farrell Buller, Principal, 110% (Consultant) I. Call to Order: Will Bertron called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. II. Citizen Comments: None III. Meeting Minutes: The Jan. 11th minutes were unanimously approved IV. Operational Analysis & Financial Sustainability Update: Susan White and Farrell Buller, Principal Consultant 110% (zoom) Beneficiary of service update: Farrell Buller recommended a hybrid model with input from the staff. The next step is to align each program within the appropriate bucket and then ensuring that revenue/subsidy is properly set. In April this will be proposed to city council. The board asked about how we account for capacity usage and supply/demand when determining revenue/subsidy. Farrell said that recommendations will be made to improve processes before recommending changing fees, but there is a challenge in matching facility usage with class numbers. The board also asked about nonresident fees and prioritizing residents over nonresidents for class sign-ups and fees — and whether 110% can provide a breakdown of resident/nonresident usage. Farrell noted that this info won’t change the results from their tools and that value will drive spending determinations, but that this info could be a later step when deciding revenue/subsidy. Also, capital budget and depreciation needs aren’t taken into account when making these determinations. The board expressed a desire to see debt, taxes, resident fees, nonresident fees allocated for each individual program — and overall allocate the capital costs of an activity and not just the marginal costs — though it might not be possible through 110%. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes page 2 V. Friends Update: Susan White, Parks and Recreation Director The Parks Lovers Ball is this weekend! Tickets are sold out, but sometimes there are extra seats when people buy tables so feel free to reach out if you still want to attend. VI. Council Update: John Montgomery, Mayor Pro Tem There is going to conversation about the East Side Drainage Project. The city is waiting on the GLO at the state level to allow for the plan. Work will start along Rice and University, and it will be inconvenient for a while but will greatly improve drainage. This is part of a long term goal of the city to improve drainage and street coverings. We learned that some residents have driveways in the city easement and their driveways will be destroyed and won’t be able to access their garages for more than a month – which creates a real problem for people with electric cars who have their chargers in their garages. Also, Buffalo Speedway is done! There was a ribbon cutting with Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. However, TxDOT won’t let us open the road without striping and the supplier was out of paint. Now we have to wait for the road to be dry before striping can happen. VII. Parks & Recreation Update: Susan White, Parks and Recreation Director The Edloe Street project has been approved and construction will begin soon! The Spring event series has been finalized. Also, progress is being made on creating a historic marker for the Poor Farm. VIII. Park Ambassador Reports & Remarks: Colonial Park: Amar Patel (east) The park looks good. Some grass dies under trees, and rain makes mud, so mud gets onto the sport challenge site; Evan Mintz (west) images of dying oaks from the Austin freeze created concern about our oaks; Stephen Damiani (pool) Friends Park: Sami Morrison – Huffington Park: Brett Bingham – Jennie Hughes Park: Laura Turley – Trees were taken out and there were questions about whether they can and should be replaced Judson Park: Richard Cunningham – The creosote pole was removed and the green pole was disconnected. Also, tennis/pickleball is working out just fine, according to a tennis player. The lights are working great, a good warm color. Recreation Center: Manish Agrawal – The park is great, and the app is very helpful for reporting problems. Whitt Johnson Park: Arlene Wells – All good Wier Park: Lulu Lopez – Always busy, always nice to see every part of it being used. IX. Wier Park Update: Will Bertron, Chair - Consultant Overview (Susan White): Discuss and take any desired action. There remain questions about the park – drainage, gravel, etc – that are beyond our expertise. Susan is recommending a consulting firm to help with the project – Burditt – Parks and Recreation Board Minutes page 3 which has done work in the Woodlands and Conroe. - User Group Selection: There’s going to be a lot of interest in this park – it may be our most used per square foot. X. Order of Business: Will Bertron, Chair - Old Business - New Business XI. Motion to Adjourn: