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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Board Minutes 6-14-23 MINUTES JUNE 14, 2023 6:30PM IN PERSON, CITY HALL 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, Stephen Damiani, Ariene Wells. Staff: Susan White Council Liaison: John Montgomery Parks Operations Manager: Jeremy Veld VISITORS I. Call to Order: Will Bertron called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. II. Citizen Comments: Alida Drewes spoke to say that leaving senior citizens outside when there is a heat advisory is very cruel. About the budget she asked why is the city wasting taxpayer money? She has seen multiple Parks & Recreation staff members at meetings that were not Parks events. She asked if West U residents are paying for that. She noted that Bellaire charges double for non-resident trip costs (for senior transportation). She added that residents are harassed in West University Place. Since noted that she has asked for a dog park many times over the years, and asked why that has not happened. Why can’t seniors have a safe place to sit with their dogs? Also, why is there no park within walking distance from her home? Why (is the board) not advocating for taxpayers? West U is a dictatorship, she added. III. Approval of Minutes from the May 10 meeting: Richard moved to approve / Steve seconded. IV. Council Update: John Montgomery, Mayor Pro Tem We have a new city council following the recent election. Matt Hart and Clay Brett are new council members. Council will be considering revisions to the city’s five-year master plan. The new council also considered an ordinance to prevent residents from parking vehicles on lawns or grassy areas that are not paved. Vote was unanimous to approve. V. Friends Update: Sami Morrison, Friends Board Chair Four West U residents were honored at a luncheon on May 17 for their work with Fathers and Flashlights and the Park Lover’s Ball. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes page 2 Fathers and Flashlights underwriting has started. The event will be November 4th and 5th. The registration will begin soon after school starts in the fall. Party on the Patio: The first one was on Friday night and they will continue each Friday in June. This is Mary Francis DuMay’s third year to sponsor the events. VI. Wier Park Concept Presentation and Discussion: Will Bertron, Chair and Dale Clark, Burditt Susan White noted that public notifications went out to 170 homes that are near Wier Park to let them know about the project and inform them of the website and sign up for notifications. There is also a Wier Park web page dedicated to the project. Once the Parks Board approves the recommended plan, all residents and interested parties will be notified. Dale Clark used a PowerPoint presentation to review the current plan and recommendations. (as noted in last month’s Minutes) “The plan includes new shade structures, putting turf under shady trees and across play areas, expanding the boundaries of the park on the south side, expanding play areas, adding amenities under the southwest oak, and others.” Instead of seven picnic tables, Dale explained, the new plan includes only five, but they will be well-placed for best use. One diseased large tree will need to be removed. There will be a variety of equipment for various ages and additional places to sit. Dale explained features of the park that are designed for ADA accessibility. He noted that there are still decisions to be made, such as paint colors, but the basic plan is ready for our approval. Once the Concept Plan is approved, the next phase will be construction drawings. Further changes can be made and should be expected. Susan added that some changes, such as repainting some playground equipment and replacing some signage, is outside of the scope of Burditt plan, but that they will be addressed by the Parks Department. She also noted that since a tree will need to be replaced, this is an opportunity for donors who have been asking for a project to support. There was some general discussion about new equipment, such as the cornhole (beanbag toss game, similar to tossing horseshoes). Some residents have asked about restrooms in the parks, but the expense and other considerations are significant. VII. Move to approve the Wier Park conceptual design: Richard / Stephen. Motion approved unanimously. VIII. Parks & Recreation Update: Susan White, Parks and Recreation Director Susan noted that since the Friends of West U Parks Fund was established, the volunteer nonprofit group has raised some $9.5 million in cash and another $8.7 million in in-kind donations and sponsorships. Susan explained that the Edloe Street project is moving slower than expected due to some missing fence panels. Beginning next week, the contractor hopes to begin grading the pathway. Another delay, however, is that the contractor discovered some CenterPoint Parks and Recreation Board Minutes page 3 wires that were not buried to the proper depth. Center Point crews will fix them. Three West U Employees were nominated for SPIRIT Coin awards. The awards are recognition for outstanding spirit, professionalism, integrity, results, innovation, and teamwork. Willet Middleton, Operations supervisor, Patricia Noren, Senior Services manager, and Kay DePledge, one of the front desk employees, were nominated. Update of rental fees is pending. New data is still being analyzed. Staff will make recommendations. There will be some increases, but we are not talking about any type of membership fee increases. Some fees could change if we have another round of pay increases for hourly workers. Park Ambassador Reports & Remarks: Colonial Park (east): Amar Patel – Nothing to report. Colonial park (west): Stephen Damiani asked about the volleyball net. Susan said the net is available and can be put out if anyone requests it. Friends Park: Sami Morrison – I see many people using it, even though it has been hot. Judson Park: Richard Cunningham – No maintenance issues to report. The park seems to be getting good, steady use. Whitt Johnson Park: Arlene Wells – The park looks good. It’s nice to see people still enjoying the park in the evenings. IX. Order of Business: Will Bertron, Chair - Old Business: (none) - New Business (none) X. Motion to Adjourn: Amar / Stephen. Unanimous. Adjourned 7:37 p.m.