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HomeMy WebLinkAbout042308 CC Town Hall Min CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS MINUTES FOR THE TOWN HALL MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2008 RECREATION CENTER, 4210 BELLAIRE BLVD. ATTENDANCE Mayor/Councilmembers: Mayor Kelly, Council Members Fry, Cohen, Guffey and Talianchich City Staff: City Manager, City Attorney, Acting City Secretary, and Parks and Recreation Director Parks and Recreation Board: Parks and Recreation Director, Administrative Manager, Recreation Specialist, Parks Subcommittee Members - John Neighbors, Jeanine Schueppert, Mardi Turner, and Russ Schulze, Chairman CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Kelly called the Meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. Mayor Kelly welcomed everyone to the Town Hall meeting and made introductions including the presenters Doug Tennant and Jeff Gerber. The procedure for the meeting was explained as well as the purpose for the meeting by Mayor Kelly. Chairman of the Parks Subcommittee, Russ Schulze gave an overview of the presentations and spoke on the problems, plans and the future of the Parks and Recreation facilities. He listed 3 thoughts he wants to leave with everyone: I. Programming problems - too many programs for cun'ent facility; 2. Maintenance issues; 3. It's time to do it right. 1. Doug Tennant gave an assessment of the existing data for West University Parks. He explained that the survey included inventory, facility conditions and needs. During this presentation, there were several interruptions made from a member of the audience, Fran Oravetz. It was explained to him and other audience members that there would be a time for anyone who wished to ask questions or make a comment during the meeting. Mr. Tennant continued his presentation. 2. Jeff Gerber began to speak and was interrupted. Citizens wished to speak at this time instead of waiting till the end of the presentation. Russ Schulze said those who signed up to speak but did not specify a subject could speak at this time. Comments. Ouestions and Answers: Fran Oravetz - 4131 Oberlin - The view graph only shows pmt of the story. Most people do not want a new building and new pool, most people want green space. (Mr. Oravetz did not speak into the microphone for most of his time and therefore was not heard.) City Council Meeting, April 23, 2008 Joe Foster - 3715 Tangley - This data has not been factored for those who did not respond and if you act on those people who responded you will lose the next bond election. Michael Talianchich - 2708 Wroxton - We should have a 4th option and modest expenditures. We need to consider what the people want. Helen Talianchich - 2708 Wroxton - I am deeply saddened that the Park Planning Group has failed to follow the wishes of the people. From what I have seen put forward by this group is fuzzy math, snowballing, bullying, self interest and attempts to undermine the democratic process. There are a lot of options and I respect everybody and would like to hear from everybody. Fred Shiller - 6608 Vanderbilt - The survey seems very biased and not counting the view of those who don't use the facilities regularly. I think we are going in the wrong direction by putting in 2 pools and with the budget numbers you are recommending. Doug Tennant said the numbers from the survey are actual numbers from community comprehensive set of data with the survey. 3. Jeff Gerber presented an overview of the conceptual designs and associated costs of the West University Parks facilities. Comments, Ouestions and Answers: Joe Mitchell - 2826 Albans - I agree with Councilman Talianchich. If it works, don't fix it. Linda Driskill- 3837 Coleridge - My concern is that some of the options indicated what we wanted don't show up in this survey. I don't want to force people out of West U just to serve them better with recreational options. I hope we find some new ways to find what we really all want. Frank Driskill- 3837 Coleridge - I think we have to have a year round pool with a deep end for water aerobics. Has a professional engineer evaluated the pools? Rick Behrend - 4136 Southwestern - I question the need for a second pool. Managing 2 pools seems to be a very inefficient use of tax payer's dollars. I would like to have professional engineering advice on what needs to be done at Colonial Park. Jennifer Long - 4029 Swarthmore - I want a new bubble for the pool and competent people to put it up and take it down so it is well cared for. I want the pool to be opened year round and the pool needs to be properly maintained. Stumt Jackson - 4106 Rice - I commend the professional consultants and City staff for identifying 2 key points. It looks like these structures are fully depreciated and they are going to have to be recapitalized. You basically separated both physically and economically 2 key very different things and it's presented in such way that conceivably you could disenfranchise one or the other. If you look at the redevelopment of renovation for Colonial Park, there is considerable overlap. Page 2 of 5 City Council Meeting, April 23, 2008 Louise Jones - 4143 Amherst -1 would like a year round heated pool with a deep end and a shallow end for play. John Sickman - 4152 Oberlin - The Recreation Center is land important to protect. The bubble is so important. Susan Ohself - 410 1 Tennyson - I take issue with the survey conclusions. I'm for renovating or getting a new pool but we need to do it in an economic way. Dave Agerton - 3020 Pitts burg - I thank Tim and his staff on keeping the pool up and running with the current problems and the inherited problems. We need a year round enclosed pool. Bob McLamb - 3908 Milton - Many replies I got from the previous bond issue had to do with the gynmasium. If the Rec. Center stays where it is you cannot put in 2 regulated softball or little league fields in the existing footprint. 1 am for the plan that moves the footprint of the building and allows for 2 regulation size fields because green space is so precious. We need a covered pool. Over the long term a fixed structure would be more economical than the bubble. Dick Yehle - 6401 Rutgers - We cannot have all of our exercise facility and swim at Colonial Park. More thought needs to be given to the Rec. Center with a new layout. Make it a West U site. Chase Randle - 4138 Ruskin - I SUPPOlt a year round pool. Why the location of the 2 pools? Jennifer Sickman - 4152 Oberlin - Thank you for having this Town Hall Meeting. I want a year round pool but I want to do this responsibly and fiscally. 1 haven't seen the maintenance and the upkeep and the protection over the last 4 or 5 years and that concerns me. Paula Doughty - 3840 Byron - A lot of our problems are mismanagement. I feel like this is being shoved down our throats. 1 think we need a year round facility. Steve Malashock - 4139 Coleridge - Was there any consideration given to a 2 story building at Colonial? (This question was answered.) 1 am a supporter offacilities for the residents of West U but not of making things bigger and better for people outside of West U to come in and use our facilities. (Russ Schulze responded to this.) Baroque Fineberg - 4127 Cason - You lease out the pool to everyone but me because you are making a profit leasing it out to other people. Serpall Edwards - 3751 Rice - The survey was based on the existing pool with a bubble before it failed so the first part of the form was talking about a pool with a bubble. Probably more people want an indoor pool. There is a real need for a pool with 8 lanes, 6 lanes won't cut it for a competitive pool. Burt Ballanfant - 3123 Amherst -1 am here on behalf of John Sopchak, the president of the swim club. The swim team has about 250 participants and would like to be consulted. Page 3 of 5 City Council Meeting, April 23, 2008 Penny Kroll - 6524 Vanderbilt I think the survey was flawed. The interpretation of the hard data was suspect and twisted. Cathy Wright - 3222 Georgetown - Who wanted a concession stand? And how many accidents will there be? How much of a bond issue can we get for $100 or less? It wasn't made clear. Be fair to the voters, let us know. Ann Keibler - 2715 Bissonnet (business) - I've been an 18 year tax payer with a business in the City. I love West U and I love having a business here. A year round pool facility is very important. Dennis Butler - 4235 Riley - We do need a bigger swim facility, a year round facility. I would support the indoor facility option C. You may need to go back to the drawing board on what kind of pool you have at the Colonial. Brennan Reilly - 3731 Rice - A bond election is very important. There are some significant improvements that are needed at Colonial as well as the Rec. Center. The Community Center and Senior Center should be part of these improvements. We need to rethink what we are doing and get a program that will satisfy everyone. Let's do this right. Comments should be published on the web site. The entire survey and results should be available on the web site. My family and I do not go to Colonial Park pool anymore. It is not a good pool for families. We go to Bellaire and we see a lot of West U people there. Lyle Ross - 6444 Weslayan - My perception of the survey is that this survey had an agenda. How are you going to address the questions that are being asked here today? Where are the numbers? What other communities the sizes of West U are out there that have 2 pools and what was the financial liability? How much more are we going to have to pay if this bond passes? Russ Schulze addressed his questions. (In order to address the questions that were not answered during this meeting and future questions, the Parks Advisory Board will accumulate information and give it to City CounciL) Leah Ragiel- 2740 Centenary - Let's move forward. Let's not band aid these facilities. If the facilities were nicer we would go year round. Sue Jensen - 3714 Plumb - Colonial Park Pool is not safe for my family. We need zero entry and lap lanes. Questions and Comment Cards were read by Russ Schulze. Additional questions were taken from the audience without benefit of a name and address or microphone. Mayor Kelly gave the closing comments. Mayor Kelly Adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m. Page 4 of 5 City Council Meeting, April 23, 2008 These minutes are excerpts from the Council proceedings. A recording of the meeting is on file in the City Secretary's office. Prepared by: Gayle Schultz, Acting City Secretary Approved: --1Y1a 1,1 ;200?( Date of ~roval ' Page 5 of 5