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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Rec Advisory Board-Minutes-2/6/2017 City of Colleyville Page 1 City of Colleyville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES City Hall 100 Main Street Colleyville, Texas 76034 817.503.1000 www.colleyville.com Monday, February 6, 2017 6:00 p.m. Colleyville Public Library 110 in Street - 2nd Floor Meeting Room 1. CALL TO ORDER Parks Manager, Heather Dowell, called the meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory board to order on February 6, 2017, at 6:03 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Board Members Cliff LeBlanc, John Hillebrand, Mitali Mandlekar, Natalie Genco, Jim Hasenpflug and Hillary Schwanbeck. City staff: Recreation and City Events Manager Lisa Escobedo, Parks Manager Heather Dowell and Administrative Support Specialist Julie Prewitt. Absent: Board Members Rich Hendler and Ajit Purandare. Youth Sport Associations Liaisons: Colleyville Baseball Association representative Brenton Johnson, Colleyville Girls Softball Association representative Matt Koch, Colleyville Lacrosse Association representative Erika Davis-Noble, and Colleyville Soccer Association representative Patrick Dunagan. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES July 18, 2016 Board member Hillary Schwanbeck moved to approve the July 18, 2016 meeting minutes as written. Board Member Mitali Mandlekar seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 3. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS 3a Introduction of new Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members Parks Manager, Heather Dowell, facilitated introductions around the room, starting with city staff. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board have five new members: Rich Hendler, Cliff LeBlanc, John Hillebrand, Natalie Genco and Jim Hasenpflug. 3b Election of a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chair and Vice Chair Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 2 Parks Manager, Heather Dowell, reviewed Section 3.2 of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Bylaws with the board indicating the need to elect a Chair and Vice-Chair. Manager Dowell asked if anyone would like to make a motion to elect. Board member Natalie Genco wanted to know if we could defer until next meeting. Manager Dowell stated that board members could self-nominate. Board member Mitali Mandlekar nominated Hillary Schwanbeck as Chair, and board member Hillary Schwanbeck nominated Mitali Mandlekar as Vice Chair. Board member Cliff LeBlanc moved to elect Hillary Schwanbeck as the 2017 Chair and Mitali Mandlekar as Vice Chair for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Board Member John Hillebrand seconded the motion. The motion carried with a unanimous vote. Parks Manager, Heather Dowell, turned the running of the meeting over to newly elected Chair Hillary Schwanbeck. 3c Recommendation and consideration of representatives to serve on Subcommittees Chair Hillary Schwanbeck informed the board of the need to make a recommendation to City Council for two board members to fill open seats on the Park Land Dedication Committee and three members to fill open seats on the Colleyville Tree Board. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked if Board Member Natalie Genco already counted as a member of the Colleyville Tree Board, since she is already a member. Board member Natalie Genco stated her term ends when the new term starts and would like to continue to be on the Colleyville Tree Board. Chair Hillary Schwanbeck requested an outline of the Park Land Dedication and Colleyville Tree Board purposes and duties. Board member Natalie Genco gave an overview of the Colleyville Tree Board. Parks Manager, Heather Dowell, gave an overview of the Park Land Dedication Committee. Board member Genco stated that there are generally two different funds used for park development, Park Land Dedication and general fund. Parks Manager Dowell clarified funds can be used from Voluntary Park Fund, Park Land Dedication, Colleyville Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), and general fund which is used for general maintenance and day to day projects. Manager Dowell concluded when we consider large projects we come to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board for Voluntary Park funds and to Park Land Dedication for Park Land funds. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked Manager Dowell if the additional money paid with your utility bill is what goes into the Voluntary Park fund. Manager Dowell confirmed. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 3 Board member Mitali Mandlekar stated that the Park Land Dedication committee looks at the land, location, and traffic flow to see if it is the right location for a public park. Manager Dowell clarified the Park Land Dedication committee is looking at how the funds are spent. When someone comes into Colleyville and builds, they deposit a set fee into the Park Land Dedication Fund and those funds can only be used for parks, improvements, buildings or amenities. Board members Cliff LeBlanc and Jim Hasenpflug volunteered to serve on the Park Land Dedication Committee. Board member Jim Hasenpflug asked if the fund includes anything for acquisition of land for parks, and does it fall under the purview of the Park Land Dedication Committee. Manager Dowell stated if a property purchase was being considered using Park Land Dedication funds it would be brought to the Park Land Dedication Committee. Board member Natalie Genco requested to know approximate Park Land Dedication fund balance and how much is added to the fund each year. Manager Dowell stated approximate $900,000 to $1 million is in the fund, updated reports are due out soon. The fund is very limited due to not much new land development occurring, and that is where funds originate. The Voluntary Park Fund was projected to have $873,000, as of September 2016. The Voluntary Park Fund receives approximately $100,000 in donations each year. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked how the donation made with the City of Colleyville’s utility billing was allocated. Manager Dowell replied she believes the donation is $4.00, it can be designated for the Voluntary Park fund, Library fund, or the citizen can opt out. She will verify options and report back. Board member Mitali Mandlekar made a motion to recommend Cliff LeBlanc and Jim Hasenpflug to the Park Land Dedication Committee. Board member Natalie Genco seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Board members Natalie Genco, Hillary Schwanbeck, and John Hillebrand volunteered for the Colleyville Tree Board. Board member Jim Hasenpflug moved to recommend Natalie Genco, Hillary Schwanbeck, and John Hillebrand to the Colleyville Tree Board. Board member Cliff LeBlanc seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The recommendations for Cliff LeBlanc and Jim Hasenpflug to serve on the Park Land Dedication Committee and Natalie Genco, Hillary Schwanbeck and John Hillebrand to serve on the Colleyville Tree Board will be passed on to City Council. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 4 3d Discussion of future meeting dates Chair Schwanbeck stated the dates for future meetings per the bylaws would be April 3rd, July 3rd, and October 2nd. Board member Jim Hasenpflug made a motion for the future 2017 meetings to be April 10th, July 10th, and October 2nd. Mitali Mandlekar seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 3e Review recommendation of FY17 Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Master Plan vendor candidate Parks Manager, Heather Dowell, gave a briefing to the board covering the Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Master Plan history, explaining the timing of undergoing an update to the plan. Manager Dowell recommended the board support the recommendation of Brandstetter Carroll Inc. as the best candidate to present to City Council. Brandstetter Carroll Inc. was selected from a candidate pool of four (4) groups by a committee comprised of six (6) staff members from different expertise throughout the city. The goal is to have a contract in place this month to present to City Council, start work in March, and start plan implementation in 2018. Board member Natalie Genco asked what firm prepared the last Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan and when. Manager Dowell stated Halff Associates prepared the plan in 2011. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked if Halff Associates sent in a proposal for the current Request for Proposal (RFP). Manager Dowell replied, they did not. Board member Natalie Genco wanted to know how much of the last Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan was accomplished. Manager Dowell informed the board that there was not a good implementation plan included with the 2011 plan. The current RFP includes the necessity of an implementation plan to be included, indicating what the citizens are looking for at this time. Board member Natalie Genco requested to know the amount spent on the previous Master Plan. Manager Dowell stated she does not have the cost associated with the 2011 Master Plan. $100,000 has been budgeted this fiscal year for a new Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Master Plan. Board Member Mitali Mandlekar wanted to know if Brandstetter Carroll Inc. had prepared a Parks Master Plan before. Manager Dowell confirmed the candidate has prepared many Parks Master Plans for cities of our size before and is currently working with Grand Prairie. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 5 Board member Natalie Genco asked if there was a sidewalk committee at this time. Manager Dowell stated there is not a sidewalk committee at this time, but they are working with public works and all the new comprehensive plan updates. Freese & Nichols, Inc. is working on updating the City comprehensive plan changes; we will be working with Freese & Nichols, Inc., public works, and our citizens throughout all of this planning to create a cohesive plan. Board member Cliff LeBlanc requested a clarification of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board’s function with this presentation. Manager Dowell stated to make a recommendation to City Council that we believe this is a good candidate to move forward with; the board is in an advisory position. As the plan moves forward the firm will meet with the board to seek the board’s preferences. Board member Mitali Mandlekar asked if the proposal submitted by Brandstetter Carroll Inc. included an implementation strategy. Manager Dowell informed the board the firm will create a plan, and prioritize all the desires laid out with pricing. Board member Natalie Genco asked if Parks Manager Dowell had given the firm a cap of how much could be spent to implement the new plan. Manager Dowell stated no, we will review our budget and funding available during the plan development so they can incorporate realistic goals. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked if there were any concerns if Brandstetter Carroll Inc. could complete the project along with their other work commitments. Manager Dowell replied she does not have any concerns, they have a large team here in town and teams all over the country. Board member Jim Hasenpflug wanted to know if the committee had reached out to other cities referenced in the proposal inquiring about the firms’ work, and how the firm followed through with their plans. Manager Dowell stated the committee has not reached that step, it will be completed as part of the negotiations. This recommendation is to start negotiations, if we find unfavorable information we will move on to our second choice to start negotiations. Board member Jim Hasenpflug inquired if the committee used a numerical scoring system to reduce the RFP pool from 7 to 1, and how close was the scoring between the firms. Manager Dowell informed the board there was a scoring system used; in the first round deciding which 4 firms to interview, they were very close. When the committee went through the interview process the top 2 were close, but the second ranked firm wanted a lot more work and information from the city. First ranked firm, Brandstetter Carroll Inc., citizen engagement concept was outstanding and won. Board member Jim Hasenpflug wanted to know if there was any benefit to leveraging the two top firms against each other. Manager Dowell and board Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 6 member Mitali Mandlekar informed the board about government professional negotiations ethics. Board member Cliff LeBlanc inquired if the contract would have a fixed price. Manger Dowell stated when we make the contract it will include the overall project to be completed at a set price and line items detailing additional items the City may want/need to add with a fixed price for each or an hourly rate. Board member Cliff LeBlanc moved to recommend Brandstetter Carroll Inc. as the vendor for the FY17 Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails Master Plan vendor. Board member Jim Hasenpflug seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The recommendation for Brandstetter Carroll Inc. will be passed on to City Council. 4. REPORTS 4a Recreation, Athletics, and Senior Center report Recreation and City Events Manager, Lisa Escobedo, briefed the board covering events from the past fall to present, starting with the Winter Ball held on January 27, 2017 with a safari theme. Board member Natalie Genco asked how many attended. Manager Escobedo stated 120 people participated. Board member Jim Hasenpflug requested to know if the event breaks even or does the city pay for part of the expense. Manager Escobedo informed the board the event does use some budgeted funds from the recreation department and that she does seek sponsors to help cover expenses. The event is held at the Colleyville Center. Board member Natalie Genco requested to know how much the Winter Ball cost the city. Manager Escobedo stated this year’s budget was $3,000 to cover the DJ, catering, decorations, picture supplies and a balloon artist. Manager Escobedo updated the board on athletics: this past fall a high school fall softball league brought good exposure and revenue to City Park. Girls fall volleyball league held in the GCISD gyms had 24 teams and we are currently enrolling for the spring league. Close to 300 girls have enrolled to date, which will make 38 volleyball teams. Board member Natalie Genco requested to know the cost per participant. Manger Escobedo replied $75.00 per child. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 7 The Tennis leagues continue to be popular and have steady growth. The Spring Tennis leagues will begin in February into early March. Manager Escobedo continued to update the board on events at the Senior Center: Annual Senior Health Fair was held September 9, 2016 with 40 plus vendors; over sixty seniors enjoyed the first Senior Social Dance held on October 12, 2016; and dinner, dancing and pictures with Santa was enjoyed by 52 seniors at the Annual Senior Holiday Party held on December 14, 2016. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked if the events were held at night or during the day and if we helped get the seniors home. Manger Escobedo stated the Senior Holiday Party was held 6pm – 9pm. The seniors that participate are 50 plus years old, all mobile on their own. Board member Mitali Mandlekar inquired whether the seniors purchased tickets for the events. Manager Escobedo replied, yes they do need to register. The Senior Holiday Party was $15.00 per person. Board member Cliff LeBlanc wanted to know if the participants were all Colleyville residents or is it open. Manager Escobedo replied it is open to anyone that is a Senior Center member. Board member Natalie Genco asked, how much does the City subsidize the event or does it pay for itself? Manager Escobedo stated we pay for the majority of the event. We subsidize most of the recreation programs. Upcoming events include AARP Tax Help, Colleyville Clean Sweep and annual Bunny Brunch. 4b Parks overview of ongoing and accomplished projects Parks Manager, Heather Dowell, stated her goal is to come to the board once a year and inform the board about proposed projects and request the use of Voluntary Park funds. Requested funds will be for bigger projects and items beyond the parks maintenance budget. Manager Dowell updated the board on the status of the projects covering the funding requested and approved at the July 18, 2016 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting. The projects included: 7 new shade coverings which have been installed and 4 new shade structures at Pleasant Run Park, trash and recycle receptacles at Pleasant Run Park, improvements and implementation of organic practices to the Pleasant Run fields and beds, repaint restroom interiors at Sparger and City Park, installing a new fence at Sparger Park, and three new scoreboards for the softball fields at City Park have been ordered. Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 8 Board member Cliff LeBlanc inquired whether any temporary shade was going to be set up where the new shade structures are planned. Manager Dowell stated no, they would tear up the fields trying to do anything now. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked if the Sparger Park floods and any concern with using a wood fence. Manager Dowell replied yes, it floods terribly and the wood fence allows the water to pass through and does not collect debris. Manager Dowell then updated the board on a few of the other recent big projects, with help from Colleyville Soccer Association they have improved the soccer practice fields – regraded, added an irrigation system, and reseeded them. The parks department has converted the Pleasant Run fields over to organic methods; re-landscaped the Webb House in conjunction with the Garden Club to add in native and adaptive plants and repair the drip system; worked on the City Park beds adding native adaptive plants and fixed the drip system; installed mow strips around all 9 ballfields at City Park; planted over 200 trees and then air-spaded some trees to expose the root flare. Board member Natalie Genco requested an explanation of the mow strips. Manager Dowell stated they are a foot wide strip of concrete path placed under the chain link fences surrounding the ball fields to keep the grass from growing up into the fence keeping it neat and clean. It also saves staff time in maintenance. Board member Natalie Genco asked to know if they had to take the fence down. Manager Dowell stated they disconnected and pulled the fence out to work underneath it. Manager Dowell informed the board they have converted all the City Park athletic fields over to organics in the spring and added more aeration processes. They have also been reworking the soil to help the infields drain faster and added a new drain to field 9, to limit closures from the fields being too wet. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked where the water goes from the new drain on field 9. Manager Dowell stated it goes out with the other drainage towards the pond. Board member Natalie Genco praised the change to organics and asked whose idea to make this change. Manager Dowell informed the board that organics was brought in when she started with the city. This change has helped staff with reactions to chemicals and the fields have responded tremendously, the grass is thicker, not browning out as fast, and using less water. This spring we will take the parks to organics, and they are working out a plan with the contractors. The City received a grant from Coca Cola and Keep America Beautiful to install 18 new recycling bins in City Park dugouts and two at Reagan Park. This year they Parks and Recreation Advisory Board MINUTES February 6, 2017 City of Colleyville Page 9 have installed 39 recycling units in our parks. There will be a big media push this spring when the recycle bins are put out talking about the grant and organics. L.D. Lockett Park construction of restrooms and pavilion continues and should be completed in April. Other items this year will include redoing the landscape around the city to native and adaptive, all spray will be taken out and changed out to drip, and put appropriate compost in to have healthy soil. Board member Cliff LeBlanc inquired if the council has been supportive of all the changes. Manager Dowell let the board know that the council has been supportive when she has presented her business plan. The board expressed their appreciation of the positive changes Manager Dowell has implemented and plans to do. Board member Cliff LeBlanc asked city staff if there were any concerns or risks that had not been previously addressed. Manager Escobedo stated she is looking forward to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, to see where Recreation can go and grow. Manager Dowell stated she also feels that we need the citizens to speak up and let the city know what they want to help support the direction of growth Manager Escobedo is looking to do. Manager Dowell is excited about the prospects the master plan will bring and create, a plan for parks and recreation. 5. CITIZEN COMMENTS/PRESENTATIONS REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA There were no additional citizen comments/presentations regarding items not on the agenda. 6. ADJOURNMENT Board member Natalie Genco moved to adjourn the meeting, and board member Jim Hasenpflug seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Hillary Schwanbeck adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m. APPROVED BY A VOTE OF 7 AYES, 0 NAYS, AND 0 ABSTENTIONS ON THIS THE 10th DAY OF April. Minutes taken and prepared by: Julie Prewitt Administrative Support Specialist