HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 06/28/2023
Park and Recreation Board Meeting
June 28th
413 S Bryan
06/28/20 23 – MINUTES Page 1
1. CALL TO ORDER
Nick Armstrong called to order at 5:50pm
2. ROLL CALL
• List of Board Members Present
Nick Armstrong
Bob Kingsbury
Jon Corley
Paul Baker
Meghan Willis
Josh Durand
• List of Board Members Absent
Ken Christensen
Marcia Richards
Mike Novell
• List of Staff Members Present
LeAnn Williams – Director, Recreation
Mike Calhoon – Director, Parks
Jill Wuertz – Sr Manager, Park Planning & Development
Rachel Eich – Business Support III, Park Planning & Development
Sara Arfmann – City Attorney’s Office
• List of Guests
Monica C. (Learn to Skate)
Gayleen Carpenter (Learn to Skate)
3. AGENDA REVIEW
4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
• Monica C., Gayleen Carpenter (Lean to Skate)
o Attended the meeting as representatives of the Fort Collins Learn to
Skate program, and to express concerns for observed staffing, ice time,
and program resource reductions.
o Expressed concerns over the lack of coaches in the Learn to Skate
program with no development program, with questions surrounding the
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lack of hiring efforts for coaching positions.
o LeAnn shared that there are ongoing conversations occurring regarding
EPIC and the ice programs in the city. The department is facing
challenges with staffing, ice allocations, and ensuring the need s of the
community are being met.
o The board requested a written memo from Recreation be presented with
information addressing the coaching, class availability, and distribution of
ice time.
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Meghan Willis moved to approve the May minutes, Josh Durand seconded, and all members
approved.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
• Sustainable Funding Initiative
o Council work session took place on June 13th where Council gave
direction to staff to move forward with two initiatives that will be on the
ballot this fall (“climate package” quarter cent sales tax and mill levy for
Parks & Recreation IRP, and aquatic amenities). Staff will be going to
Council on July 25th where the initiative will be referred to the ballot.
Discussed how this initiative will support the Parks maintenance and IRP
programs, as well as the recreation capital goal on the workplan.
• Recreation Software Update
o Vendor interviews and demos have been taking place with two companies
that submitted through the RFP. Staff are focusing on customer interface,
financial integration, and IT digital transformation. The board requested
information on DEI indicators for potential disproportionate impact in the
community.
• The board requested staff investigate potential disproportionate impacts to the
community with the DEI office regarding City projects (i.e., new recreation software)
7. NEW BUSINESS
• Fair Campaign Practice Act and Open Meetings Law Training – Sara Arfmann
o Presentation started regarding the function of Boards and Commissions in
the City of Fort Collins. Information focused on ethics rules,
indemnification, open meetings, and speaking in public.
o Shared information on the Fair Campaign Practice Act, expressing that
staff and board members may not lobby for or against a measure on the
ballot within their positions for the City.
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• Nick Armstrong moved to go into executive session at 7:02pm, as permitted under
Article Two, Section Eleven of the City Charter, Section 2-3-1(a)(2) of the City Code
and Colorado Revised statutes Section 24-6-402(4)(b), for the purpose of consulting
with attorneys regarding specific legal questions relating to the general application
of the Fair Campaign Practice Act, Open Meetings Law an d the Board’s directives.
Josh Durand seconded, and all members approved.
• Nick Armstrong moved to end the executive session at 7:15pm, Meghan Willis
seconded, and all approved.
8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS
• FC Bikes – Marcia Richards
o Attended the Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting where they rode bikes
to areas in the city that have been improved for biking or will be improved
in the coming months.
o Two projects that will be completed soon are the Mulberry/City Park
Avenue intersection and Laurel Street, east of College.
9. RECREATOR ARTICLE SCHEDULE
• Spring 2024 article due before October 6th
• A list of article topics will be shared with the board at the next meeting. Potential
topic ideas discussed included the trails master plan and urban forestry plan kick off.
10. OTHER BUSINESS
• Recreation Update – LeAnn Williams
o Northside Aztlan childcare center has faced challenges with permitting
and construction work due to being located on a superfund site. The
project will increase safety at the Northside center by creating a secure
entry and outdoor play space.
o Summer camp programs are taking place, and City Park pool is open.
o Meghan asked for an update on the Southeast pool. LeAnn reported that
they are still in negotiations with the school district.
o Recreation added an ARPA funded behavioral specialist for summer
camps to help equip and support staff for dealing with behaviors in
school-aged kids.
• Park Planning & Development Update – Jill Wuertz
o Hosted Bike to Work Day station with Parks and Recreation teams.
o PPD team toured Dovetail Park construction site. Final grading,
landscape, and finishing touches in progress after delays from rain.
o Experiencing delays on the Poudre Trail @ I-25 and Arapaho Bend
Natural Area. The team is waiting on as-built survey information from the
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section built by CDOT regarding flood plain.
o Jill met with staff from the City of Aurora to present our asset
management plan.
o Nick asked for information on the trail plans for the Northeast section of
Fort Collins. Jill mentioned the update to the Paved Recreational Trails
Plan, and current meetings taking place with developers for future plans.
o Josh mentioned there is an inlet in the grass at Traverse Park between
the bathrooms and the playground where a PVC pipe is located with an
unsecure lid. Additionally, the steel and timber barriers to keep kids out of
the planting area have been popping off in places due to subtle sizing
flaws.
• Parks Update – Mike Calhoon
o Event season is underway after successful Memorial Day events took
place at the Edora Park War Memorial and Spring Canyon Veteran’s
Plaza.
o The Spring Canyon Community Park dog park water quality project is now
fully functional with new LID element.
o Parks and Recreation teams are focused on preparing for the Fourth of
July events (parade, pool, food trucks, race, etc.)
o Mike will be following up on cameras to be put up at Crescent Park.
o Presented information the Horticulture and Marketing teams have created
to showcase resources on how Parks does design, planting, cost
information, plant and water information, and where funding comes from
for the downtown flowers. Goal is to have resources to explain the story of
what the Parks Department does and the value of the Parks programs.
o Nick asked if there were similar informational resource programs for City
trees. Mike said he would mention it to Kendra and mentioned the self-
guided arboretum tour.
• 6-month Planning Calendar
o City Council takes a brief summer break where meetings are cancelled.
o The Sustainable Funding Initiative will be brought up at the July 25th work
session.
o Ad Hoc Committee on Boards and Commissions will be reviewed at the
August 8th work session.
o Encampment clean up pilot program appropriations will occur at the
August 15th council meeting.
o Oil and gas facility setbacks may impact Park development, set to be
amended at the September 5th council meeting.
• Bob asked about the spraying and cutting of native landscaping to help with
mosquito mitigation. Mike reported that the Parks Department is in the middle of
testing mosquitos and has not had any positive West Nile results. Parks does not do
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any nuisance spraying until positive West Nile tests are confirmed.
• Meghan asked for an update on the status of the Golf Board merging with the Parks
and Recreation Board. This recommendation will be discussed at the Ad Hoc
committee on Boards and Commissions at the August 8th council work session.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Meghan Willis moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:09pm, Bob Kingsbury seconded.