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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 07/26/2023 Park and Recreation Board Meeting July 26th 413 S Bryan 07/26/2023 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER Ken Christensen called to order at 5:30pm 2. ROLL CALL • List of Board Members Present Ken Christensen Nick Armstrong Mike Novell Bob Kingsbury Marcia Richards Jon Corley Paul Baker Meghan Willis • List of Board Members Absent Josh Durand • List of Staff Members Present Mike Calhoon – Director, Parks LeAnn Williams – Director, Recreation Jill Wuertz – Sr Manager, Park Planning & Development Ginny Sawyer – Sr Project Manager, City Manager’s Office Rachel Eich – Business Support III • List of Guests Learn to Skate Representatives 3. AGENDA REVIEW • Item added by Ken Christensen to discuss the board’s response to the sustainable funding discussion that occurred at the 7/25 council work session • Community Services Director update removed from the agenda 4. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION • Learn to Skate / Fort Collins Figure Skating Club o Attended the meeting to address the same concerns previously brought up at the June board meeting o Expressed that the club is getting complaints from parents about the Parks and Recreation Board TYPE OF MEETING – Hybrid 07/26/2023 – MINUTES Page 2 Learn to Skate program; concerns with a lack of separation between programs the City provides and the existing club o LeAnn will continue to communicate with the club and the item will be discussed at the August board meeting. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Nick Armstrong moved to approve the June minutes, Ken Christensen seconded, and all members approved. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS • Sustainable Funding Initiative – Ginny Sawyer, Sr Project Manager o Presentation began ▪ Shared general information on where our money comes from (base rate + 4 dedicated taxes); taxes and fees are the main forms of revenue ▪ The City budgets based on 7 different outcomes ▪ Over 40 years of successful renewable taxes • The Community Capital (CCIP) and Street Maintenance will expire in 2025 • The City is being cognizant of when a future renewable tax would occur. ▪ The original council direction was to fund Parks and Recreation Infrastructure from the property tax. ▪ Recreation has typically utilized the CCIP ¼ - cent sales tax for new facilities, but this funding does not include ongoing maintenance needs. ▪ The original council direction was to have the ¼-cent sales tax extend to 2050 to fund “Our Climate Future.” • Transit, Active Modes, Building Efficiency & Electrification, Housing Affordability, Electric Vehicles, & Zero Waste ▪ The direction from council changed to drop property tax to 3 mills and have it be dedicated to affordable housing in perpetuity. ▪ Council opted to change the ¼-cent sales tax to a ½-cent to be split between parks, climate, and transit. • This change would have a large impact to the Recreation side and would bring the Parks revenue to $6.5/$7 million (sales tax would true up to 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 every 10 years) o Presentation ended – opened for questions ▪ Ken asked if this would come as a single ballot issue. • This will come as two ballot items (1 for property tax, 1 for sales tax) Parks and Recreation Board TYPE OF MEETING – Hybrid 07/26/2023 – MINUTES Page 3 o Staff will now draft ballot language for the new proposal on August 15 th ▪ If the Council moves forward with the new proposal, a special meeting could be called before the County deadline of September 5th for additional discussion. o Bob asked what Ginny’s perspective is on the general public’s view on sales tax versus property tax. ▪ City Council has wanted to avoid a tax that impacts our lowest earners – a property tax is the closest thing we have to a wealth tax. o Ken asked what would be effective for communicating concerns with Council. ▪ Ginny recommended sharing information with friends, communicating directly with your council member, speaking at the council meeting, etc. o Nick asked what the council dictated as priority for the three items within the sales tax. ▪ The council wanted guardrails and flexibility. 7. NEW BUSINESS • Board response to the Sustainable Funding Initiative discussion at the Council work session o Options included: drafting a letter, meeting and communicating with individual council members, speaking at council meeting o Next opportunity to speak in front of City Council would be at the August 15th council meeting o Mike suggested the board discuss informational points to include in a letter as a board and give one (or two) board members the authority to write the letter to send to the council. o Ken expressed that if Council wants to write a ballot measure that passes, they need to look at how it will be received. o Marcia asked if affordable housing could be pulled back to the sales tax and have Parks and Recreation be funded by a 5 mill levy again. o The 5 mills would equate to roughly $18 million with the ¼ cent tax equating to roughly $10 million. o Mike N. pointed out the work done to date to build the partnership and bridge the gap between the City and the school district. The change in direction from City Council does not support the partnership. o Ken asked to review the following talking points: ▪ These funds will be used to maintain our existing investment, which has a natural affinity to a property tax (in perpetuity) ▪ Ask that Council go back to a 5 mill property tax – if not acceptable, Parks and Recreation Board TYPE OF MEETING – Hybrid 07/26/2023 – MINUTES Page 4 ask for a dedicated sales tax as an alternative. ▪ What Council refers to the ballot should stay consistent with the information that has been communicated to the public. • Ken made a motion at 7:07pm to designate himself and Nick to draft a letter per the talking points discussed to be sent to City leaders and City Council. Additionally, he would like the board to agree that they would use the same talking points to have Nick present to Council at the August 15th Council Meeting (with Ken and Mike N. as alternates). Nick seconded the motion, all in favor. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS • FC Bikes – Marcia Richards o The Bicycle Advisory Committee is looking at becoming an Active Modes committee or board (Ad Hoc Committee with City Council is recommending they become a board) o If they became a board, the Parks & Rec Advisory Board would not be allowed a representative, as board members can only be a part of one board. 9. RECREATOR ARTICLE SCHEDULE • Spring 2024 article due before October 6th • Board discussed writing about the kickoff and potential engagement opportunities for the Urban Forestry Strategic Plan and the Strategic Trails Plan 10. OTHER BUSINESS • Recreation Update – LeAnn Williams o Summer camps attendance is averaging 300 kids a week. o Northside Aztlan Center construction is moving along again after significant challenges with vapor mitigation system – construction anticipated be completed late Fall. o 70 kids participated in youth summer softball and basketball. o Fort Collins hosted a CARA summer track meet. o Lifeguards participated in the State Lifeguard Games. o BFO conversations are beginning with Ops Services for potential ADA and safety projects. o Two new positions are being added. ▪ Ice Supervisor, Aquatics ▪ Sr Coordinator, Aquatics o Marcia asked if there are any updates from PSD on aquatics partnership. ▪ Negotiations are ongoing Parks and Recreation Board TYPE OF MEETING – Hybrid 07/26/2023 – MINUTES Page 5 o Ken asked how we are addressing the Learn to Skate challenges. ▪ Recreation is preparing a memo that will bring information with numerous data points; the new Sr Supervisor should address some of the vacancy challenges. o Nick asked for an update on any information on potential disproportionate impacts related to Rec software and programing. ▪ That information would require surveys to be sent out. ▪ Staffing challenges in the DEI office o Mike N. gave LeAnn a shout out for the coordination and communication at the Fall planning meeting. • Park Planning & Development Updates – Jill Wuertz o PPD team attended the Art in Public Places Board meeting for initial work on the upcoming Bacon Park ▪ The budget amount will be a combination of funding from Bacon Park and surrounding trail projects – the project will be advertised outside of their on-call process at a distance of 250 miles. o PPD team put together a NE trails progress plan to map different developments and work planned in the area ▪ Hoping to take feedback from the board and gather information for future work with the Strategic Trails Plan. ▪ Email Jill directly with any comments o Bacon Park pre development work is likely to start in the Fall. o Nick asked to discuss City staff coordination efforts with the County along Country Club Rd (Sonders) ▪ Jill has been in contact with Natural Areas regarding their ongoing coordination meetings with the County and expressed interest in joining the coordination meetings. • Parks Update – Mike Calhoon o Parks was a part of hosting the Sparkler Tournament (run by Triple Crown Sports) o Internal staff working on Pickleball Courts ▪ Pickleball lines have been painted at Landings Park to test sound distance. o Fourth of July events: ▪ Morning parade and events went well with large crowds in attendance. ▪ Had to evacuate 3 times for rain in the afternoon o City Park frogs have been completed (east of the pool) o Another ranger has been hired after an extensive process to fill the position (background checks, personality profiling, etc.) o Forestry is involved in Land Use Code updates Parks and Recreation Board TYPE OF MEETING – Hybrid 07/26/2023 – MINUTES Page 6 ▪ Bundling Xeriscaping, Soil Amendments, and tree Policy ▪ Forestry will be presenting to the board in August. • 6-month Planning Calendar Review https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/files/six-month-planning- calendar.pdf?1677855905 o Land use Code Discussion in October o Budget Appropriations in November • Meghan announced that the Leadership Fort Collins application is open until August 5th – Chamber of Fort Collins o Leadership PSD application is also open 11. ADJOURNMENT Ken Christensen adjourned the meeting at 7:54pm