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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 09/22/1993• 0 CITY OF FORT COLLINS CULTURAL, LIBRARY, AND RECREATIONAL SERVICES PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD CITY COUNCIL LIAISON TO THE BOARD: Councilman Gerry Horak STAFF SUPPORT TO THE BOARD: Jackie Rael, Administrative Aide II, and Jerry P. Brown, Assistant to the Director MINUTES: Regular Meeting -- September 22, 1993 TOUR OF PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS: Board Members and staff met at EPIC at 4:30 p.m. to tour selected Parks and Recreation Projects. Park Planning and Development Staff Members Randy Balok, Leslie Bryson, Craig Foreman, and Jeff Mullins conducted the tour and explained the projects at Stover/Stuart trail improvements; Greenbriar Park; and Buckingham Park. Recreation Manager Jean Helburg met the tour at Mulberry Pool and explained the project and upgrades done at -this facility; the EPIC tour was conducted by Facility Manager Jeff King and Jean Helburg. CALL MEETING TO ORDER: The regular meeting was called to order at 7:26 p.m. by Board President Roger Tarum. AGENDA REVIEW: Staff added two items to the printed agenda: Senior Center Update and New Programs for Youth. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the last regular meeting of August 23, 1993 were unanimously (9-0) approved on a motion by Eric Reno, seconded by Jessica MacMillan.. The minutes of the September 15, 1993 special meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board and the Natural Resources Board were unanimously approved (9-0) on a motion by Marilyn Barnes, seconded by Diane Thies. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: No citizen participation. ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS The Board By-laws state election of officers shall be the first item of business at the regular September meeting. Roger Tarum was re-elected President; Mary Ness was re-elected Vice President; and K-Lynn Cameron was re-elected Board Secretary. All were unanimously elected to office on a motion by Marilyn Barnes, seconded by Eric Reno. YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX/SOUTHWEST PARK PURCHASE At the Joint meeting of the Natural Resources Board and the Parks and Recreation Board on September 15, 1993, the Board members (Parks and Recreation) voted Parks and Recreation Board Minutes September 22, 1993 Page-2 unanimously to recommend to City Council to purchase the Whitham and Stuart properties to be used for Natural areas. They also were in support of the purchase of a portion of the Whitham property to be used for the. Southwest Community Park/Youth Sports Complex. Park Planning and Development Manager Randy Balok reviewed the area with the Board and explained the financing alternatives. This project is funded through Choices 95. However, the funds for the project won't be available until 1996. Therefore, Finance has found potential alternate means of funding this land acquisition. There is surplus money in the Street Oversizing Fund, which is a General Fund account, and our project can borrow $865,000 from Street Oversizing and pay it back in 1996/1997 at around 7% interest from Choices 95 money. This will be a savings in the Southwest Community Park/Youth Sports Complex account of roughly $450,000. Mike Powers explained that this land acquisition plan will be presented to City Council on October 5. Therefore, tonight staff is seeking the Board's recommendation on this land acquisition. K-Lynn Cameron referred to the Natural Resources Board's request that the lighted fields be placed close to the school and have the soccer fields as a buffer to the natural areas and asked if that would be feasible? Staff replied that it probably would be and that staff would work that out. Rich Feller asked if there would be any land between the Whitham/Stuart properties and Dixon Reservoir that is not public land? Mike Powers replied that the entire area would be public land. Eric Reno questioned the process for meeting with the neighborhood before acquisition? Mike replied that the neighborhoods are involved in the design of the parks and because this will be a community park, there will be citizen input from the community at that point, but not at the time of land acquisition. On a motion by K-Lynn Cameron, seconded by Marilyn Barnes, the Board unanimously (9-0) voted to recommend that City Council purchase this land for the Southwest Community Park/Youth Sports Complex as outlined in staff's presentation this evening. SENIOR CENTER Jean Helburg explained to the Board the time line on the senior center. Construction bids exceeded the project budget by. around $400,000 or 8%. The major reason is the current construction market. This project started four years ago and she gave the background of the events that led up to the construction bids. She explained the following options: -1. scale back the project; 2. add public dollars to the project; 3. look at alternative financing of non -city dollars; or 4. a combination of any of the above. Jean is looking to the Board tonight for their thoughts and recommendations on going forth with the project or delaying it until spring or requesting a rebid. Eric Reno asked if this could be scaled down and rebid? Marilyn Barnes asked the difference of the other bids? Jean said that all were within $100,000 of each other. Sylvia Cranmer said the longer we wait, the higher the price of construction would be. All agreed with her. Mary Ness added that the cost will be higher in the spring, and he feels it is important to get started on this project. He suggests that staff look to Parks and Recreation Board Minutes September 22, 1993 Page 3 City Council to find the additional money needed for this project. Diane Thies suggested that the $450,000 savings from the acquisition of the Southwest Community Park/Youth Sports Complex be transferred into the Senior Center project since they are both Choices 95 funded Parks and Recreation projects. Jessica MacMillan said that if we have to delay a portion of the project, to delay the construction of the pool, etc. Jean said we do have enough money to build the senior center and frame in the area for the fitness, locker rooms, and pool. Jessica said there are other places in Fort Collins where the seniors can swim. Mary Ness said it is very important that as a Board we follow through on our promise to the seniors, and we have an obligation to the Senior community to complete this project. Rich Feller asked if we scale back and send out to rebid how long will that process take? Jean said we are looking at construction in the spring if that occurs. Eric said it only seems logical to build what we can and frame in the remainder at this time. Marilyn Barnes asked if the low bidder is a reputable contractor? Jean said we will meet next week with the low bidder to verify the competency of this contractor. (Sylvia Cranmer had to leave the meeting at this time). Mary would like to see the old senior center become a satellite center for the seniors who live downtown. He said there are many uses for that building that the city, as it grows, will need more public facilities. Mike Powers said the direction staff has from Council is to sell the old senior center and place the proceeds in the Choices revenue account. K-Lynn Cameron likes Diane's suggestion. On a motion by K-Lynn Cameron, seconded by Diane Thies, the Board voted unanimously (8-0) to recommend to City Council to continue with the senior center project as scheduled and don't cut back the project. They further recommended to Council to use the savings from the acquisition of the Southwest Community Park/Youth Sports Complex and transfer to the Senior Center building project. The Board also expressed concern that the contractor is a reputable builder. Jessica stated her personal concern regarding not hiring a local contractor for this project. She would like the city to be more cognizant about the local economy and keeping the tax dollars in Fort Collins by supporting the local builders. PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH Jean Helburg distributed a memo to the Board regarding the new programs for youth that Recreation had started this summer. A youth basketball program was initiated by Herb Schlicht, a local businessman and the Recreation staff in conjunction with Larimer County Sheriff's Department. This program was started. as a positive outlet for youth as an alternative to gangs and delinquency. This program exceeded everyone's expectations. The basketball program had over 300 participants. As a result of requests from parents and teens, Debra Bueno, Recreation Supervisor at Northside Aztlan Community Center, opened the center from 9:00 p.m. to midnight three nights a week .for the kids to have a place to "hang out" and play basketball; use the pool room, and weight room free of charge. This also Parks and Recreation Board Minutes September 22, 1993 Page 4 proved to be a successful program. The participation in this was over 1,500. Marilyn Barnes said this is a positive direction for the youth of Fort Collins. Mary Ness said we need to continue to promote the positive attitude for the youth community. He expressed the importance of working with the kids at that very tender age to focus them in a positive direction. He said $54,000 that is needed to expand the funding for this program is a small amount to pay, and as an advocate for youth sports, the numbers .of kids these summer programs reached is exceptional. (Eric Reno left to attend another.meeting at this time). Rich Feller asked if we are going to implement this program in all areas of Fort Collins? Jean added that this program was a pilot program, and we will be reaching out to other areas in the community in the future. K-Lynn Cameron said we need to find a permanent funding source to continue this program. This is a social benefit to the community, and it benefits all community agencies. Mary added that this $54,000 needed to fund this program will generate volunteer help. Diane Thies would like to see more integration of this type of program with handicapped children. On a motion by Diane Thies, seconded by K-Lynn Cameron, the Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend to Council to fund these non -fee programs for recreation activities in Fort Collins. OTHER BUSINESS Jerry P. Brown distributed copies of the Parks and Recreation budget. He reviewed it briefly with the Board. He requested that the Board review this document as Jean Helburg will bring the Recreation fees and charges to the Board at their October meeting and this document will help them become familiar with the budget figures. K-Lynn Cameron said she had a call from a citizen who would like to do volunteer work on the trail as patrol. Marilyn Barnes said she thinks emergency phones should be strategically placed along the trail. Jerry asked K-Lynn to give him the person's name and phone number and staff will follow up. Roger Tarum received a couple of letters from ice skaters who felt that a staff person at EPIC could have handled a situation better. He said staff did respond to the complaints. Roger asked what mechanism is in place to respond to such complaints that Board members receive? Mike Powers said that Board members should give the complaints to staff and we will follow up and advise the Board as to the outcome. The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m. cntffulnly s/ubm ted, 4 F-� e Rael, Administrative Aide Parks and Recreation Board Minutes September 22, 1993 Page 5 Meetina Attendance OARD MEMBERS _ STAFF Roger Tarum Mike Powers Mary Ness Jerry P. Brown Marilyn Barnes Randy Balok K-Lynn Cameron Jean Helburg Sylvia Cranmer Jeff Mullins Rich Feller Craig Foreman Jessica MacMillan Jeff King Eric Reno Leslie Bryson Diane Thies Jackie Rael