Minutes_Park and Recreation Commission 8 10 10PRESENT: Bob Blocker, Tom Blocklinger, Karen Lyness, Evelyn Nadeau and Mark Noble
ABSENT: Paul Hoffmann, and David Schlueter
OTHERS: Staff present: Marie Ware, Pat Prevenas, Bob Fritsch and Eileen Trimble
ADMINISTER Karen Lyness, reappointed to another three -year term, signed the Oath of
OATH OF Office papers.
OFFICE:
MINUTES It was moved l Blocker, seconded l Blocklinger, to approve the minutes of
APPROVED; the July 13, 2010, meeting with a clarification to the motion regarding memorial
VOTE: benches and trees. The motion was corrected and changed to: Fees will be
reviewed each year and adjusted according to cost for memorial trees and
benches plus cost of memorial plaque; labor will be provided l the city. The
motion passed unanimously.
SAFE
COMMUNITY
TASK FORCE:
NORTHWEST
ARTERIAL TRAIL,
PHASE II:
RECREATION
AND PARK
DIVISIONS'
STAFFING:
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
4:30 p.m., Bunker Hill Golf Course Snack Bar
Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware brought commissioners up to date on
the Safe Community Task Force. The second set of the task force
recommendations was presented at the last City Council Meeting. The City
Manager asked staff in all departments to look at their department and see
what they could do; look beyond the recommendations -- look at their intent
and what our role is. The council is meeting tonight to go over the
recommendations. Each department has been and will be involved in safe
community recommendations. The Multicultural Family Center is involved as
well. Comiskey, Orange and Jackson Parks are areas we are focusing on.
Ware shared safe community mission must be a partnership with the citizens —
it can't just be the city as an organization or one department trying to do
everything.
Manager Ware told commissioners that the one mile stretch of trail from
Kennedy Road to Plaza Drive has not been officially opened even though it
looks like the trail is completed. There are a number of issues we need to
solve. There are drainage problems and the hillside is sloughing in a couple
areas. We are working on a plan for additional drainage and /or French drains.
We need to find the extra money to pay for this additional work because the
work needs to be done. With the change orders, including cost to fix these
issues, the total project is now up to $300,000. Also, the pedestrian
poles /signals are not installed yet so even if the drainage issues are fixed, the
trail will not open without the pedestrian signals.
Recreation Division will be advertising soon for the full time program
supervisor job that has been open since Molly Weis retired at the end of
January. We are shifting jobs around a little and refocusing this job. This
VETERANS'
MEMORIAL
PLAZA
ACCEPTANCE:
MYSTIQUE
COMMUNITY ICE
ARENA
PARK DIVISION
REPORT:
August 10, 2010 meeting
page two
individual will still be doing kids programming but also looking at targeted areas
and partnering with other organizations to reach those areas. This person will
also be our liaison with the Multicultural Family Center.
Park Division: Manager Ware and Division Manager Fritsch are looking at how
we have done business in the past, can we make it more efficient, better ways
to organize, etc. They are meeting August 16 with all park division staff
including seasonal workers to get ideas from actual work force — ideas on how
to better organize, better serve, etc. After the full division staff meeting,
managers will have a follow -up meeting with foremen.
Manager Ware explained to commissioners that several years ago the City
Council said the city would take over ownership and maintain the Veterans'
Memorial Plaza once it was completed. Ware has worked with the Veterans'
Board to get a resolution to accept. When the council does accept, Managers
Ware and Fritsch will meet with the Veterans' Board to turn over maintenance
duties.
The ice arena is coming along well — with an open house planned on
September 11th and a ribbon cutting. That same evening the Fighting Saints
have an exhibition game. The parking lot at McAleece is getting paved and is
half done; hope to finish second half tomorrow. The lot by the skate park is
also getting paved. DICE has hired general manager and advertised for other
jobs.
Park Division Manager Bob Fritsch informed commissioners:
• July 22nd storm: tree crew worked twelve hours straight from 10:00 p.m.
Thursday night to 10:00 a.m. Friday without a break and took care of 40 tree
call sites; seven trees fell on houses; there will probably be hundreds of calls
by the time everything is cleaned up. The campground flooded Friday and we
called Biechler Electric to get the electrical poles removed. He responded
immediately and pulled his workers off other projects so the job was done
quickly. The park reopened the following Wednesday so we could make sure
the 25 Ragbrai campers had their sites; they were told in advance they would
have to accept the park in the condition it was in. Harvest View Park had to be
closed because the detention basin and park both flooded. Eagle Point Park
had trees down, one across the entrance to the park so the front entrance was
closed for twenty -four hours and citizens had to go in back gate. Bergfeld —
railing blew out. We are going to try and get more employees trained on tree
crew equipment so others could run log loader and bucket truck. • Video
surveillance equipment was stolen from the new building at Veterans' Memorial
Park and the building was vandalized. We are discussing the possibility of
sending radio signal to Wahlert since their fiber optic security equipment is
connected to the Law Center. • Progress at Rockdale Park has been slowed
down by the rain. The brick paver sidewalk will be done as soon as it dries out.
• Need to spray crabgrass at Miller Riverview Park to kill it and so the rock
pads are more visible.
August 10, 2010 meeting
page three
RECREATION Recreation Division Manager Pat Prevenas informed commissioners:
DIVISION
REPORT: • Storm: Golf course was affected by the weather — course was closed
Friday and Saturday of the storm and that Saturday was the first day of the
two -day two -man tournament which had to be canceled. Trees were down in
areas and the pond liner on #16 came loose. All four chemical controllers at
pools were struck by lightning and had to be shipped back to California. Since
then staff is doing manually which requires them to be there more hours.
• July golf rounds were down from last summer. • Eight week summer
programs finished last Friday. • Both pools had an average July; Sutton's last
day of operation is scheduled for Sunday with the doggy dip on Monday night;
triathlon had 55 participants; Flora's final day is scheduled for August 22nd with
the doggy dip that Monday night.
OTHER
BUSINESS:
ADJOURN;
VOTE:
Charles Winterwood from Tri -State Trail Vision was present to ask the
commission to request funding be included in the capital improvement budget
for the western phase (I) of the Catfish Creek Trail Project. They are
requesting 30% matching funds from the city for the grant.
Commissioner Blocker commended the park division employees for fast work
on storm cleanup and switching over to getting routes ready for Ragbrai.
Commissioner Lyness asked about the status of the second pet park and
Manager Ware said it is still in the works but there is not much happening right
now. We hope to move the project forward through the winter, getting
approvals and preparing bids. Commissioners also asked about pet park
revenue and if usage was down at the park. Mr. Fritsch did not have numbers
available but will report at the September meeting on the actual revenue so far.
He feels usage is down, although in recent weeks it could be all the rain and
the hot temperatures.
Commissioner Nadeau said she was happy to see Usha Park and the
Dubuque Cricket Club featured in the Telegraph Herald. It was nice to see
activity at that park.
It was moved by Blocker, seconded by Lyness, that the meeting be adjourned
at 5:25 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
Chairperson