Minutes_Park and Recreation Commission 9 14 10PRESENT:
ABSENT:
OTHERS:
ADMINISTER
OATH OF
OFFICE:
MINUTES
APPROVED;
VOTE:
REPORT FROM
LEISURE
SERVICES
MANAGER MARIE
WARE:
PARK DIVISION
REPORT:
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
4:30 p.m., Bunker Hill Golf Course Snack Bar
Bob Blocker, Tom Blocklinger, Paul Hoffmann, Karen Lyness, Evelyn Nadeau
and David Schlueter
Mark Noble
Staff present: Pat Prevenas, Bob Fritsch and Eileen Trimble
Paul Hoffmann, reappointed to another three -year term, signed the Oath of
Office papers.
It was moved 12y Lyness, seconded by Nadeau, to approve the minutes of the
August 10, 2010, meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware was not in attendance at the meeting
but e- mailed commissioners a "What's going on in Leisure Services"
information update sheet which may be found as part of the original minutes.
Information included updates on Mystique Community Ice Arena, E.B. Lyons
Interpretive Center, Dubuque Bruisers lease, McAleece parking lot,
AmeriCorps grant program, ownership of Veterans' Memorial at Chaplain
Schmitt Island, FEMA storm damage, flowers / flower beds, improvements to
Miller Riverview campground, full time program supervisor job, upcoming CIP
budget and Allison- Henderson building.
Park Division Manager Bob Fritsch updated commissioners:
• Dragon Boat Festival at Miller Riverview Park went well. Rip rap work had
been done along the river so there was not a lot of access to the water directly
from the park. • Crews will be switching mums in baskets at the Port of
Dubuque this week. • We have been giving Comiskey a lot of attention and
making a special effort to keep the playground area and park clean and well
maintained. • Rockdale / Grandview Park is coming along. Klein will finish
the landscaping; flags, antique lights and water fountain will be installed next
week. • Parking lot for trail at Bergfeld (on Pennsylvania) is completed. The
Bergfeld area and trail is so popular and well used that we have to send a crew
out seven days a week to clean rest rooms. • Pet Park revenue summary
sheets were distributed and may be found as part of the original minutes. It
was noted that April through June amounts were Fiscal Year 2010 and July
through September were Fiscal Year 2011 amounts. A true picture of revenue
for a full year would not be available until the end of the fiscal year (6- 30 -11).
• Park patrol received some bikes from the Police Department and they have
been using the bikes at Eagle Point and on trails — going very well.
continued
September 14, 2010 meeting
page two
Commissioners had a few general questions about parks: • Commissioner
Nadeau asked when are rest rooms shut off for the season? Mr. Fritsch said
when it is still ok for the plumbing. Last year a port-a -potty was placed at A.Y.
McDonald Park and Bergfeld for the winter. • Commissioner Blocker said
several campsites were washed out at Miller Riverview and need some
limestone and areas that need re- seeding. Mr. Fritsch said he has been going
around the campground with several "regular" campers and making a list of
items to improve / maintain the park. • Commissioner Blocklinger asked
about the division employee meeting — how did it go? Mr. Fritsch said it went
well. Manager Ware collected written comments from all present at the
meeting and her, Bob and foremen have had two subsequent meetings to look
at ways to improve and be more efficient. There are a couple foremen looking
at retirement in the next couple years.
RECREATION Recreation Division Manager Pat Prevenas updated commissioners:
DIVISION
REPORT: • A Recreation Division Report for summer 2010 was distributed and may
be found as part of the original minutes. Pools had an average year but
surprisingly, during August when it was hot and very humid, people stopped
coming to the pools; only one doggie dip was held — at Sutton; triathlon
numbers were down from last year; family swim pass purchases were down
but youth numbers were way up; recreation classes numbers were down a
little; playground sites with free lunches served 2,500 over four sites; golf for
August was better than 2009 and we are having our best season since 2005.
• Dubuque Bruisers football has not been able to get the funding they
needed to lease a section of FDR Park but they are using Veterans' Memorial
park two times a week for practices. • Health and Leisure Services
Departments are cooperating to offer the deer hunt program again; 60 hunters
so far this year have passed the proficiency test. • Flora Pool had to close
early due to a problem with the pump — 30,000 gallons of water were coming
out of the top of the pump so closed Flora and kept Sutton open longer. The
doggie dip at Sutton had to be postponed in order to be open for public
swimming and it was rescheduled to Monday, August 23rd. The five -year
capital improvement budget has money to renovate the pump this year.
• Bunker Hill irrigation: bids were received for renovation of the golf course
irrigation system with the bid going to Midwest Irrigation of East Dubuque.
There was $180,000 budgeted -- $80,000 from tax support and the balance
from golf development fund. The renovation includes replacing pump house to
left of #3 green, replacing satellite controller and central controller. • A dirt
BMX bike track is being constructed at McAleece for teens and young adults,
with most of the work being done by volunteers. Commissioner Lyness asked
if there was a BMX bike track as part of the Roosevelt Master Plan and Mr.
Prevenas said it was a mountain biking area in that plan.
continued
OTHER
BUSINESS:
ADJOURN;
VOTE:
Attest
September 14, 2010 meeting
page three
Commissioner Blocker asked if there had been an armed robbery at Comiskey
Park on one of the movie nights — a citizen asked him to check out the story.
Mr. Fritsch said there was a report of a weapon being brandished but the police
responded immediately and nobody would talk to them or give them any
information so the report was unfounded.
Ken Clayton, campground manager was present to invite commissioners to the
campground on October 2nd for the Halloween party and parade. Some of the
campers go all out — there is a prize for best costume, best decorated camper,
et cetera.
It was moved by Blocklinger, seconded by Blocker, that the meeting be
adjourned at 5:05 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
Chairperson