Minutes_Park and Recreation Commission 2 12 13PRESENT:
ABSENT
STAFF PRESENT:
MINUTES
APPROVED;
VOTE:
BOY SOUT
REQUEST TO
WAIVE E.P.P.
ENTRANCE FEE;
VOTE:
REPORT ON
LINCOLN
SCHOOL AND
NEIGHBORHOOD
PROGRAMS
REPORT ON
FAMILY POOL
PASS; DROP
FAMILY PASS;
VOTE:
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
4:30 p.m., Port of Dubuque Marina, 450 East 3rd Street
Bob Blocker, Ken Klinge, Chuck Harris, Paul Hoffmann, Karen Lyness and
Evelyn Nadeau
David Schlueter
Marie Ware, Steve Fehsal, Eileen Trimble
It was moved by Klinge, seconded by Lyness, to approve the minutes of the
January 8, 2013, meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Britt and Drake Oswald and Curtis DeWulf were present representing the Order
of the Arrow to request waiving the entrance fee to Eagle Point Park for
attendees at their pancake breakfast on Mother's Day. In return the Boy Scouts
work with staff to schedule a service day where Scouts clean up at the park.
It was moved 12y Lyness, seconded 12y Klinge, to waive the entrance fee to Eagle
Point Park on Mother's Day for those attending the pancake breakfast. The
motion passed unanimously.
Recreation Program Supervisor Tony Elskamp distributed two handouts which
may be found as part of the original minutes. The department started a pilot
program at Lincoln School with programs for the school students in the
surrounding area. There has been a good response for the first three weeks —
59 registrants for 13 different activities, with total participation of 189. January
12th was the kickoff for the program with 60 attendees. It was a chance for
neighbors to meet the instructors, see some sample programs and enjoy a free
lunch.
Commissioner Nadeau asked if there was much participation from Spanish and
Marshallese speakers.participation. Elskamp said not a lot during the school
year but more in the summer. Nadeau asked if maybe fliers and handouts in
their language and offering adult programs in the same location at the same time
so the parents could be at same site while their children were participating in
classes would increase the participation.
Informational documents sent to commissioners in agenda packet may be found
as part of the original minutes. Recreation Program Supervisor Janna Beau
explained the current procedure for purchasing family swim pass. There is a
form to fill out where you list yourself and up to five other people, spouse and
child dependents on your taxes. Residents that qualify for low income can get a
pass at half price.
As the department has witnessed, there are several situations where
fraudulence occurs on family forms: • A family may state that mother, father and
continued
February 12, 2013 meeting
page two
four kids will be attending the pools, but knowing that a tag will never get used by
the father, it gets transferred to a friend or neighbor; n conversations have been
overheard in the parking lot where deals are being made to add people to a
family if they don't have 6 total people; n advertisements have been witnessed
on Craiglist, et cetera.
Ms. Beau surveyed many other cities for their season swim pass policy. Today
there are so many nontraditional and blended families. Our current policy
requires a couple to be married and the children to be dependents on the taxes —
individuals living together would not be given a "family" pass. If a couple felt
their circumstances warranted a family pass they filled out a special form that
went to the division manager for approval or denial.
Staff has been looking at options to assist in the pool pass solution: discard
the family pass and have two passes — youth and adult; 0 discard the family
pass and have one fee across the board — one tag per person no matter the age
or if associated with other family members. One tag would eliminate the
guesswork and judgment about family.
Commissioner Lyness asked if we had any idea what percentage of people
cheat. Commissioner Harris felt the single admission would probably be the
best way to go but it might be hard for Dubuque people to accept.
Commissioner Nadeau said it would seem simpler to go with individual tag but
asked if there would be Tess adult presence at the pools to watch kids because
parents would just drop off their kids? Ms. Beau said that happens now and she
didn't feel it would get any worse than it is now. Commissioner Hoffmann felt
we need to maintain a standard of excellence so we don't get complaints. We
don't discount season golf passes or discount pavilion rental fees, et cetera so
do we need to have discounted season pool passes?
Manager Ware said the city wants to provide a safe place for children to go and
be active at a reasonable price. She said citizens can keep doing the
"exceptions" requests; maybe give six tags no matter who they are for; or keep
studying the issue.
Commissioners Blocker and Lyness don't want to see the issue go cold, they
feel some action should be taken now; Nadeau asked if purchasers could show
something that shows they live in the same dwelling; Blocker suggested putting
off a decision until next month so staff could come forward with a couple
proposals that commissioners could vote yes or no; Hoffmann likes the individual
tag option if priced appropriately, so it eliminates a lot of hassle; Nadeau felt
single tag option penalizes larger families and those that need assistance.
It was moved 12y Hoffmann, seconded 12y Harris, to change the season pass sale
to individual tags based accordingly, amouratized out 12y current cost and
pending staff proposal received by e -mail and then to be voted on via conference
call. The motion passed unanimously.
February 12, 2013 meeting
page three
PARK DIVISION Park Division Manager Steve Fehsal informed commissioners:
REPORT:
MANAGER
REPORT:
OTHER
BUSINESS:
ADJOURN;
VOTE:
• Crews are busy: • plowing and shoveling from the snow and ice; • working on
picnic tables; • started planting in the greenhouse; • installed a couple memorial
benches; • trying to catch up on general maintenance; • only able to keep one ice
rink open — Allison- Henderson if weather allows; • painting some rooms at
Bunker Hill; • repairing some of the chairs and benches from the plaza area;
taking more trainings — recent meth lab training, Iowa 1 -Call and GIS. • Manager
is in the process of purchasing a van, garbage truck and dump truck.
Commissioner Blocker asked about Miller Riverview campground: • reservation
process for camping — he thought it was going to be the same as pavilions; • .
road paving; and possible water and sewer offered at each campsite. Leisure
Services Manager Ware said that Mr. Fehsal will be researching other
campgrounds and online reservation programs that can be implemented next
season; there is some money in the capital improvement budget to blacktop or
concrete some of the campsite pads; there is $30,000 in funds for renovating the
current rest room. As far as water and sewer at each site, it would be a really
major expense.
Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware informed commissioners:
The Grand River Center has been open for over ten years and the contract will
expire in April. a Personnel: Interviews are being conducted for the Multicultural
Family Center Director position; advertisement is out for the Golf Technician;
Steve is working on Assistant Horticulturalist position in his division; and
interviews are being scheduled for Recreation Division Manager. a Dubuque
Visitors' Guide had a really nice picture of the marina on the cover. a Sledding
item was left off the agenda in error.
• Commissioners went on a tour of the interior of the Marina building after the
meeting
It was moved by Lyness, seconded by Harris, that the meeting be adjourned at
6:10 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
Chairperson