Minutes Park and Recreation 9 11 07PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
4:30 p.m., Snack Bar, Bunker Hill Golf Course
PRESENT: Tom Blocklinger, Kim Daykin, Chuck Duggan, Gary Harjehausen, Karen
Lyness and Evelyn Nadeau
ABSENT: Paul Hoffmann
OTHERS: Staff present: Gil Spence, Pat Prevenas, Bob Fritsch and Jolene Rettenberger
MINUTES It was moved by Tom Blocklinger, seconded by Chuck Duggan, to approve the
APPROVED; minutes of the August 14, 2007 meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
VOTE:
APPROVE Leisure Services Manager Gil Spence shared with the commissioners the
MANAGEMENT Management Agreement for Camping at Miller-Riverview Park and Dubuque
AGREEMENT Water Ski Club. Park Division Manager Bob Fritsch stated that we received a
FOR MILLER- lot of interest in this position which was advertised in the Help Wanted ads of
RIVERVIEW the Telegraph Herald.
PARK:
David Starkey has been offered the position and will begin work on Sunday,
September 16th, pending his background check.
A motion was approved by Karen Lyness, seconded by Chuck Duggan, to
approve the Management Agreement for Camping at Miller-Riverview Park and
Dubuque Water Ski Club. The motion passed unanimously.
UPDATE ON Leisure Services Manager Gil Spence shared the following list of projects with
CAPITAL the commissioners:
IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS: - Fee Collector's Building at Eagle Point Park is completed and will be
accepted at the Monday, September 17th, City Council meeting. - A
playground unit has been installed at Southern Park. -The Waller-Cooper
Park project is completed and aribbon-cutting ceremony will be scheduled for
a later date. -Work continues to take place on the Highway 20 Landscaping
Project. -The parking lot at the Bunker Hill Golf Course is being repaved.
-The entrance sign to Dubuque along Highway 20 is almost complete. -The
landscaping project along South Locust Street is almost complete. -The Port
of Dubuque Sign along Highway 151/20 is almost complete. -The entrance
sign at 5th and White Street is in progress. -Carpet is being replaced,
decorative sidewalks are being sealed and concrete work at the Grand River
Center is almost complete. -Work continues at the new rest room facility at
Valentine Park and will be open for the 2008 park season.
continued
September 11, 2007 meeting
page two
ATTENDANCE AT Leisure Services Manager Gil Spence invited all commissioners to attend the
GROWING Growing Sustainable Communities Workshop to be held on Wednesday,
SUSTAINABLE September 26, 2007. This is apre-workshop to the Iowa League of Cities
COMMUNITIES Workshop. To date, twenty-three employees from the Leisure Services
WORKSHOP: Department will be attending this workshop. If any commissioner is interested
in attending, please let Gil Spence know.
PARK DIVISION Park Division Manager Bob Fritsch shared the following information:
REPORT: - Landscaping at the Federal Building is two-thirds completed. - Mulch and
decorative limestone has replaced the grassy areas along the Iowa Street
beds. -A lot of prep work for the Iowa League of Cities has taken place.
Landscaping has been done at the Port of Dubuque area, which includes
Hearty Mums and Lilies being planted along both sides of the Third Street
ramp and in front of the Port of Dubuque sign. Hearty Mums have also been
planted in planters along Main Street and Iowa Street.
RECREATION Recreation Division Manager Pat Prevenas shared the following information
DIVISION from the Summer 2007 Report:
REPORT:
- The swimming pool season is over and numbers are below average due to
the Crypto Speridium outbreak and bad August weather. - Due to no indoor
pool available, Deep Water Exercise classes will not be offered this Fall.
-The sale of season pool passes for families are up, but youth is down.
-The enrollment numbers for Tot Lot and Play Lot are down for the third
straight year. - Tennis enrollment numbers are up. -Over the summer, 928
free lunches have been served at the Comiskey Center and Prescott
Elementary School. -August golf rounds are down 5% in August, but we are
still up 1% from last year. -We have had a lot of golfers at the disc golf
course at Veterans' Memorial Park. - Enrollment numbers are up in our
Uptown Recreation Programs, including the Community Basketball Leagues
that were held at the Comiskey Park. -Amusement Park ticket sales are
down this year with the exception of Lost Island Water Park in Waterloo. - Fall
softball leagues have begun and we have 18 teams on Tuesday night and 20
teams on Thursday night. -Registration for Fall classes, adult basketball,
dodgeball and volleyball leagues are in process. -A number of free after-
school programs/sports is offered at our elementary schools. We are in a need
to hire staff for both programs. - Engraving works needs to be completed on
the Hall of Fame monument that has been installed at the McAleece
Recreation Area.
continued
September 11, 2007 meeting
page three
OTHER Leisure Services Manager Gil Spence shared the following information:
BUSINESS: - The condition of the greens at Bunker Hill Golf Course are in good condition.
The question that we need to ask ourselves is how can we increase our golf
business? Many thanks to Commissioner Chuck Duggan for organizing a
Couples League at Bunker Hill Golf Course, every other Sunday. - Golf
meetings held at the Snack Bar have been very successful. We appreciate the
good relationships our golfers have with our Golf Course Superintendent, Mike
Denman and his staff. -A part-time golf maintenance position is available with
the resignation of Zach Kiebel. - We are continuing to look for additional sites
for Pet Parks.
ADJOURN; It was moved by Chuck Duggan, seconded by Kim Daykin, that the meeting be
VOTE: adjourned at 5:07 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
Chairperson
Attest