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Home My WebLink About2008-06-02 - MinutesFAYETTEVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD Meeting Minutes June 2, 2008 Opening: The regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was called to order by Vice Chairman Jay Davidson at 5:37 p.m. on June 2, 2008, in Room 326 of the City Administration Building located at 113 West Mountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Present: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members Davidson, Biendara, P. Jones, Waite, Hatfield, and Bider were present. Waite was not present for the first vote. Colwell and Mauritson were not present. Park Staff Edmonston, Wright, Thomas, Jumper, C. Jones and the audience were in attendance. 1. Approval of May 5, 2008 PRAB Meeting Minutes PRAB Motion: Waite motioned to accept the minutes as written. Biendara seconded it. Motion passed 5-0-0 by voice vote. 2. Botanical Gardens Monthly Report: Walt Filers, Board of Directors Filers discussed the report. Bitler asked if the appraisal value of BGO is 2.9 million. Eilers said yes. Davidson said much of that were donations. Biendara asked how many directional signs to BGTO there were. Eilers replied that there were four signs. Davidson asked if the Little Sprouts program had started. Eilers said yes, and it's really taking off. The kids get to plant something and then take it home. 3. Request to Rename Eagle Park to Rodney Ryan Park: Dr. Sharon Hunt See attached request. Staff Recommendation: Approval to Rename Eagle Park to Rodney Ryan Park Dr. Sharon Hunt of the University of Arkansas, talked about why Eagle Park should be renamed Rodney Ryan Park. Biendara asked if anyone else was submitting this request with her. Hunt replied yes, Craig Edmonston. Biendara asked if Hunt had contacted anyone in the neighborhood asking their opinion about the name change. Hunt said no, not at this time. Biendara said she had no objections to the name, but she felt the neighborhood needs to be notified. Bitler wanted to know if PRAB changes names frequently, or just with special cases. Edmonston replied that it was not done much, but just for special cases. Wright commented that this park has just been grassland, but is now becoming a true park. PRAB Motion: According to the Naming Park Facilities Policy, this item must be tabled for one month in order to allow for public input. Bitler motioned to accept the table, but added that the neighborhood should be asked for feedback. Biendara seconded it. Motion passed 6-0-0 by voice vote. 4. Request to Name the Gary Hampton Softball Complex Pavilion as the Rotary Club of Fayetteville: Howard Brill, Rotary Club President Rotary Club donated $15,000 to assist in building apavilion at Gary Hampton Softball Complex. The pavilion will serve participants in the softball league and weekend tournaments, the neighborhood and Holcomb Elementary School and will also serve as a trail head for Clabber Creek Trail. The bid for this project was awarded to Arkoma Playgrounds and Supply in the amount of $34,214 plus a 12% contingency of $4,106. The project includes a 24 foot pavilion, sidewalk connection and picnic tables. City Council approved this bid on May 20, 2008. Plans are to have the concrete slab completed by the FayRo Tournament on June 13 — 15. The Rotary Club has donated scoreboards, sponsored Gulley Park Concert Series, and sponsorship of teams through the years. Staff Recommendation: Approval to name the new pavilion at the Gary Hampton Softball Complex as the Rotary Club of Fayetteville. Howard Brill, Rotary Club President, said that he was excited about the pavilion. They would like to request the name change. Davidson asked if we were changing the name. Jumper said no.It was a new pavilion that hadn't been named. 2 Wright commented that the Rotary Club has contributed many things to Parks and Recreation. Bitler asked Brill if he was happy with the name "Rotary Club of Fayetteville". Brill replied yes. He said he and Edmonston discussed what to name the pavilion. Davidson asked if the name would contain the word pavilion. C. Jones said no. It will just say "Rotary Club of Fayetteville". Biendara asked if it would be available for public use. Edmonston said yes. It would provide shade for people at the games. Brill said he wants everyone to use it. PRAB Motion: According to the Naming Park Facilities Policy, this item must be tabled for one month in order to allow for public input. Bitler made a motion to table the name, and Biendara seconded it. Motion passed 6-0-0 by voice vote. 5. Park Land Dedication Fund Request: Mountain Ranch Trail Construction: Alison Jumper, Park Planner Staff is requesting approval of $31,000 from the SW Park Land Dedication Fund to reimburse the developer of Mountain Ranch for the construction of Shiloh Trail. The developer is dedicating the land for the trail to meet the requirements of the Park Land Dedication Ordinance and building the trail to expedite the completion. Staff has drafted an agreement between the City and the developer to ensure the timeliness of the construction. This project must be completed by September 2008 because the trail would be funded by the SW Park Land Dedication Fund. Jumper said that this was just a follow up from last month. The cost will be $31,000 instead of $90,000. This is due to all the work required to build the ponds. Staff is requesting $31,000 from the SW quadrant. Davidson asked if it would impact the park dedication fund. Edmonston replied that the next item on the agenda discusses that fund. She said that items five and six on the agenda can be combined, but they really need separate votes. (PRAB went on to item six, and then came back to item five.) Davidson said after voting on item six, PRAB now needed to vote on the $31,000 from the Mountain Ranch Trail Construction. Bitler wanted to know the footage and width of the trail. Jumper said it was 1,791 feet long and 12 feet wide. P. Jones said he was going to recuse from the vote, because he works with the contractor. PRAB Motion: Hatfield motioned to accept the staff recommendation on item five. Biendara seconded the motion. Motion passed 5-0-0 by voice vote. 6. SW Park Land Dedication Budget Adjustment Request: Connie Edmonston, Parks & Recreation Director The Southwest Park Land Dedication Fund is required to expend $126,634 by the end of 2008. The Park Planners have been very busy in addition to their Park projects, working on the plans of the Downtown Square project, as well as serving as the Urban Forester during the vacancy of this position. These duties were not known when the budget was created in August of 2007 for 2008 expenditures. The current Wilson Park trail renovation project, which includes the addition of lights, has a dedicated budget of $217,000 in 2008. It would be difficult to spend $126,634 by the end of 2008 as complete plans and specifications are necessary to bid the project. A topographical survey of Wilson Park is in the process of being completed and an Electrical Engineer will be hired to design the trail lights. Since this project began, it has become apparent the $217,000 will not be enough to renovate the trail and provide lights. The $69,000 attributed to redirecting the trail across the swimming pool parking lot and installing a bridge that would move the trail around the perimeter of the softball field to the Castle area will be combined with the trail renovation/lighting project. Staff suggests to proceed with the planning documents for Wilson trail/light project, but move $75,000 from this project to projects that could be completed by December 2008. In the 2009 capital projects, we would make it a high priority to provide enough funds to complete the Wilson Trail/light project. In addition, Staff will have a better estimate of how much it will cost to complete this project. Staff is also requesting other adjustments to the Southwest Fund due to projects having contingency funds left and the addition of the Mountain Ranch Project request above. Harmony Pointe Park will cost $2,904 less than proposed. The remaining $4,000 will complete a park entry sign. 11 2. Wilson Pool Rock Wall will cost $15,000 with the Parks Maintenance Staff demolishing the existing structure which is a savings of $15,000. 3. Citizens are requesting large pavilions similar to Walker Park's pavilion to hold social events such as birthday parties, family/friend gathers and such. A new pavilion at Gulley Park is in the budget for 2008 and staff believes a better bid will be received by requesting two pavilions on the same bid. Finger Park needs a new, larger pavilion and is a project that could be completed this year. The budget for the Finger Park pavilion would be $70,000. In summary, Staff is requesting the following projects to be approved for the SW Park Land Dedication Fund in 2008. If this is approved by PRAB, it will need to go before City Council for final approval. Projects Complete in 2008 Continue into 2009 Harmony Pointe Park Entry Sign: $ 4,000 Wilson Park Trail/Lights $13,000 $129,000 Wilson Park Trail/Walk Bridge $ 69,000 Wilson Pool Rock Wall $15,000 Mountain Ranch Trail $31,000 Finger Park Pavilion $70,000 $133,000 ($126,634 required to be completed in 2008) See Park Land Dedication Budget Adjustment forms. Staff Recommendation: Approval of proposed SW Park Land Adjustment. Bitler asked if the Wilson Park Trail and Bridge would be done before the pool opening next year in 2009. Edmonston said yes, and it will be high priority. Bitler wanted to know the anticipated total cost amount that will be required to complete the project. Edmonston said that Parks will have that figure after the electrical contractor is hired. C. Jones said it would be over $100,000. Bitler wanted to know how much money is in the developmental fund. Edmonston said that each year it is a little over a million dollars. Davidson asked what would happen if Parks doesn't spend it. Would it go back to the developers? Edmonston said yes, but that's never happened. Bitler asked if Finger Park was used much by citizens. Edmonston said that some citizens use it, and it's getting more usage. Wright said that we need to have bigger pavilions available for people to use. Hitler wanted to know how many pavilions are available in Fayetteville Parks. Edmonston said there are ten pavilions, both large and small. Davidson asked if PRAB needed to recommend this budget adjustment to the City Council. Edmonston said yes, because Parks is trying to plan the budget. Bitler said that this is fine, but he is still concerned about not knowing what the Wilson Park project and bridge will cost. C. Jones said she will work on the cost. Bitler wanted to know if that, even if we can't complete the whole project, will Parks consider still doing it. C. Jones said yes, but hopefully the whole project will be done in 2009. Waite commented that he is anxious to get a concrete schedule and get the project done, because he lives in the neighborhood. C. Jones said that it needs to meet ADA standards, if feasible financially. Biendara asked if Parks has any more projects to do. Edmonston said that there is a huge list. Bitler asked how the projects are prioritized. Edmonston replied that they are decided in a staff meeting. C. Jones said that the SW part of town needs a good pavilion. Bitler again asked if the Wilson Park bridge would get done next year. Edmonston said it would be high priority. Hatfield wondered if Parks had considered hiring someone to help. Jumper said that the budget doesn't allow it. Hatfield said that the cost of the project increases every year that it is put off. Edmonston said that Parks doesn't have adequate staff. PRAB Motion: Bitler motioned to make the recommendation to the City Council to adjust the budget for the SW Park land and to accept the Staff recommendation. P. Jones seconded it. Motion passed 6-0-0 by voice vote. Regional Park Update: Connie Edmonston, Park & Recreation Director Edmonston said she hasn't heard anything. Bitler said he was nervous. He's not sure the regional park will happen. Edmonston said that Southpass is tying us up. She will forward the information to Southpass that PRAB is getting anxious. Davidson suggested that we wait until next month to give them a little more time. Edmonston said that the only recourse is to go before the City Council. Davidson said that we need a plan B for Southpass. Edmonston said that the City has made a commitment. Davidson said that PRAB's responsibility is not to have all the eggs in one basket, but to have options. Edmonston said she shared his concerns, and would inform Southpass of all these concerns. 8. Other Business: Edmonston told PRAB that Jeff Coles is leaving Parks in order to accept a promotion as the Assistant Transportation Manager for the City. Wright announced the public meeting for the future park on Fairlane. The meeting is June 18, 2008 at 5:30. C. Jones discussed the Gulley Park Stream Restoration (319 grant). There is a section in the park that is much worse than Red Oak. City Engineering is beading the project. Elk Construction is a specialist in this type of project. They won't remove too many trees. The purpose of this project is to reduce the erosion to improve water quality. Bitler asked if the work would just be in the park boundaries. C. Jones said yes. Davidson wanted to know what PRAB was being asked to do. C. Jones said this was just information to let PRAB know what was happening. Hatfield asked if the really bad part of the stream was being repaired. C Jones replied yes, the contractor will do things with rocks, etc. The Park Staff can learn from this contractor in order to repair Red Oak. 9. Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 6:50. Minutes taken by Melanie Thomas.