Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission

Bristol Tennessee Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes January 7th, 2021 6:00 P.M. Zoom / Electronic Present: Susi Chandler, Sherry Willinger, Clyde Downs, Bennett Cowan, David Akard, Margaret Feierabend , Curt Rutherford, Amy Shi Staff: Terry Napier, Angie Rutherford, Cody Widner Absent: Ronda Baker, Kate White, Caden Myers, Lance Tudor, Justin Hutchinson I. Called to order at 6:04 PM II. Minutes of November 5th, 2020 meeting approved. III. COVID-19  The grant funds have been used for new technology to eliminate germs. UVC lights to clean the air have been successfully installed.  For the first time in several months, no parks & recreation staff are out due to the virus.  Parks & recreation has been focusing on sanitizing in areas both inside and outside of the department.  Fire department testing & exam sites have been moved to Slater, where they are socially distanced in a clean and sanitized area. IV. Old Business  Steele Creek Park Comprehensive Plan: The survey data is back, with a large amount of input on the comprehensive plan. A meeting is planned for next week to discuss the data.  Nature Center Expansion Progress Report: Setbacks have occurred due to COVID-19, but staff is working on lighting & electrical, as well as floor installations. The Friends of Steele Creek Park group had previously requested a grant & was awarded $10,000.00 to go towards the library. The Wildflower exhibit should be completed in the next 2 weeks. Terry also requested to name the coming herbarium after Ruth Park. The request was unanimously approved.  Beaver Creek South Greenway Progress Report: Crews have moved forward with the lower section. They are now working on bridge locations, as well as tunneling. Terry expects to meet with property owners, accompanied by Tim Beavers. Margaret suggested the possibility of having someone non-city accompany them to meet with the owners, in order to help with relations.  Food City Dog Park Update: Good progress has been made with the dog park, such as utilities, sewer, & being graded. Recent weather has made it difficult to make further progress.  Park Maintenance Report: Some focus has shifted to city-wide plantings, dead tree removal, & maintenance. Crews have also worked on rerouting & recovering a trail in order to eliminate craters. Work is also being performed on the opposite side of the lake, including park boundary signs. Terry discussed trespassers, as well as motorcycle & dirt bike damage. The board discussed deterrents, such as security cameras and speaking with surrounding land owners.  Bristol Tennessee Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes January 7th, 2021 6:00 P.M. Zoom / Electronic  2021 Activity Planning: A “soft calendar” has been prepared for activities for the coming year, despite knowing that it is unlikely that the majority of these events will occur. V. New Business  CPRP Certifications: Elizabeth Carter & Karen McCook both passed their examinations in order to become Certified Parks & Recreation Professionals. This gives a sense of accomplishment to both programmers, as well as the entire parks & recreation department.  Emergency Siren – West State St.: New siren & warning devices have been added to this location, which should now allow the city to have 100% coverage of the city limits.  Park Sign Upgrades: The department is identifying signs that need to be or renovated. The goal is to have 10-12 signs updated in the coming months.  Snow Removal Crew: The maintenance crews have cleared downtown & other areas from several snows during December. Some equipment is used, but a large portion is done by hand with ice melt.  Portable Restroom Trailer: Portable restroom trailer has arrived. Terry & Margaret discussed ADA improvements within the city.  Youth Basketball Cancellation: The cancellation of youth basketball has continued, with them unable to move to January. VI. Board Comments  Margaret Feierabend – Commented on how much activity is still going on city- wide, and inquired about the usage of the pickleball courts. In response to this, Terry described how pickleball is still extremely busy regardless of the season.  Susi Chandler – Described how she enjoys people making use of parks during the pandemic, such as Charlie Robinette & Rooster Front.  Clyde Downs – Wished everyone a happy New Year, and expressed hope that 2021 will be an improvement over 2020.  Sherry Willinger – Noted how busy Steele Creek is during the height of COVID, and commented on how fortunate it is that everyone in the area has an outdoor area that they can enjoy.  David Akard - No specific comment.  Curt Rutherford – Praised parks & recreation staff for stepping up during a very difficult time.  Amy Shi – Expressed surprise at the amount of projects and jobs within the department that are ongoing, despite the weather and ongoing pandemic.  Bennett Cowan – Commended Terry and the city on a good performance, and noted how busy outdoor areas in the area are (even outside of parks). VII. Next Meeting Date – March 4, 2021. VIII. Adjourned 6:58 PM