Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee

MINUTES Parks and Recreation Advisory Meeting Brownsville Recreation Center Conference Room February 2nd, 2017 Present Dillon Vanderford - Chairperson Myrta I. Garza – Member Anisa Gonzalez – Member Nathan Burkhart - Member Jerry Hatley – Member Richard Perez – Member Marianne H. Sanchez - Member Cory Vander Veen – Asst. PARD Director Carlos Velica – Parks Staff Damaris McGlone – PARD Director Joe Lee Rubio – B.B.C. Orelia Trevino –TSC student Angelica Lopez – TSC student Jaqueline Alvarado – TSC student 1. Meeting called to order by Parks Chairperson, Mr. Dillon Vanderford at 12:01 p.m. ********************* 2. Pledge of Allegiance: United States Pledge * Texas Pledge • The pledge of Allegiance and the Texas Pledge was led by Parks Chairperson Mr. Dillon Vanderford. ********************* 3. Approval of minutes • Minutes of last meeting (January 12th, 2017) approved on a motion by Mr. Nathan Burkhart, seconded by Myrta Garza, motion carried. ********************* 4. Chairperson’s Report • Commented at looking of doing some changes to the Parks & Recreation By-laws with one of them of not having to meet every month and having to do an annual reporting to the City Commission on updates and projects throughout the parks. ********************* 5. Statement of Appointed Officer & Oath of Office for recently appointed Parks Advisory Board member Mrs. Marianne Hardin-Sanchez to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Committee (Parks Chairperson)  • Parks Chairperson Mr. Dillon Vanderford asked Mrs. Marianne H-Sanchez to stand and take the Statement of Appointed Officer & Oath of Office in order to be officially sworn in to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Committee. On February 2nd, 2017, Mrs. Marianne Hardin- Sanchez was sworn in by Parks Chairperson Mr. Dillon Vanderford and witness by the current Parks Board members and persons in attendance. • Mrs. Marianne H. Sanchez gave a brief update on her background. Commented that she was born and raised in Brownsville, moved away for a while but return. Currently doing a cooking program with the Recreation Center in the afternoons. 6. Action item to appoint one Parks Advisory Board Member to attend the Beautification Committee meetings (Parks Chairperson) • Board member Mrs. Gonzalez suggested of having board members alternate attending the Brownsville Beautification meetings (meetings are held first Tuesdays of each month at 12:00 noon and locations will vary). Mr. Rubio from the B.B.C. reiterated that there will be a planning meeting next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the School of Public Health if anyone is interested in attending. Parks Chairperson recommended of notifying via email when their meetings will be and then they will decide who would like to attend. • Mr. Rubio gave brief presentation on the Brownsville Beautification Committee and their recent projects that have been completed throughout Brownsville. • After a brief discussion, on a motion by Mr. Richard Perez, seconded by Mr. Nathan Burkhart, motion carried to have a volunteer basis for a Parks Advisory Board member to attend the Brownsville Beautification Committee meetings. 7. Discussion Period (15 minutes) a. Discussion on what the Parks Advisory Board members would like to report to the next City Commission meeting (Parks Chairperson) Parks Chairperson commented that he would like to make it an annual report but being as an Advisory Board and meeting every month, ties into needing to make an amendment to the by- laws stating that the Parks Advisory Board should meet only as needed and special meetings as well. Some of the suggestions by board members were to give updates on status of older parks, on the walking trails by the Southmost area, lighting along the trails as well, projects that have started and been completed, upcoming projects, basically a general report of the Parks & Recreation projects. Board member suggested that they could attend the City Commission meeting as a group to give the update report. It was recommended that the Committee could do a workshop before the city commission meeting and have the Chairperson do a brief presentation. It was suggested by the Parks Chairperson to have each member email any ideas to report the city commission to Charlie and then he will forward to Parks Chairperson and Parks Director. • Discussion for next Parks Advisory Board meeting to be move to the following week of March 9th due to Parks Director & Assistant Director being out of town attending a conference. (Damaris McGlone) Parks & Recreation Director reiterated that she and Mr. Vander Veen will be out of town attending a Texas Recreation & Parks Society (TRAPS) Conference the week of Parks Advisory Board meeting (March 2nd) and would like to know if the board would like to move the meeting for the following week. After a brief discussion, it was decided by the board to keep the meeting as is for March 2nd and that Parks Manager Mr. Daniel Salinas would conduct the meeting on that date. ********************* 8. Director’s Report (Damaris McGlone) • Gave a brief update on her son’s accident recently. Thanked everyone for their support and prayers. • Reported upcoming conference planning an award for the active plan and will be recognized at the Texas Recreation & Parks Society as well. Doing major preparations for the leagues, passed out flyers for upcoming events with dates, gave a brief update on grants submitted to support the community from businesses along the trail, working with BPAC committee & will submit a letter of intent for a grant for Riverside Park. Exercise station has been installed at Dean Porter Park and also on 5 acres of land donated to the city near the airport. Updated on CDBG funding for Ruiz and Garfield Park, preparing for Sombrero Fest, gave an update on the outside restrooms at the Brownsville Events Center and several other projects the department is working as well. Reported on the turf project at the Brownsville Sports Park; with the current turf being non-compliance and will need to be upgraded. 9. Safety Concerns (Parks Dept.) • Parks Chairperson reiterated to Board member Mrs. Sanchez if she has any safety issues or concerns, to please report them to the Parks department. Mrs. Sanchez did bring up a safety concern at the Recreation Center with a homeless person using the restrooms while there were children in the afternoon during the afterschool program; suggested that we need to be very careful when children are present. Parks Director commented that during the day, since this is a public building, restrooms are open to the public but if there are any issues, to please bring the concern to any staff on site and they will assist. Mrs. Sanchez wanted the minutes to reflect that there was staff present to handle the situation that day. • Parks Chairperson commented a BISD home by Draper Dr. near Hudson Elementary is being torn down, if the Parks department had any knowledge on it. Parks Director reiterated that she had not heard anything on it from anyone. ********************* 10. Public Comment Period: PLEASE NOTE The Public Comment Period is Designated for Hearing Concerns Regarding City of Brownsville Public Policy or City of Brownsville Business that is not on the agenda. • Students from the TSC University commented that they are doing a social work class and needed to attend a board meeting for an essay assignment. • Mr. Rubio reported the Brownsville Beautification Committee is working on a butterfly garden at Cabler Park. ********************* 11. Adjournment – meeting was adjourned at 1:05 p.m.