Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee

MINUTES Parks and Recreation Advisory Meeting Brownsville Recreation Center Conference Room April 5th, 2018 Present Dillon Vanderford – Parks Chairperson Esli Ceballos – Board Secretary Jose A. Escobedo – Member Jerry Hatley – Member Anisa H. Ramirez – Member Myrta Garza – Member Adrian Delgado – New Board member Damaris McGlone – PARD Director Carlos Velica – Parks Staff Chloe Dotson – B.B.C. 1. Meeting called to order by Parks Chairperson, Mr. Dillon Vanderford at 12:05 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. Vanderford. ********************* 3. Approval of minutes • Minutes of last meeting (March 8th, 2018) approved on a motion by Myrta Garza, seconded by Jose A. Escobedo, motion carried. ********************* 4. Statement of Appointed Officer & Oath of Office for recently appointed Parks and Recreation Board member Mr. Adrian Delgado to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Committee (Parks Chairperson) • Parks Chairperson, Mr. Vanderford asked Mr. Adrian Delgado to stand and take the Statement of Appointed Officer & Oath of Office in order to be officially sworn in to the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Committee. On April 5th, 2018, Mr. Adrian Delgado was sworn in by Parks Chairperson Mr. Dillon Vanderford and witness by current Parks Board members and persons in attendance. ******************** 5. Discussion, Consideration and Action to approve Goal #1 – Mission and Vision Statement and Goal #2 – Make Internal Communication a Priority as part of the Strategic Planning. (Parks Chairperson) • Board member Jose Escobedo read his submission on the mission statements; Board member Anisa Ramirez had also submitted her mission statements to the Parks Director. No other board members submitted their mission statements, Parks Chairperson said he would email the board members requesting to get there mission statements. After a brief discussion, it was decided to table the action item for the next meeting. On a motion by Myrta Garza, seconded by Anisa Ramirez, motion carried to table on approving Goal #1 – Mission & Vision Statement and Goal #2 – Make Internal Communication a Priority as part of the Strategic Planning for the Parks Advisory Board meeting. ********************* 6. Discussion Period (15 minutes) • Board member Anisa Ramirez commented that they had discussed at the last meeting about the Lending Libraries and wanted to know what the next steps would be to get started. It was agreed to use $5,000.00 from FY2018 Parks project fund to build them. The cost estimate that they got from the Parks Chairperson was a little costly. Parks Director commented that they would need the specifications, materials, etc. and how many they would need; the Parks Department would install them once they are built. Board member Mrs. Garza commented that she contacted Dr. Rita Hernandez from Cameron County Education Inc. and they would be glad to build them at no charge as long as we provided them the materials. After a brief discussion, it was decided to get a list from Ms. Ramirez and get started on building 10 Lending libraries before the end of the school year. • Parks Chairperson congratulated Jose Escobedo on being nominated as Co-Chairperson. ********************* 7. Director’s Report (Damaris McGlone – Parks Director) • Commented on being at the Aging Healthy Conference tomorrow and presenting the 1st Annual award. • Have been doing more work at the Historical Battlefield trail, on Saturday there will be the Great American Beautiful clean-up in cooperation with the Brownsville Beautification Committee. • We are preparing for the summer aquatics and recreation programs, brief update on the different projects being done by certain divisions within our department, update on a valley soccer team using the Brownsville Sports Park as their home. • Will be starting on April 15, the partnership with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife. • Parks Chairperson gave an update on from the Mitte Cultural getting funding for Quasum building to remove asbestos, also mention the Pedal to Padre Event being held soon in the month of May. • Board member Mrs. Ceballos wanted to know the availability of the Morningside Park soccer fields. ********************* 8. Safety Concerns (Parks Dept.) • Parks Director commented that the graffiti at McNair Park will be cleaned up soon.  • Board member Mrs. Garza wanted to know the status on the pirate ship at Dean Porter Park, Parks Director reiterated that there is no vendor that will sell us a slide for the pirate ship, may have to remove or replace it with something else. ********************* 9. 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. • Ms. Dotson, Co-Chairperson from the Brownsville Beautification Committee did a brief presentation, wanted to discuss two things with the Parks Advisory board, the first being on the Lending Libraries, the Brownsville Beautification Committee was able to get matching grant, if the board would like to submit a request, the B.B.C. would be willing to help PARD with building them and plant some flowers around it. Second item is on the trails, asking board members to present a project related to the trails or any other projects, to the Brownsville Beautification Committee before September 30th, 2018 and they would be able to assist with it as well. • New board member Mr. Delgado gave a brief update on his background to all Parks Advisory Board members in attendance. ******************** 10. Adjournment – meeting was adjourned at 1:00 p.m.