Parks & Recreation Advisory Board

Burlington Parks & Recreation Advisory Board MEETING AGENDA Tuesday, 4/09/2024 | 6:00PM Meeting Location: Burlington Parks & Recreation Zoom Login: 900 E. Fairhaven Avenue https://tinyurl.com/48t33jnp North Entrance (off Fairhaven Avenue) ID: 822 6181 3901 Passcode: 376131 Via ID: Passcode: AGENDA ITEM PRESENTER TIME ALLOTTED ACTION CALL TO ORDER Marylynn Baker • Approval of Minutes Marylynn Baker 6:00-6:05PM Motion (03/12/2024) UNFINISHED BUSINESS • Maiben Park Update Travis Schwetz 6:05-6:15PM Information NEW BUSINESS • CIP Discussion Travis Schwetz 6:15-6:35PM Information • Jason Boerner Park Update Sarah Ward 6:35-6:40PM Information STAFF REPORTS • Parks Report Travis Schwetz 6:40-6:45PM Information • Recreation Report Christi Kinney 6:45-6:50PM Information OPEN COMMENT Marylynn Baker 6:50-7:00PM ADJOURNMENT Marylynn Baker 7:00PM Next Scheduled Meeting: Tuesday, 05/14/2024 | 6:00PM ENCLOSURES: : 03/12/2024 Meeting Minutes FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: May – June 2024 • Recreation – The Art & Science of Recreation • Policy Review – Donations & Memorials • Recreation – Current Offerings • Recreation – Evaluation Tool 04/09/2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Agenda Packet - Page 1 of 5 (This page left intentionally blank) 04/09/2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Agenda Packet - Page 2 of 5  CITY OF BURLINGTON PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD Tuesday, 03/12/2024 Meeting Minutes (The board meeting is conducted in-person and via Zoom) Attendees: Board Members: Marylynn Baker, Jennifer Eddleman, Karly Gruendle, Orlando Macias, Chadd Tripp, Mike Yeoman City Councilors: James Stavig, Elizabeth Turman-Bryant, and Jamie Weiss City Staff: Recreation Coordinator Christi Kinney, Recreation Specialist Kati Klerekoper, Facilities and Streets Supervisor Travis Schwetz, Library and Recreation Director Sarah Ward MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: by Chairperson Marylynn Baker at 6:02PM MINUTES: Chadd Tripp/Jennifer Eddleman make a motion to approve the minutes from the 2/13/2024 meeting written. All in favor, motion carried. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Maiben Park Update - Elizabeth Turman-Bryant speaks about potential updates at Maiben Park and explains that Council will need to decide this coming Thursday whether to hire consultant MxM to work for the city providing additional specs on cost estimates for the project. Travis Schwetz speaks about his extensive experience bidding on construction projects. He confirms that it is highly important to figure out exact item costs – this is what MxM will be providing the City if hired. Elizabeth reiterates that she would like the Parks and Rec Board to give input tonight on behalf of the citizens of Burlington. She has compiled data on her own based off feedback that she’s received from neighbors in the surrounding areas to Maiben Park; 27 people were included in the survey. Top desired park elements identified from the survey included: a nature-scape playground, bathrooms, and open grass space. James talks about his dissatisfaction with the way that the MxM contracting project has been carried out. He wishes that the $1M budget was clarified more strongly to the consultant from the beginning of the project. The board discusses the pros and cons of different features of the park, including the spray park. Travis mentions that the infrastructure that is in the ground currently is in pretty good condition. The pump system, however, is the original equipment and could use an upgrade. Sarah mentions that the system will need to be evaluated to determine the next steps. Marylynn Baker asks if Kiwanis Club has interest in helping fund the spray park project, even if upgraded. Christi Kinney mentions that she has been in touch with Kiwanis and there is interest from them to support the efforts and park improvements at Maiben Park. Sarah states that likely on March 28, we’ll receive cost estimates from MxM regarding the cost of individual park elements, and we can make future decisions with that new information. Travis reiterates that the consultants will do what we request of them; whatever scope that is. Regarding project phasing, often a phased project will cost more to build than if a project were to be carried to completion at one time. Additionally, construction costs will keep going up over time. Finally, he mentions that well-planned projects cost less to build. Jennifer shares concern that given the history of this park, and past designs, she wants to forward with a plan. Marylynn suggests that she would rather wait a couple of years for funding, to make sure that it can happen. Jaime Weiss points out that there is naturally a lot of turn-over of perspective on long-term projects: council positions, board positions, and community members change relatively frequently; he would be hesitant to delay spending the funds that are currently available. Elizabeth states that she wants to submit a proposal for several items to MxM so we can find out the actual costs of several items and make decisions about how to proceed. 04/09/2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Agenda Packet - Page 3 of 5 Sarah mentions that there are many RCO opportunities for us to take advantage of including grants in different categories that could be used for sport courts, a natural playscape, a walking path, and even bathrooms. She believes that if the Council approves continuing with the project, we could work with the consultant and have plenty of time to get the grant applications completed. Travis adds that often you can put the money that you’ve spent working with a consultant toward the matching funds requirement that come with an RCO Grant. Elizabeth mentions that we have $1.3M in the fund for parks as of now and asks the board what they would like to do. Jaime states that the bathrooms are critical. Jenn agrees and mentions that if we want people to use the park, there needs to be a functioning bathroom. Other things are not as critical: the basketball courts can still be used as-is, in addition to the open green space. The board wants to strongly recommend the top priorities for moving forward as: the bathroom, the spray park, a walking path, and natural play scape. RCO Inclusive Playground - Sarah mentioned that the purchase order has been made for the park equipment, and she and Shelley are working with the project coordinator who will be putting up construction fence and a sign on the construction site that will have a graphic of the future park, and a thank you to community member supporters. Travis mentions that a bid package is being developed now to line up contractors for details including concrete work, the subbase, sidewalks, and footprint of the playground. NEW BUSINESS: Jason Boerner Park - Sarah states that Brad in Community Development will be presenting to Council about the plan design and build process for the improvements that have been identified: walking path, covered pavilion/picnic shelter, basketball courts, and an upgraded playground. STAFF REPORTS: Parks Report Travis reports that fields are in good shape, just wet. The parks crew has been doing deferred maintenance around the baseball and softball fields. The new irrigation system on the north fields is ready to go for this coming summer. Travis also talks about the staff hours required to manage the cemetery. Between urn burials and full burials, there are approximately 50 funerals per year, which equates to roughly 7 staff hours per funeral. With a four-person crew, it’s a large percentage of time spent on burials; he’s looking into efficiencies in this area. Additionally, Travis mentions that he has met with Marv about locations of pickleball courts; and where they might fit best. Skagit River Park near the Whitmarsh Field is one option that was presented. Sarah states that there is an RCO “no match” grant that might be available to fund this project. Marv has put in some preliminary work to see if this grant is a viable option for Burlington. Next projects include getting the bathrooms at Maiben Park cleaned up and opened for use for the upcoming season. Graffiti has been an ongoing issue, and there has been an uptick in graffiti lately. The crew continues to clean up graffiti in parks as best as possible; it just takes time. Recreation Report Christi talks about a new event for 2024 called, Thriftopia! – A Flea Market Block Party that will be run by The Parks and Recreation Department on April 27. Parks and Rec is partnering with the Burlington Library and the Burlington Senior Center who hold events on the same day. Additionally, the Humane Society is going to come and do pet adoptions. Also, Habitat for Humanity and Skagit Gleaners will be available at the end of the event to come and take items that vendors would like to donate. The Mom and Me Skate Date is coming up on Sunday, May 5. Summer Nights Concert Series which offers Live Music for 8 weeks on Friday nights during the summer will be happening again this year and bands are all lined up. Additionally, the Library will be a Summer “Days” Concert Series. That event will offer daytime live music concerts to families at the VIC Amphitheater for 4 weeks in July. Next, planning for Berry Dairy Days is in full swing. For Friday night 6/14, the Drone Show RFPs have been submitted, and the band has been booked. Additionally, the Library will be joining Parks and 04/09/2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Agenda Packet - Page 4 of 5 Recreation on Friday Night to host their Kick-Off to Summer Reading Event. The Lawnmower Races planning is also underway, those will happen on 6/15. Lastly, Christi mentions that Kati has scheduled sport camps that will be held in Burlington parks this summer, fall soccer organizing and planning is beginning now, and our 5th and 6th grade Girls Basketball League finishes up with their last game of the season tomorrow night, 3/13. OPEN COMMENT: Karly Gruendle– asks about Burlington-Edison Regional Park, and who owns and maintains that park area. Christi confirms that area is under the jurisdiction of Skagit County Parks and Recreation. ADJOURNMENT: Chairperson Marylynn Baker adjourns the board meeting at 7:14pm. NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, 04/09/2024 at 6:00pm Minutes transcribed by Kati Klerekoper, Burlington Parks and Recreation, Recreation Specialist 04/09/2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Agenda Packet - Page 5 of 5