Parks & Recreation Committee

PARKS + RECREATION COMMITTEE MAY 10, 2021 AT 3:00PM MEETING AGENDA I. PUBLIC COMMENTS II. CALL TO ORDER III. ANNOUNCE MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE (Verify Quorum) IV. ADOPTION OF MEETING MINUTES ● April 12, 2021 ● April 19, 2021 V. COUNCIL ACTION None VI. NEW BUSINESS ● Heritage Soccer Fields VII. OLD BUSINESS ● Discussion: Regional Recreation Center - Land Purchase VIII. DEPARTMENT REPORTS ● Meet New Staff Members (Jennifer Letourneau) ● Human Resources Report (Jennifer Letourneau) IX. ADJOURNMENT  PARKS + RECREATION COMMITTEE APRIL 12, 2021 AT 3:00PM MEETING MINUTES IN AN EFFORT TO FACILITATE THE RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19), THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED VIA ZOOM. AN AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDING OF THE PROCEEDINGS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WITHIN 48 HOURS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE, BY LAW, ALLOWED TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE, BUT ARE STRONGLY DISCOURAGED TO DO SO AT THIS TIME. I. PUBLIC COMMENTS Shedrich Webster spoke to the Committee on behalf of Chris Moses who runs Make It Look Easy Basketball League. Mr. Moses is offering a basketball league for highschool students this summer because so many of them missed out on training this past year. The students will be provided with uniforms as well as the opportunity to play and practice with high level coaches at no cost to them. He has proposed to hold the event at Lincoln Homes and the Housing Authority has agreed but required that 6 uniformed officers attend each game. The cost will be $900 a night for all 6 officers and the league will last 8 weeks. Mr. Webster is looking for help covering this cost or possibly reducing the number of officers required at each game. Jennifer Letourneau offered her assistance and asked that Mr. Webster call her to discuss the matter further. Councilperson Richmond thanked Mr. Webster for his time, passion and support in the community. Chris Moses expressed his appreciation for letting Mr. Webster speak to the Committee. Councilperson Richmond thanked Mr. Moses for his contribution. II. CALL TO ORDER The meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee was called to order by Chairperson Richmond at 3:10 p.m. on April 12, 2021. Parks + Recreation Committee Minutes Page | 2 April 13, 2021 III. ANNOUNCE MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE Councilperson Vondell Richmond Councilperson Ashlee Evans Councilperson Karen Reynolds Councilperson Richard Garrett (arrived late) Councilperson DaJuan Little (arrived late) IV. APPROVAL OF ELECTRONIC MEETING In order to comply with the technical aspects of the Governor’s Executive Order regarding holding open meetings in a forum other than in the open and in public, this committee determines that meeting electronically is necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Councilperson Evans made a motion to approve the electronic meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Reynolds. A voice vote was taken and the motion was approved. V. ADOPTION OF MEETING MINUTES ● March 08, 2021 Councilperson Reynolds made a motion to adopt the minutes as presented. Councilperson Evans seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken and the motion to adopt the minutes passed without objection. VI. COUNCIL ACTION None VII. NEW BUSINESS None VIII. OLD BUSINESS ● Discussion: Regional Recreation Center - Timeline Jennifer Letourneau presented the Committee with a tentative timeline for the purchase of the land for the regional recreation center. Parks + Recreation Committee Minutes Page | 3 April 13, 2021 Councilperson Reynolds inquired if the purchase would be for 10 acres or all 20 acres. Jennifer Letourneau responded that it would only be for the original 10 acres. Councilperson Reynolds also asked how long between the purchase and the RFP, generally. Jennifer Letourneau replied that it would depend on several factors but estimated it would take 2-3 months. Councilperson Evans wanted to know the status of the appraisal. Jennifer Letourneau informed her that it has been completed and is with the City’s Project Manager but she has not seen it yet. (Councilperson Little joined the meeting) IX. DEPARTMENT REPORTS ● Human Resources Report Jennifer Letourneau reviewed the open positions within the Department including lifeguards, cashiers, cart attendants, and a Crew Chief. ● Meet New Staff Members Jennifer Letourneau introduced new staff members, Sarah Birk, Jeffery Wallace, and Edward Schneck to the Committee. ● Red River Trailhead Grand Opening Jennifer Letourneau invited the Committee members to the Red River East Trailhead Grand Opening on April 24th at 10:00 a.m. She also mentioned the Day in the Park event at Heritage Park that will be held that same day at 1:00 p.m. (Councilperson Garrett joined the meeting) Councilperson Garrett asked if the Regional Recreation Center had already been discussed. Jennifer Letourneau gave him a brief summary. Councilperson Richmond wanted to know if any specific dates were known. Jennifer Letourneau stated that they could make the offer on the original 10 acres as early as tomorrow if needed. Parks + Recreation Committee Minutes Page | 4 April 13, 2021 Councilperson Garrett asked if there was an option to make an offer on the additional 10 acres once an appraisal was completed. Jennifer Letourneau replied that she would like to do the RFP and get public input first to determine how much land would be needed. Councilperson Garrett suggested a letter of intent be issued for the purchase of the additional 10 acres. Jennifer Letourneau responded that she would get in touch with the Purchasing Department for guidance. Councilperson Reynolds asked if the additional 10 acres were viable for athletic fields. Jennifer Letourneau replied that the original 10 acres are fairly flat and without sinkholes but sinkholes are present in the additional 10 acres. Jennifer Letourneau stated that she will share a topographic map with the Committee members. X. ADJOURNMENT Councilperson Little made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Councilperson Evans seconded the motion. A voice vote was taken. The motion to adjourn the meeting at 3:31 p.m. passed without objection. Meeting minutes were prepared by Leigh Harpel.  FINANCE COMMITTEE AND PARKS & RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES PUBLIC MEETING CALL TO ORDER A joint meeting of the City of Clarksville Finance Committee and Parks & Recreation Committees was called to order by Finance Chair Stacey Streetman on Monday, April 19, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 106 Public Square, Clarksville, Tennessee. This meeting was conducted in person and via Google Meets. ATTENDANCE IN PERSON: Ashlee Evans, Travis Holleman, Karen Reynolds, Stacey Streetman VIA GOOGLE MEETS: Richard Garrett, Jason Knight, DaJuan Little, Wallace Redd ABSENT: Vondell Richmond APPROVAL OF ELECTRONIC MEETING In order to comply with the technical aspects of the Governor’s Executive Order regarding holding open meetings in a forum other than in the open and in public, the Finance Committee determines that meeting electronically is necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Councilperson Evans made a motion to approve the electronic meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Redd. The following vote was recorded: AYE: Evans, Garrett, Holleman, Knight, Little, Redd, Reynolds, Streetman The motion to approve the electronic meeting passed. CDE SOLAR PROJECT PRESENTATION Mayor Joe Pitts said Silicon Ranch Corporation had expressed interest in purchasing 140 acres at I-24/Exit 8, the site of the City’s athletic complex property. He said the property in question had been determined undevelopable. Mayor Pitts summarized the City’s Phase 1 and Phase 2 plans for the athletic complex and noted adjacent land to the north would be developed by Exit 8 Properties for commercial use. Clarksville Department of Electricity planned to build a substation on the north edge of the complex property and Mayor Pitts said the City would retain access to the Red River on city-owned property. He said the City’s offer to sell the property to the solar energy company would be a three-year purchase option, $10,000 the first year, $20,000 the second year, and $30,000 the third year. He said the company’s option payments to the City would be non-refundable and they would pay property taxes upon ownership. Brian Taylor, CDE General Manager, stated CDE is the 44th largest public power provider among more than 2,000 in the U.S., providing power and services to 72,000 electric customers and 24,000 video/internet/phone customers. He noted CDE pays $6 million annually to the City of Clarksville in lieu of property taxes. Mr. Taylor said CDE purchases power from Tennessee Valley Authority who is the department’s only power provider and rate regulator. He said a recent agreement with TVA allows CDE to purchase up to 5% of renewable energy from outside sources. He stated the proposed agreement with Silicon Ranch Corporation, a Tennessee corporation, would allow sale of renewable energy to TVA and to CDE. Mayor Pitts said this proposal would allow the City of Clarksville to continue its plan to develop the athletic complex on the remaining 207 acres and said sale of the hard-to-develop land would generate $3.36 million that could be used for the recreational project. Mayor Pitts offered the following responses from committee members’ questions: proceeds from the sale of the property would go to the General Fund; Silicon Ranch would be responsible for all site preparation upon ownership. Mr. Taylor offered the following responses from committee members’s questions: CDE would retain all Renewable Energy Credits to be used to improve the existing system and to meet its sustainability goals; the rate CDE would pay for solar energy would be approximately half the rate for TVA electric power; the savings would not result in an immediate reduction in customer energy bills, but could delay rate increases; the solar power generated from the facility would be transferred to the CDE substations and not stored. City Attorney Lance Baker said the sale of this property would recover 82% of the total cost of the athletic complex property. APPROVAL OF SALE OF PROPERTY ORDINANCE 83-2020-21 Authorizing sale of a portion of city-owned property located near Exit 8 off Interstate 24 (Clarksville Athletic Complex) to Silicon Ranch Corporation for the purpose of development, construction, installing, operating, maintaining, and managing a solar power generation facility Councilperson Holleman made a motion to forward this ordinance to the City Council with a recommendation of approval. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Evans. The following vote was recorded: AYE: Evans, Holleman, Knight, Little, Redd, Reynolds, Streetman NOTE: Councilperson Garrett did not respond. The motion to forward this ordinance to the City Council with a recommendation of approval passed. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 5:34 p.m.