Recreation & Parks Advisory Board

Regular Meeting of the Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks Held at the Falls Church Community Center 223 Little Falls Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22046 Minutes January 2, 2013 1. Call to Order Mr. O’Hara called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Members present were Kathy Chandler, Charley O’Hara, Leslie Rye, Ruth Rodgers, and Steve Selby. Staff members present were Danny Schlitt, Director of Recreation & Parks, and Krissy Loerch, Senior Administrative Assistant. 2. Receipt of Public Petitions and Board Member Petitions Mr. O’Hara asked if there were any petitions from the public or board members. There were none. 3. Minutes Ms. Rodgers moved to approve the minutes from the December 12th meeting as amended. Mr. Selby seconded the motion. Upon voice vote, the motion unanimously passed. 4. Recreation Director’s Report • The Taste of Class Event was held on Tuesday, January 1 from 3-6pm at the Community Center in the gym. This event allows the public to see class demonstrations classes and meet instructors. It was well attended and we collected $13,000 that day in early registrations. • The Winter/Spring Brochure is available with registration beginning on January 2nd for City residents and January 9th for Non-City residents. • The Recreation & Parks Department assisted at Watch Night again this year. Ms. Amy Maltese was in attendance coordinating logistics. Several other maintenance staff members were there to assist in the set-up and breakdown. • The large stage tent that the Recreation & Parks Department uses for special events is broken and no longer usable. The department will have to purchase a new tent that is approximately $10,000. This stage is used at Fall Festival, 4th of July, and the Tinner Hill Blues Festival. • Youth basketball games begin this month. The department has scheduled more games in January and February in order to end the season earlier this year. • The 4th of July Fireworks will be shot by a new company this year. The department was notified that there were several serious complaints from other counties who had used the same company. The department went out for bid this year on the show and Mr. Schlitt is reviewing those bids with the City’s Purchasing Officer. Two groups were promptly eliminated because their prices were higher.  • Mr. Schlitt met with Development Services to discuss the status of the West End Park easement issue. The site plan needs to be completed in order to have a construction ready project. The Planning Commission is finished with the site plan and sent it to Development Services. Development Services is reviewing the plan and is the last step in the approval process. We are still working to resolve access into the park on Broad Street. Dominion Virginia Power will not give us permission to access the park on their land indefinitely. 6. New Business a. FY 14 CIP • The FY 14 CIP allocates $430,000 for the West End Park development. • The FY 15 & FY 16 CIP currently allocates $200,000 each year for Master Park Implementation. • The board suggested that we increase the FY 15 CIP by $100,000 for the design and engineering costs associated with Howard E. Herman Stream Valley Park (HEHSVP). Basic surveying and mapping has been completed for the park with prior funds utilizing $86,500. • The design of HEHSVP will have to develop in conjunction with the Public Works project to daylight the stream and address storm water management. One possibility that might occur during that project is that the stream would be moved. Mr. Schlitt will follow up on the progress of the storm water project. • Mr. Schlitt also anticipates that in FY 16 the City Schools will move forward with replacing the turf field at GMHS. Mr. Schlitt will have to adjust the FY 16 CIP to include $200,000 from Recreation & Parks or the full $400,000 for the project. • The FY 17 CIP currently allocates $463,000 for Howard E. Herman Stream Valley Park. • In FY 18 the CIP allocates $300,000 for Master Park Implementation. • Mr. O’Hara reminded the board that beautification of the parks should continue to be a top priority and is in the Master Plans for all parks. Additional money should be added to the CIP under Master Park Implementation to address this issue. Mr. Schlitt added that the implementation of this beautification would require another position to be created in Urban Forestry. • Ms. Rodgers suggested that we work with VPIS (Village Preservation Improvement Society) and ask them to donate trees. 7. Old Business b. Open Space Report • Mr. Selby is in the final stages of completing the Open Space Report. The advisory board will comment on the report over e-mail. 2  c. Lincoln Park • The Purchase Order is in the process awaiting approval and once approved Mr. Schlitt will sign the contract. • Development Services informed Mr. Schlitt that if the pathways were included with the playground equipment replacement, that it could result in requiring a site plan. Mr. Schlitt decided to move forward without including the pathways at this time. The pathways, sidewalks and light pole replacement will be addressed with Public Works following the equipment replacement. This resulted in a new quote from the contractor which decreased the total by $3,000. • The City has still not received the insurance money from the accident at Lincoln Park. Mr. Schlitt will speak with the City Attorney to peruse further action. 8. Other Business • No other business to report at this time. 9. Adjournment Ms. Rye moved to adjourn the meeting; Mr. Selby seconded the motion. Following a unanimous voice vote, Mr. O’Hara adjourned the meeting at 8:16pm. 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