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 DRAFT Minutes March 4, 2015 1. Call to Order Mr. Selby called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Members present were Kathy Chandler, Charlie O’Hara, Steve Selby, and Susan Kearney. Staff members present were Danny Schlitt, Director of Recreation & Parks, Amy Maltese, and Ashley Williams. 2. Receipt of Public Petitions and Board Member Petitions Mr. Selby asked if there were any petitions. There were none. 3. Minutes Mr. Selby motioned to approve the minutes from the January 7th meeting. Mrs. Chandler seconded the motion. Upon unanimous voice vote, the motion passed. 4. Recreation Director’s Report a) Winter and spring classes have been very successful as is summer camp registration. Winter basketball was also quite successful and will be coming to an end soon. b) The department is currently in the process of hiring for the Teen Coordinator position. It has been posted online on the city’s Job Opportunities page. 5. New Business a) Spring “visit the parks with City Council”: Mr. Schlitt suggested proposing 3 possible Sunday dates to City Council to visit the parks in a 15-passenger van. Mrs. Chandler suggested the board provide two “take-away” points for each park. b) April meeting date: Although the next meeting (Wednesday, April 1st) will be during spring break, it will take place as scheduled. 6. Old Business a) Parks: There are not many updates on park projects as the weather has not allowed for much progress. 1. Howard E. Herman Park is two weeks behind due to weather, but there is an expectation that it will be completed by the initial goal date for the purpose of meeting grant deadlines. Everything within “construction limits” is considered a public works project. Recent addition: There will be a pedestrian bridge placed in collaboration with Avon Corporation. 2. Berman Park is within two weeks of being completed. The pathway will be no wider than 3ft. (as requested by the Boy Scouts) and the stream should help with the storm water issues.  3. The Cherry Street tennis courts must be milled before they can be resurfaced. 4. The weather has significantly slowed the progress of West End Park. The skate feature has been changed to be more purposeful in regards to seating and bicycle use. Mr. O’Hara mentioned the process should soon begin in planning a grand opening. It would be best to plan for May before the summer heat comes and school dismisses, or September to allow the plants time to grow. b) The comprehensive plan has been updated with the board’s recommendations. The Parks for People chapter has been approved by council and uploaded to the website. The priority list portion of the plan should be revisited next board meeting. Although CIP funding has been lost through to 2019, this is an opportunity to rethink the park planning process and possibly plan a park project every fiscal year as well as consider other methods of source funding. Motion: In the Mason Row Development committee’s draft proffer proposal #7 Payment for Parks, Mr. Selby motioned to remove the word “immediate” in regards to a proffer of $150,000.00 being made to fund construction and/or improve Parks in the immediate vicinity of the Development, thus including all parks of the city. He also motioned to review the proffer formula that has been created by the city. Mrs. Chandler seconded the motion. Under unanimous vote, the motion passed. c) Public Parking Lots: Due to the Cavalier Trail Park parking lot being used by patrons of local businesses and nearby contractors, signage noting that “parking is for park use only” will be placed on 6-10 spaces. A memo will also be sent to surrounding businesses. d) FY16 Operating Budget: The operating budget for the upcoming year has been decreased by $100,000 (reflecting that of FY14) with a caveat that it can grow as revenue increases. To support this model, a number of preschool students will be added to increase the Preschool Teacher salary from .8 to 1. In addition, there is a goal to create an additional $80,000 in revenue to support a new Recreation Specialist position to aid Program Supervisors, add a few other needed new positions and support salary increases. e) Urban Forestry Budget: Mr. O’Hara noted that the Board should be aware of the portion of Urban Forestry’s budget that covers park maintenance and have the opportunity to comment. Mr. Schlitt was requested to send a list of unmet needs to the board and acquire more information regarding external budget cuts that would affect park maintenance. Mrs. Chandler motioned to close the session pursuant to Virginia Code §2.2-3711. (A) 10. Discussion or consideration of honorary degrees or special awards; [Recommendation for 2015 Grand Marshal]. The motion was seconded by Mr. O’Hara. Under unanimous vote, the motion passed. 7. Adjournment Mr. Selby motioned to adjourn the meeting; Mrs. Chandler seconded the motion. Following a unanimous voice vote, Mr. O’Hara adjourned the meeting at 8:17 p.m. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703-248-5027 (TTY 711).