Recreation & Parks Advisory Board

Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks Meeting March 13, 2024 MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF THE ADVISORY BOARD OF RECREATION AND PARKS FALLS CHURCH COMMUNITY CENTER, KENNETH R. BURNETT BUILDING, 223 LITTLE FALLS STREET, FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 22046 1. Call to Order Charley O’Hara (Chair) called the meeting to order. Members present were Michael Bracken, Sharon Friedlander (Planning Commission Liaison), Jerrod Anderson (School Board Liaison), Erin Flynn (City Council Liaison) and Student Representatives Caroline Carmody and Anand Colby. Staff member present was Danny Schlitt, Director Recreation & Parks (R&P). No members of the public were present. 2. Receipt of Public Petitions and Board Member Petitions None. 3. Minutes for Approval: Draft minutes from February 14, 2024 were not available. They will be presented for review at the next meeting. 4. Recreation Directors Report Director’s report: - The Senior Center continues to offer a wide variety of programming, including some excellent classes by Marymount University, a monthly ballroom dance and a very popular pickleball club. The Senior Center also has a new partnership with a local business providing free fitness classes, and will host an in-person AARP Safe Driving course this month. - Sports: 921 children registered for soccer, 144 individuals in clinics and 66 teams. We will be using a new management system, Playmetrics, to increase efficiency and improve communications. Women’s volleyball now has 6 teams, a 50% increase over last year. - Staffing: we have an offer out for the Senior Admin position, and are interviewing this week for a Camp/Class coordinator. - Projects: - Staff and contractors are still working to get the tennis court lighting operational by mid- April to allow scheduled classes to take place. - HVAC system is still in budget discussion phase. - Stadium turf at Meridian High School –a quote from the original installers has been submitted to the Finance department for review. The schools are looking to put synthetic turf on their baseball field, and combining the projects may result in cost savings and greater efficiency. The schools also plan to upgrade the concession stand and bathrooms. 5. Information Updates Erin Flynn provided updates from recent City Council meetings:  - The Community Center HVAC project plans presented for review had an estimated budget of $3.9M. Additional funding for continued Recreation & Parks operations will be addressed by budget amendment in FY25. - The City is discussing increasing sewage handling capacity with Fairfax County. A flow equalization basin may be necessary, one possible location for which would be under the tennis courts at Cavalier Trail Park. Negotiations of specifics are in progress. - The City Manager’s office is working with DEV to get a second power supply to City Hall, the Community Center and surrounding homes to avoid future outages resulting from damage to utility poles on Washington Street. - Resident comments included a request for a dog park in the City, and a second entrance to Roberts Park. ABRP has addressed both issues in the past. Dog parks are expensive and environmentally challenging, but we do ask new developments to make provisions for dogs on site; getting a second entrance to Roberts Park is part of the Parks for the People Plan, but it will require a property acquisition or easement that we have not yet been able to get. Jerrod Anderson attended a meeting on behalf of the ABRP about the proposed Maple & Annandale project. The proposed daycare center as part of the development would result in heavy use of Big Chimneys Park. Increased traffic is a concern in this area, where children are walking to the park and schools. 6. Old Business i. Park Projects We hope to have a public meeting to discuss options for Berman Park play equipment before June. It was suggested that an additional proposal could be solicited. Planning for the Fellows project continues. Danny will share a breakdown of costs, prepared by the project manager, indicating which are specifically for the park amenities, and which for associated public works infrastructure improvements. ii. Student Representatives Project “Please don’t smoke” A revised contract has been returned to the City attorney for review. Danny will confirm that the project can now be presented to City Council, and outreach can begin on social media. 7. Closed session Erin left the meeting and a motion to go into closed session pursuant to VA Code Title 2.2 Chapter 37 Section 2.2-3711.A.11 for discussion or consideration of honorary degrees or special awards, namely the recommendation for 2024 Grand Marshal of the Memorial Day parade, was proposed by Michael Bracken, seconded by Sharon Friedlander and passed unanimously by roll call vote. Following the closed session, the meeting certified by roll call vote that only the recommendation for 2024 Grand Marshal of the Memorial Day parade had been discussed. Adjournment Michael Bracken moved to adjourn the meeting, and Jerrod Anderson seconded the motion. All approved, and the meeting was adjourned.