Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Commission

August 19 2021 MEETING MINUTES OF THE PARKS, RECREATION, & CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION The Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Commission (PRCA) of the City of Farmington met in a regular session on Thursday, July 15, 2021, at 6:15 p.m. at the Executive Conference Room, 800 Municipal Dr. Farmington, NM 87401 Members Present Leslie Thompson, Chair, , Commissioners; Richard Griffiths, Carla Stimac, Ken LaCasse, Deb Cutler, Evan Noel, Larry Hilliard, and Patricia Baca. Members Absent: Commissioners; Tyson Snyder, George Golombowski, and Thomas Hawkins PRCA Staff; Shaña Reeves, PRCA Director; Natalie Spruell, Assistant PRCA Director; Gwen Johnson; PRCA Admin Aide Public: 1 Visitor, Amy McKinley OPENING OF MEETING: Leslie called the meeting to order at 6:15pm. ROLL CALL: Roll was taken APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Leslie asked for a review of the minutes, from the June 17th regular meeting and approval to accept them. Deb Cutler made the motion to approve, and Evan, made the second. DEPARTMENT REPORT: Shaña was asked to present the Department Report. Shaña had several updates. The first item was that recently donated property in the Foothills area needs a name. So there has been a name survey that has gone out to the public. There has been some great participation. Shaña has had some negative feedback, about the late communication of notice for the neighborhood meeting that was held back in June. Shaña explained to three very concerned inquirers that the land had been donated to the City of Farmington, with caveats attached to the donated land. She explained that we are just in the beginning stages and the naming process at this time. The Commissioners were encouraged that if they get any concerned feedback from the public to reassure them that no projects for the land have been started yet. On September 17, there will be a zoom community feedback session for the public, on the conceptual plan. The Commissioners, the Bike Shop owners, The Farmington Area Single Track, (FAST) and the College most likely will be a part of the feedback zoom session. We will be gathering feedback on the conceptual plan. At this time it is just a picture of a plan that is an idea. The staff will getting together to understand that picture and layout. The next step is community engagement with the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) biking people to explain their first visit and recommend a layout of the trail system, walking and biking. (Non-motorized vehicles only). The City will design the other amenities. If the public decides they would like a shade structure or a playground park, or bathrooms, etc. The grant that was attained to do this is a $30,000 matched grant. The City will match the grant amount.  Museum: Two major Exhibits were potentially planned to come into the Museum, both of which is the Wildcrats. We have postponed this t due to increase of COVID cases. Fall of 2022 is the goal for that. The Annual Totah Festival is scheduled for September 4 -5. There has been some modifications to the event due to the current up rise in COVID cases. There will be 25 inside vendors, and 24 outside vendors. Also there will food vendors outside. There will not be a Pow Wow, but there will be dancers bringing some dances for the public to view. There has been some crack sealing done in the Museum parking lot. This was prompted by some pretty large cracks that were causing some concerns for the growers market. Our streets department was able to that for us.  Aquatics and Pools: Abbreviated hours for Bisti Bay have been implemented. Most of the lifeguards have gone back to school or started college. The Aquatic Center is offering limited hours and programs as well. Sterling, Aquatics Manager, continues to work diligently to recruit for life guards. Creative recruiting ideas are being looked at. Possibly waiving the lifeguard course fee and requiring applicants to work with us at least 6months or they would have to pay the fee back. Recruiting through the College is also being investigated. Lions Pool and the Aquatic Center had to shut done for mechanical and electrical issues. They were closed for a few days as we had to find and wait on parts.  Connie Mack World Series: This event went very well. The Connie Mack team, the Park Operations team and City of Farmington employees worked very hard.  Recreation Center and Sycamore Park Community Center, and the Sr. Center: Both facilities are open and the staff is working to bring so programs and normalcy to the forefront.   Pickleball Court update: Demolition has begun at Brookside courts and colors have been selected that will tie in nicely with Bisti Bay and the green park. The colors are blues and greens, and the shade structure will be an iced coffee color. Pickleball striping has been painted at the sports complex on 4 lower tennis courts and the mossman park tennis courts. A survey was sent out to the community. There was an equitable agreement with the interested community that the courts will be shared. All community members are not happy, but it is a compromised solution to offer both pickle ball and tennis to our community. Conflict with the High School using all the courts and Pickleball players had no courts to use. This will be looked at. Blanket use of the fields, and courts should not be happening. This challenge will be discussed and problem solved know that the concern has been brought to the forefront there will be a solution Brookside will be Pickleball only, The current construction at Brookside courts will take about 10-12 weeks. Benches, shade and fence will be complete and the first coating on the courts 45degree and higher has to be the temperature for the curing process. In the spring the top coat will be applied and after it cures the courts will be able to open. We have a finite amount of courts, and a finite amount of money. We have to share. This plan will offer: 6 Pickleball only courts at Brookside, 4 double striped at Mossman, 4 double striped at the complex. Tennis has Lions, Cooper and 4 at the complex 8 courts. People are asking about the double striping and signs are being designed to help explain. GRANTS: LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUND It is for the OUTDOOR, LEGACY PROJECT This is a one to one match. We are applying for this grant to put toward the All Abilities Park. We are applying for $2.5 million. It will be for construction phase 1, and the city will come up with $2.5 million. We think the way that will be done is the property donation can be included. Today is the day that it was formally approved the resolution donating the old Tibbets property to the City of Farmington, We have a conservative estimate for that property at $600,000, and that can go toward our match. The department also received $300,000 from the National Park and Recreation, Resilient Park Access Grant and that $300,000 goes toward construction documents. We also have a Foundation anonymous donation, for $500,000 and that would mean the City would only have to come up with approximately around $1.6 million. What the end result could be at this time is a $500,000 phase one. This is a very exciting project, and the community is so very excited about this project. . We will be doing a public engagement through zoom or another platform to get feedback for the conceptual and feasibility study. Another Grant that is being working on is an Economic and Development Department Grant, for $25,000 and we would be looking at putting that toward signage. Gold King Mine Grant is also being pursued in partnership with the Farmers/Growers Market. A signage guideline is being developed also that all of our signage will complement each other. We will updating the eastside of Brookhaven Park, with new playground equipment, ADA compliant sidewalks and ramps. Phase2 of Jaycee Park has been ordered, and we will most likely add some shade there also. PRCA will also benefit from a 408 fund within the City, for some very much needed differed maintenance or fleet. The Recreation Center roof will be re-painted, Aquatic Center deck will be resurfaced, and Park Operation’s will be getting so much needed new equipment. Also a 3 way switch that burnt out in the panel at the Aquatic Center will be replaced and the panel will be upgraded. There beginning discussion around the CTED funds (Community Transformation and Development) and what those funds should be put toward. Items will be coming to the Council. September 21, is a very important City Council meeting. The development and renovation of the Pinon Hills Golf Course bonding potential will also be presented at this meeting. The irrigation and cart path revision project is an estimated 5.2 million dollar project. The scope of this project is much more than anticipated. This estimate encompasses a larger goal than what we originally anticipated. This would estimate would not only provide the irrigation design and cart path revision but also, 8ft color concrete paths, all replacement of sand bunkers, and relining the 3 ponds and adding some sort of water circulation features. This estimate would bring a complete whole project to be presented to the council. The project can be discussed, and thought through, and cut back on if needed. This will be a bonded project. The entrance is also being looked at to be re designed, and new entrance signage. Also, landscaping with natural vegetation of the area around the building, and re -stucco the buildings is also a suggestion. COMMISSIONER ITEMS Leslie will not be here for the September meeting, and Leslie will ask George to chair the meeting. If George cannot, Deb Cutler will. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR One guest from the floor shared, she is a City employee and that her parents live in the foothills area at the 80 acres that was donated. She attended to voice her opinion on the donated land at foothills and what the intended goal is for the property.  First she felt the way the property owners were informed of the initial meeting, was handled wrong with the letter to the property owners going out so late. She feels the City is “dis-genuine” in saying that the project is in beginning stages and we (the city) are not doing anything yet until we have public input sessions, and nothing has been planned yet. She went on to say “But you accepted the donation, your naming the park, but you are not doing anything?” She does not believe that the people that have built their homes out there with acres of space were thought about at all. She commented that the people in that area bought out there because they do not want traffic, noise and lights. She ended by saying “It does not feel like you thought about the neighborhood when you accepted the donation”. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:18 Next meeting will September 16, 2021 ______________________________________ ______________________________________________ Leslie Thompson, Chair Gwen Johnson, PRCA Administrative Aide