Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

The Parks Advisory Board met in regular session on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Annex. MINUTES Board Members Present Katherine Boswell, Chairman James Hailey Mandy Edwards Board Member Absent Lauretta Poole Kim Houston City Staff Present Andy Tarkington Parks and Recreation Superintendent Jill Davis, Gym Attendant Guest Present None AGENDA ITEM 1.0 Call to Order Kathy Boswell called the meeting to order. The meeting began at 6:00 pm. Kathy Boswell informed the board that Lauretta Poole has resigned from the Parks Board Monday January 6, 2020. James Hailey asked Andy Tarkington if it would be possible to post the opening for a new Parks Board member on the city website. Peggy Clifton came in and told the board members what the process is to select a new board member. AGENDA ITEM 2.0 Approval of Minutes Kathy Boswell called for motion to approve the minutes. James Hailey made a motion. Mandy Edwards second his motion. The minutes were approved by unanimous vote. AGENDA ITEM 3.0 Approval of Financial Report Kathy Boswell called for a motion to approve the November and December financial reports. James Hailey made a motion. Mandy Edwards second his motion. The financial reports were approved by unanimous vote. 1 AGENDA ITEM 4.0 Parks & Recreation Report Andy Tarkington, Parks and Recreation Superintendent, gave the Parks and Recreation reports. Mr. Tarkington informed the board that adult volleyball ended December 18, 2019. With the first place team winning long sleeve t-shirts and the second place team winning with short sleeve t- shirts. Mr. Tarkington informed the board that adult basketball has made for the first time in three years. There are five teams and the season will end March 16, 2020. We are starting registration for spring coed volleyball, which will end January 30, 2020. Youth volleyball registration began January 6, 2020 and will end February 6, 2020. Stormy did the flyers and we have posted them on the Facebook page. Mr. Tarkington informed the board of the Athlete of the Year award. He is hoping to present the board with a male and female 2019 Athlete of the Year award at the next board meeting. Also, that they will continue the program of Athlete of the Year in the future. Mr. Tarkington told the board about George Cliett cleaning flower beds and planting new flowers. Melvin Flores and George put out mulch, cultivated and re-fertilized the east median, Highway 180, library and the commons. They also trimmed trees at West City Park, Southeast Park, and the entrance to Ft Wolters. We do these kind of projects because there isn’t very much mowing happening. Mr. Tarkington informed the board that they also installed a no parking cable at West City Park at the entrance to the shelter. Melvin and George box bladed ball field one. Kathy wanted to know what the contaminated dirt was. Mr. Tarkington let her know that the fountain in the downtown area had chlorine in it and had contaminated the dirt where the flowers were. One side of it had to be replaced and so did the flowers. George dug it out and replaced all of it. Mr. Tarkington let the board know that the Fossil Park is a continued attraction. Mr. Tarkington told the board that there were people all the way from Missouri there. There have been a lot of phone calls about the park and the hours. Mr. Tarkington told the board that we keep the Fossil Park open seven days a week till 4:00 pm and until sunset on the weekends. We have someone that helps close the gate on the weekends. AGENDA ITEM 5.0 Other Business Andy Tarkington, Parks and Recreation Superintendent, posed the question to the board members about re-establishing the Athlete of the Year award. Mr. Tarkington informed the board that he printed out the T.A.A.F cavalcade, which is T.A.A.F rule book. In this book there is a section that recognizes Athletes of the Year, which has been established since 1996. The first four years we have had two state Athletes of the Year out of the Mineral Wells program. In 1997, Tavis Harvey won Male Athlete of the Year. In 1999, Jennifer Holyfield won Female Athlete of the Year. Each region nominates someone, there are seventeen regions, and there is a committee with T.A.A.F that votes on the state recipient. Mineral Wells was fortunate to be awarded two recipients. The recipients get a plaque and get to light the cauldron at the Games of Texas. The Games of Texas will be held this year in Corpus Christi, Texas. James Hailey asked Mr. Tarkington if there would be photos of the recipient receiving this award locally to put on a wall somewhere. Mr. Tarkington informed Mr. Hailey and the board that they would be 2 recognized at the Parks Board meeting and possible City council meeting. Nomination for Athlete of the Year are due in August. Mr. Tarkington would like to nominate an athlete in August. At the state meeting in September T.A.A.F will vote for an athlete. There is a banquet every year to award the state winner their plaque. This year the state wide banquet will be held in San Angelo. They also have a T.A.A.F Hall of Fame banquet, where they induct people into the T.A.A.F Hall of Fame. They also give the Koger Stokes Award, which is the highest award given by T.A.A.F. Kathy reminded the board that Jackie Harvey was inducted into the T.A.A.F Hall of Fame. Mr. Tarkington is hoping that the Athlete of the Year plaques will be here by February and he can present them to the Parks Board at the February 12, 2020 meeting. Mr. Tarkington asked the board if they want to add anything to the agenda for the next meeting. Kathy asked about adding the Southeast Park to next agenda. Mr. Tarkington is going to work on the Parks Open Space Plan for next year’s budget. She also wanted to know about the pickleball. Mr. Tarkington let the board know that for the month of February he is going to offer people to play for free. We may attach a video of pickleball on our Facebook advertisement. He also informed the board that it’s the fastest growing sport right now. Some of the board members were asking what pickleball was. Mr. Tarkington informed them that it was a combination of tennis, racquet ball, and ping pong all rolled up into one sport. It is played with a ball smaller to a wiffleball and a paddle, not a racquet. Mr. Tarkington informed the board with the more advertisement, the more activities the more people. Kathy Boswell said she would volunteer to help with the Valentines event. Stormy will be hosting the event on Valentine’s Day. Mr. Tarkington told Kathy that he would let Stormy know that she would help. Mr. Tarkington told the board that in pickleball that in some places there were hundreds of people that were playing in tournaments. Mr. Tarkington told the board that pickle ball was invented in the 60’s. Mr. Tarkington informed the board that we are trying to get softball started but having a difficult time finding umpires. Kathy let Mr. Tarkington know that maybe some college seniors would like to take a clinic for umpiring. He let the board know that we are getting dirt to on field one, trying to get it game ready. We are going to try and get at least two fields ready for practice ready. Mr. Tarkington is also wanting to offer a new sport, kickball. We will continue to work to find some umpires. Kathy asked if we could advertise and offer an umpire course started. James asked how difficult it would be to get umpires certified. Mr. Tarkington informed the board that he is qualified to teach umpiring. Mr. Tarkington informed the board that we have been having a lot of success with the Facebook page for Parks and Recreation. It seems more people look at it than the city website for activities. The consensus was there are at least three solid items that the Parks and Recreation board would like to discuss at the next meeting: Southeast Park plan, to see where pickleball is, criteria for requests from organization wanting free usage for facility use. 3 AGENDA ITEM 6.0 Adjournment Kathy Boswell asked for a motion for adjournment. James Hailey made the motion. Mandy Edwards second the motion. Parks board meeting was adjourned at 6:43 pm. 4