Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

The Parks Advisory Board met in regular session on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Annex. MINUTES Board Members Present Kathy Boswell Mandy Edwards Kim Houston Amber Kunes Neil Mesler Board Member Absent None City Staff Present Andy Tarkington, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Terrie Ortiz, Parks and Recreation Clerk Guest Present None AGENDA ITEM 1.0 Call to Order Kathy Boswell called the meeting to order. The meeting began at 6:00 p.m. AGENDA ITEM 2.0 Approval of Minutes Kathy Boswell called for motion to approve the February minutes. Mandy Edwards made the motion. Amber Kunes seconded the motion. The minutes were approve by unanimous vote. AGENDA ITEM 3.0 Hear Project Updates Andy told the board about the update on Southeast Park. He went on to tell the board that the sidewalk work has been done. Andy informed the board that the playground equipment had arrived but due to the freezing weather we had the company was behind a few days. He let the board know that he had a fence put around the park to help keep people out. Andy informed the board that Whirlix called and would start putting the playground equipment up as early as next week. Kathy asked Andy what the turnaround would be for getting the park finished. Andy told here hopefully a few weeks. It could be by March 7th, he also told the board there will be little shelters. He let the board know that the coverings would be like what is at the Aquatics Center. Andy informed the board that the steps at the Little League field are completed. He went on to tell the board that there are two sets of steps now at the Little League fields. The board was very excited about the new steps. Andy moved on to tell the board that he presented the R.F.Q. to the City Council, and they approved for us to go out for bids. Andy told the board that there have been four inquiries for the R.F.Q. He let the board know that one interest is from Canada, one is from Indiana, Garland and Ft. Worth. He informed the board that there is a committee to review the R.F.Q. submission. The committee will include a couple of City Council members. Andy told the board that the firm from Garland actually did the Parks and Open Space plan back in 1996. Andy let the board know that the R.F.Q. was published in the Weatherford Democrat. Andy went on to tell the board that after the committee selects the firm then the committee and the firm will negotiate a price. Andy thanked the Parks and Recreation Board members for helping in getting the council to approve the Parks and Open Space Plan. Mandy Edwards asked Andy if he knew who was going to be on the committee. Andy told Mandy it would be Chief Sullivan, himself, Mayor Johnson, and Carlos Maldonado, a City Councilman. AGENDA ITEM 4.0 Hear Updates on Mineral Wells Aquatic Center Andy told the board that Sunbelt Pools has finally gotten back to him about the filters. Andy let the board know that Sunbelt needed the model numbers, and the brand of the filters. Kim asked if there was not a name plate, or a tag on the filters. Andy informed the board that our maintenance person, Gary Christian, said he found where the label was but it was so corroded that he could not read it. Andy told the board that he gave Gary the phone number of Jason Avara from Sunbelt Pools so he could give them the information they needed. Andy informed the board that he looked for the original pool plans and has not been able to locate them. Andy told the board that he spoke with the Interim City Manager, Dean Sullivan, about using some of the funds for the filters to fix some of the other items at the pool. Mr. Sullivan told Andy he did not want to that at this time. He told Andy he feels that the money should stay in case we do need to replace the filters. Andy told the board that there are conflicting evaluations on the filters. Neil Mesler asked if we could be put on the list for Sunbelt to come look at the filters for next season. The board asked Andy if he knew where the original plans for the pool where. Mandy Edwards asked if they would be at City Hall. Andy let the board know that he would check, he also told the board that when he left in 2000 the pool plans were at the City Gym office. He has looked for them and they are not there now. Andy let the board know that Gary Christian thought Donnie Hoover, the last Parks and Recreation Supervisor had taken them out to the Ft. Wolters shop. Andy told the board that Gary looked and could not find them. Kathy asked Andy if Sunbelt told him when they possibly might come out to the pool to look at the filters. Andy told Kathy and the board it may be next week. Mandy asked Andy if he could call other aquatics centers and ask them what their average life span is on their filters. Andy told Mandy he knew the answer and it is 10 years. Mandy asked if “that is the rebuttal of someone coming out and looking at the filters and saying the filters need to be replaced, then we can say this is all the cities that Parks and Recreation have contacted and they say 10 years is the average pool filters last.” Neil asked how old the filters we have now are. The board and Andy responded by telling him 23 years old. They told Neil they are the originals. Kim told the board and Andy that may be they could get a third party company that could come in and do an ultrasonic test to verify the thickness or specs for the pool filters. Kim told the board where she works they use a company called Bonded and they can do ultrasonic scans of metal. She stated that this could possibly show the thickness of the metal. Kim also told the board that a company like this would not have a fight in the replacement of the filters. Andy told the board that all the people that have looked at the filters have made their recommendations all by visual. Kathy asked if there was any way to find out if there is a certain thickness to the filters and if it has deuterated over the years. Andy informed the board that the company that put these filters in is no longer in business. Kim told Andy that she would check to find the number for the company she discussed with the board and Andy. Andy told the board that Cari Rockey, the new coordinator that he hired, resigned after two weeks. Amber asked if Andy has reached out to the colleges for people graduating. Andy told her that he has. He let the board know we are looking again for a Recreation Coordinator. AGENDA ITEM 5.0 Hear Presentation on the Parks, Recreation and Fossil Park Report Andy read the Parks, Recreation and Fossil Park report to the board. Kathy asked if we have anyone playing Pickle Ball. Andy informed her and the board that after last year of free play for the month of February we offered free play for Pickle Ball in 2020. After we began to charge daily admission and membership for Pickle ball, we had no interest. Andy informed the board that we got approved to get the solar powered gate for the Fossil Park. He let the board know that with the new gate the parks crew will not have to go to the Fossil Park every morning and evening to open and close the gate. AGENDA ITEM 6.0 Hear Parks and Recreation Board Ideas for Future Agenda Items Kathy asked to put the pool back on the agenda for the filters. The Parks board wants to look at the reason for the age restriction in the City Gym weight room. The Parks board wants to look at the Parks and Open Space Plan. AGENDA ITEM 7.0 Adjournment Kathy asked for a motion to adjourn. Mandy made the motion. Kim second the motion. The parks board unanimously agreed to adjourn the meeting at 6:56 p.m.