Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting

MINUTES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Regular Meeting Thursday, February 15, 2018 7:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL OF RECORDS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Commissioners Hofmann, McCarthy, Panetta, Spangler Commissioners Absent: Commissioners Baldwin, McEwen, Menendez-Herbst Staff Members Present: Acting Community Services Director, Interim Recreation and Community Services Manager, Interim Sports Center Manager, Park Operations Manager, Principal Engineer, Administrative Assistant I CALL TO ORDER Chair McCarthy called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENTATIONS 1. Informational Review of Parks and Recreation Related Submitted NIP Projects (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Presentation given Interim Recreation and Community Services Manager Leon introduced Jeff Krebs, Principal Engineer. He provided a preliminary list of submitted Parks and Recreation related NIP projects. He will be back at the March Parks and Recreation Commission meeting with a narrowed down list after the NIP committee meets. The process is expected to wrap up with Council’s final approval at the June 19, 2018 council meeting. Krebs mentioned that approximately half of the NIP submitted projects were parks related. He encouraged the commissioners to attend the NIP meetings if they want to advocate for a particular project. Engineer Krebs stated that the City has applied for an eight million dollar grant for the widening on the Recreation Trail between the Wharf and the Coast Guard Pier. He will keep the commission up to date on that process. Commisisoner Hofmann noticed that the NIP request she submitted for dog friendly water fountains along the recreation trail was not on the list. Principal Engineer Krebs asked her to email it to him.  Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes Thursday, February 15, 2018 Commissioner McCarthy inquired about the request for a sports court and field expansion at the old Bay View Elementary School: Trinity High School is currently at that site, so how will that project benefit members of the public and/or the City of Monterey? Principal Engineer Krebs said public access would be available after school hours and on weekends. Staff is working on the memorandum of understanding between the school district and the City. Commission Spangler asked if the sports court would be large enough to accommodate both softball and soccer. Krebs said he didn’t think so but would have to look into it. Chair McCarthy asked for public comment. Sharon Dwight stated that there is an existing joint use agreement between the City and MPUSD regarding the old Bay View Elementary School site. The play equipment is not being used since the district closed the elementary school. Basketball, pickleball and volleyball could all be played on the potential sport court. Soccer could be played on the grass, which the school district has already agreed to pay for the water. The project request for Citywide Recycling Program and Infrastructure may qualify as a capital project but the NIP will take a look at that. All waste receptacles should be split usage, recycle and garbage. CONSENT ITEMS Approval of Minutes 2. Thursday, January 18, 2018 Action: Approved amended minutes. ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS Rick Kashfi, resident of the 400 block of English Avenue, has walked his dog in Laguna Grande Park daily for several years but was just recently told by Monterey Police that they will now be enforcing the no dogs in parks rule. Esther Malkin, Laguna Grande neighborhood resident, feels that Laguna Grande is a perfect spot for dogs on leash. Being on a leash will not affect wildlife. Having dogs in parks will help reduce vagrancy with more residents walking their dogs in the park. They will be pursuing the no dogs in parks ordinance. Laguna Grande Park would be a great spot for revising the no dogs in parks ordinance to allow dogs on leash. Sharon Dwight stated that she recently noticed that the gate to the emergency water tank located at Hilltop Park is not locked. A maintenance worker told her that the tank at Hilltop had been shut off. The tank was put in by NIP to have water in case of an emergency. She has not been over to Casanova Oak Knoll Park so she does not know what the status if of that tank. Dolores Hamilton, Monterey resident, walks her dog in Laguna Grande and was shocked to recently find out she was not allowed to do so. Commission Panetta asked if anybody knew what the City of Seaside’s ordinance was for their portion of Laguna Grande Park. Esther Malkin said she is fairly certain it’s the same, no dogs allowed. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, February 15, 2018 2  Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes Thursday, February 15, 2018 INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 3. Monthly Report - Parks Division - January 2018 (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Received report. 4. Monthly Update - Parks and Recreation Work Plan - January 2018 (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: Received report. Interim Recreation and Community Services Manager Leon asked the commissioners if they would like to attend any of the upcoming NIP meetings. Commissioner Spangler asked staff for guidance as to which meetings they should attend. Second review and voting night was mutually agreed upon. Commissioner Hofmann stated there are seven projects that they should advocate for. Commissioner McCarthy volunteered to advocate for all of the Sports Center submitted projects and will attend the second review meeting. Commissioner Spangler volunteered to attend the voting night. Manager Leon reported that staff is currently working on several changes to the summer/fall guide due to MPUSD modifying their school calendar for next year. Summer registration begins on March 28. Easter Egg Hunt is March 31 at Jacks Ballpark. Recruiting for staff for our Summer programs has also begun. Interim Sports Center Manager Rothschild reported that January was their second highest month ever in revenues. Basketball is winding up. Special Olympics program is starting in a couple of weeks, looking for volunteers. Parkinson’s program starting soon. Lecture series ongoing. Park Operations Manger Marcuzzo reported that high school baseball/softball programs have started. New equipment will be installed in the Dennis the Menace playground soon. Acting Community Services Director Copeland reported that Pam Sloan is a consultant that is here to look at restructuring the community services department. The goal is to offer the best services and operations. The retirement incentive has created many vacancies in Recreation, Sports Center and Parks but we are meeting the challenges and charging ahead. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Hofmann looks forward to talking more about dogs in parks. Cannot make the next meeting. Commissioner Panetta mentioned the lagoon at Lagunita Mirada needs to be dredged. She is working with Thomas Korman in Engineering about this issue. Once the lagoon gets dredged, then the Parks Department can work on getting the park cleaned up Commissioner McCarthy mentioned that as part of the Recreation Trail Subcommittee, he is happy to hear about the eight million dollar grant the City has applied for, towards the widening of the trail. He will not be at the next meeting. As a frequent visitor of the Sports Center, he extended his kudos as it seems to be running seamlessly. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, February 15, 2018 3  Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes Thursday, February 15, 2018 Commissioner Spangler is impressed how staff has risen to the occasion and as a member of the public she cannot tell if things are falling through the cracks. NEXT MEETING Thursday, March 15, 2018 ADJOURNMENT Chair McCarthy adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Shannon Leon Dennis McCarthy, Chair Interim Recreation and Community Services Manager Parks and Recreation Commission Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, February 15, 2018 4