Health, Recreation & Events Committee

TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT, SOUTH CAROLINA HEALTH, RECREATION & EVENTS COMMITTEE Monday, February 28, 2022 9:15 a.m. Municipal Complex, Council Chambers 100 Ann Edwards Lane, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 AGENDA Members Present: Laura Hyatt, Chair; Jake Rambo, Gary Santos Staff Present: Eric DeMoura, Steve Gergick 1. Call to order Ms. Hyatt called the meeting to order at 9:14 a.m. 2. Approval of Minutes from the January 31, 2022 meeting Mr. Rambo made a motion to approve the minutes of the January 31, 2022 meeting. Mr. Santos seconded the motion. All were in favor. 3. Public Comments None 4. Discussion and possible action on a Recreation Capital Project Referendum  Health, Recreation & Events February 28, 2022 Page 2 of 3 Mr. Gergick shared a list of Recreation Referendum Considerations with potential referendum uses. He said they had contracted with Mr. Bob Brookover with Clemson University to complete a survey about recreation along with facility and program needs for residents. He said they were hoping to have it completed and have the information presented in April. The Committee and staff discussed the timeline for getting the information for a referendum with two readings by July. They reviewed the list of projects. Mr. Rambo said he felt they should explore some alternative financing options to get Carolina Park Phase IV started as they complete Phase III. He said that many people attended the last Council Meeting with concerns about rectangular field space. He asked if there was an image of how the Tennis Center expansion would look. Mr. Gergick said he did not have it at present but said the tennis expansion includes six additional hard surface courts, an additional parking area, a pavilion restroom facility, additional spectator seating, lights, and landscaping. Committee and staff discussed the Rifle Range Road Park and field design and usage. The architect firm of Wood + Partners has been retained to work with the Town on some possible revisions as they had created the original design. There was also discussion about Carolina Park Phase III and Phase IV and their fields. Mr. DeMoura said in April they would have the survey results completed that would help support the projects on the list. He said they would have a new conceptual and hopefully a cost estimate for Rifle Range Road. He said that unlike the Jones Center Comprehensive Repair and the Park West Pool Renovation that are actively under design and would be ready for construction when the money comes in, Carolina Park Phase IV was not actively under design. He said they could start the process of design so when the money becomes available either sooner than the referendum or after the referendum, they could move more quickly on providing the space that was needed. He said it was a $4 million project with design fees at six percent or so. He said it would take $300,000 and they could  Health, Recreation & Events February 28, 2022 Page 3 of 3 locate the money and begin the process. He said if it never comes to fruition, they would at least have it designed and could contract later. He said if they would like them to proceed, they could. The Committee agreed they want staff to proceed. The Committee and staff discussed the survey. The survey is a general questionnaire of people’s needs, how they consume it, their desires for the future along with a question about the willingness to pay for additional recreation facilities. Mr. Santos said they need to start looking at the 30 acres at Faison Road to see what could be completed there and blend that in with Carolina Park Phase V. Ms. Hyatt said she would like to see if they could fund Phase IV without a referendum. She said it was important to get it completed and there was no guarantee they would have a referendum. Mr. Rambo said that Rifle Range Road Park was 90 percent of the referendum and he felt that Carolina Park Phase IV was needed. 5. Program/projects update Mr. Gergick gave a program and projects update along with information on events that had taken place along with upcoming ones. The Committee and staff discussed flag football and field space. Mr. Santos said he spoke with a representative from the Charleston Battery and requested the opportunity for the Town to have the championship boys’ and girls’ soccer game played in their stadium. 6. Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:36 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Karen Bedenbaugh, 2/28/22