Board of Parks Commissioners Meeting

Norman Board of Parks Commissioners November 7, 2019 The Norman Board of Parks Commissioners of the City of Norman, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma, met in Council Chambers on the 7th day of November, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. and notice and agenda of the meeting were posted at 201 West Gray Street, 24 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. ITEM 1, being: ROLL CALL Commissioner Wright introduced new Commissioner Elizabeth (Liz) Ross to the Park Board and welcomed her to the meeting. Present: Chair Wright and Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Ross, Salmond, and Starke Absent: Commissioners Dolan Tardy: Commissioner Sallee City Officials Present: Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation Jason Olsen, Recreation Superintendent Wade Thompson, Park Superintendent Karla Sitton, Administrative Technician IV ITEM 2, being: APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 3, 2019 MINUTES Commissioner Moxley made the motion and Commissioner Isacksen seconded to approve the minutes. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chair Wright and Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Ross, Salmond, and Starke NAY: None Commissioner Sallee arrived at the meeting at 5:34 p.m. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 3, being: APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Commissioner Salmond made the motion and Commissioner Isacksen seconded to approve the agenda. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chair Wright and Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Ross, Sallee, Salmond, and Starke NAY: None Park Board Regular Meeting Page 2 of 4 November 3, 2019 ITEM 4, being: NORMAN FORWARD PROJECT UPDATE Mr. Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation gave a Norman Forward Update to the Board. Ruby Grant Mr. Foster said the 2nd set of bids were opened November 2nd for the Norman Forward Ruby Grant Project and work on the site is expected to begin in 1 – 2 weeks. Commissioner Favors asked about the fundraising for the playground and Mr. Foster said 10 people in the Community have been identified that could assist and reach out to others who would donate. Staff has only heard from one person to date; however, Staff is scheduling a meeting in December and will invite those identified people to hear Victoria Babb who is leading the fundraising. Commissioner Moxley asked if the additional amount needed to be raised is $200,000 and Mr. Foster said yes. Andrews Skate Park Staff is expecting American Ramp Company (ARC) to return with concepts for the Andrews Skate Park Project at a future 2nd Public Meeting to be scheduled within the next week or two. Reaves Park The Design Team continues working on the Norman Forward Reaves Park Project and construction documents are 95% complete. He said the project should go to bid after the first of the year. Griffin Park The Norman Forward Griffin Park Project Phase 3 work is underway and construction has begun on the restroom facility and parking lot. Adult Softball and Flag Football Council approved the design contact with Howell and VanCuren on October 8, 2019, and an Ad Hoc Group will be appointed at the Council meeting scheduled November 12, 2019. Mr. Foster said a Kickoff Meeting for the Norman Forward Adult Softball and Flag Football Ad Hoc Group meeting will be scheduled soon thereafter. Neighborhood Parks Rotary Park: Request for Proposals (RFPs) for the Rotary Park Playground Project have been received and Staff made a selection which will be scheduled as an agenda item in the future for Council consideration and approval. Songbird Park: Concrete work and playground safety surfacing installation continues to be installed at Songbird Park. Prairie Creek Park is nearly finished and a picnic shelter should be installed by the end of the month. Southlake Park: Staff is working with Developers to acquire the deeds for the park site for the new Southlake Park. Staff is putting together a neighborhood survey for the additions Park Board Regular Meeting Page 3 of 4 November 3, 2019 East of Classen Boulevard and South of Highway 9 so the project can be designed over the winter and construction start next spring. Senior Wellness Center The Norman Forward Senior Wellness Center Ad Hoc Group met at a regular Ad Hoc meeting on October 30, 2019, and the online and handwritten survey results (approximately 1,500) were reviewed. The Design Group presented two initial floor plan options, which had two phases each. Comments given were about the distance from parking as well as covered parking. FSB will refine and present the revised floor plan options at a Public Workshop #2 scheduled December 3, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. Commissioner Moxley asked whether or not a basis study on the Senior Wellness Center needed to be done. He said there are two new(er) Senior Centers in OKC and one is successful while the other is not. Mr. Foster said he and the Design Team has looked at and spoke with the operators of the OKC facilities. He said that one of the Senior Centers is expanding their facility and is successful due to the demographics. Mr. Foster said while the site for the Norman Senior Wellness Center was not selected by demographics, a map of where senior citizens live in the community was looked at and the largest mass of seniors live in central Norman which is close to Reaves Park. He said Reaves Park was the site chosen due to what City land was available. Mr. Foster said programming will be based on what is wanted at the Senior Wellness Center and the survey results reflected active use is desired over passive use. Indoor Aquatic and Multi-Sports Facility The Norman Forward Indoor Aquatic and Multi-Sports Facility Ad Hoc Group met on October 29, 2019 at an Ad Hoc Group meeting at 3:00 p.m., followed by a Public Meeting at 6:00 p.m. The Ad Hoc Group reviewed preliminary budget and rough initial concepts. Mr. Foster said the budget appears to be short for a 50-meter pool and an 8-court facility. Options are being explored to subsidize the project budget. Mr. Foster said City Council voted at a Council meeting this week to postpone the agreement to end the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District, which would solidify the site purchase and provide $2.7 million for the project. He said the next Council consideration on ending the TIF District is scheduled on November 26, 2019. Mr. Foster said that several Norman Forward projects are underfunded and will need additional funding. He said Council can/may choose to use money left over from the New Norman Central Library Project. Mr. Foster said Norman Regional Hospital (NRH) has shown interest in helping fund some of the Indoor Aquatic and Multi-Sports Facility. Commissioner Moxley asked about exterior building requirements in the TIF District and whether costs will rise due to the requirements. Mr. Foster said that very issue is being researched and the Design team will have options based on the type of facility as well as where the facility will sit on the site, i.e., back side of property and not along the 24th Avenue frontage road). He said the construction may increase 5-10% to build in the TIF District, but all options will be explored. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Commissioner Moxley left the meeting at 6:02 p.m. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Park Board Regular Meeting Page 4 of 4 November 3, 2019 Commissioner Isacksen asked if anyone is watching the Norman Forward Projects to make certain the City is not building facilities that take business away from current City businesses, i.e., whether building an indoor aquatic facility will hurt the current YMCA, etc. Mr. Foster said currently there is not enough pool and/or gym space to take care of local needs and another pool and/or gym will not hurt or over-saturate the YMCA. Commissioner Salmond felt the City should build a pool on the east side of town and Mr. Foster said in the future, John Saxon Park may be a site for a pool. Chair Wright asked if the Norman Forward Tax is a 15 year tax and Mr. Foster said yes, and the Norman Forward Tax is in year three (3). _____________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 5, being: MISCELLANEOUS Mr. Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation, invited the Board to attend the Norman Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony scheduled on Sunday, November 10, 2019. He said this is a great event and the Parade will begin at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Mr. Foster said Tim Vermillion, the new City Forester, began working on October 24, 2019. He said the position was eliminated for several years but Council approved adding it back into the budget. _____________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 6, being: AJOURNMENT Commissioner Sallee made the motion and Commissioner Salmond seconded to adjourn. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chair Wright and Commissioners Favors, Isacksen, Ross, Sallee, Salmond, and Starke NAY: None Passed and approved this ____________of ________________________ 2019 Kristi Wright, Chair