Keep Richwood Beautiful Commission Regular Meeting

Minutes of Keep Richwood Beautiful Commission Special Meeting of Thursday, August 22, 2019 BE IT KNOWN THAT, a Keep Richwood Beautiful Commission Special Meeting of the Keep Richwood Beautiful Commission of City of Richwood was held Thursday, August 22, 2019, beginning at 12:45 PM in the Richwood City Hall, 1800 N. Brazosport Blvd. Richwood, Texas. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 12:48 p.m. SWEAR IN NEW MEMBER - TARA RILEY Ms. Cantu ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS Janet Jackson-Ellis - Chair Brittany Figaro - Vice Chair Garry Ellis Audrey Johnson Kimberly Mayer Tara Riley Denise Green, KRB Director Others present: Giani Cantu, City Secretary; Kirsten Garcia, Court Administrator; Clif Custer, Public Works Director; Lindsay Koskiniemi, Interim City Manager INVOCATION Janet Jackson-Ellis led the Invocation PLEDGES The pledges were not read. WORKSHOP - STRATEGIC PLAN 2019-2023 Mrs. Cantu took strategic plan session notes and created individual project sheets. Upgrade existing and adding playground equipment Kim would like to see workout equipment added to the new equipment as discussed at the May strategic plan. Ideal locations would be on Cardinal/Blue Jay, Moore and near Wisteria for people to go from pocket park to pocket park and access outdoor workout equipment. Denise asked what kind of equipment. Kim said there are many different kinds, the catalog has things such as pull ups, chin up and balance beams. Audrey asked if there are some pieces of equipment that can aid in multiple exercises? Kim stated yes, but they can be pricey and will possibly need to do one each year to reach completion. Kim volunteered to manage the project and research possibilities. Kim asked if there are any pocket parks in the areas closest to Polk. Clif stated that there are not any parks available until the third phase which is at Blue Jay/Cardinal. There is also Cardinal/2004 feeder and easement where trees are planted and one on the other side of Eagle Nest ct. Lindsay Koskiniemi, Interim City Manager, advised there was a program called Meet me at the Park play spaces, it was very beneficial to the community where she grew up. Brittany reported that the lot a Moore is not available as a pocket park, it is set to have a home built on it. Kim asked if there was any other idea other than the outdoor workout equipment. Brittany stated she likes a sitting area or pavilion. Brittany asked if the old city hall site was for sale? Mrs. Cantu stated, not yet, however, someone did request, and it is on the agenda for 8/26 for Council to consider. Upgrade park furniture Kim, on the topic of park furniture, asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to manage that project? Brittany stated at last workshop, regarding Larry Johnson park, they said they were going to leave it as is. Discussion was held on existing equipment at Larry Johnson park. Kim believes it could use a couple covered picnic tables and barbeque pits, maybe a water fountain. Brittany stated she thinks we should take pictures of all the parks. Kim shared picture of Larry Johnson park. Brittany could do backstops since there is so much open space. Further discussion was held on possibilities for improvements to Larry Johnson Park and types of furniture. Kim will work on research outdoor workout equipment and playground equipment while Brittany and Audrey research furniture and accessories. Resurfacing Walking Trails/Lighting Discussion was held on the walking trails. Denise will research resurfacing the walking trails. Clif stated research a few years back and crushed limestone with border would be about $75,000. Denise mentioned maybe just lighting or starting with lighting. Tara advised works with a lot of companies and can ask around for alternatives. Committee decided to delay resurfacing and moved on the discussion regarding lighting. Clif was asked how much the lighting would possible cost. He advised most lights have already been replaced but some underground electrical work would be necessary. Community Garden Discussion held on the community garden. Kim advised she has researched grants for community gardens, she advised most require nonprofit status to qualify. So, we do not qualify for most grants. Kim has reached out to Dow; she is now waiting to receive more info. She said we will need to look into donations and fundraisers to get the ball rolling on this. Goal to open is next spring. Brittany asked Kim about the survey on the community garden – Kim advised 33 people have taken the survey. They preferred fruit/vegetable and location on Oyster Creek Drive. High percentage stated they would volunteer and about 35 percent stated they would adopt a garden bed. Discussion held on community garden. Clif advised the committee that the city does not own all that is mowed at the property off Oyster Creek Drive, it is an odd shaped block of land. Kim adv she is wanting to get the land surveyed for dimensions before they move forward. Kim asked Clif his opinion on the location, he adv he felt it was a great location. It was hoped to be the future community building but was voted down during the bond election. It’s a nice property, but not conducive to sell at this point. Kim asked Clif about water usage for the garden. Would we have to get council approval to use water? Clif adv it would just be a transfer between general fund and utility fund. He doesn’t see a problem, but something to let council know about. Kim adv there would be procedures and rules regarding water usage at the garden. Dog Park Discussion on the Dog Park Brittany advised she would take over the research in this project. She questioned whether it would be worth putting money into now that Lake Jackson has installed a dog park. Denise said she feels we should wait and see how the LJ dog park does to see if it’s worth it. Brittany says she thinks we should table the topic until after that point. She said she will reach out to LJ parks department and see how their dog park is doing. Clif advised Oakwood offered their park to the city some number of years ago. At that time, city chose not to manage it due to the risk of Parvo and liability. There is a lot of responsibility to maintain a dog park, so he asked that the committee check out LJ’s before proceeding. Discussion on landscaping - Janet adv we need to replace some plants at the entrance to Audubon 1. She stated that there needs to be more plants added. Also, all the palm trees have died near the old swimming pool. Palm trees are expensive, Mr. Ellis priced 2 trees at $300. Janet will take the lead on this project. She adv we need to mulch those areas also. Denise adv that needs to be on the landscaping company. They should be mulching twice a year. Tara adv that a former committee member brought up the bridge on College drive that needs landscaping attention. Landscaping Discussion was held on landscaping. Clif advised public works will send a sweeper over to the area on College Drive next week. Kim asked if the TX Dot grants would cover other areas of the city besides state right of ways. Denise advised it could only be used for state right of ways. Discussion held on grant options, possibly contacting BASF. Visual and Artistic Aesthetics Visual and artistic aesthetics – Kim stated she thinks its eye catching and something that is nice to do. Brittany stated Springfield did something similar, painting drains and other permanent fixtures. Tara stated in Jacksonville, businesses would sponsor tomatoes and have them displayed around town. It was also used a fundraising idea. Discussion held on visual and artistic aesthetics. Audrey brought up having a mural painted on the bathrooms at the parks, possibly something incorporating “Keep Richwood Beautiful”. Denise stated she will look into this project, Tara stated she will help her. Cleanups and committee workdays Kim brought up this being a frequent need. Not sure what funding needs would need to be met. Brittany asked if we would have a cleanup before November? Kim stated she thinks they should wait until after the weather cools off. Denise mentioned observing items that need to be focused on for the cleanup in the meantime. Discussion was held on clean up. Clif was asked if the city has a power washer. He advised we use a sewer jetter trailer, it’s not really what you’re looking for. Youth Summer Camp Denise and Brittany are going to research this topic. Tara brought up using the youth that are required to complete service hours and contact those organizations. Reading at Schools Kim stated they spoke to a contact at the school, KRB has also purchased books and her goal is to hit all 3 schools at least once. Our Lady Queen of Piece, Foundations Prep, and Polk. Janet stated she is interested in tutoring also. Bike Rodeo Tara advised LJ is already preparing for National Night Out. Kirsten advised she was already planning to get a bike rodeo together for this event – that she will be available to help put this part of the event on. Kim stated she wasn’t sure if we were holding our national night out on a different night. Audrey said we would get a decent turn out the more things we have planned geared toward children. Discussion held on Bike Rodeo 5K Fun Run and Walk Brittany stated she would take the lead on the 5k run Denise mentioned doing a Jingle Bell run around Christmas. Brittany stated West Columbia is Reindeer themed and Angleton does Ugly Sweater – so we should do something different. Brittany stated that she doesn’t think it would be too much to put the 5k together. She’s thinking about Christmas in the Park, but it needs to be well lit. If we move it to Saturday, we can do a 5k in the morning and then the festivities after. Denise is going to help Brittany with the 5k, and craft show part of it, Audrey is heading up the Christmas in the park. Discussion held on details of Christmas in the park and how it would fit in with a 5k. Denise brought up a color run was talked about for 5k at Oakwood, Clif stated he would be concerned with safety. Denise mentioned we could also do a 1k – Brittany liked the idea and decided we will plan for a 1k. It will coincide with Christmas in the park on Saturday, December 14, 2019. Promotional Products Kim stated she would like to head this one up. She is interest in creating KRB’s own reusable shopping bag, reusable cups and other merchandise that could be a potential moneymaker. Janet brought up getting business cards made and t-shirts for the committee. Recycling and waste disposal Bins and signage Denise mentioned putting KRB logo on the Recycling bins at the park. Denise asked if they were plastic – Clif advised they were a composite enclosure that individual cans can go in. Denise adv she thinks they need to be removed – they are not being used appropriately. Clif concurred – stated they go and try to bag it all, but most can’t be recycled because of what people throw in them. He recommends getting rid of them and getting portable or semi-permanent fixtures that can be used at specific recycling events. Discussion held on recycling Clif advised they are always welcomed to use the 90-gal waste connection cans the city has – and then they can be picked up by waste connections. He will check with them to make sure that is okay, but he doesn’t see a problem with it. Recycling Events Kim stated she believes we have already budgeted for most of this and the cost is somewhat minimal. Doesn’t think this needs to be assigned specifically and make it a group effort to plan. Improvements PK Forrest Community Building Janet stated the city did not approve funds to improve the building. She would look into funding to help get it going. Clif advised public works was going to take care of it. They are going to try and use some left-over money and get some work done. We have blocked off the whole month of October to get the work done. Kim brought up KRB lending their time and helping get it done. Denise requested photos of the work be sent to her so that she can use them to show what has been done throughout the year. Clif advised the committee that the exterior would not be worked on this year, there are some exterior work that needs to be completed before aesthetics can be done. Kim stated everyone needs to have their research done for our next meeting. This gives us a month to get this finalized and then it will need to be presented to council. Lindsay suggested a map is made with the 5-year plan that designates what work will be done to what park. Janet asked about putting flags up – Kim adv Steve would like to put them up – Clif said he will get a guy from PW to do it. Put them up August 29 no later than 7am – Meet down at the community building Flags need to come September 6 at 7am Brittany volunteered to present the strategic plan to council at the October meeting. SET NEXT MEETING DATE The next regularly scheduled meeting September 3, 2019 at 6:15 p.m. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 1. Scholarships 2. Trunk or Treat / Movie Night 10.25.2019 3. Clean Up / Garage Sale 4. Strategic Plan – Follow up ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST Janet thanked everyone for being here and Brittany reminded that we have one spot open. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 2:28pm These minutes were read and approved on this 10th day of September, 2019. __________________________________ Chair ATTEST: ______________________________________ City Secretary