Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

Post Meeting Agenda Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Thursday, February 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. M/M Senior Center 3500 Marais Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48073 Anyone planning to attend the meeting who has need of special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is asked to contact the city clerk’s office at 248-246-3050 at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting. Pages 1. Meeting Called to Order 2. Approval of Agenda Recommended Motion: I move to approve the Agenda. 3. Approval of Minutes 2 Recommended Motion: I move to approve the Minutes of the January 8, 2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. 4. Public Comment 5. Reports a. Staff Report – Nicole McEachern b. City Commission Comments 6. Business Items a. Art in the Park Discussion – Susan Barkman 5 No action required. See attached memo. b. Parks and Recreation Overview - Nicole McEachern 8 No action required. Presented for information purposes only. c. Survey Results - Nicole McEachern No action required. Presented for information purposes only. 7. Items Not on the Agenda 8. Upcoming Events 9. Adjournment 10. Next Meeting: Thursday, March 6, 2025  Minutes Parks and Recreation Advisory Board January 8, 2025, 7:00 p.m. M/M Senior Center 3500 Marais Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48073 Present: Sarah Kindinger Melanie Macey Brigitta Burguess Tony Rennpage Ryan Danescu Perry Abbey Ian McKinney Absent: Sue Wells Hannah Holliday _____________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order Meeting called to order at 7:00 pm. 2. Approval of Agenda Resolution Number: Motion to move Item 6c to before Item 5 and approve Agenda with this change. Moved by: Ryan Danescu Seconded by: Perry Abbey Motion Adopted 3. Approval of Minutes Resolution Number: Motion to approve the Minutes of the December 5, 2024 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting. Moved by: Ryan Danescu Seconded by: Brigitta Burguess Motion Adopted 4. Public Comment 1 Page 2 of 19  Mark Sacket from Royal Oak Leprechauns spoke about Barrier Netting Project. 5. Reports 5.a City Commissioner Report Commissioner Macey reported that she has received questions about swimming and Community Center Feasibility Study. 5.b Staff Report Nicole McEachern presented the following Staff Updates: RECREATION UPDATES Administration 1. Winter program registration opened December 3. 2. A survey is included in the Winter Insight to gather feedback from the community on Parks and Recreation experiences. Survey closes January 31. 3. We are currently recruiting for a Preschool Aide. Professional Development 1. McEachern and Elana Bordine are registered to attend the Michigan Recreation and Park Association (mParks) Conference in March. McEachern will be facilitating two sessions at the conference. Programming 1. Adult Softball League fall season concluded. 2. Volleyball league is underway at Salter Center and will end in January. 3. Tax Appointments start scheduling January 6. 4. We are in the process of scheduling field usage for 2025. 5. Art Fair planning with the Art Council has begun. Tentative dates are July 12-13. PARK/FACILITIES UPDATES 1. CDBG funded project at Clawson Park Project is still on track for March-June 2025 construction. 2. CDBG funded Lockman Park project is completed. Some areas are blocked for turf remediation. 3. McEachern met with Jordan Zuppke to learn more about skate parks. 2 Page 3 of 19 6. Business Items 6.a Board Officer Election - Chair Resolution Number: Motion to nominate Sarah Kindinger as Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Moved by: Melanie Macey Seconded by: Brigitta Burguess Motion Adopted 6.b Board Officer Election - Vice-Chair Resolution Number: Motion to nominate Ryan Danescu as Vice-Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Moved by: Melanie Macey Seconded by: Perry Abbey Motion Adopted 6.c New Board Member Welcome – Ian McKenney Ian McKinney introduced himself as 10 year resident and frequent park visitor. 6.d Board Member Orientation No action required. Presented for information purposes only. 7. Items Not on the Agenda The Board discussed the Memorial Park Barrier Netting Project. 8. Upcoming Events 9. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 8:39 pm. 10. Next Meeting: Thursday, February 6, 2025 3 Page 4 of 19  Office of the City Manager 203 South Troy Street Royal Oak, MI 48067 www.romi.gov COMMISSION FOR THE ARTS AGENDA ITEM Title Art in Public Parks SUBMITTING DEPARTMENT City Manager’s Office PRESENTER Susan Barkman MEETING DATE 1/24/2025 The Commission for the Arts is looking to get feedback from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee on two separate issues. Art Explored Renewal - Eyes Closed Shut by Mark Beltchenko in Paruch Park The art explored program is a way for artists to bring art into Royal Oak on a temporary and rotating basis. The Commission for the Arts pays for the piece and has been interested in bringing art into more areas of the community. Last year the Commission for the Arts and the Parks and Recreation Board partnered to place an art piece Eyes Closed Shut by Mark Beltchenko in Paruch Park. The late Commissioner Paruch had been a commission representative to the Commission for the Arts and the park had been named after her so we thought that the placement of art was a nice tribute to her. The original contract was to place the piece for 1-year, and the Commission for the Arts is interested in renewing the piece for another year in Paruch Park. Staff has received negative feedback from one resident in the area who does not like the piece and was wondering about the selection and funding for the piece. There was no other feedback received. Staff is looking for feedback to see if the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is ok with continuing to have the piece in its current location. Artist Laureate – Godofredo Catolico Gannod, The artist laureate program is designed to help support the arts by featuring Royal Oak artists to create art for the city and promote art education. In the past, we have had a tile mosaic piece and we are wrapping up a book of poetry. This year the Commission for the Arts selected Godofredo Catolico Gannod to be our 2025-2026 artist laureate. The artist is proposing a piece that would be a permanent artwork for the city as an outdoor free-standing sculpture depicting oak leaves that come out of a central rectangle like wings. The final size of the piece will be guided by the specific location to ensure there is adequate space for movement along any walking paths, and other easements. He will be promoting educational elements by having programs in the library and in the senior center. Additionally, he is interested in hosting some events in the park during which he would demonstrate the techniques used and actually create parts of the final product. Page 5 of 19 GodoFREDo Catolico Gannod is a formally trained Filipino American artist with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Here he had a focus on figure sculpture and foundry work but would strive to become proficient in a number of disciplines. He began his career as an artist seeking to thoroughly explore a traditional master/apprentice philosophy. Early on Godo had worked as an art instructor and spent some time in the advertising industry. At this point he came upon his first jobs in film, commercials and as a professional freelance artist. Staff would like to get feedback from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on potential placement of the art. The Commission for the Arts is looking to place the art in a visible place with good foot traffic. Staff identified that Normany Oaks could be a good option as it has some options along footpaths that are often used for walking. Based on your feedback staff on preferred areas, staff will start looking at specific locations to see what challenges may arise so we can be sure to place in it a space with minimal likelihood for disruption or other complications. Page 6 of 19 Page 7 of 19  2/3/2025 Parks and Recreation Overview P R E S E N T E D T O PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N A D V I S O R Y B O A R D B Y N I C O L E M C E AC H E R N , PA R K S & R E C R E AT I O N D I R E C TO R FEBRUARY 6, 2025 1 Parks and Recreation Full-time Staff Organizational Chart City Manager Parks & Recreation Director Senior Center Recreation Coordinator Clerk Assistant Senior Center Coordinator 2 Page 8 of 19 1  2/3/2025 Parks and Forestry (Park Maintenance) Full-time Staff Organizational Chart City Manager Public Services Director Operations Manager Parks and Forestry Supervisor Parks and Forestry Team Members (12) 3 Nicole McEachern Parks and Recreation Director Nicole has over 12 years of experience in parks and recreation. She holds certifications as a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP) and Certified Pool Operator (CPO) and is a graduate of Indiana University's Executive Development Program for Parks and Recreation Professionals. She also has a master's degree in Public Affairs from IU’s top-ranked MPA program and a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Nicole serves as a Board Member of the Michigan Recreation and Park Association. She joined City of Royal Oak in August 2024 and enjoys Royal Oak's parks as a resident. 4 Page 9 of 19 2  2/3/2025 Elana Bordine Recreation Clerk Elana has served in this role since April 2023. She manages all program scheduling, participant registration, and the production of the quarterly Insight. Elana holds a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Psychology and Chemistry from Rochester University and is a Royal Oak High School graduate. Elana also volunteers with the Metro Detroit Youth Club, running an all-girls youth basketball clinic. 5 Yolanda Botello McClain Senior Center Coordinator Yolanda has over 25 years of experience working with seniors in their communities. Yolanda served the Lansing community for over 22 years through Community Action and the City of Lansing. She joined the City of Royal Oak in 2022 and is passionate about the work done in her community and serving seniors. Yolanda oversees all day-to-day operations of the Senior Center. 6 Page 10 of 19 3  2/3/2025 Erin Koch Senior Center Assistant Coordinator Erin became the Assistant Coordinator in 2022. Her primary responsibility is managing the facility schedule and rentals. Prior to her current role, Erin served as the Senior Center Chef. She holds a Master’s Degree in food business management from the Culinary Institute of America. She worked in health care for the DMC for six and a half years, traveling nationally to strengthen nutrition programs. As a resident, she enjoys walking her Weimaraners, golfing, and tending to house plants 7 Dave Reichel Parks and Forestry Supervisor David Reichel is a lifelong resident of Royal Oak. He attended Wayne State University and acquired a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. While attending college, David worked for Mike’s Tree Surgeons and developed a love and knowledge of forestry work. This adventure lasted ten years until a great opportunity at the City of Royal Oak Parks & Forestry division came along. David has enjoyed working here for the last 28 years and has been the Supervisor since the Fall of 2023. 8 Page 11 of 19 4  2/3/2025 16 Mini Parks (<1/4 mile service area) 51 parks 24 Neighborhood Parks 352 acres (1/4-1/2 Mile service area) 11 Community Parks (1/2- to 3-Mile service area) 9 We are a City of Parks! Nearly all residents are within a 15-minute walk to a park. 10 Page 12 of 19 5  2/3/2025 Exceed National Standards for Most Park Amenities 1. Based on NRPA Metrics published in the 2022 NRPA Agency Performance Review. 2. The figures reflect the number of facilities needed to achieve a Median Number of Residents per Facility in Royal Oak, based on the 2020 U.S. Census population of 58,211. 11 Recreation Facilities John Lindell Ice Arena Senior Center Four Seasons Preschool Farmers Market Total Soccer (Indoor Soccer Bubble) Royal Oak Golf Club Grand Slam Salter Community Royal Oak Golf Center (Golf Course) Baseball Training Center Center (Driving Range, Mini Golf) (Currently Vacant) 12 Page 13 of 19 6  2/3/2025 5-Year Recreation Master Plan Capital projects are improvements to parks and facilities. They require 5–Year Capital Improvement substantial financial resources Plan Updated Annually ($10,000 and up) and careful planning. Examples: roof replacement, Adopted parking lot resurfacing, playground Budget each replacement. Fiscal Year (July-June) Project(s) Bid Throughout the Year Project(s) Awarded Based on Bid Review Project(s) Implemented 13 Programming We work with more than 50 independent contractors to offer a wide variety of programs, services, and events. Part-time staff and volunteers assist with programs. Programs are also offered through our management contracts, leases, and community partners. 14 Page 14 of 19 7  2/3/2025 Youth and Preschool Four Seasons Preschool Metro Detroit Youth Club (afterschool program and summer camp) Babysitter safety Toddlers and Tunes •Sport Starters •Youth Basketball •Tumble Bunnies Gymnastics 15 Fitness Yoga (variety) Cardio Tai Chi Kickboxing Self Defense Let’s Walk Fit Mix Chair Exercise Low Impact Zumba Pilates Meditation Stretch Relief Total Body Conditioning 16 Page 15 of 19 8  2/3/2025 Enrichment Line dancing Square Dancing Paint Like Bob Ross Watercolor Variety of Craft Classes Cooking Nature Society – Speaker Programs, Nature Walks 17 Senior Services and Activities Transportation (6,475 trips last year) Congregate lunches (5,170 meals last year) Senior Travel (Day trips and extended) Multiple Social and Activity Clubs Multiple Support Groups AARP Tax Aide Program R.O.S.E.S. - Royal Oak Senior Essential Services Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program Ask the Computer Lady 18 Page 16 of 19 9  2/3/2025 Special Events Woodward Dream Cruise Art Fair Rock the Block Shakespeare in the Park Craft Fairs Presentations/Talks 19 Sports •Adult Softball League •Women’s Volleyball League •Drop In Sports at Salter •Learn to Skate, Public Skate, Hockey •5,950 hrs. of Field Usage last year •1,917 hrs. of Gym Usage last year 20 Page 17 of 19 10  2/3/2025 Reservations/Rentals Pavilion Rentals Athletic Field Reservations Gym Rentals Senior Center Room Rentals Managed through Clerk’s Office: Special Event Permits Dog Park Memberships 21 Sports Partnerships Royal Oak Football Club (Soccer) Royal Oak Sandlot League (Baseball) Royal Oak Leprechauns SE Michigan Pickleball Association 22 Page 18 of 19 11  2/3/2025 How are we funded? Program registration fees Rentals and reservations Leases and operational management contracts General fund support Millages  .7 mill for parks, forestry, recreation and playgrounds, including animal shelter purposes. Estimated to raise $2.1 million per year.  .2 mill for senior services. Estimated to raise $600,000 per year. 23 "City parks serve, day in and day out, as the primary green spaces in which urban dwellers can find solace and respite from the pressures of city life." – John F. Kennedy 24 Page 19 of 19 12