Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (Formerly Parks, Rec and Senior Services)

City of Royal Oak Recreation Department 1600 North Campbell Road Royal Oak, MI 48067 248-246-.3180 Minutes Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Advisory Board Thursday October 4, 2018 at 7:00p.m. Mahany/Meininger Senior/Community Center 3500 Marais Avenue Royal Oak, MI 48067 Meeting called to Order 7:01pm. Members Present: Jill Robinson, Tim Ciechorski, Maya Harris, Mark Ryan, Commissioner Macey Also Present: John Fedele, Superintendent of Recreation. Greg Rassel, Director of Rec. & Public Service Members Absent: Kaila Huehner, Camille Thompson, Jeffrey Plachta, Paul Kanan I. Approval of Minutes: September 6, 2018 – Motion by Tim Ciechorski, second by Mark Ryan, unanimously approved II. City Commission Comments: Commissioner Macey discussed reiterates that she wants this advisory board to come up with items for commission. Mentions the City is having a strategic planning meeting soon and wants to hear what more can be done/want for the recreation department. - Robinson asks when does the strategic planning meeting start? - Greg confirms that the meetings will start in November and will be held either at the library, auditorium or police meeting room. III. Public Comment: - Janice Wagmen: Wants to see fitness equipment in the senior center and still wants to know why there is a pre-school in the senior center. Mentions that most people still don’t know about senior transit and there is a lot of people on Facebook looking for rooms and wheelchairs. - Robinson asks if there is a senior task force? - Greg confirms that there is.  - Zoey Harris: Takes classes at the Senior Center and most of the people in her class talk about the pre-school across the room and are quite happy the kids are here - Gordon Statz: Makes a presentation to board member regarding the Southeastern Michigan Pickleball Association. The pickleball community outgrew its original court at Whittier and the city opened another court at Upton. The pickleball community helps with park clean up, takes care of the courts and repairs the courts if necessary. Volunteers help paint courts, raised funds to paint the lines at Salter Center, provide free lessons for 5th and 6th graders at Upton Elementary and states that the courts are open to the public at no costs or membership. Royal Oak is known as the birthplace of Pickleball in Michigan. - John Mandalay: Noise complaint from pickle ballers’ and asks what can be done. - Gordon mentions that at one time there was a windscreen up but a neighbor requested it be taken down, so he could watch what was going on. - John Mandalay: States that there is a noise problem around the whole country with pickleball. Only solution he sees is to screw 64 holes in the rackets. - End Public Comment IV. Business: a. Introduction of new chairperson: Jill Robinson is the new chairperson until the new elections in January b. Upton Park Pickleball: John states that after looking at the potential solutions, the only solution that has not been tried would be to put up the sound barrier wind screens which cost $25,000 for each court. After looking at reviews there is a 50/50 chance that these barriers will be effective. c. Mark Twain Dog Park: John states that in collaboration with the Friends of the Mark Twain Dog Park, we have developed a set of new rules approved by the City Attorney to go forward with a motion to accept the new rules. - Mark Ryan motions to approve new set of rules, second by Commissioner Macey, unanimously approved. d. Royal Oak Golf Course Cart Path/Parking Lot Paving Update: Greg states that the paving of the cart path and parking lot won’t happen until next spring. The purchasing agent for the city left but the process is moving forward. - Commissioner Macey mentions that the replacement for a purchasing agent is on the next commission meeting’s agenda. e. Senior Center Communication Update: Commissioner Macey states that it could cost about $30,000 to send to every household in the city. - Ryan asks if the post office has every postal address in the city on hand. - Greg state that it depends on mail class. - John mentions that with the quarterly insight that reaches 34,000 addresses, is put in the John Lindell Ice Arena, Senior Center, Library, City Hall, Salter Center and also online as well as the monthly newsletter produced from the Senior Center it is not necessary to spend more money on producing more newsletters. States that the cost to put a newsletter in each residents’ water bill depends on the weight. - Robinson states that on the tax bill online address can be put on so people know where to find the insight online. - Greg mentions that we can look at adding the online address. - Commissioner Macey proposes that the city could pay for the monthly newsletter and suggest this go on the strategic planning list. - Commissioner Macey makes a motion to City Commission to have newsletter free to subscribers. 2nd by Tim, opposed by Mark Ryan. Motion passes 3-1. f. Kenwood Park Playground Equipment Update: Greg states that the equipment has been ordered and will be installed next spring hopefully before June. g. Realtor Park Playground Equipment Update: Greg states that the equipment is planning on being installed by the fall. The equipment has been funded by the Realtors Assosciation and they want to make an investment towards their park and be involved. h. Outdoor Fitness equipment Update: John states that work has started on the four parks, Cody, Grant, Barton-North and Waterworks with plans on pouring concrete the second week of October. The equipment will arrive on October 13th and will start installation then. The fall zones for the playground equipment should be installed by the second week of October and the poured in place rubber fall zone be poured in the following week provided the weather cooperates.  - Commissioner Macey mentions she would like to see Basset Park be more a natural landscaped park with hills etc.  Greg thinks the dirt already there from the Campbell Rd construction will already be disposed of and will more than likely need to be designed. V. Items not on the Agenda: - John states that he has been in preliminary talks with the Irish Hills Leprechauns in using Memorial #3 park as their home field for their collegiate baseball games. - John states he has also been in talks with the new Royal Oak Sandlot League President in coming up with a plan to fix Memorial #3 field. VI. Upcoming Events a. Barktoberfest September 14th and 15th b. Downtown Park Community Engagement Oct. 6 & Nov. 3 c. Halloween Spooktacular Kickball Tournament Oct. 20, 2018 Next Meeting: Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 7:00p.m. Motion by Mark Ryan, seconded by Tim Ciechorski to adjourn at 8:02 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, John Fedele Paul Kanan John Fedele, Superintendent of Recreation Paul Kanan, Secretary