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, June 6 ,2019 at 7:30p.m. Tour at 7:00 pm Royal Oak Golf Course 3500 Marais Avenue Royal Oak, MI 48067 Meeting called to Order 7:27 PM Members Present: Sarah Kindinger, Tim Ciechorski, Maya Harris, Crystal Chow, Commissioner Melanie Macey, Nicole McEachern, Ilene Orlanski, Jeff Platcha Also, Present: John Fedele, Superintendent of Recreation, Members Absent: Paul Kanan, Greg Rassel, Director of Public Services and Recreation I. Approval of Minutes: Motion by Nicole McEachern second by Sarah Kindinger passed unanimously II. City Commission Comments: Budget will be going in front of the commission for approval on June 10th. Everything that was requested by the parks and recreation department has been approved. Added funding to address the Senior Center Parking Lot. An item on the agenda was also approved at the budget meeting which will be discussed further in detail as it is on the agenda. Make recommendation to the city commission on how the money can be spent. Talk about the mowing and the tall grass going on throughout the city and commission is aware of the situation and trying to find solutions, lighter equipment, drain tile, more part timers, all of this is expensive, and the high grass is a short-term problem. Brings up letter from Lee Collick that was passed to the City Commission and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. We as a board can make a recommendation to the City Commission on possible solutions. Problem is spending a lot of money to spend for a short-term problem. - Ilene Orlanski – can this extra $50,000 be spent on Seniors?  o Commissioner Macey responds yes it can be used for anything at this board’s discretion. III. Public Comment: - Bob Luxon – concern is the golf course stays upkept, before this group took over the previous group did not take care of the course. When sold Normandy, the promise was to spend money at the course to upgrade and we still haven’t seen anything regarding improvements/upgrades i.e. the netting, parking lot, cart paths. Another big concern, grass doesn’t look good over at Normandy and at the parks. My concern is that there are not enough people until the temps get out of school for the summer. Memorial Park seems to be maintained well. Thinks City can do a little more to make the parks more presentable. - Tony Snow – previously worked at the golf course, three issues: 1.) Cart paths can’t play golf with all the rain that we have had especially without cart paths. Joe does a good job but has been handcuffed without the cart paths. 2.) Big issue here is watering the fairways, Joe does not have enough money to water the fairways. Talked to Birmingham Golf Course and said they use wells and not City water. City water is too expensive. Joe needs help on water. 3.) The bathrooms are from the 1940’s would like for the board members to go into the bathrooms and we should have a nice golf course. The City promised the golf course $700K and they haven’t gotten a penny yet. - Gail- agree with comments from Tony Snow, 5 of us from the lady’s golf league should be golfing tonight because carts cannot be used today. It is important the paths get put in right away. - Sue Weston – need another bathroom (porta-john). There is already one out in the holes, and one at the clubhouse. - Gary – not a royal oak resident but long-time player at the golf course. Pains me to see a golf course like Normandy Oaks go to the waste. Closed Normandy because it didn’t get enough play on it, problem is because it wasn’t managed. If the City wants to close this golf course, stay on the path you’re on. Where did the $700K go that was promised to this course? - Joe Spatafore – Since 2007, $7,000 been put into the building for an AC unit. We did drill 5 wells at cost of management company with an agreement that they would not pay rent for a specified term. Some wells were dry some wells were good, problem is, water was too salty and cannot be used to irrigate the course. The issue with the water is the sewage we pay on the water not the actual cost of the water. If we had the cart paths in and drainage it would help a lot. Southfield re did golf course and club house, Red Oaks same thing Birmingham same thing, this is what the course looked like back in 1961. Sooner or later must do something otherwise the course will be gone.  - Linda Tumalough – 1.) Part of parks and recreation was a water aerobics class held at the middle school pool. Evidentially, there was a disagreement between the instructor and was let go and nothing has been done to find a new instructor and request to find more information on this. Instructor was let go a little over a year ago. 2.) Senior Center Task Force focus group, attended every single session more scribes and facilitators there, thinks several of the focus groups should be held at different locations. Extreme parking problem at the one at Barton Towers. Focus group attended well from people that live in the building, doesn’t seem like a good participation from those outsides from Barton Towers. - Rick Vincent – concern is those that are on the Parks and Rec Board can put in a good word to the other commissioners regarding the $700K towards the golf course in the next year but also need to have a yearly plan. - Janice Wagman – Wi-Fi at the senior center problem? Would like to see more senior issues on the agenda, for instance would like to invite the Oakland County Senior Board. Tons of information for them to share regarding medical information, senior services etc. invite them please. Proactive thinking regarding senior services. Budget, did not see anything regarding sub-contracting out to help with mowing of the parks etc. The city should realize not everything should be a money maker. End Public Comment IV. Business: a. Commission Granted $50,000 to Parks and Recreation for unplanned park expenses/improvements: b. Royal Oak Golf Course Netting: - John statement recommends the next meeting for July 11th to bring the Fairway Condominium to discuss the netting issue. Motion by Paul Kanan to change meeting from normal meeting date to July 11th at 7pm senior center, second by Sarah, passed unanimously. c. Normandy Oaks Update: - John - Statement from contractor has the project to still be finished on time. As of right now it is still to wet to begin construction. V. Items not on the Agenda:  Jeff Plachta – need to have a senior task force item on the agenda every month, did have challenges of getting the word out but we did have forums and concerns that we did not get a good demographic of participants. Next step start compiling the information. Next meeting is June 13th at the Senior Center at 6 pm. Commissioner Macey: Don Johnson, City Manager has announced his retirement June 30th. There will be a discussion on Monday about regarding a search and we will stay on while the search goes on. Paul Kanan- have staff present a budget to the board. VI. Upcoming Events Rock N’ Rides: June 20th – June 23rd Outdoor Art Fair: July 6th – 7th Dream Cruise: August 16th – 17th Whittier Park Pickleball Tournament August 23rd – 25th Next Meeting: Thursday July 11, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. Adjourn: Motion moved by Ilene Orlanski, 2nd by Nicole McEachern unanimously approved at 8:37 pm Respectfully Submitted, Approved, John Fedele Paul Kanan John Fedele, Superintendent of Recreation Paul Kanan, Secretary