Star Parks, Arts & Beautification Committee Meeting

City of Star Parks, Art & Beautification Committee Monday, June 12, 2023, 6:35 PM 10769 W State St, Star, ID 83669 @ Star City Hall 1A. Roll Call Chair Gerri McCorkle (Absent), Vice Chair Chris Cox (Present), Council Member Jennifer Salmonsen (Present), Staff Liaison Ryan Field (Present), Stacey Camera (Absent), Rod McClure (Present), Arlene Nelson (Present), Vicki O’Keefe (Present), Claudia Sanders (Absent), Sue Speer (Present) 2A. Vice Chair Report about Pet Fair and Veterans’ Banner Program - Chris Cox • Pet Fair, 6/24/23 Chris said the special event permit application, health department form, and vendor map are done. Chris owns a PA system and generator if PAB needs a sound system for the pet fair, but it was viewed as optional since there will not be a ribbon cutting ceremony this year. The special event signs are almost done. • Veterans’ Banner Program Chris and Rod met with City PIO Dana Partridge to discuss this program. Similar to the dog park bricks, the profit from the program was intended to be split between PAB and non- profit organization(s). Dana researched three organizations (local American Legion chapter, Boise VA Food Pantry, and Grateful Hearts). She was told that the American Legion chapter is well-financed and there are not any local veterans currently requesting financial assistance, so she recommended that we choose between the other two: (1) The Boise VA Food Pantry provides food assistance to homeless veterans. Dana gave them cash last year after the potato feed. (2) Grateful Hearts helps veterans and their families when servicemembers are deployed. Rod made a motion, Chris seconded that PAB retain 50% of the profit from the banner program for PAB and donate 50% to Grateful Hearts. The motion passed unanimously. Jennifer asked when the application would be sent out, the application deadline, how soon PAB would need to order the banners so they could be printed in time, and when the banners would be hung. Sue said that PAB previously set a goal of hanging the veterans’ banners between 9/11 and 11/11 (Veterans Day). Chris will follow up with Dana regarding the timeline of rolling out the banner program. The City will be purchasing hardware for the few signposts that do not already have it. 2B. Introduction of New City Staff Liaison – Ryan Field Ryan will be the PAB’s committee’s new City Staff Liaison. He is the Assistant City Planner, Code Enforcer, and Sports & Recreation Director. He has a project management background. Ryan highlighted two amounts from Star’s 2022-2023 budget proposal Microsoft Word - 2022- 2023 Budget Presentation FINAL (staridaho.org). 2022-2023 projected property tax revenues were $1.73M (page 9) and projected law enforcement costs were $1.75M (page 21). Therefore, he stated there may not be much if any funding available for other projects going forward. Ryan said the PAB committee was created to support Parks, Art and Beautification projects that the City does not have the resources to do. He would like the committee to be self-supporting and encouraged committee members to reach out to their respective networks for volunteer labor or asset donations for requested PAB projects. Projects specifically mentioned were the installation of the exercise equipment at Westpointe Park and the local art display at City Hall. Ryan said the exercise equipment is taking up storage space that the Sports and Recreation Department needs and he requested the PAB committee install the exercise equipment with volunteers per the manufacturer’s specifications as soon as possible. Ryan said that PAB could wait for the City’s Building and Grounds Department (CB&GD) to install it, but due to their backlog and other priorities installation by CB&GD personnel might not happen. He believed the City would need to rent the tools or equipment required for installation in any event. Arlene expressed concerns about volunteers installing the exercise equipment due to the possible risk of a volunteer’s injury while installing the equipment or of a resident injuring themselves on the equipment later. Ryan said that the CB&GD would supervise and oversee the installation. The resident of the property next door to the Riverhouse has moved out. The trailer will be sold and the City will be investigating the proper procedure for doing that. The fence between the parcels will be moved and a new parking area will be installed. The flowerboxes at the Riverhouse will be on hold until construction is done. Ryan mentioned that the City has received approximately $70,000 from Riverhouse events and that it was important to maintain the venue and not affect event rentals. Ryan discussed the PAB committee members’ proposed business cards with the City Attorney Chris Yorgason. Chris advised that PAB not have business cards because of potential City liability exposure. Under this guidance, Ryan said the PAB business card order would not be placed. Ryan also raised the question about whether PAB committee members should have City email addresses. Committee members said City staff previously requested that we set up City email addresses for PAB communications and advised us not to use personal email addresses or personal texts to conduct PAB business due to possible public record requests. Ryan confirmed it was correct that committee members should not use personal phones for any PAB committee business. Chris asked whether the committee could apply for grants. Ryan said yes, however the City does not have a grant writer on staff currently (possible for the future). Annie Pew recently applied for and received an $85,000 sports and recreation grant and Ryan Morgan applied for and received a grant to build a pathway to the middle school. Ryan stated that Star’s demographics do not usually qualify the City as an under-served community which could limit eligibility for some grants. The life safety rings are in storage and Ryan would like PAB to make installation a priority. Ryan requested PAB create a list of existing subdivisions and document who we talked to and what their answer was regarding whether they would like a life ring. He said new subdivisions will be required to install them. It was noted that Jada at the police department may have a list of subdivisions but it could be outdated since the HOA management companies’ and boards’ contact information changes so frequently. Ryan will follow up with her to obtain the list. Ryan mentioned that life rings are installed at Lakepoint and Moon Valley if committee members would like to see examples. Ryan said he met with Building and Grounds Superintendent Bob Little recently who stated some of the City’s immediate needs for PAB assistance were as follows: • Location markers on the riverwalk for emergency service. If someone has a medical event on the riverwalk, there is not currently a way for them to describe where they are. It was suggested that someone reach out to the Star Fire and Police Departments to learn the spacing and type of location marker they would prefer. The fire and police departments have asked for a better way to access the river for rescues and Ryan said that new subdivisions will need to provide at least one access point. It was suggested that the Mayor’s preference could be to incorporate a star design element. • Additional trash bins in parks. It is believed that park users would be more likely to throw trash in trash cans rather than litter if more trash cans were available. The metal ones with rubberized coatings are optimal but expensive. Ryan said that the City would pay for lumber if PAB could build wooden boxes so plastic cans would not blow over. Arlene mentioned that Stacey built the pet waste receptacles at Heron River. A suggestion was made to possibly incorporate both ideas together and put location markers on trash bins, maybe with a location marker number in the middle of a star. Jennifer said Mayor Chadwick requested that PAB paint the bathroom and fence at Blake Park. Sue mentioned that the gazebo also needs re-painting. Ryan said he believes that the City has paint but would need volunteers. It was suggested to either add this as a task to Make Star Shine Fall/Spring or create a separate event. Ryan said that as the Code Enforcer he is aware there are elderly residents, especially in the heart of town, that are not able to keep up their lawns and wondered if the committee could ask volunteers for help if residents were willing to accept assistance. Chris asked Ryan for a list of the homeowners if that becomes an issue. 2C. Traffic Box Art Program Update – Sue Speer Sue researched the City of Meridian’s program and she said they have a semi-annual call to artists. Once art is selected, it is placed in a pool and the Meridian Arts Commission chooses artwork from that pool when boxes and financing are available. Sue said that seemed like a good model for PAB because it is unclear whether the committee would have funding before the fiscal year-end of 9/30/23. Starting the art contest soon would give PAB flexibility when installation and payments could be scheduled, either before or after year-end. Sue updated last year’s application to include the locations of the 3 boxes, sizes, and a note to let the judges know if the requested star element was hidden in the artwork. She updated the project timeline and optimally it would call for the application to be posted on the City’s website around 6/20. The application and timeline are in the PAB folder in Google drive. She noted that the application was posted on the City’s website on 6/29 last year, the artists and the vendor were paid before 9/30, and installation occurred after year-end. Sue drafted an article for the Courier and will reach out to Dana about trying to include it before the 6/15 submission cut-off date. 2D. Art by the River (ABTR) Update – Vicki O’Keefe Vicki said that 23 artists have claimed 25 spots (ultimate goal is 40) and 18 crafters have claimed 20 spots to date. The deadline for artists is 6/30 but may be extended if warranted. She plans to submit the pre-6/30 entries for judging separately and may have another round if the deadline is extended. The artists have until 8/15 to pay their fee. Vicki anticipates that the fees from the artists who have applied to date will already cover the cost of the event. There will be a Friday night welcome dinner and a hot breakfast offered to the artists on Saturday and Sunday mornings. One out-of-town artist would like to park an RV overnight, and it was believed their request could be accommodated in the new property next door to the Riverhouse. Vicki has met several artists who previously heard of ABTR because PAB offered gold standard service. Arlene mentioned referring to it as “gold star” service. Approximately 20 volunteers may be needed to assist with loading and unloading art, “booth sitting”, and various other items over the 9/16-9/17 weekend. Vicki and Sue may discuss tasks for a possible SignUpGenius project page as the date approaches. Contacting the Mayor’s Youth Council for volunteers was suggested, but tabled because we were previously told not to ask them. Ryan suggested contacting Owyhee High School’s Honor Society because their students need community service hours. He said paying the Sports and Recreation youth employees who are short on hours might also be possible. The PAB vests and inventory property tags were ordered. Jennifer said that she placed approximately 7 purchase requests recently and received a response on only approximately 1- 2. Jennifer has a spreadsheet summary of purchase requests on Google drive. Jennifer asked about acrylic holders for the city hall art display and Ryan will follow up. Chris re-visited the idea of a purchase request form (previously proposed last year). Jennifer and Ryan have talked with the Mayor about a purchase order system. Ryan suggested online ordering for the Art by the River food, maybe at Walmart, to be paid by a credit card. 2E. Opera by the River (OBTR) Update – Vicki O’Keefe Gemma Arts (the opera performers) are traveling in Italy. They will start the marketing push for OBTR the first week of July. Vicki’s husband Kevin drafted Courier and/or Star Spirit articles about OBTR and Gerri and Mark McCorkle’s trip to Germany for the Special Olympics. PAB’s role at OBTR will be to make snack plates for the performers and decorate the tables with decorations we already have. There will be tables for City staff and PAB and Vicki encouraged everyone to attend. It was noted that last year OBTR and the police vs. fire volleyball game were held on the same night. It is not clear whether the date conflict will occur again. 2F & G. Treasurer Report - Arlene Nelson Arlene provided a copy of the 2023-2024 budget request summary. She did not receive information from the City Clerk/Treasurer before tonight’s meeting, therefore there are no updates to the previous PAB 2022-2023 actual vs. budget report as of 4/15/23. Ryan asked committee members to direct all requests of City staff, all purchase requests (cc:d to Jennifer), and financial information requests through him. He will obtain PAB committee financial information from the City Clerk/Treasurer. Per Jennifer, City Council is holding its fiscal year 2023-2024 budget workshops on Tuesday, 6/27 at 7 PM. 2H. Council Liaison Report – Jennifer Salmonsen Jennifer asked if anyone had any questions re: City Council news and hearing none, deferred discussion until the next PAB meeting. 2I. New PAB Secretary Barbara Conly will no longer be attending PAB meetings and taking minutes. Sue volunteered to be the new PAB Secretary. Barbara will continue to support the committee by posting agendas and minutes on the City’s website. 3. Adjournment at 9:25 PM. The next meeting will be held on 7/17/23 at 6:30 PM at Star City Hall. _/s/____________________________ Sue Speer, Secretary