Tumwater Metropolitan Park District

TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING November 19, 2024 Page 1 CONVENE: 5:30 p.m. PRESENT: President Kelly Von Holtz and Boardmembers Michael Althauser, Joan Cathey, Peter Agabi, Angela Jefferson, and Eileen Swarthout. Excused: Boardmember Leatta Dahlhoff. Staff: City Administrator Lisa Parks, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Denney, Assistant Finance Director Shelly Carter, and City Clerk Melody Valiant. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT, OCTOBER 17, 2023: MOTION: Boardmember Cathey moved, seconded by Boardmember Von Holtz, to approve the minutes of October 17, 2023 as published. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. SELECTION OF City Administrator Parks reported that each year the Board is required to OFFICERS OF THE elect officers according to the bylaws adopted by Resolution No. 2019- BOARD: 001. By statute, the Finance Director is designated as the Treasurer of the Tumwater Metropolitan Park District (TMPD). The proposed action is for the election of the President and Vice President. City Administrator Parks invited nominations for President of the Board. Boardmember Swarthout nominated Kelly Von Holtz to serve as President of the TMPD. No other nominations were offered for the position of President. MOTION: By unanimous affirmation, Boardmember Von Holtz was elected to serve as serve as President of the TMPD. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. President Von Holtz invited nominations for Vice Chair of the TMPD. Boardmember Cathey nominated Eileen Swarthout to serve as Vice President of the TMPD. No other nominations were offered. MOTION: By unanimous affirmation, Boardmember Swarthout was elected to TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING November 19, 2024 Page 2 serve as serve as Vice President of the TMPD. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. INTERLOCAL DATA Director Niemeyer reported that several years ago the State Auditor’s SHARE AGREEMENT Office experienced a data breach. As a result, the State Legislature WITH THE STATE requires the State Auditor’s Office to execute a data share agreement AUDITOR’S OFFICE: with each local government entity audited by the Office of the Auditor. The proposal is for renewal of the data share agreement. MOTION: Boardmember Althauser moved, seconded by Boardmember Jefferson, to Authorize the Board Chair to sign the Data Share Agreement with the State Auditor’s Office (SAO) for the audit of fiscal year 2023. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. AUDIT Director Niemeyer reported the Audit Engagement Letter is provided to ENGAGEMENT the City defining the roles and responsibilities of the City/TMPD and the LETTER WITH THE Auditor during an audit with an estimate of the audit costs. The letter is STATE AUDITOR’S issued each year and requires approval by the Board. OFFICE: MOTION: Councilmember Swarthout moved, seconded by Councilmember Jefferson, to approve the Board Chair and Assistant Finance Director to sign the Engagement Letter with the State Auditor’s Office (SAO) for the audit of fiscal years 2022 and 2023, as has already been done for the purpose of starting the audit on time. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING: RESOLUTION NO. Assistant Director Carter presented the resolution for the 2025 property TMPD 2024-001, AD tax levy for the TMPD. The TMPD is required each year to approve a VALOREM FOR resolution by November 30. Thurston County provides reassessed values REGULAR on all existing properties, new construction, and any annexations. The PROPERTY TAXES estimates are used to compute the annual property tax levy amount. FOR THE FISCAL Based on the list of completed and future projects, property tax serves as YEAR 2025: an important revenue source to support those projects. The TMPD is allowed by law to increase the levy each year either by 1% or by the Implicit Price Deflator (IPD), whichever is less. Typically, the IPD is higher. This year the IPD is 2.5%. Additionally, when the TMPD was established, the voters approved capping the rate per $1,000 of assessed value to $0.75 with the exception that during the first five years, the rate would be $0.45 per $1,000 of assessed value. Next year will be the first year to increase the rate to the cap rate of $0.75 per $1,000 of assessed value. During the first year, the reduced rate resulted in banked capacity of $1.17 million. The proposal includes using that banked capacity. The proposed resolution sets the amount of the property levy as the amount provided by Thurston County TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING November 19, 2024 Page 3 with an additional 1% over the 2024 levy plus the banked capacity. The proposed estimate for the property tax levy totals $2.1 million with the 1% increase equating to an additional $32,501 in property tax revenue for 2025. After adding banked capacity, the total increase is $1.2 million. New construction estimated value in 2024 is $98.66 million providing an additional $32,501 of property tax revenue in 2025. No annexations were added last year. The combined 2025 property tax levy including the 1% increase and additional taxes from new construction is used to calculate the indirect tax rate per $1,000 of assessed property value, estimated at $0.49 for 2025. The resolution is necessary to establish and certify the request for the 2025 property tax levy as outlined. The statute requires TMPD to present the resolution at a public hearing. Staff requests adoption of the resolution for the property tax levy following the public hearing to certify the levy with the county by the November 30, 2024 deadline. President Von Holtz opened and closed the public hearing at 6:41 p.m. There was no public testimony. MOTION Boardmember Althauser moved, seconded by Boardmember Jefferson, to Adopt Resolution No. TMPD 2024-001, a resolution relating to tax revenue of the TMPD fixing the regular property tax levy for the TMPD, for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. RESOLUTION NO. Director Denney reported the request is to approve Resolution No. 2024- TMPD 2024-002, 2025- 002, to adopt the Biennial Budget for the TMPD. 2026 BIENNIAL BUDGET PUBLIC The TMPD presented a specific project proposal to the voters based on HEARING AND feedback from the community. Voters approved increasing taxes for the ADOPTION: next 20 years enabling the TMPD to develop a budget and a list of projects. Staff continues to work through the project list including addressing deferred maintenance and parks. Work on parks and playground maintenance and safety continues to be an important priority. Four new neighborhood parks include a new park at the former Trails End site, the Southwest Neighborhood Park near Tumwater Middle School, Kindred Park at The Preserve (completed), and a new park near Black Hills High School. The proposal included investing in the Deschutes Valley Trail combined with state and other local funds to complete the trail system, investing in community and art programs, offering new recreation programs, creating community gardens, adding positions in parks maintenance and recreation, and constructing a community center. TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING November 19, 2024 Page 4 Accomplishments to date include adding two positions in parks maintenance and one position in recreation. The new parks maintenance positions are focused on irrigation, repairs, and efficiencies. The new recreation employee works on programming, special events, and sponsorships. Restrooms were installed at the Tumwater Hill Park and Barclift Park at a cost of approximately $400,000. The restrooms were originally budgeted in 2017 at $117,000 each. Price escalation has impacted the TMPD. Arts programming featured the annual Christmas Tree Lighting event, Easter Egg Dash, Fourth of July Festival, Tumwater Brewfest, and painting, photography, and poetry in the parks. Two events were hosted at the Schmidt House (Summer at the Schmidt House), arts programming was included in day camps and in the Tumwater Youth Program, and the Tumwater Youth Performance Art Showcase was held with support by the Tumwater School District at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Staff continues efforts to establish an Arts Commission. A community process was conducted to seek input on the design of the new park at the Trails End property and the master plan for the Southwest Neighborhood Park was updated. The community center design process has been initiated with Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture with some community stakeholder groups and community meetings. The Community Garden Program has also been launched with an initial investment of $20,000 for a community garden at the Methodist Church off Lake Park Drive. The community is invited to participate in the program to develop a community garden available to the community. Kindred Park at the Preserve opened at a cost of $863,370 funded by the TMPD with an additional $480,000 from park impact fees to purchase the park property. The Trails End Master Plan was completed at a cost of approximately $30,000. The park is located on the former horse arena site and is designed to include a playground, sports court, pickle ball court, trails, natural areas, planting areas for oak tree plantings from acorns from the Davis-Meeker oak tree, a small bike track for younger users, a restroom, and a picnic shelter. The park cost estimated in 2017 was approximately $1 million. Following completion of the master plan, the cost is estimated to cost $4 million to complete the park. Similarly, a master plan was updated for the Southwest Neighborhood Park near Trosper Lake. The 17-acre site is designed to include six acres of developed park because of wetlands and buffers. Park amenities include a youth baseball field, youth soccer field, restroom, play TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING November 19, 2024 Page 5 structure, parking, small picnic shelter, and pathways throughout the natural areas. The cost was originally estimated to cost $1 million. Today, the updated projection is $3 million to construct the park. Deferred maintenance accomplishments over the last two years included installation of speed bumps at Historical Park and Pioneer Park, installation of LED lighting at Pioneer Park and Historical Park, and new waterlines at baseball fields in Pioneer Park Councilmember Agabi arrived at 5:53 p.m. Other improvements included dugout repairs at Pioneer Park to protect athletes from the sun and rain, irrigation repairs at Pioneer Park, installation of a stormwater system at Historical Park (in progress in partnership with Transportation and Engineering), and turf renovations at Pioneer Park of soccer and baseball fields. One community open house was hosted for the community center design process, as well as one steering committee meeting with another meeting planned on December 3, 2024 followed by a meeting with the City Council on January 13, 205 to update the Council on the status of the community center design. Upcoming projects include trail and stairway repairs at Tumwater Hill Park, completion of the upgrades to the Historical Park gazebo, replacement of the stormwater system at Pioneer Park, identification of potential park sites near Black Hills High School, acquisition of park land based on opportunities, Historic District improvements (landscaping of the two historical homes), continued expansion of the Arts Program and establishment of an Arts Commission, and completion of the community center design Other ongoing work includes sign replacements as new City logo signs are installed, installation of fencing above Tumwater Hill Park bordering residential development, cleanup and removal of vegetation along the fence line, asphalt repairs of parking lots, tennis court resurfacing, and completion of the construction design and permitting for the Deschutes Valley Trail segment along the golf course and across the Deschutes River. Director Denney reviewed the budget for the TMPD incorporating personnel costs, project costs ($4.9 million), and insurance ($10,000 annually) reflecting total expenditures of $5,936,499. Councilmember Cathey commented positively on the achievements of the TMPD. She has received positive feedback about the installation of the two restrooms at the two parks more than any other park amenity over the last several years. She asked about the disposition of the old TUMWATER METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT MINUTES OF HYBRID MEETING November 19, 2024 Page 6 park signs as many residents have inquired about the status of the signs once they are removed. She asked about the potential of planting more pollinator plants in new and existing parks. Director Denney said all park signs are constructed from recycled plastic. The only new signs replaced are signs that were damaged from accidents or vandalism. It is likely staff will hang the older signs on a wall in the parks shop. Other smaller signs located within parks are constructed of aluminum and are recycled when replaced. In terms of pollinator plants, as new parks are designed or existing parks replanted or redesigned, staff adds pollinator plants. Councilmember Cathey asked about consultant assistance for park plantings and preservation of existing vegetation and wetland areas. Director Denney replied that the City hired RW Droll Landscape Architect to assist the City in designing some park facilities. The company presents a plant list of native plants of both trees and shrubs, as well as a review of existing vegetation to retain or remove. Staff compares the recommendations to information available on plants with Transportation and Engineering staff to develop a final planting scheme. Councilmember Cathey thanked and acknowledged Director Denney for his leadership in developing the TMPD. President Von Holtz opened and closed the public hearing at 6:05 p.m. There was no public testimony. MOTION: Councilmember Swarthout moved, seconded by Councilmember Jefferson, to approve Resolution 2024-002 to adopt the biennial budget for the Tumwater Metropolitan Park District, for the fiscal period beginning January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2026. A voice vote approved the motion unanimously. OTHER BUSINESS: President Von Holtz thanked Boardmember Cathey for her leadership as President during 2024. ADJOURNMENT: With there being no further business, President Von Holtz adjourned the meeting at 6:07 p.m. Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net