Parks and Recreation Commission

PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES MEETING DATE: March 30, 2021 LOCATION: Recreation Complex CALLED TO ORDER: 7:01 p.m. MEETING ADJOURNED: 7: p.m. NEXT MEETING: March 30, 2022, 7pm ROLL CALL NAME PRESENT ABSENT David Addison, School Board Liaison X Josh Bowlin X Tracy Downing X Ben Eckler-Chair X Dana Gilgrist X Mike Johnson X DR Kate Krieger Lindsey Michaud vacant Sarah Richardson, Council Liaison Scott Davis, Staff Liaison APPROVAL OF MINUTES X X X X Downing moved to approve the minutes. Johnson seconded. Minutes were approved by voice vote with no dissent, abstention. VISITOR COMMENTS None OLD BUSINESS F Scott: Still working with PD to determine if this is a possibility. The Captain in charge of Community Days logistics has been at an FBI training academy the last 12 weeks. He just returned to the office this week - Monday. His initial thoughts are that there are a lot of logistical issues that may be hard to work out. I will be discussing with him more over the next week. His biggest concern is additional folks at the starting line, starting the race early, etc. Scott thinks it can all happen despite the concern. I have also talked to the City Manager and Police Chief. – minimal concerns from them. I think we can make this happen, but we may need to modify some details. The race may need to start closer to the parade start time of 10 am, maybe even bumping the parade back 5 minutes, and we may need to restrict total runners ever more than the 300 max I spoke about last time. Tracy: what about an alternate date? They might see the benefit of manpower already being there on the day of the parade. Scott: What’s 200 more folks? In addition to the 10k already there? Johnson: what do we need to stage – a block? Scott: not even. Maybe the library parking lot. Josh: do we have a timeline on an answer? Scott: I asked for an answer by today, but he wasn’t able to get it to me because he’s still catching up from being gone for 12 weeks. I’ll talk to him over the next week+. Dana: what’s the protocol for us talking about things outside of this meeting? Is there anything we can do now to get the ball rolling? Scott: I can talk to one person, but if 3 or more folks are talking it’s a meeting. We can divvy it up via email. Tracy: I volunteered to talk to Total Access. I’d like to go in with a tiered options for support (ex: full support = first parade float) when I go talk to them. Scott: you think higher numbers than me. We don’t even have a parade sponsor right now. If they could the parade and the run … we could put that package together. I’m working the Public Affairs Director to redesign the sponsorship packages now. Tracy: thoughts about Total Access locations near and far, is this regional or neighborhood specific. Tracy: do y’all sell banners? Scott: we’re working on the ice rink right now DR Tracy: ballpark: when can we start talking? Scott: I’ve got to get the PD on board first. If no, we need another date and we can go from there. Ben: the new rubber duck thing in the brochure: was that Lindsey’s idea? Scott: actually, no! I might’ve mentioned it to the staff at some point, but the staff and new Rec Manager put the brochure together. She’s got a lot of good ideas. Dana: I shared the April easter egg NEW BUSINESS No new business. COUNCIL REPORTS-presented by Sarah Richardson Prop W charter amendment issue. Prop U internet use tax proposition. F Tomorrow night at 7pm the greenspace alliance is having a seminar at the library about picking and planting trees. New annual ceremony for the Fire Department (4/23 10:30am-12pm): awards, promotions, new hires at Fire House #1. Later there will be the grand opening of Fire House #2 Tuesday: municipal election. Make a plan to vote! Mayor, 3 council members, 3 school district members, Prop W and Prop U. STL County has props A, B, & C. City Council will skip meeting next week because of the election day, will be meeting again on the 19th STAFF REPORTS-presented by Scott Davis PARKS & RECREATION Please vote next week! A lot of important things happening in the community. New brochures are out and also posted online. Usually, we put them in city hall, the library, and we mail them upon request. Budget items: This fiscal year is looking good revenue will exceed expectations and expenses will be below budget. That is always the goal. Next fiscal year I have so far estimated in increase in revenue of about $120,000. This is mostly a return to normal or approaching normal from pre-COVID levels. At that rate of revenue and expenses we should see about a 94% cost recovery for the Rec Complex. FY21 actual was 92%, FY20 72%, FY19 99%. 3-year plan to generate a half million dollars either by cutting costs or generating revenue. I’m estimating our revenue will be higher than anticipating and our expenses lower. Tracy: will P&P funds help towards that half million? Scott: some of it, yes, probably. Council hasn’t decided where to plug those funds in yet. Council is waiting to DR see the budgets numbers from all departments to guide those decisions. The $4.4 million will definitely come in handy. Getting ready to reopen the pool! We have recently resigned with Midwest Pool Management for our lifeguard and pool management services for the next 3 years (through the end of life for this pool). This week we refinished a large section of the toddler pool by the big bucket dump. We have also signed with Gateway Pyrotechnic for July 4 fireworks. Same location as last year, which will require the pool to be closed that day. Arbor Day celebration will be April 20 at Barbre Park. Tree planting will start at 3 pm, with a ceremony at 5:30. Looking to plant a couple hundred trees! The park staff is great at finding places to plant. Ben: out of all the candidates, anything to say about Parks and Rec? Scott: We had a meet and greet, but they didn’t have anything specific to say about Parks & Rec. Johnson: did Midwest say anything about the staffing issues they had last summer? Scott: they’ve raised the pay for lifeguards. They have less pools sign with them this year, and they’re moving away from neighborhood associations and golf courses. I’m optimistic. It helps that Webster has a good swim team which feeds into lifeguarding. I’m nervous of course, but they’re out there hiring beginning back in January. I feel confident they’ll do a better job than I could (in order to hire guards, we’d have to train them in F the pool, which by the time it’s filled the pool is already open). We’re one of their first customers and we have a pretty good relationship. SET NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting scheduled for 7 pm. Wednesday, April 27. Downing moved, Krieger seconded. No oppositions. Johnson: Sarah, any news on the vacant seat in P&R? Richardson: We don’t have any applicants. Encourage folks to apply! David: we have 8 but we only need 5. ADJOURNED Ecklund moved to adjourn, Krieger seconded. Approved by voice vote with no dissent, abstention. Meeting adjourned at 7:36 p.m. DR F