Park Board

Park Board Meeting Minutes April 13, 2021 Park Board Members Present: Ron Brunk, Jim DeHerrera, Terri Dunn, Frank Sweeney, Ray Boksich and Carrie O’Reilly Park Board Members Absent: Guests: Cassie Lasson, Deidre Corson, Tanya Island, Ross Fletcher City Staff Present: Maria Butts, Mary Blubaugh and Carla Belski A. Call to Order: 7:04 p.m. B. Approval of the April 13, 2021 Agenda – Member Sweeney moved to accept the agenda as presented. Vice President DeHerrera seconded. A vote was taken with all ayes. C. Approval of the March 9, 2021 Meeting Minutes – Member Sweeney moved to accept the minutes as presented. Vice President DeHerrera seconded. A vote was taken with all ayes. D. Public Comments – None E. Committee Reports a. Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee –Vice President DeHerrera said the Baker Underpass work will begin soon. The hope is to have an opening ceremony at the first Farmer’s Market. Public Works will be working on the Voerman Road path with completion in June. b. Tree Advisory Committee – Director Butts reported the committee created a list of approved trees for State Park Road. The boulevards will have a mix of native grasses. c. WSFF Board – President Brunk reported their programs are doing well, and they have expanded Public Skate. d. WAG Board – Member Boksich said clean-up was last Saturday. Maintenance is being done in the park. The south park and small dog park are still open. F. Presentation – None G. Public Hearings – None H. Old Business – None I. New Business – a. Consideration to permit WAG and WCVB to place a webcam in WAG Park – Tanya Island presented to the Park Board the specifications and approximate location of the proposed webcam. The ideal location for the camera would be on one of the 2nd Street light poles. This webcam is not a security camera. The City would help with installation of the electrical components. All costs and monthly fees would be paid by WAG. The first-year total is roughly $2212.00. Motion: For WAG to move forward with detailing this proposal and returning to the Park Board with a final proposal of installation of a web camera at the WAG Dog Park. Made by: Member Sweeney Seconded by: Vice President DeHerrera A vote was taken with all ayes. b. Consideration to permit WAG to place a shed in WAG Park – Ross Fletcher presented the proposed location and specifications of a 6x6 shed to be placed in the dog park. This structure would be for storage only. Ross asked if this project would need a permit and need to go to Architectural Review. Director Butts said if the Park Board approves WAG moving forward, they should go to the Building Department who can determine what is required. Motion: To give WAG permission to move forward with the shed in the location proposed and to meet all the requirements of the Building Department and Architectural Review if necessary. Made by: Member Dunn Seconded by Member Sweeney A vote was taken with all ayes. c. Consideration to make a recommendation to Council permitting the North Valley Music School to build a new music school at Smith Fields – Director Butts reviewed her memo to the Park Board which detailed the history of the land. Project Whitefish Kids deeded the land to the City in 2004. In exchange the lease agreement permitted PWK to manage the land as a youth recreation park. Because the land is zoned Whitefish Agricultural, the only way the land could be used for a music school is if the land and the building were owned by the City. The Park Board is restricted to 5-year agreements, so this lease agreement would need to be established by City Council. Deidre Corson who is the Executive Director of the North Valley Music School presented to the Park Board a brief description of the project and the benefits to the community from this project. Ms. Corson also informed the Park Board of the many programs of the music school as well as their scholarship program. Don Bestwick told the Park Board the Board of Project Whitefish Kids is 100% behind this. PWK would like a say in some of the design and landscaping. Their Board will meet with the North Valley Music School Board to go over drawings, so everyone is in agreement. Terry Nelson from the North Valley Music School Board said they and Don have discussed the size of the building. It will be a single level building. Ross Anderson will be designing the building. Ross Anderson said it’s on the North side of Smith Fields. Vice President DeHerrera asked if this works legally with the previous restrictions. Director Butts said for it to be an option that eliminates all restrictions, PWK would have to release themselves of the lease from that portion of the land, allowing the City to own it free from those restrictions, then the city could lease it to North Valley Music School. President Brunk wants to make sure this doesn’t become the city’s maintenance responsibility. Terry Nelson said they will assume all maintenance responsibility both of the facility and the surrounding land. Ross told the Park Board a large endowment will be part of their fundraising. Motion: To recommend to City Council to allow North Valley Music School to build a music school at Smith Fields at the location presented, with maintenance of the land and the building being North Valley Music School’s sole responsibility and providing for a public benefit to the City of Whitefish and the Whitefish Parks and Recreation Department for the use of the facility in the same manner as has been done with The Wave and the O’Shaughnessy building leases. Made by: Member Sweeney Seconded by: Member Dunn A vote was taken with all ayes. d. Consideration to approve the first draft of Parks Sign Master Plan – Director Butts told the Park Board the goal of this plan is to develop a cohesiveness to our park signs that the public can easily identify as Whitefish Parks. Cassie Lasson from front Desk, Inc. presented Phase I – Design Concept to the Park Board. She explained her design process as well as the different categories of signs. After her presentation Vice President DeHerrera said it looked great. Member Dunn said the idea of having a cohesive type of visual displayed throughout the city is aesthetically very pleasing. Member Boksich said the WAG Board will be in contact with Cassie regarding their informational kiosk project so its design is cohesive. Member Sweeney thought the designs were good. He wanted to make sure there was a focus made to not create “too many” signs in the parks. Director Butts says this gives us the opportunity to combine signs, especially regulatory signs, which ultimately lessen the number of signs in each park. Director Butts is seeking direction from the Park Board on 3 issues. 1. The proposed military monument plaque at Armory Park. Would the Park Board like for the department to move forward with the proposed plan? The Park Board would like this plan to move forward. 2. The existing signs at the Pump Track. Should those signs stay or be replaced? The Park Board would like the existing signs to remain. 3. The existing dog park monument sign. Should this be kept? The Park Board would like this to be kept as part of the obstacle course but not as a sign. At the next Park Board meeting an official motion will be made to approve Phase I, and then the department will move forward with Phase II. Director Butts would like to thank Carla Belski and Cassie Lasson for all their hard work. e. Consideration to approve new Cash in Lieu of Street Trees Policy – Director Butts reviewed the revised Cash in Lieu of Street Trees policy. The watering of the Cash in Lieu trees resulted in the need for additional seasonal staff to tend to the watering routines. The revised policy places the maintenance and care of the tree with the homeowner by requiring all Cash in Lieu trees to become mandatory Adopt a Trees. Motion: To approve and adopt the Cash in Lieu of Street Tree policy. Made by: Member Sweeney Seconded by: Vice President DeHerrera A vote was taken with all ayes. f. Consideration to approve new Street Tree Cost Share Program – Director Butts reviewed her memo, which was provided to the Park Board in their packet. The Adopt A Tree program has been very successful, but it has also become expensive as the Parks and Recreation Department has, in the past, purchased and planted all adopted trees. Many Urban Forestry Districts have adopted a cost share program. The new optional program has the City and property owner sharing 50% of the cost of the boulevard tree. The City will plant the tree and the property owner will properly irrigate it for the first 3 years of the life of the tree. President Brunk would like the information sheet to include wording that says the provided water bag is to be returned to the City. Motion: To approve the Street Tree Cost Share Program. Made by: Member Boksich Seconded by Member Sweeney A vote was taken with all ayes. g. Designation of a Park Board representative to assist in City Beach Floatation Vending RFP review – Director Butts told the Park Board Paddlefish has decided to not extend their lease agreement with the City. The department is advertising for the RFP for floatation services throughout April. Maria is seeking a Park Board representative to serve in the group evaluating proposals and possibly interviewing candidates. Either President Brunk or Member Sweeney would be willing to serve as Park Board representatives. J. Other Items K. Items from Parks and Recreation Department a. Administrative Report – Director Butts said the LWCF Grant Agreement has been received. That is being reviewed now. Jake Topp is leaving the Parks Staff. b. Recreation Coordinator Report- Reviewed with no questions. c. Maintenance Report – Reviewed with no questions. d. Community Service Coordinator Report – Carla told the Park Board she is delaying the opening of the Decontamination Station to Memorial Day due to staff shortage prior to that date. Appointments can be made for decontamination during that time frame. The boat launch will remain fully staffed for inspections. L. Correspondence – None M. Items from Park Board: Frank Sweeney – Can we move the Park Board meetings to 6:00 pm? This should be discussed. Director Butts said the Tree Advisory Committee meets at that time. An option is for the Tree Advisory Committee to change their meeting dates. President Brunk said staff can discuss this, and the Park Board can talk about it. Terri Dunn – Thank you for allowing the vaccination clinic to move to the Armory. She is open to the Tree Advisory Committee moving to another day. Thank you for your patience.  Carrie O’Reilly – Had to leave during the meeting. Jim DeHerrera - None Ron Brunk – Has the contact information for 59 Crestwood Dr. for Director Butts. They are grading the new gravel driveway. Ray Boksich – Is the rock wall at City Beach being repaired this summer? Director Butts said that is a Public Works project. It is not in their budget to be done this summer. She will mention it to Craig Workman again. N. Adjourn: Motion to Adjourn Made by: Member Sweeney Seconded by: Member Boksich A verbal vote was taken with all ayes. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 pm.