Board of Park Commissioners

BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES City Hall, 11th Floor Park Conference Room 455 N. Main March 5, 2012 3:00 p.m. Present: Bryan Frye, Tom Roth, Cynthia Landers, Cindy Claycomb, Andy Solter, Randy Brown Absent: None Also Present: Doug Kupper, Director of Park and Recreation, Christina Butler, Clerk, Don Harrison, Golf Division Manager, Elizabeth Harlenske, Assistant City Attorney President Frye called the meeting to order at approximately 3:00p.m. Frye advised the Board that Jennifer O’Connor had resigned from the Board of Park Commissioners due to schedule conflicts. He noted that he had visited with Councilman O’Donnell suggesting a person as a replacement and hoped that would work out. PUBLIC AGENDA None. REGULAR AGENDA Item 1A: Golf Sustainability Final Review Frye stated that there had been some confusion among City Council members regarding the number of golf committees being created. He also noted there was also concern with the number of green fee increases in the recommended proposal from the Board of Park Commissioners. He stated that at the workshop in December there was a motion by Council member Longwell to create a committee to look at the option of outsourcing the golf courses. He stated that the Park Board had wanted to re-create the golf advisory committee that was previously in place and had talked about identifying persons to serve on the committee. But there had also been discussion at the Council meeting regarding how many committees there would be. The direction from City Council to the Park Board was to look at the $2, $1, $1 increase again and come up with a plan regarding the committees. Frye noted he had personally met with five (5) of the seven (7) City Council members. He stated that the Park Board should present to City Council a proposal for a committee to review golf and management to consist of one (1) Park Board member and seven (7) additional members appointed by the Park Board Commissioners with their respective Council members’ input. The Park Board member would oversee the committee with Finance and Park and Recreation staff serving on the committee as well. The goal is to review opportunities and ideas for improvement as well as research outsourcing/privatizing the golf courses and to present these ideas/findings to City Council. Frye stated that two (2) people had already been suggested to serve on the committee: Richard Schodorf (suggested by Council member Longwell) and Greg Ferris (suggested by Mayor Brewer). Kupper stated that the Park Board could approve the two (2) committee members suggested and then appoint other members. He stated there was a list of people who had already been suggested as committee members. The list consisted of people who had golfed, past presidents of golf associations, golf superintendents, golf course managers, and others who understand business and the industry. He stated that the list would be provided to the Park Board members for reference. Frye noted that the committee would look at making operations more efficient and enhancing customer service. Solter added that he had met with Council member Clendenin and Clendenin had stated he wanted a “whole golf committee” not just a committee for outsourcing. He felt that the committee should have a broad focus on the golf issue and to make sure that there was no one on the committee that would have a financial interest in the outcome. Frye stated he felt it key that a member of the Park Board serve on the committee. Kupper stated that one of the first goals of the committee should be to study outsourcing. Brown stated a concern he had with the committee was that some of the people on the recommended list struck him as the “usual suspects”. He stated he was not sure he wanted people on the committee who had run golf courses and wondered if the committee should consist of more neutral people who wanted to dig into the golf issues. Frye stated that the five (5) people on the list were volunteers and the Board did not have to use them. Kupper stated that the Board needed to identify how the committee would work. Frye stated he felt that City Council would prefer to have one (1) committee born out of the Board of Park Commissioners and he didn’t think they wanted a second committee. Motion by Frye, 2nd by Solter, to recommend to City Council to form a golf committee consisting of eight (8) members: seven (7) appointees from Park Board Commissioners with Council member input and a Park Board member representative to review golf management with first investigation to review golf management outsourcing. Claycomb asked if the Board had accepted the appointees yet. Frye stated that they had not. He stated that City Council would have to rescind their appointments and make a motion to put them on again. Brown expressed concern with only having one (1) committee. He stated that privatizing golf courses was very serious business and he felt it should be a separate issue from what was being done from the golf advisory committee. Frye stated that the recommendation would come from the Park Board being reported from the golf advisory committee. Landers asked why there was a need for a golf committee if the Park Board was already in place and that possibly there was a need for more time to develop the privatization issue themselves as a Board. Frye stated that there was not enough time to gain enough knowledge of the privatization of golf courses and that they should take advantage of the committee. There were approximately three (3) City Council members who agreed with this. Solter said his council member wanted the committee to be in place for one (1) year prior to proceeding with any recommendations. Brown stated he felt Kupper’s staff should work with the Park Board to make a recommendation. Kupper stated that the committee could seek information from the National Golf Foundation and the Park Board could have the committee meet with Misty Bruckner to study the issue. He thought that the millage for WSU could cover the cost. Frye stated that if the Park Board had put a committee into place prior to the December 14, 2011 City Council Meeting, then this might not have come up in the first place. Roth asked if the Board should apply a timeline for the members of the golf committee. Frye stated he thought the committee itself should come up with the rules and that the committee should be an on-going committee in tandem with Park Board appointments. Frye asked if there was any public comment. There was none. The motion passed UNANIMOUSLY (6-0). Harlenske stated that the Board might need to define the mission statement for the committee. Frye suggested that the Board work on coming up with a list of individuals to suggest for the committee and bring to the March 19 meeting. Motion by Claycomb, second by Solter, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED TO APPOINT Randy Brown to serve as the Park Board member on golf advisory committee (6-0). Brown stated he would like goals for the committee. Frye stated that the second part of the goal for the committee should be to review the finance part of the golf issue. He stated he had met with Mark Manning and the City Manager, with Bryce Mumford, Kupper and Harrison. He also stated that four (4) of the five (5) City Council members were ok with the $2 increase in green fees. However he thought they may have found a better way to implement the fee increase. They first reviewed the $2, $1, $1 proposal then reviewed a new proposal at $1, $1, $1, $1 increase with CIP shift in dollars from Planeview being put toward the Golf CIP allowing for a greater cash balance at year end and leaving a $3.5 million cash balance in 2020. This proposal allows room for capital infusion or fallback, but City Council would have less money ($300,000) in CIP money. Brown asked if there was a way to have a surcharge for playing Auburn Hills golf course. Frye stated that they already do that. Manning added that he and the City Manager worked with them based on feedback. Frye stated that City Council could accept the $2, $1, $1 proposal or they could accept the $1, $1, $1, $1 proposal. Frye stated that when he met with City Council members there were 2 scenarios offered - accept the higher green fee or affect CIP dollars. Landers asked if City Council has the option to take $300,000 out of Park and Recreation CIP dollars. Kupper replied that he didn’t think they would do that, but they had that option. He stated that they did not want to do a $2, $1, $1 increase. Frye stated that they did not have to take a vote. He stated that the current $2, $1, $1 recommendation was in the green sheet and if the Board wanted to support the $1, $1, $1, $1 then they would have to adjust the green sheet and re-submit it to City Council. Claycomb asked about the deferred debt. Manning replied that in 2015 the official golf debt would be gone, but they would still have the deferred debt. Roth asked if the Board should give the City Council two (2) options or would the Board have to vote on the new proposal. Frye stated they would have to have one recommendation. Motion by Solter, second by Frye, to accept the $1, $1, $1, $1 plan (Plan B) over 4 years. Landers asked if the City Council members were ok with the plan. Frye stated that four (4) of the five (5) were ok with it. Kupper stated that the original goal was to remove the golf debt and the new plan would achieve the same goal with a longer timeline. Frye asked for any public comments and there were none. The motion passed UNANIMOUSLY (6-0). Frye asked for staff to prepare a new green sheet for review at the next Park Board meeting on March 19. He also asked for Park Board commissioners to bring names/suggestions to the next meeting for committee members. Solter suggested that they talk to their Council member. Kupper noted that the names on the list were only suggestions and that the Board did not have to use them. He suggested calling them and talking to them. Frye noted that the list was comprised of people who “volunteered” at the previously held meetings. He asked how soon the fees would go into effect if Council approved the recommendation at the March 20 City Council meeting. Kupper replied they could be in effect as soon as possible. Harrison noted that rounds were up due to the nice weather. Frye stated that the marketing had helped also. Harrison showed the new TV commercials to the Board and stated that his staff was excited. Item 2A: Updates from Director and President Frye stated that the RDG Group who had created the Kingsbury design would share an award at City Council on March 20 and that they would be at the Park Board Meeting on March 19 as well. He also stated he would like the Park Board to consider changing the name of Kingsbury to Crystal Prairie Lake. He stated it would be on the next meeting’s agenda and it would require a vote of the Park Board. If approved it would then be brought to Council. Frye noted that the next meeting would be on March 19 and the City Council meeting would be on March 20 and all were invited to attend. Kupper said they would be first on agenda with continuing business. Item 3: Adjourn There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 4:11pm. ______________________________________ Bryan Frye, President _____________________________________ Christina Butler, Clerk