Board of Park Commissioners

BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall, 11th Floor Park Conference Room 455 N. Main June 17, 2013 3:00 p.m. Present: Bryan Frye, Cindy Claycomb, Tom Roth, Andy Solter, Michael Ackerman Absent: Randy Brown, Ron Allen Also Present: Doug Kupper, Director of Park and Recreation, Elizabeth Harlenske, City Assistant Attorney, Christina Butler, Clerk, Karen Holmes, Recreation Superintendent, Jeff Clark, Tennis Pro, Troy Hendricks, Golf Manager, Cody Beard, citizen. The meeting was called to order at 3:02pm. PUBLIC AGENDA Cody Beard was present, but had no comments. REGULAR AGENDA Item 1A: Approval of Minutes Motion by Frye, second by Claycomb, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED to approve, sign and file minutes of the May 20, 2013, Board of Park Commissioners Regular Meeting (4-0, Ackerman not present). Item 2A: Land Development Plans for West Bank Stage (Scott Knebel) Kupper stated they had asked to have this item postponed to the August Park Board Agenda. Item 3A: Golf Update (Troy Hendricks) Kupper introduced the Senior Golf Pro Troy Hendricks from Auburn Hills Golf Course who is the Interim Golf Division Manager. Hendricks distributed the golf rounds update. Claycomb asked if all numbers are year-to-date. Hendricks responded yes. Frye asked about weather comparisons. Hendricks noted that the maintenance supervisors keep daily logs and track weather. So far they are up 400 rounds through last month. Frye noted that Tex Consolver is on pace even with the construction. He asked if construction is done. Hendricks responded that it should be completed by the weekend. Solter asked what it looked like if the weather continues to be good. Kupper responded that they have to make up 13,000 rounds over last year. He noted that as Frye pointed out they are close to 2011 numbers. There is a strong marketing campaign for the summer. The weather has knocked the golf numbers off its game. Solter asked if there was an active search for a replacement for the Golf Division Manager. Kupper responded that a request had been sent to the City Manager for approval and he had received verbal confirmation that the City Manager would support the request. Frye noted the Golf Division had to make up 13,000 rounds and they made up 400 rounds over last year’s June. Claycomb stated they would have to make up 2,000 rounds every month for the balance of the year. Hendricks stated there was a “Swing and Save” email blast going out soon. They had also tried to re- introduce Clapp and MacDonald Golf Courses. He noted they had picked up 80 rounds that they may not have had otherwise, but they probably would not bring in 13,000 rounds. Kupper stated that unfortunately the rain and snow had affected the rounds. Frye noted there was a Golf Committee meeting next week with a lengthy agenda. He suggested they might focus more on making up the rounds rather than some of the other items on the agenda. Hendricks stated that pace of play is on the agenda as well as the software update. Clinics at Tex Consolver seem to be a concern of everyone on the committee. And the GPS item is a hot topic for Schodorf of the committee. Frye suggested that seeing how to make up the numbers probably should be the focus of the committee meeting. Claycomb asked if the Golf Committee meets once a month. Kupper responded once every two months. Frye clarified once every two months during the summer and then once a quarter. Kupper noted that in May the Golf Division had 800 rounds on a weekend. He also added that if they offer too many discounts, they may diminish returns. He commended Hendricks on his idea to re- introduce Clapp and MacDonald to golfers and noted that Hendricks had already booked a customer service training for staff. Claycomb asked what the number should be for year-end revenue. Kupper replied that they would need to look that up. Claycomb then asked if the golf committee will look at that too. Frye responded yes. Kupper stated they could adjust expenditures for the rest of the year. Claycomb noted that the Golf Division did not increase green fees. Frye stated that the Board did not recommend increasing the fees this year. Item 3B: Recreation Update (Jeff Clark) Kupper introduced Jeff Clark as the Tennis Professional at Ralph Wulz Riverside Tennis Center. Clark noted that he had been at Riverside Tennis Center (RTC) since 2007. In 2008, RTC’s director’s contract was not renewed and was run completely by the City’s Park Department. He stated that the Mo Connelly Brinker Foundation partnership began that year as well. Revenue and cost recovery increased which could be attributed to the addition of the bubble (indoor facility). In 2009, all teaching staff was USPTA certified and increases continued in revenue and cost recovery. In 2010, state of the art lighting was installed and capital improvements took place with continued increases in revenue and cost recovery. In 2011 RTC won several USTA and USPTA awards, hosted a regional training for 10U instructors, and completed court renovations including the addition of courtside benches/awning/wind slats. RTC hosted a grand re-opening with 300 people in attendance. They also continued with increased revenue and cost recovery. In 2012, an Australian touring pro visited RTC and RTC had record revenue and cost recovery at 98%. Going forward into 2013, he believes RTC will exceed 100% cost recovery. He noted that he would like to have an Assistant Tennis Pro full-time position, more indoor courts, and continued marketing. He added that on-line registration is going well. Kupper added they had just completed the first 10U courts at RTC which were smaller courts for instructing. Solter stated he remembered the uproar about the bubble going up. Clark stated he would like to replace the bubble with a permanent structure noting that the bubble currently has three courts and he would like to have six courts. Claycomb noted that would take a capital campaign. Kupper added they have been talking about a capital campaign and that the Park Department could possibly match with CIP money. He noted that the original intent upon hiring Clark as the Tennis Pro was to also hire an Assistant Pro. He stated that they now have the money coming in to make an Assistant Pro a viable option and that the next goal is 120% cost recovery. Frye asked if the 120% cost recovery included the Assistant Pro salary. Clark responded yes. Frye asked if they are still teaching classes at public schools. Clark responded that the students come to RTC instead of them going to the school. Roth asked what the largest source of revenue was for RTC. Clark responded that it was lessons noting that they teach a lot of lessons and are quite a bit less than most in the city. Item 4A: Updates from the Director and President Frye introduced Michael Ackerman as the newest Park Board Member replacing Jerry Warren who had moved to Haysville. Ackerman stated he represented District IV for Jeff Blubaugh. He was born and raised in Wichita, owns Michael’s Complete Lawncare and has been doing it for 19 years. Frye advised Ackerman that the Board typically meets the third Monday of every month in City Hall, Park Conference Room at 3pm. He added that District IV recently acquired some of District V in the new re- districting. Solter stated had given Warren some information and binders and would like to have that passed on to Ackerman. Frye noted they would try to arrange that. He stated they needed to find someone to replace Warren on the Aquatics Committee. He asked if someone was willing to step into the spot for aquatics. Ackerman asked for information on the Aquatics Committee. Frye responded that the Aquatics Committee was tasked with drafting an Aquatics Master Plan by finding out what the public wants and needs, and reviewing expenses versus revenue. He stated they are basically listening to the public right now which is what they had to do for the Golf Committee. He asked if they could get a schedule for the next meeting. Kupper responded yes, but noted that staff had been attending the public engagement meetings and reporting back to the committee. Claycomb asked how often they meet. Kupper responded that they were meeting almost weekly in the beginning, but they are now taking data from those meetings and attending public meetings like home-owners association meetings to continue with public input. Ackerman stated he would be willing to serve on the Aquatics Committee. Solter offered some history about the interactive fountains versus the pools. He stated that approximately 15 years ago there was discussion about closing the pool at Lincoln Park. At first, the neighborhood was up in arms over the idea, but the former Park Director sold the interactive fountain replacement to the neighborhood and they have been very happy with this solution. Ackerman asked about water usage for pools versus interactive fountains. Kupper responded that pools often have a less negative impact than the fountains due to wind, sun, and evaporation. They all recycle water. He noted they truly save on lifeguard wages with the interactive fountains. He stated the niche is to find a way to teach kids to be safe in water. Lincoln, College Hill and Fairmount pools were all closed in 1998. They opened the Lincoln Park interactive fountain and the College Hill pool in 2000. The College Hill area residents voted to tax themselves to pay for the new pool. Fairmount interactive fountain opened in 2008. Kupper stated he would be going to City Council on June 18, 2013, to request permission to apply for a federal connector grant to completely rehabilitate Chisholm Creek Park’s bike path. He noted they would score points if there is a connection to a federal facility and Great Plains Nature Center is a federal facility located at Chisholm Creek Park. The Park Department would have to put up a 20% match. Therefore, if City Council approves the federal grant request, a second item is on the City Council agenda requesting to activate CIP money to match the grant. He stated he hoped to receive enough funds to re-do the bike path with a leg to come up Oliver from K-96 and tie back into GPNC. He would like to use the other half of the money to get rid of the barn and milking house on the west side of Chisholm Creek Park on Oliver and restore it to green space. Any additional funds will be put towards more pavement replacement. If the grant is not awarded, the 20% and any funds from the barn and milking house demolition will be used for pavement replacement. GPNC signs will be re-done and possibly sandblasted. Frye asked if the hail storm did any damage. Kupper responded there were shredded trees. Claycomb asked what the surface would be for the trail. Kupper responded that he hopes it will be concrete. He noted that the old asphalt will be taken out and replaced. He added that it would be on City Council’s agenda tomorrow (Tuesday, June 18). Kupper stated that they had applied for a Crystal Prairie Lake TE Grant to treat stormwater, however it was not awarded. He stated he did not think there was enough development out there, so they will try again. Kupper stated that the marketing campaign is working for recreation and golf. Kupper stated that the new software for recreation went live for registrations for summer activities. He noted they had a bumpy start, but thinks that most of the bugs are ironed out. He noted it keeps him from giving away facilities without a legitimate reason. Kupper stated that the Dirty Girl competition (a women only cancer awareness mud decathlon) is NOT coming to Wichita this year. Claycomb asked if they might ask again. Kupper responded that they might because his department could have cut their costs by half based on what they pay others. Frye stated that one of the issues with the warrior runs is recruitment. Kupper stated that organizers do not understand that Wichitans are last minute registrars. He noted that the event at the Kansas Coliseum doubled registrations on the last couple of days. Frye stated that the request for the Murdock easement was completed and Philbrick had agreed to $3000 for the land. Frye reminded the Board that they had agreed to look at the Riverside request from Cody Beard. Kupper stated he intended to have it on the July agenda. Frye advised the Board that the Phil Lambke path dedication would be on June 29 at Garvey Park at 10am. He noted that the Grandparents Park dedication at Kellogg Drive and Estelle would be on July 20 at 10am. Frye stated they should begin to look at annual goals. Kupper stated they would need a full board for the selection committee. Claycomb asked if there were any updates regarding Steve Anthimedes request for Finlay Park. Kupper responded there were no updates. Roth asked about the Park Passport program. Kupper responded there was minimal participation. He asked Hamm to buy a new spot for the first week of July to boost participation. Frye stated that hopefully by mid-summer interest and participation will pick up. He asked if Academy was advertising the Park Passport. Kupper responded yes and that they will put it in an ad. Claycomb asked if participants have to go to a park facility or recreation center to get the Park Passport. Kupper responded they could go to the recreation centers or they could download it. He also noted that it had been on facebook as well. Item 5A: Issues on the Horizon Frye noted that the next Park Board meeting was scheduled for Monday, July 15. Item 6: Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:06pm. ______________________________________ Bryan Frye, President _____________________________________ Christina Butler, Clerk