Board of Park Commissioners

Board of Park Commissioners Special Meeting Minutes Monday, April 12, 2021 CITY OF 3:30-5:00 P.M. WICHITA City Hall, 1st Floor City Board Room Wichita KS 67202 Members Present: Eddie Fahnestock, Ty Tabing, Tori Deatherage, Dale Goter, Philip Simon, Alejo Cabral, Troy Palmer Members Absent: City Staff: Troy Houtman (Director, Park & Recreation), Penny Garding (Clerk), Reggie Davidson, Emma Li-Wormington, Elizabeth Harlenske (Assistant City Attorney), Brian Hill Guests: Hoyt Hillman, Phil Meyer, Shawn Mellies, Chris Dendurent Item Description Call to Order Eddie Fahnestock, President, called the meeting to order at approximately 3:00 p.m. Announcements Hillman: Thank you to everyone for the 8 years of Park Board. Houtman: Thank you for your insight and presented Certificate of Appreciation from staff. Public Comments Garding: Reading 21 letters regarding Edgemoor Park Tennis courts turning into Pickleball courts. All 21 are against. Goter: There must be an easier way to announce/read public comments. Fahnestock: I agree, but this is policy. Troy, let's sit and talk about the policy, allowing everyone's voice to be heard, and legal. Houtman: Agree. There is a better way. Harlenske: Policy for Open Records, it would be done. If meeting in person, they would be heard too. 1 Approve Minutes Recommended action: Approve, sign and file minutes of the March 8, 2021, Board of Park Commissioners regular meeting. MINUTES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR APPROVAL AT THIS TIME. VIDEO RECORDING IS AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/live/PSczTAcZ30M?feature=share 2A Clapp Park Clubhouse Houtman: Building sitting with electricity and water. Would like to see something within, possibly small retail or gathering spot. Chris Dendurant - Ducks Flying Discs: Worked with the city since 2013 to bring in and run tournaments and other events, like summer camps, music events, and other youth events, as well as weekly leagues. Current Wednesday league draws between 60-100 players. Houtman: Master plan is in progress; it does include disc golf. Palmer: Fee to rent building or just use? Goter: What is the cost to maintain Clapp currently? Houtman: Major maintenance, water, no service on course. Chris would be responsible for utilities. Park maintenance such as mowing runs $25-30K a year. Goter: Would the City employ? BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING April 12, 2021 Page 1 of 4  Houtman: Chris would handle that and be responsible for the building. Simon: After tournaments, who picks up trash? Pick up and clean up? Dendurent: My staff would take care of it. Would also hold public clean-up events. Most disc golfers are aware and clean up as they play. Cabral: Do you have plans on how to engage neighborhood? Dendurent: Newsletters or flyers will go out to golfers. Park will not be closed to the public and they can still use during events. Palmer: Is the Park Department still on the hook to maintain without help if we chose not to do this? Houtman: Yes. Palmer: Motion to go forward to allow Flying Ducks to use building, second by Cabral, motion carries. Motion by Palmer, second by Cabral, IT WAS VOTED to move recommend to Council the proposal to allow Duck's Flying Discs at Clapp Park (6-1 Nay=Goter). Goter: Substitute Motion made to move forward to Council with revenue and financials to allow Chris to use facility. Motion fails, no second made. b Trinity Point Houtman: Working on project to provide parkland. Phil Meyer - Alice Walls Park south of MacArthur, East of Hoover - Dedicated to City in 2002. Has been done in pieces, this third piece will take it to 47th St. South. Park Board previously mentioned eventually allow horse riders. Was agreed to name after Alice Walls who was the owner of land. Motion by Fahnestock, second by Deatherage, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED to approve and recommend to Council for approval (7-0). C Light Up Edgemoor Houtman: Demand for Pickleball is high, requests come in weekly for more courts. Fundraising efforts have been made, just under $2SK has been raised. There's not enough for new lights on existing courts. Would like to convert 2 tennis courts into 6 pickleball courts. Cabral: Where are those other parks and is the layout the same? Costs? Houtman: In all areas of Wichita. It would be done with LED lights. We received 3 quotes all within $90-ll0K. Parks Foundation interested in matching donations if conversions are done. Cabral: Do we know if there are any operating agreements like at Edgemoor? Would like to explore other possibilities. Houtman: Not currently. Goter: Is there any revenue stream for Pickleball? Revenue from Tennis? Houtman: All of our revenue goes through the Tennis Center through lessons, rentals and play. A lot of our programs don't cost recover. Fahnestock: Motion to pause Light Up Edgemoor to step back and explore options. Cabral seconds, motion carries. Motion by Fahnestock, second by Cabral, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED to pause Light Up Edgemoor and look at other options (7-0). Troy Palmer left the meeting at approximately 4:57 p.m. d Westside Athletic Easement (Utility) Mellies (PW&U): West side of property. Serves restrooms. Would like to replace line with 8" line. Proposed: 20' x 38' would allow utility to take care of line. Placing a manhole for easier access. Fahnestock: What is project cost? Mellies: Around $200K. Fahnestock: Motion to move forward with project to take to Council, Ty seconds, motion BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING April 12, 2021 Page 2 of4  carries. Motion by Fahnestock, second by Tabing, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED to recommend the repairs to Council (5-0). Alejo Cabral left the meeting. 3A Pools/Splash Pads - Brian Hill Boston and Edgemoor are complete and ready for operation. Evergreen tested and ready for operation. Aley scheduled to open on time. McAfee ready to paint, waiting on slide to arrive and be installed. Orchard is ready to paint this week. Phase 2: Linwood concrete has been poured. Harvest had most changes, slide on site waiting for install. Minisa currently working on deck. Residents are excited! Schedule: Working to open by Memorial Day. McAfee ribbon cutting on May 29th• Open 1-7PM with hot dogs and drinks. Staff Recruitment: Still need 44 lifeguards. Options for recruiting - hire at 15, hire active adults as water watchers, go through Syndeo. Operational plan for splash pads: Hire open close teams for sites., operator will check chemical levels, record and adjust as needed. Operator will clean site daily and restrooms will be sanitized at open and closed daily. 3B Watson Park Houtman: Seasons venue came back a little higher on costs, funding taken from annual park facility CIP, passed by Council, looking to complete by end of year. 3C CAPRA Visit Thiessen: Visit was in March, done virtually. Meetings were with different groups. Unofficially passed 154 standards. CAPRA visit was very successful. Official results due in Fall. 4 Recreation Update Davidson: Preparing for summer camps. Received funding from Housing for a 4th camp, Will be partnering with USO 259 for summer food program. Tennis Center ribbon cutting on April 24h. Starting football at South Lakes with over 150 participants and partnered with NFL. Started back with Evolve guide being printed. 5 Golf Update Houtman: Welcome Philip Simon. Decided to do RFP for courses, currently working on that to share with Park Board and Council. Have received the green light to hire open positions. Goter: RFP will take a few weeks, is there a plan to address management until decision is made? Houtman: He has been meeting with staff to make correct decisions, meet with them weekly and email daily. Goter: Any plan for rate fee changes? Houtman: Recommendations for change to take to GAC and proceed. 6 Park Maintenance & Forestry McGuire: Moles are carnivores and gophers are herbivores, requiring different treatments. Causes safety issues all over the city in all areas. Moles can be controlled with insecticides, fumigation, and trapping. Trapping works best in spring and fall. Traps are left in the morning and picked up at the end of shifts. Gopher mounds are horseshoe shaped and moles are small mounds of dirt. 7 Finance Update Emma: Golf Marathon raised funds by First Tee. Numbers can be provided at a later date. Over $114K has been paid for Jr golfers in 2019 with over 4K rounds played. Goter: First Tee has previously donated $23-25K. Why does it look to be an operation issue? Houtman: We only bill them for what they use. BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING April 12, 2021 Page 3 of4  8 Park Foundation Update Houtman: Will follow up with them regarding Light Up Edgemoor. Looking to purchase and install 12 special benches throughout the city. Red, White & Boom is moving forward. 9/10 President & Directors Update No update available Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:00 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, May 10, 2021. ,. BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS SPECIAL MEETING April 12, 2021 Page 4 of4