Board of Park Commissioners

A Board of Park Commissioners Regular Meeting Minutes YA CITY OF Monday, July 12, 2021 3:00- 5:00 P.M. WICHITA City Hall, 1st Floor City Board Room Wichita KS 67202 Members Present: Alejo Cabral, Chris Pumpelly, Philip Simon, Tori Deatherage, Ty Tabing Members Absent: Eddie Fahnestock, Troy Palmer City Staff: Troy Houtman (Director, Park & Recreation), Penny Garding (Clerk), Elizabeth Harlenske (Assistant City Attorney), David McGuire, Reggie Davidson, Gentry Theisen, Emma Li-Wormington Item Descri�tion Call to Order Tori Deatherage, pt Vice President, called the meeting to order at approximately 3:05 p.m. Motion by Deatherage, second by Cabral, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED to move agenda item #8 to position #4. (5-0) Public Comment There was no Public Comment. Announcements Welcome new At-Large Park Board member, Chris Pumpelly. 1 Approve Minutes Recommended action: Approve, sign and file minutes of the June 14, 2021, Board of Park Commissioners Regular Meeting. MINUTES ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. VIDEO RECORDING IS AVAILABLE HERE: Board of Park Commissioners Meeting June 14, 2021 - YouTube 2 New Items For Consideration Houtman: Is there anything special or requested for next month. Elizabeth Harlenske: Will bring amendment for virtual meetings next month. Alejo Cabral: Updates on construction projects, e.g.: Watson, Linear Park in Delano. Houtman: Will do presentation next month regarding Linear Park and will have Engineering present for Watson. 3A New GAC Appointee Philip Simon: Will update next meeting 3B Follow up on Committees: Houtman: 1 new member and will update at next meeting. 3C Light up Edgemoor Houtman: Light up Edgemoor wants to use fundraising efforts for Edgemoor. After discussion new location was chosen, but Pickleball does not want Eastview Park, so discussions will continue. Pickleplex is proposed, Budget $3M for plex at Southlakes. This facility would have a huge impact on Pickleball and would be 12-14 courts. Cabral: Budget process for $3M approval? Houtman: August or September for approval. Pumpelly: Proposed location? BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING July 12, 2021 Page 1 of4  Houtman: Southlakes. Soccer has moved to Stryker Field, leaving 13 fields open. Could be restrooms, shelter and maybe concessions. Cabral: What is it being used for now? Houtman: Some flag football. Usage is down about 90%. Pumpelly: Has anyone reached out to help participate in development or naming rights? Houtman: Lots of process for naming rights. Pumpelly: Could construction be within the year? Houtman: If budget is approved, design could be done in November, construction next year. Cabral: Timeline for play? Houtman: Possibly in November. 3D Chester I Lewis Park: Going next week to accept $2S0K donation from Downtown Wichita, $150K from Arts Council and maybe a little more from Wichita Parks Foundation. Help pay for artist's art. Looking to have done by June/July next year. Ty Tabing: Will the jewelry store be demolished? Houtman: Possible to turn into a cafe or other ideas as to the building is a historical building. 4 Communications Update No updates at this time. 5 Recreation Update (Reggie Davidson) Linwood: Small group of SOD participants helped with the Grand Opening event at Leon Robinson Playground, Golden Age Club reopened with the first dance with 93 attendees, and the rec center received a perfect score with no violations from KDHE during the SOD inspection. Orchard: Golden Age Club returned with 73 attendees at the first dance and 93 at the second. The rec center held a 4th of July cookout for the SOD participants. McAdams: Partnered with Juneteenth ICT Committee and hosted Juneteenth with over 1,600 participants on June 18th & 19th ·This included a parade, the Inaugural Carl Brewer BBQ Cook- off, concert, and kid zone. Woodard: Gymnasium rentals increasing - June 2021 had 21 rentals, May 2021 had 17. Revenue and attendance numbers are increasing too. Sunday summer session was a hit with 5 of 6 classes being for Tots and 3 of 5 classes being at capacity and 70% capacity on the remaining. Rec center received perfect score with no violations from KDHE for the SOD program for the 11th year. Tennis Center: Partnered with NAHOLA Pickleball Club to host the 3rd annual Pickleball tournament. 238 players took part. As the tournament grows, a total of 35 courts can be utilized. This year's attendance was up by 78 and the participants come from all over the Midwest to the largest Pickleball tournament in the area. Now will offer 2 tournaments a year, June and September. Pickleball youth classes are picking up, partnered with Genesis Rock Rd to host the Junior District Open Championship Tournament. McAdams will offer free swim lessons in July. Tabing: How are the numbers for pool and splash pads? Davidson: Numbers are continuing to go up. Houtman: Numbers are not kept for splash pads. Davidson: Pools are now able to take credit card payments. Pumpelly: Status of Evergreen splash pad? Houtman: There was an issue with kids climbing on it, so it was closed for safety and staffing issues. Staffing was on a freeze and now it takes away from day-to-day operations to bring people in. Typically takes 1-2 months to hire and bring onboard. BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING July 12, 2021 Page 2 of4 6 Golf & First Tee Update Houtman: Numbers will be emailed. With current proceeds, we are doing some repairs and maintenance at MacDonald and Tex. Equipment Replacement Fund - we are currently looking at some equipment and new mowers. RFP - finished draft of document to present and will be able to compare 3rd party to in house management. 7 Park Maintenance & Forestry (David McGuire) Inspections: 1459 Pruning: 828 Emergency Responses: 258 which saw a 53% increase Support Activity normal. Scheduled activities: tree climbing Open Masters, inspections, pruning, grinding data collection, course clean up, and MABCD assistance. Support Activity: Installed rules signs at splash pads, open/closed river due to conditions, repaired Aley pool diving board and standard, removed graffiti at skatepark and other locations, and repaired drag used by athletics. June accomplishments: 9-hole disc course at Evergreen, installed temporary fencing for Juneteenth events, installed 2 wear mats under swings at Brownthrush Park, dog leash signs installed at Clapp, and removed portion of Emporia Park playground due to fire damage. July Scheduled Activity: Support of special events: Red, White & Boom, Automobilia, and summer performances at Clapp, monitor construction at Sherwood Glen, Leon Robinson, and Pawnee Prairie playgrounds., and respond to vandalism and graffiti. Athletic Maintenance: Preparing for league play. Ground Maintenance: Working with contractors. Hiring to start next month. Philip Simon: Any update on the dying/dead trees in the parks? McGuire: Over a 12-month backlog of requests. With hiring freeze and staff shortages, we are doing our best. Pumpelly: A citizen is concerned with a 100+ year old Maple that was removed with no recourse. Houtman: It was removed because it is the wrong place for it. It has destroyed a sidewalk, leaving the tree would be a hazard with the roots. Leaving the unrepaired sidewalk would also cause a safety hazard. Pumpelly: Can we create a procedure for future removals? McGuire: There is a good procedure. Engineering looks at is as does Park Maintenance. We do what is best for all. 8 Finance Update (Emma Li-Wormington) Department Overview: Revenue $614,355 Admin: ' $10,693 (SBA Tower Rental) Recreation: $575,863 (22% rental, 55% lessons/fees, 24% concessions) PM & Forestry: $27,799 (special events) Department Expenses: $7,088,327 YTD 42% of budget Admin: $329,492 Recreation: $1,885,629 PM & Forestry: $4,873,206 Golf Division: Revenue $2,197,494 YTD $1,756,426 Expenses YTD Auburn: $597,097 $401,535 Tex: $585,875 $310,107 Sim: $504,571 $400,679 Mac: $475,594 $318,023 Golf Admin Expense: 13% payroll and benefit, 37% contractual (bank, software maintenance and data center) 49% commodity {City Admin. $117,422, Public safety $41,065) BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING July 12, 2021 Page 3 of 4  Golf Replacement Fund: $186,256 available March 2021- Kansas Golf & Turf- Range Picker $4,999 September 2020- Kansas Golf & Turf- used mower $30,000 October 2020- Professional Turf Products- Grinder- $45,237.25 Deatherage: Public safety- what is that? Houtman: As an enterprise fund, we are required to pay for Police and Fire. 9 Wichita Parks Foundation Update Supports Chester I Lewis Park. Discussion last month regarding memorial benches and Edgemoor lighting. Houtman: There has been a delay in installation, looking at September. 10 President's Update No update at this time. 11 Director's Update RFP process has begun for Ice Rink. Wants more transparency with process and working on lots of special events. Adjourn There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:35 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, August 9, 2021. dw,)(J �-t,.A/ 7 (/ CO2 !J BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING July 12, 2021 Page 4 of 4