Board of Park Commissioners

Board of Park Commissioners w tu CITY OF Regular Meeting Minutes Monday, December 13, 2021 3:00- 5:00 P.M. WICHITA City Hall, 1st Floor Council Chambers Wichita KS 67202 Members Present Eddie Fahnestock, Chris Pumpelly, Tori Deatherage, Alejo cabral Ma Teams: Philip Simon Members Absent: Troy Palmer City Staff: Troy Houtman (Director, Pari< & Recreation), Penny Garding (Clerk), Reggie Davidson, David McGuire, Jay Hinkle, Emma LI-Wormington, Adam Nebenzahl, Nile Dillmore (GAC), Nancy Knopp (GAC), Richard Schodorf (GAC), Robert Layton (City Manager), Mari< Manning (Finance), Becky Tuttle (City t !Council), Mike Hoheisel (City Council}, Maggie Ballard (Ciy Council}, Bryan Frye (City Council), Guests: Chris Tuohey, Ben Blake (Kemper), Josh Lesnik (Kemper), Steve Loomis (Kemper); Greg Ferris, Dale Goter Item DescrlDtion call to Order Eddie Fahnestock, President, called the meeting to order at approximately 3:05 p.m. Announcements Welcome Oty Manager Layton, Councilmembers, and Councilmembers Elect. Public Comments No Public comments 1 Approve Minutes Recommended action: Approve, sign and file minutes of the November 8· 2022, Board of Park Commissioners regular meeting. MINUTES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR APPROVAL AT THIS TIME. VIDEO RECORDING IS AVAILABLE HERE: httns://voutu.be/xSSYSVWrOkE 2A Tree Analysis Study Adam Nebenzahl: Current tree policy: Plans are made to minimize e.xisting tree removal within public row, capital projects include planting over 700 trees in 14 projects over the last S years. Public infrastructure improvements can be designed and built by private project, individual commercial developments. Tree removal for those projects not a focus of design review, nor expectation of planting new trees. Sidewalk repair plan often impacts trees within public row. Staff consults Forestry for repairs, homeowner responsible for costs of repairs, no mitigation plan for vegetation on a site. Ordinances exists: 1- Existing indigenous vegetation on a site is encouraged to be retained in a development project. 2- Reservation and protection from construction damage of each existing tree of 6 or more inches in trunk diameter when measured 6 inches above the ground, shall account for the equivalent of 2 trees. Other governments have a range of policies, ranging from less to more protective. Pumpelly: What can we do for our tree canopy? Nebenzahl: Most other cities have a tree survey. This would/could ensure trees would be planted/replaced if removed and species would be more specific. Pumpelly: Would tike to move forward with framewori< and to be able to recognize significant trees. Cabral: Do we know what community investment to be higher/stronger tree policy? BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGUI.AA MEETING December 13, 2021 Page1of4  Nebenzalil: Financial .,consideration ·goes onto deit�loper· and homeowner !O pay fo_r the surve')', wouid cost.the developermore financially ar1c[ tlie Gity would be more time:to process and,appr9_ve;pe_rmits. Cabral: lfp61icy is.adopted, ao you:see-the:number ot'trees being pianted increasing? Houtman: L�rge numbers ofdise·ased _trees being rem<lved; budget rripriey w�s,received,and· more pl�11fing.,of ffrees'thi!n i11 ·pa_s_t: 'Sta_ff is doing the best they can fo save tre·es; "l,vheh, possible. Cabral: Would iike to see a· ''theckiist." Thinks there is a potential for uniqu_e 'funding opportunities, grants, or infrastructure, benefiting, or including- ground water ·issues ·and climate remediation. Creative solutions to btiild a .better Wichita. Houtman: M�jority of land is private. Philip Simon: Stistaihability, Commjttee ha_d a lot_ oftree,copservatipn communication at last meeting, 28 Benclimark•Con,parison Houtman: Trust for Public Lan d provides ann ual repor:h-Nationa_l Parks anil,Recreation does annual r_eJ)_ort. Key findings in ,2021:i9.9 acres per 1K re·sidents, 3,600+,residents per playground, • • 2,200+ residents per park-and 22•9%'rE!v_enue to operatihg:e.xpenditures. <,urr�n t•flar� anf�ecreatio!l}J�(is p6, not•including golf,. with average.being 3.4'.FTE per' lOK residents; ,currentbudget,foi; P&R•is,17 :?rill ,a"nd:42. 'Z.7 per•residerit,of,ope(atloh expense. Pumpelly:,City P8iR is very'effident. Feels we are ios_ing seryice. Feels l{ark.Boa[d;rieedf to work:on budge_t to raise ser;viq�. Fan tastic job wi!li littfe,_staff. Fahnestock:'Kudos to Reggie and currentP&R staff. 3A Golf Miinagement Services up·ciate Houtman:• 35% drop of utiliza.tioQ of golfcourse�,:oy_e($}1S_K_.deficit. OvE,r ,$461K tax revenues•used to maintain gdlf,operations. Closed .Cla-pj5 in'2019. Publit-'& private courses acros; ��tlo'fl �aw declines, COVD,19;teinporariiy;reversed tren�s, expe_rts;oeJieve the up surge is nonustafr1able·w�hout aggressive measu_res, KEf0PE�: $1SOK'for':iniprovementsto.dubhbuse and food and'.lieverage, $10K·aonation foryouth golf. annualiy, for 3 years, Arbori�ts.ofl staff,,willing to,cre�e advisory bo�rd, a_Qility to make improvemE?n'fs on course-�11d, pgssillle,strong,Pro Forma with $S00,600K return to City. Mark Manning: Kemper belieiies·.tnat•$690K.could'be"retiirried,to",City'ahd 10%·of,F&B. Beh,Blal<e::Uses a. pr?'a�Uve,ar.proa[h, , lonrterm�solu�j_on th�t:proyi��st�e opport�nity-for course,.-carts;,and staff to rmprove, ,P,_ro-actrvely promotmg-Junror Golfprogram and lessons, manages.over100co�rs�s witli 13Sm�niti�ai dierits�C6fe business is golf, hirea'sen ior • l -- �- experts ill areas from arborists,to IT. , Core i>hi[osophy: Every course is,unique, No two are treated.the same. Wichita's 4 courses are a nice·colledion. True Reiiiews:,After'around'is playe· ' d, ah email with • survey • • is sent to players, • •• Helps-with • • imp�ovei11_en_ts;in a _ll_are_as. 'Dale· Goter: 'Sim pie solution ,,hire dnterna I. rha nage·r; i:'reate, a'lea·d eYshijJ boafcL Stake hci Ide r's 'were,blamed to have pushed for this, would like[tcfknowwho,·beli�ves [t'.is only one stakeholder: Greating a m_ore acc_o\l_nt�blef!5ca_l/T1\Jduje; stop·draining,so muctLfrom golf divisioniinto the general fund. Abciut $SOOKyear, upcharge for IT or ce'r1fral:admiii charges. Transparendes:'60 golfers emaifed to avoid'the man·age_ment.company tile.re seemed to be ignored_.,Gen er.aLconsensus of p_ubHc golfers is·th_ey qo not.want th·e management company. Botanica1is a great example;,Crown Jewei;of,parks. How much'mOney:does,Kempe�expect ,• • to make? Compare sicieiby 0side:,whatff we;had,a competent F&B,manager,? .BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING De_Cen,_tier 13, 2021 • - • Page:iof'4 Fahnestock: Decided Park Board/GAC wanted to open up for RFP, after letter of intent from Kemper, in order for transparency. The emails, previously mentioned by Geter, were all read. 10% of F&B is Kemper's proposal. Ben Blake: Kemper would take full risk of F&B and Pro Shop, giving City 10% of gross sales. City has no risk. Kemper would pay wages for F&B and inventory. Richard Schodorf (GAC): Started with a presentation from Mark Manning on how we could control the number of people playing our courses, cart fees and what we make when at the course. Subscription fees seem to have worked and COVID-19 has helped. Suggests restructure of fees �nd F&B offerings. What does Kemper think of our fees versus theirs? Ben Blake: If it's not broken,_don't fix it. No intention of changing. No policy work, that is Council. No pricing:Control. Does not believe golf numbers will drop. ·Kemper is to retain existing and encourage new/young golfers to play. Enterprise.fund needs to be self- sustainable. Greg Ferris: Heard from five companies with Kemper be_ing the best, believes the City can run the course. Numbers-prove it, even with .staff shortages. Three-things Park Board should look at: Do not a_llow 90%,. the_re's no risk for them. Consideration of employees. Some are close tc being vested with,retirement. Oversight is the most important - Hiring under Kemper would be easier. Believes Kemper could grow F&B from 10% instead of 90%. Fahnestock: Employees will be a big concern. What does the process of oversight committee look like? Houtman: It has been talked about the 2 employees that are close. to being vested, and they be able to continue until vested. Concession is still in negotiations. Want it to be fair for both parties. Kemper wa_nts to be involved with committees. Contract with City has oversight through Council, Finance and P&R departments. Touch points of expectations will be in contract. Fahnestock: What are standard practices for merchandise and how are golf pros incentivized? Blake: Incentives are global,.not limited to sales, including customer service. True Service- every employee goes through the program from attitude standpoint: Any issues come out quickly and are resolved quickly. Nile D i llmore: Would caution Park Board from making approval of contract. Lots of fear with golfers with pricing. Should not include a set-fee for green fee and.�i!�, ma�y golfers walk. Would like more notice to be given for meetings and consider the times of the· meetings. Fahnestock: Sand Creek requires cart, due to geography of course. Each course is different. - Carts could help with time•man�gement. - • ' - ... - - Facebook Lives - continue to push and communicate with as many as possible with social media. Pumpelly: Has an open view. Not a golfer, but Kemper is the best in class. Concern with fear from lack of information. What are services to clients to be? Service increases? Matrices of success are? Claw back if failure to meet those matrixes? Can those be in black and white contractual language? What will the length of the contract be? Can surveys be viewable by the public, by the Park Bo·ard, online? Have we given a comparable service to what Kemper is suggesting in a public solution? What hiring decisions, need to be on paper, to show Kemper versus City? Fahnestock: Would .feel better with everything in writing. Cab ral: No recommendation from today's meeting, would like more answers in writing. Mot i on by Fahnestock, second by Cabral, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED to hold for now while Ci ty Manager Layton and Kemper Sports go back to the negotiation table. And to ensure everything is i n. writi ng befo re dec i di ng on anythi ng permanent (5-0). Motion by Pumpelly, second by Fahnestock, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED to take a five (5) minute recess. (5-0) BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING December 13, 2021 Page 3 of 4  Cabral left the meeting. 4 Motion by Fahnestock, second by Deatherage to hear the Finance Update and then adjourn the meeting. (4-0} Finance Update Emma Li-Wormington: 61% increase from 2020 to 2021, lower revenue than 2019 due to COVD-19 limitations on capacity. Golf YTD: $4.8M Revenue, $3.8M Expenses Fahnestock: How much of $1M will be going back into the courses next year? Houtman: Money will carry over. Bottom line should be about $1.31M. Spent $350K on irrigation and pumphouse work. Pumpelly: Congrats to staff, especially with short staff. Houtman: Golf staff did exceptional. All staff has gone above and beyond to succeed. 5-10 Communication Update, Social Media Update, Recreation Update, Golf Update, Park Maintenance & Forestry Update, Wichita Parks Foundation Update No updates 11 President's Update Fahnestock: Botanica - Thank you Marty & Staff! Illuminations continues to improve year after yearl 12 Director's Update Houtman: No update Adjourned There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 5:08 pm. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Monday, January 10, 2022. Eddie Fahnestock, President PennvGardj� BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING December 13, 2021 Page4 of4