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Home My WebLink AboutPRB 2004-08-02 Minutes MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATfON BOARD OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS HELD AT THE PRE COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT 7301 NORTHEAST LOOP 820 August 2, 2004 ATTENDANCE Present: Board: Mark Haynes Chairman Brad Greene Vice-Chairman Mark Cochran Board Member Marlin Miller Board Member Marty Kusmierski Board Member Ron Ruthven Board Member Virginia Stencel Board Member Kim Kirby Alternate Absent: Present: Staff: Sharon Davis Recreation Superintendent Christina Lopez Administrative Secretary Chris Swartz Aquatic Park Manager Bill Thornton Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Richard Torres Assistant City Manager ITEM 1. CALL TO ORDER Mr. Mark Haynes, Chairman, called the meeting to order August 2, 2004 at 6:05 p.m. Chairman Haynes requested that we cover Item 3 prior to Item 2. ITEM 3. INTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW PARK AND RECREATION BOARD MEMBERS The two new Park and Recreation Board members were introduced, Mr. Mark Cochran and Mr. Ron Ruthven. The rest of the Board members and staff intsoduced themse4ves as well. ITEM 2. STAFF UPDATES Mr. Richard Torres, Assistant City Manager, updated the Park and Recreation Board on the process for selecting a new Director of Parks and Recreation. For the time being Mr. Torres has been assigned the duties of Interim Director. ITEM 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES APPROVED MOTION: Mr. Miller made a motion, seconded by Mr. Greene, to approve the minutes of the June 7, 2004 meeting. Motion to approve carried 6-0 ITEM 5. PR 04-26 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN & VICE CHAIRMAN Mr. Miller made a motion, seconded by Ms. Kirby, to nominate Mark Haynes for the office of Chairman. Motion to approve carried 6-0 Ms. Kusmierski made a motion, seconded by Ms. Kirby, to nominate Brad Greene for the office of Vice Chairman. Motion to approve carried 6-0 ITEM 6. PR 04-27 RECREATION, ATHLETICS, SENIOR ADULTS, TEENS, TENNIS CENTER AND CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM REPORTS Ms. Davis updated the Park and Recreation Board on the following: Staff began distribution of a newsletter for SilverSneakers~ participants to help improve the way information is dispersed. Currently there are over 270 participants. Mr. MiNer would like to see information about SilverSneakers~ on Citicable. Recreation staff has been aggressively marketing the fall and winter session of classes since the third printing of the brochure was eliminated from the budget for FY03/04. After budget review it was decided to reinstate this item for the next FY. Park and Recreation Board Minutes August 2, 2004 2 The TXU Games of Texas was held July 22-25, 2004 with approximately 10,780 athletes who competed in 21 different sports at 30 different venues. Sponsorships totaled $76,700 in cash and $440,000 in "in kind". The 2004 TXU Games of Texas has been billed the largest in the Games history. Mr. Miller visited Walker's Creek Park during the Games and commented that the event was as "professional as you can get" and that "staff was doing one whale of a job." Staff will be attending the TAAF Annual Conference in September and plan to bid on the Men's Church State Softball Tournament or the Adult Coed State Softball Tournament as well as one of the age divisions for the Girl's Fast Pitch Softball Tournament. The Senior Center Supervisors from both centers have been coflaborating on severaf programs. Recently they held an Art Exhibit with 32 participants exhibiting China painting, ceramics, oil paintings and quilting items. Over 90 people came through the Dan Echols Center to view the exhibit. Alterra Sterling House held a Scavenger hunt for residents and the Dan Echols Senior Center on July 1. Retirement facilities have been very generous to both senior centers. The Dan Echols Senior Center added chair massages to their exercise class during the week. The massage therapist charges $1.00 per minute and has a waiting list. The 4th Annual Missoula Children's Theatre Residency was held in July with forty children, between the ages of 6-15 performing The Frog Prince. Over 200 people attended the perFormance on Saturday. Scott Brekken has been hired as the Head Tennis Professional for Richland Tennis Center. Scott has been involved in teaching tennis for over 20 years. The Richland Tennis Center was a venue for the TXU Games of Texas with 300 participants at their site. ITEM 7. PR 04-28 PARK OPERATIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM STATUS REPORT Mr. Thornton updated the Park and Recreation Board on the following: Parks maintenance staff has been working on the eradication of cattails from the shore line of the Home Town Lakes. The Home Town Lake Mitigation Plan prohibits the use of any type of large mechanized equipment or the use of pesticides making the task difficult and slow. Staff recently acquired a"lake mower" and have "mowed" the shorelines of the lake. Park and Recreation Board Minutes August 2, 2004 $ Staff is waiting on the execution of Change Order #2 for Tommy and Sue Brown Park. The Change Order is associated with the relocation of the fire station. Most of the concrete in the original contract has been poured and the bridge has been set. Water meters will be installed before the irrigation can begin. The forming of the culvert extension at Liberty Park is beginning. The bridge is on site and set and the playground equipment is in storage. Staff is currently waiting on TCEQ approval for the lake excavation to proceed. A kick-off meeting was held on July 12th for Phase II of the neighborhood park initiative. Dunkin, Sims Stoffels, Inc. is currently gathering base data for two park sites located on school property, Holiday Heights and Smithfield Elementary Schools. Once a conceptual plan has been prepared, staff will bring the design to the Park and Recreation Board and hold a public meeting. Irrigation plans for J.B. Sandlin Park are nearing completion. TxDOT awarded the bid for the Route Signs to Mica, Inc. Installation of the signs will begin after TxDOT receives the executed contract. Bids were opened on July 28th for the Walker's Creek Trail and Bike Transit Station. The bids came in under budget and staff is waiting on TxDOT to authorize the City to award the contract and begin construction. ITEM 8. PR 04-29 AQUATIC REPORT Mr. Chris Swartz updated the Park and Recreation Board on the following: Jeff Ellis and Associates performed their third aquatic operational safety audit on NRH2O aquatic staff and they did very well. They received the Platinum Award which is the highest award available and only given to facilities that perform among the top 10°/a of atl facilities worldwide. NRH2O partnered with WFAA and KinderVision to educate families about safety topics. At this event children were able to participate in fingerprinting, tour a fire truck and create their own personalized safety video. NRH2O hosted the "Little Miss & Mister Hawaiian Tropic Pageant" on July 18th. Sixty contestants competed, ranging in ages from 0-12 years. An estimated 200 spectators watched the fund event. ITEM 9. OTHER INFORMATIONAL ITEMS Park and Recreation Board Minutes August 2, 2004 4 Ms. Loftice invited anyone that wanted to be involved in the Cottonbelt Trail opening to attend a meeting next week. Ms. Kirby asked for staff to check on the Tree Remembrance Program's flagstone rocks that have been placed at Linda Spurlock Park. Chairman Haynes asked if anyone had any concerns with meeting bi-monthly. The Board would like this item placed on the next agenda for discussion. Mr. Miller commented about the "Cheers" that was in the Star-Telegram complimenting the City on Founders Park. ITEM 10. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Mr. Greene made a motion, seconded by Mr. Miller to adjourn the meeting at 7:35 p.m. Motion to approve carried 6-0 '~'i y ~ `I Mark Haynes, C rman ATTEST: MS~~ o~. ~ Christina Lopez, Administrative etary Park and Recreation Board Minutes August 2, 2004 5