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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRB 1997-02-03 Minutes MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, HELD AT THE NORTH RICHLAND HILLS COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT 7301 NORTHEAST LOOP 820 February 3, 1997 - 6:00 P.M. ATTENDANCE PRESENT: Board: Don Tipps Chairman Sharon Battfes Vice Chairwoman Pam Jackson Board Member Cheryl Lyman Board Member Lorraine Miller Board Member Ann Perchard Board Member Rick Work Board Member Staff: Jim Browne Director of Parks & Recreation Larry Cunningham Assistant City Manager Christina Lopez Administrative Secretary Patty Moos Park Planning and Construction Superintendent Monica Sue Walsh Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation ABSENT: Bobbie Lambert Board Member ITEM 1. CALL TO ORDER Mr. Tipps called the meeting to order February 3, 1997 at 6:03 P.M. ITEM 2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES (Passed 7-0) Ms. Jackson made a motion, seconded by Ms. Battles, to approve the minutes of the November 21, 1996 meeting. 1 ITEM 3. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BOARD MEMBER Mr. Jim Browne introduced Ms. Lorraine Miller as a new Park Board Member. Ms. Miller was appointed by Byron Sibbet and replaces Mr. J. Douglass Davis. Ms. Miller is a Reaftor with Coldwell Banker Paula Stringer Realtors. Ms. Miller is also involved with the North Ridge Elementary School PTA and also serves as a Volunteer Board Member with the Richland Youth Association. Staff and Park Board Members welcomed Ms. Miller to the Board. ITEM 4. PARK OPERATIONS AND CAP{TAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM STATUS REPORT Ms. Patty Moos provided a report of the status of the Parks Maintenance Department and Capital Improvement Projects. Preliminary design work is continuing on Calloway Branch Trail. The Tennis Center is complete. Plans and Specifications have been submitted to TxDOT for final review and approval for the North Electric Trail. Staff and the consultants are continuing with preparing the preliminary pedestrian and equestrian trail layout for Little Bear Creek Trail. City Council awarded the construction contract, at their January 27th meeting, for Phase II of Glenview Neighborhood Park to Inform Construction. Newman, Jackson, Bieberstein is proceeding with gathering base data and preparing on-site survey information and preliminary map work for the Phase I Bike Route Signage and Signs. Landscape Alliance has been selected as the consultant for the North Hills Mall Multi-Use Traif project. Staff is currently working on the contra~t. City Council awarded the construction contract for the Gir1s Fast Pitch Softball Complex to Meridian Construction. A Texas Parks And Wildlife Department grant has been submitted for the 100 Acre City Park Site. Notice of award is anticipated to be August 1997. Brinkfey Sargent Architects is completing preliminary research for the NRH2O Master Plan Update. Contract documents are being signed by Landscape Alliance for the Standard Park Signage that will be instalfed at various parks and facilities. Richfield Park Improvements are on hold pending discussions with the Richland Youth Association. 2 Plans and specifications are being prepared, in-house, for the Mid-Cities Boulevard Landscape and Irrigation project. City Council approved the bid for construction of the Dan Echols Parking Lot and Playground Improvements to Howard Construction. Tarrant County will process the contract. ITEM 5. RECREATION, ATHLET{CS AND SENIOR ADULTS Ms. Monica Walsh provided a report of activities in recreation, athfetics, senior adult services and the Tennis Center. Friday Night Out, held January 24, had 960 teens in attendance. The Friday Night Out program has become so successful that a maximum attendance limit of 600 has been established for the safety of the students. In addition, "Friday Night Out" cards will be issued to all three middle schools. Only those students that present the card will be permitted into the dance. This measure will help reduce the number of high school age students and those from other school districts. Staff has also decided to employ three police officers instead of finro. Two of the officers will be located inside the facility and the other officer wiif work the outside parking lot. At their January 27 City Council meeting, Council approved upgrading one After School Coordinator position to the full time position of "Youth at Risk Specialist" or "Community Outreach Coordinator". The Community Outreach Coordinator will spend equal time at Northridge and North Richland Middle Schools managing the after school program. During the summer, the position will direct the summer camp. Also, two additional 12.5 hour "After School Leader" positions were added. Park Division staff spent two days painting several of the second floor rooms, including the assembly room, at the Recreation Center. Also, Council approved new carpet for the assembly room, martial arts studio, all the upstairs classrooms and control desk area downstairs. The Parks and Recreation Department was approached by the API Championship Marketing Group to discuss the possibility of North Richland Hills PARD hosting the National IronKids Triathlon in August. This event will bring 500, 7-14 year old triathletes from throughout the Country to North Richland Hills. API has scheduled Janet Evans and Mia Hamm, 1996 Olympic Medalists for appearances, and ESPN will be covering the event if we are se{ected to be the host site. The NRH Parks and Recreation Department was referred to API by other Parks and Recreation Departments throughout the country and our area. SENIORS The Bursey Road Center Renovation/Expansion Ribbon Cutting was held on December 5. The Seniors are enjoying the expanded and renovated center. Dan Echols held their Thanksgiving luncheon on November 20 with 124 people in attendance. They are looking forward to the expanded parking lot which will be under construction shortly. 3 ATHLETICS The Parks and Recreation Department Athletic Division and the Dallas Mavericks will be hosting the NBA 2-Ball Iocal competition on February 22, 1997 at the Recreation Center. Kids competing at the local level have a chance to move on to the regional level competition and then on to the competition that is played during the NBA Playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks are also co-sponsoring a Basketbal{ Camp with the Recreation Center and Richland High School. The camp wil! cost approximately $170 per child for one week and wifl be held at Richland High School. The Dallas Mavericks will provide eight scholarships to students to benefit the school. Any proceeds raised will benefit the Teen After School Programs. The Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting the TAAF State Men's 6 foot and under Basketball Tournament which will be held March 7, 8& 9 at the Recreation Center and Richland High School. Staff is currently working the North Texas Soccer Association in combining the coaches certification program for soccer associations in North Richland Hills. TENNIS CENTER Currently there are eight different tennis classes being held with 61 participants and six types of leagues being played with 80 participants. Richland High School has hosted one dual match. Matt Watson was hired as the Head Pro and Kerri Preng was hired as the Assistant Pro. Both Matt and Kerri are Certified USPTA Professional Level 1. Matt served a the Interim Director of Tennis for five months after Charlotte Wylie came to work for us. Matt worked with Charlotte for four years as the Manager/Assistant Pro in Topeka. He was also the Assistant Coach for Washburn University for the Men's/Women's Team. He also has Assistant Pro experience at Cheyenne Country Club, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Wood Valley Racquet Club and Topeka Country Club in Topeka, Kansas. Matt was on a tennis scholarship at Washburn University, Varsity Tennis Team Captain and won several awards playing tennis in College. Kerri is from Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas where she was the Pro Shop Manager/Activities Director/Tennis Pro for four years. She also has experience at the Greens Tennis and Country Club as a Tennis Pro for two years. She was on a tennis scholarship while attending Florida State University and won several tennis awards while playing in coflege. The Tennis Center is looking at securing several tournaments. A Grand Opening is scheduled for April 19, which will be sponsored by Penn. Staff is also talking with Prince about sponsorship opportunities. 4 iTEM 6. DISCUSSION OF OTHER ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA Mr. Randy Cupp, President of RYA, requested to address the Board concerning the vote regarding the 100 Acre City Park site. Mr. Cupp stated that RYA cannot use the new baseball facility located at the 100 Acre City Park site as it is, with only three fields. RYA would like to talk to staff about placing three football fields at that location and convert the existing football fields at Richfield Park to baseball fields. Staff commented that they have already looked at that possibility and it is not feasible. Staff will meet with Mr. Cupp. Mr. Cupp would also like to discuss the condition of the volunteer built storage buildings located at Richfield Park. He says the buildings are in bad shape, roofs are leaking and floors are falling apart. Mr. Cupp was advised to contact staff to set up a meeting to address the concerns of RYA. Mr. Browne announced to the Board that Mr. Kyle Haney, President of the North Richland Girls Softball League, passed away this past weekend. He was an outstanding representative of Gir{s Softball. The services will be held on Thursday at 2:00 in Waxahachie. The Board commented on the approval process for the Master Development Plan for the 100 acre park. The Board acknowledged the work of the consultants and staff, stating that they did a good job in developing concept plans and incorporating public input into the finaf design. The Board agreed that their function is to solicit input from our citizens and recommend park plans, based on all input and information, to City Council. The Board felt we were a long way into the process to arbitrarily decide on the number of ballfields, at the final council meeting, after all of the public input opportunities and Park Board meetings. The Board concluded by suggesting that we continue to communicate with the City Council, and work through those types of issues together. Staff reminded the Board that we facilitated a series of workshops, with both Park Board and Council, where we went out "on site" and discussed these issues way in advance. Staff also stressed that continuing to improve communication between Board Members and Council could alleviate some of those challenges with future projects. ITEM 7. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Battles made a motion, seconded by Ms. Jackson, to adjourned the meeting at 7:05 P.M. on s, Chairperson ATTEST: Christina Lopez, Administrative Secretary 5