Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRB 1997-10-06 Minutes _ M~MUTES OF THE Pq,RKS AND RECREATt~I BOARD OF THE GiTY ~F h14RTH RICHLAN~ HlLLS,1'EXAS, HELD At 7WE NARTH Ft~CHLAND HILLS PRE-COi~NNICIL CHAMBERS LUCATEts AT 7301 wORTHEA?ST ~.t3?OP $ZO October 6, 199T ATTENDANCE PRESENT Bcard: Don Tipps Chairman Sharon Batties Vice Chairwoman Babbie Lambert Bvard Member Lorr~ine Miller Board Member John Pena Bo~rd Alternate Ann Rerchard Board Member Rick Wvrk Board Member Staff: Monica Sue W~fsh Assistant Director of Parks 8 Recreation Larry Cunningham City Manager ~ Sandra Miller Secretary Parks and Recreation Chris Swartz Aquatics Manager Marcia Minnies Marketing Specialist ABSENT: Jim Brawne Qirector af Parks at~d F~ecF+e~tion BiN Tharrr~ton Assistant [lirector of P'~rks and Recreation Pam Ja~ksan Board Member ITEM 1. CALL TO 012DER Mr. Tipps called the meeting to order October 6, 1997 at 6:02 p.m. ITEM 2. APP'ROYAL OF THE MINUTES (Pas~es 6-0) Ms. Miller made a motion, seconded by Ms. Perchard, to approve tfie minutes of the August 4, 1997 me~t'rng. ~ ITEM 3. RECREATfON, ATHLETICS, SEM~flR AQULTS AND RIGHLAND TENNIS CENTER ~tEPC~RTS Ms. Monica Sue Walsh updated the Board on the foilowing: The 2nd Annual R~is#ration Pafity was held on August 16 ~rnd was a great success. Over 500 people were in attendance with introduction to the F~1! programs, live music, demonstrations artd fc~d. Revenue for the Recreation Cen~er was 123% of projections. The Recreatian Cent~r made a trip- to Mineral WeICs St~e R~rk for a rock climbing expedi#ion with 11 in attendanc~. All equipment was supplied. The first #een dance a# the new school year, Friday Night Out, was held on September 19th. More tk~an 470 students attended. Head for th~ Hills Family Festivat is on Oc#ober 11th from 10:OQ a.m. - 6:00 p.m. This years festival is a combirt~i e#~art of the North Richland Hills Parks and Recreation Department and Economic Devebpment. Marcia Minnies, Marketing Speciaiist, provided a handout reg~rding the frsstivaf. A new competition is to be h+eld at the Head for the Hilts Festival this year called "Punt, Pass and Kick". The program is for participants ages 8- 18 and the winner will go to a ~ Dallas Cowboys game. "Make A Difference Day" will be held at Richland High School on October 21, 1997 from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Coordinatic~n efforts are being mad~ by Terry Kinzie, Director of Information Senrice~ and Ch~ry! Lyman, City Gouncilwor~an. The Youth At Ris~k pragrarn hes a new reward ~yst~m th~# has b~n irnplemented this year. Students are rewanded for a~ndir~g ptograms and afi the er~d of e~cM s~;mester an awards ceremony is held. Helping Hands, is a n~ww progt~m implernented this year wttich d~velops leadership skills, community involvement and v~lun#e+~rism. They have volur~teered at the Presbyterian Night Shelter and upcoming events include the Family Fe~tival and the Halloween Boo Bash. North Richland Hilis P~rks and R~c~ea€ion was awarded tvvo state softball toumaments for ~ 1998 at the 7.A.A.F. Conferer~ce in San Antonio. They are the Men's Church "C" League and Fall Co-Rec Stat~ Toumaments which are to be heid a# Northfield Park. Bob Hagin received the T.A.A.F. President's Excellence Awerd at the annual conference this year. The National IronKids Bread Triathlon held on August 23rd was a great success with 360 ~ participants. An enormous thank you was expressed to ail Board members that ~ volunteered for the event. The City received $3,500 to assist in funding of the Teen After School Program. John Pena and Rick Work won d4or priz~s at the volunteer prize drawing. Ms. Miller wanted ta know if a date had been set for the broadcatst on ESPN. Ms. Walsh indicated that the proje~cted date was December 24th but tha# pc~stcards would be sent with the broadcast date. ~ Mr. Pena tMartked ~ fc~r the rt~w exereise equi~ment a# tht+~ t~on Center. He also mention+ed th~t he v~st~dd fi~ae tQ ses sport juir:es and bot#~i°w?~ +~ffiered for sale. He, as weli as other R~crea~tia~ C~~ p~~i~ipants, would l~ke to re~ques# more weights in the weight room and cei#i~g f~n ~~t~#ments. The "Play Tennis America" program at Richland Tennis Center gave 133 participants free tennis lessans which ~xceeded tMe projected goal. Richland Tennis Center hosted a Mid-Cities Tournament on September 27th with 85 juniors participa#ing. ITEM 4. AQUATICS REPORTS ~ Mr. Chris Swartz updated the Board on the following: NRH2O recorded attendance numbers of 202,957 for the 1S~3197 season. A decrease over last year due to paor weather which included May 31st and July 4th, finro of the parks biggest days, and a d~e~ in ~ale of season passes. Monie~ ~+vere recovered by daily pass purchases. P1c~h Rir~h~ Hills residents were ttte I~ges~ in attendance at 25%. Also affecting attend~nc~ r~s ch~nge of the schoaf ca~nd~r ~r. Mr. Tipps wanted to knc~w if more slides were going to be 'tnstaf~ci. He also asked that if we are building bigger and larger slides, are we getting our monies worth? Mr. Swartz indica#ed that varrous attractions were being reviewed and installation was not necessarily going to be just stides. Curren#ly under review are more family attractions. Mr. Pena wanted to know if there was a long range plan for the water park. Chris Swartz stated that we are in the pro~s of completing a Master Plan. Mr. Pena also wanted to know the difference between Chisholm Park Aquatic Center and NRH2O. Mr. Swartz steted that NRHzO is a full scale watgr p~rk while Chisholm is a leisure pool. Guest service ra#ings incne~~ed this year with a slight decrease in the ratings of con~essions, attraction~ and fecilities. Allowing gues#s to bring in c~lers has affected the concession sunrey. More slides were the number one guest request within the survey. The Gift Shop had sales of over $100,000 this season. MentiQned were the sale of Beanie Babies at the Gift Shop. NRH2O received ratings of "excellent " from our Aquatic Risk Firm, Jeff Ellis and Associates, on ali aud~s ccmducted this year. Special thanks was given to Frank Perez and all the (i~eguards fior fiheir hmd work and dedication. ; ~ ITEM 5. PAFtK QP~Tf4N AND CAPITAL fNIP'~~N~NT F~'itQCRAM STATUS RE~RfiS Ms. Monica Walsh updated the Board on the following: The following tSTEA projects are in final design, Calloway Branch Trail, Little Bear Creek Trail, North Hilfs Mu1ti-Use Trail, and Phase I Bike Route Signage and Signs are awaiting final review from TxDOT. ; North Electric Trail is scheduted to issue bids on November 7th and award the contract in December. Newman, Jackson and Beil~rstein is in the process of preparing the preliminary pedestrian and equestrian trail layaut for Litttlee Bear Creek Trail. Negatiations are expecteEd to be completed this fall for the acquisition of 11 acres of neighborhood parktand in the Thornbridge subdivision. "Phase I Bike Rou#s Sig~age ~n+d S~gns" consultant Newm~n, J~son and Beiberstein is gathering databa~e inf~arm~ii~n, or~-s~te sunreys and prelimi~ary map work. ; The Landscape ANiance has statted preliminary design work on the North Hills Multi-Use Trail. The contraGtor for the Girfs fast Pitch Softbatl Comp{ex cantinues building walls, parking lot and ballfield construction. Texas Parks and Wildl~e De~rtm~errt awarded a$500,000 grarrt for the 100 Acre City Park Site. The announcement wa~ m~de at the end of August at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission hearing in Austin, TX. Mid-Cities Boulevard Landscape and Irrigation project has been completed. Dan Echols Parking Lot and Playground tmprovements praject with Teague, Nall and Perkins was completed in .tuly. ~ ; Ms. Battles wanted to knaw if security lights were going to be installed at Glenview i,~, Neighborhood Park. Ms.1Na~~h responded that lights were no# in tMe plans. ITEM 6. S1Y~31Cth~'s POLICY FOR G1TY PAR1iS Ms. Walsh updated the Board on the following: The Board re~omn~er~ded at the June 2, 1997 meeting th~t Richland Youth Association incarporate a rra srn~ir~g pa?1i~ ~ their Yotr~h Associati~n By~~.aw~. This recommendation came from a~ request by paranfi members. The City Manag~- h~f received from citizens, requests by I~ter and te~tMt~re, to elim'rnate smoking d~ tt~ li#ter and second hand smoke at youth activ'rti~s. A no smoking policy for Parks and Recreation facilities couid be incorporated into the signage and Ordinance #4804 would be amended to include parks. The National Youth Sports CoacMing Association, NYSCA, has amended their by-laws to include a no smoking ordinance. Our certified coaches #a11 under tt~ese by-laws and are required to abide. Mr. Pena stated that he was not a smoking advoeate and waa rrot prepared to impose this policy in a public park. The BaNp~rk in Arlington has designated ~moking areas. He stated ~ that a possible solution wa~ to consider no smoking in the stands. He thought the City was going to open themselves to legal issues. Mr. Work disagr~d, saying that there should be no smoking, no alc~hol and no tobacco use anywhere within our parks. Ms. Battles expres~ed concem over potential of fire safet~r. S~e ~so wanted to know if Rex McEntire, Ciiy Attom~y, had r~vi~wed the ordinance. Larry Cunningham, City Manager, stated that Rex had reviewed and indicat~d it was legal. Ms. Miller would like a smoke free park but expressed concern over enforcement. Mr. Streit, NRGSL, commented on the enforcement issues and aiso stated that he would also like to see no litter signs installed. Mr. Tipps reques#ed for the $240 fine to be posted on the park signs to assist with enforcement. Ms. Battles made a motion, secanded by Mr. Work to recomm~snd to City Council that no smoking be allowed in p~rks. The motion was amend~l by Ms. B~s to list the $200 fine and the Ordinance No. on the signage. Motion carried 6-1. ~ ITEM 7. ~ MAfNTE~i#NCE FE~S FOR ATHLETIC FI~L.C~ I~tWTENANCE Ms. Monica Walsh updated the Board on the following: The Parks and Recreation Department and Richland Youth Association have discussed implementing maintenance fees to cover mowing, litter control and maintenance on fields. Ms. Miller ~rant~ci to knov~ il~+~ Maurs of maintenance and ~hat to offset the cost tha# registratit~n fee~ wvulc! h~v~ to be raised. Ms. Walsh sta#ed #hat tth~ fr~ld~ would be main#ained befor~ the trours of play. Ms. Battles wanted #o know approximately the average monies involved. Ms. Waish said that amount was unknown at tfiis time but she could foilow up later with the amounts. Mr. Jim Streit, NRGSL, susgeatmd that the rela#ionships wfth youth organizations would be helpful in deciding what the cange of fees should be. ` ITEM 8. ' ~ RJm1RK SYSTEM MASTER PLAN Ms. Monica Walsh updated the Board on the foliowing: The City Couneit at the Sept~mber 22nd m~tinc~ autho~ staff to contract the , pro#essional senric~s t~f Car~r and Burgess for th~ prep~r~tio~ c~f the Park System Master Plan. ~ The Master Pian is due to be c~mpfeted in approximat~ly 9 montMs. A Task Force is being assembled to gather ir~forma~on from focus groups, public hearings and surveys. The Task Force will consist af Gi#y St~ff, one member o# the Parks ~nd Recreation Board, one member of City Council and r~presentatives from the consultant, Carter and Burgess. Ms. Walsh ask if any of the Board memb~rs would consider volunteering for the Task Force. Mr. Tipps offered to sit on the Task Force as a repres~rrtative for the Parks and Recreation Board. 9. OTHER ITEMS NOT ON AGEN~IA . Mr. David Rudd, a c'rtizen of Nc~rth Richland Mills, wanted to know about the bike signage being installed and the area it covers. Ms. Walsh welcomed him to visit the department for an ovenriew. t~, Mr. Jim Streit, NRGSL, gave an overview of girls softball at Fossil Creek saying there are 16 members of the NRGSI. Bo~rd w~h plans of 18 - 2Q boarc! members. Also, an awards night is being planned for Octvber 23rd. Two clinics were held in August for aoaches and pfayers and 17 teams have registered for Fall. There will be a clinic on November 1st and 2nd at Fossil Creek Park. Southwest Texas University softbal! cosch and 4 Olympic pfayers will be in atter~dance. 10. ADJGURNMENT Ms. Battles made a rnotion, seconded by Ms. Miller, to adjaurn the meeting at 7:26 p.m. Don s, Chairperson ATTEST: . ~ andra Miller, Secret arks and Recreation ~