05-04-1989 (Parks & Recreation) Minutes PARK AND RECREATION BOARD
MINUTES
MAY 4, 1989
The City of Wylie Park and Recreation Board met in regular
session on Thursday, May 4, 1989 at 7: 15 P. M. in the Council
Chambers at the Municipal Complex. A quorum was present and
notice of the meeting had been posted in the time and manner
required by law. Those present were Chairman D. F. Whitlow,
Board Members Jill Tomek, Joanie Zeeb, David Orr, and Bill
Burge, City Manager Charles Norwood, Public Works
Superintendent Don White, Parks Maintenance Foreman Philip
Bounds, and Secretary Lisa Keith. Vice Chairman Ron
Ferguson and Board Member Bill Emsoff were absent.
Chairman Whitlow call the meeting to order.
RULES AND PROCEDURES PRESENTATION: City Secretary Carolyn
Jones not being present the Board moved on to the next order
of business .
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE APRIL 6TH MEETING : D. F. Whitlow
requested a change on page 2, paragraph 6, to add a final
sentence to read " I think we need to consider the hazards of
having to cross the road twice. Page 4, 1st paragraph, 1st
sentence, change the word "said" to "ask". Page 4,
paragraph 3, 2nd sentence, change the word " lost" to " low".
Jill Tomek requested an addition on page 2, paragraph 3,
last sentence to add the word "area" as the last word in the
paragraph. Page 3, paragraph 4, change the entire sentence
to read "Jill Tomek suggested a concession stand for the
pool and tennis area. It could create revenue for the
City. " Page 5, paragraph 5, completely omit the first
sentence. Page 5, paragraph 6, completely omit the entire
paragraph.
There being no other additions or corrections a motion was
made to approve the minutes with the requested changes. The
motion was seconded with all in favor.
DISCUSSION OF BIRMINGHAM FARMS TRACT: Chairman Whitlow
pointed out the memo in the packet on page 9 from Roy
Faires.
Charles Norwood reassured the Board Members that we don' t
have to worry about loosing the park land. The property is
zoned park land and in a 100 year flood plain. There is no
way any kind of construction can take place.
A motion was made to table discussion of this business until
such time as the Birmingham land is deeded to the City. The
motion was seconded with all in favor.
REVIEW TENTATIVE PARK MASTER PLAN: The Board Members
reviewed the tentative master plan designed by Jill Tomek
and drawn by the City Engineers office.
Jill Tomek explained that the reason a jogging trail was not
included on the plan is that more information was needed on
what type of trail to put in and where it should be located.
Jill Tomek suggested a trail with several exercise stopping
points along the path. It would be very inexpensive to do
it ourself , out of redwood.
There was some concern of the jogging trail having to cross
two roads. D. F. Whitlow suggested drawing in a bridge over
the road as a safety measure, just in case one is needed in
the future.
Jill Tomek pointed out the southeast quadrant where the
combination football /soccer fields are, and said since
soccer is the main event maybe we should switch the fields
around so the second parking lot will be utilized.
D. F. Whitlow said next fall I would like to see soccer
played in the new area. I do not want to see another year
on the baseball fields.
Jill Tomek said she had talked to a park planner in Plano to
get some input on what works best in parks. The way we have
the fields set up now will work if the scheduling is done
right.
David Orr said I have been on this Park and Recreation Board
for three months now and it is a Park and Beautification
Board and apparently has nothing to do with recreation. I
feel offended that you did not come to WSA for their input.
Don White informed the board that they needed to finalize
the master plan tonight. The purpose of this business is to
agree on the park master plan. I want to see us move on to
other designated park land and come up with plans like this
for each one.
Joanie Zeeb moved to accept the plan as amended. There was
no second as there was obviously more discussion.
Jill Tomek said she would have the jogging path drawn into
the plan at the boundary lines.
D. F. Whitlow said that wherever the designated start point
is for the jogging trail that it should move in a direction
away from the traffic flow.
Jill Tomek said one of her concerns was a southern entrance
to the park sometime in the future.
D. F. Whitlow said his idea was that you can get to the
jogging trail from several locations.
Jill Tomek said exercise points will take up very little
space, 4 ft x 6 ft maybe.
D. F. Whitlow said the city needs to move the soccer goals
out of the ballfields, now. Then we can eventually fence
the ballfields in and close off the ballfields when it is
not in use.
There was some discussion between David Orr and Jill Tomek
as to where the fence should be placed once the ballfields
are enclosed.
Don White said let me give you some recommendations. Jill
Tomek wants us to go ahead and install a sprinkler system
for the park, we also want to get this done. Right now we
have to put this plan to rest. I can' t do any of this, this
year. You have to approve a plan now. At budget session
you have to decide which item you want to put in the park
for fiscal year 89/90. Once the master plan is agreed on I
will take it the Council for their approval .
There was some discussion of moving the soccer fields away
from the ballfield complex now. Don White said I can put a
tentative field in now, but it won' t be permanent. We don' t
have the money in the budget this year to do anything other
than maintenance.
Charles Norwood said we need to take each of these
activities in the master plan and lets assign a cost to each
one, then let you establish the priorities. Then the city
can work from the priority list. The mention of a swimming
is a huge expense, around $150, 000, we' re looking at some
real mega bucks. Of course the city must face your
priorities along with its other priorities. I recommend for
you to adopt a plan tonight, let us set the costs, then you
can set the priorities.
Jill Tomek asked Don White how much money had been spent on
the sprinkler system, so far. Don White said $1 , 500 to
$2, 000 so far . I think we can come up with the money
somewhere to finish the irrigation system to get it into one
field.
Jill Tomek motioned to approve the master plan as amended.
The motion was not seconded as there was further discussion.
David Orr said I think frisbee golf needs to be taken off
the plans.
Jill Tomek said she would like to leave it on the plans.
D. F. Whitlow asked Jill Tomek if other cities had frisbee
golf in the regular park complexes where it overlaps other
activities, or is it separated. Jill Tomek and D. F. Whitlow
reviewed a map of one of Richardsons parks containing a
frisbee golf course, where it had it' s own designated area
and did not overlap into other activities.
D. F. Whitlow said maybe we can move frisbee golf to
Valentine Park. Then we might get some useage out of that
park. My concern is the frisbee golf overlapping other
areas. I think it should be in a designated area by itself .
There was some discussion of the jogging trail and frisbee
golf getting in the way of each other.
There was some discussion of moving baseball practices to
Valentine Park. David Orr said there was no parking. Jill
Tomek said that a couple of houses were being condemned,
when that happens the lots can be turned into parking. David
Orr said that Valentine Park was to small for baseball or
soccer.
Jill Tomek recommended that the jogging trail location not
interfere with a future south entrance to the park.
Jill Tomek recommended to take out the frisbee golf ,
temporarily, and move the jogging trail as discussed.
There was some discussion of adding four tennis courts in
place of the frisbee golf .
Charles Norwood asked how popular tennis was in Wylie. D. F.
Whitlow felt it would be very popular if we had the
facilities.
Charles Norwood said that from his past experiences that a
lighted basketball court got the most activity. I would
recommend you to consider adding a basketball court.
D. F. Whitlow said that we are very fortunate to have a
person who lives here in Wylie that constructs combo
tennis/basketball courts for a living. It is expensive.
Charles Norwood said we might look at joint recreational
programs with the city and the school district. Through
these type of programs the entire community learns to work
together.
A motion was made to accept the park master plan as drawn
with changes being to fence the ballfield complex, add two
more tennis courts, one lighted basketball court, and
include a jogging trail along the boundary. The motion was
seconded with all in favor.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: There being no citizens present the
board moved on to the next order of business.
GENERAL DISCUSSION: D. F. Whitlow complimented Philip Bounds
for his efforts, alot of people are starting to notice
things happening. We need to spend what additional monies
we have to put in the sprinkler system.
Don White said we are going to used two temporary employees
starting June 1st to mow, weed eat, and maintain the
existing parks.
Joanie Zeeb said we need to mow every four to five days and
keep it looking nice.
Jill Tomek asked Don White when the Community Park sign
would come in. Don White said I approved the proofs last
week, we should have the sign in another couple of weeks.
Jill Tomek said to Don White, when reading the minutes of
the last meeting I noticed you said that we used to have
$185, 000 in the park budget. Is this true? Don White said
$185, 000 may not be totally accurate, but if my memory is
correct it was somewhere in that range. We had four
employees in the year 1985. There was alot of money in the
budget.
D. F. Whitlow asked when the final budget is to be put to
bed. Charles Norwood said we should starting working on it
in July.
There was some discussion of the budget and the WSA
agreement.
Charles Norwood asked David Orr if the city was fulfilling
its part of the WSA agreement. Daivd Orr said , sir you are
doing the best you can with what you' ve got.
There was some discussion of the $3, 000 revenue from WSA and
how it should be spent on park improvements, not on
maintenance or operations.
Jill Tomek said she needed some feedback on what kind of
playground equipment to look at. What does everyone
recommend. There are three types ; wood, metal , or PVC. All
of them have ten year warranties on the main frame. I ' m
afraid of metal , even though it' s a combination of steel and
aluminum it still gets hot. The wood equipment is made out
of redwood and will eventually deteriorate. PVC is new so
I ' m not sure about it. Don White said before a decision is
made I would like to check with TML Insurance and see which
would be safer and a low risk liability to the city. I need
to call and find out which would be best where our insurance
rates are concerned.
Jill Tomek said we would have to wait until we got the new
playground equipment to put the french drain in and the pea
gravel . When the equipment is set in it has to be sunk
around twenty four inches. It doesn' t make sense to have to
shovel pea gravel out of the way when we could just wait to
put it in.
There being no other business or discussion a motion was
made to adjourn. The motion was seconded with all in favor.
hii0/2271110:)
D. F. Whitlow, Chairman
Respectfully Submitted,
Titsit
Lisa Keith, Secretary