06-25-2012 (Parks & Recreation) Minutes Parks and Recreation Board
CITY OF WYLIE
Meeting Minutes
Monday,June 25,2012-6:30 p.m.
Wylie Municipal Complex-Council Chambers
300 Country Club Road,Building 100
Wylie,Texas 75098
CALL TO ORDER
Announcing the presence of a Quorum,Board Member Matt Rose,filling in for Chairwoman Anne Hiney,called the meeting
to order at 6:30 p.m.
Board Members present: Matt Rose,Cristine Price,Gary Robas,Dan Chesnut and Jeff Harris.
Staff members present: Board Liaison Robert Diaz,Superintendent and Board Liaison and Park Board Secretary Interim,
Janet Hawkes.
CITIZENS PARTICIPATION
No citizens addressed the Board.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. Consider and act upon approving the Minutes from the June 25,2012 meeting.
Board Action
Board Member Harris made a motion,seconded by Board Member Robas to approve the minutes from the June 25,
2012 meeting. A vote was taken and passed 5-0.
2. Consider and act upon approving the Preliminary Wylie Trails Master Plan.
Board Discussion
Superintendent Diaz addressed the board by introducing Philip Neeley and Elizabeth Mcllrath,representatives with
consultants Dunaway Inc. Superintendent Diaz advised that the City Council had a few questions that were
answered by the consultants at the June Council work session,but since the Board had not been able to meet in joint
work session with Council,this meeting would be the opportunity for the Board to provide final input on the plan
and provide a formal recommendation to the City Council for the July 24,2012 Council meeting
Elizabeth McIlrath,with Dunaway Inc. addressed Board Member Harris' questions on how citizens would get
across 544 to access Founders Park and how the City of Wylie Municipal Complex would tie into the Founders Park
property. Elizabeth advised the Board that there are two different options: 1)an at-grade crossing at the
intersection of Country Club Rd(FM1378)and FM544,or 2)a crossing designed to go underneath the rails and
bridge at Country Club Rd(FM1378)and FM 544 intersection. These options would need to be coordinated with
TXDOT and the Texas Railroad Commission with a possible option to coordinate with the school district if an at-
grade crossing was decided on.The City of Wylie City Engineer,Chris Hoisted,will also be involved in advising us
in regards to our two options. Superintendent Diaz advised that Public Services Director Mike Sferra and Parks
Manager Shohn Rodgers are currently working with County grants to concentrate primarily on the north side of
FM544 in the Wylie Municipal Complex property.
Board Member Robas requested master plan consultants present the Board with their top 10 recommendations or a
priority list pertaining to the Wylie Trails Master Plan to which Elizabeth agreed she would email this information
to Superintendent Diaz. Board Member Rose asked Elizabeth for a recommendation on spacing of the rest areas,
water fountains,benches,etc.within the Trails Plan. Elizabeth advised she would put in a recommendation for this
as well in her priority report but that typically trail amenities are each spaced 1/4 to 1/2 mile apart. Board Member
Price asked about a standard sidewalk size for trails and Elizabeth advised that a lane with 10-12 foot width is a
minimum to allow necessity for shared use of the trail. Board Member Harris asked if we could use signage to
communicate to the public that the City Hall area is imitating the characteristics of a Blackland Prairie to which
Elizabeth responded that informational signs stating"Preserve Area"or similar would be appropriate. Board
Member Harris also asked if the consultants could recommend any other grants available that we might not be aware
of to which the consultants answered there were no other new grant options available at this time. Superintendent
Diaz pointed out that page 29 of the Wylie Trails Master Plan outlines the many grant opportunities offered which
staff can investigate. He advised he would again look into the TXDOT's"Safe Route to School Grant Program"the
City of Wylie applied for years ago but the City was not awarded any funding. This particular TxDOT grant funds
sidewalks at 80-100%,and is a very competitive grant.
Board Action
Board Member Robas made a motion,seconded by Board Member Chesnut,to accept approving the Preliminary
Wylie Trails Master Plan with additions. A vote was taken and passed 5-0.
3. Consider and act upon Wylie Women's League vendor registration to host the Wylie
Women's League Fall Festival to be held in the Old City Park on October 13, 2012
(October 20, 2012 rain date).
Board Discussion
Superintendent Diaz advised that the Wylie Women's League(WWL)hosted the Fall Festival event last year and it
went very well. The WWL would like to get this event on the calendar early to secure a spot at Olde City Park.
Board Action
Board Member Price made a motion,seconded by Board Member Harris to approve the Wylie Women's League
Fall Festival vendor registration. A vote was taken and passed 5-0.
4. Consider and act upon a Wylie Evening Lions Club vendor registration to host a
fundraiser "Dinner in the Dark" event at the Bart Peddicord Community Center on
August 11, 2012.
Board Discussion
Superintendent Diaz told the Board that the Wylie Evening Lions Club event"Dinner in the Dark"is a new event
consisting primarily of Lion Club members. It is a ticketed dinner with possible auction and/or requests for
donations at the door. Board Member Price asked why a vendor registration would be required for something like
the requested event,and Superintendent Diaz advised that the City of Wylie ordinances state that when taking
donations or selling an item of any kind,a vendor registration must be submitted.
Board Action
Board Member Price made a motion,seconded by Board Member Robas to approve the Wylie Evening Lions Club
"Dinner in the Dark"vendor registration. A vote was taken and passed 5-0.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
5. Review recreation fee options.
Board Discussion
Superintendent Diaz stated that staff reviewed the proposed recreation fee changes at the March 2012 and April
2012 meetings. They then reviewed the Board recommendations with the City Council in a work session on May 8,
2012. Councilwoman Culver forwarded her recommended proposed fee changes via email wherein she stated that
she feels the child care benefit should follow the child in that the parents can opt to purchase an annual child
membership and therein receive no addition childcare fee. If the child did not have a membership,then a fee would
be charged to the parent to use the childcare facility. She recommended that a family of four can still purchase an
annual membership at$325 with each additional family member being charged$55 each for memberships.
Councilwoman Culver also advised that she felt it would be a good idea to have the age wherein a member is
charged the adult rate be lowered to age 16 and up. Age 0-15 would continue to receive the child rate.
Superintendent Diaz advised that there are basically two options in regards to the Rec Fees: 1)allow additional
family members onto the family plan at one half the regular membership price after the fourth person,or 2)adopting
Minutes June 25, 2012
Wylie Parks and Recreation Board Meeting
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a flat fee per household of$55 per person after the fourth family member. Both options would likely incur a loss in
revenue if implemented. He stated that with the flat rate we would attach the childcare fees to a child membership
on ages six months to 15 years instead of the adult membership and then also consider raising the childcare fees.
Also proposed by Council in the May 8th work session was to lower the adult membership age from age 17 to age
16;however,those under age 18 would still need a parental signed waiver. Board Member Robas asked
Superintendent Diaz if a parental signed waiver was needed every time a child under 18 used the Rec Center and if
so,why can we not keep a waiver on file for a particular length of time. Superintendent Diaz responded that a Rec
Center waiver is tied to the term of the membership or pass and is only good for the duration of that membership or
pass(i.e.,a day pass waiver is good for only one day,a one month membership waiver is good for one month,etc.)
and that we do not keep a waiver on file longer than the pass or membership is valid for. Board Member Price asked
if the waiver is available on line but Superintendent advised that he believed the waiver must be picked up at the Rec
Center or emailed to the parent/guardian and were not available on the Wylie website.
In response to Councilwoman Culver's May 14,2012 email,second paragraph,referring to a"deficit of the Rec
Center",Board Member Chesnut inquired about her statement. He asked if there was an actual deficit and were
current Rec Center goals met to date. Superintendent Diaz advised that the Rec Center is a subsidized facility and
has met its goals for the first fiscal year;however,the expenses exceeded the revenue. Board Member Chesnut
responded that if there is going to be a deficit he feels the original pricing and ideas should stay set and that the debt
ceiling should be raised. Board Member Price asked where the City Council wants to end up percentage wise.
Superintendent Diaz stated that when the Council approved the Rec Center fees a few years ago,various subsidy
options were discussed.The 4B retail sales tax funds the Rec Center but also supports several other things such as
various City of Wylie Park operations,repayment of the City Municipal Complex Property,and 100%funding
toward the Community Center. Board Member Price requested to meet with just Board members within a few
weeks to review Rec Center fees. Superintendent Diaz said we could set up a special meeting in the conference
room along with a regular meeting. Staff is starting budget meetings with council on July 7 that could have an
impact on the Rec Center fees.
Board Member Price stated she would like to see the Recreation Center prices raised a little all across the board.
Board Member Rose,with Superintendent Diaz in agreement,said he felt that since the Recreation Center is at or
slightly over the yearly projections,discounting fees will end up lowering our projections for next year.
Superintendent Diaz believes that we will not see a huge reduction in revenue from the new rate structure;however,
a survey of the memberships could be done to research this potential. Board Member Robas is concerned about
potentially lowering our yearly revenue projections as a result of reducing Rec Center fees. Superintendent Diaz
said that Enterprise Plan consultants recommended to look at the fees every two years and re-evaluate accordingly.
He said that the new tier structure could end up improving our membership numbers because it is a more feasible
plan,specifically due to promoting the benefit of discounts for classes that only people holding a membership can
access. We may lose on membership numbers but gain on class enrollment. Superintendent Diaz mentioned a study
showing the City of Wylie being on the lower end as far as fees. Plano has an annual family membership of$330,
Cedar Hill at$300(does not have a pool),Frisco at$600,and Allen at$550.
Board Member Robas stated,with Board Member Price in agreement,that he feels it is time to raise our Recreation
Center rates and that 4B money should go to the Trails Plan. Superintendent Diaz agreed and stated we should
revisit the rates after summer is over to come up with a long term plan that is sustainable without losing customers.
Board Member Harris stated that he does not feel a 10-15%Recreation Center fee increase across the board will be
an issue,and he asked if a pool was a nearing possibility,to which Superintendent Diaz stated it was the number one
request of the Wylie residents,but it would most likely be funded by a future bond election. Board Member Harris
said he likes the idea of a splash park since it removes the higher liability risks. Superintendent Diaz responded that
a splash park costs approximately$250,000 to build.He also recommends a joint work session with the City
Council so the Board can discuss the topic of increasing the Rec Center fees to which Board Members Harris and
Robas agreed.
Superintendent Diaz stated that the budget for FY 2013 year is already being prepared. Board Member Price and
Harris stated they would like to see the Rec Center fees increased,allowing more monies available in the 4B fund to
spend on the Parks Trails Project;however,Board Members Chesnut and Rose advised that the City Council will
likely take any extra 4B fund to pay down the land deficit specifically and not the Parks Trails Project. Board
Member Chesnut stated that since the budget process for the upcoming fiscal year is already underway,we could not
show increase benefits until next fiscal year's budget meetings which would not take effect until October 2013.
Superintendent Diaz advised that we currently have two good grant possibilities which the City of Wylie Public
Works Director,Mike Sferra,and the City of Wylie Parks Manager,Shohn Rodgers,are pursuing,both of which
would fund a majority of the Trails plan. Superintendent Diaz advised that the Community Center(Senior Center)is
fully funded by the 4B tax revenue,so it is completely subsidized with no costs to offset operational expenses. He
also advised that he would provide the Parks Board a 4B break down at the July 23rd meeting.
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Wylie Parks and Recreation Board Meeting
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Board Member Rose advised that in regards to the Rec Center fees,we do not have enough information to
recommend to City Council at this time and suggested that we bring back this item to the July 23`d meeting in form
of a review packet presenting various options for lowering the Rec Center fees. Board Member Price mentioned that
she would also like to see an age breakdown of Rec Center attendance during the day. Superintendent Diaz
responded that he will bring back Rec Center fee options and email the information to Board members the week
prior to the July 23`d meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business a motion to adjourn was made by Board Member Price and seconded by Board Member
Rose. The meeting was adjourned at 9:01 p.m.by unanimous consent.
ATTEST:
Janet HaVvkes, Park Board Secretary Anne Hiney, Chairwoman
(Interim)
Minutes June 25, 2012
Wylie Parks and Recreation Board Meeting
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