Loading...
09-24-2012 (Parks & Recreation) Minutes Parks and Recreation Board CITY OF WYLIE q Meeting Minutes Monday,September 24,2012—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 Chairman Matt Rose,called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Board Members present: Jim Ward(arrived 6:33 p.m.),Dan Chesnut,Jeff Harris(left at 7:43 p.m.),Emmett Jones and Jeremy White. Staff members present: Board Liaison and Parks and Recreation Superintendent,Robert Diaz,Public Services Director, Mike Sferra,and Park Board Secretary,Janet Hawkes. CITIZENS PARTICIPATION No citizens addressed the Board. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Consider and act upon approving the Minutes from the August 20, 2012 meeting. Board Action: Board Member Harris made a motion, seconded by Board Member Jones to approve the minutes from the August 20, 2012 meeting. A vote was taken and passed 6-0. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discuss the proposed parkland dedication in the Lewis Tract Development. Board Discussion: Public Services Director,Mike Sferra turned over the discussion to developer Jim Douglas to present to the board the potential subdivision development of the approximately 50 acre Lewis Tract located north of Wylie East High School(WEHS). The Lewis family requested,to which the developer agreed,to rebuild the lake dock and preserve many of the property's trees by hand clearing the land. 9.7 acres of the open space land is non-flood plain, and a proposed 3,200 linear foot hike and bike trail would connect directly to the WEHS trail which will be open to all citizens as well as WEHS but maintained by the community's HOA with no additional city expense. At least 4 park benches,park lighting, and a pavilion are in the conceptual plan. Lots on the south side of the proposed development backing up to WEHS would have a masonry wall, and wooded lots on the east would likely get wrought iron fencing or stay open and natural, whichever the City of Wylie and WEHS prefers. Mr.Douglas stated he plans to add overlay to improve the adjacent portion of Bennett Road but agreed he would rebuild the road with concrete if the city required it. He stated that he considered connecting the trails to Bennett Road. Mr.Douglas stated that they will develop all the intended amenities in the first phase. The Board also requested some further detailed information regarding the exact dedication required for the number of lots that are intended to be developed be supplied for the next meeting when this dedication would be brought back to the Board for final approval. Superintendent Diaz advised that the Board will be able to approve the dedication at the November Board meeting pending the outcome of the City Council approving the annexation of the property. .Qat.. 3. Discussion regarding the expenditure of remaining contingency funds from the 2011 Community Park Improvements Project. Board Discussion: Director Sferra stated that we will have approximately$80,000 remaining in the Community Park Improvements Project contingency funds. Funding for the plaza art(including any utility expenses)will need to come out of these funds as well. Lance Wallace,Wylie Baseball/Softball Association(WSBA)President was in attendance. He, along with the Board, advised staff that they preferred the contingency fund monies go in Community Park to fund either of the following;a small T-ball restroom with storage closet and no area for concessions between T-ball fields 2 and 3;a small restroom with storage closet and no concession area at Founders Park near the football fields: shade structures and bleachers for the larger ball fields;or and irrigation and landscaping for the Community Park plaza area. Director Sferra advised the Board that the direction of City Council was for the contingency funds to be spent toward a football concession/restroom,a T-ball concession/restroom at Community Park and/or approximately eight new bleachers. Mr. Sferra added that if we deviated from these three ideas the discussion would need to go back to City Council. In conclusion,the Board requested Director Sferra to pursue the following for the October Parks and Recreation Board(PARB)meeting: 1)obtain cost estimates for one or two locations at both Founders Park and Community Park for potential sites to construct a small restroom/storage building at each 2)check on the current utility availability at these proposed spots at both parks, 3)obtain bleacher and bleacher cover costs, and 4)obtain cost estimate for irrigation to be installed at Community Park plaza. 4. Discuss Recreation Fee options. Board Discussion: Superintendent Diaz presented the Board with charts put together by Staff showing peak hours,peak usage, and peak capacity of the Recreation Center as well as how many family memberships(of four)have been sold since opening. Peak hours January/2012 through August/2012 show 70,000 more patrons than the prior year during the hours of 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., which are considered peak usage times at the Recreation Center. Staff advised that they feel we are closer to reaching full capacity only in the summer months (June,July and August)due to the high number of youth passes sold,but overall we have not yet reached full capacity and are currently accommodating usage adequately,particularly during the non-summer months. He mentioned that staff is increased in number during the summer months which helps accommodate with the larger attendance. In regards to family passes, Superintendent Diaz stated that the increase is flat overall. Some three- month memberships have increased; slight increase for senior passes,but primarily the increase was seen for the adult passes. Superintendent Diaz advised that the Recreation Center fees are to be reviewed every couple of years to see where they are in numbers and percentages in relation to the cost recovery goals and to see if there is a justifiable reason to increase the rates. He states that numbers show we are currently meeting revenues and accommodating the need; however, the goal is to increase the percent of recovery over time. Superintendent Diaz suggests increasing all of the membership fees across the board without changing the day passes because they are considered to be on the higher-priced end already. Board Member Chesnut suggested a possible way to increase revenue is by extending the advertisement for classes to include use of all monitors in the recreation center and library to streamline the upcoming class information. Diaz advised that staff is currently working with Public Information to utilize accessing all televisions and monitors to advertise,but he also advised that marketing push is currently achieved on our website and brochures as well as Facebook, the Connections Magazine and The Wylie News newspaper. Superintendent Diaz stated that based on the various data presented by Staff and discussed by the Board over the last several months, we are currently at a point where documentation can be put together presenting clear representation of our numbers and percentages,as well as realistic cost recovery goals that can be presented to the City Council at a future meeting for their recommendation for direction. Board member Jim Ward suggested that a"State of the Wylie Recreation Center"document be presented based on the information discussed and that document be used to discuss any changes with the City Council. Superintendent Diaz will be preparing a draft document for Board review at the October meeting based on Board comments. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business a motion to adjourn was made by Board Member Chesnut and seconded by Board Member Jones. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m. by unanimous consent. ATTEST: Janet awkes, Park Board Secretary Matt Rose, Park Board Chairman Minutes September 24, 2012 Wylie Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Page 2 of 2