08-04-1987 (Parks & Recreation) Minutes PARKS & RECREATION BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
CITY OF WYLIE, TEXAS
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4 , 1987
7 :00 P.M. COMMUNITY ROOM
800 THOMAS STREET
The City of Wylie Parks & Recreation Board met in regular
session on Tuesday, August 4, 1987 at 7 :00 P.M. in the
Community Room. A quorum was present and notice of the
meeting had been posted in a time and manner required by
law. Those present were Vice-Chairman John Morgan, Peggy
Sewell , Joanie Zeeb, Willie Benitez , Don White, Acting
Director of Public Works, James Johnson, Acting City
Manager , Carolyn Jones City Secretary, and Candi White,
Secretary. Larry Nickell , D.F. Whitlow, and John Smyder
were absent.
Vice-Chairman John Morgan called the meeting to order.
OATH OF OFFICE: Vice-Chairman Morgan asked Joanie Zeeb if
she had any objection to waiving the swearing of the new
members until the meeting next month, since John Smyder and
D.F. Whitlow were not present at this meeting . Ms. Zeeb had
no objections.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Mrs . Sewell made a motion
that the minutes of the May 5 , 1987 meeting be approved. Mr .
Benitez seconded the motion. Motion carried with all in
favor.
ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN: Motion was made by Mrs . Sewell that
Mr . Morgan be elected Chairman by acclamation. Ms. Zeeb
seconded the motion. Motion carried with all in favor . Mr .
Morgan requested that it be on the agenda for the next
meeting to elect a Vice-Chairman.
PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD DUTIES (PARK ORDINANCE) :
Chairman Morgan explained that Article II , Section 2 of the
ordinance, which states that there will be nine members on
the Park Board, is in direct conflict with the City Charter
which states there will be seven members. Mrs. Sewell asked
if they will now have seven members instead of nine. Mr .
Morgan said "yes" , that the ordinance had been amended to
allow for seven members .
Chairman Morgan also explained to the members that if they
had anything they wanted to discusss at a meeting, that the
item would have to be put on the agenda , and that they could
contact Carolyn Jones, City Secretary, to do so.
PARK MASTER PLAN: Chairman Morgan explained how much money
was scheduled for which projects. Ms . Zeeb asked Chairman
Morgan to explain the priorities and averages. Chairman
Morgan explained that the highest averages would be the
lowest priorities and the lowest averages would be the
highest priorities, according to how the members rated the
projects.
Chairman Morgan stated that the basketball courts have
become a priority for a number of citizens, as well as the
City Council , and that he had understood that they could be
built with the bomag machine. Mr . White, Director of Public
Works, explained that the bomag machine only does the sub
base for what you overlay it with and that it will not put
the asphalt down. The big difference in doing a road and a
basketball court would be a sealer for the court . Mr . White
also said that dollar wise, they were planning to wait until
another street project was done and use the same materials
c 3
then. He also explained that certain procedures and
specifications should be followed to make sure the asphalt
holds up. Mrs. Sewell stated that she wants to see these
projects done, but would be very much opposed to doing
anything that wouldn' t hold up. Ms. Zeeb felt that the
baseketball courts would be used mostly in the evenings and
on weekends, and was under the impression that there had
been discussion of putting them in the high school parking
lot. Chairman Morgan said that there had been some
discussion of putting them in the parking lot at the park,
but he felt there would be too much traffic congestion and
that the best place would probably be the north side of the
pavillion. Chairman Morgan asked Mr . White, Director of
Public Works, to get some cost estimates and specifications
for the next meeting . Chairman Morgan also asked Mr. White
to see if he could get the volleyball net back up.
Mrs . Sewell mentioned that several citizens were interested
in a public swimming pool , but that it was fairly low on the
list of priorities and would be quite costly.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM: Chairman Morgan stated that the sprinkler
system on Cooper and Tibble Fields are still not working .
He also stated that if you put the timer on Tibble Field, it
just flips on over to off.
SIDEWALK INTO CITY PARK: Chairman Morgan asked Mr . White,
Director of Public Works, how much expense there would be to
widen the sidewalk to the concession stand about three feet,
enabling Dr . Pepper to deliver more easily. Mr . White asked
if Wylie Sports Association had considered changing vendors,
as it is their job to take their product where the customer
wants it . Mr . White also stated that the sidewalk is only
four inches of concrete and is not designed to be driven on.
Chairman Morgan explained that there is also a need for
trucks to get into the park for other reasons also , such as
picking up trash. Chairman Morgan said he would still like
to see some cost estimates on widening the sidewalk to keep
the vehicles from running over the sprinkler heads.
Chairman Morgan asked Mr . White to get another key to the
cable around the ball fields.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: None.
GENERAL DISCUSSION: Mr . Benitez stated that he would like
some signs put up at the entrance to the ball fields that
would prohibit bicycles and skateboards from the park area,
as he was concerned that someone might get run over or
knocked down. He also asked if this needed to put on the
agenda. James Johnson, City Manager, stated that the City
already has an ordinance prohibiting vehicles in the parks,
but that they could put up another sign that would
specifically include bicycles and skateboards. Mr . Benitez
said that he would also like to see a "no parking" sign put
in front of the saidewalk so cars wouldn' t block the
entrance to the park.
Ms. Zeeb said that she is very interested in the
"beautification of Wylie" and that she has a committee
sending out letters, along with talking to the news media
about donating a tree. She asked for input from the Board
as to where they would like to see these trees planted .
Chairman Morgan stated that he would like to see some trees
next to the picnic tables by the creek, to provide a shady
area, which would put those tables to more use. Mrs . Sewell
asked what size trees Ms. Zeeb was speaking of . Ms . Zeeb
explained that it was strictly up to the person donating the
trees, but that she was taking bids between $25.00 and
$200 .00 . Ms. Zeeb also stated that the committee wanted to
put markers either on the trees or in front of the trees
which would reflect the words "donated by" or " in memory
of" . Mrs . Sewell suggested the possibility of putting wall
plaques in a building somewhere, so as not to lose the
markers.
Ms. Zeeb said that she would also like to see the Planning
and Zoning Commission require builders and developers to put
in some landscaping , rather than concrete all the way to the
road, especially on commercial property. Mr . White,
Director of Public Works stated that an amendment could be
made to the subdivision ordinance to require landscaping.
Mr . Johnson, City Manager, said that the Board should make a
recommendation for such amendment to the Planning and Zoning
Commission. Mrs. Zeeb said she would bring ordinances from
other cities to the next meeting.
Mrs. Sewell asked if there would be a way to put in some
kind of road to the concession stand for delivery and clean
up trucks to get in and out . Mr. White explained that it
could be done with the bomag machine without an overlay on
it, that would last for several years . Mr . White also said
this might be something the Board would want to look at in
the next budget.
Mr. Johnson, City Manager, said that he was at the meeting
representing the City Council and that the Council has a
desire for the Board Members to communicate with them, and
to really become involved, and make recommendations. Mr.
Johnson also said that he wanted to welcome all the new
members to the Board.
Mr. White, Director of Public Works, explained that he
wanted the Board to know that at this time he didn' t have
any personnel in the Parks Department and that the City has
a hiring freeze.
Mr . White also said that in reading the minutes from a
Council meeting in 1984 , he had discovered that the City had
an agreement with WSA that WSA would mow, seed and fertilize
the ball fields. Chairman Morgan said that the agreement
had been changed at a later date to reflect that the City
would mow, fertilize and seed the ball fields. Mrs. Jones,
City Secretary, said that she had been unable to find any
other minutes which reflected the changes. Chairman Morgan
said he would look in his files to see if he could find the
changed agreement.
Mrs. Sewell asked if someone resigned from his employment,
why that person couldn' t be replaced by someone else even
though there is a hiring freeze. Mr. Johnson, City Manager,
explained that the City is trying to function right now
without replacing those who have resigned , due to a revenue
shortage in all areas of the City funds, and that the City
is suffering an economic depression at this time. Mr.
White, Director of Public Works, explained that he was
hoping to hire someone for the Parks Department in October.
Mr . White stated that he would like to communicate with all
members of the Board and would like to help the Board in
anyway he can.
Mr . Benitez asked if there is a problem with someone
volunteering to mow the parks. Chairman Morgan said there
was no problem and that it had been done quite often, but
that there is a problem with volunteers running over the
sprinkler heads. Mr. White, Director of Public Works, said
that if someone wanted to volunteer , and he was notified
ahead of time, he would have flags put out by each of the
sprinkler heads, to avoid crushing them.
ADJOURNMENT: Mrs. Sewell made a motion for the August 4 ,
1987 meeting to be adjourned . The motion was seconded by
Mr . Benitez . Motion carried with all in favor .
John Morgan, Chairman
Respectfully Submitted:
Candi White, Secretary