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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-10-06 Regular Meeting Parks and Leisure Services Board October 6,2008 CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Parks and Leisure Services Board was called to order at 7:02 p.m. on Monday, October 6, 2008, in the Council Chambers of the Euless City Hall building by Chairman Eric Owens. Other Board Members present: Carroll Scott, Everett Hartzler, John Elder, Randy Jones,John Raab and alternates Alex Horton and Jeremy Tompkins. Members absent: None. Staff members present: Director of Parks and Community Services Ray McDonald, Parks Superintendent Terry Boaz, Parks Manager Randy Smith, Recreation Superintendent Michael Davenport, Director of Planning and Development Mike Collins and Administrative Secretary Linda Lux. Visitors present: Kyle and Derlie Slusser, Debbie Day, David Brown and Council Member Leon Hogg. INVOCATION John Elder gave the invocation. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairman Owens asked if there were any additions or corrections to the minutes from the September 8, 2008 regular meeting. Randy Jones made the motion to approve the minutes as presented and was seconded by Everett Hartzler. The vote was unanimous. I. Board Member's Reports Carroll Scott said Blessing Branch Park was very clean. All the ball fields were being used when he inspected Midway Park and there were also lots of citizens using Midway Recreation Center. John Elder said both Trailwood and Bob Eden parks were very clean and in good condition. John Raab said McCormick Park was very clean and in good shape but he noticed two poles with missing signs. At the Preserve at McCormick Park there were lots of people and this park was also in good shape. • Parks and Leisure Services Board Page 2 October 6,2008 Randy Jones mentioned both South Euless and Heritage parks were very clean and looked good. Everett Hartzler said everything looked in good shape at both Kiddie Carr and J. A. Carr (Simmons) parks. Jeremy Tompkins said both West Park and Wilshire Park were in good shape and the grass was nice and green. He did notice a light in the parking lot which was hanging down. Alex Horton said Reflection Park appeared clean with empty liners in the trash cans. The Villages of Bear Creek Park looked good as well as the dog park. There was a request from some of the residents for more shade on the small dog side of the park. Alex also complimented the Parks and Community Services staff for the great job they did during the Hurricane Ike shelter. Chairman Owens said the Parks at Texas Star Athletic Complex is in great shape. Chairman Owens said the Special Events recently held were: • Irving Philharmonic Orchestra Family concert was held on Saturday, September 27th at 7:30 p.m. at the Villages of Bear Creek Amphitheater and there were 250 people in attendance. The children's symphony "Blast Off!" was the center piece of this program which featured Lewis Warren, a 12-year old piano prodigy that is also a Euless resident. • Stars Over Euless-Noble Planetarium was held this past Saturday, October 4th at 9:30 p.m. at Bob Eden Park. There were at least 400 in attendance and the Fort Worth Astronomical Society brought out 15 high-powered telescopes for kids to look at the night time sky. And Noble Planetarium Director Linda Krouse conducted a power point presentation on space. Chairman Owens also mentioned the next upcoming event: • Fruits & Veggies Aren't Scary Fest — Friday, October 31st at 5:30 p.m. — Midway Recreation Center IL Volunteer of the Month Chairman Owens said the October 2008 Volunteer of the Month is Debbie Day. She has been very valuable to our Midway Recreation Center staff, as well as programs and special events. She has helped in the following areas: Parks and Leisure Services Board Page 3 October 6,2008 • She teaches an aerobic class twice a week • She did an aerobic demonstration at the Music in Motion concert teaching the kids, adults and families the fun and importance of exercise • She gave a free thirty-minute magic show to the kids and families from south Texas that were staying at the shelter which had been displaced by Hurricane Ike Chairman Owens presented her with the October 2008 Volunteer of the Month award. Debbie thanked everyone for the award. III. Beautification Award of the Month Chairman Owens said the October 2008 residential Beautification Award of the Month goes to Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Slusser at 615 N. Ector Drive. This yard is beautifully landscaped with a great selection and use of shrubs and bedding plants. The lawn is lush, green and well manicured. It really catches your attention as you drive by. One look and you know the owners take pride in their work. Thank you for helping to beautify our city. Mr. and Mrs. Slusser both thanked the Board Members for the award. Mrs. Slusser said she had rather have had her 70-year old tree which was hit by lightening in the spring still in the yard. Chairman Owens said the October 2008 business/civic/governmental Beautification Award of the Month goes to View Point Bank located at 3040 Highway 121. He said this is a great landscape with lots of small shrubs and a well maintained lawn. It is efforts like yours that make our city a great place to work and live. Thank you for contributing to the beautification of our city. Chairman Owens said their award would be delivered to them since they were not here tonight. IV. Business of the Tree Board Tree Board Chairman Carroll Scott reported on the following for August 22nd—September 22nd: • there were 691.50 man hours o 142.50—Horticulture o 390.50—Forestry o 0 —Storm Damage o 130.50 - Greenhouse o 20.00- Special Project o 8.00 - Water Truck (2,600 gallons used) Parks and Leisure Services Board Page 4 October 6,2008 • Horticulture was spent doing a weeding cycle throughout the entire city • Forestry hours were spent cleaning up debris throughout the city parks and pruning Kiddie Carr and J.A. Carr parks • Greenhouse hours were spent watering plants, propagating plants and general clean up of the greenhouses • Note: in anticipation of Hurricane Ike, the forestry crew spent approximately twenty hours preparing for storm clean up. Fortunately, no major damage to our park system or street trees was suffered. V. Conversion of Portions of Parkland for the Purpose of Subsurface Drilling and the Extraction of Natural Gas from an Off Site Location—Mike Collins Director of Planning and Development Mike Collins said he came before the Board Members at the September meeting to discuss the conversion of a portion of parkland for the purpose of subsurface drilling and the extraction of natural gas from portions of sites north of Harwood Road which included Bob Eden Park from Industrial Boulevard and east to Main Street. Tonight he is asking that the Park Board Members concur with staff's recommendation to the City Council to convert the subsurface of specific parkland for the purpose of offsite drilling and the extraction of natural gas from portions located generally north of Harwood Road and south of Glade Road, between S.H. 157 and S.H. 360 and further find that (1) there is no feasible or prudent alternative to extracting natural gas from underneath this park site; and(2)this proposal includes all reasonable planning to minimize harm to the parkland. Randy Jones made the motion to concur with staff's recommendation and was seconded by John Raab. The vote was unanimous. VI. Parks and Community Services Reports a. Community Services Report—Ray McDonald Director of Parks and Community Services Ray McDonald commented on the following: • He expressed his appreciation to Debbie Day for doing the magic show for the kids at the shelter • He also expressed his thanks to all the groups that volunteered and worked at the shelter Parks and Leisure Services Board Page 5 October 6,2008 • The parks crew prepared for the potential storm that the city might get by gassing up all the vehicles, having all the trailers hooked up and ready to go out with the trucks, and also having all the necessary tools that might be required for any storm damage to the city and city parks • Also thanked all the recreation staff for their hard work at the shelter Ray mentioned that at the last City Council meeting they approved the City Manager to negotiate an architectural agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to do a feasibility study to anticipate and define the scope of work and more accurately budget figures for the new Family Life Center. He said the new facility will include the construction of a new senior center with attached indoor aquatic facility, an expansion of the current recreation center, and an outdoor family aquatic facility and related site improvements. He further stated the top ten needs from the recently adopted Parks Master Plan would try and be incorporated into the new facility at Midway Park. He then showed the Board Members several conceptual designs that staff came up with that showed several different recreational components that the project might include. Everyone seems very excited about this new vision and ideas for the proposed facility. He also said he is looking forward to working with the Board Members on this new and exciting project. VII. Other New Business Chairman Owens said there was no new business for discussion. VIII. Input from City Council Members and Visitors Council Member Leon Hogg said he was glad the Board Members approved the gas drilling item that Mike Collins presented tonight. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Owens gave the benediction. There being no further business to conduct, the meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m. C1‘,, Chairma Attest