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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1985-08-05 Regular Meeting Park and Recreation Board August 5 , 1985 CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Park and Recreation Board was called to order at 7: 00 P.M. , Monday, August 5 , 1985, in the Council Chambers of the Euless Municipal Building by Chairman Ron Henson. Other members present were Mrs. Helen Lightbody, Messrs . Marland Ernest, George Zahn, and Ken Balsinger. Mr. Richard McNeese and Mr. Leon Hogg, alternate members, attended the meeting. Staff members in attendance were Personnel Director Ken B. Fuller, Park Director Bob Phillips , and Ophelia Smith, secretary. INVOCATION The invocation was given by Mr. Ken Balsinger. APPROVAL OF MINUTES , The minutes of the regular meeting on July 1 , 1985 , were approved as written. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS Chairman Henson welcomed visitors attending the meeting. ITEM 1: ELECTION OF OFFICERS Chairman Henson announced the election of officers for the forth- coming term. Mr. Ernest made the motion to elect officers by secret ballot. Mrs . Lightbody seconded the motion and the vote was: Ayes: Messrs. Zahn, Ernest, Balsinger, McNeese, and Mrs . Lightbody Nays: None Chairman Henson declared the motion carried. Officers elected to serve on the Park and Recreation Board for the ensuing term were Mr. George Zahn, chairman; Mrs. Helen Lightbody, vice-chairman; and Mr. Marland Ernest, secretary. Chairman Henson stated that newly elected officers would assume responsibilities at the next regular meeting. Mrs. Lightbody will be serving as vice-chairman for a second term. Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, August 5 , 1985 , Page 2 •— ITEM 2: KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL REPORT Mrs. Ligthbody reported that a meeting of the Keep Texas Beautiful program was held on Thursday, July 25, 1985. Committees were selected and officers appointed. The group is pursuing mailing areas for advertising and the promotion of the Keep Texas Beautiful program. Mr. Balsinger and Mr. Phillips have designed a card for distribution to people hauling trash informing them that vehicles must be covered while in transit to dumping area. A card seeking to promote a "Yard of the Month" contest has been designed to place on doors of houses with yards that look presentable. These cards will be placed in areas throughout the City where they might generate some interest. Thirty-two people have entered the contest to date. Mrs. Lightbody stated that the Committee would like to work something out whereby they would be included in the Christmas Tree Lighting project during the Christmas Holiday Season. Mrs. Lightbody remarked that some of the Sesquicentennial Celebration activities could be worked into the Keep Texas Beautiful program which she feels would be beneficial to both committees. Mr. Balsinger commented that there would be a Development and Land- scaping award given each month. There were signs on display which will be placed on the property of award winners. ITEM 3 : AREA AND FACILITY REPORTS Mr. Zahn reported that J. A. Carr Park .i still getting a lot of use in the early mornings and late afternoons. Everything is burning up due to the hight temperatures and no rainfall. Kiddie Carr Park is also suffering from summer weather conditions. Simmons Center is staying busy. Mr. Zahn stated that attendance was reported down somewhat at the Movie in the Park on Friday, July 26 . The hot weather probably being a contributing factor. Mr. Ernest stated that to his knowledge everything is going as planned at the Ruth Millican Center. Chairman Henson reported that usage is down at Midway and Blessing Branch Parks . The swimming pool was being used, but very little activity elsewhere with the exception of some picnickers . Mr. Balsinger remarked that most of the acitivity in his area was at the Wilshire swimming pool. Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, August 5 , 1985, Page 3 Mrs. Lightbody reported that this a time of inactivity at West Park. Activity will pick up after the weather cools. ITEM 4 : OBJECTIVE REPORTS Chairman Henson announced that Mr. Hogg would bring the Board up-to- date on the Volunteer Program. Mr. Hogg reported that eighteen volunteers have registered with the program. As a note of interest, Mr. Jose Silva, whose home is in Brazil, has registered with the Volunteer Services Program. Mr. Silva will be spending some time in the United States , and while he is living here he has volunteered his free time to aid with the recreation program. The High School Pep Club plans to register as a group. They will perform group services. Board members Helen Lightbody and Marland Ernest are registered volunteers . They care for a color bed each in the median strip on Hwy. 10. The volunteer who worked the Movies in the Park during the month of July worked eleven hours . Mr. Hogg reported a total of eighty-six and one-half hours of volunteer work reported. Volunteers working on projects with the Park Department have not reported their time. Mr. Hogg stated that the next events scheduled where volunteers will be needed are the 10-K Run on October 12 , and on October 26 , there will be the Halloween Spook House. Mr. Hogg presented Board members with posters soliciting volunteers. Mr. Zahn reported that maintenance on the color beds in the median strip on Hwy. 10 has been assigned to volunteers. Mr. Zahn remarked that the All-Star baseball players recently trans- planted Joseph' s Coat in the color beds to the West of the Municipal Building. The youths were dressed in their uniforms and pictures were made for the press. Mr. Ernest stated he had nothing to report. Mr. Balsinger, whose Objective is "Marketing the City through Recreation, " stated that the Beautification Committee has selected a theme for this years contest. The slogan is, "Be a Busy Bee. " The character is the Busy Bee. The Bee stands for Beautify Euless Every Day. This will be used on all literature. A booklet of information is being printed of the Beautification Committee. A list of City offices and telephone numbers is being worked up to enable citizens to contact City officials regarding things, such as, neighborhood improvements and City Ordinance violations , Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, August 5 , 1985 , Page 4 or any information related to the Beautification program. Mrs. Lightbody stated that she has not had any requests or suggestions regarding "Joint efforts between cities in the Mid-Cities area. " ITEM 5: PARK DIRECTOR' S REPORT Mr. Phillips reported that all shrubs at the Civic Center Complex and in the park areas have been sprayed with insecticide. All trees planted within the past two years have been treated for borers. The Water Kannon is used primarily in J. A. Carr Park and Little Bear Creek Park. In J. A. Carr Park special effort has been made to keep the grass green in the area where the movies are shown. The water truck is used at least three times each week to water areas where there is no irrigation and areas too small to use the Water Kannon. The color beds in the median strip on State Hwy. 10 are often watered twice in one day. The extremely hot, dry weather has been devastating in some areas. J. A. Carr Park is sprayed for insects and fire ants prior to showing movies in the park. A sixty inch, twenty foot tin-horn has been installed in McCormick Park to make a walkway across the park. An all aluminum picnic table has been installed at McCormick Park. The purchase of this table was made possible by a donation from Mr. W. W. McCormick. The table bears a plaque inscribed with donor information. Pictures were made for the press. The Park Department recently acquired a six-acre tract on Mid-Cities Blvd. which has been cleared of trash and debris, and has been added to the list to mow regularly. This small park is a quiet area for enjoyment of the citizens. Mowing continues at one-hundred per cent. Mr. Phillips replied to an inquiry from Mr. Ernest that seminars could be arranged on lawn and garden culture for the citizenry. ITEM 6: RECREATION DIRECTOR' S REPORT Mrs . Ophelia Smith gave the following report for Recreation Director Julia Wakeley who is on vaction. The Summer Recreation Mini-Session of classes began July 22nd and runs through August 17th. Registration for the Fall I Recreation program will begin August 19th at Ruth Millican Recreation Center. Registration will end August 30th with classes beginning September 3 . Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, August 5 , 1985 , Page 5 All classes are now held at the Ruth Millican Recreation Center and Simmons Recreation Center. The Community Building was vacated of classes and free play July 22nd. The Walt Disney Movie "Tron" was shown to about 250 people on July 26th at J. A. Carr Park. August Movies are "Alice in Wonder- land" on Friday, August 9th, and "Pollyanna" on Friday, August 23rd. Swimming pools will close Friday, August 16th. Attendance at the Community Building was approximately 1 ,215 for the month of July, and 2, 392 at the Ruth Millican Center. There were approximately six-hundred participants in the YMCA program with the City of Euless . This includes swimming classes, Day Camp at Midway Park, and Kinder Kamp at Simmons Center. Twenty-three Senior Citizens enjoyed lunch out at Furr' s Cafeteria on July 25th. They will have a covered dish luncheon on August 29th. Carolyn Park is sponsoring the 1st Annual Carolyn Park "42" Tournament on August 22nd at Simmons Recreation Center. Senior Citizens from the Bedford-Hurst Senior Citizen Center have been invited to play in the tournament. Twenty-two participants have signed-up from the Euless group. .-. A representative from Harris Hospital. - Methodist will visit with • the Euless Senior Citizens on August 15th to discuss Careline. Careline is a personal emergency response system that provides 24-hour access to community medical and social services. Don Armstrong has volunteered to represent the Senior Citizens at the Keep Texas Beautiful meetings. Events planned for the not too distant future are: A 10-K Run on October 12; Halloween Spook House, October 26; Stinky Sneeker Contest, September 15 , Ruth Millican Center; Paper Airplane Contest, October 6 , Ruth Millican Center; Senior Citizen Tasting Bee, September/October; and Senior Citizen Fall Trip in September or October 1985 . Spring Adult Softball concluded play Monday , July 15 , 1985. The City of Euless was allocated a number of teams to participate in T.A.A.F. Region IV Tournaments . On Saturady, August 3 , 1985 , the City of Euless hosted the 1985 T.A.A.F. Men' s Open Softball Tournament held at Softball World. A total of fifteen teams participated in this. torunament from all over the state of Texas. Officials attending the State Tournament were: Joe Wilson, T.A.A.F. State Ex. Dir. ; Bill Conoly,: T.A.A.F-.. State. Men' s Open Commissioner; and Ron Neely, Men' s Open State Tournament Director. The top four teams were: 1) Patterson, Withita Falls; 2) Panoramic Landscape, Hurst; 3) Stone City Cannans, San Antonio (1984 defending Champs) ; and 4) Cannan Texans , San Antonio. Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, August 5 , 1985, Page 6 Saturday, July 13, 1985 , Euless Spring Men' s Church Tournament was held with three teams winning arid ,going to Regionals. Fall Adult Softball registration is now being held for the City of Euless Fall Softball Leagues. Play will begin the week of August 19. Fall Adult Soccer registration is now taking place. . Fall Youth Soccer registration is . now taking place. • Fall Adult Tennis League will begin play the week of August 12 . There will be a total of fifteen participants in the League. COMMENTS: Mr. Leon Hogg, who attended the T.A.A.F. Women' s State Softball Tournament in College Station on July 20th, remarked that the Park and Recreation Department held a very successful tournament despite the fact that at 10: 00 A.M. , on the day the tournament was held, the fields were very muddy and water standing in places. The fields were prepared for play in two and one-half hours. Mr. Hogg stated that it was the most tremendous job of field preparation he had ever seen, and the efficient manner in which the Park and Recreation Department operated a compliment to their City. Mr. Ernest recognized out-going Chairman Henson for a job well-done the past year. He commented that there, has been more activity and more constructive work done than in previous years, and the- Chairman deserves a good deal of credit for the Board' s successful year. Mrs. Lightbody stated that she agreed with Mr. Ernest' s commendation of Chairman Henson. ADJOURNMENT • There being no further business before the Park and Recreation Board, the meeting was adjourned at 8: 25 P.M. with a closing prayer by Chairman Henson. _mac c„..v Gv hai man 4,474 Attest •