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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984-06-04 Regular Meeting Parks and Recreation Board June 4 , 1984 CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board was called to order at 7: 10 P.M. , June 4 , 1984 , in the Council Chamber of the Euless Municipal Building by Secretary Helen Lightbody. Other members present were Messers. Marland Ernest and D. R. Hawthorne. Mr. Ron Henson, alternate Board member attended the meeting. Also present were Mrs. Julia Wakeley, Recreation Director, Mr. Bob Phillips, Parks Director, and Mrs. Ophelia Smith, recording secretary. VISITORS Visitors present were Mayor Pro Tem Willie Mae McCormick, Mr. Leon Hogg, and Assistant City Manager Tom Hart. INVOCATION The invocation was given by Mr. Marland Ernest. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the regular meeting dated May 7 , 1984 , were approved as written. I . SUB-COMMITTEE PROJECT REPORTS Mr. Henson stated that he had nothing to report. Mr. Hawthorne stated that he had nothing to report. Mr. Ernest stated that he had nothing to report. Mrs. Lightbody stated that she had not noticed anything out of order at West Park. Mrs. Lightbody asked Mr. Leon Hogg, president of the Euless Girl ' s Softball Association if he had anything to report on West Park. Mr. Hogg stated that the fields were looking great. The grass was growing and being watered regularly. Mr. Hogg stated that some lights were out, but he understood that they would be repaired, as soon as , materials were received to do the work. Page Two, Regular Meetings Parks & Recreation Board, June 4 , 1984 Mr. Phillips replied to an inquiry from Mrs. Lightbody that the remaining portion of Westpark Way has been programmed for widening after development on the east is completed. II. REPORT FROM CITY COUNCILPERSONS Mrs. McCormick stated that she had nothing to report. III. DISCUSSION OF FUTURE PARKS AND RECREATION Mrs. Lightbody inquired if there were goals or guidelines for the Parks and Recreation Board. Mrs. Lightbody asked if there were things the Board could work on to help the City Council, and the Staff to be of some assistance other than reporting just on projects, such as we have done so far under old business. Mr. Hart replied that he thought that a reasonable direction for Boards. Mr. Hart stated the Board' s comments and recommendations would be welcome on the areas the Board would like to pursue. Mrs. Lightbody stated that the objective of the committee assisting in the Long Range Planning was to help or be of some assistance to the City, and our citizens. The committee thought the Board could be providing the information that the Staff would need, and the City would need, rather than employ a costly consultant. Mrs. Lightbody stated that she would like to know what, as a Board, can they do to be effective, as far as the City is concerned, and to feel like they are doing something on the Board. Mrs. Lightbody stated the Staff does an excellent job, but as a Board, she would like to do some of the things the other Parks and Recreation Boards do in other cities. Mr. Hart stated that he did not have a list of specifics , but he thought it would be a reasonable request of the Board that this be made an agenda item at the next regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board to discuss Board direction. Mr. Hart suggested that the Board direct the staff to meet with the City Manager and himself to try come up with some thoughts and ideas for future Parks and Recreation. Mr. Hart stated that the Board serves in an advisory capacity. Mr. Hart stated that the Board' s main objective is to provide the City Council with additional information regarding citizen' s comments . Page Three, Regular Meeting, Parks & Recreation Board , June 4 , 1984 Mr. Hart suggested the Staff present specific objectives at the next regular Board meeting for the Board' s guidance. Mrs . Lightbody stated the Board is not trying to assert any authority, or trying to do anything they are not qualified to do. Mrs. Lightbody stated the Board was merely trying to make a situation where they feel they are contributing something. Mr. Henson stated that Mr. Ernest was the only member present on the Long Range Planning Committee at the last meeting. Mr. Ernest felt the Chairman of the Committee should make the report, and this was to be brought up at the meeting on June 4th. Mr. Hawthorne stated that basically the Long Range Planning Committee thought the Parks and Recreation Board should be getting into a position to recommend to the City Council or suggest to the City Coucnil what our long range plans or goals are for Parks and Recreation. We know that the city is growing very rapidly in popula- tion. The Parks and Recreation Staff basically is telling us that we are saturated now with Parks and Recreation facilities, and if the City is going to attempt to maintain the same degree of facilities for the population of to-day, obviously if the population is going to double, we will need to increase the facilities likewise. Mr. Hawthorne stated all the committee was trying to do was devise a plan for a method that the Parks and Recreation Board could foresee, and advise the City Council on what they thought the City should be looking at. Mr. Hawthorne stated that he reads in the newspapers where things the committee planned to acquire were already being acquired. He stated that he is delinquent in spending enough time with the City Staff to find out what they are thingking and what they are doing. Mr. Hawthorne stated that he has read several articles in the Mid-Cities paper on ideas that the City has put out in expansion of Parks and Recreation that he knew nothing about. He stated that the problem they had, as a committee, was, "were they doing something that was already being done. " Mr. Hawthorne stated that he feels the Parks and Recreation Board should be continually brought up to date with what the City has in mind, as far as Parks and Recreation. Mr. Hawthorne stated there is no need for the Board to be planning something that the City is already doing. Mr. Hawthorne stated that the committee ended planning with the decision that they need to know what the City has in mind for future Parks and Recreation. Mrs. McCormick stated that sometimes she reads things in the papers also that she does not know anything about. Mrs . McCormick stated that the Council sets policies , and then if she were to read something in the papers that the City was doing contrary to policy, she would be upset with the Staff. But that has not happened durnig the eleven years she has been on the Council. Mrs. McCormick stated that sometimes she reads things in the papers that she really was not aware of that had already happened, but it did conform to the policies that the Council had set up. • Page Four, Regular Meeting, Parks & Recreation Board, June 4 , 1984 Mr. Hart stated that he gets contacted by reporters about subjects that they have picked up before he received them. He stated the feeling under discussion is common. Mr. Hart stated they would try to be careful in the future to get information to the Boards and City Council . Mr. Hart stated that the Board would be looking at only one aspect, and should be careful not to box the Council in with a recommendation they are unable to do after they have taken the operation into account as a whole. Mrs. Lightbody inquired if the Board has a place for input in the planning for Parks and Recreation. Mr. Hart replied that there is a definite need for input from the Boards. Mr. Leon Hogg remarked that he communicates with Parks and Recreation Staff at least twice a week during off season, simply because he is interested in the activities of the City and is in continual communication with the Staff during softball season. Mr. Hogg stated he feels the Board members do not communicate with the Staff as they should. Mr. Hogg stated he seldom reads anything in the newspaper that he is not aware of by being inquisitive and asking questions. Mr. Ernest stated the agreed with Mr. Hogg that the Board should communicate with the Staff more. He stated that the purpose of Board is, as Mr. Hart stated, to advise. To be able to do this the Board needs to know what is going on. He stated it is the Boards duty to communicate with the Staff. Mr. Hart stated the Boards need to know what is going on in the entire City, and this information will be provided. IV. RECREATION DIRECTOR'S REPORT Mrs . Wakeley stated that twenty-two Senior Citizens went to Palestine on May 31st for the train trip. Seventeen Senior Citizens competed in the T.A.A.F. (Texas Amateur Athletic Federation) Senior Games in Arlington, on May 17 , in Bridge, Checkers, and Forty-two. Community Building attendance for the month of May was 3, 953 . Y.M.C.A. Day Camp attendance is up one hundred per cent. We are having some underground plumbing problems at the Midway pool. The Streets & Utilities Department is doing the repairs . • Page Five, Regular Meeting, Parks & Recreation Board, June 4 , 1984 South Euless and Wilshire pools opened on May 2nd. Two hundred and sixty-eight (268) children have signed up through the Y.M.C.A. for swim lessons . Mrs. Wakeley stated the City sponsored softball tournament will be held June 22nd. , 23rd. , and 24th. This will be a Class B tournament, and only for Euless leagues. Summer Track will start on June 11th. Girl ' s Softball Association' s tournament is scheduled to be held on June 16th. and 17th. We are having the Minor Girl ' s Regionals here on June 29th. , 30th. , and July 1st. Mrs. Wakeley extended a special thanks to Mrs. Ashford, and Chairman Owens, who volunteered their services and helped with the 10K Fun Run. The Police and Fire Departments did a great job of helping with the Run, and also other City employees and merchants were very helpful. K. B. Fuller did an excellent job of photographing the Run. Mayor Samuels assisted with the Run, and also ran across the finish line with his son who participated in the Run. The Parks Department was a big help, and Crow Development Co. co-sponsored the 10K. There were seventy (70) participants in the Run, and thirty (30) volunteers. Mrs. Wakeley then presented a very good film of the 10K Fun Run. Mrs . Lightbody inquired if Euless had representatives attend the T.R.A.P.S. Workshop held in Irving recently. Mrs . Stated that she attended the meeting with Betsy Bloxom and Cheryl Jones. Mrs. Wakeley stated that she attended an Employee Wellness and Fitness lecture. Cheryl met with officials of Softball World. And Betsy attended a workshop on the Senior Citizen program. Mrs. Wakeley announced that the annual State T.R.A.P.S. Conference will be held in Fort Worth in October of this year. There will be a section for Boards and Commissions . This Conference usually lasts for about three days. Board members will receive an agenda. V. PARKS DIRECTOR' S REPORT Mr. Phillips stated the Parks Department has installed a wood stockade fence at the Service Center. The parking area at J. A. Carr Park has been doubled in size. The jogging trail has been turf-shaped and washed-out Page Six, Regular Meeting, Parks & Recreation Board, June 4 , 1984 areas filled. The irrigation system has been re-worked at Kiddie Carr Park and placed on automatic timing. Shrubs in the median strips on Ector Drive in front of the Civic Center Complex have been pruned very close, and dead ones are being replaced. Two large trees and all the shrubs in the median strip on Ector Drive in front of Civic Center Complex have been removed to make a turning lane entering the Complex. New nets have been installed at Midway Park tennis courts. One hundred and sixty-one (161) yards of fill-dirt has been added to the softball field being built for small girls in West Park. Mowing is continuous in all parks and City areas. Flower beds are being worked, and planted with colorful flowers . COMMENTS Mr. Leon Hogg reported that Girl ' s Softball is progressing according to plan. Mrs. McCormick remarked that the rose garden has been beautiful this spring, and the cannas in the new bed at the Civic Center Complex have begun to bloom. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Parks and Recreation Board at this time the meeting adjourned at 8 : 25 P.M. , with a closing prayer by Ron Henson. jChairm c �� ✓_ - L Attest