Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-05-14 Regular Meeting Park and Recreation Board May 14, 1979 CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Park and Recreation Board was called to order at 7: 10 p.m. , in the Council Chambers of Euless City Hall by Chairman Don Calhoun. Other members present were Messrs. Winn Porter, Billy Owens, Jay Heilman, and Mrs. Zella Stierwalt. (Absent was Mrs. Sherry Kachel .) Also present were Park and Recreation Coordinator Larry Morgan and Recording Secretary Maurine Butler. VISITORS Visitors in attendance were Mr. Skip Keller and Mrs. Willie Mae McCormick. INVOCATION The invocation was given by Mr. Don Calhoun. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the regular meeting dated April 9, 1979, were approved as written. PARK AND RECREATION COORDINATOR' S REPORT ATHLETIC PROGRAM . Mr. Morgan introduced Mr. Skip Keller, Athletic Supervisor, and stated he would give a report on what is happening in athletics. Mr. Keller stated the Little League baseball program is getting off to a good start, with the first games being played tonight. He stated a few changes and improvements were made and a good working relationship has been established in the Little League program. Mr. Keller stated Euless will host the Men' s Regional Softball Tournament and Euless will have three teams in the tournament. He stated softball is played Monday through Friday night, and mixed teams with men and women play on Wednesday nights in West Park. (Paqe Two, Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, May 14, 1979) Mr. Keller stated the soccer program is coming to a close after a long season due to the weather. He stated a lot of work has been done on the soccer fields and for the first time the fields have been seeded while still in the rainy season. Mr. Keller stated they plan to make more fields out of some of the parking area. He stated there has been a lot of internal problems in the Soccer Association in scheduling of games, and having more fields will help. Mr. Morgan stated Mr. Keller is on the Soccer Association Board and communication between the City and the Associ- ation will be improved. Chairman Calhoun inquired the owner of the small building that is located near the soccer fields. He stated he has received some inquiries about using it for a concession stand and having picnic tables there for families to use. Mr. Morgan stated the building is the property of the airport. Mr. Keller stated the park crew has been working on the swimming pools and the pool managers will complete the work. He stated they have recently employed two pool managers and they will take on the responsibility needed for these positions. He stated some changes are being made this year; the pool life guards will be required to attend a school before the season begins, and refresher drills will be given during the season to make them better prepared for emergencies. The pool managers will be in charge of the life guards, keeping the pools clean, and ordering of supplies. Mr. Keller stated money for season passes and swim lessons will be received at Simmons Center, by one person, in order to keep a weekly account of money taken in and also to stay within the pool budget. Chairman Calhoun requested that pools open and close at the time posted on the signs as there have been complaints of the pools closing early. RECREATION Mr. Morgan gave each member a copy of the Parks and Recreation Summer Program and a flyer. He stated the art work in the program was done by the staff and the cost of printing was approximately $450.00. He stated the programs are mailed to all residents on the Water Department mailing list and the flyers are placed in apartment complex clubrooms, grocery store bulletin boards and other public places. Mr. Morgan stated the weight room which opened in March has been receiving a lot of use and $307.00 has been received (Page Three, Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, May 14, 1979) in fees. He stated four-hundred sixty-one membership cards have been issued with two-hundred of this number issued to employees. The showers in the upper area of the Community Building have been completed and the air conditioning equipment has been removed. Mr. Morgan stated they are getting ready for the summer day camp at Kiddie Carr Park, which begins in June. The two- story hotel has been completed with electricity leading to it. Mr. Morgan stated two students from North Texas State University have been employed through the summer intern program. He stated a professor and Dean of Recreation from North Texas State University recently toured the park and recreation facilities and were very impressed with our city. He stated one of the gentlemen has the plans for a Mississippi gambling boat which was originally built in a park in California that had a "Mark Twain" theme. A new class is beginning at North Texas State University, "Areas and Facilities Maintenance", and there is a possibility this class and the instructor will come to Euless next summer and build this boat in Kiddie Carr Park, if money is available for the materials. The boat would be scaled down to fit our needs and size and will be built on the east side of the creek bank with a platform approach. He stated this is all in the planning stages. PARKS Mr. Morgan stated they are basically in grounds and maintenance work in the parks, and repairing the inside and outside of the swimming pools. The pool at Midway Park and the pump have been a problem but some of these problems are being taken care of. He stated there is a lot of work to be done at Midway Park on the fences, signs, lighting and office and they will try to get as much done on these as possible. Mr. Porter inquired if enough money is taken in by the pools to pay for the maintenance. Mr. Morgan stated they have $30,000 to work with in the budget. He stated this year they have revised and cut down in some areas of operation and hope to get by on $29,740. II . LITTLE BEAR CREEK COMMUNITY PARK Mr. Owens stated he had received more information about Little Bear Creek Park from reading the newspaper and reading the minutes of the City Council than he had learned from being a member of the Park and Recreation Board. He stated the Council minutes did not sound like anything that had been discussed by the Park and Recreation Board. Mr. Owens stated the Park and Recreation Board reviewed the plans of Phase One of Little Bear Creek Park and made recommendations and were not notified about major changes until it was ready for bids. He stated he would like to know if these changes were from the (Page Four, Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, May 14, 1979) architect or city staff. He stated in this new year there needs to be more communication between the Council , staff, and Park and Recreation Board, and he thought the Board should have some say in what is going on in parks and recreation. He stated he read in the newspaper the items that were to be left out in Little Bear Creek Park and the items that were given priority, and they were not the priority of the Park and Recreation Board. Discussion followed. III . REQUEST FOR COPY OF BUDGET AND PARK AND RECREATION RULES AND BY-LAWS BUDGET Mr. Owens stated the Park and Recreation Board should receive a copy of the budget and see where the money is being spent. He stated the $30,000 Mr. Morgan mentioned is the first time he had heard about it. Chairman Calhoun made a motion that the Parks and Recreation Board be advised of future budget and be able to review it in a regular meeting of the Board, prior to it being submitted by the Park and Recreation Coordinator to the staff for formalization by the City Council and also to compare present budget with last year' s budget. Mrs. Stierwalt seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Mr. Calhoun, Mrs. Stierwalt, Messrs. Porter, Owens, and Heilman Nays: None Chairman Calhoun declared the motion carried. PARK AND RECREATION RULES AND BY-LAWS Mr. Owens made a motion that the Coordinator obtain for each member of the Board a copy of the rules and by-laws of the duties of the Park and Recreation Board and information regarding what authority the Board has in signing of park plans prior to letting of bids. Mr. Heilman seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Messrs. Owens, Heilman Porter, Calhoun, and Mrs. Stierwalt Nays: None Chairman Calhoun declared the motion carried. (Page Five, Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, May 14, 1979) IV. LETTER TO CITY MANAGER Mr. Owens made a motion that a letter be sent to the City Manager, inviting him to the next regular meeting of the Park and Recreation Board, June 11 , 1979, 7:00 p.m. , and discuss the following: 1 . duties of Park and Recreation Board 2. planning for new parks (Bear Creek) 3. budget Mr. Heilman seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Messrs. Owens, Heilman, Porter, Calhoun, and Mrs. Stierwalt Nays: None Chairman Calhoun declared the motion carried. V. LETTER OF APPRECIATION Chairman Calhoun stated Mr. John Mullins, a long time employee of the City and manager of one of the swimming pools is retiring. He recommended that a letter of appreciation be sent to Mr. Mullins from the Park and Recreation Board, thanking him for past service to the City and attitude toward his job. VI . ELECTION OF OFFICERS Mr. Owens made a motion that the present officers be retained to serve another year; Don Calhoun, Chairman; Winn Porter, Vice-Chairman; and Zella Stierwalt, Secretary. Mr. Porter nominated Mr. Owens for Chairman. Mr. Owens declined the nomination. Mr. Calhoun seconded Mr. Owens motion to retain the present officers and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Messrs. Owens, Calhoun, Heilman, and Mrs. Stierwalt Nays: None Abstain: Mr. Porter Chairman Calhoun declared the motion carried. (Page Six, Regular Meeting, Park and Recreation Board, May 14, 1979) VII . RESOLUTION IN APPRECIATION Mr. Owens stated since this is the last meeting of the year, he would like to make a motion that a resolution be sent to the City Council expressing appreciation for the outstanding job Larry Morgan, Park and Recreation Coordinator, and Maurine Butler, Recording Secretary, have done. Mr. Heilman seconded the motion and the vote is as follows: Ayes: Messrs. Owens, Heilman, Porter, Calhoun, and Mrs. Stierwalt Nays: None Chairman Calhoun declared the motion carried. VIII . COMMENTS Mrs. McCormick stated with reference to the changes made on the Little Bear Creek Park plans, the bids were sent out with alternates and when they came back, the cost was about twenty-five percent more than the grant and the city' s matching funds. The only way to stay within the figure was to eliminate the lighting of the ball park and the fireplace in the pavilion. She stated they were going to investigate, and if nothing is lost, they are going back to the state and try to get the grant increased. Mrs. McCormick stated the Council and staff were shocked at the cost of the lighting and restrooms and they are going to ask for bids on a sub-contractor basis rather than a contractor. Mr. Morgan stated there is a possibility the City will do the dirt work and erect the playground equipment. He stated a record is being kept of hours worked in Little Bear Creek Park and the City will be reimbursed by the grant. He stated they have installed fencing, cleared and grubbed some of the area, hauled trash, and rerouted the jogging trail . Chairman Calhoun stated the park was redesigned and the pavilion and restrooms were not located in a very convenient manner. IX. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 9: 15 p.m. eige,"111/4"- Chairman