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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_PAREB_02.11.2010Minutes of the Meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board City of Georgetown, Texas Thursday, February 11, 2010 The Parks and Recreation Board of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met on Thursday , February 11, 2010 Members Present: Bill Mateja, Bob Mathis, Kent Buikema , Robert Laemel, Shane Morris, Simone Pollard Members Absent: Jean Houck, Jean Houck Staff Present: Randy Morrow, Kimberly Garrett, Eric Lashley, Jill Kellum Minutes Regular Meeting 1. Call to order Kent Buikema called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. 2. Roll call: 3. Discuss the 2010/2011 budget process - Micki Rundell, Laurie Brewer or Lorie Lankford Finance has rescheduled this item for next month. Buikema opened discussion to the board members for budget input from the worksheet that Finance dispersed. a. What are your board's top goals for the next 3 — 5 years? Buikema stated he would like to see implementation of the park's master plan and bring about a discussion on Lake Georgetown. Mateja added he would like to properly manage and staff anticipated inventory coming. He explained inventory such as Lake Georgetown, additional parks and personnel. Morris stated he would like to also see implementation of the parks' master plan. Laemel stated that Finance should start this process 2 months earlier by dispersing the Budget Input worksheet to the boards so the boards can discuss with staff what their goals are. Laemel stated he would like to see some available transportation for the Parks and Recreation Department and lighting for the tennis courts at the Tennis Center. He stated the lighting at the Tennis Center is beyond repair and needs a total overhaul. Buikema asked staff what they would like to see supported by the board. Morrow stated that the bond passed for the master plan and he would like to see this start. Garrett stated in terms of operations, they need to look at getting an administrative position to manage the cash deposits and provide administrative support to the Administration office, Tennis Center and Recreation Center. Garrett also stated that the inclusion needs must be addressed. This would address the special needs in the community. Garrett stated we do not have anyone on staff that specialized in Therapeutic Recreation. Laemel asked if Georgetown Independent School District (GISD) had an adaptive learning teacher. Garrett stated they do but they do not want to administer a camp. Garrett stated the Georgetown Alliance is doing fundraising and trying to get a camp started but they are not trained in hosting a camp. Garrett stated the Georgetown Alliance contracted with staff at GISD, the adaptive PE teachers, but their rates are approximately $40.00 an hour for the camp. It was costing $400.00 a week for half a day camp. They were looking at Parks and Recreation's camp that is charging $130.00 a week for a full day and how they can get it more reasonable. Garrett stated the Georgetown Alliance is in the fundraising mode and they would like for Parks and Recreation to possibly manage the camp and contract out with the PE instructors. Garrett stated that council would have to subsidize the funding for that program. Garrett stated that staff will bring this forward to the council stating the need and the mandate of adaptive PE. Garrett stated that it is an inclusion and we can not say we do not offer programs for them. Garrett stated since we are close to 50,000 in population we are starting to get the requests for this programming. Garrett stated this is an operational item that the current staff can not handle now. It would require a position that was certified in therapeutic recreation. Buikema asked if the laws require parks and recreation to offer this. Garrett stated it is required and the programs offered depend on the demand. Garrett stated that the City of Round Rock offers a camp for children with disabilities at their recreation center. The City of Austin has a recreation center that is dedicated to children with disabilities. Buikema states that this is something that should be in the budget as it is a major budget requirement. Garrett stated that a small step would be to offer a camp and the ratio of child to counselor would be 2:1 where as the camp we offer the ratio is 10:1. The counselors we hire are college age that make $7 - $9 an hour. The counselors to work the camps with children with disabilities would want $25 - $30 an hour. Laemel asked if UT had a therapeutic recreation major were they might have student teachers for internships. Garrett stated that Texas State in San Marcos has a program. Morrow added that if you charge the children with disabilities $400 a week for camp you have to charge everyone $400 a week for camp. Garrett stated you can have a special camp but inclusion means they want to be included with everyone else, but in some circumstances you have to separate them because of safety for the children. They want to canoe and be on the challenge course and do what the other children are doing which requires a lot more attention. Laemel asked if there were grants available. Garrett stated they were told at the Inclusion Conference there were grants available for programming and staff. The council workshop in March will be on CIP projects which will fall in line with the master plan. The end of April they will give council an update on operations and will address what we are doing and what we need. The council workshop will be 3/23 and 4/27 at 4:00 pm. b. What are your issues/concerns for the upcoming budget cycle? Morris' concern is that the money that the citizens voted for in the bond will not be used to better the park system in a timely manner. Laemel stated staffing is a concern. Laemel asked about the budget and if council requires parks and recreation to collect half of the budget back. Garrett stated that staff's goal is to get back half. Garrett stated the Parks and Recreation provides recreation and quality of life for the whole community. We have 43% of children in Georgetown on free and reduced lunch and the income is not real high in Georgetown. There must be places for people to exercise and play as obesity is at an all time high and stress is high. Garrett stated that council has not given direction on the budget and what must be brought in. The entire recreation center programs cover theirs costs. Some of the other programs, such as softball, subsidize other programs, such as the cost of running the pools as softball brings in a lot of revenue. On the operation side there are a lot of expenses. c. Do you feel you are providing adequate service to the citizens? Why or why not? Buikema stated he feels staff is providing what people want from the Parks and Recreation Department. Laemel also added that we need staffing to do the special needs programs and unified sports as it is only provided on a limited basis. d. What resources are critical for the upcoming year? Garrett stated the need for staffing. The need for administrative personnel in the department. The quality of customer service goes down when front line staff has to do administrative duties. e. Are there any services that we feel we could adjust to help fund critical resources? Levy some of the parks bond. 4. Update on Sculptures in the park project— Lashley Lashley presented information on the sculptures that will be placed in San Gabriel Park on March 81h. Lashley thanked Eric Nuner with the parks department helping with this project. Lashley showed which sculptures would be placed in the park and most of the sculptures are coming from Marble Falls. Pollard asked about vandalism. Lashley stated they are insured for up to $5,000.00. He stated the sculptures are for sell. Lashley stated the parks department is helping to get the platforms ready and there will be 12 sculptures. Lashley would like to do a ribbon cutting in April to promote this project. He would like to see this done year after year as a feature of the park. The other goal is to have this as a larger collection with Marble Falls, LBJ Wildflower Center and a couple of other places to do a sculpture tour. Lashley will work with CVB to do a brochure which will include the artists, costs and a map of where the sculptures are located. Laemel asked about funding and doing a piece in front of the Recreation Center. Lashley stated the Arts and Culture Board is unfunded and so they have asked artists to lend their work. Lashley asked that the Parks Board support this project and bring to council to help fund the Arts and Culture Board. 5. Update from Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Subcommittee Laemel stated they have had 3 meetings. The committee is working on a membership application with the different levels of membership. David Houck is working on the website. The mission statement and the bylaws have been developed and are in draft form. The major discussion was on the next meeting which will be Monday, March 151 at 7:30 pm at the Community Room in the Parks and Recreation Administration Building. Stakeholders from the community will be invited to the meeting. Examples of stakeholders include baseball and soccer groups, past parks board members, Georgetown Independent School District, Southwestern University, etc. The people that attend the meeting will in essence be the start of the Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation. The meeting will be an informal presentation to see what we can offer the community and how we think we can help you and what they can offer us. The concept of the Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation wants to be a valuable asset for parks and recreation in the City of Georgetown. Mathis added that the primary focus is reaching out to those who can not take advantage of what we have to offer now. Laemel stated the committee is looking for professionals such as an attorney and CPA to help with the costs of setting up the nonprofit. 6. Discussion of Parks and Recreation Monthly Review There was general discussion of the review. 7. Appreciation to outgoing board members Buikema thanked Bob Mathis for his time served on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. 8. Approve minutes from January 14, 2010 meeting Mathis made a motion to approve the minutes it was seconded by Pollard and the motion passed by unanimous vote. 9. Future agenda items 10. Adjourn Laemel made a motion to adjourn the meeting. :tris Kent Buikema, Board hail Parks and Recreation Board Shane Morris, Secretary Parks and Recreation