Parks & Recreation

Advisory Board Minutes

May 11, 2010             

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  

Vice Chair Joe Caldwell, Andy Clayton, and Kevin Loos

 

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:  

Chair Jana Dobbs and Kelly Barth

 

 

STAFF PRESENT: 

Ernie Shaw, Mark Hecker , Roger Steinbrock, Jimmy Gibbs and Tim Laurent

 

 

GUESTS:

 

 

 

I.              Meeting called to order by Vice Chair Joe Caldwell

 

II.            Approval of April 13, 2010 minutes -- Motion to approve by Kevin, seconded by Andy.  Motion approved.

 

III.           Concerns of the Board – Joe had been contacted by Clark Campbell, KU swim coach, about the profit vs. non-profit discussion.  Will discuss during the agenda topic on the issue.

 

IV.          Profit vs. non profit report rentals/subsidies – Jimmy/Tim/Roger – Ernie stated Jimmy, Tim and Roger have been getting information together as requested by the City Commission.  Ernie passed out two separate memos that will be walked on the City Manager’s report at that night’s Commission meeting.  Staff has not been able to find a public organization that does long-term contracts with for-profit organizations - meaning that a for-profit organization can come into a public facility and make money off of that public facility on a long-term basis.  There are a lot of short-term rentals such as tournaments, short-term leagues, but nothing year-long, year after year contract.   The only thing found was like what we do with concessions – a contractual concessionaire comes in and runs concessions for a percentage of what they make.  Kevin suggested moving on with the agenda due to the length of time it would take to discuss the item.  Roger will organize a Special Meeting of the Advisory Board for the week of May 17 to discuss the topic separately.  NOTE: It was later learned the memos wouldn’t be a part of the City Manager’s that they would be provided to the City Commission during the following week’s Budget Study Session. Advisory Board members were notified of this via e-mail.

 

V.            Report on meeting with USD 497 Frank Harwood (facility usage) – Kevin reported that he, Jana, Tim, Mark and Lee met with Frank Harwood and Tom Bracciano regarding gym space for basketball and volleyball. With the move of the 9th graders to the high school, it isn’t known at this time how that will impact the space at the junior highs. We share services with junior highs and high schools, but not the elementary schools.  Are there things we can do to help build that relationship with the elementary schools?  They continue to move forward with a centralized scheduling system between the principals and the contact at the school district headquarters, which will help out our department with some consistencies.  We also committed to meeting on a monthly / bi-monthly basis.  As a group, we need to work together.  Tim agreed that it might help us on our side to utilize the junior highs more; we really don’t use that space right now.  Bob is receptive to exploring some junior high gym options.  Lee is unable to utilize the gyms at the junior highs due to the lack of space for spectators.

 

VI.          Bike Polo Club request – Ernie mentioned that he had an individual contact him with a Bike Polo Club requesting that the department to consider building a polo arena.  Ernie responded that the request would be added to the list of facility requests from other organizations.  Ernie also mentioned in the response back that we have had other organizations approach us wanting to form a partnership, where they may be raising money but would like to use a city facility to put this on and if they were interested in talking about this, to let us know.  He has not heard anymore from this individual/group.

 

VII.         Facility on-line reservations – Kevin – one of the issues that Kevin has noticed is that on the weekends when he’s planning his practice schedule for the following weekend, there are never any slots open.  Fields are being held until schedules have been returned by Bob or Lee for rainouts, etc.   As a coach, that is very frustrating. 

 

Tim discussed how Bob and Lee schedule games and rain make-up games.  Bob’s schedules are driven by the night of the week and his make up games are pushed to the end of the season and that isn’t a problem.  Lee’s is driven by the age group and the field that they have to be on.  Lee also has a shorter window of time to get his leagues done.  Lee traditionally holds on to everything that he can.  Lee is okay with the idea of opening up fields for practices eight days out.  If the situation rises where there are three or fours days worth of rainouts, fields will be put on hold again for make up games. 

 

VIII.        Staff Reports

 

a.      Recreation/Golf Revenue/Expense Report – Not a lot of change.  Golf has been doing well recently.  We’re not caught up, but getting closer.  Golf is doing as well as anything.  Still concerns on the recreation side, running at 94% of projected revenue.  If things keep running this way, we’ll be about $100,000 less than what our projections are.  Bob, with Adult Sports, has revamped those sessions.  The numbers for this spring session is not the same as last spring. 

b.      Parks/Projects Report            - Burroughs Creek project went really well.  There were more than 200 kids planting more than 300 trees/plants.  Parents worked too and everything was done in a little over three hours.  Youth Sports Complex – practicing on the new ball diamonds, but still have some items that need to be taken care.  Flower planting is huge and continues to be huge.  Summer staff will be starting towards the end of the month. 

c.      Marketing Report – We have received two sponsorships thus far; one for the adult sports complex (Johnny’s West) and one for the indoor aquatic center (Scuba Shack).  The golf tournament will be coming up in June. 

 

Meeting adjourned.  Next Advisory Board meeting scheduled for Noon, Tuesday, June 8, 2010, Parks and Recreation Conference Room.