Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Minutes

July 20, 2010             

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  

Chair Jana Dobbs, Vice Chair Joe Caldwell, Kelly Barth,  Andy Clayton, and Kevin Loos

 

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:  

 

 

 

STAFF PRESENT: 

Ernie Shaw and Roger Steinbrock

 

 

GUESTS:

Annette Deghand, Victoria and Jessica

 

 

I.             Meeting called to order by Chair Dobbs

 

II.           Approval of June 8 Minutes -- Motion to approve June 8th minutes by Caldwell and seconded by Barth.  Motion approved.

 

III.         Concerns of the Board – Loos was contacted by an individual regarding the lack of mowing at the Riverfront Park disc golf course.  He had passed it on to Hecker but had not heard back yet.  Shaw said that he would double check on that issue. 

 

Dobbs said she had received a call yesterday from Jeff Deman, stating that he had a bike accident on Burroughs Creek Trail, between 13th and 19th Street, by Haskell and Barker.  He admitted he wasn’t paying attention, that it was dark, no headlight, but the metal posts that are up to keep vehicles off of the path are not very visible.  There is a small reflective sticker at the bottom of the post and he suggested that a bigger reflective sticker be placed up towards the top. 

 

Clayton said that he has been approached by a couple of lifeguards inquiring as to if the pool will be closing earlier than normal due to budgets.  Shaw said that we should be fine. 

 

IV.          NRPA Therapeutic week / Adapted & Integrated activities – Annette Deghand mentioned that July is the National Parks and Recreation month and last week was the National Therapeutic Recreation week, which is a branch of the NRPA.   Deghand mentioned that the burnout rate for workers in the TR field is five years and she just logged her 19th year.  There are only a handful of cities in Kansas that offers Special Populations programming or does what the LPRD Special Populations division offers.  Annette brought a couple of guests, Victoria and Jessica, that are participating in her day camp program that runs from Noon to 4 p.m. for eight weeks during the summer.  The junior camp is for ages 5-12 years old and the senior camp is for ages 13-21 years old. 

 

V.            New Parks and Recreation Information video – Steinbrock shared with the board a new informational video featuring a “week in the life of LPRD,” as well as a poster campaign showing various ways people celebrate parks and recreation.  The department has also started their own Facebook page, with about 100 fans. The video will be shown on Channel 25 and on the website.

VI.          Meeting typically canceled in August unless board deems necessary – Board members felt there was no reason to hold a meeting in August, so the next board meeting will be held on September 14. 

 

VII.        Staff Reports

 

a.     Recreation/Golf Revenue/Expense Report – Shaw reported that the revenue report is running good.  Not too concerned with the recreation side right now.  The golf side is still running short.  The wet weather and now the hot weather is not helping at all.   Expenditures have been cut, running about $43,000 less than this time last year.  

b.    Parks/Projects Report         -- Shaw mentioned that the park staff is very busy right now with many projects while part-time staff is on.  Part-time money, in the near future, will be running low and will have to cut back.  We hope to have many summer projects complete by the time we have to lay off part -time help.  Youth baseball along with diamond maintenance has wound down; laying sod at Eagle Bend (zoysia); Carnegie construction is on schedule with a finishing date towards the end of September.

c.     Marketing Report – Steinbrock reported that he is down to a staff of one, himself, plus an intern in the afternoon.  He is searching for another person and has opened up the position to be posted for three weeks. 

 

Meeting adjourned.  Next Advisory Board meeting scheduled for Noon, Tuesday, September 14, 2010, Parks and Recreation Conference Room.