Parks and Recreation

Advisory Board Minutes

January 11, 2011             

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  

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

 

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:  

 

 

 

STAFF PRESENT: 

Ernie Shaw, Mark Hecker, Roger Steinbrock and Lee Ice

 

 

GUESTS:

 

 

 

I.             Meeting called to order by Chair Dobbs

 

II.           Approval of Oct. 12 Minutes -- Motion to approve December 13 minutes by Caldwell and seconded by Barth.  Motion approved.

 

III.         Concerns of the Board – Barth reported there is a bunch of broken glass on the east walkway going across the river bridge.  Hecker said he would check into it.

 

IV.         Tennis Center lighting public meeting – Jan. 27, 6 p.m. at Lawrence High School – A meeting will be held with the local neighborhood and the tennis community to talk about lighting the tennis center.  A direct mailing will go out to the neighborhood surrounding the courts. The tennis associations in the community will also be notified, as well as a news release for the community at large.  

 

V.           Carnegie Building Community Open House – January 8, 1-4 p.m. – Shaw said the open house went very well.  He estimated over 300 people attended. Said there was a continuous flow for the entire open house. Said we now have nine weddings scheduled to use the facility, with the first one scheduled this coming weekend.

 

VI.         Cemetery office duties to Administration office – Shaw said the department had some staffing changes beginning Jan. 18.  Paula Craig, from the Administrative Office would be relocated to the Community Building, while Amy Chavez, who has been half time at the Community Building and half time at the cemetery office would be relocated to the Administrative Office in a full-time capacity, handling the cemetery duties from the Admin. office.  Shaw said it will give more access to the funeral homes having staff here eight hours a day versus four hours a day at the Memorial Park office.

 

VII.       Girls Volleyball League Information – Lee Ice was invited to the meeting to discuss the item, which was raised by Caldwell at the last board meeting. Ice said the questions regarding a girl’s volleyball league wasn’t new, but something that typically gets asked after our April volleyball clinic, which is held for girls in 4th grade to 8th grade.  Ice said it comes down to gym space, timing and who will administer it and when it would be held. Ice said he is currently putting together a plan for the department to run a volleyball league this year based on the facility and staff availability. 

 

VIII.     Staff Reports

 

a.    Recreation/Golf Revenue/Expense Report – Shaw reported the recreation revenues were above the projections for 2010.  Some divisions were down in revenue, while other areas were well above their projections to make the department exceed the revenue projection set for the year.  Shaw said Eagle Bend revenue is down about $100,000 from last year.  He said we knew it would happen and that we also cut expenses to offset the shortfall.  He said rounds were down; revenue was down. He said it was most likely due to bad weather, the cold season grass in the summer getting diseased and dying and the current economic condition. Shaw said we are making changes to the annual pass. In 2011, passes are only good Monday through Friday, instead of seven days a week.  He said the charge for the pass would be the same, $750 a year, but that it would only be good for playing all a person wanted Monday through Friday. 

 

b.    Parks/Projects Report – Hecker said snow has been a big deal.  He said staff has been working on little items at the Carnegie, with the contractor.  Hecker said we are also working on the IPM policy – addressing poison ivy problems, which we would be bring to the board in the future for review. He said we were getting ready for spring, ordering flowers, flower design for downtown, tree plantings and removing Christmas lights.

 

c.    Marketing Report – Steinbrock announced that we received word through Kansas Recreation and Parks Association and Blue Cross/Blue Shield that we will be receiving the Blue Chip Award for healthy communities at the KRPA Awards Banquet at the upcoming KRPA conference.  Steinbrock is also submitting an application for some Arbor Day Foundation awards for the Arbor Day project the department had in May with the area Boy Scout troops. He said we also submitted an award nomination for an partnership award with the Lawrence Rotary clubs for the on-going relationship we have with them in development of the Lawrence Rotary Arboretum.   

 

Meeting adjourned.  Next Advisory Board meeting scheduled for Noon, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, Parks and Recreation Conference Room.