City of Lawrence

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

December 10, 2018 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Chair, Allen Humphrey, John Blazek, Pat Phillips, Patricia Collette, Marilyn Hull, Bart Littlejohn, and Val Renault

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Sue Hack, Sandy Hull

STAFF PRESENT:

Derek Rogers, Roger Steinbrock, Lee Ice, Tim Laurent, Brandy Shoemaker, Annette Deghand, Jo Ellis

PUBLIC PRESENT:

John Nalbandian, Lisa Larsen, Coyla Lockhart,  Dylan Lysen

 

    I.        Meeting called to order by Humphrey

 

  II.        Approval of November 12 minutes

Approval was motioned by Blazek; Littlejohn seconded.  Motion carried 7-0.

 

III.        Highlights/Concerns

Renault attended a meeting of the Common Ground community garden as a board representative – the group is in a new phase where they are visioning and planning for the future of the community gardens

Blazek complimented the arts and crafts fair that was held at SPL.  Well attended and organized.  He also complimented two part-time staff for handling a situation with middle-school kids kicking balls and trying to break lights.  John congratulated Tim on his new position and thanked Allen for his service on the board.  Blazek hopes open positions will be filled with Lawrence residents.

Allen commented his wife went to the craft fair and afterwards he asked her if there was anyone there that was more aggressive than she expected, and she felt that wasn’t the case. There was one window vendor there that acted more like it was a trade show. 

 

 IV.        Police Headquarters Park Area Update

Hecker was not in attendance but had provided notes to share with the board. Steinbrock said Hecker had a design meeting last week with the landscape architects and architect team to work exclusively on the park design. Up to this point, most of the time has been spent on the basic layout and location of the police facility. He (Hecker) said the intended design for the park is to make it a neighborhood park (most users live within a half-mile of the park). Hecker said he is pushing the natural play-type of design for the park that is shown in a video Hull had shared with Rogers and Hecker.  Hecker relayed the police facility location and preliminary park master plan will be shown at the next public meeting, which Steinbrock said would be held 7:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, at SPL.  Steinbrock said it was the third meeting in a series of four meetings scheduled with the remaining meeting being held in February. Steinbrock showed the video Hull had shared. Discussion from the board was positive for the natural-style play and members expressed approval for going in that direction. Rogers mentioned while the video showed more of a destination park, this park was a neighborhood park and would most likely need to be created in phases as money became available. 

 

    V.        Update on Lawrence Loop Signage

Steinbrock reported for Hecker that the signs have all been assembled and installation should start later this week or early next week as the utility locates were still being completed. Installation will start at the north end of Burroughs Creek Trail and proceed south and then west.  The Santa Fe Depot is being used as the starting point or the zero-mile mark. The first sign will be at the north end of Burroughs Creek trail and will be a Lawrence Loop sign with a directional arrow pointing participants down the path.  The first mileage marker will be at a point one mile from the Santa Fe Depot 9 along the proposed route. Mileage markers will be installed every half-mile from that point all the way around the city.  Once the markers are in place, staff will proceed with marketing.

 

 VI.        Retreat

Discussion was held regarding a retreat or have quarterly reports on the master plan.  Board members decided to try quarterly reports rather than a retreat for 2019.

 

VII.        Election of Officers for 2019

Steinbrock reported that Sandy Hull has been appointed to serve out the remainder of Mandy Enfield’s term on the board and wasn’t able to make the meeting. John Nalbandian will replace Chair Humphrey to finish his term beginning in January 2019. Humphrey then opened up the floor for nominations.

 

Hull asked what duties are involved with the Chair and Vice Chair.

Chair duties would involve meeting with Rogers and Steinbrock to set an agenda for the meetings, running the meetings and representing the board to the City Commission. The Vice-Chair would fill in when the Chair is in not available.  Steinbrock said it would be a good idea to have the Vice-Chair attend the agenda planning meetings, so they would know what was discussed if they needed to fill in, plus it would also groom someone to chair the board the following year, if they desired to serve as Chair. Steinbrock said the term of service for each position was for a calendar year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. Littlejohn said he wouldn’t be able to serve as Chair in 2019 but might in 2020. He also said he could serve as Vice-Chair if needed. Hull said she could serve as Chair if needed.

Phillips motioned to nominate Marilyn Hull as Chair; Blazek seconded.  Motion carried 7-0.

 Hull motioned to nominate Bart Littlejohn as Vice-Chair; Blazek seconded.  Motion carried 7-0.

 

VIII.        Staff Reports

a.    Parks – Steinbrock reported for Hecker that the YSC restroom project is complete.  Burroughs Creek Trail restroom installation is complete near 15th Street.  The Burroughs Creek fitness stations have also been installed along the trail.  The Eagle Bend Pro Shop project is almost complete, waiting on counter tops.  The Holiday Lights have been receiving high praises, staff continues to maintain the displays on a daily basis.  Spring bulbs for daffodils and tulips have been planted.  Upgrades in the basement at the Community Building (Community Rooms) – new permanent divider wall to replace the old folding wall are currently being done along with new paint, flooring and a kitchen update.  Working with GeoTech Engineer on design of the arboretum parking lot. And the arboretum shelter, the Rotary Club donation, is nearly complete.

b.    Recreation – Ice reported the Holiday Bazaar had tremendous participation.  Youth basketball leagues just finished their first session this past weekend.  Taking registrations for the next session until the beginning of January.  Youth soccer finishes up this weekend and will also be holding another session of soccer beginning in January.  There will also be a second session of volleyball after the holidays.  Winter camp registrations are currently being accepted.  Ice introduced two member of his staff, Jo Ellis and Annette Deghand, and asked them to go over their current programs.  Ice read a brief note from Chad Tower that he had sent to his staff stating “you have done a great job of programming, organizing, leading, supervising, and basically killing it with everything you do to make SPL a destination spot for local, regional and national participants.  If December goes as planned, we’ll be pushing 600,000 by the end of the year which will be remarkable.  Great job everyone.  Keep up the great work.”

Ellis reported she had just hired a new gymnastics programmer.  Have programs at SPL and ELC with an average of about 400 kids each month and 25 staff.  Also oversees the fitness programs, explained the Fitness Bingo (free demos) upcoming.  Have some Lego Camps and Gymnastics Camps during the winter break.

Deghand said she sets up the programs primarily for the disabled.  Also has the Lifelong programs under her division with Gayle Sigurdson as the programmer.  Lifelong is for the 50-plus programs, however you don’t have to be 50 years-old to participate.  Sigurdson has been busy wrapping up a few more trips this year and all of her fitness classes that has been going on.  Taking registrations for the integrated winter camp.  Also have a big monthly program, called Coffeehouse that has about 85 adults with disabilities (dinner and dance) – the December one is special since the Baker University softball team comes up and volunteers and interacts with them all night.  Our own field supervisor helps us out with portraying as Santa.  Since September, we have an acting class that meets up for 1-½ hours each Monday evening and have teamed up with Theatre Lawrence.  Whatever show Theatre Lawrence does this time of year, we do.  This year’s show is an adaptive version of Annie.  Theatre Lawrence helps out with lighting.  Showing is next Monday night at Theatre Lawrence. 

 

c.     Staff

Marketing – Steinbrock reported the activity guide dropped Nov. 25. He said his division was working on a summer camp activity guide that will be available online in early January.  Will also have the mini master plan (draft form) for board members for the next January meeting. He said Toys were still being collected for the Toys for Tots charity. 

d.    Director – Rogers reported that P&R staff were busy with snow removal of parking lots and sidewalks with the last snowstorm.  Holiday lights are on for the season and receiving a lot of compliments; Indoor Aquatics Center has held a couple of swim meets on the weekends; did the Holiday Bazaar and Holiday Extravaganza; one basketball tournament at SPL with one futsal tournament coming up and two volleyball tournaments coming up.  The Special Populations Division took some clients to a WWE activity, Winter Wonderland tour in Shawnee and many other trips. 

Rogers wanted to pay tribute to all LPRD employees in the department for their service over the last year.  He said during one of the last public comment periods during the City Commission public forum, the recreation division of the department was brought up as a demographic representation for all full-time city employees, showing how many people lived outside of the city/county.  Rogers said wanted to thank the service and commitment of the department employees, regardless of where they live, to the community of Lawrence.  He said all LPRD employees appreciate serving the wonderful community of Lawrence and do go above and beyond to get the job done.  He also believes the employees take their jobs seriously, care deeply about our parks, programs and facilities.  He said any member of the community can walk into any of the facilities and talk to any of the knowledgeable staff and get great service and they’d never know or even think twice about where the employee lives.  It comes down to the fact that the staff take care of the community. He said the snowstorm was a great example because staff were out on a Sunday and some of them were out all night so facilities could open the next day, like the Indoor Aquatic Center opening at 5:30am.

Rogers concluded by providing a heartfelt thank you to all department employees, saying “I appreciate and am proud of all you of for supporting the community throughout the year.  Without their support we couldn’t get the job done and provide the high level of service that we do.”

Rogers mentioned the holiday luncheon invitations they were provided and invited the board members to attend. Rogers said the luncheon was being paid for by the himself, the assistant directors and managers and no city funding was helping pay for the luncheon.

Renault – Inquired if any staff or board members have had any feedback regarding playground equipment being removed from the smaller neighborhood parks. Rogers said the goal is to try to take care of some of the amenities need to be upgraded/replaced, not necessarily remove the playgrounds. 

 

 IX.        Public Comments

No public comments

 

   X.        Other

Steinbrock wanted to thank Humphrey on behalf of the department for his service as a board member, saying it isn’t often a person serves back-to-back terms as chair as he had done. Steinbrock said he appreciated Humphrey’s attendance at many public meetings and always willing to assist with requests the department presented to the board.

 

Next Board Meeting, Monday, January 14, at 5:30 p.m.

 

 

Meeting adjourned.