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2002-09-24 SOUTHLAKE PARKS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MEETING September 24, 2002 MINUTES Board Members Present: President Ralph Evans; Members: Tim O'Conner, Rex Potter, Bobby Rawls, Rick Stacy, Tom Stephen, and Dorothy Wood. Staff Present: Director of Community Services Kevin Hugman, Deputy Director of Community Services Steve Polasek, Finance Director Sharen Elam, Planner Chris Carpenter and Secretary to the City Manager Kim Bush. Agenda Item No. 1, Call to order. The meeting was called to order by President Evans at 6:07 p.m. Agenda Item No. 2 and No. 3. Executive Session. No executive session was held. Agenda Item No. 4. Public Forum. Josh Smith, 3021 Flamingo. Mr. Smith asked the Board to consider funding in the budget for a skate park. He commented that kids interested in skating and skate boarding have no safe place to skate in the community. He informed the Board that the nearest place to skate is 45 minutes and the facility charges anywhere from $10 - $15. He stressed that in his opinion a skate park would be a positive thing for the City. Lynn Flynn, 1044 Summerplace. Ms. Flynn spoke in support of providing funding for a skate park. She would like to see a safe place to take her children in the community she lives in. Leigh Love-Mayer, 3021 Flamingo. Ms. Love-Mayer spoke in support of providing funding for a skate park. She commented that the kids have worked hard and have shown a lot of courage coming forward before the Parks Board and SPDC Board to speak on behalf of a skate park facility. Ms. Love-Mayer stated that it appears that organized sports "rule the nest" and she appealed to the Board to support some kind of funding for the skate park. She informed the Board that the kids and their parents are willing to work hard in any way they can to get this facility built. Rosemary Hutchins, 1412 Whispering Dell. Ms. Hutchins expressed concern that the nature center is not listed as a top priority for SPDC funding. She asked that the Board wait to make a decision about the amount of funding for the nature center until the committee has had a chance to present a report to the Board. Michael Humphries, Wildwood Lane. Mr. Humphries spoke in support of providing funding for a skate park. He informed the Board that his mother works all the time so it is hard for her to take them to a skate park facility. He commented that it would be nice to have a local, safe place to go. Cindy Gaither, 403 Valverde Ct. Ms. Gaither spoke in support of increased funding for the nature center. She stated that there are approximately 500 girls involved in Girls Scouts that would use this type of facility. She also pointed out that this type of facility would be supported by the older adults and families with small children who are too young to be involved in organized sports. SPDC MEETING MINUTES, SEPT. 24, 2002 PAGE 1 OF 5 Marv Ann Nichols, 4461 Homestead Dr. Ms. Nichols stated that she did not support a girl's softball complex with lighted fields at Bob Jones Park. She commented that she and her neighbors are angry about the decision. Ms. Nichols also commented that the Board should not be so fiscally irresponsible by spending so much money on the girls complex - the amount should be reduced and given to nature supported things i.e., trails and a nature center. Andrew Asaff, 1352 Lakeview Dr. Mr. Asaff spoke in support of providing funds for a skate park in Southlake. He commented that this is a "kids town" and the city needs to provide a safe place for kids to skate - he has to spend most of his time skating in his driveway. There were no other comments during Public Forum. Agenda Item No. 5. Administrative Comments. There were no items to discuss. Agenda Item No. 6A. Matching funds request from Southlake Carroll Lacrosse Association for modifications to the former Texas School of Baseball site in the amount of $12,500. Director of Community Services Kevin Hugman explained that if approved the money will be used to make modifications to field #1. He stated that the proposed project would allow for the removal and replacement of the damaged outfield fence, the addition of soil to create better field drainage (1% slope), irrigation modifications, and re-sodding of the infield area. Director Hugman informed the Board that the modifications would provide an improved and slightly expanded practice facility to meet the needs of the Southlake Carroll Lacrosse Association. He also informed the Board that the Park Board recommended approval 6-1. Board member Wood commented that the Texas School of Baseball (TSB) facility was originally purchased for the girls softball complex and now they have been moved to Bob Jones Park and she questioned whether or not the former TSB site was now going to be designated a lacrosse complex and whether or not the City Council was going to vote on this plan. Director Hugman commented that the Council will vote on the project during the design stage as they do in all projects. She commented that it appeared we were putting the "cart before the horse." Director Hugman explained to the Board that the modifications will not prevent the former TSB facility from being used in other ways and that currently, the facility is being used by lacrosse, baseball and girls' softball. Motion was made to approve the matching funds request from the Southlake Carroll Lacrosse Association for modifications to the former Texas School of Baseball site in the amount of $12,500. Motion: O' Conner Second: Stephen Board member Wood asked about the number of players in lacrosse. Mr. Jim Lehane, Lacrosse Association Board member, commented that there are currently 186 participants and they are anticipating well over 300 next year. Mr. Lehane also commented that they estimate about 2% of the participants do not live in Southlake. Board member Wood stated that she has reviewed the roster and it looks to be more like 20-30% of the participants do not live in Southlake. Mr. Lehane explained to the Board that there are some participants that are in the CISD but do not live in Southlake. SPDC MEETING MINUTES, SEPT. 24, 2002 PAGE 2 OF 5 Ayes: Evans, O'Conner, Potter, Rawls, Stacy, Stephen Nays: Wood Approved: 6-1 (Note that the public hearing was not held until prior to the end of the meeting.) Agenda Item No. 611. Approval of FY2002-03 Capital Projects Budget and 5-Year Parks Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). Director Hugman explained that a staff-led CIP Technical Committee consisting of department directors utilized a scoring system to rank all projects in all of the City's funding sources including SPDC. He stated that, given the need to maintain a sufficient fund balance to provide required coverage of the debt, it will not be possible to issue any additional bonds for capital projects in the foreseeable future. The funding available for capital projects is limited to funds on-hand. Director Hugman stated that the proposed budget includes the following projects: Matching funds program Joint Use projects (irrigation projects at school sites used by City) Special Projects (small projects that arise during the year) Continuation of Bob Jones current project Nature Center improvements Girls Softball complex Continuation of current year funding for neighborhood park improvements Additional funds for neighborhood park improvements Trail signage Trail connection at Timarron (if grant not received) Payment to CISD for natatorium He noted that staff anticipates that funding for FY2003-04 and FY2004-05 will be limited to Matching Funds projects and small projects. In response to the Boards question about whether or not all of the funding would be used right away, Director Hugman responded that funding could be made available for other projects because some of the proposed projects will be started this year but not completed i.e., neighborhood parks and baseball. Board member Potter asked about bond proceeds. Finance Director Sharen Elam commented that the earliest she would feel comfortable about issuing bonds would be in FY 2005-06. Director Hugman informed the Board that the Park and Recreation Board recommended the completion of a skate park within the next fiscal year using non-SPDC funds i.e., park dedication fees, Coca Cola proceeds. However, he explained that there are some restrictions and limitations that will need to be looked into. The Board asked that staff provide information regarding liabilities to cities with these types of activities. Board member Wood expressed concern that there will not be enough funds to finish Bob Jones Park. She suggested delaying other projects until Bob Jones Park could be finished. Public Hearing: SPDC MEETING MINUTES, SEPT. 24, 2002 PAGE 3 OF 5 John Richardson, 4537 Homestead. Expressed concern that the Board would start more projects without finishing what was planned for Bob Jones Park. He also expressed his concern with locating a softball complex to Bob Jones Park because of the lights. Mr. Richardson stated that he understood that Bob Jones Park would always be more of a passive park. He asked the Board to go back to the basics and go back to what everyone agreed upon for Bob Jones Park. David Tucker, SYAC President, 102 Wood Glen Ct., spoke in support of a passive park at Bob Jones. Lisa Stokdyk, 720 N. Peytonville Ave., expressed concern with intensive changes to Bob Jones Park. She commented that the park was going to be a passive park and that the City needs to stick to the master plan for the park. She suggested that SPIN be involved with the planning process for the park and asked that the city consider a nature center. Cara White, 4475 Homestead, expressed concern that there will not be any funds left in the budget. She understands that people want all these things, but the City needs to take responsibility and not spend all the funds. She explained that she was passionate about girls' softball, but she believes they have something now that they can work with and that there are other things besides sports. Boyd Dollar, 525 Brooks Ct. Mr. Dollar commented that he is retired and his generation is not represented like organized sports. He asked why so much was being committed to girls' softball. He expressed concern that there would not be enough funds to complete the first phase of Bob Jones Park. Mark Jamison, 702 Chaucer, President of the Southlake Baseball Association. Mr. Jamison commented that the 400 - 600 softball participants represent approximately 20-25% of the population in Southlake. He stated that the girls softball complex at Bob Jones Park will not only help the girls program but will also help free up space at Bicentennial Park for the baseball program which has approximately 1000 participants. Matt Tuggey, 1361 Crosstimber Drive. Mr. Tuggey commented that Bicentennial Park became a beautiful boy's park. He stated that they came forward 10 years ago requesting the same for the girls and it is time to get this complex completed. Bob Jones Park was chosen because it was going to cost the least amount to construct. Mr. Tuggey pointed out that the lights for the fields at Bob Jones Park will be at least 3/4 of a mile from the Lakewood Ridge / Indian Creek subdivisions and will not have a negative impact on the neighborhoods. There being no further comments from the audience, the Public Hearing was closed. Board member Potter stated that the Texas School of Baseball was purchased for park property because it was a good deal and the purchase was not driven by any special interest. He stated that the girls' softball complex has been put off for many years. He also commented that there have been discussions before about the possibility of using less offensive lights for this purpose. The plans for a recreation center have gone away and SPDC is trying to get the maximum use of the funds that are available. Board member Stephen suggested moving the $150,000 allocated for neighborhood parks to the reserve funds just in case there is not enough to finish Bob Jones Park - most Board members agreed. Board member Wood commented that she does not believe softball participation represents 20% of the population and suggested that the girls' softball complex not be built at this time until Bob Jones Park is finished. SPDC MEETING MINUTES, SEPT. 24, 2002 PAGE 4 OF 5 Motion was made to approve the Five-Year SPDC Capital Improvement Plan and FY 2002-03 Budget postponing the girls' softball complex until such time that Phase A and Phase B of Bob Jones Park are completed. Motion: Wood Motion died for lack of a second. Motion was made to approve the Five-Year SPDC Capital Improvement Plan and FY 2002-03 Budget as submitted with the exception that the $150,000 allocated for Neighborhood Parks be reallocated to the contingency fund. Motion: Stephen Second: Rawls Ayes: Evans, O'Conner, Potter, Rawls, Stacy, Stephen Nays: Wood Approved: 6-1 Agenda Item No. 6A Continued. Public Hearing - Matching funds request from Southlake Carroll Lacrosse Association for modifications to the former Texas School of Baseball site in the amount of$12,500. President Evans opened the Public Hearing. There being no comments from the audience, the Public Hearing was closed. Agenda Item No. 8. Adjournment. There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 7:57 p.m. Presiden Ralph Evans ATTEST: Ki Bush Secretary to the City Manager SPDC MEETING MINUTES, SEPT. 24, 2002 PAGE 5 OF 5