HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Commission minutes - 02-10-16.docx
Yakima Parks and Recreation Commission
Meeting Minutes for
February 10, 2016
Commissioners Present: Chairman Rod Bryant, Paul Williams, Jo Miles, Matt Tweedy, Rosana Bravo and
Maureen Adkison, Yakima City Council Liaison Absent and Excused: Vice Chairman Sam Karr, Tom
Hinman and Roger Lewis
Staff present: Ken Wilkinson, Parks & Recreation Manager and Jenise Sanders, Administrative Secretary
for Parks & Recreation
Call to Order
Welcoming everyone in the audience and viewers watching on YPAC, Chairman Rod Bryant called the
nd
meeting to order at 5:33 p.m. at City Hall in the Council Chambers, 129 North 2 Street, Yakima,
Washington.
Approval of the Meeting Minutes of January 13, 2016. It was Moved by Paul Williams, Seconded by
Matt Tweedy, to approve the Minutes as written from the January 13, 2016 Parks and Recreation
Commission Meeting. The motion carried unanimously.
2017-2022 Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan – Goals & Objectives Review
Ken Wilkinson advised Parks and Recreation staff is starting the process of working on the new
Comprehensive Plan. It is due to the State in April of 2017. He stated he will be bringing portions of the
current plan to the next few meetings for them to evaluate and make suggestions for updates and changes.
The survey that we will be sending to residents will also help guide us in the goals and objectives process.
He advised he brought the first segment, Recreation, tonight and will follow that with the Parks
Maintenance, Administrative and Cemetery segments to the next couple of meetings. Ken presented the
PowerPoint showing the Recreation Services of the current Comprehensive Plan that is included in their
packet. He advised that the budget the past few years has not allowed for the staff to attend a lot of
conferences, but his goal is to attend the National Recreation and Parks {NRPA} this year. Rod Bryant
asked if the Summer Program is held at Southeast Community Park. Ken advised the Southeast
Community Center hosts a Summer Program there and they also run an Afterschool Program. Ken
advised a number of our employees are bilingual. We provide pamphlets and brochures in both Spanish
and English. We will also send the survey and letter in both languages. Rod asked if the survey will be
online. Ken advised there will be a mass mailing and it will also be online and hard copies will be available
to pick up at various locations. Jo Miles asked if the last one was done in Spanish. Ken advised it was. Jo
asked what the rate of return was on the Spanish speaking ones. Ken stated that there were a total of 900
returned, but only about 50 were in Spanish. Ken advised our front desk staff; Mary Mendoza and Heidi
Tollackson are very knowledgeable about other organizations and referring citizens to those services if we
do not offer them. Ken advised we do have sponsors for the movies in the park, concerts and some tee
boxes at the golf course. Discussion followed regarding sponsor signs at the ball fields. We have not been
able to advertise within the program guides because they were going out in the newspaper but now that we
are mailing them we will be able to sell space in our program guides. There is a little bit of advertisement in
the Harman Center Newsletter. Ken advised we try to partner with and support other organizations that
provide programs and events in our parks. We also work with the Sports Commission on events and
tournaments that bring people from out of town to the community. Ken advised we do not have a Special
Events Coordinator. Tami Andringa is our Recreation Supervisor and is tasked with some of those duties.
Maureen Adkison asked what a Special Events Coordinator would bring to the table. Ken advised that our
staff is capable of handling those things, but may be something to look at in the future. Maureen
commented that the new proposed facilities may bring the need. Ken advised that Sean Hawkins also
does some of that for the City. Paul Williams asked how close we are to being self supporting on Adult
Sports. Ken stated he will check on that, but he believes we are close to where we need to be, as that is
something we do not want to subsidize. Paul asked about aquatics and if we our goal of 50%. Ken stated
that he is happy if we get even close to 50% recovery. Rod asked about the fees for special events. Ken
stated that they have to fill out an events permit and our fee is for extra work and supplies that we provide.
Maureen asked about security for the bigger events that allow alcohol. Ken advised that the groups hire
their own and he will check with Sean Hawkins to double check that they can use whatever security
company they choose. Ken advised we will do an inventory of programs and parks for the Comprehensive
Plan.
Randall Park Improvement Project Update
Ken advised that he took the agreement with the Southwest Rotary for the replacement of the basketball
court to City Council last Tuesday and they unanimously approved it. The Streets Division is planning on
removing the old one later this month or beginning of next month. Southwest Rotary is looking to start
construction of the new one the first part of April. Sunrise Rotary has committed to build two new picnic
shelters and that agreement will be going to them for review and hopeful to City Council in March. They
are looking at construction in April as well. The restroom has been ordered and will be delivered in mid-
April. We are working with our Streets Division to do some grading work around the pond. The
Department of Ecology did not give the grant to our Stormwater Division to make the major improvements
to Randall pond. We have been working with Katrina Strathmann from Mid-Columbia Fisheries
Enhancement Group to discuss some plantings around the pond. We have Matt’s group of Eagle Scouts
that will be doing some trail maintenance around the pond. Matt stated that he is expecting to be able to
start that in March. We have also been contacted by another Eagle Scout and they are considering
building a fence near the pond to protect the plant that will be going in. We met with HLA on designing the
parking lots and walkways. Matt Tweedy asked if Stormwater can reapply for a grant. Ken advised that
they can but we will be doing some work on the pond edge soon. Jo asked what kind of major
improvements they would be making to the pond. Ken advised that they would have been making the
channel deeper. Ken advised that Stormwater has committed to helping with construction of the outfall
weir which controls the level of the pond. Rod asked if the pond is stormwater. Ken stated it is a can be a
retention area. Discussion followed. We do not have a time frame for the parking lots yet and we are not
allowing reservations at the park again this year due to the construction taking place. Matt asked what
things need to be done as prep for the restroom. Ken stated that it will be set on compact gravel and then
we will pour the sidewalk. Matt asked if this is done by an independent contractor or if City staff will be
doing that. Ken stated that we usually hire a contractor. Discussion followed. Rod asked if both restrooms
that have been ordered are for Randall Park. Ken stated that one is for Randall and the other will be going
in at Milroy Park. Matt asked if the second restroom at Randall will be coming later. Ken stated we will be
putting in the second one at Randall if money allows. It will be a smaller one on the west side of the park.
Discussion followed. Rod asked about the vandalism that occurred at the dog park. Ken stated that the
fence and latches have been repaired or replaced. Ken advised that the irrigation has been put in, grass
will be planted and we are looking into constructing a picnic shelter to match the two going in by the pond.
Matt asked about more trees being planted within the dog park. Ken stated it could use more trees since it
is 1.6 acres. Discussion followed.
Miller Park & MLK Jr. Park Bath House Demolition Update
Ken advised that the old pool house buildings are being prepared for demolition. The bid packets are
ready to go out and both inspections for asbestos have been done. Neither building has asbestos that
needs to be abated which will save us some money. Randy Tabert from the Engineering Division is
working on the project for the city. We will also be removing some concrete around the buildings as well
and planting grass. There will need to be demo and clean air permits done. The MLK Jr. Pool building
houses the electrical system for the spray park controls so that will need to be relocated to a pedestal
locking cabinet. We will also be replacing the computers for the spray parks, one this year and one next
year. The cost for replacing those will be about $7,500 each. Matt commented that MLK Jr. Park does not
have a restroom. Ken advised that can be a future project. Rod stated that there are lots of activities in
that park so there is a definite need for a restroom.
Lions Pool Filtration and Sanitation System Replacement Update
Ken stated that we are in the process of writing the Request for Qualifications to engineering companies to
be able to redesign the filter and the sanitation system. We will be going from Earth to High Rate Sand and
some kind of Chlorine UV water sanitation system. It has to be designed by an engineering firm and we
have to set the scope of work. Ken stated he has already spoken with Counsilman-Hunsaker, who did the
assessment, and they are very interested in doing the design work. He advised that Watertech will most
likely be interested also as they are two of the premier pool designing companies in the U.S. In order for
the work to be done in August we need to this going. Rod commented that August is when we normally
shut down for annual maintenance. Ken stated that our normal shutdown period is 2 weeks but we may
have to go to 3 weeks for this. He said he really hopes we do not have to shut down for a month. Rod
asked if we are going to use the equipment from the old MLK Jr. Pool house at Franklin pool. Ken stated
we take what we can and use it at Franklin since they are identical buildings.
Manager’s Report
Ken stated he feels like Spring has hit. Monday was filled with phone calls regarding the parks. Little
League, softball and golf will be starting soon. Ken advised that he, Jeff Cutter, Interim City Manager and
Scott Schafer, Director of Public Works drove over to Olympia early this morning to the RCO quarterly
board meeting to discuss the Chesterley Park / SOZO property conversion. This was an informal,
informational meeting, a question and answer session. It was not the decision hearing on whether they will
allow the conversion. He advised we were asked to bring some things back to them and that will be in April
or maybe even June. We will be starting on the NEPA process soon. Discussion followed.
For the Good of the Order
Esther Huey spoke as an advocate for the parks on the Southeast side of the city. She asked if the Parks
and Recreation Division submits grant applications to the Rotary and other service clubs for the projects
they do. Esther stated she was not aware of any project other that Kiwanis Park where the service clubs
have been involved in supporting at the east side parks. She asked how they go about getting some of
those grants as the Center and MLK Jr. does not have basketball courts and there are a lot of activities that
take place at those parks. She advised that they are planning a huge rally this summer at MLK Jr. Park for
Juneteenth, the celebration of the emancipation of slaves. She thanked Ken for the sign at MLK Jr. Park.
Ken explained that the local service clubs ask about the needs in the community and they decide on the
money and the projects that will be funded. He advised that is where the Comprehensive Plan comes in
because we look at that for our wants and needs. Ken stated that sometimes we receive donations or
grants for a specific project and we will go to a service club and ask if they would like to partner with us and
the donor on the project. Ken explained how Kiwanis/Gateway was a partnership with many service clubs,
the School District and RCO. Ken suggested that we meet with her and her group to identify their needs.
Esther stated she would like to see new restrooms at MLK Jr. and SECC, more picnic shelters and
increase the water pressure for the spray park at MLK Jr. She also stated she would like to see Wide
Hollow Creek at West Valley Park cleaned up. There is a lot of debris that she feels is a main factor in the
water level being so high. One of the things she would like to see happen is a swimming pool on the East
side and more family neighborhood activities. Rod stated that some of the things she mentioned are
already in the works. Esther stated she is just looking for equity in the parks. Ken offered anything we can
do to help with the Juneteenth Celebration. Ken stated that the City has pop-up tents that they can use for
their event this summer. He stated he is hoping to host some focus groups as we go through this
Comprehensive Master Plan. He advised he has a meeting scheduled with a service club next week and
he will share some of her ideas with them. We are putting a lot of focus into Randall Park right now due to
the donations and grant money we have received for that project. Ken advised that we are committed to all
of our parks and all of our citizens. Matt stated he put out a feeler in the I Heart Yakima newsletter asking
for ideas and he received two responses. The first one was a concern about the air quality at Lions Pool.
Ken stated that indoor water is always challenging. We do have big deck fans that help a little. The
second one asked about what putting in a handicap accessible swing, wheelchair swing. Ken stated that
they are great but in a park setting that is open to the public, that type of swing gets abused and destroyed.
They really need to be in a controlled setting.
Adjournment
The next Parks and Recreation Commission meeting will be March 9, 2016. The meeting adjourned at
6:40 p.m.