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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/05/2009 05B Minutes 04-07-2009 Council Aquatic Center Executive Committee Meeting Aquatic Center Executive Committee Meeting April 7, 2009 CED Conference Room Present: Dave Edler, Kathy Coffey, Mike Leita,,Mike Nixon, Dick Zais, Chris Waarvick, Michael Morales, Cindy Epperson, Ken Wilkinson, Tracy Bennett and Lynn Quesenbury I. Call to Order. Chairman Dave Edler called the meeting to order and briefly told those present that purpose of this meeting was to bring the committee together and make sure everyone was up to date. II. Updates Citizens Advisory Committee. This committee met with Council Members Edler, Coffey and Cawley in February and reviewed progress to date. Construction Costs Estimates and Projections. Ken Wilkinson said he had forwarded the revised 2012 cost estimates to a contact at Counsilman Hunsaker, a nationally • known recreation designer /contractor, for review. He expects to hear back from him this coming Monday. USKH estimates construction costs for 2012 will go up about 7 %. There is some concern that this figure may be high in light of current conditions. Proposed RFP Components Discussion. Ken Wilkinson said he had reviewed the contract for the Boise aquatic center and identified a number of elements to be incorporated into a Yakima RFP. A list of these items was included in the committee's packets. One of those items is $125,000 for annual compensation for the operator which the committee discussed for a while. Responding to a question from Mike Leita, Wilkinson said the intent is to have an RFP prepared and ready to go when it is needed. Michael Morales suggested what is needed now is a Request for Qualifications rather than a Request for Proposals to determine the applicant's ability to operate an aquatic center before seeking the actual proposal. Dick Zais said it is important to answer questions about the cost for operation before taking the issue out for a public vote. PFD Funding Status. Kathy Coffey reported on a conversation with Selah Mayor Bob Jones. Selah has an active swimming community but their pool is 50 to 60 years old. Jones wants to maintain a community pool that Selah's children can walk to. The possibility of attaching a Selah project to an aquatic center PFD has been suggested. Jones would likely be more willing to support an aquatic center if the total package Aquatic Center Executive Committee Meeting • April 7, 2009 • Page 1 offered some direct benefit for his community. PFD projects, Dick Zais said, are limited to those costing $10 million or more. The group talked about the availability of SEID money for a Selah or Union Gap project since Yakima County's SEID dollars are already encumbered for the jail. Mike Leita said there might be a possibility of going to the State Legislature to negotiate a "window" period when money might be directed for another purpose. Coffey suggested the lodging tax might be another possibility. Selah and Union Gap City Councils Status. Mike Leita said the partner cities need to have a sense of ownership. Chris Waarvick noted Union Gap prefers the Boise Cascade site. Selah, he said, is less definitive and wants to look at what might de done with its own facilities. Leita suggested recruiting Selah and Union Gap citizens to serve on the Citizen Advisory Committee. III. Aquatic Center Bullet Points Discussion. Mike Leita suggested changing the first question to include the cities of Selah and Unions gap as well as Yakima. The group asked if these are the questions that need to be asked and answered. There was discussion about the topics including daily fees, which Mike Leita thought were too low, and the city subsidy for aquatics. Dave Edler asked for two admission fee revenue projections - one with no subsidy and a second including the two existing city pools, again with no subsidy. Kathy Coffey asked how much does it cost to keep Lions and Franklin Pools up and running. IV. Site Determination. Kathy Coffey reported on meeting she and Michael Morales had attended with the Boise Cascade site developer. He has suggested moving the proposed site for the aquatic center to the north to approximately where the tunnel under the freeway lies. This would place it near the site's water source, provide a Greenway linkage and allow people access via 1st and R Streets. Coffey said the developer's design team is on board and working to make sure all the proposed elements have locations that best meet their needs. Dave Edler said the site needs to be selected and a document declaring the donation of that site needs to be formalized before moving the proposed aquatic center to a more public arena. Mike Leita said the Fairground location previously proposed is no longer an issue. V. Study Session Components. The purpose of the April 28 study session needs to be clarified. What questions do the Council members want answered? Chris Waarvick identified two: are Selah and Union Gap on board and can project operating costs and revenues be guaranteed? Mike Nixon suggested establishing a list of pool users who would be affected if Lions and Franklin Pools are closed. The committee discussed the Aquatic Center Executive Committee Meeting • April 7, 2009 • Page 2 levels of commitment and unity that would be needed to move forward with the election and the project VI. SWOT Session Objectives. Ken Wilkinson said this meeting would include members of the Citizens Advisory and Executive Committees and would help identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relating to an aquatic center. Mike Leita suggested inviting representatives from the proposed partner cities to participate. VII. Aquatic Center Critical Path. Referring to a chart included in the meeting packet, Ken Wilkinson said this is a model suggesting steps in the process of moving toward development of an aquatic center on a relative timeline. VIII. Next Steps. Ken Wilkinson suggested a random community -wide survey to get a measure of community support for an aquatic center. Dick Zais said he wants a survey that is neither too simple nor too complex. Before drafting a survey, he said, answers are needed to questions like the site, construction costs, operational costs and the status of current pools. He also said he is cautiously optimistic and that keeping Franklin and Lions Pools open might be persuasive. If Yakima assumes the underlying risk, will Selah II/ and Union Gap see the value of a joint venture? PFD funding, he continued, has the capacity to pay for both debt service and operations as times change and improve. He has seen this happen with the Convention Center. Kathy Coffey suggested sending study session notices to the partner city councils and interested parties. Mike Leita warned the committee the county is planning an initiative vote for 2012. The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m. Approved by: 9L' j / rfr / Dave Edler, Chair Aquatic Center Executive Committee Meeting • April 7, 2009 • Page 3