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Home My WebLink About04-01-09 PRC Minutes1-1 Parks and Recreation Commission MINUTES Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 7:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Jill Lemieux called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Commissioners: Gary Havas, David Hensinger, Kylie Hatch, Ron Regier, Craig Kincaid and Steve Davis ABSENT: STAFF: Director Betsy Kiser, Marti Reynolds and Elizabeth Marut CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES: MOTION: (Lemieux/Havas) Approve the March 4, 2009 minutes as amended. Approved: 6 yes: 0 no: 1 abstained: 0 absent 1. Public Comment None. 2. Oaths of Office – Hooper City Clerk Audrey Hooper administered the Oaths of Office for new Commissioner Steve Davis and returning Commissioner Kylie Hatch. Commissioner Davis introduced himself to the public and Commission members. 3. Volunteer of the Month The April Volunteer of the Month is Leadership SLO Class 17. A program of the Chamber of Commerce, Leadership SLO provides participants an opportunity to learn about the San Luis Obispo County and grow as members both professionally and personally. Each Leadership class is given the task of adopting a Legacy Project. Class 17 wanted to adopt a project that would be a true legacy, something long lasting and that all people could enjoy. With guidance from Ranger Services and Natural Resources, Class 17 chose the Johnson Ranch Open Space trail building as their project. The Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers (3CMB) worked with Ranger Services and Natural Resources to map out the best trail for biking and hiking in the Open Space. Workdays were established and over several months, Class 17 members worked diligently with 3CMB and the California Conservation Corps to cut a three mile section of the trail. With two more workdays scheduled for April 4 and April 18, the trail should be ready to be opened to the public in early May. Representing Class 17 were Agatha Reardon, Freddy Otte, Robbi Rizzo and Christine Wallace. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes April 1, 2009 Page 2 of 5 1-2 Freddy Otte spoke on how inspiring the program is and being part of a group working toward such an important goal as open space. Looks forward to the eventual connection of the various separate open space areas. 4. Election of Chair and Vice Chair – Lemieux Nominations were taken for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission for 2009. MOTION (Regier): To re-elect Jill Lemieux as Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission Approved: 6 yes: 1 no (Lemieux): 0 absent MOTION (Regier/Lemieux): To re-elect Craig Kincaid as Vice Chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission Approved: 7 yes: 0 no: 0 absent 5. Appointment to PRC Subcommittee Assignments – Lemieux Chair Lemieux asked the Commissioners if they were interested in different subcommittees of the Parks and Recreation Commission than they had been serving. Director Kiser offered the potential of attending the Youth Sports Committee in lieu of the currently inoperative Mayor’s Youth Task Force and explained the Committee’s function and meeting times. The subcommittees and appointed meeting times were reviewed and appointments or re-appointments made as follows: Tree Committee – Craig Kincaid Golf Committee – Ron Regier Open Space – Gary Havas Joint Use Committee – David Hensinger Jack House Committee – Kylie Hatch Youth Sports Association – Steve Davis Mayor’s Quarterly Advisory Body Meeting will still be attended by Chair Lemieux 6. 2009 Park Tour – Kiser Director Kiser explained the premise of the annual Park Tour for the three advisory bodies within the Parks and Recreation Department. The four-hour tour generally includes a mix of open space, trails, parks and public art sites that are new, renovated or have proposed projects. Potential June dates for the tour were discussed, which this year cannot be held in July as was typical in the past. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes April 1, 2009 Page 3 of 5 1-3 June 24 was tentatively agreed upon and will be confirmed next month. Commissioners preferred an afternoon tour followed by a BBQ dinner at the Laguna Lake Golf Course. Commissioners then reviewed sites selected on previous tours and shared interests in additional areas. These areas included the LLGC Bridge and Hole #6, Reservoir Canyon Open Space, SLO Swim Center, Froom Ranch and Calle Joaquin, Community Gardens including Emerson Park and the new Bocce Ball Court and benches/public art, Mitchell Park public art and improvements to the Senior Center as well as the new parking lot there. Also suggested were the Roller Hockey Rink and Skate Park, the Jack House (renovation on foundation, sign, and fence), Johnson Ranch, Damon Garcia Field for ongoing turf and maintenance, and the Laguna Lake Dog Park area. Commissioner Hensinger suggested that we may want to visit a well-run dog park also, such as the one at El Chorro. Once finalized, the tour program will be developed and information distributed to members of the PRC, the JUC and the Jack House Committee. 7. Staff Report – Marut Lead Park Ranger Elizabeth Marut gave a PowerPoint presentation to the Commissioners detailing the Ranger Services Division’s Environmental Education in the Classroom Program and Junior Ranger Activity Camp which recently won the Recreation and Community Program Award for Neighborhood / Community Life. The Environmental Education program was the first of this type for the Ranger Services division. Regular education events include ranger-led hikes and fitness hiking club. Classroom programs consist of ½-hour after-school lessons for the Sun & Fun and STAR program age groups of the five elementary schools and Program X at Laguna Middle School. Junior Ranger Activity Camp is for children aged 7 to 10 and is designed to teach youth about the many facets of San Luis Obispo’s natural environment through interesting activities and outdoor hands-on learning. The clever use of everyday items or foods are used to illustrate the effects of pH and acid rain, soil horizons, pollution, watersheds, scat varieties and edible insects. Ranger Marut concluded by showing an update of the newly acquired Ranger Headquarters and its transformation to a functional work area and storage space. 8. Director’s Report– Kiser Director Kiser briefed the Commission on the following projects: • Staff has applied for an $80,000 grant from the Ludwick Foundation for an upgrade to the HVAC system, a PA system, round tables and two drop-down screens, one for the assembly room and one for the gym. Will be considered on April 26. • Work on the Senior Center kitchen renovation is going very well. Had to do some unexpected work on the roof, but project is still on target for completion mid-to-late April. The parking lot is moving forward swiftly and looks great. The parking permit program for the Seniors is in place and 2-hr signs have been installed along Santa Rosa Street and Buchon. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes April 1, 2009 Page 4 of 5 1-4 • The Heritage Oaks Bank donation was approved by Council. • Staff and Commissioners attended the CPRS District VIII Awards and Installation Banquet. We received a Programming Award for our Environmental Ed program and a Community Hero Award for Michael Lara from Special Olympics. • Advisory Body Dinner was nice. Four Commissioners attended. • Laguna Lake restroom project is behind schedule due to the bid opening being delayed several times. Good news: 6 of the 8 bids came in under the engineer’s estimate and most are local contractors. Biggest surprise is that the site built restroom is less expensive than the pre-fab. Low bid will go to Council on April 21 for award of project. Project now slated to begin June 1 and go through the end of September. • Completing an agreement with AT&T for a second communication cell site at Laguna Lake Golf Course. Will increase revenues by $26,000/year. • Requesting carryover funds to purchase new chairs for Library/Community room. • Continue to work with Rotary Clubs on donation of Community Garden at Meadow Park. • Programming: Futsol program has over 300 youth; adult softball has 72 teams; Easter Egg Hunt next Thursday; Spring Break Camp and pool scheduled for next week. 9. Committee Reports Commissioners provided the following reports: Tree Committee – Kincaid Joint Use Committee – Lemieux Mayors Youth Task Force – Regier Jack House Committee – Hatch Open Space – Havas Golf – Hensinger Commissioner Kincaid was unable to attend the last meeting of the Tree Committee; however wanted to note that the Arbor Day Celebration will be on April 24 at Laguna Lake. Mayor’s Youth Task Force meetings are still suspended. Commissioner Havas reported on Open Space and relayed information recently received from Natural Resources Manager Neil Havlik and information regarding the opening of Johnson Ranch May 22, Nature Conservancy funding, directing fines from sewage spill to portion of Froom Ranch, Land Conservancy funding match, Stenner Springs and connecting Lawrence Drive to South Hills Trail. Vice Chair Kincaid attended the March 24 Joint Use Committee. Reviewed the 2009 Facility Use Grant Program, recommending no allocation to SLO Rugby Club, recommending a grant allocation of $98 to Central Coast Baseball, and recommending a grant allocation of $6,617 to the SLO Soccer Club. Also a use agreement between the City and SLOBALL was received for Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes April 1, 2009 Page 5 of 5 1-5 stadium use. A special meeting of the committee was set for March 31 to review in further detail. And outgoing member Terry Conner was recognized for his service in the Committee from 2005-2009. Commissioner Hatch reported on the March 11 Jack House Committee meeting where discussion included changes to the JHS sign, updating the work program, updating the brochure and the grand reopening this weekend. Commissioner Hensinger and Director Kiser reported on the Laguna Lake Golf Course, the opening of new Hole #6, Hole #10 and the bridge today, rate review to come before the PRC in May. Council Members Marx and Carter recently received a tour and Council Member Ashbaugh will be given a tour April 2. 10. Communications Commissioner Havas commented on a visit to the Purple Sage Drive area adjacent to the Rodriguez Adobe and graffiti removal on side of barn near Ontario Road. Recommends Cathy and Harvey Cohon as Volunteer(s) of the Month for the work they have done toward these matters. Commissioner Havas communicated that the bicycle committee slot was filled but has offered to be a PRC liaison. Discussed participation by volunteer group of dog owners toward formalizing plans at Laguna Lake. Potential legacy project for Leadership Class in 2010. AmeriCorp may also be a resource. Commissioner Hensinger requested sometime in the future a swimsuit spinner (wall-mounted water extraction device that would require a drain) be installed at Sinsheimer Pool, either outside or in the changing rooms. 11. Adjourned The meeting adjourned at 8:07 p.m. to the May 6, 2009 meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission at the Council Chambers. Approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission on May 6, 2009. /Sgd/ _________________________ Martha M.S. Reynolds Supervising Administrative Assistant