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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 08.03 PRC MinutesCity of Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Commission 300 E. Superstition Blvd. Apache Junction, Az. 85119 A regular meeting of the City of Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Commission was held August 3, 2016 at the Apache Junction City Hall pursuant to notice as prescribed by law. Present Theresa A. Nesser, Chairman Wayne Standage Jr., Vice -Chairman Mona Barton Judy Borey Jesse Gage Marit Runyon Frank Schoenbeck Absent Staff Present: Liz Langenbach, Director Mary D. March, Administrative Assistant CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Nesser called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and led the Commission in the Pledge of Allegiance. ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA: Wayne Standage motioned to accept the agenda as presented. Frank Schoenbeck seconded this motion, which passed unanimously. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES: Wayne Standage motioned to accept the minutes of June 1, 2016, regular meeting as presented.Mona Barton seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. DIRECTOR'S REPORT: Liz Langenbach updated the Commission on department activity as follows: City Council at their most recent work session decided to move forward with the base bid and the water feature alternate for the downtown park development. The Youth Advisory Council made a presentation to City Council on the naming of the downtown park, incorporating input received from their presentation to the commission. The City Council provided their top three choices and left the naming up to the Youth Advisory Council members. They felt that since it was their project and they were tasked with picking the name that it would be a great way for the council to start in their new responsibilities. Flatiron Community Park was the name selected for the park which everyone is very happy with, believe it will be very popular and is a very well known landmark in our community. YAC members will also be attending the League of Arizona Cities and Towns Conference this year.They will be our City's flag bearers at the opening ceremonies, replacing Councilman Chip Wilson who has been our flag bearer for the last six years.Six members will be attending and they have decided their officers should attend.This should be a great opportunity for them. Apache Junction has been named a Kaboom USA Playful City, and advised we just recently found out and do not know all the details at present but, would like to bring this back to a future Commission meeting once we have a better idea.Nick Blake our Parks Superintendent put a lot of time and effort into preparing the application.We were among 33 Arizona cities considered and we are listed number on the list because our name is Apache Junction, which has had its benefits. Liz Langebach updated the commission on items that have been approved in this year budget that we are working on or putting in place immediately.Our Parks Ranger program is getting a new park ranger vehicle which has been requested for the last five years and is badly needed.Also for the past several years our Park Rangers have expressed interest in protective vests. Chandler's Public Safety Department was replacing their vests and put out a notice to law enforcement agencies across the state inquiring of interest in the vests that were being replaced.Chief Kelley contacted us asking if we were interested, so our Park Ranger Program received seven vests that are literally like brand new at no charge to the City.Our Rangers were all able to go and get fitted last week, thanks to Chief Kelley and Captain Mullender. The playground structure at Superstition Shadows Park has been relocated to the City Hall Complex Park. This play structure has been vandalized several times,if you remember it was set fire to several years ago and we have replaced the slides several times at a replacement cost of $7000.00 each occasion. Annually we budget for replacement pieces as the equipment gets used as an additional skateboarding structure.Since the park is tucked behind the pool and skate park it does not get heavy use by families with smaller children.The equipment will be a great addition to the complex park and will be utilized properly by younger children, it is just a better fit.Plans are to replace equipment at Superstition Shadows with equipment that is more conducive to the users of the park which would be teens,High School and Junior High School programs and fitness oriented individuals in our community as well as city fitness programs. There are still other play structures at the park. The Fourth of July was a huge success, we changed our fireworks display time to 8:30 p.m.instead of 9:00 p.m.We have talked about changing the time for years,especially since it is hard for smaller children to stay up that late,especially on a school night.So this year we changed the time and did a whole lot of marketing to make sure everyone was aware of the time change.Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and we have not received one negative comments.For some reason staff did not get done any earlier but,that gives us something to work on next year. OLD BUSINESS: Potential roles of Parks and Recreation Commission members. Liz relayed to the Commission that she has pretty much met with all of the commissioners and for the most part everyone is pretty comfortable with their advocacy and advisory status related to their commission/boards service. There is some interest in volunteer opportunities and involvement in programs, which is doable.Some discussion will need to take place with City Attorney related to on -going volunteer work. She feels comfortable that she has a clear understanding of what the commissioner's interests are. Liz shared that commissioners Jesse Gage and Frank Schoenbeck will be representing the City at our annual Arizona Parks & Recreation Conference, this next week at the Boards and Commission Day, hopefully they will be able to bring back some ideas we can discuss. NEW BUSINESS: Status of senior services provided by East Valley Resources at the Multigenerational Center. Liz Langenbach, followed up to an email that was sent advising the Commission of the news that East Valley Adult Resources, after 20 year of service, will no longer be able to provide senior services at the Multigenerational Center. Once the news was received Jamie Sullivan, Larry Binion and herself went into research mode to find what options are available to our community.Advising they have met with many agencies.They have met with Pinal/Gila Council for Senior Citizens who are also the provider/funding source for East Valley Adult Resources which is a contracted service.The services provided under this contract consist of home delivered/meals on wheels, congregate meals and transportation these are funded in the amount of a little over $100,000.00 annually which is dedicated for our community.Additional Pinal/Gila is the pass through agency for additional funding like, state funding for home delivered meals for about $40,000.00 which is based on use.United Way of Pinal County is also a funder that Pinal/Gila can requested funds from.The City of Apache Junction through the Health and Human Services Commission is a funder, Judy Borey is on that board and Kathy Connelly, City Liaison has reached out and advised the Commission of our situation Staff has been busy meeting with other cities who offer senior services and private organization in our community like Brookdale, to see what they may be able to provide so we can maintain services until we can decide what our next steps will be.We need providers we need to have a temporary plan, to be followed up by 'a more permanent plan for the long term. Pinal/Gila Council for Senior Citizens is as committed to providing services in our community as much as we are. Liz Langenbach also advised the seniors are scared and staff is working very hard with answering questions and meeting with the seniors and listening to their concerns and addressing them. Frank Schoenbeck inquired about the kitchen staff are they leaving and further advised his wife had just recently gotten her food handlers card and it is not difficult. Liz Langenbach advised that we are not equip to hire currently, we have no job descriptions, etc_ we do not have the capability to take over at this time, there are too many requirements to meet, related to running a federally funded program, with such short notice. Jesse Gage, inquired that is it then going to be outsourced. Liz Langenbach advised that has not been decided yet, we are going to provide services in the interim, however we can until we have a more permanent solution. Chairman Nesser confirmed that the message is, we will have senior services, it's undetermined what it is going to look like at this time. Update on Flatiron Community Park 'Development. Liz Langenbach advised that the City Council at their work session this last Monday chose to move forward with the base bid and the water feature.She also advised the Commission that the presentation that was giving to the City Council is included in their packet. Included in this information is the process and the downtown park renders, that it is a phased approach, the alternates provided to the City Council for their selection with recommendation provided by staff based on public input. We shared the concept for the water feature which is more artsy, in ground and very low key, not your traditional splashpad. Bid tabulation was included with breakdown. The total came in close to designers estimate.Status of parks & recreation development fees and funding sources for this project were also included. Blount Contracting is the low bidder, they are currently working on the ASU renovations, we will be recommending them for award of bid at the August 16, 2016 City Council meeting. Chairman Nesser, inquired about corporate sponsorship. Liz Langebach advised that this was started by Bryant Powell and Jeff Bell reaching out and having conversations with interested individuals.We know have a formal process in place and if you know of anyone interested please advise them to contact Bryant Powell or herself. Call to Public: None Request by the Commission for placement of items on future agenda. Kaboom Playful City; EVAR Senior Services; Flatiron Community Park development update; Park rules and fees review and update; Open Meeting Laws/Conflict of interest Adjournment. There being no further business, Chairman Nesser adjourned the meeting at 6:43 p.m. PS4"12./t4A.Zkl7 Vice -Chairman