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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012 Park Board Minutes PARK BOARD MINUTES Gier Community Center January 11, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Dusty Fancher, Pat Murray, Ron Lott, Adam Hussain, Luke Canfora MEMBERS ABSENT: Excused Paul Carrier, Patricia Spitzley OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; Sue..— Eareckson, Friends of Bancroft Park; Kellie Brown, Board Secretary CALLED TO ORDER: 7:06 p.m. by Rick Kibbey - ' -3 -`, ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA G� None STATEMENT OF CITIZENS Dwight Washington stated he is a graduate student at MSU in the Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Research Studies. He lives in Lansing and is interested in the Red Cedar environmental education and the Red Oaks. He would like to share is ideas with the Board in the future. BOARD MEETING MINUTES Pat Murray moved to approve the December 14, 2011 minutes as submitted; seconded by Dusty Fancher. 5 yeas; 0 nays Motion Carried NEW BUSINESS Re-Schedule February 8, 2012 Board Meeting Brett Kaschinske stated the February Board Meeting is the first day of the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association state conference and would the board be willing to move the meeting to February 15, 2012. Pat Murray moved to support re-scheduling the meeting to February 15, 2012, seconded by Dusty Fancher. 5 yeas; 0 nays Motion carried Waverly Park Brett Kaschinske stated he has received one proposal to place 40 steer at Waverly Park. This is the gentleman's first option, his second would be to cut and bale the property however this option is not included in his proposal. The fence is adequate on three sides; the south side along Michigan Park would be an issue. A map was included to provide a view of the fenced areas. The number one issue is the property is zoned residential and Lansing Township holds the jurisdiction to change the zoning. Kaschinske stated he thinks Lansing Township is willing to work on some things because they need some efforts made with the DEQ for wetland mitigation. Dusty Fancher stated she had questions regarding the zoning. She also stated the DEQ will issues with cows wading in and out of the wet areas and creating contamination. Luke Canfora inquired if an RFP would need to be done and what about agriculture laws. Brett Kaschinske stated the closest issue to this is individuals wanting to raise backyard chickens in the city. LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES—JANUARY 11, 2012 PAGE 2 Rick Kibbey summarized discussion would need to take place with MSU about husbandry and sanitary issues, and we would need to talk to Lansing Township regarding zoning. Insurance would also be an issue. Dusty Fancher stated especially with an electric fence. Rick Kibbey stated there is the right to farm and do we need to put out a bid on this or entertain this sole source operation. Also, there should be contact MSU with for some sort of stock watering option involving a pump and a tank away from the ponds to avoid soil damage and water contamination. He also recalls Tri-County Regional Planning Commission did a ground water re-charge study and there were a couple of areas on the site. Dusty Fancher stated $3,500 a year is not much money and if we are going to entertain something for that amount of money we may want to look at whom else may be interested in using the property. Pat Murray inquired how much money and time do we spend mowing this and if this was leased how much money and time could be spent mowing another property. Ron Lott stated there are several issues and questions that would need to be answered before we can even consider options. However, this is a busy corner which would provide publicity that we are at least trying to use the land. Brett Kaschinske stated he is going to have Mr. Berry contact the Township regarding zoning and this may not need to go any further. Pat Murray still would like to know how much we spend to maintain the property for future proposals. Budget Brett Kaschinske stated we just received the targets for Fiscal Year 2013, which is July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. Reduction in our general fund would be $1,729,300, this is approximately a 24% cut from where we currently are. We are still looking at eliminating the general fund subsidy for golf and minimizing or eliminating the general fund subsidy for cemeteries. He has asked for, but has not received, capital improvement millage information. Luke Canfora inquired if this will mean layoffs. Brett Kaschinske stated yes. Luke Canfora inquired from where. Brett Kaschinske stated from all over. Pat Murray stated 24% is of the Parks General Fund, but it's not 24% across board city wide? Brett Kaschinske stated he is looking into it to see if we are higher than others, but the way it reads he believes it is an across the board and the same percentage. This number doesn't include any furlough days for staff. Luke Canfora inquired what the timeline is. Brett Kaschinske stated he has to have it to administration by the end of the month. Luke Canfora inquired what the cost of a furlough day is in our department. Brett Kaschinske stated he is not sure of just our department, but he believes the figure for this fiscal year was about$3,000,000. Dusty Fancher inquired if there will be cuts in programming. Brett Kaschinske stated yes. Dusty Fancher inquired how much do we spend on Kids' Camp and how much revenue do we receive. Brett Kaschinske stated he does not have the figures, but would get them. Also, Kids' Camp funding is from multiple sources. Rick Kibbey asked, to put this in perspective, for an income and expense report on millage money, program revenues, CDBG, etc. Brett Kaschinske stated Police and Fire are not included in the cut because of the millage. Dusty Fancher stated Parks has their own millage and it should not be used to subsidize others and every department should take the cut. Brett Kaschinske stated the Parks Millage is going to Parks; however the question would be is it going to Capital Improvement Projects or parks maintenance. LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES—JANUARY 11, 2012 PAGE 3 Luke Canfora stated we need to look at the future and start planning in case the next millage does not pass for Parks. Rick Kibbey stated he has heard, but has not seen anything, that 100% of Forestry workers are doing 100% of Forestry work. Brett Kaschinske stated they are not doing snow removal or road work, but if they have the license to drive the vehicles they may be brought in on overtime. Brett Kaschinske asked the Board members what he can present to answer their questions. Rick Kibbey asked for a joint memo from the Parks Director, Public Service Director and a union steward. Also, he would like to receive an e-mail with a breakdown of revenues and expenses regarding our millage, CDBG, etc. Brett Kaschinske stated what would be most helpful is our actual numbers, which would be from Fiscal Year 2011 and would incorporate one full year. OLD BUSINESS Annual Report Rick Kibbey and Ron Lott are working on the report and there should be a draft e-mailed in the next couple of days. Brett Kaschinske stated there will be a Parks Department annual report next month after the State of the City. Rick Kibbey stated he would like to see it before the State of the City. Ingham County Report Luke Canfora would like to send a thank you to Ingham County. This is exactly the kind of report we like to see. Brett Kaschinske stated he has talked with Willis Bennett at Ingham County about maintaining the remainder of the parks. Mr. Bennett knows to get it through his board he would need one year of doing the work to prove he is able to do it. Brett Kaschinske stated an RFP has gone out to private companies on mowing. Walsh Park Brett Kaschinske stated he contacted Dr. Davis and he was not aware of the garden project, but he does not have a problem with a community garden and he would bring it up at the neighborhood meeting and get back to us if there is a problem. Cemetery Update Brett Kaschinske stated he has met with Larry Sloane, who wrote the RFP proposal, there is a meeting tomorrow with Stonemor and we are coming back with a counter offer. The counter offer would include a zero subsidy after 2 years and we keep the perpetual care fund along with the interest. Brett Kaschinske stated he is pleased with Mr. Sloan. He is very knowledgeable of cemeteries and at this time Grand Rapids is going through the same thing and Mr. Sloane has also met with them. Luke Canfora stated he was in Saginaw and they are going through the same thing and maybe there could be a mutual agreement co-op. Dusty Fancher inquired if this comes back to the Board before a final decision. Brett Kaschinske stated this has to go through the approval process and he would check, but he thinks it should. The Board wants this to come back to them before a final decision. Golf Meeting Brett Kaschinske stated he is meeting tomorrow and we are looking at LEPFA for marketing and concessions. We have made changes to personnel, staff apparel, marketing, parking lot, signage and we are trying everything to turn LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES—JANUARY 11, 2012 PAGE 4 this around. We have not completely closed the RFP process, but we think we can make a change and make it work. Groesbeck Drain Brett Kaschinske stated he spoke with Pat Lindemann and Groesbeck is ready to go out to bid, which should be back by February. Neighbors will know their assessment amounts; they will have the appeals process and there will be problems to iron out. He is hoping for construction in July on the north end and on the course in late fall. We have plans to adjust play during construction. Dusty Fancher recommended talking with Pat about communication with the golfers. UPDATES Naturalization Task Force Rick Kibbey stated this is an on-going issue and was started by Chair Robinson as a joint committee of the Committee of the Whole and Park Board. It has received steady attendance and early on it was established this is not true naturalization, but no mow zones. Rick Kibbey and Dusty Fancher are working on a report of parks that are suitable for naturalization. Rick Kibbey is interested to see if there will be a change in this committee with the new Council Chair. Adopt-a-Park Brett Kaschinske stated Grand Fish has adopted Cherry Hill and Families of 9-11 have adopted Wentworth Park. Dusty Fancher stated on the tours she has done of the parks, she has not come across any bad playground equipment. Dusty Fancher inquired if we are moving forward on the development behind the City Market. Brett Kaschinske stated he does not have the answers on this subject. Meeting Adjourned at 8:40 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved March 14, 2012 PARK BOARD MINUTES Gier Community Center February 15, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Ron Lott, MEMBERS ABSENT: Excused Luke Canfora, Adam Hussain Paul Carrier, Pat Murray, Dusty Fancher, Patricia Spitzley OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; Julie and Phil Mannino; Joe Duris, Old Oakland Neighborhood; Jeanne Dapkus, representing Megan Hulce/Quentin Park; Kellie Brown, Board Secretary = CALLED TO ORDER: 7:10 p.m. by Rick Kibbey - — ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA Rick Kibbey added naturalization to the agenda. • _ STATEMENT OF CITIZENS Dwight Washington stated he has been following the Red Cedar Park proposal and was hoping for an update. He is also concerned about program cuts which were mentioned at last month's board meeting and what will happen to the public's use of Lansing Parks and programs. Brett Kaschinske stated a Request For Proposal (RFP) has gone out for a real estate service to market the property nationwide. This is for the 12 acres at Red Cedar; two proposals were received back and both will be reviewed. Rick Kibbey stated the Montgomery Drain is a major portion of this project, however the Ingham County Drain Commission has another project ahead of this one. BOARD MEETING MINUTES February minutes were tabled until March 14, 2012 meeting due to lack of quorum. NEW BUSINESS Old Oakland Garden Joe Duris, Old Oakland Neighborhood Group, stated they will become a neighborhood association next month and he is here representing the neighborhood. One of their first projects is to put in a community garden at Dunnebacke Park. There are about 20 households interested in the garden and they have been working with the Garden Project for training community garden leaders. The garden would be placed west of the pavilion and the proposed size is 75' x 75'. The space will integrate two stumps into the fence along with two old badminton poles. The garden will incorporate items already located in the park and would encompass approximately 5,600 square feet. They will maintain the area between the garden and pavilion, which will eliminate a section of mowing that the city will not have to maintain. The first year they would like to put gutters and downspouts on the pavilion to collect rain water. There is an old water fountain and they would eventually like to raise funds to install a water hookup. The neighborhood is already planning events and the also want to incorporate education with active composting and environmental projects. Rick Kibbey inquired if the old poles are metal poles. Joe Duris stated yes, they are rusted and one is bent and they have plans to put in climbing plants. Park Board Minutes — February 15 2012 Page 2 Brett Kaschinske confirmed it is about 20 households interested. Joe Duris stated yes but he is sure interest will grow. Rick Kibbey inquired about the condition of the roof on the pavilion. Joe Duris stated it is a metal roof, there are some rust spots but there are no holes. The idea would be to put gutters and downspouts to collect the rain water. Rick Kibbey recommended a volunteer community project to paint the pavilion and roof. Brett Kaschinske stated he does not see a problem with the proposed project. Memorial Bench Jeanne Dapkus stated she is a builder and is representing Megan Hulce who is submitting a request to put a bench at Quentin Park. There is a group of former neighbors who want to raise funds and establish a memorial bench for the neighborhood and have contracted with her to professionally construct the bench. Ron Lott stated he does not see a problem with this request. Brett Kaschinske inquired where the location of the bench would be. Jeanne Dapkus stated she needed direction where to place the bench and she would like to meet with someone at the park. Brett Kaschinske stated he would be willing to meet with her and recommended placing the bench by the playground or near the tennis courts. He has concerns about using wood and the possibility of vandalism. He would recommend a composite material. Naturalization Rick Kibbey provided an update on the Naturalization Committee and they will not be meeting until he has completed his park assessment report. This will be approximately 4 to 6 weeks. Part of the assessment is to look at the opportunities for naturalization, not just"no mow"zones and to meet with the neighbors of proposed naturalization areas. Smoke Free Parks Brett Kaschinske stated he received information from the Ingham County Health Department and there is a meeting on March 7 regarding smoke free parks and he would like the Board's input. Kaschinske has concerns about policing the areas, but believes there are areas such as youth sporting events where this is a good policy. The one good thing is this is a county wide effort and it may be best to sit back, listen and not take the lead on this subject. Ron Lott stated it is worth the effort, we won't receive one-hundred percent compliance, but if we receive calls we can state we are making efforts, but have limited resources to enforce it. Rick Kibbey wants to make sure we take a common sense approach such as confined spaces, youth events and also take in to account safety issues. Annual Report Rick Kibbey and Ron Lott were satisfied with the final draft report. Rick Kibbey inquired about the letter from Forestry. Brett Kaschinske stated there will not be a letter, but Chad Gamble, Director of Public Service, would be willing to meet with Rick. Budget Brett Kaschinske stated in terms of budget we were asked to hit a target reduction of$1.7 million dollars, but he does not think we will need to meet that. This amount was with a fully funded work force and included no furlough days. Also, there is an RFP for mowing the remaining parks and there will be discussions on Friday with four of the companies. This will present a significant cost savings to us and we also did include the cemeteries. The RFP does not include ball fields, pool maintenance, Riverfront Park or forestry. Currently we do not mow weekly and this would be for a weekly schedule. Park Board Minutes - February 15, 2012 Page 3 Rick Kibbey stated a lot of this work was done by seasonal workers and inquired if there would be a reduction in seasonal staff. Also, would there overall be staff layoffs. Brett Kaschinske stated yes. Rick Kibbey inquired about the $600,000 subsidy in the CIP list and could that be affected. Brett Kaschinske stated yes. There are new fees proposed for the cemetery and with the agreement we have entered into with LEPFA, and hopefully a better season for golf, we are hopeful these will assist with reducing the subsidy. Brett Kaschinske inquired if there should be another meeting or would the Board prefer e-mail to get feedback on what we want to spend on capital improvement dollars, what the needs are and prioritizing those needs. Rick Kibbey would like to find out what is going on with the rest of the Board and have a meeting prior to the next Board meeting due to the number of issues to discuss. Potter-Walsh Brett Kaschinske stated the neighborhood association has approved the garden project plan. Cemetery RFP Brett Kaschinske stated he met with Larry Sloan and they put together a proposal for Stonemor with a more aggressive schedule than originally proposed. Stonemor is proposing a $200,000 management fee to start and reducing it by $25,000 each year and we are asking for a more aggressive reduction. We are putting together a new plan for the cemeteries and he is encouraged by the mowing proposals as a way to reduce costs. Fees have been presented in the budget to be increased; we are lower than some cemeteries but not necessarily other municipal cemeteries. Kaschinske stated he received an e-mail from Larry Sloan and Pontiac Michigan has just done an agreement with another company out of Detroit and we may want to contact them. We may also want to contact the Catholic Cemeteries. Rick Kibbey stated there was a real budget problem with Fenner and we challenged them to step up and run their operation a different way to take on a greater amount of the cost. It took a couple of years, but they succeeded and he is encouraged by the results. The cemeteries, particularly Mt. Hope, we may need to look at other entities. Brett Kaschinske stated that was done. An extension was granted to an area group; however nothing was received from them. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved March 14, 2012 PARK BOARD MINUTES Gier Community Center March 14, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Luke Canfora, Adam Hussain, Paul Carrier, Dusty Fancher(excused at 8 p.m.), Patricia Spitzley, Pat Murray(arrived at 8:30 P.M.) MEMBERS ABSENT: Excused Ron Lott OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; Russ Kibat; Jason Meyer, Executive Director Fenner Conservancy; Ashley Glover, Parks and Recreation Intern; Mark Simon, Parks and Recreation Sports Supervispri Loretta Stanaway, Friends of Lansing Historic Cemeteries; Kellie Brown, 06aroecretary CALLED TO ORDER: 7:02 p.m. by Rick Kibbey i ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA = ' r`' ^� Brett Kaschinske added MDNR Grant for Cherry Hill to the agenda. - STATEMENT OF CITIZENS c� Loretta Stanaway from Friends of Lansing Historic Cemeteries stated they are in a regrouping stage to reenergize the group. Instead of concentrating on one or two big projects for the year, the friends will be working on smaller projects to do every couple of months. The Friends have partnered with Fenner Conservancy and held a night time nature walk; are working with Kalea Delezenne through Lansing Parks and Recreation to schedule public walks in Mt. Hope Cemetery on Saturdays; Mount Hope Cemetery is also a stop on the Be a Tourist in Your Own Town and there will be activities as well as a self guided brochure. The Friends have also put together a bid proposal to go out in the next couple of months to get requests for proposals from monument companies for fees to upright specific monuments. There is approximately$750 to $1,000 available which they are hoping could do between 8 or 10 monuments. The Friends intend to do another fall walk and calendar. Loretta Stanaway stated for two years the Friends have been saying they had heard rumors Mayor Bernero wanted to sell parts of Waverly Park to Stonemor for a cemetery and tied to the deal was the potential outsourcing of the cemetery management. She heard from Stan Shuck at a public forum that he had run into a contractor, Brickman, who does work for Stonemor and the Friends understanding is that Brickman is the potential privatized mower for the city parks. The individual from Brickman chased Stan Shuck down to tell him they (Brickman) have the contract to mow the city parks and cemeteries in hand and he saw the document and in the document he saw the City would be selling to Stonemore 60 acres of Waverly Park for a cemetery. The City would retain the sledding hill, back acreage and the front acreage along Saginaw would be developed into retail. Loretta stated she does not know how accurate the information is, but apparently the individual from Brickman saw the document and told Stan Shuck about it. Loretta Stanaway stated this is exactly what the Friends have been telling the Park Board and City for two years. The City is in a flux situation with cemeteries, budget issues, outsourcing, retirements and the Mayor laying off seasonal workers. This puts the cemeteries in a position where Amy is in the cemetery office which will be a transition stage for her. Virginia, who was the most experienced locater of graves, is off work. Brett Kaschinske stated Virginia was back to work today. Loretta Stanaway stated there are a few people left who know how to locate graves and dig graves; there are a few people left who are experienced in our cemeteries and know how to mow around historic monuments, particularly at North and Mount Hope. She understands the potential outside contractor has experience mowing in cemeteries, but her guess is ninety percent of the cemeteries are flat mow. She is concerned about the direction the cemeteries are heading in. Rick Kibbey stated he would take up these items under updates. Jason Meyer, Executive Director at Fenner Conservancy, stated he is currently working on their annual report. Over the past few years they have increased their programming and they are up to 275 programs and about five years Lansing Park Board Minutes—March 14, 2012 Page 2 ago they maybe did 30 to 40 programs a year. Their volunteer core has been growing substantially, this past year they contributed over$100,000 worth of volunteer service time to the park, are looking at continuing and at the potential to do some work at Crego. Jason stated they have sent a letter of inquiry to the Capital Regional Community Foundation for$75,000 impact grant and are waiting to hear back about if they may apply. This weekend is the Maple Syrup Festival and the first official pancake and beer fundraiser. Brett Kaschinske commented he was out to Fenner recently and there has been a lot of work done. PARK BOARD MINUTES Luke Canfora moved to approve the January 11, 2012 minutes as submitted; seconded by Paul Carrier. 6 yeas; 0 nays Motion carried Dusty Fancher moved to approve the February 15, 2012 minutes as submitted; seconded by Adam Hussain. 6 yeas; 0 nays Motion carried NEW BUSINESS Old Newsboys' Marker Relocation Rick Kibbey inquired where the marker is now. Brett Kaschinske stated it is in storage, but it was at the corner of Michigan and Washington. The proposed site is at the corner of Michigan and Grand Avenues next to the clock tower in Wentworth Park. Dusty inquired why it was moved. Brett Kaschinske stated he was not sure, but would guess it was to do the installation of the traffic circle. Luke Canfora moved to accept the re-location of the Old Newboys' Marker to Wentworth Park, seconded by Dusty Fancher and Paul Carrier. 6 yeas; 0 nays. Motion carried LEPFA Contract Brett Kaschinske stated this has been discussed previously and he wanted to put it before the Board. This is an agreement between LEPFA (Lansing Entertainment& Public Facilities Authority) and the City of Lansing for concessions and marketing at Groesbeck Golf Course. We had a contract with Art's Bar, but LEPFA is very knowledgeable on this and the City believes we can increase our return on our food and beverage sales. We are looking at expanding the menu and grilling options. Dusty Fancher inquired if the grilling options will be outside at the turn of the nine. Brett Kaschinske stated yes, we are bringing in more picnic tables from the Lugnut Stadium and the possibility in the future of putting a deck outside the clubhouse. Patricia Spitzley inquired on item number one in the contract about the 50/50 split with the City of Lansing, does that mean with the City of Lansing or Parks & Recreation. Brett Kaschinske stated Groesbeck Golf Course will receive the 50 percent. Patricia Spitzley also inquired about the reason behind removing the name municipal from the sign. Brett Kaschinske stated for marketing purposes. When the City was talking with management companies the thought was if we took the word municipal out of the name would it market better. Dusty Fancher inquired what the decision was; Kaschinske stated without the word municipal. Fancher inquired what the decision was based on. Kaschinske stated based on other municipal golf courses around the state. Lansing Park Board Minutes—March 14, 2012 Page 3 Fancher inquired if any studies, surveys or market research was done. Kaschinske stated no this is an attempt to re-brand with a new logo. Dusty Fancher stated in her tenure on the Board she has seen things move away from the City run system and she would like to see the word municipal remain. This was done with Fenner, and even though they have done a great job, the City has become hands off. We have talked about cemeteries for over a year and now it looks like they may be handed off and now we are dropping the name off a municipal golf course. If the LEPFA arrangement does not work out or LEPFA takes over then we may not have control of our golf course and she is concerned where it will all end. Without having a survey or study that says this is a good idea to market it differently, she does not know why we would just change the name. Luke Canfora stated there is no shame in things being publicly owned or part of government services and he finds a sense of pride in saying we the people of Lansing own this park and the word municipal says that. Brett Kaschinske stated he does not disagree and he does not think we are looking at going in that direction by just calling it Groesbeck. Canfora stated could it be Groesbeck, a publicly owned golf course. Kaschinske stated everyone knows it is a publicly owned course and we are only removing the word municipal. Dusty Fancher stated the issue really is not as much the name, but what we have experienced and witnessed over a course of time with our publicly owned entities. We have given an inch and a mile has been taken and we have seen this time and again. Brett Kaschinske stated we went out for a Request for Proposal (RFP) on the golf course. It would have been easy to simply sign a contract with Billy Casper to run this golf course, but what we are doing is buckling down and trying a new method and a new system to reduce the subsidy to the golf course. We have put a lot of work in to this to try and change the system, make it more user friendly and not to shove it aside, but to enhance what we have. Dusty Fancher stated this Board has an advisory role, but she would hope if the name of a park was going to be changed the Board would be asked for an opinion. She is happy about what is happening with the contract for concessions and it should be a jewel of the city. If we really want to dig into the budget of Groesbeck and the subsidy, we want to tread carefully because the course actually makes money and we are subsidizing administration salaries. Adam Hussain stated this change may seem minor to some, but he has noticed during his time on the Board the concerns of the Board seem to be very much in line with the community and there may be several people who have an issue. If there is no data to support the name change, he does not understand it either. Luke Canfora inquired about the forty rounds of comp golf and will they be used appropriately. Brett Kaschinske stated LEPFA brings conventions, businesses and people into the Lansing Center and what they would like to do is use the golf course in conjunction with a conference or convention as cross marketing. Luke Canfora stated we would then be charged the ten percent fee for the marketing, forty rounds of golf and then take two percent of any sponsorship. Pat Spitzley agrees with the comments of the Board. She has questions about number two on page three under miscellaneous services pertaining to the provision of equipment, materials and labor and what does it mean. Kaschinske stated he will check with LEFPA for clarification and itemization. Luke Canfora thanked the Director for securing the City's right for pricing. Dusty Fancher inquired who holds the liquor license now. Kaschinske stated Art's Bar is operating off the City's liquor license. Patricia Spitzley stated when they were talking about a management company the liquor license was discussed and she thought the license was City owned. Kaschinske stated that is correct. Patricia Spitzley stated she does not understand the need for the line on page four under agreement terms that LEPFA would need to secure a liquor license. Dusty Fancher inquired is LEFPA getting a new license or was there a problem with the old license. Lansing Park Board Minutes—March 14, 2012 Page 4 Paul Carrier inquired if the Art's Bar agreement is coming to an end, did they want to walk away or did the City not renew the contract. Kaschinske stated yes we are at the end of a contract and the City did not renew the contract. Luke Canfora inquired if we bid this out. Kaschinske stated we bid out the whole management of the golf course; we did not bid this out separately. We have bid it out before when Art's Bar was awarded the contract and this is a better deal than the current contract. Dusty Fancher inquired if this is a no bid contract. Kaschinske stated yes because LEFPA is considered a part of the City. Patricia Spitzley stated we need to be careful because she thinks it is a quasi. Kaschinske stated it was not bid out. Fancher confirmed this is a no bid contract and if LEPFA is considered part of the City there is no need for them to take two percent of all the trade sponsorship or administer a ten percent fee; they should just be providing the service for us because they are considered part of City and we are paying their salary. CIP Projects Brett Kaschinske stated we have about$200,000 to $300,000 we would like to meet for CIP projects for fiscal year 2013. Still on the list are the Letts Center Splash Pad, the Ben Davis Basketball Courts, repairs on Moores Park Pool, and RiverTrail repairs. He would like to also propose a match to the MDNR Passport Grant for a ADA accessible canoe ramp at Cherry Hill. The match would be $15,000. Luke Canfora has received community comments about keeping Kids Camps. Kaschinske stated there were no plans to change camps. Rick Kibbey inquired if budget numbers are available for the items on the list. Dusty Fancher stated she would need to leave soon, but she hopes the Board, Park Administration and City Administration would put the first priority on maintaining the structures we have and at the top of her list is the Moores Park Pool. In times when money is tight we need to take care of what we have before we add new items. Brett Kaschinske stated he would like the Board's input on Moores Park Pool. This is a pool that is ninety years old and what do we want to see for the pool in the future. There are accessibility issues, modern pools have zero depth entry, and would have accessible ways for individuals in wheelchairs to get into the pool. Right now an individual in a wheelchair would need to go into the locker room, wheel up the hill to another entrance in order to get into the pool area. The pool has three filters and is operating on only two because one failed; the other two are operating on borrowed time. It would take about $100,000 to fix the filters and we need to change the drainage system because we are not allowed to drain the pool in to the river even after allowing the chlorine to dissipate. Dusty Fancher stated we can have excuses or we can have opportunities and she would prefer opportunities. This is a historical pool; the Board has had a community meeting with the neighborhood and we have discussed the filters. Times change, so we can not drain the pool into the river; we can not dump snow in the river either but that does not mean we stop plowing. Paul Carrier stated he agrees with Dusty and he remembers about a year ago a presentation of what is needed to improve Moores Park and people would be more interested in protecting what we have. Patricia Spitzley is opposed to looking at new items when we can not upkeep what we have. We need to make a decision on the pool and if it is to the point the upkeep and repairs cost more than to keep it open we need to make a decision and look at alternatives. She likes the pool in the neighborhood and continuing to keep putting a band aid on the pool may not be fiscally responsible. Before we apply for more grants or put a splash pad down, we need to make a decision on this pool and is it economical to operate the pool. Adam Hussain inquired what the projected cost is for all the renovations because every year we talk about this pool. Kaschinske stated we will continue to talk about this pool each year if we keep it open. We need to look at how much the pool is open and what we spend. Spitzley stated the decision is going to be painful. Lansinq Park Board Minutes— March 14, 2012 Page 5 Brett Kaschinske stated he has heard from the community the ADA accessible launches are becoming more and more popular as canoeing and kayaking is growing in popularity. This launch would be located at the convex of the Red Cedar and Grand Rivers. Rick Kibbey summarized the list for fiscal year 2013: Splash Pad at Letts - $250,000 Moores Park Pool - $100,000 to fix filters only RiverTrail Repairs - $100,000 Kids Camp- $40,000 Basketball Complex- $150,000 Grant Match Cherry Hill - $15,000 Citywide Maintenance - $1,300,000 variable costs Rick Kibbey inquired what projects have annual costs associated with them. Kaschinske stated all would have some annual costs; the basketball courts and splash pad would have staff and all would have trash removal and maintenance. Rick Kibbey stated the operation and maintenance was $1,300,000 which consists of variable costs; how is this different than citywide maintenance and repair. Brett Kaschinske stated operations and maintenance includes subsidies to golf and cemeteries, but the subsidies should be reduced with the proposed changes. Rick Kibbey stated we have $250,000 to work with and in the past we have always put in what is necessary and work back from there. Kaschinske stated the $40,000 for Kids Camp does not need to be included in the $250,000. Paul Carrier stated if we are only spending $15,000 for the Cherry Hill grant match he considers it a bang for the buck. Spitzley stated her only concern is the future costs of the project. Brett Kaschinske stated the list of projects to choose from is: Splash Pad, Moores Pool, Basketball Courts at Davis, Cherry Hill Grant match and River Trail repairs. The Board approved the following CIP projects for fiscal year 2013: Moores Park Pool filters - $100,000 River Trail Repairs -$100,000 MDNR-Cherry Hill Grant Match - $15,000 Park Utilization Review Rick Kibbey stated he has three wards done. The report will have two parts; the first part will be some principles to assess what we have such as riverfront must be public, connect parks where feasible, and the role of parks in the connecting communities. OLD BUSINESS Budget Brett Kaschinske stated we are due to submit to Council and he believes at the next Board meeting he will be able to go over parks and recreation. Golf is set and he does not see any change for golf. Kaschinske stated it is not a twenty-four percent cut, but it is not equal across the board. Rick Kibbey would like to know what we bring in for revenue outside of general funds. Kaschinske stated our round figure for revenue is $500,000 which includes community centers, sports, kids camps, therapeutic recreation, rental fees, donations, cell tower revenue, Turner Dodge, advertising reimbursement, marina. Kibbey inquired about concessions. Kaschinske stated those are operated by advisory boards. Kibbey stated the money still belongs to the city and we let the advisory boards have the money. Kaschinske stated the funds go back into programs at the respective centers. Lansing Park Board Minutes—March 14, 2012 Page 6 Smoke Free Rick Kibbey stated he attended a meeting at the Health Department and their idea is for individuals to approach smokers and ask them not to smoke. We are taking the approach of no smoking at kids programs and close spaces, such as dug outs. Naturalization Brett Kaschinske stated we have received proposals back from Michigan State University and in no certain order the three areas they are looking at are Ormond Park, Tecumseh Park and Ingham Park. At Ingham Park there are a lot of mature trees and we cut around each of them; we are looking at doing something with the middle section within the trees. Tecumseh would be somewhat the same and Ormond is a little different with less wooded area. Depending on the costs, the proposals may not even be feasible. Mowing Bid Brett Kaschinske stated the County is maintaining forty of our small parks and we have bid out the remainder of the park with an addendum for the cemeteries. We were very happy with the bid prices we received and we are looking to see if we can enter into a mowing agreement, with the company that was not necessarily the low bid, but could give us the best product. Loretta Stanaway inquired who the company is. Kaschinske stated he could say at this point since the contract has not been signed. Stanaway stated she could guess anyway that the company is Brickman. Kaschinske stated he could say it is not Brickman. Luke Canfora wants to make sure the company has a good safety background. Kaschinske stated those questions were asked and this company has superior safety standards. We were impressed all the way around; their equipment is no more than two years old, they came out to the parks and did not just use the acreage or Google map. Cemetery Update Brett Kaschinske stated in regard to the seasonal workers we are not recalling a number of workers. We would have one at the cemetery, five at golf and some in solid waste for Public Service. Brett Kaschinske stated one issue is the Stonemor proposal. The City's plan is to continue running it and how can we run it in the best and most economical way. Julie Mannino had retired, Amy Lynch is running the office and Yvette Morgan serves as back up. Brett Kaschinske stated in the mowing bid we added the cemeteries as a add on and our staff would do everything but mowing and trimming. This company does have experience with mowing cemeteries. Loretta Stanaway inquired if they are familiar with upright markers or only flat mow markers. Paul Carrier inquired what the cost of a plot is. Loretta Stanaway stated at Evergreen it is $600, privately owned cemeteries can go up to $4,000. Stanaway stated there is room for fee increases. Kaschinske stated new fees are being proposed. Loretta Stanaway asked how frequently the company is going to be contractually obligated to mow. Kaschinske stated weekly until July Vt and then the will go to bi-weekly. Adam Hussain inquired how often the city mowed. Kaschinske stated we were over a week and this will be a higher frequency. Loretta Stanaway stated the subsidy seems high and cost saving suggestions had been made over the years from staff, the Friends group, monument companies and florist who all have an interest. Lansing Park Board Minutes—March 14, 2012 Page 7 Rick Kibbey inquired about the rumors of Stonemor purchasing Waverly. Kaschinske stated he spoke directly with the representative from Stonemor and they did not know what Waverly was and they are not interested in any property for a cemetery, especially property zoned residential. Rick Kibbey inquired about the proposal presented for Waverly Park and the cattle. Kaschinske stated it is not going to happen, but they may bale at Waverly Park. Patricia Spitzley clarified from previous meeting notes the Right to Farm only comes into play for Historical Farms to stop the farm from being zoned out by subdivisions. Municipal Golf Trail Brett Kaschinske stated through MRPA we are joining with other municipalities who have golf courses in developing a municipal golf trail. Individuals would sign up to tour, play and promoting municipal courses; Lansing is the farthest course north. INFORMATION MRPA Community Service Award Brett Kaschinske stated we nominated MSU Service Learning students who provide volunteers and tutors for our after school program and the South Lansing Kiwanis Club who donate and prepare the food for the Kids Camp Hawk Island Trip and assist with the annual Mayor's Riverwalk. HVAC Brett Kaschinske stated all the center will have units updated this summer. Groesbeck Drain Rick Kibbey inquired about the drain project work at Groesbeck. Kaschinske stated the work is anticipated to start this July on the north end and on the course this fall with an adjustment to play. Ranney Park Patricia Spitzley stated she went by Ranney Park the other day and it looks terrible. Kaschinske stated when they met with the mow company it was discussed that there are approximately thirteen areas that have had no mow zones and we are looking to re-claim those areas. Dwight Washington inquired if signs could be put up at Ranney Park for clean up after dogs and maybe it could be a volunteer clean up project. Kaschinske stated for an entrance point to place the signs. Luke Canfora moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved April 11, 2012 PARK BOARD MINUTES Foster Community Center April 11, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Luke Canfora, Adam Hussain, Paul Carrier, Dusty Fancher, Patricia Spitzley, Pat Murray, Ron Lott MEMBERS ABSENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; Pete Bosheff; Aengus McIntosh, Friends of Ingham County Parks; Kellie Brown, Board Secretary CALLED TO ORDER: 7:05 p.m. by Rick Kibbey - ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA Lansing State Journal article STATEMENT OF CITIZENS Pete Bosheff and Aengus McIntosh provided background information and updates on the Urban Snowboard/Ski Park at Hawk Island. This is the first urban park of this kind in the country. They are working with numerous individuals who are top in the field to develop this park and have based it on a prototype located in Denver, Colorado. This project originated from a grant written four or five years ago by Bob Moore, former Ingham County Parks Director, to build a snow hill at Hawk Island. The county was in jeopardy of losing the grant money and Willis Bennett, Ingharn County Parks Director, picked up the project. Clean fill was brought into Hawk Island from a General Motors site to build the tubing and snowboard hill. The hope for this project is to be completely supported by fundraising and to be able to provide lessons, rental equipment and an opportunity to urban youth who may not otherwise experience this type of activity. Dwight Washington is a student at Michigan State University and he hears from other students that they do not feel safe coming into Lansing. This year is the 10th anniversary of the Ranney Skate Park and he would like to do a celebration to bring the two communities together. Pete Bosheff has wanted to have a celebration because Ranney was an important project built to serve the suburbs and the City of Lansing. He would like to hold the celebration the week after MSU students return for the fall term and when Modern Skate has their welcome back event. The idea would be to have music, events, and hold it over two or three days. BOARD MEETING MINUTES Dusty Fancher moved to approve the March 14, 2012 minutes as submitted; seconded by Paul Carrier. 5 yeas; 0 nays Motion carried NEW BUSINESS LSJ Article— Ingham may cease mowing city parks Rick Kibbey stated in the Lansing State Journal the Ingham County Commission is questioning the City's reason for not re-calling seasonal workers and that the City may be in violation of the contract with Ingham County for mowing services. The first contract was for the south end of the River Trail with no lay off of staff and the second contract was for the north end of the River Trail. PARK BOARD MINUTES—APRIL 11, 2012 PAGE 2 Pat Spitzley stated she would like to be informed ahead of time on articles that will appear in the paper. Also, if the City is not in violation of the contract, the spirit of the contract is violated. She understands at-will employees, but this action is questionable. Brett Kaschinske stated the Union has gone to the County stating the City is in violation of the contract and is contracting out City jobs. The City's response is the contract started in October when seasonal workers had already been laid off, which is done every year. The City is not recalling as many seasonal workers this year, which over the years the City has decreased the number of seasonal workers recalled. The City is not seeing this the same way as the Union. The City has several contracts with the County and is happy with the contracts and performance of work. Dusty Fancher asked for clarification regarding the equipment purchased for this contract and what happens when the contract is canceled. Brett Kaschinske stated if the City cancels the contract then the City would pay the County for the equipment, however if the County cancels the contract than the City would not be required to pay. Luke Canfora stated it is disappointing because the County is doing a good job. Canfora also inquired if there have been any grievances filed. Brett Kaschinske stated he is not aware of any. OLD BUSINESS Moores Park Pool Rick Kibbey asked for a comprehensive report on Moores Pool and all the variables. Brett Kaschinske stated he would compile a report and clarified what the board members would like included and would it be use numbers, issues if we go forward with the filter repairs, features we would like to see at the pool and ADA accessibility updates. Luke Canfora inquired if we are only pro-longing an issue with this pool. Rick Kibbey inquired what would happen if we did rehab the pool and what would happen if we did not. Park Utilization Review Rick Kibbey stated he has about 20 parks yet to do. He would like to put forth to the board what the expectations of the parks are. Which are as follows: Traditional Function - Outdoor play Indoor Play—This would occur at centers and with partnerships Natural Environment— Habitats, eco-system protection and education Environmental Services— Public type service such as flood plain, aqua recharge and shade Social Development— Family or neighborhood development Property Value—Not just single family residences Ceremonial and Memorial Rick Kibbey suggested more time be spent looking for partners and to maximize riverfront ownership. This is a basic suggestion for a matrix. Patricia Spitzley stated she refers back to what she has said in the past and that she has a fundamental problem with taking care of what we have and not taking on more to maintain and keep clean. PARK BOARD MINUTES—APRIL 11, 2012 PAGE 3 Dusty Fancher stated she has been with Mr. Kibbey and she does not believe there are 114 parks, but several parks together with different names. Some individuals may be upset with renaming the parks but it may need to be done. Rick Kibbey stated he noticed while he was going to the various parks that there are a lot of head start playgrounds and they may be someone to partner with. Pat Murray stated he spent Sunday on the RiverTrail and it gets used by so many individuals. This may be an area to expand, but we need to be able to maintain it also. He also inquired about connecting Moores Park to Frances Park. Rick Kibbey stated he heard from numerous individuals the request to connect the parks together. One way would be to string them together and some others naturally flow into each other. We may be able to connect some parks. UPDATES Mowing Update Seasonal workers have been recalled and the mowing RFP has been rescinded. Cemetery Update The City is not entering into an agreement with Stonemor. The proposal Stonemor had presented included them selling vaults, monuments and pre-sale. This would have a negative affect on local monument companies and florists. Patricia Spitzley had inquired what rates would be necessary to break even and not require such a large subsidy. Brett Kaschinske stated to break even is not possible. Pat Murray is concerned about park millage money being used for subsidies for the cemeteries and golf course and wondered if the money could come from somewhere else and park millage money be used differently. There is concern about the next time the millage is up for renewal. Park Naturalization Brett Kaschinske stated he met with MSU students who are working on a class project to put together a naturalization plan for Dunnebacke, Ormond and Ingham Parks. Each park is different- Dunnebacke Park has a large wet area with evasive, contagious vegetation; Ormond Park is located in a busy traffic area and Ingham Park has a lot of mature trees. Dusty Fancher inquired what is the plan and is it true naturalization or is it not mowing the parks. Brett Kaschinske stated this is for true naturalization. It is only plans of what is needed at each park and what it could cost. The plans will include what the up keep would be as well as the time involved. We can do any portion of the plan, but we are not committed to anything. Capital Region Community Foundation Grants Brett Kaschinske stated two grants have been applied for. We applied for and received a grant in the amount of$2,000 to work with teens in our leadership program over the summer. The second grant we applied for is for the Mayor's Senior Fair, but we have not heard if we have received it. PARK BOARD MINUTES—APRIL 11, 2012 PAGE 4 City Gardens Brett Kaschinske stated we are looking for a group or groups to help with Cooley Gardens. Crego Park Brett Kaschinske stated he met with the DEQ today and they have found nothing to hold us up on moving forward with the development. A public notice has gone out to citizens to contact the DEQ with any objections; to date the DEQ has not received any objections. There is a small amount of lead and arsenic in the soil, but no more than would be anywhere in the city. Meeting adjourned at 8:41 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved May 9, 2012 PARK BOARD MINUTES Foster Community Center May 9, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Adam Hussain, Paul Carrier, Patricia Spitzley, Pat Murray, Ron Lott MEMBERS ABSENT: Excused Dusty Fancher, Luke Canfora OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; Jason Meyer, Executive Director Fenner Conservancy; Jennifer Olsen, Fenner Con$er\Yaincy; Loretta Stanaway, Friends of Lansing Historic Cemeteries; Terry Cafella and Dick Miles, Capital City River Run; Kellie Brown, Board Secretary CALLED TO ORDER: 7:05 p.m. by Rick Kibbey ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA - --i Brett Kaschinske added under new business Scott Woods Pathway extension by Dick Miles. i STATEMENT OF CITIZENS Loretta Stanaway, Friends of Lansing Historic Cemeteries stated on Saturday, May 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. they will be doing the 4th annual flower give away at the entrance of Evergreen Cemetery. The Friends will plant flowers at the entrance of all three cemeteries and Mt. Hope Cemetery is a stop on the Be a Tourist in Your Own Town. Dick Miles stated he is the race director for the Capital City River Run (CCRR). They would like to obtain surfacing for a short section of trail at Scott Woods, which is currently dirt. The reason for this is to facilitate one of the events associated with the CCRR known as the CCRR Weekend of Races. The area is about 1/3 of a mile long and if they could surface this area it would eliminate an out and back section of the course. The CCRR Weekend of Races, is a combination of the Impression 5 half-marathon, Kids Run, and Cooley 5K. This is a major event and brings about 3,000 people to Lansing. We like to be able to showcase the community by utilizing MSU, Lansing RiverTrail, Hawk Island, Scott Woods, Potter Park Zoo, Sycamore Golf, and downtown Lansing. The half-marathon course currently has a short section that is an out and back because of the lay out of the trail. Coming in from the Sycamore Golf Course area there is a spur that goes off the main trail down toward Hawk Island and a spur that goes off toward Willard Street. A little beyond this point is a dirt trail that runs near the dog park and comes out by the sledding hill. The proposal is to get this area surfaced which would eliminate the need for two-way traffic for a section of the one-half marathon. At this time the race has maxed out at 1,800 people, but by eliminating the out and back the race could accommodate more runners. In addition to helping the CCRR, it would benefit the Hawk Island Triathlon and other walking/running events. Dick Miles stated they have reviewed the area, which is about 1/3 mile long, and based on using crushed paver the estimate would be $15,000 with a 6" cover, 1/3 mile long and 10' wide. The plan would be to use funding sources from CCRR, Playmakers, and others who use the trail for events. Paul Carrier inquired if a grant could be applied for through Capital Region Community Foundation. Brett Kaschinske stated yes they could; there is also the Sports Authority and possibly Playmakers. Patricia Spitzley inquired why it is not paved. Rick Kibbey stated it is a very sensitive environment. Brett Kaschinske stated this is a spur of the trail and the main trail which goes through the area is paved. The River Trail currently takes you to the east side of Hawk Island and this section would take the RiverTrail to the west side of the park. Pat Murray stated it is not a spur, before Hawk Island was there it is the original trail around Scott Woods. Lansing Park Board Minutes —May 9, 2012 Page 2 Andy Kilpatrick stated it is a possibility when the City does some asphalt work we may be able to work something out and instead of selling the millings back to the asphalt company, we may be able to find a place to pile them and use the millings. Also, in the future Jolly Road is supposed to be resurfaced and it may be possible to use those millings. Rick Kibbey inquired if there were any additional questions or objections. Brett Kaschinske stated we would discuss this with the County because funding is needed, there would be maintenance required and since it is in Scott Woods it would be maintained by Ingham County. There are a few items to discuss, but if there are no problems with the concept we can go forward to look at a plan. Jason Meyer stated the first Maple Syrup Fundraiser was held at Fenner and they had over 100 people for the Beer and Pancake dinner. Over 3,000 people visited the Maple Syrup Festival this year. They held an Earth Day Extravaganza with over 600 individuals. They have pulled 2 '/2 tons of garlic mustard this spring. Jason Meyer introduced Jennifer Olson, the incoming Fenner Conservancy Board President. Dwight Washington is still working on a celebration for Ranney Park. He was happy to see the Children's Bill of Rights and the opportunities it offers. He would like to see the Parks Department work with the Lansing School District and the new Superintendent to make connections to get the children outside. BOARD MEETING MINUTES Pat Murray moved to support the April 11, 2012 Park Board minutes as submitted; seconded by Ron Lott. 6 yeas; 0 nays Motion carried NEW BUSINESS South Lansing Pathway Andy Kilpatrick provided packets reviewing the project. We are focusing on the Consumers Energy right-a-way between Jolly and Miller, east to west. The first phase we have funding for is from Cavanaugh, between Aurelius and Dunkel, down south toward Jolly and Aurelius and over behind Lansing Gardens. He reviewed the proposed route; they are talking to MSU regarding the area around Bear Lake. This path would go through Munn Park and the question is whether we use the existing driveway to keep vehicles out or do we keep it open. The hope is to come out of Munn, go across Aurelius, link up behind the parking lot at Maguire. Delhi has plans for a pathway next year that comes up on the south side of Jolly; this is the first part going north and south. The second segment would be east and west, which would stay south of Jolly, past the railroad tracks and either follow the Consumers Energy road or between Consumers Energy and the Board of Water and Light sub-station behind Lansing Gardens. There was a meeting today with the consultants from Delhi to determine how to link up at Jolly and Aurelius and discuss the signals and width of the crossings. The funding identified is from Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement(CMAQ). Paul Carrier inquired if there is funding for all phases. Andy Kilpatrick stated there is funding identified, but not funding approved because it is approved year by year. Brett Kaschinske inquired if there are easements with Consumers Energy. Andy Kilpatrick stated once we have conceptual plans, we submit a check and will hear back. He has been in touch with their real estate division and there does not appear to be any issues. Brett Kaschinske inquired if the Board has any problems with shutting down the entrance to Munn since there is parking across the street at Maguire Park. There are several issues with Munn which include dumping of trash, it is a place to hide, and there are several negative issues with the park. This would be a park to naturalize. Lansing Park Board Minutes—May 9, 2012 Page 3 Ron Lott stated his only reservation is the parking lot at Maguire is full most of the time. Brett Kaschinske stated this would need to be addressed. Rick Kibbey stated there are a cluster of problems. One is the issue of Maguire being over utilized and the other is any attempt to survey usage at Munn comes up with zero use. Since there is a large apartment complex, he would be in favor of doing an area study of those three areas together. He has no objection to do what is necessary to get the trail. Patricia Spitzley inquired how discussions with MSU are going. Andy Kilpatrick stated he has not spoke with them for about a year, but at that time it was off limits. He heard he had not spoken to the right person, but since we are not going through right now he has not pursued it. Rick Kibbey stated this is an encouraging development to expand the trail and if he recalls Delhi is to make a contribution to this and he hopes it is still in the budget. Ron Lott inquired if this required action by the Board. Rick Kibbey stated the records should show the Board reviewed the presentation and is generally positive and concerns were addressed. Andy Kilpatrick stated he is hopeful that in two or three months he will be able to come back with approval from Consumers for the first phase and the Park Board will provide approval at that time. Park Rules - Firearms Brett Kaschinske stated this is part of the open and carry rule and he wanted to advise the Board of what may occur. He received an e-mail from Mike Richmond stating our park rules prohibit firearms and that is in direct violation of State rules. The City Attorney advised us it is not necessary to modify our policy as long as we do not enforce provisions that are inconsistent with state law. This may be tested by some groups and the Board should be aware of the possibilities. Moores Park Pool Brett Kaschinske provided a report on the issues for Moores Park Pool and the costs involved. Plumbing: Existing Sand Filters need to be replaced due to wear and tear. Replacement includes removal and replacement of existing walls to provide access for the sand filters to be removed and replaced. This is a Public Health issue that needs to be addressed prior to opening - $125,000 The existing supply and return piping is original (1922) and needs to be replaced due to numerous leaks. This includes the removal and disposal of the existing steel pipe and replacing with new galvanized steel pipe. PVC piping is not an option due to the historical designation of the facility. This is a Public Health issue that needs to be addressed prior to opening - $185,000 The pool water discharge piping needs to be re-routed due to DEQ violations. The drain line for the filters and pool discharge is currently piped to the Grand River and must be removed. The cost includes re-routing the piping to the nearest sanitary line that would accept the large volume of water and installing a vault to accept the large volume of water- $85,000 Mechanical: The exhaust fan units need to be replaced due to failures and corrosive exposure. The cost is to remove and replace existing exhaust fans and replace the conduit and wire- $14,000 The pool heater is not energy efficient by today's standard and need to be replaced due to age and various repairs. The cost includes removal and replacement of existing exterior boiler with new smaller units- $118,000 The domestic instantaneous water heater needs to be replaced due to the corrosive exposure and age. The cost is to remove and replace existing boiler and install a new more efficient one - $65,000 Lansing Park Board Minutes — May 9, 2012 Page 4 The handicap accessible sinks need to be modified for ADA compliance. This requires changing the sink type and drain piping - $3,500 Electrical: The pool perimeter lights need to be repaired. This requires removing existing conduit and wiring of existing lamps and replace accordingly, install new light fixtures and controls. After hours security needs lights to work- $19,200 Interiors: The pool has several areas of weakened concrete which is noticeable by the spider cracks, calcium leaks, and rust stains. The repair would require us to cut and patch the concrete in these areas. This is a health and safety issue. $35,000 The interior piping, walls, conduit, etc... need to be painted to protect further deterioration of the structure. This includes labeling and signage as required by MIOSHA and Public Health - $17,000 Exterior: The concrete railing on the perimeter of the pool is falling apart and needs to be replaced or repaired in areas around the pool. The estimated cost to repair the fencing and replace fencing is as needed only. There is an art to make the concrete panels to continue the historical designation - $55,000 The ADA accessible ramp and railings need to be reworked to meet ADA compliance. The ramp was designed and built using the Michigan Barrier Free Code from 1996 and it does not meet today's ADA requirements - $47,000 Total to make the facility in compliance with current codes and requirements $768,700 Paul Carrier referred to the meeting with the Moores Park Neighborhood Association and inquired what the cost would be to remove this pool and build a new facility similar to Hunter. Brett Kaschinske stated it would cost more than the repairs. Paul Carrier recalls discussion about closing off the pool so entry is not possible and construct something to the west of it. It is easier to set money aside for a future project instead of repairing something that will continue to require repairs. Informing the neighborhood of current plans and future plans would be necessary. Patricia Spitzley stated the pool is in disrepair and some of the items on the list need to be done before the pool can be opened this year. Brett Kaschinske stated we did operate last year on two filters, but we are on borrowed time. Patricia Spitzley stated this is in excess of$300,000 to due start up repairs. Brett Kaschinske stated once the ADA updates are started they need to be completed up-to-date. Patricia Spitzley stated the pool is not accessible and there is the possibility of a lawsuit and we can not continue to put band aids on this when the money could be put toward long term items. Rick Kibbey stated it brings us to the larger question, which is access to swimming resources city wide. At this point there are three places to swim, Hunter, Moores and Southside. There are at least six other pools in the city and we used to have programs at the schools and for$787,000 we could rent a lot of swimming time. Adam Hussain inquired what kind of attendance this pool has and stated it is a lot of money for one neighborhood. When discussions were held about other types of water features, he was excited about he idea. Rick Kibbey stated instead of pool rentals, we could look at a series of splash pads. Brett Kaschinske stated the purpose of our outdoor pools is to have a place to cool off and have fun in the water. Patricia Spitzley inquired if splash pads would safer. Brett Kaschinske replied absolutely. Lansing Park Board Minutes —May 9, 2012 Page 5 Rick Kibbey would like to identify the options for water recreations. We need to cost out the options; one would be a program of rentals to utilize existing pools or a serious splash pads; before he shuts down a pool he wants to have options. He would also like to know what is happening with the park and relative to the school. He is hoping for engagement from the neighborhood. Patricia Spitzley inquired what the mission of Parks and Recreation is and is that one pool fulfilling that mission. There needs to be a strategy before the pool does breakdown. Patrick Murray reminded the Board they are talking about a neighborhood where the elementary school has closed; about a neighborhood that has approved the park millage at a rate of 4 to 1 and the millage has been sold because of the pool; and property values have plummeted because the school has closed. If the pool is closed and the amenity goes away, kids in the neighborhood do not have resources to get anywhere else. This is not about just dollars and cents to the neighborhood. Brett Kaschinske responded that our mission is to provide recreational programs, services and facilities that would not otherwise be available to Lansing residents. Brett asked Pat Murray if it has to be a pool or could it be a splash pad. Patricia Spitzley wants to take a clinical look at this pool, the age and the dollars and start a discussion now to obtain a plan. Rick Kibbey suggested we identify the closet pool available for rental. Patricia Spitzley inquired if it would include transportation. Budget Brett Kaschinske reviewed the Budget PowerPoint he presented to Council. Parks Utilization Brett Kaschinske reviewed a PowerPoint presentation of a list of parks with possible alternatives. Board members inquired if accessible parks could be mowed and some of the non-accessible or"private" parks with limited or no public access be left un-mowed. UPDATES Crego Rick Kibbey stated there was a walk through and plans will be prepared soon. Brett Kaschinske stated Crego has passed all inspections. Ingham County Mowing Contract Brett Kaschinske stated at the meeting last night the Ingham County Board of Commissioners met and had two proposals; one was to cancel the contract in 30 days or not renew the contract at the end of the first year, which is September 30, 2012. The vote on the first proposal was 7 to 7 and failed; the second proposal to not renew the contract passed unanimously. Paul Carrier inquired what will happen next spring. Brett Kaschinske stated there are options; one would be to bring back more seasonal workers and the others would be to contract out to a mowing company or re-negotiate with the County. Patricia Spitzley clarified if we do not hire back seasonal workers next spring it would be the same reason for the current action being taken. Lansing Park Board Minutes—May 9, 2012 Page 6 If the County would have canceled the contract in 30-days they would own the equipment, but if the contract is not renewed the City is required to purchase back the equipment at a depreciated cost. Meeting adjourned at 9:34 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved September 12, 2012 PARK BOARD MINUTES Foster Community Center June 13, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Adam Hussain, Pat Murray, Ron Lott MEMBERS ABSENT: Excused Dusty Fancher, Luke Canfora, Patricia Spitzley, 1-vacancy OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; Jeff Kegler, Friends of Ranney Park, Bob Every; Sue Eareckson, Friends of Bancroft P-kk; Bill Hay; Yvette Collins; Kellie Brown, Board Secretary CALLED TO ORDER: 7:10 p.m. by Rick Kibbey ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA None STATEMENT OF CITIZENS Sue Eareckson, Friends of Bancroft Park, stated there has been a lot of dumping in the park and the friends were pleasantly surprised that the trash they took to the road had been removed without them notifying anyone in the city to pick it up. Also, some of the worst potholes have been patched. A recent storm took down a large tree north of the picnic area and it is across the path. There are currently only 3 picnic tables at the park and they would like to request 2 or 3 more. Recently a crew working on trees cut the chain on the gate and it requires a new lock to keep vehicles off the path. Brett Kaschinske inquired if there is one area where the dumping occurs and if so, still cameras could be used and they do photograph in the dark. The Friends will be hosting their annual picnic on August 4 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Bancroft Park. Hot dogs, hamburgers, paper products are furnished, but please bring a dish to pass. Dwight Washington inquired if he could comment during the Red Cedar discussion. Rick Kibbey stated yes. Bill Hay stated he lives near Tecumseh River Park and over looks the pond. Since this park has become a "natural area"there is a lot of trash in the park and has an overall trashy appearance. He kayaks in the river and puts in at a landing near the pond and the amount of trash left behind by the fisherman is unbelievable. Rick Kibbey inquired if there are trash barrels by the pond. Mr. Hay stated he does not recall seeing any, but at the other end of the park there are barrels, the park is mowed, there is playground equipment, tennis courts and a picnic area; the other end of the park looks good. Bill Hay stated recently someone dumped paint cans in the "natural area". There is no parking lot and individuals park around the corner where there is no visibility. This park appears to be a forgotten park. Rick Kibbey stated we are not done with the naturalization question. First the naturalization question has been interpreted to be a "not mowing" question. He has completed his survey of 114 parks and part of the survey is naturalization and there are better areas, than the areas chosen, to naturalize. Bill Hay inquired if speed bumps could be put back into the area by the pond. When he originally moved into the neighborhood there were speed bumps. Right now kids stop their bikes at the bottom of the hill and cars speed down the hill. NEW BUSINESS Table Tennis LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES—JUNE 13, 2012 PAGE 2 Bill Hay wanted to promote the idea of outdoor table tennis. His brother, John, started a tennis table club at one of the middle schools this year and it has become very successful. There are cement tables with metal nets available to put outside in the parks. His proposal is to do this at the skate park; 4 to 6 tables could go on the tennis court with a light wind barrier around it which would offer something very unique to Lansing. The tables are designed so sponsors could advertise on the tables to off set the price. Rick Kibbey inquired how do we get started on this and how do we determine if this is a good idea. Brett Kaschinske stated we have an indoor table tennis group that meets on Tuesday evenings at the South Washington office complex. They have been around for some time, originally meeting at LCC, then they moved to Gier Center and were last at Miller Road Center. Brett Kaschinske stated this recommendation is for outdoor table tennis. Some of the pictures show the tables on grass, but he would recommend a surface underneath for stability purposes. The tables look well built, it appears we could treat them with an anti-graffiti surface. His only question would be the metal nets; we could try these but if they got bent then we could maybe go to a net rental. The presentation book included a cost page and the tables had various prices ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. We would need a tennis court or some other type of cement pad. Bill Hay recommended an advertising wrap on the table to help off set the cost. There would also need to be a wind barrier around the area. Brett Kaschinske likes the idea, because part of our mission is to provide recreational opportunities that may not otherwise be available to Lansing residents. This is not something we have available nor is it in the area. The main concern is the cost and trying to overcome the cost. Rick Kibbey stated one of the things we have found that adds to the appeal or viability of a project is if there is a user group that monitors and takes the lead. Pat Murray inquired if there were sites they were interested in using. Bill Hay mentioned Ranney Park because it already has uniqueness with the skate park. Ranney Park is close to Michigan State University which has a diverse population and this is an international sport, plus there is a housing complex near the park. He believes it would be better to have the tables in one location rather than throughout the city to develop a focus area and maybe hold tournaments. Bill Hay stated his brother, John, would do whatever he could to promote this. He has a lot of contact with the director at Farmington Hills and they could work together to promote this. Ron Lott thanked Mr. Hay and Ms. Collins for bringing this idea to the board and do not get discouraged if it does not happen overnight. Pat Murray wants to see this put on an existing paved surface. Marshall Park may be an idea with the sand volleyball courts, baseball fields, and bathrooms. When baseball is taking place there are always people around who may take advantage of this. Rick Kibbey stated there would be eyes on the park from the fire department. Brett Kaschinske stated he would like the board's opinion on the funding of this and what they would like to see from him. Ron Lott would welcome any input or proposals for private funding or sources for the funding. We would need to see who is interested, what kind of interest and if they are willing to start the funding for it. Also need to be concerned about preparation and maintenance of the tables. Rick Kibbey stated if we could maybe do a 50-50 match with a private donor or a user group who would have a sponsor. Brett Kaschinske stated he will put together some numbers and work with John Hay to investigate interested groups. LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES—JUNE 13, 2012 PAGE 3 Adam Hussain would like to echo Ron's statements. He would want to see more than the initial construction but also commitment for the maintenance for 5 to 10 years. He loves the idea and supports it. OLD BUSINESS Moores Park Pool Brett Kaschinske provided the summer pool numbers for 2011 and answered Adam's questions from his e-mail. Adam stated there has been a collective effort from the neighborhood to approach the city and offer ideas for private funding sources and they feel they are not being listened to. The neighborhood feels there has been some intention to neglect this pool for a long period of time so that this day would come to where we would shut the pool down. He did mention the $750,000 to bring it up to code, however if any of these comments are factual he wants to make sure we have the information before we make a decision or move forward. Brett Kaschinske stated this pool will open on Saturday, as is, without putting $750,000 into it. We have not completed anything on the list because once we start we have to go up to the latest code. As far as advertising, we have always advertised in the guide, we now use twitter and Facebook, along with an e-newsletter to our registration data base. We do public service announcements, information goes on flyers, and this morning it was mentioned on WLNZ. Adam Hussain inquired if this was the same for Hunter Pool. Brett stated yes, both pools are mentioned together. Brett Kaschinske stated he has been involved with both pools for over 10 years and he does not recall ever turning down an idea for a private funding source. We have met with the Board of Water and Light regarding funding, such as their logo on the bottom of the pool and what is it worth. There is wall space within the locker room for advertising; this pool could be used as a teaching site for water, chemicals, water quality, etc. We have checked into grants for historic preservation, but we have not found one for pools. He still needs to find out, because it is a historic site, does it mandate more money. Pat Murray inquired how we paid for the updates at Hunter. What did the neighborhood do to support or fund the match? At one of the last board meetings, the President suggested the Moores Neighborhood participate like the Hunter Park neighborhood did. Brett Kaschinske stated it was an MDNR grant and he would check on what the neighborhood contributed. Rick Kibbey stated the Hunter neighborhood was part of the fundraising initiative. Adam Hussain inquired if information and updates could be provided to the neighborhood and how they are able to help. Brett Kaschinske inquired if a splash pad would be adequate at this site. Adam Hussain asked what happened to the ideas that were presented at the neighborhood meeting; which included a slide and the addition of a splash pad to the pool. Park Utilization Rick Kibbey stated he has finished the survey of the 114 parks and now he has to decide how to make it useful. He wants to review the standards and get the boards input on what to use. The standards would inquire is it a neighborhood park, is it a mini-neighborhood park, is it a community park, is it a school playground, and so on. There is another way of analyzing and inquiring if we have too many parks, to few parks or just the right amount of parks. Pat Murray would like to hear Mr. Kibbey's suggestions for better areas to naturalize, especially since the board did not have input on the parks currently selected. LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES—JUNE 13, 2012 PAGE 4 Brett Kaschinske asked for deadlines on this. Are there properties that do not need to be parks anymore; the deadlines would apply to dedicated park land that would need to go to public vote and it would have to go before the Mayor and Council for vote also. Rick Kibbey would like a thank you letter from the board for the MSU students on the naturalization framework they performed. Cherry Hill Brett Kaschinske stated the grant has been submitted and a site visit was completed today. Red Cedar Brett Kaschinske stated the Request For Proposal (RFP) is out and we are looking to get bids back in July. The bids will be reviewed, there will be public comments. There was a meeting on what people want to see in an RFP for the park Rick Kibbey stated he was surprised at how much of the park Pat Lindemann, Ingham County Drain Commissioner, wanted to fill with water. Brett Kaschinske stated it was noted in the public meeting that every penny of the sale is to go into parks and not pre-development. Dwight Washington is concerned about accessibility and the distinction between East Lansing and Lansing. He is also concerned about parking in the area. Mowing Brett Kaschinske stated we are in negotiations with the UAW regarding the mowing contract, which is not the County contract, but for the other parks. Additional Rick Kibbey inquired what the policy is at the pools for unattended children. Brett Kaschinske stated in the guide it reads children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. What we really want is for the parent to register the child and provide contact information; realistically the parents do not attend with older children. Rick Kibbey stated he was approached with a question regarding the water fountains at Ranney Park and the fact it is locked. Brett Kaschinske stated Bob Every and Jeff Kegler were here tonight. Bob was the coach at Lansing Community College, but since has been dismissed. He had been the head coach of the women's softball and we have an agreement with LCC for Ranney. After the breakup the new Athletic Director asked we secure some of the areas used for storage. There are cold drinking fountains but Kaschinske stated he made the decision, that unless LCC wanted to pay to re-key the building, the area would be locked. Bob Every now works with the MSU Club Team, who used to use Patriarch Park, but now use Ranney. We have the former LCC coach at the facility with the current LCC coach, which has presented the situation. Brett Kaschinske stated there is a drinking fountain between the tower and the concession stand. He is still working on this with all parties involved and believes we can come to an agreement. Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved September 12, 2012 PARK BOARD NOTES Southside Community Center July 11, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Dusty Fancher, Patricia Spitzley, Paul Holland MEMBERS ABSENT: Excused Rick Kibbey, Luke Canfora, Adam Hussain, Olivia Martin OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; William Nicholas and Lisa Mueller, Bone Crushers Youth Baseball, S. Tyson, Lansing A's; Youth Baseball; Joseph Duris, Old Oakland Neighborhood Association; I%arcus Wells, Southside Programmer CALLED TO ORDER: 7:10 p.m. by Dusty Fancher ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA - • _ 't None STATEMENT OF CITIZENS William Nicholas, coach for Bone Crushers youth baseball, stated two years ago he was upset when he was told the uniform policy was going to change. Nicholas stated he spent $700 for shirts and hats and spends an additional $100 each year for new hats. He stated he thinks the $35 for the ball player's fee is fine, but the additional $12 for the reversible jersey, which do not have numbers on them, is not. At the coaches meeting it was stated everyone would have to wear the jersey. He spoke with the Mayor's office and they said they did not say everyone had to wear the reversible jersey. After his call to the Mayor's office, he spoke with a woman, he does not recall who it was, who said she would get back with him about the uniform policy. He was told the first time around that all teams must wear uniforms, but the woman did not specify if it was a city uniform or individual uniforms. He received another call from the same individual, who apparently had clarified the uniform policy with Troy, stating that it would be city uniforms. Nicholas believes the Parks Department is trying to make up money from the rainy day fund. Nicholas stated this makes it harder for the kids and it takes away from their individuality when they can not wear their team's uniform. Brett Kaschinske stated the reversible jersey is for all sports, not just baseball. This decision was made by the Parks and Recreation Department, not the Mayor's office. We have had issues with team jerseys and need to make sure what is being placed on a jersey. The reversible jersey provides a uniform identity to kids who play with Parks and Recreation. Another situation the department was running into was a parent would sign their youth up for a program, pay the registration fee, and believe they were done with costs. However, with team uniforms some teams might have a sponsor pay for the team uniform, but other teams may require the parent to pay additional funds. When parents sign up with Parks and Recreation it is understood the fee is to play, however some coaches had kids do fundraisers for uniforms, which is not what parents signed up for. The department had to level the playing field and the reversible jersey is to be used for multiple sports and we encourage the kids to use it season after season. Dusty Fancher inquired when this policy was implemented. Kaschinske stated fall 2010. Patricia Spitzley inquired where it was advertised. Kaschinske stated it was and still is advertised in the activity guide, on the registration forms, we spoke about it at the team manager's meetings, and coaches were advised. We allowed each sport one year grace to adhere to the new policy. Dusty Fancher stated she recalls discussing this and one of the other reasons for the change was an issue of cost and not only for youth to use it for multiple sports, but to be able to pass it down to siblings to off set the cost for families. One of the goals of the Parks Department and the Board is to make sure activities are affordable to everyone. Brett Kaschinske stated the cost of the jersey is only rounded up to the nearest dollar and the department is not making money on the jersey. PARK BOARD MINUTES—JULY 11, 2012 PAGE 2 Patricia Spitzley stated the wording could be tightened up, but it is clear the jersey is required. Brett Kaschinske stated exceptions have been made to Floor Hockey because of the teams traveling and participating in more games and tournaments in other cities. Brett Kaschinske stated this is not exclusive to Lansing. Delta Township, Delhi Township, DeWitt, and several of the surrounding communities have a similar jersey program for their recreational sports. Patricia Spitzley stated this is not a new concept and other parks and recreation jurisdictions have been doing this. This policy is to make programs affordable for all children; it is not to punish children. Dusty Fancher stated in Delhi Township she believes the policy is they get the reversible jersey, with a number on it, at the beginning of the year but they do not own the jersey and have to turn it back in at the end of the season. She understands not having numbers on the jersey and it may need to be addressed. Dwight Washington made comments regarding the Red Cedar development and bids. Brett Kaschinske stated the proposals for Red Cedar are on-line on the LEAP website and may be reviewed. Joe Duris, Old Oakland Neighborhood Association, provided an update on Dunneback Park. They also want to establish an official Friends group for the park. BOARD MEETING MINUTES May 9, 2012 and June 13, 2012 minutes tabled until September 12, 2012 meeting due to lack of quorum. NEW BUSINESS Election Officers Brett Kaschinske stated since there is not a quorum for this meeting, he would like to start the process and have board members communicate through e-mail. Dusty Fancher stated the City Charter requires the Board to hold elections in July. Currently Rick Kibbey is the Board President and she is the Vice-President and they have both served in those positions for some time. There are two new board members, Olivia Martin and Paul Holland; Adam and Patricia have been on the board for a year; and with the loss of Ron Lott and Pat Murray the board lost a lot of history. Dusty Fancher stated there is typically not an official meeting in August; it is board member appreciation month with the Concert in the Park and Lugnuts game. Lansing Boat Club PropertV Brett Kaschinske stated next to Hunter's Ridge, which is next to Fulton and Fine Parks, there is a 12 acre parcel owned by the Lansing Boat Club. It is a land locked piece of property, adjacent to other parks and is riverfront property which fits within the Park's Master Plan. This may enable the department to apply for a DNR land acquisition grant which would offset much of the cost of the property. The most the State would pay is the fair market value, which would require an appraisal. OLD BUSINESS Park Utilization Brett Kaschinske stated this is the report Rick Kibbey is working on and it will be tabled until he is in attendance. Table Tennis PARK BOARD MINUTES—JULY 11, 2012 PAGE 3 Brett Kaschinske stated he received a proposal to put in outdoor cement table tennis facilities within in park. This will be a cost the department will incur and he would like the Board's input. Patricia Spitzley inquired where this would be installed. Brett Kaschinske stated there is an opportunity to place them where there is tennis courts not being used. We would want this on a cement pad and one of the locations mentioned was Ranney Park where the tennis courts are. Dusty Fancher stated the department does not have a lot of money and what money is available needs to be put into facilities we currently have that we need to keep in peak condition and not build new stuff. Table tennis may sound simple, but there will graffiti and damage that will need repair. She would hate to put money into new table tennis, when money is needed to fix tennis nets or basketball courts, and River Trail maintenance is needed. The Board's focus has been to put money into maintaining what we have for parks and making sure we can keep our programming at a level that is sufficient. Patricia Spitzley agreed. She also stated what comes to mind when metal nets are mentioned is liability and if we can not maintain or repair the tables should damage occur. Brett Kaschinske stated he would still provide costs for this project. UPDATES Red Cedar Brett Kaschinske stated the site has been cleaned up, mowing has been done to improve visibility and the homeless who were hanging around at the starter house have vacated the property. Five bids were received and are available for review on-line at LEAP website. Mowing Brett Kaschinske provided a forestry report. A mowing report will be e-mailed to the board members. Dusty Fancher inquired about the new mowing contract. Brett Kaschinske stated we do have one and it became effective at the beginning of the new fiscal year, July 1, 2012. We currently have 13 seasonal workers in Parks; this would include 5 in golf, 1 in cemeteries, 3 for athletic field maintenance and 4 to be assigned as needed. The main reason for the contract with United is we will save over$300,000 through the contract, which includes but is not limited to, gas, mowers, and maintenance on the mowers. The savings is not all staff wages. Patricia Spitzley confirmed there will be a change in the number of seasonal workers as a result of the contract. Brett Kaschinske stated that is correct; the number has changed from last year to where we started this year and to the new fiscal year. Dusty Fancher inquired if this was negotiated with the Union prior to contracting out and this was the way it had to go. Brett Kaschinske stated that is absolutely correct. There was an attempt made not only at the beginning of the year, but at the beginning of the fiscal year for concessions and we were not able to come to any resolution. Dusty Fancher inquired if there were local companies who bid. Brett Kaschinske stated yes and when he spoke with one of the local companies, they could not compete with United. This was not the low bid, but it provided the services needed. There were 13 bids submitted and this contract did not result in any lay off notices to any full time employees. The contract started on July 9 and United has hired some of the city's seasonal workers. Drinking Fountain Brett Kaschinske stated there were issues with accessibility to an additional drinking fountain in the dug outs at Ranney Park. The fountain has been made available and the situation has been resolved. PARK BOARD MINUTES—JULY 11, 2012 PAGE 4 SSCC Staff Brett Kaschinske introduced Marcus Wells and stated he is the new programmer at Southside. Patricia Spitzley inquired about the pool being down at Southside. Brett Kaschinske stated the drain in the deep end is rusted and the pool was loosing 1,000 gallons of water a day. We are working with the school district to repair the pool. In the meantime swim lessons are being held at Gardner School. Hunter Pool Brett Kaschinske stated Hunter Pool has been consistently over 500 in attendance each day. There were some issues at Moores Park pool with the liner, but it has been fixed and is now open. River Front Park Brett Kaschinske inquired if the Board was aware of the incident at Riverfront Park on July 4th. He stated there was no panic within the park, the paramedics and family did not move quickly through the park and they did not seem distressed and it appeared to be normal procedures for an individual with a history of seizures. The ATF has been brought in and is working Lansing Police to re-enact the incident. Remarks Dusty Fancher asked new board member, Paul Holland, to introduce himself. Paul stated he is currently a fiscal analyst with the House Fiscal Agency. He lives in the Westside Neighborhood and recently purchased a home. He formally worked for the Economic Development Corporation with Bob Trezise. He was an intern for the Mayor a few years ago, received his Master's Degree from MSU a couple of years ago, and has lived in Lansing six years. Parks is an essential area of government, but is most often forgotten about. Brett Kaschinske stated he met with Paul, provided a tour of some parks and centers and an orientation binder. He will be doing the same with Olivia Martin. Patricia Spitzley stated she was by Waverly Park and saw the bales of hay and she thinks it is awesome. Brett Kaschinske stated the farmer gets the hay in return for cutting the field. Dusty Fancher stated there is a tree down in Kimberly Park and there is also an Ash tree that should come down. Meeting Adjourned Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved September 12, 2012 PARK BOARD NOTES Letts Community Center October 17, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Paul Carrier, Paul Holland, Olivia Martin, Adam Hussain MEMBERS ABSENT: Patricia Spitzley, Dusty Fancher OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Louise Gradwohl,-Dir`pCtor, Old Town Commercial Association; Kellie Brown, Board Secretary " = ' CALLED TO ORDER: 6:10 p.m. by Rick Kibbey o r ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA �- None r-. : co STATEMENT OF CITIZENS None BOARD MEETING MINUTES Paul Holland moved to approve the September Park Board minutes as submitted; seconded by Olivia Martin. 0 nays; 5 yeas Motion Carried NEW BUSINESS Old Town Commercial Association —Busby Sculpture Louise Gradwohl, Old Town Commercial Association (OTCA), stated Robert Busby passed away in 2010 and OTCA has been fundraising in his honor to produce a memorial. They have selected Burchard Park at the old silo area. This area currently is neglected and run down and they would like to put their money into it and take ownership of the area. The area would be 35' x 100'. She provided and reviewed the conceptual plan from Lansing Architect Planners (LAP)who will be doing the project. There were two proposals and the one they chose has different grades/levels of grass. Dependent on funding, this would be a phased project over two years. Rick Kibbey inquired if there were existing restrooms. Gradwohl stated yes. Kibbey inquired about the grade to the river and soil flow. Louis Gradwohl stated that has been taken into consideration. Olivia Martin inquired how much has been raised to date. Gradwohl stated $11,000, plus a $2,500 grant from the Realtors Association. Gradwohl stated they would eventually like to have three sculptures. Brett Kaschinske inquired with $13,500 what would be the first phase in this project. Louise Gradwohl stated the grant expires October 31, 2012 and they would like to use the grant money to put trees in first, the Busby sculpture next and then the grass. Next year they would maybe do another structure, the project has not been broke down into phases. Paul Holland inquired about the grasses and how it would affect mowing. Kaschinske stated it would not affect mowing if the grass is contained in a landscape area. Olivia Martin inquired if Gradwohl was asking the Board for permission to install the trees. PARK BOARD MINUTES—OCTOBER 12, 2013 PAGE 2 Louise Gradwohl asked for the Board's approval of the proposed project to move forward because this project does require an investment to obtain a master plan and to community fundraise. However, first and foremost if the Board can not approve the project tonight she is here to seek approval for the trees. Rick Kibbey is concerned about the phasing and how it will work out. If it is only for the trees, that would be fine, but there are concerns if the project is one-half through and no further money could be raised are there reasonable action points. Louise Gradwohl state OTCA has budgeted to put at least$3,000 into the project and they may have to fund raise for an additional $2,000 each year. Paul Holland stated he has concerns about the design and the benches, which in the drawing appear to be a fence around the sculpture. Louise Gradwohl stated the benches could be changed. Paul Carrier stated he is for this. Olivia Martin asked if the Board could approve the trees only to avoid the loss of the grant and have it brought back with each phase. Rick Kibbey stated he would support such a motion. Brett Kaschinske stated he has concerns about a new path that close to the River. Also, the more benches there are would draw skaters who would use the metal to skate on. He would like to OTCA to keep in mind vandalism for everything that is done on the project. He did not anticipate this large of a landscape project, but he does not have a problem with the concept as long as OTCA takes ownership. Paul Holland asked if approval is for the trees only or the project. Louise Gradwohl would like approval of the project to move forward with LAP to develop phases. Olivia Martin moved to support the installation of trees and the conceptual plans of the project in order for OTCA to move forward with phase plans. Seconded by Paul Carrier. 5 yeas; 0 nays Motion Carried Brett Kaschinske also wants to make sure of easements with the railroad and property lines. CFT Cycling Tabled due to lack of representation Oak Park Brett Kaschinske stated the city needs approval from the Board, which was not done earlier. The Board received information in the past on selling the two buildings that were not on park land. This is the Vector Building which is on park land and is what was on the ballot in August. The Board's approval is needed for sale completion of the Oak Park Vector Building and the area around it. Rick Kibbey stated if he recalls they separated the action into two pieces; one for the non-dedicated portion which was approved and voting on the dedicated section was pending final questions' being answered which has been done. Brett Kaschinske stated the sale has not been finalized. The vote was to sell the building and a few feet around it. Rick Kibbey inquired when it would be on the ballot. Kaschinske stated it was on the ballot in August and passed. PARK BOARD MINUTES— OCTOBER 12, 2013 PAGE 3 Rick Kibbey asked if there is any point in proceeding. Kaschinske stated it would need formal approval process by the Board and for the sale. Board approval is needed for the Act33 Review. Paul Holland clarified the voters have given the authority to the city to sell it. Does the Board need to approve or can it go to Council or if the Board says no does Council have authority with the Mayor to sell it. Kaschinske stated yes they can sell. Rick Kibbey stated he would take the position the Board has already approved it, because it was split into two parcels, there were issues to resolve and the issues have been resolved. Brett Kaschinske stated we do not have an official record of the vote on this parcel. Rick Kibbey moved to recognize the Board's previous action was to review the sale and all the terms of the review were satisfied prior to going to Council. The Board votes to recognize the actions at the October 2009 meeting constituted review of the issue and the Board's approval was contingent upon the resolution of the issues raised, which has been satisfied. Seconded by Paul Carrier. 5 yeas; 0 nays Motion carried. OLD BUSINESS Red Cedar Rick Kibbey stated Mid-MEAC met this past weekend and nothing more was addressed that hasn't already been addressed. He has repeatedly heard the same question—where is the park in the project. The major drive on this site plan is what area can be built on and what area can not. The road on the project is the dividing line between the flood plain and the flood way. A flood plain is where water will back up and a flood way would have a current in it and you can not build in a flood way. Kibbey reviewed the site plan. Paul Holland stated what he understood from last weeks meeting was once it was figured out it is floodway and can not be built on, which they found out this information after the ballot proposal language, so the language gives the authority to Council to sell it all. His take is whatever area is in the floodway they are open to maintaining, but there is no reason to take on liability to own land that you can not build on. But the language is to make sure everyone has flexibility to wherever the line is eventually drawn. Paul Carrier asked if the language in the ballot proposal states they will be buying the land. Paul Holland stated no it is the authority to sell up to the entire amount of land. Adam Hussain stated when the developer was asked specifically if the land was going to be purchased; he was very vague and did not explain it. The developer has been taking people on tours of the property and has been talking over and over about the element in the park and he wants to be able to control the area in the back to make it is marketable. Paul Carrier stated he is not for anything over the 12 acres. Olivia Martin stated the city is in a deficit and it is conceivable to think that we are going to have to sell park land so why wouldn't this be an area to sell. Paul Carrier stated when this was originally voted on it would have 12 acres that would be developed and parks would take the money from the sale for a state of the art gateway park between Lansing and East Lansing. Rick Kibbey clarified it is City Council's stated policy that proceeds from the sale of a park is reserved for park purposes. PARK BOARD MINUTES—OCTOBER 12, 2013 PAGE 4 Paul Holland stated it would be any proceeds above which would be captured in the TIF. It would be the actual cash amount of money paid for the land that would go to the City, not the increased tax revenue which would go back to the developer for Brownfield. Brett Kaschinske stated the purchase price has not been addressed on this project. This proposed plan was probably submitted due to the availability of the back east corner which is more valuable. Paul Holland stated part of the developers Brownfield capture would be if he wants to maintain the park; it would be public infrastructure which could be funded out of his tax. Adam Hussain stated he is not against the business man, but he cringes when he hears board members, administration or developers talk about this being a park initiative. It is not, this will not benefit parks and he is bothered by the presentation and the developer's statements over and over how it will benefit parks. Paul Holland stated it is an economic development project Paul Carrier stated he does not like the pitch and 20 acres being devoted to park land and it will not be touched; 10 to 12 of those acres are the ball park and were never part of Red Cedar. He is in favor of the 12 acres and that is what people voted on. Brett Kaschinske stated the city has looked into a legal description to exclude Kircher Ballpark, but there was not an easy way to exclude Kircher. There is also a cell tower in the area the Parks Department has an agreement on. Paul Carrier stated he is not against selling park land, but there is park land we can easily get rid of instead of prime land. Rick Kibbey stated the decision on this was really made five years ago. The reason it is a park is because it is a flood plain. There are still areas that can not be built on. We have other parks where environmental limitations make it an attractive park. He is concerned how we were going to get a park out of the deal. Adam Hussain stated if the intent is to move on this, he has talked to a few Council members, and they are interested in what every Board member has to say. Two Board members are not here tonight and he is not sure what policy is, but he doesn't understand why some of this can't be done by e-mail and he would not want to move forward without their opinions. Rick Kibbey stated he contacted the members about attending the meeting but there were schedule conflicts. He will contact each absent member to get their input on this list. Accessible parking was discussed so that the park area would not be a "private" park area for the residents of the onsite housing units. The retention of Kircher Ballfield must be added. The Board is not in the position to dictate, but members need points to take to council, friends groups, etc. Adam Hussain stated at the last meeting the developer wanted specifics and the Board should provide this list of principles to the developer. Rick Kibbey reviewed a 10-point principle list and Board Members voted on each item individually with changes (***) as follows: 1 -Majority of land comprising Red Cedar Park area south of Michigan to be used for either recreational or conservation (a la Tollgate Drain)purposes. ***Baseball use at Kircher to remain or improve. 4 yeas; 1 nay 2— We prefer permeable parking areas on surface lots. 5 yeas; 0 nays PARK BOARD MINUTES-_OCTOBER 12, 2013 PAGE 5 3—Integration of uses among Park, Frandor, Story and Sawyer sites and Ranney park/Skate park. ***No vote- Combine with #10 4—Parking is for on-site use only. Not to be designed for storage%ommuter parking or for game day parking at MSU. ***Additional parking required for access to eastern section of park—5 yeas; 0 nays 5—All park lands to be owned by public although maintenance may be contracted with the developer. —5 yeas; 0 nays 6—Approval of assessment for drain work prior to sale of land. ***No vote -EDC not Park Board 7— Start construction on the west end of the site. Construction must begin within 18 months. ***No vote -EDC not Park Board 8— Strong evidence of all financing to be shown prior to sale. ***No vote -EDC not Park Board 9—A few taller buildings with small footprints are preferable to smaller buildings sprawled over the site. This is an urban, not a suburban site. —4 yeas; 1 nay 10— There must be linkage on site with adjacent walking and bike trails and strong linkage to Michigan Avenue transit system. —5 yeas; 0 nays ***Combine with #3 Meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved January 9, 2013 PARK BOARD NOTES Letts Community Center November 14, 2012 MEMBERS PRESENT: Rick Kibbey, Paul Holland, Patricia Spitzley MEMBERS ABSENT: Excused Dusty Fancher, Olivia Martin, Adam Hussain OTHERS PRESENT: Brett Kaschinske, Parks and Recreation Director; Dwight Washington; Kellie Brown, Board Secretary CALLED TO ORDER: 6:10 p.m. by Rick Kibbey ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA Brett Kaschinske added full time employment laws. Chair Kibbey placed this on the agenda under updates. STATEMENT OF CITIZENS Dwight Washington inquired about three out of the four wards voted in favor of the Red Cedar proposal and he felt the outreach may not have been as intensive in the other wards as it was in the east side ward. He also referenced the Mayor's comment about people are not using parks. Brett Kaschinske stated meetings regarding Red Cedar, except for two, were held at Foster Community Center. The meetings were initiated by the neighborhood and not the Park Board. The parks that receive the most attendance are Ranney Park, Frances Park, Davis and Gier Parks and of course the River Trail which runs throughout the city. The City is not done with Red Cedar. What has been received is permission to go off the original 12 acres. Dwight Washington stated he has two issues he has questions on; one question is he thought any land that received Federal funding and was then sold would make the City ineligible for future grants. Also, when land is sold the money is to be used to purchase land in the same area. Rick Kibbey stated it is a Council policy to replace land. Patricia Spitzley clarified when Federal money is used to purchase recreational land you must replace the land in kind, but it does have to be in the same area. Brett Kaschinske stated the Parks Department has not lost any park land at this time. BOARD MEETING MINUTES October minutes were tabled due to a lack of quorum. = NEW BUSINESS �— None CD ; OLD BUSINESS None C", UPDATES Park Inventory LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES — NOVEMBER 14, 2012 PAGE 2 Rick Kibbey stated this will be brought to the Board at a later date. Saginaw Street Bridge Brett Kaschinske stated the new bridge has eliminated the low area on the River Trail that was under the bridge. There are better sight lines and the curves create a slower pace. The west side of the River Trail has a step pitch from the Accident Fund to Oakland where it ends and this will be gone in the spring. Tenants Brett Kaschinske stated the Lansing School District now has two classrooms at Foster Center. They are running the community transition program for ages 18 to 23 year olds. The group sets up rooms, cleans the center and assists with landscape maintenance. The City had a $6,000 bill from the school district for the use of the school sites for the summer camp program, which in exchange for rent at Foster the $6,000 charge will be eliminated for summer camps. Brett Kaschinske stated Lansing Community College (LCC) is closing their pool and needed a place for their swim program. The City has met with the Lansing School District and LCC about the use of the Schmidt Center Pool. LCC classes are in the morning and parks classes are in the evening, open swim runs at the same time so there would be no conflict with classes. LCC will pay the City $50,000 rent a year for the use of the pool and they would like to do some cosmetic fixes to the locker rooms. Patricia Spitzley inquired where the money is coming from for the repairs to the pool. Brett Kaschinske stated there were residual funds from the sale of the police building and those funds were allocated for the center and will be used for the pool, a curtain in the auditorium and repairing the parking lot. Some of the funds have already been used for the gym and roof. BCFI & GLAAHI Brett Kaschinske stated the Greater Lansing African American Health Institute (GLAAHI) is paying $250 a month to rent an office at Letts Center. They are also helping with the food bank at Letts. BCFI, in exchange for rent, has an agreement to run a tutoring program at Letts and Foster. If they are unable to run the tutoring program, they also will pay $250 a month for renting an office at Letts. Jackson National Life Brett Kaschinske stated the Parks Department received a $6,000 grant from Jackson National for the youth scholarship fund. Showmobile Brett Kaschinske stated the city took possession of a new showmobile on Tuesday. This new showmobile has an ADA lift and is equipped with a generator. The generator will eliminate the need for electricians to set electrical panels. The City still has the old showmobile and is not sure if we will keep it or sell it. The new showmobile is blank at this time and we are looking into selling advertising. Kids Camp Report and Sports League Report Reports were provided for revenue and expenses for the Kids Camp summer program and sports for 2012. Full Time Employment Brett Kaschinske stated with the new healthcare laws a full time employee is anyone who works an average of 30 hours each week throughout the year. The City has several employees that are not full time but work 30 or 32 hours a week and would be entitled to benefits with this new law. The City has three options; one is to cut hours, second LANSING PARK BOARD MINUTES — NOVEMBER 14, 2012 PAGE 3 is to pay penalties or the third is to pay benefits. To pay penalties or provide benefits would be a budgetary constraint. Patricia Spitzley inquired is there is an option to modify their work hours. Brett Kaschinske stated yes and will most likely be the option the City will choose. Board Member Remarks Paul Holland inquired on-line and stated all city wards voted to sell the land at Red Cedar. Patricia Spitzley stated she was on the trails at Hawk Island and Waverly and both trails are nicely done and appears to be being used a lot. Brett Kaschinske stated the City is looking at the trail in the Pleasant Grove area that would follow the Consumers Power line and he is interested in putting the trail through Davis Park instead of just following the power line. Rick Kibbey inquired if applications are being submitted to the Trust Fund. Brett Kaschinske stated he is currently waiting to hear about the grant for the kayak launch. Meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kellie Brown, Park Board Secretary Approved January 9, 2013