Park Board Minutes - 02/27/2003Wichita Falls Park Board Meeting
February 27, 2003
Municipal Auditorium
City Council Conference Room
1:36 p.m.
Presiding: Gary Patrick/Chairperson
I
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
Date
gy _ _Time
Members Present: Gary Patrick, Al Norris, Mark Howell, William Barnes,
Kenny Haney, Elmer Emory, Steve Chaney, Matthew
Bohlen, Walter Tyndale and Brett Lee.
Members Absent:
Staff Present:
City Council Representative:
CALL TO ORDER:
Ed Godsey
Jack Murphy, Glenn Jamison and Genice Wilson
Johnny Burns
Meeting was called to order at 1:36 p.m. The minutes of January 23 meeting were
put before the board and Mark Howell moved to accept the minutes. William
Barnes seconded the motion. Approved unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS:
A. Request by the CVB for waiver of Sec. 82 -68 and Sec. 82 -63 of the Code of
Ordinances to permit alcoholic beverages in Lucy Park at Shelter #1, the disc
golf course and the central area by the sand volleyball courts and to reserve
these areas and post signs during Fire Fighters Olympics event July 23, 24, 25,
2003. The board wanted to know the specific time of day each event would be
taking place. The disc golf course; washers and horseshoes will take place on
Wednesday 23 starting at 9:00 a.m. and going until dark. They may also have a
Bar- B -que, which will run later but right now they are not sure about the Bar -B-
Que. On Thursday 24, Disc Golf will go from 9:00 a.m. in the morning until 4:00
p.m. in the afternoon. On Friday the 25th sand volleyball will take place from
9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. There was a discussion needing to confine the
alcoholic beverages to designated areas and not to have all over the park.
Al Norris made the motion to approve the waiver, with designated areas for the
alcoholic beverages and leave it up to the CVB and the Fire Fighters to police
themselves. Matthew Bohlen seconded the motion. CVB needs to provide
signs to let the public know that the alcoholic ordinance has been waived for
this event. Approved unanimously.
NEW BUSINESS:
D. Presentation by Roby Christie of Streams and Valley, Inc. of their completed
development of the "We- Chi -Tah Sculpture" at Berend's Landing site on the
Wichita River. Roby Christie showed slides of the sculpture, a symbol from
the past: A link to the future. The Streams and Valley, Inc. will try to have the
grand unveiling at the Comanche homecoming in June.
E. Review and comment on license agreement with the YMCA group for extended
reservation privileges for baseball games and practice fields in Kiwanis and
Lake Wichita Parks for the spring and summer 2003.
Branden Brown with the YMCA was introduced to the board.
The partnership between the City of Wichita Falls and YMCA dates back to
1950. The agreement up until about 1995 was that the Parks Department was
responsible for the infield maintenance and daily game preparation.
Understanding this being a difficult and time - consuming job the YMCA agreed
to take on the responsibility of the hand labor associated with the infield
maintenance and daily game preparation. Since 1995 the YMCA has been
reimbursing the City for the cost of the electricity. The agreement allows the
YMCA to use the fields for practice, ball games and some tournaments. The
reason for the tournaments is to raise money for improvements to the Kiwanis
and Lake Wichita Fields. There have been two tournaments in the last two
years. Their season starts April 1 and goes through mid -July. The contract
starts March 15 and goes through August 8. Practices are reserved through
YMCA, but right now the fields are being readied for games and cannot be
used for practice. Our teams have to go elsewhere for practices.
Fields 8 & 9 at Lake Wichita Park will be available for any team to practice on at
all times. Fields 1, 2, 5, & 6 and sometimes field 7 at Lake Wichita Park are
used for games. Fields 1, 2, 3, & 4 at Kiwanis are used for games.
The Staff recommends license agreement be executed with the YMCA for the
current season for Kiwanis 1, 2, 3 & 4 and Lake Wichita Park 1, 2, 5, 6 & 7.
The Council formed a sub - committee at their last meeting to evaluate the
contract the City has with the YMCA. William Barnes made the motion that the
Park Board approves the relationship with the YMCA based on the results of
the contract committee and their negotiations. Seconded by Elmer Emory.
Approved unanimously.
H. Request by Wichita County Heritage Society to reserve land at Morningside
Park and the triangle at Buchanan and 10`h Street and waiver of Sec. 82 -63 of
the Code of Ordinances permit the posting of signs at these two sites on the
trolley stop route and the 91h Street median for their annual home tour April 5`h.
Ellen Janke and Executive Director Jessica Hartman were introduced to the
board. They want to be able to post signs directing people to park away from
certain areas to make room for the trolley. Plus they need permission to place
portable bathrooms in Morningside Circle Park.
Mark Howell made the motion to approve this waiver and William Barnes
seconded the motion. Approved unanimously.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORT:
Jack passed out the budget summary for the last five years. The board
reviewed the budget with Jack and had several questions. In particular, about
how CDBG funds were used and the desire to participate in an advisory
capacity on planned projects. Gary Patrick requested that an item be placed
on next month's agenda for a presentation and /or maps of the areas that the
CDBG money can be used in. This would provide the board with information
to help their understanding of how the process works.
2. Trial construction proceeding under Old Lake Road. The contractor still has
another 6 months and they are on schedule.
3. Tree planting is complete. We planted about 490 trees near Kell between Kemp
and Fairway.
4. Mr. Murphy had a request from a board member on what the prices were for
the flowers purchased last summer. Jack Murphy handed out a copy of the
different prices and bids.
5. A contract was let for construction of a retainer wall at Wood Memorial Park as
a 4B Sales Tax project. This is a $31,000 contract.
6. A reminder, the TRAPS meeting is in San Antonio this year. Next year it will be
held in Wichita Falls.
7. The Health Department/Animal Control has helped us enforce the Dog leash
law near Lake Wichita Park along the trail.
8. We, together with the Street Department, are landscaping the new bus stop at
the Sheppard Air Force Base Main Gate.
9. Lucy Park Pond edging, Public Works is finishing their design work on the
repair of this. Jack has committed to have the repair done and the pond full
before late spring.
OLD BUSINESS:
B. Skate park: Update, two or three of the rotary clubs plan to raise $25,000
dollars each towards building a skate park. They need a place to put this skate
park and have asked if the Park Board would be supportive of putting it in a
City park. Mr. Patrick suggested maybe putting it in Lake Wichita Park.
William Barnes made the motion to support approval of land for a Skate Park
at a site to be determined at a later date. Kenny Haney seconded the motion
and it was approved.
OTHER:
ADJOURNMENT:
THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 4:02 p.m.