Park Board Minutes - 01/23/2014Wichita Falls Park Board Meeting
January 23, 2014
W.F. Recreation Center
Room 202, 60011' Street
1:30 p.m.
Presiding:
Members Present:
Members Absent:
Staff Present:
City Council Representative:
Sharon Roach/Secretary
RECEIVED IN
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE
DATE:
BY: _--TIME: 2
Ben Filer, John Hirschi, Stephen Garner, John Fritzsch,
Jennica Lambert and Sharon Roach,
Penny Miller, Walter Lambert, April Bevington, Mike
Rucker, and Nancy Howell
Scott McGee and Terry Points
Mary Ward/absent
CALL TO ORDER:
e meeting to order at 1:30 pm. Certificate of Appreciation was
Sharon Roach called th
is time with Park Board. New member, Jennica Lambert
presented to Stephen Priester for h
was introduced to the board and the Oath of Office was read. Everyone introduced
themselves to Jennica and told her a little
aboutwhycers n which Penny Millerbwas elected wanted to a mem of
Park Board. The board has election of
Chairperson, John Fritzsch was elected as Vice Chair and Sharon Roach was elected as
Secretary.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORT:
Scott McGee in charge of Recreation:
1. The Recreation Department is r abw de range of activities for our le for the two Tennis Centers cit citizens 50 and
Hamilton), the 50 + Zone which offers
over for only $20 a year.
2. The Recreation Program offeu{„ and adults.
and crafts, fitness, dance, tumbling
and dog obedience all for yo
3. Summer Concerts and last year we has some Fall concerts that were a big hit.
k, Easter Egg Hunt, After School
4. Special Events such as Christmas in Scotland Par
Fishing, Kids Fishing Rodeo, Bluegrass Festival and Summer Camps.
5. In athletics we offer Softball, Kickball, Volleyball, Basketball and Flag Football. From
March to October we run about 4 to 6,000 people a day through the complex. We host
about 20 Tournaments a year with 8 —12 of those being youth tournaments.
6. Using the MSU Economic Impact calculation we are bringing in just under 10 million
dollars a year in economic impact through those tournaments to the city. The youth
tournaments are the ones that bring the most but the adult tournaments bring in their
share.
7. Recreation is responsible for the mobile stage, P & R train and we also do programs
at our Scotland and Jefferson School gyms.
Terry Points in charge of Park Maintenance
1. The Park Maintenance Department has 20 miles of trail that is maintained along with
50 miles of boulevards.
2. They have 200 plus flower beds, 8,000 trees, 39 parks, about 2200 acres that need to
mowed every week Tong with highways and municipal buildings.
3. They work close with Field & Streams, Streams & Valleys, Hotter `N Hell.
4. The Parking Lot at the pond in South Weeks Park is being redone. Terry is hoping
they will be able to pour asphalt next week. They are working on a soft spot right now
and engineering is staying on top of it. The Contractors feel like they have the
problem fixed but they have to satisfy the engineers first before they can continue.
5. Parks has taken down about 300 native large trees that have died. The only thing we
can do right now to save the trees is to put mulch out, because we are unable to
water. All meters in every park is shut off and we take the dead trees and make
mulch.
6. We have a crew right now paid for by Public Works called flood control crew. What
they are doing is thinning out all the dead trees. Our goal is to be from the Health
Department to Williams Park by March. We are almost two thirds through.
7. We've received a lot of good feedback on our highway crews they are doing a good
job. The department took over about 11 hundred acres of highway.
8. Parks has applied for a permit to draw water out of Sikes Lake to water trees at
Maplewood and Wood parks to try to keep them alive. They are looking for other
options in ways to get water.
There was several questions ask and Terry Points answered them to the best of his
knowledge.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Park Improvement Committee (Lake Wichita Study Committee).
Stephen Garner gave an update on how the Lake Wichita Study Committee is
proceeding. They sent out a Citizens survey and had about 272 responses. There
will be a presentation put before City Council on Tuesday February 31. The wish list
will be presented to The Core of Engineers for approval in advance.
OTHER ITEMS:
Stephen Priester had questions about the trees that are maintained by Parks.
Ben Filer ask about the BMX right of way for trails.
John Fritzsch complimented the trail.
Sharon Roach had questions about the Dog Park drinking fountains.
ADJOURNMENT:
Motion was made and seconded to adjourn at 2:23 pm.
i
Signature:
Sharon Roach/Sec ry