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1997/11/17 Parks and Recreation Commission MinutesROHNERT PARK PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES November 1 , lar meeting The Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission met this date at o The meetinggwas called to at the Rohnert Park city offices, 6750 Commerce Boulevard, Rohnert Park order at 7:30 p.m. with Chair Griffin presiding and leading the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Present: (3) Commissioners Carlson, Griffin, and Tatman Absent: (2) Commissioners Allred and Stevens Also present for the entire meeting was Director of Recreation, James Pekkain, and interim Director of Recreation, Ron Mikalis. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Upon motion by Commissioner Tatman Cire unanimouslyson, the minutes of the adjourned meeting of October 20, 997,we approved as submitted. INTERIM DIRECTOR Director Pekkain introduced Ron Mikalis who will be the interim director fort e next two months after Director Pekkain retires. Mr. Mikalis briefed the commission on his background with the recreation department in Vacaville where he worked for 24 years before retiring. He stated he will not be applying pp1 in for the permanent job and will do his best to keep the commission informed while he fills the position. PEE WEE BASEBALL Director Pekkain stated he did not have an update for the commission regarding the Pee Wee Baseball League. He suggested that the commission may wish to request more detailed financial reports submitted by the youth sports leagues to indicate if the leagues are in any financial difficulty. After some discussion, Chair Griffin asked abut setting up a meeting with the Commission's Youth Sports Committee and the Pee Wee Baseball Board. Director Pekkain agreed to speak to the president of the Pee Wee League to set up a meeting. SENIOR CENTER The Director reported that the pool able at the Snior Center for the necessary materials. as recovered by some of the seniors using donations SKATE PARK Due to Commissioner Allred s absence, Director Pekkain presented a report on the meeting to discuss the proposed skate park which was held on November 7, 1997, with representatives from the City Council, Parks and Recreation Commission and Page - 1 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes November 17, 1997 Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District. A copy of the minutes is attached the original copy of these minutes. The Director stated that school officials do not feel a skate park will help to alleviate use of school facilities by skaters. They also expressed some concerns regarding liability and do not feel that AB 1296 will cover school facilities. Commissioner Griffin asked if the high school was discussed as a probable site. The Director said this was not discussed due to the liability issues. He said school officials do not feel that they have been included in any of the site proposals and have not supported the idea of neighborhood skate parks. He said all the responses from the school organizations, teachers and administrators have been negative. Director Pekkain reported there is a flat skate park in Yuma, Arizona. He spoke to a representative there who was going to send him further information which he has not received, but he did learn their park was not located near any school facilities. The Director said if the neighborhood concept is not accepted then Councilman Reilly indicated the City would have to pursue a regional park which could be years away. Commissioner Tatman said he will not let this matter drop even if it means finding -IN another site not near a school. The Director said the City Council indicated to him that unless the City has the school's support the city will not proceed with REPORTS FROM construction of a park. THE DIRECTOR OF RECREATION Monthly Reports Director Pekkain presented highlights from the October monthly reports as follows: total fees collected by the Community Center were approximately $40,000 for recreation department activities. The Director encouraged the commissioners to visit the Sports Center to see the improvements made in the weight room and advised more changes will be coming. He reported Recreation Supervisor, Guy Miller, is trying to add a corporate membership which was discussed by the City Council and will be discussed again at their next meeting. The Director reported the Senior Center had coflected over $4,000 in October for Senior Center programs and rental. He said the Center is doing an excellent job of offering a variety of activities for seniors in the area. Page - 2 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes November 17, 1997 '"'IN Sports Center Profit and Loss Statement Director Pekkain referred the Commission to the Sports Center profit and loss statements for July, August and September and pointed out a number of highlights. Joint Use Agreement with School District Director Pekkain reported the Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified School District board will review the proposed joint use agreement between the City and the School District at their December 9th meeting. Since this is the same night the City Council meets, the agreement will go to the City Council on January 13th. Hopefully, it will continue to move forward. The Director said he will be talking to Jan Heffron, the superintendent, when she returns from vacation. Robert's Lake Brick Memorial The Director said the dedication for the Robert's Lake Brick Memorial went very well and thanked Commissioner Griffin for doing a great job. He reported about fifty people attended. He advised he talked to Public Works manager, Bill Stevens, who informed him a fence will be installed around the memorial and he is also working on the duck problem. Commissioner Carlson said as she was leaving the dedication that geese were chasing some children and also stopping traffic. Recruitment for Recreation Director The Director reported the City Council has authorized the city's personnel department and the City Manager to begin recruitment of the Recreation Director position since he is retiring. He said the position may be filled by February 1998. Privatizing the Recreation Department Director Pekkain advised the city manager had reported that one company had submitted a bid to determine the feasibility of privatizing the recreation department at a cost of $15,000420,000. The City Council agreed that this was too expensive and have requested that the city manager contact the company to see if they are interested in doing only one phase of the investigation at a reduced rate which would study the efficiency of the department. Depending on the cost, the City Council will determine if they wish to pursue the matter. Some discussion followed regarding the letter the commission had agreed to send at their October meeting to the City Council stating their objections to privatization. Chairman Griffin said he had spoken to some council members to express his feelings. Director Pekkain advised that the interim director will also be reviewing the department and may recommend some changes. Page - 3 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes November 17, 1997 r_—V Recreation Program Update Director Pekkain updated the Commission on the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner for seniors on November 25, the Holiday Arts and Crafts Faire on November 29 & 30 and the Holiday Dinner and Dance sponsored by the Senior Center on December 14 all held at the Community Center. He also reported the free weights are going to be moved back into the old weight room at the Sports Center. M-Park Update The Director reviewed the plan for the soccer field and tennis courts at Magnolia Park. He advised the rains may delay the project up to year if seeding cannot be done this year. He recommended that the soccer field should not be opened for a year if the park is not seeded until spring. Retirement Reception Director Pekkain reminded the commissioners about his retirement reception on Friday, November 21. He advised the presentation will be made between 4:00 and 4:30 p.m. Free Friday The Director said a Free Friday steering committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, at 10:30 a.m. He said the partnership members' volunteers have fallen off and the committee will be meeting to determine the status of each organization's commitment. Chair Griffin asked if letters have ever been sent to the City Council and other city '"%S commission members to determine if any of them would be interested in volunteering. Discussion followed and Director Pekkain agreed to pass this suggestion on to Recreation Supervisor, Mary Hanlon. Director Pekkain advised that the Council on Youth and Families has sent volunteers to work at Free Friday. NYSCA Report Director Pekkain referred the commission to his report on the National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA) clinics which they had received and reviewed the highlights. A copy of the report is attached to the original copy of these minutes. Director Pekkain reported he will continue to volunteer as a NYSCA clinician after his retirement. Chair Griffin asked if the Rancho Cotati Little League will be required to have 100% participation next year as other league's are required. Director Pekkain said since he will be volunteering he cannot enforce this, but he would recommend that their participation would be 100%. CPRS Community Award Recipient Director Pekkain asked if any of the commissioners had any candidates to receive the Community Award which is presented at the annual California Parks and Recreation Society's District 1 dinner. He informed them that this item will be on the commission's meeting agenda for December for discussion since the nomination will have to be made by January. --� Page - 4 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes November 17, 1997 Director's Retirement Director Pekkain said it had been a fun 27 years and wished the commission good luck. MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS Bike Trails Map Chair Griffin asked about including the Rohnert Park bike trails map in the recreation department's activity guide. He had recommended this previously and thought it would be included in the most recent guide. He said the Bicycle Advisory Commission has a map, and Director Pekkain said he will follow up on the matter. Sports Center Memberships Chair Griffin asked if the city has a policy covering Sports Center memberships for commission members. Director Pekkain said to his knowledge there is no special membership offered to commission members. Chair Griffin said he did not know if it was appropriate to ask. Discussion followed on memberships offered to city employees and the City Council, and the Director suggested if the commission wished to pursue the matter they would have to submit a request to the mayor. The Director did state that because the Sports Center works on a profit and loss statement, that free memberships do affect their profit. Commissioner Tatman stated he thinks one of the reasons the city offers free memberships for full-time employees is because it encourages them to keep physically fit and helps keep medical claims down. Chair Griffin stated he was not asking for free use of the Sports Center but perhaps a membership at a reduced fee. M Park Tennis Courts Chair Griffin said, as a founding member of the Rohnert Park Tennis Club, he would like to suggest naming the tennis complex at Magnolia Park the "James Pekkain Tennis Complex" in honor of his 27 years as recreation director. Director Pekkain thanked the Chair for the thought but said he would prefer that they not pursue the suggestion. Chair Griffin said the request had been brought to him by other members of the community. December Meeting Chair Griffin stated he will be absent for the Commission's December meeting. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Stevens and Tatman that the meeting be adjourned at 8:20 p.m. to a regular Page - 5 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes November 17, 1997 Chairman Secretary meeting to be held on Monday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the City Hall council chambers, 6750 Commerce Boulevard. Page - 6