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2004/06/21 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes (3)ROHNERT PARK PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 21, 2004 The Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission met this date at 7:30 p.m. for a regular meeting at the Rohnert Park city offices, 6750 Commerce Boulevard, Rohnert Park. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. with Chair Carlson presiding. ROLL CALL Present: (4) Commissioners Butler, Carlson, Rogers and Stevens Absent: (3) Commissioners Bird, Griffin and Hotaling Also present for the meeting was Recreation Services Manager, Guy Miller. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — Upon motion by Commissioner Stevens and second by Commissioner Butler, the minutes for the meetings of May 17a' were unanimously approved as submitted. UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCE/PUBLIC COMMENT Bonnie Black, 1065 Hawthorne Circle, representing Best Friends Canine Club, submitted 10 new membership forms and reported they are averaging 25 dogs per weekday morning and sometimes more on weekends. She stated the club has three families that come from �-. Windsor as well as some members from Sebastopol and Cotati. She reminded the Commission that at their last meeting they discussed the dog park, and Recreation Services Manager Miller reported the city would be calling on citizens for their input. She reported members of the Best Friends Canine Club are waiting to hear and that she has been an ad hoc member of the Commission's Dog Park Committee for over a year and they have never met. She said she thinks it is time to meet and encouraged the committee members of the Commission to set a meeting date so they could report back to the Commission. She reported that club members are noticing more vandalism problems in the park, and when they arrived at Golis Park today, it was toilet papered. She encouraged the Park Watch Committee to meet since this is the time when vandalism becomes more prevalent. She invited the commissioners to stop by and visit one of the Canine club meetings held at G Park between 8:30-9:30 every day. She advised there have been some problems with sprinklers at the park that are not getting fixed. She stated there are mosquito larvae hatching at one of the sprinkler sites, which indicates an ongoing problem. Commissioner Stevens asked how many members belong to the Best Friends Canine Club. Mrs. Black said she believed they had close to 200 members. Commissioner Stevens asked if a company, such as Purina, could donate to their organization or a dog park. Mrs. Black said she thinks they would have to form a non-profit organization first, ^ which could be done. Page 1 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes June 21, 2004 Commissioner Stevens asked about the status of the dog park. Manager Miller said he doesn't have the most current information because he had been off for a week. He advised the next phase of the dog park is tied to the Benicia Park basketball court project. The Commission discussed a plan that had been done back when CourseCo first took over the management of the golf course. Manager Miller said the only drawing he has seen was a plot plan but didn't believe it was a detailed plan. He offered to follow up on finding the plan and to do some research on this project. Mrs. Black stated she has been attending Commission meetings for almost five years and this whole project has not made much progress. She suggested that the Commission set some specific goals. She mentioned one of their members is a contractor and he offered to help with plans. She said she is willing to help as are many other members of the club, and it doesn't have to be a perfect park. She stated she has watched the Planning Commission meetings, and when they discuss parks, they never mention the dog park. Commissioner Carlson asked if the proposed dog park is bigger than the area where the club meets at G Park. Mrs. Black said the dog park would be open all day rather than the one hour they use G Park each day. Club members are not thinking of the dog park as a place to meet instead of where they meet now, but one to be used in addition to their club meetings at G Park. She said she believes if people had a legal place to take their dogs, they would go there. She advised the club is not just for the dogs because the members care about one another, and it has become a community within a community. Chair Carlson asked Mrs. Black what is the limit on the number of dogs they can have each day. Mrs. Black said it is almost self-limiting because if it is too crowded, people just leave. OLD BUSINESS Review Commission Committees — Manager Miller clarified that the list of committee assignments was tabled until Commissioner Rogers was seated before finalizing. The Commission discussed some of the committees and agreed that the Master Plan Committee should be changed to read "Parks Master Plan Committee." Commissioner Rogers offered to sit on the Park Master Plan Committee and the Children and Families Committee. The Commission also discussed the Beautification Committee and its purpose. Manager Miller suggested combining this committee with the Park Watch/Adopt-A-Park Committee. Commissioner Stevens made a motion to merge the Beautification Committee with the Park Watch/Adopt-A-Park Committee. Commissioner Butler seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved. As a result, Chair Carlson stated she would appoint ad hoc member David Cohen to the Park Watch/Adopt-A-Park Committee since he was an ad --� hoc member to the Beautification Committee. Page 2 r, Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes June 21, 2004 Commissioner Butler made a motion to accept the List of Commission Committee assignments. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Rogers and unanimously approved. Community Center Truss Repair Update — Manager Miller reported the woodwork is finished and- the contractor is waiting to receive the replacement windows, which will be dual paned instead of single. He advised the project should be finished in approximately three weeks. NEW BUSINESS Set Date for Park Tour — Manager Miller reported that the Park Watch Committee met with the Public Works Department supervisor, Brad Rosaschi, and himself about a week ago, and they discussed some of the mini parks that don't have a cleaning contract. Supervisor Rosaschi suggested that the Committee begin the adopt -a -park program with the mini parks. These parks are cleaned but not on a daily basis like the bigger parks are. Commissioner Stevens referred to an earlier Commission meeting when they discussed beginning with Caterpillar Park because of problems that had been reported. Manager Miller replied it is on the list and offered to read through the list of 14 mini parks. Chair Carlson stated in the past two years they have visited the Community Garden as part of their park tour and suggested that this year they could visit the mini parks instead. Manager Miller read the list of mini parks, and Commissioner Stevens said he still wants to include the big parks in their park watch program. Manager Miller informed the Commission he found very few models of a park watch program that included law enforcement. He clarified that the adopt -a -park program is different and usually includes cleaning the park. Manager Miller explained the Committee did not discuss watching parks for criminal activity. They only discussed cleaning the parks. The Commission discussed possible dates to schedule their annual park tour, July 17`h or July 31 st. STAFF REPORTS Department Highlights — Commissioner Stevens asked about the drop in attendance mentioned in the Department Highlights report for May. Manager Miller advised that registration is down for the after -school program and summer camps. He reported he checked with the YMCA and they told him that their sign-ups are down substantially. He mentioned possible reasons such as only one parent in a family working or the large number of camps offered throughout the County. The Commission also discussed the new Gym/Swim Pass. Commissioner Stevens said he looked at the gym facility being built at Sonoma State University and asked if this would Al-N have any impact on the Sports & Fitness Center attendance. Manager Miller said he Page 3 Rohnert Park Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes June 21, 2004 spoke to a SSU representative and he thinks their new facility will only be open for students and SSU staff. COMMISSION COMMITTEE REPORTS Aquatics — Commissioner Stevens asked if Manager Miller has any lesson figures yet. Manager Miller said not yet but he will have some numbers at the next meeting. Park Watch/Adopt A -Park Committee — Commissioner Stevens asked what happened at the last committee meeting since he was unable to attend. Manager Miller reported Commissioner Bird and Public Works Supervisor Rosachi met, and the committee felt the best way to proceed was to concentrate on park cleanliness. He said neighborhood meetings do not need to be held since signs could be posted at the parks asking for volunteers. He stated he has a sample of the sign that could be used. Manager Miller offered to put together an information packet explaining what the commitment would be so the packets can be sent out to interested groups. He said the adopting groups could be neighbors of the park, scout groups, businesses, or non-profit organizations. He explained the committee could meet to set up the programming, but advised he has had a hard time getting the committee members together. Commissioner Stevens suggested scheduling committee meetings before or after one of their commission meetings which might make it easier for members to attend. The Commission agreed this sounded like a good idea. Skate Park Committee — Manager Miller said on the CIP plan it states that the City Manager will let the Commission know when there is a suitable site for a skate park and there is where this project stands now. MATTERS FROM/FOR COMMISSIONERS Magnolia Park Tennis Courts — Commissioner Stevens asked when the Rohnert Park Tennis Club uses the Magnolia Park tennis courts. Manager Miller responded that the Tennis Club uses the tennis courts Monday through Thursday, and the list of their uses is posted on the bulletin board near the courts. ADJOURNMENT - There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m. Chair Carlson A w *.,- -' wji� Guy Mill Recreation Services Manager "1 Page 4