>> WELL, IT IS 5:30 AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL
[00:00:04]
THE ANGLETON PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD [INAUDIBLE].[1. Minutes from Regular Called meeting on June 14, 2021.]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON JUNE 14TH.>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO PROVE THE READINGS FROM JUNE 14TH.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE] DISCUSSION OF RECREATIONAL UPDATES.
[2. Discussion on Recreation updates.]
>> I DON'T THINK THESE ARE ON.
>> I DON'T THINK SO. IT USUALLY POPS IF I TOUCH IT [NOISE].
>> I'M SO LOUD IT [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] I PROBABLY WISH I DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
[LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] [NOISE].
>> THE SECOND ITEM WAS DISCUSSION ON RECREATION UPDATES.
I'M GOING TO TURN THAT OVER TO JERRY GONZALEZ.
>> GOOD EVENING. SYSTEM UPDATES WE HAVE POOL SLIDE, WHICH IS A LARGE AQUATIC SLIDE AT THE RECREATION CENTER.
THE RANK CONSTRUCTION BEGAN THAT REPAIR THIS MONDAY, AUGUST 2ND, AND THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THEY WERE COMPLETED ON AUGUST 4TH.
THEY STILL NEED TO INSPECT BY A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER TO DETERMINE THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
WE HAVE ALSO CONTACTED TML TO SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION BEFORE OPENING THE STRUCTURE TO THE PUBLIC.
ON POOL DOORS NOW [INAUDIBLE] STARTED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AQUATIC EMERGENCY DOORS, EXIT DOORS IN JULY, HOWEVER, DUE TO ISSUES WITH SIZING, THEY HAD TO SEND THE STRUCTURES BACK FOR PROPER MEASUREMENTS.
AS OF AUGUST 3RD, THEY WERE WAITING TO RECEIVE THE EMERGENCY EXIT DOORS.
THEY ARE PLANNING TO PICK THOSE UP THIS WEEK AND HOPEFULLY START AT THE END OF THIS WEEK OF GETTING THOSE REPLACED, IF NOT EARLY NEXT WEEK.
PARKING LOT LIGHTS WITH CARES FUNDING STAFF WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE ANGLETON RECREATION CENTER PARKING LOT LIGHTS WITH NEW LED FIXTURES.
WE ARE REACHING OUT TO VENDORS ON REMOVING THE BAR LIGHTING AROUND THE INTERNET SINCE IT'S REALLY NOT NECESSARY ANYMORE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE PASSED BY THE RECREATION CENTER RECENTLY, BUT THE LED LIGHTING IS PHENOMENAL.
IT'S AMAZING. SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE, DEFINITELY GO BY.
OUR MEDIA RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM MORNING STAFF, AND GUESTS THAT THEY DEFINITELY FELT MUCH SAFER COMING IN AT 4:45 IN THE MORNING.
REC CENTER RENOVATIONS WITH CARES AND ABLC FUNDING, STAFF ARE WORKING WITH [INAUDIBLE] ON RENOVATING THE AQUATIC AREA LIFEGUARD OFFICE, THE AQUATICS MANAGER OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM, ONE KITCHEN.
I HAVE ITEMS IN MY OFFICE CURRENTLY, FLOOR SAMPLES AND [INAUDIBLE] SAMPLES TO PICK OUT AND TO GET THAT PROJECT OFF THE GROUND.
HEART OF CHRISTMAS. WE HAVE STARTED THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS EVENT TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4TH.
STAFF IS WORKING TO REROUTE EVENT LOCATIONS DUE TO RECENT COMMENCEMENT OF COUNTY CONSTRUCTION ON THE FORMER FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, WHICH USED TO BE THE MAIN ROAD WHERE THE EVENT IS HELD.
CONSIDERATIONS ARE BEING MADE TO UTILIZE FRENCH STREET, THAT STREET THAT IS IN FRONT OF THE HEART, AS AN AREA FOR PHOTOS NEAR THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND EVENT RIDES.
WE'RE ALSO CONSIDERING PLACING VENDORS CENTRALLY DOWN MAGNOLIA ON EITHER SIDE OF SOUTH VELASCO WHILE STILL UTILIZING VETERAN'S PARK IN THE COUNTY PARKING LOT FOR THE BARBECUE COOK-OFF.
EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR FOURTH-QUARTER EVENTS AND PROGRAMS. [INAUDIBLE] HAVE DONE WELL.
IN JULY, WE HOSTED OUR SENIOR WELCOME BACK PARTY, WHICH PROVIDED LUNCH FOR 60 SENIORS.
WE HAVE TO PLANNED SENIOR TRIPS THAT ARE AT MAX CAPACITY, AS WELL AS [INAUDIBLE] MAXING OUT EIGHT WEEKS OF CAMP WITH 45 CAMPERS EACH.
WE HAD OUR LAST WEEK, AND IT WAS A FANTASTIC YEAR.
THE ANNUAL HOME RUN DERBY EVENT WAS HELD AT FREEDOM PARK ON SATURDAY, JULY 31ST, AND HAD 25 PARTICIPANTS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY PLANNING THE FIRST QUARTER EVENTS FOR PROGRAMS FOR OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER AS WELL.
>> YES, MA'AM. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, GUYS.
[3. Discussion on Parks Division updates.]
DISCUSSION ON PARKS DIVISION UPDATES. I THINK THAT'S YOU MEGAN.>> I'M GOING TO TURN THAT OVER TO [INAUDIBLE].
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'LL JUST GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON ALL THE PARKS.
DICKEY PARK, WE FINISHED PUTTING ALL THOSE STORY WALLS,
[00:05:03]
DISPLAYS OUT AND THE GRAND OPENING WAS THIS PAST FRIDAY.THEY ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED USING PUTTING OUT DISPLAYS THIS PAST WEEK.
SO THE VOLLEYBALL COURT, [INAUDIBLE].
THEY OFTEN ON WITH THE WEATHER AND EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWN, WE'VE GOT [INAUDIBLE] WORSE, HE'S GOING TO HELP US OUT, BUT THEY SEEM TO HAVE SOME EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWNS AND THEN WHEN THEY GET READY THE WEATHER IS NOT COOPERATING.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THAT FINISHED BY THE END OF THE MONTH OR THE FIRST PART OF SEPTEMBER.
BATES PARK PAVILION CRAFTSMEN.
BEEN WORKING WITH THOSE PEOPLE ON INSTALLING THE NEW PAVILION WITH THE LAG REMOVAL AND NEW BASKETBALL GOALS INSTALLED.
BG PARK. WE RECEIVED QUOTES FOR THE FLOORING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF BEING SLIPPERY A TOP WITH THE ASSOCIATION AND WE CAME OUT WITH A QUOTE FOR $12,900 TO EDGE THE CONCRETE.
WE LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS AS A EPOXY SEALANT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO SPEND $ 30,000 DOLLARS ON THAT TOP FLOORING.
AS FAR AS MAINTENANCE IS CONCERNED, THIS IS THE EASIEST MAINTENANCE SOLUTION.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST HAVING TO POWER WASH THE CONCRETE EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO ANYWAY.
WE HAD SOME POTHOLES AROUND THE ENTRANCE TO THE CONCESSION STAND AND THE DUMPSTER, WE FILLED ALL THOSE IN [INAUDIBLE].
WE FINALLY GOT ALL THE POLES AND CONCRETE REMOVED.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING RID OF THE POLES.
I THINK OUR LAST MEETING, THE POOL HADN'T BEEN COMPLETED YET.
DEMO. SO THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED 100 PERCENT.
ON LAKESIDE PARK, THIS PAST WEEK WE MET WITH THE [INAUDIBLE] AND CLARK CONNOR AND SAT DOWN AND TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLE CUTS ON THE LAKESIDE PARK BID.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING BACK WITH THOSE FOLKS THIS WEEK TO FINALIZE ALL OF THAT.
MEGAN MAY WANT TO UPDATE SOMETHING ON THAT.
>> JUST ON THAT NOTE WITH LAKESIDE PARKS.
WE DID MEET WITH CLARK CONNOR AND DL MEACHAM.
THURSDAY WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WITH THEM THIS FOLLOWING THURSDAY.
WE ARE AIMING TO SOLIDIFY THE CONTRACT AND HAVE THAT ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR THE AUGUST 24TH MEETING SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN CONSTRUCTION SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
WHAT WE WERE ASKED TO DO AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WE'RE ABOUT AROUND $130,000 OVER.
WE'RE LOOKING AT UTILIZING GENERAL FUND RESERVES, PARKLAND DEDICATION, AND ALSO ASKING THE CONTRACTOR TO COME DOWN ON COSTS.
THERE WERE SOME ITEMS THAT WE MENTIONED.
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT SEWER POINTED OUT WAS THE ELECTRICAL SERVICE.
IT WAS MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER VENDOR.
WE ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT THAT.
WE ASK THEM TO LOOK AT THE PAVILION, SEE WHAT COSTS THEY COULD CUT BACK ON, WALL, LUMBER MAYBE DECREASING AND COSTS.
WE'VE GOT OTHER ITEMS LIKE STEEL THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY COMING DOWN AS MUCH.
SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WERE, THE PARKING LOT CHANGING SOME OF THE MATERIAL.
THESE WILL ALL BE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING AT CITY COUNCIL AS WELL TO SEE HOW WE CAN BRING THAT ITEM DOWN.
ANOTHER ITEM WAS THE FOUNDATION LOOKING TO SEE IF THE ENGINEERS TRULY FELT THAT WHAT WAS IN THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT WAS NECESSARY, BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY STEEP.
NOT JUST THE AMOUNT, BUT WHAT WAS BEING ASKED.
WE THINK THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT BEING SO CLOSE TO THE WATER.
WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE AND CONFIRM WITH THE ENGINEERS IF WE CAN REDUCE SOME OF THE FOUNDATION COSTS THERE.
DO YOU RECALL ANY OF THE OTHER CUTS THAT WE DISCUSSED? FOUNDATION, ELECTRICAL.
THERE WERE TWO OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL, THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEEK SOME ALTERNATIVES TOO WITHOUT REALLY CHANGING THE PROJECT.
OF COURSE, WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL DESIGN WORK.
THE ITEMS THAT YOUR COUNSEL WILL SEE IN FRONT OF THEM AS OPTIONS TO REDUCE COSTS WILL BE, THEY WON'T INCLUDE ANY DESIGN IT'LL JUST BE AN ALTERNATE USE OF MATERIALS.
[00:10:03]
IT WAS THE WOOD.USING CARD AND PLANK INSTEAD OF WOOD WAS ANOTHER OPTION. THEN WHAT? THE PARKING LOT. YEAH, THE SUBSTRATE, THE CHANGING FROM CONCRETE [NOISE] TO ASPHALT, SO CURBING AND EVERYTHING IN CONCRETE, BUT THAT REDUCES IT SIGNIFICANTLY ABOUT $75,000.
THERE'S ONE OTHER ITEM THAT WILL BE LISTED FOR COUNSEL CONSIDERATIONS [OVERLAPPING]
>> THANK YOU. YES, IT WAS THE KAYAK.
THERE ARE EASY DOCK SYSTEMS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE SEEN.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH EZ DOCK.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE IN THE DESIGN IS A VERY NICE, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING WOOD FEATURE, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY REDUCE THAT COST BY HALF.
WHILE THAT HOW IT'S ITEMIZED ISN'T INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE.
IT COULD HELP YOU REDUCE SOME COST BY JUST PUTTING AN EZ DOCK SYSTEM AND THEIR PERIOD.
THANK YOU, BONNIE, THAT WAS ANOTHER ITEM.
THE ONES I'VE SEEN AND I'VE PRICE SOME BEFORE ON.
THAT'S NOT A STATIC LEVEL LIKE.
>> THE THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THAT DAY BASICALLY WOULD BE UNDERWATER QUITE A BIT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD HANDLE THAT, BUT EZ DOCK [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT WILL MAKE MORE SENSE TO BEGIN WITH.
>> THE ASPHALT IT DIDN'T HAVE AS LONG A LIFE AS CONCRETE, I'LL BE PUTTING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE PRIORITIZED ALL OF THESE ITEMS. WE SAID WE CAN CERTAINLY MENTION THAT TO COUNSEL, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS NECESSARILY GOING TO BE ON BOARD WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION.
WE DID TELL THEM THAT THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME AREAS THAT WE COULD FIND SAVINGS.
WE ASKED THEM TO FIND ANYWHERE FROM $50-$100,000 WORTH OF SAVINGS, SO THAT WE DIDN'T HIT THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES HARD OR A PARKLAND DEDICATION.
>> [INAUDIBLE] ASK THE QUESTIONS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE MUNICIPAL POOL PARK OR WHATEVER, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER NAME FOR IT, IT LOOKS REALLY NICE.
I'VE DRIVEN PAST, IT'S ONE OF MY ROUTES.
[LAUGHTER] IT LOOKS VERY NICE AND CLEAN.
I'M JUST READY FOR IT TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE THERE, BUT YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
>> ADAM FOUR DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON HIKE AND BIKE SUBCOMMITTEE APPLICANTS.
[4. Discussion and possible action on Hike and Bike Subcommittee applications.]
>> YES. I AM SO PLEASED THAT LAST TIME YOU ALL VOTED ON DEVELOPING A HIKE AND BIKE SUBCOMMITTEE.
WE PUT APPLICATIONS OUT THERE.
WE ADVERTISED FOR APPLICATIONS AND WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE AT LEAST FIVE AND WE HAVE FIVE.
I WILL SAY THAT IT WAS PRETTY DIFFICULT AT FIRST TO GET PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED.
WE EMAILED A LOT OF OUR BOARDS, OF COURSE, CITY EMPLOYEES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO REACH OUT TO FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED.
INITIALLY, WE HAD ABOUT THREE, SO WE DID OPEN IT UP TO CITY EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
THAT ORIGINALLY WAS A CONSTRAINT FOR APPLICANTS.
WE HAD A LOT OF CITY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE INTERESTED, AND WE DID HAVE ONE APPLY IN ADDITION TO ONE MORE RESIDENT.
YOU'LL SEE HERE IN YOUR AGENDA SUMMARY THAT WE HAVE FIVE INDIVIDUALS.
WE INVITED THEM TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THE HIKE AND BIKE COMMITTEE, I WELCOME YOU GUYS TO JUST COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND LET THEM KNOW WHY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING.
>> [LAUGHTER] WE DO NOT BITE. [LAUGHTER]
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST ALL MY LIFE.
JUST INTERESTED IN BEING ON THIS WALK AND RUN THE TOWN QUITE OFTEN.
JUST THOUGHT I WOULD BE INVOLVED.
>> GLENN [INAUDIBLE] IS NOT HERE WITH US, BUT HE IS ALSO AN AVID RUNNER AND CITY EMPLOYEE.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT HE IS WILLING TO SERVE AND BE ON BOARD.
IS TERRY BROOKS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING? WE HAVE, I DO APOLOGIZE IF I DO NOT SAY THIS CORRECTLY, LUIS LEICA.
IS THAT CORRECT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF? [LAUGHTER].
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LUIS LEICA.
I'M NEW TO THE AREA, TO ANGLETON.
WE'RE VERY INVOLVED IN THE KIDS' SPORTS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO AND THEY KEEP US VERY ACTIVE.
[LAUGHTER] YEAH, I'D LIKE TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN HOPEFULLY LOOK
[00:15:02]
FORWARD TO AND WE CAN BUILD SOMETHING FOR THEM TO USE IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.IS RICHARD WITH US THIS EVENING? IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT.
WE DO HAVE A FIVE APPLICATIONS IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING FOR CONSIDERATION [NOISE] FOR THE HIKE AND BIKE SUBCOMMITTEE.
PARKS AND RECREATION, WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU TO APPROVE THE APPLICATIONS SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN MEETING WITH THEM AND WORKING ON A HIKE AND BIKE NETWORK FOR THE CITY.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT. MOTION IN SECOND TO APPROVE THE APPLICANTS FOR THE HIKE AND BIKE COMMITTEE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ALL ON THE SAME SIDE. WELCOME ABOARD. THANK YOU ALL.
>> THANK YOU, GUYS. YES, APPRECIATE IT.
STEPHEN, WERE YOU SECOND? OKAY, THANK YOU.
[5. Discussion and possible action on future park development and park naming for the Municipal Pool site.]
DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON FUTURE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND PARK NAMING FOR MUNICIPAL POOL.>> YES. BONNIE, YOU DID ALLUDE TO THIS.
WE HAVE COMPLETED THE DEMOLITION OF THE MUNICIPAL POOL SITE OVER OFF OF DWYER.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT COMPONENT MOVING FORWARD OR MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT FACILITY.
THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN OUR PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER AND STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR AGENDA SUMMARY, ACTION 3.4A.
WHAT IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT IS IMPROVING THE OUTDOOR WATER ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WE HAVE WATER ACCESS AT OUR ANGLETON RECREATION CENTER, CENTRALLY LOCATED.
WE HAVE OTHER OUTDOOR WATER ACCESS LIKE LAKESIDE PARK, AND FUTURE ACCESS POINT AT FREEDOM PARK.
THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN REALLY IS LACKING ATTENTION OVERALL.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT REDEVELOPING THIS SIDE AND PROVIDING WATER ACCESS AT THIS FACILITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT OUR LAST MEETING WAS FUTURE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND ONE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU ALL WAS A COMBINATION OF A SPLASH PAD AND PLAYGROUND UNIT.
SEVERAL, I SHOULD SAY, OF THE MINIMUM PARK REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN OUR REVISED PARK LAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE, WHILE IT IS ADDRESSING A FIVE-ACRE FLAT, THIS IS SMALLER THAN THAT.
WE DO WANT TO CONSIDER HAVING RESTROOM ACCESS THERE AS WELL AS OTHER PAVILION STRUCTURES.
THESE WERE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
WE HAD ALSO DISCUSSED WITH YOU ALL TALKS WITH THE AMERICAN LEGION, CHARLES DIXON POST 241 IS ADJACENT TO THIS LOCATION.
CHRIS AND I HAD SPOKEN TO THE ORGANIZATION PROBABLY OVER A YEAR AGO.
WE DISCUSSED THE OPPORTUNITY OF EXPANDING THAT PART TO THE ADJACENT TRACK BEHIND.
THERE'S A VERY SMALL ADJACENT PIECE, PROBABLY ABOUT 17-19 FEET BEHIND THE MUNICIPAL POOL THAT REACHES THERE, A LITTLE OVER FIVE-ACRE TRACK BEHIND THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL.
WE LOOKED AT THAT SIDE AS A POSSIBLE LAND DONATION SO THAT WE COULD WORK TOWARDS REDEVELOPING THE MUNICIPAL POOL IN CONJUNCTION WITH A TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE GRANT.
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE MATCHING FUNDS, LIKE LAND DONATION, THAT COULD BE YOUR MATCHING PORTION.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME UP WITH HOWEVER MUCH IT IS TO REDEVELOP THE PARK.
THAT WAS WHY WE HAD APPROACHED THE AMERICAN LEGION GROUP BUT WE DID FIND WHEN WE MET WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT ANGLETON WORKING GROUP THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL CONSTRAINTS THAT PREVENTED US FROM REALLY CONSIDERING MAKING THAT A PARK THAT WOULD CONNECT TO THE OLD MUNICIPAL SIDE.
ONCE WE LOOKED AT THE PROPOSAL THAT THE AMERICAN LEGIONS HAD, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET, AS WELL AS THE ONE THAT WE ORIGINALLY PRESENTED TO THEM BACK IN 2020 AND THE SURVEY THAT HDR HELPED US WITH AND BAKER AND LAWSON DID, IT SHOWS YOU THE PIECES THAT CONNECT.
SOME OF THE MAIN CONCERNS THAT WE HAD, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IS JUST SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY ACCESS TO THAT SITE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD DO IS WRITE-OFF OF BUSINESS 2DA BUT WE REALIZED THAT, THAT REALLY WASN'T GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
THE PIECE THAT WE HAD THAT WAS IN-BETWEEN THE MUNICIPAL POOL AND THE AMERICAN LEGION HALL WAS REALLY JUST TOO SMALL TO PUT ROADWAY ACCESS.
THEN YOU START THINKING, "OKAY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER CONSTRAINTS?" WELL, THEIR SAFETY.
IF A MAJORITY OF YOUR PARK, FIVE-PLUS ACRES, IS BACK BEHIND THE FACILITY THAT YOU CAN'T GET VEHICULAR ACCESS TO, THAT'S A REALLY BIG CONCERN.
[NOISE] THE RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS COME OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT MEETING,
[00:20:04]
THERE WERE JUST SO MANY CONSTRAINTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESSED.STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE LOOK AT REDEVELOPING ONLY THE MUNICIPAL POOL SITE THAT WE HAVE IN CONTINUING WITH THE CONCEPT OF A SPLASH PAD, PLAYGROUND, SHELTERS, A SMALL WALKING PATH, AND A RESTROOM FACILITY.
THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU TONIGHT.
IF THE PARKS BOARD DOES CONSIDER APPROVING STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS REDEVELOPMENT, WE DO NEED TO ALSO CONSIDER RENAMING THE FACILITY SINCE IT'S LISTED ON GOOGLE MAPS AS MUNICIPAL POOL.
WE NO LONGER HAVE A [LAUGHTER] MUNICIPAL POOL THERE.
WE SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER A NAMING OPPORTUNITY.
I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS IS VERY TIMELY BECAUSE CHRIS AND I RECEIVED A FORMAL REQUEST TO NAME THAT FACILITY AND PAY TRIBUTE TO ABIGAIL ARIAS.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST PRESENTED TO US THIS WEEK ACTUALLY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
COUNSEL WILL CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.
BACK IN 2020, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY OR RECAP WHAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE, THIS BOARD HAS APPROVED A PARK MEMORIAL AND A NAMING POLICY WHICH WILL BE SEEN BY CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK IT'S SCHEDULED FOR THE AUGUST 24TH MEETING.
THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THIS BOARD, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO CITY COUNCIL ONCE, WE'LL TAKE IT TO THEM AGAIN FOR CONSIDERATION.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE HAVE POLICIES OR ORDINANCE THAT ARE CHANGING, THEY LIKE TO SEE IT MORE THAN ONE TIME.
WE'RE MAKING SURE EVERYTHING'S IN TIP-TOP SHAPE WITH LEGAL BEFORE WE DO PRESENT THAT AGAIN.
AGAIN, ALL OF THIS IS VERY TIMELY AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN THE MUNICIPAL POOL.
I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION FOR THE BOARD AND THEN HOPEFULLY A MOTION AS WELL.
>> TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD YOU CORRECTLY, WE'RE NOT PURSUING THE LAND THAT THE AMERICAN LEGION HAS BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRAINTS.
>> CORRECT. STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO NOT PURSUE THAT LAND.
>> FOR THE NAME, A HERO PARK, THAT'S THE NAME THAT THEY WANTED OR ABIGAIL ARIAS?
THAT WAS JUST HOW WE LABELED A PROPOSAL TO THEM.
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY NAME, BUT WE WOULD HAVE OFFERED THEM NAMING RIGHTS HAD THEY DONATED LAND.
>> JUST BY WALKING UP A WET LOT, THEIR LAND IN THAT, THIS WEEKEND, THE SPLASH PAD, THE PARKING, EVERYTHING WE NEED, THE MUNICIPAL [NOISE] POOL SIDE, DO YOU FEEL THAT'S THE BEST PLACE FOR THAT EXPENDITURE? WE NEED TO DO IT. WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT SOUTHSIDE PARK, IT'S LACKING, BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO PUT THAT OR SHOULD WE LOOK AT SOMETHING A LITTLE LARGER?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT IS GOING TO BE UP FOR DISCUSSION.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PUTTING IN A SPLASH PAD, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST TO THIS COMMUNITY, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO LOOK AT PRETTY HIGH NUMBERS.
WE NEED TO REALLY CONSIDER THE LAYOUT AND THE ENTIRE SITE THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE DWYER AND THEN WE HAVE AN UNNAMED ROAD THAT COULD BE REMOVED AND ALSO ALLOW US TO EXPAND ON WHERE ACTUAL FOOTPRINT IS, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF DRAINAGE OVER THERE TOO THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER.
THERE WOULD BE A GREAT DEAL OF DIRT WORK THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE BEFORE WE EVEN CONSIDER PUTTING IN SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
PLEASE KNOW IT WON'T JUST BE, "HEY, SPLASH PAD, PLAYGROUND, WE'RE PUTTING IT IN." [LAUGHTER] THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DIRT WORK THAT WE'LL HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN LOOKING AT REDEVELOPING THE SITE.
COULD YOU DO IT AT A LARGER PLOT AND INCLUDE OTHER PARK AMENITIES? ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE CONSIDERING DOING WITH THE FIVE-ACRE TRACK, WAS HAVING ADDITIONAL WALKING TRAIL, LARGE OUTDOOR PAVILION.
I SAY LARGE, WE'RE NOT TALKING LAKESIDE.
WE'RE JUST TALKING AN OUTDOOR PAVILION THAT COULD BE USED FOR THINGS LIKE BARBECUE COOK-OFFS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
SURE, THE LARGER IT IS, THE MORE YOU CAN REALLY MAKE IT A FAMILY ATMOSPHERE.
BUT I DO THINK IF YOU GO OVER TO THE SITE, THERE'S A LOT OF LAND THERE.
NOW THAT EVERYTHING IS DEMOLISHED, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE IN A VERY PRELIMINARY STAGES.
I WILL TELL YOU WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE VENDOR TO DO JUST A CONCEPT FOR US SO THAT WE GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF FUNDING, AND HOW IT CAN REALLY BE PLACED.
[00:25:01]
FROM BEEN OBSERVING ON THE PARKS BOARD, YOUR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT/PADS THEY ALL HAVE FOUR ZONES, AND SPRAY ZONES, AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.IT'S NOT JUST PUT THE EQUIPMENT HERE, AND THIS ONE CAN GO, THIS BENCH CAN GO RIGHT HERE.
THERE'S REQUIREMENTS OF SPACE FOR EACH OF THESE COMPONENTS WHICH WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A GREAT SITE.
>> ON THE STREET, WHEN I WENT OUT THERE TWO DIFFERENT TIMES THIS WEEKEND I LOOKED AT THE TRAFFIC, AND DWYER IS THE FIRST EXIT WHEN YOU COME OVER THE RAILWAY TRACKS COMING FROM THE NORTH.
THERE WAS AMAZING AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC ON THAT JUST NON-STOP COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY.
MANY OF THEM WERE USING A LOOP ROAD WE WANT TO ABANDON.
PEOPLE COMING OUT, GOING TO BUSINESS 28, WE'RE ON THE LOOP ROAD AND SOME OTHERS GRABBED PARKING AND I HAD TO MOVE OUT THE WAY FOR THE TRAFFIC AND JUST WATCHED IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND I NEVER REALIZED HOW MANY PEOPLE USE THAT.
THE OTHER THING I NOTICED IS IN OUR LIVABILITY STUDIES WE TALKED ABOUT CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESSIBILITY.
THERE IS NO SIDEWALK ON THAT STREET, THE CLOSEST ONE IS OVER ON ANDERSON STREET.
IF WE HAVE A SPLASH PAD AND WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC ON DWYER WITH NO SIDEWALK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CONFLICTS WITH WHAT WE WANT TO DO AS FAR AS MAKING THESE MORE ACCESSIBLE.
BECAUSE KIDS WILL HAVE TO WALK ON THE ROAD OR IN THE DITCH IF THEY'RE COMING FROM THAT SIDE OF TOWN.
THAT'S JUST ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT I LOOKED AT.
LOOK AT THE SITE CONSTRAINTS, THE SIZE OF IT, THE ACCESSIBILITY, THE TRAFFIC, I JUST QUESTION IF THAT'S THE BEST PLACE FOR US TO PUT THAT MONEY.
I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T DO SOMETHING THERE, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN A SPLASH PAD AND THE GOALS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE SOUTH SIDE PARK, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE IT ON THAT SIDE WHICH IS MAPPING IT.
BUT I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T DO SOMETHING, BUT DO YOU KNOW IF THEY COMPACTED THAT THE OLDER POOL SITE AND LIFTS OF ONE-FOOT, OR IF THEY HAD A PSI TESTING BECAUSE ANYTHING WE PUT ON TOP, YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR SETTLEMENT.
WHEN YOU FILL THAT HOLE WAS PROBABLY 12 FOOT DEEP OR MORE WHEN THEY EXCAVATED THE CONCRETE, I DON'T KNOW HOW SETTLED IT IS TO PUT SOMETHING ON IT LIKE A SPLASH PAD.
I KNOW THEY CAN BOARD AND DO A TEST, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS PUT IN THAT WAY.
>> I DO NOT KNOW THAT ANSWER, I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
>> WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 28 OF PSD.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M ON THE SAME PAGE HERE.
WE ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO WHERE THAT IS, PERIOD.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ABOVE OR BELOW IT.
THAT'S THE ONLY SPOT THAT WE HAVE IF WE POTENTIALLY CAN DO THIS FLASHBACK.
>> IS THAT WHERE THE MUNICIPAL POOL SITE WAS?
>> YEAH. THAT'S IT. THAT LITTLE STRETCH OF LAND THAT WE HAVE RIGHT THERE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ABOVE IT.
>> WE DO HAVE LAND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DWYER.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? YEAH.
>> I'M LOOKING AT WHERE THE OLD MUNICIPAL POOL PLUS THE LAND IS ABOVE THAT.
>> CORRECT. THE DOG GROUP, MET AND HAD DISCUSSED THE FEASIBILITY OF MOVING THE ROAD.
I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU SHOT DWYER STRAIGHT OUT, YOU'VE GOT SOME MAJOR DRAINAGE ISSUES BECAUSE THERE'S A BRIDGE THERE, SO WHILE WE COULD CONSIDER THAT, I WOULD BE INCREDIBLY COSTLY TO DO SO.
>> WHO IS THE DOG GROUP YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT? WHO IS ON THAT?
>> THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF PEOPLE.
CHRIS MYSELF, MARTHA AMY, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, BOTH DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT, DIRECTOR HDR IS ALWAYS A REPRESENTATIVE KYLE REYNOLDS OUT OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WHO ELSE DO WE HAVE IN THAT? YEAH.
>> THAT PARK, LOOKING AT THE SURVEY, THE 2.134 ACRES, IS THAT THE ENTIRE PARK THAT WE OWN THERE?
>> IT IS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN FIVE ACRES.
IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT OTHER LAND BECAUSE I'M RACKING MY BRAIN TO THINK OF ANOTHER LOCATION THAT WE GET EITHER BEG SOMEBODY TO GIFT OR WE CAN BUY BECAUSE WELCH PARK IS JUST TOO FAR OUT.
IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S JUST NOT PRACTICAL.
>> WE ALSO HAVE RECENTLY DEMOLISHED THE BARNS OFF OF ANDERSON AND ALSO KRAIBER.
THERE WAS A PD BAR AND THAT WAS RIGHT ADJACENT TO THE DOG PARK,
[00:30:03]
THAT ONE IS GONE AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER THAT WERE OFF OF ANDERSON.ANDERSON WOULD HAVE WALKABILITY AND ACCESS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE TWO SIDES, ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THOSE TODAY AND THEN SEPARATE ARE ABOUT 2.6 EACH.
IF YOU WERE TO COMBINE THOSE TWO, I'M NOT SURE THAT I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO.
[OVERLAPPING] OFF OF ANDERSON, THAT WOULD BE OVER FIVE ACRES.
YOU WOULD IF YOU USED ANDERSON AS YOUR PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, IT WOULD BE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND YOU ARE ADJACENT TO TWO NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE DO ALREADY CURRENTLY OWN IT.
>> THE LAND ABOVE WHERE THE OLD POOL IS RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE, YOU'RE SAYING THAT A LOT OF THAT IS DRAINING, SO IT WOULD BE NECESSARY.
YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO ENGINEER THE SITE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DIRT WORK AND DRAINAGE WORK NEEDED.
>> I GUESS THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, IS THEIR GOING MUCH ENGINEERING ON THE OTHER ONE? IS IT GOING TO BE OF SAME AMOUNT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO?
>> OFF OF KHYBER YOU'RE LOOKING AT DITCHES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THERE ARE SOME DRAINAGE AROUND THE OLD PD STORAGE AREA, BUT REALLY BEFORE EVEN THIS CONVERSATION, WE WERE CONSIDERING THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE DOG PARK BEING WHERE THE PD FACILITY WAS AND THAT'S JUST DEVELOPING PARKING ON THAT SIDE RATHER THAN THE DOG PARK ENTRANCE COMING OFF OF ANDERSON.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE NEAR AS MANY ISSUES, BUT YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE SOME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH.
BUT IF YOU AGAIN TAKE YOUR MAIN ENTRY PARK ENTRY OFF OF THE ANDERSON'S SITE, IT WOULD BE WALKABLE.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S DITCHES ON THE SIDE OF THAT ROAD AND IT'S ADJACENT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE NORTH SIDE OF IT AND THEN ALSO THE EAST.
THEN YOU COULD ALSO CONSIDER ACQUIRING LANDS, BUT OF COURSE, THAT TAKES MONEY.
>> FOR THE PARKLAND FEES THAT YOU'RE ACCUMULATING, THEY COULD GO TO AN ACQUISITION OF LAND [OVERLAPPING] AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO FORCE SOMETHING ON LAND THAT REALLY DOESN'T FIT AND MAY NOT BE IN THE BEST LOCATION.
>> RIGHT. WHAT OUR PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE SAYS TOO, WE CAN USE IF WE USE OUR DOLLARS TODAY, OUR PARKLAND FUNDS TODAY TO PAY FOR LAND, FUTURE FEES IN LIEU OF PARKLAND CAN GO TOWARDS THE CITY, CAN SAY WE'RE REQUIRING THAT YOU PAY FEES IN LIEU BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING A DEBT FOR OUR PREVIOUS LAND ACQUISITION SO THAT WE ESSENTIALLY PAY OURSELVES BACK FOR THAT.
SO YES, THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDS TODAY IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
WE DO HAVE PROBABLY AROUND 50,000 IN PARKLAND'S DEDICATION AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PHASES RIGHT NOW SO IN THE NEXT YEAR 2, I'M HOPING IN THE NEXT YEAR WE ACCUMULATE AROUND A 100,000 AND NEXT SEVERAL YEARS IT COULD BE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND.
>> ARE YOU SEEKING A NAMING OF THE PARK AS WELL AT THIS POINT AND YOU JUST CONSIDERATION FOR A NAME?
>> WELL, REALLY, WE WERE HOPING FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MUNICIPAL POOL SITE BECAUSE THOSE ARE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS ALL OF OUR CIP PROJECTS.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DO WE NEED A BOND IF WE'RE PUTTING BOND PACKAGES TOGETHER, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE PROPOSING AS IT RELATES TO CONCEPTS, PLANNING AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT FOR A PLC IN THE FUTURE YEARS BECAUSE WE HAVE ABOUT $217,000 THAT WE'VE BUDGETED AND MAYBE I'LL SEE FOR PARK REDEVELOPMENT.
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DIRECTION IS SO THAT WE KNOW HOW TO SPEND THAT DOLLAR MOVING FORWARD.
>> ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA TOMORROW NIGHT WE'LL START DISCUSSING BONDS FOR THE CITY.
WE'VE GOT DJANGO WATER TANK THAT'S FALLEN APART.
WE'VE GOT THE WE OPERATION CENTER, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS AND IT CENTER THAT'S IN TEMPORARY FACILITIES RIGHT NOW THAT WE NEED TO BUILD A BUILDING FOR.
INSTEAD. JUST DO ONE THING LIKE THE LAST BOMB WE DID GO OUT FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE'RE STARTING TO EXPLORE WHAT WE CAN DO ON THE CITY SIDE
[00:35:04]
TO START MOVING SOME OF THESE THINGS FORWARD WHETHER IT'S THE OLD MUNICIPAL POOL PSI, WHETHER IT'S VETERANS PARK OR WHATEVER.WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHEN WE GO OUT TO BOND AND SAY THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT AVLC MIGHT DO IN THE FUTURE SO WE CAN ADDRESS ALL THESE ISSUES.
>> WE HAVE THE LAND. IT'D BE NICE TO UTILIZE IT IN SOME MANNER.
IF WE'RE NOT SURE HERE WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO THERE, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF CONSTRAINTS ON THAT SIDE I THINK YOU BROUGHT UP, BUT IF YOU WANTED SOMETHING TO BE DONE IN THE INTERIM, JUST LIKE BONNIE SAID, IT'S A PRETTY BIG PAD THAT THEY FILLED.
[NOISE] IF YOU WANTED SOMETHING LESS EXPENSIVE, YOU CAN HAVE ANYTHING FROM SOCCER THERE, I WOULDN'T PUT A BASKETBALL PAD THERE UNTIL YOU KNOW HOW THAT SUBSURFACE IF IT'S STABLE OR NOT, BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO.
BUT AS FAR AS A MOTION FROM US, IS IT JUST A MOTION TO PROCEED WITH IDEAS?
>> THAT IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU ALL.
IF YOU ARE UNCERTAIN, YOU DON'T FEEL THAT YOU HAVE THE DIRECTION TO PROVIDE TO STAFF, ONE OPTION COULD BE TO GO OUT FOR PUBLIC SURVEY AND SEE HOW PEOPLE WOULD RESPOND TO DIFFERENT AMENITIES AT DIFFERENT PARK SITES LIKE YOU'VE BEEN MENTIONING.
WE COULD CERTAINLY PURSUE IT THAT WAY.
>> WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE DOG PARK? IS THIS SITE LARGE ENOUGH TO PUT A BETTER DOG PARK THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
>> I WILL SAY THAT WAS A QUESTION FROM AVLC AT THEIR LAST MEETING.
IT WAS, WHAT IS THE TYPICAL SIZE OF A DOG PARK? FROM THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I AGREE WITH THIS [LAUGHTER] IS HALF AN ACRE OR MORE.
I WOULD SAY YOU DEFINITELY ANNOUNCE TO YOU [LAUGHTER] I DON'T AGREE EITHER.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE LARGER THAN THAT.
ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF THOSE LARGE DOGS.
I THINK OF MINE, AND WE HAVE JUST THREE FOURTHS, AND IT'S RUNNING CIRCLES IN THE BACKYARD, SO IMAGINE SEVERAL DOGS A LOT OF ACTIVITY, YOU DEFINITELY WANT MORE ROOM THAN JUST OVER HALF AN ACRE OR A COUPLE.
THERE WAS ONE GROUP THAT I RESEARCHED ON IT WASN'T IN TEXAS, BUT THEY HAD A 10 ACRE PARK THAT WAS DESIGNATED SPECIFICALLY FOR DOGS.
I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE EXTREME, BUT I WOULD THINK ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO THREE WOULD BE GREAT FOR SOME OF THOSE LARGE DOGS TO PROVIDE SOME AMPLE ROOM, AND EVEN IF IT WAS A LARGE DOG AND SMALL DOG UNIT TOGETHER, YOU HAD TWO ACRES FOR THE LARGE AND ONE FOR THE SMALL, BUT LIKE WE HAD MENTIONED BEFORE AT OUR LAST MEETING FOR FUTURE PARK DEVELOPMENT, INCORPORATING THAT INTO A PARK THAT HAD WALKABILITY, AND PAVILIONS, AND PICNIC TABLES, AND OTHER PARK AMENITIES.
YOU MAY HAVE FAMILIES THAT GO TO A SPLASH PAD, REALIZE A DOG PARK IS THERE, AND THE NEXT TIME THEY COME WITH THEIR DOG AND THEIR KIDS, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO THINK ABOUT IT.
>> SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED MORE LAND, SO I GUESS WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON THAT.
BUT I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT ABOUT THE PARK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS THE MUNICIPAL POOL PARK.
IT DOES LOOK REALLY NICE, BUT IT DOES NOT STILL HAVE WHATEVER NEEDS TO MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING THERE, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY, EXCEPT THE PAVILIONS ARE JUST SITTING THERE BY THEMSELVES, SO MAYBE IF THERE WAS PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, AND MAYBE SPECIFIC PLACEMENT OF SOME TREES, SO IT FEELS MORE COZY.
>> BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE HIGHWAY, SO MAYBE EVEN DOING SOMETHING AS MINOR AS THAT WILL BRING PEOPLE TO THE SITE, AND THEN ANOTHER AMENITY AS CHRIS MENTIONED THAT DOESN'T TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE, BUT IT GIVES SOMEBODY MORE ACTIVITY TO DO.
>> RIGHT. THINGS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER ON THAT SIDE, AND WE COULD DISCUSS THIS ALL EVENING.
WE DON'T NEED TO GO INTO MUCH DETAIL.
I DO THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTERESTS TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT THINGS LIKE A BASKETBALL COURT, PICKLE BALL COURT, TENNIS, JUST DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT YOU COULD DEFINITELY HAVE A PLAYGROUND UNIT, A WALKING FIGURE EIGHT LOOP TRAIL THAT GOES AROUND,
[00:40:02]
AN OUTDOOR BASKETBALL COURT [BACKGROUND].SOFTENING IT UP WITH THINGS LIKE VEGETATION WILL ALWAYS HELP.
>> WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING FROM US TONIGHT?
>> [LAUGHTER] I THINK SHE WANTS SOME ANSWERS, AND WE DON'T HAVE THEM. THAT'S OUR PROBLEM.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WHAT YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER ABOUT HAVING A SURVEY WOULD PROBABLY BE YOUR BEST BET, SO THAT ME GETTING AN IDEA WHAT WE COULD PUT THERE, SPECIFICALLY, WHAT DO SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS ARE TRYING TO LOOK FOR IN A PARK.
NOW THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE TWO POSSIBLE SPOTS, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE ONE PARK [INAUDIBLE].
I DON'T THINK IT HURTS TO DO A SURVEY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] SIR, WE DID ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR FREEDOM PARK, AS IT RELATED TO IN PREPARATION FOR THE MASTER PLAN, SO THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO THAT PARK.
WHEN YOU OPEN UP SOME OF THESE SURVEYS, WE MAY GET A GREAT DEAL OF FEEDBACK AND SOME USERS MAY NOT KNOW WHAT WE HAVE COMING, OR WHAT WE HAVE IN EXISTING PARKS AND SO I THINK A LOT OF IT, WE MAY NEED TO DO SOME EDUCATION BEFORE WE LAUNCH THAT SURVEY, AND SO MAYBE WE DO JUST LIKE WHAT WE HAD DONE WITH OUR POTENTIAL PARK DEVELOPMENT.
WE CAN HAVE SOME SLIDES TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON WHAT IS TO COME, SO THAT IT'S NOT A SURPRISE WHEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS ELSEWHERE IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
WE'LL WORK ON THAT, AND THEN ALSO MAYBE WIDEN THE SCOPE A LITTLE BIT, SO THAT IT'S BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT DOG PARK WHICH WE KNOW NEEDS TO BE REDEVELOPED, THAT IS IN OUR PLAN ALREADY, AND THEN THE ANDERSON PSI, AND CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.
NOT SPECIFICALLY JUST THE MUNICIPAL POOL, BUT LET'S LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE.
>> WHAT IN THE SURVEY CAN YOU NOT JUST SPECIFY THIS, YOU ARE WANTING FEEDBACK ON THESE TWO LOCATIONS, AND THEN MAYBE JUST HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF WE HAD MORE PROPERTY, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN?
>> YOU COULD EVEN MAKE IT AS SPECIFIC AS TO WHAT AMENITIES WOULD YOU LIKE.
IF WE HAD, WHAT TYPE OF SPLASH PAD.
HOWEVER YOU NEED IT AND WHERE THE STATE, BE VERY SPECIFIC TO THOSE TWO LOCATIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW, I SAY THIS TO YOU GUYS ALL THE TIME AND EVEN OUR OWN STAFF AND MYSELF WE'RE CONSTANTLY LEARNING TOO.
I THINK YOU LEARN THROUGH EXPERIENCE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW, SO WHEN WE ASKED THEM, "WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?" WELL, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE.
THAT'S ANOTHER CONSTRAINT THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND.
WE CAN WORK ON THAT BY JUST EDUCATING OR THROWING SOME OTHER IDEAS OUT.
WE CAN HAVE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS, BUT THEN WE CAN ALSO HAVE OUT OF THESE 10 THINGS WHAT'S MOST INTERESTING TO YOU, AND THEN THEY MAY LOOK UP WHAT SOME OF THEM ARE IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, SO WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
THERE'S COMMON THINGS THAT YOU'D PUT IT IN BOTH PARKS AND THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY, PACKING AND RESTROOMS. I HATE TO SEE IS DUE TO PLACES BECAUSE THAT JUST DOUBLES THE COST BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PUT BED IN BOTH.
IT'D BE NICE IF WE HAD ENOUGH LAND SOMEWHERE WHERE WE CAN DO EVERYTHING IN ONE SPOT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S SEEMS LIKE WOULD SAVE MONEY BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS TWICE.
>> POTENTIALLY, BUT IT ALSO KEEP IN MIND TOO, WE WANT WALKABLE ACCESS FOR A VARIETY OF RESIDENTS RATHER THAN JUST HAVING ONE LARGE PARK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE TO DRIVE TO.
THE NATIONAL STANDARD IS A 10 MINUTE WALK TO THE PARK, SO THAT'S ABOUT HALF A MILE.
IF YOU JUST DO ONE PLATEAU LAND THAT'S OVER ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN, YOU MAY STILL HAVE SOUTH SIDE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE WALKABLE ACCESS.
STILL LOOKING AT REDEVELOPING SOME OF THE SITES THAT WE DO HAVE WILL HELP OUR RESIDENTS HAVE A MORE ACCESSIBLE PARK SYSTEM.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THERE IS ALWAYS AN EXPENSE LOOKING AT REDESIGNING AND DEVELOPING SOME OF THE THINGS.
HOWEVER, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE PURPOSE OR WHAT THE ACTUAL AMENITIES ARE, IF IT'S MORE OF A PASSIVE PARK, WELL, KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO NEED 50 PARKING SPACES.
WE CAN LOOK AT PROGRAMMING SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO WHAT THE SITE AMENITIES ARE.
>> SOMETHING MORE THE LAND AND WHAT WE HAVEN'T BRUSHED YOU BOW, IT'S JUST A LOCALIZED PART.
AS WE SAID, ACCESSIBILITY WALK INTO THIS ONE'S NOT GOING TO BE THE EASIEST.
[00:45:03]
ONE SIDE IS A HIGHWAY, SO THEY WON'T COME FROM THAT AWAY.THERE CAN BE AMENITIES THAT PEOPLE WILL WALK THERE.
I THINK WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR LONG-RANGE GOALS HERE IN ABLC IS A MORE GRAND PARK ON THE SOUTH SIDE, SOMETHING THAT WILL DRAW PEOPLE ELSEWHERE, NOT JUST FROM THE SOUTH SIDE TO IT, WHETHER SPLASH PADS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WHICH WE CAN'T DO HERE, WHICH WAS NEVER THE INTENTION ON THIS PROPERTY.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE THE FUNDS FOR AT THE MOMENT ANYWAY.
>> I HAVE DIRECTION. WE DON'T NEED A MOTION.
>> OKAY. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 6, DISCUSSION,
[6. Discussion and possible action on future park development for Veterans Park.]
POSSIBLE ACTION OF FUTURE PARK DEVELOPMENTS FOR VETERANS PARK.>> YES. THIS IS ANOTHER PARK THAT WE DISCUSSED AT OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE DEMOLISHED THE GAZEBO AT VETERANS PARK.
WE DO HOLD MANY EVENTS THERE, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO REDEVELOP THAT PARK.
WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ON SOME OF THE IDEAS AND PICTURES THAT YOU HAD ALL SEEN AT THE LAST MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
BEING DOWNTOWN PROGRAMMABLE AREA WHERE WE CAN HOLD OUR EVENTS POTENTIALLY EVEN CONCERTS AND FOOD TRUCKS WERE ALSO MENTIONED.
WE DID TAKE SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU ALL HAD.
WE ALSO TALKED TO OUR SENIOR ANGLETON LEADERSHIP TEAM GROUP.
THAT CONSISTS OF ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS OF THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER, CITY SECRETARY, AND SOME OF OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS AS WELL, FOR SOME FEEDBACK AND INPUT.
WHAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH IS ATTACHED IN YOUR PACKET.
THIS IS UTILIZING, I BELIEVE, BOTH THE EXISTING SITE AND EXPANDING TO THE PARKING LOT THAT IS DIRECTLY WEST.
IS THAT CORRECT? WEST OF THE PARK.
CLOSEST TO THE BRAZORIA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FACILITY BECAUSE THERE IS NOW AMPLE PARKING ACROSS THE STREET.
TRYING TO EXPAND THAT FOOTPRINT TO REALLY UTILIZE THE SITE IS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE CONSIDERING, KEEPING THOSE HERITAGE TREES ON-SITE, AND THEN JUST TRYING TO RE-USE THE AREA.
WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU JUST A CONCEPT.
IT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THESE PICTURES IN FRONT OF US FROM THE MRB GROUP.
I JUST WANT TO OPEN THIS UP FOR COMMENT.
>> THE SITE PLAN CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS PACKET, THAT'S JUST THE CONCEPT. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
SOME OF THIS YOU HAVE WITH A MEMORIAL AREA TO ME.
I'D LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HONOR OUR VETERANS.
WHAT WE HAVE THERE CALLING IT VETERANS PARK REALLY DIDN'T DO JUSTICE TO ME TO THE VETERANS.
I MEAN, THE COUNTY HAS SOMETHING IN FRONT, BUT IT'D BE GREAT SOME OF THE THINGS I SEE WITH FLAGS AND THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE GO A LITTLE BIGGER ON HONORING THAT PART OF THE PARK AND MAKE IT WHERE WE HAD THE VFW MEMORIAL OR THE AMERICAN LEGION, ALL THESE GUYS THAT HAD DONE SERVICE, WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING INVOLVED IN THAT, BUT I LIKE THAT CONCEPT WHERE YOU HAD ART CROSS BACK THE FLAGS AND WHATEVER MONUMENTATION THAT IS, LOOKS PRETTY NICE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE LAYOUT FOR THE STRUCTURE FOR STAGE OR THE BAND WOULD BE ORIENTED RIGHT TOWARD THE BIG PARKING LOT ACROSS HERE.
>> YEAH. THE WAY THAT IT'S ORIENTED ACTUALLY IS TOWARDS MAGNOLIA STREET.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME COMMENTS THAT MAYBE IT DOES NEED TO CHANGE POSITION TO WHERE IT IS ON THE BACKSIDE TOWARDS EAST SIDE MAGNOLIA AND AMPLIFYING OUT BECAUSE IF YOU ATTEND ANY OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE, LIKE CONCERTS AT THE PARK AND THEN ALSO EVEN OUR HEART CHRISTMAS EVENT DOWNTOWN.
THE GAZEBO WAS ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT WAS CENTRAL TO THE PARK AND WE UTILIZED, SO WHEN YOU PUT IT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF CHENANGO,
[00:50:03]
YOU'RE CUTTING OFF YOUR AUDIENCE.THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ADDRESS AS WE MOVE INTO THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT.
WE JUST WANTED TO DEVELOP SOMETHING BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED AND OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM HAD SO THAT WE COULD GET OUR JUICES STIRRING BEFORE WE WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC WITH SOME OF THESE SPOTS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO HAVING MORE OF AN AMPHITHEATER TYPE OF STAGING AREA, HAVING SEATING FOR FOOD TRUCKS DOWNTOWN, OR EVEN SEATING JUST DURING THE WEEK FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO EAT OUTSIDE NEAR THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, GETTING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN AND ACTUALLY UTILIZING THE PARK.
WE DID HAVE SOME BENCHES OR DO HAVE SOME BENCHES OUT THERE AND A PICNIC TABLE.
PROGRAMMING IT TO WHERE IT'S REALLY INVITING WILL INCREASE THAT TRAFFIC AND THEN HAVING REALLY SPREADING THE LAWN SPACE AND LIKE YOU SAID, INCLUDING MONUMENTATION.
AS YOU SEE, ONE THING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT HERE TOO, IS THAT IT DOES HAVE A WATER FEATURE THAT CAN ALSO BE PROGRAMMED, THAT COULD BE JUST SIMILAR TO WHAT LAKE JACKSON CIVIC CENTER HAD.
IT'S JUST A WATER FEATURE THAT COULD BE FOR FOUR CHILDREN IN A DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL.
SOMETHING TO BRING OR PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT.
ALSO WHILE NOT IN USE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM TALKED ABOUT BRIEFLY WAS IF YOU HAD CONCERTS DOWN THERE, IT COULD ALSO ACT AS A STAGING AREA, MEANING FOR DANCING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
FOR THOSE, WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS DANCING IN THE STREETS, SPRAYING DURING THE CONCERT SERIES.
THAT PROVIDES AN ACTUAL AREA WHERE THEY COULD DO THAT.
>> DOES THE PARKING AREA BELONG TO THE CITY OR IS THAT PART OF THE COUNTY'S PROPERTY?
>> THE PARKING THAT IS RIGHT OFF OF THE BACKSIDE [OVERLAPPING] OF MIDDLE WEST OF THE PARK IS CITY, BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER A GREEN SPACE, YOU HAVE COUNTY PARKING LOT FOR THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BUILDING.
WHICH I DO WANT TO NOTE TOO, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE COUNTY IS LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BUILDING, THEY ARE NO LONGER GOING TO UTILIZE THAT FACILITY, WHEN THEY CONSTRUCT THEIR NEW FACILITY.
>> THAT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP OF SOME SORT WITH THEM.
SINCE THAT'S NOT TX PRODUCING PROPERTY.
BOTH THE PARK AND THE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BUILDING ARE NOT COLLECTING TAXES BECAUSE THEIR GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES IS ONE OF THOSE TO EXPLORE.
>> YES, WE CAN DEFINITELY EXPLORE THAT.
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO THINK IN TERMS OF SOME AMPHITHEATER-TYPE SITUATION DOWNTOWN BECAUSE THERE'S JUST ROOM TO EXPAND FOR SO MANY DIFFERENT SIZES OF GROUPS AND PRESENTATIONS, ETC., CONCERTS.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE LAYOUT AND WITH THE COUNTY'S PARKING, THIS MAKES SENSE TO UTILIZE IT SO THE GUESTS USE MORE THAN JUST A FEW HOURS A WEEK.
>> SURE. [OVERLAPPING] GO AHEAD, CHRIS.
>> NO. SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ACTION ON THIS ITEM?
>> REALLY HERE, I ALSO LISTED CONSIDERING, BONNIE, YOU HAD MENTIONED EXPLORING A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO, ENGAGING THE PUBLIC FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A CONCEPT, SO WE WOULD WANT TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO SEE, "HEY, ARE THESE ITEMS THAT YOU THINK YOU WOULD USE IF THEY WERE PUT DOWNTOWN?" WE CAN COMBINE THIS ALL INTO ONE SURVEY AND JUST INCLUDE THE DOG PARK, MUNICIPAL POOL SITE, AND VETERANS.
SPECIFICALLY, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE CAN NOTE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN THIS CONCEPT AND PLAN AND THAT CAN BE A CHECKBOX RATHER THAN AN OPEN-ENDED QUESTION THAT WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE SOME OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS.
THEN IF THAT WAS SOMETHING, WE COLLECTED THAT INFORMATION, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, AGAIN, IS MOVING TO THAT NEXT STEP.
AFTER WE COLLECT THE INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC AND INPUT FROM YOU ALL, MOVING INTO CONCEPT PLANNING AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.
>> GLAD YOU SAID THIS FITS WITH YOUR REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN AND LIKE BONNIE SAID, IT LOOKS PEOPLE COULD USE IT A LOT MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THAT OLD GAZEBO IN MY OPINION.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION, ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE THAT?
[00:55:03]
HOW DO YOU WANT THAT ACTUALLY WORDED? [OVERLAPPING]>> YOU CAN JUST PROVIDE DIRECTION LIKE THE LAST ONE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FORMAL MOTION.
IF THE DIRECTION IS TO SEEK PUBLIC INPUT, I CAN DO THAT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU ALL WANT THIS TO BE ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING NEXT FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE WE DO HAVE FUNDS BUDGETED TO MOVE FORWARD INTO CONCEPT PLANNING DESIGN DEVELOPMENT.
OKAY, DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO YOU? [OVERLAPPING].
OVERALL. ALSO, CHRIS MENTIONED IF IN GENERAL, THE CONCEPT MET ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING AND SO OVERALL, IF THIS GROUP APPROVES OF THE CONCEPT AND WOULD BE PREPARED TO PRESENT SOME OF THESE IDEAS TO THE PUBLIC.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND, TO HAVE YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IDEAS ON THE VETERANS PARK. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] THAT MOTION PASSES.
>> CHRIS, CAN YOU TELL ME WHO THE FIRST AND SECOND WAS? I'M SORRY.
>> CAN YOU TELL ME WHO THE FIRST AND SECOND WAS?
>> TERRY AND STEPHEN WAS SECOND. I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
>> ADAM SAID THAT'S YOU, MEGAN.
[7. Discussion and possible action on future park development of Reuben Welch Park.]
>> YES. ANOTHER PARK THAT WE DISCUSSED [LAUGHTER] WAS RUEBEN WELCH PARK, STUART HAD MENTIONED, WE HAVE DEEMED ALL OF THE AMENITIES OUT THERE AS OBSOLETE.
WE DID JUST RECEIVE WORD LAST WEEK FROM TPW BECAUSE WE'VE REACHED THE NUMBER OF YEARS TO DEEM SOME OF THESE ITEMS OBSOLETE, WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REDEVELOPMENT AND EVEN CONSIDER A PUBLIC-PRIVATE AGREEMENT IF WE SO WISH.
HOWEVER, THEY WANT US TO KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP AND THEY MAY HAVE SOME TERMS THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE IF WE WERE TO PURSUE THAT.
I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE WE HAD WELCH PARK AS SOMETHING A PROJECT OUT OF AVLC THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD ON REGARDING A CONCEPT AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
THE DIRECTION THAT WAS GIVEN FROM CITY COUNCIL WAS TO CONSIDER A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR THAT PARK BECAUSE THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS AS IT RELATES TO UTILITIES AND ACCESSIBILITY.
THEY THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD TRY OUR HAND AT LEASING IT OUT AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS WE WOULD GO OUT FOR A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND ARE IN TUNE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE AGREEMENT WITH INCLUDING TPW ON WHAT THOSE RESTRICTIONS WOULD BE.
IF AN ENTITY COLLECTED ANY FUNDS AND CITY TOOK A PORTION OF IT, IF WE REQUIRED A SPLIT OF ANY KIND, ALL OF THOSE FUNDS, TPW WOULD REQUIRE TO GO BACK TO PARKS AND RECREATION.
THOSE ARE SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD HOW YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT A LEASE AGREEMENT.
ONE OTHER THING THAT I SHOULD NOTE IS TYPICALLY IN LEASE AGREEMENTS, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THE CITY OF LU PORT ENTERED INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH AN HOA FOR MUNICIPAL POOL.
SO WHOEVER IS ENTERING INTO THAT AGREEMENT WITH YOU, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE SITE AND THERE'S REQUIREMENTS ON MAINTENANCE, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD IMAGINE IF YOU WERE TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT AGREEMENT FOR ROADWAY MAINTENANCE OR MOWING, THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE EXPECTATIONS ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW THINGS ARE MAINTAINED BECAUSE IT'S STILL CITY PROPERTY.
BUT THE BURDEN OF DEVELOPMENT IS ON THE PRIVATE ENTITY.
SO I DO WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION AND JUST ASK YOU ALL IF YOU HAVE ANY INPUT.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT A SWIMMING POOL I THINK.
I HEARD YOU SAY. IS THAT JUST AN EXAMPLE?
>> NO, THAT WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE. [OVERLAPPING].
>> I MEAN, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANY KIND OF RESTRICTIONS AS FAR AS WHAT SOMEONE COULD DO? I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE A PERMANENT OPTION TO ME.
IF THEY'RE LEASING IT, BUT THEY'RE PUTTING SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THERE THEN IF SOMETHING HAPPENED THEN WHEN THE CITY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING IT IN THE FUTURE?
>> THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE WOULD PUT INTO THE AGREEMENT.
IF WE HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT WE WANT TO SEE TO VOTE THERE, WE WOULD PUT THAT IN THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
SO WE WOULD LET THE PRIVATE ENTITY KNOW ALL OF THAT IN ADVANCE SO THAT THEY'RE NOT PUTTING TOGETHER A PROPOSAL THAT THEY AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
>> IN A PARK IS I WENT OUT THROUGH [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL, JUST HIT SOME OF THESE THINGS AND
[01:00:01]
IT'S THE REASON THAT WE ABANDONED THAT AND WENT TO FREEDOM PARK, WAS ISOLATION OF THAT PLACE.BUT WHEN YOU GO OUT THERE, IT'S VERY PEACEFUL AND QUIET.
I WENT THERE SATURDAY AND WALKED IN.
I LIKE TO SMELL A [INAUDIBLE] FOR ME, THOSE POSE LAYING DOWN [LAUGHTER] WAS NICE BUT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A COUNTRY IN WHICH YOU BASICALLY ARE.
ONE THING I'M THINKING ABOUT AS THESE DEVELOPMENTS COME IN, LAND LIKE THIS IS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE PEACEFUL LAND FOR A CITY PARK ANYWHERE.
YOU HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD NOISES, YOU HAVE OTHER NOISES WHICH ARE FINE.
BUT THIS LAND, WHEN YOU GO OUT THERE, AND TOOK MY WIFE OUT THERE SUNDAY AND JUST ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS AND SHOE TO WALK OUT THROUGH WITH ME.
BUT SHE SAID THE SAME THING AS WHAT DO YOU HEAR AND SAID NOTHING.
I THINK WHEN ALL THIS LAND AROUND TOWN KEEPS GETTING SNAPPED UP FOR DEVELOPMENTS AND THAT'S NOT A PARK YOU CAN WALK OR BICYCLE TO, YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE TO, BUT THAT IS REALLY THE ONLY POSITIVE IN THAT, AS FAR AS ME.
THE ISOLATION, SOME PEOPLE FIND NEGATIVE.
BUT I THINK FOR SOMETHING THAT WE CREATE OUT THERE, WHETHER SOMETHING WITH NATURE, WE PLANTED TREES, WE BUILD SOME PODS, WE DO SOMETHING TO BEAUTIFY THEIR PROPERTY.
JUST ON THOSE AMENITIES, JUST THE PEACE AND QUIET MAKE IT SOMETHING YOU COULD HAVE BERMS FROM SOME OF THE SOIL WHERE YOU DIG FOR THE PONDS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TREE PLANTINGS, SHADE.
IF YOU WANTED PART OF IT TO BE A DOG PARK OR YOU WANTED A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GO TO PICNIC, I THINK IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE A WILDERNESS PARK SO TO SPEAK, RIGHT CLOSE TO TOWN.
BUT IT'LL TAKE A WHILE TO GET THE TREES THERE.
I WISH WE WOULD'VE DONE THAT 40 YEARS AGO, WE'D HAVE A FOREST OUT THERE, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON TREES.
BUT THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT IS WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT JUST REMINDS ME OF HAY MEADOWS RIGHT NOW AND IN DANBURY.
IT'S JUST A VERY QUIET PIECE OF PROPERTY AND MAYBE WORK FROM THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
>> [INAUDIBLE] CITY UTILITIES NO WATER, NO SERVICE?
>> THERE'S WATER BUT NO SEWER.
>> YEAH. WE DO HAVE ELECTRICAL OUT THERE JUST KEPT ON THE STREET.
>> WELL, I GUESS MY VISION HAS BEEN SIMILAR TO CHRIS'S BUT SINCE WE HAD NO TREES AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT QUITE ENOUGH PROPERTY, BUT PRAIRIE GRASS IS AT SUCH A MINIMUM AND IT'S SO NECESSARY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS.
IF WE HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE OF A WILDERNESS OUT THERE, IT WOULD BE NICE. EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE NATURAL SPACES IN ALL OF OUR PARKS, BUT WE'VE REALLY PROGRAMMED THEM SO HEAVILY NOW THAT WE'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO GET QUITE THE BANG FOR THE BUCK IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO MAYBE THIS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO KEEP IT MORE OF A QUIET PARK AND IT WOULDN'T COST A LOT OF MONEY TO DEVELOP IT EITHER WITH PART OF CHRIS'S IDEAS OR MINE.
>> WELL AND MAINTENANCE EITHER WOULD BE [OVERLAPPING] I LOOKED AT A BMX TRACK, A MOTOCROSS TRACK, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAME UP IN SURVEYS OVER THE YEARS.
BUT YOU WOULD BE OUT THERE, CREWS WOULD BE OUT THERE WEEK RACKING THEM TO GET THE REDS OUT AND THE WASHOUT TRACKS.
THIS WOULD NOW BE A BIG BURDEN, BASICALLY MOWING FOR STAFF, WHICH TO ME HAS A LOW COST TO MAINTAIN.
>> WHILE THE PRAIRIE GRASS, IT WOULD BE VERY LITTLE MOWING?
>> EXCEPT FOR SPECIFIC AREAS THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO USE.
>> WELL, AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CREATING IN THE NEW SECTION OF FREEDOM PARK THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE QUITE THE ACCESSIBILITY TO, BUT WHETHER IT'S WETLANDS, LIKE WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, CREATING SOME NATURAL LAYERS, DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU CAN ENCOMPASS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
IF YOU WANTED HABITAT FOR I THINK ANGELTON IS PART OF THE MONARCH INITIATIVE.
YOU CAN HAVE THAT OUT THERE AS WELL.
JUST A MULTITUDE OF THINGS MORE NATURE-ORIENTED WOULD JUST BE A THOUGHT.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE OTHER THAN WATER AND POWER, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SO NOW THAT BLACK TOP WAS CRUMBLING, THERE'S NOT MUCH TO IT.
IT WOULDN'T BE LIKE IT'D BE DIFFICULT TO REPOSITION WHERE WE PUT PARKING OR ANYTHING.
>> FROM THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD, THE STAFF IS LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE
[01:05:06]
A PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGREEMENT THAT COULD STILL INCLUDE A WILDERNESS PARK.WE COULD SET WHATEVER THE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
WHILE WE DO HAVE IDEAS OF WHAT THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED LIKE, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DOING AS A PUBLIC PRIVATE AGREEMENT OR NOT?
>> IS THIS ONE OF THE SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE A SAY, BUT DON'T HAVE A SAY?
>> NO, I DON'T THINK SO AT ALL.
I THINK THAT THIS IS TOTALLY UP TO YOU GUYS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR HEAR A MOTION.
IF YOU'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF DOING A PUBLIC PRIVATE AGREEMENT, THEN WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE AGREEMENT AND SPECIFY THAT IT BE REVOLVED AROUND A WILDERNESS PARK, AND WE DEFINE WHAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE, THEN WE CAN CONSIDER THAT.
EITHER WAY, I THINK REALLY ALL WE'RE TRYING TO ASK FOR IS DIRECTION.
>> I'D LIKE TO SEE IN GENERAL SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT COMES IN?
>> YEAH. WELL, STAYING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE WILDERNESS PARK IDEA, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS OR PRIVATE, WOULD THAT POSSIBLY ALSO INCLUDE NON-PROFITS AS OPPOSED TO NECESSARILY FOR PROFIT?
>> IT'S OBVIOUSLY A GOOD THOUGHT TO EXPLORE BECAUSE HOW MANY YEARS WAY BEFORE I GOT ON THE PARK'S BOARD, OR COUNSEL OR ANYTHING ELSE, THIS HAS BEEN A SUBJECT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT, SO I'M NOT AGAINST EXPLORING THE OPTION.
THEN DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT ANYTHING THAT COMES IN MAKES ANY SENSE.
>> OKAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT IN FORM OF A MOTION IN FRONT OF ME?
>> I AGREE WITH YOU. [BACKGROUND] [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHATEVER I SAID WAS A MOTION.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO EXPLORE IT [LAUGHTER] IN A SECOND, IS THAT CLEAR.?
>> ALL SAME SIDE. YOU'RE GOING TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT.
>> BUT EITHER WAY, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON TREE PLANTINGS, I KNOW THAT'S NOT ON THIS AGENDA.
WE NEED WHATEVER WE DO IN ANY PARK WE OUGHT TO START PUTTING SOME THINGS OUT THERE.
THERE WAS MAYBE HALF A DOZEN TREES IN A ROW, I KNOW NOW THERE'S NOT MUCH THERE.
>> CRISTA HAD REQUESTED A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, BUT WE ARE ALREADY SET WITH OUR AGENDA, SO WE WOULD ALL START DOING AT THE END OF THESE MEETINGS, IF YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD, WILL BE PREPARED FOR OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE OCTOBER MEETING.
WE'LL TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR TREE PLANTING PROGRAM.
WE'RE REALLY WANTING TO DEVELOP SOMETHING AND HIT THE CITY PRETTY HARD WITH SOME CLUSTER TREE PLANTINGS, WITHIN OUR PARKS OR RIGHT AWAY JUST TO HELP WITH REDUCTION OF MAINTENANCE AND ALSO, JUST BEAUTIFY THE AREA.
[8. Discussion and possible action on locking access to athletic fields under annual Athletic Sports Association agreements and enforcing public rentals through CivicRec.]
DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON LOCKING ACCESS TO ATHLETIC FIELDS UNDER ANNUAL ATHLETIC SPORTS ASSOCIATION AGREEMENTS, AND ENFORCING PUBLIC RENTALS THROUGH CIVIC BREAK?>> YES, THIS HAS BEEN AN ITEM THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN WE REVIEW, OUR ANNUAL ATHLETIC SPORTS AGREEMENTS.
PREVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T ENFORCE OR HOW MANY LANGUAGE REGARDING RENTALS IN THE AGREEMENT.
THEY WERE REALLY JUST OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR ANY USE.
THEY DIDN'T SEE ANYONE ON THE FIELD, THAT COULD GO IN AT ANYTIME.
THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAVE REVISED, IF YOU GUYS RECALL, AND WE ADDED THIS COMPONENT THAT'S HERE IN YOUR AGENDA SUMMARY THAT DOES NOTE IF THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WANTING TO UTILIZE THE PARKS, THAT THEY SHOULD CONTACT THE RECREATION CENTER AND MAKE A RESERVATION.
WHAT THAT DOES IS HELP THE CITY, IN ADDITION TO THESE ASSOCIATIONS THAT WE'RE IN AN ANNUAL LEASE AGREEMENT WITH, WHAT THAT MEANS.
I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR FOR EVERYONE ON THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC, IS THAT THEY ARE THE ENTITIES THAT ARE MAINTAINING THIS YEAR ROUND.
EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT PLAYING, THEY'RE MAINTAINING THESE FACILITIES.
THEY'RE DOING THE WORK ON EACH OF THE FIELDS.
WHEN WE DON'T ENFORCE RENTALS, WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY PROBLEM THAT WE REALLY NEED TO WORK OUT AND IRON OUT.
[01:10:03]
YOU HAVE AN OPTION OF SAYING, YES, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THE PUBLIC TO THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE ENTITIES THAT ARE PREPPING FIELDS AND MAINTAINING THEM.WE DON'T WANT OUTSIDE USE, BECAUSE THEY ARE LEASED TO AN ENTITY.
HOWEVER, WE CAN COORDINATE USAGE THROUGH PUBLIC RENTALS EITHER DURING THE DAY OR THE EVENING OR WE SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO POLICE THAT, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE ASSOCIATIONS TO CONTINUE MAINTAINING THE FACILITIES, AND ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO COME IN WHENEVER THEY CHOOSE RENTAL OR NOT.
STAFF IS REALLY SEEKING GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD.
WE'VE ALSO INVITED THE ASSOCIATIONS TO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, SO THAT YOU HEAR FROM THEM AND HOPEFULLY HELP YOU MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON WHAT DIRECTION WE PROCEED.
> IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
>> ONE OF THOSE, YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP IN MIND TOO, IS THE DAMAGE ON THIS FIELD THAT PEOPLE COME IN, AND JUST HAVE NO REGARD FOR THE WORK THAT THESE GUYS DO.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN FIELD 1 AT THE SOFTBALL FIELD AFTER A RAINSTORM, SOMEBODY CAME IN AND JUST RATTED UP THE WHOLE INFIELD.
WERE THEY PLAYING BALL? I DOUBT IT.
I THINK THEY WERE JUST CREATING THAT PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY LEFT THERE, WENT DOWN PLAYGROUND AND MUDDIED UP THE WHOLE PLAYGROUND WE HAD TO END UP POWER WASHING IT.
SURE THEY CAN JUMP OVER THE FENCE, BUT IT'S A DETERRENT.
SAME WAY, FREEDOM PARK, ON FIELD 2, I'VE NOTICED FOOTPRINTS ALL IN THE DIRT FROM AFTER A RAINSTORM.
LIKE MEGAN SAID, IT'S TO PROTECT THE WORK THAT THESE GUYS PUT IN, ON THESE FIELDS AND TO GIVE US BETTER CONTROL OF KNOWING WHO'S USING OUR FIELD OTHER THAN THEM.
I THINK IS SOME WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH THE ASSOCIATIONS, AND THEM WITH US AS FAR AS WHO IS USING OUR FIELDS AND HOW ALL THAT'S GOING TO MATCH TOGETHER.
>> I THINK WE'VE HAD COMMENTS OVER MANY YEARS ABOUT USE OF CITY PROPERTY OR PUBLIC OR HOWEVER WE DID IT, BUT I THINK THE CONSENSUS WE GOT WAS THAT THE LITTLE LEAGUE AND SOFTBALL AND SOCCER ALL OF THEM, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PUT ALL THEIR TIME AND MONEY INTO THE FIELDS AND THAT'S WHO THEY WERE ULTIMATELY CREATED FOR.
MY OPINION IS, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME THEY DO AND ALL THE KIDS THAT THEY'RE COACHING, TO ME, THE FIELDS THEY MAINTAIN THEM, IT SHOULD BE FOR THEIR PRIMARY USE, IS JUST MAPPING IT.
>> I AGREE. HERE'S A SITUATION, FOR EXAMPLE AT FREEDOM.
ANGLETON LITTLE LEAGUE TAKES CARE OF THE FIELD BUT THEY ARE IN THEIR OFF SEASON RIGHT NOW SO WE HAVE A SELECT TEAM THAT WANTS TO COME IN AND RENT THIS FIELD.
WELL, THEY'RE STILL MAINTAINING THE FIELD.
SURE THAT'S IN THEIR AGREEMENT, BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY'RE NOT IN THEIR SEASON, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE FIELD, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH US RENTING OUT TO SAY SELECT BALL TEAMS. NOW WE HAVE STANDARDS THAT WE REQUIRE OF THAT TEAM.
WHEN THEY COME IN, WHEN THEY LEAVE THEY GOT TO PICK THE TRASH OUT OF THE FIELD AND LEAVE IT AS THEY FOUND IT.
WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB BUT THEY'RE STILL DOING ALL THE WORK, THE MAIN THING.
>> I GUESS THAT'S WHY I'VE ALWAYS ASKED THIS QUESTION.
IF THE CITY COLLECTS RENTAL, THE CITY GETS THE MONEY, SO IT DOESN'T REALLY HELP THE ASSOCIATION AT ALL, RIGHT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS RENTAL FEE THAT YOU GET FROM THESE PEOPLE? THE CITY KEEPS IT, RIGHT?
>> YEAH. I MEAN, IF I WAS IN THE ASSOCIATION, THEY GET NO BENEFIT AT ALL FROM THAT.
THE CITY DOES, BUT NOT THE ASSOCIATION.
>> RIGHT. BUT WE ALSO PAY FOR THE UTILITIES AT THE PARK.
THE FEES ARE INCREDIBLY SMALL.
WE'RE NOT MAKING MAJOR AMOUNTS OF MONEY OFF OF I THINK IT'S $15 AN HOUR AND 20 FOR LIGHTS.
I'M NOT EVEN CERTAIN THAT PAYS FOR LIGHTS FOR AN HOUR.
[LAUGHTER] THERE'S THOSE THINGS TO CONSIDER.
IT'S NOT JUST THE FIELD AND THE MAINTENANCE, IT'S THE UTILITIES AT THE PARK ALSO.
>> I DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU'RE NOT PAYING FOR THE MAINTENANCE.
THEY'RE DOING IT FOR FREE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
[01:15:02]
THE ASSOCIATIONS ARE DOING MAINTENANCE, NOT THE CITY.>> BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS TOO.
IF IT'S A RENTAL AND THEY DO DAMAGE TO THE FACILITY, THE ASSOCIATION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR IT, THE CITY IS.
>> WHO IS POLICING USE AND WHEN SOMEONE WORKS THERE AND [INAUDIBLE] LET'S SAY THE BANK CALLS FOR YOU AND I GO THERE AND IT'S ALREADY TORN OPEN, WHO WENT AND SAW THIS FIELD BEFORE I GOT ON IT BECAUSE AFTERWARDS.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BE BLIND. YEAH.
>> IF I TEAR THE FIELD UP AND THEN I JUST CRUISE AND LEAVE ALL THE TRASH AND STUFF AND THEN NO ONE GOES BY THERE TO CHECK ON IT.
>> WELL, WE CHECK ON IT. WE HAVE RENTAL.
AFTER THEY LEAVE WE GO BY THE NEXT MORNING AND WE CHECK AND MAKE SURE.
>> THE NEXT MORNING, SO WHO'S [INAUDIBLE] SOME PEOPLE JUST COME IN AND JUST TEAR IT UP
>> LOOKING BACK TO THE PERSON WHO READ THE LINE SAYING THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE.
>> YEAH BUT THE CHANCES ARE THAT HAPPENED.
>> I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>> DO WE HAVE CAMERAS ON ALL THE FIELDS? OKAY. THE OTHER ISSUE WE USED TO ENCOUNTER WAS, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY BATHROOMS IN OUR PARKS.
[NOISE] THE ASSOCIATIONS MAINTAIN THE BATHROOMS, WHETHER SOCCER FIELD.
FREEDOM HAS ANOTHER BATHROOM NOW, WE DIDN'T INITIALLY, BUT THE ASSOCIATION WILL KEEP THE BATHROOMS LOCKED UP SO PEOPLE IN THE PARK DIDN'T HAVE A PUBLIC RESTROOM.
AS OF NOW, IN THE BATES AND THE SOCCER ARE THOSE OPEN DURING THE DAY?
>> WE ALSO HELP MAINTAIN THOSE TOO.
RIGHT NOW, I HAVE A GUY THAT GOES BY ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS.
HE CLEANS THEM AND I HAVE ANOTHER GUY THAT CHECKS THEM DURING THE WEEK AND IF SOMETHING NEEDS IT, HE TAKES CARE OF IT.
>> I MEAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE RUNNING? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? I MEAN, IS IT BIG?
>> I'VE GOT ONE SELECT TEAM THAT'S RUNNING AT FREEDOM ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
I THINK WE HAVE ONE RENTAL OUT OF BATES COMING UP THAT I HAD CONTACT WITH THE OTHER DAY.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST THING TO ME IS THE DAMAGE THAT IS DONE OUTSIDE OF THESE RENTALS THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
SAY, I DON'T DRIVE BY EVERY NIGHT TO SEE WHO'S ON THE FIELD.
I HAVE SEEN A FATHER AND SONS OUT THERE PLAYING PITCH AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT GOING TO GO UP THERE AND THROWN THEM OFF THE FIELD.
>> CAN WE BUILD BACKSTOPS? WE USED TO HAVE SOME OVER ON THE OLD KINGS FIELD OR SOUTHWEST CORNER OF BATES PARK AND I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BACKSTOP MAYBE IN THE NORTH CORNER OR RIGHT CLOSE TO THE CONCESSION STAND IN FREEDOM.
WHAT IF WE HAD A PLACE WHERE THESE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO HAVE A FIELD WE DIDN'T HAVE OTHER AMENITIES BUT WE HAD A BACKSTOP AND IT'S MADE SOME BASELINES AND IF SOMEBODY WANTED, WE HAVE SOME EMPTY LAND AROUND THERE.
THEY COULD GO PLAY BALL THERE RATHER THAN PLAY IN THE FIELDS THAT WOULD DISRUPT THE ASSOCIATIONS.
>> I AGREE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THESE SELECT TEAMS DON'T HAVE PLACES TO PRACTICE. THEY'RE LIMITED.
I CAN REMEMBER ALL THE PLACES THEY USED TO PRACTICE, THEY GET FILLED UP WITH SUBDIVISIONS OR SOME TYPE OF BUSINESS OR IT'S BEEN CONSUMED.
THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF PLACES TO PRACTICE IN THE PARKS AND STUFF.
>> THE BATES PARK, THAT LAND ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER IS IT'S STILL PRETTY MUCH OPEN?
>> YEAH. I MEAN, KINGS FIELD, IT COULD BE UTILIZED DEFINITELY.
>> YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO LOOK INTO THESE SELECT TEAMS. ESPECIALLY THE OLDER KIDS BECAUSE THEY GO OUT TO FREEDOM AND THAT'S TOO SMALL A FIELD FOR THEM.
>> THAT CREATES A PROBLEM WITH KELVIN'S GUYS WHEN THEY HAVE TO MOVE BASED TEAMS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
>> WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS TO LEASE A FIELD YOU COULD RECOMMEND GOING OUT TO BATES PARK AND UTILIZING THAT PLACE?
>> THAT'S ONE THING I ASK THEM IS WHAT AGE GROUP THIS IS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT OLDER KIDS ON A SMALLER FIELD.
I KNOW THE ASSOCIATION DOESN'T LIKE IT AND SO WE TRY TO ADHERE TO THAT.
I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND PROBABLY MOW IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST MOW IT WITH THE TRACTOR.
WE WOULD HAVE TO DEFINITELY SPEND SOME MORE TIME ON IT FOR UPKEEP BUT IT IS DOABLE.
[01:20:06]
>> HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE TO LOCK EACH OF THOSE FIELDS? IS THERE FENCING ALL THE WAY AROUND AND IT'S EASY TO LOCK A GATE OR WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY?
>> NO, WE ARE DUE TO SET THOSE LOCKS.
>> SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT'S A NO BRAINER, WHY DON'T WE DO IT?
>> HEAR ME OUT. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT EVERY EASTER, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A HOLIDAY THAT YOU'LL SEE FAMILIES OUT THERE USING THOSE PARKS AND THEY ARE JUST HAVING THAT FUN GAME OF SOFT BALL WITH THEIR FAMILY.
THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE DOING ANYTHING BAD.
TO YOUR POINT, THERE ISN'T ANYWHERE ELSE OTHER THAN FREEDOM AND BATES.
GONE ARE THE DAYS OF BACKSTOPS AT SOUTHSIDE AND GONE ARE THE DAYS OF BACKSTOPS.
THEY JUST DON'T EXIST ANYMORE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO AND HAVE FUN WITH THAT CONCEPT.
I'M WITH YOU ON KING'S FIELD IT'S BEEN THERE FOREVER.
IT'S NOT LINED OR ANYTHING, THERE'S NOT A REAL IN FIELD OR ANYTHING.
I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THE GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GATHERING TOGETHER THAT WANTED TO HAVE A PLACE TO HAVE FUN IN.
[NOISE] IF YOU CLOSE EVERYTHING DOWN, THEN IT BECOMES A SITUATION WHERE IN ORDER TO EVEN USE ANY FACILITY, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
IN MY OPINION, I THINK THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF PARKS IS SO THAT THEY CAN BE USED.
NOW, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE WITH MAINTAINING AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT ARE THERE AREAS THAT WE HAVE ANYMORE THAT AREN'T GETTING EATEN UP, THEY CAN ACTUALLY STILL DO SUCH A THING? [NOISE] THE REASON WHY NOBODY USES WALTON BECAUSE IT'S TOO FAR.
THESE PARKS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO.
I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE SAYING THAT NO, WE SHOULDN'T, NOR AM I ACTUALLY SAYING THAT WE SHOULD NECESSARILY LOCK IT.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO LOCK THINGS UP THEN WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR JUNKIE PUBLIC WANTS TO DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR FAMILY WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER IN BIG GATHERINGS AND JUST HAVE FUN? OTHER THAN A PAVILION AT BATES AND THAT IS A BAG OF POSSIBLY OPEN VOLLEYBALL.
I GUESS IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE NEED TO PUT A GATE AROUND ANY VOLLEYBALL PITCH THAT WE HAVE.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT I'M SAYING THERE'S GOING TO BE A CONCEPT THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO LOCK EVERYTHING UP AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY TO USE THE FACILITY.
BUT I THINK YOU CAN JUST WHAT WAS MENTIONED.
KINGSFIELDS, IF WE MAINTAINED AND DID SOME REHAB TO THAT, THAT COULD BE A FIELD THAT WE REFER PEOPLE TO AND NOT NECESSARILY LIST TOO FOLKS.
UNLESS THEY JUST WANTED SPECIFIED USE.
PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING TO RENT FIELDS FOR A SPECIFIC TIME, THEY WANT TO BE GUARANTEED A FIELD, THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND RENT THEM.
LOCKING THEM REALLY IS A DETERRENT BECAUSE THEY'RE PLANNING ON RENTING IT.
THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A FAMILY TIME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IF WE DID RESTORE THAT AREA, THAT COULD BE AN OPTION.
I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE GOING TO THE EXTREME OF VOLLEYBALL COURTS OR OTHER PARK AMENITIES BEING BLOCKED BECAUSE WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THAT UNDER OUR LEASE AGREEMENT.
I THINK A LOT OF IT IS THAT WE DO HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY WITH DIFFERENT FOLKS USING IT.
IF YOU WANTED A SPECIFIED TIME YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE HAVING A PLANNED EVENT, I THINK THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME AND RENT IT FOR $15 FOR AN HOUR.
BUT IF NOT, I'D TAKE MY CHANCES AND I'D GO TO AN OPEN SPACE.
AGAIN, WE'RE GIVING IT TO YOU.
BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO ALLOW ANY OF OUR ASSOCIATIONS TO COME AND SPEAK SO THAT YOU HAVE SOME INPUT.
>> I'M JUST NOT SURE WHO YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RENTING IT OR JUST SOMEBODY WALKING UP, A STRANGER THAT DIDN'T RENT IT?
>> WHAT I WILL SAY, WE'VE HAD SELECT TEAMS COME AND RENT THE FIELDS, AND THEN WE'VE HAD TIMES WHERE WE'VE RECEIVED SOME CALLS AND THERE'S A TEAM OUT THERE AND WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVEN'T SPECIFIED OR THEY HAVEN'T PAID RENT THAT DAY.
BUT WITH A GENTLE REMINDER, THEY'VE GONE AFTER THE REC CENTER AND PAID FOR THAT.
IT'S JUST BEEN A SURPRISE TO SOME OF OUR ASSOCIATIONS BECAUSE WE KEEP OPEN COMMUNICATION.
WE TELL THEM, "HEY, THIS IS WHO WE HAVE COMING UP THIS WEEK." STUART DOES A GREAT JOB DOING THAT.
BUT THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE FAMILIES GO OUT THERE.
AGAIN, HE'S NOT ENFORCING ANYTHING AT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING UTILIZED.
BUT DIDN'T WE HAVE AN EVENT, JERRY, AND WE HAD TO INFORM FOLKS THAT WE'VE
[01:25:01]
GOT THE MOVIE IN THE PARK AND WE HAVE PEOPLE PLAYING, PRACTICING ON THE FIELD, BUT WE KNOW THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT RENTED BECAUSE WE BLOCKED OFF RENTAL.THERE'S INSTANCES LIKE THAT, AND OF COURSE, JUST THE MAINTENANCE THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO GET IN A POSITION WHERE IT BECOMES EXCESSIVE MAINTENANCE ISSUES FROM FOLKS THAT WE DON'T KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY.
LIKE STEPHEN SAID, YOU DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE'S COMING IN AFTER THE TEAM THAT RENT IT AND DIDN'T LIKE IT AND PICKED UP ALL THEIR TRASH.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE LOCKS ON THE FIELDS.
IT WOULD PROVIDE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY AND WOULD ALSO, WHAT'S REQUIRED BY THE ASSOCIATIONS ANNUALLY IS A SCHEDULE.
THEY GIVE US A PRACTICE SCHEDULE, THEY GIVE US A GAME SCHEDULE.
IF WE SEE ANYONE OUT THERE, WE KNOW THIS SHOULD BE A FIELD RENTAL, WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE FOLKS AND WE'RE ABLE IF WE HAVE THIS IN PLACE, THE CITY WOULD, WHILE WE WOULD STILL KEEP THE ASSOCIATIONS AND FORMS, IT'S TAKING OUT THAT HURDLE OF, LET ME CALL THIS ASSOCIATION TO SEE IF THAT'S ONE OF THEIR GUYS.
WE WOULD ALREADY KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THEIR SCHEDULE, WE HAVE THEIR PRACTICE SCHEDULE, WE HAVE THE GAMES SCHEDULE, WE HAVE THEIR TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE.
ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE KNOW WE COULD BE RENTING DURING THE DAY OR IN THE EVENING.
THEY WOULD KNOW, "HEY, THAT'S NOT US.
THESE ARE FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT ARE MEETING, WHETHER IT BE A SELECT TEAM OR SOMEONE THAT'S WANT TO HOST TOURNAMENT.
BY OUR ORDINANCE, ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THESE ASSOCIATIONS AND THESE LEGAL AGREEMENTS, THEY ARE TO BE PAYING RENTALS, DAY RENTALS OR NIGHT RENTALS AND THEN PAYING THE CITY FOR TOURNAMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT IN EXCESS RIGHT NOW.
BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD HELP A LITTLE BIT OF CONTROL AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE WHEN THEY COME TO A FIELD THAT'S NOT IN THE CONDITION IT SHOULD BE IN.
>> THE SELECT TEAM THAT'S RENTING THE FIELD, ARE THEY PLAYING IN ANOTHER SELECT TEAM OR ARE THEY JUST RENTING FOR PRACTICE?
>> WHY CAN'T THEY USE SOME OF THE FIELDS ON THE SCHOOLS OR THE PRACTICE FIELDS? WHY DO THEY HAVE TO USE ONE OF THE BASEBALL?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT. [OVERLAPPING] I DON'T THINK THE SCHOOL IS HAVING THE PRACTICE FIELDS.
>> JUST STRAIGHT BACKSTOPS ARE ACTUAL FIELD?
>> BACKSTOPS THAT THEY GO PRACTICE THERE.
[OVERLAPPING] [NOISE] YOUR TEAM'S PRACTICE ALL THE TIME WITH THOSE SCHOOLS.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? IT'S NOT THAT I AGREE.
>> I GET WHAT YOU ARE SAYING BUT WILL COUNSEL LIKE IT, I USE TEENS BUT LIKE A 13 AND OVER TEAM [OVERLAPPING] THEY NEED A BIGGER FIELD VERSUS SAYING IT'S SOMETHING LIKE A SMALLER TEAM.
>> I AM TODD PATTERSON AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF ANGLETON GIRLS SOFTBALL.
STEPHANIE REOHMS IS THE HEART OF ANGLETON GIRLS SOFTBALL, [LAUGHTER], AND TOM GRISMAN.
WE'VE ALL BEEN HERE ABOUT SEVEN YEARS NOW.
I WANTED TO SAY ONE THING THAT WHEN WE STARTED, IT WAS GIRLS SOFTBALL IN ANGLETON.
NOW, WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ACTUALLY ANGLETON GIRLS SOFTBALL.
FOR ALL THE HELP YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN US, THE CITY COUNCIL, FROM MEGAN AND STUART WHO HELPING US IMMENSELY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
[NOISE] NOW, I HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS ON THE LOCHNER FIELDS BECAUSE I THINK KIDS NEEDS SOME REVIEWS, THEY GO OUT AND DO THAT.
THAT'S GREAT. NOW, AS FAR AS USING BACKSTOP SOMEWHERE, WE USED TO DO THAT FOR EXTRA PRACTICES WHEN I WAS COACHING THE TEAM.
BUT GIRLS REALLY CAN'T BECAUSE THE GRASS, YOU CAN'T REALLY PLAY SOFTBALL IN A GRASS IN FIELD. THAT'S ONE THING.
THE OTHER THING IS THOSE SELECTING TEAMS ARE NOT GOING TO GO FIND BACKSTOPS JUST TO PLAY ON BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE ADVANCED.
MOST OF THEM ARE UP TO THE 14S, 16S.
ALL THE GIRLS PLAYING ON THAT SIZE FIELDS, ALL THE WAY UP TO COLLEGE.
TO GO USE A BACKSTOP SOMEWHERE, MOSTLY, THE OLDER GIRLS ARE GOING TO BE CHASING BALLS FROM 300 FEET FOR ONE THING AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEM BACK.
THEY WOULD STILL NEED THE MAINTENANCE FOR A SOFTBALL FIELD.
NOW, WHEN THEY COME IN AND MOSTLY IT'S THE PUBLIC COMING IN, I'VE ACTUALLY WATCHED FAMILY COME IN AT NIGHT PUT THEIR CAR UP AGAINST THE FENCE SO THEY CAN SEE THE INFIELD, AND THEN RUN OUT THERE AND JUST MUDSLIDES.
I MEAN THAT BASICALLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING, HAVING MUDSLIDE CONTEST.
BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LOCK THEM UP, AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, I'VE DONE ENOUGH MAINTENANCE OUT THERE WHERE I SAY, "OH MAN, WE NEED TO LOCK THESE UP." MAINTENANCE [LAUGHTER] IT'S CATCH-22 REALLY IS TO ME.
[01:30:01]
I DON'T KNOW. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS.WE HAVE SELECT TEAMS THAT PRACTICE ON OUR FIELDS, AND THEY PAY US MONTHLY TO HELP MAINTAIN THEIR FIELDS.
THERE'S FOREST, BUT IN CHOPPED DOWN AS FAR AS GAS FOR THE MOWERS, GAS FOR EVERYTHING.
WE DON'T CHARGE LIKE HOUSTON, SOME OF THEIR PLACES ARE $1,000 A MONTH.
WE CHARGE A WHOLE $100 A MONTH, WHICH IS $25 A WEEK, FOR TWO PRACTICE SLOTS, WHICH IS ALL DAY SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS.
OUR LEAGUE, WE PRACTICE AROUND THIS.
WE PRACTICE MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY EVENINGS, THEN IN THE FALL WE HAVE GAMES ON EVERY OTHER WEEKEND.
IN THE SPRING, WE HAVE GAMES ALL WEEK ON WEEK NIGHTS, LIKE MONDAY, TUESDAYS, AND THURSDAYS.
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF TIME FOR A LOT THESE OTHER TEAMS TO COME IN, WE DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR ANOTHER SELECT TEAM TO COME PRACTICE AT A SCHEDULED TIME, AND THAT IS ONE THING WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS THEY SAY, "WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH YOU, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE CITY NOW." I'M GOING TO TRY TO GO AROUND US TO STILL GET THEIR FIELD TO PRACTICE ON.
WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY TIME AVAILABLE FOR THEM, AND WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO GO OUT AND MAINTAIN IT FOR THEM.
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T RUN IT THROUGH US OR TELL US OR WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE.
THE WANT WHEREVER TIMES THEY WANT, THEY WANT AT THAT TIME.
WE HAD ONE INSTANCE WHERE THEY RENTED THE FIELD FROM THE REC CENTER, IT WAS A BOY'S BASEBALL TEAM RENTED ONE OF OUR FIELDS AND OUR GIRLS, SOFT BALL TEAM, ONE OF THEM WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PRACTICING AT THAT TIME.
THAT WAS JUST ONE INSTANCE, BUT IT WAS THE IDEA THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW OUR SCHEDULE.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE FIELDS WEREN'T OPEN, THEY RENTED IT SO THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO, WE WERE IN THE FIELD.
WE AREN'T NOT LEAVING RURAL SOFTBALL TEAM, HEY, WHERE'S OUR NORMAL PRACTICE TIME? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW? THAT KIND OF THING COMES UP.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, LIKE I SAID, I'M TORN BETWEEN LOCKING THEM BECAUSE THERE IS A FAMILIES WHO WANT TO GO PLAY.
I MEAN, MY DAUGHTER'S GOING OFF TO COLLEGE IN TWO WEEKS AND WE'RE GOING TO PRACTICE HERE [LAUGHTER] AFTER WE LEAVE HERE SO SHE CAN GET [INAUDIBLE] PRACTICING.
>>WHAT IS YOUR SEASON? I KNOW IN THE PAST.
>>YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW THAT [LAUGHTER].
>>OUR SOFT BALL SEASON IN THE SPRING, WILL START IN FEBRUARY AND IT GOES TO JUNE, AND THEN IN FALL, STARTS IN AUGUST AND GOES TO NOVEMBER.
>>WE REALLY HAVE LIKE FOUR MONTHS OFF TOTAL.
>>THAT'S THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE CAN RENT IT MOSTLY?
>>WELL, THE THING IS WITH THAT IS PEOPLE THAT PLAY SOFTBALL ARE PLAYING ALL SUMMER LONG UP TO AUGUST. SELECT TEAMS. SELECT TOURNAMENTS GOING ON EVERYWHERE UP TO AUGUST.
OURS IS A LEAGUE SO WE STOP IN LATE JUNE, IF WE HAVE A STATE TOURNAMENT, WHICH WE DID, IF YOU KNOW WE HAD THE 6U STATE TOURNAMENT WHICH WAS A GREAT SUCCESS HERE, AND THEY PLAN ON BRINGING IT BACK NEXT YEAR JUST BECAUSE WE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB, WHEN YOU ALL HELP TO DO SUCH A GREAT JOB, AND THEN THE YEAR AFTER THAT IS THE AU.
WE HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE SIX, EIGHT, FOR FOUR YEARS, 6 AND 8U STATE TOURNAMENTS HERE, A NIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'M TORN BETWEEN LOCKING THEM AND WHEN NOT LOCKING THEM.
[INAUDIBLE] BOTH SIDES. I REALLY CAN'T HELP YOU.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS [LAUGHTER].
>>WELL, LET ME ASK YOU ONE QUESTION [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU'RE BOTH SIDES THERE, BUT LIKE MEGAN'S, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A REGULAR SCHEDULED PLAY THERE AND SOMEBODY RENTED A BASEBALL OR SOMEBODY RENTED THE FIELDS.
WAS THAT THROUGH THE CITY? OR WAS THAT JUST [OVERLAPPING].
>>THEY WENT THROUGH THE REC CENTER AND RENTED IT.
>>THEN THEY CAME OUT THERE BUT THAT WAS BEFORE WE WERE GIVING THEM SCHEDULES.
>>OKAY. [OVERLAPPING]. IF SHE HAD A GOOD SCHEDULE OR THE STAFF HAD A GOOD SCHEDULE OF YOUR GAMES AND THE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS.
THAT PROBLEM MIGHT NOT HAPPEN AGAIN IF THEY COULD.
I KNOW IN THE PAST AND THIS HAS BEEN A NUMBER YEARS AGO, WE'D SOMETIMES THEY GET THE SCHEDULED TILL THE SEASON WAS ALMOST OVER.
SOMETIMES WE GOT THEM AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
BUT LIKE FOR YOU MEGAN, IS IT MANAGEABLE IF YOU HAD THEIR SCHEDULES? LIKE SEWERS SAID, I GUESS I CAN CHECK THE FIELDS BEFORE AND AFTER TO KEEP TRACK IF THERE'S ANY DAMAGE.
[01:35:04]
OUR AGREEMENT AND IN CIVIC RECORDS WHY WE MENTIONED IT IN THE ITEM CIVICREC IS OUR REGISTERING SOFTWARE, RENTAL SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS US TO BLOCK OUT DATES SO WE CAN BLOCK OUT THEIR ENTIRE SEASON.IF THEY SAID, "HEY, WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE TIMES." WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT IN CIVICREC.
SO IF WE HAD ALL THAT INFORMATION, WE COULD COORDINATE EVERY OTHER RENTAL OUT THERE.
IF WE WOULDN'T NEED TO HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AND WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THAT IS COMMUNICATE.
WE HAVE A WEEKLY EMAIL RENTAL LISTING THAT GOES OUT TO OUR WHOLE TEAM, OUR DEPARTMENT, EVERYONE KNOWS PEOPLE ON THE WEEKEND IF THEY GET CALLS LIKE, "HEY, SOMEONE'S ON THE FIELD AND WE HADN'T RENTED," THEY KNOW WHO SHOULD HAVE IT, AND SO THAT INFORMATION COULD ALSO BE SHARED WITH THE ASSOCIATIONS SO THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY HANDLE THAT.
>>IT MAKES SENSE WHAT HE SAID ABOUT JUST HAVING A BACKSTOP.
LIKE WE HAVE SOME PLACES WHERE PEOPLE JUST PLAY.
YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY'D BE RUNNING, CHASING THAT BOW WITHOUT A FAN ANSWER, AND I CAN SEE WHERE THEY'D WANT TO PLAY ON A FIELD.
BUT THE ISSUE GETS DOWN TO CAN YOU CONTROL?
>>I HAVE A SOLUTION THAT BEING BUILD MORE FIELDS [LAUGHTER].
>>WELL, I GOT A SUGGESTION NOW, WHAT ABOUT DURING THEIR SEASON LETTING THE WHOEVER WANTS TO RENT THE FACILITY TO WORK WITH THEM AND FIGURE IT OUT IF THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN IT [OVERLAPPING] AND THEN OFF-SEASON YOU GUYS DO IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARE.
[OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE IT'S THEIR OFF-SEASON.
>>SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, I WILL SAY IN OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE, WE'RE NOT PERMITTED TO DO THAT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT, IT READS THAT THEY ARE NOT TO BE SUBLET.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH [OVERLAPPING].
>>YOU ARE SAYING THEY CAN'T RUN AN ERA [OVERLAPPING] OKAY.
>>THE ALL OTHER AND IT'S IN THE AGREEMENT AS WELL.
IS THAT AND SUBLEASING IS NOT PERMITTED ALL OTHER RENTALS OUTSIDE OF RECREATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY.
SO ANY SELECT TO SELECT TOURNAMENTS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE CITY.
IT'S DIFFERENT IF THE GROUP A GSA IS HOSTING THE TOURNAMENT.
SO THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION IN PREVIOUS YEARS THAT A SELECT TEAM IS HAVING A TOURNAMENT, BUT IF A GSA IS HOSTING, WE HAVE ALLOWED THAT AS LONG AS THEY LET US KNOW WHEN THOSE TOURNAMENT DATES ARE AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE, WHICH IS ALSO IN THE AGREEMENT AND ORDINATES [BACKGROUND].
>>I'M NOT SURE HOW INSURANCE WORKS, BUT ANY TEAM THAT PLAYS IN OUR FIELDS, WE ENSURE ALL THE GIRLS, ALL THE COACHES, EVERYTHING ELSE, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A COPY OF THAT INSURANCE GIVEN TO YOU.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THE INSURANCE WOULD WORK IF SOMEONE WAS TO GET HURT OUT THERE OR SOMEONE ELSE? ME, IT WOULDN'T GO AGAINST US BECAUSE WE HAVE INSURANCE FOR OUR GIRLS.
THEY HAVE TO REGISTER AND GET INSURANCE, THEY USUALLY CARRY THEIR OWN AND [INAUDIBLE] USUALLY CARRIES THEIR OWN, BUT WE STILL MAKE THEM REGISTERED THROUGH US SO THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE INSURED.
BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T SHOW US THEIR INSURANCE, THEY GOT TO GET OUR INSURANCE.
>>HI, EVERYONE? MY NAME'S GAVIN BOSCH, I'M THE PRESIDENT AT ANGLETON, LITERALLY I'M TORN BETWEEN LOCKING AND LEAVING THEM UNLOCKED.
ALSO, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM BEING UNLOCKED.
WHERE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS I HAVE ABOUT 95 PERCENT OF MY BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ALSO SELECT COACHES.
THEY'RE HAVING TO PAY TO GO RENT THE FIELDS.
THEY MOW OUR FIELDS, THEY DO ALL THE MAINTENANCE.
THEY'RE HAVING TO GO BACK AND REPAY THE CITY TO RENT THE FIELD, TO USE THEM.
NOW THEY'RE LIKE, "I'M OUT, I'M OFF TO BOARD.
I'M JUST GOING TO GO RENT THE FIELD, TOTAL COST OF THE FIELDS.
I DON'T HAVE THE MOW. I'LL HAVE TO DO ANY FIELD MINUS I'M DONE." [INAUDIBLE] DOES WALK AWAY.
ALL MY GUYS AND VOLUNTEERS AND EVERY ONE OF US.
WE SPEND COUNTLESS HOURS UP THERE MOWING AND TAKING CARE OF THE FIELDS.
THAT'S WHERE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY BOARD MEMBERS HAVING TO GO AND PAY TO USE THE FIELDS OUTSIDE OF OUR LEAGUE PLAY.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO PROBABLY ABOUT 95 PERCENT OF THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BEST COACHES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN THE LEAGUE.
SO [OVERLAPPING] I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THEM OUT OF THE LEAGUE TO GO PAY THE CITY TO PAY, TO USE THE FIELDS.
WELL, WE'RE REQUIRED FOR OUR SELECT TEAMS IS THEY HAVE TO PLAY THE SPRING SEASON, BUT THEN LITERALLY AND THEN THEY CAN GO PLAY SELECT IN THE FALL IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO THAT, OR THEY CAN PLAY YEAR-ROUND WITHIN THE LEAGUE.
SO THE KIDS ARE ACTUALLY BRINGING MONEY INTO THE ORGANIZATION AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO PAYING MONEY OUT OF THEIR POCKET TO PLACE THE SELECT BALL, AND THE COACHES ARE USING ALL THEIR TIME AND GIVEN
[01:40:01]
IT TO THESE KIDS TO MAKE THESE KIDS SUCCESSFUL FOR WHENEVER THEY GO TO HIGH SCHOOL, MAYBE THEY CAN STEP ON A HIGH SCHOOL TEAM, TO GO PLAY HIGH SCHOOL BALL.>>ON A SELECT TEAM IS IT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER OTHER CITIES OR IS IT PRIMARILY ANGLETON KIDS?
>>I'M GOING TO SAY MOST OF THE KIDS ARE ABOUT 75 PERCENT FOR ANGLETON AND YOU DO HAVE A FEW THAT WALK AND A FEW THAT CHANGE, BUT I WOULD SAY ABOUT 75 PERCENT ARE ANGLETON, AND AGAIN, THE PRACTICE FIELDS THEY DON'T STAY MOWED BECAUSE 90 PERCENT OF THEM ARE PROBABLY ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
SO WHENEVER THE SCHOOLS OUT OF SCHOOL YEAR, THEY DON'T KEEP THE FIELDS MAINTAINED SO RIGHT NOW THE GRASS IS ABOUT 12 INCHES TALL, ALMOST THE PRACTICE FIELDS RUN AROUND HAMILTON.
I'VE GOT COACHES SCRAMBLING TO GET PRACTICE FIELDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW I'M TRYING TO GET WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TRY TO GET THE FIELDS MOW THEY'RE MOWING THEM THEMSELVES, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE COACHES WITHIN ANGLETON LITERALLY, BUT NOT ON THE BOARD.
SO THEY'RE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AS VOLUNTEERS TO TRY TO KEEP THEIR PRACTICE FIELDS UP AND MOWED, WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TO DO THAT EITHER.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, BACK TO YOUR COMMON AGAIN, THE CITY NEEDS MORE BACKSTOPS SO THAT THE KIDS CAN GO PRACTICE BASEBALL WITH ALL THESE OTHER TEAMS RIGHT NOW AND FALL BALL, WE'RE RUNNING AT ABOUT 300 KIDS.
THEY DON'T PRACTICE HERE, BUT WE HAVE WEST COLUMBIA, VICTORIA, FREEPORT IN DANBURY COMING TO PLAY WITHIN OUR FALL BALL LEAGUE HERE AT ANGLETON.
IT'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY BUSY SEASON FOR ANGLETON LEAGUE.
>>HOW MANY BACKSTOPS ARE YOU SURE?
>>I WOULD HAVE TO GO COUNT, BUT I KNOW WE LOST A BUNCH AT A FEW SCHOOLS AROUND HERE WHENEVER THEY STARTED FENCE AND THE PARAMETERS OF THE SCHOOLS, THEY PULLED ALL THE BACKSTOPS OUT AND NOW THEY'VE GOTTEN US IT CAN'T BE ON OUR PROPERTY.
>> [INAUDIBLE] ONE AT NORTHSIDE ANYMORE.
ONE HAS ANY MORE COLUMNS [INAUDIBLE]?
>> THAT ONE'S IFFY BECAUSE YOU'RE IN TWO MAJOR ROADWAY.
IF YOU HAD TO [INAUDIBLE] THAT CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH.
>> BUT THEY PULLED A BUNCH OVER THERE.
YEAH. I THINK THEY GOT THEM OUT OF THERE.
>> HOW DO WE ASSIGN THEM? WE LET THE COACHES GO PICK OUT WHAT'S EASY FOR THEM TO GO PRACTICE AT.
WE ASK THEM TO HANG A SIGN, HANG THE PRACTICE TIMES.
I'M SURE THE SOFTBALL FIELDS SEE THE ONES OVER THERE BY THEM.
THEY HAVE THE TEAM NAME, CONTACT NUMBER, AND THE DAYS THAT THEY PRACTICE, AND THE TIME THAT THEY'RE PRACTICING AT THOSE FIELDS ALSO.
I THINK I MENTIONED THE LAST TIME WE HAD A MEETING, WE HOSTED THE 7U AND THE 8U DISTRICT TOURNAMENT HERE WITHIN ANGLETON.
WE HAD VERY, VERY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM DISTRICT 36, WHICH IS WHO WE PLAY UNDER.
THERE IS MORE THAN LIKELY WE ARE GOING TO HOST THE 11 AND 12U DISTRICT TOURNAMENT IN ANGLETON THIS COMING 2022 YEAR.
THAT'S A VERY BIG TOURNAMENT FOR ANGLETON IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY BRINGING IN ABOUT 30-35 TEAMS TO COME PLAY WITHIN THE AREA.
>> AGAIN, LOCK OR UNLOCK? [LAUGHTER]
>> I SAY UNLOCK BECAUSE I LIKE TAKING MY KID UP THERE AND LET THEM GO PLAY.
I'M ALL ABOUT THE KIDS, THAT'S WHY I WALKED HERE TONIGHT.
FIVE PERCENT OF MY TIME, I WORK 12-14 HOURS A DAY AND I'M AT THE BALL FIELD PROBABLY ANOTHER EIGHT.
DON'T ASK ME HOW I DO IT, BUT I DO IT.
>> WELL, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE SAME THING I ASKED THE OTHER GENTLEMEN.
IF YOUR SCHEDULES WERE TO MEGAN AND HER STAFF AND SHE WAS ABLE TO COORDINATE THE OFF TIMES THAT HAVING OTHERS USE THE FIELDS WHERE IT DIDN'T CONFLICT WITH YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?
>> I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A FURTHER DISCUSSION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PARK'S BOARD BEFORE WE MAKE THAT DECISION.
>> CAN I ASK A LEGITIMATE QUESTION HERE? HOW OFTEN ARE [INAUDIBLE] SEEN IN THOSE FIELDS THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING? I WON'T USE THE WORD WERE DESTROYED, BUT AFFECTED ENOUGH THAT YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO BACK.
IS THIS A OFTEN SITUATION? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT. GO AHEAD.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING, TOM? VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION. IT HAPPENS A LOT.
AS FAR AS THE TRASH, TO DRAG A FIELD WE'LL SPEND 45 MINUTES IF IT'S TORE UP.
LIKE WHAT MEGAN SAID, WHEN THEY COME OUT THERE WHEN IT RAINS, THEY DON'T CARE IF IT RAINS, THEY'LL COME OUT THERE.
I DON'T HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO PLAYS OUT THERE, I DO THIS BECAUSE I LOVE DOING IT.
TODD DOESN'T HAVE A DAUGHTER PLAYING OUT THERE.
WE DO IT BECAUSE WE LOVE DOING THIS.
WE'LL SPEND ANYWHERE FROM 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR JUST TO DRAG IT IN-FIELD AFTER IT'S TORE UP AFTER THE RAINY SEASON.
CLEANING UP THE TRASH, WE PICK UP THE TRASH ON THE INSIDE, THE CITY HELPS ON THE OUTSIDE.
I JUST FEEL THAT THE RENTAL, IT JUST SHOULD BE ASKED THROUGH US FIRST BECAUSE THE SCHEDULE IS ALL CHANGED.
WE CAN GIVE THEM A SCHEDULE, BUT LIKE I SAID, IF WE HAVE A RAINY DAY, A COACH OR A TEAM WILL COME ASK US, "CAN WE SWITCH OUR SCHEDULE TO A THURSDAY NOW?" THAT'S FINE.
[01:45:04]
I HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS ABOUT LOCKING THEM TOO.PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND PLAY WHEN THEY NEED TO, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY WERE BUILT FOR SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THE GIRLS TO PLAY.
WE MAINTAIN THEM, WE KEEP THEM UP, AND WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS.
THEY CAN JUST RENT THEM LIKE HE SAYS.
WHY VOLUNTEER TO HELP US? WE'RE SHORTHANDED AS IT IS.
IF THAT GOES ON, WHY ASK IF THEY CAN JUST GO RENT? THEN YOU'LL BE BOMBARDED WITH SO MANY SELECT TEAMS. I UNDERSTAND SELECT TEAMS, THEY'RE ADVANCED, BUT IF THEY STAY WITHIN THE LEAGUE, THEY WOULD HAVE A FIELD TO COME PLAY.
THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO RENT SOMETHING.
>> BUT YOUR FACILITIES WHEN YOU HAD THE TOURNAMENT THIS SUMMER, WAS MOST EVERYBODY HAPPY WITH ANGLETON'S FACILITIES?
>> YES. WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING TO TELL US, "THANK YOU. THE FIELDS LOOK GREAT.
THE FIELDS ARE NICE." THAT TOOK DAYS AND DAYS OF GETTING READY TO PLAY.
>> YOU SAID YOU LOVE THAT PARK.
>> LIKE I SAID, IT'S A PUBLIC PARK, SO WE CAN WORK A FIELD ONE HOUR, THE NEXT MINUTE SOMEBODY'S TEARING IT UP AND I'M BACK OVER THERE FIXING THAT FIELD BACK UP AGAIN.
WITHOUT HAVING TO LOCK THEM, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
I HAVE THEM READY BECAUSE WE'RE VOLUNTEERS, WE ALL HAVE JOBS, SO I'M GOING TO GET THEM READY THURSDAY NIGHT FOR A FRIDAY GAME TO COME BACK FRIDAY, THEY'RE TORE UP AND I GOT TO SCRAMBLE TO GET THEM READY AGAIN.
>> I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN ASSESSMENT.
WE HEAR THE SOCCER PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW WHEN THEY HAVE PEOPLE COME VISIT THERE THAT THE SOCCER FIELD IS ON PAR OR BETTER THAN CITIES THREE TIMES OUR SIZE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL THE SAME WAY WE HAVE YOUR FACILITIES.
>> YEAH. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE BRINGING MORE STATE TOURNAMENTS BECAUSE THEY APPRECIATE WHAT THE CITY DOES TO HELP US OUT, GET THEM READY, HOW WE GET OUR FIELDS READY.
THE SHADED PARKS, THE NICE FACILITIES, THEY LOVE IT, SO THEY WILL BE BACK.
>> DO YOU NEED ANOTHER FIELD? YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ALL YOU NEED?
>> WE DEFINITELY COULD USE ANOTHER FIELD.
WE DEFINITELY COULD USE MORE LIGHTS.
>> OF COURSE, I WOULD EXPECT YOU TO SAY YEAH.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THIS ALSO HELPS THE CITY, IT BRINGS A LOT OF REVENUES.
WE GET PEOPLE COME UP FROM OUT OF TOWN TO COME PLAY THESE TOURNAMENTS.
THEY'RE GOING TO USE THE HOTELS, THE RESTAURANTS, EVERYTHING HERE.
>> WE SAW A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN TOWN THAT WEEKEND.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT WAS GOOD. IT WAS GOOD TO SEE [INAUDIBLE].
>> IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT PARK FILLED.
>> IF PEOPLE COME OUT TO SAY THESE FIELDS ARE NICE, IT MEANS A LOT.
WE DO A LOT OF WORK OUT THERE TO KEEP THE FIELDS' MAINTENANCE AND CLEANED UP AND WE DO THAT AS VOLUNTEERS AFTER WORK.
>> I THINK EVEN DURING THE WEEKEND WHEN Y'ALL HAVE REGULAR SEASON.
>> I COULD SEE THE ISSUES THAT Y'ALL HAVING WITH IF YOU LOCK IT, THEN EVEN IF I WANT TO USE IT FOR MY OWN KIDS, I THEN HAVE TO RENT IT.
>> WE'D NEVER STOP A FAMILY FROM GOING OUT THERE, LIKE HE SAID, DAD PLAYING CATCH OR A FAMILY JUST DOING THAT.
BUT IT'S WHEN YOU HAVE A BOMBARD OF PEOPLE JUST OUT THERE SHOWING UP.
>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IF WE AGREE TO GO WITH LOCKING, THEN IT WILL MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR TO JUST GO OUT THERE AND HAVE A LITTLE FUN.
>> I CAN'T SPEAK FOR LITTLE LEAGUE, BUT THE ONLY TIME WE WOULD LOCK OUR FIELDS IS WHENEVER WE HAVE SOMETHING MAJOR GOING ON THE WEEKEND AND WE GOT THEM PREPARED.
THAT'S ABOUT IT. OR IF THERE'S A RAINY DAY.
IF IT RAINED, WE WOULD LOCK THEM UP.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT AS WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS CONVERSATION, LIKE LEGIT.
IF WE DECIDED TO SAY WE WILL LOCK THEM ON X AMOUNT OF DAYS OR AFTER 7:00 PM [NOISE] OR BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, WHO'S GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S EITHER LOCKED IN OR OPEN SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO IT? HE'S ALREADY [LAUGHTER] SHAKING HIS HEAD NO.
>> WE DO THAT OURSELVES. WE HAVE OUR OWN LOCKS.
WE WOULD ACTUALLY MAINTAIN IT TO MAKE SURE THAT [INAUDIBLE].
>> BECAUSE I'M WITH YOU. LET'S SAY Y'ALL WANT TO KEEP IT OPEN ON A SUNDAY SO FAMILIES CAN GO OUT THERE AND DO WHATEVER, BUT YOU HAVE AN UPCOMING TOURNAMENT, SHUTTING IT OFF FOR THE FIRST, LET'S SAY, MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY BEFORE THE FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, IT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE BECAUSE THEN THEY'LL BE MAINTAINED.
I'M GOING TO BE THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR THE OCCASIONAL FAMILY THAT WANTS TO JUST GO OUT THERE AND HAVE A LITTLE FUN IN THE CITY PARK AND THERE'S A BALLPARK THERE THAT THEY COULD USE.
THAT'S AN UNDERUTILIZED SPOT, ESPECIALLY IN BATES.
IF WE COULD REDO THAT, BUT THEN FREEDOM DOESN'T HAVE THAT ABILITY BECAUSE THOSE PARKS ARE SPECIFIC TO THAT.
THERE'S NOT AN EMPTY SPOT THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING TO. ANYWAY, GO AHEAD, STUART.
>> WELL, I THINK YOU MENTIONED GOING OUT LOCKING THE FIELDS AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
WELL, HE BROUGHT A GOOD POINT ABOUT DURING THE CLIMATE, WEATHER THE FIELDS ARE NOT IN GOOD SHAPE, THEY'RE GOING TO LOCK IT UP DURING THAT TIME.
I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER COMMUNICATING
[01:50:03]
WITH US WHEN THEY WANT TO LOCK THEM AND WHEN THEY WANT TO UNLOCK THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN AND FURTHER DISCUSS THIS BETWEEN THEM AND GET A BETTER CLEAR IDEA OF MOVING FORWARD.
IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME THEY CAN GO EITHER WAY.
THE FIELDS ARE LOCKED AND WE RENT THEM, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNLOCKING THEM AND LOCKING THEM BACK.
>> CORRECT AND THEN RE-LOCKING THEM AFTERWARDS.
>> LAST WEEK WE HAD A FILM CREW COME OUT, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON STUDENTS COME OUT AND DID A FILM ON ONE OF THE FREEDOM PARK FIELDS FOR WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND FRIDAY FROM FIVE O'CLOCK AND EVEN UNTIL 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
I WOULDN'T GO AND CALL LITTLE LEAGUES AND SAY, "HEY, YOU NEED TO GO TURN THE LIGHTS ON." WE DID THAT.
WE WENT OUT THERE, TURNED THEM ON, TURNED THEM OFF AT 10 O'CLOCK, AND MAKE SURE THEY CLEANED UP AND EVERYTHING.
THAT WOULD BE ON US TO DO THAT.
>> ON THE BASEBALL ONE, IF YOU KNOW YOU NEED MORE BACKSTOPS, DO YOU HAVE THE IDEA IN YOUR HEAD AROUND TOWN WHERE SOME COULD GO AND THEN WHO WOULD FOOT THAT BILL FOR JUST SOME BACKSTOP?
>> I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION, BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT ON CITY PROPERTY, WHICH SOME OF THEM AREN'T.
EVEN YOU LOOK AT THE ONE THAT'S NOT IN THE BEST SHAPE, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE USE IT RIGHT OFF OF WHAT IS THAT? IT'S NOT PEACH, BUT THE ONE CLOSER TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS RIGHT OFF OF THE LOOP.
THAT ONE'S NOT UTILIZED AT ALL.
BUT THERE'S DIFFERENT ONES, WE CAN ASSIST POTENTIALLY WITH TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THESE FOLKS ARE, PUT A NUMBERING SYSTEM OUT THERE, SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL OF THE CITIES.
ONE RECOMMENDATION OR CONSIDERATION THAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION AFTER LISTENING TO ALL OF THIS WAS WHILE WE DO HAVE FEES FOR RENTALS AND OF COURSE SELECT TEAMS IN OUR ORDINANCE, WE HAVE AN ANNUAL AGREEMENT WITH EACH OF THESE GROUPS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY SAY, WELL, THIS IS THE ORDINANCE, WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW USAGE BY SELECT TEAMS AS WELL AS LONG AS WE KNOW WHAT IT IS.
STEWARD DOES A GREAT JOB COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OF THE ASSOCIATIONS AND HAVING CREATED A GOOGLE EXCEL DOC TO MAINTAIN SCHEDULE, SO THAT'S ALIVE.
WE COULD BE ON IT, THEY COULD BE ON IT.
WE KNOW UPDATES IF THEY GET ARENA AND YOU'VE GOT A SWITCH PRACTICE SCHEDULES, THAT'S IMMEDIATE.
REAL-TIME UPDATE OR THAT COULD BE COMMUNICATED.
SAME COULD BE DONE WITH SELECT TEAMS SO THAT IF WE DO HAVE A FILM CREW OR WHOEVER WE HAVE A CITY EVENT THAT WE'RE HOPING TO UTILIZE THE FIELDS, WE COULD STILL ARRANGE AROUND WHATEVER IS THERE.
WE COULD KEEP THE FIELDS UNLOCKED IF THESE INCIDENCES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION, IS THAT WE HAVE THE FULL SCOPE OF NOT JUST DURING SEASONS, SPRING OR FALL, ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE SUMMER, WHEN TO SELECT TEAMS PRACTICE, WHEN DO THEY HAVE TOURNAMENTS? INCLUDE THAT WITHIN THE SCHEDULE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TWEAK IN THE ANNUAL AGREEMENT.
WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS LEADING UP TO SINCE WE'LL START WORKING ON THAT AND HAVE A DRAFT IN OCTOBER.
>> WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE OPEN TO THE IDEA OF FIELD USE AND LIKE [INAUDIBLE] SAID, THERE ARE PEOPLE AND SOME OF THEM MAY BE KIDS THAT ARE THE ON THE SOFTBALL LITTLE LEAGUE, SO THEY PLAY FOR THEM OR THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS OUT.
IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE OWL TO KEEP THAT GOING.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ACTION ON THIS.
>> YES. IF THE DIRECTION WE JUST NEED, IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.
IF YOU GIVE US DIRECTION, WE CAN, IF YOU'RE THINKING, DON'T LOCK THE FIELDS, WORK IT OUT, WE CAN LOOK AT REVISING THE ANNUAL AGREEMENT TO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE INCLEMENT WEATHER OR IN PREPARATION FOR AN EVENT.
ALL OF THAT CAN BE BUILT INTO THE SCHEDULE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO KNOW WHO'S PLAYING ON WHAT FIELD WHEN JUST SAY IT'S BLOCKED OFF BECAUSE WE'RE IN SEASON, WE'VE GOT A GAME.
THIS IS THE SLIP TEAM, YADA, YADA.
>> CAN I BE LOGGED NOW OR THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU'D HAVE TO DO?
>> THE INDIVIDUAL ASSOCIATIONS HAVE LOCKS FOR THEM RIGHT?
>> I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SET THE WRONG PRECEDENCE IF YOU GO AND LOCK THE FIELDS BEING THE CITY PARK.
>> I GUESS I WOULD SAY LEAVE IT OPEN AS MUCH AS YOU COULD,
[01:55:03]
BUT IN THE EVENT OF RAIN OR TOURNAMENTS, THOSE ARE EXCEPTIONS WHERE YOU CAN LOCK.>> WE CAN BUILD THAT INTO THE AGREEMENT.
ALSO. IT'S NOT IN THE AGREEMENT NOW, WHICH IS WHAT MAKES IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY, IS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW AN ORDINANCE AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SOME ISSUES, SO WE WANT TO HELP PROVIDE THEM THAT SUPPORT WHILE STILL NOT DETERRING OTHER PEOPLE TO COME OUT.
>> [NOISE] HERE YOU GO. I GOT YOU.
>> PART OF THE OTHER ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IS WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY OUTSIDE OF SEASON TO ASK THESE PEOPLE TO LEAVE THE PARK.
THAT'S WHERE THE BIGGEST ISSUE COMES WHENEVER YOU HAVE THREE SELECTING SHOW UP AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE CITY, WE DON'T, AS LITTLE LEAGUE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ASK THEM TO LEAVE THE PARK, GO PAY THE CITY, AND AT THAT POINT THEY'RE JUST GOING TO SHOW UP AND KEEP SHOWING UP UNTIL SOMEBODY ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TELLS THEM THEY HAVE TO GO PAY THE CITY.
>> I'M THINKING ABOUT USING FREEDOM AS THE EXAMPLE.
THEY NEED TO BE LOCKED AFTER SCHOOL FOR ALL OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY JUNIOR HIGH KIDS THAT LIKE TO GO IN THERE.
I'M SAYING NOT ALL THE TIME, I'M SAYING THAT LIKE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, THEY PROBABLY NEED TO BE LOCKED UNTIL FIVE O'CLOCK WHEN TEAMS ARE OUT THERE.
I'M WITH YOU ON THE B AND TORN.
I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY OF HAVING THEM [NOISE] LOCKED.
BUT AGAIN, AS A GROUP OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF OURS THAT LIKE TO ON OCCASIONS ON MAYBE A POSSIBLE MEMORIAL DAY OR ON A LABOR DAY OR ON AN EASTER, SOMETIMES WE JUST LIKE TO GO HAVE A GAME JUST WITHIN THE FAMILY.
IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO SHOW UP TO A PARK AND EVERYTHING BEING LOCKED UP KNOWING THAT IT WAS PART OF THE CITY PARK.
>> I AGREE. THAT'S WHERE I STRUGGLE WITH THIS BECAUSE IT IS THE CITY PARK YOU-ALL OWN THEM.
I DON'T THINK THAT THEY PERSONALLY NEED TO BE LOCKED.
>> BUT WOULD YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, CALL IN THE END TO RESERVE IT? YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO IN A MOMENT [NOISE] SO I JUST SHOW UP AND USE THE FACILITY.
>> I THINK IT'S ONE THING IF WE WERE HAVING A BIG FAMILY GATHERING AND WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE IT AHEAD OF TIME.
I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST SHOW UP.
LIKE I SAID, MY FAMILY OF FOUR, WE JUST WANT TO GO OUT AND HAVE A PLACE THAT WE CAN JUST HAVE A LITTLE FUN.
I'M 100 PERCENT FOR HAVING SPECIFIC TIMES THAT IT NEEDS TO BE LOCKED UP SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T USING IT.
BUT LIKE ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, MEET A COUPLE BUDDIES AND OUR FAMILIES FROM CHURCH WANT TO GO AND DO SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE LIKE, "MAN, NOW I GOT TO GO FIND SOMEBODY AT THE CITY TO DO THAT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO HAPPEN." YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
THE OTHER ISSUE IS LIKE, I THINK FRIDAY WE HAD AN INCH AND HALF IN 30 MINUTES OVER ONE SIDE OF TOWN.
IF YOU HAD A BIG RAIN FALL ON THESE FIELDS, THAT IT WAS DRY THE DAY BEFORE AND YOU PLAN ON COMING, YOU MAY PLAY AND HAVE FUN IN A MUDDY AND FIELD.
>> BUT YOU'LL LEAVE A MESS FOR THE FOLLOWING ONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD DEAL WITH THAT EVEN WITH THE SCHEDULE IF IT RAINED.
SAY, YOU HAVE A FIELD SCHEDULED FOR SOME YOUTH GROUP AND THEN IT RAINS THE NIGHT BEFORE, HOW DO YOU-ALL COMMUNICATE OR WHAT DO YOU-ALL DO?
>> WELL, I HAD THE CONTACT, AND I'D SAY NO PRACTICE, NO USE OF THE FIELDS, IT'S TOO WET OR SOMETHING.
EVEN LITTLE EAGLE SAY, "HEY, IF SOMEBODY'S SCHEDULED FOR THE FIELD, WE CHECKED IT'S TOO WET, SO I'D CONTACT THEM AND LET THEM KNOW.
COME TO YOUR POINT, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER ONE OF REASON WE RENT THESE FIELDS OUT TOO, IS IF I HAVE FIELD WORN, RENT IT OUT AT FREEDOM AND WE GO OUT THERE AND MOW IT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE RENTED.
THEN YOU'RE OUT THERE PLAYING WITH YOUR FAMILY OR WHATEVER.
THIS TEAM SHOWS UP TO USE THE FIELD AND YOU'RE ON IT.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF RAINING.
GRANTED, [OVERLAPPING] THERE'S THREE OTHER FIELDS OUT THERE BUT THERE'S NOT MOWED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
>> PERSONALLY SPEAKING, I HAD THIS SITUATION HAPPENING RIGHT IN A SMALL PAVILION AT DICKEY, WHERE AT ONE POINT THERE WAS TWO DIFFERENT REYNOLDS AT THE EXACT SAME TIME, THE EXACT SAME DAY, EVERYTHING, AND WE ENDED UP DECIDING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
NOW, IN THOSE SITUATIONS, WE'LL USE ONE OF THE SMALLER PAVILIONS THAT ARE THERE AT DICKEY.
IF SOMEBODY IS THERE, I'M GOING TO SHOW HIM MY PIECE OF PAPER AND SAY, "HEY, WE'RE HERE, THIS IS OURS.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, GO AHEAD AND MOVE IN." THAT'S A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT 99 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE WOULD SEE THE PIECE OF PAPER AND BE LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT? I APOLOGIZE. LET ME GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE OTHER THING." AGAIN, MY OPINION WOULD BE I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE'RE PROBABLY SETTING A REALLY WEIRD PRECEDENT IF EVERYTHING IS LOCKED UP IN A CITY PARK AND [NOISE] ONLY SELECT PEOPLE CAN GET TO USE IT.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WERE I DON'T KNOW HOW FEEL ABOUT LOCKING UP EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME.
[02:00:02]
>> ONE THING THAT I ALSO JUST TRY TO RECAP EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, BUT ALSO WHILE A FAMILY OF FOUR MAYBE GOING OUT OR A FAMILY IN GENERAL, THERE MAY BE JUNIOR HIGH KIDS THAT ARE COMING OVER AND PLAYING SOME GAME OF KICKBALL.
WE WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT WE'RE NOT GOING DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE OF WHEN WE LOCK IT AND WHEN WE DON'T.
I THINK WE CAN IRON OUT SOME OF THE ISSUES IN THE AGREEMENT.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE US THE DIRECTION TO FOCUS ON BEING A LITTLE MORE DETAILED ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS NEXT YEAR.
WE'LL PROVIDE THAT PROPOSAL TO YOU ALL IN OCTOBER WHEN WE PRESENT THOSE LEGAL AGREEMENTS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE FINALIZED UNTIL JANUARY.
IF WE NEED SOME ADDITIONAL TWEAKING, WE CAN WORK ON THAT.
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION?
>> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I FEEL THE CLUBS OR ORGANIZATION'S PAIN WITH ALL THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING THE MAJOR PART OF THE MAINTENANCE.
I THINK WE NEED TO RESPECT THAT AND THEN WORK WITH THEM THE BEST WE CAN.
BUT STILL OBVIOUSLY MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE TO FOR THE CITY, FOR OUR PROTECTION, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SHOW AS MUCH RESPECT AS POSSIBLE.
>> YOU'RE NOT IN STEVEN. I HAVE A MOTION BY BONNIE AND A SECOND BY-
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.