HomeMy Public PortalAboutP&RAC Minutes 1993 07/16PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
JULY 16, 1993
I. ROLL CALL AND CALL TO ORDER
Chair Grote called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. Committee members Martens, Killen and Coyle answered
the roll call. Chair declared a quorum present. Also attending was Emie Revello, Payette Lakes Ski Club and Mr. & Mrs.
John Sorg, Pop's Concession.
H MINUTES - JUNE 7, 1993
Martens moved to accept the June 7, 1993 minutes as written, seconded by Coyle and the motion carried.
HI. TRIATHLON - ROTARY PARK - ERNIE REVELLO
Chair noted that Director Baker had failed to provide the committee with a copy of Mr. Revello's reservation application
and asked Revello to describe the Triathlon event scheduled for August 7, 1993. A summary of Revello's presentation:
• Event attracts 150-175 competitors and 50-100 spectators. Revello noted that the competitors are away from the park
for most of the event, so the only times the crowd exceeds 100 are at the beginning (9:00 a.m.) and end of the competi-
tion (about 1:00 p.m.) He said that refreshments are available at the end of the event, when the awards are given, but
many competitors are tired and leave quickly after the close of competition.
• Event must be held at Rotary Beach because it's the only venue where access to all legs of the event are easily acces-
sible and the water temperature is acceptable for competition.
• McCall City Police officer Carla Domca has volunteered to coordinate and recruit reserves and other volunteers for
traffic control and that one -lane traffic control is set up on the Lardo bridge only when competitors are crossing during
the competition.
• Parking for the event within the park is restricted to 4-5 spaces nearest the restroom for event officials. Competitors are
instructed to park along Mather Road. Revello said that this is the way the event has been run for fifteen years and has
had no complaints from the city police regarding the parking arrangement. He suggested that event organizers barricade
the Rotary Park parking lot until 9:00 a.m. to assist in rerouting uninformed competitors to Mather Road for parking.
• Trash is handled with 3-4 bins brought in by event organizers
• Existing restrooms in the park have historically been adequate
• Event organizers unhook the swimming buoys to form competition lanes and rehook them after the competition.
• Kegs of beer are donated for the awards ceremony, but Revello said that no catering license has ever been secured for
the serving of alcholic beverages, the beer is a self -serve operation and no special use permit has ever been secured to
allow the serving of the beverages in a city park. He said that Chief Parker approved the beverages last year and Revello
said that he was unaware of city ordinances concerning alcohol that require a cater's license and a council -granted special
use permit.
• The event is covered by the Little Ski Hill's insurance policy of a half million dollars.
• Bike racks are set up on the lawn area behind the restrooms.
A summary of committee discussion following Revello's presentation:
• Committee members realize that the Triathlon is a McCall tradition but, based on the information Revello presented,
wish to see the city council and Triathlon organizers correct possible violations of city and state regulations and policies:
a. it appears to the committee that the state has never been notified that there would be traffic control over the bridge,
which is a state highway. This could have repercussions to the city if there was ever an accident or a triathlete injured.
b. the lack of special use permit and having alcohol dispensed by event organizers rather than by a licensed caterer is a
clear violation of city code.
c. event organizers must provide a written plan to the council covering the standard list of parking designation, crowd
control, trash, restroom facilities, beverage type and service, evidence of adjacent landowner notification, liability
insurance and clean-up plans prior to council's approval of the event.
d. Event organizers must pre -pay the standard fee of $150 deposit and $150 rental to use Rotary Park for an event that
will overwhelm the park.
• Member Killen said she thinks the event attracts too big a crowd for Rotary Park and the partial closure of the highway
presents a traffic hazard. Grote said that the triathlon has been held in Rotary Park for fifteen years and no one has ever
detected damage to the park as a result of the event. Grote said the event was obviously well -managed but the group is
inadvertantly not conforming to city code and was not paying the standard fees.
• Coyle noted that since the comprehensive park reservations policy being drafted by the committee is new to these older
events, that the Recreation Director be directed to mail a copy of the finished policy to all large event organizers who
have reserved the parks regularly in the last five years. Chair directed Baker to draft a mailing list in preparation for the
finished policy.
***Coyle moved that the council grant a special use permit to the Triathlon event in Rotary Park provided the
organizers provide a written plan to the council covering the standard list of parking designation, crowd control,
trash, restroom facilities, beverage type and service, evidence of adjacent landowner notification, liability insur-
ance and clean-up plans prior to council's approval of the event. Martens seconded. Martens, Grote and Coyle
voted yes, Killen voted no. Motion carried.
IV. POP'S CONCESSION SALES AT FAIRWAY PARK - JOHN SORG
Mr. and Mrs. Sorg petitioned the committee to operate a mobile concession stand at Fairway Park for the
remainder of the summer season:
• Modern van is equipped with generator. Serves sandwiches, soft drinks, snacks, no fried foods or alchoholic beverages.
• Operates in Council at public and school events, is fully insured
• High health department rating of 99%
" I n t e r e s t e d i n g e t t i n g t h e i r " f e e t w e t " a n d p o s s i b l y e n t e r i n g a b i d o n f u l l p a r k c o n c e s s i o n s n e x t s e a s o n .
C o m m i t t e e n o t e d :
" t h e a t t r a c t i v e n e s s o f t h e v a n ( a p p l i c a n t s p r o v i d e d p i c t u r e )
" t h a t t h e s e r v i c e w o u l d b e a g r e a t a m e n i t y t o u s e r s o f F a i r w a y P a r k
" t h a t i f t h e f e e s t o t h e p a r k s d e p a r t m e n t w e r e b a s e d o n a n a c c o u n t a n t ' s s t a t e m e n t o f t h e i r g r o s s s a l e s a t F a i r w a y P a r k , i t
w o u l d g i v e t h e c o m m i t t e e s o m e i d e a o f t h e p o t e n t i a l r e v e n u e s f o r a c o n t r a c t o r s e r v i n g a l l t h e p a r k s . T h i s w o u l d b e
h e l p f u l i n c o n s t r u c t i n g t h e s y s t e m - w i d e c o n c e s s i o n c o n t r a c t t h e c o m m i t t e e w i l l a s k t o p u t t o b i d n e x t y e a r .
* * * C o y l e m o t i o n e d t o r e c o m m e n d t h a t c o u n c i l p e r m i t t h e S o r g s t o o p e r a t e i n F a i r w a y P a r k a s a b e n e f i t t o k i d s
a n d p a r e n t s u n d e r t h e f o l l o w i n g t e r m s :
" t h e t e r m o f t h e p e r m i t i s f o r t h i s s e a s o n o n l y
" c i t y s t a f f w o r k w i t h t h e S o r g s t o c h a r g e a o n e - t i m e h a w k e r ' s f e e p l u s a p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e g r o s s t a k e n f r o m t h e i r
a c c o u n t a n t ' s s w o r n s t a t e m e n t .
M a r t e n s s e c o n d e d , t h e m o t i o n c a r r i e d , u n a n i m o u s
V . S T A F F R E P O R T S
B o t h R e c r e a t i o n D i r e c t o r a n d A d m i n i s t r a t o r d i d n o t a t t e n d t h e m e e t i n g d u e t o p r i o r c o m m i t m e n t s .
V I . N E W B U S I N E S S
C h a i r a d d e d a n i t e m t o t h e a g e n d a :
D i s c u s s i o n o f C h e r y l K n o w l e s ' p e t i t i o n c o n c e r n i n g p a r e n t d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h r e c r e a t i o n p r o g r a m s a n d D i r e c t o r
B a k e r ' s Y o u t h B a s e b a l l E v a l u a t i o n ( a t t a c h e d )
C o m m i t t e e d i s c u s s i o n :
" M a r t e n s s a i d t h a t a s a p a r t i c i p a t i n g c o a c h i n c i t y r e c r e a t i o n p r o g r a m s , t h i s p e t i t i o n h a s b e e n i n t h e m a k i n g f o r a l o n g
t i m e a n d t h i s s e a s o n ' s b a s e b a l l s e a s o n c a u s e d t h e " b o i l o v e r " t h a t m a d e d i s g r u n t l e d c i t i z e n s g o o n t h e r e c o r d . H e s a i d t h a t
h e m e t w i t h A d m i n i s t r a t o r S c h m i d t b e f o r e t h e s e a s o n b e g a n a n d r e g i s t e r e d t h e f o l l o w i n g c o n c e r n s b a s e d o n h i s o w n
e x p e r i e n c e :
a . l a c k o f m a n a g e m e n t o n t h e p a r t o f t h e R e c r e a t i o n D e p a r t m e n t , s p e c i f i c a l l y :
1 . A l a c k o f p r o f e s s i o n a l p l a n n i n g o f t h e p r o g r a m . ( M a r t e n s c o m m e n t e d a t t h e m e e t i n g t h a t i f t h e p r o g r a m h a s " g r o w n
d r a m a t i c a l l y o v e r t h e p a s t f i v e y e a r s " a s D i r e c t o r B a k e r s e v a l u a t i o n a d m i t s , t h e p l a n n i n g s h o u l d h a v e g r o w n e q u a l l y a n d
i t h a s n o t , w h i c h i s w h a t i s l e a d i n g t o t h e " b o i l o v e r " . )
" P r o g r a m g r o w t h a n d a l a c k o f a n t i c i p a t i o n b y t h e R e c r e a t i o n D e p a r t m e n t h a s r e s u l t e d i n :
a . c o a c h e s h a v i n g t o t r a c k d o w n t h e i r o w n t e a m s ' s h i r t s & h a t s b e f o r e t h e s t a r t o f t h e f i r s t g a m e b e c a u s e t h e o r d e r s w e r e
p l a c e d a f t e r t h e t e a m s w e r e f i l l e d , s o t h e v e n d o r s w e r e u n a b l e t o g e t t h e s h i r t s p r i n t e d b e f o r e t h e s e a s o n s t a r t e d .
b . F a i l u r e t o o r d e r a d d i t i o n a l e q u i p m e n t f o r t h e a n t i c i p a t e d g r o w t h i n t i m e f o r t h e p r a c t i c e s e s s i o n s ( h e l m e t s , p a d s , e t c . ,
w h i c h j e o p a r d i z e s p l a y e r s a f e t y .
c . M o r e s p o n s o r s t h a n w i l l p r o b a b l y b e n e e d e d s h o u l d b e l i n e d u p w e l l i n a d v a n c e o f t h e s e a s o n , r a t h e r t h a n g o i n g o n a
f r a n t i c s e a r c h w h e n t h e r e a r e m o r e t e a m s t h a n s p o n s o r s .
d . S c h e d u l e s n o t p r o v i d e d e n o u g h i n a d v a n c e s o t h a t p a r e n t s c a n a r r a n g e f a m i l y s c h e d u l e s . C o a c h e s h a v e n o r u l e b o o k s .
T h e s c h e d u l e a r r i v e s t h e d a y b e f o r e t h e f i r s t g a m e a n d t h e f a m i l y i s f o r c e d t o r e a r a n g e t h e i r s c h e d u l e s a n d v a c a t i o n t o f i t
a r o u n d i t . N o t i c e o f s c h e d u l e c h a n g e s s h o u l d b e i m m e d i a t e t o c o a c h e s i n v o l v e d .
e . R a i n e d o u t g a m e r e s c h e d u l i n g h a p - h a z a r d . C o a c h e s h a v e h a d i n s t a n c e s w h e n a r a i n e d o u t g a m e h a s b e e n r e s c h e d u l e d ,
b u t t h e o t h e r t e a m h a s n ' t b e e n n o t i f i e d . T h e y s h o w u p , t h e o t h e r t e a m d o e s n ' t . A n g r y p a r e n t s e n d u p p l a y i n g t h e k i d s s o
t h e y a r e n o t d i s a p p o i n t e d .
A l s o w h e n s c h e d u l e c h a n g e c a n c e l s t h e d e l a y t h e s t a r t o f a s c h e d u l e , n o e f f e c t i v e e f f o r t i s m a d e b y r e c r e a t i o n d e p t . s t a f f
t o n o t i f y t e a m s o f t h e r e - s c h e d u l i n g .
C o m m i t t e e m e m b e r C o y l e e c h o e d M a r t e n s c o m m e n t s a n d s a i d t h a t l a s t y e a r b o t h h e a n d M a r t e n s h a d t a l k e d w i t h
A d m i n i s t r a t o r S c h m i d t a b o u t t h e s e p r o b l e m s a n d b o t h w e r e f r u s t r a t e d t h a t n o i m p r o v e m e n t s w e r e m a d e t h i s s e a s o n .
C h a i r G r o t e n o t e d t h a t h e r n e w s p a p e r e x p e r i e n c e i s t h a t f o r e v e r y p e r s o n w i l l i n g t o s i g n t h e i r n a m e t o a p e t i t i o n , t h e r e a r e
t w e n t y m o r e w h o f e e l t h e s a m e w a y b u t f o r t h e i r o w n r e a s o n s , d o n ' t w a n t t o g o p u b l i c . S h e r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t t h e
c o m m i t t e e s c h e d u l e a p u b l i c h e a r i n g o n t h e i s s u e , s u c h a s t h e s u c c e s s f u l o n e o n t h e p a r k p l a n t o f i n d o u t h o w s e r i o u s t h e
p u b l i c f e e l s t h i s p r o b l e m i s a n d u s e t h e t e s t i m o n y t o r e c o m m e n d t o t h e c o u n c i l a s o l u t i o n .
* * * C o y l e m o v e d t h a t t h e c o u n c i l s u p p o r t t h e p a r k & r e c r e a t i o n b o a r d ' s c o n c l u s i o n t h a t s u f f i c i e n t g r o u n d s e x i s t t o
h e a r p u b l i c t e s t m o n y o n t h i s s u b j e c t a n d t h a t a p u b l i c h e a r i n g b e f o r e t h e p a r k b o a r d b e s c h e d u l e d o n t h e s u b j e c t
o f t h e r e c r e a t i o n d e p a r t m e n t f o r t h e e v e n i n g o f T h u r s d a y , A u g u s t 2 6 t h . M a r t e n s s e c o n d e d a n d t h e m o t i o n
c a r r i e d , u n a n i m o u s .
U n l e s s t h e c o u n c i l o b j e c t s t o t h e h e a r i n g , G r o t e w i l l g e t a m a i l i n g l i s t o f p a r e n t s o f c h i l d r e n i n v o l v e d i n r e c r e a t i o n
p r o g r a m s f r o m D i r e c t o r B a k e r a n d i n v i t e t h e m t o t h e h e a r i n g .
V I I O L D B U S I N E S S
A . G A R N E T T B E A C H
A d m i n i s t r a t o r w a s u n a b l e t o a t t e n d t h e m e e t i n g . N o r e p o r t .
B . P a r k R e s e r v a t i o n s P o l i c y
C h a i r G r o t e s a i d s h e w a s u n a b l e t o c o m p l e t e t h e d r a f t i n t i m e f o r t h e m e e t i n g b e c a u s e o f r e c e n t b u s i n e s s p r e s s u r e s . S h e
s a i d s h e w o u l d a t t a c h t h e d r a f t t o t h e A u g u s t a g e n d a f o r t h e c o m m i t t e e t o r e v i e w a n d b e p r e p a r e d t o d i s c u s s a t t h e
c o m m i t t e e s A u g u s t m e e t i n g .
C . D o c k B u i l d i n g
A l l d o c k b u i l d i n g p e r m i t s h a v e b e e n r e v o k e d , a c c o r d i n g t o a l e t t e r t o B r o c k G o u l d f r o m t h e c i t y a d m i n i s t r a t o r a t t a c h e d t o
t h e a g e n d a .
D . T o y s f o r T o t s
C h a i r r e p o r t e d t h a t T o y s f o r T o t s w o u l d n o t b e u s i n g M i l l P a r k a n d h a s m o v e d t h e e v e n t t o B r u n d a g e M o u n t a i n . C h a i r
Grote recommended that someone from Brundage Mountain be invited to a future park board meeting to describe the
facilities they are constructing for concerts so that the board may recommend Brundage to future applicants.
E. Land and Water Conservation Fund letter from Jake Howard (attached)
Committee acknowledged the letter with no comment.
F. McDonald's Playground Equipment
Chair Grote had not contacted Kathy Rake and Lauri Braun for pictures, but said she would ask Director Baker to do so
before the next meeting.
VIII. MASTER PLAN
Chair Grote deferred the master plan discussion to the committees next meeting because she thought there would only
be a bare quorum at this one. She said she wanted the whole committee to be involved in the final decisions.
IX. REPORTS ON NON -CITY PARKS AND RECREATION ISSUES
Member Killen reported that she had attended an open house held by the Idaho Transportation Dept. in Council July
15th. She noted that our bike paths are on the printed schedules.
X. OTHER BUSINESS
A. Skateboarding
Committee noted that council had drafted an ordinance and a public notice is running in The Star -News.
B. Possible violations of city code noticed in parks
• Martens reported that he had seen a very large group set up in Mi11 Park over the 4th of July weekend, complete with
barbeque.
• Killen noted that there is a large trailer in the parking lot next to Legacy which is running power cords to the pump
house. She requested a report from Director Baker at the next meeting.
• Committee members all have noticed instances of ovemight camping in park parking lots and ask McCall City Police
to be more vigilant of these violations when they are on patrol.
• Committee noted that the Sports Marina dumpster still is not screened, requested a report from Administrator on why.
• Martens wondered if regular use of the parks by day care operators constituted a commercial use. Coyle said that
because the parks are built for kids and because the daily trips to the park are just one feature of the day care program
that he would conclude that the use does not qualify as commercial. Killen and Grote agreed.
• Killen again noted that agreements on parking privileges between the Legacy Park volleyball court and the McCall
Mall continue to be abused. She said she has seen trucks parked literally on the volleyball court.
Chair Grote suggested that park board members should carry cameras in their cars and take pictures of the
violations that they see. She said that visual evidence carries more weight than verbal.
C. Screening of Rotary dumpster from lake side
Martens expressed desire to screen the Rotary Park dumpster from the lake side. Killen noted that the issue had been
talked about, but the screen would impede access to the dumpster. Chair Grote suggested that a planting of bushes down
the beach would accomplish the end without interfering with access. She said she would note the need in her budget
request file.
D. Member Scott's attendance record
Committee members all expressed concern that member Scott has attended only five of sixteen meetings since he was
appointed in June, 1992. Chair Grote said she spoke to Scott several months ago and that he said that he was not getting
notification of the meetings. She said she talked to Director Baker about it and Baker said that he was notifying Scott
along with every other board member. She said she talked to Mayor Smith about the problem and that they agreed that
since Scott had expressed desire to serve on the committee, that they would see if Scott's attendance record improved.
Grote noted that it had not. She said her discussions with Scott and the mayor were in March and that the last meeting
Scott has attended was last April. Grote said that she had spoken to Scott about this meeting and that he said he was set
to attend, but when the meeting had to be rescheduled, he was unable to rearrange his schedule. Grote said that recent
staff shortages at The Star -News make it impossible for her to meet on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday nights for the
near term and that Scott said he is in Boise on Thursdays and Fridays.
Committee members noted that service on this committee demands some flexibility of schedule and said they were
disappointed that when Scott misses a meeting, he does not seem to make the same effort to call Baker to find out about
the next scheduled meeting that the rest of the members do. Chair Grote said that perhaps Scott should recognize that his
demanding schedule places a burden on the committee, which has fallen short of a quorum twice in the last two months
and consider resigning. She said she would be sorry to lose Scott, but that it is obvious to her that he has bitten off more
than he can chew. She said that she would speak with the mayor about the situation and report back to the committee at
it's August meeting.
XI. NEXT MEETING
With consent of the committee, Chair Grote scheduled the next meeting for Thursday, August 12th at noon in the council
chambers. The meeting agenda will be limited to committee discussion of its budget requests to the council for the next
fiscal ear hair said she would provide records of last year's budget deliberations and requested a year-to-date budget
ese minutes.
attache
Sincerely,
Tom'
Chair