HomeMy Public PortalAboutP&RAC Minutes 1993 05/01PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
MARCH 1, 1993
I. ROLL CALL AND CALL TO ORDER.
Chair Grote called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Committee members Martens, Killen, and
Coyle answered the roll call. Chair declared a quorum present. Also attending was Director Baker and Ron
White - Footloose.
II. FOOTLOOSE PARK RESERVATIONS - RON WHITE
Mr. White distributed the 1993 Footloose venue (attached). Mr. White informed the committee
that Footloose was going to be greatly expanded this year and would include a mountain bike race
sanctioned by the National Off Road Bicycle Association (Brundage Mountain), a Juice Newton Concert
(rodeo grounds), a power boat poker run (Payette Lake), a teen dance (high school), a Motor Cross race
(snowmobile track), a roller blade demo, live music in Mill Park on the 13th, 14th, and 15th from 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m. with a $7.50 entry fee to get into the park, a sand sculpting contest (Legacy Park), a volleyball
tournament (Legacy Park and Mill Park), and a softball tournament (Fairway Park).
Committee discussed the effect of reserving three of the city's parks at the same time. In addition,
committee discussed problems associated with parking, restrooms, adjoining property owners, the moving
of sand for the sculpting contest, and the advantages of charging a flat fee vs. % of gross. After reviewing
the July 20, 1992 meeting minutes concerning the reservation of Mill Park for the Toys for Tots Battle of
the Bands, Killen moved to recommend council issue a special use permit for the
reservation of Legacy Park, Mill Park, and Fairway Park on August 12th, 13th, 14th
and 15th, 1993 for Footloose after the following conditions have been met:
1. No vehicles will be allowed into Mill Park and permission of the landowner to the
East (Manchester) will need to be obtained for park access.
2. All adjacent landowners be contacted in advance of council approval.
3. A written parking plan, alcohol plan, and crowd control plan be approved by
Police Chief Parker through a memo to Administrator.
4. A minimum of two (2) portable toilets be provided.
5. Trash will not be evident at any time.
6. Mill Park, Legacy Park and Fairway Park will be returned to their original or
better condition.
7. Mr. Gillespie is to be notified prior to Council approval.
8. A fee of $1500.00 and a refundable damage deposit of $750.00 is paid.
9. Booth numbers be limited to seven (7) in Mill Park.
Coyle seconded, and the motion carried.
III. MINUTES - JANUARY 18, 1993.
After discussion, Coyle moved to accept the January 18, 1993 minutes as written, seconded by
Martens and the motion carried.
IV. STAFF REPORTS
A. Recreation Director
Director Baker informed the committee that both the motion to have background checks done on
volunteer coaches and to adopt the comprehensive plan were approved by council as written. In addition,
Director Baker informed the committee that the Recreation Program has received a grant from The American
League of Professional Baseball Clubs of $2000.00 to purchase two pitching machines. Committee
discussed the need for electricity at Fairway Park to operate the pitching machines and chair with consent of
committee directed staff to contact Idaho Power to discover the costs involved.
V. NEW BUSINESS
A. Fund Raising Subcommittee - Grote & Martens.
Committee discussed the memo from the Star News to Mayor Smith (attached). Grote informed
the committee the there has been no reply form the Mayor at this time and the Ice Breakup contest has been
granted to the Payette Lakes Trail System task force for a fund raiser in 1993.
VI. MASTER PLAN
A. Mission Statement, Objectives, and Strategies (attached).
After discussion Killen moved to recommend council adopt the mission statement, * * * * *
objectives, and strategies as written, Martens seconded and the motion carried.
B. Draft: site specific recommendations.
Chair Grote informed the committee that she had reviewed the minutes including park tours and
made a draft list of site specific recommendations (attached), and would like the committee to review these
and be ready to complete the list at their next meeting.
VII. OLD BUSINESS
A. Golf cart storage fees - Scott & Baker
Director Baker informed the committee that he had contacted Centennial Cart Storage which is run
by the City of Nampa and discovered that they charge $225.00 dollars per year to store golf carts. After
discussion of last year's golf cart storage fees Coyle moved to recommend council raise 1993
fees to $150.00 per year for inside storage and $100.00 per year for outside covered * * * * *
storage, expenses to be paid by lessee, seconded by Martens and the motion carried.
B. Waterways Improvement Fund Grants - Coyle.
Coyle informed the committee that after talking with the Idaho Parks and Recreation personnel in
charge of Waterways Grants that the possibility to receive a grant for swim buoys would be slim at best.
After discussion, committee decided not to apply for a grant.
C. Park Reservation System - Coyle & Baker
Director Baker informed the committee that after reviewing the city's current system and the State
Parks system, the biggest issue that needs to be resolved is how the policy is to be enforced.
Committee members noted the increase in reservations requests and noted several issues —including
enforcement —they thought the reservations policy should resolve:
•PRIVATE VERSUS PUBLIC ACCESS. Committee feels that with the number of events now
seeking to control admission to the parks, public access is likely to be threatened in the near future.
Guidelines need to be established for each park, perhaps limiting the number of days in the season and the
length of time each park can be closed to the public and what kinds of controlled admission uses (fund-
raising, for profit, etc.) are appropriate. Some parks, such as Legacy, should never be totally closed to the
public. Committee also feels that courtesy signs notifying the public that a park will be closed for an event
should be posted at that park's entrances at least 7 days in advance of the event.
•RESERVATION ADMINISTRATION. Currently there is no method in place to notify the public
that an area has been reserved for a private use, such as a wedding. Committee members are concerned about
the friction that has happened in the past when a reservation holder with no official city designation has had
to clear the public from the reserved area himself. Committee feels that once a reservations policy is in
place, there should be staff to enforce it. A city staffer should be assigned to keep the list of reservations,
post signage and clear the public from a reserved area just prior to the event, and inspect the area following
the event.
•FEE STRUCTURE. Committee members discussed a tiered fee structure that takes into account
the nature of the use (profit, non-profit, size of event etc.) and the residence of the user or beneficiary (city
versus non -city)
•CONDITIONS FOR USE. Committee discussed classifying reserved uses into two categories,
characterized by the size of the event and then drafting a list of conditions of use for each. For the large
event class, committee recommends using the conditions placed on Footloose (refer to item II on this
agenda) as the model for a list of requirements to be modified as needed for each park site.
" A P P L I C A T I O N S . C o m m i t t e e w a n t s a p p l i c a n t s c o m i n g b e f o r e t h e p a r k b o a r d t o p r e s e n t a w r i t t e n
p r o p o s a l p r i o r t o b e i n g l i s t e d o n t h e p a r k b o a r d ' s a g e n d a , d e s c r i b i n g t h e n a t u r e o f t h e e v e n t a n d p l a n s f o r
s a t i s y i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n s f o r u s e A n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r m s h o u l d b e d e v e l o p e d t o a s s i s t t h e a p p l i c a n t i n
a n s w e r i n g t h e q u e s t i o n s a s k e d m o s t c o m m o n l y b y t h e p a r k b o a r d .
C o m m i t t e e d i s c u s s e d w h e r e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y w o u l d b e s t f a l l t o e n f o r c e t h e r e s e r v a t i o n s p o l i c y a n d
n o t e d t h a t e n f o r c e m e n t w o u l d b e b e s t a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h c o o r d i n a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e c i t y ' s p u b l i c w o r k s a n d
r e c r e a t i o n d e p a r t m e n t s . C o m m i t t e e m e m b e r C o y l e s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e b o a r d c o n d u c t a p u b l i c h e a r i n g o n t h e
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 t h a t s h e d i d n ' t t h i n k t h a t w a s n e c e s s a r y , b u t t h a t a r e q u e s t t o t h e
c o u n c i l f o r f u n d s t o a d v e r t i s e c o m m i t t e e d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e p o l i c y p r i o r t o r e c o m m e n d i n g i t t o t h e c o u n c i l
m i g h t b e i n o r d e r .
C o m m i t t e e a l s o e n q u i r e d a s t o w h e r e t h e r e n t a l f e e s f o r p a r k s g o a n d a s k e d B a k e r t o f i n d o u t .
A f t e r d i s c u s s i o n , c h a i r w i t h c o n s e n t o f c o m m i t t e e a s k e d D i r e c t o r B a k e r t o m e 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 a n d P u b l i c W o r k s / P a r k s D i r e c t o r K e a t i n g t o d r a f t a p o l i c y t h a t r e f l e c t s t h e c o m m i t t e e s c o m m e n t s
a n d r e p o r t b a c k t o t h e c o m m i t t e e a t i t s n e x t m e e t i n g .
D . D o n a t i o n N e e d s C a t a l o g - G r o t e
C h a i r d e f e r r e d t h e d o n a t i o n n e e d s c a t a l o g t o t h e J u l y m e e t i n g , a f t e r p a r k s i t e s p e c i f i c s a r e a p p r o v e d .
E . R e - s c h e d u l i n g o f r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s - G r o t e .
A f t e r d i s c u s s i o n c o m m i t t e e a g r e e d o n t h e f o l l o w i n g s c h e d u l e .
M a r c h - N e w R e c r e a t i o n P r o g r a m s ( a t t a c h e d q u e s t i o n n a i r e ) - C o y l e & B a k e r
C l u b M c C a l l C a r d - M a r t e n s , C o y l e , & B a k e r
A p r i l - - - C o n c e s s i o n s i n p a r k s - K i l l e n & G r o t e
M a y - - - - F u n d r a i s i n g S u b c o m m i t t e e - G r o t e & M a r t e n s
J u n e - - - P a r k f u n d i n g t h r o u g h s p e c i a l t a x e s - C o y l e
J u l y - - - - D o n a t i o n n e e d s c a t a l o g - G r o t e
F . B i k e P a t h G r a n t
K i l l e n a n d G r o t e e x p r e s s e d c o n c e r n a n d d i s a p p o i n t m e n t t h a t t h e p a r k b o a r d h a d n o t b e e n n o t i f i e d
a b o u t t h e b i k e p a t h g r a n t b e i n g a c c e p t e d . G r o t e a s k e d B a k e r t o f i n d o u t w h y c i t y o f f i c i a l s d i d n ' t f e e l s u c h
n o t i f i c a t i o n w a s i m p o r t a n t a n d t o g e t c o p i e s o f t h e f u l l g r a n t a p p l i c a t i o n t o a l l b o a r d m e m b e r s .
V I I I . P A Y E T T E L A K E S T R A I L S Y S T E M R E P O R T
K i l l e n i n f o r m e d t h e c o m m i t t e e t h a t t h e I c e B r e a k u p c o n t e s t h a d b e e n o f f e r e d t o t h e P a y e t t e L a k e s
T r a i l S y s t e m c o m m i t t e e a n d t h e y a c c e p t e d i t a s a f u n d r a i s e r f o r o n e y e a r .
I X . O T H E R B U S I N E S S
A . P o n d e r o s a S t a t e P a r k G e n e r a l D e v e l o p m e n t P l a n .
C o y l e i n f o r m e d t h e c o m m i t t e e t h a t t h e I d a h o D e p a r t m e n t o f P a r k s a n d R e c r e a t i o n w a s l o o k i n g f o r
a s m a n y c o m m e n t s o n t h e g e n e r a l d e v e l o p m e n t p l a n a s p o s s i b l e , b e c a u s e i t w i l l g o t h e s t a t e p a r k s b o a r d i n
A p r i l . I n a d d i t i o n , C o y l e g a v e a b r o a d o v e r v i e w o f w h a t i s i n t h e g e n e r a l d e v e l o p m e n t p l a n a n d i n f o r m e d
t h e c o m m i t t e e t h a t t h e r e a r e t h r e e a r e a s o n w h i c h t h a t t h e I d a h o D e p a r t m e n t o f P a r k s a n d R e c r e a t i o n w o u l d
l i k e t o s e e t h e C i t y o f M c C a l l c o m m e n t :
1 . T h e a m o u n t a n d t y p e s o f d a y u s e s f o r L a k e v i e w V i l l a g e
2 . I n g r e s s a n d e g r e s s t o P o n d e r o s a P a r k .
3 . T h e N o r t h B e a c h p l a n .
G r o t e s a i d t h a t s h e w o u l d s o l i c i t c o m m e n t s f r o m c o m m i t t e e m e m b e r s a n d w r i t e a l e t t e r o n b e h a l f
o f t h e c o m m i t t e e t o t h e S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t o f P a r k s a n d R e c r e a t i o n .
X . N E X T M E E T I N G
M a r c h 1 5 , 1 9 9 3 - 7 : 0 0 p . m . i n t h e C o u n c i l c h a m b e r s .
VENUE ACTIVITY
LEGACY PARK SAND SCULPTURES
VOLLEYBALL
3 DAYS - 13TH, 14TH AND I5TH
MILL PARK. CONCERTS
VOLLEYBALL
4 DAYS - 12TH, 13TH, 14TH AND 15TH
BALLFIELDS SOFTBALL
3 DAYS - 13TH, 14TH AND 15TH
McCall Dept. of Parks and Recreation
Tomi Grote, chair • Members: Dennis Coyle, Kathy Killen, Dean Martens, Malcolm Scott
To: Larry Smith, mayor
Re: Ice Breakup parks fund raiser
Date: February 4, 1993
A few weeks ago, I told you about a fund raising idea for the parks I've had for the last several years.
You requested an outline.
Several years ago, The Star -News took over the promotion called Ice Breakup when the precursor to
the present KMCL closed. Because of the sparse time of year that the contest runs, it appears to reap
very little benefit for the merchants who sponsor it. Even though we manage to sell many more
sponsorships than the old radio station did, and we do turn a small profit at it, we at The Star -News
believe that Ice Breakup would soar as a betting game where it barely gets off the ground as a for -
profit promotion.
In the middle part of the century, when gambling was legal in Idaho, the McCall Chamber of Com-
merce sponsored the contest. I've heard that during those years, the contest was so successful, the
Chamber was able to give away a car as a prize —no small potatoes in the fifties. Gambling was later
outlawed, and due to lack of profitable interest, the chamber gave up the contest to the local radio
station.
Ice Breakup is a cherished and colorful community tradition that we have every reason to believe
would reignite as a non-profit fund raiser pemussable under the state's lottery laws, similar to the
calcuttas sponsored by the men's golf association and the Payette Lakes Ski Club. The business
community would be more forthcoming if the money goes to a popular cause: the city's parks, rather
than into the coffers of a business.
I see the wager period running from Christmas, when the lake is usually frozen and there are a lot of
people in town, to March loth, when the barrel would be transported by helicopter to roughly the
center of the pool at the south end of Payette Lake's big arm and dropped. The barrel would be
rigged with a radio security system of some kind that would trip an alarm at the police dispatch
office if it moves a significant distance, signalling that it's afloat or that someone is trying to tamper
with it (this security measure will be necessary if and when a lot of prize money becomes involved.
Such a trip mechanism is not difficult to do, I'm told).
This contest period encompasses our four peak winter tourist periods: the holidays, Martin Luther
King Day, Winter Carnival and Presidents' weekend. I believe merchants —especially those who are
already set up for the lottery —would be happy to sell Ice Breakup bets, and we could operate a
booth staffed by volunteers during Winter Carnival to sell wagers. If the contest receives broad
tourist participation, I envision the outcome becoming a newsworthy event in nearby media markets,
bringing the added benefit of free publicity to McCall.
Here are what I believe are the major points for you to consider:
• I suggest the city attorney scope the legal aspects of the contest. Does it fit under lottery laws, what
are the liabilities of running such a contest and if an independent contractor is considered, what kind
of language should be built in to shield the city from liabilities resulting in the unlikely events of
poor management, contest default, etc. I think Ice Breakup clearly fits into the legal description of a
game of skill because bettors use past records and current wisdom to place their wagers.
" I b e l i e v e t h a t a p r o m o t i o n o f t h i s s c o p e w i l l o n l y g e t o f f t h e g r o u n d i f t h e c i t y h i r e s a c o n t r a c t o r t o
i n s t i t u t e a n d m a n a g e i t . T h e p a r k c o m m i t t e e ' s m a s t e r p l a n h a s n o t b e e n a p p r o v e d a t t h i s w r i t i n g , b u t
t h e d r a f t d o e s c a l l f o r t h e c r e a t i o n o f a f u n d - r a i s i n g s u b c o m m i t t e e t o t h e p a r k b o a r d . T h i s s u b c o m -
m i t t e e w o u l d i n t e r v i e w c o n t r a c t a p p l i c a n t s a n d m a k e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s t o t h e p a r k b o a r d w h o w o u l d
i n t u r n r e c o m m e n d t o t h e c i t y c o u n c i l .
" I s u g g e s t t h a t t h e c o n t r a c t s p e c s g u a r a n t e e a f l a t f e e t o a d m i n i s t e r t h e c o n t e s t a n d p r o m o t e i t ( t h e
b i d d e r c a n u n d e r b i d t h a t i f h e w a n t s ) , p l u s a p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e t o t a l w a g e r w i t h t h e f l a t f e e s u b -
t r a c t e d . I n e x c h a n g e f o r b e i n g l i s t e d a s t h e c o n t e s t ' s o f f i c i a l s p o n s o r , t h e S t a r - N e w s w o u l d b e w i l l i n g
t o c o v e r a s e t a m o u n t o f t h e f l a t f e e t o r e d u c e t h e f i n a n c i a l l i a b i l i t y t o t h e c i t y .
" I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t t h e s t a t e l o t t e r y c o m m i s s i o n m i g h t b e i n t e r e s t e d i n h a n d l i n g t h e c o n t e s t , b u t I
d o n ' t t h i n k t h e m a r k e t i n g p o t e n t i a l i s b i g e n o u g h t o g e t t h e i r a t t e n t i o n . I t d o e s n ' t e v e r h u r t t o a s k ,
h o w e v e r . I f y o u w i s h , I w i l l b e h a p p y t o a p p r o a c h a f r i e n d o f m i n e o n t h e c o m m i s s i o n . I w o u l d n o t
b e w i l l i n g t o w a s t e h i s t i m e , t h o u g h , u n t i l I s e n s e y o u a n d t h e c o u n c i l h a v e a s e r i o u s i n t e r e s t i n t h i s
i d e a a n d h a v e i n v e s t e d s o m e c o n s i d e r a b l e d i s c u s s i o n a b o u t i t .
T h e r e i s n o q u e s t i o n i n m y m i n d t h a t i f I w e r e t h e c o n t r a c t o r , I c o u l d r u n t h e c o n t e s t t o m y p r o f i t a n d
t o t h e c i t y ' s . O f c o u r s e I h a v e a c o n f l i c t o f i n t e r e s t t h a t p r e v e n t s m e f r o m b i d d i n g , b u t I w a n t y o u t o
k n o w t h a t I b e l i e v e s o m u c h i n t h e p o t e n t i a l , I w o u l d b e a b i d d e r i f t h a t c o n f l i c t d i d n ' t e x i s t .
P l e a s e k i c k t h i s t h i n g a r o u n d a n d i f l e g a l c o u n s e l s e e s a v e n u e s t o g e t i t d o n e , I w o u l d b e h a p p y t o
m o l d t h i s m e r e e x p l o r a t i o n o f t h e i d e a i n t o a c o n c r e t e p r o p o s a l f o r y o u t o c o n s i d e r . M y o n l y b o t t o m
l i n e i s t h i s : i f w e c r e a t e i t a n d i t ' s a s s u c c e s s f u l a s I t h i n k i t w i l l b e , t h e p r o c e e d s h a v e t o b e d e d i c a t e d
e x c l u s i v e l y t o M c C a l l ' s p a r k s a n d r e c r e a t i o n b u d g e t . I w i l l i n s i s t o n l a n g u a g e t h a t r e s t r i c t s t h e u s e o f
t h e f u n d s t o s a t i s f y t h e p a r k b o a r d ' s w i s h l i s t f o r p a r k a m e n i t i e s a c c o r d i n g t o o u r m a s t e r p l a n , n o t f o r
t h e t a x p a y e r ' s f a i r s h a r e f o r s a l a r i e s a n d i n f r a s t r u c t u r e . A s w i t h t h e b e d - a n d - b o o z e t a x , i f w e s e l l t h i s
f u n d r a i s e r a s s o m e t h i n g t o a c c e l e r a t e p a r k d e v e l o p m e n t a n d t h e p u b l i c s e e s i t s b a s i c p a r k b u d g e t
l e a k i n g i n t o t h e g e n e r a l f u n d , t h i s p r o m o t i o n w i l l d i e j u s t l i k e b e d a n d b o o z e d i d . I a l s o t h i n k t h a t t h e
s u c c e s s o f t h e c o n t e s t d e p e n d s o n a l i s t b e i n g p r e s e n t e d t o t h e p u b l i c t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o n t e s t o f
a t t r a c t i v e a m e n i t i e s t h e m o n e y w i l l b u y . A s t h e p o t g r o w s , w e c a n r e p o r t m o r e a n d m o r e o f t h e w i s h
l i s t b e i n g s a t i s f i e d . T h a t w i l l s t i m u l a t e t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f p a r k l o v e r s w h o m i g h t n o t n o r m a l l y p l a y
t h e l o t t e r y .
I w i l l l o o k f o r w a r d t o h e a r i n g y o u r o p i n i o n o f t h i s i d e a .
R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d ,
T o . G r o t e
C h a i r
c c . C r a i g B a k e r , m e m b e r s : P a r k & R e c A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e
McCall Dept. of Parks and Recreation
li nti Grote, chair • Members: Dennis Coyle, Kathy Killen, Dean Martens, Malcolm Scott
To: Park Board
Re: Master Plan status 1/18/93
Date: January 22, 1993
I have revised the master plan according to my notes of our discussion at our January 18th meeting. I
also drafted the strategies to the last three objectives so that we can discuss them at our February
meeting. I'm hopeful that we can move to accept this document at the February meeting. That will
conclude the formation of the philosophical platform of our plan and we can move on to setting a
site specific action plan which we will then prioritize into a measurable time line. The staff can take
over the document at that point and ready a final draft for our approval at our March meeting.
Prior to sending the finished draft to the council, I would like to see us open a 30 day comment
period in which the draft is mailed to all the interested parties we can think of. At the same time I
will commit to write a Viewpoint for The Star -News that summarizes the plan and invites comment
on it. At our April meeting, we will take up the comments, notice the meeting by mail to all those
who submitted comments and make agreed upon revisions. I look for the final draft to be submitted
to the city council sometime in June.
It's an ambitious schedule, I know. But I think you all share my desire to get this philosophical road
map in place so that we can start using all this good work in our decision -making process.
Even though you already passed judgment on the bulk of it, I ask you to re -read the entire document
as if you've read it for the first time. I have not rewritten, but substantially revised and rearranged it
since our January 18th meeting. I was careful to adhere to my notes on your comments and stay
within the spirit of them, but when I completed the last three objectives and viewed the document as
a whole, there were still too many reiterations of the same thoughts and a general lack of organiza-
tion. I rearranged the objectives into the three main categories of thought that they address, which
helped me see the duplications and view each body of thought individually. I think this approach
will help you all to channel your thinking into whether or not we've adequately covered an area,
rather than whether we've fully described strategies to an objective (which most often caused the
duplication).
By the way, this heirarchy was blessed by Bud. Our guiding light is a mission statement under which
there are objectives and under those there are strategies.
Master Plan Draft as of 1/18/93
Mission Statement: The city of McCall will provide a package of park and recreation amenities
that contributes to the health and well-being of its citizens by inviting them to adopt an active
life style and at the same time attracts visitors to the city.
Objectives
CONCERNING PARK DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
I. Develop a variety of community park and recreation sites that guarantee a high quality of life
consistent with the wishes of the citizens of the City of McCall.
II. Develop, maintain, improve and expand accesses and views to guarantee public access to Payette
Lake, Payette River and natural assets within the City of McCall.
III. Encourage use of park and recreation facilities by providing a trail network which links McCall's
park and recreation facilities.
IV. Provide safe, accessible, well maintained and efficiently administered park and recreation facili-
26
BELMAN
Continued from page 22
There are noticeable improve-
ments to the lands under their
management. The Hillmans have
assisted riparian area recovery by
creating alternative water sources for
the cows at 72 springs and 18 ponds.
Woody vegetation has grown back
along streambanks. Wanting more
scientific proof of the change, they
hired a fish biologist to develop a
monitoring program, and, after
seven years of gathering data, Mike
says it is fun to see the results of
their efforts. He admits, though, that
some effects, such as sedimentation
in the streambeds, is not improving
as rapidly as they had hoped. He
partially attributes this to low water
years that have not provided the
flushing action needed to move the
sediment.
One of the biggest improve-
ments the Hillmans have witnessed
is in the overall condition of the
range. Areas that some range
conservationists thought would
never recover are now producing
desirable forage species. Mike
credits these successes to a rigid
program of resting and rotating
pastures. With this practice, pastures
are grazed in the spring one year
and in the fall the next, allowing the
grass to recover between grazing. It
means moving the cows frequently.
The Hillmans' way of life
provides many opportunties for
friendships. Last year nearly 400
hunters visited the Hillman Ranch.
Their gracious, open style makes
people feel at home, as does their
sign at the front gate that welcomes
visitors and sober hunters. After a
stop at their ranch, many people
consider them friends and look
forward to their next visit. Mike and
Peggy say they can see the change
in people after only a short stay.
Public perception of grazing
and the movement to see cattle off
the National Forest has the Hillmans
worried. They've shown it is
possible to graze cattle without long-
term harm to the rangelands and
riparian areas. Mike does not
consider their land stewardship
practices an exception among
grazing permittees. He believes the
land abusers are the exception, and
when the Forest Service tolerates
bad practices, it reflects on all
grazing permittees. The Forest
Service must have the backbone to
enforce its own rules and regulations
if they want to continue to be good
neighbors and partners with people
like the Hillmans.
pic of Hillman with dogs
�1
GIS
Continued from page 25
information currently stored in
computer data bases, especially
timber inventory data, is compatible
and can be brought directly into the
GIS. The missing link is telling the
computer the location of those acres.
Some data entry can be
accomplished using a digitizer (an
electronic sensing devise that is
passed over a map to record dis-
tances). Digitizing is painstaking
work, and its accuracy can be lost
with the slightest arm jerk. Another
method is an electronic scanner that
takes a picture of an area and
converts the picture into information
the computer can re-create. Getting
all the resource layers of informa-
tion, such as vegetation, landtypes,
roads, for an area the size and
complexity of the Payette National
Forest is not -151ban easy endeavor.
Dave Thom, who works with the
roadless area timber sale group, has
been conducting a personal cam-
paign for GIS on the Payette Forest.
Initially, he spent many of his off -
work hours researching and experi-
menting. So far, with less than ideal
conditions, Thom has demonstrated
the usefulness of GIS with the Deep/
Copper timber sale analysis and is
presently building the data base for
the French Creek/Patrick Butte
timber sales. Thom's pioneering
work has Payette employees excited
about GIS, and he's overwhelmed
with requests with other projects.
tract, which will include a GIS. The
objective is to have a network
system that will allow global access
to the resource information of all
national forests. As envisioned, the
Chiefs Office in Washington D.C.
could access resource information
down to the district -ranger level
through the linked system.
Research, evaluation, and
negotiation of such a large contract
is a slow process and is leaving
forests, like the Payette, in a difficult
position. The need for GIS is
apparent and immediate. The
Payette may find that it can't wait
and must move ahead of the na-
tional contract and with the hope
that the information they gather and
the equipment they purchase will be
compatible with the national stan-
dards and contract.
The Forest Service
dia
recognizes GIS as a ti �'�
Lg v
valuable land
management tool. '01°- �r--„` k
k, l.Pe
The agency is currently revis- �` o� dco A
ing its nationwide computer con- tc'
ties.
V. Minimize use conflicts in the city's parks.
VI. Develop a partnership with private, local, state & federal recreation providers in order to avoid
duplication of services.
CONCERNING RECREATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
VII. Promote, develop and implement year-round community recreation programs.
VIII. Sponsor and administer recreation programs that use role models to encourage responsible
behavior by youths.
CONCERNING FEES AND FUNDING
IX: Recognize that parks and recreation facilities and services are valuable to the citizens of McCall
and that profitability is only one consideration in evaluating those programs, facilities and services.
THIS IS A RESTATEMENT OF THIS OBJECTIVE TO EXPRESS THE THOUGHT, BUT NOT
SOUND SO NEGATIVE.
X. Recognize that there is a serious disparity in who pays for parks and recreation services in McCall
and who uses parks and recreation in McCall. Attempt to find a way to balance the burden. THIS IS
A NEW OBJECTIVE THAT REPRESENTS AN ISSUE I DEEPLY BELIEVE MUST BE RE-
SOLVED IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS.
CONCERNING PARK DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
OBJECTIVE 1: Develop a variety of community park and recreation sites that guarantee a
high quality of life consistent with the wishes of the citizens of the City of McCall.
Strategies
1. Provide high quality public tennis courts, playfields and trail networks.
2. Expand offerings and facilities in existing park and recreation sites. Areas that need attention
include expanded parking, equipment storage, signing, access, playground structures, indoor recre-
ation opportunities and restrooms.
3. Prioritize the future development of public park sites. Parks should serve the broadest cross-
section of citizen interests possible and serve the needs of significant segments of the population.
4. Commit to future construction that is of commercial standard. Wherever aesthetic considerations
are not an overriding factor, park designs should favor low maintenance features and vandal resistant
equipment.
5. Annually assess all current sites and determine the following:
a. project costs and personnel required to upgrade these sites to a more functional level.
Priority should be given to improving existing sites before developing new ones.
b. existing park/recreation services, facilities and operational procedures. Adjustments should
be made based on changing needs of the community.
6. Encourage the adoption of ordinances that ensure adequate parks, open spaces and bikeways be
provided in newly developed areas in the city of McCall to meet the recreational needs of increased
populations.
7. Recognize that recreational services or sites often stimulate the local economy enough to help
offset operating/administration costs.
8. Support the preservation of natural drainages, wildlife habitat and unique areas within the city
when prudent and encourage developers to preserve natural areas rather than relandscaping them,
especially in the case of side hills, property borders and irregular land parcels, which are easy to
leave natural.
OBJECTIVE II. Develop, maintain, improve and expand accesses and views to guarantee
public access to Payette Lake, Payette River and natural assets within the City of McCall.
Strategies
1. Improve existing facilities on Payette Lake to include:
a. Better access from both land and water
b. Adequate parking
ANNUAL
REPORT
�fv� f :: F.vl.��ir: i::•�.
----dike most ranching families, the
Hillmans are private, independent people.
Hillman knew he was giving up some of
his families' privacy by accepting the
Forest Service Chiefs Annual Out -Service
Award for Outstanding Achievement in
Range Management to share their suc-
cesses.
oii Hillman was raised on a ranch in San
Diego County. As a husband and father,
he found himself unable to meet his
family's needs on a ranch hand's salary
and was forced to
find another
occupation.
Family ties led him
to the oil industry,
"To the Hillman family, For
extraordinary effort and
accomplishment in
Coordinated Resource
Management, restoring
productivity to private, state, and
federal lands associated with the
Heath -Dukes C&H Allotment, Weiser
Ranger District, Payette National
Forest."
where he made a lucrative income as an
oil well servicing contractor based in
Bakersfield, California.
But his heart was still on the ranch.
Each Sunday, Mike and his oldest son
would buy a ranch out of the Los Angles
Times. Finally, in 1980 his dream
became reality, and Mike and his wife,
Peggy, moved their family to a ranch in
Idaho. There the Hillmans found
rangeland suffering from nearly a
century of overgrazing. Since that time,
many changes have occurred on the
former Boyd and Fairchild ranches, now
known as the Hillman Family Ranch.
The ranch sits about 20 miles west
of Cambridge, Idaho, on the rim of
Brownlee Reservoir on the Snake River.
The Hillmans graze 750 head of cattle on
about 9,000 acres of private land, 23,000
acres of National Forest System land,
10,000 acres of State of Idaho land, and
2,000 acres of Bureau of Land Manage-
ment land.
This checkerboard ownership is
managed under a Coordinated Resource
Management Plan with an advisory
committee of resource managers. How-
ever, as Mike says, "We manage it all as
if it was our own." In the case of the
Hillmans, that means applying a land -
management ethic that has to be ad-
mired.
You would think that working with
such a snarl of bureaucracy would be
frustrating. But, like many aspects of
Mike's life, he'd rather focus on the
benefits, which includes the wealth of
knowledge he has available to him.
Continued on page 26
c. Safety for users
d. Site amenities including restrooms, tables, benches, informational signs, landscaping.
2. Encourage the establishment of common rules with other governing agencies to foster a unified
approach to waterway development.
3. Provide Payette Lake facilities with designated areas for boaters and swimmers to better balance
use and safety.
a. Ski docks
b. Signing
c. Fishing access areas
d. Moorage/short term storage
e. Public boat launch sites
f. Buoyed swimming areas
4. Develop facilities for better use of Payette River.
a. Pathways
b. View Points
c. Fishing access areas
5. Encourage float boating access to Payette River with a put -in near the dam and take-out down
river. Include informational signing with safety recommendations.
6. Evaluate the impacts of managing Payette River flows to allow recreational floaters to use the
river for an extended season and when prudent, encourage such management.
7. Improve and protect existing park lands along Payette Lake and Payette River and acquire addi-
tional public lands on all McCall's waterways by donation, trade, purchase, property or access rights.
OBJECTIVE III. Encourage use of park and recreation facilities by providing a trail network
which links McCall's park and recreation facilities.
Strategies
1. A trail system should serve in getting from point-to-point, park -to- park, for transportation within
-- the city, and for ingress to and egress from the city. The system should be a useful link between
facilities: private, public and academic. It should link neighborhoods with the commercial core of the
city;
2. The design of the trail system should incorporate the use conflict strategies in objective IX.
3. Waterfront shoreline and views should be incorporated, wherever available, into the trail system.
4. Vest pocket parks and natural areas should be incorporated along the trail system.
5. Develop minimum standard (Class 3) bikeways to link areas wherever construction of a 10 foot
wide trail is not practical.
OBJECTIVE IV: Provide safe, accessible, well maintained and efficiently administered park
and recreation facilities.
Strategies
1. Analyze the safety and access features of current park designs and make recommendations to city
council on prudent improvements. Encourage prompt corrections to those deficiencies.
2. Comply with the provisions of the American Disabilities Act and require that the provisions of the
act be incorporated into any new park design.
3. Be reasonably assured that adequate future funding for maintenance will exist prior to expanding
park and recreation sites.
4. Require that new facilities be visually appealing, but constructed for low -maintenance and of
vandal resistant materials.
5. Require private and civic organizations to seek city government input and assistance prior to
petitioning the parks & recreation advisory committee to donate or build public recreation facilities.
6. Require that projects slated for donation:
a. Be feasible and desirable to the city.
b. Be completed in accordance with a pre -agreed time table.
c. Be constructed of commercial/industrial grade materials.
d. Be completely operable before acceptance by the city.
7. Improve the monitoring of park maintenance by annually requiring the city staff to prepare a
written evaluation of park maintenance programs. The plan should include a detail of tasks, stan-
dards, schedules and responsibilities to address deficiencies. The report will be submitted to the
committee in April of each year so that the committee can consider the information in it's budget
requests relative to park maintenance.
8. Establish a system to encourage and evaluate maintenance suggestions by city employees and
citizens.
OBJECTIVE V: Minimize use conflicts in the city's parks.
Strategies
1. Design parks that
a. segregate incompatible recreational uses.
b. are sensitive to the existing uses of adjacent land.
c. minimize conflicts in modes of transportation, such as bicycles and pedestrians
2. Where conflicting uses must occur together, minimize the impact of the conflict through educa-
tion, signing, scheduling of time and site management.
3. Establish and enforce city ordinances that control conflicting uses of recreational sites and facili-
ties.
4. Establish and manage some sites that serve a sole purpose or use, when no other solution will
work as well.
OBJECTIVE VI: Develop a partnership with private, local, state & federal recreation provid-
ers in order to avoid duplication of services.
Strategies
1. When invited, designate representatives of the park and recreation advisory committee to serve in
organizations dedicated to recreational development in the greater McCall recreation area and report
the activities of these organizations regularly to the committee.
2. Encourage any organizations involved in recreational development in the greater McCall area to
seek the input of the parks and recreation advisory committee and vice -versa.
CONCERNING RECREATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
AND MAINTENANCE
OBJECTIVE VII: Promote, develop and implement year-round community recreation pro-
grams.
Strategies
1. Develop a package of recreational programs that appeals to all age groups and levels of ability.
2. Continually stimulate interest in lifetime sports and recreational activities by appointing a sub-
committee of citizen users of the recreation programs to evaluate the recreational program package
annually and comment to the committee in June of each year on the following:
a. Elimination of or improvements to existing programs based on their popularity.
b. Evaluate the volunteer coaching program and recommend improvements.
c. Evaluate the appeal of the recreation program package relative to various age groups and
levels of ability.
d. Keep the recreation program package dynamic by analyzing changing recreational trends.
Recommend new programs that the department can afford to sponsor (by eliminating the
expense of a less popular program, by attracting new fees, etc.).
OBJECTIVE V 1: Sponsor and administer recreation programs that use role models to
encourage responsible behavior by youths.
Strategies
1. Encourage funding to attract educated and experienced leaders.
2. Comply with the drug -free workplace act.
3. Support facilities and programs that offer youth controlled opportunities to gather and participate
in programs that are healthful and encourage social, mental and skill development.
CONCERNING FEES AND FUNDING
OBJECTIVE IX: Recognize that parks and recreation programs, facilities and services are
valuable to the citzens of McCall and that profitability is only one consideration in evaluating
those programs, facilities and services.
Strategies
1. Fees charged for special services, supervision, set-up or privileges should be determined in con-
sideration of the following:
a. market value of service or privilege
b. restrictions such requests place on the public's use of park facilities
c. nature of the use: profit, non-profit, personal, etc.
d. value of the use to the quality of life of the citizens of McCall
2. Fees for youth programs or educational sessions should be kept to a reasonable minimum.
OBJECTIVE X: Recognize that there is a serious disparity in who pays for parks and recre-
ation services in McCall and who uses parks and recreation services in McCall. Attempt to
find a way to balance the burden.
Strategies:
1. Create a subcommittee chaired by a member of the park board to recommend alternative funding
sources: concessions, grants, gifts, special elections, fund raising efforts, etc. This committee would
also explore special taxing districts, annexation of properties to city limits, etc. to spread the funding
burden of basic park infrastructure expenses over more of the population of the park system's users.
2. Establish a fee structure throughout the park and recreation system that eases this imbalance by
offering discounts to city residents and to other significant contributors, etc. as approved by the
advisory committee.
3. Examine land dedication ordinances or other techniques for site acquisition and development.
McCall Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee
DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 1993
TOPIC: EXPANDED RECREATION PROGRAMMING
RE: BOARD MEMBERS; RESPONSE REQUESTED FOR
DISCUSSION AT MARCH MEETING.
PURPOSE:
ANALYSIS OF CURRENT PROGRAMMING
EXPLORE WAYS OF SUPPORTING PROGRAMMING
ESTABLISH TARGET GROUP
IDENTIFY PROVIDERS
IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVES
(a) . ANALYSIS OF CURRENT PROGRAMMING
1. Are current programs run efficiently/cost effective?
2. Are tax dollars getting the biggest bang for the buck?
3. Are current programs market driven?
4. Is there any duplication of programs`'
5. Is there broad based support in the community?
6. Should programming be increased ?
7. Are current fees limiting participation by children of low
income?
(b) . WAYS OF SUPPORTING EXPANSION
1. Out of City impact fee.
2. User fee
3. Partnership with other govt. entities, corporation school and
business.
4. General fund / Tax supported.
(c). PROGRAM COMPARISON WITH CITIES OF SIMILAR SIZE.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is current program cost effective? Need a breakdown of dollars actually
spent and numbers of participants.
2. Is money currently being spent used efficiently?
3. What is the decision making process for deciding new programs or for
keeping programs?
4. Is there a duplication of programs?
5. What is the level of current community support?
6. Public should be surveyed on what types of programs would be supported.
7. Has a "Free University" been tried in the past? We need to look at more
adult programming.
8. Philosophically, what does the board and city want to see as a emphasis.
Should a percent of the budget be dedicated to particular target groups?
SUGGESTIONS:
1. ESTABLISH A OUT OF CITY IMPACT/USER FEE.
2. RAISE FEES, CREATE A SLIDING SCALE FOR FEE ASSESSMENT.
3. ACTIVELY SEEK PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER GOVT. ENTITIES,
LOCAL BUSINESS AND CIVIC GROUPS.
4.
5