Agendas and Minutes

Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission (View All)

Regular Meeting

Agenda
Monday, October 25, 2004

City of Ashland

City of Ashland

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

 

REGULAR MEETING

MINUTES

 

 

ATTENDANCE

Present:    Commissioners Amarotico, Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis, and Rosenthal; Director Robertson; Superintendent Gies; Superintendent Teige; City Council Liaison Hartzell

Absent:     None

CALL TO ORDER         

Chair Gardiner called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM at Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Regular Meeting – September 27, 2004 Under Approval of Minutes [for the August 23 meeting], regarding the New Business item “Request from Ashland Pop Warner Football,” Vice Chair Eggers asked that the sentence be changed to read that “the Commission would discuss the matter and consider all such requests during the budget process.” Under Unfinished Business item “Baseball Field Lights,” in the paragraph entitled “Additional Discussion Among Commissioners,” Vice Chair Eggers asked that the statement “signing to direct people to the existing parking lot” be added to the sentence referring to ways in which parking problems could be ameliorated at the North Mountain Park sports fields.

MOTION Vice Chair Eggers moved to approve the minutes as amended. Commissioner Rosenthal seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

Special Meeting – October 18, 2004

MOTION Commissioner Rosenthal moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Amarotico seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

Study Session – October 18, 2004  Vice Chair Eggers asked that the paragraph referring to Public Meetings / Records / Ethics be changed to read that “City Recorder Barbara Christiansen and Assistant City Attorney Mike Reeder made a presentation to staff and the commission about ‘legal requirements for noticing and conducting meetings and for recording minutes.’

MOTION Commissioner Rosenthal moved to approve the minutes as amended. Commissioner Lewis seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Open Forum

Paul Kay, 1234 Strawberry Lane, thanked the commission for allowing him to work on improving the water quality in Lithia Park’s lower duck pond for the past three years, stating that he learned a great deal while working on the project. He reported on what was found in the pond during the clean-up process. The commission thanked him for his efforts, and especially for the volunteer time he spent after the official contract ended.

 

ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA - None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

BASEBALL FIELD LIGHTS

Director Robertson referenced the packet memo outlining a proposed three-step process to evaluate the effects of sports field lighting on the natural area at North Mountain Park, assuring the commission that it would be completed by January 1, 2005.

Public Comment

Don Senestraro, 2017 Wine Street, expressed confusion about why field light studies [to determine the effects of ball field lights on the natural areas] were not conducted prior to installing lights at the North Mountain Park soccer field and stated that he did not understand why the approved policy from the year 2000 [regarding lighting additional fields at North Mountain Park] was not being upheld by the commission.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners clarified that funds for lighting an additional field were not incorporated into the 2003-2004 budget and that, receiving the request as they did [i.e., out of the normal budget cycle] prevented them from seriously considering the request until the next fiscal year. The commission assured Mr. Senestraro that the matter [of lighting an additional field at North Mountain Park] would come under review during the 2005 budget process and invited him to attend the upcoming budget meetings.

NEW BUSINESS

GOAL SETTING AND EVALUATION PROCESS

Director Robertson referenced the memo outlining his proposed goal setting and budget preparation process, including one-on-one commissioner/staff meetings in November to gather input and propose new goals for the coming fiscal year; a draft goals document to be presented, discussed, and refined during the December study session; and promotion for a public hearing of goals, with goals adoption scheduled for the January regular meeting.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners expressed their desire to solicit and promote public input early in the goal setting process. Staff responded that they would work with the commission to create a public service announcement inviting the public to attend a special goal setting study session in December.

SUB-COMMITTEE and STAFF REPORTS

Trail Master Plan Committee Report

Commissioner Lewis reported on the October 11 public meeting of the Tolman, Clay, and Hamilton Creek Trail corridors, at which approximately 40 people attended. A follow-up meeting was held on October 14. The public meeting to discuss the Roca and Ashland Creek Trail corridors will be held on Monday, December 6, at The Grove, 1195 East Main Street, at 6:30 PM. Preparatory to that meeting, a preliminary tour of the Roca Creek area was conducted and several Trails Committee members attended.

Commissioners asked to be notified directly about future public meetings.

Quarterly Project Update

Superintendent Gies referenced the memo outlining the status of current departmental projects. With regard to the Bike Park project, a commissioner requested information on the impact the park would have on neighbors. In terms of the Greenway Park node project, a commissioner indicated that a citizen reported that the sign instructing owners to keep dogs on short leashes [i.e., six feet or less] was no longer in place. The citizen asked that the sign be reinstalled.

ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS

·        Commissioner Rosenthal referenced the packet letter from Mr. Tom Foster summarizing the results from the May through September guided Lithia Park tours. He suggested writing a note to Mr. Foster and his crew of volunteer Lithia Park tour guides thanking them for their contribution of time and effort. Staff agreed to draft a letter for Chair Gardiner’s signature.

·        Chair Gardiner referred to an email written by Mr. Dan Thorndike concerning inadequate signage on the Greenway Bike Path [instructing users about bike path etiquette]. Staff assured him that the Greenway Committee is in the process of standardizing signage throughout the Greenway.

·        Commissioners welcomed the Parks Department’s new Recreation Superintendent, Rachel Teige.

·        Vice Chair Eggers asked staff to review the topic of dogs in City parks [and other natural areas within City limits] in the near future. Staff assured her that the matter would be brought forward for review in an upcoming study session.

UPCOMING MEETING DATE(S) and PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS

·        Tour of Meadowbrook Park II Development set for November 3 at 4:00 PM -- to meet at the North Mountain Park Nature Center parking lot. Staff agreed to invite the Bear Creek Watershed Council to attend the tour.

·        Joint study session with the Ashland School Board set for November 15 at 7:00 PM – Parks office, 340 S. Pioneer. Topic will be the future of the Briscoe and Lincoln School playgrounds.

·        Trail Master Plan Committee regular meeting set for November 18 at 1:00 PM – Parks Office, 340 S. Pioneer. Topic will be the December 6 public meeting regarding the Roca and Ashland Creek Trail corridors.

·        Regular meeting set for November 22 at 7:00 PM, Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main. Topic to include:

·        Dogs in Ashland’s parks and other natural areas within the City limits.

ADJOURNMENT – By consensus, with no further business, Chair Gardiner adjourned the meeting at 8:15 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard, Ashland Parks and Recreation

Online City Services

UTILITIES-Connect/Disconnect,
Pay your bill & more 
Connect to
Ashland Fiber Network
Request Conservation
Evaluation
Proposals, Bids
& Notifications
Request Building
Inspection
Building Permit
Applications
Apply for Other
Permits & Licenses
Register for
Recreation Programs

©2024 City of Ashland, OR | Site Handcrafted in Ashland, Oregon by Project A

Quicklinks

Connect

Share

twitter facebook Email Share
back to top