City of Ashland

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING

MINUTES

January 22, 2007

ATTENDANCE

Present:    Commissioners Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis, Noraas, Rosenthal; Director Robertson; Superintendents Gies and Teige

Absent:     Interim City Council Liaison Navickas

CALL TO ORDER         

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

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Study Session – December 14, 2006

In the section entitled Lithia Park Fees Review, under “Public Input,” Eggers asked that the sentence referring to the bandshell serving as a megaphone be clarified to read, “…the bandshell is located in a canyon, which serves as a megaphone.”

In the same section under “Discussion Among Commissioners,” Eggers asked that the sentence referring to amplified music at ballet rehearsals be changed to more accurately reflect that “’Eggers asked that the ballet rehearsals not include music amplified beyond the immediate stage area.”

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

Regular Meeting – December 18, 2006

MOTION Gardiner moved to approve the minutes as written. Eggers seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Open Forum

Ed Laskos, 1420 Fielder Street, speaking as President of STAY (Supporters of Tennis for Ashland Youth), reported that the owners of the Ashland Racquet Club intended to sell their business in the near future and the club’s 659 members—as well as tennis teams at Ashland High School, Southern Oregon University, and elsewhere within the community—would lose their covered playing area. He asked the commission to consider creative alternatives, such as placing a bubble over the Hunter Park courts, in the event that the club members could not raise sufficient funds for its purchase.

Jack Opgenorth, 575 Elizabeth Street, speaking on behalf of the Rogue Valley Waterpolo Club, stated that the Southern Oregon University pool is in danger of closing due to funding shortfalls for maintenance and operational expenses. He discussed the shortage of public, year-round swimming facilities in the Rogue Valley and asked the commission to consider ways in which to allow citizens to swim year-round, such as placing an enclosure over the Daniel Meyer Pool.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Rosenthal expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve as chair in 2006 and thanked the commission and staff for their support. He read aloud the duties of both chair and vice chair and called for a nomination for chair for 2007.

MOTION Lewis moved to nominate Eggers as chair for 2007. Noraas seconded the motion.

MOTION Gardiner moved to nominate Lewis as chair for 2007. Rosenthal seconded the motion.

           The vote for the first motion was:   Eggers, Lewis, Noraas– yes

                                                              Gardiner and Rosenthal – no

Rosenthal ceded the role of chair to Eggers.

Eggers called for a nomination for vice chair for 2007.

MOTION Noraas moved to nominate Lewis as vice chair for 2007. Gardiner seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA

None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

SCHOOL MAINTENANCE IGA

Robertson referenced the draft intergovernmental agreement contained within the commission packets and summarized its contents, stating that the IGA would authorize Parks to resume maintenance of Ashland’s school grounds and provide a framework for the working relationship between Parks and the School District. He stated that this agreement, if approved by both entities, would be contingent upon a secondary Youth Activities Levy agreement, since the first 18 months of funding for the IGA would be represented by a shift in funding from the former YAL to the Parks Department.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the draft agreement and suggested minor wording changes and corrections.

Motion Rosenthal moved to approve the draft IGA as modified, contingent upon passage of the secondary agreement of the YAL. Noraas seconded the motion.

     The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

NEW BUSINESS

FACILITIES FEES AND CHARGES

Teige provided background on the topic, stating that the commission first requested a review of fees and charges in fiscal year 2005-2006 and that three consecutive study sessions were conducted from November of 2006 through January of 2007. She reminded the commission that fees, charges, and rental and usage policies related to Pioneer Hall, Ashland Community Center, The Grove, Hunter Park Senior Center, North Mountain Park athletic fields, Lithia Park picnic areas, Butler Bandshell, and security deposits had not been reviewed or raised in 8-10 years, and she presented recommended fees and policy changes, to potentially take effect in fiscal year 2007-2008.

Public Input

Brent Thompson, P.O. Box 201 in Ashland, wrote a letter to the commission, which Robertson read into the record, asking that reduced fees be retained for the Ashland International Folk Dancers, a 33-year renter of the Ashland Community Center.

Jan Waitt, 147 Manzanita Street, speaking on behalf of the folk dancers, stated that the group had been reliable and conscientious renters of the Ashland Community Center for 33 years and the venue had been ideal for them in terms of size, location, acoustics, and floor surface. Waitt requested continued use of the facility at current rates.

Art Clemons, 175 California Street, stated that the folk dancers hoped to retain continuity of location for the benefit of their dancers, many of whom were drop-ins, and reminded the commission that the Ashland City Council established that the group could be bumped to another facility only six times per year or a maximum of one time per month. If the commission chose to permanently relocate them to The Grove, he asked their permission to place a permanent sign outside the facility.

Matt Ross, 207-1/2 Pine Street in Phoenix, indicated that the folk dancers had not reached consensus about whether The Grove would work for their needs and stated that the organization drew dancers from throughout northern California and southern Oregon. He expressed that the acoustics of The Grove would not be suitable for their aging folk music recordings, which had not been re-mastered and could be difficult to hear, and asked that the folk dancing group be allowed to continue using the Ashland Community Center for their multi-cultural activity.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners asked a number of questions relative to the proposed fee and policy changes, for which Teige provided answers. The commission agreed to conduct an annual review of fees and charges in November of each year.

Motion Rosenthal moved to approve the recommendations provided by staff and agreed to allow staff to meet with facility users and make appropriate determinations about facility usage. Lewis seconded the motion.

     The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

SUBCOMMITTEE and STAFF REPORTS

Signs and Plaques Subcommittee Appointment

Robertson reminded the commission that both Eggers and D. Amarotico served on the subcommittee until the conclusion of 2006 and that D. Amarotico’s commission term, which ended at the conclusion of 2006, left a vacancy on the subcommittee.

Gardiner requested an opportunity to serve on the subcommittee and was appointed by Eggers, who volunteered to continue serving.

Lincoln Statue Update

Robertson reported that the new heads for the Lincoln statue were complete, had been shipped from Asia, and were currently in customs in Los Angeles. He indicated that they would be shipped to the donors in the near future and then forwarded to Parks staff for placement upon the statue. Eggers clarified that one head would be placed upon the statue and the other placed into storage for future use.

ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS

Rosenthal reported reading an Ashland Daily Tidings article that quoted an Ashland School Board member as stating that the Parks Department uses more pesticides that the School District. He asked staff to respond, as he believed it to be an incorrect statement. Gies responded, indicating that he also believed it to be incorrect and reporting that the application of pesticides is the most critical issue related to their usage. Eggers requested that Donn Todt, staff horticulturist, make a presentation to the commission in the near future regarding the department’s policies and practices relative to pesticide use and application.

UPCOMING MEETING DATE(S) and PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS

§         Study session set for February 8 at 7:00 PM—Parks office, 340 S. Pioneer. Topics to include:

§         Budget Discussion

§         Nature Center Staffing Review

§         Joint study session set for February 15 at 7:00 PM—Parks office, 340 S. Pioneer (tentative).

§         Regular meeting set for February 26 at 7:00 PM—Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main.

ADJOURNMENT – By consensus, with no further business, Eggers adjourned the meeting at 9:20 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard, Ashland Parks & Recreation Department