City of Ashland

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING

MINUTES

February 23, 2009

ATTENDANCE

Present:    Commissioners Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis, Noraas, Rosenthal; City Council Liaison Silbiger; Director Robertson; Superintendents Dials and Gies

Absent:     None

CALL TO ORDER         

Gardiner called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. at Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Study Session – January 12, 2009

Under “Review of Fees and Charges for Facility and Field Usage,” Noraas asked that Teige’s comment about refunding “the deposit” be clarified to indicate that “Teige said the $300 credit card deposit would be refunded if the facility was left in good condition.”

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

Regular Meeting – January 26, 2009

Under “New Business,” AFSO Race Request, Eggers suggested that the last sentence under Discussion Among Commissioners be clarified to indicate that Noraas agreed that the race [needed to] be relocated [in future years] to an area more centrally located within the Rogue Valley.

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Open Forum

Julie Norman, 596 Helman, said she recently attended a meeting with city staff in which the draft Water Resource Protection Zones Ordinance was discussed. She asked commissioners to make themselves aware of the draft ordinance posted on the city Web site.

Angie Thusius, 897 Beach, speaking on behalf of “Grandmothers and Friends in Green,” referenced an article about the use of herbicides in which the EPA reevaluated the list of herbicides it previously deemed safe. She said a 2008 study found that pesticides and herbicides increased the risks for cancer in both humans and animals. She asked for a reduction in the use of chemicals in public places and said many northwestern cities had reduced or transitioned away from their use.

Tom Marr, 955 N. Mountain, asked for a ban on pesticide use on city and city-maintained property. He spoke of the history of pesticide / herbicide use and said they were killers. He said the city could serve as a role model to the community by not using chemicals. He said hand weeding was more thorough than herbicide weeding and he asked for a cost analysis of the two methods. He said the TID experienced a large fish kill years ago and now led the way in non-chemical control of vegetation management.

ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA

Robertson asked for an opportunity to discuss dates for a joint City Council / Parks Commission study session to review taxes and a potential local options levy. Commissioners agreed to consider it during “Upcoming Meetings.”

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

LIONS CLUB REQUEST TO SELL CONCESSIONS AT CITY BAND CONCERTS

Robertson said the Lions Club requested permission to sell concessions at City Band concerts and at a middle school band concert, all scheduled to be held at the Lithia Park bandshell from late spring through summer 2009. He welcomed Mark Haneberg and invited him to speak to the commission.

Mark Haneberg of the Ashland Lions Club said a pilot project was conducted in summer 2008 in which concessions were sold at three City Band concerts to fundraise for the band’s trip to Mexico. He said the club hoped to sell concessions at all nine City Band concerts in summer 2009. He said they also wished to host an ice cream social at the Ashland Middle School band concert scheduled on May 21 at the bandshell. He said the money raised from all concession sales would be directed toward financially supporting both the middle school and high school bands, in light of their recent funding shortfalls.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners voiced general support for the sale of concessions at City Band concerts and asked that the two requests be considered separately. Commissioners spoke of the value of music in schools but several expressed that funds raised from concession sales at the bandshell, a city facility, would be more appropriately directed toward a municipal entity like the City Band. They voiced appreciation for Haneberg’s willingness to work with the commission on a year-to-year basis about Lions Club fundraising efforts.

MOTION Gardiner moved to approve the selling of concessions by the Ashland Lions Club at nine City Band concerts at the Lithia Park bandshell in summer 2009 as proposed. Eggers seconded the motion.

                                         The vote was:   Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis – yes

                                                                 Noraas, Rosenthal – no

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners asked the Lions Club to present a financial report about 2009 concessions sales in 2010. Commissioners considered the club’s second request, to operate an ice cream social at the May 21 middle school concert, and questioned Haneberg about the location of the concession cart and other details. They tabled the request, inviting Haneberg to attend a future study session to consider the matter in further detail.

FEES AND CHARGES RECOMMENDATIONS

Dials said all fees and charges for programs and facilities were reviewed with the commission and the public over the past four months. She said staff prepared a list of recommendations based on commission feedback and the commission could approve the increases, not approve the increases, or suggest new increases. She said the increases could be made effective with the start of the upcoming season or at the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2009. Proposed increases included:

§         Daniel Meyer Pool – increase fees by 30%

§         Facilities and ballfield rentals – Increase to 100% recovery for weddings in Lithia Park and for ballfield and lighting rentals; increase to 75% recovery for facility rentals; increase long-term facility rental user rate from $12 per hour to $15 per hour; increase non-refundable alcohol deposit from $120 to $150

§         Calle Guanajuato seating and artisan market charges – Increase square footage fee from $3.30 to $3.60 (a 9% increase)

§         Oak Knoll Golf Course – no increases recommended

§         Ashland Senior Program – no increases recommended

§         Youth sports tournaments – no recommendations

§         Adult and Youth Recreation Programs – Move to a 70 % / 30% split between instructors and department (from 75 % / 25%)

§         New fees and internal policies:

o       Garden Way Park Picnic Shelter – make a reservable facility with same rate as reservable picnic area in Lithia Park

o       Fees for Special Events (not including school district events) – Charge $220 (same as bandshell rental)

o       Oak Knoll Club House – make a reservable facility and charge same rates as Pioneer Hall or Community Center, with additional $20 per hour charge for event staffing

o       School District Events – create separate agreement with school district for cross country meets and other special events

o       Credit Card Only Deposits – for all facility rentals (refunded if facility left in good condition)

Tom DuBois, 1056 Beswick Way, owner of Grilla Bites Restaurant, asked for a breakdown of the Calle square footage fee and questioned the restroom charges, stating that his patrons used his facility’s restroom. He also questioned the trash removal, labor, and recycling charges, as he funded his own garbage removal and handled his own recycling.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners discussed the proposed fees and charges and agreed to staff’s recommendations, with the exception of special event fees and youth tournament fees, both tabled until November 2009. Robertson said any fee changes associated with city-owned facilities would require approval by City Council.

MOTION: Rosenthal moved to approve the fees and charges recommendations as amended. Noraas seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

NEW BUSINESS

HISTORIC FOUNTAIN REMOVAL DISCUSSION

Robertson said the Signs and Plaques Subcommittee notified the commission about a private donor’s offer to place a frost-free drinking fountain in the same location as the existing non-functioning memorial fountain at the entrance to Lithia Park. He said the commission asked him to research the historic significance of the existing fountain so he contacted State Parks and was told the fountain removal was acceptable but to confer with the Ashland Historic Commission. The Ashland Historic Commission recommended capping the existing fountain (retaining it as an historic monument) and placing a working fountain in the vicinity. He said they also expressed that the standard frost-free fountain chosen by Parks was out of character with the historic nature of Lithia Park.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners asked whether the standard frost-free fountains in Lithia Park were available in colors other than green and talked about establishing a memorials area within the park, such as a “wall of giving,” into which the fountain’s plaque could be placed. Some commissioners expressed support for capping the existing fountain and placing a new fountain in the vicinity while others supported the removal of the existing fountain and the placement of a working, ADA-accessible, frost-free fountain in that location.

MOTION Lewis moved to retain the historic fountain at the entrance to Lithia Park, cap it, and place an ADA-accessible fountain in the vicinity. Noraas seconded the motion.

                                         The vote was:   Lewis, Noraas, Rosenthal – yes

                                                                 Eggers, Gardiner – no

SUB-COMMITTEE and STAFF REPORTS

2008-2009 Goals Update

Robertson reviewed progress made to date on 2008-2009 commission goals

ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS

None

UPCOMING MEETING DATES

Robertson said a joint Parks Commission / City Council meeting was to be held in early March to discuss the property tax rate, a potential renewal of the Food and Beverage Tax, and a potential local options levy. Dates for consideration included March 4, March 11, or March 12, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Commissioners chose March 12.

• Joint Parks / City Council meeting set for March 12 at 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street
• Study session set for March 16 at 7:00 p.m., Parks Office, 340 S. Pioneer Street
• Regular meeting set for March 23 at 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street

ADJOURNMENT– By consensus, Gardiner adjourned the meeting at 9:13 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard, Ashland Parks and Recreation Department