Agendas and Minutes

Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission (View All)

Parks Commission Regular Meeting Minutes

Agenda
Monday, July 27, 2009

City of Ashland

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

 

REGULAR MEETING

MINUTES

 

July 27, 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 7:05 p.m. at Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Study Session – June 15, 2009

Under “Other Business,” Eggers said Noraas was not a “liaison” to the Forest Lands Commission but a regular voting member.

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

Regular Meeting – June 22, 2009

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Open Forum

Terrence Stenson, 172 Alida Street, spoke with concern about properly restoring the Ashland Creek / Bear Creek Watershed and asked the commission to keep logs out of the stream.

Hal Cloer, 815 Creek Stone Way, distributed a memo to the commission and read it aloud. He talked about the reduction in value of his property, located at 10 Guanajuato Way, resulting from the recent addition of dining chairs placed outside his tenant’s business entrance and said the store would be more visible to passersby if the chairs were removed.

ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA

None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

ROTARY CLUB RUN REQUEST

Dials said the Rotary Club requested the use of portions of Lithia Park for their charity 5K and 10K walk / run on Saturday, October 3, from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. She said they hoped to use a portion of the Ashland Creek trail but suggested an alternate route along the old Pioneer Street trail, Granite Street, and Winburn Way. She said they also requested amplification. She welcomed Rob Skinner of Rotary and invited him to speak to the commission.

Event organizer Rob Skinner said the Rotary Club hoped to draw 150-200 runners and that event proceeds—matched by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation—would be used for polio eradication. He described the race route and reviewed the amplification request, stating that it would be needed from approximately 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. He said club members would be on hand to monitor runners and ensure that they stayed on course.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners spoke of relocating the amplification to the bandshell area and limiting the period of amplification to the 1.5 hours stipulated by Parks policy. They asked that organizers direct runners to the suggested alternate route, rather than the creek trail, to avoid disturbing other park patrons.

MOTION Eggers moved to approve the Rotary Club special event request, with the stipulation that the run start and finish at the bandshell in Lithia Park, with Winburn Way used instead of the trail along Ashland Creek. Noraas seconded the motion.

5 yes – 0 no

LITHIA PARK ENTRANCE SIGN

Gies reported that previous commission feedback regarding the Lithia Park entrance sign was forwarded to graphic artist Karin Onkka and another draft was prepared for the commission’s consideration.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners reviewed and discussed the revised version of the park entrance sign and requested additional changes. They asked Onkka to make the creek a lighter blue; to remove the “Emerald Jewel” reference, replace it with “Ashland’s Natural Treasure,” and use a less “scripty” font for that subheading; and to remove the park patron’s quote. They asked that the discussion be directed back to the subcommittee level, with subcommittee members’ suggestions forwarded to the commission in the near future.

NEW BUSINESS

COUNCIL LIAISON PRESENTATION ON VALUES, VISION, AND GOALS

Robertson said council developed a presentation to share with all the commissions, advisory boards, and social service organizations in Ashland as well as its citizens. He said their intent was to share with the community its council’s concepts on values, vision, and goals. He welcomed Council Liaison Silbiger.

Council Liaison Silbiger reviewed the presentation with the commission, stating that council worked on developing one- and two-year goals with a focus on sustainability in six principle areas. He said the commission and citizens were invited to provide feedback—online or via City Hall—by September 20.

Commissioners agreed to provide feedback individually rather than as a commission.

UPPER DUCK POND DISCUSSION

Gies reported on a recent outbreak of duck weed in the upper duck pond that covered the surface of the water. He said duck weed is a native plant that can be transported by waterfowl from pond to pond and is the smallest flowering plant. He said the reduced duck population could have contributed to the problem, as ducks normally eat duck weed. He suggested using mechanical controls rather than chemicals to eliminate the problem. Mechanical controls suggested included an aerator, which would provide some open water and replenish the oxygen depleted by duck weed.

Gies said the irrigation pump station building at the pond was completed and electricity was running to the site. He said the main line for TID water was in place and the special fitting for the pump and filters for the connection had been built. He said a few items remained for completion and staff hoped to test the new pumps in late August and conclude the season using TID water.

SUB-COMMITTEE and STAFF REPORTS

Robertson said his vacation was scheduled from Thursday, July 30, to Friday, August 21. He said Gies would serve as interim director in his absence.

ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS

Commissioners discussed whether to place Stenson’s item on a future agenda. Robertson reported meeting with Stenson in the recent past and notifying him that he was not allowed to enter the creek—other than at the two authorized entrance points of the reservoir and the children’s wading area—or to build small dams. He said Stenson undertook the project based on his own science and did not need the commission’s endorsement. He said Stenson asked that the commission read through the packet of information he distributed at the meeting.

UPCOMING MEETING DATES and PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS

  • Study session set for August 17 at 7:00 p.m., Parks office, 340 S. Pioneer Street.
  • Regular meeting set for August 24 at 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street.

ADJOURNMENT– By consensus, with no further business, Gardiner adjourned the meeting at 8:27 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard, Ashland Parks and Recreation Department

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