City of Ashland

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING

MINUTES

April 27, 2009

ATTENDANCE

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

Absent:     City Council Liaison Silbiger

CALL TO ORDER         

Gardiner called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. at the Parks office, 340 S. Pioneer Street.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Joint Study Session – March 12, 2009

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

Study Session – March 16, 2009

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

Budget Session – March 18, 2009

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

The vote was: 4 yes – 0 no (Noraas abstained)

Regular Meeting – March 23, 2009

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

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Open Forum

None

ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA

None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

FY 2009-2010 COMMISSION GOALS

Robertson said goals were adopted each year during the budget planning process. He read through the list of proposed goals and requested feedback. Goals included:

§         Financial and business plan

§         Renew Food and Beverage Tax

§         Non-native vegetation control plan

§         Upper and lower Clay Street properties

§         Oak Knoll Golf Course

§         Nature Center

§         Community Communication

§         Environmental evaluations and audits

Discussion Among Commissioners

Eggers read a brief statement outlining an additional goal relating to the current and future care and preservation of Lithia Park and the portion of Ashland Creek within its boundaries. She suggested updating the park master plan based on the commission’s current understanding of nature and community.

Other commissioners said it was late in the process to add a goal and a master plan would require a great deal of staff time to implement. Robertson said elements beyond flora and fauna, such as history, would need to be considered during a master planning process and it would be a multi-year project. He said master plans are expensive and time-consuming.

Commissioners discussed taking preliminary steps toward the creation of a Lithia Park master plan during one or more study sessions in the new fiscal year. They agreed to remove dollar figures associated with all FY 2009-2010 goals and directed staff to target funds as needed for designated projects.

Gardiner said he wasn’t comfortable approving a goals list that included the last-minute goal from Eggers and said he thought many of the issues outlined in her statement were already being handled.

MOTION Lewis moved to approve the proposed FY 2009-2010 goals, including the Lithia Park goal, amending the wording to indicate the commission’s interest in taking appropriate initial steps. Noraas seconded the motion.

Amendment Lewis moved to amend the motion, removing all dollar figures from the list of proposed goals.

                                         The vote was:   Eggers, Lewis, Noraas, Rosenthal – yes

                                                                 Gardiner – no

NEW BUSINESS

SIGN REQUEST FOR NORTH MOUNTAIN PARK

Robertson said a sign was requested for the North Mountain Park baseball field honoring Ashland High School’s 2008 state baseball championship victory. He introduced requestor Lewis Sebrell and invited him to speak to the commission.

Lewis Sebrell, AHS senior and baseball team member, requested the placement of a plaque, formed in the shape of the State of Oregon, onto the wall of the baseball concession/restroom building at North Mountain Park. He said he chose the topic as his senior project to honor and acknowledge the baseball athletes, coaches, parents, and fans. He said he reviewed the commission’s policy for signs, plaques, and memorials and found sections that were relevant to his proposal.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners confirmed that Sebrell first approached the Signs, Plaques, and Memorials Subcommittee with his request and the subcommittee agreed it met their criteria and decided to forward it to the full commission. They thanked Sebrell for providing a full-scale mockup of the plaque and expressed support for the project.

MOTION Rosenthal moved to approve the installation of the plaque as designated. Lewis seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

PUBLIC ART COMMISSION SELECTIONS FOR CALLE STAIRWAY

Melissa Markell and Dana Bussell of the Public Art Commission presented the recommendations of the selection panel for the Calle Guanajuato Staircase. They said two pedestals adjacent to the staircase leading from Ashland Creek to Granite Street were placed in those locations for the purpose of displaying public art and the Public Art Commission invited qualified professional artists to submit three-dimensional works for consideration as public art for two years in those locations. They said an independent panel of ten—consisting of neighbors, city officials [including Commissioner Lewis], and non-submitting artists—reviewed the four submissions and selected two winners. They said the selected pieces, both by Ashland artists, were scheduled for installation in May pending final approval by the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission. They said the sculptures were available to be sold but would be retained on display if sold during the two-year period. They requested approval from the commission for the two sculptures chosen by the selection panel.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners spoke favorably of the two selected sculptures: “Gift” by Wataru Sugiyama and “Inorganic Compound No. 1” by Kevin Christman. They questioned how the art would be protected from vandalism while on display and were told that it was insured through funding provided by the Arnie Kriegel Foundation.

MOTION Lewis moved to approve the adoption of the designated art pieces. Noraas seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

ASHLAND SCHOOLS FOUNDATION RUN REQUESTS IN LITHIA PARK

Robertson said the Ashland Schools Foundation, in partnership with the Kiwanis Club, requested the commission’s approval to conduct fundraising runs in a portion of Lithia Park on Halloween. He welcomed the spokesperson and invited her to speak to the commission

Jeanne Walcher, representing the Ashland Schools Foundation and the Kiwanis Club of Ashland, said the 5-K and 1-mile fun runs would be routed, if approved, through Lithia Park on Halloween: Saturday, October 31, 2009. She spoke of the race routes and said the runners could remain on Winburn Way, if the commission chose those routes, rather than running through a section of the trail. She said the runners (mainly children in Halloween costumes) would receive ribbons at the conclusion of the event, with all profits directed to the Ashland Schools Foundation.

Discussion Among Commissioners

Commissioners expressed support for the fundraising runs along Winburn Way through Lithia Park.

MOTION Lewis moved to approve the run requests in Lithia Park on Halloween. Eggers seconded the motion.

The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no

SUB-COMMITTEE and STAFF REPORTS

Report on Presentation to Budget Committee

Robertson said Gardiner presented the proposed FY 2009-2010 Parks budget to the Citizens’ Budget Committee on Thursday, April 23. He said the committee heard about the elimination of four positions from the Parks Department over the past year and that Gardiner and staff answered questions about the recovery of fees and charges, among others. He said positive feedback was heard following the relatively brief presentation.

ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS

None

UPCOMING MEETING DATES

• Study session set for May 13 at 7:30 p.m., Parks Office, 340 S. Pioneer Street
• Regular meeting set for May 18 at 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main Street

ADJOURNMENT– By consensus, with no further business, Gardiner adjourned the meeting at 8:34 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard, Ashland Parks and Recreation Department