City of Ashland

PARKS and RECREATION COMMISSION

SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES

May 2, 2001

ATTENDANCE

present - JoAnne Eggers, Sally Jones, Rick Landt, Jim Lewis, Laurie MacGraw, Director Ken Mickelsen absent - None

CALL TO ORDER - Chair Landt called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Department Office, 340 S. Pioneer Street (upper Lithia Park)

Discussion of Community Involvement Process to update the Parks & Open Space Plan

Chair Landt introduced the topic saying that the Open Space / Park Land Acquisition Program was established in 1989. He said that the Commission has chosen to review and update the program as its major goal this year because of the many changes that have occurred since the time it was originally approved. The focus of discussion at this meeting would be to review the steps the Commission would take in a proposed community involvement process on the topic.

Having reviewed the proposed steps included in the memorandum dated April 19, 2001, Commissioners chose to utilize those steps as a guideline for the process. The following was also mentioned in discussion and agreed to by consensus:

• That a discussion of community values related to capital improvement priorities would take place during the process.
• That, because the program in a joint endeavor, the Commission would keep the City Council informed of the Commission's process and progress.
• That Commissioners Eggers and Landt would work with the Director to select an individual who would assist in evaluating the process as outlined for a fee not to exceed $500.

Discussion of Ashland Soccer Club's proposal related to lighting soccer field

BACKGROUND INFORMATION - At the Commission's April Regular Meeting, the Ashland Soccer Club offered to donate $15,000 towards the cost of lighting the main soccer field at North Mountain Park and asked that the Commission make a decision related to the offer soon so that the lights could be installed and ready for use by this coming fall 2001. At that meeting, Director Mickelsen reported that if the Commission chose to accept the Soccer Club's offer, Musco Lighting has indicated that it would be willing to enter into an contract which would enable the Commission to pay off the balance of the cost in one or more years beginning in FY 2002-2003.

discussion among commissioners

Commissioners reviewed a proposal by Commissioner Landt that stated that lighting of the soccer field at North Mountain Park be approved with the goal of having the lights operational by this fall under the following conditions:

1) Fifty percent of the costs of purchasing and installing the lights come from sources other than the Parks Department. The payments from non-Department sources to be received within five years of the date of purchase of the lights. A pledge for the 50% shall precede the purchase of lights.

2) A fee schedule be developed in order that users of the lights would be required to pay a fee to the Parks Department. The money collected from this fee would be limited to maintenance and improvement of athletic fields.

3) That staff, within two months, develop a plan to evaluate and monitor the effects of the lights, including but not limited to noise, light pollution, parking on and off site, wildlife and maintenance.

4) A committee be formed, that includes representatives from the neighborhood and the sports community, to review the existing Parks Commission NMP lighting policy, and that recommendations from this committee regarding additions, deletions and changes to the policy be brought back to the Commission for discussion and possible changes. These actions would occur before lights are turned on.

Following lengthy discussion, the following motions were made:

MOTION - Commissioner MacGraw made a motion to approve the original proposal offered by the Ashland Soccer Club. Commissioner Jones seconded. The vote was: 3 no - 2 yes (MacGraw, Jones)

MOTION - Commissioner Lewis made a motion to approve purchasing lights for the main soccer field at N. Mountain Park with the condition that a pledge of 33% of the cost be covered from non-Department sources. The motion died for lack of a second.

MOTION - Commissioner MacGraw made a motion to approve lighting the main soccer field at N. Mountain Park, accepting the donation from the Ashland Soccer Club for $15,000, and including the conditions numbered 2 through 4 in Commissioner Landt's proposal. Commissioner Jones seconded. The vote was: 3 no - 2 yes (MacGraw, Jones)

MOTION - Commissioner Landt made a motion to approve lighting the main soccer field at N. Mountain Park under the conditions outlined in the proposal stated above with the exception that the percentage of pledge would be 40% instead of 50%. Commissioner Lewis seconded. The vote was: 3 no - 2 yes (Landt, Lewis)

MOTION - Commissioner Landt made a motion to approve lighting the main soccer field at N. Mountain Park under the conditions outlined in the proposal stated above with the exception that the percentage of pledge would be 35% instead of 50%. Commissioner Lewis seconded. The vote was: 3 yes - 2 no (Eggers, Jones)

ADJOURNMENT - With no further business, by consensus, Chair Landt adjourned the meeting.

Respectfully submitted, Ann Benedict, Business Manager, Parks and Recreation Department