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Minutes 02-28-00 MINUTES OF THE RECREATION AND PARKS BOARD MEETING HELD IN CONFERENCE ROOM C, WEST WING, CITY HALL, BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2000 AT 7:00 P.M. PRESENT Betty Thomas, Chairperson Melody Green, Director of Recreation Tom Williams John Wildner, Director of Parks Dan Winters Ed Harris James McMahon, Vice Chairman Charles Jackson, Voting Alternate ABSENT Bali Ramnarace Mike Fitzpatrick I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Thomas called the meeting to order at 7:06 P.M. II.ATTENDANCE Chairperson Thomas declared a quorum was present. III.APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 24, 2000 Melody Green amended the minutes on Page 4 to add Cynthia Wilson, Ezell Hester Center, to the list of presenters. A motion was made to accept the minutes as amended. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Chairperson Thomas thanked Melody Green and John Wildner for the excellent presentation of the World-Class Facilities Team at the January 24, 2000 meeting. Ms. Green said she would pass on the compliments to the team members, who each received recognition in the form of a commendation from Ms. Green and restaurant gift certificates. This was part of an incentive program that rewards performance at a level beyond the normal job requirements. MEETING MINUTES RECREATION AND PARKS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA February 28, 2000 IV.UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1) Senior Center Ms. Green reported that Steve Lulkin and Carolyn Sims were diligently working to expand the programs at the facility. They are serving up to 150 people for lunch every day, more than the area’s largest senior center, Mae Volen. Ms. Green also reported that a $500,000 grant had been requested from the Area Agency on Aging to be used for construction and renovation of 5,000 square feet of unused space at the Senior Center. The City has offered to match more than half of this grant. On March 8, 2000, Vice Mayor Tillman and Commissioner Denahan are going to Tallahassee to do some lobbying in support of this grant. Ms. Green encouraged any interested parties on the Board to ask their legislators to support this issue. Motion Dan Winters moved that a letter be drafted for Chairperson Thomas’ signature to the Palm Beach County delegation, asking for their support on this issue. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. 2) Black Awareness Month Celebration Melody Green reported on the Black Awareness Month Celebrations that were held in Boynton Beach during the month of February, culminating in a reception held on Friday, February 25, 2000. The entire celebration was extremely successful. The community participation and attendance were very satisfying. Staff and the Black Awareness committee did a wonderful job of redesigning the layout of the activity, moving the food and entertainment to the front of the site so the festive atmosphere would draw participation from the public. The attendance was quadrupled from last year with an estimated crowd of 4,000. Various members of the Board expressed their satisfaction with the Black Awareness Celebration and several comments were made about the atmosphere of cooperation, sharing and friendliness that dominated the event. 3) Hester Center Breezeway Enclosure Ms. Green stated that they had been working with Bill DeBeck and the architects and expect to complete the construction on the project by December. There will 2 MEETING MINUTES RECREATION AND PARKS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA February 28, 2000 be a new computer room, additional storage and office spaces. The existing wheelchair ramp will be re-done with a lower grade, eliminating the steps. The air conditioning system will be re-engineered or replaced. 4) Boat Club /Intracoastal Park Mr. Wildner reviewed this issue. He advised that at the next Commission meeting there would be an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement between Palm Beach County and the City of Boynton Beach concerning the grant for Boat Club and Intracoastal Parks. The grant will be amended to focus on Boat Club Park and the $900,000 that will be devoted to Boat Club Park renovations and improvements. The remaining $1.7 million previously granted for Intracoastal Park has reverted to the County because the City has not decided on the direction it wants to take in this area. The County has solicited proposals for water-based recreation funding to be received by May 30, 2000. The CRA asked the Planning Department to make a presentation on the two alternatives, i.e. commercial/residential or park, at a meeting on March 15, 2000 at 6:30 p.m. in the Chambers. The consensus of the Board members was that a presentation needed to be done for the new Commissioners and new City Manager, detailing the existing park facilities and plans for the future. Mr. Harris recommended that pictures be included in the presentation. He also stated that the Board would like the Commissioners to be proactive in pursuit of park and recreation issues. Chairperson Thomas referred to a prior presentation of Mr. Wildner’s showing the size and location of the different parks and their uses and recommended that this be brought up-to-date and included. Mr. Wildner agreed to put the presentation together. Chairperson Thomas commented that the new Commissioners and City Manager may like to tour the area’s park facilities so they would have an increased awareness of existing conditions when matters come up for discussion. 5) Greenways Network As Mike Fitzpatrick was not present, this item was tabled until the next meeting. 6) Monthly Report Ms. Green distributed a packet of media releases from the Department of Leisure Services for the Board’s information. Ms. Green reported that revenues and 3 MEETING MINUTES RECREATION AND PARKS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA February 28, 2000 event attendance had both increased. She further stated that promotional efforts had been intensified and a position focusing on that area had been created. IV. NEW BUSINESS A) City Hall in the Mall Ms. Green reported that a “win-win” agreement had been reached between the Mall and the City wherein the City will get five years of free rent in exchange for five years of special event permits for the Mall. This agreement will save the City $300,000.00 in lease payments. B)World-Class Customer Service Team Ms. Green stated that the Customer Service Department is in the process of forming a World-Class Customer Service team. They are identifying standards for world class customer service. The standards will then be used to develop a training program for the entire department, from the part-time workers up through the directors. These high standards will be implemented, measured, and assessed to see that everyone is performing at the highest possible level of excellence. C)G.A.L.A. Ms. Green referred to the packet previously passed out to the Board members for their review and information on the G.A.L.A. scheduled for March 17 through 19, 2000. V. OTHER 1)New Boynton High School A lengthy discussion ensued pertaining to the new Boynton Beach High School. The school and the City have many facilities that will be used cooperatively and the importance of establishing a relationship with the High School at the earliest opportunity was a priority of the Board. The school is scheduled to open in August of 2001. Various board members commented on the desirability of having a high school in the City limits, remembering having to go to school outside the City. It was felt that Ed Harris, with his athletic and academic background, life-long residency of Boynton Beach and service on the Recreation and Parks Board, would be an ideal principal for the new high school. It was believed that Mr. 4 MEETING MINUTES RECREATION AND PARKS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA February 28, 2000 Harris would be able to resolve the diverse elements in the City, and thereby bring credit to the job and to the City of Boynton Beach. 2) Sara Sims Park Mr. Williams mentioned that the lights at Sara Sims come on with a timer. It is dark at night in the women’s and men’s rooms. Ms. Green said that the problem would be addressed. 3)Hester Center Expansion Ms. Green reported on the status of the Hester Center Expansion project. The architects, Post Buckley, have been asked to formulate a conceptual plan based on the City’s ideas and come back to the City with a construction estimate. The current plan is for a recreation building with a press box on the second floor, storage for all of the equipment, a counter where equipment can be handed out, air-conditioning, washer and dryer, ice machine, scale, an office for the PAL representative, Bill Tome, and meeting rooms. There would be football, soccer and baseball. The concession area is to be expanded and shade pavilions are planned for the length of the field. Mr. Williams commented that the High School may wish to rent the field out if theirs were flooded. Also, he said that the two light poles on the south side needed to have speakers so people could hear better. Mr. Williams also stated that a battery-operated golf cart was needed for the Hester Center employees. Mr. Wildner and Ms. Green said they would look into the matter. 4)Update Emergency Contact List Mr. Williams asked to be removed from the emergency contact list at the Police Department. Ms. Green is to investigate the matter. 5) Cemetery Expansion Mr. Wildner reported that Little League Park is a potential candidate for cemetery expansion. The existing cemetery will be filled in five to seven years. The Little League Park area is the logical area to expand into but the athletic facility would have to be duplicated at another location, possibly Quantum Park. Mr. Wildner said that a fifteen-acre parcel of land is available in Quantum Park but it would 5 MEETING MINUTES RECREATION AND PARKS BOARD BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA February 28, 2000 not be sufficient in itself to accommodate a facility the size of Little League Park. If the proposed residential area goes in at Quantum Park, there is a recreation dedication requirement that would provide 3-4 additional acres. A facility similar to that at Caloosa Park is envisioned. A lengthy discussion ensued on this topic. Mr. Wildner agreed to report on developments in this area at the next meeting. 6) Sculpture Garden Mr. Winters advised that the sculptor who created the turtle in the main lobby of City Hall is interested in donating a maintenance-free sculpture garden to the City. Ms. Green mentioned the entranceway to Ocean Avenue as a potential site. Mr. Wildner agreed to contact the sculptor. VI. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will be held on March 27, 2000. VII. ADJOURNMENT At 8:36 P.M. the meeting was properly adjourned. Respectfully submitted, ________________________ Susan Collins Recording Secretary (two tapes) 6