HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Parks and Human Services - 07/20/2006Parks and Human Services Committee
Meeting Minutes
July 20, 2006
Council members present: Deborah Ranniger, Debbie Raplee, Bob O'Brien
The Kent City Council Parks and Human Services Committee meeting was called to order by
Debbie Ranniger at 5:02 p.m.
Added Items:
7. Town Square Plaza Foundation Base Contract - Authorize
8. Sister Cities
1. Meeting Minutes of May 25, 2006 - Accept
Debbie Raplee moved to accept the meeting minutes of May 25, 2006. Bob O'Brien
seconded and the motion passed 3-0.
2. Western States Arts Federation Grant - Accept and Amend Budget
Acting Cultural Services Manager Brenda Abney announced that the Western
States Arts Federation (WESTAF) has awarded the Kent Arts Commission a
$2,500.00 “TourWest” grant to fund the presentation a touring performance
plus educational activities in the 2006-2007 Spotlight Series season. Keola
Beamer has been contracted to present his Hawaiian Holiday Concert on
December 2, 2006.
Bob O'Brien moved to recommend accepting the $2,500.00 grant from
Western States Arts Federation in support of Keola Beamer's Hawaiian
Holiday Concert, and approving the expenditure of funds in the Kent Arts
Commission’s budget. Debbie Raplee seconded and the motion passed 3-0.
3. Second Quarter Fee-in-Lieu Fees - Accept and Amend Budget
Superintendent of Parks and Open Space Lori Flemm reported that between
April and June 2006, the City of Kent received a total of $22,950.00 from two
developers who voluntarily paid fees, in lieu of dedicating park land to
mitigate the development of single family homes in two subdivision. Norris
Homes paid $18,000.00 for Tahoma Vista development and Power Custom
Homes paid $13,500.00 for Powers Short Plat.
Ordinance 2975 requires developers to dedicate park and open space land in
proximity to new construction sites or to pay "fee-in-lieu" funds. The fee is
based on assessed land values.
Debbie Raplee moved to recommend accepting $22,950.00 for fee-in-lieu
funds from Norris Homes and Power Custom Homes, and authorizing the
expenditure of funds in the Wilson Playfield and Clark Lake Park budgets. Bob
O'Brien seconded and the motion passed 3-0.
4. Starbucks Grant for Clark Lake Park Trail Development - Accept and Amend Budget
Lori Flemm informed the committee that in April, Park staff applied for the
Starbucks Coffee Company neighborhood park grant through the Kent Parks
Foundation. Staff and Foundation members met the granting agency at the
park site April 28th and explained the scope of work planned for trail
development. Staff and the Foundation Executive Director were informed on
June 5th that the project was funded in the amount of $15,000.00. Eleven
Starbucks employees participated in a community service project at Clark
Lake Park on June 22nd and constructed the trail, which started on National
Trails Day on June 3rd. The grant will be used to continue construction of the
trail.
Bob O'Brien moved to recommend accepting the $15,000.00 grant from the
Starbucks Coffee Company in support of the Clark Lake Trail Development
Project and approving the expenditure of funds in the Clark Lake Park
budget. Debbie Raplee seconded and the motion passed 3-0.
5. Flagpole Donation - Informational
Bud Warner of the attended the meeting to represent the Kent Woodmen
Lodge 35 and to announce that they are donating two flagpoles and flags that
will be installed in our athletic parks. The Family and Fraternal Life Insurance
Society is a 116 year old non-profit organization founded June 9, 1890 in
Omaha, Nebraska. There are over 850,000 members and 3,000 lodges in the
United States. Since 1964, the Woodmen Fraternal Organizations have been
donating flags and flagpoles. In 2005, the Woodmen donated over 250,000
American flags and 800 flagpoles throughout the United States. They also
support soccer and softball in Kent and Covington. Mr. Warner tries to donate
50 flags per year. He will conduct a short presentation before the flag is
raised at Service Club Park on October 7. The flagpoles will be installed at
Service Club Park and Wilson Playfields. The city currently have flagpoles at
Russell Road Park and Kent Memorial Park.
6. Parks Comprehensive Plan - Informational
Lori Flemm reported that the Parks Comprehensive Plan is updated every five
to six years and was last updated in June of 2000. Lori discussed the public
input process involved in updating the Parks Comprehensive Plan, how the
comp plan relates to the Capital Facilities Plan (CFP), the schedule for
completing the plan, public input from the 2005 Indoor Aquatic/Recreation
Center Citizen Survey, and getting feedback.
The citizen surveys were mailed to 2,500 households and 412 were returned.
Feedback included support of more renovating and development more
walking trails, passive parks (like Clark Lake), play equipment in
neighborhood parks, more neighborhood parks downtown, more athletic
fields, active sport courts, a new aquatic center, more teen/youth areas. In
addition they requested connection of connect existing trails - regional and
neighborhood. East/ west regional trail Green River to Soos Creek trails. The
Aquatic/Recreation Center Citizen Survey is available for viewing in the Parks
Planning and Development department.
7. Town Square Plaza Fountain Base Purchase - Authorize
Parks staff believe it is in the best interest for the city to negotiate directly with Seattle
Solstice LLC for the design, fabrication and delivery of the fountain base for the floating
sphere fountain in Town Square Plaza because the entire fountain is being fabricated
from one piece of imported granite. It is critical that the sphere is engineered to float
freely inside of the base, while the tolerances necessary between both pieces is essential
so that the piece as a whole is functioning properly. The only two other companies that
have the technology to fabricate the fountain base are located in Germany and Japan,
making it difficult to meet our budget and schedule. The attached signed waiver by
Mayor Cooke is pursuant to Kent City Code 3.70.080 of the City's procedure ordinance.
Bob O'Brien moved to recommend authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement
with Seattle Solstice LLC to design, fabric and deliver the fountain base for the future
Town Square Plaza in the amount of $35,000.00, excluding Washington State Sales Tax
and upon review by the City Attorney.
8. Sister Cities
Sally Gudgeon, a local business owner and member of the Sister Cities Committee
attended the meeting to ask that the gazebo located in Burlington Green Park be named
El Gruillo in tribute to our sister city in Mexico. Out of the six sister cities associated with
the City of Kent, El Gruillo is the only one that doesn't have an area honoring their
affiliation.
Lori Hogan responded that Burlington Park is owned by Burlington Northern Railroad.
Staff will contact Ms. Gudgeon after getting results from a property history, and rights
and regulations of ownership search.
The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by,
Teri Petrole, Parks and Human Services Committee Secretary