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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Parks and Human Services - 02/02/1993 Brenda 3acober City rk Parks Committee Minutes February 2, 1993 Councilmembers Present: Jim Bennett, Chair; Jon Johnson and Christi Houser. Staff Present: Karen Ford, Jack Ball , Cheryl Fraser, Ken Chatwin, Rose Nelson, Jay Hill, Richard Thomas, Norm Reger, David Heldt, Liz Gasper, Patrice Thorell , Helen Wickstrom, Lea Bishop, Judy Crouch, Tim Bond, May Miller, Lori Hogan, Tony McCarthy, Tom Brubaker, David Owen, Roger Lubovich, Barney Wilson, and Pam Rumer. Others Present: Doug Schwab, Bill Doolittle, and Wayne McDonald. CITY ART PROGRAM POLICY AMENDMENT Liz Gasper explained two changes in the City Art Program Policy: adding language which states that professional references regarding past public art projects will be added to the criteria for selection of artists; and changing the payment schedule for artists from a three payment schedule to a five payment schedule. Gasper requested acceptance of the two amendments and authorization to place the issue on the February 16 Consent Calendar. Councilmember Houser moved to approve the City Art Program Policy amendments and to place the issue on the February 16 Consent Calendar. Councilmember Johnson seconded the motion. The motion passed with a 2-0 vote, as Councilmember Bennett had not yet arrived.* ADDED ITEM - UPLANDS PLAYFIELD Staff has recently been approached by the Kent Little League Association requesting continued cooperative use for field improvement at Uplands Playfield. Last year the Kent Little League began using the two fields at Uplands Playfield beginning in the early spring months. This year, they are asking to provide and install chain link fencing down the first and third base lines at fields #1 and #2. Lori Hogan explained that the Little League is willing to accept the sole responsibility of the costs of material and labor. In return, the group is asking for continuation of their cooperative use agreement for use of Uplands Playfield for a 5-8 year period, and to have their usage fees waived as a result of their providing fencing at the site. In response to McCarthy's question, Hogan reported that the general public user pays a user fee of $6/hour for a practice field. The City made an arrangement with Kent Little League last year for a user fee of $10/day for use of both fields for multiple hours, which is a substantially lower rate. Hogan explained Parks Committee Minutes February 2, 1993 Page Two that these fees are used to recoup the expense for maintenance preparation of the site. Hogan requested the Committee's authorization to proceed with negotiating installation of the fence if both parties can come to terms on the length of the contract and assure that maintenance fees will be recouped for field usage. Hogan said that staff feels it is reasonable for the City to continue to charge Kent Little League user fees. The City had no plans for a fence at this time, there is no money in the budget for a fence, the site is perfectly playable as it is, and other users of the site are asked to pay the fees. Councilmember Houser expressed concern that if the City does not charge Kent Little League user fees, we will set a precedent. Hogan agreed that the City should not maintain a site for an exclusive user group at no charge. Tom Brubaker added that five to six years is a long term for a contract in a fairly new relationship. He questioned if the City wants to commit so fully to this program. Rather than the fencing project and a long term contract, Brubaker suggested an interim step of a two year contract extension. The Committee directed staff to continue negotiations with the Kent Little League and to bring the results back to the Parks Committee in two weeks. RIVERBEND GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE POSITION Patrice Thorell , at the request of Tony McCarthy, prepared a list of alternatives to filling the vacant Golf Course Maintenance Superintendent position at Riverbend Golf Complex. She presented three options and listed the pros and cons of each option: 1. Create a new Golf Complex Operations Manager position; 2. Contracted maintenance; 3. Have Park Maintenance Superintendent assume role. Thorell said that the USGA will be visiting Riverbend in February to give advice regarding maintenance of the complex. Councilmember Bennett suggested waiting to find out the recommendations of the USGA before taking any action. McCarthy suggested having a plan for the interim. He pointed out that when the RFP issue is decided, the position may be different. If the City goes with the RFP, the maintenance person will be the main City person on location and he/she will need to function in a parallel role with the private director. McCarthy said if we hire that person now and do not go with the RFP, we may have the wrong person there. He said the City may not want the top person to be a strong manager or people person, but rather the person with expertise in course Parks Committee Minutes February 2, 1993 Page Three maintenance. McCarthy felt it is a good solution to have the Park Maintenance Superintendent work with golf course maintenance staff in the interim. WASHINGTON JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION REQUEST Staff received a request from the Washington Junior Golf Association to hold a subdistrict tournament at Riverbend on June 21, 1993. Courses receive these requests every two to three years. Tim Bond opined that the WJGA is one of the best in the nation and recommended that the City let the group use the course and waive the green fees. Bond said this will cost the City approximately $2,000 in green fees, but felt it is cheap advertising for the City. Bond mentioned several benefits to the City, which include promotion of goodwill through the Junior Golf Association; word of mouth advertising; advertising in a public publication put out by the Junior Golf Association; revenues in lodging from junior golfers' families; increased food service; and potential future golfers for Riverbend from the more than 120 junior golfers. Brubaker said the City will need proof that we will receive benefits which will flow from the advertising. Brubaker reminded the Committee that this is an issue of an unconstitutional gift of public funds. He informed Bond that if the Junior Golf Association will guarantee in writing that the organization will have some type of special advertising to focus on the City, it will be okay to waive the green fees for this tournament. Bond mentioned that this tournament coincides with the City's Junior Golf Camp, and it will give beginning golfers an opportunity to see how a first class junior operation is run. Councilmember Johnson moved to allow the Washington Junior Golf Association to hold their subdistrict tournament at Riverbend Golf Course on June 21, 1993, and to approve their request to waive the green fees. Councilmember Houser seconded the motion. The motion passed with a 3-0 vote. RIVERBEND GOLF COURSE RFP City Attorney Roger Lubovich announced that the RFP is close to final package. He wants to have one final check with Bond Council regarding compensation issues. Tony McCarthy pointed out Appendix B which develops a form for each proposer to complete, with a notation that each understood what was in the contract. He said there is a lot of information in the contract. Parks Committee Minutes February 2, 1993 Page Four McCarthy announced that the RFP should go out on Friday. Proposals are due back on March 15. The RFP will be published in the Daily Journal of Commerce and will be distributed throughout the local PGA group. McCarthy clarified an issue regarding term limit which Councilmember Bennett raised at a previous meeting. The term is 4-1/2 years, and IRS regulations stipulate that the City has the right to terminate the contract without cause or penalty after three years. McCarthy advised Committee members to call with changes before Friday. DOUG SCHWAB COMMENTS Schwab said that for the last seven months the Golf Advisory Board has done its best to fairly evaluate the issue of golf management for the Riverbend Golf Complex. He said that some have disagreed with the Board's recommendations, and he recognized everyone's right to have his/her opinion respected. He suggested that someone has been inappropriately contacting employers of Golf Advisory Board members and expressed his dismay over the situation. Councilmember Bennett commented that everyone should be up front regarding this issue. He added that if staff worked as hard as the Golf Advisory Board members, it would not be necessary for the Parks Committee to discuss this issue. *BECAUSE COUNCILMEMBER BENNETT WAS NOT PRESENT WHEN THE CITY ART PROGRAM POLICY AMENDMENTS WERE DISCUSSED AND VOTED UPON, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY BRUBAKER EXPLAINED THE PROPOSED CHANGES FOR HIM. COUNCILMEMBER BENNETT VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENTS, THEREFORE THE ISSUE WILL BE PLACED ON THE FEBRUARY 16 CONSENT CALENDAR.