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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Parks and Human Services Committee - 01/28/2016 Page 1 Parks and Human Services Committee Meeting Minutes Council members: Dennis Higgins - Tina Budell - Brenda Fincher, Chair Jeff Watling, Director January 28, 2016 - 5:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order: Committee Chair Brenda Fincher called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. 2. Roll Call: Committee members Present: Chair Brenda Fincher, Dennis Higgins and Tina Budell. 3. Changes to Agenda: No changes to the agenda. 4. Approval of Minutes: Committee member Budell MOVED to approve the minutes dated November 24, 2015. Committee member Higgins SECONDED. The motion PASSED 3-0. 5. 2015 Fourth Quarter Fee-in-lieu Funds – Recommend Brian Levenhagen, Parks Planning and Development Planner explained that fee-in- lieu funds allow a developer to voluntarily pay a fee instead of dedicating park land to mitigate the development of single-family homes in the local subdivisions. During the fourth quarter of 2015, two developers paid a total of $18,600 in fees that will be used for the redevelopment of Springwood Park. Committee member Higgins asked for the fee-in-lieu fund balance for Springwood. Levenhagen responded that it is around $138,000. Chair Fincher commented on how great both the walking trail and the green belt are at Springwood. She asked if any equipment will be changed at the park. Watling responded that, as funds become available and as part of the design process, new equipment will be a part of the master planning. Chair Fincher referenced the berms in the park. Watling said clearing the berms will be part of the park renovation in order to get the most use out of the park for the community. Committee member Higgins noted that the berms are a safety sightline issue at the park as well. Committee member Budell asked if KaBOOM funds can help fund the project at Springwood. Director Watling explained that KaBoom is a match-making process. The KaBOOM group finds corporate funding partners who decide what projects they want to fund. It’s not a grant program where cities can apply to fund specific park projects. Springwood is a bigger project than what KaBOOM usually funds. Page 2 Committee member Higgins MOVED to recommend accepting the $18,600.00 of Fee-in-lieu funds, amend the Community Parks Reinvestment Program budget and authorize the future expenditure of these funds for capital improvements at Springwood Park. Committee member Budell SECONDED. The motion PASSED 3-0. 6. Recreation Conservation Office Grant Agreement - Recommend Park Planner Brian Levenhagen spoke to the need for replacement of the floating dock at Lake Meridian Park. In 2015, staff was successful in receiving a Recreation Conservation Office (RCO) grant in the amount of $500,000 to assist in funding the project amount, with a total project cost of $1,000,000. Committee member Higgins asked about grant matching funds. Watling responded that staff let REET funds accrue in the last few years and these accrued funds will help pay for the dock replacement project (REET = Real Estate Excise Tax). Higgins commended Brian on getting the RCO grant. Watling announced that in 2015, Parks Planning and Development staff was successful in obtaining a total of $1.75M in grants for capital park projects. Committee member Budell MOVED to recommend Council authorize the Mayor to sign the grant agreement with the Recreation and Conservation Office for $500,000 to fund the replacement of the Lake Meridian Floating Dock. Committee member Higgins SECONDED. The motion PASSED 3-0. 7. Director's Report - INFO • Parks Director Watling spoke to Victoria Andrews's retirement this week. Victoria was a member of the Parks Planning and Development team for almost ten years. Victoria did amazing work and, among many jobs, was responsible for numerous very successful and very popular projects as part of the Green Kent Partnership. She was a great representative of the department and the city. Watling congratulated Victoria on a great career with the City of Kent. Committee member Higgins said Victoria did great work for the community at the volunteer events and he will miss her. Higgins wanted to say thanks and good bye but missed the opportunity. Watling will make arrangements for Victoria to attend an upcoming meeting so that council can giver her thanks and wish her well. Chair Fincher commended Victoria on running such a successful Green Kent program and Community Garden program. Her enthusiasm was infectious. At a recent King Conservation meeting focused on grants, Green Kent was featured and Victoria was acknowledged. Victoria will be missed. Watling shared with the committee that the interim coordinator is Desiree Kennedy who is part of the Green Kent Partnership team. Page 3 • Director Watling announced that the You Me We event is coming up on March 4, at ShoWare. The vendor booths are full again this year with additional health components located on the second floor. The stage is fully scheduled with youth and teen entertainment. Staff anticipates 4-5,000 to attend, as with previous years. Watling invited families to come and enjoy this very popular and free event. Chair Fincher commented that many of the providers concentrate their efforts on the family as well as youth and teens. • The Parks and Open Space Plan will be at the City Council Workshop on March 15 with adoption of the plan in April. In two weeks, there is a workshop with the Parks Commission. Staff feels the plan will be a road map of how to strategically reinvest in our park system. • The Housing and Human Services division is getting ready for the next application cycle. Applications will be open to the public on March 2. There will be additional workshops scheduled for assistance with the application process. A new workshop is scheduled this year on enhanced data input. Applications are due by April 7. After that, staff will review the applications and then the list for recommended funding will go through the 2017/2018 budget process. • Consultant Services Agreements for three big projects are coming to the committee in February; planning and permitting for the dock at Lake Meridian, the master plan for expanding Morrill Meadows Park for the new YMCA and design work for the synthetic turf replacement project at Hogan Field #1. • Chair Fincher said she looks forward to reviewing the Parks and Open Space Plan update that addresses the city’s underfunded park system and relevant planning for current day and into the future. • Parks Director Watling announced the community conversation scheduled with the neighbors of Pine Tree Park on Thursday, February 4, 6:30pm at Pine Tree Elementary. Mayor Cooke, CAO Derek Matheson, Council President Bill Boyce, Councilmember Brenda Fincher, Parks Director Jeff Watling and city staff will be in attendance. • Parks Director Watling distributed the 2016 Parks Department Work Plan explaining that it outlines major projects and programs for the coming year. The list can also be used to generate committee agendas for 2016. Committee member Higgins asked that the list be included in the finalized minutes. • Committee member Higgins acknowledged staff from the Greater Kent Historical Society in the audience. He shared his appreciation for what they do at the museum which honors the city’s rich history. He gave recognition to the museum as a great city asset. Page 4 • Committee member Higgins referenced his interview with the Seattle Times on the sale of Pine Tree Park. He noted that the sale of Pine Tree was talked about a number of times in Executive Session where council discusses property sales, easements and property purchases. He apologized for not requesting a public meeting on the sale. He felt the Seattle Times article was missing some key details of the transaction that people need to know. Higgins stated that the city is in a budget situation that creates questions as to what the right size of our parks department should be. In looking at a piece of property that is not accessible to the general public, when there are needs in other parks, staff and council had to make some very hard choices - and he did not make that choice lightly. He asked that residents continue to email him or any of the City Council members with questions or concerns. Chair Fincher said the meeting on February 4 will hopefully fill in any gaps or offer information that the community may not know. Director Watling explained that the intention of the neighborhood conversation is to provide the opportunity to discuss this difficult decision that was made to sell the park, as well as how we plan to stay true to the intent of the original purchase of that property and reinvest the proceeds. He agrees it was in bad form not to communicate the sale of the park with the neighborhood and it was not like the city, as an agency, to perform that way. Chair Fincher added that the city will do better next time. Chair Fincher adjourned the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Submitted: Teri Petrole Teri Petrole Parks and Human Services Council Committee Recorder