Bettendorf Park Board Meeting Minutes - Nov.13, 2001

Green fee increase approved

MINUTES of BETTENDORF PARK BOARD
SPECIAL MEETING NOVEMBER 13, 2001

The Bettendorf Park Board held a special meeting on November 13, 2001, in the
Canteen Room at the Herbert D. Goettsch Community Center at 4:00 p.m.

Present: Hutter, Adamson, Glenn, Kamp, and Makoben
Absent: None

Rita VanWetzinga reviewed the Recreation report, which is annex #1 to these minutes.

Rita stated her concerns about the crowded conditions in the womenís locker room. The expansion for the locker and cardio addition is planned for the 2002-2003 fiscal year. She recommended not proceeding next fiscal year, but would like to see the project completed within the next couple of years. This locker room addition is needed to accommodate current membership and the expanded cardio space is needed for membership, as well as, potential plans with Trinity.

Commissioner Glenn stated that the addition to the Life Fitness Center and golf facility should be in the front line for Capital Improvements. We are already looking at taking $200,000 less in the Parkís Capital Improvements to pay for the pool over the next ten years. Who are we paying back and why?



Steve Grimes explained that the funding is what the City normally allocates to city projects. The City is giving the Park Board above and beyond the allocation and is willing to front one million dollars in gaming money at no interest to be paid back over ten years along with the $700,000 loan that does have interest. The Parkís Capital Improvement funds will be reduced to pay this back for the loan and gaming funds.



Commissioner Glenn stated that if we have to pay back the funds, we should pay the $700,000 loan off first to save on the interest. We should check with the City Council to see if they can find a way not to have to pay back the one million dollars. He was not comfortable about having to pay those funds back.

Steve stated that the allocation that the Park Board receives for Capital Projects is still $500,000. They are asking for repayment of $200,000 per year. In the past, the City has fronted money for these projects. The entire cityís Capital Improvement Program has been modified for the past six months because of the Eagleís building.

The city just received word that the Road Use Funds, sales tax and hotel model tax revenues is down significantly. They will be using gaming money from the Capital Improvement Program to offset some of the operational costs. The City has a lot less flexibility with gaming money than they have had in the past.

Rita explained that their goal is to try and maintain the Life Fitness Center membership. They have had some steady growth that will level off. There are more women using the locker room facilities than in the past. At some point down the road, it needs to be addressed. The overcrowded cardio room has been solved at this time.

Steve stated that the issue with the Splash Landing Enterprise is that it has been subsidized in the past by the Recreation Fund. The Splash Landing funding is in place from gaming funds to bring it up to operation. Where it will be when we open is questionable and if it has to be subsidized. We may have to use funds from enterprise account balances or the Capital Improvement Program if the pool has to be subsidized.



Chairman Hutter stated that the pool has changed our planning. Perhaps we can use the funding from the enterprise accounts instead of paying interest on the $700,000 loan.

Commissioner Adamson asked, who decides an Eagles Building is more important than a swimming pool?

He felt if you ask the citizens of Bettendorf, they would say a swimming pool would be more important than some other projects. The State keeps rolling back the property taxes because people do not want to increase taxes. People do not know how this is affecting the cityís operations.

Chairman Hutter stated that the Park Board are elected officials with no legal way to get funds. The seven members on the City Council determine the funding. You can go back to decide if the Park Board is needed or not or sit on the other Board that determines the answers.

Rita reviewed the survey to be mailed to 430 Life Fitness Center members. She recommended not doing anything with the fees until after the survey has been compiled in January.

The recommended fee increase is to hopefully keep up with expenses and experience a little profit. We still have not had a full year of operational expenses on the lap pool. Also, an employee was taken from half time to full time and the part time and seasonal salaries have increased with the new pay plan.

There are factors we will not know what impact will cause until we have a full year of operation with these expenses. She recommended not increasing any hours of operation, unless there is an additional increase in the memberships. The employeeís hourly rate is not the only factor when opening the facility.

Chairman Hutter stated that if the Board decided not to raise membership fees, perhaps we might have to reduce services and hours. We have to cut overhead or raise the price.

The Board will review the survey results and determine fees in January.



Rita requested Board consideration to raise Adult Softball and Basketball team fees and Sports and Games fees. These increases are due to increased expenses to run the programs.



On motion by Glenn, seconded by Makoben, to approve increases in recreation program fees as recommended by staff.



Roll call on motion: Ayes: Hutter, Adamson, Glenn, Kamp, and Makoben
Nays: None

Rita requested Board consideration to replace the existing information center at the Life Fitness Center. Active Images provided a proposal to upgrade the board. They are responsible for the advertising and maintaining it. It would also be a source of revenue.

On motion by Glenn, seconded by Kamp, to approve the agreement with Active Images for the information center at the Life Fitness Center, subject to the approval of Greg Jager, City Attorney.

Roll call on motion: Ayes: Hutter, Adamson, Glenn, Kamp, and Makoben
Nays: None

Rita informed the Board that Mark Brooks, Athletic Director at Bettendorf High School, would be meeting with the Swim Team regarding our request to use the pool at the high school for six weeks of swim lessons next summer.

Chairman Hutter recommended having Mark Brooks inform the School Board of what our plans are and possible problems with the swim team before they hear it from someone else. He is willing to talk to the School Board, if necessary.



Rita informed the Board that we may have trouble getting the staff to teach lessons and may have to look at reducing the number of classes offered. She feels that we will not have the same demand for swim lessons at the high school. The water is too deep. This will need to be determined before the brochure is finalized in February.

Commissioner Adamson asked how much it would cost for another disc golf course.

Stu Smith explained that the nine-hole disc golf course in Devils Glen Park was approximately $10,000. He also stated that the grass has been worn out and if another disc course is placed in another park, you have to expect it to wear out the grass.



Stu Smith reviewed the park maintenance monthly report, which is annex #2 to these minutes.

Commissioner Glenn asked about the concerns regarding over use of facilities in Crow Creek Park.



Stu explained that we need to space the events out so that the turf will have some recovery time or there will be no grass. There are a lot of cross-country runners on the Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley teams. If they practice at the facility every night, you might as well put stone down right now. There are enough problems with the usage of the general public alone. The softball tournaments also need to be reviewed, for example, no more than three events per month. Staffing is another issue. There is no staff to work weekend after weekend.

Commissioner Adamson recommended trying to budget for the Park Ambassador Program again to cut down on the costs of vandalism. There are not enough policemen to watch the park system.



Chairman Hutter stated that he would contact the Americorp Program to see if they would have anyone that may be interested in working in the Park Ambassador Program and report back to the Board.



Brad Peterson reviewed the golf maintenance monthly report, which is annex #3 to these minutes. The construction on two sand traps on hole #6 will be completed by Friday.

He informed the Board that the bid opening for the addition to the maintenance facility is tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.

Jon Waddell reviewed the golf administration monthly report, which is annex #4 to these minutes. He presented a recommendation to increase the weekend and holiday rates and the senior rates $1.00 for the 2002 season. The weekend rates should be increased to build a gap between the weekend and weekday rates. The senior rates have not been increased for several years.



On motion by Glenn, seconded by Adamson, to approve the green fee increase of $1.00 for weekends, holidays, and seniors, effective January 1, 2002.

Roll call on motion: Ayes: Hutter, Adamson, Glenn, Kamp, and Makoben
Nays: None

Steve Grimes reviewed the administration monthly report, which is annex #5 to these minutes.



Steve informed the Board that Jeff Farland, Davenport Park and Recreation Director, contacted all the Quad City Park and Recreation Directors to try to set up a special event in December called Holiday Snow Drop. The community will send in postcards for a drawing for the ice shavings from the Mark and Quad City Sports Center. They will be dropped off in the winner's front yard. Our only commitment is to pick up one load of ice and drop it off in the winner's yard.

Steve stated that he just received a fax from Dave Burbach, which is annex #6 to these minutes. He was informing the Board that it is not a good idea to have a separate demolition contract because of the re-use of equipment and significant project elements can be cost effective only if care is taken to remove, store, and re-install.

He felt by

fracturing the responsibility, there is a good chance that the items will not be properly removed. He recommends the demolition be included in the construction contract to maintain a single source of responsibility.

Steve stated that this would delay the start of the project until the Spring.

The Board delayed discussion of the Capital Improvement Program until the Wednesday meeting.

On motion by Glenn, seconded by Adamson, to adjourn the meeting at 5:30 p.m.