Bettendorf Park Board Minutes 10/14/02

MINUTES
BETTENDORF PARK BOARD
SPECIAL MEETING
OCTOBER 14, 2002

The Bettendorf Park Board held a special meeting on October 14, 2002 at 4:00 pm in the Canteen Room at the Herbert D. Goettsch Community Center.

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

Chairman Adamson stated that due to three Board members attending the National Recreation and Park Association Conference in Tampa, Florida, the regular meeting would be held on October 23, 2002, at 7:00 pm. The bills would be paid and approved at the special meeting this month.

On motion by Glenn, seconded by Hutter, that the bills be allowed as presented and that the secretary be instructed to have checks drawn in the respective amounts.

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

A list of the bills is annex #1 to these minutes.

Rita VanWetzinga reviewed the recreation monthly report, which is annex #2 to these minutes.

Rita informed the Board that she and Steve met with a representative from Pepsi to discuss a partnership at Splash Landing. Representatives from Pepsi informed them what they have done with the Davenport Pools and in the next couple of weeks will come back with a formal proposal. In Davenport they have given them $1500 a season for three years with a possible renewal each season. They have the Pepsi Logo silk screened on the fun umbrellas. Rita would like to have a year to year contract to show the revenues.

Commissioner Hutter stated after he contacted Pepsi, he wondered if we should get proposals from other beverage distributors.

The Board requested that this be reviewed with Greg Jager and discussed at the next meeting.

Brad Peterson reviewed the golf course maintenance monthly report, which is annex #3 to these minutes.

Brad reviewed the bids received for the improvements to #11 and #15. Also, Brad presented the Architect’s, Gill Miller, endorsement recommending awarding the contract to the low bidder, McCubbin Construction. A copy of the letter from the Architect is annex #4 to these minutes.

Steve informed the Board that this project was identified in the Master Plan and is within the dollar amount in the budget. With this project, the golf course enterprise fund will be drawn down to approximately $200,000, about 20% of the operating budget.

On motion by Glenn, seconded by Hutter, to adopt Resolution #68-02, approving awarding of the golf course improvements to McCubbin Construction in the amount of $92,227.50.

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

Resolution #68-02 is annex #5 to these minutes.

Stu Smith reviewed the park maintenance monthly report, which is annex #6 to these minutes.

Stu reported that the Band Shell parking lot project has been completed and turned out to be a bigger project than anticipated. The amount of work that had to be completed by the park maintenance staff took more time than planned.

Stu reviewed quotes received to do landscaping at Leach Park; the three overlook planters on top of the dike near the stairs and the area across from the stairs on top of the dike around the kiosk and benches. The quotes came in higher than anticipated and we will have to cut back on the project plans and do the plantings only, between $7,000-$9,000 instead of $21,000. He would like to clean up the top of the dikes before winter and look at the beautification balance in the Spring to see if additional funding is there to do more. The block work will have to be done later.

Stu informed the Board that the funding would come from the beautification project. He was recently informed that there would be additional projects that will need to be funded out of beautification for landscaping the new city entrance signs and landscaping the new roundabout on Middle Road.

Steve recommended requesting funds from the Park Foundation for landscaping of Leach Park.

Chairman Adamson stated that he would like to see the no trespassing signs, piles of wood, and picnic tables removed from the riverfront property. He also requested to fill in the holes on the property.

Steve stated that a letter is being sent out to the property owners requesting that they remove their property or we will move it.

Commissioner Kamp asked about the small track of land being farmed at Pigeon Creek Park.

Steve explained that this area has been farmed in the past to keep the weeds down. Steve requested approval from the Board to lease the property in 2003 on a year to year basis and will bring it back to the November meeting. He suggested having Missman Stanley look at this area to see what can be designed to try and start native plantings development in the future.

Steve informed the Board that only one proposal was received for the concessions at Splash Landing from Hungry Boy, the vendor now at Crow Creek Park. He recommended offering him the concessions for one year and evaluate it after the season. The expenses for staff, inventory, completing payroll, and bills will be removed from the budget.

On motion by Glenn, seconded by Kamp, to accept the proposal from Hungry Boy to have the concessions at Splash Landing for the 2003 season.

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

The proposal from Hungry Boy is annex #7 to these minutes.

The Board reviewed the revised City Tree Ordinance, which is annex #8 to these minutes.

Steve informed the Board that the Trees Are Us Committee and several other City Departments have been working on the revisions. He was asking the Board to approve the revisions and submit the ordinance to the City Council.

On motion by Makoben, seconded by Hutter, to submit the revised City Tree Ordinance to the City Council for approval.

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

Steve informed the Board that the River Action Committee has some funding to do a demonstration project showing erosion control methods. There is a drainage swell located on the west side of the Middle Park Lagoon that has eroded and is a maintenance headache. River Action will provide one half of the funds to correct the problem and the park’s department will provide one fourth of the project in labor and equipment, and funding out of a line item for plant materials for the other fourth.

Stu stated that this project will look very nice for the people using the lagoon, address concerns with the neighbors, cut down on silting and will be a very visible area for this type of project.

Steve recommended to review the Capital Improvement Program at November’s Board Meeting. He did not feel it was necessary to have a special meeting, due to not having much flexibility with paying back of the pool. We may still need to make some adjustments and if more time is needed, we can schedule another meeting.

Steve reviewed the revised Community Center room rentals, park shelter rentals, and program refund policies. He explained that Greg Jager recommended not exempting the Bettendorf Churches and Scout groups from rentals, because we would have to exempt all non-profit groups.

Rita felt what we were charging the larger groups was too cheap. The number of large groups using the Band Shell has grown to the point that she does not want to hold any recreation activities there, because there is no parking left. She is looking at moving all activities to Crow Creek Park.

Stu stated that he would like the Board to look at limiting the size of the groups using the facility to the number the shelter and parking can accommodate; between 150-175. The restrooms and parking cannot handle the size of the groups now using the facility. He receives calls all the time from the larger groups using so much electricity that they are blowing out fuses. They bring in ponies, moon walks, dunk tanks, etc. into the park.

Steve stated that we have extra fees added for the larger groups that falls under Special Events. The Variable Fees is for the smaller groups.

Rita recommended the larger groups be charged a clean-up fee and have them provide their own dumpsters and chemical toilets.

The Board requested bringing back the Special Event Policy to review at the next meeting.

Jon Waddell’s golf course administration monthly report is annex #9 to these minutes and Steve Grimes’ administration monthly report is annex #10 to these minutes.

On motion by Makoben, seconded by Glenn, to adjourn the meeting at 4:50 pm.

Adamson (Chairman)

Kamp (Vice Chairman)