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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAug. 2004 - MinutesJEFFERSON COUNTY AND CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND PARKS & RECREATION BOARDS JOINT MEETING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2004 I. OPENING BUSINESS Barbara McColgan Pastore called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. in the Pope Marine Building, Port Townsend, Washington. A sign -in sheet was circulated and there were introductions. County Parks Board: Eileen Rogers, Bob Henderson, Brian Miller, Mike Ryan, Judith Lucia, Judi Mackey, Joan Linderoth County Staff: Warren Steurer and Matt Tyler of Public Works City Parks Board: Barbara McColgan Pastore, Monica Mick -Hager; Victoria McKinnon, and Rosemary Sikes; Helen Fatt (new applicant) Guest: Commissioner Titterness, Jefferson County; Todd Wexman and Joshua Bennum, Citizens; Peter Lauritzen, Port Townsend Non -motorized Transportation Committee Quorum: There was a quorum. Agenda: There were no changes to the agenda. Barbara McColgan Pastore invited public comment. Todd Wexman asked if there are local parks that individuals or the homeless might access to stay the night for free. Several public campgrounds were suggested. II. NEW BUSINESS Eileen Rogers reviewed that the purpose of the meeting is to share our current activities and issues and perhaps identify three issues on which Parks Board might collaborate with the City and County, given the budget challenges facing both governments. A. City Parks and Recreation Activities and Issues: City Skateboard Park Facility: Victoria McKinnon reported that in meetings with skateboarders she had discussed skateboard park design ideas. The resulting design should be complete in the next week or so, and construction should begin in September. Barbara McColgan Pastore mentioned that this is the City's only "active" park site. The total cost of $400K most of which is for site preparation, drainage, buffers, fencing, etc. would be made up of $200K in 1AC funding and $200K from the City, Warren Steurer reported having spoken with Ken Clow about the possibility of utilizing the existing equipment at H.J. Carroll and/or Quilcene Parks. City Parks Budget: Barbara explained that the Park Manager and Pool Manager report directly to the City's Director of Public Works. With the City's privatization of recreation services in 2003 through a contract with the YMCA, the City now has three full-time staff and two part-time seasonal hires. She distributed copies of the City's Park budget, which reflects that $225K of the total of $385K for 2004 is for parks maintenance. The budget for 2005 is $480K, with $310K for personnel, $170K operating expenses, and $2K for capital outlay. Funding for maintenance and equipment are a major concern. Roughly 20% of the expenditures are covered by revenues such as rental fees for picnic shelters at Chetzemoka Park. They recognized the significant volunteer efforts in maintaining many City parks. Their Board is interested in discussing with the County ideas for generating income to help defray cost of maintenance. • City Park Plans: To go with their 1999 system -wide plan, the Parks Board has begun documenting existing conditions in Chetzemoka, Kali Tai, Triangle Park and Sather Parks in order to create individual plans and capital funding needs, as well as policies for such things as memorial contributions and tree donations. This work has at times required doing title searches and site surveys to confirm property ownership. The City also contracted with DNR to conduct over -flights of the park areas and provide digitized data in order for the City to create site mapping and rendering. They are also hoping to get a contractor to produce project plans. Barbara noted that this type of information might also be of interest to County Parks and could present an opportunity to collaborate for economy of scale. • Adopt a Park: Two years ago, they began an adopt -a -park program. Two parks are going through a formal stewardship contract with the City — Baker View Pocket Park and Triangle Park. Citizen Joshua Bennum then reported on the citizen/City cooperation in the creation of Mt. Baker View Pocket Park off Sheridan and 22nd Street, which neighbors helped get designated and were involved in plantings and purchases of a bench and picnic table. A three -person neighborhood board collected and manages donations from 25 neighbors. Next year's plans involve situating a sculpture at the site. He recommended that in establishing other such neighborhood parks, the parcel be kept small, there be motivated neighbors, and easy maintenance. He also suggested that a sign be placed on the parcel before the park is created to get neighbors involved. Monica Mick -Hager then differentiated between County and City park properties. The City uses the term "pocket park" for newly established park areas that the neighbors must work to create and financially support, develop and maintain in a way that meets City guidelines and City Staff approval. She reviewed work done on Triangle Park (or Willow Tree Park) on Kearney Street and Sims Way, which the Soroptomists maintain. Not only have they raised funds for improvements, but they are also working with Jefferson Transit on getting a bus stop at that location. It was mentioned that a goal of the City's parks plan is to provide a pocket park/green space/park amenity within roughly one quarter of a mile from any City resident. • Non -motorized Transportation Committee: Peter Lauritzen said their committee mandate is to monitor the implementation of the City's Non -motorized plan. Their main activities are organizing neighborhood work parties to build trails, establish bicycle parking, and advocate for bicycle lanes, all of which are meant to encourage non -motorized transportation. B. County Parks and Recreation Activities and Issues: • Overview of County Parks and Recreation: Warren Steurer reported that the County operates and maintains 19 County parks in Eastern Jefferson County and landscapes and maintains six other County facilities such as the courthouse grounds. Regional parks include Memorial Field, Larry Scott Trail, Gibbs Lake County Park and H.J. County Park. Community parks include North Beach, Indian Island parks and newly acquired Irondale Beach. Neighborhood parks are located in Irondale, Quilcene and Marrowstone Island. He reviewed that in its early years the County did not see a need to develop parks, given Jefferson County's immediate proximity to the Olympic National Park, National Forest and State Park lands. Over the years a Parks Department emerged out of donations of property or acquisitions through the unpaid tax rolls. Jefferson County's recreation program emerged out of the Port Townsend School District, under which there was management of the pool and Memorial Field. In the early to mid-90s, the County worked with the City to take on some recreation programs, most specifically the pool. Jefferson County does not serve West Jefferson County with recreation programs or parks services. The BOCC provides some financial assistance for recreation services, which come primarily from the community of Forks and Grays Harbor. • County Parks Budget: Three divisions utilize a $409K operation and maintenance budget; there are also capital improvement budgets for parks improvement and H.J. Carroll Park. The three M&O budgets are: Field (active recreation areas — ball fields and play areas), Parks Maintenance Jeff. Co. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes of August 4, 2004 — Page 2 (including trail areas and 91 campground units), and Recreation (recreation programs at PT Community Center and in other areas of the County). Revenues are generated through recreation services and rentals at Memorial Field and picnic shelters, and campground fees. The Recreation Department has about a 35-40% revenue return on its expenditure; the department's overall return is about 15%. ■ Recreation Programs: Eileen Rogers noted the constant challenge of ensuring adequate facilities and programs for South County. Assistant Recreation Manager Matt Tyler provided a list of County Recreation programs, including sporting and arts and cultural programs and explained how the list represents a tremendous amount of leverage in terms of volunteers and privatization. The Sky Hawks camps are all privatized and the County partners to market the program locally. Volunteers handle all open gyms and drop -in volleyball programs. Co-ed softball is a successful league that is almost entirely self -maintaining. One of the County's signature programs is its youth soccer league, the 2004 goal of which is 500 participants with roughly 50 volunteer coaches. He is working on arts and crafts camps that would happen on every Wednesday throughout the year from 3-7:00 p.m., as well as a cooperative fun sports program for preschoolers. These programs indicate the amount of public health and preventive activities that the County provides. He is also working to better utilize the food bank distribution center as a multi -purpose space for activities throughout the week. There has been a lot of managerial work to make the county programs responsive to public needs and more customer -service oriented, and to get information distributed to the community. There will be a proposal to the BOCC to do a strategic plan for Parks and Recreation, including focus groups throughout East Jefferson County to address the current funding crisis. ■ Memorial Field: Warren Steurer talked about the efforts to better utilize this facility and reviewed some of the upcoming events (Blues festival, youth concerts, soccer-a-thon, parking fundraiser during Wooden Boat Festival, high school football and soccer seasons). Yet to be scheduled is a master planning meeting between the City and County for Memorial Field, and to discuss the capital needs issue for that facility. Increased tourism activities and special events at Memorial Field present challenges for access and parking downtown such as during the Wooden Boat Festival. • North Beach: This small park at the end of Kuhn Street offers potential cooperative maintenance agreements with the City and Fort Worden State Park. Warren has been working with members of the Audubon Society about the placement of signage to educate the public about migratory bird species and the impact dogs off leash can have on them. • Larry Scott Trail: Warren Steurer said the County also has a non -motorized transportation plan, which, along with the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan, was updated in 2002. The eight - mile trail begins in Port Townsend and will end at Four Corners. A regional trail plan shows the Larry Scott Trail as the beginning section of the Olympic Discovery Trail that stretches across the Olympic Peninsula from Port Townsend to La Push. An adopt -a -trail agreement is in process. He reviewed the various individuals and groups involved in volunteer trail maintenance, including the Peninsula Trails Coalition and Quimper Trails Association. To address bicycle safety concerns, there will be a hard surface improvement where the trail exits and enters onto Highway 20 to circumvent the bridge. Kiosks would also be added. • Gibbs Lake Challenge Course: Through a cooperative arrangement with WSU and 4-H, there is a challenge course program at Gibbs Lake — a nine element low -course for groups to utilize for team building exercises. ■ Other Cooperative Relationships: County Staff indicated that they work with the YMCA staff to ensure there is cooperation and to avoid duplication and competition. The County also works cooperatively with two independent teen centers in Hadlock and Quilcene, Community Centers in the Tri-Area, Quilcene and Brinnon, and school districts. The County is also building a passive park Jeff. Co. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes of August 4, 2004 — Page 3 at Irondale Beach and working with a group of Off -Road Vehicle users looking at opportunities for creating a site for ORVs, which are currently being displaced as the County grows. C. City/County Cooperative Opportunities: Skateboard Parks: There was discussion about how the City's skateboard facility not only provides a recreational opportunity for youth, but also provides parents of the youth other interesting downtown attractions, such as the marina, dining and shopping. Other ideas for utilizing Memorial Field were to hold youth concerts, or other social activities as parks fundraisers. It was noted that such activities also help start other businesses — skateboard gear shops and coffee and food vendors. Warren Steurer indicated that the County might create smaller skateboard areas at H.J. Carroll and Quilcene parks. It was noted that being on Jefferson Transit route helps youth get to and from facilities such as the BMX track at H.J. Carroll Park. Web links from Skaters.com to the County's website or a listing of City recreation opportunities on the County's website might be possible. Donation Program/Open Space: The creation of City and County Parks' wish lists for benches or other equipment and to guide donations was suggested. Guest Todd Wexman asked for a discussion of the bigger picture, such as an inventory of parks and open lands, and their needs in order to help decide how you are going to spend the money you have. He also spoke about the importance of parks and recreation in the community and the need for more funding for open space and urged collaboration with the Jefferson Land Trust to preserve open lands. ■ Funding/Parks District: Discussion ensued about the relatively large amount of public/parks land available to citizens. There was considerable discussion about the bigger issue of funding and how two task forces have explored the possibility of a parks taxing district to help solve funding issues. It was recognized that not all areas of the County have money or funding to support a new tax for services and that the County must ensure services and recreational opportunities in the South County area. Warren Steurer reported that the Parks and Recreation Department received a BOCC budget resolution stating that that the Recreation program be funded with the intention that the recreation program be shifted to a fee based revenue over the next five years, by reducing the General Fund subsidy by 115 per year. Commissioner Titterness recognized youth programs are important and yet, with the revenue shortfalls in the City and County, officials must reconsider its unmandated services, which includes Parks and Recreation. There was mention of the Coyle Parks District as an existing tax district in south County, also suggested that the City and County could consider combining its seasonal staff. Another suggestion was to begin educating the public about the funding situation through press releases. There was support for another joint meeting to continue discussing these issues. IIW11at110900•1WNI The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Jefferson County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board is Wednesday, September 1, 2004 at 12:00 noon. The next City Parks and Recreation Board is September 1, 2004 at 7:00 PM. Jeff. Co. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Minutes of August 4, 2004 — Page 4 City of Port Townsend and Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Advisory Boards Joint Meeting August 4, 2004 7:00 p.m. Pope Marine Building AGENDA Opening Business (BP) Call to order (BP) Roll Call City of PT Parks Board Roll Call Jeffco Parks Board Waive approval of min's Welcome (BP) Introduction Park Board members Port Townsend Non -Motorized Transportation Board members (if present) Response (ER) City Parks Board Staff Report Skate Park - Groundbreaking Summer Staffing and Seasonal Concerns Park Plans Adopt -a -Park Program County Parks Board Staff Report PT Community Center Programs Memorial Field upcoming events North Beach Park Larry Scott Trail County Challenge Course Course — Gibbs Lake Overview of South County Summer Recreation Programs Open discussion — How can City and County work together Enhancing Services Reducing Costs Adjourn