PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING

MINUTES

February 16, 2010

Commission Present:  Allen, Hanson, Ewing, Hartnett and Pearson  

Staff Present:  Steinbach, Young, Leugers, Bailey, Cahill and Putzier

The meeting was convened at 5:01pm by Commission Chair Allen

I.  Approval of Agenda

Motion to approve the agenda with the deletion of Item #IX.  Discussion of Real Estate Matter.  Ewing/Pearson.  Motion carried.

II.  Approval of Minutes

Motion to approve the January 19, 2010 Commission meeting minutes.  Hanson/Hartnett.  Motion carried.

IVA.  Update on the FY10 Budget Projections and FY11 Proposed Budget

Steinbach began by saying that the budget process had been a major learning curve for herself and many staff that had never been involved in the process and thought it had brought about many positive impacts such as; more accountability, better processes for tracking operations and needs to name just a few.  She further stated that the Administration had originally requested the Department to put forth a level funded budget and about half way through the process they said that they would give some leniency to the Department in putting forth a true budget.  Steinbach and the staff then went back and looked at the past five year trends and made the appropriate adjustments. 

She explained the next step in the process would be to submit a text summary and then a supplemental list for all new initiatives. 

With that Steinbach gave a brief overview of the FY11 Budget Summary that is going to be submitted. 

Administration; a few additional expenses for salaries, the need for better marketing and to focus on internal processes such as technology; Park Maintenance; revenues expected to decrease but they are looking at ways to bill out other department and agencies for services; Recreation is looking to be less reliant on the general fund and is taking a more intentional look at fees, recovery and applying the appropriate formulas.  Hanson asked about the Afterschool program and why the budget had decreased so much and Steinbach said that originally it had been over budgeted to reflect the full capacity of students it could take which in turn added more expenses and less revenues and adjustments were made to reflect true numbers. Trees and Greenways had no changes, the Arena was realizing a decrease in demand for ice time and use which had decreased revenues and also decreased expenses for wages and other operational line items connected with less usage; the Boathouse is less reliant on the general fund and the Department is going to work on making significant strides to maintain operational services.  Memorial Auditorium is similar to the Arena, it has had a decrease in use and is generating fewer revenues which will create less expenses.  The Miller Community Recreation Center will need significant changes to be made in the future as the Department moves forward; and the Cemetery has remained status quo with a reduction in burials.

Hanson asked about the status of the Pease lot and Steinbach said that kiosks will be installed to take payments but the Department may have to staff for the start of operations and then DPW will transfer funding to the Department for its share, however for the first year of operations it is expected that no monies will be transferred to the Department since the money was borrowed from the Park Impact Fund for waterfront renovations and will need to be paid back before any profits are received directly. Hanson also asked if funds will be received for the parking in the future and Steinbach responded in the affirmative.

Ewing asked about the Miller Community Recreation Center being revenue neutral currently but wanted to reiterate that it would be expected to bring in additional revenues once the back room of the facility is finished and rented.  Steinbach agreed; currently it was not budgeted for those revenues.

Pearson asked if Steinbach thought a lot of team building occurred during the budget process and how the staff was feeling about the process and Steinbach invited staff to respond.  Putzier stated that it was a very good process and provided staff with a lot of new knowledge about how money is spent and some of the processes that need to be put in place. Bailey said he thought the process was much more poignant and that he was happier knowing what funds staffs are dealing with and that it had been very empowering.

Pearson also stated that out of the additional $110,000 the Department is requesting in the budget most of that are salaries and would most likely create a level funded budget in the end and Steinbach agreed.

Hartnett asked if the Department was fully staffed and Steinbach responded that the Department is still short the Planning and Development position, Waterfront Manager and Park Operations Superintendent, and that there are other gaps throughout the organization. Hartnett also asked if staff had looked into the contract for vendors at events on the Waterfront and said that he would like to generate more revenues once the current contract expires. Leugers stated that staff is currently reviewing the contracts; Hartnett also expressed concern that Memorial Auditorium and the Community Recreation Center were not better marketed.

Bailey said there needs to be a directive for the Memorial Auditorium building and Young added that there should be a capital buy-in from the Administration and the community at large.

Hanson stated that the building needed to be marketed and reflect what events are occurring at the facility and what events are not happening and why. Bailey further thought that a decision about the direction of the marketing should be established, commit funding to the marketing, and that would result in more buy-in as well.

III.  Public Forum

Larry Walsh, resident, spoke about his dissatisfaction on the turnaround time of Parks and Recreation minutes for the public to view online. He also said that initially he went online to inquire about boat slip fees and found it hard to get the information and would like to see a better process for getting the information.  He also said that he appreciated all the work done by Steinbach, Moreau and all staff and wanted to know who maintained the parking lot on the waterfront and how extended parking for boaters will work this summer.

Allen said that there had been improvements to notices and the website and Putzier and Steinbach thanked Mr. Walsh and said they would be working to bring their public document process in line with other City Departments.

IVB.  Smoke Free Areas in Burlington Public Parks

Steinbach said that the Ordinance Committee had asked the Department for clarification on its policy and she and Hanson told them it had been educational in nature and had designated specifically beaches, bleachers, playgrounds and picnic shelters as non smoking areas and that signs were to be installed to state this.  To summarize Steinbach said that it was her understanding that the Ordinance Committee would either go with what Parks and Recreation had approved or would go with a total blanket policy of no smoking.

Hanson explained that the Ordinance Committee was interested in the tracking of the adopted policy to which she stated that we currently did not have and most of the committee were comfortable with an all inclusive ban and that is why they asked the Department for input for designated areas for no smoking.  Hanson also expressed that a lot of the problems that brought up the no smoking areas in Burlington and the Parks stemmed from the Church Street Marketplace trying to address the smoking on the Marketplace.

Steinbach reported to the Commissioners that the Ordinance Committee was having another meeting on this item tonight at 7pm at the Fletcher Free Library and that she would be attending the meeting and invited others to attend as well.

VA.  Presentation by Richard Bailey, 242 Main, Administrator re:  Youth Programming Activities

Leugers thanked Steinbach for giving the opportunity to present and introduced Richard Bailey, 242 Administrator who runs the afterschool programs at 242 and also supervises the Playmobile in the summer.

Bailey gave a PowerPoint presentation that began with an overview and history of the past 25 years that 242 Main has been operating.  He said that the program started in 1985 when Bernie Sanders began office initiated the program for teens and housed them in Memorial Auditorium.  Then in the 1980’s the center lost focus and became less organized; by 1997 there were discussions on closing down the center and in 1998 the Parks and Recreation Department took over the teen center and began a wider spectrum of programs. A board was formed, which Richard was a part of, and he wrote grants and acquired sustainability for the program, listened to and got an understanding of the needs of the community and went back to honoring the legacy of 242 Main, which was the music portion of the center. Today Bailey said he continues to receive grant funding and does regular afterschool programming with a guest performer, a final show at the end of the session and each student also receives a CD of the final show. Bailey added that a summer camp series also occurs and the Department receives a payment for its partnership and all other administrative functions are done by the Rock Camp program.

Pearson asked if the youth are Burlington residents; Bailey said they do have youth from other towns but the majority of the participants are from Burlington.  Pearson also asked about collaborations with other area youth programs; Bailey said that he does have some but the program is pretty unique and he uses the other programs more for marketing and promoting the programs.

VI. Director’s Items

Steinbach stated that the seasonal boat slip rate increase should go before the City Council on February 22^nd and also stated that the City Council had expressed its concern with boaters getting the services they would be paying increased fees for, Steinbach said a letter would go out to boaters with or without approval of the increase by the end of the month. She also suggested an advisory board for boaters.

Ewing said that would be a very good idea and would like to see improvement with staffing and restroom facilities as a priority.

The Moran Center continues to have committee meetings and is reviewing all building use proposals. Staff is having discussions with the Farmer’s Market to discuss options on expanding their use of space at City Hall and the turf wear issues that go along with it.  In reviewing operations to shape the budget for FY11, a number of other initiatives had been identified and being developed.  Miller Community and Recreation Center has implemented improved reporting.  Steinbach pointed out the capital improvement project for a natural playground at Smalley Park and said that in deviating from the current structure system she would like to have an open house and design charette to get more community input and to promote it - it could also be a prototype.

Ewing asked about the vacant positions in the department and Steinbach said she had begun mapping a process with Human Resources and has two people in temporary positions currently and the plan is to not address them until the greater framework is addressed. Both Steinbach and Commissioner’s expressed the importance of a normal open hiring process.

Pearson asked about the mezzanine to store voting machines and if the Clerk and Treasurer’s department was paying for that and Steinbach responded that is the type of expenses that the department is trying to capture from other departments.  Pearson also asked about sign maintenance and was told the sign he was inquiring about belonged to Winooski Valley Park District; he also asked what the protocol for sign repair/maintenance was and was told that currently there does not seem to be one but Steinbach has also expressed her desire to bring improvement to the Parks and Recreation sign package.

Hartnett asked how many City Councilors have boats and was told approximately three and Allen added that he would be sending a letter to the City Council in support of the proposed rate increase.

VII.  Commissioner’s Items

Pearson asked if a committee or task force would be appropriate to form for 242/Memorial Auditorium to provide support and Allen stated that the Commission had tried in the past and that it would be great if he would like to initiate a group and offered to help him.  Commissioners all gave Pearson names of potential interested parties to get information and to collaborate with.  Pearson said that he would come back at the March Commission meeting with a proposal.

Allen read an email from Barbara Wynroth which stated her concern for the chemical "percholrate” in fireworks displays and she suggested having a high cascading fountain or fountains as an eco friendly less expensive alternative to the July 3^rd traditional fireworks.

Hanson said that she was at a little league fundraiser and was asked by the wife of a coach if our department gave their phone number to everyone that asked for Little League registrations; Putzier said that the administrative staff always directs the call to the appropriate geographical representative, either North End, Center City or South End but she would forward the information to ensure that continues to be the procedure.

VIII.  Commission Meeting Schedule

Steinbach said that currently there was nothing to report on locations and she would have a schedule for the next Commission meeting.

X.  Adjournment

Motion to adjourn at 6:49p.m.  Ewing/Pearson.  Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Joanne M. Putzier

Administrative Assistant

BURLINGTON HARBOR COMMISSION

MINUTES

JANUARY 19, 2010

 

Commission Present:  Ewing, Allen, Pearson (by phone), Hartnett and Hanson

 

Staff Present:  Steinbach, Young and Putzier

 

Commission Chair Allen called the meeting to order at 7:26pm.

 

I.  Approval of Agenda

Motion to approve the agenda.  Ewing/Hanson.  Motion carried.

 

II.  Approval of Minutes

Motion to approve the minutes from December 8, 2009 with the change of the word "Burlingtonians” to Vermonters in paragraph eleven under item #IIIA. Waterfront Seasonal Dockage Fees.  Hanson/Ewing.  Motion carried.

 

IIIA.  Proposed Seasonal Dock Fees

Steinbach stated that she had presented the prior fee chart to the Board of Finance and they had requested that she compile comparables across the lake with like marinas and yacht clubs as well as what they were providing for services and also wanted to ensure that the Department was not subsidizing non-residents.  To which Steinbach said that the Department continues to subsidize the entire waterfront operations as part of the general operating budget.  She then presented a new proposal and made a standardized deviation over resident rates of 15% to non-residents.  All current numbers are reflective of the 15% rate.  The change from the 10% to 15% non-resident rate also increased the rate to commercial slips because they are based at 5% more than the non-resident rate.  Anticipated revenues per year based on current spaces will help the department come in a lot closer to eliminating the subsidy of the waterfront.

 

Allen asked when looking at the comparables if the benchmark was based on the resident rates and then the percentage was added to the non-residents and Steinbach said it was more of a hybrid.  Trying to establish resident rate as well as what the non-residents needs are.

 

Allen did not think that residents should necessarily be discounted but that they should be benchmarked against market and pay market value and the premium for non-residents would be justified by the demand and within the range of the market.  He also felt that the fees were reasonable compared to other facilities.  

 

Chris Muzzy, slip holder said that he thought the rates for Burlington slips were at the high end of the spectrum or more than the surrounding facilities.

 

Hartnett asked how much Mr. Muzzy felt it was worth to be in Burlington versus Shelburne and was told that Burlington definitely holds a value in terms of want and desirability of location.

 

Steinbach said she will be going back to the Board of Finance with the new proposal on January 25 or February 2 and then to the City Council for approval and that it could be the end of February before the bills are sent to slip holders.  She also stated that the Department may eliminate the deposits for this year and go right into the payment mode, but would like more guidance from Commissioners and patrons as to how that may impact slip holders.

 

Hanson said that she was troubled that some fees would go down and wanted to better understand but also wanted to make sure that some type of increase occurred and Mari clarified that none of the fees would go down they would just not increase as much as others.

 

Hanson suggested putting aside a percentage for improvements and Allen suggested speaking to the Chief Administrative Officer.

 

Ewing commended Moreau and Steinbach for all of their work on this and Mari said it had been a good opportunity and they could do better on including the public and boating community.

 

Hanson suggested having an electricity surcharge and Ewing also said that fees could be added to transients for electricity as well.

 

IV.  Harbormaster Items

No items were brought up for discussion.

 

V.  Commissioner Items

No items were brought up for discussion.

 

VI.   Adjournment

Motion to adjourn at 7:50p.m.  Hartnett/Hanson.  Motion carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,