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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/16/1998 CITY OF THE COLONY DENTON COUNTY, TEXAS JULY 16TH, 1998 A REGULAR SESSION OF The Colony Municipal Economic Development Corporation (413 Board) was called to order at 7:15 p.m. with the following members present: Don Goebel President Vicki Briggs Member Susan King Member Morris Seay Member Rick Manser Member Wayne Bullard Member and with Member Walden absent; however a quorum was established. Also in attendance was Pam Nelson, Director of The Parks & Recreation Dept., and John Sanders, Chairman of The Parks & Recreation Board. 1. CITIZEN'S INPUT. None. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 30, MAY 7, MAY 21, AND JULY 9, 1998. Member Seay made a motion to approve the minutes of April 30, May 7, May 21, and July 9, 1998. Member Bullard seconded the motion. Ayes: All members present voted aye. Noes: None. 3. REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF RECREATION SERVICES SURVEY DISTRIBUTION. We have not received any more surveys. President Goebel asked if there was any interest or comments on how to get the survey into everyone's hands. Member Briggs said to do an insert in the paper would cost $35.00 per 1,000 and they would do up to 6,500. Ms. Nelson stated the survey is an extensive one and would take some time to sit down and fill it out. Ms. Nelson also stated that Ben Casey came to us to see if he could do this survey in our community, so lets ask him to pay for the cost to place an insert in the paper. Member King made a motion to send the survey to Ben Casey and ask him to pay for inserts into the newspaper. Member Briggs seconded the motion. Ayes: All members present voted aye. Noes: None. 4. REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF WORK SESSION HELD ON JULY 13, 1998. Member Bullard stated that City Council needs to give us a chance. I think Bill is starting to listen to us now. If they listen, I think we have a chance on passing it. Member Manser stated that we're supposed to go find the facts and deliver on the facts and try to come up with the best option for the City, and that's what City Council is supposed to do too. The reaction we're getting from them I think is because they feel they are being forced to make a quick decision. We need to isolate the 413 part of the Parks Plan. Member Seay stated he thinks there are two main objections to the proposal - location and principle. I think Bill Longo can be moved if we start with improvements to the existing parks first. Mary thinks she can be convinced by numbers. Member King stated City Council is asking us for a Master Plan before we know what we're going to put there. Ms. Nelson stated it would be beneficial to project some percentages because you don't know what your revenue is going to be. City Council wants to see a breakdown in percentages to make sure the old stuff isn't being forgotten. The 4B Board can do the percentages, and give them to Tony to do the projections and also give Tony a timeline so he can come up with some numbers. Maintenance and upgrades need to be clarified - maintenance would be things like fixing irrigation and replacing light poles - upgrades would be like adding lights to an unlighted field. 4B money can't go towards maintenance. Ms. Nelson also stated that a concern has been expressed to her and also mentioned in the paper, that there seems to be some misalignment between the 4B Board and the Parks & Recreation Board as to what the priorities were and what everybody is looking at. It may be beneficial to have a joint Work Session with the Parks & Recreation Board to look at the Parks Master Plan. Each park has a list of what needs to be done through the Master Plan. The list should be looked at to identify what are maintenance items, upgrades, and do some prioritizing. President Goebel thinks we should wait for a Work Session because we're bringing in a new director and we're supposed to do a feasibility study. Wallace, Robert, & Todd will be at our next meeting to make a presentation. Someone form their firm will also be coming to the Public Hearing to get an idea of what people are saying. The cost would be $50,000 and the city will not help. The 4A Board said they would help pay for the study. Carter & Burgess gave us a proposal of $40,000. Ms. Nelson stated we need to get a copy of the proposal from Carter & Burgess because we can use that to develop a scope of services for when we go out for proposals. It will show us what they are going to provide in the study, and we can use that to add or take away from depending on what you want. Member Manser asked if the study is for economic development or parks. Ms. Nelson answered that park development will directly impact economic development, it's one in the same. Ms. Nelson stated the study needs to be done before the environmental assessment. Whatever projects are in the lakefront study, anything that we would do in the next 10 years, we would need to give them that list to include in the environmental assessment to see what the impact would be. I think that will be done later than October. Member King asked if the land purchase will be held up by this study. President Goebel stated that by doing the study, maybe we can delay the August 26 date. Member Bullard stated it's important that we show Council we are putting forth the effort to justify the purchase of the land by putting some figures together. Member Seay stated if we don't give Council additional information, there won't be a land purchase. Member Seay also stated that the next time we go to Council, we don't even talk about the land for sale -just talk about the feasibility studies, project A, B, C, etc. Member Briggs stated she and Member King had heard from 3 of 4A wanted to get involved in the study too. President Goebel stated we need to get something concrete from them because their money is starting to dwindle. Ms. Nelson stated that the Texas Star Facility was developed by setting up a committee of 413 members, city staff, citizens, and the Parks Board - they all worked the whole process together. Member King stated the Texas Star facility was built on 100 acres of land costing $4,200,000. They have picnic pavilions, hike & bike trails, 3 soccer fields, concession stand, 3 lighted volleyball courts, handicapped exercise area, and a huge playground. They did this in 5 years and paid $15,000 per acre. Member Seay asked Ms. Nelson about a question Bill Longo has - Do we need to do the complex now because we need new playing facilities now, are we planning for future only or is it a combination? Ms. Nelson stated we would still at build out, if we reach 75,000-80,000 people in the community - we will need to use both existing and new facilities. The idea was to build the new facilities in phases - move the playing of games to new facilities - close down the old ones for renovations, and have it all done by the time we hit that 75,000 mark. President Goebel stated his only fear about putting numbers together is that I don't want us to dwell on a subject like we did with the bylaws only to have it shot down and changed. I want to make sure we're prepared and ready. There was a consensus that a work session should be held with the Parks Board on July 22, 1998 and also set up a meeting with the 4A Board. 5. REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF UPCOMING PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 23, 1998. President Goebel stated we should follow the same format as in the past with the exception of introducing the Board members. Tony Johnston was supposed to come '/a hour early to show us preliminary budget figures for one director for 4A & 4B. We were to discuss the figures and make any changes we wanted. Ms. Nelson asked if his figures were different than Lanny's proposal. Member King said they were because he wanted to speak with Pam. President Goebel said the agenda for the Public Hearing will be citizen's input and the presentation of the budget proposal from Tony Johnston. If citizen's input runs long, we will table Tony's presentation. 6. NEW BUSINESS. Member King said everyone should have a copy of all the applications we have received. Lanny is not impressed with any of them except Kurt D. Clennan. Everyone should also have a copy of the job description - if you have any comments, give them to Margaret, but be kind. There is no date set for interviewing or getting together as a group to review them. 4A are under the assumption that all 5 will get to do it. Member Bullard stated he will find out if he will have to go to Minneapolis for his job for 3 months and wanted to know if he should resign his position on the Board now. President Goebel stated he was hard on John Sanders with his comment during the meeting. There being no further discussion, it was unanimously decided to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 p.m. /'t Kathy Neal, Recording Secretary Don Goebel, President