HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-13-1998 Park and Recreation Commission Minutes Saratoga Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Administrative Offices, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga
April 13, 1998
7:30 p.m.
Action Minutes
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. Roll Call
Commissioners Present: Clabeaux ,Crotty, Friedrich, Ioannou, Olsen, Swan,
Whitney
Commissioners Absent: None
Others Present: Joan Pisani, Larry Periin, Irene Jacobs, Larry Fine, Susie
Demoke, Sarah Lombardo, Bob Kong, Ron Moseley, Ron Matsuura, Lindee Sath,
Jay Beals
III. Report on Po.sting of the Minutes: Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2 the
agenda was properly posted on April 8, 1998.
IV. Approval of Minutes of March 16, 1998 Meeting:
Commissioner Swan made a motion to approve the minutes of March 16, 1998
with corrections. Listed under new business, on page two of the minutes, there
was no mention of the project manager negotiating with schools or school districts
in the motion made by Commissioner Swan. She asked that this be correctly
reflected in the minutes. Commissioner Ioaunou seconded the motion and the
motion carried. (6/0)
V. Administration:
The Commission Chair, Kay Whitney, asked the group if anyone was opposed to
reversing the order of Old Business with New Business in order to better
accommodate the sports league representatives who had come to speak to the
Commission regarding contract negotiations listed under new business. There
was no opposition from the Commission.
VI. New Business:
A) Contract Negoti,tt~ons
The City currently has a contract with American Youth Soccer Organization
(AYSO) and Little League for the exclusive use of Congress Springs Park during
their respective seasons. City had begun negotiations with them at the end of last
year ,at which time, staff recommended that the sports leagues play a bigger role
in covering the costs associated with the maintenance of the field. City staff had
brought this issue before the Parks & Recreation Commission since staff had been
unable to reach an agreement with the sports leagues on how much money should
be paid by the sports leagues to assist in the maintenance of the fields.
The Commission heard from representative from AYSO, Little League and Pony
League. Little League agreed to pay the increase if they could be assured that
AYSO would pay the same rate. AYSO would not agree to the increased rate.
Staff needs to contact Pony League since they currently use Congress Springs
Park and are not under contract with the City.
After the conclusion of the discussion, Commissioner Clabeaux made a motion to
recommend to the Council that the City enact a $12 per participant user fee in
place of the current flat rate fee of $1,500 per season for the use of Congress
Springs Park by organized sports leagues. Further negotiations on this issue
should be held with the project manager retained by the City to establishjoint-use
agreements with sports leagues, schools and school districts for the maintenance
of athletic fields scheduled to be built with Park Development Funds.
Commissioner Swan seconded the motion and the motion carded. (5/1)
B) Pre-Planning Meet/jag - Project Manager/Beals
Staff informed the Commission that a pro-planning meeting had been scheduled
for Thursday, April 234 from 9a.m. -1 la.m. in the City Administrative Offices
with Jay Beals of Beals Landscape Architecture, who had been selected as the
project manager to oversee the playfield projects. The meeting would be an
opportunity to answer questions, share information and better define the project
manager's role in the process. Commissioners were invited to attend and asked to
contact staffif they were planning to attend.
C) .Parks &Fac. i[ity Rontals - Progress Report
This item was tabled until a later date when Yvonne Lampshire, Facility
Coordinator, could attend the meeting and report to the Commission on this issue.
VII. Old Business:
A) Parks and Recreation Development Fund Projects Update
Staff member Jacobs reported that the majority of her time had been spent on the
playfield issue and that she suspected that this would be her main focus for some
time in light of the current negotiations and the fact that the project manager was
coming on board.
B) Recreation C0st Recovery Task Force - Update
Commissioner Olsen gave the Commission a summary of the Finance Advisory
Commission's (FAC) report regarding Indirect Cost Allocation Methodology at
the April 7e Adjourned Council Meeting. The FAC reported that in their opinion,
the current methodology used to allocate indirect costs to the Recreation
Department was fair and appropriate. The Council also reviewed the Joan
Pisani's salary as the Recreation Director. The information that had been
provided to the Council by staff had shown Ms. Pisani to be underpaid when
compared to other Recreation Directors in neighboring communities. The City
Council requested that staff provide them with job descriptions that corresponded
to the salaries that had been listed in the report. This issue would then be further
discussed at the Adjourned Council Meeting of April 21't.
C) Joint Meeting with ¢i[y Council - Review
It was the consensus of the Commission that although lengthily, the joint meeting
with the City Council on March 24t~ had been a successful and very productive
meeting. The majority of the discussion among Commissioners revolved around
the misunderstanding that had occurred regarding the improvements to the
Community Center. The direction that had been given to the Commission by
former staff had not been the same direction that the Council had expressed at
their joint meeting.
At this point in the meeting, Commissioner Swan addressed the Commission as
the Pre-School Coordinator for the Saratoga Community Center and not as a
Commissioner, concerning some ideas that she had regarding changes to the
building as they related to the pre-school room. Sensitive to the late hour, the
Commission Chair requested that this issue be agendized for the May meeting
when the commission would have more time to better address the issue and decide
on a new course of action.
VIII. Reports:
Commissioner Reports:
There were several reminders from Commissioners of upcoming community
events and invitations to attend were extended. Commissioner Crotty informed
the Commission that May 16' was National River Clean-Up Day, and she
requested assistance from her fellow Commissioners to volunteer some time to
help make this day a success.
City_ Hall Update: No report at this time
Recreation Departmerit Status Report: loan Pisani, Recreation Director, reported
that Sununer Camp registration was going well. So far, the Recreation
Department had already registered 550 children for the program this summer.
The Department is expecting another successful year.
Park Maintenance DiAsion Update: No report at this time.
IX. Adiournment
Commissioner Olsen made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner
Crotty seconded the motion. The motion carded and the meeting was adjourned
at 10:18 p.m. (6/0)
Prepared By:
en~e M.~Jacobs
City Staff Repre~/ntative