Parks Commission Minutes - January 2010
(01-15-2010)

CITY OF ROSEBURG

PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION

JANUARY 6, 2010

MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER: Chair Mike Baker called the meeting of the City of Roseburg Parks and Recreation Commission to order at 8:05 a.m. on Wednesday, January 6, 2010, in the City Hall Third Floor Conference Room.

ROLL CALL: Present: Chair Mike Baker Commissioners Dick Swartzlender, Scott Gilley, Leila Heislein, Kyle Bailey, Karen McClish, Jared Castle, and Ron Beach (left 9:21)

Absent: Larry Oatney

Attending Staff: Parks and Recreation Program Manager Barbara Taylor, Parks Superintendent Tracy Pope, and Department Technician Chanelle Rogers

Others Present: Senior Men’s Golf Representative Chuck Dana, Men’s Golf Representative Jim Forney, Women’s Golf Representatives Nancy Stockhoff and Susan Soares, Roseburg Fir Grove Principal Jill Weber, Project Leadership Representative Rudy Butler, Laurelwood Residents Ted Swagerty and Mark Wheeler, and News Review Reporter Inka Bajandas

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Castle moved to approve the minutes of the August 5, 2009 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting and the August 19, 2009 Parks and Recreation Commission Special meeting. The motion was seconded by Swartzlender and carried unanimously.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

Fir Grove School Sign: Taylor informed that staff was contacted by representatives from Fir Grove School regarding the Project Leadership Class project. One of the components of the project is to have a sign constructed and placed that will identify Fir Grove School; they would like to place the sign on city park property located outside the school fence along Stewart Park Drive. Project Leadership Representative Rudy Butler reported that the location they would like to place the sign is on the corner of Stewart Park Dr. and Harvard Ave. The sign will be shaped similar to a V so the motorists in both directions will be able to see the sign without having to look 90 degrees. Victory Builders has offered to make the sign, it will be made out of concrete but will be made to look like wood. The landscape will consist of low maintenance low growing flowers, and a couple of miniature trees. Swartzlender questioned if there were going to be two signs placed. Butler replied that there would only be one sign. Heislein asked if the signs were going to cause a vision problem. Fir Grove School Principal Jill Weber informed that the sign would be behind the clear vision area, so it should not cause any problems. Heislein inquired if there was an ordinance that must be followed. Taylor informed they would have to submit plans and go through the site review process. Swartzlender asked who would be doing the maintenance. Weber replied that she can have the school grounds staff do the maintenance.

MOTION: Swartzlender moved to allow the sign to be placed on City Park property with condition that the School District maintains and get letter of approval from City Street Department on placement location. Motion seconded by Beach and carried unanimously.

Laurelwood Neighborhood Garden: Taylor reported that residents from the Laurelwood neighborhood had approached the city seeking permission to use a section of Laurelwood Park for a neighborhood garden. Ted Swagerty and Mark Wheeler, the Laurelwood residents that contacted the City, informed the commission that they had a neighborhood meeting the night before and there has been a little resistance from some of the neighbors so they are proposing not doing a garden but maybe fruit trees. Discussion ensued. The residents appreciated the commissions concerns and will return at a later date with a revised plan.

Commission Membership: Taylor mentioned that commission membership was brought up at a recent Council meeting and referred back to the commissions. The main issues were in regard to non-resident members and the number of members on each Commission. Currently, the Municipal Code requires the Parks & Recreation Commission to consist of 9 members (including the chair) 6 of which must be City residents. Baker informed there is no definition of “non-resident”; the question is what should determine residency. Gilley informed when he started he was not a resident, he got involved because he was running the Roseburg Elementary Sports Program, which meant he was representing kids from other areas not in the city but they are part of the Roseburg School District. Baker informed it was discussed should there be positions on the commission that represent certain interests. Swartzlender informed that he is also a non-resident he joined the commission because he was involved with Legion Baseball, he is also on the Douglas County Parks Board and he feels that they are two entirely different groups. Beach has an issue of when the Golf Commission got combined with Parks Commission, he feels that there is hardly any time spent on the golf issues and feels that now is the time to go back to two separate commissions. Heislein feels that there should be non residents on the commission to represent the golf community since the golf course serves a larger area. Heislein feels that the current makeup is fine with having 3 non-residents and she feels that a resident should be someone who pays taxes and a non-resident is someone who does not pay taxes. Baker agrees but what is the distance limitation to be a “resident”. Castle feels that a person that lives in a different town should not be on a City of Roseburg Park Commission, especially if that town has their own Parks Commission. Baker will pass on to Council the suggestion to possibly separate the golf and parks commissions again.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:

BUSINESS FROM THE COMMISSION: Taylor informed that staff had applied for a program called “Sticks for Kids” and recently learned that the City of Roseburg was selected. The program is designed to help provide access for youth between the ages of 5 – 18 who are interested in learning and respecting the game of golf. The program is cosponsored by the National Recreation and Parks Association and the Golf Course Builders Association of America. The City will be provided with 10 sets of junior golf clubs and bags, along with the program curriculum for beginner golfers. Sticks for Kids will be offered at no cost to local youth as part of the Roseburg summer recreation program in 2010.

Heislein informed that she is the commission’s representative on the Waterfront Ad-Hoc committee and they have had an initial meeting the next meeting will be a public input meeting and is scheduled for February 2nd at the Library.

INFORMATIONAL:

Monthly Golf Receipts: Spreadsheets with the golf receipts information for September, October, and November 2009 along with a quarterly report were provided to the commission.

Maintenance Report: The parks and golf maintenance reports prepared by Parks Superintendent Tracy Pope for October, November and December were provided to the commission.

ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 9:25 a.m.

Chanelle Rogers,

Parks and Public Works Department Technician

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