04/26/2016 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes April 26, 2016
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
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Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
6:30 PM
The Long Center
Parks and Recreation Board
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes April 26, 2016
Roll Call
Present 7 - Chair Ric Ortega, Vice Chair Norene M. Marlow, Board Member
Candace Gardner, Board Member Emilio Gonzalez, Board Member
Nola Johnson, Board Member Lisa Tuttle, and Board Member Kristin
Langley
Also Present: Felicia Donnelly - Administrative Support Manager, Patricia O.
Sullivan - Board Reporter
1. Call To Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Long Center.
To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily
discussed in that order.
2. Approval of Minutes
2.1 Approve minutes from January 13, 2016 meeting
Member Marlow moved to approve the minutes of the January 13,
2016 Parks & Recreation Board meeting as submitted in written
summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried
unanimously.
3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda - None.
4. New Business Items
4.1 North Clearwater Neighborhood Park (Expansion of State Street Park/Betty Lane
Forested Habitat Preservation Site project)
Resident Jared Leone requested the North Clearwater Neighborhood
Park, located in a recently annexed neighborhood, be added to the
Parks & Recreation Master Plan.
Administrative Support Manager Felicia Donnelly supported the request,
stating the City only could seek grant funds for projects in the
Master Plan, the park property was outside City limits when the Master Plan
was finalized.
Member Langley moved to recommend adding the North
Clearwater Neighborhood Park to the Parks & Recreation Master
Plan. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously.
The Parks & Recreation Board recessed from 6:34 to 6:39 p.m.
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes April 26, 2016
4.2 Presentation by Friends of Moccasin Lake
Five Friends of Moccasin Lake Nature Park addressed the board,
reviewing development of the Moccasin Lake Nature Park Master Plan,
ongoing stakeholder meetings, marketing suggestions, and planned
CIPs (Capital Improvement Projects). Concern was expressed not all
City Councilmembers were familiar with the park, which could be the gem
of Clearwater, attracting eco-tourism and generating income for the City.
It was commented that the Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce was
enthusiastic about promoting the park to out-of-town visitors and the park's
eco-tourism attributes may be eligible for TDC (Tourist Development Council)
marketing efforts.
Volunteers reviewed their efforts to open the park on Sundays, refurbish the
turtle and tortoise pond, install a bird blind, supply bird feeders, clean cages
feed the animals, promote the park, emphasize education, and visit local
schools. They discussed the benefits of full time environmental summer
camps for children and sought a solution to revive the park's camp in summer
2017. It was stated City help was needed at the park, such as use of a City
backhoe to enlarge the turtle pond. Collaboration between the Friends of
Moccasin Lake Nature Park, the City Council, and Parks & Recreation Board
was encouraged.
Ms. Donnelly reviewed the history of the park and the previous Pinellas
County School's onsite program. The City and user population developed a
Master Plan and the park was awarded a grant from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund, the $600,000 total included the City match. Staff was
exploring options to maximize the impact of these limited resources, grant
money will not be used to resurface the parking lot. Buildings will be
environmentally sound and sustainable. A natural playground will be installed
and animal enclosures will be upgraded. Plans for the bridge replacement will
be presented in July. While education was important, it was not a critical
mission for the City, which did not have resources to maintain live animals,
and depended on volunteers. The park recently received a large amount of
press coverage.
Ms. Donnelly said the City hosted 150 children weekly at the Long Center
summer camp. All City summer camps had an environmental module with a
visit to Moccasin Lake Nature Park. The school system's new bridge program
impacted camp attendance. A cost recovery studywas not done during City
operation of the Moccasin Lake Park summer camp, which averaged 19
campers a week during its last 3 years. The park now had 1 FTE (Full-Time
Equivalent). During the last few years, the City had not received any inquiries
re Moccasin Lake Nature Park camp. The City sought a contractor to run the
camp; the contractor also ran other local camps and charged Boyd Hill
campers $150 1week. She suggested Friends of Moccasin Lake Nature Park
may help with a cost share to decrease weekly fees to match City rates ($90
resident/$100 non-resident).
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes April 26, 2016
Discussion ensued with recommendations that the Friends of Moccasin
Lake Nature Park make a similar presentation to the Pinellas County
School Board and that the City increase street signage for the park,
improve entryway signs, and install wayfinding signs on the Ream
Wilson Trail by Cliff Stephens Park and Kapok Park, directing trail users
to the park.
The Moccasin Lake Nature Park volunteers were thanked for their efforts.
4.3 Parks & Recreation Projects Update
Ms. Donnelly provided updates on Parks & Recreation Department
projects. The $5.4 million Morningside Recreation Center's design will
be discussed at an upcoming meeting with the homeowners association.
Jack Russell Stadium renovations included bathrooms, bleachers, open
air and indoor batting tunnels, athletic offices, a multi-purpose room, and
scoreboard. A Master Plan would be developed for Crest Lake Park, a
veterans'memorial was under construction there with the grand opening
on May 29, 2016. Grants for the Countryside Community Park will be used
for drainage and field renovations. The $100,000 grant for the McMullen
Tennis Complex can be spent over 3 years, staff will apply for additional
funds. Twelve Missouri Avenue medians will have full landscape renovations.
A presentation on sports tourism will be requested. Ms. Donnelly
suggested the board's July meeting be held at Jack Russell Stadium
followed by a tour of the renovated facility.
4.4 Review of Council Items
Ms. Donnelly reviewed department items presented for City Council approval
during the current fiscal year.
5. Old Business Item - None
6. Director's Report - None.
7. Committee Members to be Heard
Chair Ortega said Clearwater High's frontage was unattractive and the
school lacked onsite fields for baseball and softball practice. He sent a
letter to the City Council recommending the City vacate Arcturas Avenue
and donate the land to Clearwater High to construct sports fields. He
said current plans for additional fields would eliminate some parking
near the Druid Road/Hercules Avenue intersection. In support of
community/school partnership efforts, he suggested Clearwater High
duplicate actions by Tarpon Springs High School, which shared its new
swimming pool with residents after school hours. He encouraged
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board
8. Adjourn
Meeting Minutes April 26, 2016
Clearwater High School and the City's Parks & Recreation Department
to discuss opportunities to share sports fields. He said the multitude of
City fields near Clearwater High School could be used for tournaments,
which would generate income for the City. He encouraged Clearwater to
capitalize on youth sports competition, stating that competitors' families
would welcome the opportunity to visit Clearwater.
Ms. Donnelly said guidance would be requested from the City's Sports
Tourism staff, which oversaw City Interlocal Agreements with the School
District. City fields were booked 49 weekends a year for tournaments.
The City did not have open land to build fields. She acknowledged
amateur sports related travel was significant. Clearwater's Parks & Recreation
Department was responsible for most of the County's sports tourism, which
had a $145 million economic impact on the area.
Member Gonzales expressed concern the Tampa Bay Times did not
publish women's softball game results.
Member Gardner requested an updated list of advisory board members.
The meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m.
NEXT MEETING — July 26, 2016 at Jack Russell Stadium
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City of Clearwater
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Chair
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board