10/24/2017 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2017
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
6:30 PM
Council Chambers
Parks and Recreation Board
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2017
Roll Call
Present 4 - Chair Norene M. Marlow, Vice Chair Michelle Ramirez, Board
Member Lisa Tuttle, and Board Member Jennifer Wood
Absent 3 - Board Member Emilio Gonzalez, Board Member Kristin Langley, and
Board Member Mark Rodriguez
Also Present: Jim Halios — Planning & Project Manager, Patricia O. Sullivan - Board
Reporter
1. Call To Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m. at City Hall.
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 July 25, 2017 meeting
Member Ramirez moved to approve the minutes of the July 25,
2017 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 Introduction of new board member
4.2 Parks & Recreation Projects Update
Planning & Project Manager Jim Halios said the Morningside Recreation
Center was under construction and scheduled to open Memorial Day
Weekend 2018.
He said a consultant will work with stakeholders to finalize upgrades
to Crest Lake Park. The park's design will be friendly to the
neighborhood but not conducive to hibernating. The plan will be
presented to the City Council for approval in November. It was
recommended the trash can removed during construction of the Florida
Veterans Memorial Plaza be replaced.
Discussion ensued re problems caused by unleashed dogs in Crest Lake
Park outside the dog park.
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes October 24, 2017
In response to a question, Mr. Halios said in addition to the City's new
wider bridge on the Ream Wilson Trail near the transfer station, the
County will construct a bridge linking that trail with the Duke Energy
Trail. Eventually, the entire Duke Energy easement will be paved,
connecting to the bridge over US 19 and north to Chestnut Park.
4.3 Review of Parks & Recreation Council Items
In response to questions, Mr. Halios said the City Council had approved
the Capital Funding Project Agreement for City-owned Ruth Eckerd Hall
with Pinellas County TDC (Tourist Development Council) to use the
$5,500,000 Tourist Tax Revenue grant plus matching funds from the City
and Ruth Eckerd Hall toward the $60,000,000 facility rehabilitation project.
Ruth Eckerd Hall has raised between $20,000,000 and$30,000,000. Some
changes to the facility will add meeting space and replace the orchestra pit
Mr. Halios said the City leased out its Barefoot Beach House concession
stand near the Hyatt Hotel. The JWB (Juvenile Welfare Board) grant
reimbursed staff and operating expenses for City-run after school programs
at Ross Norton and North Greenwood recreation centers for at risk teens.
The Parks & Recreation Board did not have a formal role re use of
emergency reserves following the hurricane. Department storm expenses
included EOC (Emergency Operations Center) staffing and the arborists'
citywide removal of damaged trees and limbs. The Police Department
identified main arteries requiring clearing.
Beach parking funds financed grooming City beaches between Avalon
Street and the jetty. The City will fill in a large hole outside that area on a
one-time basis. The City was not affected significantly by contractors who
did not honor their waste removal contracts following the storm.
It was suggested that after a storm, Solid Waste pick up a portion of each
neighborhood's yard debris and discarded items each week to provide
residents some relief rather than making neighborhoods wait weeks or
longer for any relief.
5. Old Business Item
5.1 Update on basketball courts at Coachman Ridge
Mr. Halios said the Coachman Ridge basketball courts would be
relocated to Woodgate Park.
6. Director's Report
Mr. Halios said the City had secured FDOT(Florida Department of
Transportation) funding to construct the SR60 overpass in 2023
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board
Meeting Minutes October 24, 2017
connecting the Courtney Campbell Trail with the Bayshore Boulevard
trail. The City will lease the nearby former FDOT building; the Clearwater
Regional Chamber of Commerce will operate a welcome center there and
provide trailhead bathrooms. The Druid Road trail extension from Glen Oaks
to Belcher Road will be completed in June 2018. The trail eventually will
connect with the Duke Energy trail and link Clearwater Beach with Tampa.
In response to a question, Mr. Halios said the department will replace, not
add, some benches in neighborhood parks. Concern was expressed that
dogs run wild without owner supervision at the Enterprise Dog Park.
7. Board Members to be Heard
8. Adjourn
Chair Marlow expressed concern the City had no rules governing portable
gas generators. She said following the hurricane, extremely loud generators
run 24 hours a day disturbed the majority of neighbors' sleep and
subjected many to noxious exhaust fumes wafting into houses through
open windows. She suggested the City consider National Park rules that
prohibit operating generators between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
The meeting adjourned at 7 :25 p.m.
1L.i I I( tiAtir;
Chair
City of Clearwater
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Parks & Recreation Advisory Board