10/23/2018 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes October 23, 2018
City of Clearwater
City Hall
112 S. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33756
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Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
6:30 PM
Council Chambers
Parks and Recreation Board
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes October 23, 2018
Roll Call
Present 5 - Chair Mark Rodriguez, Board Member Jennifer Wood, Board Member
Kristin Langley, Board Member Michelle T. Ramirez, and Board Member
Jason Hood
Absent 2 - Vice Chair Norene M. Marlow, Board Member Lisa Tuttle
Also Present: James Halios —Administrative Manager, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board
Reporter
1. Call To Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 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 the minutes of the July 24, 2018 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting
Member Langley moved to approve the minutes of the July 24,
2018 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 Review the Parks & Recreation Projects Update
Administrative Manager James Halios reported more than 2,000 people
celebrated the Grand Opening of the Morningside Recreation Center in early
October. Installation of the facility's Public Art was anticipated at the end of
November after the contractor switched out current windows at no charge
and the artist installed the artwork film on the new windows.
In response to questions re Parks & Recreation project updates, Mr. Halios
said instead of a band shell, a concrete slab with a shade covering would
serve as a multi-use area at Crest Lake Park. Groundbreaking for park
upgrades will be in 2019. Staff was working with consultants and designers to
determine which elements to include based on funding and community
feedback. An environmental management company studied the property.
Native plants will be added, most current plants were nonnative. Portions of
the boardwalk may be relocated away from environmentally sensitive lands.
Sections of the park will be cordoned off during construction. Benches will be
installed in strategic areas. The site will be regraded so stormwater runoff
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes October 23, 2018
does not collect. It was noted the park was home to many bird species
throughout the year.
Mr. Halios said once the field is rehabbed, artificial turf donated by the Tampa
Bay Rays will be installed at Jack Russell Stadium. The Countryside Sports
Complex press box was not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible
and will be replaced along with the storage building, the bleachers will be
upgraded. The County will replace the pedestrian bridge on the Ream Wilson
Trail north of the Carpenter Complex. A cleanup with St. Petersburg College
and 50 organizations was scheduled. Volunteers could sign up with Volunteer
Coordinator Natalie Lamb at the Parks & Recreation Department office. A
fitness equipment CIP (Capital Improvement Project) funded the replacement
schedule for all recreation centers. Equipment at the centers was heavily used
and replaced according to a cost benefit ratio when equipment breakdowns
covered by service agreements cost too much to repair.
Mr. Halios said Imagine Clearwater was not within his scope; the Engineering
Department was planning the project. A smaller sized band shell was planned
for Coachman Park to attract concert audiences ranging from 300 to 5,000
people. The goal was to tie the band shell and park into one functional space.
In response to questions, Mr. Halios said Parks & Recreation criteria to
purchase property was based on priorities: 1) property contiguous to City
owned property and 2) property meshed with Master Plan. Improvements to
Del Oro Park will be piggybacked on a stormwater project on the park's
southern end, restrooms were planned. He will report on flooding issues
related to the Del Oro Park's swale and street south of the Carlouel wall on
Mandalay Avenue where slime was present. He reviewed City and County
efforts to keep beaches clean during fish kills associated with red tide.
Concern was expressed that the rotting smell from dead fish in the dumpster
by the downtown ferry landing provided a poor experience for visitors. Mr.
Halios said there were limited locations near the beach to stage the
dumpsters.
4.2 Review the Parks & Recreation Council Items
Mr. Halios reviewed Parks & Recreation Department items recently approved
by the City Council.
5. Old Business Items: None.
6. Director's Report
In response to concerns re recent media reports of theft by Parks &
Recreation Department staff, Mr. Halios said a 20-year employee remained
in jail and his superior was dismissed. The losses, ongoing for 5 years, were
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City of Clearwater
Parks and Recreation Board
Meeting Minutes October 23, 2018
discovered after the monitoring system was modified to separate sports
tourism revenues. The field employee had pocketed cash he collected from
a vendor concession and soccer team rather than entering the collections
into the department's computer program and depositing the funds. In
response to areas of vulnerability identified by external auditors, the
department only will collect cash payments at the Parks & Recreation office;
field collections will be via debit or credit card.
Mr. Halios said management had resolved to ensure the department's
culture was correct and discrimination would not be tolerated; the 2 staff
members who engaged in inappropriate behavior toward women were
replaced. The department also reaffirmed its core commitment to providing
services to Clearwater residents; hosting toumaments was secondary.
7. Board Members to be Heard: None
8. Adiourn
Attest:
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
Board Reporter
City of Clearwater
Chair
Parks & Recreati
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isory Board