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09/28/2021 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes September 28, 2021 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 e Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 28, 2021 6:30 PM Main Library - Council Chambers Parks and Recreation Board Page 1 City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes September 28, 2021 Roll Call Present 4 - Chair Bruce Rector, Board Member Jason Hood, Board Member Patrick Raftery, and Board Member Scott Thomas Absent 3 - Vice Chair Mark Rodriguez, Board Member Lisa Tuttle, and Board Member Martin Armstrong Also Present— Jim Halios — Parks & Recreation Director, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library. 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 August 24, 2021 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting. Member Thomas moved to approve the minutes of the August 24, 2021 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 Update on September 7 meeting with Lake Bellevue residents. Parks & Recreation Director Jim Halios said Lake Bellevue residents had discussed their wants and expectations at the neighborhood association meeting. The City will schedule neighborhood visioning sessions to incorporate resident ideas into the Parks & Recreation Master Plan update and a neighborhood Strategic Planning Session to include resident input in the City's Strategic Plan update. 4.2 Report on September 17 Visit to Valencia Estates Neighborhood Member Raftery said he appreciated residents reaching out to the Board. He thanked resident Lisa Lanza for inviting Assistant City Manager Micah Maxwell and him to tour her Valencia Estates Neighborhood. He said Valencia Park, off Hercules Avenue, was a gem that was clean and featured lighted tennis and basketball courts, a playground, and multiple trash cans. He said Ms. Lanza reported that residents took pride in keeping the park neat and clean. He said pink markings on a small section of park sidewalk indicated repairs were planned. Page 2 City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes September 28, 2021 Member Raftery said neighborhood residents had thought the City's Charter Oaks Park was church property. He said the small park on Charter Oaks Drive had benches and was well maintained, surrounded by trees and peaceful. He said residents requested the City to install signage identifying the park. 4.3 Review September Parks & Recreation Project Update Report Mr. Halios provided an update of the project report. The department was exploring grants. A CIP (Capital Improvement Project) will be presented to the City Council for new HVAC equipment at BayCare Baseball Field. The City cleanup will occur October 11 — 16, 2021. The next project update report will be distributed to the Board in early October. Mr. Halios was thanked for the monthly updates. It was reported that Countryside Recreation Center had received 8 new pieces of equipment. In response to questions, Mr. Halios said the completion date for Bird Island was extended. SWFWMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District) authorized the Landings to connect to reclaimed water once permits were issued. The Landings was managing the project. The City was paying half the cost for the connection as it is City park property. Using reclaimed water will help restore the aquifer. The City continued to negotiate land purchases for parks, the process was active and ongoing. 5. Old Business Items: None. 6. Director's Report Mr. Halios reported the department was able to piggyback on Forward Pinellas'contract to upgrade the Parks & Recreation 10-year Master Plan. Forward Pinellas and the City had similar scopes of work, staff provided the consultant with the City's scope of work and was awaiting pricing. He will announce at the next meeting when the consultant plans to interact with the board and begin public engagement, beginning in 2022. 7. Board Members to be Heard Member Raftery recommended members visit parks near their homes and encouraged visits to Frank Tack and Montclair parks. He expressed concern that park visitors litter even when close to multiple trash cans. He said he was encouraging his neighborhood to help maintain Forrest Run Park. He requested residents participate in the City-wide weeklong cleanup in October that will include Forrest Run Park. He said Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Moullet had done a great job recruiting 1,500 volunteers for the cleanup. He said it was important that residents maintain their neighborhood Page 3 City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board 8. Adjourn Meeting Minutes September 28, 2021 parks and help make Clearwater clean and beautiful for citizens and visitors. He encouraged residents to reduce litter and drink tap water when possible to decrease plastic water bottle waste. Member Hood suggested the City have an ap for park visitors or install park signage with contact information to encourage resident suggestions and feedback. He said a code printed on park signs could provide visitors a direct link to the Parks & Recreation Department. Mr. Halios said signage in Nashville connect smart phones to a website. He expressed concern a code could become ineffective if the platform is changed. The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. \JZv-' Chair Parks & Recreation Advi ory B and Page 4 City of Clearwater