PARAB Minutes 01/22/1997 PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
January 22, 1997
Minutes
Golden Gate Community Center
4701 Golden Gate Park Way,Naples,Florida
PRESENT: Timothy Blackford,Chairman
Elaine Wicks,Vice Chair
Gayle L. Stan
Gil Mueller
Joseph Zaks
Max A.Hasse,Jr.
ABSENT:
ALSO PRESENT: Skip Camp,Acting Director
Murdo Smith,Recreation Manager
Gary Franco,Parks Superintendent
Jacquie Hart,Secretary II
I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
III. INVOCATION:by Max A.Hasse,Jr.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: December 18, 1996 meeting.
Motion by Elaine Wicks to approve December 18, 1996 minutes. Seconded by Max A.
Hasse.
V. NEW BUSINESS/PRESENTATIONS
a. Neighborhood Parks - a concerned citizen wrote a letter to the Parks and Recreation
Department suggesting that the Department consider some type of safe crossing for children
to use from the North side of Immokalee Road to Veterans Park. The Parks and Recreation
Advisory Board directed staff to address the issue and send a letter to Mr.Arthur Staples.
VI. REQUESTS FOR DISCUSSION
a. Tigertail Concession not Issuing Receipts - Mr. Mueller stated that the concessionaire at
Tigertail is not issuing receipts and this problem needs to be addressed.
Mr.Camp will send an RLS to the County Attorney for advise.
b. Grant Writer - Mr. Camp stated that the Parks and Recreation Department went before the
Board of County Commissioners last Tuesday and asked that the Grant Writer that the
Department had been dealing with, be rejected. Mr. Camp briefly explained that 14 months
ago bids were mailed out to individuals/companies interested in writing grants for the County
but only one person responded,who happens to be Mr. Stan Hemphill. The Department tried
to negotiate with Mr. Hemphill who will charge the county up to $267,000 for a single $5.
Million dollar grant per year. Mr. Camp did some research and their are other alternatives.
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c. Dogs in the Park/Leash Law - Ms. Armstrong went before the Board of County
Commissioners,under Public Petition and voted 5/0 not to change the Ordinance. Mr. Camp
stated that according to the County Attorney's Office,the Department would have to petition
before the State in order to change the Ordinance.
d. PARAB Vacant Position/Immokalee-Ms. Billie Cheney is the only applicant who applied
for the Immokalee position and was unable to attend the meeting for an interview but will
attend next months meeting for an interview.
e. Letter from Cindy DeAugustino - Ms. DeAugustino wrote a letter suggesting that the
Parks and Recreation Department build a Roller Hockey Rink at the Max A.Hasse Park.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board directed staff to address a letter to Ms.
DeAugustino that their are plans for constructing a Roller Hockey Rink at Veterans
Community Park.
f. Are there any Future Plans for Everglades - Ms. Stan inquired whether or not the
County owns any small parcel of land in the Everglades area for a community park,
basketball court, or a tot lot. There are not only children in the Everglades area but also
children in the Copeland and other small town areas that need a recreation facility.
Mr. Smith stated that he has been talking to Vince in the Everglades area who is trying to find
a piece of land so the department can work together in doing something, but nothing has
materialized. The Depai lucent will look into the matter.
• South Park at East Naples - The South Park at East Naples was discussed but the
project has been put on hold at this time. The Parks and Recreation Department is going
before the Board of County Commissioners for some direction regarding the South Park
at East Naples.
• Plans for Future Parks - The Parks Department is working on a report to make a
transition in constructing Regional Parks instead of Community Parks. The department
is looking for direction from PARAB.
• Parks and Recreation Work Plan - Mr. Camp distributed a report showing the Parks
and Recreation Departments past, current, and future projects. The report shows the
department goals, objectives, issues, how the project will be funded, and a mission
statement.
• Marco YMCA-The Board of County Commissioners voted against the Marco YMCA's
Pool Funding proposal.
• Immokalee Recreation Aquatic Center - there is a litigation issue at the Immokalee
Recreation Center with the black employees who had been terminated and black
participants. Mr. Camp stated that he did some investigation and did not see any racism
in Immokalee but what he did discover is that there has been some inconsistency in
punishments for participants who break the rules in the Park. The inconsistency did not
have anything to do with race. Mr.Camp distributed a matrix showing how the different
types of disciplinary actions that the parks should follow.
Motion by Tim Blackford to endorse the matrix disciplinary actions concept and
would like for the Parks and Recreation Department to enforce at both pools.
Seconded by Gayle Stan. Passed 6/0
• Parks and Recreation Survey-Mr. Camp met two weeks ago with another organization
to take the current survey material and to give the department some suggestions on how
to improve. Mr. Camp reviewed the proposal and told the marketing firm of Bonita
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Springs that the Department is not interested in doing business with them any longer
because of several reasons.
• Parks and Recreation Brochure- Mr. Mueller would like for the Parks and Recreation
Department to update the 8 fold brochure and continue to distribute. The brochure is
very informative.
g. PARAB Election of Officers - Parab elected Timothy Blackford as Chairman and Elaine
Wicks as Vice Chair.
h. Motion by Gil Mueller to elect Tim Blackford as Chairman. Seconded by Elaine Wicks.
Passed 6/0.
i. Motion by Joseph Zaks to elect Elaine Wicks as Vice Chairperson. Seconded by Tim
Blackford. Passed 6/0.
VII.UPDATES
a. Cocohatchee River Park Update - the concessionaire building at Cocohatchee has been
fully repaired. There is a committee of 5 members to review RFP's that are in to name the
new vendor which will be done very shortly.
b. Pay Phone at Max Hasse Community Park- the phone company will install a pay phone
on Tuesday at the Max Hasse Community Park,Jr.
c. Shade Trees - Mr. Franco stated that he received a call from development services and a
developer would like to donate 10 shade trees. These trees will be placed at the Vineyards
playground area and also at Bayview.
d. Monthly Report(December)-No Discussion.
e. Beach & Water Ordinance #89-11 - Mr. Franco stated that Ordinance 89-11 will be going
before the Board of County Commission. The Ordinance 89-11 has been amended to require
water craft to idle out at 500 feet and slow speed to 750. This item will be brought before
BCC on February 11, 1997.
f. Collier County Racquet Center Construction -the contractors have a 90 day contract and
the contractors would like to get an extension for 120 days. Mr. Mueller suggested not to
grant the 120 days extension.
g. Parks Adoption Report-Mr. Zaks reported that the Pelican Bay Community Park and East
Naples Community Park looks great.
h. Pelican Bay Tennis - membership has been slow. The promotion with $100 dollars off
seems to have helped membership in January. Mr. Mueller suggested that the Parks and
Recreation Department check with Larry Lewis on whether he would be interested in doing a
seasonal rate for seasonal residents.
i. Park Meeting Schedule-No Discussion.
Motion by Joseph Zaks that PARAB supports the amendment to the Tourist
Development Tax so that it may be used for the acquisition of beach parking. Also
directing staff to collect a letter from PARAB.Seconded by Gil Mueller. Passed 6/0.
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Motion by Joseph Zaks that PARAB recommend that the Board of County
Commissioners not support an acquisition of a right away to access Wiggins State Park.
The motion has been tabled until PARAB visits the Wiggins State Park site.
Inviting Wiggins Pass Park Ranger - PARAB suggested that the department invite a
Wiggins State Park's Ranger to the next meeting. Mr. Camp stated that the department does
not have all the facts regarding that park property.
VIII.ADJOURNMENT
a. Meeting adjourned at 4:30 P.M.. Motion by Max A. Hasse to adjourned. Seconded
by Joseph Zaks.
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