PARAB Minutes 09/20/2023September 20, 2023
32.A.3
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Naples, Florida, September 20, 2023
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, the Collier County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, in and for
the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 2 P.M. in
REGULAR SESSION at 505 Escambia Street Sports Complex, Immokalee, Florida, with the
following members present:
Edward "Ski"Olesky, CHAIRMAN
Josh Fruth
Rebecca Gibson-Laemel
Kristina Heuser
Jessica Bergel (Zoom)
Lee Dixon (excused)
ALSO PRESENT: Olema Edwards, Director, Parks & Recreation
Tanya Williams, Department Head, Public Services
Miguel Rojas Jr., Admin. Assistant, Parks & Rec
Derrick Garby, Superintendent, Parks & Recreation
Yuridia Zaragoza, Attendee on Zoom
Dayne Atkinson
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September 20, 2023
Any persons in need of a verbatim record of the meeting may request a copy of
the Zoom recording and PowerPoint presentations from the Collier County
Parks & Recreation Department.
1. Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance and Innovation
Led by Ski Olesky.
3. Approval of the Agenda
■ Josh Fruth motion to approve.
■ Rebecca Gibson-Laemel seconded the motion.
All in favor — aye.
4. Approval of Minutes from Last Meeting
■ Rebecca Gibson-Laemel motion to approve.
■ Josh Fruth seconded the motion.
All in favor — aye.
5. Manager Updates
• Randi Swinderman
• Ashley German
• Kyle Pryce
• Leonor Montelongo
6. New Business
(a) Christmas Around the World
(b) Parks Maintenance Accomplishments Immokalee Update
PowerPoint presentation provided by Derrick Garby
• Not every park is shown on this PowerPoint.
• There was work done in every park.
• We want shade over every playground = funding.
• Playground mulch.
(c) Immokalee Sports Complex Update
PowerPoint presentation provided by Dayne Atkinson
Highlights:
• The backwash of the pool was going out onto the field and into the parking lot. To
accommodate the retention that's needed to accommodate the storm water was to
convert two of the grass fields. We were building out the project and we looked at
building new restroom facilities that were for the field, and build a new pool and
renovate the pump house.
• While permitting for the peripheral, it was discovered that the entire site does not
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September 20, 2023
meet current LDC codes. We would need a variance. Variances are not guaranteed.
You go through the process, go through the hearing examiner, and through the
Planning Commission.
• The biggest one is a landscape buffer that is required. We don't have the room on this
side to put in a landscape buffer. It would impact the size of the soccer field.
• We budgeted $1.5 million to do the pool renovation. With the additional slope, the
cost went way up to $12M.
• We went back down to the original slope with the addition of the backwash, because
we still don't want to be backwashing onto the field, so we're going to add to the
original slope to add backwashing so that it's no longer impacting the fields and the
parking lot.
• What must be done: The pump house must be renovated. It's a health and safety issue.
The storage tank for the backwash system — health and safety. Repair or replace the
geothermal that affects operation of the pool -- our ability to heat the pool in the
Winter and cool it in the Summer.
• Resurfacing of the competition pool. While the pump house is shut down, we're going
to resurface the pool. These are all essential things that must be done.
• Once we get the budgetary numbers I will be meeting with my engineers, operational
and programming staff.
• As an estimate, we need about 90 days to respond to the project, so I'm looking at the
first of the year to go into the permitting and procurement process. We are probably
looking at early Summer.
• New restrooms will not happen right now. But we will be adding porta potties.
7. Public Comments
■ Manny Touron
• Why hold this meeting at 2:00 PM when many in the community work and cannot
take time off to attend? I find it disrespectful that we as a community are treated
differently.
• Plead our case to the Board of Commissioners regarding the budget.
• Projects have been on the County's master plan for over 13 years.
• The community feels like they are second class citizens.
• Multi -purpose fields for children and parents.
• We have land that is prepped for six fields. Give us one turf field at the least that is
already prepped. Show faith and give us one. I can't believe this County doesn't have
enough money to put in one turf field.
■ Maria Salinas
• Because of the water that stands in the restrooms, my children are infested with
mosquitoes.
• More equipment and better maintenance of the Airport Park.
(That land is leased from the Airport Authority. We want to put any necessary
improvements on the land that we own.)
• Community Park — removing Oak trees and in the parking lot.
■ Dale:
We need the turf fields. Too many times the fields are closed due to water retention.
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32.A.3
■ Andreas
• Just to piggy -back off what everyone else has said.
8. Director Highlights
■ Tanya Williams:
I certainly support all these people that have spoken. I do think a night meeting out
here would make sense. And I have a question about the fitness center and their
HVAC system. I remember hearing how we were going to renovate that fitness center
and I hadn't heard anything about that. Is that anywhere on the horizon?
® Olema Edwards:
• We do know that that we need a bigger fitness center out here because this
community is growing. It boils down to funding and we're doing the best that we can.
I'm trying to enhance the community and be a good steward of the taxpayer dollars. I
must have a plan that we can execute. And we are looking for additional
property/land. We are making strides that hadn't been done in previous years. Please
be patient. There are things beyond our control. But we do hear your voices.
• You will soon see a parking lot restoration project starting the new fiscal year
(October 1). After the fiscal year begins, you'll start seeing movement on some of the
other projects that were mentioned.
• The cost for two artificial turf fields went from $1.5M to $12M. Now we're back to
$2M.
■ Tanya Williams:
• I do want to comment on some of the other things that were brought up. And we'll
have a written follow up post meeting for those that are here. There are several other
projects that have been mentioned that are directly under Parks and Rec.
• Resurfacing the basketball courts throughout all of Collier County. We will be
kicking off that project within the next fiscal year.
• Fixing sidewalks and parking lots. We'll phase it out and put it into the hopper along
with all the other sidewalks that need repairs.
• The Facilities Department is undertaking a huge parking lot restoration project
throughout all of Collier County.
• The library and David Lawrence Center, at the corner where it has flooded for years,
we're finally on the books and seeing momentum. That's going to be done as part of
the new transportation hub with the CAT system.
• Parking lots will be consolidated into one huge project handled by the County. I'll
provide follow-up and more specifics about the areas and which areas will be
addressed first.
• Regarding the fitness center, there were multiple HVAC projects as part of that surtax
project. I'll go back to see if that was earmarked. If not, we'll get it in the discussion
with the Facilities Department.
9. Adjournment
Adj ourned at 3 :15 PM.
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There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting N
was adjourned by order of the chairman at 3:42 p.m. N
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Edward "Ski" Olesky, Chairman m°
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These minutes were approved by the Board on , (check one) Q
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as presented, or as amended
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