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PARAB Minutes 04/15/2026 (Draft)Page 1 of 8 1 MINUTES OF THE COLLIER COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Naples, Florida — April 15th, 2026 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, the Collier County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, in and for the County of Collier, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 2:00 P.M. in REGULAR SESSION at North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Rd, Naples, FL 34109, USA, with the following members present: Chairman: Josh Futh Vice Chairman: Eric Kelly Rebecca Gibson-Laemel (Excused) Jessica Bergel (Excused) Kerry Geroy Sally Hawk ALSO PRESENT: James Hanrahan, Director, Parks and Recreation Division Miguel Rojas, Administrative Support Specialist II Said Gomez, Regional Manager Randi Swinderman, Regional Manager Marissa Baker Regional Manager Any persons needing the verbatim record of the meeting may request a copy of the audio recording from the Collier County Parks and Recreation Department. Page 2 of 8 2 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair Josh Futh at 2:00 PM. A quorum was established. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, followed by a moment of silence. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION 3. AGENDA REVIEW: The agenda was presented as distributed. No formal motion recorded; agenda proceeded as presented. 4. APPROVAL OF THE MEETING Motion carried unanimously to approve the January meeting minutes. Motion carried unanimously to approve the February meeting minutes. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Ann & Ski Olesky Park Update – Presented by James Hanrahan, Director Mr. Hanrahan informed the Board that the Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved renaming the park to Ann & Ski Olesky Park. He acknowledged Ski Olesky’s contributions and shared remarks from the memorial service attended by staff. Said Gomez, Regional Manager, provided an update that signage replacement is currently in progress. Measurements have been completed and bids are being obtained for new signage, including marina locations. Mr. Hanrahan recommended a future informal unveiling event with the family once signage is installed. Page 3 of 8 3 B. Chairman Selection – Facilitated by James Hanrahan Mr. Hanrahan explained that the Chair position was vacant following the passing of Ski Olesky. Motion by a Board Member, second by a Board Member, and carried unanimously to appoint Josh Futh as Chair. Motion by a Board Member, second by a Board Member, and carried unanimously to appoint Eric Kelly as Vice Chair. C. Budget Timeline – Presented by James Hanrahan Mr. Hanrahan provided a detailed overview of the Fiscal Year 2027 budget development process, noting:  The fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30  Regional Managers are actively working with the Operations and Regulatory Management (ORM) team  A working guideline of approximately 3% budget increase is being used He emphasized that staff are conducting a line-by-line review of expenditures, including:  General operations and daily expenses  Capital projects by location  Preventative maintenance needs Mr. Hanrahan highlighted that staff are evaluating:  Unused or unexecuted capital funds from prior years  Opportunities to reallocate or repurpose funds  Whether certain expenses (e.g., turf/sod replacement) should shift between capital and operating budgets He cited examples such as significant annual sod replacement costs (approximately $200,000 at certain locations) and the need to evaluate long-term solutions, including artificial turf and associated stormwater benefits. Board discussion included field overuse, maintenance demands, and the relationship between turf installation and stormwater management improvements. D. Sun-N-Fun Lagoon Update – Presented by James Hanrahan with Staff Input Mr. Hanrahan reported operational updates including:  Strong attendance during spring break periods (Collier and Lee County weeks) Page 4 of 8 4  Weather-related attendance variations  Temporary closure of slides due to Pump House 2 repairs, with full operation expected for summer He highlighted the ongoing partnership with North Collier Fire for lifeguard services. Staff (Aquatics Team) provided additional details:  Expansion of swim lesson programming  Hiring efforts targeting approximately 30 lifeguards  Establishment of supervisory positions to support operations  Improved retention rates (increasing from ~40% to over 80%) due to the partnership Staff also noted continued marketing efforts and event programming to increase public awareness and usage. E. Adopt-A-Park Program – Presented by Miguel Rojas Mr. Rojas introduced a reactivation of the Adopt-A-Park program, including a tracking booklet and optional digital reporting format. Board members discussed visiting parks independently and reporting observations at meetings. Staff encouraged members to evaluate:  Park conditions and cleanliness  Customer service interactions  Vendor operations where applicable Consensus of the Board supported implementation of the program. F. Name Tags – Presented by Miguel Rojas Mr. Rojas presented two identification options: 1. Magnetic name pins 2. County-issued ID badges requiring background checks Staff explained costs and procedures, including fingerprinting and processing time. Motion by a Board Member, second by a Board Member, and carried unanimously to select county-issued ID badges. Page 5 of 8 5 G. Talent Development – Presented by James Hanrahan with Board Discussion Mr. Hanrahan outlined several staff development initiatives, including:  Reinstating participation in the Florida Parks and Recreation Association (FRPA) annual conference  Conducting structured interview training for staff  Providing feedback to employees on interview performance  Implementing supervisor-level training focused on accountability and proactive leadership He emphasized the importance of internal promotion and career progression pathways. Board members and staff discussed:  The value of professional development and team-building  Opportunities for benchmarking with other agencies  Exposure to best practices at regional and national levels Staff expressed appreciation for the renewed investment in training and development. 6. OLD BUSINESS Immokalee Sports Complex Update Staff reported:  Lighting upgrades scheduled first, followed by turf installation  Contractor bid evaluations in progress  Project includes significant stormwater improvements  Continued community updates posted bi-monthly and well received 7. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS Page 6 of 8 6 A. Organizational Chart Staff provided an overview of the Parks and Recreation Division organizational structure to illustrate the scale and reporting hierarchy of the department. B. PARAB Calendar A calendar of upcoming meetings and events was distributed for Board reference. C. PARAB Manual An updated PARAB manual was provided, outlining Board roles, responsibilities, and procedures. D. Directory A comprehensive staff directory was presented, including departmental contacts. Staff noted ongoing updates to maintain accuracy and discussed adding email addresses for ease of communication. E. General Materials Discussion Staff highlighted that materials are also available in digital format. The directory and supporting documents were described as tools to improve communication and operational awareness across the system. 8. BOARD / PUBLIC COMMENTS  Board members provided general comments and announcements.  A Board Member noted they would be unable to attend the next scheduled meeting due to a prior commitment. Staff acknowledged and indicated understanding of scheduling conflicts.  Discussion occurred regarding the potential of adjusting the meeting schedule during summer months, noting that historically a July meeting has not always been held. Staff indicated this item could be discussed further at a future meeting.  A Board Member offered support in assisting with the upcoming fee study and business model evaluation, suggesting collaboration and sharing of industry practices. 9. MANAGER UPDATES Regional Managers provided operational updates across their respective areas: Marissa (Regional Manager): Reported on major events at Paradise Coast Sports Complex and East Naples Community Park, including: Page 7 of 8 7  U.S. Open Pickleball Championship (noted as the largest pickleball tournament, with significant attendance)  Sold-out FC Naples soccer match against an MLS team  Upcoming Country Jam concert event She noted strong attendance and ongoing efforts to build the venue’s reputation for large-scale events. Randi Swinderman (Regional Manager): Provided updates for Region 4, including:  Maintenance improvements at Vineyards Community Park  Ongoing stormwater and drainage challenges at Veterans Community Park  Upcoming community events at Big Corkscrew Island Regional Park (Baby Rave, International Dance Day, and PPK Prom)  Summer camp registration nearly at capacity, with strong demand and expanded staff training initiatives Said Gomez (Regional Manager): Provided updates for Region 3, including:  Improvements and planned projects at Golden Gate Community Park (dugouts, slide repairs)  Strong participation in youth sports and summer camp programming  Coordination with schools for shared field use and program continuity  Emergency preparedness efforts related to recent brush fires  Continued positive community feedback regarding Immokalee Sports Complex updates 10. DIRECTOR’S REPORT James Hanrahan, Director, provided departmental updates including:  Personnel Updates: o Appointment of a new Regional Manager (Danny Diaz) following the retirement of a previous manager o Ongoing recruitment for Assistant Director positions (Sports and Parks & Recreation), with selections in progress  Organizational Structure Changes: o Athletics operations to be realigned under an Assistant Director of Sports to improve coordination with Paradise Coast Sports Complex  Strategic Initiatives: o Development of a Parks and Recreation Master Plan (10–15 year outlook), with future Board involvement anticipated Page 8 of 8 8 o Initiation of a comprehensive fee study, the first since 2015, to evaluate pricing across all services (including beach parking, boat launches, and program fees) Mr. Hanrahan discussed long-term planning initiatives, operational structure, and ongoing departmental efforts. 11. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:15 PM. COLLIER COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD Approved by: ___________________________ Josh Futh, Chair Attest: ___________________________ Date: _____________________ These minutes were approved by the Board/Chairman on , as presented (choose one) , or as amended .