2. Minutes of 03-10-09
LEISURE SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
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MARCH 10, 2009 7:00 PM
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1 FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM
Members Present: Betty Schwarz, Sandy Hendricks, Jeff Clark, Terry Thompson,
Steve Ellis, Jayme Roth, and Lorie Markus
Staff Present: Rebecca Smith and Bonnie Davis
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM in the Leisure Services Conference Room
by Chairperson Terry Thompson.
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APPROVAL OF JANUARY 13, 2009 MEETING MINUTES
Sandy noted she was not listed as an attendee. The minutes of the January 13, 2009
meeting were approved unanimously on a motion by Steve and Jayme.
COMMITTEE MEMBER UPDATE
At the next meeting, the committee will be welcoming one new member. Steve Ellis will
likely be appointed to another term. Staff and the committee congratulated and thanked
Terry Thompson on his years of service to this committee as he finishes his term.
LEISURE SERVICES DEPARTMENT STAFFING UPDATE
Parks is in the process of hiring an Assistant Parks Director to replace former Parks
Supervisor Cliff Englert. Englert retired in January 2009.
UPDATE ON AHL HOCKEY CONTRACT AT ICE CENTER
A meeting will be held this week to survey all hockey user groups regarding their space
needs. Information gathered will provide the architect with direction in designing the
new space including space for the AHL. Discussions are still underway with
administration and AHL officials. The Janesville Gazette has run several articles with
information about the plans. The City of Janesville has postponed the decision until
Monday, March 23 2009. Several concerns have been expressed regarding cost for
renovation, displacing Friday open skate and adult hockey and allowing beer sales in a
family facility.
UPDATE ON SENIOR CENTER DONATION/CONTRIBUTION
In 2009 a donation/contribution fee was implemented in an effort to reduce the subsidy
to the city for annual operating costs at the Senior Center. Seniors have been very
receptive to the idea and we have collected over $5,000 year to date. The decision was
made not to establish a mandatory fee. Scholarships are available for those who
cannot pay. The operating budget for the Senior Center is about $208,000. Senior
Center revenue is approximately $26,000. The Consumer Product Safety Commission
has adopted standards that apply to all public pools.
AQUATICS – VIRGINIA GRAEME BAKER ACT
In 2002 Virginia Graeme Baker, seven year old granddaughter of former federal
Secretary of State James Baker, drowned by suction entrapment. In 2002 a new
federal law in her name now requires protection from suction entrapment in all public
swimming pools. This will require a licensed engineer to determine what we must do to
become compliant. Plans will be submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Commerce.
We are working on becoming compliant which could be achieved in several ways.
GYPSY MOTH SPRAYING
The school for the visually impaired and Lustig Park will be sprayed to reduce gypsy
moths in mid-April/May.
STIMULUS OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO LEISURE
Parks submitted a stimulus grant request through the Forest Division of the DNR. Our
grant was for $200,000 for a Tree Trimming & Tree Replacement Maintenance
Program. There is no local match required for this grant. The purpose of the grant is to
contract with one or more private companies to complete tree trimming for terrace trees
in our central city target area and our recently-acquired Oakhill Cemetery. First priority
would be Fourth Ward, Look West and the cemetery. Our request also included a tree
replacement/planting component for the target area and cemetery to provide new trees
when existing trees need to be removed or there are few.
The trails section of the DNR submitted, on behalf of the Parks Division, a stimulus
grant request to the DOT Transportation Enhancements program. Our grant was for
$115,000 to improve a 1.5 mile section of trail from Tripp Road at the Wastewater
Treatment Plant south to Eau Claire Road. There is no local match required for this
grant. This segment links to 21 existing miles of paved trail in Janesville and completes
our linkage segment to Beloit. The City only has one missing easement for this trail. If
the easement is not obtained, the trail will be constructed with that section using Afton
road.
We have not heard whether we have received either grant and the Council has not
approved either of these projects at this time.
MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Lorie Markus reminded the group to license their pets by March 31. The Paw Print Park
Committee will be present on at Mounds Pet Food Warehouse to sell licenses with staff.
Sandy Hendricks asked why the warming house isn’t available to rent on April 12. From
approximately October 15 to April 15, Parks Division crews are re-assigned to the
Operations Division or Water Utility to perform various tasks under the direction of the
Operations or Utilities Director. Before the crews leave for the winter, park facilities are
winterized. Winterization includes shutting off the water and sewer and locking up the
buildings. The Warming House is not winterized because it is used by the Friends of
Traxler Park for their operation of the outdoor skating program for the public.
Citizens are not able to rent pavilions from October 15 to April 15 because there is no
water or bathrooms available, and there are no crews assigned to the parks to prepare
the facility or clean the buildings before or after use. Likewise, the Warming House is
not available for rent. When the Friends of Traxler Park use the Warming House for
their outdoor skating program, they prepare and clean the building themselves. When
the House is not in use by the Traxler Friends, there are no employees available to
prepare the facility or clean the buildings before or after use.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8PM. Next meeting is
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scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2009 in the 1 Floor Conference Room.
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Davis, Recreation Director
Rebecca Smith, Management Assistant