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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRC minutes 020117 1 Orange County Parks and Recreation Council Meeting Summary Date: February 1, 2017 Place: Environment and Agricultural Center Conference Room ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PRESENT: Robert Robinson; Evelyn Daniel; Tori Williams Reid; Betty McDade Khan; Joel Bulkley; John Greeson; Haywood Rhodes; Neal Bench; Allan Green; Robert Smith; ABSENT: Allan Green; Rachel Massai STAFF: Hecht; Stancil GUESTS: County Manager, Bonnie Hammersley; Tamara Sanders (Carrboro Parks and Recreation Commission); Jeanette Bench; Richard Bolduc. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I. Call to Order. Everyone in the group introduced themselves. II. Additions or Changes to Agenda, Meeting Summary: Everyone summarized the notes and no changes were noted. No changes were made to the agenda. III. Report of the Chair: a. Membership Updates and Review Applications. With Bench, Green, Bulkley and most recently Dempsey going off the board, these positions need to be filled. The areas needing filling are: Chapel Hill City Limits; Chapel Hill Township; Bingham Township and Eno Township. Members were given copies of applicants interested in filling these positions. They will take these applications home and discuss at the next meeting. IV. New Business a. Discussion with County Manager Bonnie Hammersley. Ms. Hammersley announced that her goal had been to attend a meeting with the PRC and all other advisory boards within the County. She is currently working primarily on the budget. She conveyed that David Stancil keeps her up to date on the operations of the department. Bench asked how parks and recreation functions can be allocated more funds, especially over the schools and in light of the recent bond that the Council had hoped might include funds for parks. Hammersley said the money is included in the Capital Investment Plan based on the Master Parks Plan. Williams Reid asked about what big topics the Board of County Commissioners will be looking at for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Hammersley answered that the top priority is affordable housing. Last year functional leadership teams were formed. This is a combination of common departments divided into like service departments working as a team, especially as related to the budget. Bench asked her “what is the best way for a community member to communicate with the County Manager.” Hammersley noted that she is available by phone and email. She gets most of her information on topics of community interest through the BOCC meetings. b. The Capital Investment Plan/How Capital Funding Works. Stancil included a copy of this to supplement Hammersley’s discussion. c. Carrboro Rec and Parks Commission Rep-Pump Track? Tamara Sanders, from the Carrboro Recreation and Parks Commission, spoke about the need for a pump track. The Town has Martin Luther King (MLK) Park, which is around 10 acres. Next week, a designer is presenting the idea of a pump track to the Commission based on 2 their needs and budget constraints. She included paperwork that describes this concept. This will be a scaled down version to fit the size of the park and budget. There is, however a need for a full sized pump track in the Triangle Area. The Commission had looked at other options in the area and wondered if one could be built at the future Twin Creeks Park. Stancil noted that the funding for this park is still several years away, but there was a planned BMX bike track proposed within an overhead power line area. The Town Commission will consider whether to formally send correspondence to the County asking about this possibility. V. Old Business a. Mountains to Sea Trail. The final community meeting will be next Monday, February 6 in room 230 of the Whitted Building at 7:00pm. The board was presented with the informational documents and proposed maps of where a trail and three alternates could go. The initial focus is to be on extending the Hillsborough Riverwalk, and the State Division of Parks and Recreation has indicated interest in funding easement acquisitions for this segment since it will extend the existing MST. b. 2017 Meeting Schedule/March Meeting Topics. Daniels asked if we can do another van tour of our parks this year, maybe more of the ones south of town. c. HYAA Baseball and Softball-Long-Term Field Issues. HYAA is losing some fields due to development in town in the next two years. HYAA has asked how Orange County can help, and the County is looking at options with HYAA. VI. Report of the Director a. Updates on Various Projects and Facilities. Little River Park Trail Run, etc. This year’s event was a huge success. The Summer Camp listing has been published and the board received a copy. There will be more next month on what is going on at Blackwood Farm Park and River Park. Stancil asked that March 25 be held open on everyone’s schedules for the opening of the Fairview Parking lot and unveiling of James Stewart Field. VII. Council and Committee Reports a. Intergovernmental Parks Work Group (schedule change) Daniels says there will be two meetings, March 8 and October 11. b. Items from the Council. Rhodes asked about the letter to the BOCC. Board asked to have it sent, Bulkley moved to have it sent, Bench 2nd the motion and all voted in favor to have it moved forward. BOCC Annual Advisory Board meeting will be March 28. c. Friends of Orange County Parks and Recreation (FOPR) VIII. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned 8:20pm. Next meeting is March 1 in the EAC conference room, Hillsborough.