HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRC minutes 030415
FROM: Parks and Recreation Advisory Council
SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting
DATE: March 4, 2015
LOCATION: EAC conference room
____________________________________________________________________________
MEMBERS PRESENT: Neal Bench; Tori Williams Reid; Joel Bulkley; James Carter; Allan
Green; Betty McDade Khan, Rob Robinson, Mary Musacchie (CH Greenways and Recreation
Commission)
MEMBERS ABSENT: James Carter
STAFF PRESENT: David Stancil; Lynn Hecht; Chris Sousa
____________________________________________________________________________
I. Beginning time of meeting: 6:30. Introductions were made as Mary Musacchie from
the Chapel Hill Recreation Commission was in attendance for the first time.
a. Meeting Summary (2/4) Green said he was happy with the revisions that he had
requested. Bench asked that the priorities for the year be attached on the back of
each month’s agenda. This will help drive the work of the board. The priorities
are as follows: 1. Park Concept Plan
a. MST Trail Segments in OC
b. Upper Eno Preserve
2. Community Center-Level of Service and Strategies
3. Primitive Camping-Identify Potential locations
4. Disc Golf-Identify Potential Locations.
Green asked if OC can finalize the OC concept for completion of the section of
the MST trail in 2015.
The board made no further comments on the 2/4 meeting summary.
b. Additions or Changes to the Agenda: Green requested that the board revisit the
2015 Work Items, priorities. Stancil said they had already gone to the BOCC. What
is in their hands comes from the board’s November discussion. The annual work
plan is turned in by all boards to the BOCC in November. What this board can
discuss as a group is what it wants the department and staff to have as their
priorities. Bench spoke of an upcoming meeting with Pam Hemminger about
primitive camping at Morefields.
II. Report of the Chair.
a. Membership Status. The PRC currently has 5 open positions: Town of Carrboro;
Town of Hillsborough; Cheeks Township and 2 At Large positions. Bench
suggested the board look at the 3 open jurisdictions, and then fill the At Large
positions. There were 2 qualifying applicants from Carrboro (Daniel and Siler.)
Siler’s property was adjacent to Carrboro City Limits, but not within it, leaving
Daniel as the only true Carrboro City applicant. Green nominated Daniel.
McDade 2nd. All were in favor. There were no Town of Hillsborough applicants.
Williams Reid qualifies for this position, and she was ok with switching from
Hillsborough Township. This allowed the board to look at Greeson and Rhodes.
Bulkley nominated Greeson for the Hillsborough Township position, McDade 2nd,
all were in favor. Green nominated Rhodes for the At Large position, Robinson
2nd, all were in favor. Williams Reid nominated Burnette with Robinson 2nd for
the other At Large position with all voting in favor. Bench will call him to see if
he is interested because it seemed as if he was also interested in Social Services. If
he is, his vote will stand, if not, the board will revisit the list next meeting.
III. New Business
a. Election of Chair and Vice-Chair
The previous terms end this month calling for an election. Bulkley nominated
incumbents, Bench (as chair) and Williams Reid (as vice-chair.) Green 2nd the
motion. Both accepted to run in the same positions. Green closed the floor and
McDade 2nd the motion. All voted in favor.
b. Bench recommended that the board look at the Outside Agency Funding Requests
for 2015 next. Only 2 agencies applied: the Bridge 2 Sports asking for $8000;
and The Big Brother, Big Sister program asking for $6000. We do not
recommend money, BOCC does that. Bench says to not do the scoring, but to
use the score we got from last year. Bench asked if we can mirror what we did
last year. Stancil says we don’t have last year’s scoring card. McDade says we
should recommend both, Williams Reid 2nd, all voted in favor.
c. Role of Community Centers in Orange County. There’s an April 9 BOCC
meeting that will speak on this issue, so this is an item to discuss. Bench asked
what the BOCC will be looking for. The first page in the handout shows issues
the board can discuss. Stancil included Space Study Work Group input. The last
page is a matrix of these issues. 3 options: Option 1: County Operated/Managed;
Option 2: Hybrid County/Community and Option 3: Outsourced Management.
DEAPR has 2 community centers, Efland Cheeks Community Center (ECCC)
and Cedar Grove Community Center (CG.) Aging is no longer at ECCC nor is
the Health Department, who left when a grant ended. The community sees it not
being used and they want it open for more involvement. The CG center will have
meeting rooms, a gym, Wi Fi and more. It should open in March of next year
(16.)The board needs to talk of level of programming, staffing, equipment and
etc. The old cafeteria will become a muti-media room, the gym floor resurfaced
and more. The center of the building will be restored, and the wings will be used
for storage. Stancil posed the question, what does the board think should be
happening at these centers. Bench asked the question, if those in the community
wanted to organize something, would it be allowed? There was much discussion
around this issue with Sousa describing our Facility Use Policy. Stancil said
DEAPR needs to find the right mix with allowing community groups to use it and
the county programming the space. The community has a mind to think that they
will always be able to get into the building, while the county is looking at 5 days a
week 4-5 hours a day. Bench thinks a group from CG should approach the
BOCC about wanting these expanded hours when it does open. The board also
spoke of volunteers running the center. This presents many problems including
liability issues. After the April 9 work session, there will be a community meeting
out there to hear more from the Cedar Grove Community. The Board likes the
idea of the building being open 8am-8pm. Williams-Reid mentioned that maybe it
has limited resources to begin with and grow in the future. Muscalici said in
Carrboro, they put in counters to see how well they were used. Sousa says
DEAPR does that at many of the facilities to know how many people use the
facilities, at what time, and for what events. Muscalici said they couldn’t use the
counters everywhere at all times, so they moved them around. Bench asked if
the center could open 8-8 to begin with and learn the best times from there rather
than hearing that the building is never open (creating a negative impression from
the onset.)
Old Business
a. Blackwood Farm Park- Bulkley asked when it would open. Stancil says the snow/ice in
February has put work behind. There should have a soft opening in late April and
something more formal in May.
b. Recreational Cycling Meeting-Tabled
Report of the Director (Stancil)
a. River-Park Concept Planning-Tabled
b. County Parks Tour-Tabled
c. Orienteering Course Progress-Bench asked about this. Stancil says that getting approval
for anything at LRRP is never easy with Durham’s involvement. He’s not sure if this is
the best location. Stancil asked if there is an orienteering group who could provide
counsel. He says his park staff would like to sit down with Green to learn more about
setting this up. First he says there should be a plan, then think of where it should go.
Bulkley says there’s a group in Raleigh that does a lot at Umstead State Park. Green
says a lot of what he’s done is with younger kids. Stancil says we should maybe get the
Raleigh group representative and Green to sit with the Parks superintendent to talk
about this.
Committee Reports
a. Intergovernmental Parks Works Group (2/11 meeting)-no discussion.
Next meeting is at the Solid Waste Operations Center in Chapel Hill on 4/1/15
Meeting adjourned at: _8:30pm____________________
Name of Notes Taker _Lynn Hecht___________________