Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD Tuesday, March 23, 2021 – 5:30pm MINUTES The Parks and Recreation Board convened in a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 via videoconference in Austin, Texas. Chair Lewis called the meeting to order at 5:31pm. Board Members in Attendance: Chair Dawn Lewis, Vice Chair Romteen Farasat, Laura Cottam Sajbel, Richard DePalma, Anna Di Carlo, Sarah Faust, Kate Mason-Murphy and Nina Rinaldi. Board Members Absent: Francoise Luca, Fred Morgan and Kimberly Taylor. Board Member Di Carlo joined the meeting at approximately 5:36pm and Vice Chair Farasat joined at approximately 5:48pm. Staff in Attendance: Kimberly McNeeley; Liana Kallivoka; Lucas Massie; Suzanne Piper; Anthony Segura; Kevin Johnson; Vanorda Richardson; Michael Benbow; Nicholas Johnson; Ed Morris and Sammi Curless. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Jim Schwobel – enforcement of park curfew and no camping rules in Eastwoods Park. A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes from the regular meeting of February 23, 2021 were approved on Board Member Faust motion, Board Member Cottam Sajbel second on an 8-0 with Board Members Luca, Morgan and Taylor absent. B. NEW BUSINESS: PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS 1. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding the Parks and Recreation Department Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget. Presentation by Vanorda Richardson of the Parks and Recreation Department. Discussion with request to bring back to April meeting of the Board. 2. Discussion and possible action to rescind the recommendation made February 23, 2021 regarding the preferred design scenario for the Dougherty Arts Center Replacement Project. Public comment by Bill Bunch encouraging alternate sites for the Dougherty Arts Center such as AISD schools to be closed and maintaining central parkland as parkland; Megan Page 1 of 3 Meisenbach encouraging the City to re-look at other locations and that schools are a wonderful location for the Center and Linda Guerrero explaining the recommendation approved by the Environmental Commission. Chair Lewis made a motion to rescind the recommendation made February 23, 2021 regarding the preferred design scenario for the Dougherty Arts Center Replacement Project; Board Member Mason-Murphy seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 7-0 with Vice Chair Farasat abstaining and Board Members Luca, Morgan and Taylor absent. 3. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a recommendation to the City Council of the preferred design scenario for the Dougherty Arts Center Replacement Project. Board Member DePalma made a motion to recommend to the City Council Option 1A for the Dougherty Arts Center Replacement Project with direction to investigate underground parking under the facility; Board Member Mason-Murphy seconded the motion. The motion passed on an 8-0 vote with Board Members Luca, Morgan and Taylor absent. Chair Lewis made a motion to move or design around the heritage tree; Board Member DePalma seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 8-0 with Board Members Luca, Morgan and Taylor absent. 4. Discussion and possible action regarding creation of a joint working group with the Animal Advisory Commission. Chair Lewis nominated herself and Board Member Faust to serve as members of the joint working group with the Animal Advisory Commission; Board Member DePalma seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 8-0 with Board Members Luca, Morgan and Taylor absent. C. ITEMS FROM BOARD MEMBERS 1. Discussion and possible action regarding creation of a joint working group with the Environmental Commission. Chair Lewis nominated Board Members Cottam Sajbel and Mason-Murphy and herself to serve on the joint working group with the Environmental Commission; Board Member DePalma seconded the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 8-0 with Board Members Luca, Morgan and Taylor absent. 2. Discussion regarding transition of the Alternative Funding Working Group activities to the Finance Committee. Board Member Rinaldi requested the opportunity to present the working group’s research and findings at a future Finance Committee meeting. D. DIRECTOR’S REPORT ON PROGRAM AND PROJECT UPDATES AND EVENTS Director McNeeley provided a report. Page 2 of 3 E. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Di Carlo – (memo or presentation) detailed information about parkland acquisition such as funding (PLD, general fund, bond), process for determining properties to purchase, how decisions are made, criteria, priorities, and a list of acquisitions over the past few years. • Mason-Murphy/DePalma/Faust – (joint presentation with Watershed Protection Department (WPD)) focus on current process for WPD and PARD to work together to activate greenspace on WPD property; how neighborhoods and communities can best work with both departments to develop opportunities on WPD property; how the Parks and Recreation Board can help to facilitate this relationship in the community; challenges to finding shared space including fiscal restraint (BM DePalma suggests the Tanglewood neighborhood as talking point for this particular conversation); BM Mason-Murphy would like to see a citywide map that overlays PARD and WPD properties; BM Faust would like to know how WPD and PARD review and evaluate large development projects like Brodie Oaks for impact and how responsibility for facilities developed within these projects like retention/detention and parkland is established between the two departments. • DePalma/Rinaldi – understanding of direction PARD is going with summer camps and aquatics and how the scheduled renovation of the Barton Springs bathhouse will impact operations of the Barton Springs Pool this summer. • Cottam Sajbel – presentation on bond spending and what is being done to address homelessness. • Lewis – stats on how many parks have homeless encampments, this year versus last year. Chair Lewis adjourned the meeting at 8:52pm. Page 3 of 3