Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES JUNE 23, 2025 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES JUNE 23, 2025 The PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD convened in a REGULAR meeting on June 23, 2025 at 301 W. 2nd Street in Austin, Texas Vice Chair Flowers called the PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD Meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Ted Eubanks, Kathryn Flowers, Jennifer Franklin, Pedro Villalobos. Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Diane Kearns-Osterweil, Shelby Orme, Kim Taylor. Board Members Absent: Luai Abou-Emara, Stephanie Bazan, Lane Becker, Nicole Merritt. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Carol Baxter featuring Isabelle and Ameilia - Austin Rowing Club Phillip Thomas - Free Zilker Coalition Gail Rothe - Alternative Funding for Parks APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board regular meeting of May 19, 2025. The motion to approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board regular meeting of May 19, 2025 was approved on Board Member Villalobos’ motion, Board Member Franklin’s second on a 7-0 vote. Board Members Abou-Emara, Bazan, Becker and Merritt absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for the PARD Senior Programming Team. Kelly Maltsberger, Recreation Program Manager, Parks and Recreation Department gave a presentation and answered questions on South Austin Senior Center Dance Programming, funding forecast, increased demand among Austin's 65+ community, and federal grants. The motion to approve letters of support for the PARD Senior Programming Team was approved on Board Member Eubanks motion, Board Member Franklin’s second on a 6-0 vote. Board Member Villalobos off the dais. Board Members Abou-Emara, Bazan, Becker and Merritt absent. 1 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES JUNE 23, 2025 3. Presentation, discussion and approve a recommendation to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of a contract with Legacy Hospitality and Entertainment Group LLC for the operation and management of the Zilker Café to maintain the food and beverage concession at Zilker Park. Denisha Cox, Contract Management Supervisor II, Parks and Recreation Department; and Adriana Ybarra, Procurement Supervisor and Paul Trimble, Procurement Specialist IV, Financial Services Department gave a presentation and answered questions on the timeline for this concession, interest in this solicitation, whether any facilities near the Zilker Café sell alcohol, whether lifeguards opposed the sale of alcohol at the Zilker Café, how the City knows that the lack of alcohol sales decreased interest in this concession, ADA improvements, vendor outreach, minimum revenue share, the affordability of the food being offered by the concessionaire, the cost of maintaining the Café facility, and the longevity of the previous vendor. The motion to approve a recommendation to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of a contract with Legacy Hospitality and Entertainment Group LLC for the operation and management of the Zilker Café to maintain the food and beverage concession at Zilker Park was approved on Vice Chair Flowers’ motion, Board Member Villalobos’ second on a 6-1 vote. Those voting aye were Vice Chair Flowers, Board Members Franklin, Kearns- Osterweil, Orme, Taylor and Villalobos. Those voting nay were Board Member Eubanks. Board Members Abou-Emara, Bazan, Becker and Merritt absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Discussion on the Trust for Public Land’s Austin ParkScore Rating. Board Members discussed the history of the TPL ParkScore, that this is a policy discussion rather than a performance discussion, investment, equity, and why pools are not considered as amenities. No action was taken on this item. STAFF BRIEFINGS 5. Staff briefing on the parks security audit which was contracted by the Austin Parks Foundation and structured around the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. Amanda Ross, Natural Resources Division Manager and Jodi Jay, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation Department; Joy Casnovsky, Chief Mission Officer, Austin Parks Foundation; Jessica Tran, Ronald Ronacher, Christoph Gisel and Antonio Wright, ARUP gave a briefing and answered clarifying questions on community involvement, signage, reporting and response, accessibility, homelessness and a human-centered response to security. No action was taken on this item. 6. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. Jesús Aguirre, Parks and Recreation Director gave a briefing and answered clarifying questions on negotiations between TxDOT and TTC over $25M. No action was taken on this item. 2 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES JUNE 23, 2025 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Flowers – Long-term plan for pool payment system. Vice Chair Flowers adjourned the meeting at 9:25 p.m. without objection. These minutes were approved at the July 28, 2025 Parks and Recreation Board meeting on Chair Bazan’s motion, Vice Chair Flowers’ second on an 11-0 vote. 3