Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 24, 2026 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 24, 2026 The PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD convened in a REGULAR meeting on AUGUST 24, 2026 at 301 W 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Bazan called the PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD Meeting to order at 6:06 p.m. Board Members in Attendance: Stephanie Bazan, Lane Becker, Ted Eubanks, Jennifer Franklin, Nicole Merritt, Maritza Kelley, Pedro Villalobos. Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Diane Kearns-Osterweil, Shelby Orme. Board Members Absent: Luai Abou-Emara, Kim Taylor. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Lester Tanquilut - Adult Recreation Leagues Julie Fisher – The Trail Conservancy Haleigh Wagman - Adult Recreation Leagues Aubrea Rudder - Austin Rowing Club Patrick Beyer - Austin Parks Foundation Patricia Bobeck - Barton Springs fishhooks and lures Sam Fox - Adult Recreation Leagues Steven Brown - Givens Park Work Group APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board regular meeting of July 27, 2026. The motion to approve the minutes of the Parks and Recreation Board regular meeting of July 27, 2026 was approved on Board Member Villalobos’ motion, Vice Chair Becker’s second on a 9-0 vote. Board Members Abou-Emara and Taylor absent. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for the Parks Rx program which seeks to create positive developmental, physical and mental health outcomes through exposing children to nature. Christa McCarthy, Centralized Programs Division Manager, Austin Parks and Recreation; Marybeth Wootan-Holst, MD and Sam Williams, DO MBA, Chief Residents, UT Austin Dell Medical School Pediatric Residency Program gave a presentation and answered Page 1 of 3 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 24, 2026 questions on the location of the residents clinic, and potential future partnerships with Pflugerville Parks and Recreation. The motion to approve letters of support for the Parks Rx program which seeks to create positive developmental, physical and mental health outcomes through exposing children to nature was approved on Board Member Merritt’s motion, Board Member Franklin’s second on a 9-0 vote. Board Members Abou-Emara and Taylor absent. 3. Discussion and approve an appointment to the Parks and Recreation Board’s seat on the Joint Sustainability Committee. Board Members discussed the purpose of the JSC. This item was tabled by the Chair. 4. Discussion and amend the 2026 Parks and Recreation Board annual meeting schedule to move the regular scheduled meeting on November 23, 2026 to November 30, 2026. The motion to amend the 2026 Parks and Recreation Board annual meeting schedule to move the regular scheduled meeting on November 23, 2026 to November 30, 2026 was approved on Board Member Kelley’s motion, Board Member Merritt’s second on a 9-0 vote. Board Members Abou-Emara and Taylor absent. 5. Discussion and approve changing the location of the November 23, 2026 regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board from City Hall Council Chambers to the City of Austin Permitting and Development Center at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752. This item was withdrawn by the Chair. STAFF BRIEFINGS 6. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. Jesús Aguirre, Austin Parks and Recreation Director gave an update and answered clarifying questions on the decision to remove funding for adult sports leagues, recommendations to those impacted by budget reductions, why the Parks Board was not briefed on this budget reduction, the short window in which the City approved a budget and the resulting budget reductions go into effect, and private leagues getting disproportionate access to city facilities. No action was taken on this item. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Eubanks - Recommendation to City Council to restore adult recreation. Eubanks - Develop a plan to install a commercial kitchen at Givens Recreation Center. Eubanks - Zilker 351 MOU. Page 2 of 3 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 24, 2026 Franklin – Urban Pulse tree inventory program. Chair Bazan adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m. without objection. These minutes were approved at the September 28, 2026 Parks and Recreation Board meeting on Board Member Orme’s motion, Board Member Kears-Osterweil’s second on a 10-0 vote. Board Member Taylor absent. Page 3 of 3