HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 11, 2024 minutes
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA
Tuesday June 11, 2024
Minutes
Staff Present:
Kelsey Heiden, Director Parks and Recreation; Michael Isermann, Assistant Director Parks and
Recreation; Gene Ballew, Recreation Manager; Andrea Lauer, Business Services Manager
Board Present:
David Higdon; Don Hellriegel; David Scott; David White; Amy Arredondo; Kevin Bishop; Anthony
Branch; Thomas Marty
Council Present:
Elizabeth Cunha
1. Call meeting to order and consider absence requests. With a quorum present, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was called to order on Tuesday, June 11,
2024 @ 6:00 p.m. John Polasek was an unexcused absence. 2. Hear visitors. Sherry Frisk spoke about the tremendous success of the Never
Forget Garden Dedication, and she also mentioned HPC is working on submitting Brison Park for the Lone Star Legacy Park award through TRAPS.
3. Informational Items
3.1 Presentation and discussion by the Director of Parks and Recreation on
matters pertaining to the Board. Kelsey Heiden gave an update on Starlight
(3200 Participants total), The City of College Station placed 6th in the State for the
City Nature Challenge, and the Bird City Texas application has been submitted.
Kelsey also mentioned some upcoming events such as Juneteenth Freedom Walk,
State 7V7 tournament and I Heart America event on July 5th at WPC.
3.2 Presentation and discussion on City of College Station Park and Facility
Naming Policy. Kelsey Heiden passed out the current naming policy that was
approved by City Council in 2012 and amended in December 2022. A proposal
must be sent to the Department, then City Manager and final decision by City
Council.
3.3 Update on Texas Independence Park and future baseball fields. Kelsey
Heiden showed the results from the public engagement meeting regarding what
should be added to Texas Independence Park, some of the top choices were trails,
playground, open area and dog park. Students from TAMU Landscape Architecture
& Urban Planning submitted 12 different designs. The next steps are Master Plan
Design Contract, budget estimates and final design, staff is also looking at a grant
from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The possible layout for ballfields at
Veteran’s Park could include 3 fields and a parking lot in the current overflow
parking lot near the University entrance. The preliminary Geotechnical Report is
under review then possible design contract.
4. Regular Agenda 4.1 Presentation, discussion, and possible action on the approval of minutes
from the previous meeting. Upon a motion made by David White and a second by Anthony Branch, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted eight (8) for and
none (0) opposed to approve the minutes as written. The motion passed
unanimously.
4.2 Presentation, discussion, and possible action on Parks Cost recovery and
fee differentiation. Kelsey Heiden went over the existing policy, she stated the
Cost Recovery Continuum is applied to all programs and services provided by the
Parks and Recreation Department, no changed proposed to the policy philosophy; based on community vs. individual benefit. Recommendations are to define service
categories and supplemental visual continuum, other options are to keep Non-
Resident rates at 20% and include across all programs, or increase Non-Resident rates to 30% / 50% / 100%. Staff will bring back updated User Fees for
consideration at our July 9th meeting.
4.3 Presentation, discussion, and possible action on Veterans Park and
Athletic Complex entry signage. Kelsey Heiden mentioned the Veterans Park and Athletic Complex Master Plan includes signage, wayfinding and
enhanced beautification. The University entrance is a TXDOT project which includes
new entrance signage, some examples were shown to the Board and they liked option F best. The next steps are to meet with the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial
Board, then Architectural Advisory Committee and final steps would be
recommendations to City Council for consideration.
5. Discussion and possible action on future agenda items. Update from David White on College Station Parks Foundation and Cost Recovery.
6. Items of Community Interest. None
7. Adjourn. Upon a motion made by David Scott and a second by Thomas Marty, the
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board voted eight (8) for and none (0) opposed to
adjourn the meeting 7:41 p.m. The motion carried unanimously.
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