Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/13/1996 - Regular Minutes - Parks Board • PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1996 - 7:00 P.M. CENTRAL PARK CONFERENCE ROOM 1000 KRENEK TAP ROAD MEMBERS PRESENT: Ron Gay, Chair; Bob DeOtte, Vice Chair; Carol Reynolds; Greg Taggart; Debra Anderson; and Mike Manson MEMBERS ABSENT: Barry Harding and Nancy Crouch, Council Liaison STAFF PRESENT: Steve Beachy, Director; Curtis Bingham, Parks Operations Supt.; Peter Vanecek, Senior Park Planner; Linda Waltman, Recreation Supt.; David Hudspeth, Asst. Athletic Supv.; and Bridgette George, Staff Assistant VISITORS: Powell Robinson, 1008 Howe; and Julian and Jan McMurrey, 3400 Mustang Lane L Approval of Minutes: There were no, minutes to approve for the January 9, 1996, meeting due to lack of a quorum. Minutes for December 12, 1995, were approved as submitted. II. Hear Visitors: No unscheduled visitors were present. ill. Discussion of Junior Girls' Softball Program: Mr. McMurrey stated that he was here about a year ago regarding this issue. He stated that he has coached his kids in youth sports over the last twenty years. He mentioned that he has been actively involved in the girls' softball program for the last few years and has worked with Tony, David, and the interns and likes the program. However, he feels it has not been as successful as it could be. Mr. McMurrey stated that there are various programs throughout Central Texas that are more successful than College Station's program. He stated that he approached the College Station Little League Board and requested that they offer a little league program for girls. The Board stated that they could not offer the program because the City owns all the softball fields and already has a league program. He would like for the City to bow out of girl's softball during the Little League Spring Session so that Little League can offer it. He stated that they would use the same fields that the -City is using for girls' softball. Mr. McMurrey stated that the District Administrator for Little League and the State Office wants College Station to have softball. He stated that the City's program doesn't get promoted as well as Little League would promote it. He stated that City employees appear. to be wearing "too many hats" to devote enough attention to the program. He stated that the College Station Girls'.Softball program was not advertised in the newspaper like the Bryan program was. He mentioned that Little League has so many parents that are involved in the program, that they make sure the program is well advertised. Mr. McMurrey stated that Little League registered 560 kids in advance and registered another 250 for the program on one night of registration. He mentioned that thirty parents volunteered • to work on registration night. He stated that after one week of the City's Girls' Fast-pitch Parks Board Meeting 02/13/96 Page(2) • Softball registration, 48 girls had signed up. He stated that as,of today, there were 20 teams registered. He believes that if it had been promoted better, there would be more girls' registered. Mr. Robinson stated that he has three daughters that he has been actively involved in coaching over the years. He stated that he asked Little League to charter a girls' softball team so that he could take his team to Bryan to play. Little League refused because they stated there were not enough fields to practice or play on. He stated that one reason he was attracted to the Little League softball program was that they have an all-stars' program. He •stated that whenever he puts together a traveling tournament team, he has to go to Bryan for more skilled and stronger players to play such positions as pitcher. He believes Little League is doing so well because it's the "social" thing to do. • Jan McMurrey stated that she wants the female children in College Station to be involved in a sports program that's just as active as the boys' little league program. She stated that if there aren't enough fields, that is not the "girls- problem. It's Little League and the City's problem. Mr. McMurrey stated that the last time he approached the Parks Board, he was told that the. fences at the Bee Creek softball fields were not going to be moved back, and that if they ,were, Mr. McMurrey would be notified. He stated that a few days earlier, Tony Scazzero, Athletics Supervisor, told him that the fences were going to.be moved back, and that he had no knowledge that he was supposed to notify Mr. McMurrey when that would happen. Steve stated that there were no plans to move those fences back. He said that new fences would be installed, but at the same distance. Mr. McMurrey stated again that Tony said those fences were going to be moved back for a National Men's Class C Tournament. Steve stated that the City took over the girl's softball program a few years ago specifically at the request of the Girl's Softball Association. He said that they did not want to administer the program any longer. That program historically encouraged participation over the all-star and tournament-type play. He also stated that all of the City's programs are developed that way. Steve mentioned that Little League has different rules than ASA (Amateur Softball Association). David stated that ASA rules align with all other softball programs such as high school, college, and,all the way up to the Olympics. David passed out information on the City's girls' softball that showed a 56% increase in participation from' 1994 to 1995,,'and a 98% increase since 1993. David stated that the girl's softball.program is a young program and needs time,to grow. He reminded the Board that Little League has been around a long time, hence its success. +David said that the.City's program is not better or worse than any other, it's just a younger program and needs time to develop. David dM<edthe visitors for their support'and,to'let him know what they need if they were dissatisfied, instead of asking to let Little League take over the program. He 'stated that he would do whatever'was necessary to,make the program a success, but that there would not,. be an all-star season, because,that's,not part of ASA. David stated that anyone could develop an all-star team and gc,to State and National on their own, if that's what they 'desired; David'mentiOned that unfortunately.there was not a four-field complex for the girls' like 'Little League has at Southwood, making it difficult for',a lot of social interaction. as Mr. McMurrey stated happened at Southwood. David commented on Mr. McMUrrey's statement .about advertising softball in the.paper every day and asked for his support.to find,.a parent that was willing to stay on the paper to get it advertised every day. He also asked for support to help register kids at every school, if that's what the parents wanted. He stated that he would like to contact the families who weregoing to Bryan to play, and ask them to play in College Station and make the local program a bigger success: Parks Board Meeting 02/13/96 Page(3) Mr. McMurrey stated that he is all for the College Station program in the fall and any other time, but that Little League taking over in the spring would be more effective. He thinks the College Station league would be better if Little League operated it in the spring. He also. stated that the fields at Southwood are the City's fields, not Little League's. He stated that converting the baseball fields to softball fields would be easy to do, and that the boys could play at the current softball fields just as easy as the girls' do. Steve stated that if girls were allowed to play at Southwood and the boys were moved to Bee Creek, families would still be separated. Mr. McMurrey stated that years ago when he was on the Little League Board they did not want to give up any of the boys' fields for girl's softball, so they denied allowing a softball program for girls. He believes that is still happening. Debra asked what Little League offered that wasn't being provided by the City. Mr. McMurrey stated the overall interest by the parents, which gets the parents more involved because there is no one else to run it. He also stated that the City league only has 8 games as compared to 12-20 with Little League. He also stated that he believes there is not as much preparation of the coaches as there is in Little League. He said the City league does not have the same atmosphere as Little League does. He thinks the level of expectation in Little League is higher than with the City. Ron asked Mr. Robinson if he sensed whether the Little League Board would offer a girls' softball program, if fields were not a problem. Mr. Robinson stated he thought some of them would support it. Bob stated that if College Station Little League ever had a softball program they could never get rid of it, or they would lose their charter. After further discussion, the Board concurred that they would like to hear from kids and parents of the City's girlssoftball program to find out how they view the current City program. ) Greg motioned to conduct a needs survey of the participants of the City's girls' softball program to address whether reorganization of the program should be done. Bob seconded the motion. The motioned passed. Mr. McMurrey requested that the City show both him and Mr. Robinson the survey for review before it was released. The Board agreed. IV. Discussion of the City's Long Range Land Use Plan Regarding Parks: Steve stated that he had no other information to report. He distributed a copy of an article that was printed in The Eagle, "CS planner foresees 65 new parks." This article was derived from the joint meeting that was attended by HOK (Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum Inc.), the Planning and Zoning Committee, and the Parks Board on February 7, 1996. The Board discussed their disappointment regarding the Parks portion of the City's plan that was presented that night. Ron asked if the Board would get a chance to view the plan before it was accepted by Council. Steve stated that he did not know because he wasn't sure when the plan would be completed. Greg moved to have Ron contact Nancy Crouch and the City Council requesting that the Parks Board and Parks staff be given the opportunity to review the parks portion of the Masterplan prior to Council's approval of the plan. He also wanted Ron to relay the Board's disappointment with the information presented to date. Bob seconded. The motion passed. V. Discussion of Parks and Recreation Advisory Board's 1996 Goals: Steve reviewed the department's goals for 1995 and the upcoming goals for 1996. He stated that these goals have been set up to reinforce the Council's Strategic Issues. He mentioned that 39 issues had • .; Parks Board Meeting 02/13/96 3 Page(4) been ranked by Council and about 20 of those will probably have action items developed for them. Steve reviewed some of the issues as they related to the department. VI. Ca.hal Im.rovement Pro•ram Re.ort: Peter reviewed the CIP report that was included in the Board's packet. He mentioned that .the architect, working on the Pebble Creek Elementary School, might be including some irrigation in his plan. Peter gave his park plans to the architect in hopes that he would include the,park and playing.fields in the plan. Peter mentioned that he Willbe meeting with the architect. for the Lincoln .Center/Wayne Smith Baseball Complex project on February 27. Steve stated that a committee was formed to help with looking at different aspects of the'complex. The committee consists of one representative from Little League; the Community Policing Officer; the Southgate Village Apartment manager; Kimmie Habtemicheal, Lincoln Center Supervisor; Gary Marske, South District Supervisor; and Scott Hooks, West District Supervisor. • "• VI.' Other Business/Board Concerns: Carol mentioned that a proposal was going to be made to rename Southwood Pool or the Natatorium after Cindy Hallaran. Steve stated that a request for information regarding the renaming of Southwood has already been received and that individual was given the policy and procedures to go forward with that request. Bob wants to proceed with the development of a Recreational Sports Advisory Council. He would like 'for it to be governed by,the Poi-1<s..Advisory Board. .After further discussion, Bob, Carol, and Debra agreed to form a subcommittee to work on the structure and guidelines for the Sports Council. The meeting was scheduled for February 26, at 11:30 ci.m. Steve mentioned that the next Parks Board meeting would be the third Tuesday in March, instead of the second Tuesday. • • * Mike asked who handled Adopt-A-Spot for the City. Bridgette stated that Public Services used to. Curtis said that he was waiting for a phone .call from Charles McElmore to find out if the program is still current. Curtis also informed the Board that Jeff Shiftmire, St. Frances Church Pastor, is interested in adopting Lick Creek Park. No formal agreement has been made. Guidelines would have to be set up for what he would be. allowed to do. Curtis 'will report back to the Board when Mr. Shiftmire defines more clearly what it is he wants to do at Lick Creek Park. VII. Adjourn: The Meeting adjourned at 9:17 p.m. APPROVED: 410P' Ron Gay, Board Ch irman . , .14( Date''' • - • Attes 4/1 ,41111110." r • • , Bridgette GePrilif` PPS; Board. ratciry • ' Date