Description Board of Park Commission April 15, 2009
Date 04/15/2009 Location Board of Park Commission
Time Speaker Note
5:03:30 PM Chair Carol Collins Called to Order. Members Present: Jack Clarkson, Rick Fink, Carol Collins and Deb Kane. Members Excused: Jill Wilkinson and Kelli Stanley. Staff Members: Open Lands Coordinator Mike Harris, County Planner & Parks Staff Ada Montague and Recording Secretary Crystal Turner.
5:03:51 PM I. Public Comment John Leeper, Chairman of the Big Sky Community Corporation regarding their plans for the parks/trails in Big Sky. We just wanted to let you know what we have in mind for projects. Mary Jane McGarrity, Executive Director for Big Sky Community Corporation, stated the plans. They are currently trying to fund a major capital improvement; they've spoken with Senators Baucus and Tester and Representative Rehberg, County Commissioners Murdock, Skinner and White and are seeking BOPC support as well. Phase 1 is most expensive, for grading, drainage, etc. We want to get it all done at once. $1.4 Million is needed to complete Phase 1. We've managed to raise $200,000 in the last year. July 10th is our next fundraiser at the 320 Ranch (a dinner/auction). Also Friday, September 4th is the Arts Council Fundraiser. She hopes to
see all the Park Commissioners there. This year we completed the Big Spur Road trail, took over 8-acre land donation called the Kircher Park. We are now focusing on two projects for this next year: building a community park and to construct a pedestrian tunnel connecting to Meadow Village side, right at Little Coyote. Requested if BOPC hears of any available funds to bring that to their attention. Thanked the Park Commission and invited the BOPC back to Big Sky to hold another meeting. Requests a letter of support endorsing all the hard work in Big Sky for their grant applications.
5:11:59 PM Chair Carol Collins II. Approval of Minutes from March 18th and April 3rd (special meeting), 2009. Any corrections/changes?
5:12:54 PM Chair Carol Collins Reminded everyone that this meeting is (now) being streamed over the web.
5:13:10 PM Board question on special meeting minutes. Carol asked if the statement regarding Bob Farrington's offer to do pro-bono work for the park - is that the whole park of just the dinosaur playground? Mike responded that Bob's offer is for the entire park. She also noted that the acronym RFQ is then defined in parenthesis as "request for proposal" and wanted clarification if it should be RFP or definition changed to "request for qualification." Mike Harris responded that it should be RFQ - so Crystal will amend the minutes to read "request for qualifications." Carol noted that on the 2nd page, 3rd line down "work to be completed...simply an agreement between us" should maybe say BOPC or County. Crystal will amend it to state BOPC.
5:15:56 PM Chair Carol Collins I would entertain a motion to approve the minutes from the March 18th meeting as presented, unless there are some changes.
5:16:10 PM Rick Fink So moved.
5:16:13 PM Jack Clarkson Second
5:16:18 PM Motion passed unanimously.
5:16:24 PM Chair Carol Collins For the April 3rd Special Meeting minutes, I would entertain a motion to approve the minutes with the changes.
5:16:35 PM Rick Fink So moved.
5:16:39 PM Jack Clarkson Second
5:16:42 PM Motion passed unanimously.
5:16:49 PM Chair Carol Collins Action Items III. Public Hearing and Approval Site Plan and Design for Kiwanis Pavilion at the Gallatin County Regional Park (Item continued due to nothing submitted)
5:17:03 PM Mike Harris, Open Lands Coordinator They had one location, and they realized we can do two smaller locations. They're still trying to get everything organized - he'll meet with them on Tuesday and maybe this item will be ready for replacement on the May agenda at the Executive Committee.
5:17:45 PM Chair Carol Collins Public Hearing and Decision for Re-routing the Triple Tree Trail
5:17:56 PM No one was present for a presentation.
5:17:58 PM Mike Harris, Open Lands Coordinator This does not need to have BOPC approval - it is not a County park. Mike explained that the trail, as originally planned, went through a swale. Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) has contacted the Triple Tree Homeowner's Association (HOA) to determine if they would agree to move the trail. If agreed, the plat would need to be amended. GVLT brought this to Mike's attention as a County park, hence the reason it's on the agenda, but since then he has learned that it is not a County park. No action taken.
5:19:14 PM Chair Carol Collins Public Hearing and Decision on a Resolution Allowing the Parks Director to Purchase a New Holland Tractor for Construction and Maintenance of Facilities on County Parks
5:19:25 PM Board discussion regarding if anyone had any questions for Mike on this. Carol stated that Rick mentioned the resolution states "not to expend cash-in-lieu funds not to exceed $50,000" but this wouldn't be that much, and if this would include attachments. Mike agreed.
5:20:40 PM Jack Clarkson I would move to approve resolution #2009-001.
5:20:57 PM Deb Kane Second
5:21:01 PM Board discussion. Crystal clarified that the resolution number would actually be #BPC2009-001. Board discussion regarding what attachment equipment. Mike responded the bid specification was for rear scraper blade, auger and trailer. It would be a blade mower. Jack asked if it would have a loader bucket or forks. Mike answered that it has both but you'll have to remove one to attach the other. Rick asked who else who be authorized to use it. Mike said himself and anyone else who gets trained to use/operate. Carol asked for more clarification regarding the spending time limit - would $50,000 be allowed to be spent on "equipment" any time? Mike responded that it should not be open ended, and suggested that the resolution be amended to read (on page 2 of line 14), "This authorization expires at the end of
Fiscal Year 2009."
5:24:57 PM Jack Clarkson suggested withdrawing the second so his motion could die. Deb Kane agreed to withdraw her second.
5:25:20 PM Motion dies for lack of second.
5:25:24 PM Board discussion regarding motion to amend the Resolution #BPC2009-001. Jack asked if it would be added on line 11. Mike replied that it would be on line 14, "This authorization expires at the end of Fiscal Year 2009."
5:26:34 PM Jack Clarkson Madame Chairman, with that addition for some expiration on line 14, I would move then that we approve BPC2009-001 as amended.
5:27:23 PM Deb Kane Second
5:27:30 PM Motion passed unanimously.
5:27:45 PM Jack Clarkson Board question (not on the agenda)- he would like to briefly discuss the parks board having its July meeting in Big Sky. Carol said we'll put it on our next agenda to discuss/decide. Jack thinks it would be a fun thing to do.
5:29:03 PM Chair Carol Collins IV. Discussion Items: Draft "Park Naming" Policy
5:29:51 PM There was much discussion regarding how Deb and Crystal came to this draft - where were parts "stolen" from, etc. There were also others that went out via email from other cities and counties. The Board noted a comma was missing from in between the words "lake" and "notable." Carol thanked Crystal and Deb - it's nice and short and to the point. She suggested regarding "significant financial contribution." Significant should be defined and a "Definitions" section added. Financial or "in-kind" or "services" should be allowed as well as there are many people who do other contributions that could be recognized. Under 4.A (third line), "...concerned citizens..." could be edited to read, "...interested citizens..." There was no Board
objection to those suggestions. On page two, there was discussion regarding Section 7: "BOPC must receive written request, or make a recommendation, for a County park of facility for the park to be named. When the request is received, or the recommendation made, they will schedule the item on the next available agenda." Mike suggested a provision that allows the Park Commission to establish a fundraising scale/donor scale - if doing a park they would establish that. Then it changes with the times and the document would not have to be amended as money inflates. Discussion regarding a place in a park (specifically the Regional Park) for noting all the donations. On page three Carol suggested under "Renaming" in case someone finds a name offensive (such as the recent name change of Squaw Creek). Maybe it should also be accompanied by a petition with the reason for renaming. Crystal will make the suggested changes and send it back out to the BOPC members for review.
Under 7.C. (3rd line down) maybe this agenda part does not have to be included at all. We, and the future Board, knows the process and if it changes in the future the document would not have to be changed. This item will be on the next agenda for final review/decision.
6:05:05 PM Chair Carol Collins Review of Interconnect Parks Policy
6:05:17 PM Ada Montague, County Planner and Parks Staff Discussion between Ada and the Park Commission - Carol liked best the policy from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Ada has reviewed them, but not gone into great detail yet. She provided an update from the last Parks & Trails Committee on April 7th, they reviewed various aspects of parks in the County with the Weed Department. They were trying to find out how the park lands could be better utilized because many are not utilized and just growing weeds. The first "low hanging fruit" is Parks & Trails via Subdivision Review. If we had a site and management plan we could establish where the features would go, who would maintain it, how it would be paid for, etc. Mike explained the process that needs to be outlined is the entire procedure from acquiring land to selling it
and everything in between. That's the big picture; the naming policy would be a piece of that larger scope. We would also like to come up with a cooperative use agreement so someone could "lease" a neighborhood park for soccer use or something. All that existing policy discussion needs to start with a conversation with the County Attorney's office to determine how much authority we really have.
6:12:33 PM Board questions and discussion with Ada Montague. She would like to distribute action items for some "subcommittees;" she also needs some direction on what she should work on next. If the Board can glean from Boulder or Montgomery County in the beginning what would a developer should contribute: playgrounds, parks, open space, who would maintain it, would there be trails, would there be park benches/picnic tables? How would that look? Then we would need to create a form that the developers would need to follow. Mike would like the Board to review what they think Gallatin County will face as issues: maintenance, trespassing, liabilities, hours of operation - as you review other plans/policies think about how they could or could not work here for our needs. Mike will send a different one to each board member
and ask them to review it for suggestions. Deb Kane asked if he could include why he chose these documents. Discussion about a credit system.
6:27:12 PM Deb Kane Asked Mike if he would be attending the New West Design Conference in Gallatin Gateway this weekend. She thought it would be beneficial for Mike to attend, and believed it was about $195 to attend.
6:29:20 PM Ada Montague, County Planner and Parks Staff Closing statements regarding the Parks & Trails larger policy. Discussion regarding costs HOAs may have to assume when implementing such policies.
6:31:09 PM Mike Harris, Open Lands Coordinator Showed the policy plan (Park Master Plan) on the over head projector screen and reviewed all the topics the board will eventually go through. Mike will highlight the pieces he would like the Board to go over and then send it back out.
6:35:32 PM Mike Harris, Open Lands Coordinator Reviewed over the survey results on the big screen. Board questions and discussion regarding some of the survey results.
6:59:21 PM Board comments if these results were published. Will the results be available on the website? Mike answered yes, they will be broken down to a smaller format and posted.
7:00:29 PM Chair Carol Collins V. Other: General Park and Subdivision Updates - Interconnect Survey Update
7:00:33 PM Mike Harris, Open Lands Coordinator Leathers folks are meeting this Saturday in the Courthouse to do their preconstruction meetings.
7:01:13 PM Chair Carol Collins VI. Set Agenda, Meeting Time and Location - Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for May 7, but Carol suggested, since the Executive Committee meetings are so far prior to the regular meetings, to move the Executive Committee to the week prior to the Board meeting. No one had any issues to move that meeting to May 14th. Carol suggested the agenda information be sent out to the Board the following day.
7:04:03 PM Carol noted that Crystal distributed the March expenditure report for Boards review. Mike asked if anyone went by the Regional Park to please bring more plastic bags to fill the bin - it's been empty for a while. Jack asked why there is a string fence up at the Regional Park. Mike replied that it was to keep people out while they were reseeding.
7:07:06 PM Chair Carol Collins VII. Adjourned.
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