BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING Park and Recreation Department 11th Floor City Hall Monday, June 18, 2007 3:30 p.m. Present: Janet Miller, Glen Dey, Doug Leeper, Andy Solter, Mick Tranbarger and Bryan Frye Absent: None Also Present: Doug Kupper, Director of Park and Recreation; Karen Walker, Assistant Director of Park and Recreation; Tim Martz, Forestry Supervisor; Scott Wadle, Planning Department; Myca Bunch and Kathy Benninga (staff) President Miller called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Miller recognized the new Board member for District V, Bryan Frye. Frye said he was pleased to be appointed to the Board. PUBLIC AGENDA No Items. REGULAR AGENDA Item 1: Approval of Meeting Minutes Motion 1: On motion by Dey, second by Frye, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED that the Board approve the May 14, 2007, regular meeting minutes with the suggested edits. Item 2A: Tree Canopy - Presented by Tim Martz Martz presented several handouts to the Board members that summarize the benefits of Urban Trees and how utilizing this type of program could benefit Wichita. Martz also provided a list of reasons Wichita citizens cited for not liking trees in their community and neighborhoods. Kupper informed the Board that the Forestry Department currently places tags on the houses where they will soon be planting new trees. Martz passed out an organizational chart that showed personnel and equipment layouts for the Forestry department. He said that the hardest issue he currently faces is matching employees with the right type of equipment to get the job done. He said they are also trying to work with smaller teams and increase the amount of equipment to become more productive. The pruning of trees is done mostly on a request basis and is not systematic due to a lack in personnel. Currently, the City has an 8-year tree trimming cycle. Leeper asked Martz if the City has ever considered planting trees or signing agreements with citizens and having them take the responsibility for the upkeep and planting of trees on private or City property. Martz replied that there are some Cities that do this and he felt it would be a win-win program for the City to look at. Dey asked about working with Westar Energy concerning trees and line clearances and if there was any other way the two organizations could work together to help with cutting and maintaining trees. The Board felt this was something that should be looked into and suggested that Martz meet with Westar on the tree/line clearance issue and bring back any new information to the Board in August. Item 3A: City of Wichita Pathways Priorities - Presented by Scott Wadle Miller asked if there were any audience members present who wished to speak on the topic of the Wichita Pathways Priorities Plan. Cecilia Kellenburger, 7211 Bainbridge Rd. Ms. Kellenburger said that she appreciates and enjoys the parks throughout Wichita, but wishes there was a way to get around Rock and Webb Roads. She asked that the Park Department look at placing new signage for the existing paths, as many riders get lost. Ms. Kellenburger also said that the biking club, the Prairie Travelers, want improvements to be made at the 17th St. intersection, as they feel it is unsafe. Larry Ross, 2716 E. Douglas. Mr. Ross said he was the President of the Sunflower Recreation Trail Bike Club and is a member of several other biking clubs throughout Wichita. He said all of the clubs he is affiliated with endorse the Pathways Plan. He said that sections of the trail have intersecting streets that need to be marked and that the drainage canal near Oliver (Red Bud Trail) also needs new signage. He said that District Advisory Boards 1 and 2 both voted unanimously, two years ago, in favor of the trail plan. Ellie Skokan, 5825 Memphis, Bel Air, KS Ms. Skokan said that she is a member of the South Wind and Sierra Bike Clubs and that she is in support of the Pathways Plan. She said the priorities are in good order, especially the Red Bud trail, and that the neighborhood in that area is in support of the plans as well. Ms. Skokan said she would also like to see the area of K-96 to Harry improved, as there is a danger of bikers running onto the roadway where there is a large amount of traffic. Miller returned the discussion to the Board. Solter said he supported the audience member's comments in need of more or improved signage throughout the bike paths. Solter also said he would support the Pathways Plan and the priorities as they are currently listed in the document. Leeper asked if the ranking of the bike paths had anything to do with financial considerations. Wadle remarked that financial consideration did not have an impact and other staff members put the current rankings in order. Leeper then asked when the Red Bud Path was due to be fixed. Wadle said that it did not really matter where it was located on the list, as the list only determines which path will have the design work completed first, not construction. Kupper said that there is a need now to get these pathway designs moving so they do not lose any more money for the project. Leeper said he would like to see the Red Bud Pathway moved up higher on the priority list. Miller said that she felt Red Bud should be moved up as well along with the Delano and Bitting paths. On Motion by Frye, second by Dey, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO approve the Wichita Pathways Priorities Plan listing as follows: 1. Red Bud (shares equal priority ranking as I-35 to K-96 Path) 1. I-35 to K-96 (shares equal ranking priority with Red Bud Path) 2. K-96 to Harry 3. Haysville to Arkansas 4. Bitting 5. Delano 6. South Central Item 4. Review of Pending Issues Kupper replied that he had a meeting set with the president of El Zocolo to discuss the proposed MOU in June, but the individual was unable to attend. Kupper said he is in the process of setting up a new meeting date and time. Item 5: Updates from the Director and President Kupper informed the Board that the new inflatable tennis done needed repairs and that the Park Department is in contact with Yeadon Fabrics to replace the damaged panel of the dome. Kupper briefed the Board on the attendance numbers for the 2007 Summer of Discovery Program. Kupper then said that the safety issue of the red cedar trees at Chisholm Creek Park was resolved and that the brush was cut and other appropriate repairs were made to the surrounding habitat. Kupper then updated the Board on the PROS Plan community meetings. He said that they are currently arranging dates and times to hold several different cultural-specific meetings throughout Wichita. Karen Walker also briefed the Board on the success of the recent community meetings and said that she would email the Board members all future meeting dates and times. Miller reminded each Board member that their Board appointment ends on June 30. She said if they had not already been re-appointed that they needed to remind their respective council representative to do so. Item 6. Issues on the Horizon. - No Items. Item 7. Adjourn Miller adjourned the meeting at approximately 6:15 p.m. ___________________________________ Janet L. Miller, President ATTEST: _______________________________ Myca J. Bunch, Recording Secretary Board of Park Commissioners June 18, 2007 1