Loading...
PR02-02-2021Min PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD LONGWOOD CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS 175 WEST WARREN AVENUE LONGWOOD, FLORIDA MINUTES February 2, 2021 6:30 P.M. Present: David Putz, Chair Jim Vogel, Vice-Chair(Arrived at 6:33 p.m.) Amanda Sackett, Member(Arrived at 6:31 p.m.) Judi Coad, Member Lori Rice, Member Teresa Ray, Member Samuel Friedman, Member Chris Capizzi, Leisure Services Director Ryan Rinaldo, Recreation Coordinator Donna L.Alt-Bowes, Recording Secretary 1. CALL TO ORDER. Chair Putz called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. PUBLIC INPUT. None. 3. ACTION ITEMS. A. Approve Minutes from January 5, 2021 Member Rice moved to approve the minutes from January 5, 2021, as presented. Seconded by Member Coad and carried by a unanimous voice vote with Vice-Chair Vogel and Member Sackett absent. B. Chili Cook-Off Mr. Capizzi said surveys were sent out and ten (10) received showing interest in the Chili Cook-Off. Staff emailed registration forms to all of the teams interested. Mr. Rinaldo said twenty-five (25) emails were sent to past participants and a notice was placed on the Facebook page. Out of twenty-five (25), ten (10) were interested. He stated several teams have gone out of business and three (3) were going to stand down this year, but would come back in the future. Out of the ten (10) who said they were interested, he has received two (2) registration forms and two (2) other teams have said they would be sending in the registration form. He and Mr. Capizzi talked about extending the deadline until February 12. P&R 02-02-2021/1 Discussion ensued about the number of teams, attendance, and whether or not to hold the Chili Cook-Off. 4. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Member Coad reported and asked about the cost of$3,500.00 for the Celebrate the Season band. Mr. Rinaldo said that included the sound production and their speakers were used the whole evening. Mr. Capizzi said that an AV rental fee is usually between $1,500.00 to $2,000.00. Member Coad asked how close we were to the amount of money spent in the past. Mr. Capizzi replied there was a savings of around a couple thousand dollars. Member Coad said there was a loss this year at the Arts and Crafts Event and asked for an explanation as to why there was a loss. She also asked about the new generators that were purchased using monies from the expense account. Mr. Capizzi replied that new generators were purchased. Member Coad asked if they are used for anything else other than the Arts and Crafts Festival. Mr. Capizzi replied they are used for other things as well. Member Coad asked if the Historic Society payment was a set payment this year. Mr. Capizzi replied it is a percentage. Mr. Rinaldo said there is an agreement with the Historic Society, which is a very commendable cause, and there were not as many sponsors this year. He stated the City has exclusive rights over the sponsors and the sponsorship fees do not go to the Historic Society. He noted the payment each year, is about $10,000.00 to $12,000.00. The contract with the Historic Society is up for negotiation in the next few years. He said our budget goes into the red after paying the Historic Society the mandated amount from the contract. Member Coad asked what the percentage was that we pay them. Mr. Capizzi replied it is fifty percent (50%) of the vendor fees. He said last year we came close to going into the red. More money was made last year due to more sponsorship. This year,there were fewer sponsors. He noted some sponsors did not want to come because of COVID, and that is where we make up the money from the funds we give to the Historic Society. Next November we are going to be going exclusively with Cox Media who will be P&R 02-02-2021/2 able to generate more sponsorship funding opportunities for the City. He also noted the agreement is a seven (7) year agreement with the Historic Society. He said the Historic Society has been able to renovate the entire side of the women's center from the funds they received from the Arts and Crafts Festival. He said it is nice when you can see where your money is going. Further discussion ensued about the Arts and Crafts Festival. Member Coad asked if the City owned a golf cart. Mr. Capizzi replied we do have golf carts in the City but Leisure Services does not own a golf cart. He said the Citizens on Patrol (COPs) have one (1) or two (2) and Public Works have a utility vehicle. Member Coad asked if we were allowed to borrow those that day. Mr. Capizzi replied we do not like to borrow other City groups' equipment but have borrowed the utility vehicle from Public Works. He said we would keep the shuttle that was used for helping people get to and from the parking lot because people enjoy that, and you get some patrons who may be handicapped or just cannot walk that far. Discussion continued about getting a golf cart for Leisure Services. Member Coad said she would like to see a golf cart purchase in the budget. Chair Putz asked about the time left on the contract with the Historical Society. Mr. Capizzi replied he thought it was three (3) years. Chair Putz asked about the re-negotiation. Mr. Rinaldo replied he believed it was in three (3) years. Chair Putz asked if we could re-negotiate that or does it end. Mr. Capizzi replied there is a possibility to renew the contract and it does not matter right this minute because we have three (3) more years but when the time comes, there is a renewal clause in the contract. He said he would be happy to send the contract to everyone so they can see it. Chair Putz asked if we would have to buy a new golf cart as opposed to a used golf cart. Mr. Capizzi replied he does not think we would have to buy a new one. Discussion ensued about the price of a new or used golf cart. P&R 02-02-2021/3 Member Friedman did not have anything to report but said he supports the idea of buying a golf cart because he thinks it is a good investment for all of the reasons that Member Coad said. Member Sackett asked who cleans the signs around the Historic District. Mr. Capizzi replied he believes it is Public Works. Member Sackett said she had another idea in the walking area at Reiter Park she saw at another park. They put up storyboards around the area with a children's story that is read as your go around the area. She said she did not know if that might be something to do and change the story monthly. Discussion ensued about having a storyboard at Reiter Park. Mr. Capizzi and Member Sackett will meet at the park to see exactly what she is talking about and then he would have to take it before the Commission or the City Manager as it is something that could change the aesthetics of the park. Vice-Chair Vogel reported walking the parks yesterday and said Shadow Hill cleaned up very nicely and all of that trash along the waterline is gone. At Sandalwood, there was broken glass on the basketball court underneath one of the nets. There was also trash along the fence line and an abandoned styrofoam cooler. She said that everything else looked good in the parks. Mr. Capizzi said he would let the Parks Supervisor know. Member Ray said she had nothing to report. She has been in contact with Mr. Capizzi and Mr. Rinaldo about the Chili Cook-Off. Member Rice reported and said she forwarded another grant opportunity to Mr. Capizzi put on by the Florida Wildflower Association. She said the unique thing about this grant is that although it is a matching grant,the winners' match can be staff or volunteer hours as opposed to cash. She said they do specify$27 an hour as part of staff time. She does not know if that is something that will work for our needs. Mr. Capizzi gave an update on the Florida Wildflower grant opportunity. He said they are required to plant material that is native to our section of the state. The plants that we would want to install are Muhly Grass and the Black-Eyed Susan. Discussion ensued about the area and the plants required by the Florida Wildlife grant, as well as, the deadline for the grant. Mr. Capizzi advised Member Rice that Juan from JVision Butterfly is going to come out sometime within the next couple of weeks and look at our butterfly garden to see if we need updates. He said he would let Member Rice know when he was going to come out. P&R 02-02-2021/4 Member Rice asked if we are finished with all of the warranty items at Reiter Park. Mr. Capizzi replied not yet but they are working on it. He advised the Board what the holdup was concerning the as-built plans for the St. John's River Water Management and explained what they will be removing and replacing at the park. Member Rice asked about the lights in the parking lot. Mr. Capizzi replied we are going through Accurate Electrical and it is not a warranty item. He said the lights are working and that it is a timer issue. They are currently being turned on by staff at the park every night. Member Rice asked about the winners of the Food Truck Battle. Mr. Capizzi replied the will post the pictures on Facebook. Chair Putz did not have anything to report. He did pass around pictures of the wildlife at Reiter Park. 5. STAFF REPORT Mr. Capizzi reviewed the events and stated an updated event list will be sent out within the next week. He noted the Ford Mustang Round-Up was February 6, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Food Trucks was February 11, 2021, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.;the Downtown Longwood Cruise-In Car Show was February 13, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and the Movie in the Park will be on February 19, 2021, at Reiter Park at 7:00 p.m. The movie to be determined. There is a 2021 Special Event list in the Agenda Packet and it keeps growing. He went over the events that were on the list. Discussion ensued about the upcoming events. Member Rice asked about the new play equipment at Small World Park. Mr. Capizzi replied they are still waiting on the grant. He said there are two (2) $50,000.00 Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants that will cover the playground at Small World and the other$50,000.00 will go towards backstops and court resurfacing at Candyland Park. Member Rice asked when those grants will be announced. Mr. Capizzi replied they would be announced in April. 6. ADJOURNMENT. P&R 02-02-2021/5 Member Coad moved to adjourn. Seconded by Vice-Chair Vogel and carried by a unanimous voice vote. Meeting adjourned at 7:42 p.m. Minutes approved by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: 03-02-2021 At44gJ David Putz, Chair ATTEST: t )LA�sPh Donna Alt-Bowes, Recording Secretary P&R 02-02-2021/6