HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - PR - 2006.08.17MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission
August 17, 2006
The regular meeting of the Burlingame Parks & Recreation Commission was called to order by Vice -
Chair Dittman at 7:03 pm at Burlingame City Hall, 501 Primrose Road, Burlingame.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Dittman, Hesselgren, Larios, Schruers, Shanus
Commissioners Absent: Heathcote, Muller
Staff Present: Randy Schwartz, Parks & Recreation Director;
Joleen Butler, Account Clerk III.
Others Present: Rosalie McCloud, 400 Primrose Rd; Charles Voltz, 725 Vernon Way;
Susan and Tom Paine, 728 Concord Way; Ann Keighran, 1531 Vancouver
Ave.
MINUTES
The minutes of the June 15, 2006 regular Commission meeting were approved as amended.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
OLD BUSINESS
Senior Resource Handbook
Commissioner Dittman reported that the handbook is partially complete. She hopes to have it finished
before the next meeting.
Capital Improvement Projects
Director Schwartz reported that the Bayside Restroom/Snack Shack project is on schedule. Next month
site preparation work will start to place a ready-made building on the site. The facility should be open
for use before Thanksgiving.
Parks for the Future
Schwartz said the 1/8th cent sales tax measure would be on the November ballot. The measure, if
passed, would provide about $300,000 on an annual basis to the Parks & Recreation Department for the
next 20 years. The money can be used as a base for CIP projects and for recreation use. CCAG will be
the auditing body for the application and use of the monies. The measure is on the City Council's
agenda for the upcoming meeting to determine if the Council will support the measure.
Parks & Recreation Commission
August 17, 2006 Minutes — page 2
NEW BUSINESS
Art in the Park
Schwartz reported that the recent Art in the Park (AITP) was presented with assistance of Pacific Fine
Arts (PFA) handling the artists, marketing, security, setup, teardown and cleanup during the event. The
City continues to handle the non-profit food and information booths and the entertainment. Profits for
the event have risen approximately $9,000 since using a contractor to run the event. This process also
saves the City approximately 300 hours in staff time.
The addition of 10 sponsor booths in this year's festival received mixed review from the public. The
sponsor booths provided the City with $3,000 in new revenue.
The next two AITP's will have a different look as we incorporate the City's 99th and 100th birthdays into
the event. Schwartz stated that this might make a good time to consider changes to the event. Such
changes could include a children's play area or a wine tasting section on Washington Park's ballfield.
This would also open the area to relocate some or all of the sponsors' booths.
After a discussion about the events budget, the commissioners discussed the pros and cons of corporate
sponsorship and ways to incorporate sponsors without disrupting the intended atmosphere of the event.
Schwartz stated that the PFA's revenue is primarily generated from the sponsorships and the elimination
of sponsors could force the City to again fully operate the event. He also said that the City can dictate to
PFA sponsorship levels and the desire to first seek sponsorships from local businesses.
Commissioner Larios stated that before discussing other plans the City needs to decide whether or not to
(1) continue working with a vendor and allow sponsors, (2) pay additional funds to have a vendor
without sponsors, or (3) have the City run the event solo.
Schwartz stated that he would be conducting meetings with Pacific Fine Arts and representatives from
the food vendors, artists and general public. Schwartz also suggested a committee of the Commissioners
be formed to attend these meetings. This committee could then report the interests of the various groups
to the Commission and a recommendation could then be made to Council. The recommendation needs
to detail the parameters of sponsorship presence at the event. Commissioners Hesselgren and Shanus
volunteered for the committee and staff will send out an email inviting one more commissioner to
volunteer.
Options and suggestions from commissioners and members of the public regarding sponsorship
included:
• Corporate sponsorship could be limited to pamphlets or sponsorship of activity zones at the event
• Sponsorship only from Parks & Recreation related businesses
• No sponsors at all; ask Council for more money
• Keep sponsors, but shift them onto the ball field
• Signage for sponsors could be on event items, such as the puppet theater, the stage for musicians
blow-up jumper, etc.
• Sponsor booths can be placed in smaller clusters mixed in with artist booths
• Negotiate sponsor presence with the vendor
Parks & Recreation Commission
August 17, 2006 Minutes — page 3
The committee will take the options and suggestions to the meetings with Pacific Fine Arts and various
other groups and report back to the Parks & Recreation Commission at a future meeting.
Recreation Registration Fee Increase
Staff is proposing an increase in recreation registration fees from $7 per class to $8 per class. The
increase would provide $18,000 in increased revenue for the upcoming year. This revenue will help
fund transitioning a part-time recreation coordinator position to full time.
MOTION by Schruers (seconded by Larios): Recommend to Council an increase in the
registration fee from $7 to $8 per class for the recreation programs. Motion accepted 5-0.
Master Fee Schedule
Schwartz explained the master fee schedule has been updated to reflect an increase in cost for the
premier facilities in the City — particularly Murray Field and Washington Park Baseball Field.
Commissioner Larios asked how often Murray Field is closed and if it is recovered as synthetic could
we get year round use of it. Schwartz, in response to Larios's questions, said that Murray field is closed
for 3 months in the winter and all of July. He also said that he recommends that Bayside fields #3 & 4
be recovered in synthetic before Murray field as more user groups would benefit from Bayside 3 & 4
and that field is usually closed much longer each year for rain and maintenance.
Motion by Larios (seconded by Hesselgren): Approve fee schedule as recommended by staff.
Motion accepted 5-0.
REPORTS / HAND-OUTS
Staff
In addition to the attached monthly Department report, Schwartz reported that the 22
replacement elm trees on El Camino Real are scheduled to be planted by Caltrans in October.
Commissioners
1. Commissioner Hesselgren asked why the restrooms at Washington Park were locked and
what time are they locked and unlocked. Schwartz said that they are locked to keep vagrants
from sleeping in them and that they are locked from 11 pm to 5:30 am. The lock is
programmed and can be changed. Hesselgren also asked if the chaser lights on the
scoreboard at Bayside 1 are always on. Schwartz said that yes, the scoreboard is digital and
the chaser lights are a screen saver of sorts.
2. Commissioner Schreuers noticed that several trees in Washington Park have been lost and
was curious if there were any plans to replace them. Schwartz mentioned that yes; there are
plans to replace them, however, in a different area of the park.
3. Commissioner Shanus asked when the paths at Bayside were scheduled to be paved.
Schwartz said that the paving is scheduled to start in a couple of weeks.
Parks & Recreation Commission
August 17, 2006 Minutes — page 4
4. Commissioner Larios mentioned that there is graffiti on the backboard at Pershing Park.
Schwartz made note of this and will have the Parks Department take care of it. (note: graffiti
was painted over by staff on August 181h)
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission is scheduled to be held on Thursday,
September 21, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at Burlingame City Hall.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Joleen Butler
Parks & Recreation Account Clerk III