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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMins 2010 April_Approved Board of Recreation and Parks Minutes of April 28, 2010 Meeting Page 1 of 5 BOARD OF RECREATION AND PARKS MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING APRIL 28, 2010 CALL TO ORDER Southwest Senior Center 2201 West McFadden Santa Ana, CA 92704 5:40 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE J. Stroud ROLL CALL BOARD OF RECREATION AND PARKS MEMBERS/STUDENT REPS PRESENT Tish Leon, Kenneth Nguyen, Julie Stroud, Wendy Tobiska STAFF PRESENT: Gerardo Mouet, Executive Director Ron Ono, Administrative Services Manager Kent Yamaguchi, Zoo Manager Heather Folmar, Library Operations Manager Jeannie Jurado, Recreation Supervisor Cheryl Eberly, Senior Librarian Athena Martinez, Board Secretary PRESENTATIONS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AWARD – MAY 2010 Jessica Kutsunai was present to accept this award. SPECIAL SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AWARD – APRIL 2010 Maria Franco was present to accept this award. SPECIAL BOARD RECOGNITION TO COFU MEMBERS The following members were present to accept this award: Ron Foster, Little League; David Gonzalez, Santa Ana Pop Warner; Rick Neidermayer, Youth Soccer; Kenneth Nguyen, Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioner; Glen Stroud, Neighborhoods. SPECIAL BOARD RECOGNITION OF RECORDING SECRETARY Board recognized Recording Secretary for Administrative Professional’s Day. CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION: K. Nguyen SECOND: J. Stroud VOTE: AYES: Leon, Nguyen, Stroud, Tobiska (4) NOES: None (0) ABSENT: (at voting) Hills, Madrid, Orea (3) 1. MINUTES Approve Minutes of Regular Meeting held on March 24, 2010. Board of Recreation and Parks Minutes of April 28, 2010 Meeting Page 2 of 5 2. ABSENCES Excuse the absence of Jerry Hills, Max Madrid and David Orea. ** END OF CONSENT CALENDAR ** BUSINESS CALENDAR NEW BUSINESS 1. BUDGET UPDATE Executive Director Mouet gave a brief, verbal budget update as follows: • City Manager is scheduled to present budget for FY 2010-2011 to City Council in May. • City Council is scheduled to vote on and adopt the budget in June, however this could be prolonged due to current budget situation. • Agency’s current annual operating budget is $17.5 Million, all from General Fund, which will be reduced for next fiscal year. • Approximately 60% of the Agency’s $17.5 Million pays for 77 full time staff and all part time staff. • The citywide structural deficit is $25.3 Million. • Will continue to advocate to keep all hours of operation and days of service status quo for all recreation centers, senior centers, libraries and zoo, which will result in restructuring of the Agency in other ways. 2. REQUEST FOR BOARD ACTION Motion to recommend to City Council to approve a lease agreement with T-Mobile West Corporation for cellular equipment building and a monopalm cell tower at Delhi Park. PUBLIC COMMENTS Idalia Servin – representing the Delhi Neighborhood Association • Expressed that the majority of Delhi residents are opposed to the cell tower being proposed. • Issues of health are a main concern for residents, but homeowners are also concerned about changes to home values. • Many residents are also opposed to the artificiality of the cell tower disguised as a palm tree. • The Delhi Neighborhood Association is requesting that more research be conducted on the health issue concerns and the impact on changes to home values. • The Delhi Neighborhood Association is also requesting proof that the proposed cell tower installation meets all the requirements imposed by the City as indicated in conditional use permits, economic impact reports and the City’s municipal code. MOTION: J. Stroud SECOND: W. Tobiska VOTE: AYES: Leon, Nguyen, Stroud, Tobiska (4) NOES: None (0) ABSENT: (at voting) Hills, Madrid, Orea (3) Board of Recreation and Parks Minutes of April 28, 2010 Meeting Page 3 of 5 PUBLIC COMMENTS Victor Age – Resident of Bella Vista Neighborhood • Requested more Park Ranger presence at Jerome Park. • Jerome Park currently has a cell tower in the park, and a second one is being installed. Would like to see cell tower revenues from these towers used toward improvements in Jerome Park, not just landscape maintenance. • Organized soccer is being played along Diamond street, between addresses 725-1001. Soccer balls are often kicked over resident fences causing players to jump the fence to retrieve the ball or to go knocking on resident homes requesting their ball. Windows or sheds are often damaged or broken by these stray balls. • The palm trees within the park appear dead and need to be removed or trimmed. Maria Velazquez - Resident of Bella Vista Neighborhood • Has been a resident for seventeen years. • There is a great need for better lighting in the park. Many residents cut through the park on their way to evening church services, and walking home is very unsafe. • Has two young daughters that would like to kick a soccer ball around at night, but it is too dark and unsafe for them to do so. • The area around the handball court is especially dark, and a lot of lewd and inappropriate activity occurs there. • Monte Vista school is heavily used during the weekend even though it is fenced off and locked. People simply jump the fence, then leave all their trash behind. Elsa Martinez - Resident of Bella Vista Neighborhood • Has been a resident for eight years. • Has many concerns, but would like to know more about how the City’s budget situation will affect Jerome Park. • The channel from Monte Vista to McFadden is often used as an access area to the school and is litter with trash. Can this be covered over, or perhaps extend the park into this area? • People that use the school grounds over the weekend leave a mess, and the area around the school is often littered with broken bottles, trash, used condoms, and drug activity. • Would like to see more consistent Park Ranger patrol as there are often groups of men drinking and urinating in the park. Elizabeth Cervantes - Resident of Bella Vista Neighborhood • Has been a resident for eleven years. • Is very concerned about Monte Vista School and Jerome Park. • During the weekends, people are seen jumping the fence to get to the school’s basketball courts. That particular area is also very secluded and people have been seen engaged in sex and other lewd conduct. • Would like to know what is done with the money raised at the carnivals that are held in Jerome Park? There is a lot of trash left after the carnivals. Also, people have to pay a lot of money for the food offered and to get on the rides, and the food that is sold is primarily junk food and not very healthy. What is the true benefit of having the carnival compared to the time and space taken from local residents? Esperanza Peña - Resident of Bella Vista Neighborhood • Has been a resident for sixteen years. • Has raised the issue of people jumping the fence many times. Board of Recreation and Parks Minutes of April 28, 2010 Meeting Page 4 of 5 • It has become very unsafe for children to play in the park due to the amount of illicit activity that occurs in the park. • Why have the bathrooms been closed? This causes men to urinate in public. • Help is needed in maintaining a safe park for the children and families. 3. TEENSPACE MODEL PRESENTATION Senior Librarian Cheryl Eberly made a PowerPoint Presentation with handouts, on file for review with Recording Secretary. UPCOMING EVENTS Calendars for May and June, 2010 were distributed and reviewed. STATUS/UPDATES 1. LIBRARY SERVICES COMMITTEE – No report. 2. COMMUNITY CONTACT REPORTS AND UPDATES – Reviewed. 3. PENDING ITEMS/ACTION ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS • Follow Up Report on responses to Jerome Park issues • Discussion about memorial at Angels Park for Virginia Avila, who passed away April 27, 2010, and was a great advocate for Angels Park. COMMENTS PUBLIC COMMENTS See above. STAFF COMMENTS R. Ono • Bids opened for the resurfacing of the basketball courts at Adams Park. • Final inspections occurring on the clay tennis courts at Cabrillo Park. • Final inspections occurring on the Memorial Park pool renovations. K. Yamaguchi • The grand opening of the Tierra de Las Pampas exhibit on April 17 was well attended and went smoothly. Mike Schroeder donated $20,000 to have the naming rights of the female anteater. • The anteaters were temporarily off display after the grand opening as staff learned they are climbers. A hot wire has been installed around the exhibit and they are back out on display. • Have had some monkey births with both breeding pairs of the golden lion tamarins. • Looking forward to hosting the Board’s May meeting at the Zoo. • There is a Sunset at the Zoo summer concert scheduled in June. Will send more information to the Board through the Recording Secretary. J. Jurado • Southwest Senior Center will be celebrating Older American Month in May. Seniors will be bringing in pictures of themselves as youth to be displayed throughout the center. • The annual Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Southwest Senior Center will be held May 5, and volunteer judges are needed for the Salsa contest. Would love to have a few Commissioners on the panel. Board of Recreation and Parks Minutes of April 28, 2010 Meeting Page 5 of 5 A. Martinez • Thank you to the Board for the kind Administrative Professionals Day gift and recognition. BOARD/STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS J. Stroud • Inquired about results of the Angels Park patron who appeared to be living in the park. Parks staff and Park Rangers have met to review the City’s policy on abandoned property and are responding accordingly. • Inquired about when cell tower companies install cell towers in public right of ways, do they still need to inform the affected neighborhood associations, and where do those revenues to? Staff will research and respond. W. Tobiska • OCHSA students will perform a “reflections” production at El Salvador Center on May 21, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. Admission will be $5.00, with snacks sold at intermission, and all monies raised will benefit the Catalina Campout excursion and arts programming at El Salvador Center • Inquired about the Agency’s annual passes to the Commissioners. Staff will work on them and distribute. • Was very sorry to miss the grand opening of Tierra de Las Pampas. • Have a new granddaughter, so will be visiting the Zoo more often! K. Nguyen • By now, everyone is aware that Frank Acosta has been reappointed to the Planning Commission. • The temporary play area in the Cornerstone Village Neighborhood recently received a donation of synthetic turf and it will be installed soon. • On Sunday, April 18, 2010, over 18,000 Vietnamese-Americans in Southern California went to the polls and cast their ballots to select the new leadership of the Vietnamese-American Community of Southern California (representing Vietnamese-American community in Los Angeles county, Orange county, San Bernardino County, Riverside county and San Diego county). It was the largest exercise of democracy ever in the last 35 year history of the Vietnamese-American community in the United States. I was elected as Vice-President of the newly created Vietnamese-American Federation of Southern California. T. Leon • Strongly encourage commissioners to volunteer for the salsa tasting contest. Have served on the panel in the past and was very enjoyable. Will be serving again this year at the Santa Ana Senior Center. NEXT MEETING Wednesday, May 26, 2010 on the second floor of the Red Barn at the Santa Ana Zoo in Prentice Park, located at 1801 East Chestnut, Santa Ana, CA, 92701. MEETING ADJOURNED TO A TOUR OF JEROME RECREATION CENTER AT 7:52 P.M. _________________________________ Athena Martinez, Recording Secretary