Parks and Recreation Commission - Regular Meeting

Call to order and the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. For all. Roll call. John Jones here. Dennis here. Sharon. Uh, excused. Absent. Absent and excused. Yep. Kate Smith here.

Bridget, absent and excused or absent. Absent and excused. Sorry. Okay. Jennifer here. Robert Smith here. Kathy here. Rob here. I need a motion to approve the agenda. I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. I'll second it. All in favor? I. Motion carries. 70. Approval of the minutes from June 24th. I need a motion.

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from June 24th. Correct. I'll second it. All in favor? I I carry 70 again. Presentations. Erica, you're up.

All right. I thought I would uh share some updates on the Radcliffe renovation and I believe uh we've got a little presentation popping up on the screen. Thank you, Vince. All right. So, um go to the next slide. Just as a reminder, we do have a committee meeting. uh myself, Kelly Williams as our contractor, um our three park and recck commissioners, so Kate, Sharon, and Bridget, and three city council members. So, next slide. The purpose again is oversight of particularly the ARPA grant. Um you know, number two was to engage our stakeholders. So, making sure that uh people are having input and thirdly was to improve transparency. So, those are just reminders. uh the priorities which is the next slide. Just reviewing uh three things. The importance of grant compliance because at this point we are only spending grant funds. Uh spending with the future in mind, preserving the building, planning for long-term operation, uh knowing our staffing and operational uh funding challenges and again rebuilding trust. So from transparency, improved reporting, again that input and respect for the process, these were those priorities uh brought out last July and we're still uh keeping those in mind as we finish out this grant. So uh before we dive into the ARPA, I have a CDBG update. So, the next slide um just highlights this was the $200,000 um CDBG grant that when I first arrived on site, we had thought it was for something else. Turns out we didn't execute the grant and that money was still waiting for us. So, we needed a new project uh that would um meet the requirements of the CDBG grant. So, we

put forth the ADA bathroom renovation and that had a deadline of June 30th. So, we did complete that. Um, I submitted the report on the very last day, June 30th. Uh, we actually received the reimbursement last week, which is amazing.

Um, and this did include two sets of bathrooms. So, while they're both not 100% because there was a partial uh funding from ARPA to finish the second set, if you remember, it's all kind of complicated. Um, but basically, we got one primary set with some really big changes to make it ADA accessible and there's some photos up there. Um, and then one set was refreshed. So, while we're having our inspection Thursday, um, and our photos to send in, this is pretty much done. So on the screen is the before on the left of the the women's and the right is the finished um we added uh well we widened the door in the women's we actually moved into uh the adjacent room so that we could have a fourth stall and we could add two sinks. So you can't the part that you can't see is the part that we're waiting for some tile work to complete. Um, so the women's is still um just finishing some of those pieces. Um, the next slide I think is going to highlight the men's and I don't I'm still waiting to get the before photos because um I didn't have a good one of the men's urinals. Um, and I really want to show the before and after um because it's just really again we widened a door. we were able to make an ADA stall um you know lighting the tiles u modernizing the urinals the ones before were like in the floor um and so and tile all the way around and um so those two are the ones near the entrance uh we had the most kind of work done but the next slide is going to highlight the other set that was almost ADA accessible they're the ones by the dance um classrooms So again, both of these uh were really close to ADA. There was just a couple of things they were missing. So in here was updated the lighting,

flooring, you know, paint, new partitions, uh updated fixtures, and again some modernized urinals in the men's. Is that a changing table in the Yes, the men have a changing table.

Um and then the next slide is the women's, which is similar. Uh so again, the before just, you know, they were so drab in there. So, new partitions, new paint, you know, all of those things. So, these were a uh you know, a more higher val Well, what am I trying to say? They weren't as much of an investment to change because these bathrooms were pretty much set. We didn't change any layout. Uh but altogether now, we've got three of the four open um as we're just waiting for the tile on that women's up front. But very exciting to have bathrooms open again. So, next slide. Um, okay. So, to recap the Wayne County, this is the $4 million grant, uh, with the 1 million match that was spent way, way back. We basically did our match first. So, um, the last you probably heard me, we had been, you know, spent, submitted, and been reimbursed for about 3.2. On Friday, I have a reimbursement ready to go. I'm just waiting on some check copies. uh for 392,000. Uh so if you add those together, we're at about 3.6. What we've already committed to or is in progress is that 323,000. Um and I'll kind of go through what those are. as well as 76,000 roughly is what um I have to spend out of uh kind of uncommitted funds even though we have some projects and other uh plans budgeted. Uh as a reminder, it's got to all be complete by October 31st. So, we are really in the home stretch and the pressure is on because all these projects uh that we'll look at just take time. They just take time and every time you do one thing something else comes up. So next slide.

Will they give you any extra time or it's or it's timeensitive? No extra time. It's all time sensitive. It is that is their deadline. So we are at the end. So just like I saw with CDBG I thought maybe I could get it to them like if my invoices were by the 30th and like the two weeks before she said I need everything. It will close on that day. And if you do that, then it'll be a whole I mean, it would have been I don't I'm not sure. I would have spent a lot more eyes on it. And you know, so this one, if we don't spend it, they they actually want us to finish by September 30th because they want to take any money that we have left over and distribute it to someone else because they'll lose it. They lose it on October 31st as well.

Okay. So, our intention is to spend it all. And so

um you know what we some of the updates I put up on the screen and actually if you guys want to take one and pass it around. This is a a updated map that I think is helpful now because in the last few months we have moved things around. Um you know if you saw the last council meeting the it takes a village lease was approved. So we have renters coming in that are going to um operate the uh imagination station. They're going to take the fitness room, the cardio room, and a small meeting room. So, with that happening, we had to um make sure we got the cardio room that we were planning up and running. Um so, on the screen, and if I didn't print this out just because I feel like I do these things so often, you guys probably have a stack of paper, but I can send it out by email if you want to look at it. Um but um the big updates are kind of finalizing all the rooms. Um we know the thrift shops coming in that's now labeled. Um we've got a new cardio room. We'll see some pics here soon of that. Um the old game room is going to be the new fitness room and the old conference room which was where my office was over there is going to be the relocated game room. So, we've settled in. This is what it's going to be now. There's no time to move. There's no money to move anything beyond that. Um, so the lease being approved was a big a big step. Uh, the bathrooms wrapping up were huge huge, especially the CDBG. The laundry room, um, that's next to the thrift stop now. Um, it was in the kitchen. So, as part of the kitchen renovation, we needed to move that um out of the kitchen, one for space, but two, just operationally. Um, and Head Start has a need for laundry facilities, so we had to accommodate

them. So, it's in a better location. We'll see a photo of that. Um, the computer lab became the cardio room. A lot of progress on the gym. Um and then a big update at the last council meeting is that we passed uh some project management agreement or contract with all phases to help us spend um the money that is uh that we have set aside for certain projects just to help both bridge all the contract work um but to help us purchase things and to move things a little quicker. So, uh, those are all the big updates and I think I have photos next just to show some of these things. Um, so the laundry room, I was trying to find a before photo. Uh, it was a very ugly room. Um, and even though the floor here doesn't look like amazing, it really turned out good because it was really gross before. Um, and um, we were just adding some countertops. So, there's some repurposed counters and uppers that are going in there, but it's just a nice size room for the laundry.

What is the floor? It's just what was there, concrete, like maybe buffed and top coated, right? Right. So, um so it'll last forever and you know, more industrial, but I think I think our grocery store like that. It's a laundry room.

Yeah, it's just a laundry room. So um um and next slide is the I think the cardio. Yeah. So this used to be the computer lab. So the upper left photo is the computer lab which we just were not getting use for. No demand. Um the thing that we always need more of are rooms that can be multi-purpose. So dance. This will be where our arthritis exercise, um, our tumbling, our karate, uh, dance is always looking for some extra space for some of their stuff as well. So, um, we're just waiting on mirrors to go in there, but that, uh, floor, uh, is in now, which is exciting.

It just makes more sense for that to be there, you know, with the waiting room and yes, everything. It's a great location for um, yeah, it fits better. So, are we getting more and more things that are going to create revenue so we can stop listening to all the naysayers?

We are trying. You know, it's it's been a tough summer with our staffing situation and we are just trying to hang on and deliver what we were planning. Um, but it's tough. Um, I can't uh, you know, say we're, you know, going to see a huge thing in the fall. We're trying really hard to hang on. We just got a lot of part-time staff getting used to new roles. What we lost in the last three months staffing wise is going to take a little time to recover from, you know, before we can build anything. Um, but next slide. Um, the gym. I got a photo of the newly painted ceiling. Um, so black is probably not a traditional ceiling color. That's what was there um from the auditorium and we kept that. There was a lot of cleanup that had to be done. Um, but it does look a lot sharper. There's new lighting. Um, and all of the divider came out. You know, the audio box, if you haven't been in there, the space is really large.

So, you've commented on that. Yeah, it Yeah. Yeah, it's really large. So, I know uh there's more prepping to do on the walls before it can be painted. the floor will be the end and that's just the floor of the new part that was uh under the stage. So, a lot still to happen in there, but it's moving along. Uh, next slide. Okay. Oh, I just wanted to uh shout out to our new picnic tables on the patio. We got 12 of those and two new grills. So, a couple of wins for me. Has anybody started using them? Yes. Yes. We had a barbecue. Um, I was thinking

the second picnic table I was sitting there. It's a really nice space and uh I think it will be a great It looks like it just are people going to use it and are are we going to get any extra use or make any money off of it? Is there ways to rent it? I think that the community Yeah, it's for rent. I think when you see an operational kitchen or place where people could store food or prep things, I think this is absolutely going to be a place that people will rent. And there's an area there. You can put barbecue up if they bring them. Yeah. This is the blue patio. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Make sure. Yes. You cook some burgers and dogs. I ate some burgers and dogs. I didn't cook them. Yeah. Parking is so close for unloading and it's just

Yeah. Yeah. It's a really I really love it. And with the new uh skylight in there and there's the little lights. It's really really cute. And they have plants out there that you don't see that make it look kind of nice, too. Yeah. Yeah. So, big plants.

So, Yeah. Yeah. So ne next slide. Um so the active project scope area is remaining. Um so that gymnasium auditorium and the fitness room. So the fitness room is that relocation of the current fitness room. A little bit of an expansion. The community kitchen. There is a lot of work to go on. Uh we've been sort of backed up behind the boiler work um next door in the HVAC project. So, when that wraps up, they're running. I think there's a photo I'll show you in a minute. Uh, we still have some door fobs. We've got just a small amount that we've gotten approved to go ahead with that are uh particularly important for renters and the whole uh key issuing, which is a huge a huge challenge for a building this size, just managing keys and access. Um, and then our completion of activity rooms is one project scope area. Um, and we have a little contingency. So, those are the active project scope areas, which again are really important when we're talking about grant compliance and fitting into things we said we were going to do, things that we can get reimbursed for. Uh, the next slide I think is just highlighting. Okay, so I just I think Drew read around the areas where we uh are focusing on in these next few months. Um the the gym we really are hoping to wrap up before September. We just have so much going on when uh we go back to kind of full or evening hours at least. Um and that kitchen. Um the fitness room, we're waiting until camp wraps up because we have had camp in that room which has turned out really well. Um we've had really good numbers with camp. I think I report on that in my report. Um, but we're going to plan to move all of the stuff out of there like after August

7th. Um, and start uh this week I should have a proposed layout in that new space so we can really finalize what new equipment we're bringing in. Um, and then seeing how it all fits in the game room. So, those are really the big focus areas. The thrift shop, um, we're talking about them moving over in October. we just have so much stuff going on and they're going to need a lot of help in a move. So, we're just sort of uh you know putting that till October uh to help them with that move. Um is it going to be this the thrift store from Maplewood? Yes. Is going to move to Radcliffe. Red.

Yeah. Yeah. Um there's a couple of small rooms. The um craft room too. I believe we're moving in the conference table from the game room to create a small conference room there at that right kind of the front entrance. Um, you know, there's a couple of things. The punch list is really all of those miscellaneous things to finish the building. Um, and that project management. So, those are all like projects approved. Um, money set aside for them. Um, so the next slide. I want to go back. Can I go back to the thrift store for just a second? Yeah. Are they going to have a bigger location than they have at Maplewood? Uh, you mean room size? Yes.

Yes. I believe it is larger. Um, that reminds me. I thought so, too. There was some debate at our because the thing is the thing is I've been to the thrift store at Maplewood. I don't know if anybody else sitting here has been there. Mhm. I have. They need a little room. A little more room. A lot more room. So, yeah, they have a like a tall room right now. A and this is they have storage too. They do have storage, you know.

Um I think a thrift store is always going to always going to look like they got more than they, you know, the nature of that business, I think. But that's the space they're going to have to work with. Um you know, so we left off, I would say. Okay. We're back due to a power outage. Oh, okay. All right. So, if you're uh tuning in at home or wondering what happened, we had a power outage. So, we took a break. I was just going over the uh director report, but we're going to go back to the slideshow because we were um I think actually just moving off of this slide there. Just is there just one sentence to finish on this page? Yeah,

I was going to say if there's just one sentence, let's let's finish it and be done. Um because it looked like you were done with that one paragraph and the last paragraph thing. just um upcoming working on a printed No, we're going to keep going.

We're putting together fall activities, but we're not going to print the rec connect. We're going to have a postcard going out to everybody with an electronic version. And we're going to print a thousand of them and have them at the center, at the library, and some other places with for tableabling. Um and uh oh one big highlight to share is we are planning to open spaceport for 24 hours starting in September. So uh the school year we're going to have some spaceport hours if you know that was one of the things that was cut. So uh more details will be coming soon but we're pretty excited about open in the evening maybe like 2 to 7. Okay. So after school. Yeah.

Um Yep. And so there'll be a communication coming out like I said on uh the first with some happenings. So let's dive back into the highlights at Redcliffe. So I think I just had a couple of slides that you can't really see from here other than the kitchen's a bit of a mess, but as I mentioned, there's some a asbestous abatement next door in the boiler room and they're running these big air tubes through a venting thing. So, when that wraps up, our contractor is going to be getting in there uh and getting to work on the next steps. There we have a proposed layout that you can sort of see tiny over there. Um, but next slide. Uh, these are some other items that are not committed to but somewhat budgeted. Uh, we're looking at some adding some of that fitness equipment. Um, still waiting on costs for that. I think that might be it depends how much room we have. So, um, we'll see what we have to fit, but just sort of setting aside that funds. Uh, we still have some gym audio out there, some remaining FOBs and some added um pieces that go with that. And then the exterior way finding. So, those are really the priority things that we've been approved or at least have committee support to finish out.

And we still have an extra 10,000. Um, yeah. Um, you'll see the next list of other stuff. And then murals. We're hoping my math is coming up to 65,000. Yeah. Yeah. So, it's there's a lot of um Yeah. You'll see. There's like the murals aren't on there, but there may like that may be able to fit in our contractor

uh money set aside. It's just going to depend as as we work through the end when projects get going and things are revealed or not or we're covered, do we need a contingency? So, there's like some built-in contingencies at this point. Um, so the next slide I think I just show a little bit on um oh, wavefinding. I just I am so excited to add wayfinding, which is basically signage at each of our entrances and one at the corner or two corners. So, you can't really see this. Uh this is just draft uh stuff. Zach and um kind of our sign guy are helping us put together a design and then we're going to get pricing on what it'll look like. So the one diagram is showing where we desperately need signage so that people trying to find certain parts of the building can find them. We just know it's very confusing now. Um so the next slide, you know, this is an example of one where we could label the door clearly and we could have a signage that identifies like what what you're going to want to enter for in that part of the building. So these are just uh you know as we're trying to make progress on this this is just a little um kind of tool helping us to get better design and get this actually to to come to fruition. Um, so next. Okay. So then there's like still some wish list. If we get to the point where we've gotten all the big ticket priority things, our committee has got its key things and maybe we just have a little bit left, you know, 5,000 6,000 something. Um, these are some other items still up there. Um there's a shower room that's totally blocked off that we'd like to get access to for storage that's been discussed. Uh some

picnic tables in the courtyard. Adding uh some fun things to the teen game room that's being relocated because we are going to uh keep that as an adult game room during the day, but we are hoping to offer a teen place after school. um that room has done really well with the uh camp kids. Uh we just need to have some kind of supervision. So, we're looking at how to uh utilize some of the staff we already have and have a um you know those laptops I was begging for. So, now we have some possibilities to move some staff down there for after school hours. Um because that's one of our biggest challenges. We're right next to a middle school. We don't have a teen program and they come over and it is really challenging and we have all these renters now so we can't just let them roam around.

You have charging for this room or No, not for the teen room. Um Spaceport will have a membership. Yeah. If you're going to staff it, you know, it's

Yeah, I we'd like to find a grant or something. Um so we have some ideas. We'll see what we can do. But um you know there's still a desire to get some entrance rugs just those big things uh in the very entrance to which we had before but they got damaged in some of the construction uh recycling bins. We need better labeling. We're having a lot of challenges with garbage being in the recycle bins but they're not labeled. They're not clear. It's not consistent. So we got to work on that. Do you have a Do you have a couple there? I seen like a a can or is that just We got the cans but people like bottle return l or

Yeah, that's a bottle return. But we have recycling bins but they're lined in plastic because people are throwing liquids but it then they get thrown in and there's contamination and we're just it really needs uh a more concentrated uh effort. Different than a graduation party where you put trash and cans and guess what? Everything ends up in both. Yeah. Well, there's a lot of um psychology behind it. You they have to all be clustered together. You can't have recycle here and garbage here and because people will walk to the closest thing and drop it and and then you have to have signage and then you have to really be on it and and check it and sort it and you know it's a culture you have to build,

right? But you can't police that because you can't have someone

No, we barely have. Yeah. So that is going to be a challenge. But anyways, we got So that's on the wish list. you know, murals. We would love to do some fun stuff in different parts of the building. So, we're hoping we have some money at the end to do that. Um, a bike rack. You know, I still have the wish list of those sliding doors out front. Uh, I'd like four more laptops. Um, and we are working with Home Depot. Um, that was something a council person had a connection with. So, we've proposed a project that includes a shed, some more garden beds out in the food pantry garden, and then some help with the landscaping in the front and in one of the courtyards. So, we should be hearing back from them um like what they're going to be able to help with and do like a joint workday with them, I think. Um so, there's a lot of those items that are just wish list. Um and and then of course what'll happen at the end is if you have money it's like what can we buy and complete or get check copies and proof of spending by October 31st because we can't on October 12th try to buy something with the Chase credit card because it takes 30 days before that cycle ends before we get the bill then it takes us a few weeks to pay it. So, that's going to be the challenge

and that's partially why our contractor uh and working with him is that uh he can help us spend quicker. So, we're trying to navigate and just be as smart as we can to spend every dollar uh to to get these things. But, um I think that's the end of that, right? Yeah. Make sure I'm not missing something else here. We have to do this again. Okay. We have to say this again. We have to go back through your um report again just for Yeah. Should we do it in the agenda? Yeah.

Yeah. So, we'll go back to public We'll go back to item seven and and continue with our meeting there. Seven. Yeah. public hearing, which we don't have. Public comment, we don't have old business, we don't have. New business. Okay. Um, I did send uh the end ofear budget report with a copy of the budget.

Um, you know, the spring was so chaotic. We never did a third quarter budget because we were uh in the middle of those massive budget cuts and there was it it was pointless to try to do a recap at that time. We had a lot of amendments, but I thought it was very important that we do that now. So, um there is a memo that kind of previews our budget. So, I'll just touch on that and then we can look through and I'll highlight a few things. So, um, for some of you that are new, um, the parks operating budget is housed across three departments. The park system department, which is our 757, the Radcliffe Center, which is 758, and then the Civic Ice Arena, 759. Um, if you are really interested or you want to compare with prior years, it's important to note that the accounting numbers were changed the year before last. So, um, it it's not been the easiest to go and look back at prior year comparisons, but moving forward, this is a much easier system. Um, there was way more account numbers and it was very difficult to read. So, it's an improvement, but we have limited ability to look back. Um, as everybody's aware, in the spring we had, uh, you know, budget reductions. Uh, parks was hit pretty tough, especially in the, uh, Radcliffe budget. So we lost 386,000 of just this year's budget altogether and you know those reductions are continuing into next year. So uh the 757 that's our park system that's where uh you'll see both revenue and expenditures. So the revenues are things like pavilion rentals if we had softball league registration, soccer field rentals. Um expenses are those related to uh anything, you know, related to those revenue activities, but also things like operating supplies for

the parks. So, cleaning the bathrooms, uh the doggy poop bags, uh some of our work days in the parks, contracted services, uh costs for full-time and seasonal staff, there's retirey costs and utility costs. So, those that's what we'll see in 757. 758 is all the Red Cliff stuff. So again, we've got revenue uh and expenses. So everything from dance to senior activities to rental spaces. Um you'll see line items for those. Expenses include staffing. Um both full-time, seasonal, utilities, operating costs, retiree cost, printing, publishing. Um all of those have line items specifically. And then the 75 759 that's our ice arena. Again, uh revenues would be ice rentals, open skate admissions, concessions, expenses again that relate to those activities, staffing, operation of the center. Um again, full-time seasonal staff, utilities, concession, inventory, retiree, HVAC maintenance, and so on. So that's just the overview. A couple of things to highlight. Um, you know, at the end of the year, you're looking to see, uh, you know, how did we do on our budget, and a budget is your best guess, right? Um, so we had some big amendments. Um, but overall, uh, if we look at 757, we collected about 86% of what we were expecting revenue-wise. um our uh softball program has really not been able to come back. Um you know, when your field conditions and some of your

uh infrastructure starts to decline,

um you start to lose programming. So that's kind of what has happened. Um and so we didn't have a fall or a spring softball league. And once you lose them, it's hard to get them back. Um but fortunately we've got some creativity um in some other areas that we're doing really well in um that you can see still bringing in some good revenue. And then just as important on the expenditure side, we only spent 78% of the budget. Some of that is because um there was a park improvement that came in under this budget that was really in the capital budget. It was part of the grant we got. So, we were charged twice, but it gave us a little extra room to do some um operating improvements in the park. So you'll see the um park improvement line where we spent over quite a bit and I don't know I know we've gone through some of this so if you guys want me to slow down and go through the columns to reexlain what we're looking at I can do that. Um you know the line items are listed by line and then you go across column by column and the first item is what the amended budget was. Um, the second one is what we ended up with, uh, as of the date I printed this. Then that third column is just showing the month, like that last month. Um, and then showing what's left. And then the very last column is telling us the percentage. And so that's at this point in the game, it's really good to see if we're at 100%, we're right on. If we went over, we either expended too much, or if you're in a revenue line, that's good. we brought in more than we thought. Um, and so when you're analyzing this, um, that's kind of what I'm looking at. I'm looking to see, did

we, uh, meet things? And when we went over, why did we go over? So, one of the lines we went over on was our park improvements, you know, but we only had, I'm sorry, our operating. We only had 10,000 budgeted and we spent 29,000. Well, we did that because one, we knew that we had this extra parks improvement line in here that really was an error and I tried to correct it, but they left it and so we spent some of it. Um, but we got the fence repair if you remember. Yes.

Um, there was a piece of equipment that we were able to invest in. This is where we get wood chips from for the playground workdays. Um, you know, it's not a lot of money, $10,000 to care for eight parks. Um, I mean, and as we've noted, there's no maintenance line at all. And so, uh, we did get a line added for next year's budget, but in this one, so that's why we went over there. Um, but we were still well under our budget, uh, even though we brought in less. So, if you have any questions or you want to, you know, ask me anything on here, um, a quick question. Sure.

So, if we take all these different ones on all these pages, where's the total? Well, so there's three department budgets and the way our budget works is it's a bottomline budget by department. So when we use the word department in this case, those uh park system is one department, Radcliffe is another. So they each have to balance. But if you want to combine them all, that's at the very um let's see, page four uh down at let's and actually I might not have left that for you there. So there's a a 56 page, but it's like a capital line in here, which there were some issues with that one.

46. I don't think we have the five six pages that you're looking at. Yeah. So, you just have my biggest my biggest concern is percent of budget use for all the departments. If you come in at 80%, it doesn't matter if you're over 120% in one because at the end of the year you're at 80, but it does matter. So, each department has to uh meet because they're not combined. It's bottom line by department. So, if we're short in one, we have to do an amendment. So you can still fix it, but that's where amendments come in. All right. So that's why they're separated because each department Yes. Yes. So I can't borrow stuff from Radcliffe to go do stuff in the park.

Like it has to stay in there. If we know we're going to expend, then we have to find it somewhere else and maybe you can take it out of there, but you have to go through council and do an amendment. But when we do the budget, everybody wants to know what is parks cost, right? You know, and I think when we talk about the 758 budget, which is Radcliffe, so if you want to look at that right now, um if you go down, well, if you look at revenue, so that's the front page, 758 revenue. Um you can see the year-to- date balance. So the second column, if you go all the way down, that $496,000 that is revenue. So half a million dollars of money uh comes in revenue and then you can go and look and see what does it cost us and we're just over a million everything you know staff utilities all of it uh a million7,000 so that's a 50% cost recovery for for Radcliffe which is incredible for a parks and recck department you know we're still costing taxpayers uh 500,000 Right. But we're a service. We're providing a service. That's what parks and wreck is. So that's um you know, a lot of people will look closely at this and expect us to cover our cost. There's not a parks and recck department that does that. You can have millages, you can have general fund support, and of course, you always have revenues to help you with your operation. But, you know, these numbers uh I think our department should feel pretty proud of uh bringing in that kind of revenue uh and all the work that all the staff do to increase revenue and whether it's from renters or classes. Um but the Radcliffe store did well. Um and that was with our terrible vending agreement. So, we're expecting to do a lot better next year. We got out of that this year. Um, dance does an

amazing job. They, you know, bring in almost 110,000. They have a lot of cost, of course, with instructors, um, and all that, but, uh, in rent, we have both our long-term renters and then other center revenue, uh, and center re rental, uh, both exceeded revenue targets. Um, you know, some of the exercises we've done, we've gone through exactly what other center revenue is, uh, which is typically all the classes. Every time someone signs up for something, um, it goes into that category. Then we have short-term rentals. So, uh, birthday parties, uh, some of the different renters that come in, that's where their money goes. So, theirs is in a different bucket than our big leased renters. Um, I did note it's going to be challenged to rec replicate these revenues with the staffing reductions that went into effect, you know, because when you remove the support for it, it's hard to do it.

I'm not sure if you have this information or not, but I would like to see it if you could get a hold of it. I'm curious to know um what was parks and reccks budget the past four or five years. You know, I just want to see like line like this year was this. And then I would be curious to see how much revenue also so I can email you all these questions if you want. I know. Yeah, you can. I mean, I'll tell you what is so hard is all those changed account numbers. I have It is so hard to find that information. I mean, like it's buried.

You know, Tim worked on it and he kind of went took us back to 2018. I'm really curious to see how much it went up when we first went to the Red Cliff Center and yeah, how it's been escalating or deescalating as we've gone out. Right. Because that's what I think has gotten left out of the conversation a lot is that Maplewood cost money to operate a lot. Yeah. The water bill. I was there's a lot of right in here that I'm surprised

you know and I think the mistake was saying that Radcliffe wasn't going to cost taxpayers anything. That was not a good message because that's not true because maplewood costs like they're always going to be a cost but all of the capital investments those came from grants. So that was true. But yeah, I mean I can try to get I mean I've asked for that a lot and just had a lot of trouble. Remember we've had three different finance directors. So it's been very difficult uh for me to get that info. you know, when we did the budget workshop, we had some of that info. Um, but it's not as clear as I mean, if it was in the same order, it would be so easy to say, but it's just not like that. And there was, I think, 14 accounts that got moved to three.

Wow. Like they were they were so difficult to read because there was a lot of funding that was grant supported at Maplewood, you know, that like FRC did. So it's I think that's the challenge thing, but I can definitely see what I can find out.

Yeah. Um and then um yeah, the expenditure side um you know again we expended 97% although you know what I will say when I did the report was like a few days before the printed budget you have and I saw a couple things change so I should make sure what percentage that ended up on. Um, [Applause] and then I think where we went over, yeah, that's about right. Um, where we went over in here was our operating supplies. Um, but again, in fairness, our budget was cut in half at three, you know, at the third mark of the year. So, it was just um a very ambitious target that we could not realize. Um, and again, many of our programming supplies tied directly to revenue. So, if you sign up for camp, well, we still are going to buy the supplies or if it's an art class, we buy the supplies. Usually, the supplies are offset by the cost, but you can't cut one and expect the revenue to still be there. So, that's a lot of what that is. Um, and of course, our utilities are in there. Um,

you said that includes the malls, right? I mean, so right underneath that the the ground, what is it? Uh parks improvements. Yeah. Okay. You're on 757. Yes. Y you have 65,000 on the budget for that, right? And zero was used. No. So that was the Wayne County parks improvement. Okay. So that was supposed to be remember the um the grant that we got for it was 75,000. So, it got mistakenly put in here as an expense.

So, it was a mistake. So, we couldn't really couldn't spend it all. Um, but when I noticed it was still there and so we just overspent in operating. Yeah. But somebody can go in and take that out, right?

Yeah. I told I told people it was like that that was a mistake, but they left it. So then [Applause] um and then the ice arena, shout out to Mike who does a great job on the revenue side uh pushing ice, making money over there. Um you know, all the revenue accounts exceeded the budgeted revenue projections. Uh some of the highlights were concessions, uh you know, 35,000 uh brought in as revenue. Well, you still have to subtract your cost, but it's still in the in the plus there. Um, the figure skate club, what is that? 16,000. Drop in hockey was up. Ice prime rental time uh is really really bursting and that's good money for the rink. Um, and I love to see uh Mike's expenditure is like 100% expended, so it's hard to get much closer than that. Um, you know, expenses are in line with budgeted amounts. Um, you know, every now and again we get hit with some HVAC stuff. Um, and utilities can be a big big item for us over there. And I know some stuff came at the end um, right in June. So, so that's kind of a glance at all three. I don't know if anyone has questions that they want to um additionally go over. Anything specific that catches your eye? Nope. Uh well, so once Maplewood is sold, that'll that money will be able to be used by Radcliffe completely then?

No. So, I think is the Maplewood I think that got moved out. The utilities are in there. Are they still in there? Um I think they finally came out for um the next budget. So, they were in here, but they couldn't really take it out this year and it didn't really matter because we're given like we had the budget for it and it I mean it does inflate look like the cost of our operation. So I think next year that will be corrected. Okay. But your budget will be smaller then. Yeah. I'd have to look at the budget again.

But yeah um you know we are uh with our new renters coming in that is going to help us. Um you know I haven't seen I haven't seen the money come into the budget yet but starting in October there will be an increase in rent. So, we have that's really how we're getting to open spaceport. Um, we're looking to just get a little more support on our staffing. Um, because it is it really is a lot with just um, you know, myself full-time and our dance instructor. The size of that building, the amount of daytoday maintenance, renter issues. I mean, of course, construction. So, I'll be relieved when construction ends, but we just need a lot of support on our programming side. Um, you know,

renters should help with that, you know. Yeah. So, we're um excited to see something help us out a little bit. Um, you know, and then we can, I think, settle into the department um, you know, stabilize and then try to grow where there's opportunities to either increase revenue or just provide better services to the community. or both. Both all yes and then find that uh donor that wants to uh open up an endowment for us. Good luck with that one.

So if you have questions otherwise the next quarterly we'll have the new budget um you know and we can go through see what's looks different. Are we good with the fourth quarter end of the year budget report? Anything else? Other business. Do we have any? No. Public comment. Mike like the comment. I see three minutes. We already got the report from Erica.

I believe I'm supposed to just highlight it for the camera. Um, I did want to share to all our viewers that it is uh parks and recreation month in July. a recognition that celebrates park professionals and the impact of the services and programs provided to the communities across the country. Um we had some highlights on Dance Express that's filling up, but there are um openings for new dancers. So if you're interested, people should uh check out our website or call our Dance Express program. And camp is doing well. We've got uh eight spots open for our August 4th camp. And the parks are very busy rentals um and just park visitors. Um but if you're interested in renting a pavilion, that is done at the ice rink. And in the senior upcoming senior activities, we have a DIA trip with 15 spots open in August. And I did not write that date down. On September 12th, we have a summer lunch barbecue on the patio at Radcliffe. And uh the senior echo will be mailed out in September covering October through the holidays, but we have an eblast coming out the end of this week. Uh Sunday, August 10th, we have a volunteer workday in partnership with GCYAA from noon to 2 p.m. And our next parks and rec commission we're going to talk about, I guess, uh possibly having a barbecue and a meet and greet event at Radcliffe uh to celebrate summer. So that was the report um and upcoming events fall preview.

So on the on the August meeting proposal for that you want to wait till next month to talk about that correct? No. No. That is cuz that is next month. Next month. Right. They got to talk. We got to So I wanted to find out did how do you guys feel about doing something like that? I think it is nice like that. Yes. I like the idea. You say the great meet and greet barbecue. So, here's what I was thinking. We parks, we can get the the grilling stuff, but maybe you guys if everyone brought like a dessert or something to share and then we could invite the community. What do you guys think about that? Yeah. Yeah. Just an informal, right? Yeah.

Maybe. Yeah. I mean, we can so if if we like this idea, we could make a flyer um and invite, you know, put it out if people want to meet the parks and rock and, you know, we're going to barbecue little hot dogs and hamburgers and some veggie. Who's going to do the cookie? Dennis. I will. And then I need someone some help on the grill maybe. Is you volunteering? I'm not. Don't look at me. Do corn on the We'll be there. It's pretty low. Trust me, guys. So if Yeah. I don't know. I was really even if Santa Claus has to do it, the grilling will get done. Yeah. See,

I will not be able to make that date. I know. I'm so bummed. I always miss the fun stuff. It's the 26th. My son's got a one of his first soccer games. Can we Can we rearrange that? No. No. I'm just one person. You don't want to come, John? I mean, yes, but all of you. Would you like to be there? Well, I'm trying to work this. Well, that's that's our date of our meeting. Yeah. I mean, I think that's our meeting date. It's the meeting date. So, I think we probably should keep that unless we still want to meet. But I was thinking instead of a meeting, right? We just have the picnic. Yeah. If it was just some random day then maybe. But, you know, you could have the barbecue on the 19th and have the meeting on the 26th. No, we cannot cuz I won't be here. Yeah.

Right. Keep it going. Right. You guys can send me pictures, selfies. We'll Yeah, we'll put your ornament out in remembrance. I'm here in spirit. Give you a burger. Would it be the same time that we have our Can we freezer a burger and a dog? We sure can. Maybe it would be. Yeah, maybe 6:00 instead of 6:30.

So, I'll um see if we can make a flyer and make sure there's no issues. I think as long as we don't do business, you know how it's always that strange thing if we're all together. Um, and it is like a park. So, I'll find out um there's anything I have to add or communicate in our promotion of it. But I'd like to make a flyer and just welcome people to come check out Radcliffe, meet our parks and rec commission and join us in our barbecue. Except for Jen. Yep. Sounds good. All right. That's all I got. All right. On to commissioner comments. Rob.

All right. I'll start. I guess August 10th, uh, Muller cleanup day. So, couple of weeks ago at our JCAA board meeting, it was discussed there's some low spots on the fields and we've usually taken care of that in-house quite a bit, you know. Um and Joe Bandy with the president of GCYA has taken care of that. So um we kind of developed a cleanup day on our own but then I had brought up because we've talked about it here um it's been postponed twice now I think one because of conflicts one with the heat. So um it still needs to be done. So um

they kind of went with the 10th. I've been contacting Erica and Mike just to see if the 10th was fine. So, it's kind of a joint effort and I think it should be a great turnout. We're we're really pushing it through the GCIAA. I know Erica made a flyer for parks and wreck. I will say my comments on the website and to sign up. I think it's very cumbersome and I think it's kind of deters people. Um it deterred me even when I signed up for or when I came for uh Kowanas. Um I said I'll just sign up when I get there. Um it just seems and then it tells you how many people how many positions or how many spots. Yeah. And then you see a like 30 spots and 30 are open and it's like am I going to be the only one there? So it's like

I just it it's I think it deters people. But if we could make that easier somehow I think we could get more turnouts. I It looked like there wasn't too good of a turnout on that last one. Was that right? Um which one? The manor. Was it manor? Manor. Yeah. It was only five people. Yeah. But nobody does sign up. And you're absolutely right, the the website requires you to make an account. So, it's great if you have an account, but if you don't, it is cumbersome and it is something I have tried to find better ways of doing because all of the software wants you to create an account because they want to collect your data, have your info, you sign a waiver. Um, but when it's volunteering, that's why we try to say you can just show up because a lot of times that's what people do.

Yeah. They sign their name, right? And I mean when I showed up to Kowanas, I wrote my name, I signed it. You're basically signing the waiver at that point, right? Yeah. It's just hard gauging how many come because like last year Rotary, we had a lot of people and so we want to have enough stuff and make it meaningful. So it's just a, you know, so we're always going to do a sign up, but if people don't sign up, that's fine, too. So when I usually what I do is just send out like I have a list of volunteers and so I'll let them know we have an event coming. You know I leave the link if they want to sign up. I say email me if you want to come or just show up. You know I like big crowds. I like the more people the less word. Good conversation. I think it it's all everybody's happy.

Time again is 12 to two. Yep. That one. So we're good at like getting the word out but I agree with you that the sign up is a bit problematic. So maybe we can look at I mean there's like signup geniuses, you know, like other thirdparty things that we could use. Um, you know, or they could just email me. So there's some other things we could try. So it's not But we're also trying to get people in our database, you know, but I like to think if we can get them to volunteer, then they sign in there, we get their email. Um, at least they get on the list for email and communication.

Yeah. I invite anyone who wants to join us on the 10th that it'll be a good time. I think there'll be plenty of hands on deck to help and we're hoping uh I mean it's going out to basketball, baseball, football families. So, um I think we'll have enough kids to spread some mulch. I think we're getting in dirt top soil to fill in some low spots in the field. So, um it should be a good day. Yeah. Thank you for organizing that. Welcome. Just a little pointer since it has been so hot. Couldn't get it earlier in the day. I was thinking that too. It's a Sunday though, so I was thinking any church folks that don't, you know, that absolutely

it's better for them. Um I think we'll have plenty of people. Um you can find shade under a tree or some water. Um yeah, I I'm pretty sure we will have hopefully it'll be cool. I don't I don't know how it works with the partial wreck go versus GCIA, but I think uh we've got we'll make sure plenty of water. Yeah, we have a job. I won't be there because I'm going to be gone, but Mike is going to be there or with the tent and and I think we're even telling folks to bring some tools. So, you know, um I hope they have enough items for everyone to do. If they don't, then we just get done in 15 minutes and have a party.

Yeah. All right, that's it. And um I I would just like to say um I'm kind of new to this commission, but kudos to you. It sounds like you're doing a pretty good job with not a whole lot of, you know, not this the budget you once had. So, good job.

Thanks. Doing the best we can with what we have. All right. So, my question is for Kathy is um and I know maybe the garden club is kind of swamped and has a list of all the things that they want to try to do, but um maybe if you guys do get time, the sign at Rotary that's, you know, on the road, I don't know if that's something that can be done by the garden club, something maybe perennials or something that was easy to take care of. Um, I just drive by that and I'm like, "Oh, maybe the garden club will want to take that on." Okay.

But again, I know you guys probably have a lot. So, it's just something that I And I we would have to check with Rotary Club because they also Oh, what about Rotary Club? Maybe they do weed it and add wood chips. So, I just don't know. I mean, I'm sure they would partner, but I wouldn't Yeah. proceed without. Do you have some contacts there? Even if maybe the garden club can donate rotary can supply to add flowers maybe. Do you have any of the contacts from the people that were there when we did the mulch? Of course. Could you get that information to this young lady right here? Yeah, I'm also on the Rotary Club so I can Oh, okay. Let them know.

There you go. Yeah, cuz she said she'd contact them, but she doesn't have anybody to contact. Yeah, I can help you with that. So, if you get her and they're looking to they're looking for people to join. So, if you're interested in joining, I'll I'll run it by the garden. Every volunteer group in Garden City says the same thing. We are desperate for members. We are desperate. Yeah, it's true. All right, that's people just don't want to volunteer or join organizations nowadays for Okay. Well, first of all, people do want to volunteer. Um, but people are busy and they just want to do it in short bursts of time. We want to hear something. Some of these places have a big commitment. Yeah.

Can we do that from 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. and I'd be available? Does the garden club do they have fundraisers? How how do you guys I I understand volunteers, but how do you come up with your funds for um We had we just had the garden walk. That's our major fundraiser. We also have bake sales like over at uh you know the Lucky Dog. The Do they swirl? Well, yeah, we actually do. Yeah, Stacy will sell them at Lucky Dog. Okay. Um and then also the chili cook off. Oh, yeah. Yeah. You know, there's usually a bake sale booth that we have and raise some money that way. Just

But our big one is the garden walk that we actually have a scholarship. We raised money for a thousand dollar scholarship for a garden city student that is maybe interested in pursuing something in the biological sciences would be the best but you know yeah do you guys find that like Lowe's Home Depot's and like uh Randazzos when you guys go there do you guys tell them who you are and do they actually give you a price break on things Or do you guys not work that angle? No, we don't. I don't I don't personally.

I'll tell you what, if I was a Garden City Garden Club, I'd surely be working that angle. I'd be telling them, "Hey, look, we're we're a nonprofit. We're volunteers and, you know, we're here to buy some flowers. Can you can you help us out?" You know, cuz sometimes you never know. They could come through. We got donations last year from Home Depot and Lowe's. Well, I can tell you every year that I went to Kroger's When Kroger was there, every year I went to Kroger and Meyers and all the places for probably the last 15 years and told them I was buying stuff for sports venue for the Thanksgiving dinner. Almost everybody gave me a price break.

Like sounds like you should be our guy. Like this year like this year I went I went to the Allen Park store cuz Meyers had buy one turkey, right? And that was it. that one. So, I went to the manager and I told him what I was doing. He goes, "How many you need?" And I go, "Three." He goes, "Go get them. She'll ring them all up at the at the sale price. You'll get three instead of one." Oh, it's going to register. Yep. Yeah. You can do it. All right. Let's go. Keep going. Okay. You good? I'm good. Uh, as always, thank you for all your work. Keep up the good job and don't leave. I would also like to thank all the staff. You guys are complimenting me, but it's the staff like Mike and all the part- timerrs that carry. Well, thank you.

Well, we gave you all these coodles, so now you can pass them on to the people that you feel need them. Yeah. In your in your uh weekly meeting with your staff. I have nothing. But you're right, the part- timerrs at Red are really good. Well, a couple things. One, I won't be here August the 10th. I'll be gone for a couple weeks as well myself. And also uh Rob piggy back on what you said about filling the holes in the field. I had asked Mike about that and he said they're pretty cuz I had one of my neighbors that little boy plays and he says there's a lot of divies out in the outfield some injuries and it's it's bad. The water washes it away like any of the slag. So,

but you guys going to try to fill them in. Yeah, we're going to do our best. Uh I don't know how much dirt he's getting, but we'll use it all up. I'm pretty sure. Okay. Have you looked into vertical drains? That's No. Do you know how a vertical drain works? So, basically, let's go to GCYA. Yeah. All right. Let's make a motion. I'll make a motion to adjourn. Uh, second. I'll tell you about it in a minute. All in favor? I I 70. All right. That's a wrap.