Parks & Recreation Board - Regular Meeting

I'll go ahead and call the January 2026 meeting with the order.

Benjamin Peck. Amanda Fox. She's here. Here. Yeah. Sorry. Peter Scherher? Here. Derek Griblin?

Here.

Jordan Lane?

Here.

Charles Hickman? Here. Dan Alden?

Here.

John Smedes?

Here.

Joe Gisotto is not on yet, but I'll note if she it's on.

Yep. Okay.

Here is We

have more.

Okay. Great. I just wanna before we get started and go into a citizen comment, just gonna take a little leeway here and say thank you for the service of a couple of our board members. Peter Shyhardt, Amanda Fox are this is Peter's last meeting. I know next month you have some commitments, but I I think I speak for everybody on the board that it was an honor and privilege to serve with you. Thank you. You brought a great perspective and a lot of expertise and a lot of passion for the issues that you care about. You rode that bike to every single man.

Pretty much

every yeah.

I think it's every new

thank you. Amanda, thank you for tuning in from your car seat. All those those Zoom meetings, we appreciate that commitment as well. I know it's it's hard with our families, and it's hard to make time with everything that

we all have going on.

So I just wanted to take a minute on behalf of the board to say thank you to to you all. With that, we'll go to our citizen comment period, and we have one speaker signed up to speak. Mister

yeah.

You can come right up here to the table and stage peace, mister Ryan.

Mister Ryan, I'll keep time for you, so I'll just kinda wave you down when you have about ten seconds left. Okay?

That'll work, man. Thank you. K. Okay. Well, I'm here tonight because I know y'all are y'all got an agenda item about the murals on the basketball courts. The only thing about I asked about that is, hopefully, it ain't gonna cost the taxpayers any money For big, you know, people, there's a lot of artists in town, you know, they can do it, you know, out of kindness of their heart to show and display. It's a way to show their skills. So on that right there the other thing is a whole lot more serious. Been here to talk about, you know, the possibility of consideration to relocating Raymond Lucille Baseball Fields. That has us strongly concerned.

Heard comments that that's an eyesore when people drive up and down 35. Eyesore is that old Burger King and that seven 11 that's boarded up that looks like a crack house. Those are eyesores. Before we mess with the Raymond Lucille Fields, we would appreciate if y'all would take care of the real ice wars and not just you know, because for years since I've been here and other folks from the community, those baseball fields have a lot of history. They have a lot of, you know, sentimental like, folks just there's nothing wrong.

And we really would appreciate if some real consideration would be given because during rainy days, I don't know whose idea it was to go put up concrete in the mud, but that is a violation of traffic law when you cause mud and then it goes into the roadway. When you work accidents, those are factors that you factor in as contributing factors because they do, look into the road surface. And whoever's idea that was, that was a big mess up. You know, I've driven there, went after rain, and there's mud all over the road. So, you know, we really would like but we're gonna be finding open records to find out who what's going on with the Raymond Lucille Park.

They said we've heard, you know, talks that they wanna build river walks and stuff like that. San Antonio's got one down the road. Austin's got some other stuff. Go over there. You know? We like San Marcos the way it is. You know? Some of these folks that get in office and they have these visions and stuff, you know, more power too. I got lots of visions. But the way it is right now, there's nothing wrong with it. And we are gonna be monitoring, and we really hope the city does not hesitate to disclose the information that we need. That way we know exactly what's going on because that is a a treasure that the city loves and will fight for, and we're gonna be ready for that. Just so you know. Thank you.

Thank you, mister Roman. Okay. Our next item is

Received a presentation from the Arts Commission regarding the possibility of creating murals on basketball courts in parks. I'm going to pull up the PowerPoint presentation and share screen. And I know how to do this. I do.

Who's taking it?

It's right here.

I am. You are?

Yes.

And your name? I'm Kelly King Green, and I'm the chair of the arts commission.

Okay. Can you come on down here so that our camera can be

She oh, if you just wanna tell me next, you can come

on next.

Happy to do that.

Okay. You guys

I guess I'll

stand. I'll

stand and

present confidently.

Tell us your

name and So, again, I'm Kelly King Green. This one? And I'm the chair of the Arts Commission for the city of San Marcos. Thank you for your time tonight, and thank you for getting us on the agenda. We've had a few kind of conversations and some preplanning meetings. The arts commission is fully dedicated to this project. And so, of course, we wanted to due diligence and talk to y'all about it and make sure that we have an open dialogue at the end that any questions that you may have after after I give my presentation, are covered. No. That's quite alright. We're having some technical details.

I can talk about the first slide because, you know, we've been we've been discussing this idea for a while now. So the big idea and the consideration is a piece of what is called asphalt parts. And to paint the basketball court, specifically the one at City Park next to the renovated playground that y'all just introduced. And this is part of and something that the arts commission is really interested in engaging in a rising trend in the art communities to have functional art. So art that isn't just something that you stand by and observe, which is lovely and important to communities and does a lot of health benefits, but something you actually interact with.

So that's the big idea. We're seeing this nationally, and we're really excited about introducing it to San Marcos because none of our kind of near local communities have done this yet. The closest it's gotten is San Antonio and Austin. So we'd love to we'd love to put a stamp in in the ground on that. So, part of the function would be to encourage tourism, community pride, and creative place making.

So if we can go to the next one, these are the agreed upon goals that the Arts Commission feels really strongly that a piece of this nature and this interactivity would support. So, you know, obviously, beautify something that's well used and is public facing, which is part of our charge in the arts commission. But we also feel like it could celebrate our community identity, and it could it could possibly encourage outdoor recreation and wellness. I'm sure it would. We've seen a lot of positive press with other cities that have adopted projects like this and long term community partnerships, with other mural programs.

This would just be one court covered by the Arts Commission and budgeted by the Arts Commission, paid for by the Arts Commission fully by hotel occupancy tax. And we do think that it would boost kind of the overall impression that tourists make that the city makes on tourists because of its location being so close to the Lions Tube rental. We think that there's quite a bit of traction and visibility. There's also this beautiful benefit of the road kind of going up in such a way that you can see you can see the port from the road. So we think that both pedestrians and people riding bikes and then also people in in cars would see.

So we feel like it's very public, basically. Okay. Next slide. Thank you. So as I mentioned, this is the location we're proposing.

This is what the arts commission has agreed would would fall under, a tourism location because of it, specifically, its visibility. And then we are so appreciative of your recent investment in kind of upgrading the playground equipment. So we felt like it would add momentum to the location and the beautification of that area. And then we also, as a commission, we've been talking about being very purposeful of where we place our art. So we are we are interested in growing corridors and pathways of connected art pieces over time, so filling in gaps that we're finding throughout the city of San Marcos.

So it's near the activity center, clearly the skate park, the library, and it's close to our art park. So we feel like it's a good kind of location for that as well. So those are the reasons why city park. And then next slide. So just to be very clear and extra clear because we're sure you will get this question, as as we saw tonight.

It will be funded in total by the city of San Marcos Arts Commission. The money would be set aside for few future maintenance. So when the arts commission takes on a project, they also take on consideration of long term maintenance of anything that they purchase, and install. So that would be part of the consideration of the project budget. And then just to the arts projects can, move somewhat slow, maybe, depending on your perception.

So we're foreseeing that this would take eight to twelve months total, from kind of sign off to, yes, let's go ahead and and greenlight the project to then moving it forward. So the next slide gives an idea. Oh, okay. So I actually spoke a while ago to the Parks and Rec board, but there were so many people who have turned over that we felt it was important to come back into to current board. So in in that conversation, there was some I shared a lot of examples of painted forts that were on the East Coast and on the West Coast, and some that were in different climates.

And so I wanted to do my due diligence, and the arts commission agreed that they've seen plenty in the state of Texas. So, these are a few examples of some that have been installed in recent years kind of across Texas. And the reason I wanted to show these is that they are they're being sustained and painted and well maintained within our climate, which was a which was a concern and a rightful concern. So, this is one in San Antonio, kind of under I 35. They have lots of progressive art projects that are running under I 35 in San Antonio.

If you can click to the next one, there's one that's more recently been painted by the city, by the parks and rec department in Austin in conjunction with the Spurs. And I have this linked to kind of the media pushes and the articles that I found about these, so you can refer to these later. We'll share this presentation. And then the next slide shows another Texas city. Here's one in Nat Cadoches, which I think this one and the previous one in Austin are very similar to our court in that there there's no cover.

It's exposed to the elements. But this is a good example of, one that was painted within a local community. The next one. Okay. So this is, I think, maybe the most pertinent and important part that we've been working on behind the scenes and working with city staff, with Charlotte and the folks, at this at the city to discuss what the plan would be for this project just to make sure, everybody understands what we've done thus far.

Thus far, we've just come up with the idea and and, are recommending a location. Next step, and this is where we are right now, is to get consensus from y'all. And then what we would like to do is is go out to the public and get input, make sure we're we're getting buy in, make sure that this is something that the public wants in this location. Specifically, we have some ideas of of ways to reach the basketball communities themselves. Maybe maybe working with San Marcos, CISD, working with the San Marcos Activity Center with the basketball program there that my son is participating in now, maybe talking with the basketball community at Texas State.

Also, Dunbar has a really vibrant basketball community. So just really seeking out those groups of people in addition to public meetings. Then we would go to city council for improvement for approval of the placement in the budget. And then this is a really important, part of the project that we feel strongly about. We had a privilege of sitting in session.

I forgot the name of the arts organization. Peter, I think you and the group who worked at the Price Center who did the asphalt art there were in that session as well. We learned a lot about the technical aspects of painting a functional art port. And so we feel really strongly that we need to ask for a request for qualification of someone who understands the chemistry and the feasibility and the functionality. And so we would do an RFQ for this project itself, because it's a really technical project, and we learned that in that session that we sat in.

And then from there, we would select the artist. We would work with the local basketball community. Oh, sorry. I kinda got that out of order. Work with the local basketball community to help inform the design.

And then the arts commission would approve the design. We would share that design with y'all with the parks and rec leadership, and then the installation process would require community support and involvement. So most of these examples that I've shown, either people are involved at the design phase or they're involved at the installation phase. So it's, like, could be a community project. And then we would host a big opening, which which in theory would be a good media opportunity for San Marcos. So that's our that's our flushed out planning at this point, which we're early in. So questions?

I had a question for you, miss. Would you mind discussing with them how the hotel occupancy tax works for your funding?

Do you wanna take that, Shirley?

So hotel occupancy tax, that is the tax when you go and stay in a hotel room. You pay your regular sales tax, but they always tack on 13 of whatever percentage onto it. We get 7% of that 13 or 15% that's being charged. That money can only be used for tourism. It can't be used for anything else in the city. So it can be used for advertising. It can be used for art as long as the art is in something that is open to the general public. So that's where we get.

So it's not coming out of the general thought?

No. Unless a resident stays in a hotel, none of their money goes towards the subject.

And this court itself has been selected as location because it very clearly is it falls in the category of tourism. So that's how the the budget kind of aligns with the location itself.

So that's my second question for you is, you said you were here in the parks board how long ago? It

was two, three years ago.

Yeah.

It it's been a minute.

Yeah. Yeah.

You I you may have just gotten on or maybe were you here for the

No. I'll take over.

Okay. Then it must have been right before you got

I remember briefly.

It was very less shaped as far as the the plan. And Yes. It was just a it was really just an idea conversation about checking if this is possible.

So I just have one more question, then I'll turn it over to the board. Murals been a very important to me over the years. It's something that I worked with Charlotte and a few other folks in the community and a couple of council members. And Jamie takes time at the city council to really start the mural and program. It's been real successful.

Gets funding every year. People like it. Community likes it. So I have no doubt that people would like this as well. I have one question I gotta ask because it concerns me after this court and I get basketball. But are you looking at other courts too? Because I got a problem if it's gonna be on, like, tennis or football.

I mean, the discussion has the discussion with the arts commission is that where would this kind of align budget? How could we find the budget, and how could we find a location where it's appropriate? This is it. This is the location that where it makes sense, and that's it.

Yeah. And I I guess my question is coming from the aspect of the functionality of the court. Sure. Seems like it works. It's not what you provided for basketball. But I can tell you as a tennis player, it would not work.

Sure. There's not been any discussion about any other sport. I will say that the trend we're seeing is in basketball. So the arts commission has been noticing this in other cities, and, clearly, it it's quite popular with basketball. So I would hope it would encourage play, you know, and frequency of play and pride of location of play. Yeah.

If I call you back Yep.

Yeah. It seems like it works because basketball is

I don't know. Not a basketball player.

It's like it functions for those.

I think

It it allows the courts to

It would be like one of those. There it's a sign so that's like he is a so that people still know where

Yeah. Yeah.

Lines and the rules and stuff on on the court. That was mine.

I think I think people that might be the biggest concern is that it would impede play or be too busy. And so that's part of why and I'm sorry I got the steps out of order, but that's why we would want the basketball community to inform the design because we certainly are not experts. We would love it to be beautiful, but we need it to be functional too. And that's where functional art requires a lot of input and not just, hey. Come to this city meeting and, you know, three people. Like, we would really seek out feedback for the design.

Feedback ahead of time also. We talked to them twice. Once, like, is do you want this? Because if we get a hard no from a lot of people, you know, we wouldn't wanna put a RFQ out for artists and then, you know, have egg on our face because it's like, oh, no. We're not doing that now. So you wanna talk to people ahead of time and afterwards. So

But you wanna do it. Right?

Oh, we really wanna do it.

You're asking us. If if it's okay for us to move forward with next steps,

we could

be talking to the community.

Well, I I think the I think once we hear from everybody, you'll get a sense of what the board thinks, and I think that's that, you know, counts for at least three naysayers. So

At least three. That's who shows up. Well, if they're basketball player. Alright.

Thank you. Then

I think it's a great idea. It's wonderful. I'll just hyper focus on the the maintenance of it and the person you choose to do the work because, you know, it does sound like you'll cover the cost of maintenance. But if it's not done right, it sounds like it could go south. So

We we talked with Emily and then because we also know, like, let's say, just through normal wear and tear or just from the sun and stuff, let's say, years down, starts to peel up. And if maybe by then it's become a beloved mural

Right.

Well, we have to fix it. You know? The only thing we wouldn't is, like, if there's a crack in the concrete or stuff that's not mirror overlaid it. But I believe y'all were having it looked at

Mhmm.

Before we start.

And I love the idea of placing art in a in a a sense of traveling, you know, either a walking path or biking path to other pieces of artwork, that's a wonderful idea. So I I think it's a great idea.

We have money left over on our city park improvements. So we came in under budget and on time, So we do have extra money. So we're gonna resurface that basketball court anyway because it does need to be done now. Well past its life. Yeah. Well past its useful life. So they'll we already have to resurface it, and that actually get benefits the the mural because it gives them a good starting surface as opposed to right now. It's it's not as as great. So we wanna make sure that the surface is good to get the longevity out of the mural once it you know, if it does proceed, we still wanna make sure that it's good to go.

Anybody else? I think I had

a I had a question about because this is the example I was put in. So I really just wanted to see if this was something that's been discussed before is the idea of corporate sponsorship to the art pieces. I know this is just an example, but it just got me thinking about it. So Sure. I think the one thing I wouldn't wanna see is, like, I know everyone loves the Spurs. I'm from Phoenix. I love the Suns. Right? And I know not everyone loves the Spurs either. You know? We have some fans around here and everything. So, but is that a possibility that has been discussed, or would that be just like, this is an example, and we wanna do, like, a local artist, and that's the idea that we're going towards?

It it has not been discussed formally with the arts commission. Personally, I mean, I can speak for myself, right, in this meeting. A as a per as a citizen of San Marcos, I would I would love to see, goodwill fostered around this project that's funded by the city. And I would love nothing more than to see community partners or corporate sponsors jump in and say, let's do one somewhere else in San Marcos.

Yeah.

That, again, would be a discussion with so we would I could foresee it being so well received. And I'm not trying to be naive about naysayers, but I could see that it would grow, but it would only grow out of corporate partnership because this is the one the city

I see.

Does that make sense? Next week? No. That

makes sense.

The tourism location, you know, they make you know, in corporate sponsor, they go, oh, we're gonna do one inundated somewhere, and then they would come to y'all, and and we could help oversee the art part of it, but we can't use a hot money go into a neighborhood.

So Right.

So the arts commission is not talking about any partnership.

Okay.

No corporate involvement. It will be fully funded through the tourism funding.

But I want more.

Well, yeah, if it's if it takes off and, you know, the Spurs wanna pay for one. You know?

Exactly.

I'm not I'm not against the Spurs, for the record. If the Spurs wanna come pay for one, that's great.

But Spurs won't have rockets.

That that would work too. That would work too.

They don't they wouldn't get a Spurs fork. They might get a

little plaque in the corner.

Certainly. But we're not gonna

Okay. Well, that was it. The corporate involvement speaks to the goodwill of these projects. Right? That the corporations know that this is this is a positive thing, and that it's usually well received. So why not? No harm. No foul. So most I mean, a lot of the examples I find are in that model.

Right. But the one in particular we're talking about, this will be funded by the city Correct.

They would slow us down.

Got it. We

We gotta find a Dover. Mhmm.

Anyway of

this. Is this is this a practice that emerged from the art community and was adopted by basketball owners that came from basketball community and then artists were like, cool idea.

My understanding about it is that it did emerge from the basketball community and street art.

Mhmm.

So I'm very interested in that and bringing a version of that to San Marcos.

Yeah. I

think Like, up north, if that's how they save some of the the the neighborhood courts were were in bad districts there, then they could come in and just fix it and beautify the neighborhood, and all of a sudden, it, you know, boost the the neighborhood. It's great.

Yeah. I think we're long overdue for some

Yeah.

Some sports centric public work.

Yep.

You know? Think that that's something our community will think about in two years and go, why didn't we have this sooner?

Yep. Charlie, anything?

Yeah. I also think it's a great project. Before I say

anything, you know, you

kinda took my question, but I'll just kinda fur I'll kinda further it. You know? I'm I'm prospers, and I like But, you know, you're talking about getting the local basketball community engaged. You know, when I looked through the examples you gave, it's like the one that a professional basketball team was engaged in is the one that pops to me is, like, the best combination of art and functionality. So I might encourage y'all to include some requirements in the RFQ or maybe heavily weight artists who've been involved with organizations like that or done projects like that to make sure we get something.

Yeah. But like she had said, we we'll do an RFQ, and and one of requirements will be that they have done an affordable court before, that they know how this how it works because it has to, you know, functionality, not just that, but we want it to last. You know? Like, oh, I could pay people.

But maybe someone who's specifically gone to a higher level like that and then engage with the team might might weigh heavily as you as you weigh those. Just food for thought because I don't know if the local basketball community has any experience in thinking about something like this or not. Sure. I certainly want their input.

I'm gonna turn to, those on the join my computer, Garrett, Dan. Any comments or questions? I I don't have

any particular. The the one comment, I guess, I would add is it's my understanding that there's a local firm here that help build the final four floors, and is a big part of that type of obviously, that's a whole different level, but it'd be really interesting to kinda consult with them and and maybe get some ideas of ways that we can make this attractive and part of the community involvement with them as well.

That's a great idea. We would definitely leverage and welcome your relationships within the basketball community.

Perfect. Yeah. Quality hardwood floors you see you're talking about, Dan. That's who does our floor. Yeah. We work with them.

That's a good point. Dan, anything else? No. Derek?

The the only thing they I would maybe go a different way instead of one person reaping the benefits of it. Maybe make it, like, a ongoing deal where maybe it's like a scholarship thing. You you know? People could put in for it, and they could update that, and that mural would change every year instead of just having one that maybe not everybody likes. You know? Then it would could be like a rotating rotating piece that maybe people could benefit from all the scholarship, an art scholarship or something.

It would be cost prohibitive to change this yearly, because it's probably gonna be at least $30,000 to do this properly.

So but Can you outline just real quick? Once you put out the RFQ, just cover one or two things that might be in an RFQ other than expertise, but also how you go about selecting the artist and the final product.

We review their whole portfolio. They submit their work, their previous work. We look at recommendations. I think we would wait source to make sure that they were they've done a project in a community, in a local community, and sought out feedback. So we will we evaluate all of that as commission.

Trey and Charlotte set it all up and run it beautifully, but the commissioners review the applications, and then we have pretty robust conversation about our choices. So that's it's very thorough. And our review process looks at their qualifications with their designs and portfolios. So it's way more involved than just an RFP.

So one of the things that it brings to mind is sometimes when we've chosen artists for a mural in the community. They weren't say they were they submitted. It went through the board process. It was chosen as a as a group finalist and then narrowed down to a choice that was made based on a lot of reasons. You know, the the design, the the community acceptance of the design is important as well.

Obviously, can't fund things with community money if it's not going to be acceptable. But they weren't super well known artists. They weren't. But they did one in San Marcos, and then I can tell you at least one person who was then selected to do two murals at the Austin Airport. But his first one is in the city of San Marcos.

So it and I know you know this because you guys have picked murals before, but, hopefully, the board and the staff can be fully educated on a technique so that maybe the artist that you choose doesn't necessarily have to have done 20 courts, but has a great potential because part of funding artists is funding the people that make the art. That's that was half the bat. That was part of the big reason, right, why we all why we spent public money on public art. It's about it's about the people. And and our programs have not just paid them, but paid them over and over again and got them a lot of exposure.

So, I mean, that's something to be very proud of, and I I hope that's part of your decisions.

The the mural committee, there's a lot of opportunities like that, particularly on the size of mural that we sometimes we get first timers. Sometimes we blow you know, only do locals or only do free stuff. This particular one, because there is some expertise to make sure that it doesn't peel up, that will be a a big part of the qualifications. There are a lot that are Texas based, so, hopefully, we can get one that's, you know, close to us. So that that and they won't design it. We won't pick them on the qualification. Sometimes we narrow it down to three, and then we pay them a design fee. That may not work this time because they have to go well, we've done the.

Yeah. Yeah. I was trying to think of the projects where we've done RFQs recently, and they always just required a more technical degree aspect of functionality. But, certainly, I mean, we would welcome anybody to apply and and welcome anyone who had the technical expertise.

I just Well, the big one on the back of the building along Guadalupe had a lot of technical expertise updated. So we struggled for years to find someone who could accomplish that. It's it's a huge

You know, they would be able to have the budget to do it if I need Right. Thanks to COVID and not spending money. Right. Right. Skippy.

So no. I get it. I I just wanted to throw that stuff on as you move through

the process. Has joined us on the way. I didn't have third chance what she had.

Jojo, I don't know how much of this discussion you've seen. I'm not sure exactly when you tuned in, but if you do have anything you wanna add, I think we're coming down to the end of it.

I have no questions. Thank you so much for checking in with me, and then sorry about being late. Thank y'all so much.

No worries.

Thanks for being here. Thank you. I think we've kind of heard from everybody, and it's just a consensus.

Yes, sir. Yeah. Because under the parks ordinance, it just require parks board approval for per for installation of permanent art. That is based essentially why, you know, they have to start with you guys to make sure that Parks Board provides consensus regarding their desired location. So that's that's essentially what we wanna make sure that the Parks Board's supported of what they move forward with the rest of their process.

So we are from what everybody said, we are supportive, and it'll be on the next agenda, I assume, for an actual vote, or do we need to do that?

I we did not agendize it for a vote. I don't know that it actually has to be an official vote. I think just receiving the consensus that you've received so far does provide that direction that it's okay.

Okay.

Yeah. Thanks

so much. Thank you very much.

Important working with y'all.

Same here.

And it it'll come back to the board of the appraisal design and and

everything. Much.

But before, yeah, but before the installation. So so we'll we'll come out and look and see what we're Yeah. Okay? Yeah.

Thank you for your time.

Alright. Thank you all very much. Okay. And go to item two, please.

It's in those people by motion of December 18 by regular meetings.

Motion is moved. We have a motion by Ben. Do we have a second Second by Jordan. Any comments? If not, would you call in roll, please?

Charles Hickman?

Aye.

Dan Alden? Abstain. Peter Schirhart? Aye. John Tomaites? Aye. Benjamin Peck? Aye. Derek Griblin? I don't think they heard you, Derek.

Aye.

Judge So to? Abstain. Jordan Lane?

Aye.

Motion passed.

Yes. Thank you for that. Item three.

Receive a staff update and hold discussion regarding current parks and recreation project. So just a couple obviously, we completed city park. We had the ribbon cutting thanks to mister mister Grieblin was there that with us. We had some council members there and and city staff, so very excited that that is open. As I mentioned, since we do have money left on the project, we're gonna go ahead and redo that basketball court. That does include replacing the goals. So it'll it'll have new goals. So it's gonna it's gonna get a full facelift, so it's gonna look really good.

Hey, Jamie.

Next yeah. Yes, sir.

Jamie, on that, we were we were out there Friday night, and there was some other people out there, and we noticed there was no seating around the park.

Yeah. We're we're we are we are absolutely fixing that, sir. We have, we are ordering benches, that will be installed, on that backside, and around. So, yes, sir. We we are aware, and we are going to be addressing that, very swiftly.

Awesome. Yeah. Maybe a picnic table or two or three out there would be cool too. And then it had another patron out there come up, and we were talking about it while the kids were playing, and they were like, how come there's no barriers over there between the doors and the the playground too? And I was like, that's a good point considering why we got this new park.

A bear a barrier where? I'm sorry.

I know we got a low bandwidth. Say that again, Jimmy. I'm sorry.

Oh, I'm sorry, Derek. What the barriers where?

Just in between the parking lot and the and the equipment.

Oh, okay. Okay. I got you. I got you. Let me get the

camera thing.

Yeah. We can we can look at that.

Yeah. That was just a couple of things we noticed here. Don't know.

Okay. Well, I I thank you for the feedback. I greatly appreciate it.

Yeah. Thank you.

Okay. Next step, been working with Friesen Nichols. We had put a little bit of a kind of a pen in the Cape Stam open house engagement because there had been a historic national register application that was submitted by Preservation Texas to the state historic commission for consideration. They did withdraw that, but they're gonna be resubmitting. We're not letting that piece now while that will be going on.

They won't they won't be meeting until May. But according to to our firm, regardless of whether it's designated or not, it it doesn't really have a lot of immediate bearing on this process. So they're going to be providing me by the end of the week, I guess, by tomorrow, our updated public engagement plan, which will include some dates. And so we'll be looking at February, March so that we can make sure that the public has enough time to, you know, be notified about stakeholder meetings and open houses. So we'll be moving forward with the public engagement component of that project here here pretty quick. Next with the Can I

ask Yes?

What has Friesen Nichols completed so far?

Nothing is of 100% complete. Yeah. So they've been working on more of the science component, so the engineering, various types of engineering, the hydrology, and all the things. And then the cultural evaluations, historical evaluations, they've been working through those things. The cost? That will be a component getting closer to the end once they've kind of figured out once the public reacts to kind of the three, I guess, conceptual things that they'll be presenting, which, you know, one would be, you know, I guess, restoration. There's

kind

of a middle of the road option that would potentially be partial restoration, but allowing flow. And then the other one would be decommissioning. So getting between they would have cost considerations for each one of those components.

But that won't go forward as part of the public engagement process?

I don't know if they will. I have not asked that question.

So It seems to me that info would be pretty important consideration, like, knowing, you know, between those various options, what are the initial costs and the ongoing costs to the city as people weigh in on preferences.

And that that's great feedback. I can I can mention that?

And being able to see the the those drawings essentially at the public Is there is there okay. Yeah.

Yeah. It sound like I heard the concepts would be there, but knowing what if you pick those options, what is the cost of the city, I think it's a pretty important thing to note here.

Absolutely. Mhmm.

Okay. With the next step on the plans, we'll go to city council on March 31 for work session. I have to take it to the Neighborhood Commission next Wednesday, so I'm taking this board's recommendation to the Neighborhood Commission. And if they wanna make a recommendation, then they are able to do that. I'm sorry. For the East Side Regional Park and Riverfront Parks because they're in neighborhoods East neighborhoods. So part of the process where we go to the neighborhood commission, so we're gonna go to the neighborhood commission next Wednesday.

So which neighborhood is closest out?

Blanco Village. Blanco River Village is closest to Quail Creek. It's right it's right adjacent. And then, obviously, Rio Vista and East Guadalupe. Yeah. Rio Vista and the. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll go through that process. But, again, we'll go to council on March 31 work session. So that's when the council What

was the date one time?

March 31. It it is a weird day. I I guess they must have pushed it because of spring break, I'm assuming.

It's just a work session.

Yes, sir. Yeah. It'll be work session. They would because they'll have their next regular meeting, like, next Tuesday, the seventh. So, depending on what comes out of work session. So I have the, adoption of the plans currently slated on the rolling agenda for, I believe, it's March the I'm sorry. Not March. April 21 would be when they would actually take a formal take counsel. Yes.

Just out of curiosity, at those work sessions, I mean, like Sure. Do you talk about how budget, where the money's gonna come from, taking our feedback from it? That's what sort of discussed at

the Yes, sir. So we we put we button everything together, but I walked through the process. Then, of course, y'all are part of that process. So starting from our public engagement, working through the boards and commissions, and then presenting to city council, There will be the implementation phase, which will at the end of this year pretty soon, we will have estimated costs. So we get 30% design plans out of this as well as cost estimations.

So we we have not been shy that it it'll have to be a bond election. Now when that bond election will be held is to be determined. Currently, we've talked about 2029, but it it will just depend on debt service levels and and those kinds of things and if the bond committee even puts it on. So there's there's multiple considerations, but

But there's no

No, sir. There has been no bond committee established by the city council. But we the last city council before they move into their budget year always has visioning meetings or visioning workshops, and the last two visioning workshops over the last couple of years, we've talked should be 29. So

Is the design of it part have to be done after the bond election, or is that done before and the construction's part of

the bond election? I guess it will just depend on funding availability. Usually, roll it in design construction on projects. So if, you know, whenever we

get Likely.

The library and the police department and the fire station, this last bond, it was design construction was rolled into the cost of this and funded by the bond.

Sometimes they do a partial design funding, like a percent or whatever out of general fund money.

Mhmm.

So you can get an idea of what the bond needs to call what the bond would cost would

be. And that's what we're doing right now. So at the end of this Yeah. We'll we'll have 30% design in our in our report.

Yeah. See, I know there's a provision where they could this is not what I was asking, where they could go recover costs that were previously expended under a bond indenture if they take an action, but I did didn't know if the plan was to start design sooner or wait that long.

Depend on funding availability, to be honest. Yeah. Is it currently stated or planned in the CIP? No. It is not in the current ten year CIP to get us to a 100% design, prior to default.

Is there any in the ten years of it?

Not currently. No. Because we didn't know what was gonna happen with that design. Anyway, so that those are the those are the big updates, Unless you have anything. The activity center AV project started. It's exciting. So just started a couple days ago. I saw pictures of I haven't gone over to check it out myself, but some projectors are even up. And the meeting room should be done by the. So

That's why they do it?

Yeah.

Yes, sir. At the activities. A good place to travel. You don't travel. They'll be in the they'll be our test testers of the new system. Oh, that's good. Yeah. Upcoming construction that's not listed on here because they're not ours, but they do impact us. There's gonna be ADA improvements that are gonna be done to the front of Grant Harris Building. I think it's gonna be starting end of this month, beginning of next month, so it will impact our next meeting.

So we're basically, this is this is all gonna be torn up, and the public entrance is gonna be our backdoor for a little while. So that and those improvements are scheduled to be done by March. It goes to council. Goes to it goes to council next Tuesday.

Oh, Tuesday.

Yeah. Next Tuesday. So construction will be rather swift weather dependent, but they anticipate it'll be done by the March. But just wanted to mention that. Next one, that same department public with facilities, public works, they're redoing the ceiling in the natatorium at the activity center. If you've ever been in there and you look up, it it looks atrocious. So they're actually going to be, yeah, repainting and and getting all of that looking really fresh for us. So that'll be happening. They already have quotes. It's funded by Capital Outlay, so the money is available on the twenty third.

So as soon as they get the money, they're gonna be ready to rock and roll. So You too? About that bike rack? Yes. And we're installing a new bike rack.

Good.

Yes. Because that is terrible. Yeah. I had a conversation with them about installing

Peter might get back on the board.

Yeah. I might need to reapply. Yeah. Please do. So so, yeah, so those are the other things that aren't listed in your packet, but I did want to just bring to to your attention since it'll it'll be very visible for you. But that's all I have. Did you have was there anything on your cell phone? Anybody

have any questions or follow-up?

I wanted to ask a question about the fire mitigation measures for the natural areas. The community wildlife protection plan. Is that conversation gonna are we gonna hear any of that conversation?

I don't yes. Yes. You will, but we're not we're our emergency management department is overseeing that development of that plan, and I haven't I was actually just talking to Urban Forestry Tuesday about it because neither one of us have heard anything since our last meeting, which was in, like, November. Right. Maybe October. So she was going to be kind of hanging in to see where we were in the development because we have to have neighborhood meetings. Yeah. And there it's it's a very public process. So you will And she'll take

control burns or on the

It it it would be in the plan. We do have it in the natural area land management plan currently. Right. But, yes, that that would be part of this this plan as well is ways that we can get even grant funding for for those kinds of things. So And Jay has done a good job of making sure that they're incorporating the already adopted natural area Natural area. Natural area. Plant into the Right. To make sure everything aligns. Yeah. So she's been really good pop

sure that they're falling out. You've never got a control. We

have not. No. We were getting really close to maybe potentially doing one, and then Texas A and M Forest Service did one in Bastrop on a very windy day, which did not bode well. So everybody was like, yeah. No. We're not new with this.

It went south

or north. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. It it is Not that I was supposed to get

It's really not fully.

So our fire marshal got exceptionally, leery. It was just kinda like, hey. Time out. We need to have some other measures in place before we we do this. So he wanted to have a level of comfort. He was new to the position as well. So Are you getting are

you gay? Can you even sing that? Yes.

Yes. That that's part of the process. Before it can be officially adopted by city council, we have to have community meetings. So so that will happen.

And is this something that our local fire department would would do?

Our our local fire department is involved. Yes. So our fire marshal is on the the committee, if you will. So it's me, Amy Tamides with resource recovery and community enhancement, Kelly Eby, our urban forester, Bert Straumann with park operations, Jonathan Henderson, fire marshal, as well as our emergency operations department.

And just imagine that's a very tense moment, you know, because it can go we have a lot of community areas. Yep. There's a lot of green space.

Absolutely. So part of the outcome of this, it was something that I started right before COVID was trying to get start Firewise, but it has to be, you know, implemented by HOAs and by homeowners. But it's a state program through the Texas State of Forest Service. So, anyway, we're we're working every community meeting that we have is also educating people about the Firewise program so that they're aware. Hey.

Clean out your gutters. Make sure that you don't have any debris against your house. These are these are your flammable opportunities, especially homes where they're really, you know, densely packed in as far as real close together. Wanna make sure that every try and set people up for success as much as possible with limiting views around their house.

And I this is a dumb question, but I'm gonna ask anybody. I assume that our fire department have been trained in that in that in that process.

They do.

Or will

They they they do, you know, various types of training. I can't speak to the last time that they went and actually did, like, a wild land fire beyond

What a controlled burn.

Right. No. Our fire department has never done a controlled burn. What that I'm aware of. Yeah. Here.

Here. Here.

Here. Yes. I mean, there very well could be trainings that they've done with, you know, Texas A and M, forest or fire service.

They've gone through some

training. Yes. Yeah. And it is a specialized trainee.

Yeah. Right. Yeah. I mean Yeah. Real.

So so it's they've I don't I can't speak to how many of them have gone through the through it, but, yes, especially Yeah. Given our just nature of our environment. Yes.

And this probably has green.

Probably Some sort of surf. Yeah. No. I'm sure he's very well. He's seen it. Yes. He'll be inducted to the fire chiefs hall of

fame. Yes. Our fire chief.

Our fire chief. Great. But that's that's really all that I have. Does anybody else have any additional questions?

Anything else? Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Thank you for putting everything together that fit in exactly an hour. If there's nothing else, I'll go ahead to item four, which is question and answer request in public. In no press, full public. I will declare us adjourned at 06:26. Thank you all very much.

Thank you.