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PARKS COMMISSION MEETING
January 13, 2005

Attending: Robert Garrett, Laura Dowlan, Michael Higgs, Jyll Smith, Wynn Cudmore, Tanya Beard, Orville Rice, Jeff Bickford

Absent: John Brandt, Nick McDonough

Recorder: Diana Craig

Presenters/Special Guests: Glenis Chapin, Marion County’s Volunteer Coordinator

Introductions: After brief introductions, Tanya announced that Orville was this year’s bi-annual recipient of Public Works’ Customer Service Excellence Award.

Parks Project Updates:

Tanya thanked the Boy Scouts for their Eagle Scout project at Bonesteele Park. Tanya initially marked out and flagged a new trail. From there the scouts cleared and cut brush, laid down new bark dust, and even built a footbridge for the new trail.

Tanya will be setting up contacts for a possible joint project between the Stayton River Front Group and the North Santiam Economic Development Group. Currently there is only a (3) three-mile gap in the proposed trail between the projects. Potentially they could combine their efforts and create a connecting trail. The Old Mehama Road could possibly be used as a route for that portion of the trail.

The feasibility study conducted by North Santiam Canyon Economic Development Corporation for the North Santiam Trail has now been completed. The results have already been added to Marion County’s Transportation Plan. As soon as the study is available, it will be posted on our Marion County Parks web site.

The funding aspect for the Keizer Rapids project is almost complete. Dan Miller will head up the planning portion of the project that will begin next week. The funding for his position was obtained from an ODF technical grant. For an overview of the project click on the attached link: http://publicworks.co.marion.or.us/parks/KeizerRapidsFactSheet.pdf

Rogers Wayside Park: The group discussed ongoing questions concerning the possibility of implementing a proposed BMX project at the park. Tanya has reviewed the question of liability on the proposed trail connecting the Oregon Garden and the park. She also indicated that, initially, our Risk Management office saw no problems. However, the Loss Control Manager, Gary Hales, has requested a tour of the park to review any further potential risks to the County. One of the group’s major remaining questions centers around the Oregon Garden’s approval for the connecting trail from their facility. This trail would provide hikers and bikers a safe alternative route off of Cascade Highway into the park. The group felt approval of this plan might be contingent upon making a decision as to whether or not the Parks Commission recommends this project to the BOC. They also felt that having water available at the park might be included in that decision. Orville stated that only non-potable water was presently available at the park. He also said that a new vault toilet is in this year’s budget. The estimated cost for the project is $30,000 and tentatively planned for this spring, after the final approval of the year’s budget. Tanya said that the Oregon Garden’s board was already considering the proposed trail and she would inform the group once that decision has been made. Tanya will go forward with a draft agreement, including a list of items to be addressed, and present it to the PC group at our next scheduled meeting. The park’s future maintenance was another main concern. Tanya assured the group that the issue would be spelled out in our contract. If the BMX group did not maintain the park, the County would have the option of taking it back. Tanya will follow up making sure that the BMX group has informed all of the adjacent neighbors and property owners of the proposed project. Jeff said that before the project could go forward there would be a public meeting scheduled.

Parks projects – Potential General Fund Dollar Requests

Orville recently attended a neighborhood association meeting held January 25^th in the Denny Park area. He will be asking for their opinions on the newly proposed playground equipment planned for their park. He presented the choices to the Parks Commission group and asked for their first choice as well.

Orville updated the PC’s group with an imperative project for Auburn Park. The park was purchased over twenty years ago with Land-Water Conservation Funds, under the agreement that the park would be developed within (3) three years. However, Public Works was not aware of that agreement. The federal government recently informed us of this after an inspection. The Parks Department needs to proceed with improvements immediately or face potential fines and consequences. The first task will be to improve the parking lot. Orville would like to propose a shared community parking lot with Auburn School, which is located adjacent to the park’s property. His plan would include a U-shaped lot with the back portion designated for use by the park; the front area would be used for a school bus turn-around and loading area. The old playground equipment, soon to be replaced at Denny Park, could be relocated to Auburn Park. We would also add a concrete picnic table and a softball area with a backstop, estimated at $2,000. Jeff noted that our department would be required to provide more maintenance than it has in the past.

The Parks Department urgently needs a new mower. Currently our staff has had to make use of only small gas push mowers. It would be a far more efficient use of staff time to use a larger mower that could cover considerable areas with minimal staff time. Orville has already gotten (3) three bids for that item with an approximate cost of $15,000.

Tentatively, a temp employee will be added to Parks staff for approximately (6) six months at a cost of $9,000 for the first year. This staff person would work directly for Orville. The Parks Department is also considering the cost of adding sheriff’s cadets to provide more security at our parks. That cost would be approximately $15,000. This item is particularly important to the BOC as it is one of their major priorities. Orville would like to procure a vehicle for one of our volunteers to use this summer. It would provide transportation for garbage pickup and allow that volunteer to be “an extra set of eyes and ears” in the canyon area. Acquiring an old vehicle from Building Inspection is one possibility as they are receiving new pickups for some of their staff.

The Parks Department will be adding one more park to their Pro-Star contract. This business provides service to the county by opening and closing our parks on a daily basis. Currently some of our parks are being open/closed by volunteers. This process is not always problem-free. With an added cost of $600/month, Orville thought it was a good investment to add Scotts Mills Park to the program.

Once the PC has completed the process of updating their bylaws, they can begin to work on updating the 5-year budget plan for our parks.

The NW Youth Corp will be blazing a new nature trail at Aumsville Pond. The next step will be building some bridges at that location.

Jyll Smith announced that she has a new job working for the Oregon State Marine Board and is no longer working for the Girl Scouts.

Laura Dowlan is working on a community service project by connecting with several other agencies. Tanya will e-mail an informational packet related to the project to Laura for review. After her review is completed, the packet can go out to the rest of the PC group.

Review and rewrite Parks Commission Bylaws (Glenis Chapin):

Glenis handed out all the elements of what is required, by our policies and procedures, that need to be included in revising our Parks Commission bylaws. As Marion County’s Volunteer Coordinator, she has been working with most of the other advisory boards that provide information to the BOC. The PC group gave input of their ideas. Tanya will pool all of that information to create a draft of the new bylaws.

The PC group will review this draft at the next scheduled meeting:

Parks Commission Bylaws

Draft, 2005

The name of the advisory board for the Marion County Parks program is the Parks Commission.

Mission Statement: To support a Marion County Parks program that will provide a broad diversity of natural and developed parks providing a multitude of safe, high quality education and recreation opportunities.

Purpose

Assist the County in making decisions that will allow the County to produce good, safe, high quality parks and recreation opportunities.
Receive information from staff in order to make informed decisions.
Cooperate with local and special interest groups and state and federal agencies thereby promoting partnerships.
Assist in accessing funding
Consider educational opportunities and natural heritage
Report and make recommendations to the County Board of Commissioners

Membership

All members serve at the pleasure of the County Board of Commissioners.
Representation will consist of entirely at-large members of the county.
Appointment or reappointment terms are through staff interviews from which recommendations are submitted to the County Board of Commissioners. Terms are to be four (4) years long. Prior to expiration of term, a member may submit a written request for reappointment to staff to present to the County Board of Commissioners.

Termination

Meeting attendance requirements: an excused absence includes notification to staff in advance unless proof of unavoidable or emergency circumstances is evidenced. Three unexcused absences shall constitute the retirement of the commissioner and the opening of the vacancy.
Resignation must be submitted in writing to staff for delivery to the County Board of Commissioners.
Reasons for dismissal include excessive absences, which will be brought to the Parks Commission for consideration; not following appropriate ethics; not abiding by the bylaws.

Meetings

All meetings will be public noticed as stated in the public meeting laws.
Minutes will be taken in summary form with tape available for review of complete meeting.
Regular meetings shall occur on a quarterly basis. The Chair or Parks Coordinator can call special meetings, and all members will be notified.
Decisions will be made by consensus, with majority vote as back up. (Majority number of people seated on Commission, not those present at the meeting).
A quorum consists of a majority of the appointed voting membership.
Conflict of interest disclosure shall occur for both actual and perceived conflicts. If an actual conflict exists, the member shall declare the conflict and recuse him or herself. If a perceived conflict exists, the member shall declare the conflict but still take part in the discussion and voting processes.

Officers

Selection of officers will be done during the first meeting of the year, and occur every two years.
The terms of both the Chair and Vice Chair will be two years with no term limits.
Duties of the Chair include opening meetings, presiding over meetings, taking motions, closing meetings, acting as a spokesperson for the Commission. Duties of the Vice Chair include all of the Chair’s duties in his or her absence.
The Vice Chair will fill a vacant Chair position. A vacant Vice Chair position will be filled by appointment by the County Board of Commissioners on recommendation by the Parks Board.
An officer may be removed from office through a majority vote or by consensus by the Parks Board to recommend to the County Board of Commissioners that the individual be removed from office.

Subcommittees

The Parks Commissioners may form a subcommittee as needed and approved by the entire Parks Commission.
Participants must declare to entire group that they are on a specific subcommittee.
Any deliberation by any subcommittee must be public noticed.

Revision or amendment of bylaws

Bylaws are to be reviewed every two years at the time of election of new officers.
Bylaw revision and/or amendments will be approved by a quorum, providing fourteen (14) days notice to all members of the Parks Commission.

A Motion was made to close the meeting and set up a date for the next meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 9:00 a.m., April 14, 2005, at PW Silverton Rd.

Minutes approved by Jeff Bickford

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