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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-17-2025 PR MinutesA PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 17, 2025 !. Call to Order -- Chairperson Drumheller called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Il. Pledoe of Allegiance was recited by all. III. Roll Call: Present: Ms. Drumheller Ms. Webster Mr. Halleran Mr. Moore (a) Ms. Sheldon (a) Mr. Mauro IV. Announcements and Agenda Modifications Ms. Drumheller proposed two modifications to put under New Business: A. A discussion about the Committee's December meeting. B. A discussion about a full member opening and an alternate opening on the Committee. V. Approval of Minutes -- Meeting of October 27, 2025 meeting. All having indicated they had had a chance to read the Minutes of October 27, 2025, Ms. Drumheller called for a Motion. A motion was made approving the Minutes of October 27, 2025, as presented, was made by Ms. Webster, seconded by Mr. Halleran, and approved unanimously via voice vote. VI. Public Input -- None Vll. Unfinished Business A. Current Project(s) Update 1. Riverview Park Planning a. Concept review and selection -- Concept C Mr. Blankenship stated that staff will go to Council on December 17t', which is the second meeting in December, to discuss which option they want to move forward with. This committee selected option Concept C at the last meeting, so staff will take that to the r PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 17, 2025 committee when Council selects an option. The planning and permitting process will begin as part of Phase 1. 2. Main Street Boat Ramp Mr. Blankenship stated that staff now has three funding sources in place: Florida Boater Improvement, FIND, and Land and Water Conservation Fund. The permits are in place, so it will now go out to bid. He stated that all of these grants and their agreements came in at the same time. So that stacks up in our purchasing process. That is soon to go out for bid. 3. Swing and Bench Park -- Received permit and grant for construction Mr. Blankenship stated that will also soon go out for bid. Ms. Drumheller asked, if we have the permit and the grant for construction, do we have funding for equipment there. Mr. Blankenship said yes. Ms. Drumheller asked if we can get some concepts done for that pretty readily so we can talk about selection of equipment. Mr. Blankenship said that can be done at the January meeting. He said the critical element there is the shoreline stabilization, and that is where the majority of the funds will go. The upland park, the swings and benches, can be designed at any point. Ms. Drumheller asked, from a logistics standpoint, do we have to wait to see what the shoreline stabilization costs to know what we have to work with. Mr. Blankenship said not really. We do have to wait for the shoreline stabilization work to be done before we do the upland part. 4. Urban Forestry Grant Awards a. Filbert Street Park exotic removal and native replanting -- Underway Mr. Blankenship stated that the amount of exotics that we could take out for the money we have has been done. The grant required us to put back 28 trees. Staff was able to put in 56 trees. He added that they are all natives such as maples and sweet gums, etc. b. Tree Canopy Survey -- Consultant selection underway Mr. Blankenship stated that staff has gotten the results of the bidding process, which were finalized today, and we have a successful bidder that is under budget. Staff will be taking that contract to Council more than likely December 17tn 5. Hurricane Harbor a. Design Concepts PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 3 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 17, 2025 i. Riverview renderings -- Two-story concept selected Mr. Blankenship stated that staff will go to Council with the two-story concept. However, staff wants to have a consultant on board, and staff will possibly have a public meeting before they go Council. On one hand, we have a qualified consultant who can answer some design questions, and on the other hand, we have been to the public and gotten their input along with this committee's input. That will be coming soon after the first of next year. ii. Demo B. Committee Member Park Updates Ms. Sheldon said Barber Street is busy. Everything is looking really great. There is some mild graffiti at the site, nothing horrendous. She also looked at the benches, and they are ok. Kildare Park is great as well. She wants to keep talking about things that we may be able to do at that park and eventually where funding sources would come from to beautify that space. However, she said people are using that park pretty regularly. Ms. Webster said that Hardee Park is pretty good, and they are playing fall ball. Mr. Halleran said Bryant Street Park is doing well. The "No Parking" signs seem to have had a positive effect. The palm frond piles there keep getting bigger and bigger. Mr. Blankenship addressed that subject. He said that, as you go around the park system, you will see piles of trimmings occasionally. Everything we trim has to go to the landfill. We chip the hardwoods and use them as mulch. We let it build up just from an efficiency perspective. Regarding those fronds, staff is waiting until they can get a piece of equipment over there and have enough to scoop up and take to the landfill. That is why you will see piles collecting at different parks. Mr. Halleran said George Street looks good. The "No Parking" signs have not had a positive effect. Stormwater Park is his other park, but he has not had a chance to be out there recently. Mr. Mauro reported that the pickleball courts' windscreens are all up as of today. He stated that last month he brought up the condition of the pavement markings at the Main Street Boat Ramp. Mr. Blankenship stated that staff will do that as part of the dredging and the total upgrade. Ms. Drumheller said her parks are fine. She is really happy with Filbert Park. She does see more people using that park. Mr. Moore had nothing on his parks. r PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 4 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 17, 2025 C. Upcoming Events at Riverview Park 1. Christmas Parade December 6, 2025 Mr. Blankenship said the lineup is at 5:30 p.m. The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. There is the Craft Beer Hullabaloo that afternoon at Riverview Park. He estimated the time is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He added the event that staff is preparing for the most right now is the Christmas Parade. That is quite an undertaking, to make sure that parade goes off safely. VI!!. New Business A. December Meeting. Ms. Drumheller reminded everyone that there is a lot of back -end work to do to bring to use before we actually starting get into the items of the new park at Riverview and bringing it to Council. She wanted to see how everyone feels about foregoing the December meeting and starting back up in January 2026. Mr. Blankenship said staff is fine with doing that. A motion foregoing the December meeting of this committee was made by Ms. Webster, seconded by Ms. Sheldon, and approved unanimously via voice vote. B. Ms. Drumheller announced that Ms. White has resigned her position with this committee, and her term does not expire until May of 2027. So Ms. Drumheller wanted to let the two alternate members know that this would be a great time to put a bid in for full membership. It will also be advertised by the City Clerk for anyone else who may be interested. There is one full member opening, and an alternate member opening. She added that Ms. White has been on this committee for many years, and she has been a wealth of information. She stated that this committee wishes her well and hopes that her health improves. Mr. Blankenship said he will work with the City Clerk's office to put a calendar for 2026 together, and he will send it out to everyone. He said that traditionally, the January meeting will be on the fourth Monday. 1X. Items for the Next Agenda and Date: December 15, 2025 This meeting is foregone as set forth above. X. Adiourn There being no further business, Ms. Drumheller adjourned the meeting at 6:14 p.m. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 17, 2025 By: Chairperson Drumheller A Date: o7�i C, Z PAGE 5