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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01092004 1225 Main Street [] Sebastian, Florida 32958 Telephone (772) 589-5330 E] Fax (772) 589-5570 City Council Information Letter January 9, 2004 Have a Happy and Safe New Year Revisions to Sidewalk Program - Incorporation of Barber Street to from Schumann Drive to Empire Terrace In an effort to be responsive to residents of who live in the area of Pelican Island Elementary School who have expressed concerns about both pupil and vehicular safety in the area during school arrival and departure times, the Department of Engineering initiated the necessary review process to ascertain the necessity of adding an additional sidewalk in the area. A few weeks ago, this assessment concluded, with justification to install a sidewalk on the southeast side of Barber Street from Schumann Drive to Empire Terrace. This stretch would represent a path approximately 1600 linear feet. Fortunately, the City has the ability to absorb this project via financial resources available in the 2004 Adopted Budget line item allocation for this year's annual sidewalk installation program. The attached electronic mail message from David Fisher outlines the schedule for sidewalk construction activities for the remainder of the current fiscal year. Staff is authorized to proceed with scheduled installations as a result of City Council having recently approved an extension agreement with Regan Masonry. Respective improvements will begin next week, with the initial task of concrete installation in the Pelican Island Elementary School vicinity. Meeting with Indian River County Emergency Service District Prospect of Flashing Warning Li.qht Adjacent to Barber Street Fire Station In an effort to respond to various concerns expressed by some residents relative to signalization for emergency vehicles that rapidly exit from the City Council Information Letter January 9, 2004 Page 2 Barber Street Fire Station onto the thoroughfare itself, please be advised that a meeting with representatives from the Indian River County Emergency Services District will take place next Wednesday, January 14th to discuss the possibility of installing a flashing light that would warn oncoming drivers of emergency service vehicles being dispatched from the station. This discussion will also include dialogue about cost partnership opportunities, as well as cooperation efforts on part of the City of Sebastian to offer right-of- way usage and other logistical matters. Of course, a feasibility study would have to be performed by both parties prior to offering formal recommendations according. A presentation regarding this matter is likely to be offered publicly during a regular City Council meeting in the coming weeks. Presentation Regarding Recommendations for Lightning Protection at City Parks Please be advised that arrangements are being made to host a presentation during your January 28th meeting in an effort to offer recommendations pertaining to lightning strike prevention in city parks. As you may recall, direction to offer such suggestions was granted after Councilmember Nate McCollum expressed interest in such a couple months ago. Since that time, both staff from the Department of Human Resources and representatives from the City's insurance/risk management agent of record, the Gehring Group performed substantive research that will foster succinct, yet substantives policy recommendations in this regard. This discussion will heavily emphasize the merits as to whether or not signage, detection devices and training programs for sport league coaches are necessary to help instill a lightning safety consciousness throughout the community. Any of you whom may have questions and/or additional concerns regarding this matter prior to the January 28th session may contact either Director of Human Resources Jim Sexton and/or myself anytime convenient. Minimal Parkin.q Stalls at Neighborhood Parks As the City recently became successful in nearly completing construction of both the George Street and Filbert Street neighborhood parks, visitation to both facilities have exceeded initial expectations. So much so, that despite the fact the both parks were first designated for walking patrons, visitors from other neighborhoods began driving and parking automobiles onto adjacent swales. In an effort to prevent a continued proliferation of this City Council Information Letter January 9, 2004 Page 3 practice, as well as to avoid adverse impacts to law enforcement operations, six mulched parking stalls were added at the George Street Park. The original plan for the Filbert Street Park included installation of 14 parking stalls - which became accessible when the facility became available to the public a couple months ago. No additional stalls are anticipated and/or needed at either location. It is therefore fairly safe to say that most visitors to both venues actually do in fact, walk to the parks. Athletic Business Magazine- Profile of Sebastian Municipal Golf Course Director of Golf Operations Greg Gardner recently shared with me an artiCle published in the November 2003 Edition of Athletic Business Magazine titled "Playing Through". The piece, which begins on page 42, features an interview with Greg, as well as information about operations of Sebastian Municipal Golf Course, was written in an effort to offer readers insight as to how municipal golf courses are managing recent adverse economic conditions that have impacted the golf industry nationwide. As a result of successful financial practices recently initiated via the Golf Course Enterprise Fund, as well as applicable fee adjustments during the past couple years, Sebastian Municipal Golf Course is viewed as a successfully operated entity. Such national press is a solid confirmation in this regard, as we as city officials should be proud of such accomplishments and acknowledgements accordingly. Enclosure(s): Electronic Mail Message from David Fisher - Fiscal Year 2004 Sidewalk Schedule Memorandum from Chris McCarthy - Small Parking Area at George Street Park Personal Copies of November 2003 Edition Athletic Business Magazine - Greg Gardner My Documents/InfoLetter199 Terrence Moore From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: David Fisher Thursday, January 08, 2004 3:19 PM Terrence Moore Terry Hill; Linda Kinchen; Ken Jones; Phillip Patnode; David Fishers Interns; Ginny $ieferd; Bob Korda; Brian Grzesiak; Sally Grunzweig; Shai Francis Sidewalk Plan for FY 03/04 After discussion and consideration of numerous factors, including the SWU plan to convert swales to Miami curbing in certain areas, we propose and recommend the following sidewalk installation schedule going forward for the balance of FY 03/04. · SE side of S. Barber from Schumann to Empire (approx. 1600 LF). · George St. Park from S. Barber to Browning Terrace (approx. 600 LF). · Laconia south from Grandeur to Periwinkle (approx. 4000 LF); Periwinkle east to Caravan Terrace (approx. 2000 LF). · Complete N. Barber from Dempsey to CR-512 (approx. 3800 LF ). The layout for this run of sidewalk is rather complex and requires collaboration and coordination with IRCU. [ This is hiqh priority.] · Complete Tulip to Laconia (approx. 200 LF). This will require waiting for the installation of a new road crossing which is scheduled to be done by June 2004. The immediate task schedule for the above now calls for: · Clearing growth on the west side of N. Barber from Dempsey to CR-512 by mid-January 2004. · Installing anew road crossing on Tulip just east of Laconia by June of 2004. · Phillip Patnode to set grades, starting with S. Barber from Schumann to Empire. · Jack Regan contract to be signed and Notice to Proceed given. · SWU crews to follow Regan with fill and final work, including swales. We are proceeding accordingly. Please expedite the tasks outlined above. -- Dave Fisher c, lff OF $ F.,ILJLSTI.J HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND 1225 MAIN STREET · ,qEBASTIANr FLORJDA 32958 TELEPHONE: (772) 589.5330 · PAX (772) 589-5570 MEMORANDUM DATE; TO: FROM: THROUGH: SUBJECT: January 5, 2004 Terrence Moore, City Manager Chris McCarthy, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Terry Hill, Director of Public Work/,~,~ Small Parking Area at George Street ffark The George Street Park opened to the public in October 2003. We noticed that some citizens were driving to the Park and parking in the swales. City ordinances do not allow parking in swales. We have constructed a small parking area that measures 75 feet long by 24 feet wide with seven parkin~ stops. The parking area surface is mulch that blends in nicely with the rnul'ch-wa~'king trail that winds through the Park.' "An EQual ODDor[unttv ErnDIoyer" Celebrating Our 75t/~ Anniversary R E C R E A T I O N PLAYIN( Municipal golf course operators strategize amid an industry-wide slump. ccording to figures recently pub- lished by the National Golf Foun- dation, the golf industry is in the rough. Last year, 3 percent fewer rounds of golf were played than in 2001, marking the third consecutive year of decline. Mean- while, there was a 2 percent increase in the number of courses. Against the backdrop of a sagging national economy, these statistics have some golf industry experts throwing around the terms "overcrowded market" and "slump." Greg Gardner, director of golf at Sebastian (Fla.) Municipal Golf Course, is hesitant to either agree or disagree with this assessment. "Yes and no," says Gardner, when asked if his business has been negatively impacted. "I mean, we've been busy. Golf hit the top of its curve in 1997, '98, and on a national average, it has since tapered oil We saw our numbers drop a bit, but at the same time, we haven't slowed down that much." Still, Gardner won't take anything for granted. In central Florida's Treasure Coast, a four-county region boasting year- round warm weather, Sebastian is iust one of 30 public and private courses within a 15-mile radius. To keep his regular clientele happy while attracting new customers, Gardner isn't afraid to periodically incorpo- BY MARVIN BYNUM rate into his business strategy a new idea or two. One of Sebastian's most recent spe- cial offers provides golfers a free 10-minute lesson with the purchase of one round of golf. "We've got a lot of coupons floating around," says Gardner. "We really try to go above and beyond the call of duty. We'll do whatever it takes." "BEING A MUNICIPAL ENTITY, OUR GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PROVIDE GOLF TO OUR RESIDENTS AT THE LOWEST COST POSSIBLE, AND TO NOT BE A DRAG ON THE ! ,! CITY S GENERAL FUND. But Gardner also doesn't mind sticking with, methods that have proven successful time and again. Adhering to high standards of customer service and maintenance, as simple as it sounds, has helped set Sebast- ian'apart from its competitors. "Sure, there are negative stereotypes typical of recre- ation facilities with a government attach- ment. But we try to keep things spic- and-span. The shape of the golf course really helps to get rid of that stereotype," he says~ adding that Sebastian closed the Big plans for the future are expected to bolster the image of and draw new patrons to San Antonio's public golf courses. Guilty by Nonassociation? maybe things got off on the wrong foot between Collier County (Fla.) Parks and Recreation officials and residents of the city of Naples Park, the proposed location of a one-acre neighborhood park that has already been named, ironically, Best Friend Park. When the county purchased the land more than two years ago, it pro- posed that Naples Park property own- ers each pay o one-time $30 fee to cover the $95,000 cost of installing playground equipment. Residents balked, so Collier County Parks and Recreation immediately changed its tune. But before work could begin, the rec department would have to clear the air regarding yet another contro- versy- and this time, ff would have nothing to do with Best Friend Park. Last fall, Collier County hired Dover, Kohl & Partners to conduct a commu- nity study of Naples Park, the results of which led county officials to ask the Miami-based urban planning firm to stay on for a massive community revitalization project. Planned upgrades included new street lights, improved drainage systems and tree plantings, costing Naples Park prop- erty owners a maximum of $10,000 per 50-foot lot. But most city residents were neither polled nor informed of the expensive beautification project, and the lack of communication from government officials had some Naples Park homeowners confusing the recre- ation department's tiny park with the county's large-scale revitalization plan. Although Best Friend Park is in no way associated with the project, Col- lier County Parks and Recreation is having a hard time reversing the damage that's been done by months of poor communication and bad publicity. Even those properly owners who trust the rec depart- ment's good intentions are now hav- ing second thoughts about the park. "At first, I liked the idea of having a park, but then people started saying that there is going to be drugs and people hanging out there," Jeanine Darbyson, who lives across the street from the park site, told the Naples Daily News in September. "If there are going to be boom boxes and drugs, that scares me. There will be people cursing, baffles everywhere and noise. I don't want that." --M.B. 42 ATHLETIC BUSIN[SS November 2003 athleficbusiness.com R E C entire summer of 2001 for a $1 million reno- vation. "You'd be surprised. We' get mem- bers from some of the private clubs around here. Every once in a while, they like to go off-campus." Besides having to combat the percep- tion of being second-rate compared to pri- vate facilities, municipal golf courses also have to balance the dual roles of public recreation benefit and profitable venture. Many municipal courses fall under the R E A T I O N juris0iction of parks and recreation depart- ments, but are operated as serf-supporting enterprises. In Lansing, Mich., for example, any revenue generated by the city's four golf courses stays separate from funds des- ignated for parks and recreation and goes directly into the general fund. "Being a municipal entity, our goal has always been to provide golf to our residents at the low- est cost possible, and to not be a drag on the city's general fund," says Don Ballard, CIRCLE 35 ON REPLY CARD Lansing's director of golf. Lansing's three least-expensive courses are nine-hole facilities that cater primarily to novice players. "If you're a beginning golfer, you're not going to want to plunk down $25 every time you want to play," says Ballard. "ff you pay $8, you'll be more likely to come back again." Forty percent of the city's golf revenue, however, is generated by the 18-hole Groesbeck Golf Course, Lansing's flagship facility. Says Ballard, "People looking for a course comparable in price, difficulty and length to a private course will find that Groesbeck competes with the best of them." And with this year's hiring of an out- side concessionaire, Groesbeck now has the ability to accommodate group outings, eachof which can pull in hundreds or even thousands of dollars. "Obviously, when groups book outings, they're looking for full services," says Ballard. Similar reasoning recently led 'San Anto- nio Parks & Recreation to turn over conces- sions operations at its six golf courses and one driving range to a private group led by legendary Spur George "Iceman" Gervin. In "TILE KIDS BP, ING MOM AND DAD OOT HERI:, MAYBE ! THEY LL PICK OP THE GAME AGAIN BECAOSE THEIR SON OR DAUGIlTER LIKES IT. August, KGK 44 Interests assumed the food-and~beverage contract from the previ- ous concessionaire, which had fallen into default on its payments to the city. The first order of business for Gervin's group was to renovate and re-brand the clubhouse at Willow Springs Golf Course -- located across the street from the Spurs' new SBC Center -- into a sports bar/restaurant called Iceman's Pub. Besides serving course patrons during the day, the club- house is also open at night to accommo- date Spurs' game attendees. "They've come in with a lot of energy and initiative," says San Antonio Parks & Recreation assis- tant director Ron Smudy of KGK 44's part- ners. "The menu has been enhanced, but still accommodates someone who says, 'I have a 7:15 tee time. I need a breakfast bur- rito and a coffee.'" Another goal of the renovations at Wil- low Springs and San Antonio's other golf courses is to provide more opportunities for youth golfers. Smudy says that Gervin, 44 ATHLETIC BUSINESS November 2003 ~lhlelkbusJnm.tom Rolling to strolling, From inline hockey to a park walkway. Indoor soccer, jogging tracks, locker rooms, pool surrounds...you name it. 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Patent ~ ~ 1-888'NICERINK # 6,230,451 (LeaVeoff the.K" forKool) R E C R E A T I O N an avid golfer who has been deeply involved in San Antonio community service since his retirement from professional bas- ketball in 1990, has already expressed inter- est in using the city courses to host tournaments that would expose more kids, especially inner-city youths, to the game of golf. "He definitely feels there's a need in the community," says Smudy. Some municipal course operators are learning that by serving the junior golfer market, they're not only providing youths a positive recreational outlet, they're also tap- ping into a doubly lucrative demographic. 'The kids bring mom and dad out here, and maybe they'll pick up the game again and decide to get involved because their son or daughter likes it," says Sebastian's Gardner. "USUALLY, PEOPLE LIKE TO PLAY WHERE THEY LEARNED THE GAME. HOPEFULL¥, OUR TIIEOR¥ OF MAKING THE GAME MORE ACCESSIBLE PROI ES CORRECT. Lansing youths have available to them a scholarship that allows them to play any of the city's four courses for only 50 cents a round. "They're our next generation of golfers," says Ballard, adding that one of the city's nine-hole courses is being con- vetted into a training center that beginning next year will house a chapter of the PGA's The First Tee youth development program. "We have no such facilities within Lansing city limits. We've never had the opportu- nity to develop our clientele. It's not always the case, but usually people like to play where they've learned the game. Hopefully, our theory of making the game more acces- sible proves correct." And because Lansing's new golf training facility is pOised to draw a host of newcom- ers (and their dollars) to the game, Ballard sees no reason why his operation, or oth- ers like it across the country, shouldn't relnvent itself from time to time. "There's a little downturn in the economy, golf play is down a little bit, and everyone is in a panic," he says. "Let's not sell our golf courses to the developers. My personal take is that it's only been a couple of years. Let's just wait and see what happens." · Marvin Bynum can be reached online at marvin~athleticbusiness, com CIRCLE 39 ON REPLY CARD CIRCLE 40 ON REPLY CARD 46 ATHLETIC BUSINESS November 2003 athleticbusiness.com