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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 1981.01.07 - 38699OAKLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING January 7, 1981 The meeting was called to order at 9:40 a.m. by Chairman Lewis E. Wint in the Parks and Recreation Commission Room. COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Lewis Wint, Secretary Velma Austin, Fred Houghten, George Kuhn, Dr. Joseph Montante, Carol Stanley, Richard Wilcox. COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Vice Chairman Marjorie Walker, Don Deni. ALSO PRESENT: Parks and Recreation R. Eric Reickel, Manager Jon Kipke, Assistant Manager Charles Ross, Chief, Administrative Services Cindi Norris, Accounting Michael Thibodeau, Chief of Golf Tom Jackson, Supervisor, Waterford Oaks Janet Pung, Public Communications Officer Joseph Figa, Chief of Design & Development Dale Carnegie Courses Ralph Nichols Diane Pantano Oakland Press Cindy Goodaker Daily Tribune John Basch Mr. Reickel showed a movie on the ''Rampage'', a 35' water slide which he felt would be a good facility for Groveland Oaks. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Moved by Mrs. Austin, supported by Dr. Montante to approve the minutes and Public Hearing of December 3, 1980. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS: Moved by Mr. Houghten, supported by Mr. Wilcox to approve payment of Vouchers 12-1 through 12-201. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Wilcox, Wint, Austin, Houghten, Kuhn, Montante, Stanley (7) NAYS: (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. 3 - 1 (Commission Meeting, January 7, 1980) STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR NOVEMBER, 1980: Moved by Mrs. Stanley, supported by Dr. Montante to receive the Statement of Operations for November, 1980. Mr. Ross stated that Detroit Edison had read the electric meter at the wave pool after several months of estimated readings and that the Commission received a $12,000 credit on the bill. Discussion conducted on percentages our concessionaires pay toward utilities at each facility. Mr. Figa attended a meeting held by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service regarding utlimate ways of working toward different energy sources. Motion carried. ACTIVITIES REPORT: Moved by Dr. Montante, supported by Mr. Houghten to receive the Activities Report for November, 1980. Motion carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Moved by Mrs. Austin, supported by Mrs. Stanley to elect Mr. Kuhn Temporary Chairman for the purpose of electing a Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Motion carried. Commissioner Kuhn assumed and Chair and opened nominations for Chairman. Moved by Dr. Montante, supported by Mr. Wilcox to re -.elect Lewis E. Wint as Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Moved by Mr. Houghten, supported by Mrs. Austin that nominations be closed and a unanimous ballot be cast for Mr. Wint. Motion carried unanimously. Commissioner Kuhn declared Lewis E. Wint Chairman of the Parks and Recreation for 1981. Chairman Wint assumed the Chair and opened nominations for Vice Chairman. Moved by Mrs. Austin, supported by Mr. Wilcox to re-elect Marjorie Walker as Vice Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Moved by Mr. Kuhn, supported by Mr. Houghten that nominations be closed and a unanimous ballot be cast for Mrs. Walker. Motion carried unanimously. Chairman Wint declared Marjorie M. Walker Vice Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Commission for 1981. 3-2 (Commission Meeting, January 7, 1981) Chairman Wint opened nominations for Secretary. Moved by Dr. Montante, supported by Mr. Wilcox to re-elect Velma Austin as Secretary of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Mrs. Austin stated there was a possibility she might have to resign her position before her term expired. Moved by Mrs. Stanley, supported by Mr. Kuhn to close nominations and that a unanimous ballot be cast for Mrs. Austin. Motion carried unanimously. Chairman Wint declared Velma M. Austin Secretary of the Parks and Recreation Commission for 1981. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS: Ms. Pung distributed and reviewed the Quarterly Report of the Public Communications section. She stated that the Parks Naturalist had gained extensive exposure for the park system during the past few months and that she had received positive feedback from the media on the Winter Sports Program. Mr. Reickel appeared on the Detroit Today show, Channel 50, on New Years Day. The Winter Recreation and Cross Country Ski Brochures were distributed. Mr. Wint received a request from Tony Franco to appear before the Commission at its meeting of January 21. Mr. Franco will be on the'.agenda for that meeting. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Nancy Moran, Area Director, Michigan Special Olympics submitted a proposal requesting permission to use Independence Oaks County Park again this year for their 1981 Area Winter Special Olympics Games. Moved by Mr. Wilcox, supported by Mrs. Austin to grant permission for the Special Olympics to be held at Independence Oaks on February 7 and that February 14 be used as a backup date. Chairman Wint encouraged the Commissioners to attend the event. Motion carried. IN-SERVICE TRAINING PROGRAM: Diane Pantano and Ralph Nichols of the Ralph Nichols Corporation, representatives of the Dale Carnegie courses, were welcomed to the meeting by Chairman Wint. Moved by Mr. Kuhn, supported by Mr. Houghten to remove the In -Service Training Program from the table. Motion carried. 3-3 (Commission Meeting, January 7, 1981) Mr. Kipke reported that a meeting was held for 51 Parks and Recreation employees to explain the purpose of the Dale Carnegie courses. Of the 51 employees, all indicated an interest in taking the course but only 16 indicated they were willing or would consider paying for a portion of the course. As per Commission direction, Mr. Kipke supplied a list of 20 employees who would enroll in the course, their job titles, and number of years employed by the Commission. Staff felt the course would be beneficial to the employee and the Commission due to the employees constant exposure to the public. Staff recommended that the course be held during regular working hours for 20 employees they would select to attend and that the Commission pay the full amount. Commissioner Wilcox was concerned about a possible conflict with merit system rules if the employees were asked to pay a portion of the course. Extended dicussion was conducted about the program, its merits and what employees should attend and whether they should be required to donate their own time and money for the course. Moved by Mr. Kuhn, supported by Dr. Montante to accept the Dale Carnegie proposal at the reduced rate of 25%; not to exceed 20 employees for a total cost of $8000. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Wint, Kuhn, Wilcox (3) NAYS: Austin, Houghten, Montante, Stanley (4) A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion failed. Moved by Dr. Montante, supported by Mrs. Stanley to approve 20 employees taking the Dale Carnegie course; the Commission will pay the dollar amount and the employee willdonate his/her own time for the project. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Austin, Kuhn, Montante, Stanley (4) NAYS: Houghten, Wilcox, Wint (3) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. Mr. Kipke will notify the Commission as to when and where the course will be held. WATERFORD OAKS WATER SLIDE: Jim Scott of Jim Scott & Associates reviewed the schematic master plan of the proposed water slide and the estimated costs for constructing the facility. The total cost for the recommended two 320' slides, plus all ancillary items was $300,000. 3-4 (Commission Meeting, January 7, 1981) Access to the facility would be from the wave pool only. Mr. Reickel stated the slide would pay for itself in time and would complement the existing pool. Staff recommended either accepting or rejecting the concept only. Moved by Dr. Montante, supported by Mr. Kuhn to approve the concept of a water slide and refer it back to staff for con- sideration in the capital budget. Mr. Reickel will investigate other sources of funding for the slide. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Houghten, Kuhn, Montante, Stanley, Wilcox, Wint, Austin (7) NAYS: (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. CHRYSLER PROPERTY: The purchase of the 927 acres of the Chrysler property was finalized on December 22, 1980. Moved by Dr. Montante, supported by Mrs. Austin that the recently purchased Chrysler property be officially known as Orion Oaks. Orion Township officials will be contacted to assure the name will not conflict with any plans that Orion Township might have. Mr. Reickel stated there was an occupied home on the property and that Civil Counsel was working on procedures to relocate the occupant. Staff did not recommend any specific regulations for the park other than those that related to the rest of the park system. Representative Tomboulian indicated that Senator Kammer would be working on legislation that would not allow hunting on the property. Commission Houghten suggested the Commission support that policy. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Houghten, Kuhn, Montante, Stanley, Wilcox, Wint, Austin (7) NAYS: (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. MANAGER'S REPORT: ---Dedication of Golf Dome scheduled for January 9 has been cancelled and will be re -scheduled. 3 - 5 (Commission Meeting, January 7, 1981) ---The Department of Natural Resources is conducting a Public Hearing pertaining to the Edward C. Levy Company's application to mine gravel adjacent to Independ- ence Oaks Park, January 28, 7:30 p.m., Independence Township Hall. ---Reviewed Red Oaks Master Plan with staff of the Drain Commission who were receptive to the idea. They recommend the plan be presented to the three - member Drain Board. Parks Commissioners Kuhn and Wilcox are already members of the Board. Dennis Murphy, the third member, will be invited to the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting of January 21 to review the plan. ---MRPA Conference, Detroit Plaza, January 25-28. ---Mr. Figa accepted bids for the beach dredging and canal work at Groveland Oaks. The estimated cost was projected to be $30,000 and the low bid came in at $80,000. Mr. Reickel suggested rejecting all bids and include the work in the Phase IV development for Groveland and try to get 50% federal funding for the project in 1981. ---Received a grant of $2718 from the Department of Natural Resources for the maintenance and operation of the snowmobile trails at Addison Oaks. The money comes from snowmobile registrations. Moved by Mr. Kuhn, supported by Mr. Houghten, the acceptance of the DNR grant for $2718 to maintain and operate the snowmobile trails at Addison Oaks. Motion carried. ---Mr. Figa put out a design -build proposal for the renovation of the slate entrance to the Conference Center at Addison Oaks which is presently a safety hazard. Meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m. Velma Austin Secretary Betty Guest Reco ding Secretary T 3-6