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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 1981.10.21 - 38715OAKLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING October 21, 1981 The meeting was called to order at 9:45 a.m. by Chairman Lewis E. Wint in the Parks and Recreation Commission Room. COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Lewis Wint, Vice Chairman Marjorie Walker, Secretary Don Deni, Fred Houghten, George Kuhn, Pecky Lewis, Jr., Dr. Joseph Montante, Richard Wilcox. COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Carol Stanley ALSO PRESENT: Parks and Recreation Springfield Township Anthony M. Franco, Inc. Daily Tribune APPROVAL OF MINUTES: R. Eric Reickel, Manager Jon J. Kipke, Assistant Manager Charles Ross, Chief, Administrative Services Arnold Johnston, Chief of Parks Michael Thibodeau, Chief of Golf Joseph Figa, Chief, Design & Development Janet Pung, Public Information Officer Sheila Cox, Accountant Collin Walls, Supervisor Dorothy Langan, Account Executive John Basch, Reporter Moved by Mr. Lewis, supported by Mr. Deni to approve the minutes of the meeting of September 16, 1981, as written. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS: Moved by Dr. Montante, supported by Mr. Kuhn to approve payment of Vouchers 9-113 through 9-286, and 10-1 through 10-97. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Wint, Deni, Houghten, Lewis, Kuhn, Montante, Walker (7) NAYS: (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. MILL POND BUILDING RENOVATION - SPRINGFIELD OAKS: Mr. Figa stated that the Springfield Oaks Life Enrichment Center (SOLEC), sponsored by the League for the Handicapped/Goodwill Industries, had expressed a desire to renovate the 5000 sq. foot Springfield Oaks Mill Pond structure. 3 - 1 (Commission Meeting, October 21, 1981) The building is located in Davisburg and owned by the Parks and Recreation Com- mission. If renovated, it would be used by SOLEC and the Davisburg Parks and Recreation Department as an office and community facility. Facilities and Operations estimated renovation costs to be $200,000. The cement block building, a former maintenance garage, requires a new roof and all new electrical and mechanical work. Collin Walls, Springfield Township Supervisor, stated they would have to forget the renovation due to the cost and said he would like to review the estimates. Commissioner Houghten suggested the possibility of the community using volunteers to do the renovation work and perhaps the Commission could aid them by sharing in the cost of the materials. Mr. Walls said there had been some discussion on a joint effort of the two Davisburg service clubs to do exactly what Mr. Houghten had proposed. Commissioner Kuhn suggested a donation of $15,000 toward renovation of the building. Mr. Reickel said it was never staff's recommendation to put any money toward the building. Chairman Wint complimented the Davisburg Parks and Recreation Department on the development of ball fields for the area. AMENDMENT TO THE 1981 BUDGET: Moved by Mrs. Walker, supported by Dr. Montante that in accordance with the provisions of Public Act 621 of 1978, the Uniform Local Budgeting Act, and with Section 15 of the 1981 General Appropriations Act of the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission as adopted 12/3/80, we hereby amend the Operating Revenue Budget from $4,887,800 to $5,099,258 and further amend the Operating Park Unit Expenditure Budget from $3,887,800 to $4,099,258. Schedules A and B, annexed, give the individual changes for each Park Unit and are made a part of this motion. Mr. Ross explained that no additional funding was required since park revenues would exceed the increase in operating expenditures. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Deni, Houghten, Lewis, Kuhn, Montante, Walker, Wilcox, Wint (8) NAYS: (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. OPERATING STATEMENTS: Moved by Mr. Wilcox, supported by Mrs. Walker to receive the Operating Statements through August, 1981. Motion carried. 3-2 (Commission Meeting, October 21, 1981) ACTIVITIES REPORT: Moved by Mr. Kuhn, supported by Mr. Lewis to receive the Activities Report as of September, 1981. Mr. Reickel noted that we exceeded the one -million mark in attendance during August this year as opposed to November last year. Motion carried. HEATING/COOLING - GLEN OAKS: Mr. Figa explained that only one bid was received on October 19 for the heating/ cooling project at Glen Oaks. This was the second time the project had been bid and revisions had been made to the specs prior to the rebidding. Danic, a general contractor, bid $28,488 for the air and $39,000 for the heating alternate. In a follow-up telephone conversation, Danic stated it would do both the heating and cooling for $52,000 which was $10,000 above the estimated cost. Mr. Figa recommended rejecting the bid and rebidding the project. Moved by Mr. Kuhn, supported by Dr. Montante to reject the bid from Danic and rebid the Glen Oaks heating and cooling project. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Houghten, Lewis, Kuhn, Montante, Walker, Wilcox, Wint, Deni (8) NAYS: (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. ADDISON OAKS CONFERENCE CENTER - EMERGENCY BOILER REPAIRS: The following quotations were received to make emergency repairs on the boilers at the Addison Oaks Conference Center in order to satisfy the State Safety Boiler requirements: Automatic Stoker Service $10,600 Monarch Welding & Engineering 8,975 Purvis and Foster 9,890 Moved by Mr. Lewis, supported by Mr. Wilcox to approve payment of $8,975 to Monarch Welding and Engineering for emergency boiler repairs at the Addison Oaks Con- ference Center; funds to come from the Contingency Account. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Lewis, Kuhn, Montante, Walker, Wilcox, Wint, Deni, Houghten (8) NAYS: (0) A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the motion carried. 3-3 (Commission Meeting, October 21, 1981) PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS QUARTERLY REPORT: The Commission receiveda report on public information activities and programs from Janet Pung, Public Communications Officer. CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE: Mr. Figa stated that the Addison and Groveland campsites and restroom/shower facilities projects were proceeding as planned and would be ready by June, 1982. However, they would probably not be used until late fall, 1982, or spring of 1983 to allow the grass to become established. The Waterford Oaks Water Slide will be in operation by Memorial Day, 1982. MANAGER'S REPORT: ---Received copy of letter from Jim Lanni, County Commissioner, to Detroit City Councilman Hood, supporting Mr. Hood's views on the transfer of the Detroit Zoo to the suburban community. Staff did not feel the Commission was in a position to discuss it or make recommendations. ---Discussed the amendments to HB 4821 in which it is suggested that a designee could sit in place of an appointed member to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Staff felt it was inappropriate and recommended the Commission not support the change. Moved by Mr. Wilcox, supported by Mrs. Walker that the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission go on record in support of the Oakland County Board of Commissioner's resolution regarding HB 4821 which would allow a county, under Act 139, to appoint the county executive to sit on the Parks Commission in place of a planning member and strongly oppose any amendment that would allow a designee to sit in place of any appointed board member. Commissioner Walker requested the motion be sent to legislators. Motion carried. ---The November issue of Total BMX Magazine ran a three -page story on the Waterford Oaks BMX track. ---Will appear on Channel 50, November 11, 10:00 a.m., to talk about cuts in the Land and Water Fund. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: ---Chairman Wint read the following letter, to be sent to the Editor of the Horn, the official Michigan Recreation and Park Association's publication: "Dear Sir: It was much to the dismay of the members of the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission that the Michigan Recreation and Park Association's pro- fessional newsletter would deal in personalities when confronting an issue so highly sensitive to the future of parks and recreation. (We are referring specifically to the editorial satirizing Secretary of the Interior James Watt on the cover of the July -August issue of the 'Horn'). 3-4 (Commission Meeting, October 21, 1981) "We agree that the threat of losing land and water funds for parks and recreation in the State of Michigan is of major concern and that we should work toward seeing that it doesn't happen. We do, however, believe that ridiculing the individual responsible for administering that fund is in poor taste. Members of MRPA should be reminded that they, as representatives of a professional group or as individuals, may be required to work with Mr. Watt or his agency on other issues or projects in the future. We may be better served by having his cooperation than by becoming involved in a personality conflict which accomplishes nothing. If a criticism of a political figure is to be made, it should be done within the portion of the publication so designated for opinion. To publish such an editorial statement on the cover of a statewide publication implies that the association is united in this criticism. We in Oakland County do not feel this way even though we remain highly loyal to and strong supporters of the MRPA and what it stands for. Please keep personalities in the editorial column and let MRPA continue to work positively in the pursuit of issues that could affect it. Sincerely, (signed) Lewis E. Wint Chairman cc: Donald Sparpana, President, MRPA" NEW BUSINESS: ---The next regularly scheduled meeting is Wednesday, November 4, 9:00 a.m. After a short agenda, the proposed 1982 budget will be reviewed. ---Another budget review meeting is scheduled for Friday, November 6, 9:00 a.m. ---Public Hearing on budget, December 2, 9:00 a.m., prior to regularly scheduled meeting. ---Collin Walls, Supervisor, Springfield Township, expressed his concern that the Oaks Corporation has been mandated by the State that non-profit entities have to be charged sales tax when using banquet facilities. He suggested the Commission look into this requirement. ---Commissioner Kuhn requested that the following remarks by Commissioner Walker be made a part of the minutes: "...During the past two years, i have gone to many, many public and commercial facilities up and down the east coast and all the way across the country ... I have never encountered in any place at all, the level of services that we demand of our people, the class with which we conduct our operations, and the attitudes that our people always use with treating the public. I mention this because if you 3-5 (Commission Meeting, October 21, 1981) visit a community ... the attitude and feeling you have about that community is the way you were treated in that community and facilities you were required to use in that community. We do a better public relations job for Oakland County and the Parks Commission than you can possibly do in the Chamber of Commerce or through the media or any other way. We really, from what I know of our own park service, put on a good face for Oakland County ... We are not just serving recreation per se to the people who live in Oakland County. We're also part of the face of Oakland County and a very big part of it." The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m. Don Deni Seprjetary betty Guest Reco ing Secretary j 3 -6