HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2008.05.07 - 39214OAKLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
May 7, 2008
Chairman Lewis called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m. in the Dark/Freezing Room of the Ford Education
Center at the Detroit Zoo.
COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairman Pecky D. Lewis, Jr., Vice Chairman Richard Skarritt, Secretary J. David VanderVeen, Hugh D.
Crawford, Gregory Jamian, Eileen Kowall, John McCulloch, Charles Palmer, Shelley Taub
COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT:
Vincent Gregory
ALSO PRESENT:
Parks and Recreation
Oakland County Information Technology
Oakland County Purchasing
The Detroit Zoo
PROS Consulting, Inc.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Daniel J. Stencil, Executive Officer
Sue Wells, Administrator — Parks & Rec. Operations
Frank Trionfi, Administrator — Parks Administration
Mike Thibodeau, Chief of Golf
Janet Pung, Marketing & Communications Officer
Jim Dunleavy, Chief of Recreation
Phil Castonia, Park Supervisor
Mike Donnellon, Architectural Engineer II
Jon Noyes, Architectural Engineer II
Sheila Cox, Accountant IV
Melissa Prowse, Strategic Planning Manager
Suzanne Kici, Office Assistant
Mary Murphy, Intern
Ben Ringelberg, Intern
Phil Bertolini, Deputy County Executive I, IT Admin.
Scott Oppman, Manager, Application Services
Rochelle Meacham, Project Manager
Dawn Siegel, IT Application Services
Joan Daniels, Buyer II
Ron Kagan, Director
John Anderson, Park Operations Manager
Leon Younger, President
No questions were asked, nor comments received, by the public.
WELCOME:
Detroit Zoo Director Ron Kagan welcomed Parks Commissioners and staff to the Zoo, sharing information
about their millage proposal and independent authorities that would be created. He also noted that the city of
Detroit owns the property and provides reimbursement for security and insurance, while the Detroit Zoological
Society has full maintenance and operations responsibility.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Moved by Mr. Palmer, supported by Mr. Crawford to approve the minutes of the regular
meeting of March 12, 2008, as written.
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AYES: Crawford, Jamian, Kowall, Lewis, McCulloch, Palmer, Skarritt, Taub, VanderVeen (9)
NAYS: (0)
Motion carried on a voice vote.
COMBINED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS:
Moved by Mrs. Taub, supported by Mrs. Kowall to accept the Combined Statement of
Operations for the months ending February 29, 2008 and March 31, 2008 (FM 5 & 6, 08) as
filed.
AYES: Crawford, Jamian, Kowall, Lewis, McCulloch, Palmer, Skarritt, Taub, VanderVeen (9)
NAYS: (0)
Motion carried on a voice vote.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET REPORT:
The Capital Improvement Program Budget Report as of March 31, 2008 was accepted as filed.
ACTIVITY REPORT:
The Activity Report for the month of March, 2008 was accepted as filed.
INTRODUCTION:
Chief of Recreation Jim Dunleavy introduced Mary Murphy and Ben Ringelberg, interns from Central Michigan
University, who are working with Recreation Section staff on Senior and Therapeutic Recreation programs,
along with Special Events.
STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN FINAL DRAFT:
Moved by Mr. Crawford, supported by Mrs. Taub to adopt the following resolution to accept
the final draft of the Strategic Master Plan:
WHEREAS, the mutual intent of the Oakland County Parks and Recreation
Commission and its staff is to provide facilities, programs, and services that meet the needs
and expectations of the Oakland County residents while being provided in the most efficient
and effective means; and
WHEREAS, a strategic master plan has been developed as a planning tool and to
provide direction in operations and management of the system; and
WHEREAS, the strategic master plan has been developed with a focus on four main
areas: land, recreation facilities, recreation programs and services, and operational and
financial sustainability; and
WHEREAS, this plan was developed through citizen input, county -wide surveys,
commissioners focus groups, and stakeholder interviews; and
WHEREAS, the strategic master plan will be the planning guideline for the Oakland
County Parks and Recreation Commission through 2017.
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NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Parks and
Recreation Commission accepts the Strategic Master Plan, as prepared by PROS
Consulting.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Strategic Master Plan be forwarded to the
Oakland County Board of Commissioners for their information.
AYES: Crawford, Jamian, Kowall, Lewis, McCulloch, Palmer, Skarritt, Taub, VanderVeen (9)
NAYS: (0)
Motion carried on a voice vote.
Mr. Younger noted strategies and tactics have been prioritized, with work groups and deadlines established.
Melissa Prowse, as Strategic Plan Implementation Coordinator, will establish flowcharts of the processes and
coach the teams.
Staff will be dedicating approximately five hours a week to the strategic planning process. Some of the
challenges facing the organization include:
• Changing the culture of the department to focus on outcomes and performance measures to work
efficiently and effectively
• Managing partnerships effectively
• Coordinating with all of the other municipalities to avoid duplicating services, and working toward
complementary regional planning
Executive Officer Stencil noted that a proposal will be brought to the Commission for approval at the June 4
meeting to extend the contract with PROS Consulting to include a second and possible third phase.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MASTER PLAN:
Scott Oppman, Manager of Application Services at Oakland County Information Technology, presented
the proposed technology master plan for Oakland County Parks, noting a three-year capital improvement
project plan for this program has been identified, with an estimated three-year cost of $4.5 million dollars.
That amount does not include operating or staff training costs. The next steps include determining detailed
costs for budgeting purposes, looking outside of parks and recreation to establish partnerships, and begin
implementation and establishing new services.
A comprehensive report will be compiled, detailing staffing, hardware, and software requirements, along
with how the plan will correlate with the Parks' strategic master plan.
Commission accepted the general overview of the plan.
CATALPA OAKS MASTER PLAN:
Architectural Engineer Jon Noyes presented the conceptual master plan for Catalpa Oaks, which was
designed in-house. Staff incorporated the strategic plan into the proposed park master plan, ensuring the
plans fit into the Parks' vision for our major goals.
The proposed master plan for the park is a regional field sports complex that includes 13 soccer fields of
varying sizes to accommodate different age groups, cricket pitch, sledding hill, softball field, 1.2-mile walking
trail, playground, and three picnic shelters.
Commissioner McCulloch recommended staff contact the Oakland County Health Department to discuss
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their plans for the site.
Commission emphasized the importance of ensuring enough recreation opportunities are provided in the
plan for the growing senior population.
Moved by Mr. Crawford, supported by Mr. McCulloch to approve the concept of the proposed
Catalpa Oaks master plan.
AYES: Crawford, Jamian, Kowall, Lewis, McCulloch, Skarritt, Taub, VanderVeen (8)
NAYS: Palmer (1)
Motion carried on a voice vote.
The proposed plan will be available online for 30 days for citizen input, plus a hard copy will be available for
review at the administration office. Staff will compile all comments for review and possible incorporation, then
bring back the final plan for Commission approval.
LAND ACQUISITION MODEL:
Mr. Noyes shared brief information on a land acquisition model staff is creating that will consist of a model
based on the four major areas of the strategic master plan.
LYON OAKS WETLAND MITIGATION:
Moved by Mr. McCulloch, supported by Mrs. Kowall to extend the contract with Niswander
Environmental for a period not to exceed five years, to allow for the implementation of annual
monitoring and maintenance of the Lyon Oaks wetland mitigation project constructed in
November, 2007.
AYES: Crawford, Jamian, Kowall, Lewis, McCulloch, Palmer, Skarritt, Taub, VanderVeen (9)
NAYS: (0)
Motion carried on a voice vote.
QUARTERLY PURCHASING REPORT:
The Purchasing Report for the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2008 was accepted as filed, with the
recommendation to add a column to the report that reflects the budgeted amount, as appropriate.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT:
In addition to the Executive Officer's report filed in the agenda, the following information was noted:
---The Nature Conservancy has proposed legislation at the state to initiate a constitutional amendment that
proposed the establishment of bonding for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and also adding a cap
on the funds that could be used for capital. The Parks Commission may be requested to adopt a resolution
regarding this proposed legislation.
---Chief of Golf Operations Mike Thibodeau's impending retirement was announced, with the Commission
congratulating Mr. Thibodeau for his 35 years of service to the Parks.
---A tour of Independence Oaks will immediately follow the next Commission meeting, which will be held at the
Lewis E. Wint Nature Center at Independence Oaks.
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Meeting was adjourned at 12:03 p.m.
The next Commission meeting will be at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at the Lewis E. Wint Nature
Center at Inddence Oaks.
J. David VanderVeJ, Secretary Karen S. Kohn CPS/CAP, Recording Secretary
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