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Home My WebLink About11/20/2008 PRC MinutesCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION S.C.A.Q.M.D./THE GOVERNMENT CENTER - 21865 Copley Drive Diamond Bar, CA 91765 NOVEMBER 20, 2008 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Low called the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the SCAQMD/Government Center Hearing Board Room, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Grundy led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Dave Grundy, Benny Liang, Ted Owens, Vice Chairman Lew Herndon, Chairman Ruth Low. Staff Present: Bob Rose, Community Services Director; Anthony Jordan, Parks and Maintenance Superintendent; Alison Meyers, Community Services Coordinator, and Marisa Somenzi, Senior Administrative Assistant. SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Special presentation to Marisa Somenzi on the occasion of her leaving the City of Diamond Bar. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE: None Offered. CALENDAR OF EVENTS: As Listed in the agenda and reported by CSD/Rose. 1. CONSENT CALENDAR VC/Herndon moved, C/Owens seconded to approve the consent calendar as submitted. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Grundy, Owens, VC/Herndon NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: Liang, Chair/Low ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None 1.1 Approval of Minutes for the October 23, 2008 Regular Meeting. 2. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 2.1 RECREATION PROGRAM REPORT — CSC/Meyers CSC/Meyers responded to Chair/Low that 300 individuals were expected to attend the Foundation fundraiser and that 250 of their dinners were served to evacuees that evening. NOVEMBER 20, 2008 PAGE 2 P&R COMMISSION VC/Herndon said he noticed there were 15 fewer contract classes this season over last season and wondered the reason. CSD/Rose said this question could be answered better by RS/Murphey when she returns. He said that not a significant number of classes were canceled. There are about 16 fewer classes being offered this session than were offered last year for the fall session, much of which is based on instructor availability and interest. C/Owens asked if all of the sponsors stepped up for the Winterfest and CSD/Rose responded that sponsorship is significantly less. The City usually gets $4-5,000 and the City received only $1750 this year. CSD/Rose stated that on Friday, November 28 "Who's Wedding is it Anyway" will be filming the wedding reception taking place at the Diamond Bar Center. Chair/Low asked if there was any interest in an adult soccer league and CSD/Rose responded that there were three groups that utilize soccer fields for play. The City has not offered them a league because it competes with the youth uses of the facilities. Staff intends to bring a fee resolution item to the Commission possibly in January once it has worked its way through staff. The resolution would charge as much as $50 an hour for premier facilities with lights and contain other proposed increases as well. 2.2 PARKS REPORT — PMS/Jordan C/Owens asked how the time clocks for the lights are timed for the basketball and tennis courts. PMS/Jordan responded that there are time clocks that control the tennis courts, basketball courts and sports fields that enable the lights at 4:00 p.m. The basketball court lights go off at 10:00 p.m. When the users are there they press a button on the courts to activate the lights. VC/Herndon asked if staff should be looking at security cameras for graffiti and vandalism problems at Sycamore and CSD/Rose responded that the Parks Master Plan includes such a recommendation and that staff will be proposing security cameras during the budget process for the 2009/10 FY, 2.3 CIP PROGRAM AND SPECIAL PROJECTS REPORT — CSD/Rose a. Emergency Generator Project at Diamond Bar Center — the vendor will begin construction of the generator in January. b. Trail Access at Steep Canyon at Clear Creek Canyon and at the Diamond Bar Center — the trail grand opening ceremonies were held on November 15 at Steep Canyon location with about 300 individuals in attendance. In spite of being able to see the smoke from the fire it was a great celebration with many participants NOVEMBER 20, 2008 PAGE 3 P&R COMMISSION walking the length of the trail to the Diamond Bar Center. Project fine turning continues to insure consistency with the standards for Phase 111 and IV. C. Storage Container Pad at Pantera Park — project completed and the storage containers will be moved on the pads in the next week or so in coordination with AYSO. Chair/Low said she noticed people helping themselves to Coyote melons along Steep Canyon Trail and wondered what could be done to prevent that kind of behavior. PMS/Jordan said they have a very strong fragrance but are not poisonous. CSD/Rose indicated that he was not sure what could be done to prevent that kind of behavior. 2.4 PARKS MASTER PLAN UPDATE CSD/Rose reported on the four hour subcommittee meeting that took place on Monday, November 17. Several sample documents have been developed by the consultant including the park plans, school plans, trail plans, and a bicycle route plan. In fact, the consultant created a foldable trail map for the opening of the Steep Canyon Trail. As the trails plan moves forward more trail detail will be compiled for a trail booklet. The Parks Master Plan is moving forward. Telephone surveys are being done at this time and the consultant expects to be finished by the middle of next week at the latest. The telephone survey will be followed by an online survey and will be online for at least a month. Staff will advise the community when the survey is available online. In addition, written surveys will be done with the senior clubs. During last night's user group meeting a presentation was made to the sports organizations. Staff plans to schedule a consultant's presentation for the Commission in the near future. 3. OLD BUSINESS: None 4. NEW BUSINESS: 4.1 DECEMBER COMMISSION MEETING VC/Herndon moved, C/Owens seconded, to go dark for the December 25 meeting and adjourn tonight's meeting to Thursday, January 22, 2009. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS: C/Grundy thanked SAA/Somenzi and wished her well in her new ventures. He commented that Steep Canyon is a nice trail. Staff did a wonderful job and it was nice to see so many people enjoying the City's amenities. VC/Herndon said he was sorry he missed the trail opening. He was in Arizona watching his grandson and his partner win first place in the Pacific sectional skating competition. His grandson is skating at two levels below Olympic NOVEMBER 20, 2008 PAGE 4 P&R COMMISSION competition and he and his partner are ranked 5 in the nation at their level. It' was interesting to VC/Herndon that part of the commitment for going to the national event was that they attend an all day seminar to prepare them for the 2014 Olympics. VC/Herndon told SAA/Somenzi that the Commission would miss her greatly and understood there was a wedding in her future and wished her the best. C/Owens wished SAA/Somenzi the best. He commented on CSD/Rose's contribution to getting the Red Cross shelter set up during the evacuation process. CSD/Rose said that about 75 individuals spent the night at the evacuation center at D.B.H.S. on Sunday night. C/Liang thanked SAA/Somenzi for her reminders about the Commission meetings. He said he would really miss her and wished her all the best. Chair/Low expressed her heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of Marisa's upcoming wedding and wished her a wonderful life. Chair/Low hoped that SAA/Somenzi would enjoy her new position with West Coast Arborists. Chair/Low said it was wonderful to witness the community pull together in the face of the fire that threatened D.B. She was very touched by the public safety individuals and the Diamond Bar Foundation for being so creative as to offer their fundraising meals to evacuees. She thanked staff for their hard work and wished everyone happy holidays. ADJOURNMENT: VC/Herndon moved, C/Owens seconded, to adjourn the meeting to January 22, 2009 at 8:00 P.M. With no further business before the Parks & Recreation Commission, Chair/Low adjourned the meeting at 7:49 p.m. Respectfully, S)al7hnitted, BOBYROSE, SECRETARY Attest: i Ch Airman Ruth Low