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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSAC.2014.1124.Minutes /-", arc TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS wi �� MINUTES OF THE O= COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION oisq NOVEMBER 24, 2014 that is A," ITEM#1: CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL A meeting of the Community Services Advisory Commission was convened and called to order by Chair Natalie Varela at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 24, 2014 in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, located at 16705 East Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, Arizona. In attendance at roll call were Chair Natalie Varela, Vice-Chair Sherman Abrahamson, Commissioners Patt Canning, Gerald Colbert, Don Doty, Lynne Mott, Jim Judge, Ron Ruppert, Danny Tancredi, and Greg Woo. Absent at roll call were Commissioners Nancy Blumenstein, Jerry Gorrell, Geoffrey Harper, and Donna Yordy. Director Mark Mayer and Executive Assistant Nancy Walter represented staff. ITEM #2: CALL TO THE PUBLIC Judy Tathem, a Fountain Hills resident, said she just learned today that there is consideration for the dog park hours to be increased; she requested the dog park hours be shortened. She said the Mayor had been contacted and the Mayor has given attention to their concern. Ms. Tathem moved to Morningside before the dog park was in place. She said they hear the dogs barking at 5:45 a.m. before the dog park opens and the barking continues throughout the day and it is unnerving. She suggested the park be closed on Sundays like the Library and Community Center are. Ms. Tathem also suggested that fees be assessed to use the dog park; the money could be used to staff the park. Non-Fountain Hills' residents could be charged more than residents. She suggested this could be in conjunction with getting the Town's dog licenses. Commissioner Harper arrived at 5:05 p.m. Barbara Russo, a Fountain Hills resident, noted that the community was there before the park was built. Over 100 signatures were submitted to not allow the park to be built. Some users are there as early as 5:30 a.m. and she is awakened almost every morning by barking, with the windows closed. Ms. Russo would like the hours changed to 7:00 a.m. and have the park close earlier in the evening. She also said the dog barking can be heard over the sound of their T.V. in the evening. Originally, ADOG members were to patrol the park and handle any concerns but she believes ADOG is now defunct. There is no policing and when the dogs start fighting, the barking goes on for an enormous amount of time; the owners socialize and do not control the situation. ITEM #3: CONSIDERATION OF APPROVING THE OCTOBER 27, 2014 COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Commissioner Judge made a motion to accept the minutes of the October 27, 2014 meeting, Commissioner Ruppert seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. ITEM #4: PRESENTATION BY BILL SCHMITT OF THE FOUNTAIN LAKE GREENING ISLAND COMMITTEE '0141..- Mr. Schmitt distributed the attached photos of the Fountain Lake Islands and reviewed the attached report to the Commission. Mr. Schmitt said there's always been a question of what to do with the three islands. Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 1 of 6 He got involved about four years ago and made a plea to Council to keep the islands green which minimizes human impact but still makes the islands look good. Volunteers maintain the islands by weeding twice a year and removing non-native plants. Mr. Schmitt has purchased plants and other needed supplies with his own money, approximately $3000 over the last four years. The volunteers try to keep ahead of the weeds so chemical spraying is avoided as much as possible. Mr. Schmitt would like Council to have a resolution to designate the three islands as natural areas. The volunteers would then start placing signage with bird and island interpretation for park visitors. Mr. Schmitt plans to raise the money to pay for the signage. Volunteers would continue to maintain the islands with some support from staff. There had been some discussion in the past with a few people who would rather do other things with the islands such as place bird sculptures on them. It was determined to not place them on the islands and let real birds occupy the islands. The coots come to the park for the grass, without the grass even the water would not be enough to support them; there is nothing on the islands to encourage their nesting. Geese are in the Valley because people feed them and they stop migrating; to discourage them from staying, their eggs can be broken up. Senior Services Supervisor Kelley Fonville and Community Center Events and Operations Supervisor Mike Fenzel arrived at 5:21 p.m. Mr. Schmitt has written a guide book, The Ducks of the Lake, and would be happy to provide copies to the Commissioners. Bill Craig, a member of the Sonoran Conservancy Board and a MMPC Commissioner, said both groups are in favor of the greening of the islands. The Conservancy would adopt the islands as one of their projects under Mr. Schmitt's leadership. It was suggested to Mr. Schmitt to request additional volunteers through the Town's Volunteer Coordinator, Heather Ware. Director Mayer said the Town had paid a contractor to clean up the islands twice a year in the past and it was expensive. From a cost standpoint it makes more sense to rely on volunteers to maintain the islands. At one time the islands were going to be landscaped with rock but there were complaints about that. There were also complaints from the community about letting everything grow naturally because it was unsightly. It's a good framework to have the Sonoran Conservancy step in to oversee the islands. The final resolution would be re-drafted by staff and sent to Council for approval. ITEM #5: CONSIDERATION OF APPROVING THE DESIGNATING THE ISLANDS IN FOUNTAIN PARK AS NATURAL AREAS Vice-Chair Abrahamson made a motion to recommend to Council to designate the Islands in Fountain Park as natural areas, Commissioner Tancredi seconded and the motion passed 11-1, with Commissioner Doty being the Nay vote. Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 2 of 6 ITEM #6: CONSIDERATION OF ESTABLISHING COMMISSION MEETING DAYS AND TIMES Commissioner Tancredi made a motion to meet on the fourth Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m., Commissioner Harper seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. ITEM#7: CONSIDERATION OF ESTABLISHING COMMISSION WORK GROUPS The Commission will start with three Work Groups; Programs, Facilities, and Budget/Capital Improvements. Director Mayer will send a description of each Work Group to the Commissioners who will then decide which group they would like to volunteer on. The Work Group members will be determined at the January 26, 2015 meeting. The individual Work Groups will study issues and then bring their recommendations to the Commission. The Commission will then determine what recommendations to forward to Council. Commissioner Judge made a motion to establish the workgroups, Commissioner Tancredi seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. ITEM #8: DISCUSSION OF SCHEDULING A TOUR OF THE PARKS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS Two Saturday morning tours will be scheduled in January. The Commissioners will visit the parks, the Community Center, and Town Hall. They will review the Master Plans, projects, and neighborhood use of the parks. ITEM#9: DISCUSSION OF DOG PARK HOURS Will Jacubs, a Fountain Hills resident and the Morningside HOA President, said the last meeting he attended on this subject was on June 12, 2006. At that time discussion was about dog noise and possibly putting a barrier between the dog park and where Morningside starts. It was discussed to place it on the berm along Tioga. Morningside owns the wash between the Morningside homes and the dog park and they were asked to clear the wash because of a fire hazard; this eliminated some of the buffer between the homes and the dog park. Mr. Jacubs hears from many residents on a regular basis regarding noise from the dog park. The noise can be heard all day long and the Sherriff's Department has been call on many occasions. Mr. Jacubs said several women have complained about hearing abusive and foul language at the dog park. He asked the Commission to recommend to Council to have a barrier wall, approximately six feet high, installed at the dog park. Regina Cook, a Fountain Hills resident, said that while sitting in her back yard, she listens to dog fights, growling, and people yelling at their dogs to obey. Ms. Cook believes that the dog park people should be respectful of the neighborhood and if they can't be then the park should be eliminated. Mayor Linda Kavanagh said the neighbors came to her about having a problem with the noise at the dog park. Mayor Kavanagh wanted to investigate so she went to the park at 5:15 a.m. and by 5:30 a.m. people were out of their cars and dogs were barking. The people went into the dog park when it opened at 6:00 a.m. and sat down while the dogs were running around and barking. She then went to Barbara Russo's house and walked down the street and could hear the dogs at the dog park barking continuously. The noise is mostly in the morning and at dinner time. The Mayor also said that people socialize and, unfortunately, don't try to quiet the dogs. Mayor Kavanagh referred to the Horizon dog park in Scottsdale Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 3 of 6 which has limited hours and to the parks in Phoenix that are near highways and not near residential areas. There are laws in town regarding barking dogs; MCSO is to be called when there is a barking dog issue. Barking dogs can destroy the quality of life; the Mayor wants to give the neighbors a good quality of life. ADOG use to police themselves at the dog park and also did a lot of fundraising for the park's over- seeding and lights. ADOG then became FIDO and has now stopped meeting. There isn't any oversight at the park because there is only part-time staff. Mayor Kavanagh asked the Commission to come up with a compromise. She would like the neighbors to be involved and also asked the Commissioners to go to the park to talk to the neighbors and help them out. Director Mayer said this issue would be included in the Facilities Work Group. Director Mayer also referred to the attached documents from 2006 and 2009. There were meetings with park users and with the neighbors in 2006; there was a compromise regarding dog park hours which are 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Commission and staff would go through the public process and then make a recommendation to Council. There are two sections in Desert Vista Park, the dog park and the soccer fields. It would be difficult to switch the sections since the lights are already in. This would also not solve the noise problem. The Desert Vista land was originally given to the school district, which had no immediate use for it, and deeded it to the town. The town is required to use effluent water at the park. The amount of dogs at the park at one time depends on the weather and the time of year. Some suggestions that were made include: • Individual Commissioners should go to the park and neighborhood • Reduced hours • Build a barrier wall • Have someone monitor the park • Meet with dog owners and home owners separately • Possibly charge a usage fee The challenge is to enforce the rules; the Sheriff's office would have to be called. Director Mayer said he would like to have these meeting done by the end of December. The Sheriff's Department will be invited to the meetings. ITEM #10: DISCUSSION OF DRONES IN THE TOWN'S PARKS Director Mayer said many communities are currently dealing with this issue. • A gentleman requested permission to use a drone to take flyover photos of people, without their consent, in Fountain Park. There was concern about the drone being under control when bringing it back down • The Facilities Work group will study this issue Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 4 of 6 • There is a section in the Town Code regarding remote control devices • The FAA will be issuing rules regarding drones in 2015 '"`` ITEM#11: UPDATE ON THE AVENUE OF THE FOUNTAINS PLAZA Council approved the name Avenue of the Fountains Plaza for the median on Avenue of the Fountains. The continued maintenance and operation of the Plaza is now under the Community Services Department. It is maintained through a landscaping contract. ITEM#12: UPDATE ON PUBLIC ART Two pieces of art, Mother Earth and Father Sky, were placed in the Community Center Lobby. Council approved the pieces at their November 20th meeting. The pieces have a value of$14,500. ITEM#13: DISCUSSION OF THE LEARNING CENTER(TLC)AND BINGO Director Mayer referred to the attached The Learning Center (TLC) and Bingo documents. There is a provision for a 30 day right-of-termination in the TLC contract. Vice-Chair Abrahamson said he is the one who raised the issue of why the TLC has exclusivity to the room, which could cause issues when staff is scheduling events at the Community Center. TLC charges for membership and classes and use all volunteer services so he would like to know where the money is going since they are not a Town function. He is asking if this is the right use of the room since the Town could make more money by renting the room to other users. Director Mayer explained that when Senior Services, which was under Senior Services, Inc., came under the umbrella of the Town, one of the conditions was that SeniorNet have use of the room. Originally, revenues were not collected; it has been just the past few years that they have been collected. The agreement states that Town employees are able to attend a class if there is space available. The room is not available to rent to anyone else because the computers are all set up in the room. Vice-Chair Abrahamson would like to know the best way to evaluate this issue; how much money comes in and where does it go, how many people are served a month, and how many days a month are they there. Director Mayer will follow up to get the answers. This item will be kept on the agenda. Community Center Events and Operations Supervisor Mike Fenzel reported: • TLC paid $2096.87 for the current contract • TLC and the Bingo program are both run under the umbrella of Senior Services, Inc. • The TLC room is available Monday through Friday each week; the Bingo ballroom is used free of charge every Tuesday • The TLC room is comparable to the Navajo and Yavapai rooms which took in just over $6000 and $8000, respectfully, for last year; the rooms are also used for Activity Center and Recreation classes and presentations • On average, only two to three people use the TLC daily Senior Services Supervisor Fonville called other communities for information on their computer classes. Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler all run their own computer classes (no outside group does) and room space is used for multiple purposes. Also, several cities have transitioned to teach their computer classes using lap tops and do not use desk tops. • Via Linda offers classes through Parks & Recreation for a minimal fee • Mesa Red Mountain offers limited classes for free, has volunteer teachers, and uses the room for Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 5 of 6 other purposes; students bring their own laptops • Tempe runs the classes through the Parks and Recreation Department • Tempe's Cahill Senior Center offers computer labs for desk top • Other locations use lap tops • Chandler offers classes through the city during regular business hours; there is space to run other classes The Activity Center has doubled, and even tripled some, of their programs and space is being limited by not having access to the room being used by the TLC. TLC members must also be a member of the Activity Center. The TLC staff is supposed to verify that participants are a current member of the Activity Center. Activity Center staff cannot police the TLC memberships. ITEM#14: CONSIDERATION OF ADJOURNMENT Vice-Chair Abrahamson made a motion to adjourn at 6:36 p.m., Commissioner Harper seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. Com i Services visory mmission BY: Vt (" atalie Varela, Chair REVIEWED BY: Mark C. Mayer, Director of Commu ty Services PREPARED BY• a cy W er, Executive Assistant CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Regular Session held by the Community Services Advisory Commission of Fountain Hills on the 24h day of November 2014. I further certify that the meeting was d ly called and that a quorum was present. Dated this 30th day of November 2014 c Wal r, Executive Assistant Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 6 of 6