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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSAC.2017.0327.Minutes Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 1 of 4 G:\Commission CSAC\Minutes\2017\032717M ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER A regular session meeting of the Community Services Advisory Commission was convened and called to order by Chair Sherman Abrahamson at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 27, 2017 in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, located at 16705 East Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, Arizona. ITEM #2: ROLL CALL In attendance at roll call were, Chair Sherman Abrahamson, Vice-Chair Jim Judge, Commissioners Pat Canning, Don Doty, Jerry Gorrell, Kathy Haynes, Lynne Mott and Ron Ruppert. Absent at roll call was Commissioner Natalie Varela. Director Mark Mayer, Recreation Supervisor Rachael Goodwin, and Executive Assistant Jennifer Lyons represented staff. Vice-Chair Tom Barberic from the McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission was also in attendance. ITEM #3: CALL TO THE PUBLIC No one from the public wished to speak at this time. ITEM #4: CONSIDERATION OF APPROVING THE FEBRUARY 27, 2017 MEETING MINUTES Commissioner Doty made a motion to accept the minutes of the February 27, 2017 meeting and Commissioner Haynes seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. ITEM #5: UPDATE ON THE WORK STUDY GROUP TO RESEARCH THE SOUND SYSTEM AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER Chair Abrahamson, Vice-Chair Judge and Commissioner Gorrell met this past month with some people from the Community Center to delve into the issues with the sound system. Commissioner Gorrell reported most of the problems date back to the construction and the decisions made on the reduction of the scope of what was originally planned due to cost. The rooms (ballrooms) have an echo factor, especially when they are wide open. The individual rooms have the same problem since they are all very hard surface. In speaking with staff, it is pretty evident that when the small rooms are broken out, the use of a lectern that is powered with a speaker is a much better choice than using the overhead system. Some of the issues have to do with the speakers. It is not a loudness problem, it is what in the sound business we call intelligibility. When all four rooms (ballrooms) are opened up there seems to be a lack on the low end (low frequencies) in the system, which Commissioner Gorrell will look into further, but he feels can be corrected with some adjustments. Commissioner Gorrell stated that there are two distinct problems: 1) when the rooms are broken up and 2) when the room is in use in total. The solutions are distinct and separate. TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION MARCH 27, 2017 Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 2 of 4 G:\Commission CSAC\Minutes\2017\032717M ITEM #6: UPDATE ON THE FEBRUARY 28, 2017 MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN PRESERVE COMMISSION MEETING Commissioner Doty attended the meeting and attached is a synopsis of that meeting. ITEM #7: REVIEW WITH COMMISSION MEMBERS ABOUT CONTACT WITH DIVISION HEADS “Yappy Hour” will be put aside until we have a better decision on the health of the canine community. Commissioner Mott stated that they will try to address it again in the fall and Euro Pizza is very happy to work with us on this. **Item #8 was inadvertently overlooked and discussed after Items #9 and #10** ITEM #8: DISCUSSION OF TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED AT THE JOINT MEETING WITH COUNCIL Discussion ensued among the Commissioners and the census was that the Commission would like to assist the Council with more projects. Chair Abrahamson urged the Commissioners to email him ideas for the joint meeting. ITEM #9: UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY GARDEN Director Mayer reported they were working on trying to get an estimate to bring electrical into the site. It is fairly expensive because the closest we have are a bunch of lines stubbed out from the Community Center and are hooked to a control panel in the Community Center. The lines extend out to about the end of Centennial Circle. Those lines would need to be extended the rest of the way out, trenched, then the pipes would be laid and lines pulled. Director Mayer responded to Vice-Chair Judge’s questions regarding expenses with the garden and liability insurance. The Town has incurred some expenses with the garden, some were in kind services and some were out of pocket expenses. Public Works Director Paul Mood has been working more closely with this group regarding these issues. Director Mayer believes that people do sign a waiver when they register for their plots and our basic liability insurance would cover the Town. ITEM #10: UPDATE ON SPECIAL EVENTS Recreation Supervisor Rachael Goodwin explained that February and March are a very high season for events for the Town. We have hosted a number of art shows, including two new art shows in addition to our Chamber Event as well as our two Thunderbird events. Concours in the Hills which was a very large event and we are pushing through this weekend with Fountain Hills Music Festival. Next Friday, April 7th is “Movie in the Park” at the Amphitheater and we will be showing “Pete’s Dragon”. The next day is “Eggstravaganza” which is the big Easter egg hunt at Golden Eagle Park, with 15,000 Easter eggs across three different baseball fields. The Goyenas are a long time sponsor of this event and they have given funds to help purchase Easter eggs. The Mayor will be there dressed up as our Easter Bunny and takes pictures with the kids. There are several churches that bring out other supplementals such as crafts and bounce houses. The fire truck is also there. We keep going that day with our “Pitch, Hit and Run” which is a partnership with Major League Baseball. It is nationwide and they do it across all communities . It is for boys and girls, ages 7-14 and they compete in pitching, hitting and running. If you win your age Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 3 of 4 G:\Commission CSAC\Minutes\2017\032717M bracket you go on to a divisional level and compete against other townships. Divisional finals are held at Sloan Park. Then we slow down with events until our Fourth of July. ITEM #11: UPDATE ON PUBLIC ART Director Mayer reported that the Gahn Dancer piece that had been in the lobby at the Community Center has been moved outdoors in preparation to be installed on the west section of the Avenue. Because this piece had some sharp edges and pieces that were fairly fragile, we asked the donor to have a large base put on. We will attach that base to a concrete base and then put pavers back over it. This will put the sculpture about three to four feet in the air which is what needed to have it get out of the reach of people. Another piece (“Blowing in the Wind”) that a lady had in a common space between her and another resident has been donated to the Town. It is been removed and there is some work being done on it. It is scheduled to be installed in Fountain Park in the gravel area by the east parking lot. Director Mayer responded to Commissioners questions regarding funding and acquisition. The Council is guided by direction from the Public Art Committee on acquisition and placement of public art. Typically we get a letter from the Public Art Committee, Chair Sandi Thompson saying here is the piece we would like to acquire, the price of the piece, the artist and the proposed location. Council then reacts by approving or disapproving. The Public Art Master Plan spells out what the funds can be used for and at this point we do not have the ability to use those fund for anything other than the acquisition of public art. There is an option within that document that says if you are bringing forward a private development, you can opt out to purchase and install of public art on your property. That public art is whatever the Public Art Committee deems reasonable or there is no art at all and just pay money. Under the Public Art Master Plan art acquired by a donor will have the base paid for by the Town under the 1% Fund. If the piece is to be acquired by some sort of a means of a public fundraising effort, then the Public Art Committee is responsible for raising enough money to cover not only the acquisition of the piece but also the installation. There are only two pieces of art that the Town has acquired, “Cooling the Dogs” associated with this building (Town Hall) and piece in the lobby (“Fountain Oracle”). ITEM #12: UPDATE ON ADERO CANYON TRAILHEAD PROJECT Director Mayer explained that the Town had received the 100% drawings back from the architect and we were in the processes to advertise for bids later on this month, but one of the things we have been asked in the past few days was the potential for what we call temporary utilities. Under the agreement that we have with MCO now they are responsible for extending at some point the road up through the second development up to where our Trailhead is located and extend the utilities. Until such time as that occurs, we will not have water, electricity and sewer facilities up there. We put together a spreadsheet of a number of different options and not surprisingly least expensive option was to put portable toilets up there for the duration of the 2018 hiking season, then a full hiking season the next year and then the potential for another half the year. In the Final Settlement Agreement with MCO it says the following, “MCO is responsible for extending the road and utilities up to the Preserve the first time they get a building permit for what is called “Phase II” or December 31, 2020, whichever comes first”. There is an option that this may have to last longer but we don’t know that yet and it may become contentious, so Director Mayer was asked to take a look with the architect what it would cost to put in what we would call permanent/temporary utilities. This would include a battery operated lighting system, a sewer system that is running off of a tank and has Fountain Hills Community Services Advisory Commission Page 4 of 4 G:\Commission CSAC\Minutes\2017\032717M flushable toilets that drain to a septic system that gets pumped out or to the end of the cul-de-sac where will have a sewer tank that will be able to be pumped out. We are potentially going to modify the construction documents, so this would be an add alternate when we bid the thing. The contractor would provide an add alternate for the temporary utilities and what the cost would be. This will delay us a little bit, about two weeks from our original date, so we are now looking at the very earliest late May to early June to get the bids back. ITEM #13: CONSIDERATION OF ADJOURNMENT Vice-Chair Judge made a motion to adjourn at 5:51 p.m., Commissioner Gorrell seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. Community Services Advisory Commission BY: ____________________________________ Sherman Abrahamson, Chair REVIEWED BY: _______________________________________ Mark C. Mayer, Director of Community Services PREPARED BY: ________________________________________ Jennifer Lyons, 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 27th day of March 2017. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. Dated this 29th day of March 2017 ______________________________ Jennifer Lyons, Executive Assistant MMCP Feb 27-17 meet Laison Page 1 of 3 To: CSAC 1 March 2017 From: Don Doty Subject: MMPC – 28 Feb 2017 commission meeting Joint MMPC and Council meeting, March 28, 2017 MMCP commissioners will discuss their area of responsibility and progress at the joint meeting. Topics were outlined: Continuing the MMPC commission beyond 2017, 2016 accomplishments, 2017 objectives, East loop Sonoran trail, Renaming of trails, Trail head, Quarterly council meetings, TH grand opening & Budget. Additional parking In addition to the 50 parking spaces at the TH there is another space available if leveled using the nursery for 10 more spaces. The dirt road will also accommodate parking. Conservancy The conservancy trail-blazers will help the Botanical Gardens with trail rebuilding. The scheduled hikes have been well attended and continue through the year. Commission Working Groups The construction work group has been eliminated and the remaining work groups will continue; Marketing, Adero Canyon TH & Preserve value. TH Name The new TH name will remain as the Adero Canyon TH. Other names considered and rejected were; Central TH and Fountain Hills TH. MMCP Feb 27-17 meet Laison Page 2 of 3 Trail Head design 100% plans The J2 completed TH plans, incorporating the last changes, are due March 3, 2017. The commission is requesting a more in depth review of the J2 design plans. The recent over view presented to the council was stated to be at a high level without enough detail description. The bid process is expected to begin in March and construction to begin in July coincident with the available 2017 funding. The completion is intended for fourth quarter 2017. Kiosk The kiosk currently included in the TH design is similar to the one at Golden Eagle. There are some suggestions to be considered from the commission to enhance the kiosk. A contour map was discussed, however no decision was made. It was noted that any change would require a change order and a bid for the cost of the change. Roads in Adaro Canyon The road to the TH will be public. Roads behind community gates will be private. TH Water, Sewer & Electricity Currently there is no immediate plan to connect the rest rooms with water, sewer or electricity. The underground utilities are not installed up to or near the TH and will not be until the next phase of MCO building. During the interim porta-potties are envisioned to be used at the TH at $100 per unit per month. An unofficial estimate for the rest room utilities was stated at $7,500 for the water hook-up, $20,000 to $55,000 for the sewer, and $16,000 for lighting. MMCP Feb 27-17 meet Laison Page 3 of 3 A suggestion to install temporary gravity flow tanks above and below the restroom was offered in order to supply water from the upper tank to the rest rooms and the landscape sprinkler system while the lower tank would be used for sewage. The current plan is to use a water truck to irrigate the landscaping. Lighting in the restrooms will be required. Using solar lighting was discussed but was stated to be expensive and not reliable. The cost for these proposed temporary measures was not known. Funding The available funds to build the TH is $1.8 M from the “dedicated building fees” and an additional $400,000 from the Town’s Capital funding. The building fees must be spent before the drop-dead date of 2020 or be refunded to the builders. The CSAC liaison MMPC liaisons were assigned to attend the CSAC monthly meetings. Merging of the MMPC with the CSAC The merging of the two commissions was mentioned along with the possibility of extending the time to merge beyond 2017. A number of the commissioners indicated during the meeting and following the meeting that they were not clear on the process of merging the two commissions independent of the timing. They were referred to the CSAC by laws as a model.