The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMMPC.2014.0422.Minutes J`yTAIN1yl TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS its f , MINUTES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE { o��'�� MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN PRESERVATION COMMISSION o AND TOWN COUNCIL 9,• �l0o APRIL 22,2014 that is At`i. AGENDA ITEM#1: CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE A public joint meeting of the McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission and Town Council was convened and called to order by Chair Gerard Bisceglia at 5:31 p.m., Tuesday, April 22, 2014 in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, located at 16705 East Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, Arizona. AGENDA ITEM#2: ROLL CALL Present at roll call were Chair Gerard Bisceglia, Vice-Chair Tom Barberic, Commissioners Bill Craig, and Klaus Schadle. Absent at roll call was Commissioner Elena Tone. Present at roll call from Town Council were Mayor Linda Kavanagh, Vice-Mayor Cassie Hansen, Councilmembers Dennis Brown, Ginny Dickey, Tait Elkie, Henry Leger, and Cecil Yates. Staff members present were Town Manager Ken Buchanan, Director Mark Mayer, and Executive Assistant Nancy Walter. Town Attorney Andrew McGuire attended via phone. AGENDA ITEM#3: CALL TO THE PUBLIC No one from the public wished to speak. AGENDA ITEM #4: INTRODUCTIONS - MAYOR LINDA KAVANAGH AND CHAIR BISCEGLIA Mayor Kavanagh introduced the Councilmembers and Chair Bisceglia introduced the Commission members. AGENDA ITEM #5: CONSIDERATION OF APPROVING THE MARCH 25, 2014 MMPC MEETING MINUTES Commissioner Schadle made a motion regarding Item #7 to add that the Commissioners would like the two current Commission applicants to be notified of the delay in their interviews, Vice-Chair Barberic seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. Commissioner Craig made a motion to accept the minutes, as amended, of the March 25, 2014 meeting, Commissioner Schadle seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. AGENDA ITEM #6: UPDATE ON THE COMMISSION CONSOLIDATION Director Mayer reported: • Staff met several times with the Chairs of the four Commissions • Each Commission unanimously approved the consolidation as presented • The MMPC will consolidate with the proposed Community Services Advisory Commission (CSAC) in either January 2018 or when the Adero Canyon trailhead is built, whichever comes first • The consolidation proposal will be presented to Council on May 1, 2014 for discussion and consideration • An orientation will be held this summer for Commissioners • The first Community Services Advisory Commission meeting will be held in September McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 1 of 4 • Commissioner Craig reported that the four Chairs are currently working on the by-laws for the Community Services Advisory Commission. He also said that a member of the MMPC would participate in the CSAC meetings but would not be a voting member. AGENDA ITEM#7: UPDATE ON ADERO CANYON PAD Commissioner Schadle thanked the Mayor and Councilmembers for attending the meeting. He then read aloud the attached background of the MMPC and Adero Canyon. Mayor Kavanagh thanked Commissioner Schadle for his research and recapping the history of both. Director Mayer said that discussions with MCO are continuing and substantial progress has been made. He said most of his involvement in the discussions is centered on the trailhead construction and public access. As construction on Eagle Ridge takes place,there will be a period of time when public access will not be available to get equipment up to the trailhead. Trail grooming could still be done by using an alternate access point. AGENDA ITEM#8: UPDATE ON YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN THE PRESERVE Vice-Chair Barberic said that for five years, the Commission has been discussing ways to get high school students involved with the Commission and it did not work. Students will be offered the opportunity to fulfill their community service hours requirements by grooming and cleaning up the trails. A youth auxiliary could also be part of the Sonoran Conservancy. The students could be taught how to lead hikes for students. The Preserve PowerPoint presentation could be shown to the high school and junior high students; it would be a means to talk to them about volunteering with the Commission and the Sonoran Conservancy. AGENDA ITEM # 9: UPDATE ON THE FOUNTAIN HILLS—SCOTTSDALE CONNECTION TRAIL The construction of the connection trail is from the hitching post on Scottsdale's Sunrise Trail and Fountain Hills' Western Loop Trail. The connection could possibly be completed by June. The Scottsdale trail cost $90,000 to build, the Fountain Hills trails did not cost the Town anything since the trails were built by volunteers. The network of trails consists of Fountain Hills' six miles, Scottsdale's almost two hundred miles, and the Regional Park's sixty miles of trails. AGENDA ITEM# 10 UPDATE ON THE TRAIL COUNTER The people counter is currently on the Lake Overlook Trail. Between February 15 and April 15, the count was at 12,422, which is an average of almost 210 people per day. AGENDA ITEM# 11: UPDATE ON MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN MONTH The McDowell Mountain Month event will take place at the Plaza Lawn in Fountain Park on November 8 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. There will be a hike on the Lake Overlook Trail, possibly led by the Mayor or a Councilmember. It was suggested that a Conservancy member participate in the hike to describe the flora McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 2 of 4 and other areas of interest. Vice-Chair Barberic would like to also include a hike into the Preserve as part of the event this year. `"" In past years about 400-500 people attended the event. Liberty Wildlife participated and there has been tremendous support from the Maricopa County Sherriff's Office in the past. They brought rescue equipment and rescue dogs to the event. Vice-Chair Barberic would like to expand the event this year and involve other groups including Southwest Wildlife. Ranger Amy of McDowell Mountain Regional Park brings snakes and other animals which is appealing to kids and that will encourage the parents to participate. AGENDA ITEM#12: UPDATE ON PRESERVE MARKETING Chair Bisceglia stated if the Adero Canyon PAD is approved then the focal point of marketing for the MMPC will focus heavily on the new access to the Preserve and all the benefits that it would afford our populace. Tri-folds that are placed at the beginning of the Preserve are being replenished frequently. Councilmember Yates thanked the Commissioners for all the work they do. He also thanked Commissioner Craig for maintaining the trail counter and said that having that kind of information makes their job easier. LChair Bisceglia took time to recognize Steve Fleming, Co-chairman of the Sonoran Conservancy, for all of the work he and the Conservancy do on the trails. AGENDA ITEM #13: CONSIDERATION OF ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Schadle made a motion to adjourn at 6:07 p.m., Vice-Chair Barberic seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. McDowell Mountain Pres rvatio omm' sion By: isceglia Chair Reviewed by: CJ. Mark C. Mayer, Director of Communi Services Prepared by: 44 Nan W ter, xecutive Assistant L McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 3 of 4 CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission and Town Council Joint Meeting held on April 22, 2014. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was pre nt. By: Nanc alter, xecutive Assistant Dated this 23`d day of April 2014 j McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 4 of 4