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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/17/2002 BAKERSFIELD Alan Tand~, City Manager Sue Benham Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager Irma Carson AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 1:30 p.m. City Manager's Conference Room 1. ROLL CALL Call to Order at 1:38 p.m. Present: Councilmembers Jacquie Sullivan, Chair; and Sue Benham Absent: Councilmember Irma Carson 2. ADOPT FEBRUARY 27, 2002 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Adopted as submitted. 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS 4. DEFERRED BUSINESS A. Staff update regarding proposed ice skating and aquatic facilities City Manager Alan Tandy gave a status report. There were some short-term contracts needed. For the aquatic facility, some refined cost estimating was needed and some work on how to rehab and improve the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jefferson pools. That contract is under way and we should have some of the product within a week or so. Second, there was some similar parallel work on the ice rink portion and that is progressing. For the long-term design contracts, a RFQ (Request for Qualifications) to prospective designers will open on Friday, with the interviews in mid-May. It should be possible to make an award in June. The two facilities were combined' into one design contract, although it will necessitate the designers to get specialists. Pool and ice rink specialists are commonly sub-contracted by designers. ADOPTED AS SUBHYTTED ON NAY 15, 2002 Community Services Committee Agenda Summary Report Wednesday, April 17, 2002 Page -2- Staff continues to work on budget issues. The County has not made a formal response to the letter from the Committee requesting assistance with Jefferson Park pool. It is probable the County has most likely finalized their Community Development Block Grant budget for the year, so action is being taken in the City budget, CDBG funds, to substitute the monies we were hoping for from the County. Staff is still talking with the schools about a contribution. When the cost estimate comes in, it will be on both the standard and Olympic- sized pools and when we have the detailed information, staff will approach the schools again. The school contribution is very important and staff is hopeful to work something out with them. Committee Member Benham explained she has been in touch with a high school swimming coach who is also involved with the private swim club. He suggested the swim club get together with the private sector to raise funds toward paying for an Olympic-sized pool. She will be meeting with them in May regarding fund-raising efforts for the aquatic center. Staff has been visiting sites and researching further into co-generation systems for the aquatic center and ice facility, which if applicable to our proposed facilities, would reduce power bills. B. Staff update and Committee recommendation on the Citizens' Committee for Design and Placement of the Historical Documents at City Hall Assistant City Manager Alan Christensen reported on the citizens sub-committee who is working on the design, type of historical documents and placement in City Hall. The sub- committee has met twice. Work is still in the conceptional phase with review of options. C. Staff update and Committee recommendation on design and placement of the national motto, "In God We Trust," at City Hall Public Works Park and Landscape Designer Don Hoggatt previewed design printouts on options for placing the motto on the entrances to City Hall. The letters were proposed to be done in aluminum with "IN GOD WE TRUST" mounted on the wall by the east entrance to City Hall and "E Pluribus Unum" mounted on the wall by the west entrance to City Hall. Staff will bring the designs back to the next Committee meeting. D. Staff update and Committee recommendation on the design and placement of the Liberty Garden Recreation and Parks Director Stan Ford explained staff is recommending more of a garden design with a plaque, instead of a monument-type memorial. There are so many to remember, firefighters, police, civilians and others that the garden approach would be a memorial for all who lost their lives. Community Services Committee Agenda SUmmary Report Wednesday, April 17, 2002 Page -3- The City Manager spoke about the location on the corner by' Chester Avenue and also the lawn area next to Chester a little further south. Either area is available and could be developed with very little capital cost. Recreation Specialist Colleen Cashmore spoke about meeting with the community group with representatives from the City Fire Department, County Fire Department, Sheriff's Department, Highway Patrol, and the Bakersfield Police Department. They only had one design to look at, which would be costly. The group will meet again and look at other designs and discuss community fund-raising. Committee Member Benham expressed she is in agreement with staff's recommendation to stay with the garden concept, with trees; red, white and blue flowers and a small plaque. This is more in keeping with the Keep America Beautiful design suggestions. It was discussed due to time constraints to have a dedication on September 11th, it might be a good idea for the City to complete a Liberty Garden at City Hall and this would give the community group time to fund-raise and plan a larger monument design, if that is the desire of the group. Staff will bring more definite garden designs to the next Committee meeting. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Staff report and Committee recommendation regarding proposal from the Native American Preservation Council to add Native American names to River Oaks Park and additional sites in the Kern River Parkway Recreation and Parks Director Stan Ford provided an overview. A few years ago the Council set a procedure whereby the Native American Heritage Preservation group could place Native American names along the Kern River Parkway. The names were to be submitted to the Citizens' Community Services Advisory Committee for recommendation to the Community Services Committee. The Community Services Committee would then make a recommendation to the City Council. The Native American Heritage Preservation group wants to add a Native American Name, Cholich Kenim to River Oaks Park and have agreed to pay the additional cost. The sign would have three lines: River Oaks Park, Cholich Kenim and the last line, City of Bakersfield. Staff has met with representatives of the Native American group and Coleman Homes who have agreed to allow the name to be added to the River Oaks Park sign. The Native American Heritage Preservation groups also would like to place two large boulders from the mouth of the canyon in Yokuts Park. Each boulder would have a plaque to explain its cultural value. One would be named PE-ESH-E (PE-WESH-E) GRINDING STONE and the other named KODIS (KO - DIS) GRINDING STONE. Community Services Committee Agenda Summary Report Wednesday, April 17, 2002 Page -4- The CitiZens Community Services Advisory Committee recommended to accept the River Oaks Park sign with the three lines at the Native American Heritage Preservation's expense and the placement of the plaques at Yokuts Park. The Community Services Committee approved the recommendation of the Citizens Community Services Advisory Committee to accept the River Oaks Park sign with the three lines at the Native American Heritage Preservation's expense and the placement of the boulders and plaques at Yokuts Park. (Committee Member Carson absent.) Staff will forward the Committee's recommendation to the Council. 6. COMMI'I'rEE COMMENTS 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 2:46 p.m. Staff attending: City Manager Alan Tandy; City Attorney Bart Thiltgen; Assistant City Manager Alan Christensen; Public Works Director Raul Rojas; Deputy City Attorney Ginny Gennaro; Public Works Operations Manager Brad Underwood; General Services Superintendent Steve Hollingsworth; Recreation and Parks Director Stan Ford; Recreation Specialist Colleen Cashmore; Public Works Park and Landscape Designer Don Hoggatt; Rhonda Smiley, City Manager's Office, Office Administrator, Public Relations; and Parks Supervisor Ken Trone Others attending: Matthew Riley, Condors; James Burger, The Bakersfield Californian; Tammy Brown, KUZZ; Peter J. Rudy, KUZZ News; Mr. McKenzie, Bakersfield Exchange Club; and Greg Hanel, Athletic Club of Bakersfield cc: Honorable Mayor and City Council P:\draftcs02fapr17summary.wpd