MINUTES OF THE GILBERT TOWN COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE ON PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES MEETING

THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2006 AT 7:00 P.M.

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL LIBRARY
CONFERENCE ROOM B
775 N GREENFIELD ROAD
GILBERT, ARIZONA

MEMBERS PRESENT: Councilmembers Presmyk (Chair), Skousen, and Urie

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

OTHERS PRESENT: Councilmember Krueger; Park and Recreation Advisory Boardmembers Payne, Bilas, Barnes-Pharr, Gooch and Dykstra; Tot Wallace, Higley Unified School District; Stan Sessoms, Gilbert Public Schools; Derek Neighbors and Jason Beckerman, Arizona Soccer Club; Keith Pharr, Gilbert Youth Soccer Association; George Simanson, Gilbert American Little League; Tom Miller and Bob Rutzen Top Flight Youth Sports, Jason Jarvis, Robert Howell, and Brenda Whitlock Southeast Diamondbacks Little League; Ron Blackowski, Jon Gale, Chad Bushman, Gilbert Football Association.

STAFF PRESENT: Manager Pettit, Park and Recreation Director Ahlman, Recreation Superintendent Giles, Parks Superintendent Martin, and Office Administrator Cunningham

1. CALL TO ORDER

Councilmember Presmyk called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.

2. INTRODUCTION OF ATTENDEES

Councilmember Mayor Presmyk had all those present introduce themselves and their group affiliation. Persons were asked to sign the attendance sheet to allow for their attendance to be recorded.

3. GROUND RULES OF PARTICIPATION

Councilmember Presmyk advised the group this meeting was a continuation of the discussion regarding the draft proposal on the reconstituted Sports Coalition.

He discussed the basic ground rules to assure an effective meeting which included the following ground rules:

1 Spokesperson per group
Everyone participates, no one dominates
One speaker at a time
Criticize ideas and concepts not people

4. DISCUSSION ON NEW COALITION CRITERIA

A revised draft of the Gilbert Sports Coalition was circulated, with the areas of discussion for the evening emboldened, starting on page 3. The major points of discussion and direction from the members present were in the scheduling priority for fields, given the limited capacity. Councilmember Urie indicated a preference for the user groups to make recommendations on priorities and use rather than the Sub Committee.

Tom Miller and Bob Rutzen objected to any priority consideration based upon how long someone had used the fields. The scheduling needs to be based upon new groups needs and not history. Mr. Miller interrupted several other points of view regarding a need for existing well developed programs to be considered in priorities, and Mr. Miller left the meeting. There was additional discussion by those present that the priorities need to consider the existing groups needs and their membership, not just a new group needing space. Ron Blackowski of Gilbert Football Association expressed concerns that a new group basically had no access to facilities, given the field shortage. Councilmember Urie indicated this was a short term problem and that adequate fields would exist in the next five years. Councilmember Presmyk provided a brief history of the Coalition to Mr. Blackowski and the effort to try and accommodate as many groups as possible through cooperation and written rules, and not personal relationships or group history. He also covered the planned improvements for both additional fields, as well as possible field lighting. The ultimate plan is to take this document to Council for approval, and then administration by the staff.

Derek Neighbors expressed a concern that the problem is with enough fields and lighted facilities, and that existing fields may not be used appropriately by those exercising a priority use. There needs to be criteria which shows the effective use of the fields being reserved, to avoid having a full field tied up for practice by one team, when three or four teams can use the field for practice at the same time. Access to new facilities is also going to be critical, such as Discovery Park and any future developments. He did state that a priority consideration should be given to groups which are in existence for use of facilities, and not open to all groups first come first served.

Councilmember Presmyk asked about priority criteria as percentage of membership, or number of members as the selection criteria when there is a conflict. Derek Neighbors indicated a preference for the number of Gilbert residents in a program, as well as preference for youth recreation programs over travel or competitive teams in scheduling. There is a challenge for the competitive teams and travel teams as they need to have assured times and space in order to plan their programs. The general consensus was that those teams needed to be a lower priority than the recreation level uses.

Stan Sessoms of Gilbert Public Schools shared his experience with Pop Warner Football and using segmented fields for practice, while scheduling for games used the entire field and that system worked well.

Boardmember Dykstra restated her strong belief that fields should be scheduled based upon enrollment up front at the time of reservation to assure full use of fields. It should be formula based and determined by staff, and not the user. There should also be a published ratio of limited number of practices to games. An example of 2 practices and 1 game or 1 practice and 2 games per week was shared and discussed as another controlling measure to avoid over scheduling by groups, resulting in underutilization of the fields.

Councilmember Presmyk asked about the current scheduling followed by staff. Administrator Cunningham indicated the staff schedules based upon the user request, and does not screen or apply formulas to the request. Release of fields is on the honor system. There was additional discussion regarding user requests and application of formulas, as the flexibility to the user groups to move around or schedule internally was changed by a strict formula.

5. DISCUSSION ON FIELDS AND CAPACITY

There was not sufficient time to discuss this item, which will be continued to the next meeting with the Coalition.

6. FUTURE MEETINGS

There was no date scheduled for the next meeting with the agency members, but the next meeting of the Sub Committee is scheduled for July 11, 2006 at 7:00 am.

Future Agenda topics with the Coalition, to be scheduled in late July or early August are to include:

Presentation by groups on their season time block requirements and their enrollment
Presentation and discussion on development and maintenance requirements for fields.

He thanked all those present for their time and attendance, as well as their commitment to Gilbert youth sports.

6. ADJOURNMENT

Councilmember Presmyk adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m.

ATTEST:

Les Presmyk, Councilmember (Chair)

Catherine Templeton, CMC, Town Clerk

CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the special meeting of the Council Subcommittee on Parks and Recreation Services held on the 29th day of June 2006. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present.

Dated this day of July 2006.

Catherine Templeton, CMC
Town Clerk

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