Two GO Bond plans go forward on Zoom, and a resident asks who is paying for the entry road

If you read nothing else

• Held via Zoom. Public comment was taken as three emails, read verbatim into the record by Chair Harrison — two from Thomas Winter and one from Frank Carril, a former board member for District 4.
• Winter wrote that road funding had been found "by sucking the money directly from the Go Bond funding as feared" and cited the presentation's own budget line: $6.5 million for the complex, $2 million for the entry road. Radnovich then repeated those same two figures as the GO Bond amounts. Sedillo said the GO Bond funding would not be used for the roadways because the City acquired municipal gross receipts tax bonds for roadway and drainage construction.
• The board accepted the East Mesa Recreation Complex presentation to move to City Council, and separately approved the Parks & Sports Courts improvements. Trevino said the 2018 GO Bond question was $16.9 million and covered fifteen named parks and facilities.
• A power outage took Stan Engle off the call during the East Mesa vote; the minutes record that he was unable to log back in and so was unable to vote — then record him voting on the very next item.
• Delgado described the reopening: parks were closed at the very beginning of COVID, the Mayor began that on Easter weekend, and the department is operating at 40% staffing, expecting 60% the first week of July and 75% in August.

Who was in the room

Public comment

Kept at length on purpose. Every point raised is listed, in the order the minutes record it.

6.1 East Mesa Recreation Complex — Tony Trevino / Wilson and Company / Sites Southwest

Trevino introduced George Radnovich of Sites Southwest, who said his company is doing the East Mesa Recreation Complex project for the City with Wilson and Company as lead consultant, and introduced Brigitte Fuller representing Wilson and Company.

Radnovich presented a PDF covering the project introduction, a summary of the public meetings, a draft of the preferred master plan option, and next steps.

He said planned improvements from the GO Bond included field sports (soccer/football fields, baseball fields), court sports (eight pickleball courts), and amenities and infrastructure (concession areas, restrooms, food prep court, plaza, traditional park, entry roads, trails around the park, parking, pedestrian circulation). He said the GO Bond was $6.5 million for the complex and $2 million for the entryway.

Radnovich said Wilson and Company is doing a study to determine where the roads into the project location might be: one to Sonoma Springs Avenue, one off Sonoma Ranch Road at Camino Coyote, and a third off Sonoma Springs Blvd. Fuller added they are working on this road study, including a traffic study, with the City's Public Works Department to determine the most effective way for public entry into the site.

Trevino added that Camino Coyote as a main entrance is not set in stone, as staff will still look at Sonoma Springs, and it will be determined after the feasibility study.

Radnovich asked whether, if there is enough money, the road in could be a three-lane road, because when a tournament occurs there is a lot of traffic in and out. Trevino said this is something to be discussed further in the design phase.

Radnovich said they are still working on what phase one would be but will definitely have two soccer fields, two baseball diamonds, the traditional park, and eight pickleball courts; deliberations on the infrastructure have not been finished.

Next steps: get board comments and hold a fourth public meeting with City Council and the Mayor, shooting for the July 6, 2020 City Council meeting, with phase one much more complete by then and the master plan layout complete based on board, Public Works and Parks and Recreation comments. Schematic design will begin at the end of June, plans completed and the project bid in the winter of 2021, and construction would occur in 2021.

Schuller asked the total planned acreage of the complex. Radnovich said he believes it to be about 60 acres. Fuller said it is closer to 75 acres.

Schuller asked, with that amount of acreage to cover, where concessions and restrooms will be. Radnovich said concessions would be at each end of the termini for the greenway.

McClure asked how long phase two would take so the complex is fully operable. Trevino said hopefully in 2022, with another bond sale, the second phase can begin.

Montgomery asked whether there is specialized infrastructure going into the food truck area concept, such as power stations and special parking stalls. Radnovich said that at the master plan phase they are not at a level of detail to answer this totally, but that they have done food truck courts for other New Mexico cities and towns where power and a special place for parking the trucks was provided during events, along with plazas in front of the trucks.

Engle expressed concern, from public meeting comments, about the possibility of edible landscape, and asked how this would be mitigated. Radnovich said they do not typically put edible landscaping in park projects or sports complexes unless there is real buy-in from the Parks and Recreation Department. Mathews added that fruit trees in public landscapes could be problematic and that her opinion of including fruit trees in this type of landscape is that it would not be the best idea.

Chair Harrison asked how many acres just phase one is. Radnovich said probably around 30 acres, but they have not determined what the interstitial space would be or how big it would be; once that and the parking are figured out he could be a lot more precise.

Chair Harrison asked what aspects Sites Southwest thinks can be completed in phase one with the GO Bond amount of $6.5 million. Radnovich said he believes they will be able to build Paseo Road but not the special pavement, and should also be able to do the food truck area, streetscape, greenway, some parking, and the road that goes up to the parking, outlining in his presentation what would be covered.

Radnovich said this is all still in the master plan stage and that they would be happy to come back to the board at the schematic design phase.

Radnovich said what they would like to include in the traditional park in phase one is volleyball courts, some skate park type improvements, playgrounds, basketball courts, and an amphitheater type structure.

Chair Harrison said he anticipates the fields could be multi-use and asked whether artificial turf will be looked into. Radnovich said the fields will be multiple sizes so multiple events can be staged at the complex, and that there was consensus on green grass, as synthetic turf is very expensive. Mathews said she agrees to go with Bermuda grass as it is cost effective to maintain, and that it is Parks and Recreation's recommendation to go with natural turf.

6.2 Parks & Sports Courts Improvements — Tony Trevino / Highland Enterprises / SMA

Trevino presented the Parks & Sports Courts Improvements and Additions for the 2018 GO Bond to the board for a second time, reviewing background and project information with questions at the end.

He said the improvements were approved August 21, 2018, and that the approved project, for $16.9 million, included Desert Trails Park, Young Park, Apodaca, Metro Verde, Four Hills, Hillrise, Cardon Park, Frank O'Brien, Klein Park, Benavidez, Lions, Hadley, Unidad Park, some dog parks, and the East Mesa Recreation Complex — all included in the question for $16.9 million.

He said that at this meeting the board would be hearing about Desert Trails, Young, Apodaca, basketball, tennis, and pickleball.

Public meetings were held at the Doña Ana Branch Community College on the East Mesa on January 23, 2020, and with the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on February 20, 2020. Following the February meeting there were concerns regarding pickleball/Apodaca and tennis/Lions, so additional meetings were held with the tennis group on March 4, 2020 and with the Apodaca pickleball group on site on March 5, 2020. Prior scope of work for these courts was discussed, and those groups addressed their concerns and gave ideas which have been incorporated into the scope of work to move forward.

The minutes do not record what the revised scope of work is, and do not record the two costed revisions — one professional grade, one within existing money — that the board's February 20 motion required before this item returned.

6.3 Board elections

Chair Harrison opened nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair.

Schuller nominated Chair Harrison as Chair, seconded by Engle.

Montgomery said he was going to nominate McClure but she is not present to accept.

Montgomery then moved to table nominations to the July 15, 2020 meeting, which passed, and Schuller moved to rescind her nomination of Harrison, which also passed. Harrison is recorded as voting on both.

7.1 Parks and Recreation re-opening phase update — Sonya Delgado

Delgado said a reopening plan was presented to City Council laying out Phase 1 Green (facilities ready to go right now), Phase 2 Yellow (could be coming), and Phase 3 and beyond Red (nowhere near opening). The plan was based alongside the Governor's orders.

Staff had the State Epidemiologist look at the plan to see if Parks and Recreation was moving in the right direction and whether things made sense; they did like the plan.

Delgado said that as of right now the Governor is saying groups cannot be larger than five, and to keep facilities, activities and programs that promote gathering of groups and mixing of families closed. She said this is why parks were closed at the very beginning of COVID, and that the Mayor began this on Easter weekend.

In the first phase, specialty parks — the shooting range, RC Airport, Remote Control Track, pickleball courts, Lion's tennis courts — were chosen to open with limited times of use, geared toward the adult population because adults seem to understand that they need to social distance. Trails were also opened. Signage was placed in these facilities.

Staff opened and closed the gates at Lion's tennis courts, which were open for approximately two weeks, 3 days during the week. After two weeks an additional day was added to tennis and some of the special facility areas went back to their regular hours, because COVID numbers were steadily going down through the state.

Delgado said staff listen to the Governor's press conference every two weeks to see whether she is encouraging gathering yet or keeping numbers down, and plan accordingly.

In Phase 2, a park opened in each district starting June 15, 2020. The Governor should be speaking again next week and staff will be listening in. In the meantime staff will be monitoring parks, taking head counts, seeing if people are wearing masks, and keeping social distancing. If COVID numbers go down, other things could possibly start opening.

During this entire time staff has also been assisting with the food boxes with Senior Programs, giving out meals at the Safe Haven and Frank O'Brien facilities for youth, and putting out recreational virtual programs and activities.

Staff is looking at possibly opening the Summer Recreation Program, but it will be very limited: the ratio is currently 1 to 5 and there are a lot of issues and regulations that need to be addressed.

7.2 4th of July update — Phil Catanach

With the inability to gather in large crowds due to COVID, the 4th of July Electric Light Parade was cancelled, as was the community concert partnered with NMSU.

There will be a virtual electric photo parade, asking people to submit photos of their heroes on a 4th of July theme. Staff would like the board to be judges, as prizes will be given.

Staff is looking to have a spectator-free 4th of July display in an area visible to as many areas of the community as possible; mass gathering is being discouraged. Final details are still being worked out, and a news release will go out telling the community what area of the sky to look at.

The Electric 5K run will be cancelled this year.

Chair Harrison asked whether staff was looking at different opportunities for virtual Music in the Park. Catanach said yes.

7.3 Projects update — Cathy Mathews

Councilor Pedroza Memorial at Lions Park near the tennis courts: the area is landscaped including irrigation, and sleeves are installed ready for installation of the plaque on its frame. The frame has not been installed because staff is waiting until there can be an unveiling of the memorial when Councilor Pedroza's family can be present.

Provencio Van Dam lighting is complete.

Benavidez Community Center Park playground is complete with new playground equipment, new engineered wood fiber safety surfacing, and rubberized safety surfacing. There is a little more work to be accomplished in the vicinity; next steps will be to replace some of the benches and picnic tables and to install more trees with irrigation.

Mathews added that the Special Projects team is working very hard with park colleagues to get projects done.

8. Staff member comments

Nunez said the Juvenile Citation Program is currently going on with virtual classes with all participants since the beginning of May, with assessments and follow-ups with all participants; the youth participants have adapted.

Nunez said the Keep Las Cruces Beautiful team has been busy working five days a week on negative graffiti, and that bags, equipment and gloves are being provided to residents for litter gathering.

Nunez said staff is working on a plan to offer some type of programming this summer to youth in a safe and healthy manner, and is looking at recreation outside the box for the near future and into the fall. Educational packets along with popcorn and other items are given out every Friday at the Safe Haven and Frank O'Brien Papen facilities. In partnership with FYI, dinners are being given out — over a three-week period staff has given out close to 3,000 dinners at Safe Haven and Frank O'Brien.

Granillo said that at the beginning of COVID park staff got sent home toward the end of March, so over the last three months schedules were derailed. He gave kudos to his staff because, after assessing everything on a limited work schedule, staff is only a week behind. He thanked Nunez and Catanach, whose staff were handing out meals and also helped monitor the parks that were opened, calling it a good collective team effort. He added that Mathews's projects continue to get done with assistance from his staff and hers, and thanked Delgado for relaying a lot of the issues faced to upper management and for her help during this time of adjustment.

Catanach said the Regional Aquatic Center pool is open for lap swim, as are the walking channel and the fitness center, and that the outdoor pools are getting ready for inspection so they can open to the public for lap swim.

Catanach said his staff is assisting with monitoring and checking numbers and social distancing at the opened facilities, and that they are also working on some virtual programming.

Catanach said staff is working on virtual Music in the Park, with plans to videotape 34 bands to be shown on YouTube as well as the City Facebook pages, and that he is very proud of his staff who have stepped up to do the work in this time of uncertainty.

Chair Harrison asked whether the public is supposed to call to schedule reservations for any use at the Regional Aquatic Center. Catanach said yes — the public needs to call the day before for use of lap swim and the upstairs fitness area.

Vasconcellos said she is working alongside Parks and Recreation to distribute information, which is extremely important during this time, and addressing issues as they come up, helping make their events and activities a success. She said going virtual is not easy and commended Parks and Recreation staff, saying she and staff are there to make sure the public knows what is going on.

9. Board member comments

Montgomery complimented staff on the reopening phase and protocol, saying his wife and daughter were able to go to the Regional Aquatic Center, really enjoyed their time, and felt safe.

Schuller said to continue to be safe, that Parks and Recreation are doing an excellent job, and that hopefully we will get back to normal sooner than later.

Engle thanked staff for doing a good job and getting us through these unprecedented times.

Chair Harrison thanked all the staff for everything they do, saying opening recreation gives a little outlet much needed during this time.

Delgado said the Parks and Recreation team is operating at 40% currently, will be at 60% the first week of July, and depending on how things go should be at 75% in August. She said the team is doing an exceptional job — at only 40% and only a week behind after being closed in March — and that the Administrators and Mathews, with all her projects, have done an amazing job. She said she appreciates each staff member and appreciates the board sticking with them and trying these new Zoom meetings, and that if some members have challenges with Zoom or the internet, there is space at the Castaneda office where members can be put in different areas, socially distant, to use the computers.

Recorded votes

Left open at the gavel