The board un-approves its own minutes, then hears Young Park is losing water and a pavilion

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• Held via Zoom webinar. Five of seven members attended; the At Large seat and District 2 were absent.
• The board retracted its own previously approved February 18 minutes to make two corrections, then re-approved them as amended.
• A resident reported Young Park's pond is being filled twice a week with approximately 27,000 gallons and asked the board to fund a motorized gate valve out of an approved $340,000 Water Smart grant and budget.
• Staff said the pond incident was staff error — a fill-in worker left the gate open — that measures are now in place, and that the pond has no liner since it was cleaned a couple of years ago.
• Staff said the motorized gate valve was not part of the Water Smart grant, which is already allocated, and that it might be funded in future years.
• The Young Park community pavilion was demolished; staff presented a replacement 60 feet long by 20 feet wide, described as essentially the same size. The resident said the footprint went from a 32-foot pad to a 20-foot pad.
• There were no action items on the agenda beyond the minutes and adjournment.

Who was in the room

Public comment

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

Staff answers on the Young Park pond

Mr. Granillo expressed appreciation to Mr. Shervanick for letting staff know of any issues at Young Park.

Granillo said the pond issue at Young Park this time was staff error and has been taken care of: the gentleman that usually fills the pond was off, and those who covered for him left the gate open. Measures have been put in place so this will not happen again.

On the water itself, Granillo said the pond was cleaned a couple of years ago and two to three feet of compost, muck and debris were taken from the bottom. There is no liner on the bottom, which acts as a seal. A surfacing of rock and dirt was placed in the bottom, which has to seal like the old surfacing did. Water is lost at times and refilled; staff keep track of it often to make sure waste is minimal.

Granillo said the motorized gate valve is a good idea, but it is a big expense and was not part of the Water Smart grant; staff will see if it can be added. He said it is more of an agricultural supply than a commercial one, that staff is looking into it and will give an update if one can be found, and that if anybody has suggestions or feedback regarding a gate valve he would be more than happy to listen.

Ms. Mathews reported the current Water Smart grant is already allocated for making efficiency improvements in irrigation systems on Hadley, including the last step, which is to install two pumps to improve water pressure at Soldados and Apodaca Park. Another grant has already been applied for and submitted to make improvements in the irrigation system in various sundry parks, and it might be a difficult process to change the application to a different scope of work. Mathews said there are other opportunities to get the Water Smart grant and it may be a source of funding for the motorized gate valve, but in future years.

The Young Park group picnic shelter

Ms. Mathews shared the construction documents on screen for the group picnic shelter at Young Park. She said the proposal is to replace the existing picnic shelter with the one displayed, which is essentially the same size — 60 feet long by 20 feet wide — as the current shelter.

Mathews said this is a structure which fits within the budget and fits within the size parameters of the concrete pad that exists. She said the demolition of the existing shelter will not result in no picnic shelter; it will be replaced with this one, which is a steel hip corrugated roof.

Mathews said the displayed documents are what she currently has, and if they are not sufficient, to let her know and she will see what she can do to get something different.

Ms. Delgado said if there are any questions or comments about anything presented, either by the board or Mr. Shervanick, they can be shared now, and if a presentation is needed she will have GO Bond come back in and speak on this project and address any specific questions.

6.1 Reopening leagues and associations

Mr. Granillo gave a presentation titled RETURN TO PLAY and explained its title, saying meetings were held with leagues and organizations to get the dialogue going on getting everybody back on the fields at a safe pace with COVID-19-safe planning.

Granillo reviewed the communication process, meeting protocol, and items discussed with the leagues and organizations to initiate the re-opening process, the request for them to provide a COVID-19-safe return plan, and next steps. He reviewed organization response and organizations that still need to complete the process.

The minutes do not name the organizations, record how many responded, or say which ones still need to complete the process.

6.2 Parks & Recreation projects nearing completion

Ms. Mathews presented on capital projects nearing completion, providing a description of each and its status. Reviewed were Rincon Hills Neighborhood Park, Red Hawk Villas Neighborhood Park, and the AARP FitLot.

Chair McClure asked whether the slides at Rincon Hills Neighborhood Park are blocked off. Ms. Mathews said there is a punch list item to make some repairs on the slides before the park can be accepted, and that she suggested to the developer to place barriers so patrons would not be able to get around them. Chair McClure suggested signage be placed explaining this.

Board Member Engle relayed Mr. Shervanick's question on the diameter of the AARP FitLot cement slab. Ms. Mathews said she believes it to be 60 feet in diameter.

7. Staff member comments

Mr. Granillo said he has no comments.

Mr. Catanach said the Recreation Section has sent news releases and set dates for sports activities to begin, starting with outdoor 6-on-6 sand volleyball and a scaled-down youth basketball league. There is a virtual marathon going on and an outdoor walking group. The Recreation section is also working with Therapeutic program participants and agencies to do outdoor craft classes and a walking program.

Catanach said staff are also doing videos and just did a 21-show virtual concert series which started posting this week, with links on the City of Las Cruces and Parks and Recreation Facebook pages and a webpage on the City of Las Cruces Vimeo. Staff are hoping to do some live events from Memorial Day on.

Catanach said the pools are gearing up for opening in the summer, with lifeguard and head lifeguard openings, and that currently they have lap swim. He reported meeting with New Mexico State University to start planning the 4th of July event, looking at a firework display for sure and the possibility of a small concert and activities if conditions allow.

Catanach reported from the Youth Services section that in Diversion and Development, with formal referrals still below average with COVID-19, programming is being reformatted to reach out to teens and not be just a diversion program.

Catanach reported the Great American Clean Up is April 17, with ten roll-offs throughout the community and supplies available for pickup at Young Park. Team Up to Clean Up will be back in May and June in various Council districts.

Catanach reported the Youth Services section is working on spending budget for Out of School Time and getting ready for the summer, and that staff are back in the schools with limited capacity. Safe Haven has 30 youth signed up in the After School Program and the Teen Program has 22 participants. Dinners are still being served.

Catanach reported he had a note from Mr. Nunez to tell Board Member Zahler hello.

Ms. Mathews said the Special Projects team continues to work on special projects including the skate park renovation, getting close on determining a contractor for the design build, anticipated sometime in May. She reported the Apodaca Park Aquatic Playground ORLPP grant project is a step closer, with the cultural resources study completed, which is required to get the federally funded grant. Results on the study should be received any day, which will lead to next steps of being offered the grant and acceptance of the grant.

Ms. Delgado expressed thanks to the Parks and Recreation team, who have been fantastic — trying to help the community with vaccine registrations, doing vaccine events, making sure people had food, getting food boxes, delivering meals, in anticipation of getting back to a different kind of normal. She said they have been working very hard putting together programs so the department can start up safely and offer some activities, and that she is extremely proud of everything they have done and accomplished while dealing with pressures of the community.

Delgado reported Mr. Catanach is working on an open streets initiative program that will bring activities to certain neighborhoods, and thanked board members for hanging in there with Parks and Recreation.

8. Board member comments

Board Member Engle thanked staff for working through this difficult time, thanked board members who were able to make the league meeting, and said the open streets initiative sounds interesting.

Board Member Montgomery said he is looking forward to a Turquoise county and beyond, and to a return to normalcy and getting youth involved in out-of-the-house activities.

Board Member Schuller thanked the board for everything, said she is excited to see everybody back in action, and commended the Parks and Recreation group for working diligently and getting everything ready for league play and summer events.

Chair McClure said she thought the league meeting went well and is thankful everything is going back up again.

Recorded votes

Left open at the gavel