and beautification committee meeting.

Vicky, can I have a roll call, please?

Commissioner Paula.

Here.

Commissioner Cassals.

Here.

Saber Smith.

Here.

Philip Frazy?

Here.

Brian Davis.

Here.

Todd Kirkendall?

Here.

Commissioner Jones.

Here.

Commissioner Porter.

Kim Tipton?

Here.

Jamal Williams.

Here.

Thank you, Vicky.

Before you and our packet, we have the minutes from our last meeting, July 21st.

Has everyone had time to review those?

And I will take a motion for approval.

So moved.

Second.

I have a motion and a second.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Anyone opposed?

Same sign?

The minutes from July 21st are approved.

First on the agenda under new business tonight.

We have communication regarding the Clovis Wings shooting complex and archery range.

We're going to have a report on the annual report from Mr.

Hooper.

Yes.

Thank y'all letting me present this.

Hopefully am I not hearing better okay thank you.

Mr.

Howald I appreciate that assistance.

We did one last year.

We did one this year.

Basically I've copied that into y'all's packet so y'all had all the details.

That's it's an improvement from before.

With those with our agreement with the uh state all funds that are generated have to be kind of be put back into that facility.

So this year we bought a new mo mower for out there so we can help clean up so basically the shooting range didn't have to borrow from someone else to go out and mow their stuff.

So that was part of the process and it was just it's good to be able to pay for something out of what you made you know so didn't come in as a new line item some of the events we had there this year we had uh three senior olympics air rifle different tournaments a Logan zone shoot high school rodeo trap shoot Melrose zone ATA one day shoot there was a head to head shoot um Southwest district 4H there was a contest I believe they did everything from shooting to archery to other stuff and we had at least over where we had 500 education classes going on.

I can answer anything else but like I say the majority of us in there a lot of that information is just stuff we have to report our standard operating procedures copies of insurance and things like that.

Thank you Russell I did have a chance to look through it and it you did a good job.

Does anybody have any questions on the committee regarding the report okay very good thank you good job all right next under new business we have discussion recommendation regarding the capital improvement list did we want to keep that or do we want to go ahead and thank you madam chair members of the committee yes and so obviously we've been working uh on the capital alley list making various improvements throughout the city one of the items that we had set funds aside for was improvements uh to our baseball facilities and potentially building uh two new baseball facilities we've been trying to work with uh the the three different leagues uh and and trying to ascertain on whether or not they would come together and form one league within the city um it doesn't appear that that is potentially going to happen and so what we are looking to do is potentially reallocate those funds still utilize them for baseball um however uh not build two new fields and looking how we could replace lights at the existing fields make improvements to the um whatever improvements and working with the leagues to do that one of the things that uh we would like to do is eliminate lockwood field as well as brady field uh two of the leagues have discussed and we're just waiting on confirmation from them uh on one of the leagues disbanding um and so that would leave us with just two leagues uh that then we would be able to potentially um not have lockwood as well as brady and so we're still working with them uh on these processes but until uh we have come to an agreement amongst the organizations uh we are not moving forward with uh building the two fields at this point in time like I said just still trying to work with the organizations uh to see um what direction uh they're willing to head so uh while we had it on here we were hoping uh to have something resolved uh by this uh date uh however we haven't been able to do that so uh we'll continue to work with them okay thank you mr howalt do you want to uh uh leave it at that and then put this on a future agenda yes ma'am okay very good all right next under new business discussion regarding entrance and parking fees at private events thank you uh madam chair members of the committee and so uh recently there was an event held uh at one of our uh uh fields and the the applicant for it or the host had uh entered into an agreement with us or some misunderstanding so we're working through those details with them some language barriers uh but we're working through those details one thing that they did at that particular event though is they charged for parking and they charged for gate entry to get into it um this is not something that we have experienced in the past and so we didn't really have any good direction or any uh guidance uh to to lean on it in regards to

And so uh recently there was an event held uh at one of our uh uh fields, and the the applicant for it or the host had uh entered into an agreement with us.

There's some misunderstandings, so we were working through those details with them, some language barriers, uh, but we're working through those details.

One thing that they did at that particular event though is they charged for parking and they charged for gate entry to get into it.

Um this is not something that we have experienced in the past, and so we didn't really have any good direction or any uh guidance uh to to lean on in in regards to this matter.

Um, however, when I started thinking about it and started thinking about uh events in general where people are renting facilities for us or have uh um user agreements that are exclusive to them, we do allow obviously those hosts, so say a fun run in the park, they charge for fun runs in the park um or at a softball tournament, they're obviously charging entry fees for that.

And so it's just not something that we ever come across before.

Obviously, the civic center, if somebody's having something there, they can charge to get into that venue.

And so my thought process is that if somebody is renting something from us or has an exclusive user agreement with us, that they basically have control of that facility and have the ability uh to charge to get in or out of it off or get into it.

Um and so just really wanted to confirm that thought process with you guys.

Um if you uh disagree, uh then we'll have to have a different uh agenda item and then make recommendation on it.

But uh really just kind of wanted to put that in front of you and make sure that uh we're tracking and are all on the same page.

So happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Howell.

Does anyone have any questions?

Um I have a question, Madam Chair.

Yes.

Um Mr.

Holwalt, are the softball and baseball fields paying their user fee?

Uh Mr.

Hooper.

Uh yes.

Um remember there's two types of fees.

There's a user fee, which is a player fee.

Um, so all the youth, I'm getting the numbers for those and currently uh Mr.

Hamilton's still covering the youth fees.

The adults have been paying.

Then there's also an exclusivity fee, which we're working with them.

We have been getting stuff, or they've been making the improvements to cover their expenses.

So, yes, that has been happening.

I guess the question may be are we getting the data in a timely fashion?

That's after four emails, yes.

So, yeah, there is there is some of that.

Um, I think the original uh contracts are they're supposed to have us during the middle of the season.

Normally at the end of the season, we have start asking.

So to make sure those get covered.

Okay, thank you.

You are getting the information though prior to the next season.

Mostly so there is some of that that we do we do have to keep going until yeah.

There's been some that take longer than others.

And I without getting into specifics of which ones, right?

So yeah, so madam chair, uh commissioner, so are we upholding our end of the bargain?

Yes.

We are making sure people are doing what uh or where we are doing what we are supposed to be doing.

It becomes challenging when we're asking for schedules and we are not getting schedules.

Um from a maintenance standpoint, we don't need to know every team when they're playing.

We need to know you're using the fields from this time to this time on these days of the week.

It allows us to schedule mowing, it allows us to schedule watering.

Uh we know when you're starting.

So obviously, if a league is not utilizing a facility throughout the winter months, and and we'll scale back and adjust how we're performing our maintenance on that particular facility because we may have other higher priority areas during that time period.

If they don't tell us when they're starting, and then they come to us and start complaining that we haven't cut the grass or we haven't done something, we didn't know you're gonna be out there.

And so it it really takes the leagues communicating with us so we know how to plan our maintenance accordingly.

Mr.

Hooper, is there something that the this committee can put in place to help you get the information you need in a timely manner?

I I don't know.

I mean, there's obviously some options there.

Um and it varies so much between the leagues and between different groups.

I already have next year's spring schedule from the soccer complex.

So I know what day they're gonna start striping their fields, what day their season ends.

That's all I care about.

Yeah, I mean, you know, I say it that way, but some of the others I have haven't gotten in years.

I don't get scared.

Madam Chair, I would just say support.

Support, yeah.

So when we don't, if people complain and they haven't provided us the information that they're required to provide us, that's I mean, that's where I would start.

Okay, that's fair.

We can do that.

And I know it's like it did a couple times where we've gotten hit on hey, we're using this my caris this weekend.

Can you all have it mowed?

And it's like Friday afternoon.

You know, so so I can try to get someone there Friday morning, but other times I may not be able to.

But if I didn't even know, I'll take the blame when you've given me a week's notice.

Okay.

That's fair.

Well, you have our full support.

Thank you.

Okay.

Madam Chair.

Yes, tomorrow.

May I um comment as a as a user as one of the leagues?

Um it is not as um easy to communicate and to get um answers as it is being said right now.

Um I have that personal experience.

Um and even the schedules, I believe when we said, hey, I believe it's eight, is it April the mid year or something we do it?

I think it should the new user fee should start in like December or January.

That's when the that would line up a little bit better.

But um, just as a user, um, it is not easy.

The the communication is both ways, and it's not as easy as um, you know, even even the results of like, hey, can we get or the the mowing schedules and things like that that is not as um simple as it you know is being said right now, you know.

So tell me where you're uh where you're having the difficulty in communication.

Is it via like you feel like you're not getting response to emails or phone calls or well um like I've I've been able to call Russell, I've talked to him uh it was a few months ago.

I haven't called him in several months, but I was able to talk to him, but before I wouldn't I would never never able to be able to get in touch with them be um via phone.

Um sometimes emails would be you know it's kind of a back and forth.

Sometimes he would see it, sometimes I would miss it, and you know, the email is not the best way, but um I can attest to that it has been difficult to get um results or answers from parks and rec.

So is it possible for and I'm just gonna use your league as an example, but we can use soccer or whatever, when you have your schedule um and you kind of know the week that your games are gonna start, uh your opening day that you guys do, um and you know what days of the week you're gonna practice and what days of the week you're gonna have games, which is probably every day, but Sunday I would imagine or maybe Sunday too.

Is it possible for that schedule to be emailed to Parks and Rec?

Absolutely.

Um that's I don't think that's difficult for any league to do to tell their schedule.

Okay.

And I think we all generally start around the same time, but that is not it.

That's not a difficult ask.

Yeah.

I think it maybe the email, in my opinion, seems it typically to be the best way to correspond because there's a record of it.

And so if you can um send that as soon as you have it, I think then you've done your due diligence to get those fields mowed and everything taken care of.

But I'm certainly happy if you do get frustrated to help you out.

Thank you.

Okay.

Anyone else?

Yes, ma'am.

I I have a quick question about the parking fees.

I I have to assume when you're doing these private events, you're taking the entire area if you're doing parking fees.

I mean, I'm just thinking if if if I were to I suppose I can reserve a part of Greenacre Park if I wanted to, right?

Yes.

For an event.

Now, if I'm charging parking fees, and there are other people who are not coming to my event that are just going to use other parts of Green Acres Park.

Um I'm just concerned about the parking fees.

Yeah, absolutely, and I think that's a fantastic question.

And so I think it's something that we would work once again.

This was new to us.

And so I think we would just have to work with the event organizer when they're doing that.

An event in Hillcrest Park obviously is much more challenging to do that versus say an event that's going to be held um at in this particular instance the soccer fields.

And so if it's because we do have multiple uses of that parking lot, um, and I don't think that they please correct me if I'm wrong because I wasn't out there for along 14th Street.

I don't think they utilize the entire 14th Street side.

They only use the portion that was in front of the soccer fields themselves for their event that they charged to get into.

So they still left parking for the softball fields or for Jim Hillfield on on the way down.

And so I think that's a question for us now to uh ask the event coordinators if they are going to do something like that, then we would need to be able to plan a corner and work it out.

Okay.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Did you have something else, Claire?

It just when we look at when we're looking at our event form.

Okay.

A great question, Mr.

Frazy.

I had that same question as well.

Uh I had a question on that also is will there be a fee to the event holder?

No, that I mean our rental charges are our rental charges.

So I mean, I whether or not we want to change our rental charges because they're charging for gate access, or if they're charging for parking.

Um, you know, I I then we say, well, what are you charging?

And so how could we create a fee schedule that is try encompass everything?

Did we give you the direction you're looking for?

If y'all are tracking, I'm tracking.

I'm tracking.

Anyone else?

Okay.

Um next up we have reports.

Mr.

Hooper, we're ready for your parks report.

Yes.

Um parks maintenance.

Uh basically we've changed up the ways we've done some of our crews.

We kind of split into a two two crews.

Instead of having a mow crew and a weed eating crew, we're now trying to encompass all that to where there's mowers, weed eaters.

We're wanting to complete a park instead of mowing the park, and then two days later the weed eaters come.

So just and I discussed this, and we kind of went over how we could divide it out.

Um so we've set that up now.

Um right now our maintenance crew's down or four employees.

Uh so we're still we're j we're juggling it and we're trying to transition, but hopefully now that some of the rains have slowed down like it did last night at night four.

Um so that's helping us catch up.

Uh the vector has started the mosquitoes for the third pass uh this year, so it's been a lot more than usual.

Normally we do one before or one late May and then one mid-July, and then this one we're having to do a third one just because it's as we know it rained every other day.

Um we recently had a uh another grant from the state for forestry.

This was one that we'd written about two years ago that somehow got skipped on their level that they didn't reapply, so it's a sixty thousand dollar grant.

Um it is applicable at Ned How and Hillcrest for planting, removing, and infrastructure.

So we now have two of those that we're working on.

Very good.

Is this gonna go for trees?

True, it's all forestry.

Um in the one I have in town, which would be for everything from veterans to sunset to potter and and that sort of traffic.

Then I got the hill crest of Ned Houk.

Um, we can do infrastructure, and so a lot of that will be basically irrigation improvement, so I can water the trees I put in.

I've got a budget line for to put in new trees.

I just gotta water them, and that's some of the biggest expense, so just make sure they last.

Okay, very good.

And Madam Chair, um, members of the park sport, if I may.

Um, I don't know.

Well, last week we met with uh representative from landwater conservation fund out at NedHouck, uh Mr.

Hooper, Mr.

Howalt, um our grant coordinator and Brian Harris, who's the NedHack Park Superintendent, and we toured the whole area with them.

They were extremely excited by the Ned Hack Master Plan.

We gave them a copy of that, and they've had the opportunity to review it.

The first piece will now be to look at the fencing.

Um, and we're going to be bringing an um an item to the commission asking to apply for a million dollars to accomplish that as the first phase.

Um, of course, as it's a federal uh federal grant and it is it will be in perpetuity.

Um, but there are other projects that have been funded in perpetuity with landwater conservation funds in the past at NedHouck.

So we're just gonna be able to apply again and again, um, which is what we intend to do to continue to implement the Ned Hack uh master plan.

So that's exciting.

Um and then the parking lot piece with the grant funds that we receive the 500,000 dollars.

That's um the commission has um encumbered some of those funds to pay consensus planning to uh to work on moving that project forward um from a design perspective.

So uh so that's on the way.

And then we're also uh we're just being notified by the state today that the uh regional uh there's a regional uh grant that's out there for regional uh quality of life recreational centers.

So we're gonna be bringing some recommendations to you guys to the commission as to what to utilize those funds for, and then there's also a recreational trails plus grant out there um that we can actually apply for and a different fund.

So there's all kinds of grants that we're that we're after at the moment, thank you.

Great.

Claire, the that 500,000 for the new parking lot, is that for design and build?

Okay.

Yes, and uh commission madam chair, members of the parts board.

Um yeah, so there's 500,000 for that, and then I think the city's put in another 240, 250 as matching funds to uh to accomplish that.

Okay, very good.

Thank you.

And then we just also have received a 20,000 grant for um trails out at Ned Hype Park, but just waiting for that agreement to arrive from the Department of Game and Fish.

Very good.

All right.

Is that all, Mr.

Hooper?

You're good?

Okay.

Amy, we're ready for the recreation update.

Good evening.

I'm gonna start with the Aquatic Center uh first tonight because there's not a whole lot about the Aquatic Center, just what she's provided me with.

Um she said summer ran pretty good with the splash pad was busy all the time.

She had to shut down Potter a couple of times because of lack of lifeguards.

Um but that that part is over, the busy part's over.

Now it's just open on the weekends until Labor Day.

Um so she said that the new doors are installed, and they're 88 compliant, so she's excited about that, and those are getting used.

And then swimming lessons started June 2nd and ran through the 24th, and I think they were pretty full.

Uh the swim, the swim club, Clovis Swim Club, uh has the swim the lessons.

Uh lots of lots of young kids involved in that.

Um, she did also tell me that I think starting tomorrow they're having water aerobics.

Somebody has uh volunteered to have Tuesday and Thursday water water aerobics at 10 o'clock.

So pretty excited about that.

She's she said that most of the employees are and I know that they are, they're students, so she's still running really low on lifeguards now that school has started.

Uh so we're we're just kind of seeing what we can do about that.

Hopefully, we won't run into any hiccups.

So um, but that's the report for the aquatic center.

Does anybody have any questions at all that I might be able to answer?

All right, so for Roy Walker, the leak in the lobby was fixed.

He ran 50 to 60 feet of uh copper piping, and I think he ran into a couple of hiccups, but it is completely done, thank goodness.

Um so that was that was installed.

Griego's is there right now putting doors in.

Well, not right now, but you know, they have and they have been there this last all last week, and they were there bright and early this morning.

Um so they're they're gonna be nice, nice doors when they when they finally get them get them done.

Uh in the process of putting the doors in, and and I know that Mr.

Howalt came over and and Russell came over.

They had to cut the I don't know if how many of you recall the the stone on the front of the building.

They had to cut because the 180A door is gonna run into that, so it wasn't gonna be able to open all the way, so they had to cut the stone.

So now we've just got partial stone on both sides, and then and I think they're going to fix that at some at some point two horses going to come in there and put something in there to fix it.

So it doesn't look the greatest right now, but that's all right.

We've got new doors.

Um coed volleyball starts uh on September the what did I put eighth.

So it's about to start and it will run all the way through November the 13th.

So that'll be Monday night co-ed volleyball.

The next year in January will start a really busy time for volleyball.

I also had a lady reach out to me, and she's wanting to start a Zumba class.

And so I I talked to her, she came in, she met with me.

Very nice lady.

She actually just relocated here from Albuquerque, and she's going to do it for volunteering.

She's gonna volunteer right now.

And I've got a lot of people already interested, so I'm really excited to see if it if it grows.

And so we've got that perfect room.

She's got her own equipment, her speaker, she's got all that stuff.

So she's she's real excited.

So I'm hoping that it's a big hit.

So she said she's gonna do it Tuesday nights for now, and then if it's a big hit, she's gonna move to Thursdays, but she's just volunteering for right now, and and we'll just kind of see where it goes from there.

So a lot of interest in Zumba.

I've never done it, so I don't really know.

Um the summer youth program, it officially ended.

It did pick up as the summer progressed.

Um I think we averaged somewhere around 20 to 21 kids per week, which is not good.

Um, but like I said, it it it did it did pick up.

Um we did a lot of fun things, field trips, um, we had some neat guest speakers, and I do have some pictures um that I hope that they're ready to go with, and they're not in any kind of order, you guys.

Uh so they were just kind of through my phone, and I just kind of threw it together.

But um, so if you have any questions as we go, um I can sure answer those.

Is this working?

Oh, there it is.

So there's our mayor.

He did an outstanding job.

He came in and read to the kids and did an activity with them.

And then I brought them over to Roy Walker one day, and they thought they were really neat being in a gym.

They went to the Close Fun Center and then the zoo came over.

Stephanie brought the tortoise and uh well, I I don't know, it was a lizard or something.

I don't know my reptiles very good.

The kids, a lot of them loved pickleball, and and I I had some good employees.

I got out there with them and tried to help them serve and uh had had fun doing that.

Just some indoor games.

The kids played cards, Uno, Monopoly, uh, went out, shot baskets on the new courts.

So they had fun doing that too.

There is uh Robbie Johnson on the left and Mayor Morris on the right talking to the kids.

And we went out to Windrush Alpaca Farm, and I don't know if y'all have ever been around those, but they're pretty interesting.

This is the the um project that uh Margaret Johnson had provided uh bought us the bags to do the tr the litter, the bags, and the kids painted them and provided us with books, and so the the counselors would would read to the kids.

So that's what they're doing in that picture.

Uh Clovis Fire Department came and that was a big hit with several of the boys.

They thought that was pretty neat.

So there's another picture of the fire department, and then on the right, they did a water, the girls would get water balloons and do all kinds of activities with the kids out in the park.

There's Mayor Morris again.

There's the what is that, Stephanie?

Dragon.

That's a bearded dragon, okay.

And there's Russell's granddaughter right there with the hat on.

Uh Gina Gossett Davis came and did a neat activity with the kids, brought her own, all of her own supplies.

It was really it was really neat.

She had the kids 100% interest in what she was doing.

And and I believe that was um they were painting 4th of July something or other on that.

Yeah.

That that was the week that we went out to the base, and that was that was a really really good field trip that we did out there.

Um they entertained us the whole time.

They had stations, STEM stations for us, virtual reality.

I got to do that for the first time.

That was really, really fun as well, even at my age.

It's cute.

Chunk chunk would have enjoyed that.

I know.

And then we had uh Williams Livestock Ranch come with bring the goats, and that was another big hit.

The kids love that.

They're just cute.

And I just wanted to, you know, uh say thanks, special thanks to all of them.

And I didn't, I think I did, yeah, I added Albertsons on there as well because they provided us with the snacks.

So any questions?

Great job, Amy.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Stephanie, we're ready for the zoo update.

I actually do not have a PowerPoint today.

I let AV take care of that today.

I only have two updates, so I figured I'd just make it quick.

Um, so Christmas in July was a huge hit.

We did it for four nights, Thursday through Sunday, and we had about 950 people in total, and we um the zoo for those four days made $5,533.

Um, and of course, the biggest night was with uh snail the sloss debut, and he's finally gotten used to his exhibit, so we're gonna start doing behind the scenes with him now.

Uh it's super exciting, he's so cute.

Um, and then my second update is that we have a zoo beautification event.

It's gonna be a small one on September 13th.

We just need someone to come and help us um trim the rose bushes.

Uh, I don't know how to do that, so I'm gonna ask expertise from the community.

Um, other than that, that's all I have.

Okay, very good.

How many volunteers are you looking for for the honestly?

I have no idea.

Maybe like 20 to 25.

Not many.

I'm sure you'll put them to use doing all sorts of things.

Oh, I that's a thing, it's just like if if they want to help doing other stuff, the keepers always have so many things they need help with.

What time are you gonna do that zoo beautification event?

Um, it's on a Saturday, so I'm thinking 10 o'clock in the morning.

Okay.

So everyone has time to sleep in.

Okay, I'll give you a shout out at the meeting on Thursday.

Okay, sounds good.

And you want them to call the zoo if they're interested.

Okay, very good.

I'll I'll probably make a Facebook post and make a little um sign-up list.

Um, or if people just want to show up that day, it is it doesn't really matter.

But yeah, like I said, we're gonna get all the equipment, we'll get some like pruners and everything that people need to trim a rose bush because I don't know how to do that.

But yeah, all right, sounds great.

Um do we have anything for the good of the order?

We have some rose bushes at City Hall if anybody would want to confirm those as well.

Um, Madam Chair, members of the committee.

In case you didn't know, we have applied.

Um, the commission approved applying for another outdoor equity grant for the summer youth program for next year.

So we just want to hear if we receive that.

No, we haven't heard yet.

Correct.

Okay, very good.

Our next meeting will be Monday, September 15th at 5 30 here in the North Annex.

We are adjourned.