I'd like to call to order the February 16th, 2026 meeting of Parks and Recs Commission.

Would you all please stand for pledge of allegiance to the flag?

Underground liberty just to next item on our agenda is approval of the November 20th, 2025 minutes.

Has everyone had a chance to review them?

Yes.

I'll make a motion to approve the minutes.

May I have a second?

All those in favor?

I can do a roll call.

Do a roll call, please.

Yeah, I'll do the I'll do the roll call.

I just is Commissioner Edwards.

All right, I'm gonna go ahead and do the roll call with who we have.

Um Commissioner Romero.

And do you approve the minutes?

Um hi, Commissioner Edwards.

We're approving the minutes right now, which I guess you weren't here last month.

Uh Commissioner Herrera.

Do you approve the minute?

Yes.

Uh Commissioner French Barger.

Here, yes.

And Commissioner Leading.

Here, yes.

And Commissioner Edwards, are you present?

Can you hear us?

Present.

Yes.

Welcome.

Thank you.

The minutes have been approved.

Next item is staff presentations, reports, and comments.

First up is Diane Sonye, Project's Division Manager.

Good evening, Ms.

Chairwoman.

Um, commissioners.

I'm gonna try and focus some of my comments this evening.

We'll see if it works.

Um, so some of our uh projects that we have under construction at this time.

Um we have already talked a little bit about our Vista Sandia uh park playground replacement and shade structure project.

Um the actual playground structure is in, they're working on the poured in place surfacing, which is like a resilient surfacing, and that's around much of the two to five and the five to twelve year old child playground structures.

It's there to provide not only fall attenuation but ADA or handicap access, and that's part of our plans going for forward whenever we replace playgrounds to comply with federal accessibility standards and our own 2014 ADA transition plan.

So that is underway.

This shade structure, I think it may have even been finished today.

It's a cantilever shade structure, so hopefully it'll add another element where people can sit and not only maybe there's some picnic tables that exist in that area, but maybe they can have a snack but also watch their children play, and that was a bond-funded project.

Um we also have a short uh uh 30 by 30 shade structure going in at Star Heights Park, and we've been working with the contractor on that.

Um, so we've come up with a layout and we hope to begin construction on that in the next two to three weeks.

Um, and that is federally funded.

So we hope to see that completed, and it's uh immediately adjacent to the basketball courts, which were recently replaced using governor uh the governor general obligation bond monies from the same funding year as the Vista Sandia uh playground project is.

Sorry for my uh misuse of words there.

Um we also happen to have two pool pump replacement projects that are in the per process of being purchased.

We're just trying to move some money, and once we have that, we'll be purchasing the equipment, and it would be nice to see if we could get those outdoor pool pumps at Haynes and at Rainbow replaced before the outdoor pool season.

Um finger crossed, we will be able to do so.

Um I don't know if any of you have driven by the Broadmoor Senior Center at all off of Broadmoor itself and then going into the senior center, but um we have been making steady progress on that project.

If you were to see the outdoor programming terrace, I think you'd be really excited because the concrete work is done, the shade structures are up, we'll have some artificial turf going in and some electrical for some lights and things like that going in.

We'll have some artificial turf going in and some electrical for some lights and things like that going in.

We're starting to work on the exterior hardscape and landscaping, and of course, the multi-purpose room, which will not only allow for additional programming at the Broadmoor Senior Center, it'll also allow for play of like pickleball indoors.

There is well, it's it's it looks like more of a room in a building every day that I go and look at it.

So it's it's doing pretty good.

Um we were hoping it would be done by the end of March, but we're have having some exterior conflicts with existing conditions of a sewer line that is conflicting with a critical point of drainage, and we're trying to find how to make both of those things mesh on the site.

It will be resolved, but um, yeah, we're looking forward to before the summer here, and uh it'd be nice to see what they get to program there.

Um also we have a lot of planning going on.

Um, we're in the process of obtaining costs for purchase and installation for the benches, trash cans, picnic tables, and dog waste stations for phase two of campus park.

So where there's quite a few shade structures and things like that, with maybe only the big stone block type seating.

That was a different additive alternate to the overall construction project, and we ended up having adequate funds at the end to go ahead and purchase those.

So we're working on that.

Um we also asked at mid year to obtain funds to design and then fabricate transport and install some monument signage for campus park so people know they've arrived, and that it would be in keeping with the rest of the aesthetics of the park, and some of that mid-year funding also will be helping our streets and right-of-way traffic engineering division update some of the existing city center signage that says you know, like one city hall.

Well, it'll add campus park to that.

So that way people find it easier to find our new kind of civic plaza for one of a better term.

So that should be going in relatively soon.

Um other things that we're starting the planning for is sports complex phase three.

Um, we're hoping that we might get some legislative appropriation this year.

It would be nice.

Um, but in order to be eligible for that or future near future grant funding, we needed to have updated plan set.

So we had construction plan sets for phase three, but they needed to be reviewed and stamped for current code compliance.

So it's we're in the process of doing that now.

We also received a grant to design the replacement of the Enchanted Hills Neighborhood Trail that goes from Chiotte Road through the Enchanted Hills neighborhood, even kind of through Mountain View Park, then along the drainage channel.

It's actually called the Incantado Channel, this whole stretch.

Um, and then it loops around all the way down to Enchanted Hills Boulevard.

It's about a 12-foot wide existing asphalt trail, but it has a lot of cracks.

It was constructed originally on compacted sand, and so we're gonna replace that, make sure it's ADA compliant again, and then also is built on base course, which should give it uh a much longer lifespan, functional lifespan, and the design.

This is the design money for that.

Um we're hoping that the design will identify two phases of construction, and that will be able to apply for a similar grant to actually complete that construction as well.

But right now we're we're working on design for that, or I should say the procurement for the design for that.

Um, we are also in the process of designing the replacement of the King Meadows Park parking lot.

Um, it's a relatively old parking lot, it has a lot of cracks in it, it has some integrated asphalt basketball courts, and initially we would demolish all of that.

Our handicapped parking does not meet current code or accessibility because the asphalt has aged.

So the intent is to make better handicap parking to resurface or replace all of that asphalt.

We will carve out an area for the two basketball courts and we will formalize them instead of being basketball courts that are asphalt and part of the parking lot to make them standalone concrete basketball courts.

Um, and so once we have this design completed, it'll be at least in two phases, and then we'll take it to the governing body or even grant sources to see if we can fund the actual construction of that design.

We were looking at building pickleball courts because there's a lot of demand for pickleball courts, six to eight courts if we can fit them in, possibly phasing it if funding becomes a problem.

There would also be uh interior park connective trail from Willow Road down into the park because there will be there's a subdivision that's developing up on top of the slope of this park, and they will have some impact fees that go towards the park.

So making that connection that will fund part of that, those impact fees.

Um, and then also putting in a small grass area, a parking lot associated with the Pickleball Court, and maybe a couple of other features.

So it would be nice because that park um phase one was built and designed like through almost 2009, and it's we've not been able to make headway on it since.

So now there's some leadership and other um momentum that's gonna help us apply for that.

And and once we have this design, we would like to apply for another regional um recreation grant if it's available to see if it can fund construction, um, even if it's in two phases park.

Um, and then let's see.

That was what I had for um construction projects.

And if there aren't any questions, well, if there are questions, I'll answer, and if there aren't, I'll move on to keep rear rancho beautiful.

Any questions, commissioners?

Um, having no questions.

Um this month, um, I want to say on was it the 10th of February, um, our keep rear rancho beautiful division staff went to the Think Trees conference, um, which is really nice.

Hopefully, they're learning some uh techniques, just general information because they have grant funding and other funding that promotes planting trees, replacing dead or dying trees in parks, but also growing our urban canopy in our public spaces, and um the more they can learn about how best to plant them, maintain them the better.

Um also we have um our keep rear rancho beautiful coordinator Nick Dahl, he will be attending that's a grant funded uh conference, uh meaning that we have a state grant that will fund his attendance to the National Keep America Beautiful conference, and that's here at the end of the month, and then also here at the end of the month and also beginning of March will be um the rollout of the 2026, also the 50.

No, I forget the which year anniversary it is.

Is it trying to remember?

There's the the national birthday that it's celebrating, and then I thought there was also a Keep America Beautiful Birthday at celebrating, but it's our 2026 Great American cleanup, and so if you may recall in past years, that's everything from the clean campus contest, we do a tree seedling giveaway, we have a variety of classes, we participate in a lot of outreach related to community stewardship and beautification, in addition to just cleaning up litter or reducing litter and solid waste that's misplaced throughout our community, and it kind of comes to a head with the Great American cleanup the first Saturday of May.

And that's what's coming up, and we also are hoping to invite very soon our new Keeper Rancho Beautiful program specialist.

Um comments, commissioners.

Thank you, Diane.

We'll now move on to parks and facilities update.

Charles Fernandez, superintendent.

Hello, commissioners.

Um since the last time we spoke, um we've had quite a few hires, and so I'm pleased about that.

So we've had seven new hires since the last time we met.

Uh in fact, we just had four start today and two more on the way for next Monday.

And those two are from a result of the rapid hire event that was done through human resources, and so that was really successful with us, and uh we're excited about getting the additional two starting next Monday, and that'll just leave us with two openings left, uh, which is pretty good for um what we've been dealing with for quite some time now.

We did get one position approved at mid-year, so I definitely want to thank Connie for uh getting that approved.

And that's much needed for us.

In addition to that position being approved, we also got uh other project money approved.

So we got site furnishings that uh we are currently ordering, and it will be replacement items as well as new items uh throughout the city on various parks.

So some if we had a damaged trash can or a table, there are they're being replaced, and some areas were just adding to what we have already out at the parks, and it's gonna be quite I feel like quite an upgrade throughout the entire city on various parks of new and older parks, and um also with uh new year or uh sorry, mid-year funding.

We also got approved for uh playground wood chips for nine park playgrounds, uh and that's in addition to already our operating budget of putting some wood chips in at various playgrounds as well.

So that's really a great addition for uh the park maintenance division to be getting all these things approved.

So definitely thankful for all that.

Uh, with such a dry winter we've had lately and the warm temperatures, we're starting to water a little bit earlier and a little bit more often.

So, in doing so, we're trying to wrap up our winter projects.

We still have those going on as well, but we're trying to right now mix between the two and tie up loose ends with these winter projects and get going with uh spring startup.

So you're gonna see that happening more and more, and with warmer temperatures comes the weeds, of course.

So we're gonna be starting to spray um pretty soon.

We haven't begun any spraying yet.

We've been doing some just uh manual weed control, but uh the spraying will happen probably within the next two, three weeks, and that's providing that we don't have uh windy conditions.

But um aside from that, it's just been just trying to keep up with everything, and I think the crew's done a fantastic job and excited about all these new hires, and um hopefully by the next meeting we'll have filled these last two and kept everybody else and have uh a full crew to work with, and that's really all I have tonight.

Unless you have any questions for me, I can try to answer answer for you now or get back to you on commissioners.

Any questions?

Thank you, Charles.

I'm going to slip in right here.

Um, a report by Bianca Baca.

She's not on the agenda.

Um, she's the division manager for manager for the aquatics.

Uh so she's going to give us an update.

Good evening, commissioners.

Renee, uh, I'd like to say hi and welcome.

It's nice to see you uh the parks and recreation commission.

So welcome.

Thank you, Bianca.

Okay, so in the past two months, we hosted three really big high school meets.

Um the last meet we hosted was last weekend.

That was a qualifier for state.

We hosted 13 teams.

So it's always exciting to be able to show off our facility, especially now with the renovations and the projects.

Um we have a lot of positive feedback.

We're happy so far with the renovation.

Um that project is near complete.

Um, and that was the HVAC for the pool deck air, as well as the lockers, the party room, the lobby, the regular air, uh, floors in the bathrooms, and the whole facility.

They were polished or added texture.

The bathrooms were painted, the stucco uh has been done.

That was completed last month.

Well, we had nice weather.

Um the pools were acid washed, all the tile was sand beaded, and the old pool packs were demoed and they've been removed.

So the only thing we're waiting on now is the cow panel.

Um that's gonna be on the back end of it's kind of a window, but uh glazed window on the back end where the old intake of fresh air would come in.

Those will be replaced with that, and test and balance started this week, so they will be in the building between 11 and 2 when we're closed.

They will be testing and balancing the air for the pool deck, the lobby and the party rooms.

Also ICIP we did receive funding for a new chemical controller at Cabazone.

So that is done and completed that was installed two weeks ago so that's a nice upgrade for our staff and our chemical needs at Cabazone.

Right now our main focus is gearing up for the summer.

So our seasonal aquatic positions they'll go live on the City of Rio Rancho website on Monday, March 2nd.

And we will be hiring for pool managers, head lifeguards, lifeguards, junior lifeguards, cashiers at all sites Haynes Rainbow, Cabazone, and the Rio Rancho Aquatic Center.

Lifeguard training for new certifications will begin on April 16th.

It's a Thursday and that course will run at the Rio Rancho Aquatic Center through Monday, April 20th.

Life Guard minimum age is 15 years old and junior lifeguard minimum age is 14.

High school swim team's last day is this Friday 220 and we will have the competition pool for the public to use again from three to five so that space will no longer be occupied with swim team.

I will get that to Connie and Noah and we can set it in a get it in a packet for you guys.

Just if you'd like to share that for us that'd be great.

We need probably 60 lifeguards.

So that's that's where our hands are full.

That's all I have for this evening unless you all have questions any questions commissioners.

Thank you Bianca thank you next on the agenda is um the deputy director's report Noah Trojillo reporting.

Good evening commissioners I have a short report today I just wanted to let you guys know that we have already started our summer planning Bianca alluded it to alluded to it we've met with HR a couple weeks ago so we're in the process of again opening hiring on March 2nd we have over a hundred positions within the department that we're hiring for the summer obviously most of those come from aquatics but we're also hiring for our summer camps summer camps will take place at Star Heights Haynes Cabazon Sabana and the hub and registration for the summer camps for those that have children will open in April also wanted to mention I guess coming off the success of our summer basketball or our winter basketball program we are going to introduce a spring basketball program which we've never done before so that registration has already opened and it'll be a condensed season starting on April 12th ending on May 17th so we'll see how that goes and that's all I have any questions commissioners any comments thank you Noah thank you next is our director's report Connie Peterson director good evening commissioners again welcome Commissioner Edwards she replaced uh Commissioner Edder who was here in November I believe we interviewed probably three months ago but then we we didn't have our meetings in in December December and January so uh commissioner Edwards has been on board for a couple months now we just didn't have a meeting so again welcome and I didn't know if you wanted to say anything Commissioner Edwards.

I am just really looking forward to finding out how I can serve this community through this uh position I've been part of Rio Rancho uh since I was young and in high school and I'm not young in high school anymore and um so I have a lot of history some is some is good and some is history that we don't want to repeat uh in our community but I just um it's just an honor to be here and be part of something that I take a lot of pride in as uh Ms.

That my report and uh some of the attachments.

Um of the upcoming activities that are included in the brochure, but it's not all of them.

I just wanted to list some of the ones coming up here in March and April.

Uh again, Diane mentioned the tree seedling giveaway that's on April 18th.

Uh, we've got a rummage sale at Cabazone on April 11th, the Spring Fling craft sale is at Sabana Grande on March 21st.

We've got our first shop local of the year coming up at Cabazone Park on April 4th.

Uh, the eggs and bagin adoption event that's an animal adoption event coming up on April 11th, and that's at Cabazone Community Center and Park.

The Park in the Park Car Show is out here at Campus Park on April 25th, and then we have a new program this year.

It's a called Brunch with a Bunny.

That's March 21st, and that's a new program at Camazone Community Center.

And again, the rest of the programs are included in the brochure.

I just wanted to note the ones coming up here in the next eight weeks.

The brochure also highlights a lot of our regularly scheduled ongoing programs, such as the Kids Zone program, which are which is our preschool at Savannah Grande, tons of homeschool PE classes, uh the inline skating program at Savannah.

We have several little learners' classes at Cabazone, lots of arts and class classes throughout all of our community centers.

The gymnastics program is very popular.

It's a Savana Grande, cooking classes at Cab Zone, all of our swimming lessons and recreational swim times, um, and the numerous land classes that we have at the indoor aquatic center are all posted in the brochure or listed in the brochure.

Um archery programs, those are at Savana Grande.

We have lots of fitness and dance programs throughout all of our community centers and aquatic center, various clubs.

Most of those are at Star Heights.

We've got a stamp club, the crochet club, the chess club, uh, our adult flight football program started yesterday.

We have lots of tennis lessons in the on the in the brochure, uh, crochet classes at the hub, lots of little sports programs, including golf, football, basketball, soccer, and those are predominantly held at Star Heights High Resort, and uh I believe Cabazone, and then our court kids basketball program that's at Star Heights in Haynes, and that's just a snippet of dozens and dozens of programs we have listed for you in the brochure that are starting up here or have already started.

The spring youth sports throughout the city are starting, so you're gonna see a lot of YAFL, I-9, uh, Yaffle teams, I-9 teams, soccer teams, uh, rugby, lacrosse, little league, those are all up and running citywide.

Um, everybody's gearing up for the spring, and on our end, of course, where we're we're we're working on the rental agreements with a lot of these agencies who practice and play on our fields.

Uh the seasons typically start from March 30th and run through June 1st.

Um, but like I said, you'll see teams starting to practice throughout the entire city on all of our parks in the next week or so.

Uh sports registration for all of these programs.

Some of them are our own programs, some of them are external agencies, but they're all taking place now.

Um like I said, we do rent a lot of our facilities to the little leagues to YAFL to I-9, uh, and a lot of these uh larger sports venues out in the community.

So we're very involved in all of those.

As far as spring adult sports goes, registration.

Um, well, I guess it is closed because we officially started yesterday.

Uh, but we are um we also have adult tennis programs, adult softball.

If people are interested in softball, they can contact us and I will put them in touch with the organizer of our adult softball programs.

Again, lots of fitness programs for adults, uh, Taekwondo, Tai Chi, Yoga, of course, all of the water and land classes, uh, cycling classes, circuit classes, water aerobics classes, uh, lots of stuff for adults.

Uh Diane already talked about Keeper Rancho Beautiful, so I'm not going to repeat that.

Um she talked about the conference, uh, went into details about that.

I think Corey also got to participate in that.

He's one of he's our rec leader, so that was kind of exciting for him to be able to uh meet leaders around the state and attend seminars that are focused on uh litter reduction and prevention and just overall beautification and recycling, so that was nice.

Some of the past month's highlights would include our father-daughter and mother uh son dances.

Those were held at Star Heights Community Center.

Um we had the we had the father-daughter dances this past Saturday, or two Saturdays ago on the seventh, and then the mother-son dance was on Friday the sixth, and those were all well attended programs.

I added a couple pictures of uh just parents and kids and just some neat memories that were being created there.

Uh I've provided you the senior services, uh, February edition.

They didn't have the March edition out yet.

I will uh have that for you next month.

Um the the seniors can uh one of the most notable things for this time of the year is just the AARP tax preparation that the senior center advice or provides free of charge for our seniors.

So I wanted to include that in my update.

And then lastly, I wanted to make sure you guys are all aware of the early voting for uh the March third municipal election, and the information is all there.

Uh early voting for Rear Rancho Register Registr res residents is available from February third through the twenty-eighth, and of course, election day is March third.

We have several early voting load locations.

Uh voters can vote early at the Broadmore Senior Center, and that's been going on since February third.

Um, and then they can vote from eight AM to five p.m.

Uh, Monday through Friday.

And then starting this weekend, uh we also um opened up our other locations at Loma Colorado Main Library, Sabana Grande, the hub out in Enchanted Hills, and then there's a location on Southern Boulevard.

So I wanted to put all of those addresses and dates and times for you in case you are uh questioned.

Um of course, if you need any more information about that, it's on our city website as well, as is our senior services brochure and our our parks and recreation brochure.

And outside of that, I don't have anything else to share with you unless you have questions for me.

Any questions, Commissioners?

Comments?

No questions.

Thank you, Connie.

Uh before I move on to the rest of our uh agenda, I I too would like to welcome our new commissioner, Commissioner Edwards.

Welcome aboard.

Thank you very much.

We have no public hearings today.

Uh so uh and there's no discussion or deliberation scheduled, and I don't believe anyone signed up for public forum public comment.

So unless the commissioners have any comments, I'm going to adjourn the meeting.

Commissioners, do you have any any other further comments?

All right, then the meeting is adjourned.