LIVERMORE AREA RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT
MINUTES
REGULAR
MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
WEDNESDAY,
SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
ROBERT
LIVERMORE COMMUNITY CENTER
4444 EAST
AVENUE, LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA
5:30 P.M.
LARKSPUR
SOUTH
7:00 P.M.
CRESTA
BLANCA BALLROOM
DIRECTORS PRESENT: Director
Faltings, Director Furst, Director Kamena, Director Wilson and President
Goodman
DIRECTORS ABSENT: None
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Tim
Barry, Jim Brandenburg, Jim Carlson, Barbara Kraybill, Michael Kyle, Mike
Nicholson, Gretchen Sommers
CITY STAFF PRESENT: Debbie
Bell, Susan Frost, Ingrid Rademaker
Meeting was called to order by President Goodman
at 5:35 p.m. All Directors were present except Director Faltings and Director Kamena.
2. WORKSHOP
ON LARPD PARKS, RECREATION AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN
2.1
Overview
of Process
2.2
Draft
Goals and Policies
2.3
Organization
and Input
2.4
Park
Definitions
2.5
Board
Direction
General Manager Barry said that the City of
Livermore is working with LARPD on developing the District Parks, Recreation
and Trails Master Plan. He introduced Ingrid Rademaker, Susan Frost and Debbie
Bell, saying that Ms. Rademaker is the project coordinator.
Ms. Rademaker provided a staff report with
extensive back-up materials and supplemented this with a slide presentation
outlining the areas to be addressed in the workshop. Ms. Rademaker summarized
the purpose of the workshop and the
organization/format of goals for the Master Plan. She invited Board discussion
and feedback.
Director Faltings arrived at 5:40 p.m.
President Goodman asked for Director questions. Directors
asked for clarification on, and discussed, the following items: who gave
feedback at the stakeholder meetings; whether any of the issues resulting in
proposed Action Items were originated with staff; the suggestion to add to
Planning Goal 3 a goal addressing the need for a trail to get people safely
from north Livermore to downtown; the suggestion that identification of
potential new locations for a roller hockey facility be removed from Planning
Policy 1.1 and possibly the Master Plan; a few corrections in wording; the
request to add a Ravenswood Site Master Plan to Goal 5, Policy 5.2; questions
about whether the Historic De Anza Trail from Goal 6, Policy 6.2, belongs in
the Master Plan; the notion of individual parks and/or District parks having a
distinct character; remove reference to restrooms from Facility Design Goal 1,
Policy 1.3; in Historic Resources section, recommend mentioning that if sites
LARPD is responsible for are on the National Register, it should be stated that
the District is required to adhere to Department of Interior standards for such
facilities; in Historic Resources section, Goal 3, Policy 3.1 include something
addressing rentals; include somewhere in the Master Plan that volunteerism is
encouraged; under Conservation, Goal 1, Policy1.1, question about whether Birds
Beak alkali sink belongs in the Master Plan, as LARPD does not own it; under Conservation,
Goal 1, Policy 1.1, questions about whether this sections pertains to LARPD;
discussion about references to acquisition and preservation and working with
other agencies; the extent to which public workshop feedback is included in
Master Plan; teen center; lighted fields; ERAF; and under Maintenance section,
Policy 3.1, question about pursuing contract maintenance for parks and trails
Director Furst asked about the next step for the
Board. Ms. Rademaker replied that City staff is currently working on all the
chapters; she expects to have the first four chapters completed by the end of
October, and the entire Master Plan finished in November, after which time
staff and Board will have the opportunity to review it. Ms. Rademaker said she expects
a draft of the Master Plan to be ready for public review by the end of November.
After the public review process, which takes approximately one month, the final
Master Plan will be brought before the Board for approval.
Ms. Rademaker opened discussion on the subject
of redefining park classifications, referring to Attachment 5 of the staff
report. She summarized the six recommendations for redefining park
classifications, the purpose of which is to have classifications that more
accurately reflect existing conditions and facilities.
President Goodman asked for Director questions
and discussion. Directors discussed the following items: the possibility of
eliminating the regional park definition; agreement and satisfaction with the
open space category; suggestion to remove camping, as LARPD does not permit
camping in any of its parks; inconsistencies in the LARPD park matrix document;
the possible elimination of language requiring the District to have x# of a
certain category of park--community parks, for example; the possibility of eliminating
the term or idea of community parks if the District cannot meet this goal; the
difference between community and special use parks; the mini neighborhood park
classification; LARPD’s history of having the policy of not accepting
management of mini parks constructed by developers as they are a maintenance
burden; the need to find terms that define what already exists; and acreage
requirements of park definitions.
Directors agreed that they needed time to think
about the matter and might like to meet again to continue discussions. Directors
thanked Ms. Rademaker and City staff for all of the hard work they’ve put into
this project and expressed appreciation for their excellent responsiveness and
commitment to developing and updating the Master Plan accurately and adequately.
3. ADJOURN TO REGULAR MEETING
The workshop adjourned to Regular
meeting at 6:45 p.m.
Director Kamena arrived at 7:00 p.m.
4. CALL TO ORDER – ROLL CALL – PLEDGE OF
ALLEGIANCE
Meeting was called to order by
President Goodman at 7:03 p.m. All Directors were present.
5. PUBLIC FORUM
President Goodman opened public comment.
1) Linda Melendez of Livermore, representing the
LARPD women’s soccer league, said that the league has been asked by LARPD to
change its weekly game time to accommodate the schedule of the Livermore Youth
Soccer League (LYSL), which has requested additional field use time at
Robertson Park. She explained that the women’s league has already changed its
schedule to accommodate LYSL in the past and that this latest request is asking
for a large sacrifice from the women for various reasons, including safety
concerns and the difficulty of juggling family and work responsibilities. Ms.
Melendez asked the Board to honor LARPD’s permit agreement with the women’s
league and not allow LYSL to monopolize the fields.
President Goodman closed public comment.
6. CONSENT AGENDA:
6.1 BOARD
MINUTES
6.1.1 Meeting of September 12, 2007
6.2 COMMUNICATIONS: None
President Goodman asked if Directors wished to
remove any items from the Consent Agenda. Director Furst requested that the
minutes of the September 12, 2007 meeting be removed. Director Furst cited two
inconsistencies in the minutes: on page 4, in the report regarding ERAF
property tax relief efforts, in one place the minutes say that 40% of LARPD’s
property taxes are taken by the State and in another place the figure is 48%;
also, on page 5, regarding the Arroyo Mocho Trail Extension, the minutes have
the General Manager saying that the trail project is going out to bid, and in
another section of the minutes, City staff says the work has started. General
Manager Barry said he believed the statement he made during the September 12 meeting
was in error, and that the statement by City staff later in the meeting was a
correction to this error; the correction was that work had started on the
project. Director Furst made a motion, seconded by Director Kamena, to approve
the minutes, as corrected. President Goodman asked if there was any discussion
by Directors, No discussion. President Goodman called the motion. The motion to
approve the minutes, as corrected, passed 5-0.
7. CONSENT AGENDA RESOLUTIONS:
7.1 EASEMENT
AGREEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT FOR ARROYO MOCHO TRAIL EXTENSION (SEGMENT
E-1) TRAIL
President Goodman stated that the Board will
consider adopting resolutions approving an easement agreement with The Wine
Group LLC and an improvement agreement with the City of Livermore for the
Arroyo Mocho Trail Extension (Segment E-1).
President Goodman asked for a motion. Director
Kamena made a motion, seconded by Director Wilson, to approve an easement
agreement with The Wine Group LLC and an improvement agreement with the City of
Livermore for the Arroyo Mocho Trail Extension President Goodman opened public
comment. No public comment received. President Goodman invited Board discussion.
Director Furst inquired about an inaccuracy in the staff report. On page 1 of
the report, it is written that the City of Livermore will contribute $377,000
towards this project; whereas Mike Mikasa of the City of Livermore had told the
Board at its September 12, 2007 meeting that the correct figure was 460,000.
Director Furst asked for clarification. General Manager Barry responded that staff
will find out the correct information.
President Goodman called the motion. The motion
to adopt Resolution No. 2087, approving an easement agreement with The Wine
Group LLC for Segment E-1 Trail Improvements and to adopt Resolution No. 2088,
approving an agreement with the City of Livermore for the Trail Segment E-1
Trail Improvement Project, passed by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Director Wilson,
Director Kamena, Director Faltings, Director Furst and President Goodman
NOES: None
(0)
ABSTENTIONS: None
(0)
ABSENT: None (0)
8. BIDS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS: None.
9. OLD BUSINESS: None
10. NEW
BUSINESS:
10.1 JOB DESCRIPTION FOR ASSISTANT GENERAL
MANAGER POSITION
President Goodman stated that the Board will
consider approving a revised job description and salary range for the Assistant
General Manager position.
General Manager Barry summarized the staff
report. He said that there are three items for which he is asking the Board’s
approval: 1) revised job description; 2) salary range; and 3) classification in
the competitive service. Mr. Barry explained the reasoning behind the three
items.
President Goodman invited Director questions. Director
Kamena asked about whether the District could have this position be a contracted
position if it wishes. Mr. Barry answered that it could. Director Kamena asked
about educational requirements for the position.
President Goodman opened public comment. No
public comment received. President Goodman asked for a motion. Director
Faltings made a motion, seconded by Director Furst, to approving a revised job
description and salary range for the Assistant General Manager position. President
Goodman invited Board discussion. No discussion.
President Goodman called motion. Resolution No.
2089, approving a revised job description and salary range for the Assistant
General Manager position, passed by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Director Kamena,
Director Faltings, Director Furst, Director Wilson and President Goodman
NOES: None
(0)
ABSTENTIONS: None
(0)
ABSENT: None (0)
11. MATTERS INITIATED/ANNOUNCEMENTS BY
THE DIRECTORS
1) President
Goodman announced that LARPD held a volunteer recognition banquet last night.
He said he wished to officially commend volunteers. He encouraged the public to
volunteer for the District and to contact staff if interested.
None.
Meeting adjourned to Executive Session at 7:25
p.m.
13. EXECUTIVE SESSION
13.1 REAL ESTATE NEGOTIATIONS
Pursuant to Section 54956.8 of the
Government Code
Property: Trail Segments H-2 and F, Livermore,
CA
Agency Negotiator: District Staff
and/or Legal Counsel
Negotiating Parties: Wente Land and
Cattle Company (APN 099-675-002 & APN 099-0850-005-05), Wente Brothers (APN
099-0850-005-07), and The Wine Group
Under Negotiation: Easement
Agreements
Meeting adjourned to Open Session at 7:52 p.m.
14. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
Meeting reconvened to Open Session at 7:53 p.m.
15. REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE
SESSION
President Goodman reported that, on a motion by Director
Kamena, seconded by Director Wilson, the Board adopted Resolution No. 2090,
approving an easement agreement with Wente Land and Cattle Company for Trail
Segment H-2 and F improvements and adopted Resolution No. 2091, approving an
easement agreement with Wente Brothers and The Wine Group for Trail Segment H-2
and F improvements, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Director Wilson,
Director Kamena, Director Faltings, Director Furst, and President Goodman
NOES: None
(0)
ABSTENTIONS: None
(0)
ABSENT: None (0)
16. ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
APPROVED,
_______________________________
Steve P. Goodman
President, Board of
Directors
ATTEST:
__________________________
General
Manager and ex-officio
Clerk
to the Board of Director