Re: Minutes

The minutes were approved with the following changes:  in the RedGate subcommittee section – change the sentence to state, "Any volunteer may need to become a City of Rockville employee."  Also, in subcommittee reports, Chris Henry was the person who brought up the article about Nina Herndon and the new Lincoln Park Community Center program.

Re: Citizens Forum

None.

Re: Street Tree Appeal - 6 Eaton Overlook

The Board was reminded to visit the 6 Eaton Overlook location for next month's street tree appeal.  Chip Boylan stated that, as he understood it, one of the reasons this resident does not want all three trees planted as proposed is that one of the locations conflicts with a portable basketball hoop at the edge of the curb.  He inquired as to whether these hoops are legal in Rockville.  Burt Hall stated that there is no specific law that limits basketball hoops at the curb.  There is, however, a Rockville law that does not allow any item that impedes traffic.   Kate Savage asked if it makes a difference if it is in the right of way or the street.  Burt Hall said that this law is more likely to involve permanent items and not items that can be easily moved such as a portable basketball hoop.  Bob Taylor stated if we don't do anything regarding the hoop placement are we encouraging them, and if someone gets hurt is the City liable?  Burt Hall replied that he does not believe the City would be liable if someone was hurt in this situation.

Re: Staff Report

Burt Hall mentioned that Recreation and Parks proposed the installation of a speed bump on Monroe Street, at the entrance to Dogwood Park, where there is a pedestrian crosswalk. There have been complaints about speeders turning the corner into Dogwood Park.  Public Works is conducting a speed study to determine whether this location meets the criteria for a speed hump. 

On the Monday March 27 Mayor and Council agenda is the King Farm Historic designation, Science Center Feasibility Study report and the RedGate Financial Report.

Kate Savage inquired about the playground that was recently vandalized by fire at Broome Athletic Park.  Burt Hall stated that the playground was burned to the ground, that the replacement will be covered by insurance, and that it will cost approximately $50,000 to replace the unit.

Re: Mansion Celebration Ideas

 Included as FYI.

Re:  RedGate Financial Study

Burt Hall briefed the Board on the report on RedGate’s financial condition, which includes a history of the past six years of financial operations, as well as projections for the future, and recommendations for ways to address the current and future situation.  The golf course enterprise fund has a cash deficit of slightly more than $500,000.  The deficit that has developed will remain in the fund but must be offset by the General Fund.  Chip Boylan inquired about the various other Recreation and Parks programs, such as senior and youth programs that are heavily subsidized and how this compares to RedGate.  Burt Hall replied that RedGate’s situation is different than these, because it is in a separate enterprise fund, in which all operating and capital expenses are supposed to be completely covered by user fees. 

Kate Savage inquired if we have any supporting documentation in addition to the agenda sheet and backup documents already submitted to the Mayor and Council.  She also asked if the Board should take a stand and what should be the Board's role?

The report, which was completed by an intern working for the Finance department, is primarily a status report of the RedGate fund in comparison to five area golf courses in our region.  Phyllis Marcuccio mentioned that they are also studying other City enterprise funds areas such as the Water Fund and they are not picking only on RedGate.  Bob Taylor mentioned that there is very little land left in Rockville and he would hate to see the open space of RedGate’s land converted into condos and townhouses.

Chip Boylan stated that he does not see much difference between providing a subsidy to RedGate to sustain the availability of golf for residents compared to the subsidies of other programs offered by Recreation and Parks.  Terry Baker brought up that it is because it is an enterprise fund and not the general fund.  Burt Hall stated that he does not support a recommendation to move RedGate out of the enterprise fund because he believes the best long-term solution is to develop plans and strategies to bring RedGate’s operations back into the black. Staff is working on providing business plan recommendations to the Mayor and Council to accomplish this. 

Helen Heneghan inquired if the Mayor and Council would solely make a decision based on the financial submission from the Finance Department.  Burt Hall stated that the Recreation and Parks Department contributed input and recommendations that are listed on the Mayor and Council agenda sheet.  Recreation and Parks will be the primary agency that responds to the direction the Mayor and Council will provide at the upcoming worksession.

Kate Savage stated that the board should help lead the fight to keep RedGate.  Chip Boylan asked if RedGate is as financially sound as the Swim Center right now.  Burt Hall replied that last year the Swim Center had its best year ever financially.  It does not, however, cover its capital costs and does not have to pay the General Fund overhead costs that RedGate incurs due to its being in an enterprise fund.  This overhead charge is nearly $180,000 per year.

Burt Hall reminded the Board that RedGate lost the monopole revenue in 1999.  There is a recommendation in the Finance report to look at moving the monopole revenue back to the RedGate revenue.

Bob Taylor inquired about the total rounds played to date.  Burt Hall stated that rounds are running behind last year at this time.  George Sushinsky also added that the course is going to have to be in great shape for play to build up. 

Phyllis Marcuccio inquired if Public Works also helps to maintain the course.  Burt Hall responded that Public Works managed the recent storm water management pond repair, but does not help with ongoing course maintenance.

Eric Heckman added if there is some real fear that the course is going to close then the right persons are going to need to come out and respond.  Burt Hall concurred, stating that if residents do not express their support for RedGate, this would affect the Mayor and Council’s decision-making process. Eric Heckman thinks the RedGate community will respond. 

The following motion was moved and seconded.  "The Recreation and Park Advisory Board would like to go on record to the Mayor and Council in full support of the City of Rockville staying in the golf business.  RedGate should be supported financially to allow it to recover and remain in business."  The motion passed unanimously.  Chip Boylan agreed to write a memo to the Mayor and Council conveying this recommendation in time for the Monday, March 27 meeting.

 Re:  Science Center Feasibility Study

Burt Hall shared with the Board that the Mayor and Council directed the staff to conduct a Science Center Feasibility Study.  After a two-year process, the study is now complete.  Burt Hall complimented the work of the consultants and the citizen task force.  The core group that worked on the study was made up of citizens from the Rockville Consortium for Science, along with Recreation and Parks staff Lew Dronenburg, Chris Henry and Burt Hall.  The Maryland Science Center has expressed strong interest in working with the City to help create a science center operated by a non-profit board.  It would be the only science center of this kind in Montgomery County.  The feasibility study report will be presented to the Mayor and Council the Monday March 27 meeting.  The basic concept of the center will be to provide recreational science learning.  The study points out that, with this community’s demographics and education levels, there should be a lot of interest from people of all ages.

Bob Taylor inquired about the size and location of the center.  Burt Hall responded that the study recommends a center of 20,000 square feet and it has been suggested by the consultants that it be built in an already existing government building to avoid land and facility acquisition costs as much as possible.  The staff is looking at various buildings in the City such as the Lincoln High School, King Farm Farmstead, and the Lone Oak Elementary School.

Helen Heneghan motioned that the Recreation and Park Advisory Board expresses its support for the creation of a Rockville Science Center and encourages the Mayor and Council to proceed.  The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. 

Re:  College Gardens Park Survey Instrument

Included as FYI.

Re:  Public Art in Town Center

Burt Hall reported that proposals have been received at this time for eight of the nine public artwork sites in Town Center. Two, three or four finalists have been selected for each site.  A total of 350 artists submitted proposals.  The finalists will come to Rockville in late March to present their works to the Artist Nomination Committees.  Each artist will have twenty minutes to speak with ten minutes to answer questions.  The committees will then make their recommendations to the Cultural Arts Commission, which will makes its own independent recommendations to the Mayor and Council for each of the eight sites.  The Mayor and Council will make the final decisions on the awards.  The models submitted by the finalists will be displayed around City Hall for several weeks for the public to see and comment.

Re:  I-270 Bridge Project

Burt Hall shared with the Board that the City is pleased to announce that the bids came in $3.5 million lower than the first round, due to the revisions to the project.

There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Fallsgrove Transportation Center, on Saturday, May 6th at 10 a.m. for the Millennium Trail project, which is now completed, followed by an I-270 Bridge ground breaking ceremony.  Park Board members are invited.

Re: Subcommittee Reports

Citizen Bicycle Advisory Committee - Bike ride scheduled for Hometown Holidays weekend.

Dog Park - None.

Environmental Issues - None.

Fallsgrove - Community Center design is moving along.  Burt Hall explained that the City has decided to not go for official LEED Green Building certification.  To run the process to qualify for this LEED certification would cost $65,000, which does not stand up to a cost-benefit analysis.

Glenview Mansion - Kathleen Moran is currently Acting Superintendent of the Civic Center.  The Cultural Arts Commission will bring ideas for the anniversary celebration to their next meeting.  The old conference room table in Room 6 is going to be replaced by a custom built period table, which can be divided into three separate tables for flexible use.

King Farm – The community is having problems with dog waste.  They are proposing to install mutt-mitt stations on City property at the community’s cost.  Helen Heneghan inquired about how the Mattie Stepanek Foundation folks are doing with their fundraising for the sculpture at the new park.  The King Farm developer donated $63,000 to the Stepanek Foundation for this purpose, under the Art in Private Development program.  Their goal is to raise $300,000, which will be used not just for the sculpture, but also for peace programs in Rockville elementary schools, and distribution of Mattie’s books to local schools.

Lincoln Park Community Center - None.

RedGate – George Sushinsky reported that there was a meeting on March 22 to discuss the upcoming season.  A tournament is scheduled for almost every weekend of the season.

Swim Center - The surveillance system installed last month has already been used in the court system.

TCRC - None.

Town Center Park - Marsha Douma has made a proposal to the City for enhancements to pedestrian walkways around Town Center to create "greenways."  She has suggested a radial spokes concept for various routes leading to and from Town Center. Recreation and Parks is interested in her concept and would like to study it particularly for one or two corridors on the east side of town.  Marsha Douma has a landscape architect lined up to conduct the study to formulate a proposal.  The landscape architect will develop a prototype design for a corridor starting at Maryland Ave. and East Middle La., extending across Rt. 355 on Park Rd. to North  Horners Lane, and along N. Horners La. to Frederick Rd..  The other study corridor follows the same route across Rt. 355, and around the Metro station on South Stonestreet Ave., then down Baltimore Rd. to Norbeck Rd.  Phyllis Marcuccio suggested that there are numerous pocket parks that are rarely used.  Part of this study will be to connect people to nearby parks and to identify locations for benches.

Youth Sports - None.

Re:  Monthly Divisional Reports

Included as FYI.

Re: Old Business

Kate Savage asked if we have made a decision on where the July 4th fireworks are going to be.  Burt Hall stated that they are going to be held at Montgomery College.  There will be two concert locations this year.  The Rockville Concert Band will be the headliner for one stage and the other one will have a Rock and Roll band.

Terry Baker saw in the Gazette that the city facilities are going to be charged for the cost of water use.  Phyllis Marcuccio stated that it would be a good way to track the water usage.  Bob Taylor asked if this would become a cost recovery item?  Burt Hall confirmed that it would be.

Re:  Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.  The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 27, 2006 at the Croydon Creek Nature Center beginning at 7 p.m.