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12-05-87 Parks Comm MinutesPARKS COMMITTEE ig ETING DECEMBER 5, 1987 • The Committee met in the Conference Room at 5:00 P.M.in attendance were Mayor Ed Kennedy, Fred and Barbara Zavodny, Ken Hanauer, Chairman Chuck Manning, Councilman Nystul, Roger Hopkins, Ken Bauska, Scott Hanchett, Gene Woods, Kathy Mortenson. Councilwoman Robinson was there but had to leave early. w Chairman Manning called the meeting to order, opening with discussion of the boom truck. This was referred back to the Parks Committee after bids were opened at the last Council meeting. Mayor Kennedy wanted the committee to discuss whether we really needed the boom truck purchase vs the rental which can be made from Harp Line Construction. Mayor Kennedy stated that Harp Line Construction can rent us a 50' boom truck for $1,750 per month. There was considerable discussion about the old boom truck being a 1976 and would probably have to be replaced eventually. There was some discussion on doing some of the Highway Department's work in replacing the high sodium lights, also discussion by the Public Works Director on whether the Public Works Department could use a new, bigger boom truck. The general consensus was other than replacing the street lights, which are taller than our present truck will handle, the department really sees no need for the 50' truck. There was some discussion that we pay Western Neon.or Western Lights Company to do some of our light replacement to the tune of about $5,000 a year, so some of that cost might be recouped if we have our own truck. There seems to be some confusion between the Highway Department and the City of Kalispell over whose lights are whose and who pays for replacing what lights. • Parks Department Working Foreman Ken Bauska reported that with our present 27', we can get up in the trees to knock out the old branches but really cannot do accurate and correct pruning on the taller trees. Most of the older trees in town are up the 45-50' range. With the taller truck, employees would be working above the limbs that they are cutting off. Ken stated that we would not need the truck for four full months, during pruming season, but probably could do most of the tall pruning in a one month period if they work steady at it. One advantage of the taller truck would be working around power lines so the truck would not be directly beneath the area that they are working in. Ken Bauska is to check with the Harp Line Construction about the compatibility of the hydraulic system with our tools. It was noted that the Parks Department budgeted $5,000 for this boom truck and that would be the first year of a lease purchase agreement through the State of Montana Lease -Purchase Plan. This program is called Intercap with the MT Econonic Development Board. Councilman Manning stated he was in favor of going ahead and purchasing the truck to coincide with the Shade Tree Commission plans and the over-all tree program. Councilwoman Robinson shared Mayor Kennedy's concerns about the budget and whether this was the proper time to make this purchase. There was some concern about the availability of a rental truck. A lease -agreement could possibly assure the availability of the rental truck. These are all used vehicles that were bid upon and they are all available • immediately as soon as we decide to purchase one. -1- Mayor Kennedy and Ken Bauska put some Public Service announcements in the paper concerning we are at this time available to take calls on • problem trees. We have received quite a few and the parks crews will be taking care of these problems. There are 6,500 trees in the City of Kalispell and the average pruning and taking care of them at the rate of about 150 per year. There are some other concerns in regard to other parks equipment. The Kubota tractor, has broken down and possibly the amount of money that will be necessary to spend on that will not justify it, at least that will have to be taken into consideration on next year's budget. At the next committee meeting we will review the Parks Department equipment. It was agreed by the committee that we upgrade the present boom truck and it seems to be more cost effective to go ahead and purchase one rather than rent one. Ken Bauska to check on lease purchase agreements for $5,000 per year. He is to check with Harp Construction on the availability of the truck now and in future years. Councilman Nystul is going to Spokane this next weekend so will make arrangements with an ex -City employee that lives in Spokane to help check out the trucks. A review of the bids was undertaken and after discussion, it was decided that the 185 truck would be the best buy for maintenance purposes. It also contains a chipper box, which would somewhat replace .a dump truck we now have which is in very old condition. The 185 truck is a demonstrator so it virtually is a brand-new truck with less than 10,000 miles on it. The motion was made and passed that the committee recommend the 1985 truck with S-700 chassis, provided that the physical check out of Councilman Nystul is satisfactory. There was considerable discussion from Kathy Mortenson and Barbara Zavodny about the swimming pool in general and about the hours of operating the concession stand. The KATS Swim Team evidentally lost money in the morning session and have requested that the hours of the operation of the concession stand be changed to 11:00 A. M. to 4:30 P. M. The committee agreed that the hours could be changed. There was some discussion on the accounting system and the method by which the money is routed between the pool and eventually to the bank and through the city accounting system. It was decided it was very hard to change the system, at least to be run through the city accounting, Clerk's office. Kathy Mortenson to work on a system and coordinate it with the City Clerk. There was discussion about the Health Department's inspection of the concession area and the future needs of complying with those regulations. This will be addressed in next year's budget. There was discussion on the problems that arose around the swimming pool and some of the equipment. Acting Parks Director (Mayor Ed Kennedy) will check on the warranty on some of the problems. -2- • Some discussion was considered on allowing a concessionaire to operate • during the ice skating. It will be tough to open the concession stand at the swimming pool during the winter time with everything shut off so we will probably be talking about a portable concession stand of some type. The city's philosophy in the past has been if it is baseball related, the baseball relation would run a concession stand, swimming related, the swimming team, etc. Barbara Zavodny will take the concept back to the KATS organization tD see if they are interested in running the concession during the ice skating season. The main time would be weekends but probably would include Friday night and could include every night during the week. The possibility of a concession could include policing the area and picking up the litter. It was seconded and passed that this be taken back to the Council with a committee recommendation of allowing concessions during the ice skating at Woodland Park. A general discussion of last year's activities at the swimming pool included problems with chlorine, too many people messing with the equipment, maintenance problems around the pool, some problems with equipment were identified and the Mayor and Ken Bauska are to check with Carver Engineering as far as any- wa-axanty work . that . -should be done.- . -A discussion was held about hiring a full time maintenance person during the summer for the swimming pool. A robot type cleaning device was suggested by Kathy Mortenson and the possibility for purchase next year. The pool needs to be cleaned on a daily basis. This is an item that can be put in the pool • and it runs on its own and cleans the pool. This could be done in the evening after the pool is closed. This will be considered next year's budget. The Lakers have proposed a lease -agreement on the new Griffin Field on Beggs property. Probably that lease proposal will be forwarded to each committee member, there will be discussion later on it. Deposit of money from the swimming pool, record keeping and etc, were discussed for the next season. We will try to come up with a better method that will suit all involved. Kathy requested that she be more involved with finances as far as knowing how much money they are making, get reports, etc so she can keep track of swimming pool activities as she is Manager of the pool. There seemed to be no complaints about the increased fees this past summer. There was very little vandalism problem. The lights at the pool were put up this year seemed to help that problem. Evidentally there will not be a citywide tennis program next year so possibly the crews maintaining the swimming pool for the City of Kalispell might entertain sponsoring the tennis program for next year. There seems to be a real need and real interest for a tennis program in the city. It would be a worthwhile endeavor for the City Parks and Recreation Department. Kathy Mortenson indicated an interest to be involved in this program. The committee felt that we should actually pursue more recreation programs for the city and the youth, especially those that are self-supporting. Kathy will work with the high school and the tennis people on a program for next year. An observation was made that the tennis courts at the high school encroach upon the street right-of-way. -3- There was considerable discussion whether a person should be hired to work • the weekends at the skating rink because they are only open for five weekends as a rule for the skating. There was -discussion about whether this person could maybe work into a weeekend job almost year around for maintenance things, the ice skating rink, cleaning out the outlet of the lagoon, etc. This will be discussed more later. The meeting was adjourned. John Ed Kennedy, Jr. JEK/ms ADDENDUM: 1)The 1985 Ford that the Parks Committee recommended for purchase has mileage of 10,582. 2) There is no chipper box on this vehicle. 3) The vehicle is located in Portland, Oregon at Utility Equipment, Inc. They will move this vehicle to Spokane, where we will have it checked out by Larry Jerrow, the former employee of the...City of Kalispell..- 4) Jerry Barron, ..of Utility Equipment Company, has agreed to hold this truck for our purchase until after the Council Meeting on Monday, December 21st. 5) We can pick it up as soon as we decide to buy it at the Spokane office. Purchase vs Rental • 1) For 1986-87 budget, $5,OOO was budgeted in Parks Department Capital Outlay Fund and $5,000 Revenue Sharing. It will cost approximately $12,000/year on a five year Lease Purchase Agreement. 2) In 1980, the University of Montana did a survey of our trees and found that there are 4,000 trees in the City of Kalispell and 1,200 of them needed attention. 3) Ken Bauska feels that if the work is outlined correctly, a one month period would be all that would be necessary to lease a taller truck as the smaller truck could be used at other times for the smaller trees. 4) Checking with Harp Construction, their taller 55' truck does not have the hydraulics necessary for our equipment. They do have a smaller 47' truck that we could lease for $ per month on a one month basis. This truck is compatible with our hydraulic equipment. 1) Checking with Dennis Carver, we find that there are no warranty items left to be covered at the swimming pool. Evidentally the fiber glass coating on the swimming pool was put in at the time with the contractor making a statement that he didn't know if it would work or not, so there was no guarantee. They are now checking into a possible strong rubber base paint to replace that fiber glass. There is no warranty on any of the items mentioned at the swimming pool and those things will have to be worked into next year's budget. -4- 01 havoc's ConcerM_; • 1) The need of purchasing a boom truck at this time should be considered carefully as there is other park equipment that possibly will need to be replaced. The Kabota tractor, for instance, is probably on its last legs and is a necessary piece of equipment for the parks department. 2) If we need the boom truck only realistically for one full month of the year, it seems more economically feasible to do it as a rental basis. 3) Contrary to 2), if our present boom truck that we would definitely need is going to wear out, it might be best to purchase this longer boom truck now. 4) The dump truck is an old truck that we use for wood chips when removing trees is another item that may have to be replaced in the near future. I feel that we must begin to immediately thoroghly investigate any purchases we make as an excess of money is no longer a reality for the conceivable future. I am having the department heads come up after the first of the year with a ten year equipment plan, identifying the anticipated reeds for equipment for the ten year pericd. At that time we will, and must, set priorities, look at lease -purchase, look at lease only and set priorities as the money available will dictate,, Ed Kennedy -5- •