2019_02.06 Parks Board MinutesKENNEDALE
Parks and Recreation Board
www.cityofkennedale.coin
PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Minutes
REGULAR MEETING
February 6, 2019
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 405 MUNICIPAL DRIVE
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman David Deaver called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
II. ROLL CALL 4�
'/Present: PhD Walla6e, Jeff Nevarez, David Deaver, Michael Chandler Absent: Gary Swan, Josh Hayes,
Donald Spikes
III. MINUTES APPROVAL
Consider approval of minutes from December 5, 2018 regular meeting. Motion to: Approve
December 5, 2018 minutes Action: Approve. Moved By: M. Chandler, Seconded: P. Wallace
Motion Passed Unanimously
IV. VISITOR/CITIZENS FORUM
V. REGULAR ITEMS
A. Discuss and consider KYA
a. Members of the KYA, including the KYA board president Eric Ryals, attended the
meeting to discuss the future of the KYA and the condition of the City of
Kennedale's baseball fields and structures.
i. E. Ryals stated that this year is a big transition year for KYA. Because of the
condition of the baseball fields KYA is playing at Arlington Southwest. The kids
are still signing up through the KYA website but KYA is then signing them up
on the Arlington Southwest website. He also stated that KYA has a new
baseball commissioner Jason Welch, he heads Arlington Southwest. The $5
per child fee will still be paid this year and the fields will still be utilized for
practice. KYA will still maintain the fields. E. Ryals then asked if anyone on the
board had any questions or concerns. J. Nevarez stated that he felt the board
had a good idea of what the problems with the fields are but he was interested
in hearing what KYA would list as the deficiencies.
ii. The KYA members have been frustrated by multiple thefts of their equipment
that have occurred over the past couple of years. They have lost a significant
amount of money due to these thefts; they estimated that they have lost
$8,000 worth of equipment and items.
iii. The KYA members stated that the City of Kennedale baseball fields are
unusable in their current condition. The fields are not level, the scoreboards
don't work, the lighting needs to be improved and the fields need to be fenced
and locked to be secured. If the City cannot do anything to improve the
condition of the facilities then the KYA will have no choice but to disband and
the youth in Kennedale who want to play baseball will have to go to Arlington
or Mansfield to use their fields.
iv. The KYA members understood that some improvements may have to be done
several years down the road due to monetary constraints but they also insisted
that something must be clone in the next year to bring the fields to a playable
condition or they will be forced to go elsewhere.
b. The Park board members agreed that the fields were in poor condition and stated
that getting the fields to a usable condition is a priority for them.
c. E. Ryals stated that KYA has a partnership with a select baseball group. T3 Tribe
is their name; they are an outfit out of Arlington. T3 has stated that they could do
field maintenance that would at least get the fields up to playing conditions. In
return they would want to be able to use the fields for practice and have
tournaments. A group of KYA representatives have met with T3 and E. Ryals
stated that he had a good feeling about them. The Park board members agreed
that the T3 group could attend the Park Board meeting next month to present
their ideas to the board.
d. D. Deaver asked E. Ryals where the KYA football practice was happening, in the
past they have practiced on the baseball fields. E. Ryals stated that they are
practicing in the front of Sonora Park. E. Ryals agreed with D. Deaver that
football practice cannot happen on the baseball fields because it tears up the
fields. Other KYA members stated that they have to practice on the fields in the
winter because that was the only place that had lights so they could practice after
dark.
B. Discuss and consider KKB board request to plant milkweed along the fence at
Sonora Park as part of the Mayor's Monarch Pledge
a. The board members had no objections. M. Chandler stated that it is a type of
flowering milkweed.
C. Discuss and consider upcoming events
a. Upcoming events were noted; Kidfish/Bark in the Park/National Kids to Park
Day May 181h, Concert in the Park in October.
b. J. Nevarez asked when the Sonora pond was being stocked. L. Hoover
stated that the State should be stocking the pond the 23,d. J. Nevarez
requested that L. Hoover email him. It was stated that pond stocking
information can be found on the Texas Wildlife website.
D. Discuss and select Bond Projects from the Park Master Plan
a. L. Hoover presented a power point with information needed for the board
members to decide what they felt should be the top Park priorities.
b. The top priorities the Board selected were all in relation to the baseball fields
at Sonora Park. They are:
i. Security Measures- lighting, fencing, WiFi security cameras, and
gates
ii. Storage Building- Theft/Vandal-Resistant (for dual use by KYA and
the City) to safely store the equipment necessary for regular field
maintenance and game preparations
iii. Field Refurbishment- One-time professional
iv. Additional Staff Member- certified and/or trained in sports field turf
maintenance or funding for a year-round contract for services.
VI. REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
VII. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to: Adjourn the meeting at 9:27 pm Action: Adjourn. Moved By: Jeff Nevarez Seconded:
Michael Chandler Motion Passed Unanimously
The meeting was adjourned at 9:27 pm
Approved:
David Deaver, Chairman
Attest:
Mary Goza, Park Board Secretary