CALL TO ORDER: Chair Lind called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.

ROLL CALL: Present were Chair Blythe Lind, Vice Chair Alyssa Madden, and Commissioners Eileen Hofstadt, Sandra Myers and Bruce Mulder. Staff members present were: Poldina Scherff, Recreation Manager; Roger Stromgren, Park/Maintenance Manager; Barry Margesson, Park/Maintenance Supervisor; Edie Keller, Administrative Supervisor and Linda Stadlbauer, Administrative Assistant II.

PRESENTATION(S): Vicky Reinhardt and Lisa McBride with Special Kids Foundation regarding universal assessable playgrounds.

CITIZEN COMMENTS: Eight (8) representatives of a Portofino Estates neighborhood expressed their dissatisfaction with Seeno Homes/Discovery Builders regarding certain issues. They requested that the Parks and Recreation Commission consider their concerns and forward them to City Council. The consensus is; 1) the residents requested the construction of a sound wall along Lone Tree Way, adjacent to the two small parks planned in that area. The residents further stated that there was a picture of the two parks with a sound wall on display in the Portofino sales office; 2) the residents expressed opposition to a dog park and requested a regular neighborhood park with children’s play areas be built in the development. They are against having a dog park in their neighborhood.

CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. Approve minutes of regular meeting of January 27, 2011
2. Accept Recreation Manager project status report. (P. Scherff)
3. Accept Parks Division monthly report. (B. Margesson)
4. Accept Landscape Division monthly report. (A. Wanden)
5. Accept Maintenance Division monthly report. (M. Azamey)
6. Approve proclamation for April 16, 2011 as Arbor Day for submission to City Council for the March 8, 2011 meeting. (R. Stromgren)
7. Accept results of Ellis & Associates audit of the Brentwood Family Aquatic Complex. (M. Kaiser)
8. Accept draft of 2011/2016 City of Brentwood Capital Improvement Program related to Parks and Recreation. (R. Stromgren)
 Motion to approve items 1-7 of Consent Calendar.
Motion: Myers
Second: Hofstadt
Ayes: 5
Noes: 0

 Motion to approve Item 8 of Consent Calendar with amendment to wording of the Staff Report; at City Park: should read; “this is the final design and funding amount that is being paid by redevelopment funds.” At Summerset Commons: should be amended to read; “$1.1 million has been earmarked to construct the park at Summerset Commons.” and then a separate sentence that reads; “There is $1.2 million remaining in the East Bay Regional Park District Measure WW Bond funds that still needs to have a determination as to its use. The City Council Park Ad Hoc Committee will present possible projects to the Park and Recreation Commission at a future meeting.”

Motion: Madden
Second: Myers
Ayes: 5
Noes: 0

SCHEDULED MATTERS:

9. DISCUSSION ITEM: Update Commission on the need for a special needs swing installed at a City playground. (R. Stromgren)
Discussion included the advantages of certain parks that lend themselves to expedited installation of a special needs swing. City Park has the most desirable location, as it currently has the required safety surfacing. Creekside Park and Oak Meadow Park have fibar under the play equipment, which would have to be retrofitted prior to installing a swing. Roger Stromgren suggested staff meet with the Parks Play Equipment Sub-committee and have a detailed discussion about location, timeline, cost, and type of special needs equipment and then bring those results to the Commission at a future meeting.

10. DISSCUSSION ITEM: Discuss steps to replace existing playground equipment. (R. Stromgren)
Discussion included staff’s recommendation to keep the order of replacement as listed on the staff report. Regarding the Universal Access Playground; Roger Stromgren suggested staff meet with the Parks Play Equipment Sub-committee and have a detailed discussion about location, timeline, cost, type of special needs equipment, possible collaboration with other organizations, and then bring those results to the Commission at a future meeting.

11. ACTION ITEM: Approve the Park and Recreation commission 2011 Meeting Calendar. (R. Stromgren).

 Motion to approve Item 11 of Scheduled Matters.
Motioned: Hofstadt
Second: Myers
Ayes: 5
Noes: 0

STAFF COMMENTS
Staff is pleased that we are moving forward with the special needs play equipment project.

Roger Stromgren informed the Commission that our Tree City USA nomination will be moving to City Council thanks to passing the Arbor Day Proclamation. Our asset inventory is also moving forward, but GPS inventory portion will be put off for one year.

Poldina Scherff informed the Commission that we are currently accepting applications for part-time seasonal employment at the Aquatic Center. We are also introducing some “creative marketing” strategies.

The Brentwood Family Aquatic Center has a new fee structure that has been approved by City Council. These fees are available online and are posted at our front customer service counter, and will be listed in the next Activities Guide. Some changes include discounted season passes for families (up to 5 members) purchased before June 1, 2011, and the institution of a non-resident rate.

We are also introducing our “14 Weeks of Summer” program, which involves the entire Parks and Recreation Department’s staff and their creative ideas for promoting outdoor fun and activities throughout the parks. Details about this program will be in the next Activities Guide.

Our girls’ softball program registration is booming, as the middle schools discontinued the activity in their curriculum. The wooden bat league did not go forward this season, but we will offer it again in the fall.

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
The Commissioners thanked the Portofino neighbors in the audience for coming to the meeting and enlightening the Commission on their situation. The Commission will have to determine if there is any way that they can help to advocate the residents’ concerns regarding the sound wall and the design of the parks, and hope to see them at a future meeting. Roger Stromgren stated that he had never heard any reference to the construction of a sound wall at this location. He will investigate the status of the sound wall portion of this issue and get back to the Commission with his findings.

The Commission is looking forward to hearing about the status of the specials kids play equipment’s proposed designs and locations.

Commissioner Myers reminded the Commission that she will not be able to attend the April 28th Commission meeting.

REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
Updates on the Civic Center and Community Center progress.
Research the process for accepting a donation from the “Special Kids Foundation” towards the purchase of special needs play equipment.

ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m.