March 28th, 2001 Meeting Summary
-- see also the
January meeting summary
Bobbi Wallace,
King Co. Parks facilities manager, handed out copies of the Marymoor
Recreational Business Group section of the Maintenance and Facilities Division
2001 Work Plan. Email Bobbi if you'd like a copy. This 16-page
document relating specifically to Marymoor lists staff members, hours of
operation, planned 2001 special events, phone numbers, team ground rules,
facilities listing, a long listing of "Business Partners, External
Agencies, Volunteer Organizations, and Neighborhood Groups", district
assets, district demographics, summaries of kudos, comments and complaints
received, entrepreneurial enterprises, a listing of recent enhancements an
achievements, community projects finished in 2000, and a review of the Heritage
Festival 2000 with a list of contacts. The document ends with a listing of
2001 Goals and Objectives, both general and special-event-specific, staff
training needs, prioritization of key maintenance operations, and a listing of
planned volunteer programs.
The Small Projects list distributed two months ago, and
discussed last month, is the basis for an on-going discussion of
prioritization. Comments about these projects should be communicated to Norah
Gaynor or to fomp@marymoor.org.
Wednesday, Norah distributed another list, this one of Capital
Projects. These projects are capital improvements to the park in excess of
$10,000 and paid out of CIP funds, a separate, dedicated, revenue stream.
For next month, Greg Helland would like members to come up with additions, top
3-5 prioritizations and comments. If you can't make the April meeting,
email comments to Norah Gaynor or
to fomp@marymoor.org.
Click to view Capital Projects List
Norah also gave a quick rundown on some on-going projects.
1) The velodrome track was damaged in the February 28
earthquake, and the track has been closed since. An application has been
made to FEMA for repair money. This project is a top priority, as the work
has to be completed during April in order not to disrupt the summer racing
schedule.
2) Lake overlook dock repair - Parks is working on permits and
contracting, so as to be able to do this project during the rather narrow window
of time allowed for lake/river construction due to salmon concerns. The
new lake overlook will be a fixed structure, rather than the current floating
platform.
3) New all-weather soccer field. The lights are up and
operational, and the field should be ready for final check in a week and open to
play in two weeks.
4) The adjacent new grass soccer fields are indefinitely on
hold, due to soggy ground. It will probably be June or July before work
can resume. Due to drought, seeding probably can't be before late
September.
5) Softball fields 4 & 5 in the NE corner of the park were
due to be completely reconfigured this summer. Again, due to the drought,
this project is probably on hold indefinitely. Reseeding would not be
possible with the expected water restrictions.
The parks system does not have (and would not use) rights to
pump water out of the slough or from wells.
6) Softball fields 1&2 are almost ready, but the turf is not
yet up-to-scratch. Probably open by June.
WOMAD previously had been contracting with One Reel to produce
the festival. After last year's event, One Reel severed there association
with WOMAD and announced they would put on their own version of the festival in
2001. Subsequently, One Reel decided *not* to produce a festival, and the
WOMAD organization has announced that they *will* put on WOMAD this year.
A new production company is expected to be named shortly, and they will be
invited to FOMP meetings for discussion of members' issues and concerns re: the
festival.
Mike Eddy asked for guidance on how to proceed with his idea of
reconfiguring the anti-traffic gates that currently are used to stop
through-traffic during rush hours. This led to a procedural discussion,
the gist of which is as follows:
1) If you have a topic for discussion at a FOMP meeting that
will take more than about 10 minutes, it needs to be on the agenda. Agenda
items are usually derived at the previous membership meeting. If you want
to add a topic, send email to Norah
Gaynor or to fomp@marymoor.org at least 1 week
prior to the next meeting.
2) If you want to discuss an issue between meetings with members
of FOMP, you may send an email to FOMPLIST,
again @scn.org;
that alias sends to the whole FOMP email list. (Note - I've obscured the email
address so spammers can't extract it off the web)
3) To bring an idea before FOMP and KC Parks, diagrams
illustrating explicit proposals really, really help. Bobbi can help by
providing maps on which changes can be marked.
4) If you are a user group representative and you are bringing a
proposal, it helps if your user group has already discussed and agreed on a
position vis-à-vis the proposal. You have more clout if your group stands
behind you (figuratively) when making your pitch.
5) The relevant permitting agencies will assist in determining
what work items will be required in order to implement a proposed change.
If you have a firm proposed change, it helps if you can find out a rough list of
necessary work and costs necessary.
This year's Heritage Festival will feature a full-blown civil
war battle reenactment, with "fighting" in Marybelle Meadow (south of
the cricket pitch area). Mock Union and Rebel encampments will be located
at the edges of the main festival area, with demonstrations of gear, etc.
Norah gave a rundown on the policy towards memorials in the
park. These include memorial benches or trees, etc. There have been many
requests for memorial benches, mostly from SODA members, and mostly requesting
locations in the off-leash dog area. That area has now reached its
capacity for benches, but Norah will be developing a map of other locations in
the park where benches may be placed. Memorial benches may have a small
plaque, but the wording of that plaque cannot sound like a tombstone - i.e.,
they cannot use such phrases as "In memory of", or
"memorial", or show birth/death dates for a person. Memorial
trees are very welcome, but do not have plaques at all. [Also, water
restrictions this season will preclude planting of trees...] If FOMP
members have recommendations for good locations for benches, please forward
those ideas to Norah.
Water restrictions are currently in place at Marymoor.
They are in phase 1 restrictions at this time, which means that certain fields
are not being watered or are being watered less, and mowing heights are being
increased slightly. Bobbi will bring a summary of water policy to the next
meeting. They are investigating the feasibility of trucking in "gray
water" - processed, treated waste water. With the expected water
restrictions this year, the Community Gardens (Pea Patch) WILL be affected.
There may be limited days where watering can occur, etc. If the drought
emergency grows, the restrictions will become tighter.
These notes were made by the
webmaster, Michael Hobbs, and they do not constitute an official record of the
meeting. They may have inaccuracies and omissions. If anyone has any
complaints about the content of these notes, they should direct them to Michael
Hobbs at fomp@marymoor.org, and he will endeavor to
correct them.
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