2) New employee position announced:  Norah let us know that there will be a new park employee to handle projects, filling a new position. Focus will be on major maintenance projects whose funding comes from capital grants, etc. This reflects a change in management structure. With this new position, existing personnel will be able to focus on their core responsibilities. This should make projects move forward more seamlessly, and will reduce or replace contract managers to run projects.

Additionally, Parks has new software to track preventative maintenance, which will allow better tracking and planning of required work. The new person will get that up and running, and get all of the staff trained on it.

If time allows, the new person will also monitor contract compliance by Community Partnership Grant (CPG) partners.

3) CIP/Project/Facilities Updates:

a) Birdloop - Canada Thistle control begins 3/31, weather permitting. They’ll also do more work on Poison Hemlock, which has spread from the initial sites.  This work will be carried out by the KC Noxious Weed control personnel.

b) Community Gardens – Requesting CPG money for path grant request.  Laura also gave the sad news that both hives of the bees died, so they will try requeening the hives. The hives are located in Snag Row just east of the Community Gardens.

MCGA also has presented a grant request to FOMP, asking for of $1000 as detailed: "$560 to allow us to replace five of our aging (and irreparable) wheel-barrows. $250 will permit us to replace our worn-out coolers (keeps the produce fresh between deliveries) $190 to help defray the cost of amendments to the soil used to increase its fertility and bounty"

The Board of the Friends of Marymoor Park will consider this grant request.

c) Sammamish Rowing Association Boathouse - SRA has moved into the new building, and the old boathouse has been torn down.  The foundation of the old boathouse remains, and a perimeter chain-link fencing has been installed, converting the old building into an open-air storage area for their motor boats (used for coaches).  A shed is being built at the east end of the old foundation to replace the existing gasoline and tool storage sheds.  These new sheds should be safely above even 100 year floods.

d) Park Drainage – Lot B -  Norah would like to arrange a meeting, post-Cirque load-out, to discuss a final plan for Lot B.  Michael mentioned drainage issues with current configuration, and both Michael and Laura mentioned people doing massive donuts.  Lot B is now, by far, the biggest parking lot, and the biggest expanse of gravel in the park. 

e)  Sammamish River Transition Zone – Greg gave an update on the public meeting that was held on March 14th.  At that meeting, three alternatives were presented.  There will be a Shareholders Advisory Committee meeting next, after which the project leaders will select a preferred alternative to present to the Flood Control District. There will be another public meeting following that.

f) Concert Venue –Roof repairs will begin in the next couple of weeks

4) Community Festival - A production company, Artist Home, has been hired to run the community festival that Norah announced last month.  Artist Home also produced Tolt MacDonald “Timber” festival.  Leanne Hughes will be the point person. They are very interested in talking with MCGA.  Focus of the festival will be on locally grown food.  The festival will be middle of September, in all likelihood.