The Ledger

Fate Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting - August 2, 2022

Fate Gazette

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The Fate Gazette — Ledger Entry

Meeting

Fate Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Date: August 2, 2022
Time: 6:02 p.m. – 6:53 p.m.
Location: Fate City Hall, 1900 CD Boren Parkway, Fate, Texas

Call to Order and Roll Call

  • Chairman Tiffany King called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
  • A quorum was confirmed.

Board Members Present:

  • Tiffany King, Chairman
  • Kimber Patterson, Vice-Chairman (arrived at 6:05 p.m.)
  • Barry Brafman
  • Virginia Harris
  • Delleez Dennis
  • Courtney Clayton

Board Members Absent:

  • Lyndsay Sine

City of Fate Staff Present:

  • Steve Gilbert, Director of Community Services and Building Safety
  • Jessica Larson, Assistant to City Manager
  • Spencer Foster, Assistant to City Manager
  • Samantha Harris, Deputy City Secretary

Citizen Comments

  • No citizens were present wishing to speak.

Approval of Minutes (July 12, 2022)

  • Motion to approve the July 12, 2022 meeting minutes was made by Barry Brafman.
  • Motion was seconded by Virginia Harris.
  • Vote:
    • Ayes: King, Brafman, Harris, Dennis, Clayton
    • Nays: None
  • Chairman King declared the motion carried unanimously.

Celebrate Fate

Presentation by Jessica Larson, Assistant to City Manager:

  • Event Date: Saturday, September 17
  • Time: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location: Fate City Hall and Robert Smith Family Park
  • Volunteer application open
  • Sponsors:
    • 29 sponsors totaling $29,500
    • Potential total of $32,000
    • 5 in-kind sponsors
  • Vendors:
    • 31 registered, totaling $1,975
    • Craft vendors: 15
    • Food vendors: 7
    • Non-profits: 9
  • Booth capacity: 50 spaces, 46 filled

Presentation by Spencer Foster, Assistant to City Manager:

  • Activities planned:
    • Fireworks (12 minutes)
    • Band: 80’ Gadgets
    • Bounce houses, games, and face painting (increased from 9 to 11 elements)
    • Magician (hosted by sponsor John Stacy)
    • Pickleball demonstrations/tournament (volunteer: Melissa Pedroza)
    • Rockwall 7ers basketball tournament
    • Flu shots and COVID vaccines (Fate Pharmacy)
    • Eye exams (Fate Lions Club)
    • Blood drive (Carter BloodCare, Susan Kennedy)
    • NTMWD water conservation
    • NOAA SKYWARN program (attendance pending)
    • Texas Farm Bureau mobile learning barn
    • Rockwall County Open Space Alliance (attendance pending)
    • Sheriff’s Posse

Board Discussion Topics:

  • Rides
  • Event layout compared to prior years
  • Suggestion to include QR codes at booths for additional activities

Fate Station Park

Presentation by Steve Gilbert, Director of Community Services and Building Safety:

  • Final walk completed
  • Acceptance not yet completed
  • Construction on surrounding properties expected to begin at the end of August

Board Discussion Topic:

  • Punch list status not hindering the project timeframe

Joe Burger Park

Presentation by Steve Gilbert:

  • Basketball courts: not surfaced; backboards installed
  • Parking lot: sealed; striping pending
  • Bathroom: scheduled for the following week
  • Sign: footings installed
  • Irrigation: scheduled for the following week
  • Trails: majority poured
  • Playground: approximately 80% complete

Board Discussion Topics:

  • Temperature of slides
  • Surfacing planned once temperatures decrease

Park Master Plan

Presentation by Xie Tracz, Parkhill:

  • Needs assessments using:
    • Access-based approach (walkability and drivability metrics)
    • Acreage level of service
    • Parkland service areas
    • Demand-based surveys and meetings
    • Resource-based evaluation
  • Current inventory:
    • 125 acres of developed parkland
    • 2 public park projects in development
    • 220 acres of open space
    • 17 miles of trail
  • Community survey responses: 195

Board Discussion Topic:

  • Source of words included in the word cloud

Parks and Trails Master Plan Goals:

  • Improve access to parks for all residents
  • Provide inclusive and accessible park amenities
  • Partner with organizations to address varied community interests

Implementation and Priorities

  • Discussion of prioritization and implementation through partnerships and funding mechanisms.

Funding Mechanisms Discussed:

  • Federal: Land and Water Conservation Fund; National Park Service River, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program
  • State: Texas Parks and Wildlife
  • Local: Bonds
  • Private: Shade Structure Grant Program

Board Discussion Topic:

  • City Council comments made during the Parkhill update at the July 18 City Council meeting

YMCA Partnerships

Presentation by Jessica Larson, Assistant to City Manager:

  • YMCA served just over 200 participants
  • One-week sessions held Monday–Thursday, July 11 through July 28
  • Each lesson lasted 30 minutes
  • Focus on water safety skills:
    • Submerging, breath control, and eye opening
    • Swim, float, swim
    • Jump, push, turn, grab
    • Permission and water safety education
  • Program reported as successful

Board Discussion Topics:

  • Logistics for future partnerships
  • YMCA managed participant signups
  • No City funding provided; costs covered by YMCA and PTAA

Adjournment

  • Motion to adjourn made by Barry Brafman.
  • Motion seconded by Virginia Harris.
  • Vote:
    • Ayes: King, Patterson, Brafman, Harris, Dennis, Clayton
    • Nays: None
  • Chairman King declared the meeting adjourned at 6:53 p.m.

Record Note
This Ledger entry records the publicly observable proceedings of the meeting listed above. It does not offer analysis or commentary.

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