| City Commission Work Session | Mayor Gray presiding |
CALL TO ORDER: 5:48 P.M.
ROLL CALL: City Commissioners present: Randy Gray, Bill Beecher, Diane Jovick-Kuntz, and John Rosenbaum. Commissioner Sandy Hinz was excused. City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Directors of Community Development, Planning, Public Works, Library, Acting Director of Park and Recreation and Fiscal Services, Police Chief, Fire Chief, and the Deputy City Clerk.
Community Director Mike Rattray stated James and Joyce Sutich, owners of the property located at 1248 Madera Drive, requested a variance to reduce the required front yard setback from 30' to 24'. The variance would allow for a garage to be built by the applicants in conjunction with a new home on the vacant lot. The Board of Adjustment heard the variance request at their meeting on January 13, 2005, and voted in a tie 2-2. On January 18, 2005, Mr. Ed Venetz, Board member, met with Mr. Sutich and City staff and heard the petitioners presentation. Mr. Venetz voted to approve the variance because the lot shape presented an extraordinary circumstance that did not apply to the other properties in the area, and the garage would not protrude any further into the front setback than the very permanent porch next door. The variance was approved by a 3-2 vote.
It was the consensus of the City Commission to concur with the Board of Adjustment's recommendation.
Planning Director Ben Rangel reported that the Great Falls area medical institutions and businesses experienced substantial growth and development during the past several years. The area encompassing the Great Falls Clinic and Benefis HealthCare (East Campus) had begun to undergo another period of significant physical growth and change, as demonstrated by their current construction projects, and their future plans for additional major expansion and renovation.
To better facilitate the growth of industry and to help better manage and develop it as an integral function and physical component of the City, a development master plan was urgently needed. Because of the public and private benefits that would be derived from such a plan, Great Falls Clinic, Benefis Healthcare and the City agreed to equally finance its preparation.
Following a consultant selection process, the Medical District Master Plan Oversight Committee recommended the City, as the agreed to contracting entity, hire L'Heureux Page Werner and CTA Architects/Engineers and its assemblage of consulting firms, to prepare the proposed medical district master plan. The contract was for $137,150 and would be completed by the end of the year.
In general, the study process would address the following issues:
Acting Park and Recreation Director Patty Gumenberg presented statistics on the local swimming pools for the past five years. She added that the Natatorium, Water Park, Water Tower and Jaycee pools were operating at a deficit. The attendance in the previous years had gone down except for 2004, it was slightly higher. She stated that the Legislature may raise minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.25 per hour and that would cost the pools $29,500. She added that all the pools had significant capital and maintenance issues that would need to be addressed.
The minimum investments needed for the Natatorium were: hot tub, pool liner, grate system, pool cover, upgrade boiler system, re-pointing bricks, dressing rooms improvements, painting, family restroom improvements, two diaper stations, exterior entrance, outdoor sign, program equipment, inflatable, minor improvements, sidewalks and repaving parking lots. The total for the items listed was $262,379. Staff proposed schedule additions to the facility as listed: adding monthly teen night, adding a half hour power workouts at noon, more swimming lessons, more lap swimming, back-hab program, and worker's compensation and vocational re-habilitation would cover participant's costs and cooperative package with Gold's Gym. The proposed cooperative package with Gold's Gym would be: $55 per month with $30 going to Gold's Gym and $25 going to Natatorium. Gold's would advertise and collect fees. The package included use of the Natatorium for lap swimming, water aerobics and open swim. Gold's Gym included: exercise equipment, weight machines and free weights, yoga, cycling, Pilates, aerobics, racquetball, handball, running track and hot tub.
Ms. Gumenberg also proposed the following swim pool fee increases:
| Current | Proposed | |
|---|---|---|
| Lap Swimming | $20/month | $25/month * |
| $ 2/day | $2.50/day * | |
| $20/pass | Eliminate | |
| $35 with aerobics * | ||
| Water Aerobics | $30/month | $30/month |
| $20/½ month | Eliminate | |
| $25/punch card (10 times) * | ||
| $3/day | $3/day | |
| Swimming Lessons | $30/summer | $40/summer |
| $25/s. schools | $25/s. schools | |
| $25/weekends | $25/weekends | |
| $30/after school | $30/after school | |
| Facility Rentals | $55/2 hours | $70/2 hours |
| $90/inflatable | $120/inflatable | |
| Contracted Rentals | $20/prime | $25/non-prime |
| $30/prime |
With added programs and increased fees would bring in an estimated $37,696 in net revenue.
Ms. Gumenberg stated that they had some options for the Water Tower and Jaycee Pools. They could leave the pools opened until mechanical/maintenance issues preclude operating, eventually replace with spray grounds or close the neighborhood pools. She added that the benefits of having the spray grounds included: no lifeguard supervision was required, low operational cost, required minimal maintenance and does not require an attendant to turn the system on and off daily, designed to maximize water effects while minimizing water consumption and the play value would have a variety of shapes, colors, water effects as well as the interactive aspect would provide entertainment for all ages.
Ms. Gumenberg also presented the cost for the spray grounds for Billings:
City Manager John Lawton recommended to the Commission for the City to use this year's budget to complete the projects for the Natatorium and add as needed to the Water Park. Mr. Lawton also recommended not doing anything for the neighborhood pools at this point. He added that starting repairs to these pools the City would end up putting the entire dollar amount needed for them. He also suggested presenting the issue of the neighborhood pools to the Neighborhood Councils to get the word out in their neighborhoods and propose if they would be interested to provide service to take care of the local neighborhood pools. Mr. Lawton also suggested closing the pools soon and presenting a bond issue. He also added that having two Spray Parks would save the City a lot of money.
Commissioner Rosenbaum suggested refinancing the pools and including all the pools together or having a bond issue with some options.
Acting Park and Recreation Director Patty Gumenberg stated that she would be attending the Neighborhood Council meetings in March and would inform them of possible closure of the pools and maybe get some suggestions and ideas from the public.
City Manager John Lawton stated the something needed to be done soon. He suggested to prepare a debt package with the structures and to keep the whole package tax impact low. Another suggestion was to put it to the public/voters and see what happens and if voted down, close the neighborhood pools.
There being no further business to come before the Commission, the regular work session of February 15, 2005, adjourned at 6:53 P.M.
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