Approved Minutes - 2019-11-20
PARKS, RECREATION & NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY
BOARD
MINUTES
November 20, 2019
Bill Gordon called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m., at the Maintenance Center.
Present: Co-Chair Bill Gordon, Co-Chair Heidi Schrimsher, Natalie Bennon, Scott Bullard, Doug
McKean, Sandy Intraversato, Brittany Weiler, Youth Member Madeline Champion, Youth
Member Anna Hovey, Alternate Sarah Ellison, Alternate Christopher Duncan, Nguyen,
Council Liaison
Absent: Anne Ruybalid, Rick Gruen
Staff: Ivan Anderholm, Director of Parks & Recreation, Jan Wirtz, Recreation Superintendent,
Jeff Munro, Parks Superintendent, Megan Big John, Senior Crew Leader/Parks & Natural
Areas, Dina Balogh, Parks & Recreation Administrative Assistant, Charity Taylor,
Management Analysis
Guests: Scott Handley, Rosemary DiCandilo, Donald Mattersdorff
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Advisory Board (PARKS Board) reviewed and
unanimously approved the minutes from October 09, 2019.
Citizen Comment:
Scott Handley thanked the Board for voting with the “Save Cooks Butte Coalition”.
Scott presented the “LoveLOParks” prospective ballot initiative to the Board. The initiative repeals
and replaces Chapter X, Park Development Limitations in Lake Oswego’s City Charter, Chapter 1, with
expanded limitations for fifteen natural parks. The purpose of this Chapter is to preserve all
designated Nature Preserves that are owned by the City.
Ivan Anderholm, Parks & Recreation Director told the Board he had a conversation with Scott about
the ballot initiative. Questions were brought up during their conversation such as, “What is the
intent of the property?” The City Attorney will speak with Scott to go over technical issues with the
ballot initiative.
Rosemary DiCandilo thanked the Board and department for all the work they do for the City parks.
She asked for continued transparency and trust from the department.
Donald Mattersdorf told the Board the Hallinan neighborhood have worked for years to protect and
expand Hallinan Woods. The neighborhood is grateful to the Parks Board for voting last year to
recommend that the City make a fair market offer for the Yates property. The City Council made an
offer to purchase the property below the appraised value of the property. In a letter sent to the
editor of the LO Review the neighborhood urged the City Council to make an offer for the property at
its appraised value.
YOUTH MEMBER UPDATE: NA
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November 20, 2019 Page 2 of 4
CITY COUNCIL UPDATE:
The council chamber was packed with citizens in support and opposition to the Oak Grove/LO
Pedestrian/Bicycling Bridge. Several adults and youth spoke in support of the Oak Grove-LO
Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge who enjoy walking and bicycling. A motion was made that the City
consider completing the bridge study. The City Council were not interested in continuing the
discussion. Daniel Nguyen, Council Liaison and Council member, Theresa Kohlhoff voted “no” on the
motion.
The Demolition Tax on certain residential structures: A vote was taken and unanimously passed.
Funds will be dedicated to the Parks maintenance needs.
North anchor project: Timeline extended to February.
REGULAR BUSNESS:
2018-2019 Invasive Management & Habitat Enhancement Program Report
Megan Big John, Senior Crew Leader, Parks & Natural Areas
Invasive Management Program Background:
The Invasive Removal Program started the winter of 201, at the request of City Council with a funding base of
$70,000. In 2013 the budget was increased to $74,000. The goal for this program:
Remove English Ivy from our natural areas.
Work on the parks in the best condition and highest resource value.
Use specialized contractors to coordinate with city staff, to prescribe and perform invasive control
tasks.
Since 2011, 24 park locations began the restoration process under this program. Along with English Ivy, other
invasive species have been targeted such as Himalayan Blackberry, Clematis, Garlic Mustard, Japanese Knot
Weed, Filed Bindweed, English Hawthorne, Laurel, Holy, Lesser celandine, Canada Thistle, Poison Oak and
others as they appear.
Crews will begin with air-gapping trees, treating invasive species on the ground, hack & squirt invasive trees
and planting in areas with little native cover when the site is ready. In areas where Garlic Mustard has gone
to flower or areas where native plant densities are high, the contractors will hand weed. As sites in the
Invasive Removal Program become less infested with invasive species they will transition to a maintenance
phase and replanting will occur with the Habitat Enhancement Program.
This year we contracted $64,582.69 with Ash Creek Forest Management to work on 3 properties covering
93.93 acres of Natural Area. The areas include:
Springbrook Park, 54 acres.
Iron Mountain Park, 38.43 acres (2 of 3 sections of the park)
South Shore Natural Area on Oak Terrace, 1.5 acres
Tasks included:
Invasive removal treatments
Hand removal in dense native clusters
Planting 15,075 bare-root & sword ferns.
Springbrook and Iron Mountain have continued to stay in the IRP, due to the size and time it has taken to
make head way through the parks. Primary targets have been ground & tree ivy and weedy trees among
others. With large areas of native plant groupings, the crews have had to move through the park much
slower with treatments and have spent extra time hand pulling. Plants were installed at both locations this
year, with Springbrook receiving 2000 sword ferns, and Iron Mountain receiving 13,075 of mixed bare-roots
and sword ferns.
South Shore Natural Area has been worked on since 2013. Last year the department noticed the section
between the Lake and Oak Terrace had issues with tree ivy and garlic mustard as well. Park crews have
worked on the trees and have hand pulled & treated the garlic mustard. The department is currently leaving
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the ground ivy, as the slope is extremely steep.
Habitat Enhancement Program Background:
The program was funded by the Council in 2014-2015, providing $250,000 to continue restoration efforts
started by the Invasive Removal Program in 2011. The program was created to help meet requirements from
Metro, regarding Sensitive Lands. Currently there are 4 project types that are supported by the program.
Restoration efforts on City owned properties
Grant Program to support restoration work on private property
The use of funding for matching grants.
Plants for Friends Group work parties
HEP Projects for 2018-19. The main goal is to remove invasive and replant natives. Springbrook Park has to
be managed by hand. The department is thankful for friends groups.
The goals for the restoration efforts for 2018-2019:
17 Parks funded by program
188.71 acres
2000 plants for Friends Groups work parties
1 Habitat Enhancement Grant Awarded:
Tualatin Watershed Council, $64,950, 6 acres of Carter Creek
Goal to decrease erosion, sediment load & improve water quality
Partner with “Dig In” to provide field study & restoration experiences to 75 students, 8 times
through the grant.
50,640 plants were planted in 2018-2019. The department and the HEP surveyed areas to determine where
parks and neighbor boundary lines are recognized.
Action: Megan will have pictures to show successes next year.
Deep Dive/Financial Performance
Ivan Anderholm, Director of Parks and Recreation
Background: The department started reporting on Parks & Recreation financial performance. The financial
performance concerns came from City Council and the Citizen Budget Committee in the 2012-13 financial
performance of recreation programs. At that time, the department had a subsidy of a little over $900,000.
The department and PRAB was then asked to do a deep dive to show why and where the department was
spending this money. Six years later (Note: In 2012-13 the recovery rate was at about 40%), the department
is now at a 66% recovery rate. The department was able to get the subsidy down by the third year.
Costs have increased primarily in staff wages. The minimum wage increase has had an effect on costs. Value
of homes have increased in assessed value. Overall, the department revenue is up.
2020 Parks Board Goals
PARKS Board members discussed the 2020 goals.
Via email, Doug McKean moved to approve the Parks Board goals as written. Scott Bullard seconded the
motion. The motion was unanimously approved via email November 25, 2019.
2020 Goals for Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources
(PARKS Board) Advisory Board
1) Given the passage of LO’s $30M parks bond, continue to update and refine the Board’s prioritization
and cost estimates of capital improvement projects, and periodically communicate updated
recommendations to City Council. The Board’s prioritization will continue to be guided by Parks Plan
2025, other specific park master plans, formal citizen input and Parks Dept. staff expertise.
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2) Formally engage with other LO advisory boards on overlapping issues. Individual Board members
assigned to specific boards will periodically provide updates and recommendations on potential joint
initiatives.
3) With Parks Dept. staff, develop a new Board member on-boarding process, including an information
packet, meetings with staff and Board co-chairs, and park tours.
4) Assist and support Parks & Rec Dept. staff on the following important initiatives:
Identifying and evaluating potential strategic parks land acquisitions.
Improving parks trail connectivity associated with Safe Routes to School.
Expanding accessibility in specifically identified playgrounds.
Address the demands for off-leash dog areas and reduce off-leash conflicts that occur in some
City parks.
Expand the effectiveness of LO’s park friends groups, as well as LO’s Backyard Habitat program.
LOSD Pool Task Force Update
The Pool Community Engagement was on November 6 at Lakeridge High School. Staff, Parks board members
and City elected officials were in attendance. It was apparent by the comments of elected officials the
directed instructions were misinterpreted. The control points changed in the first few minutes of the
meeting.
The City Manager and City Council will not participate in future Public Outreach meetings until the school
district and council meet to discuss a clear direction. There is now a clear direction after the City Council
executive session. The direction is close to the original framework. The question now is, what is the capacity
needs for the school district? The conversation and decision needs to be made by the school district. The
argument of having a co-facility is still valid. The majority of Council members recognize that Parks and
Recreation need recreation and office space.
A meeting is scheduled for December 2, with the City Manager, Council members, and the Pool Task Force.
Bond Project Updates: ACC, Tennis, Parks Facilities
RFP’s for completion of architecture and engineering services are posted for the Tennis Center and
Adult Community Center. Tennis Center RFP’s are due December 2 and the ACC RFP’s are due
December 17.
Woodmont Park Contract is on the December 3 City Council consent agenda.
Iron Mt. out to bid in December.
Parks Department is working with a contractor to renovate the GRP restroom facilities.
IT will set up a dash board to track bond money and projects.
STAFF AND BOARD MONTHLY UPDATE: NA
ADJOURNMENT
The next regular scheduled meeting will be Wednesday, December 18, 2019, 4 to 6 p.m., at the
MAINTENANCE CENTER
Bill Gordon adjourned the meeting at approximately 6:30p.m.
Prepared by, Dina Balogh, Administrative Assistant
Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Advisory Board Minutes
October 09, 2019 Page 5 of 3