The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm with Commissioner Dooley presiding.

ROLL CALL: Dooley (Present), Jewell (Absent-Excused), Policicchio (Present), Staab (Present), Tecklenburg (Present), Torimoto (Absent-Excused), Wingfield (Present), Kerbrat (Present), Kodali (Absent).

It was moved by Commissioner Staab and seconded by Commissioner Wingfield to approve the agenda as written.

CITIZEN COMMENTS: None

A. Approval of the March 8, 2012 minutes.

It was moved by Commissioner Policicchio and seconded by Commissioner Tecklenburg to approve the minutes as written.

Voice Vote Unanimous

A. Walkable Novi - Commissioners Policicchio & Torimoto

Commissioner Policicchio stated there was nothing to report because there was not a meeting this month.

B. Novi Parks Foundation - Commissioners Staab and Tecklenburg

A. Administration Division-Superintendent of Recreation Pratt

1. Director Mangum at LEAD Conference

Superintendent Pratt state Director Mangum is at a LEAD Conference in Virginia going over his professional development for local government managers.

2. Grant Update

Superintendent Pratt stated he has both grant applications which are completed and have been submitted if the Commissioners would like to look at them.

Commissioner Tecklenburg asked if the submission date was April first.

Superintendent Pratt stated that it was the first week of April.

Commissioner Staab asked if support letters were received from all Commissioners.

Superintendent Pratt confirmed this and stated there were also other letters of support from around the city.

Commissioner Dooley asked Superintendent Pratt to recap the grant.

Superintendent Pratt stated one of the grants is for Pavilion Shore Park, formerly the Landings, phase three. The second grant is for the proposed ITC Community Sports Park trailhead and trail.

3. Budget – CIP

Superintendent Pratt stated this past weekend we had our budget meeting with capital improvement projects. It was drafted and there were no major questions for us so far. We are waiting for City Council’s final approval.

Commissioner Staab asked if he might have read that City Council is looking to approve the budget by the first meeting in May.

Superintendent Pratt stated he did not know but could find out.

Commissioner Staab stated he thought he read an article about City Council rolling back a tax.

Commissioner Wingfield asked Superintendent Pratt to recap what the Capital Improvement Projects currently are.

Superintendent Pratt stated we are going to do a Lakeshore Park play structure replacement and a Rotary Park play structure, Power Park access road, parking lot and pathway resurfacing and the greenway development known as the ITC corridor pathway phase one. The service improvement requests we made are the Novi Cemetery restoration, AEDs for Lakeshore Park (we requested two), for ITC (we requested two), for Power Park and for the Civic Center. Our capital outlay requests are a shade system for Fuerst Park and Fuerst Park drainage improvements.

Commissioner Dooley asked the status on when parks will be assigned to the Commissioners to do their reviews.

Superintendent Pratt stated he does not know yet but will let them know when he finds out.

B. Recreation Division – Superintendent of Recreation Scott Pratt

1. Soccer/Softball

Recreation Supervisor Matt Ostermeyer stated a softball umpire meeting is going on in the Civic Center as he speaks. We have a record breaking 145 softball teams registered as of 5pm today and registration is open until 5pm tomorrow. The softball season starts the week of April 30^th. We have a couple of evenings that are totally full. There are many places around here where softball is in decline and we are pulling in some of those teams where the leagues aren’t doing well. He believes that it is largely due to the investment we made in Power Park because people love the fields there.

Soccer kicked off last Saturday. It was rainy and cold but we did not have to cancel any games. We also had our first two lacrosse games which were held at the Novi Middle School. This is the first time we were able to coordinate to use those fields. It was great because we were able to use the scoreboards and everyone loved it. We will be able to use those fields again this Saturday. Both teams had wins.

Soccer registration is up from fall. We are slightly down from last spring. Last spring season was a struggle with the weather. Theresa McClure has done a great job to balance the teams and find the coaches we have to find every season.

Recreation Supervisor Ostermeyer stated in the spring participants do not have to purchase a jersey if they played in the fall. If they do not need a jersey the online price was $95.00.

Commissioner Dooley asked about the condition of the fields and the planning that went in to that. The fields are in incredible condition.

Recreation Supervisor Ostermeyer stated John Thompson has taken great strides to improve the fertilization program at ITC Community Sports Park and at Power Park. Our irrigation system at ITC Community Sports Park is fully functioning for the first time in a couple of years. The mild winter we had helped. The fields look beautiful which is big credit to John Thompson and his crew.

Commissioner Wingfield asked if the drainage problem on field two at Power Park had been fixed.

Recreation Supervisor Ostermeyer stated that project has been completed and when we have had rain there is not the standing water there was before and not as many geese and ducks.

2. Theater –"See How They Run"

Superintendent Pratt stated "See How They Run" is coming this weekend. Saturday sales are going well. There are still seats for Friday. The tickets are $35 each. It is a dinner and a show. Moe’s on Ten is providing the dinner. Tickets are on sale until 4pm tomorrow.

The Novi Choralaires concert is coming up on May 12^th.

Commissioner Staab stated the concert is at the Novi Middle School auditorium and starts at 7pm. The tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and children under twelve. Tickets are $10 each for groups of ten or more. Tickets are now on sale online at cityofnovi.org, at the Novi Parks office or at the door. The theme this year is "Travel Across America".

MATTERS FOR COMMISSION DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION:

A. Discuss and possible action on support for policy on Fees and Charges

Superintendent Pratt stated the Novi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department is trying to streamline some of our policies and procedures. We want to make sure we are abiding by policies as a department. This falls in line with our CAPRA certification to make sure that we are staying on track with due diligence on fees and charges. We want to get the Commissions input. We did not use concrete prices because it is program or event based.

Commissioner Policicchio stated many residents think that taxes should provide all functions and services of the Parks and Recreation department. There are expenses incurred when you run programs that are specifically designed for certain participants as opposed to the public at large. That is the reason for a fee program so that tax shortfalls can be offset by the user fee for those who are deriving direct benefits. He asked Superintendent Pratt to explain, for the public benefit, how the department goes about setting the fee for any particular activity or event so the City does not have to absorb losses and so the taxpayers don’t have to pay more than what would be called for.

Superintendent Pratt stated the department uses Activity Based Costing. We do charge what we need to make ends meet and keep it as low as possible.

Commissioner Staab stated he noticed in review, at Lakeshore Park specifically, that there is a $5 nonresident parking fee. He understands the reason. If a Novi company rents out the pavilion would their nonresident employees have to pay the parking fee?

Superintendent Pratt stated that would fall under a special consideration and would go to the Director for approval. We try and look at those on an individual basis.

Commissioner Wingfield stated that when you take a youth sport program and charge $100 for a resident of Novi that cost is based on the direct cost of the program plus a small buffer to cover administrative costs, etc. Then there is a program with 145 adult softball teams and it is $650 per team, which he thinks is a little excessive, but it is fine because a large number of the players are not Novi residents. You may build in a little bigger buffer to cover the improvements to the park and maintain it.

Superintendent Pratt stated softball has more field work and maintenance compared to soccer. All of that is considered in pricing. We have more softball teams and teams back because of the improvements to our softball fields.

Commissioner Tecklenburg stated under special services and facilities and criteria for establishing fees and charges it talks about charging fees comparable to the market rates. He asked if we benchmark, whether it is field usage or facility usage, to understand what the competition is.

Superintendent Pratt stated the Michigan Recreation and Park Association does a cost analysis of all of the local area sports leagues, etc. We use that and we also make phone calls to do a cost analysis. We are in line with comparable leagues.

Commissioner Dooley asked if an adoption is what is being asked for this evening.

Superintendent Pratt stated it is to let the Commission see that we are in line with what we are asking for programs and leagues.

Commissioner Dooley stated we have just gone through the budget and are waiting for City Council’s final approval. He asked if Superintendent Pratt envisions this as being a permanent fees and charges or as something that can be changed if it is not efficient. He asked if the fees and charges could be rescinded.

Superintendent Pratt stated there will always be fees and charges base. That is why we did not give exact percentages or fees. As you read through it, it does say a lot "with the Director’s approval". This is holding us accountable on how we charge and produce fees. This is our guiding principal that we want to make sure all staff abides by. With Commissions assistance we want to make sure we are not asking for something above and beyond what our department can accomplish.

Commissioner Policicchio asked if there is a hardship clause for children whose parents may be out of work and can’t afford the fees.

Commissioner Staab replied that is under the Novi Parks Foundation Scholarship Program. One of their main tenants is to endow a scholarship program for people in need. There are criteria which the department uses as a review. The Foundation endows the funds and the department makes the decisions.

Commissioner Staab stated he noted there was a provision for the fees and charges where it would be reviewed on an annual basis in January. That would be the time to look at adjusting fees and possibly reducing fees. He noticed an article in the "Novi News" that stated the Novi School District is projecting a decrease in enrollment over the next four to five years of five to six percent in the elementary schools. That is a big base for our users. He is glad we did not build another High School.

Commissioner Dooley asked if Superintendent Pratt would take a roll call vote of supporting or not the policy on fees and charges.

Superintendent Pratt conducted a roll call vote on whether the Commissioners supported or did not support the Policy on Fees and Charges.

Commissioner Dooley Support
Commissioner Policicchio Support
Commissioner Staab Support
Commissioner Tecklenburg Support
Commissioner Wingfield Support
Student Representative Kerbrat Support

CITIZEN COMMENTS: None

COMMISSIONER COMMENTS:

Student Representative Kerbrat stated beside "See How They Run" here at the Civic Center there is a production at the High School which is amazing and is at 7pm tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night.

Commissioner Tecklenburg stated it is great that Spring is here and there is lots of action at the fields. He is glad to hear the soccer fields are in such great shape. He is hoping for a very successful Spring season and good weather as well.

Commissioner Staab stated he heard that Student Representative Kerbrat is graduating in June and is going off to East Lansing and congratulated her. He stated the Commission has enjoyed her input and they wish her well in her endeavors as well as the whole class of 2012. Commissioner Dooley’s daughter will also be graduating. He has some "Save the Date" cards to encourage people to attend the Golf Outing on August 2^nd at the Links of Novi. This is the Novi Parks Foundation’s big fundraiser for the year. It brings in between thirteen to fourteen thousand dollars. He encouraged everyone to take advantage of the many opportunities provided by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department.

Commissioner Wingfield stated he has no comments at this time.

Commissioner Policicchio stated he feels the Fees and Charges Policy is very well done and fair. He stated it is encouraging that leagues and programs are running close to capacity. He thinks Commissioner Staab raises a good point that if the schools are projecting a decrease in enrollment we should be anticipating that as well.

Commissioner Dooley stated Arbor Day is going to be at Brookfarm Park, which is next to Village Oaks School, on Saturday, April 28^th. Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Cub Scouts, Brownies and Weeblos give a lot of time to come out for Arbor Day. He encouraged others to come as well. May 5^th is Earth Day and will be held at MSU’s Tollgate Farm on Meadowbrook Road from 10am to noon. He recognized Recreation Supervisor Matt Ostermeyer and Theresa McClure for all of the great work they continue to do at ITC Community Sport Park. He asked everyone to note the signs at ITC Community Sports Park regarding 911 calls on cell phones. He complemented Superintendent Pratt on his work and enthusiasm.

A motion was made to adjourn by Commissioner Staab and seconded by Commissioner Tecklenburg .

The meeting was adjourned by Commissioner at 7:39pm.

DATE APPROVED: ___________________________________________________________

Jay Dooley, Chairperson

________________________________________

Paul Policicchio, Vice Chairperson