Athens Recreation Advisory Board staff outlines summer projects, events and staffing; no quorum halts formal business

An unidentified board member called the April 17 meeting of the Athens Recreation Advisory Board to order but said the body lacked a quorum, so formal approvals were postponed. Staff provided an extended operations report covering summer events, park and facility work, staffing changes and community partnerships.

The report matters because it lays out projects, hiring and event schedules that affect summer recreation programming, park access and safety measures in Athens at a time when many projects depend on weather, contractor schedules and city permitting.

Staff said the board’s recommendation to fill vacant board seats was sent to Mayor Patterson last month; the mayor asked for clarification about the number of vacancies and staff had not received further response as of the meeting. The board also announced a joint meeting with the Municipal Arts Council on May 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Arts West; staff said that joint meeting will not be recorded on the government channel but will be open to the public.

On facilities and capital work, staff reported these updates: the new sculpture in front of the community center requires a raised base and hardscaping; staff are coordinating with the artist and Joshua Tree Landscaping and are waiting for drier weather to do concrete work. An estimate from Miller Monument for brick engraving remains outstanding, and staff said they want cost information before beginning a sponsorship campaign for engraved bricks. At West State Street Park, the restroom manufacturing schedule was delayed because state permitting required engineered foundation plans; staff are working with a firm identified as BDT. A planned gravel overflow parking contract was delayed when the original contractor withdrew; staff reported they are pursuing an external contractor after deciding not to complete the work in house.

Staff gave timelines for other park projects: revised skate-park plans and an updated estimate from Ridgerunner (Ridgerunner or Ridge Runner Custom Construction in the transcript) following coordination with Trout Electric, with a hoped-for start in May; concrete work for a new shelter house at Highland Park is awaiting drier weather; and a sculpture at Salz Park remains on hold pending other contractors’ work. An 18-hole disc-golf course behind the community center is being installed by volunteers who donated time and materials.

Staff described completed and planned program work: a three-year strategic plan developed with Mission Met is near completion and staff will hold a retreat to solicit broader staff input; the community center’s 20th anniversary activities are in planning; the department held a Bubble Bash 5K with more than 50 participants and collected about 100 toiletry items donated to “my sister’s place” (as spoken in the meeting); an egg hunt was rescheduled to Saturday because of school schedules but staff noted parking could be constrained by a concurrent protest and another event (RathaCon); staff encouraged carpooling and using overflow parking signage.

Arts and recreation programming updates included Paint at the Pond (a makeup date), a May 2 nature arts event at Richland Avenue Park, concerts in the park scheduled for June, July and August, movies in the park, soccer programming, summer camp planning and an arts exhibit at Arts West featuring works from about 29 submitted artists with a reception planned for May 9. The Los Flamingos Theater Company was reported as concluding performances next week. Staff also described murals installed in childcare and community rooms and plans to add more mural spaces.

On operations and safety, staff reported acquisition of AED cabinets for parks; cabinets will be locked and programmed with codes dispatchers provide to 911 callers. Several water-fountain installations are pending and staff expect to contract the work because city crews are overloaded. The pool is fully staffed in number, with several staff still completing required recertification or training; staff said the pool will open the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and that pool passes and swim-registration open May 1. Staff also described sensory-swim scheduling, lap-pool programming and use of the splash pad with a party-room reservation policy during free splash-pad hours (staff cited 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and also separately referenced 10 a.m.–12 p.m. in different comments).

Staff discussed volunteer and neighborhood activity: a West Side neighborhood cleanup recently cleared wooded areas along the bike path and West State Street Park; staff praised volunteer organizers. Staff also said Gathering Place has agreed to participate in a planned “Lift-a-Neighbor” pay-it-forward program to purchase day passes for people in need to use showers, the walking track and exercise rooms; details remain in planning.

On staffing, staff reported several hires and personnel actions: a newly hired program specialist for parks and recreation will begin (transcript gives the start as “the 20 eighth,” which was not clarified); the department is hiring a program specialist for child programming and education and requested an additional program specialist for athletics and fitness be added to the staffing ordinance; staff said that request has been reviewed in committee and is scheduled for first reading on Monday. Staff noted that a vacant position resulting from a retirement (named Vanessa in the meeting) will be abolished and duties redistributed; staff described this as a reorganization to separate programming and assistant-director duties.

Because the meeting lacked a quorum, the board did not act on minutes or agenda approval. Toward the end of the session an unidentified staff member moved to adjourn and an unidentified board member seconded; the meeting was immediately adjourned.

Meetings of the board will shift location during summer months: staff said the board will likely meet at the community center and “off channel” (not streamed) in June, July and August to coincide with concerts in the park and to allow members to see programming in action.