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Council reviews draft services agreement with YMCA for Phase 1 sports complex fields
Summary
Council reviewed a draft services agreement that sets operating rules, scheduling, maintenance responsibilities and a capital reserve for turf replacement at the YMCA-run Phase 1 fields; council asked for clarifications on administrative amendments, turf disposal, donations, concessions and traffic safety.
City staff presented a draft services agreement on Jan. 15 that would govern operations of the Phase 1A and 1B sports fields to be operated by the YMCA under a long-term lease.
Staff summarized the background: the city owns the land and related parking and landscaping; the YMCA will own and operate the turf fields under a 35-year lease with options for extensions. The services agreement before council defines hours of use, scheduling, staff responsibilities (including a field coordinator), janitorial duties, shared use of the concession and restroom building at Doris Heritage Park, and an initial quarterly review cadence to work out early operational issues.
Key operational points raised at the study session: - Scheduling and public access: The YMCA will schedule the fields, but the agreement reserves a minimum weekly public drop-in allocation (at least one half of a field for three hours per week outside office hours) to support spontaneous public use. - Maintenance and capital reserve: The YMCA must maintain a capital reserve fund for field maintenance and eventual turf replacement; donations and user fees are intended to be banked for long-term replacement costs. - Administrative amendments and review: Council members asked for a mandatory review after the first year; staff proposed language that would allow the city administrator or a designee to make administrative changes that do not increase city costs or violate the lease, and staff said recommended language would be included in the council packet for the regular meeting. - Environmental and operational details: Council asked whether the removal and disposal of turf is addressed; staff said disposal responsibility lies with the YMCA under the lease, and Jesse Palmer of the YMCA said he would check with the turf installer and report back. - Concessions and food handling: Council sought clarity that prepackaged snacks and fresh fruit would be allowed without a food-handler permit while hot/cooked or cut foods that require permits would be restricted; staff said they will reword the clause to allow fresh fruit and common prepackaged items. - Traffic and safety: Council members raised concerns about pedestrian crossings outside Swiftwater Elementary and traffic flows near Harbor Hill Drive; staff said traffic counts, speed studies and collision mapping will be used to monitor impacts and suggested coordination with the police chief for targeted enforcement or education.
Jesse Palmer (YMCA) told council the YMCA is aligned with the lease terms and is eager to open the fields; he said the contractor is targeting early to mid-March for field completion, but turf installation is weather-dependent. Public commenters raised maintenance and parking concerns for the adjacent greenbelt and asked for clarity about maintenance boundaries.
The study session produced direction for staff to finalize language (including proposed administrative amendment language and clarified concession wording) and to include the requested materials in the packet for the next regular council meeting. No binding agreement or formal council action was taken at the study session.
