[0:14] All right.
[0:14] » All right.
[0:16] » All right. Welcome to the city council
[0:18] [snorts] conference for Tuesday,
[0:20] February 24th, 2026. We have one item on
[0:23] the agenda, which is an update regarding
[0:25] the financial status of the Norman
[0:27] Forward program. And we have Jason,
[0:30] director of parks and wreck here to talk
[0:32] about that with us.
[0:34] » I just saw Clint over in the other
[0:36] building and I said the the scariest
[0:37] thing for finance people is a parks uh
[0:40] person giving a finance report. So, uh
[0:42] let's go ahead and start but
[0:47] » Somewhat uh some good news coming on on
[0:50] this front. the uh I think uh not this
[0:53] past month but the month before we we at
[0:55] the finance committee meeting there was
[0:57] talks uh about there might be some
[1:00] remaining fund balance at Norford at the
[1:02] end and so we just wanted to go over
[1:04] those numbers and uh what it what we're
[1:07] kind of thinking or projecting at this
[1:09] point and then uh we were I think we
[1:12] were instructed to come up with a list
[1:13] of possible projects to do with uh if
[1:16] there is a remaining fund balance at the
[1:17] end but uh first just want to kind of
[1:20] remind everybody of the full norm
[1:22] forward program. Uh as you look down
[1:24] there, this is uh a list of all the
[1:28] projects that was voted on and uh the uh
[1:32] original norm for budget and you see a
[1:34] revised budget. Some of the revised
[1:36] budgets did increase depending on the
[1:38] project. Some of them decreased um there
[1:40] towards the end. Uh the good news is
[1:43] that when you start looking at this
[1:45] whole list, uh we got a heck of a lot of
[1:47] these projects uh checked, done,
[1:49] completed. Um and uh we're kind of we're
[1:52] kind of towards the end of Norm forward
[1:54] where we're at all payo projects. So all
[1:57] the um the good news is all the large
[1:59] projects are kind of done and wrapped up
[2:01] and on the way or towards the end. We
[2:03] there's a few projects we still have not
[2:05] um closed out, but we'll be working on
[2:07] getting those. Um, and then when uh
[2:10] probably should have started, let's see,
[2:12] I might have missed that one. Uh, but uh
[2:16] you start looking at the down this list.
[2:18] Uh the uh projects that we do have left
[2:22] is the Canadian River Park, which is the
[2:24] very top one right there. Uh we also
[2:27] have uh partial um projects left in our
[2:31] existing neighborhood parks renovations
[2:34] and also our new neighborhood parks.
[2:35] We're down to uh one new [snorts] or one
[2:40] new neighborhood park that or two
[2:42] » Two one we're starting and then one
[2:43] we're getting.
[2:44] » Yeah, I got Blue Stem in the future
[2:45] South Lakes uh neighborhood parks which
[2:47] we're going to get to and trail
[2:49] development.
[2:51] Uh when you start looking um into the
[2:53] future, so this is uh working with
[2:55] finance finance. This is uh a uh kind of
[2:59] a list of projections. [clears throat]
[3:01] Um and I think there's moderate growth,
[3:03] very conservative growth um factored
[3:05] into all these. But uh you kind of see
[3:08] at the very top line beginning fund um
[3:10] balance uh and that kind of connects
[3:13] when you start uh or like FYE2 you look
[3:18] at the bottom you see 10 million 10.2
[3:21] million and then you go back up there
[3:22] and it starts uh all over again. And so
[3:24] there's moderate growth uh figuring into
[3:26] that. Also our our debt service that uh
[3:29] which uh there's uh three different debt
[3:32] services uh programs that we've used uh
[3:34] thus far uh and uh has the payments that
[3:38] go along with those. And then uh when
[3:40] those do get paid off, you see this kind
[3:42] of spreads out all the way to 2032.
[3:45] Uh technically in 2032 we do not have
[3:48] any um we don't project any portion of
[3:51] norm forward to be coming in at at that
[3:53] point but we'd still have debt service.
[3:55] So we we uh did um place that on the
[3:59] calendar and to um as we get towards the
[4:02] end of this uh the the norm forward
[4:05] stops at the end of the calendar year
[4:07] 2030. So that actually rolls into part
[4:09] of the fiscal year of 2031. So you see
[4:12] six months of that projection right
[4:14] there. But uh if you start looking at
[4:16] the bottom that kind of gives you a
[4:17] general idea of what ending fund fund
[4:20] balance will be uh towards that
[4:24] uh we did add in um as I said we're down
[4:27] to about five projects uh left in the uh
[4:30] norm forward program that we haven't um
[4:33] completed or hit substantial completion
[4:35] on. Uh those uh Canadian River, Saxon
[4:39] Park, new neighborhood park development,
[4:41] neighborhood park renovations, trail
[4:42] development. Uh those bottom four, we do
[4:46] have a portion um already spent on some
[4:48] of those. Saxon Park, uh we do
[4:51] anticipating that starting sometime uh
[4:54] probably late spring, early summer. Uh
[4:58] uh so we already have design done on
[5:00] that. We're kind of we're working with
[5:01] public works and I'm making sure that
[5:03] that the road in front of Saxon gets uh
[5:05] fully built before we start on that
[5:06] because there's huge money savings for
[5:08] for the part portion of that as long as
[5:11] uh uh the you know the road gets built
[5:13] with all the utilities and we're able to
[5:15] um tie into that. And then we still have
[5:17] a lot of uh when you start talking about
[5:20] neighborhood park development or
[5:22] renovation uh still a lot of uh big
[5:25] portion of that to go. Um we've talked
[5:28] about that. In fact, we have three um
[5:30] playgrounds on the agenda tonight. Uh
[5:31] one is coming up uh with the Blueest
[5:34] Stem, which is actually a new park
[5:36] development. So, a lot of tieins to
[5:39] that. And then you see Canadian River
[5:40] Park. We're still working on um getting
[5:43] some uh property to go along with that
[5:45] either through uh we've had talks with
[5:47] the Moore family. Um we're looking at
[5:49] the possibilities of acquiring other
[5:51] property if needed. And uh when you
[5:55] start talking about the Canadian River
[5:56] Park, it uh it can start unfolding
[5:58] because the idea is originally to have a
[6:00] trail head and then trails connecting to
[6:02] to the Canadian River um park. Uh so if
[6:06] you take what we projected of having
[6:08] remaining balance and um taking minusing
[6:12] off the final number we have over here,
[6:14] which is the $22.7 million, we come up
[6:16] with uh there could be about 11
[6:19] millionish dollars left over when we get
[6:21] to the end of Norm for. So worked with
[6:24] staff uh um some other departments to
[6:27] kind of come up with a list of possible
[6:29] projects that could be used on this is
[6:32] uh when we start presenting these
[6:34] projects we'll say that a lot of our
[6:36] Norman Ford projects we especially talk
[6:38] about Reeves Griffin uh we only built to
[6:41] probably about 50% done. So the master
[6:43] plan is not fully completed on those
[6:44] parts. So when we start presenting
[6:46] portions of that to you that is uh all
[6:49] fits within within um those master
[6:52] plans. So the first one is and these are
[6:55] in no specific order. These are just um
[6:57] we wanted to present it to council to
[6:59] get some input and then we'll eventually
[7:01] talk to uh park commissioners uh and
[7:04] CFOB to also get input before uh we
[7:08] progress on any of these or make
[7:09] decisions on any of these to bring it
[7:11] back to you for final decision. So, one
[7:13] of the ideas is uh to go for a sudden uh
[7:16] wilderness land purchase. Uh currently,
[7:18] we're under a long-term lease with the
[7:20] state. Uh there is some definite
[7:23] advantages [snorts]
[7:24] in in purchasing that land. Uh last time
[7:27] we talked to to the state uh we got a a
[7:30] cost estimation around 3 million give or
[7:32] take uh a little bit. But the yellow box
[7:35] is an approximate area that we is
[7:38] stateowned. Of course, set in wilderness
[7:40] does uh we do have some area that's kind
[7:43] of in the uh this back portion right
[7:45] here that we do own. Uh but this is all
[7:47] the stateowned portion. Uh the
[7:49] advantages uh of purchasing this now
[7:52] instead of later. Uh we think that with
[7:55] Griffin, we we did show that we can get
[7:57] uh land from the state at a a good cost
[8:00] and um land is going to be no cheaper
[8:02] now than it will be in the future. Also,
[8:05] this says um add insurance um at least
[8:07] on our portion that there's uh nothing
[8:11] that could happen with that. Even though
[8:12] you have a long-term lease, there's
[8:13] always, you know, there's always a
[8:15] possibility the state could find a way
[8:16] to maybe wiggle out of that. And we
[8:18] always want to make sure that the states
[8:20] a a wilderness preserve.
[8:22] Like I said, about $3 million with that.
[8:24] Uh in a norm uh program, we did have a
[8:29] project set aside for softball in a
[8:31] football park. Uh we that was about $2.5
[8:35] million when we tried to progress on
[8:37] that. Um when it came for that that
[8:40] portion or that turn for that project to
[8:41] come up. Uh this was the the uh
[8:45] schematics that input that we got back
[8:48] from the our adult softball group and
[8:50] the Norman Optimus Club at that time. Uh
[8:53] and this uh schematic had a um cost um
[8:56] estimation of about $9.5 million. So,
[9:00] uh, when we, uh, started working on
[9:02] that, we saw that that was not
[9:04] attainable. Um, no matter how hard we
[9:06] try, we can't you can't fit a $2.5
[9:08] million budget into a $9 million
[9:11] project. So, we decided to at that time
[9:14] along with, um, council, uh, we decided
[9:16] to split that project up and make, um,
[9:18] make some developments or progressions
[9:21] at both Ree Park and at uh, Ruby Grant
[9:25] Park. The softball portion was upgraded
[9:27] at Ree Park and then um we do have some
[9:30] practice softball fields out at
[9:33] uh Ruby Grant. This is for possibly
[9:37] purchasing land. So we've uh looked at
[9:38] two different sites. One of them is the
[9:40] old north water treatment plant which is
[9:42] uh never got developed. Uh we have
[9:44] talked to um we the utilities department
[9:47] actually owns that property. So we would
[9:49] need to purchase that from them. Uh, and
[9:52] it's been a few years ago. Um, and
[9:54] [snorts] that was with a different
[9:55] director. So, I don't remember what the
[9:56] negotiated price is at that, but
[9:58] recently talking to Chris and Chris
[10:00] would love uh if we do progress on that
[10:02] area to get a a appraisal of that
[10:05] property and for us to to pay whatever
[10:07] the market price is for that because
[10:08] they are a utility enterprise fund. They
[10:10] do need to make be made whole. We're
[10:12] also looking at um another property
[10:15] maybe uh towards the center part of town
[10:19] also owned by the state. So, uh, we have
[10:21] not dived too deeply into that, but
[10:24] there's a possibility of [snorts] us
[10:25] purchasing that property along with
[10:27] maybe splitting the cost with utilities
[10:29] to buy that. And we kind of estimate
[10:31] that uh no matter where we buy, we need
[10:33] somewhere between 40 and 60 acres and
[10:35] that would be about $2.5 million to to
[10:38] uh get that property. And now this is
[10:41] just for a property purchase and this
[10:42] would be kind of held aside um for a
[10:46] future norm forward or a future bond
[10:48] election. uh we don't think that that we
[10:50] could develop it. Um that would just be
[10:52] for the the land purchase.
[10:57] Another big thing and when we start
[10:59] talking about possible projects that go
[11:01] along with this thinking of layups
[11:03] basically things that would be very very
[11:06] popular with the public. Uh there is
[11:09] nothing more popular um with the public
[11:11] than the adult wellness and education
[11:13] center. Uh, as we were building that,
[11:16] uh, we did original cost estimations. I
[11:19] think we're about $12.4 million for for
[11:22] the adult wellness and education center.
[11:24] Uh, we we ran into this wall called
[11:26] COVID. And then during CO everything,
[11:28] um, the market went crazy. So, uh, we
[11:31] ended up spending about $14 million on
[11:33] building what you look at as just a gray
[11:36] portion. Uh we wanted and hoped to build
[11:39] a multiple u multi-purpose gym along
[11:42] with that project, but we couldn't
[11:43] afford it at the time. That got cut out
[11:46] uh to add that back in. The estimated
[11:48] cost at that time was about a million
[11:50] and a half. So uh to build it if we
[11:52] would have added it to it, in hindsight,
[11:54] it probably probably would have been a
[11:55] wiser idea uh right now to uh go back
[11:57] and uh add that in. We're probably
[12:01] looking at somewhere in about $2.5
[12:02] million.
[12:05] that would be all in soft cost
[12:08] um design
[12:11] everything to go along with that.
[12:15] Another thing which we have talked about
[12:16] several times before uh is uh updates to
[12:21] re park mainly to uh replace kids space
[12:24] or and or to add in a miracle field
[12:28] which is an ADA accessible field for
[12:31] everybody all children. Uh so the uh
[12:35] estimated cost between that is 2.5. I
[12:37] think we had about a million dollar set
[12:38] aside for the kit space and uh
[12:41] approximate cost about a million and a
[12:42] half for [clears throat] the the miracle
[12:44] field.
[12:45] » Uh so couple caveats to go along with
[12:48] these as we're pointing these out. We
[12:50] did file for a T set grant um in the
[12:52] amount of about $600,000 to go along
[12:54] with kids. That was our our um
[12:57] beneficiary of that grant. We're still
[12:59] waiting to hear back. We'll hear
[13:00] something uh hear something back next
[13:03] month. Um about that is a two-year
[13:05] grant. So that would be uh getting
[13:07] $300,000 uh in the next [clears throat]
[13:10] calendar year and then following that
[13:11] another $300,000. But uh if we don't get
[13:14] that, we do need to make plans to
[13:16] replace kids space. And the playground
[13:18] alone is about $700,000, but we think
[13:20] the uh infrastructure to go around that
[13:24] uh between lights and sidewalks and
[13:27] other updates that that need to be made
[13:29] uh around a kid space that probably be
[13:31] somewhere around a million dollars. And
[13:32] then the uh miracle field which we've
[13:35] come and presented to you a few times.
[13:37] Uh this is uh kind of imagine the if
[13:41] you're out at Andrews Park or at Ruby
[13:43] Grant the playground surface that's
[13:45] there as a full baseball field of that
[13:47] same kind of poured soft surface and
[13:50] it's perfect space for uh to have uh
[13:54] have a baseball field for kids of all
[13:55] abilities and uh to have that um we
[13:59] already have the corner kind of marked
[14:00] out for that. Uh there's a field right
[14:03] there that we kept. Uh we talked about
[14:07] shrinking the the pond size to make sure
[14:09] that that always stays in. Uh so we
[14:12] think that would be about a million and
[14:13] a half dollars for that poured surface.
[14:15] Upgrade to the lights and uh going
[14:17] through there and making sure that the
[14:19] everything around there is fully
[14:21] accessible for those who who would use
[14:22] that field.
[14:24] » That's the current layout of the park,
[14:26] right?
[14:27] » Correct. Correct. So, this is currently
[14:28] out with the the park and those two
[14:30] yellow squares would be the project
[14:32] areas
[14:32] » And there's other phases of Reefs Park.
[14:35] » Yeah. And I didn't add in uh the full
[14:37] master plan. So, because no part of the
[14:40] park would be we're not saying that
[14:43] would be a good project at this time.
[14:44] It's just that to build out those
[14:46] baseball fields or other parts of those
[14:48] baseball fields. I say I think the cost
[14:50] would be too great for us to to probably
[14:52] fit in to the into a extension of or
[14:56] this extra funding from Norford without
[14:59] um taking out some other things that we
[15:01] think would probably be more vi viable.
[15:03] » The long range plan for park is to
[15:06] replace all the fields like we did.
[15:07] » Correct.
[15:08] » The first four.
[15:09] » Correct.
[15:13] » Griffin Park updates. Uh, one of the
[15:15] things that we want to get in there, and
[15:17] we've talked to council about this
[15:18] before, is, uh, and I know that we're
[15:20] hitting up, that's playgrounds,
[15:21] playgrounds, playgrounds. Um, this is
[15:23] another one that would be highly
[15:25] popular. Uh, we want to go through all
[15:28] of our our, uh, community parks and make
[15:30] sure make sure they have what we refer
[15:32] to as highly accessible playgrounds. Uh,
[15:35] uh, the playground costs uh that we, uh,
[15:38] would put out at Griffin's about
[15:40] threequarters of a million, $750,000. um
[15:42] adding a public restroom building out
[15:44] there next to the playground which would
[15:46] uh uh service the the dog park
[15:50] playground and the disc golf u would be
[15:53] about a half million dollars
[15:56] and it would go up in the that corner
[15:58] and that once again this is part of our
[15:59] master plan already planned um and
[16:03] talked to the public and went through an
[16:05] ad hoc committee.
[16:07] » That's the master plan not what it all
[16:09] currently is.
[16:10] » Correct. I kind of I kind of switched
[16:11] that one backwards. Should have put the
[16:14] other one in there now that you got me
[16:15] talking out loud, Mayor.
[16:17] » But that's where that other soccer
[16:18] field,
[16:19] » Correct?
[16:20] » Stand still.
[16:22] » Yes. And and now kind of thinking back,
[16:25] the reason I didn't put the other map in
[16:27] there like I did with Reese Park is
[16:28] because the uh the the current map we
[16:31] have now does not have a playground or a
[16:33] a restroom. It did have a restroom
[16:35] building up there that got um demolished
[16:37] with that putting in that new road area
[16:40] out there that leads back to the
[16:42] » Dogfield might not be their highest
[16:44] priority.
[16:45] » Do what?
[16:46] » The
[16:46] » Oh, the Yeah. So when you you start
[16:48] talking about that right there, the
[16:50] talking to the soccer club in uh certain
[16:54] areas of that like the indoors I think
[16:57] that is becoming more and more reality
[16:59] especially that now that we have true
[17:00] cost with the by factor of how much
[17:03] utilities cost. There's no way that any
[17:06] private Yeah. I mean you're talking
[17:08] somewhere in the neighborhood of
[17:09] $100,000 a year just for utilities. And
[17:11] I think they're mentioning improvements
[17:13] to the field surfaces was correct
[17:15] probably more more beneficial to them.
[17:20] » Uh another one that that we would want
[17:23] to offer up which we think is a a very
[17:25] valuable
[17:27] chance of uh that has a lot of valuable
[17:30] uh chance for and be very popular with
[17:32] our product or for the public is the uh
[17:35] Andrews Park updates. Uh now the master
[17:38] plan did come in after
[17:40] uh Nora Ford, but Andrews Park is listed
[17:44] as one of the uh beneficiaries of Nor
[17:46] Ford in the original ordinances. So we
[17:48] do think that that it's possible to go
[17:50] through here and um build the pond,
[17:53] which would also have a storm water um
[17:56] benefits to go along with it, not only
[17:57] recreational benefits uh and a restroom
[18:00] building. Uh so to go all the way in
[18:03] cost for everything that's surrounding
[18:04] that the the survey engineering and
[18:08] design of the pond along with uh
[18:11] pond and storm water construction and a
[18:14] public restroom building that's all
[18:15] about 2.75 million all in for all that
[18:18] area right there. Um and we think that
[18:21] we can get that fully built out as is or
[18:24] as it's shown in those yellow boxes.
[18:30] Another one that we have listed on here
[18:33] which we do think it has a little bit of
[18:35] interest uh for us uh uh is a young
[18:40] family athletic center. We have had
[18:42] conversations with with young family.
[18:45] There is some benefits both for us and
[18:48] um when we start talking about
[18:50] membership and going farther into um a
[18:53] revenue um creator for the Young Family
[18:56] Athletic Center where we're we think we
[18:58] are to the point where we could break it
[19:00] even this year for the first time u
[19:02] because now we've taken over concession
[19:05] uh operations inside the YFAC. But we do
[19:07] think there's a lot more opportunity to
[19:09] to grow revenue and make that that uh
[19:12] special revenue fund even more
[19:13] independent. And the number one thing
[19:16] that we always hear feedback is that
[19:18] y'all don't have a gym space to lift
[19:20] weights or work out in. And um we don't.
[19:23] And I think that would uh put us on par
[19:25] with some of the other or above par uh
[19:27] with uh everybody else in town that
[19:29] offers the same kind of programming. Uh
[19:31] I think that that would uh take the
[19:34] membership up where we could definitely
[19:36] be a very independent um special revenue
[19:38] fund. Uh we have had cost uh
[19:42] conversations with the young family uh
[19:44] if we are able to come up with it. The
[19:46] the wait room cost estimation is about
[19:49] $4 million. They said that they would be
[19:50] willing to split that cost with us if we
[19:53] are able to uh come up with that $2
[19:55] million. And we also have a bond that
[19:59] was taken out during the construction of
[20:01] the Young Family Athletic Center that
[20:03] was taken out against our guest tax. And
[20:06] as of right now, it has about I think
[20:08] about 2.4 $2.5 million payoff on that.
[20:12] But that would be beneficiary, very
[20:14] helpful for our guest tax, which would
[20:15] open up other areas for uh the guest
[20:18] tax, especially if that election passes
[20:21] where we can start doing capital
[20:22] [snorts] projects with that because that
[20:23] is taking up I think about $400,000 a
[20:26] year out of our our guest tax. Um so
[20:28] when you start talking we get $600,000 a
[20:31] year. $400,000 is taken out for a bond
[20:34] payment.
[20:35] you know, don't have to be a parks and
[20:37] rent guy to figure out that's not very
[20:39] good. U but the uh it would even be even
[20:42] better uh when the guest tax hopefully
[20:44] does pass and then we would have this uh
[20:47] fully available with full bonds. Like I
[20:49] said, we have 70 parts um about 150 $160
[20:54] million worth of assets. It's really
[20:56] hard to take care of on our liable or
[20:58] limited availability of capital funds.
[21:03] We do have miscellaneous other projects
[21:05] which have been uh talked about.
[21:07] Westwood uh start out with Ruby Grant
[21:09] since that's at the top of the list. Uh
[21:11] Ruby Grant trail upgrade upgrades. We
[21:13] have had uh talks with OU about uh
[21:16] upgrades to our cross country areas out
[21:19] there. Uh they do hold the SEC
[21:22] championships uh for cross country I
[21:25] think in 2029.
[21:28] Uh so they've had talks with us about
[21:30] sharing a project uh out there and
[21:32] hopefully making that their home course
[21:34] along with holding the SEC championship
[21:37] uh cross country meet uh where this
[21:39] would come beneficiary outside of just
[21:43] hosting college meets. Uh this would
[21:45] make it a primary very high desired
[21:49] uh cross country track for not only for
[21:52] you college meets but also for high
[21:54] school meets and other recreational
[21:56] features. So it would do full upgrades
[21:58] to that. I think when we start talking
[22:00] about what upgrades they need, uh it
[22:02] needs the the track has to be at least
[22:04] 10 10 meters wide all the way through.
[22:07] Uh it has to be a constant uh surface.
[22:09] So we do have uh some limited uh because
[22:13] we have concrete surfaces, we have uh
[22:15] granite surfaces, we have grass
[22:16] surfaces. Their preference would be all
[22:18] grass. So we just need to figure out a
[22:20] route through there and make sure
[22:21] everything is about 10 meters high. Once
[22:23] again, not only would we be a be able to
[22:25] host a college cross country, but we
[22:27] would also be able to do uh state
[22:29] championships and districts and so forth
[22:32] and so on. So, I think that would be a
[22:35] great ad to the to uh the the parks. Um,
[22:39] also at Westwood, we haven't uh opened
[22:42] that in 2018.
[22:44] I haven't had a new feature out there.
[22:46] the uh in a shortterm when we're talking
[22:50] about a 100 day program per year we pull
[22:53] in about a million dollars worth of
[22:54] revenue um out there it's the most
[22:57] successful highly highly public used uh
[23:02] uh municipal pool in the state uh other
[23:06] places come to us to try to figure out
[23:08] what we did we kind of got lucky uh I
[23:11] think as a combination with our
[23:12] population center only having uh one
[23:15] pull uh for the amount of population we
[23:17] have in here and we did it really really
[23:19] good. Um but brings in about a million
[23:22] dollars. We need to add a new feature to
[23:23] keep make sure that we have eventually
[23:25] add a new feature out there to make sure
[23:27] that uh we have public interest and keep
[23:29] coming out there because Oklahoma City
[23:31] starting to redo pools or or private
[23:33] always that private pool uh feature that
[23:36] you have white water or the the harbor
[23:40] [snorts] whatever the heck they're
[23:41] calling it nowadays. um that that
[23:44] they're always upgrading and making
[23:45] advancements and and uh when we talk
[23:48] about a new feature, it could be
[23:50] anything from a uh a surf type machine,
[23:54] new slide, new feature. We already have
[23:56] everything plumbed in going back to our
[23:58] pool house. We just need to figure out
[24:00] and purchase that new feature, whatever
[24:02] that would be to add to to Westwood. Uh
[24:07] also we have sign packages uh that a lot
[24:09] of our uh the parks that we have been
[24:12] working on uh especially Ruby Grant,
[24:14] Griffin and Ree. We did not progress
[24:18] with a full sign package out there
[24:19] because budgets were so tight when we
[24:21] were working on those projects. Uh we
[24:24] did uh put in a capital request for a
[24:27] sign package to come out of uh current
[24:30] norm forward um this upcoming year. um a
[24:34] sign package for all of our neighborhood
[24:35] parks along with uh upgrading our our
[24:38] community parks with this type of
[24:40] signage. And there is about $550,000.
[24:42] And like I said, we did not do any re um
[24:45] um signage at Reeves or at uh Griffin
[24:48] because those projects were I mean, we
[24:50] were down to pennies towards the end of
[24:51] those projects. So, we want to go
[24:52] through there and clean it up and get
[24:54] way finding signage at those parts along
[24:56] with uh obvious
[24:59] um placemaking signs in in front of
[25:02] those.
[25:04] » Can we uh build it west with the
[25:07] airport? How tall can we build?
[25:08] » Do what?
[25:09] » How tall with the airport being close
[25:10] by? Do we have the highest?
[25:13] » So, the um
[25:15] » Just
[25:16] » What's the tallest slide?
[25:17] » I [clears throat] think we can go up to
[25:18] about 25 ft.
[25:21] That's probably about as tall as the
[25:22] ones that are out there.
[25:23] » So, the think of if you go look at those
[25:26] lights, they're about 35 uh I think
[25:28] they're 35 ft in the air. That's I think
[25:30] that was the the top that the FFA
[25:36] would allow us so we could um mix up
[25:39] with flights and farmers. Um
[25:41] » Cool people could see.
[25:43] » Yeah. Got to go to Westwood.
[25:46] » Yep.
[25:48] But everything we looked in is about
[25:50] anywhere between um a new feature is
[25:52] about a million dollars and you start
[25:53] adding in uh design cost and insulation
[25:57] on that. We we think that'd be about an
[25:59] extra half million to to go all in. Uh
[26:02] so when we start talking about this is
[26:04] all the project summary. Of course we
[26:06] don't have $22 million uh to spend on on
[26:09] all this, but these are just some ideas
[26:11] wanted to present to you. Uh, also
[26:14] there's been um talks with the CFOB uh
[26:17] if we do have excess uh amount or C's
[26:21] financial oversight board. Shannon,
[26:24] there you go. The uh to make sure that
[26:26] that that uh if we have overages they
[26:30] wanted to possibly set some aside for
[26:32] maintenance or or
[26:36] redoing of things that kind of get worn
[26:38] out um there towards the end. So there
[26:40] there's also that hanging out there. So,
[26:42] just wanted to uh tell you the good
[26:46] news. There's a possibility that we will
[26:47] have a fund balance there towards the
[26:49] end and and um what possible projects
[26:52] that the the parks department would
[26:54] suggest going along with everything.
[26:56] » A balance of 11.08
[26:59] million left over.
[27:00] » Yes.
[27:01] » So, that's the possible projects that we
[27:04] could do left over, but there's 11
[27:06] million and you [snorts] would say maybe
[27:07] reserve some of that for maintenance
[27:09] stuff. So maybe 10 million.
[27:12] » Yeah.
[27:13] » So we might have 10 million to actually
[27:17] do some of that with. I would maybe just
[27:19] » Correct.
[27:20] » Council.
[27:21] » Oh, thank you. Um just for the record,
[27:25] » Excess funds in Norman Ford can only
[27:27] spend be spent on Norman Ford projects.
[27:30] Correct.
[27:30] » Correct. [snorts]
[27:32] » You have a windfall of savings. You
[27:34] can't spend it somewhere else.
[27:35] » It's limited on it. So it has to be
[27:36] anything that was described in the
[27:38] ordinance that set off the [snorts]
[27:39] walls.
[27:40] » So we have a limited view of what we can
[27:42] spend it on.
[27:42] » What's the proposed process for Weeden
[27:45] through these projects and kind of
[27:46] selecting the final candidates?
[27:48] » Is that going to be the decision of us
[27:52] nine or are they going to the parks
[27:54] department going to bring us
[27:54] recommendations on what they think the
[27:56] highest priorities are? final decision
[27:59] lays with right with the the council and
[28:02] I think we can go through there and
[28:04] whatever the process that we all think
[28:06] or you think that's best uh we can go
[28:08] through there with CFOB we can parks
[28:10] board we can vet vet some of this
[28:12] through them and I I think that they
[28:14] will definitely have some priorities and
[28:16] suggestions to go along with that uh you
[28:19] we definitely have some opinions and
[28:21] then we come through there and put that
[28:23] all together and present to you there
[28:25] towards the end especially the feedback
[28:26] that we get from our our public.
[28:29] » Okay. And when do you think when do you
[28:30] anticipate we be making those decisions?
[28:33] » It's a good question. So the um and we
[28:36] probably need to talk to um make sure on
[28:38] finance one is is that the schedule of
[28:41] available funds and so we don't want to
[28:43] get too far ahead of of where we need to
[28:47] be. We don't want to go out and start
[28:48] spending a whole bunch when there's not
[28:50] that amount in the bank. Uh, and one of
[28:53] the things that kind of [snorts] works
[28:55] in my mind, you start talking about the,
[28:58] uh, we have an obvious delta at Andrews
[29:01] Park. Uh, we have things, we don't have
[29:04] a public restroom out there. The the
[29:05] park's very tired. So, when you start
[29:08] looking at uh, it does have storm water
[29:11] advantages to go along with this. So,
[29:13] the when you start looking at the
[29:15] possibility of that, so when you start
[29:17] looking especially start picking out
[29:19] Canadian River Park. Yes, that is a
[29:22] project, but that has always been
[29:24] planned to be one of the last part
[29:26] projects in North Fort. So, can we bump
[29:28] up something else on this because now
[29:32] Canadian River Park, we still don't have
[29:34] land. Um, and we have to have land
[29:38] in our possession to basically start the
[29:40] project. We have to know what the park's
[29:42] going to look like. We're going to have
[29:43] to know how we connect trails to it. And
[29:45] right now, uh, we've had several
[29:48] conversations about land, but nothing
[29:50] nothing anywhere close to being a sure
[29:52] thing. So, that's still hanging out
[29:54] here. Now, if council makes it a
[29:56] priority to bump one of these suggested
[29:58] projects up ahead of that, you know,
[29:59] that could be within y'all's realm.
[30:03] » So, would you prefer us to I mean, I
[30:05] know which one's on the list that I
[30:07] would push as priorities. Is it helpful
[30:10] for us to just send you our individual
[30:11] list or how, mayor, how would you like
[30:13] for us to do this?
[30:17] » [clears throat]
[30:17] » We're in kind of uncharted territory.
[30:19] We've never had such a scenario where
[30:21] we've got
[30:23] » Available resources and you know a wish
[30:26] list kind of put together by staff, but
[30:28] there may be other park or recreational
[30:32] projects you have in mind that we didn't
[30:34] cover that we'd be happy to add to that
[30:36] list as we work our way through. Um, I I
[30:40] think if maybe we could assemble a list
[30:43] if council submitted their priorities,
[30:46] we'll make sure I mean this this
[30:47] presentation is on YouTube, but we can
[30:50] send you the list and yeah, love your
[30:53] feedback and we'll start bundling it up
[30:55] into a package that we think will fit in
[30:57] the budget. We can bring it back to a
[30:59] study session or uh an appropriate
[31:01] committee meeting as we work through a
[31:02] process.
[31:04] » Thank you. Grant
[31:07] » Um I like list being sent to us and
[31:09] maybe a line item for maybe holding some
[31:13] back for maintenance. Um, so we can rank
[31:16] it appropriately. I'm just going to say
[31:18] W4 and the fact that Andre's Park
[31:21] doesn't have a restroom and we have
[31:22] events that happen out there and we
[31:25] don't have a central library. Police
[31:27] station is somewhat of an option. So is
[31:29] municipal complex.
[31:31] I hear a lot about there not being a
[31:32] restroom out there and if it's only 500k
[31:35] I you know I would advance that before
[31:37] the other things with Andrew.
[31:39] » So to just be clear to get to the
[31:41] restroom we have to
[31:43] » Survey it and then we have to move dirt
[31:46] to make sure because we're that you're
[31:48] going to there's a order of operations.
[31:50] We can't just go put the restroom in
[31:52] there.
[31:52] » So there's no getting away from the
[31:53] 2.75. I would still agree
[31:55] » It's somewhere in it doesn't have to be
[31:57] the full amount but it's somewhere
[31:58] within there because the uh the restroom
[32:01] right now is placed where the the
[32:03] man-made ditch is and that and what we
[32:05] want to do is go back to the original
[32:06] water flow that was in the park and that
[32:08] man-made ditch is right where the
[32:10] restroom is designed or picked out to
[32:12] be. So we need to get that
[32:14] » Moved.
[32:15] » Well, obviously I feel [clears throat]
[32:17] strongly about it. So, I'm putting a one
[32:19] on it when it comes to us. And maybe
[32:22] that needs to be bundled together
[32:24] considering um what needs to happen in
[32:27] the order of operations.
[32:30] » Yeah. and the the one for that being the
[32:32] storm water part and I don't know what
[32:34] the total I can't recall what the total
[32:36] cost is that we're spending on the south
[32:39] I creek
[32:41] project that's going on right now stream
[32:43] bank stabilization and all that but the
[32:46] the uh capacity for this water to be
[32:50] held at in the Andrews Park and provide
[32:54] some relief for all the neighborhoods
[32:56] downstream of here between here and the
[32:59] Canadian
[33:00] um I think is a pretty
[33:03] good point for including that one
[33:05] because it has an impact that stretches
[33:07] through the middle of the city for a
[33:09] couple miles all the way south.
[33:11] » And and I want I want to be very clear
[33:13] this is not a full fix storm water-wise.
[33:15] This is only a small
[33:17] » Small small portion of what all the
[33:19] capacity we need to do it. It does
[33:20] expand it but it's not near enough.
[33:23] » Yeah, there's none now. That's just a
[33:25] rock channel that runs through. U but
[33:28] yeah, um I think council members
[33:31] evaluating that list, thinking about how
[33:33] much we have there. Um and letting staff
[33:36] know and then we can discuss it further
[33:38] and either a committee oversight or
[33:40] community planning, transportation or
[33:41] finance. Um I suppose maybe
[33:46] » Or study session, whichever. And then I
[33:49] I know we'll get questions about the
[33:50] library um about, you know, should we
[33:55] reserve any of this for that issue? And
[33:58] I know we're litigating it, the
[34:00] potential of getting uh the construction
[34:02] company and those involved to be held
[34:06] responsible for that cost to fixing it.
[34:08] But I know we'll get that question is
[34:10] should we save this and use it for that
[34:12] instead?
[34:13] I think that's a viable option. Uh point
[34:17] out that right now that the hopes is
[34:20] that you know that gets fixed by the
[34:22] contractors and everything gets worked
[34:24] out through mediation or litigation
[34:26] whatever it comes down to. But us
[34:29] working ahead and I know it's been
[34:31] there's been some suggestions maybe we
[34:33] use some of this to go there in there
[34:34] and fix it now. That that should not
[34:36] that's not an option because one we
[34:38] don't we have to have an architect and
[34:40] we have have a number two we have to
[34:41] have the contractor. Number three, that
[34:43] thing is evidence. It's a big box of
[34:46] evidence. So, we don't want to go in
[34:47] there and change or fix or do anything
[34:49] right now. And number two, there's no
[34:51] contractor or no architect in the world
[34:53] that it's going to touch that and take
[34:55] the responsibility of shifting all the
[34:58] liability to them if something in the
[35:00] future goes goes wrong with it.
[35:02] » We fix it, you own it.
[35:03] » Yep.
[35:06] » All right. Any other questions or
[35:07] comments from council about number four
[35:10] finds?
[35:10] » All good news. Um, yeah. I think there's
[35:13] a bunch of stuff on there. I think
[35:15] there's stuff that we had to cut out
[35:19] that we can sort of put back in. I think
[35:21] that'll help people um, you know, that
[35:25] may have felt like they voted for some
[35:26] stuff and we weren't able to get it all
[35:28] done, but we can get maybe some more of
[35:32] it done with this. So, um, okay.
[35:36] All right. Well, thank you very much,
[35:37] Jason. appreciate the update and look
[35:40] forward to the continued conversation
[35:42] on uh this list of potential uh
[35:45] projects. Okay, if that's it, then this
[35:48] meeting is adjourned.