SUBJECT:     ANNUAL REPORT ON THE SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND RECREATION BOND PROJECTS

 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

The Parks and Recreation Commission, acting as the Citizen Oversight Committee, recommends that the Council accept and file this first annual report regarding the implementation of the Safe Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Bond projects.

 

Background

 

In November 2000, the City of San Jose voters approved a $228 million General Obligation Bond, specifically known as the San Jose Safe Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Bond (Measure P), for the purpose of acquiring property for and constructing improvements to parks and recreation facilities throughout the City.  This bond passed with over a 78 percent approval rating.  Projects to be funded with the bond funds include:  the renovation of 90 play areas, 28 restrooms, nine community centers, construction of a lighted softball complex and soccer complex, enhancements to Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, Kelley Park, Emma Prusch Memorial Park, the Municipal Rose Garden, Almaden Lake Park and the extension of five trails.

 

On April 10, 2001, the City Council designated the Parks and Recreation Commission as a Committee of the Whole (Committee) to conduct the citizen’s oversight review responsibilities associated with Measure P.  This effort of reviewing the implementation of the bond projects in an open forum process is the key to maintaining the public trust.  The Citizen Oversight Committee provides the public with opportunities to understand, review, and address any significant and relevant issues related to the implementation of the parks and recreation bond projects.  The responsibility of the Committee is to oversee that the following language on the ballot measure below is carried out:

 

“SAN JOSE SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND RECREATION BOND: 

To improve San Jose’s neighborhood parks’ safety and expand recreation opportunities for children, families and seniors, by: installing lighting; reconstructing deteriorating playgrounds and restrooms; preserving open space; constructing trails; constructing new recreational sports facilities; improving Community and Senior Centers; and constructing improvements to regional parks, like Happy Hollow, shall the City issue $228,030,000 in bonds, at the best rates possible, with guaranteed annual audits, a citizen’s oversight committee, and no money for parks administrators’ salaries.”

 

The Committee will prepare an annual report to the City Council to inform the Council and the public of the appropriateness of bond expenditures, the progress of the various projects, and the results of the annual audit.  In addition, the Committee will be a source of information to the community regarding the program by answering questions from the public, and conducting three public hearings each year after the regularly scheduled meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission meetings in February, June and October.  The October public hearing will also consider the City’s annual audit, if completed by that date of that meeting.  The Committee will prepare the annual report on the appropriateness of expenditures and identify any significant and relevant issues raised by the Committee or the public as well as any recommendations to the Mayor and City Council to address those concerns.  A draft of the annual report will be presented to the Committee in November of each year for its approval.  The report will then be forwarded to the City Council for consideration no later than December 31st of each year.

 

Project Financing and Expenditures

 

The City conducted a very successful General Obligation (GO) bond sale on May 23, 2001, for the first series totaling $71 million to fund both the library and parks projects.  Of the bonds sold, $40 million constitute parks bonds.  The City expects to issue additional GO bonds for under Measure O and Measure P authorizations over the next five to eight years.  It is projected that most of the $40 million in bonds that have already been sold for the parks and recreation projects will be encumbered or expended by June 30, 2002. 

 

In addition to the $40 million in bond revenue received in 2000-01, interest earned totaled $84,604 for total revenue of $40,084,604.  Bond expenditures and encumbrance for 2000-01 totaled  $3,420,000.

 

The independent accounting firm of Macias, Gini & Company completed the annual audit of all City funds in September 2001 for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001.  The audited financial statements, known as the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), included an extensive review of the Safe Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Bond Projects Fund.  As part of the outside auditor’s review, any significant issues are identified and commented upon.  A comprehensive presentation of the audited financial statements was made by the Finance Department, and the City’s independent outside auditors to the City’s Finance and Infrastructure Committee on September 26, 2001.  No significant issues were identified in the Safe Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Bond Project Fund. 

 

Bond Staffing

 

Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services

Two of the three positions authorized at mid-year (FY2000/01) to support the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services bond efforts are filled.  The Parks and Community Facilities Development Unit hired a Bond Analyst, the Recreation and Community Services Division hired a Recreation Superintendent, and the remaining Park Manager position in the Neighborhood Parks Division should be filled in November.  Three other positions were approved as part of the 2001/02 Budget to support the Visitor Services and Facilities Division bond efforts.  Of these positions, the Park Manager position should be filled in November and the Staff Technician and the Engineering Technician should be filled early next year.

 

Public Works

Twelve positions were approved by the City Council in January to support the Parks and Recreation Bond Program.  As of October 2001, eight of the 12 positions are filled, consisting of two Senior Landscape Architects, four Associates Landscape Architects, one Associate Civil Engineer and one Associate Engineering Technician.  The remaining positions to be filled are an Associated Architect, Principle Construction Inspector, and two positions to be shared with the Library Bond efforts, which are the Associate Mechanical Engineer and the Associate Electrical Engineer.

 

These 18 positions are totally funded by bond revenues.  These positions are 100 percent focused on delivering bond projects.

 

Project Status

 

A schedule for all projects is attached to this report and subsequently included in the adopted 2001-2006 Capital Improvement Program.  All but two projects are currently on the established schedule.  An additional 45 days are needed to plan Hamann Park improvements to accommodate additional community input and to reach consensus among the stakeholders.  Vista Park required an additional 90 days to accommodate an enlarged project scope due to additional funding provided from outside the park fund.   

 

Eight neighborhood park projects are among the first to be awarded for construction contracts.  The projects and their construction contract award and planned groundbreaking schedules are shown herein: 

 

Neighborhood Parks                          Contract Award                      Planned Groundbreaking

Cahalan                                                June 19, 2001                          August 2001

Playa Del Rey                                       June 19, 2001                          August 2001

Great Oaks                                          September 2001                       October 2001

Graystone                                             September 2001                       October 2001

Houge                                                  September 2001                       October 2001

Lone Hill                                              September 2001                       October 2001

River Glen                                            September 2001                       October 2001

Parma                                                  November 2001                       December 2001

 

Over the last several months, the Parks and Recreation Facilities (PRF) Division of the Department of Public Works has been working with the Beals Group, Callander & Associates, Cottong & Taniguchi, Dillon Design Associates, M.I.G., M.P.A. and Richman & Associates to design nine neighborhood park renovation projects noted above along with eight other parks.  Groundbreakings for two of the projects, Cahalan and Playa Del Rey Parks, were held on August 25, 2001.  PRF has solicited consultant proposals for 17 additional neighborhood parks from the Beals Group, Cottong & Taniguchi, M.I.G., M.P.A., and Richman & Associates.   

 

Conceptual design work has begun on two multi-service community center projects.  The two projects are Gardner and Camden Community Centers.  Current work on the two projects is focused on programming facilities spaces, including site planning, and preliminary master plans.  The firm of Sugimura & Associates is working on the Gardner Community Center Project and Biebrach Park master plan, while the Steinberg Group is working on the Camden Community Center and Park master plan.  The Almaden Community Center consultant contract is currently being negotiated. 

 

In August, a master agreement with the Gilbane Building Company in the amount of $98,000 was approved by the City Manager for initial program services.  Scope development for the entire program is in process.  Staff anticipates that an agreement will be recommended for approval for Gilbane’s total project management work by the end of the year.

 

Harris Associates has begun design work on the Los Gatos Creek Trail, while the Planning Collaborative is working on Saratoga Creek Trail project.  

 

A formal interview panel convened to consider six consultant proposals for the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo Bond Project.  The three top rated firms were invited back to a second interview.  The panel selected the Portico Group of Seattle, Washington, and staff is now in the process of negotiating a scope and fee for their design and management services.

 

The City is negotiating with the firm of Royston, Hanamoto, Alley and Abey to prepare the master plan and design documents associated with the proposed sports complex at Shady Oaks. 

 

Improvements to Project Monitoring and Delivery Processes

 

Staff is currently reviewing opportunities for improving the City’s project monitoring and delivery system.  Several actions are on the near horizon: establishing a more focused, results driven project monitoring and reporting process that will give project teams better project management tools while setting high expectations for accountability and on time/on budget performance; expanding the Measure O & P Council quarterly report to include all CIP projects; developing a single, reliable database for all CIP projects; aligning staffing and database information to provide accurate, readily accessible project status information to the Mayor, Council and public on a daily basis; and establishing a quality annual report to the public regarding CIP accomplishments and upcoming projects.

 

Public Input and Results of the Public Hearing

 

Frank Fantino of the Century Neighborhood Association was the only person to address the Committee at the October 3, 2001 Public Hearing.  Mr. Fantino wanted to express his interest in the sports complex slated for Shady Oaks Park.  He stated that they would like to give input and to take part in the planning process.

 

Staff responded that several community meetings would take place to solicit public input regarding the development of this site as a soccer complex.  Mr. Fantino will be placed on the project mailing list informing him of up-coming meetings on the project.  The City is in the process of hiring a consultant for this project.

 

Commissioner Cheney asked about the restrooms at Southside Community Center, and if this was part of the bond project. 

 

Gordon Siebert explained that input would be gathered from the public to define the priority for the use of the bond funds at the Southside Community Center.  The restrooms may, or may not be part of the bond-funded project at this center depending on the community process.

 

Commissioner Guisto expressed concern and asked for clarification regarding the status of the Shady Oaks Park site on the Coyote Creek as a potential site for a sports complex.

 

The City has a 50-year lease with a potential for a 45-year extension on 84 acres of County owned lands adjacent to Coyote Creek.  The City has developed approximately eight acres as the Shady Oaks Neighborhood Park.  Staff will have to do further research on this item to answer Commissioner Guisto’s concern regarding the use of this site as a sports complex before the next meeting of the Committee, which is scheduled for February 6, 2002.

 

It was moved by Commissioner Begun, seconded by Commissioner Eaton, and approved unanimously, that the Committee approve the report as presented regarding the implementation of the Safe Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Bond and direct staff to return in November with a draft annual report for the Committee’s consideration.

 

PUBLIC OUTREACH

 

Display ads were placed in the San Jose Post-Record (9/21 & 9/28) and the San Jose Mercury News (9/23 & 9/30).  A press release was submitted to 47 other media sources.

 

CONCLUSION

 

There has been significant progress made on the Safe Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Bond projects since the passage of Measure P in November 2000.  Designs of the first two community centers are underway, along with the construction of the first wave of playground projects.  The two sports complexes will be under conceptual design next year.

 

The Oversight Committee encouraged staff to increase public awareness and outreach regarding the status of the Safe Neighborhood Parks and Recreation Bond program.  The Parks and Recreation Commission has also formed a Greenprint Committee to solicit input from the Senior Commission, Youth Commission, Child Care Commission, and Disabilities Commission regarding parks and recreation projects including bond projects.

 

 

John Guisto, Chair

City of San Jose Parks and Recreation Commission