Open Space Advisory Board Agenda and Packet 2015 08 12

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Open Space Advisory Board Minutes July 8th 2015 Page 3 of 4 Ember observed that the pattern seems to be that when Open Space works with other entities (e.g. library, BOLO) there is a much larger turn -out. Denise White is available to help with this. July 15— Bike the Coal Creek Trail 6:30 -8 July 18— Meet Ranger Tom 10 -11 am August 1— Hiking Louisville with Ranger Tom 10 -11 Owl Extravaganza (kids)— October Climate Change Series — October & November Volunteer: 172 volunteers participated so far this year in 2015. Trail building events were not a big hits this year. July 11— Pulling for Colorado The volunteer weed control ( "weed whackers ") has been streamlined, telling volunteers where and when to weed with more specificity. The volunteer photopoints program is happening. Staff is trying to standardize the months when people take their photopoints. Youth Corp: 120 hours of manual weed control, including weeding the floating island at Hecla. 1000 ft of trail work, including fixing a bench at Harper Lake. The Open Space maintenance team has been emptying trash and has performed three rounds of mowing so far in 2015. VI. Board Updates — Jeff mentioned that council had its budget retreat in May -June and that there are so many CIP requests that it will probably be a tight year, also that the city's general fund reserve funds have been depleted dramatically by the flood. Council discussed that there needs to be cash in the Open Space and Parks Fund for the three highest priority acquisition targets. Jeff suggested that there has been some pushback on that idea, since it's a lot of cash to tie up when there is a low likelihood of all three properties coming available all at once. Council also was concerned about the cost of the wayfinding projects and whether hoarding for the acquisition might impinge on the city's ability to pay for things like that. Helen asked about budget timing, and Jeff said that Malcolm would be making budgets this summer to be ready in September before the city elections. The board expressed a concern about how little the city might know about the actual probabilities of properties coming available and the actual cost of the target properties, since no one person in the city is responsible for their acquisition and maintaining relationships with property owners. Linda asserted that the taxpayers want that reserve to be ample. Jeff reminded the board that there is a lot of pressure from the public to buy land for parks as part of the S. Boulder Rd. and McCaslin small area plans. VII. Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda — none 4