Parks & Recreation Meeting Thursday Evening

FIRST ONE OF THE NEW YEAR
The Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission meets Thursday, February 26, 2015, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers for the first time this year - their January meeting was cancelled because of a noticing snafu.  You can read the agenda for what will likely be a short meeting HERE.  The meeting will begin with the administration of the oath of office to the recently-appointed commissioners - Byron de Arakal, Bob Graham and Brett Eckles - who will be joining returning commissioners Kim Pederson and Don Harper.  Following that official swearing-in, the commission will elect from it's members a Chairman and Vice Chairman.  I don't use the politically correct term "Chairperson" since there are presently no women on the commission.  Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if de Arakal is re-elected Chairman again.  He runs a tight ship and keeps the agenda moving forward. 

FPCAC LIAISON?
No mention is made on the agenda about appointing a new liaison to the Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Committee.  Brett Eckles was appointed to the commission, replacing Dean Abernathy.  Someone probably should be appointed, or the alternate could just take Abernathy's place, since the committee is winding down its efforts.

CONSENT CALENDAR
Following the election of new officers the commissioners will likely play musical chairs on the dais, then get down to business.  The first item is the Consent Calendar - items which are considered routine in nature and would normally be voted upon in one vote.  In this case, there is only one item on the Consent Calendar - the introduction of three new instructional programs - Rocketry, Lego Engineering and Modern Machines, HERE.  I mention it only because all three of them will be held at the Neighborhood Community Center - that multi-use facility that will be converted into a new library if the plans by the current council regime move forward.  These are the types of things that will be displaced by that scheme with, apparently, not much thought being given to where classes like this will then be held.

THREE (3) TREE REMOVAL REQUESTS
Following that quick vote - likely without any discussion - there are three tree removal requests scheduled.  One is Old Business and the other two are New Business.  The staff is recommending denial of all three requests.

PORTABLE TURF?
The final item on the agenda is a discussion of Portable Turf, HERE.  The staff is looking for guidance on this issue, to either move forward with an RFP for bids for portable turf or to discontinue further research on this subject at this time.  That should be an interesting discussion.

 NEXT UP - FPCAC MEETING
The various reports from department managers should be interesting since we've not heard from them this year yet.  And that will be that, except I expect to see at least one or two of the members of this commission the following week at the Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Committee meeting on Wednesday evening.  More about that next week, particularly since it conflicts with another meeting.