Nuts & Bolts of Sports & Parks Concern OIPRD

By Ken Brown

The Orcas Island Parks and Recreation District (OIPRD), created by voters in 2009, continues to hold regular meetings to create a program that takes care of parks and programs under its jurisdiction.

Last Thursday, Feb. 9, the OIPRD district commissioners looked at funds, systems parks and specifically, soccer programs as it gears up for a big summer season.

Programs

In the public comments portion of the meeting, Chama Anderson, coach of the Orcas High School state soccer champs, asked for direction regarding this year’s program. OIPRD Chair Martha Farish said that she expects the Park and Rec District and the School District to share responsibilities, to be outlined in the contract between them.

Pete Moe, Executive Director of the Funhouse/Commons,  suggested that everyone who is involved with offering soccer on Orcas  meet together to create continuity in the program. Farish wanted to clarify Anderson’s question about how a private vendor would offer a sports program addressing such issues as liability and insurance.  Park & Rec Commissioners Ian Lister and Vicki Vandermay will explore Moe’s suggestion, and research information on  soccer program insurance.

Vandermay reported on Orcas Island School District  sports. Funding for School Athletics has been cut from the budget. The Booster Club raised enough funds to support winter sports.Vandermay said that Parks and Recreation doesn’t have funding to cover school sports and that it wasn’t authorized by the public in the original levy. Nonetheless, she expects that the public may turn to OIPRD for help.

Farish said that OIPRD cannot advocate or take the lead on behalf of school sports until a vote through a separate levy occurs.

Commissioner Jim Bredouw suggested that OIPRD can be helpful in certain ways, such as arranging for volunteers and field coordinators. Vandermay then stated that any school-sanctioned sports program must belong to WIAA which
insists on required insurance and an Athletic Director.

Neither OIPRD nor the school district has funds to provide these requirements. An Athletics Booster Club meeting will be held on March 8 where the public can express their concerns. The commissioners plan to attend.

Systems

An online presence through ActiveNet, the web-based administrator of all OIPRD activities, will allow private individuals and groups to post their class offering in a streamlined way to access all recreational activities & classes on Orcas Island. This web presence will be up and running in May.

The commissioners and any interested public parties are invited to the ActiveNet training March 5-9 and 13-14.

Commissioner Bredouw commented on the chart of accounts and the County’s Basic Accounting Records System (BARS). OIPRD hired Annie Moore to help manage BARS for all projected revenue to expenditures. A great deal of discussion ensured about how to work with both QuickBooks and BARS to efficiently inform all interested parties about how monies are coming and  going.

Funds

Commissioner Lister brought the Commissioner’s up to date on the San Juan County treasury report (the county is managing funds at this time. Chairwoman Martha Farish clarified that this is expense accounting. The current balance for the OIPRD  is $48,019.24.

Parks

During public comments, Moe said that painting, repairs and clean up is needed at Buck Park. At this time there is no maintenance vehicle that can be used to make these improvements.

Commissioner Bob Eagan then brought up the status of Buck Park irrigation. The system currently waters  7.5 acres; it should be watering closer to 9 acres. He stated that the way to efficiently irrigate is to install three-phase power and a new, more powerful 5hp pump. Eagan recommended that a new pump should be considered as an upgrade in the future. For the immediate situation, he recommended that OIPRD re-install the existing 5hp pump for around $500 in labor.

Farish inquired if water use would decline if the grounds were aerated and the soil built up. Eagan said that the basic field design limits the effectiveness of those efforts.

Farish reported on the status of the transfer of Buck Park and its well. Orcas Island School Superintendent Barbara Kline will request a copy of the legal document in draft form from the law firm, Perkins Coie. Kline anticipates distribution within the next couple of weeks, Farish said, assuming easement approvals and permission to transfer Buck Park to OIPRD are approved by San Juan County.

Both boards will work to reach an agreement on the key points such as the facilities use agreement. The OIPRD Commissioners will meet for a special executive session on February 29 to further discuss this draft.