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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/27/2007 Special Council Meeting Minutes MINUTES OF JOINT SPECIAL SESSION MARAN A TOWN COUNCIL AND MARANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: February 27,2007 PLACE AND DATE Marana Municipal Complex A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL By Mayor Honea at 7:00 p.m. COUNCIL Ed Honea Herb Kai Bob Allen Jim Blake Patti Comerford Tim Escobedo Carol McGorray Council Member Council Member Council Member Council Member Council Member Present Present (arrived at 7:02 pm) Present Present Excused Present Present Mayor Vice Mayor Eric Brandriff Maribel Lopez Patricia A. Teager Governing Board President Governing Board Vice President Governing Board Member Governing Board Member Governing Board Member Present Absent Dan Post John Lewandowski Present Present Present B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCA TION/MOMENT OF SILENCE Led by Mayor Honea. c. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Upon motion by Council Member Escobedo, seconded by Council Member Blake, the agenda was unanimously approved. D. CALL TO THE PUBLIC GENERAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 1. Discussion: Presentation on cooperative projects and programs between the Town of Marana and the Marana Unified School District. Mr. Reuwsaat welcomed the School Board. Mr. Reuwsaat showed the Town video we will be using to recruit industry and that the school district is going to use for recruiting teachers. 1 MINUTES OF JOINT SPECIAL SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL AND MARANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: February 27,2007 Mayor Honea stated there are 500 copies ofthe video available for civic, social, or religious organizations to view. Mr. Reuwsaat talked about our first community profile which is a statistical tool about who we are. Mayor Honea talked about the park at Coyote Trail and building the park jointly and that we share costs and share facilities. Mayor Honea talked about cooperation with the school district on the Heritage Arena. Mr. Ellis thanked Bob Thomas for all his help. One of the cooperative projects is the Coyote Trails School and park where we share access and parking, sports fields, play areas and classroom space. This facility also offers access into the new Santa Cruz Linear Park. We coordinate opening and closing the gates with the school. We're planning to share access and parking in the Continental Reserve school site, next to our Continental Reserve park. We'll also be sharing sports facilities. One of the ball fields at the park will be used during school periods and opened after school for the community. The Western Heritage Arena is something we could not have done without the cooperation of the school district and our other partners at the Western Heritage Committee. Kristy Trahan, Recreations Superintendent, talked about what recreation programs are offered. Swimming pools are open as part ofthe physical education program. We also have a great stage that the elementary schools use for their carnivals and fairs for fund raising activities. Activities are also provided for therapeutic children. There are high school opportunities for after school. The high school also lets us use their facility for our football camps and we let them use our stage for high school graduation. Special interest classes are available at the schools. The doors are open for opportunity. 2. Discussion: Presentation on proposed four-acre lease by the Town of Marana from the Marana Unified School District for park and trail purposes. Mr. Ellis discussed that we are short of space. We don't have facilities to operate programs in so we are appreciative ofthe schools for letting us be there. At the end of Coachline Road, at the end of Continental Ranch, there is about a 4.2 acre piece of property that is directly behind the Pima County Sewer station. We would like a community room, offer more adult classes and a place for teens and seniors to go. We have approached the school district and asked ifthere is a possibility if we might enter into an agreement and lease these four acres. On these four acres we would construct a community building, parking, landscaping and also use it as trail access for the other end of the Santa Cruz Linear Park so we could have parking for those events, access into the Santa Cruz Park and restroom facilities. During the planning stages if we can move forward with an agreement we'll keep in 2 MINUTES OF JOINT SPECIAL SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL AND MARANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: February 27, 2007 communication so the facility is well planned and an asset to the Town and the school district. Mr. Reuwsaat stated that childcare is significantly lacking particularly in Continental Ranch because we don't have the facilities. We have to work with the school district to look at the social patterns and the needs and types of facilities that are going to meet the needs of working parents. This site is going to be critical in meeting the needs of parents, teens and adults. Mr. Ellis stated one of the things about this site is that there is a huge basin and there is a good opportunity for a trail system back there. There is a group of volunteers that are very interested in developing a golf course. The site is also accessible from Saguaro Springs. 3. Resolution No. 2007-31: Relating to Intergovernmental Relations; supporting the planning, design, construction and funding of the Marana regional community center, a regional public education, recreation, library, child care, wellness and community meeting facility in north Marana to be jointly and cooperatively operated by and among the Town of Marana, Marana Unified School District, Pima Community College, Pima County, the Pima County Library District, the University of Arizona, the YMCA of Tucson and other community partners. Mr. Reuwsaat stated this concept will occur because of the partnerships, the recognition of a shared vision together, and a shared set of cost savings if we work together rather than working individually in smaller efforts to provide the same types of facilities. Ms. Van Horn stated when the governor gave her State ofthe State she talked about innovation and now the League of Governors has met and they've talked about innovation being the way to move forward in our country. Innovation is what we will have with this site. The partners came together like U of A, Marana Health Center and the YMCA. They and private donors are interested in really creating a shared vision that eliminates duplicate services, eliminates duplication of facilities and meets community need with cutting edge scheduling. YMCA of Tucson is the largest provider of licensed childcare in the State of Arizona so they are helpful in meeting the growing need. The school district can share the library with the Pima County Library system, having facilities that are open to the public, but still protect the students that will be using them during the day. Currently, although it is in concept phase, we are putting this through the process for the 2008 proposed bond issue. This will be presented to the subcommittee for public facilities in cooperation with Pima County Library. They will be meeting with the library to talk about this facility and other facilities as they move forward. That subcommittee is meeting to send recommendations forward to the Bond Committee to try to get this item on the ballot. At this point, we have submitted a request for $30 million in bond funding through the 2008 bond election. Currently, the dream is a 50,000 sq. ft. facility that includes the meeting spaces, recreational center, a 3 MINUTES OF JOINT SPECIAL SESSION MARANA TOWN COUNCIL AND MARANA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MARANA MUNICIPAL COMPLEX DATE: February 27, 2007 16,000 sq. ft. library facility, and 8,000 sq. ft. meeting area to meet the needs of the school district. Ms. Teager asked regarding how it was going to be jointly and cooperatively operated and who was going to be accountable. Mr. Reuwsaat stated there is a subcommittee and they will be going to Phoenix to talk with a couple facilities that are already working with the school systems on what they are doing. The design will change somewhat based on how it is going to be operating so the integrity of the school district can be maintained and that has always been a foremost thought and an issue that has been discussed as it relates to the library and so forth. Mr. Reuwsaat stated we want to see the small business community built out along by the new Marana interchange. This is all part of a larger community vision. Upon motion by Council Member McGorray, seconded by Council Member Blake, Resolution No. 2007-31 was unanimously approved. 4. Discussion: Presentation on proposed joint development, access and use of the future Saguaro Springs school/park site. Mr. Ellis stated one of our next projects is the park and school site at Saguaro Springs. The developer is in the process of putting together the construction documents for the park. We will need to come up with an agreement that allows us to share the parking, the access, and our athletic facilities. We're developing a field in the bottom of the retention area so there will be access to the school. Mr. Ellis stated they look forward to the opportunity to use classroom space to offer after school care and also leisure classes for young adults and seniors. Mr. Ellis stated the Gladden Farms school site is in proximity to the Heritage Park. Mr. Ellis stated if the athletic facilities are in the park then the Town would take care of the up keep and maintenance. F. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion by Council Member Escobedo, seconded by Council Member Blake, Council voted to adjourn. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing are the true and correct minutes of the Marana Town Council meeting held on February 27, 2007. I further certify that a quorum was present. J't/ J c lyn C. B nson, Town Clerk 4