MINUTES

    The meeting was called to order by Acting Chairman Roy Smith. A silent roll call was taken and it was determined that a quorum was present with Donna Lipscomb being the official designee on behalf of Secretary Ferguson.

    "Woody" Thrasher moved for approval of the minutes of the May 24, 2006, meeting. The motion was seconded by Ron Spradling. All voted in favor and the minutes were approved.　

    There being no objection by the board members, the issue of old business was moved to the end of the meeting in order to allow for additional time for review of the recently passed Legislative rules.　

    Robert Herron, City Manager of the City of Wheeling, introduced himself to the Board. A conference call was placed to Board member Mary Jo Klempa who participated by telephone. Mr. Herron provided the Board with a handout and called the Board’s attention to the qualifications of Kent Dahlgren listed therein relative to skate parks. Mr. Herron introduced Mike Kozakewich of Steptoe & Johnson, who was enlisted to help the City of Wheeling in this process, as well as Diana Mey, Chairperson of Skate Park Committee, and Cheryl Kaczor, a member of said committee. Mr. Herron explained that this matter is a citizen initiative to address the issue of children using public areas for the riding of skateboards, in-line skate, BMX bikes, etc. Mr. Kent Dahlgren was then conferenced-in the meeting.

    Diana Mey was given the floor and she explained how this issue came into being, and the positive reaction of the City. She also stated that grant money was received from the Tony Hawk Foundation (Tony Hawk being the "Babe Ruth" of skating) and from Brad Paisley. She indicated that it has taken five (5) years to get all the money raised and the land together for the skate park project. Ms. Mey then called the attention of the Board to the preliminary description of the park. It was stated that there are currently no other skate parks in the State of West Virginia.

    Mr. Herron showed the Board the diagrams of the location of the proposed skate. The skate park will be built on city owned property. There is lights and supervision from March 1^st until November 15^th from about 8:00 a.m. until 10:30 pm. The skate park will be free and open to the public. It is located beside a 14 mile paved trail system that accesses every neighborhood in the City of Wheeling. He also explained that he has been in contact with the City’s insurance carrier (Cincinnati Insurance Co.) about providing liability insurance for the skate park. They are very interested in the design process because they are familiar with concrete skate parks and they have preferences that it be a design-build project due to the liability and safety standpoints.

    Mr. Herron turned the discussion over to Mr. Kozakewich to discuss the criteria required to be a design build project. Mr. Kozakewich discussed the need to get the project completed sooner. He stated that the nature of the funding with grants and donations required the need for the project to be completed faster than by the traditional method, the City wants to get the project completed prior to the spring season and the safety of the kids now out there skating around public buildings. He explained that the sooner the park gets done, the less liability to the businesses. He further explained that the park would be generally supervised by City employees.

    Mr. Kozakewich advised the board that using a design-build company allows for a faster and better design-build construction companies can be utilized and those companies are used to working in inclement weather. Mr. Thrasher questioned whether the construction company has been selected. He was advised that they have not been selected.

    In regard to the time line, the City is ready to break ground as soon as they receive approval. The original time line that was submitted with the application to the board needs to be adjusted because the timing of the project has changed. The difference is that they will be able to open in September instead of April of 2007. The City is confident that, although the money comes from different sources, that the money is ready to be spent.

    Mr. Herron asked Mr. Dahlgren to explain the need for close coordination. Mr. Dahlgren indicated that general contractors usually don’t have the expertise to understand what it takes to actually render the diagrams into a tangible form as there are not that many skate parks in existence at this point in time. There are some things that most people consider minutest that are absolutely critical to the safety of skateboarding. On other skate park projects they have had a person on-site and still had to jackhammer out areas because they were done incorrectly by the general contractor. Design-build is really a tighter coupling between the people who know what is needed in a skate park and the construction company as it relates to measurements, drainage, essential on-the-fly coordination, etc.

    Mr. Thrasher pointed out that this proposed project is not typically what the board sees. The projects do not usually have unique creativity in the design process and tend to be cookie cutter stuff. This is not conventional and the designer will need to take a lead role through the entire process and the contractor is along for the ride.

    Mr. Herron again addressed the Board regarding the process of knowing the total cost of the project and knowing the way that money is raised for this project. Mr. Herron called the Board’s attention to the donation and contribution chart, stating that 45% of this project has been raised through community donations. He believes that the design-build process is the best way to go as it lets them know the costs early on. This would also minimize the change orders during construction.

        Diana Mey added that it is listed in the project packet the parks that had some problems when they used the design-bid bill. She also mentioned that the Hawk Foundation, mentioned previously, endorses the design-build format. It was also stated that the land and water conservation folks are aware of the City’s presence at this meeting and they are in support of the project.

    Mr. Kozakewich interjected that research shows an increase in tourism in an area when a skate park is put in, which is another reason for Design Build support. Big names come with design-build firms. Mr. Dahlgren stated that this part is very important for the safety of the children to get them off of the streets and into a part.

    Acting Chairman, Roy Smith, states that he always asks if people are familiar with the legislative rules which govern how a design-build project runs to the extent that they can be understood. He directed this question to the City of Wheeling’s representative, who assured the Board that they do intend to follow the design-build rules. It was stated that the goal with the legislation is to be assured that when you go from design-bid-build to design-build you still have a level playing field as a guiding principal.

    There being no further comment by the Board, it was moved by Ron Sprading that the Board approve the City of Wheeling’s skate park’s project. Mary Jo Klempa seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The board advised the City of Wheeling that construction on the skate park project must begin by November 15, 2006. Donna Lipscomb reminded Mr. Herron that there will be a monthly report which will need to be filled out by the representatives of the City of Wheeling regarding the status of the project. Ms. Lipscomb will provide a copy of the form report to them for completion each month.

    The board briefly discussed the new legislative rules.　

    There being no other business to come before the board and the meeting was adjourned.