Kenai parks director outlines field recovery, hires, plant day and kite festival; commission discusses tours

Parks and Recreation Director Best told the commission on May 7 that spring field preparation took longer than usual because of a cold March that delayed thawing; high school contests were moved or canceled because the fields were wet. Best said the department has been hiring for summer maintenance and seasonal positions, reporting roughly 15 hires for the seasonal fishery and about 10 summer maintenance positions as recruitment progresses.

Best summarized the fishery season runs from July 10 through July 31 and that temporary staff work daily during the season. He also announced Plant Day is scheduled for May 30 with planting from about 10 a.m. to noon and a cookout afterwards, staged in front of City Hall at 210 Filtago. Best described the kite festival at Millennium Square, noting expanded hours and vendors for the event and recalled a prior year’s very large kite; staff plans additional vendor and community activities for the upcoming festival.

On volunteer programs and cleanups, Best said about 25 people participated in a recent cleanup day and staff filled a full dumpster; the department can supply yellow bags, grabbers and gloves from the rec center for community cleanups and asks residents to report bag locations so staff can pick them up. Rec center staff confirmed the center’s open hours as 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Commissioners discussed scheduling two tours required under the adopted work plan. Staff recommended a June tour, possibly immediately before the June 4 meeting at 5 p.m. at the rec center, and a second tour in September. Commissioners suggested touring a mix of high-use and lesser-used sites — the recreation center, trails, the Eagle Disc Golf Course, soccer fields and the pavilion — to see both successes and maintenance needs in person.

Council liaison Cassina also briefed the commission on recent council business, including code amendments removing newspaper publication requirements, contracts and ordinances (firefighting foam purchase, gas storage consultation, Ventrac tractor purchase), and a new airline operating agreement for Fox Air.