A stated meeting of the Fairmount Park Commission was held in the Commission
Conference Room, Memorial Hall, at 3:30 P.M.
The President in the Chair.
PRESENT: Commissioner F. Eugene Dixon, Jr.
Commissioner Robert N. C. Nix III
Commissioner Isadore A. Shrager
Commissioner Ernesta D. Ballard
Commissioner John K. Binswanger
Commissioner James J. Bloom
Commissioner Karen Lloyd Borski
Commissioner Mary Mason
Commissioner Rosanne Pauciello
Commissioner Victor Richard III
Commissioner Joseph R. Syrnick
Deputy Commissioner John Herzins representing Commissioner Andres Perez
Mrs. Marcia Makadon, Designated Representative of the Mayor
ABSENT: The Honorable Darrell Clarke, Designated Representative of Council
President Anna C. Verna
Commissioner Kumar Kishinchand
Commissioner Robert P. Levy
ALSO William E. Mifflin, Executive Director
Barry A. Bessler, Chief of Staff
PRESENT: Lawrence K. Copeland, Counsel to the Commission
Angelica L. Vidro, Secretary
Paul Nice, Deputy Director of Administration
Stephanie Craighead, Deputy Director of Development & Planning
Observers
APPROVAL OF SUMMARY OF MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 13, 2002
The Commission voted to approve the summary of the meeting held February 13,
2002.
REPORT OF DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
(A) Semi Annual Grants Report
The Commission received a report from Stephanie Craighead, Deputy Director of
Development and Planning.
(B) Semi Annual Volunteer Report
The Commission received a report from Kate Lapszynski, Director of Volunteer
Services.
REPORT OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Commission voted to adopt the recommendations of the Finance Committee:
(A) Fairmount Park Commission Portfolio
The Commission voted to accept the recommendations for the Fairmount Park
Commission Portfolio.
Sell: 300 shares of American Power Conversion, 500 shares of Burlington
Resources, 300 shares of Dominion Resources, 400 shares of Duke Energy Corp.,
500 shares of EOG Resources Inc., and 300 shares of International Paper Company
Buy: 400 shares of Bank of America Corp., 400 shares of Chevron Texaco Corp.,
200 shares of Gannett Inc.,
200 shares of Illinois Tool Works, Inc., 400 shares of Union Pacific Corp;
The motion carried.
(B) Quarterly Review by the Auditor
The Commission received a quarterly report by the auditor Robert McCulley, CPA &
Partner of McCulley , Crusemire & Company. The Committee felt that a more
detailed and in depth report is needed and will be expected for the next
quarter.
The motion carried.
(C) Request for Proposals
The Commission voted to remand the issue of the Request for Proposal for the
following sites to the Finance Committee if an approval is needed before the
April 10th Commission meeting.
33rd Street Driving Range - Councilman Darrell Clarke is still reviewing the RFP
and his input will be added soon.
Philadelphia Museum of Art Parking
JFK Plaza If the matter arises before the April 10th Commission meeting,
Commissioner Nix will send out a poll to all commissioners as to his/her
preference on the matter at hand prior to any action taken.
The motion carried.
REPORT OF NATURAL LANDS PROGRAM COMMITTEE
The Commission voted to adopt the recommendations of the Natural Lands Program
Committee:
(A) Saylor Grove Stormwater Project
The Commission granted concept approval to create an engineered wetland area to
improve storm water run off management and improve the water quality in the
Monoshone Creek. This project must return to the Commission for final approval.
REPORT OF PARK USE AND REVIEW COMMITTEE
The Commission voted to adopt the recommendations of the Park Use and Review
Committee:
(A) The Philadelphia Ceili Group
The Commission approved use of Memorial Hall for the Philadelphia Ceilis Groups
28th Annual Music and Dance Festival on Saturday September 14, 2002.
The motion carried.
(B) 2002 Head of the Schuylkill Regatta
The Commission voted to approve the request of the 2002 Head of the Schuylkill
Regatta to hold their regatta on Saturday October 26th. There are a number of
issues related to this event:
Reversing direction of rowing on the river
Switching the start to the finish line
Using the vicinity of the angel statues for docking and hospitality areas
The Committee recommended changing the date for closure of the West River Drive
to one week earlier; October 26th.
The Committee asked the 2002 Head of Schuylkill Regatta Organizing Committee to
work closely with park staff and other city agencies to plan a traffic route
that can accommodate the volume of traffic that will have to be detoured that
day due to the regatta closure.
The motion carried.
(C) 2002 Dad Vail Regatta
The Commission voted to approve the request of the Dad Vail to hold the 61st
Annual Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River on Friday May 10, 2002 and
Saturday, May 11, 2002.
The motion carried.
(D) Philadelphia County Fair
The Commission voted to approve the request of the Friends of Memorial Hall to
use the grounds of Memorial Hall to hold its annual County Fair from May 30th to
June 9th, 2002.
The motion carried.
(E) The Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Association, Inc.
The Commission voted to approve the request of the Rittenhouse Fine Arts
Association, Inc. to hosts its 71st Annual Art Show in Rittenhouse Square from
Wednesday June 5, 2002 to Sunday June 9, 2002.
The motion carried.
REPORT OF PLANNING COMMITTEE
The Commission voted to adopt the recommendations of the Planning Committee:
(A) Rittenhouse Square Paving
The Commission granted the landscape firm of Menke & Menke approval for design
improvement plans for paving in Rittenhouse Square. The purpose of the repaving
is to replace existing deteriorated concrete paving strips with new ones.
The motion carried.
(B) Manayunk Recreation Path Easement
The Commission granted the Capital Programs Office approval for an easement to
begin the proposed recreation path along Nixon Street from Shamont Avenue to
Port Royal Avenue. The approval is based on the principle that the land will be
free of charge.
The motion carried.
(C) Strategic Plan
The Commission decided to continue discussions on the existing Strategic Plan
and reviewing avenues of reworking or recreating a new plan for Fairmount Park.
A sub committee was created of six commissioners who will review the current
plan and coordinate with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and the City of
Philadelphia.
The motion carried.
REPORT OF PROPERTY COMMITTEE
The Commission voted to adopt the recommendations of the Property Committee:
(A) FAIRMOUNT PARK HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRUST OHIO HOUSE LEASE
The Commission granted approval a one year period of designation for interest to
the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust to lease the Ohio House to R.
Reiko Miyahara Associates.
The motion carried.
REPORT OF THE DESIGNEE TO BARTRAMS GARDEN
The Commission received the report of Commissioner Ballard who invited the new
director of Bartrams Garden, Bill LeFevre to discuss the upcoming projects of
the organization.
REPORT OF THE DESIGNEE TO ALLENS LANE ART CENTER
The Commission received the written report of Stephanie Craighead, Deputy
Director of Development & Planning, Fairmount Park.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF FAIRMOUNT PARK
The Commission received the report of William E. Mifflin, Executive Director of
Fairmount Park.
REPORT OF THE FRIENDS OF PHILADELPHIA PARKS
The Commission received the report of Lane Taylor, Vice-President, Friends of
Philadelphia Parks.
OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business to discuss.
NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business to discuss.
NEXT COMMISSION MEETING
The next scheduled meeting of the Commission will be held on Wednesday, April
10, 2002, 3:00 p.m.
in the Commission Conference Room, Memorial Hall.
ADJOURNMENT
The Commission adjourned at 4:05 p.m.
VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT
The verbatim transcript of the meeting held March 10, 2002 is on file in the
office of the Secretary and is available