FOWAP Meeting Minutes 

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2024 FOWAP ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

May 8, 2024 Meeting 

Members Present:

Chris Schorre - Chair

Bil Kilday - Vice-Chair

Paula Hern - Secretary

Janet Sullivan - Executive Committee Member

Rob Kish - Fund Raising Committee

AGENDA

I. It’s My Park Day

Chris suggested we could coordinate with Friends of the Dog Park group and consolidate efforts  on It’s My Park Day instead of two separate groups coordinating with Austin Parks Foundation. Chris will reach out to the chair of the dog park group. 

Also, it was suggested that a letter be prepared to Austin Parks Foundation and the PARD to request help limiting the number of dogs off-leash in the park. Chris will draft a letter and then after members approve, send it to the OWANA steering committee for possible support and signature.

II. Treasurer’s Report

Jennifer Guthrie let the group know she is moving to Dallas and will be unable to continue as treasurer. Rob volunteered to take over that responsibility. FOWAP has $165,400.00 in its APF account. $5,000 will go to TBG to finish paying for the construction design drawings when they

are completed.

III. Overlook Project

Chris gave the group an update on the Overlook design drawings. There is now a steel cable fence along the west side. Grass will be planted and irrigated in one section, but a water source still needs to be located. There was discussion regarding furniture on the stone patio area and whether to have it bolted down. It was decided that having the flexibility to move furniture around for small events outweighed the risk of loose furniture being stolen. n The architecture work appears to be on budget and the final design should come through in June. The next step will be to get contractor bids. Fund raising will start again in the fall.

FEBRUARY 7, 2024 MEETING 

Members Present:

Chris Schorre - Chair

Bill Kilday - Co-Chair

Jennifer Guthrie - Treasurer

Paula Hern - Secretary

Janet Sullivan - Executive Committee Member

AGENDA

I.  Minutes from the December 13, 2023 meeting were approved.

II.  Jennifer said the January, 2024, statement from Austin Parks Foundation showed FOWAP had a balance of about $126,000 and this is after about $15,000 was paid to TBG for design work. A year ago, the balance was $91,000. There has been a new grant of $20,000 given to FOWAP that will show up on the February statement. The announcement of this gift was discussed and how to make it more public.

III.  Amplify Austin, March 6-7, will be another avenue for fund raising. Rob Kish has turned in the initial registration for FOWAP to be part of Amplify. Janet to check and make sure we are registered to receive any matching funds available.

IV.  Chris provided an update on the Overlook Project. TBG received feedback from Charles Mabry that he thought a General Permit via viable. Charles provided instructions to TBG on how to prepare the construction documents prior to them being submitted for a permit. Charles noted that once the documentation package was completed by TBG, PARD would submit it for the permit. After a permit is secured, we can go out for bids to contractors, after which a final push for fundraising will occur. NOTE: An electronic vote was taken after the regular meeting regarding FOWAP spending $1500 for revised marketing design renderings that were outside the contract agreement with TBG. All Executive Committee members approved the additional expenditure of $1500 for the renderings.

V. Much of the street runoff from the neighborhood surrounding West Austin Park (24 acres!) runs into a 30” diameter pipe that runs directly under the center of the park, and eventually drains straight into Lady Bird Lake. The Watershed Protection Department aims to improve the quality of water flowing into the lake and is proceeding with a water quality project that will turn the southern half of the park into a giant biofiltration sponge that will retain excess runoff (for short periods) after storms and also cleanse it before it makes its way into our lake. Chris Schorre, Executive Chair of FOWAP, recently connected Kshitiz Gyawali, the Project Sponsor at Watershed to get a status update. Kshititz said “We are still working to get the contract with the consultant sorted out. We accepted a design proposal from them a couple of months ago. However, the funding and contracting process has been slower than expected. Hopefully, we’ll get the design started this month.” Kshitiz added that it looks like the project will break ground in 2026 and not 2025 as originally planned.

VI.  It’s My Park Day was discussed. Janet is doing the registration and will have a table. Chris will also have a table for the Overlook Project. The committee gave Chris approval to purchase a FOWAP printed tablecloth for these kind of events. Janet will email Dick Ryan to find out how tools get to the park and back to APF. Chris will also check on the feasibility of burying a drain pipe in the park to help the flow of water coming into the park that keeps certain areas wet and soggy. Paula will check into the possibility of the water storage unit being removed. 

Meeting Adjourned