30 December 1999

From:  Director, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department

To:    Commanding Officer, Naval Support Activity Monterey Bay

Via:   Executive Officer, Naval Support Activity Monterey Bay (NAVSUPPACT MB)

Subj:  MINUTES OF THE MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION (MWR) ADVISORY BOARD MEETING OF 3 NOVEMBER 1999

Ref:  (a) NAVSUPPACTMBINST 1700.2

1.  Per reference (a), the MWR Advisory Board Meeting commenced at 1000 on Wednesday, 3 November 1999, in the La Novia Room, Herrmann Hall, Naval Postgraduate School (NAVPGSCOL).

2.  Ms. Ryan asked if everyone had reviewed the minutes from the 1 September 1999 meeting. 

    a.  The following comments were made:

        (1)  Mr. Rowley, TROA:  spelling of name in para 9.d. of the minutes of the 1 September meeting should be Reichmuth vice Rysmith.  Also the Monterey Sport Center has been very successful.  So much thought and energy was put into it.  They got tremendous input over a period of years to come up with that design.  If there is something to be learned, it would be foolish not to take advantage of that.

             Ms. Ryan replied:  We have quite a few people working on the actual design process of the request for proposal for the new Gym MILCON.  Several of them have been to the Monterey Sports Center.  We actually toured them and showed them the Monterey Sports Center and the Price Fitness Center so they would understand what the community assets are, plus there are a lot of things we like about the Monterey Sports Center (i.e., control counter).

        (2)  Ms. Bizzozero, Monterey Pines Golf Association: Can you clarify the 1 September minutes, page 4, para 5.c. regarding Par 7? 

             Ms Leone-Mullins replied:  It should be Par 5 vice Par 7.

        (3)  LT Cohen, DMDC:  Spelling of my name on 1 September minutes, page 8, para 10.e., should be LT Cohen vice Kohen. 

    b.  Ms. Ryan asked for a motion to approve the minutes with the changes above.  Ms. Gale made a motion to approve the minutes as written, and Mr. Rowley seconded the motion.

3.  Old Business:

    a.  Ms. Ryan, MWR Director:

        (1)  We did implement the bike rental program on 1 October.  We now have bicycles available for rent over at the Monterey Bay Athletic Club.  We’re hoping that will satisfy a lot of the students from Aviation Safety and DRMI who were the ones who brought to our attention the need for short term bike rentals on base.

        (2)  Day-Use Lockers in Women’s Locker Room.  We have a total of 51 lockers in the Monterey Bay Athletic Club (Bldg. 239) for women.  We have 10 designated as day-use lockers.  We are going to move towards having a total of 25, so almost half of our lockers will be day-use lockers.  But we’re doing that through attrition, so as people vacate their permanent locker space we are not refilling those with a permanent party, but making them available for day use.  So we’re hoping this will alleviate the problem on the women’s side.  We do not feel that we have a problem on the men’s side, but if any of you are aware that there are day-use lockers not available when people go to use the gym, and don’t have permanent lockers, we really appreciate that feedback.  That really helps us do a better job for you.

       (3)  Also, LT Cohen, are you getting NAVSUPPACT MB MWR  information at DMDC?  Is that working to your satisfaction?

            LT Cohen:  Yes it is.

    b.  Joan Bizzozero, Monterey Pines Golf Association.  The bathrooms have not been painted on the outside on the golf course at hole #11.  There is a big “X Wet Paint” on the wall.

        Mr. Gale responded:  The insides have been painted, the outsides have not been painted.  We had a maintenance person getting ready to do that.  We were having him scheduled for physicals and appointments with Safety so he could be fitted with a respirator because of the lead based paint that will be used.  (It is a hazardous material).  Since then, he is no longer working for us.  We just recently within the last two weeks hired a new maintenance person.  We now have to start that process all over again.  We have the paint, but we just have to get him through the process of being cleared by Safety and getting him fitted for a respirator so that he can scrape the old paint off and put the new paint on.

        Ms. Bizzozero replied:  In the mean time, this has been at least 3 months like this with a “X Wet Paint”.  Can someone put something on top of it?

        Mr. Gale replied:  I’ll need to call Safety to find out what we can do.

        Ms. Bizzozero replied:  You’re trying to attract civilians and the place has improved but still has a long way to go.  Also, the fencing is still not up along the picnic ground and along the other side.

        Ms. Ryan replied:  We are in the process of sending a letter to the Monterey County Airport because we have to get permission from them to put the netting along the 13th fairway.

We have to get permission before we contract that.

        Ms. Bizzozero commented:  There are still a lot of golf balls going there, a lot of people could get hurt.  It’s a hazard and someone is going to get hurt.  The Navy has been warned about this for years.

        Ms. Leone-Mullins replied:  There are signs posted at the golf course at the front entrance that states that when you enter our property you are running a risk with golf balls.

        Ms. Bizzozero commented:  If you talk to lawyers about that it doesn’t mean a thing if someone wants to sue.  If someone’s child is in there, and gets hit with a golf ball, they’re going to sue.

        Ms. Leone-Mullins replied:  We do have all the bids together, we just have to send a letter for permission first.

        Ms. Ryan:  Didn’t we also paint the outside of the restroom at the 16th green?

        Ms. Leone-Mullins replied:  Yes that’s completed.  It’s just the bathroom at the picnic grounds that needs to be completed.

        Ms. Bizzozero commented:   The restrooms are in bad condition.

        Ms. Ryan:  We have gotten funding approval for the renovation project for 1.6M.  It is currently in the draft request for proposal stage.  Actual construction would be in FY01.  Contracting of it will be done this fiscal year.

        Ms. Bizzozero:  Is there nothing that can be done in the interm because it’s getting worse and worse in those restrooms?

        Ms. Ryan replied:  It’s really hard to justify investing in those restrooms with very limited local funding resources when I know the restrooms are going to be renovated in a year.  MWR just doesn’t have the money.

        Ms. Bizzozero replied:  Remnant carpet is all that is needed.  That place can be redone for under $500.00.

        Ms. Ryan replied:  The base does not have the funding.  We did attempt to have the actual commodes replaced in that restroom facility, and the decision was made to take care of  higher priority items.  We have a $71M backlog in Public Works.  The main thing is that the restrooms need to be kept clean.  That is something we are working on doing better.

        Ms. Bizzozero replied:  I spoke with Derrick this morning on that and I asked how he’d feel about putting a check-list in the restroom.  He said that would be a great idea.  (i.e., toilet paper, soap, windows, vacuum).  There’s no one there on the weekends when the crowds are there.  That’s when you see hand towels all over the floor, it just gets messy and there’s no one to take care of it.

        Ms. Ryan commented:  That’s great feedback.  We really appreciate it.  We don’t usually see what the user sees.

        Ms. Bizzozero replied:  I feel the golf course is the greatest cash revenue for the majority of MWR projects, and it should be kept up to at least minimum standards.

4.  Leisure Activities Update, Ms. Beth Leone-Mullins, Leisure Services Manager.

    a.  Today the Assistant Golf Course Manager position opened.  The vacancy closes 3 December 1999.

    b.  Youth basketball registration began 1 November.  The season starts 8 January and runs to 25 March.  It’s $40.00 for children ages 6 - 12.  This program is a partnership program with the Presidio of Monterey Annex Youth Services.  You can sign up at the Youth Center.

    c.  Our annual youth holiday party, which is free to children ages 6 - 12, will be Saturday, 11 December, from 2 - 4 p.m. in the El Prado Room.

    d.  If you don’t have plans yet for New Year’s, we still have tickets available in the Information, Tickets and Tours Office.

5.  Fitness Center Update, Mr. Russ Gale, Athletic Director:

    a.  Month of November:

        (1)  Turkey Trot 5K Run will be held on Tuesday, 23 November, starting at 4 p.m. at the Fitness Center.

        (2)  On Saturday, 20 November, we’ll be doing our “Pumping Iron for Men”.  It’s different than our weights for women workshop that we have been hosting in the past.  We’re incorporating this for men.

    b.  Month of December:

        (1)  Sports and Fitness Trivia contest will be held this  month.

        (2)  A workout into 2000 program:  It’ll be a 31-day program.  Each day you come we’ll have a calendar set up and will tell you what exercise to do on that day.  Upon completion you’ll get a present (award).

        (3)  Our Santa suit rental program will be kicking in on 1 December.

             Ms. Bizzozero asked:  Is there a scheduled time for the group activities?  Is there a guide or teacher there?

             Mr. Gale replied:  We have a personal trainer on staff, Heather Golden.  She works by appointment.  Call the front desk, 656-3118, if you are interested.

6.  Child Development Program Update, Ms. Cathy Austin, Child Development Program Administrator:

    a.  The Center will be closed the day after Thanksgiving.

    b.  Our playground renovation project, which has been rather lengthy, is almost at its end.  We have about 10% more to go.  We’re hoping to be finished by 30 November.  We are using two of the areas right now, so kids do have a place to play.

    c.  We are providing childcare for the Millennium event.

        Ms. Kassie Gale commented:  The child care offered at the CDC is for ages 6 weeks - 6 years.  The Youth Center is also offering a child care “sleep over” for ages 6 - 12 years, or grades 1 - 6.

7.  Club Update, Mr. Ken Taylor, Food and Beverage Manager:

    a.  Tickets for New Year’s Eve are going quick.  They are about half gone already.

    b.  The Thanksgiving buffet will be two time slots:  11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  The normal operations for the club will not be open.  We are taking reservations now.

    c.  The Friday after Thanksgiving all Club operations will be closed.

    d.  We also have Monday Night Football in the Trident Room.  We will have a special menu available and some specials on beverages.

    e.  We have a closure coming up in December.  Due to the replacement of some major fixtures, the hot water and steam is going to be out and this building will be entirely without heat or hot water.  Starting 19 December through 26 December we will not have any club facilities open at all.

    f.  Right after graduation, Friday, 17 December through 3 January, with the exception of that week, we’ll have a limited menu in the dining room.

    g.  Specials this month:  Friday lunch special is Hot Turkey Sandwich in the dining room and the Wednesday night Trident special is Prime Rib.

8.  Facilities Update, Ms. Ryan, MWR Director:

    a.  We are working on the draft request for proposal for the Gym MILCON.  We are on schedule and hope to have that project awarded by June 2000. 

    b.  The Youth Center NAFCON is very close to award, it should be awarded this month.  And then it will probably be a couple months before they actually start construction.

    c.  The Club Del Monte renovation phase I is with an A&E, so it’s still in design.

9.  New business:

    a.  Lt Cohen, DMDC.  Some concerns were brought up among the groups that I was playing with during the golf course club championship a few weeks ago.

        (1)  We played early in the morning, and there was a lot of dew, so spikes got full of grass.  There’s only one hole with a ball washer/shoe brush.  Poppy Hills has one just about every hole to clean your shoes, especially during that time of day.  I don’t know if ballwashers are in the renovation plan. 

        (2)  People playing the t-box got real muddy.  I slipped once.

        (3)  On hole number 5 along the fairgrounds, people complained about there being the fence and then there is an out of bound marker right in front of the fence.  So they are being penalized twice almost, if you hit against the fence your in trouble anyway. 

             Ms. Leone-Mullins asked:  So you are saying, just so I can understand, the out-of-bounds marker is in front of the fence on the 5th fairway?

             Lt Cohen replied:  It’s right along the fence line, so if you hit against the fence, you are automatically out-of-bounds.

        (4)  People need to know when the next big tournament is scheduled so they can work that into their schedules.

        (5)  Some people, myself included, would appreciate more rough.  It makes it more of a challenge.

    b.  Ms. Bizzozero, Monterey Pines Golf Association. 

        (1)  The shoe brush outside the clubhouse has no bristles on it.

        (2)  At the other entrance, there is no shoe brush. 

        (3)  With respect to the restroom check-list I mentioned earlier, I would also suggest that you put one in #11 and #16 restrooms.  Those are cleaned only when someone thinks about it.  It’s not a regular part of the job.

    c.  Ms. Gale, Marketing/Special Projects. 

        (1)  A reminder that we have an MWR calendar on the NPS Net at intranet.nps.edu 

        (2)  We got our contract signed yesterday for our MWR website.  We anticipate that it will take us 6 - 8 weeks to put it together.  We’re hoping to launch early next year.  We’re hoping to include the Web event calendar just like the one that’s on the intranet (which you can’t get from home or off-base). 

        (3)  We have dance classes for the kids.  The dance classes for the little ones are Jazzmataz and Jazzmataz for Tots.  The Jazzmataz classes are split between the CDC and the multi-purpose room. 

        (4)  On Tuesdays we have Jazz Dance for children who are a little bit older: a youth class that is for ages 7 - 11 and then the older class is for ages 11 - 15.  They are fun classes and we have some great instructors.

    d.  Chaplain Phillips, NSAMB. 

        (1)  How many people are suppose to be here (at the MWR Advisory Board Meeting)?  I’m assuming there are a lot of no shows.

             Ms. Ryan responded:  Yes there are.  We put out notices to representatives from all the tenant commands, all the different entities on the base.  We do that a few days ahead and sometimes we make phone calls too.

             Chaplain Phillips commented:  It seems to me that you’re not really able to respond to a lot of things or do a lot of things, or particularly respond fairly and appropriately, if people don’t show up at these meetings.  Here you are, all ready to respond immediately and take things for action.

        (2)  I want to ask you a follow-up question on the Thanksgiving Day buffet.  What is the plan that is being pursued to make the meal affordable?

             Ms. Leone-Mullins responded.  That’s for the single sailor community.  The chiefs and I have gotten together and I have a budget with limited money.  So what we’re trying to do is subsidize the Thanksgiving buffet for any of our single sailors.  When we find out how many are interested, and get a final number, we’ll determine how much we’re going to subsidize each ticket.  We’re going to try to subsidize down the tickets to where it may only cost them $10.00.

        (3)  The Stillwell Center is doing Thanksgiving buffet for about $6.95.  How are they able to put that on for $6.95?

             Ms. Leone-Mullins replied:  I will check with the Club Manager tomorrow at the Retirees’ Council.  They don’t have the same ambiance as our ballroom.

             Ms. Ryan commented:  It could also be under the auspices of being a community center versus a club operation.  A club operation is a business activity and needs to be run like a business, whereas a community center sometimes gets appropriated fund support.  I’m not sure, I’ll have to check into that.  The Thanksgiving buffet that we offer is a very nice buffet for that price.  We’ve gotten many compliments on the buffet that we offer.  Do you fill your reservations for both sessions? 

             Mr. Taylor replied:  Yes.  I believe we had over 400 last year.

             Chaplain Phillips asked:  Is it mostly students who go here?

             Ms. Leone-Mullins replied:  We have quite a few people from the local community, retirees and there are some students. 

             Chaplain Phillips recommended:  Is there a possibility to have a once a month Sunday brunch “truck stop alternative” instead of $14.95; its maybe $6.95 or $7.95, but makes it affordable to the students who have families and would like to come but can’t afford the current price.  If that were possible, even on occasion, I know I’d be happy to talk up something like that at worship services.  We have a lot of people between the Protestant and Catholic Chapels, and I think a significantly higher number of students as well as some of the single enlisted sailor would come for this on occasion.

             Mr. Taylor commented:  My difficulty with that would be that we don’t make a lot of money on the $14.95 buffet.  If you look at what is out there and what you are getting for $14.95, it’s an exceptional value.

             Chaplain Phillips:  Clearly it would be a down shifting in what would be offered.  The thought is the convenience to the several hundred people that come to the campus anyway (for Sunday services), and a number of the spouses I think would be very happy to say “Dear treat me today”.  It’s a lot easier to ask that and then be insistent about it if like once a month there was an alternate track, even a pasta thing, clearly nothing with shrimp.

             Mr. Taylor replied:  It’s the shrimp and meats that we serve there that drive that cost up.  If you want to put just breakfast meats and eggs during the week, we could do something like that.  We could try to put something together, I don’t know how fast we’d do it.  My concern would be whether or not we’re going to gain acceptance from the people who are regulars for Sunday Brunch.  As long as we advertise that out, it shouldn’t be a problem.

        (4)  Mr. Rowley, TROA.  Good feedback from some friends who stayed at the RV facility.  They said it was very impressive and they had a very enjoyable week.  It was during the beautiful week of weather in October.  So they lucked out after all the months of fog and lousy weather.  They had a super time.

        (5)  Ms. Bizzozero, Monterey Pines Golf Association:  What is the status of the water situation at the golf course?

             Ms. Ryan replied:  The good news is that we’ve gotten a lot of water pumped from Lake Del Monte this year.  We didn’t have nearly the water problem this year that we’ve had in the past.  Every time the Lake Del Monte gets full and looks like it’s going to overflow into the ocean, then the base pumps water up to our Charlie Lake.  We’ve been doing that all year long so we’ve had a lot more water and the course looks a lot better because of that.  The long-term plan is to begin developing a new irrigation system project that will also include reservoirs as part of that project.  We plan to start working on that in the Spring of this year for NAFCON funding consideration.  But that project probably wouldn’t be considered for funding until FY02.  I think we’re O.K. right now.  I’m not as concerned as I was a year ago because of the pumping of water from Lake Del Monte.  We have enough water.

         (6)  Mr. Rowley, TROA:   What’s the status on Navy Lodge?

              Ms. Ryan replied:  The Navy Lodge falls under the Navy Exchange, but I do have information about it.  NEXCOM is coming out here on 2 December to do a final inspection of that project, so it can be turned over from the construction contractor.  And then it’s probably 6 - 8 weeks that the Navy Exchange will have that facility before it’s actually made operational because there is a lot that they need to do in order to bring it on line.  It should be operational by February, but an actual date has not been determined at this point.  It is a 72-room lodge located in La Mesa housing near the main entrance and will be across the street from the new Youth Center we are getting ready to construct.

             Mr. Rowley commented:  As far as morale, it will really help incoming people in the big transition.

11.  With no other items from the members, Ms. Ryan thanked everyone for their attendance and adjourned the meeting at 1153 and thanked everyone for their attendance. 

12.  The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 5 January 2000, 1000, in the La Novia Room, Herrmann Hall, NAVPGSCOL.  NAVPGSCOL, NAVSUPPACT MB and tenant commands are invited to send a representative.

// SIGNED //

MEGAN D. RYAN