Library and Parks and Recreation Board Special Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes 
Library Board and 
Parks and Recreation Board 
Special Meeting 
December 2, 2025| 5:30 p.m. 
Tumbleweed Recreation Center 
745 E. Germann Rd. Chandler, AZ 85286 
 
 
Call to Order 
The meeting was called to order by Library Board Chair Alexis Merritt at 5:30 p.m. 
 
Roll Call 
Library Board Attendance 
 
 
 
Library Board Members Absent 
Board Chair Alexis Merritt 
 
 
 
Board Member Arman Sidhu 
Board Vice Chair Jennifer Pawlik  
 
 
Board Member Michael McElhany 
 
Board Member Parker McCarthy 
Board Member Leanna DeKing 
Board Member Faith Risolo (Remote) 
 
Parks and Recreation Board Attendance 
Parks and Recreation Members Absent 
  
Board Vice Chair Melanie Dykstra 
 
 
Board Chair John David 
Board Member James Montgomery 
 
 
Board Member Lynette Bradley 
Board Member Sarah Sharits 
 
 
 
Board Member Sue McInturf 
Board Member Jegadesan Krishnamurthy 
 
Staff Attendance 
John Sefton, Community Services Director  
Corey Povar, Assistant Community Services Director 
Mickey Ohland, Community Services Planning Manager 
Katie Gaul, Engineer 
Rachelle Kuzyk, Library Manager 
Rebecca Kuiper, Recreation Superintendent 
Chris Smith, Aquatics Superintendent 
Paul Smith, Library Business Systems Analyst 
Courtney Allen, Library Management Analyst 
Jo-el Miller, Library Outreach Manager

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Staff Attendance Cont. 
Caryn Nall, Library Branch Manager 
Debe Moreno, Library Branch Manager 
Chris McGinley, Library Branch Manager (Remote) 
 
Others Present 
Jason Genck, BerryDunn (Remote) 
James (JR) Clanton, BerryDunn (Remote) 
Jeff Velasquez, J2 Design 
Lee Swanson, Richärd Kennedy Architects 
Monique Ziesenhenne, BerryDunn (Arrived remotely at 6:52pm) 
 
Unscheduled Public Appearances 
None 
 
Briefing Followed by Discussion 
1. Project PR2503.01 Recreation and Library Strategic Master Plan 
 
Introductions were made by members of both the Library Board and the Parks & Recreation 
Board, as well as city staff, BerryDunn consultants, and on-site architect consultants. 
The Recreation and Library Strategic Master Plan is designed to gather community input to 
enhance library and recreation services in Chandler. The plan seeks to establish a ten-year vision 
for future service development, resource alignment, and program improvements looking to 
maximize the use and reuse of the existing facilities and services to meet or exceed national 
standards and be the best of the best. 
The planning process will be facilitated by BerryDunn, a consultancy team with over 50 years of 
experience serving local governments and specializing in library and recreation planning. 
BerryDunn will engage directly with both boards and the community throughout the project 
timeline. 
Board members expressed enthusiasm for public service and a strong commitment to 
improving quality of life for Chandler residents. They also voiced support for a collaborative and 
community-driven planning process. 
Community engagement was emphasized as a crucial element for aligning services with 
community needs and maximizing existing resources. Engagement will target both users and 
non-users to gain a comprehensive understanding of participation trends and unmet needs. 
Strategies include surveys, interactive mapping tools, Menti feedback, and other innovative data-
collection methods to gather diverse input. Engagement efforts aim to maximize community

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involvement and foster diverse conversations. Jason Genck emphasized the importance of 
ongoing communication and regular review of engagement tools to ensure effective community 
interaction. The team noted they have optional comment-review settings for the engagement 
tools but generally do not filter user-generated content. Collaboration with private-sector 
partners will be explored to broaden resources and feedback channels.  
Board members were encouraged to leverage their networks for outreach and community 
engagement. Regular updates will be provided to the project team and the community 
throughout the planning process. A major project update is targeted for May 2026. Boards and 
commissions will be kept informed regarding the project schedule and opportunities to 
participate in future focus groups and stakeholder meetings. Board members are also 
encouraged to submit additional ideas or feedback related to the planning process. 
Library Board Member McCarthy inquired how the interactive map will get out to the public. 
Director Sefton informed everyone that the Community Services Department has a great Public 
Information Officer (PIO) as well as the city’s Communication and Public Affairs (CAPA) office, so 
we will utilize them to get the word out when we’re ready to put all the pieces out to the public. 
Assistant Director Povar expressed his enthusiasm for exploring coordination and partnerships 
with private recreation providers in the community. He noted his interest in how these 
collaborations can help gather more meaningful feedback, improve understanding of the 
populations served, and create more efficient, aligned efforts over the next ten years. Jason 
Genck added that during previous planning processes, discussions with private industry 
partners revealed important insights that had not previously been part of the conversation. He 
emphasized that these engagements can open new bridges and opportunities for collaboration. 
Parks and Recreation Board Member Montgomery inquired about demographics and facility 
usage, specifically how the department identifies both users and non-users of facilities. Director 
Sefton stated that this is an important component of the statistically validated survey, which 
uses random sampling to capture insights from those who may not currently use services but 
still find them important. Director Sefton deferred to Jason Genck for additional details. Mr. 
Genck explained that BerryDunn uses city-wide demographics and population estimates to 
ensure surveys reflect current community data. Non-users are identified through the statistically 
valid survey, which includes a margin of error of 5% and is designed to represent the community 
by age and location. Additionally, BerryDunn engages directly with the community, speaking with 
individuals in various locations. Through these conversations, they learn from both users and 
non-users, for example, hearing comments like “I haven’t visited the library” or “I haven’t visited 
that recreation center.” Mr. Genck emphasized that BerryDunn’s approach is comprehensive, 
recognizing that understanding both users and non-users is critical for making informed 
recommendations that best serve the community.

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Parks and Recreation Board Member Montgomery inquired if BerryDunn has ever tried to 
integrate greater community resources into their planning? Jason Genck responded yes, they do 
a variety of planning efforts.  
Community Services Planning Manager Ohland stated that he would like to see demographic 
analysis applied to youth and adult sports leagues, both internal and external, including 
participation rates, historical trends, future projections, and how those numbers affect existing 
facility needs. Jason Genck responded that this is indeed one of the major user groups with 
significant demand and strong partnership potential. Katie Gaul confirmed that it is already on 
their radar. 
Parks and Recreation Board Vice Chair Dykstra asked whether it is possible to determine what 
percentage of the population are library cardholders, as well as the percentage of residents who 
participate in recreation programs. Director Sefton responded that the statistically validated 
survey will help provide reliable assumptions and deliverables regarding participation levels. 
However, he noted that determining exact numbers can be challenging in a community 
approaching 300,000 residents. He explained that while the department has strong data from 
library check-in and checkout systems, recreation program participation records, field 
reservations, and facility usage, these metrics do not always directly translate to the number of 
unique individuals participating. Library Manager Kuzyk added that approximately 30% of 
Chandler’s population are library cardholders. 
Library Board Chair Merritt asked how the boards and commissions will continue to be involved 
with the consultants beyond this initial meeting. Director Sefton responded that staff will 
provide updates to the boards as needed and can include these updates as a regular agenda 
item. He explained that the consultants are expected to have sufficient data and detail compiled 
by May, which will allow for a meaningful update to the boards at that time. Depending on 
schedules, the update may be presented collaboratively to both boards or provided separately 
during regular meetings. 
Parks and Recreation Board Vice Chair Dykstra asked whether any focus groups or community 
outreach efforts are planned between now and May, and whether board members would be 
invited to participate, observe, or otherwise be informed of those activities. Director Sefton 
responded that as these opportunities are developed, staff will keep the boards informed of the 
project’s progress and scheduled activities. He noted that board members’ interest in 
participating in stakeholder meetings will be taken into account. A detailed calendar of activities 
and planned intercept events will be created. He added that some sessions will be strategic, 
curated stakeholder meetings that are not open to the general public, while many others will be 
open community engagement opportunities.

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Library Board Chair Merritt asked how board members can best share their opinions, whether 
through the surveys alone or through additional opportunities. Director Sefton responded that 
board members are encouraged to participate both as residents and as board representatives. 
He noted that there will be formal opportunities for input, such as meetings like todays, but also 
encouraged members to reach out at any time if additional thoughts or concerns arise.  
Jason Genck added that the team will develop a comprehensive engagement plan and strategy 
in collaboration with project staff. This plan will outline the focus groups, their frequency, 
timelines, locations, and other key details. He noted that the team is not quite at that stage yet 
but expects to have this information ready in about a month. 
The meeting slide deck will be available to all meeting attendees. 
 
Adjourn 
The meeting was adjourned at 7:10p.m. 
 
 
______________________________ 
 
 
 
 
______________________________ 
 
Courtney Allen, Board Liaison                                        Alexis Merritt, Library Board Chair