By Laura Swift

The Murphy City Council was busy the week of Jan 16. It held two meetings—one with the Richardson City Council to consider a joint recreation center in Breckinridge Park, and the other to discuss the formation of the Murphy Municipal Development District.

Last October, representatives from the city of Richardson, Ballard King & Associates and Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture presented information to the Murphy City Council regarding a proposed joint project for a multi-agency recreation center to be built in Breckinridge Park.

“We feel like Breckinridge Park is a community park,” said David Morgan, assistant city manager of Richardson. “Murphy and Richardson match up well for a partnership because our two communities have aligned goals.”

Breckinridge Park encompasses more than 500 acres and is Richardson’s largest park. Both Murphy and Richardson residents would have full access to the proposed facility.

Before approving the center, both cities must give the green light to Ballard King & Associates, a recreation consulting firm, and Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture to conduct two project-planning phases.

Phase one will include a market analysis, programming and operation/revenue projections, and phase two will feature program refinement, a site plan and a budget definition.

The Murphy City Council on Nov. 1, 2011, authorized City Manager James Fisher to enter into an inter-local agreement with Richardson to complete phase one of a feasibility study not to exceed $15,000.

On Jan. 17, Murphy City Council held a joint meeting with the Richardson City Council about the phase one feasibility study.

“In phase one, we’ll research public, private and nonprofit competition, such as the nearby 24 Hour Fitness, and look at potential programming opportunities through gym, track and swimming pool amenities,” said Ken Ballard, president of Ballard King & Associates. “Choosing amenities for the recreation center is a key component of the planning process. The choice of amenities has a direct relationship to generating revenue.”

Amenities such as leisure pools and aerobic and dance areas generate high revenue. Low revenue-generating amenities include senior rooms and teen lounges, Ballard said.

“We need to make sure that it [proposed recreation center] doesn’t have something that the city already offers [to residents],” Councilmember Scott Bradley said.

The market analysis in phase one will take into consideration demographic characteristics of Garland, Richardson, Plano, Murphy, Wylie and Sachse.

“We’ll prepare a draft of phase one and report back to you our recommendations,” Ballard said. “In phase two we’ll draft the design and layouts. At the end of phase two you find out how much it costs to operate.”

The timeline for completing phase one is eight weeks, Morgan said.

“I like how you do things,” Mayor Bret Baldwin said to Richardson City Council. “If something like this is done right, it could be a crown jewel of Collin County.”

Richardson Mayor Bob Townsend said, “We need to be careful and make sure that this would stay a neighborhood center [for Murphy and Richardson residents only], not a commercial center.”

If the facility is approved, Morgan estimated that the bond-funded project would be completed by 2016 or 2017.

Later that week, Murphy City Council held a special meeting on Jan. 19 to discuss appointing members to the new Municipal Development District (MDD).

Murphy residents last November voted to abolish the 4A Economic Development Corporation and replace it with the MDD. The tax money raised for 4A will now go toward MDD, which provides more flexibility to finance projects.

MDD needs members to control and establish the by-laws before it is up and running, city staff said.

Council was divided on whether or not to appoint residents as MDD board members during the setup phase.

“I think it’s just a lot easier for City Council to assume this responsibility,” Baldwin said. “I like the idea of the whole Council establishing it.”

“I feel like there should be some citizen input into the formation of this,” Councilmember Bernard Grant said. “They should have a voice in how this starts. I think having three Council members and two residents on the Board would be OK.”

In a 4-2 vote, Council decided on a five-member board, made up of three Council members and two citizens.

Council said it would appoint the Board at the end of January.