MINUTES OF MEETING

UNIVERSITY PARK RECREATION DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2025
3:00 pm Business Offices
8301 The Park Boulevard, University Park, FL 34201

Strategic Planning Committee Members present in person or via Zoom: Jim Freedman	Chair
Ronni Loundy	Vice-Chair Barbara Somma	Secretary
Ken Schreder	Committee Member Steve Swanson	Committee Member
Also, present in person or via Zoom:
John Fetsick	General Manager – University Park Country Club Jennifer Brown	Executive Assistant - University Park Country Club Vivian Carvalho	District Manager - PFM
Kwame Jackson	Assistant District Manager - PFM Various audience members
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS	Organizational Matters Call to Order, Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at approximately 3:00 pm. Those in attendance are outlined above. Mr. Swanson joined remotely via Zoom, all other committee members were in person at the Business Offices.
Public Comments
The public comment period was opened. Mr. Dean Matt addressed the Committee regarding recent public records requests. Committee members advised that these matters

were outside the scope of the Strategic Planning Committee and more appropriately addressed at the District Board level.
Mr. Matt then focused his comments on strategic planning, stating that the District lacks a current ﬁve-year plan and asserting that both the Strategic Planning and Finance Committees have responsibility for ensuring such a plan exists. He requested that a comprehensive ﬁve-year plan be developed in compliance with the charter and that, if a strategic planning ﬁrm is retained, it be directed to review the capital plan.
SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS	RFP Update

The Committee received an update from Mr. John Fetsick on the draft RFP for a strategic planning consultant. Legal counsel completed a redline review; changes were administrative in nature (required statutory provisions and updated dates), with no substantive revisions.
The Committee finalized the evaluation criteria and weighting to be presented to the Board. “Creativity” was combined with “customization to University Park needs,” and the scoring was set as follows: Creativity/Customization – 20%, Completeness – 20%, Past experience with industry-related strategic planning – 20%, Approach/Process – 15%, Communication plan – 15%, and Price – 10% (total 100%).
Mr. Kwame Jackson advised the Board is expected to consider approval on Friday. If approved, the RFP will be advertised in the local paper and distributed directly to known firms. Proposals are currently due January 16 (subject to change, potentially January 30 due to holidays). The Committee discussed the evaluation process upon receipt of proposals, including use of a scoring spreadsheet and scheduling an additional workshop meeting if needed to expedite review and recommendation timing.
THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS	Review draft communication to
UPCAI Board

The Committee reviewed a draft communication to the UPCAI Board requesting inclusion as an agenda item at an upcoming UPCAI Board meeting to discuss collaboration on the strategic planning process. Committee discussion focused on the importance of engaging UPCAI and the broader community, while clarifying that the UPCAI’s role would be to provide input rather than formal approval.
The Committee agreed to revise the final sentence of the communication to clearly state a desire for UPRD and UPCAI to work together during the strategic planning process and in

engaging the community. After minor revisions and staff review, it was agreed that the Committee Chair, Mr. Freedman, would send the communication to the UPCAI Board Chair, Mr. Tom Christopher, copying Committee members and PBM staff.

FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Review UPCAI/UPRD/PBM
organizational structure poster concept
The Committee discussed developing posters to help improve community understanding and address misinformation regarding the organizational structure of UPCAI, UPRD, and PBM. PBM staff (Sydney Johnson and Dawne Waite) were asked to develop draft materials based on input from a joint meeting that included UPCAI representation; the draft will be reviewed by both the Committee and UPCAI, with final format (posters vs. flyers/emails) still under discussion.
The Committee considered adding QR codes linking to relevant website information and emphasized using multiple communication channels. The Committee also discussed developing a second communication focused on the benefits of the Recreation District (RD), including financial metrics (e.g., sales tax savings of approximately $1.1 million over the last two years) and acknowledging associated district costs and Sunshine Law constraints. Members agreed messaging should be concise, bullet-pointed, and include key numbers; the Committee discussed rotating the two communications in January rather than releasing too much information at once.
FIFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Identify a list of topics for gaining support for future actions of the board to improve the club
The Committee discussed key topics to build community support for future Board actions, including developing a Strategic Plan, updating/implementing the Master Plan, and communicating the financial value of the RD beyond bond financing, including sales and property tax savings. Members requested that the Master Plan be circulated for reference and emphasized the need to align major capital projects (such as the kitchen and potential fitness/wellness improvements) with the Strategic Plan to avoid misaligned investments. General Manager John Fetsick noted the UPRD Board is expected to decide whether to

proceed with architectural work now or pause the process for 3–6 months pending the Strategic Plan.
As a related data point for future facility planning, the Committee discussed capacity constraints associated with high-demand club programming, using trivia as an example. Management noted that trivia events routinely reach capacity (approximately 200–210 attendees), while estimated member interest is signiﬁcantly higher, indicating broader space limitations rather than a program-speciﬁc issue. The Committee acknowledged this demand as a relevant consideration for long-term facility planning and future capital decisions.
The Committee discussed member perceptions regarding access to popular programs. Management clariﬁed that participation in trivia is administered through a lottery system and is not based on membership tier. The Committee noted the importance of clearly communicating this process to reduce misinformation. Potential operational alternatives to address capacity, such as utilizing café seating for overﬂow, were brieﬂy discussed; management indicated the café is currently open during trivia for service, but weather and logistical constraints limit expansion options.
The Committee discussed how recent capital improvements completed over the past several years should be more effectively communicated to the community to provide context for future planning. Improvements referenced included enhancements to dining areas, pickleball facilities, the short game practice area, irrigation systems, racquets facilities (including replacement of fencing and lighting), and administrative office upgrades. Members emphasized that highlighting these completed projects would support transparency and understanding as the Strategic Plan and Master Plan discussions move forward.
SIXTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Discuss other ideas to increase engagement of members and residents as we develop the strategic plan and update/implement the master plan.
The Committee discussed engagement strategies, including a potential “ambassador” approach using respected community members to help communicate the value of continued investment. Mr. Fetsick noted the strategic planning RFP should include a communication plan component and that the Committee can leverage best-practice

communication ideas received through the RFP process, even from ﬁrms not ultimately
selected.
SEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Discuss idea of a charitable donation to a scholarship fund that fulﬁlls the initiation fee for a Racquets membership.
The Committee discussed a concept received from UPRD Board member Steve Heitzner to allow prospective members to satisfy all or part of a Racquets initiation fee through a charitable contribution to a designated scholarship fund, rather than paying the initiation fee directly to the Club. It was noted this would be a forward-looking strategy to evaluate during the Strategic Plan process, as current-year initiation fee revenues are already budgeted. Members discussed potential structures (full waiver vs. credit/match), the need to identify/establish an appropriate charitable vehicle (e.g., scholarship foundation), and the ﬁnancial tradeoffs given the proposed racquets initiation fees. The Committee agreed to gather additional information from comparable clubs for consideration and potential inclusion in the Strategic Plan.
The next upcoming meeting:

Date	Meeting Type	Time	Location	Note	
January 14, 2026	Strategic Planning Committee
Meeting	3:00
pm	Business
Office	In person or by Zoom	

Strategic Planning Committee Member Requests
Ms. Barbara Somma addressed the Committee to commend the signiﬁcant improvements to the Club’s appearance, noting that the landscaping at the Club, front entrance, and neighborhood entrances has never looked better. She stated that the grounds now appear more polished and sophisticated and emphasized that these visible enhancements add clear value and make a strong impression on residents and visitors. In response, General Manager John Fetsick credited these improvements in part to the addition of a dedicated landscape professional with a horticulture background, hired to focus speciﬁcally on club beautiﬁcation and the areas surrounding the Club facilities.
The Committee discussed agenda items for the January meeting, including ﬁnalizing the draft publication to be presented to the Board, receiving an update on the Strategic Planning RFP (if issued), and continuing work on messaging related to the beneﬁts of the RD. Mr. Swanson volunteered to draft a consolidated message outlining key positives and

considerations, incorporating input from committee members and ﬁnancial information to be developed by staff. The Committee agreed to aim for circulation of a draft shortly after the new year for review at the January meeting.
Public Comments
During the public comment period, Mr. Dean Matt shared his view that bond ﬁnancing increases homeowner debt and may affect property values and stated his opinion that the District has not adequately analyzed debt capacity or long-term ﬁnancial impacts. He expressed concern that capital and architectural planning is proceeding without a comprehensive ﬁve-year plan in place, and commented on the need, in his view, for clearer communication of both the advantages and disadvantages of bond ﬁnancing, as well as improved governance and sequencing of planning decisions.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:45 pm.