Doyle seeks four more years on park district board

 As far as Janet Heck Doyle is concerned, her work as a member of the Evergreen Park and Recreation District board is only partly finished, which explains why she has decided to run for a second four-year term.

A former corporate lawyer with experience as a company CEO, Doyle can be counted on to wrangle with the details while keeping an eye on the big picture.

"The primary reason I'm running is I want to see the master plan implemented. We spent two years doing the community needs assessment survey and 2011 doing the master plan for the next five to 10 years. I want to ensure that it is implemented with as much public input as possible," Doyle said.

"Four years ago, I ran for the board to represent the views of the community. I want to be sure that remains the case," she said.

Doyle is one of three people running for two four-year seats in the park board election May 8. Also in the race are architect Keith Parker and landscape manager Andrew Adamowski, who ran for a seat in 2010 and came in fourth out of seven candidates vying for three seats. Board member Peter Eggers decided not to run for another term.

The park district board consists of five people, and elections are held every two years. A fourth candidate, Peter Lindquist, is the only person running for a two-year stint to fill departing board member Pat Callahan's term. Lindquist was appointed to the board when Callahan resigned after about 18 months into his term.

Elected to the board for the first time in 2008 along with Kit Darrow and Peter Eggers, Doyle was instrumental in resolving the issue of whether to build an arts/community center in Buchanan Park. She also pushed for the first statistically valid community-wide needs assessment survey and supported hiring a consulting firm to create the district's first professionally researched master plan.

In Doyle's opinion, the most important findings of the community needs analysis were:

• Establishing trails and trail connections.

• Upkeep and maintenance of existing facilities and parks.

• No new significant buildings.

There still remains the question of what to do, if anything, with Buchanan Park, now that the idea of a $5 million arts center is pretty much off the table for the time being.

The community needs analysis provided some direction but failed to fully answer the Buchanan Park question, Doyle said. "In my view, one omission in the community needs analysis was the specific question of the development or non-development of Buchanan Park."

"The feasibility study found there was no need for a new, large community art center space. That was the finding. Significant development translates into buildings, and I don't think that is likely," Doyle said.

A long-term strategy for Buchanan Park is something that needs to be done within a few years, according to the master plan. "I see staff coming up with several scenarios, from no development to significant development," Doyle said.

No permanent impact

At the same time, the competition for space in the park is picking up steam, and decisions have to be made. (A community garden and a sculpture walk have been proposed.)

"The things people are talking about now will not have a permanent impact," Doyle said. "Anything with a permanent impact will be viewed as premature and be deferred until there is a site plan. That plan could be nothing at all or a playground with picnic pavilions or something more."

In the meantime, the board is holding monthly work sessions, in addition to regular monthly meetings, to complete prioritizing and implementing the dozens of goals outlined in the master plan.

"The goals are specific, but (the plan) doesn't say who is going to do it and how it's going to get done," Doyle said. "I think the master plan really involved the community, covered all of the aspects, took into account the district's financial status and the economy to come up with a direction. It shouldn't be put on the shelf."

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., Doyle came to Evergreen in 1998 with her husband, Fred Doyle, who was offered a job with a satellite-technology company. They live in The Ridge, with their son, Lucas, 16.

Doyle earned her undergraduate degree at New College in Sarasota, Fla., in Spanish and Latin American studies and worked in the travel industry for Cunard Cruise Lines doing sales in New York City. She became a travel agent in Rochester, N.Y., volunteered as a Big Sister and got a degree in counseling.

Counseling got her interested in law school, and she ended up taking classes in securities law and transactions, which she loved even more than counseling. With a J.D. degree from State University of New York at Buffalo (magna cum laude), Doyle became a corporate lawyer with a large Washington, D.C., law firm. From 1999 to 2006, she was the CEO and president of Kramer Junction Co., a firm owning five large commercial solar-energy generating systems in the Mojave Desert.

What is your participation in boards of nonprofits or other elected bodies?

The board of Evergreen Music Festival, which produces the holiday band concert with the National Repertory Orchestra under the big tent July 4. Member of the board of Evergreen Recreation and Park Foundation, 2007 to 2009. Recently appointed to the board of Community First Foundation, sponsor of Colorado Gives Day. Currently president of the board of the Evergreen Park and Recreation District.

What are your personal recreational pursuits?

Previously completed in three to five triathlons per summer. Has done Triple Bypass twice and wants to do it again. Runs regularly. Started ladies golfing group Chick Golf. Plays golf two times per week. Snowboards in winter. Spinning, weights and cross-training at Buchanan Rec Center in winter.

How much time does it take to be on the board?

Typically, meetings are four to six hours, once a month. I spend a couple of hours going over the materials before the meeting. I try and meet once or twice with Scott (executive director Scott Robson) for a couple of hours. Will be working with (Robson) in negotiating the contract with McKinstry on the energy-upgrade project. I have the time to do these things, because I'm not working. My focus now is the volunteer responsibilities I have and taking care of Lucas for the last 2½ years while he's still at home. When we did the master plan process there were many special meetings. …

Are you in support of the community garden proposed by Evergreen Alliance for Sustainability?

The (current) proposal does not have any financial contribution. We will decide based on what the community wants. I believe I am not on the board to represent my own view. Whatever the consensus of the community is, is what EPRD should do if it is financially feasible and is within our mission. That's why we came up with the new public-input process in the park-proposal policy.

What do you think of the plan to invest more than $800,000 in the proposed energy-performance contract with McKinstry?

We are paying for more than half up front and financing (about) $300,000 at a very favorable interest rate given the economic climate. The bulk of the money is being spent on the new HVAC system for Wulf. It has been on the board's radar since before I came on the board. The issue is how long we can use the "duct-tape" approach successfully. No one knows. We now have a way to take care of that problem and eliminate potential significant and more costly problems in the future. … It makes perfect sense if you sat through many meetings about deferred maintenance. Most of the projects will pay for themselves. I was the most skeptical. I really looked into it. That's why we looked at various scenarios.

Contact Vicky Gits at vicky@evergreenco.com or 303-350-1042.