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Parks Commission Agenda Packet 03-22-2007 AGENDA PARKS COMMISSION March 22, 2007 - 4:30 p.m. 'To enhance community pride through developing and maintaining city parks with a high standard of quality" Prior to the start of the regular meeting there will be a short joint meeting (10-15 minutes) with the ft-1CC Ad~isory Board to discuss alternatives uses for the bike/skate park. 1. Call to Order 2. Approve minutes of January 25, 2007 regular Parks Commission meeting. 3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda. 4. Citizens comments and requests. 5. Park Maintenance 6. Discussion on filling vacancy on Parks Commission. 7. Review ofrentallanguage use offacilities by non-profit groups. 8. Discussion of parking lot at Hillcrest Park. 9. Discussion of development plan for Sunset Ponds Park. 10. Discussion on signs for Groveland Park and Par West Park. 11. Update on Groveland tree planting with Monticello Lions Club. 12. Discussion of recognizing Fran Fair's service to the City. 13. Discussion of upcoming park projects. 14. Adjourn. Parks Commission Minutes: 10/26/06 MINUTES PARKS COMMISSION Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 4:30 p.m. "To enhaDce community pride through developing maintaining City parks with a standard of quality." Members Present: Nancy McCaffrey, Larry Nolan, Rick Traver and Council Liaison, Tom Perrault. Members Absent: Ben Hitter Others Present: Seth Nelson, Park Superintendent, and Tom Pawelk, Parks Department. 1. Call to Order. Chair Nolan called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. and declared a quorum present. 2. Approve minutes of December 21. 2006 rel!:ular Parks Commission meetinl!:. Seth Nelson noted that he had talked to Park Department staff about the city-owned snow making equipment referenced in the minutes. Staff indicated the equipment produced a more slush like substance rather than snow. RICK TRAVER MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 21, 2006 PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Consideration of addinl!: items to the al!:enda. The following items were added to the agenda: 1) Tree planting program for 2007; 2) Use of Ellison Park by anon-profit group; 3) Use of golf carts on pathway and 4) A joint meeting with the MCC Advisory Board regarding the skatelbike park at the Community Center. 4. Citizens comments and requests. The youth hockey association thanked the Parks Department for the flooding and maintenance work park staff has done on the city's rinks. Larry Nolan noted that there was snowmobile activity in the park. Signs have been placed in the parks and Seth Nelson will monitor the situation. 5. Park Maintenance. Park Superintendent, Seth Nelson submitted a list ofthe work completed by staff which included work on the skating rinks, safety improvements to the sliding hill at East Bridge Park, snow removal work and repairs and maintenance work on equipment. The sliding hill gets considerable use so there is concern about potential injury with people walking up the hill as sleds are coming down. Tom Pawelk from the Parks Department suggested that perhaps one of the skating rink attendants could be used to monitor activity at the sliding hill. Parks Commission Minutes: 10/26/06 6. Rental of East Bridee Park. The City has received a number of requests to rent East Bridge Park for weddings. East Bridge Park although scenic does not have any structures like the other parks that are rented out. Parks Commission and staff discussed possibly putting a gazebo in East Bridge Park but noted that the presence ofthe sliding hill would impact where a gazebo could be placed. Tom Pawelk felt a gazebo could possibly be sited towards the river down from the hosta garden. He recommended a gazebo similar to the one at Otter Creek Park. Larry Nolan suggested that for 2007 East Bridge Park should be rented on a trial basis. Parties renting the park will be informed that their event does not exclude others from using the park. Rick Traver felt a fee and damage deposit should be charged as well since it will require staff to adjust the irrigation system for those times the park is being rented and making sure clean up is done. NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO RENT EAST BRIDGE PARK ON A TRIAL BASIS FOR 2007 WITH A RENTAL FEE OF $50 AND REQUIRE A DAMAGE DEPOSIT FOR THE RENTAL OF THE PARK WITH THE INTENT THAT THE RENTAL OF THE PARK WILL BE EVALUATED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. RICK TRAVER SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. The Parks Commission brought up that the fees charged for park use should be reviewed and possibly adjusted. This item will be placed on the next agenda. 7. Discussion of applications to fill vacancy on Parks Commission. The vacancy on the Parks Commission has been advertised and listed on the City's website. To date no applications have been received. The Parks Commission indicated that the vacancy should continue to be listed on the website and that Commission members should talk to individuals that they feel would be good candidates to see if a new member could be recruited in that manner. Previous applications to the Parks Commission will also be reviewed. 8. 2006 Budeet Discussion. Seth Nelson stated that there are unused funds from the 2006 budget and noted that on some accounts they were over budget and on others unused funds remained. He indicated the 2006 budget contained $75,000 for the Ellison Park restrooms which had not been used. The improvements made at the Mississippi Park for the swan viewing was taken out of the park budget. Seth Nelson reported on improvements park staff made to the Mississippi Park site to make it safer for those who came to the swan viewing overlook. Added Items: Rental offaciiities by non-profit groups: The City has received a request from a church group to use Ellison Park from 8 a.m. to noon every Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Under the current policy non-profit groups do not pay for use of park facilities. The Parks Commission expressed serious concern about allowing such an extended rental as they felt it would exclude others from being able to use the park. They felt a policy should be implemented that would set out Parks Commission Minutes: 10/26/06 parameters of how often any group could rent the facility in a given time frame. It is believed that the Community Center has a policy dealing with this issue. A copy of the policy will be presented at the next meeting for the Parks Commission review. Change in meeting date: With the current vacancy on the Parks Commission and the absence oftwo other commission members, the February Parks Commission meeting will be re-scheduled to March 1,2007 at 4:30 p.m. Tree Planting Program 2007: Seth Nelson and Tom Pawelk met with Park staff and came up with the proposal for 2007 for a tree planting program. This program will allow residents to purchase a limit of two trees at cost of $ 15.00/each. The resident must attend a tree planting workshop with tentative dates for the workshops being listed. Under this proposal the residents would pay 50% of the tree cost with the City picking up the balance. These will be bare root trees with a number of varieties available for selection. $10,000 had been budgeted for 2007 for tree replacement. It is proposed to get this information in the paper and on the website. Larry Nolan suggested that the Parks Department makes sure they have adequate time between the seminars and the tree pick up date so that tree order can be placed and delivered. Nancy McCaffrey felt the Groveland area would be an area where there would be a lot of demand since there are so few trees. Seth Nelson said the Park Department is planning on some intensive tree planting in the Groveland Park area to make the park more aesthetically appealing. RICK TRAVER MOVED TO PROCEED WITH THE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM FOR 2007 AS PROPOSED. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Golf Cart Use on the Pathway: Rick Traver stated he had been approached about allowing the lots in the Club West development to use golf carts on the pathway to access the golf course. The consensus of the Parks Commission was that it was not a good idea. The pathway is heavily used by bikers and pedestrians and they felt the use of motorized vehicles on the pathway, which is narrow, could pose some safety issues. In addition there are curves and hills along the pathway which makes it difficult to see what is coming and react to it. Skate/Bike Park at MCC: Larry Nolan stated that Kitty Baltos, MCC Director talked to him about a joint meeting with the MCC Advisory Board regarding the skatelbike park. The MCC is considering removing the park and would like some discussion on what could replace it. It is proposed that the park would be removed sometime this year. Larry Nolan will check with Kitty Baltos on possible meeting dates. 9. Adiourn. RICK TRAVER MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 5:35 P.M. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Recording Secretary -Monticello community non-profit organizations that are using the park for an event to benefit the community or a qualified charitable organization may do so one time per month with no charge for the facility fee. This is on a first come basis and must be cleared by the parks depart- ment superintendent or you will be charged to reserve the facility/park. Please turn in your permit application at least I month in advance of the date(s) and it will be sent to the parks de- partment for approval. You will be notified as to whether or not you have been approved. Dur- ing annual city events held in the parks non-profits will not be able to reserve the facilities/ parks at these times. (Riverfest, WaIk&Roll, Etc.) PLEASE TAKE PRIDE IN MONTICELLO PARKS ~"",~ CLEAN-UP CHECK LIST L~- J&.. LITTER A EMPTY SMALL GARBAGE CANS IN DUMPSTER A CLEAN OFF PICNIC TABLES A CLEAN OFF COUNTER TOP .A. REMOVE ALL PARTY DECORATIONS .A. TURN OFF ELECTRICITY PLEASE LEAVE THE PARK AND SHELTERS IN AS GOOD A CONDITION AS WHEN YOU ARRIVED, IF NOT BETTER THANK YOU, CITY OF MONTICELLO Page 3 F:\recep\parksIPark Reservation form _1_30_07 ~ z j~ ~~ 6~ ~ " !O~ .!! "" C. l;! CQ ~ ~ "-iiI ~ === =,~ ~=.. =.. ~ ~ = o u ~ - o ~ (,) ~ ... "Cl ~ - o = ~ Monticello Parks Monthly Completed Tasks January 25th - March 1'\ 2007 - Garbage and bathroom run every Monday and Friday. - Chipping requests completed. - Cemetery stakings completed - Rink maintenance throughout week - Continued Refurbishing signs for parks and fire department - Repairs completed on fertilizer trailer - Prune trees throughout parks - Sledding hill inspections every week - Continued refurbish of wrought iron fencing for riverside cemetery - Repair to new Holland plow - Installed a actuator on john deere snow blower - Repair work done to john deere snowblower - Snow removal when needed - Sanding and salting when needed - Fixed photoeye on light river mill sledding hill - Installed new light at 4th street entry way - Cleaned trash at hillside cemetery - Placed snow fence along hillside fence and cleaned up fencing damaged by vehicle - Demoed Toro polar trac system and Jacobsen mower with broom attachment - Completed and signed 2007 agreement with softball and baseball associations - Finished repair of sprayer - Clean shop and trucks - Prepare for tree workshop coming in March -flyers ready -Council approval -placed ad in newspaper - Serviced and Repaired Trackless MT - Repaired New Holland 33 - Prepared for exit of skate guards - Blew snow from school Blv. - Removed jumps and cleaned up sledding hills - Received some price quotes for disc golf baskets and bike racks.