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Parks Commission Minutes 04-19-2001 . . . MINUTES .JOINT MEETING - PARKS COMMISSION & MCC ADVISORY BOARD Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 4:30 p.m. Members Present Parks Commission: Fran Fair, Nancy McCaffrey, Larry Nolan, Earl Smith Rick Traver. MCC Advisory Board: Harvey Kendall, Wanda Kraemer, ldella Ziegler Roger Bclsaas Council Liaison: Roger Carlson City Staff: Kitty Baltos, Kate Broman, Gregg Engle, leilO' Neill 1. Call the meeting to order. The joint meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.n1. 2. Review meetine IlUrDose. The purpose of the joint meeting was to discuss possihle development of a park on city owned land abutting the Community Center site. 3. Site review - Dark location Prior to the Parks Commission and MCC Advisory Board reviewing the park location, John Simola, Public Works Director, presented information regarding drilling of flmr test wells on city owned property. This information will be covered in the regular minutes of the Park Cormnission. The joint boards then reviewed the proposed park site (Lot 5, Block 11, Original Plat). At the present time the site is fenced and contains a concrete structure. Park Superintendent Gregg Engle indicated a number of possibilities: 1. Utilizing the concrete structure by placing a gazebo on it and doing landscaping around it. Another possihility would be to paint a mural on the concrete structure. 2. Removing the fencing except for the portion adjacent to the single family residence. Plantings would be done to screen the residence from the park site. . . . Parks/MCC Joint Meeting Minutes - 4/19/01 ,., -) . Place picnic tahles and grills toward the 6th Street end of the park. 4. Reseed the area or do other turf restoration, add plantings where needed and possibly construct a stone pathway from the gazebo area to the picnic tables. 4. Reconvene West Prairie Conference Room Upon reconvening, the groups discussed the ideas presented. The consensus was that the park would he considered a passive park. There is limited space available so installation of playground equipment was not favored. The boards liked the idea of the gazebo and the plantings around the concrete structure. lhcy felt the design orthc gazebo should be rustic but yet complement the Community Center dcsign. Grcgg Engle was directed to proceed with preliminary design based on the directives of the two groups and when those are completed, the Parks Commission and MCC Advisory Board, at their regular meeting, will review the plans. Gregg Engle indicated that a preliminary estimate of the cost would be about $15,000. 5. Adjourn The joint meeting was adjourned. ~~J5_~~_ Recording Secretary 6" 2 . . . MINUTES REGULAR MEETING - PARKS COMMISSION Thursday, April 19, 2001 - 4:30 p.m. Memhers Present: l,'ran Fair, Nancy McCaffrey, Larry Nolan, Earl Smith and Rick Traver and Council Liaison, Roger Carlson Members Absent: None Staff: Gregg Engle, Parks Superintendent. 1. Call to Order After conclusion of the joint meeting with the Monticcllo Community Center Advisory Board, Chair Larry Nolan called the park board meeting to order and declared a quorum present. 2. Approval of the minutes of the re2:ular meetin2: on March 15,2001. RICK TRAVER MOVED TO APPROVE TIlE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 15.2001 MEETING. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MUrION. MOTION CARRIED WITH FRAN FAIR ABSTAINING. 3. Consideration of addin2: items to the a2:enda. Rick Traver asked that an update regarding the Cemetery Committee be added to the agcnda and Larry Nolan added an update on the ISTEA projcct to the agcnda. 4. Citizens Reuuests. Nonc 5. Citv Water Issue - John Simola. Public Works Director. John Simola, made a presentation on thc city's watcr system at the joint meeting of the Parks Commission and thc MCC Advisory Board. A summary of his presentation is included here. John Simola statcd that the city is looking to drill an additional well because the city's water system needs to bc cxpanded to handle the city's growth. The well located in the industrial park contains arscnic in minutc quantities. Arsenic is a naturally occurring elemcnt found in the soil and gets into the water aquifer, 'I'he water from the wcll in the industrial park is pumped into thc reservoir wherc it is mixed with the water from other wells thus diluting the arscnic amounts. Thc allowable arscnic standard is 50 parts per hillion. Recently therc has bccn action on establishing a new arsenic standard but that has not been finalized. The city is . . . Park Commission Minutes - 4/I 9/01 proposing to drill a number of test wells to find a suitable site. The proposed location for these test sites are: 1. Freeway fields ~ West side. The city may need to acquire some property near the park to house the structures needed. The well must also have an interconnection point to a 12" line. This would allow the water to bypass the reservoir and be pumped directly into the water system. 2. 4th Street Park ~ This would be at the northeast corner of the park by Ramsey and 4th Streets or possibly west of the playground equipment. The Park Commission noted that the play area was going to improved. Gregg Fngle stated that the playground would be upgraded but not expanded so that shouldn't impact the test well location. Locating a test well here would require connection back to the line on Th Street. Earl Smith asked about noise generated by the well. John Simola indicated that the structure would be about the size of a small meeting room and would house the generator and the chemicals needed fl1r operation. While the generator would produce noise, it would be minimal. 3. County Road area along Th Street - The location would depend on where a future ramp may be situated. It could possibly placed on the area used for soccer fields. 4. South side of the freeway in the township on Cameron Avenue - This would be opposite the NSP ballfields on the Pauman property. The city could extend the 12" line under the freeway. John Simola was requesting Park Commission approval of the construction. Earl Smith had some concerns about the chemicals used especially the chlorine. John Simola indicated that the 150 pound cylinders that were used were safe and should not pose a hazard. Earl Smith asked about the nitrates in the water. He noted that the nitrates are higher in potato ground. John Simola responded that the nitrates tended to stay in the upper aquifers. Larry Nolan asked about the wells at the NSP plant and John Simola indicated that he would check into that. Rick Traver suggested checking those at the golf course. The Park Commission asked about the Klein Farms area as a test site and John Simola stated that there was arsenic in that area. RICK TRAVER MOVED TO ALLOW THE DRILLING OF FOUR TEST WELLS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING TIIAT AT LEAST ONE or: THE SITI':S MAY TURN INTO A PRODUCING WELL. FRAN FAIR SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSL Y. 6. Park Comprehensive Plan Update. Gregg Engle reported that he has been updating the Comprehensive Park Plan up through 2001 as projects and goals have been accomplished. He noted that both the City of 1':lk River and the 2 . . . Park Commission Minutes - 4/19/01 City of Becker are in the process of establishing park departments and have been in contact with him. 7. Field Usage Schedule. Gregg Engle met with Duane Gates and representativcs from the baseball and softball associations on the field use. The number of teams have increased and the sehedul ing for the ballficld use is very tight. He noted that three tournaments had been scheduled few one weckcnd. This scheduling eontlict requircd Gregg and City Administrator, Rick Wolfsteller to mcct with thc affceted organizations to resolve the conf1ict. He stated the soccer teams are using the school fields so somc Willie Mays teams will be using Hillcrest Park and the Pee Wcc Rcese tcams will thc using the 4th Street fields three nights a weck. 8. Adopt-a-Park Update. Onc ofthc goals is to gct pcople to work in the parks. This Saturday the Rotary will bc working at thc Otter Creek. The Rotary will re-sign their commitment to the Otter Creek park for another year. All the adopt-a-park forms will go to thc Council. 9. Meadow Oaks Construetion Update. Thc Parks Dcpartmcnt has thc ground leveled. However, the playground structure was delayed but it should be arriving shortly and thc playground company will be installing the strueturc. 10. East Brid1!e Park irrieation and landseape update. Uregg Engle reported on thc landscape work. The first planting tier is 22' and the sceond is 12'. Ilighway department regulations impacted the layout sinec it dictated what could be placed in the right-of-way. Nancy McCaffrey asked whethcr the bank along TH 25 would be mowed or would ground cover be planted. Gregg Engle indicated that it would be mowed. Fran Fair askcd about thc timing of the work. Gregg Engle indieatcd thc road restrictions are still on so the contractor whcn hc brings in the boulders will have to light load it so that it docs not exceed 4500 Ibs. Gregg Engle and Earl Smith mct to discuss the area by the East Bridge bank. Earl Smith will be grubbing the saplings out of that area. On the irrigation system, Gregg reportcd that hc has not had an opportunity to pick up the specifications. He will have those for thc ncxt meeting. Earl Smith rcqucstcd that the tcmporary electric hookup bc rcmoved and that the poles be relocated. The electric system will require some changes in the electrical layout. Grcgg Engle indicated thc hookup will be removed. ,., -) . . . Park Commission Minutes - 4/19/01 11. West Brid1!e Park Construction and PhlV1!round Update. Gregg Engle reported that he got a price for doing the wall between the two plantings. The price esti,nate was close to $2,000. Gregg Engle, Larry Nolan and Earl Smith checked out a number of playground structures in ditTerent communities trying to get an idea of what they wanted for the West Bridge Park. They met with a representative of Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground who had designed a structure in the shape of a riverboat. The structure has 17 ditTerent components and meets all ADA requirements. The estimated cost is $39,000 and the budgeted amount was $35,000. Gregg Engle noted that because the design was unique, the company may end up putting it in their catalogue. If the Park Commission approves the design, Gregg Engle will spec it out so that other vendors can bid on it. I-Ie also indicated that if the Parks Commission wanted, a representative from the Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground firm could come out and do a presentation on the proposed structure. The Park Commission did not feel a presentation was necessary and directed Gregg Engle to take the necessary steps to get the structure ready for bidding. EARL SMITH MOVED TO PROCEED WITII TilE PLA YGROUND STRUCTURE AS PER THE CONCEPT DRAWING OF THE SHIP. RICK TRA VER SECONDED THE MCrrION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Earl Smith felt that there should be some signs erected at West Bridge Park that would state .'Weleome to Monticello" or "Thank you for visiting Monticello" Gregg Engle felt that as the improvements were being done in the park some ideas could be f,mmdated as far as placement and type of sign. 12, Pioneer Park shelter update. Gregg Engle met with Mike Lundquist on the plans fix the park shelter. The plans are not ready yet. Pioneer Day is set llw May 2, at the park with the Lions to come in and do some clean up and maintenance work. 13, River Mill Park Update 14, Gregg Engle reported that everything is in. The equipment has arrived and the Park Department will be installing it shortly. I [arriet LeFebvre will be doing the pIantings. Clearwater to Monticello Trailway Plan Gregg Engle reported that Stearns County and Wright County are going for some grant money to work on trail system which could connect with the Monticello's trail system Gregg Engle will be attending a meeting at Clearwater on this and will update the Parks Commission. 4 . . . Park Commission Minutes ~ 4/19/0 I 15. Tree seminar/planting/inspections update. Gregg Engle reported that both tree workshops were well attended and that he had received requests to conduct some type of workshop again in the fall. At this time of the 193 trees, 127 were sold. Evcrythingis in place for the tree pickup on April 28th. The Parks Department has done an inspection of the boulevard plantings done in 1998 and only three trees were lost. Gregg Engle also reported that the tlood damage at Ellison Park was minimal. Once the waters recede the goose fencc will bc crected and they will try spraying again. 16. Walk & RolIlJpdate - Thc Commission was updated on what is taking place. Thc Parks Commission will have thc free throw contest and a prize drawing. 17. Rotarv D~lV at Otter Creek Grcgg Engle reported that the e1can up for Otter Creek is scheduled for April 21. 18. Park Maintenance Grcgg Engle reported that ballfield maintcnance has bcgun. Two seasonal employees will be starting April 30 and thcy are also gctting a workcr (Herb) from the Grccn Thumb program who will bc working 3 days wcck through October. On April 25. the Parks Department will bc working with Wright-Hcnnepin on dclivering tree seedlings to the elementary schools. Cemetery committee update Rick Traver summarized some of the discussion from the Cemctcry Committce meeting. He notcd that thc rules nccded to bc updated and enfiJrccd. The recent clean up of ccmetery arca created a great dcal of controversy even though items removed wcre items that were not supposed to bc there. The rules had not been updated since 1966 when the Masons still opcrated the ccmetery. It was also cxplained that review of the cemetery policies and rcgulations will become a Parks Commission function oncc the Ccmetery Committec completcs its review of the rules and submits it to the Council ISTEA - Larry Nolan informed the Commission that hc had talked to the City Engineer and the projcct is in the bidding stagc. Additional signaturcs relative to the easements were requircd and that has been takcn care of. Fran fair moved to adjourn. Rick Traver scconded thc motion. Motion carried 6:55 p.m. ~ ." ~9..----- ~s~- ~ 5