Loading...
BCOL Advisory Council Minutes 01-08-2016MINUTES BERTRAM CHAIN OF LAKES REGIONAL PARK ADVISORY COUNCIL Friday, January 8,2016,8:00 a.m. Bridge Room, Monticello Community Center Members Present: Martyn Dibben, Mark Daleiden, Jim Hayes, Tom Jahnke, Jim Lindberg, Larry Nolan, Wes Olson, Scott Peterson, Glen Posusta, Pat Sawatzke, Sandra Theros Members Absent: Wes Olson, Brian Stumpf Staff Present: Kitty Baltos, Beth Green, Brad Harrington, Stacy Marquardt, Marc Mattice, Jeff O'Neill, Angela Schumann Others Present: Tim Hennagir, Monticello Times; Devin Hanson, YMCA Call to Order. Marc Mattice called the meeting to order at 8:06 a.m. and declared a quorum present. 2. Election of Officers. A. Chair: SCOTT PETERSON MOVED TO NOMINATE MARTYN DIBBEN FOR CHAIR OF THE BCOLAC. MOTION SECONDED BY MARK DALEIDEN. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 11 -0. B. Vice - Chair: PAT SAWATZKE MOVED TO NOMINATE WES OLSON FOR VICE CHAIR OF THE BCOLAC. MOTION SECONDED BY SCOTT PETERSON. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 11 -0. 3. Consideration of approving minutes from December 4, 2015 meeting. MARK DALEIDEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING HELD ON DECEMBER 4, 2015. MOTION SECONDED BY LARRY NOLAN. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 11 -0. 4. Consideration of adding to and approving the agenda. MARK DALEIDEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION SECONDED BY JIM LINDBERG. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 11 -0. BCOL Regional Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes: January 8, 2016 5. Review Advisory Council Membership Applications and Consider Appointment. No applications have been received for the open seat. The notice will be reposted indefinitely until the seat is filled. The council asked staff to look through past applications to see if there is any interest amongst those applicants. 6. Athletic Complex — Master Planning Update. Angela Schumann said that the open house for the athletic complex was a very quiet open house but good feedback was received and the overall the reaction to the plan has been very positive. Schumann said there was one concern from one person about the orientation of the fields in the change between the last concept plan to the new concept plan and where the green space is located vs. the ballfields, and she noted that it is important to take everyone's comments in and make sure all the feedback is received. Schumann said that she has spoken with Jim Johnson at the school about their plans under the referendum and how phasing some of their construction will impact football and lacrosse primarily during the 2017 season. If the city moves forward with the interim permit to construct the green space this summer in accordance with the grant requirements, the area will be playable in 2017. Schumann noted that this will not be what you see in the concept master plan but rather an open playable green space area. The contractor is in the process of developing the feasibility report based upon the concept master plan that has been reviewed by the council. Schumann asked for input on the potential opportunity of decommissioning the Xcel Ballfields sometime in the distant future. The question is being brought up as the master plan cannot be completed without the conversion process. She explained that the Xcel Ballfields were built with grant dollars so if it is ever determined in the future to change the fields over to some other use, additional fields would need to be allocated in their place. At this time with the planning of the Bertram Athletic Complex, these fields can be the fields that take the place of the Xcel fields, which would free up that land in the future for a change. However, Schumann explained that the Xcel fields can continue the same as always along with the new Bertram fields and by following the conversion process now it will preserve the option in the future to decommission those fields if necessary. Schumann said that it is important to take the stapes in the right order now to avoid conflict and additional dollars or additional land being needed in the future. It is anticipated that WSB will have the feasibility report completed in one to two weeks. Schumann said she will be recommending a joint meeting with the Parks Commission and the BCOLAC before it goes to the City Council. 7. Grant Awards — Timelines — REP Process. Angela Schumann said that she will be submitting an Outdoor Rec Grant for the 41.89 acres for Parcel 2 along with the small access parcel that remains across the north side of Parcel 1. The Outdoor Rec Grant application is due by March 31 st. This is a small grant with the maximum request being $100,000. As determined at the last meeting, whether or not the grant is approved, the acquisition of this parcel is needed to complete the future Athletic Complex. The total purchase price for this parcel is just over $1 Million. Schumann noted the only other funding 2 BCOL Regional Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes: January 8, 2016 option for this area is to be included in the bonding bill through the state of Minnesota. Pat Sawatzke suggested the City to look into getting a request submitted through State Representative Marion O'Neill. Marc Mattice said the grant awards will be announced at the Legislature; however, a press release has already gone out that the grant was received for acquisition of all of Parcel 3 for $2.8 million, and the entire passive use area of the park will be purchased in 2016. Both the City and County Board have approved to move the acquisitions to 2016, and the appraisals have been ordered. Mattice said that the second grant approved has been moved up to 2016 funding for phase 1 development in the passive use area. This grant is through the Parks and Trails Legacy Grant and is the first development grant received for the park. The total amount including the match dollars is $900,000. Funds will become available to the county in July of 2016. Mattice said that planned projects with this grant funding include: • Trail improvements along with two trail bridges (one by 90th Street and the other by the water control structure. Construction Year Goal -2016. • Park access road/parking area construction, north end. Construction Year Goal -Fall 2016. • Remodel rental chalet, exterior construction. Construction Year Goal -2016. • Sand volleyball court in day use area. Construction Year Goal -2016. • Remodel rental chalet, interior construction. Construction Year Goal -2017. • Beach house with restrooms and changing rooms. Construction Year Goal -2017. • Picnic shelter in day use area. Construction Year Goal -2017. At the last Advisory Council Meeting the BCOLAC authorized Mattice to put together a committee consisting of members from the Project Review Committee, Natural Resources Committee and the Park Use Committee to develop at RFP. Mattice said the RFP was released on January 6th, and sent out to three firms with proposals due by February 4th. The newly formed committee will rank and review the proposals which are divided in two separate packages with the first proposal being the consultant's proposal and background and the second proposal being the cost. This gives the committee the opportunity to rank and review the consultants based on experience and not just on the lowest cost. The goal is to get the road and access to the beach designed so the County can put together and RFQ for the project as this is high on the priority list for completion in 2016. 8. Monticello Rotary Natural Playscape Update. A Natural Playscape Concept Plan was included in the agenda packet for review by the Advisory Council. Mattice explained the concept plan which includes six different play pods, including a replicated eagle's nest, a fossil dig boneyard, rock garden with climbing areas made of rocks and stumps, edible garden area with berry plants, and an understory play area with tree balance beams and embankment slides. All play areas including the trail and the pods along the way will meet all ADA specifications. Future plans will be to add a viewing platform along the trail next to the wetlands with interpretive signage along the trail about the native environment at Bertram. BCOL Regional Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes: January 8, 2016 Mattice said they cannot apply for the Rotary National Grant until 2017, so for the 2016 season they are looking at developing the accessible trail route and doing some grubbing and possibly doing the first pod, the "Eagle's Nest" and the gateway entrance. The more costly items will be put off until 2017. The goal is to have a large enough educational play environment to entice park users into the woods. 9. Camp Manitou 2015 Report and 2016 Operations. Mark introduced Devin Hanson who is the YMCA Day Camp Operations Manager. Hanson shared a Power Point presentation on the new camp Manitou which included a 2015 camp recap and 2016 camp looking forward. Hanson said that the pool will be open for public use on June 18th. Public use will include two nights per week and weekends from 12 -6pm. Swim lessons will also be offered to the public and will be held two nights /week and Saturday mornings. They will sell season passes or daily passes can be purchased for $6 /person. The pool capacity is 135 and the splash deck is 170. The zip line ropes course will be available to rent for parties of 10 -50 beginning June 18th Reservations will be made through Hanson so she can set up camp staff to run the course. The standard age for the course is 5th grade — adult. This is a 325' zip line and quite fast. All staff will be trained appropriately. The fees for reservations may potentially be $25 /person for a two to three hour event. 10. Friends of Bertram Update. Jim Lindberg provided Friends of Bertram updates as follows: • Capture the Seasons Photo Contest: The contest deadline was extended to January 29, 2016, to allow for additional entries. The winners will be announced during the winter block party at the MCC on February 20th • Snow Sculpture Contest: Contest will again be in coordination with the Winter Block Party at the MCC, which is scheduled for February 20, 2016. The Friends are requesting members of the Advisory Council to participate by signing up to create a sculpture. • January Meeting: Will have election of officers. 11. Triathlon Update. The Bertram Blast off -road triathlon date has been set for Saturday, July 23, 2016. The blast will include a 5K run, t/4 mile swim and a 6 mile bike ride within the park. The website is up and running; the address is: www.bertramblast.com. Online registration is open at a cost of $25/Run; $50 /Duathlon; $75 /Triathlon for adults prior to June 1, 2016 (with the youth rates being less by $5 /each). After June lst, the registration fees will increase by $10 /each. If participants wish to register as a team, there are two options with one including a two - person team at a rate of $95 and the second including a three - person team at a rate of $145, prior to June 1st. The race is limited to 500 participants. Awards will be given to the top 3 males and top 3 females in 10 -year age groups, as well as top 3 males and top 3 females overall. 2 BCOL Regional Park Advisory Council Meeting Minutes: January 8, 2016 Brad Harrington noted that race sponsors are being requested and interested sponsors should contact Brett Oden (contact information posted on website). Volunteers are needed to assist with directing participants, registration, lifeguarding, trail assistance, staffing the aid station and post - race food area. Volunteers will receive a free t -shirt and interested parties should contact Kitty Baltos at the Community Center. 12. Discussion of added items. Angela Schumann informed the Advisory Council to take the opportunity to pick up the latest copy of The National Geographic magazine as there is a very good article on the benefits of parks with an incredible wealth of information on the value of parks in communities. The article is, "The Power of Parks: A Yearlong Exploration ". 11. Schedule next meeting — February 5, 2016. The next regular meeting is scheduled for February 5, 2016, at 8 am in the Bridge Room at the Monticello Community Center. 12. Adiourn. MARK DALEIDEN MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:3 A.M. MOTION SECONDED BY SCOTT PETERSON. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 11 -0. Recorder: teeth &rmv Administrative Assistant Approval Date: 2/5/2016 Attest: M n, BC AC Chairman 5