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Parks Commission Minutes 04-20-2000 . . , MINUTES REGULAR MEETING - PARKS COMMISSION APRIL 20, 2000 - 4:30 p.m. Members: Larry Nolan, Earl Smith, Fran Fair, Rick Traver, Nancy McCalfrey 1. Call meeting to order. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Larry Nolan. 2. Consideration of approving the minutes for the regular meeting March 6, 2000. FRAN FAIR MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE MARCH 6.2000 MEETING. SECONDED BY EARL SMITH. Motion passed unanimously. 3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda. Discussion on Walk and Roll was added to the agenda, the Groveland Plat, the spring tour, and planting trees in new developments were added. 4. Discussion with the Football Association. JefT Houselog, Head coach for Monticello High School Varsity Football and also a coach for Youth Football reported on the growth of football in Monticello. Two years ago a youth tackle football program was started. The first year there was 51 kids in the program and the next year it doubled to over 100. T'he size of the High School program is also growing and there is a possibility of f()ur High School teams this year. Mr. Houselog explained there is a definite need for more fields. The fields being utilized now are used so much there is not even time to water the grass. Greg Engle, Park Superintendent, added that he has also been involved with the youth football program and there is a need in the very near future to add more fields. It is more than a scheduling issue, the green space is maxed out. Jeff O'Neill, Deputy City Administrator. stated that it is time to start meeting with the school district and township on plans for ajoint effort on recreation needs. It is more than just the city and school district can provide. The Commissioners discussed short term possibilities such as: I. lJ si ng the area on the west side of Prairie Road that was dedicated as park land years ago but is also used for storm water storage. They thought there might be a way to use part of the park as a playing field. This will need more research. 2. Par West Park has irrigation and would have room for a field, however, it would need to be graded. Page 1 . . . Park Commission Minutes - 4/20/00 3. Inquiring if any of the churches had property they would let the youth practice on. Mr. Engle would bring information about possible ideas to the Special Parks Meeting addressing some of the about issues on Thursday, June 1,2000 at 4:30 p.m. 5. Report on the March 30, 2000 Baseball/Softball organization meeting. Jeff O'Neill, Deputy City Administrator, and Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, reported on the meeting with the baseball and the softball organizations on March 30, 2000. They both fclt the meeting had been worth the time. This was just the beginning of revising the current system but it was a good start. One of the goals will be for the City to have a percent of the ball field lighting paid by organizations that use the fields. There is a process being reviewed on what it does costs to operate the ball fields and this will be a guideline lor the amount the City could charge for user fees. This would be similar to hockey players paying for ice time. The Commissioners did agree this would be for the adult leagues not the youth sports. Mr. Engle added he had been attending the organizations meetings for two years to help get a clear picture of the necds and wishes of the teams. Mr. Engle will compile all the information and bring it back to the Parks Commission in the fall with a recommendation of what the procedures should be for the use age of the ball fields, fees, and future needs. 6. Discussion on recreational items for Par West Park Commissioner Traver had volunteered to survey his neighborhood on the vision of Par West Park. He reported at the April meeting that the neighborhood was in favor of a playground at the park and gave Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, the types of equipment they had chosen. The Par West neighborhood survey results were two independent playground systems and a central system. This allows children of different age groups and skills to be independent of one another. The Commissioners discussed the parks location to the pathway and agreed this would be a worthwhile improvement. 7. Adopt-A-Park A. MCP request to adopt East Bridge Park Wanda Kraemer, Adminstrative Assistant, reported to the Commissioners that the Monticello Community Partners (MCP) submitted an application to adopt the East Bridge Park gardens with an estimate of $618.67 to be paid by thc City under the Adopt-A-Park fund. Mep had adopted the park the last two years and had done a very good job with the gardens in the park. Alter a short discussion, RICK TRAVER MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT TIlE MCP REQUEST TO Page 2 . . . Park Commission Minutes - 4/20/00 ADOPT EAST BRIDGE PARK. SECONDED BY EARL SMITH. Motion passed unanimously. B. Girl Scouts/Master Gardener's Ellison Park Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, reported that the Jim Johnson of the Master Gardeners and Girl Scouts would be again returning to Ellison Park to plant and take care of the flower garden around the park sign. The cost would be approximately $200. C. Resident planting at River Mill Park Gregg Engle, Park Superintcndent, reported that a resident was interested in planting and caring for a flower garden at the River Mill Park. The Dowers would be around the sign in the park. Mr. Engle would continue to work with the residents of the River Mill Park that were interested in volunteering in the park. 8. Discussion on the focus of the Parks Commission. Thc commissioncrs discussed the changing focus of the Parks Commission. The first area was the idea of a joint meeting with the township and city to discuss area recrcation needs. The size of the recreation programs have been growing very rapidly and the need for more field space will a big need in the near future. Many of the children enrolled in the programs live in the township. In the past, the school has provided most of the recreation needs for the entire area, however, the green space at the schools is maxed. Jeff O'Neill, Deputy City Administrator, added that many cities and townships work together to mcet more regional recreation needs. He inquired if the Commissioners would be interested in having a study done with the townships to help determine the recreation needs ofthc area. O'Neill added this would need approval of the City Council before it could be taken further. The Commissioners were open to working with the townships to further review the needs but did want to have another meeting of the Monticello Parks Commission that was dedicated to just this topic before it was addressed at a City Council meeting. Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, would bring information on meeting the needs of the community over the next 10-20 years to the meeting. A Special Meeting was scheduled for Thursday, June 1,2000 at 4:30 p.m. at the City Hall. The next issue was to discuss changing the name from Park Commission to Park and Recreation. The trend seems to be that the City will be involved more in the recreation side of the parks through field scheduling and devclopment. This will also be discussed further at the Special Meeting in June. The third issue discussed was combining the Parks Commission and the Community Center Board. After a short discussion the Parks Commission members agreed at this Page 3 . . . Park Commission Minutes - 4/20/00 time it would not be feasible to combine both entitics under one commission. There are so many new issues with the Community Center that will need attention over this next year it seemed to make sense to keep a separate advisory group for that purpose. The Parks Commissioners also added that there has been a full agenda on park issues and to combine with the Community Center agenda at this time would be too much. 9. Updates: A. ISTEA Pedestrian Bride/Pathway Project. - There was no new information presented at the meeting. B. User fees i(x Ellison Park. - Wanda Kraemer, Administrative Assistant, had included the minutes and background information on thc amounts and reasons for fees being charged at Ellison Park per request of the Commission at the March meeting. C. Joint Soccer Fields with the School District. - Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, informed the Commission that the this project was still moving forward and the next step was to approve the grading plan. D. Sign for Ellison Park - Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, informed the Commission that the Riverfest Committee had donated $2,000 to the Parks Department for Ellison Park. There was a request to have a new sign made with the namc Ellison Park and the words Rivcrfest Celeberation or I lome of the Riverfest Celebration located on the sign. The remaining balance was to be used for trees. The design of the sign, type, and location of the trees wcrc to be the decision of the Parks Commission and City Park Staff. 10. Maintenance update - Gregg Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, reported to the Commissions on the maintenancc items that were completed over the last month. A few of the other items were as f()llows. The ball field tcam schedules were completed forthe summer and also a maintenance schedule that would have a record of inspections by the park staff. There was a delay with the ball field lighting because of the wooden poles. There was discussion on the drainage pond at River Mill if it was on park property or not. A few of the residents thought there should be a fence around the pond. This will be given to JefTO'Ncill, Dcputy City Administrator, to report to the Commission at the May meeting. It was added there are similar ponds at the Cardinal Hills development. The bleachcrs in Monticello parks were now all ADA compliant. More prairie flowers were being planted on River Street. The Rotary had begun work in Otter Creek Park. Mr Engle inquired as to the opinion of the added play equipment to the 4th Street Park play structure. He explained a City could not go out for bids on additions to play structures already in place because it cancels the liability of the company that installed the Page 4 . . . Park Commission Minutes - 4/20/00 original structure. E. f. Anderson had installed the first play structure so Mr. Engle would get an estimate from them to add to the structure. The Commissioners did have a picture diagram of the play structure with the additions. II. Added items. A. Walk and Roll- Wanda Kraemer, Administrative Assistant, inquired ifany of the Commissioners were available to work the booth for the Parks Commission on May 20, 2000. They would call her if available. B. Groveland - Gregg Engle, Park Superintendent, reported that the new Groveland subdivision park area needed to be reviewed. The grades shown on the flnal grading plan would not work t(}[ any field development. The park would need to be flattened. Mr. Engle rcquested the Parks Commission be allowed to review the final plans before they were approved. This way the Parks Commission could review that the plan for the park would work. C. The Commissioners requested the City Council be invited on the Spring Tour this year. Every other year the City Council is invited to keep them informed of what is happening in the parks. D. There was discussion on the requirements for new residents to plant trees on their property. Was this the resident's responsibility or the developcr? This would be added to the May agenda. 12. Adiourn. A MOTION WAS MADE BY EARL SMITH TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. SECONDED 8Y RICK TRAVER. Motion passed unanimously. Recorder Page 5