Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes 03-28-2019PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES I MARCH 28, 2019
MINUTES
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
THURSDAY
MARCH 28, 2019 - 9:15 A.M.
"To enhance communitypride through developing and maintaining City parks with a high standard of quality. "
Members Present: Lynn Anderson, Anna Bohanon, Bill Fair, Jack Gregor,
Karen Vetsch
Members Absent: Julie Jelen, Nancy McCaffrey, Brian Stoll
Staff Present: Sara Cahill, Beth Green, Ann Mosack, Tom Pawelk, Angela
Schumann, Sue Seeger
1. Call to Order.
Vice -Chair Jack Gregor called the meeting to order at 9:15 a.m. and declared a quorum.
2. Approve Minutes of Regular Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting from
January 24, 2019.
KAREN VETSCH MOVED TO APPROVE THE JANUARY 24, 2019 PARKS &
RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES. MOTION SECONDED BY
ANNA BOHANON. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 4-0.
3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda.
a. Remove Item 9.
b. Par West Park disc golf relocation.
C. Adjust meeting time.
d. MontiArts building tour after meeting.
4. Citizens requests and comments.
Tom Pawelk shared a written thank you note he received regarding the city's kindness and
helpfulness with selecting burial plots at Riverside Cemetery.
5. Health Equity presentation and discussion. (AB)
Anna Bohanon gave a presentation on health equity and discussion followed. The video
that she shared can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZd4no4-Znc.
Key points to note: as we are planning and redeveloping parks and trails in Monticello it
will be important to keep in mind that not all children have the same abilities and some
may have physical challenges and are unable to climb ladders, etc. We should ensure that
we are meeting the needs for playgrounds, parking and transportation and making sure
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PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES I MARCH 28, 2019
people can get around how they want to. Another important factor is to make sure that we
have connections available from neighborhoods to parks.
Sue Seeger noted that she has ideas about Montiview Park and how to allow for better
ADA accessibility; this will be put on the next meeting agenda for discussion.
6. Ped Count Walnut and Broadway. (AS)
Angela Schumann said the city is working to make improvements on Walnut & Broadway,
and adding curb extensions for pedestrian safety. Council authorized going out for bids on
the project which also includes an accessible ramp on Walnut & River. Because we want
to demonstrate the importance of the improvements, it is important to do a count on walking
& biking. Schumann said she wants to do the counts before the improvements, after the
improvements and then yearly thereafter. Volunteers are asked to perform the counting,
and counting will take place in April, May and August, one week in each month at various
times throughout the day. Schumann distributed a sign-up sheet and said that she will email
the volunteers with detailed instructions.
7. Appointee for Community Vision & Comprehensive Plan RFP Subcommittee.
(AS)
Angela Schumann said that the Council authorized the release of the 2040 Monticello
Community Vison & Comprehensive Plan RFP. To assist in recommending a final
consulting firm for the project, a subcommittee is being established. The Parks & Rec
Commission is asked to appoint a representative to the Monticello Community Vision &
Comprehensive Plan Proposal Review Subcommittee. This committee will meet
approximately 2-3 times during the month of April to review the submitted proposals and
recommend a final group of proposing consultants to be interviewed by the Planning
Commission and City Council. Commission member Karen Vetsch volunteered to serve
on the subcommittee.
8. Motion to approve alcohol use with shelter rental agreements in designated
city parks. (TP)
Tom Pawelk said the Parks & Rec Commission is asked to provide a recommendation as
related to the sale and use of alcohol and city parks. Pawelk said that staff has discussed
alcohol use in Monticello city parks and determined the most appropriate option will be to
allow alcohol with facility rentals at the premier parks of East Bridge, West Bridge, Ellison
and Pioneer Parks, to include wine and beer only and no glass bottles.
With the Bertram Chain of Lakes Athletic Park residing outside of the city limits, the park
is under county ordinances. At this time, the sale or use of alcohol is prohibited in county
parks. Wright County staff is bringing a proposed amendment to the county board for
approval. The amended ordinance would allow malt beverages and wine, not in a glass
container, to be possessed or consumed at reserved county park facilities and in designated
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PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES I MARCH 28, 2019
and permitted campsites; however, never to permit alcoholic beverages within 500 feet of
an organized youth activity.
LYNN ANDERSON MOVED TO RECOMMEND AMMENDING THE CITY'S
ALCOHOL USE POLICY TO ALLOW ACLOHOL AT THE FOUR PREMIER
PARKS, EAST BRIDGE, WEST BRIDGE, ELLISON, AND PIONEER WITH
FACILITY RENTALS; AND TO FOLLOW THE WRIGHT COUNTY PARK AND
RECREATION ORDINANCE FOR THE BERTRAM CHAIN OF LAKES REGIONAL
ATHLETIC COMPLEX. MOTION SECONDED BY ANNA BOHANON. MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 4-0.
9. Motion to approve history sign format for EB/WB Parks. (TP)
Item removed from agenda.
10. Wright County Great River Trail planning grant award. (TP)
Tom Pawelk said that HKGI is the engineering firm hired for the planning project. The
plan will need to be in place in order to apply for future grants through the Legacy Fund.
Pawelk said he is not directly involved with the project but that the Monticello City
Administrator is, and the city will be billed for their portion of the study. Anna Bohanon
said she is involved because there is a SHIP award with the project.
11. Bertram Chain of Lakes Athletic Park preconstruction update. (TP)
Tom Pawelk said the contractor is New Look Contracting and the start date is April Stn,
with a ground breaking ceremony planned for April 24th. The project is expected to wrap
up in November.
12. Crack filling/fog sealing trail scope area. (TP)
Tom Pawelk said is still in the process of determining which trails will be included in the
maintenance project this. The project will take place in August and a maintenance map will
be posted on city website at that time.
13. Creative Arts Consultant update. (SS)
Sue Seeger presented her update with key points, including:
• Home Community Art Project Show 4/26-27: Collecting submitted artwork for
that. Getting feedback that people are working on things. Set up a link for people
to purchase tickets at the Friday night opening gala along with the spring wine
tasting and a string quartet has been hired to play at the event. This is the first try
at something like this and wise to keep expectations somewhat low.
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PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES I MARCH 28, 2019
• Public Art Grant: At the MCC on the curved area of the building at Walnut & 6'
Street, a local artist will be creating art panels on vinyl mounted on plywood and
then attached to the exterior of the building. The panels are 4' wide and the
longevity is 5-10 years. The artwork will belong to the city. Seeger shared an artist
rendering of what the design will look like.
• School Grant: The School District submitted their first ever arts grant to create a
mural in downtown Monticello (location yet to be determined). With this, they will
also develop a training group of young artists.
• Monti Arts Building: The Parks Department has done a wonderful job remodeling.
The building will be open in about a month and a soft opening is being planned for
April 13th, with a big grand opening on May 11th. First workshops there on
Saturday. Seeger said she has purchased some tables and other tables have been
donated, along with donated shelving units, pallet racking, and bar stools. They will
start holding the first workshop there on Saturday. Seeger also noted that three
artists have agreed to donate their artwork to the building.
• Arts Advocacy Day at the State Capital: Sue said she attended along with 100s
of other art supporters. The purpose or the visit was to encourage continued support
for arts funding and with this being a funding year it was important to attend as
many of the legislatures in our area are more conservative, with a few of them being
anti -arts funding. Seeger said it turned out to be very positive and the two that were
against arts funding had flipped their position by the end of the discussion, and in
some part that is partly due to what we are trying to do in Monticello by using arts
as a community building tool and this was new to them and they were in favor of
using art as a tool for this practical purpose. One of those against arts funding
actually asked to be added to the MontiArts email list so that if we have a
photography event in 2020, he might be able to participate or attend.
• 2020 Photography Project: This is something that is in the works for what a
photography event may look like and this could happen in 2020. Chris Lommel has
agreed to come on board and teach photography workshops.
• Arts Car: This is a possibility for this year but it has not yet been finalized.
• Stitch Group: A stitch group is going to start operating out of the MontiArts
building and they may look at a couple possible public projects involving fiber art.
• Grants: There is an AARP grant due in a couple weeks that Sue will be submitting.
In summary, Seeger said she is planning door to door "neighbor" visits with downtown
businesses to introduce MontiArts as their new downtown neighbor. She will be posting
future videos about MontiArts downtown and will work on scheduling workshops. It will
also be important in the future to discuss with the city on how MontiArts will receive
revenue and to get an operations plan in place.
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14. MCC updates.
See attached written updates from the MCC.
15. Discussion of added items.
The remainder of the meeting was tabled as members had to leave so there was no longer
a quorum.
16. Next regular meeting scheduled for May 23, 2019.
The next regular Parks Commission Meeting is scheduled for May 23, 2019, at
9:15 a.m. in the Public Works Conference Room.
17. Adiourn.
Meeting adjourned.
RECORDED BY: 6 e3ah CkrjPcy
DATE APPROVED:
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