Parks Commission Minutes 01-25-2007
Parks Commission Minutes: 10/26/06
MINUTES
PARKS COMMISSION
Thursday, January 25, 2007 - 4:30 p.m.
"To enhance 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. CaD to Order.
Chair Nolan called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. and declared a quorum present.
2. Auurove minutes of December 21.2006 re!!ular Parks Commission meetin!!.
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 addin!! items to the a!!enda.
The following items were added to the agenda: I) Tree planting program for 2007; 2) Use of
Ellison Park by a non-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 reauests.
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 of the 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 Brid2e 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 of the 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 frC1m 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 EV ALUA TED 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 vacancv 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 web site 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 Bud2et 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 of facilities 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 of two
other commission members, the February Parks Commission meeting will be re-scheduled to March
1, 2007 at 4:30 p.m.
Tree Planting Program 1007: 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 web site. 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 ofthe 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.
OrulJY'o. ~A.-oS~"
Recording Secretary (\