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Parks Commission Minutes 05-23-2012PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I May 23, 2012 MINUTES PARKS COMMISSION THURSDAY MAY 239 2012 - 8 A.M. "To enhance community pride through developing and maintaining City parks with a high standard of quality. " Members Present: Larry Nolan, Nancy McCaffrey, Tim Stalpes Members Absent: Beth Bigelow, Gene Emmanuel Others Present: Tom Pawelk, Park Superintendent, Angela Shumann, Community Development Director 1. Call to Order. Chair Larry Nolan called the meeting to order at 8 a.m. and declared a quorum present. 2. Approve Minutes of the April 22, 2012 Parks Commission Meeting. NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 22, 2012 PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. TIM STALPES SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda. Hillside Cemetery Retaining Wall: Angela Schumann shared with the commission that there was an availability of funds to be transferred from the DMV that was able to be transferred for another use. Angela said she had put in a request for signage and that one of the council members made a motion to complete a retaining wall at Hillside Cemetery. Tom Pawelk and Bob Paschke have started working on the project. Tom said the project will be completed in two phases. The TH 25 side will be done this year upon council approval and the East 7th Street side will go along with the 2014 7th Street Improvement project which will include removing the existing wall and expanding the turn lane. Tom said that Jeff O'Neill had an additional idea for a plaza on the NW corner of Hillside Cemetery. Angela said the idea would be to do an engraved or etched "Welcome to the City" on the SW corner (which is the most visible corner) along with a pedestal or a way finding map embedded in the wall. Along with the "Embracing Downtown" Angela explained that the City Administrator wants to create a plaza or true entrance point to the downtown with trees/benches along with a true monument sign for "you've arrived" downtown. Tom explained that there are a lot of factors to consider before they can decide on the plaza idea including the existing cemetery fencing which would have to be removed, the unknowns of where burials may be and disturbing those burials, the MN /DOT right of way, etc. More research will need to be done before they can move Page 1 of 4 PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I May 23, 2012 forward with the plaza. At this time Tom said they are proposing to do the landscape wall, the planter and the sign at the corner of 7th & 25. Tom said that the commission will need to make a motion on the wall. It's an engineered block and stained (and sealed) to match the color scheme you want. TIM STALPES MOVED TO RECOMMEND PROCEEDING FORWARD WITH THE RETAINING WALL ALONG TH 25 AT HILLSDIDE CEMETERY. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTIONED CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Nancy McCaffrey suggested seeing if the Wright County Historical Society would be interested in researching the area at the cemetery for the plaza. It was agreed that the concept for the plaza is a good idea but not necessarily in that particular area. The commission agreed to table the plaza idea at this time as there are too many unknowns. Spring Park Tour: Tom Pawelk said that he's available in June and will send out an email to the commission member with a few different dates that work best for him. It was agreed that the morning works best for all and they will decide between June 6, 13 or 20, and respond back to Tom. Adopt A Trail Sign: M & R sign is going to bring back a draft of the sign and Tom Pawelk will share it with the commission when he gets it. Walk & Roll: Walk & Roll is on June 16th. Tom Pawelk said he can handle the setup but would like some volunteers to work the booth, answer questions and hand out brochures. Nancy McCaffrey said she can attend and Tom said the Friends of Bertram will be there. Tom said he'll send out and email for other commission members to volunteer. Tom said it starts at 9 a.m. and the location will be the same as last year. Tom said there will be a lot of Bertram questions and that he does have many handouts. BCOL Meeting: Tom Pawelk said the next Bertram Chain of Lakes Advisory Council is June 1St. The advisory council meets the 1St Friday of the month at 8 a.m. at the Monticello Community Center. Tom suggested that the Parks Commission attend the meeting to get up to date on everything at the park. CSAH 75 Trailhead: Tom Pawelk said the CSAH 75 underpass has been staked out by the Engineering Department but no construction will happen until next year. At this time they are defining the trail lines. Tom said that Xcel has agreed to the easements for the trailhead parking lot. Park Donation: Tom Pawelk said that Bill Fair made a donation for East Bridge Park for the concrete patio round table in honor of Budd & Fran Fair. Page 2 of 4 PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I May 23, 2012 4. Citizens requests and comments. Tom Pawelk said that he has been getting a lot of positive feedback regarding the park rentals and positive feedback from the Baseball Association as well. 5. Approval of additional angle parking at Pioneer Park (off of Fallon Ave) Tom Pawelk shared the plan for the parking improvements at Pioneer Park. Tom said along with the street recon project Fallon Ave is due for a lot of work and in that area there has always been a steep ditch and hard to maintain so it makes sense to have parking there. Tom said there will be roughly 29 parking spaces. By dropping the road approximately one foot they can make this happen and the parking will be slightly uphill. Tom said this proposal is being presented to the city council at their next meeting so he needs a recommendation from the Parks Commission to move forward. Tom said this will be a seasonal parking lot that's not maintained in the winter. Tim Stalpes said he notices that a lot of kids get dropped off there in the morning before school and picked up there after school so having additional parking would be very helpful for those families. Tom said this will be a bid alternate to the street project when it goes to council next Tuesday, and the work would begin in July after Riverfest. NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO PROCEED WITH THE PARKING IMPROVEMENTS ADDING ADDITIONAL ANGLE PARKING SPACES AS OUTLINED AT PIONEER PARK ON FALLON AVENUE. TIM STALPES SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6. Playground repair updates Tom Pawelk said that the playground repairs are complete at Sunset Ponds and Pioneer Parks. Bridge Park repairs still need to be completed. Tom said they are trying to work around rentals and that everything will be done prior to Walk & Roll. Tom said they'll do one side at a time and it will take about four days. 7. BCOL work plan update (see attached BCOL Work Priorities) Tom Pawelk said the BCOL Advisory Council opted not to have a family fun day this year and instead are working on improvements to the park and a list of work priorities at the park was provided to the commission. Tom said tasks will be completely jointly with the Wright County Parks staff, City staff and STS (sentence to serve). Tom said they'll be working June 5 -7 and then again every Wednesday throughout the month of June. They will be taking the time to clean up the camp and opening up the park at the south end for users. First thing will be the parking area and bringing in class 5. Tom said they want to get people out and using the park. Tom said that Kitty Baltos, Community Center Director, has canoe trips planned at the park with Clearwater Outfitters. There is Page 3 of 4 PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I May 23, 2012 canoe access on Long and Bertram Lakes. Tom showed the commission a map of the area. 8. Next meeting scheduled July 26, 2012 The next regular scheduled Parks Commission Meeting will be held at 8 am. on July 26, 2012 in the Public Works Conference Room. 9. Adiourn NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 9 A.M. TIM STALPES SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. RECORDED BY: 6 P36rt l &nvw DATE APPROVED: ATTEST: Page 4 of 4