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Parks Commission Minutes 09-20-2012PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I Sept 20, 2012 MINUTES PARKS COMMISSION THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 - 8 A.M. "To enhance communitypride through developing and maintaining Cityparks with a high standard of quality. " Members Present: Nancy McCaffrey, Tim Stalpes, Larry Nolan, Gene Emmanuel Members Absent: Beth Biegelow Others Present: Tom Pawelk, Park Superintendent, Angela Schumann, Community Development Director, Ellen Eden, Community Development Intern 1. Call to Order. Larry Nolan called the meeting to order at 8 a.m. and declared a quorum present. 2. Approve Minutes of May 23, 2012 Parks Commission Meeting. NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 23, 2012 PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. TIM STALPES SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda. Riverside Cemetery: Tom Pawelk said that the new trend in cremation burials is the cremation monument with niches where the urns are placed inside the niche. Traditionally, cremation urns are buried in the ground. Tom asked if it would be appropriate to allow these types of monuments in the old section of the cemetery where above ground monuments are allowed. Tom said these are really difficult to get into so there shouldn't be any issues with vandalism. The fees would not be changed as burial in the niche would still be considered a cremation burial with all the same fees. TIM STALPES MOVED TO ALLOW THE ABOVE GROUND CREMATION NICHE MONUMENT OPTION IN THE OLD SECTION OF RIVERSIDE CEMETERY WITH THE SAME FEES BEING ASSESSED AS TRADITIONAL CREMATION BURIALS. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNAMIOUSLY. Page 1 of 4 PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I Sept 20, 2012 Monte Club Hill — Tom Pawelk informed the Parks Commission that the area outlined on the map being presented needs to be identified as park land in Monticello's Land Use Plan. The Parks Commission will need to make a motion. Tom indicated the area west of the water tower to Fenning Avenue will be considered the park land, while the land to the south of the water tower is still private. This is the park land being proposed for the disc golf course. Tom said this needs to be officially ratified at the council level too. NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO DESIGNATE THE SEGMENT OF LAND INDICATED BY TOM PAWELK AS WEST OF THE WATER TOWER TO FENNING AVENUE AS PARK LAND IN THE MONTICELLO LAND USE PLAN. GENE EMMANUEL SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. East Bridge Park — Tom Pawelk indicated that Bill Fair donated funds towards a memorial table for Bud & Fran Fair. The table will be set on the patio at East Bridge Park. Embracing Downtown — Larry Nolan provided an update of the Embracing Downtown Committee. Larry said the main focus in restoring downtown is to include the parks as a feature and increase usage of the parks. Larry provided a handout of the proposed new park layout for West Bridge Park. Larry said he wants the Parks Commission to be aware of the ideas that are out there and eventually it will be a big change to West Bridge Park. This is very long range plan but there is a lot of energy there and Larry said we may see some things going on in the future. 4. Citizens requests and comments. Tom Pawelk said he had a comment from a user who has been to 10 different parks in the City. This user contacted the mayor and complimented Monticello's park system, how the parks look and how their kids have enjoyed playing on the playgrounds. Nancy McCaffrey said that since July she's had 8 to 10 people coming up to her and thanking the City for taking care of the parks, providing the parks in Monticello; particularly East Bridge Park. Nancy said the parks are really recognized and well cared for and she said the workers in the Monticello Parks Department are amazing and have a lot of talent. 5. Approval of Adopt -A -Trail sign for Stuart Hoglund family. Tom Pawelk shared the sign design with the Parks Commission and said he needs official approval to go ahead and order the signs. Tom said that this will be the standard sign template that we'll use for future trail adoptions. The family adopting the trail will cover the cost of the sign. In this particular adoption, there will be a total of three signs with one at each access point. TIM STALPES MOVED TO APPROVE THE SIGN TEMPLATE FOR THE TRAIL ADOPTIONS. GENE EMMANUEL SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Page 2 of 4 PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I Sept 20, 2012 6. Elect new member to sit on the BCOL Advisory Board. Gene Emmanuel said that he resigned from the Bertram Chain of Lakes Advisory Council as it was conflicting with his schedule. The meetings are held on the first Friday of each month at 8 a.m. Tom Pawelk said that it's in the bylaws to have someone from the Parks Commission to serve on the board. Larry Nolan said it will fit in his schedule and would like to serve on the board. NANCY MCCAFFREY NOMINATED LARRY NOLAN TO SERVE AS THE PARKS COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BCOL ADVISORY COUNCIL. GENE EMMANUEL SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 7. Budget Items for 2013 Park Fund. Tom Pawelk said the City Council adopted the preliminary levy and $7.9 million. Tom's listing indicated all items that were pulled from the preliminary budget. Tom said this is basically a maintain -only budget that has been adopted and he will do his best to make due. Tom said it is unfortunate that he will not be able to complete the Pathway Maintenance Program that has been started due to lack of funds. 8. I -94 Off -Ramp Tree Plantin-2 Project. Tom Pawelk said when they did the on/off ramp MN /DOT gave the City $20,000 for new trees because they had removed a lot of mature trees with the project. Tom shared an aerial overview of the area where he wants to plant the trees. He said it will be a nice entrance point to the City to have mature trees coming in there and it will be a nice sound barrier for the residents in the area. Tom said the City has the money but he has to go to the council to get it approved to utilize the funds. Larry Nolan said that if the money is earmarked for the trees then they should have to spend it that way. Tom said there are many Dutch elm disease trees in that area and the last few years they've taken out at least a couple hundred trees. Tom said the purpose is to have a screening but he also wants people coming off the freeway to still be able to look over and see River Mill Park. Nancy McCaffrey agreed that the trees should go where tom is indicating on the map. Tom said it may only cost $10,000 for the trees and then maybe he can utilize the $10,000 elsewhere such as on 7th Street. Tom said the funds need to be utilized by next year. TIM STALPES MOVED TO PROCEED WITH PLANTING TREES IN THE AREA AS INDICATED BY TOM PAWELK WITH $20,000 FROM THE MN /DOT DESIGNATED TREE FUND FROM THE I -94 BRIDGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO BE USED BY THE END OF 2013. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 9. Dutch Elm removal update Tom Pawelk said the Parks Department has marked 195 trees infected with Dutch elm disease. Follow up inspections will be completed to ensure that all trees marked have been removed. It is important to get the trees removed to keep the disease at a minimum. Page 3 of 4 PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I Sept 20, 2012 10. Overview of community signage for bike trails Angela Schumann said they are coming up with a design in -house for the community signage that will start at the top of East Bridge Park in the patio area, and they would like Parks Commission input. Over time the old monument style entrance signs will be replaced. We will also have street signs, trail markers and way finding signs that will be put in place gradually over time, and we want to maintain consistent signage throughout the community. Tom Pawelk indicated that the sign designs should be brought to the Embracing Downtown Committee for their input as well. The first project will be at the top East Bridge Park hill. This will be similar to the Sheila Lawrence memorial sign. It will be a "you are here" simple type of sign with a map. Tom said they are researching the costs at this time.. When the retaining wall improvements take place on TH 25 with the 7t' street turn lane project, they will incorporate a way finding sign there as well. Tom said they will incorporate more monumental signage when restoring downtown takes shape. Tom said they'll keep moving forward with it and once they have a solid foundation then they will bring the information to the Downtown Redevelopment Group. 11. Approve 2013 park rental rates Tom Pawelk said that rentals have been good and he doesn't see a reason to bump up the rates from 2012. TIM STALPES MOVED TO APPROVE THE PARK RENTAL RATES FOR 2013 TO REMAIN UNCHANGED FROM 2012. NANCY MCCAFFREY SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 12. Next Meeting scheduled November 29, 2012. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 8 a.m. at the Public Works Conference Room. 13. Adiourn. GENE EMMANUEL MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 9 A.M. TIM STALPES SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. RECORDED BY: 6�3eth (:�OrC671 DATE APPROVED: 11-29-12 ATTEST: Page 4 of 4