Parks Commission Minutes 01-18-1995MINUTES
MONTICELLO PARKS COMMISSION
January 18, 1995
Members Present: Dick Frie, Fran Fair, Bruce Thielen, Larry Nolan,
Roger Carlson
Staff Present: Jeff ONeill, Roger Mack, Wanda Kraemer
1. Consideration of adontine aeenda.
The agenda was adopted with the following items to be added.
1. 1995 goals and objectives established.
2. A procedure or guideline policy for park attendance to follow when
the park rules and regulations are challenged.
3. Update on the River Mill project.
2. Consideration of aouroval of meetine minutes for the meetine held Nov. 22.
( 1994 meetine minutes.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY LARRY NOLAN TO APPROVE THE
MEETING MINUTES. SECONDED BY BRUCE THIELEN.
3. Consideration of fundine a portion of the cost to install new hockev boards
at the 4th Street Park.
Jeff ONeill reviewed the problem areas at the 4th Street Park as follows:
1. Many of the boards on the hockey rink need to be replaced.
2. The rink size is larger than necessary.
3. The general public has no place to play hockey during Hockey
Association Practice.
4. Hockey players are using the general skating rink, which conflicts
with the general use --difficult for attendants to control.
5. The winter recreation facilities are reported to be substandard in the
1992 survey (pre -Bridge Park Improvements).
Jack Nelson, member of the Monticello Hockey Association, explained that
indoor ice time is in short supply and the rink has been heavily used for
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practice. There have been many adults trying to play broomball also. With
the increased practice time needed and broomball use there is no time for
residents who are not members of the hockey association to use the rink. It
was also brought to the commissinn's attention that the state has passed a
new law stating that girls hockey must have equal ice time. This could also
cause a impact on the use of the hockey association's time in outdoor
practice.
O'Neill reviewed the facts:
1. Hockey Association practices occupy a large share of the available ice
time at the Fourth Street Park.
2. The Hockey Association funded and constructed the existing hockey
rink, which is available for use by all citizens.
3. The Hockey Association funded construction of the storage room
within the warming house.
4. The ice maintenance program is working satisfactorily in 1994-95.
The Hockey Association floods the rink and the City removes most of
the snow.
O'Neill then discussed proposed solutions:
1. To replace the main hockey rink with a slightly smaller rink.
2. Develop a second seasonal hockey rink at the Fourth Street Park.
The cost of replacing the large existing rink with two smaller rinks would amount
to $5,300 and an estimated 240 hours of labor for the Hockey Association and
$10,200 and an estimated 160 hours of labor for the City. Bruce Thielen
suggested using "Sentence to Service" people to help with the labor. (Sentence to
Service are people that are fined community service work.) Thielen has worked
with people from this program before and the results were good. Dick Frie
inquired purchasing used hockey boards that he had seen advertised. Nelson
commented that this is almost always from indoor areas and the material is very
expensive. Big Lake has an outdoor asphalt rink that is used in the summer to
roller blade and flooded for a hockey rink in the winter. Roger Mack was
concerned that the asphalt would not hold up but crack in a short time. It was
decided that the cost would not be feasible at the present time but an interesting
idea to keep in mind for future use and a possible solution to rollerblading in
downtown areas. ONeill said the standard ratio according to population would be
one hockey rink for every 3,000 people. The City of Monticello's population is
closer to two rinks and if any of the township area is included there is a shortage
in the skating facilities now provided.
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Parks Commission Minutes 1/18/95
C LARRY NOLAN MADE THE MOTION TO PROCEED TO UPGRADE THE
PRESENT HOCKEY RINK AND IN ADDITION BUILD A SEASONAL
RINK THIS SPRING WITH THE HELP OF SENTENCE TO SERVICE
RESOURCES IF AVAILABLE. THE FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOCATED
FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND BE REIMBURSED FROM THE 1996
PARK BUDGET.
Discuss potential auolication to LAWCON grant oroeram.
Bruce Thielen had worked with the Lawcon grant program through his
position with the Wright County Parks system. He thought the grant would
be worth the time to check into. Because of the new developments that are
being built and pathway projects between developments Monticello could
possibly qualify in more than one area. The Parks Commission decided
more information would be needed in deciding which grant, if any, should
be applied for.
ROGER CARLSON MADE A MOTION TO HAVE JEFF ONEILL MOVE
FORWARD IN LOOKING INTO APPLYING TO LAWCON FOR A GRANT.
SECONDED BY BRUCE THIELEN.
5. Review phase I and II schedule for construction of Meadow Oak Park.
Outlot A-Roeer Mack
Roger Mack, Parks Superintendent, gave an update on the Meadow Oak
Park, Outlot A project. Mack stated that Tom Bose, City's Construction
Inspector, is also looking at topography maps in that area to further help
with information on how long grading will take. The current schedule that
Mack has is as follows:
1. May 1st surveying completed
2. June 1st rough grading complete (with help of hired contractor)
3. June 2nd start irrigation system, fences, and cut in field
4. Sept. 1st seeding
5. Spring 1996 ready for use
Mack reported that there would not be enough money in the budget to build
a concession stand that had restrooms. Portable satellites would have to be
used until the funds were available. There is a possibility of flooding the
infields to make a skating rink then the concessions stand could also be
used as a warming house and the park would be used year round.
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Parks Commission Minutes 1/18/95
The fencing will consist of a backstop and 1st and 3rd. The Little League
will be able to practice at the park probably up to Sandy Colfax age
children. The parking lots maybe combined into one lot, that is not
completed ,vet.
The other basketball courts will be in this Spring.
6. Update on uathwav oroiect - Jeff ONeill
Jeff O'Neill, Assistant Administrator, gave a short summary as to the
pathway schedule. Burlington Northern has been holding up the process
until MNDOT, Minnesota Department of Transportation, completes a set of
rules and guidelines to govern pathways intersecting with railroad
crossings. Monticello has been the scapegoat for Burlington Northern to
insist MNDOT completes the project. Bret Weiss, City Engineer, has been
working to "encourage" MNDOT to complete the guidelines or grant
Monticello a permit to go ahead. At this time there is a draft of about 100
pages that should be completed soon. O'Neill at this time is confident
everything is being done possible to keep the pathway on schedule for
Spring of 1995. 1f there are more delays the Parks Commission will be
informed and a meeting will be called to decide what the next action would
be.
7. Review sootlieht on Monticello article
Jeff ONeill, Assistant Administrator, wrote an article that was published in
the MRPA Newsletter. The magazine features a city each month and
O'Neill's article on Monticello parks was chosen. The commission thought it
was a very interesting article and good promotion for the city. ONeill was
encouraged to have it published in the Community Perspective section of
the Monticello Times newspaper.
8. Other
Fran Fair stated that the commission should have 1995 yearly goals and
objectives and suggested that all the commission members bring their ideas
to the February meeting. At that meeting the commission could define the
1996 goals.
Bruce Thielen agreed that it is important to have direction for the year but
feels that the commission also needs long range goals. He would like to see
a comprehensive park plan done for Monticello. He stated that cities and
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C' townships in this area are finding a comp plan is a necessary tool in
planning. Jeff O'Neill, Assistant Administrator, informed the commission
that the City Council just approved Northwest Consultants to complete a
city wide cnmp*+ehen-ive plan. There will be meetings with the groups
involved in each area of the plan. The Parks Commission will be asked to
give their views on the park systems. The Commission was not this would
be extensive enough but were interested in working with the consultants.
There have been a few problems at the skating rinks with the rules not
being followed. (The main problem would be the use of hockey sticks and
pucks on the figure skating rink.) It was agreed that the first step would
be to draft a list of procedures that the park attendants could follow when
the rules are not followed. ONeill will write the procedures and have
available for discussion at the next meeting.
Jeff O'Neill, Assistant Administrator, then gave an update on the River
Mill project. The park will be five acres and includes a sliding hill, ball
field/skating rink and parking lot. The plans still might change as to
location of parking lot and size/shape of the pond but the main design will
stay as shown.
Jeff O'Neill, Assistant Administrator, also gave an update on the
accomplishments of the Parke Commission over the past year and the
inventory of recreation areas. O'Neill suggested during the next year the
recreation areas be studied to see if parks areas are in balance with
population.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION BRUCE THIELEN MADE A
MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. SECONDED BY FRAN FAIR.
Wanda Kraemer
Development Services Technician
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