Parks Commission Minutes 08-25-2016PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I AUG 25, 2016
MINUTES
PARKS COMMISSION MEETING
THURSDAY
AUGUST 25, 2016 - 9:15 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: Jack Gregor, Brian Stoll, Brian Stumpf, Council Liaison
Staff Present: Tom Pawelk, Beth Green, Ann Mosack, Angela Schumann,
Jacob Thunander
1. Call to Order.
Chair Larry Nolan called the meeting to order at 9:15 a.m. and declared a quorum
present.
2. Approve Minutes of Regular Parks Commission Meeting:
a. Regular Parks Commission Meeting from May 26, 2016.
NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE MAY 26,
2016 REGULAR PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. MOTION SECONDED
BY TIM STALPES. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
b. Special Parks Commission Meeting from June 23, 2016.
NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 23,
2016 SPEC IAL PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. MOTION SECONDED
BY TIM STALPES. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda.
a. City View Park Name Change Proposal: Tom Pawelk said that it was brought
to his attention that the name "City View" did not seem appropriate for the
park on "Monti Hill" but would be better named "Montiview Park".
TIM STALPES MOVED TO CHANGE THE PARK NAME FROM CITY
VIEW TO MONTIVIEW PARK. MOTION SECONDED BY NANCY
MCCAFFREY. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
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4. Citizens requests and comments.
a. Thank you from Joe Rosh: Tom Pawelk passed around a card from Joe Rosh
thanking the City and the Parks Department for all their efforts in making the
off -leash dog park a reality in Monticello.
b. Pawelk said that he has received a lot of positive comments about the Par
West Park playground improvements from residents in the area.
5. Review parks budget items.
Tom Pawelk reviewed the 2017 proposed budget line items with the commission,
highlighting the following items:
• Rolling Woods Sidewalk Connection: $40,000
• Rolling Woods Playground Improvements: $65,000
• Gazebos: $10,000
• Montiview Park Single Track Trail: $10,000
• Ellison Park Open Air Shelter: $50,000
• Pathway Maintenance Program: $45,000
• Cardinal Hills Tot Lot Improvements: $15,000
• Electrical Improvements: $8,000 (Ellison); $8,000 (Hillside Cemetery)
• Bike Racks: $2,000
• Capital Equipment: Mower Replacement, Additional Mower, Truck
Replacement
6. Motion to approve updating Rolling Woods Park amenities and discussion of
signed petition from Carlisle Village Development.
Tom Pawelk said that the Rolling Woods Park has been in need of a sidewalk
connection from the Carlisle Village Development for quite some time now. This
park is serving the residents of the Carlisle Village Development and those
residents have sent in a petition for park improvements for age appropriate play
structures including a picnic shelter. Pawelk said it would be similar to River Mill
and Hunters Crossing so it has more play value. Pawelk reviewed the aerial map,
indicating where the sidewalk connection is needed and the parkland that has area
available to develop. Pawelk said the play structure currently at the park is not in
need of replacement but it doesn't have much play value for the demographics of
the area. The new equipment would offer play areas for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12.
Pawelk said that staff would salvage and reuse some of the existing equipment in
other parks where needed. The proposed cost of the new playground is $65,000
and the sidewalk connection is another $40,000
TIM STALPES MOVED TO RECOMMEND UPDATES TO THE ROLLING
WOODS PARKWITH AGE APPROPRIATE PLAY STRUCTURES, A PICNIC
SHELTER AND THE SIDEWALK CONNECTION TO ACCOMMODATE
USERS FROM THE CARLISLE VILLAGE DEVLEOPMENT. MOTION
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PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I AUG 25, 2016
SECONDED BY NANCY MCCAFFREY. MOTION CARRIED
UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
7. Motion to approve replacing Cardinal Hills Tot Lot play equipment.
Tom Pawelk said that he has budgeted funds to cover the replacement of the old
play equipment at the Cardin Hills tot lot. Pawelk said the plan is to do the same
type of upgrades that were just completed in Par West Park with a large play area
extending into the swing area. The new equipment will be roughly just under
$11,000 with play areas for ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12.
NANCY MCCAFFREY MOVED TO RECOMMEND REPLACING THE OLD
PLAY EQUIPMENT AT THE CARDINAL HILLS TOT LOT WITH NEW
EQUIPMENT. MOTION SECONDED BY TIM STALPES. MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
8. Discussion of Wag `n Walk event at Meadow Oak Park, Monti Paws Park.
City Council approved the special event permit for the 2nd Annual Walk & Walk
Festival on Sunday, September 25, 2016 from 1-4pm. The event will have the
same walking courses as last year's event with short course and long course
options along the Meadow Oak pathway system. The volunteer group, Paws for
Parks, is currently seeking sponsors for the event. Pawelk said that it would be a
nice gesture to invite Authority Fence to the festival.
9. Recommendation to approve developing single track mountain bike course at
Montiview Park with volunteer group, Dirt Werks.
Tom Pawelk said he has been working with the volunteer group, DirtWirx, to put
together a plan for trail building at Montiview Park for the mountain bike
challenge course. This is a volunteer group based out of Elk River and they are
very excited to help construct the trails here in Monticello. Pawelk said that he
will put together an MOU similar to the agreement with MORC at Bertram. Once
the design is put together it will be brought back to the Parks Commission for
review and approval.
TIM STALPES MOVED TO APPROVE THE SINGLE TRACK MOUNTAIN
BIKE CHALLENGE COURSE DEVELOPMENT AT CITY VIEW PARK
UTILIZING THE VOLUNTEER GROUP KNOWN AS DIRTWIRX. MOTION
SECONDED BY NANCY MCCAFFREY. MOTION CARRIED
UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
10. BCOL update of athletic field interim proiect.
Tom Pawelk noted that the interim improvements to meet the grant requirements
are almost complete at the future Bertram Athletic Complex. The improvements
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PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I AUG 25, 2016
consist of a gravel drive and parking area to the north, signage, a trail along
Briarwood Avenue going south to connect into the regional park, and a multi -use
greenspace (20 -acre) field which will be ready for play in 2017. Pawelk said that
he had a farmer come out and till the fields and parks staff is seeding the
greenspace today.
Once the overall Athletic Complex Master Plan is complete and approved, the
development will be phased from north to south with the entire north play area as
Phase 1 as the City owns that property and is still working to acquire the middle
40.89 acres. The goal is to try for a 2018 build with field play ready by 2020.
The Wright County Board passed the land alteration permit for the interim
improvements. Staff will do as much as they can to help offset costs. There is
$2,000,000 in the budget for 2018, and each year thereafter there is $700,000 to
be set aside.
The MOAA Board approved the division of the 27 acres from the City's 157 -acre
biosolid farm on the condition that the land must be used for recreational
development only in order to preserve the potential for future decommissioning of
the Xcel Ballfields. Angela Schumann said that on September 12th, the item for
consideration to the City Council will be to execute the amendment to the outdoor
recreation contract, once they do that, the obligation for the outdoor recreation
funds that were used to build the fields at Xcel are transferred to that 27 acres and
that is a binding obligation of the City so that 27 acres will be required to be used
only for recreation. The required deed restriction will be recorded and the MOAA
Board only approved that split provided it was for recreation. That doesn't
necessarily mean the area has to be used for ballfields but just that it has to be
used for public recreation. Once the conversion is wrapped up, then the Master
Planning Process can be completed.
11. Introduction of new Communitv Center Director Ann Mosack.
Tom Pawelk introduced Ann Mosack who was hired as the new Community
Center Director after Kitty Baltos resigned. Mosack brings a lot of experience
with parks and recreation and worked for the City of Bloomington for nearly nine
years. She worked in parks and recreation, and on projects and facilities
management.
12. General Park Updates.
Tom Pawelk provided updates on the following parks and projects with no formal
action taken at this time:
A. Par West Park: New playground completed and positive feedback from
residents.
B. Montiview Park: DirtWirx crew trail building process: Pawelk walked
property with crew and said the brainstorming starts now. The primary group
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PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I AUG 25, 2016
consist of about six core members and there are assigned trail bosses with
duties being feathered out to additional workers.
C. Hunters Crossing: The Girl Scout project is complete with the wildflowers in
and growing and the kiosk signs are in.
D. Meadow Oak Park Playground: The final pieces for the playground were
installed last week and the project is complete.
E. Park Maintenance: Staff has been busy fertilizing and maintaining park turf,
prepping for park rentals which are up this year, and keeping up with the
docks on the river due to the higher water levels.
F. East Bridge: STS Crew was in this week spreading mulch and doing some
landscaping and they did a very good job. Nancy McCaffrey said that one of
the volunteer gardeners submitted a recognition award request for the porta
surround at East Bridge built by Special Projects Coordinator Wipper. Those
requests were sent to Kare 11 and also to Midwest Magazine.
13. Next regular meeting scheduled for September 22, 2016.
The next regular Parks Commission Meeting is scheduled for September 22,
2016, at 9:15 a.m. in the Public Works Office.
14. Motion to adiourn.
Meeting adjourned at 10:15 a.m.
RECORDED BY: Cgah &reen
DATE APPROVED: September 22, 2016
ATTEST:
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