Parks Commission Minutes 09-22-2016PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I SEPT 22, 2016
MINUTES
PARKS COMMISSION MEETING
THURSDAY
SEPTEMBER 22, 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, Jack Gregor, Brian Stoll
Members Absent: Nancy McCaffrey, Tim Stalpes, Brian Stumpf, Council Liaison
Staff Present: Tom Pawelk, Beth Green, Ann Mosack
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 from August 25,
2016.
BRIAN STOLL MOVED TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 25, 2016
REGULAR PARKS COMMISSION MEETING. MOTION SECONDED BY JACK
GREGOR. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda.
a. Motion to approve first phase of the Montiview Challenge Course.
b. Motion to approve sidewalk connection for Rolling Woods Park.
BRIAN STOLL MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE ADDED
ITEMS. MOTION SECONDED BY JACK GREGOR. MOTION CARRIED
UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
4. Citizens requests and comments.
Tom Pawelk said he is working with the petition from residents of the Carlisle Village
and Rolling Woods neighborhoods for improvements to the Rolling Woods Park. This
item will go to the City Council for review at Monday's meeting.
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PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I SEPT 22, 2016
5. Motion to approve MOU agreement with DirtWirx, volunteers of Montiview
Mountain Bike Challenge Course.
Tom Pawelk reviewed the MOU agreement with the Commission, noting the agreement is
similar to the agreement with MORC for the single-track trails at the Bertram Chain of
Lakes Regional Park. Pawelk noted that where the agreement references the "Trail
Steward", that is the Park Superintendent. DirtWirx will get the trail built and the goal is
to get local people on board to work with the group to develop community pride. The grand
opening is being planned for the middle of October with the unveiling of the sculpture from
Artist Sue Seeger. The agreement will be brought to the City Council on Monday evening
for review at their regular meeting.
BRIAN STOLL MOVED TO APPROVE THE MOU AGREEMENT WITH
DIRTWIRX FOR TRAIL DEVELOPMENT AT THE MONTIVIEW PARK FOR THE
NEW MOUNTAIN BIKE CHALLENGE COURSE. MOTION SECONDED BY JACK
GREGOR. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
6. Motion to approve changing single grave monument size at Riverside
Cemeterv.
Tom Pawelk said that issues have come up with grave marker sizes at Riverside Cemetery,
in particular, for single graves and infant graves. Today the trend is leaning towards a
double cremation burial in a full size grave. This requires two names to be placed on the
marker for a single grave. The current marker size requirement for a single grave makes it
difficult to fit two full names on the marker. Pawelk is recommending an increase to the
marker size to allow for a 44" wide marker including the 4" concrete border. The single
grave size is 48" wide plus there is a 4" are between each grave. Therefore, increasing the
marker to a maximum of 44" will fit within the confines of the single grave but will allow
for a larger area to print on the marker.
BRIAN STOLL MOVED TO APPROVE THE CHANGES TO THE RIVERSIDE
CEMETERY RULES AND REGULATIONS TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM
SINGLE GRAVE MARKER ALLOWANCE TO 44" WIDE AND TO INCREASE THE
INFANT GRAVE MARKER SIZE TO 24", BOTH INCLUDING THE PRECAST
CONCRETE BORDER. MOTION SECONDED BY JACK GREGOR. MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
7. Discuss Wag & Walk event at Monti Paws Park in Meadow Oak Park.
The 2nd Annual Walk & Walk Festival will be held on Sunday, September 25, 2016, from
1-4pm. Participants can register online through the Event Brite site or they can register the
day of the event beginning at noon. The event will have the same walking courses as last
year with short course and long course options along the Meadow Oak pathway system.
The volunteer group, Paws for Parks, has a number of events planned after the walk,
including a pet tricks contest, pet photos, light refreshments and a bounce house for kids.
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PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I SEPT 22, 2016
8. BCOL Updates purchase agreement, decommission approval and 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 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 Wright County Board approved the final purchase of the 40.89 acres of the athletic
area and this will be brought to the City Council in October for approval. That will be the
last parcel and then the entire 1,200 will be acquired and owned jointly by the City and the
County.
City Council approved the decommission of the Xcel Ballfields and the 27 acres of the bio -
farm split. The paperwork is now complete so that preserves the opportunity to
decommission the fields in the future, if necessary. The 27 acres, according to the
agreement, can only be used for public recreation and if a future council decides against
development as ballfields, the 27 acres would go back into the 157 -acre parcel as
agricultural land. Within the 20 acres, six to eight fields can be staked out. Pawelk said
that over the winter he will work up a user fee agreement for all associations that want to
utilize the fields at Bertram for lacrosse, soccer or football.
9. General Park Updates.
Tom Pawelk provided updates on the following parks and projects with no formal action
taken at this time:
A. Riverside Cemetery Roads: Staff has been working on the roads and hauling
Class 5 gravel in the cemetery which will allow for less mud puddles and easier
plowing within the cemetery.
B. Ellison Park Shelter: The shelter footings should be in place before freeze-up.
C. Shade Tree Inspections: A total of 50 trees have been marked for removal with
Dutch Elm disease.
D. Core City Project Reforestation of Boulevard Trees: 93 new boulevard trees are
being added on the east side of town this fall.
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PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I SEPT 22, 2016
E. Park Maintenance: Staff has been busy with park rentals, working at Montiview
Park, and aerifying and seeding in the parks.
F. Park Closing - Winter Closing Dates: Staff is working on blowouts of sprinkler
systems, with the third week in October as the tentative water shut-off dates at
parks.
G. 4th Street Park Rinks: Brian Stoll asked about the rink hours being increased as
it was really busy last year. Pawelk said based on the usage of the park he would
like to see it open 7 days/week. Stoll also mentioned that the lighting system
may not be working properly as it is darker over on the general skating rink.
There are families with young kids skating there, and now that it's become
busier it is a safety issue. The consensus is in favor of having a skating guard
on duty 7 days/week to police the traffic, be there for emergencies, and to have
a staff member CPR certified.
BRIAN STOLL MOVED TO APPROVE A SKATE GUARD 7 DAYS/WEEK
AT 4TH STREET PARK WITH THE IDEA THAT THE ASSOCIATION
COULD STILL HAVE THE RINK MONDAY/WEDNESDAY AND OPEN
IOAM-9PM ON SAT/SUN. MOTION SECONCED BY JACK GREGOR.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
Larry Nolan also suggested that the City Council consider opening West Bridge
Park on the weekends for families and children, from 10am-6pm Sat/Sun.
13. Discussion of added items:
a. Motion to approve first phase of the Montiview Challenge Course.
Tom Pawelk said the DirtWirx crew is very professional, they have good ideas
and is excited to work with them. The initial plan was reviewed with the group
showing some features of the warm up area including skinnies, little mountain
rock pile, etc. These are all ridable features. The plan to have this completed
for the grand opening sculpture unveiling in mid-October. Once the leaves
come up they will start walking and working on trails through the woods.
BRIAN STOLL MADE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE
FIRST PHASE OF THE CHALLENGE COURSE AS SHOWN. MOTION
SECONDED BY JACK GREGOR. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY,
3-0.
b. Motion to approve sidewalk connection for Rolling Woods Park.
Tom Pawelk said that currently there is a sidewalk running along Bakken Street
that cuts off near the wetland before Troy Marquette Drive. The city held back
$11,000 in escrow from the developer for the sidewalk extension, which is now
estimated to cost $30,000 to complete the sidewalk to Rolling Woods Park. The
thought is to create the connection point to the trail. Pawelk said there are some
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PARKS COMMISSION MINUTES I SEPT 22, 2016
children in the neighborhood in wheelchairs, so it will be important to finish the
connection from where it dead -ends, along with that the ped ramps need to be
updated, and a crossing should be added from Troy Marquette Drive to the
sidewalk. Pawelk reviewed three proposed alternatives with the group. The
preferred Option 1B shows the sidewalk connection to the park and crossings
at Deer Street, Troy Marquette, and Garvey Court with a cost of approximately
$45,000. Jack Gregor noted that with the number of children in the
neighborhoods, it is important to put the safety of the kids walking to the park
as the main priority.
BRIAN STOLL MOVED TO APPROVE THE SIDEWALK CONNECTION
ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BAKKEN STREET TO ROLLING WOODS
PARK, INCLUDING CROSSINGS AT DEER STREET, TROY
MARQUETTE DRIVE AND GARVEY COURT AS INDICATED IN
OPTION 1B. MOTION SECONDED BY JACK GREGOR. MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY, 3-0.
14. Next regular meeting scheduled for December 1, 2016, due to the
Thanksgiving Holiday.
The next regular Parks Commission Meeting is scheduled for December 1, 2016,
at 9:15 a.m. in the Public Works Office.
15. Motion to adiourn.
Meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
RECORDED BY: teeth 30rc 11
DATE APPROVED: 12/1/16
ATTEST: -Zx'-` -` -
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