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2010-02-09 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesApproved CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING February 9, 2010 The February 2010 meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 P.M. The following Commissioners were present, Chair Paul Portz, Commissioners: Tom Kraus, Michael Toth, Ray Morris, Maureen Brackey, David Miller, and Steve Commers. Staff present was: Jake Sedlacek, Assistant to the City Administrator, Teresa Gangelhoff, Parks and Recreation Programmer, and Nancy Bauer, Recording Secretary. Introduction of New Commissioner David Miller introduced himself and said he is a native of St. Paul. I&s backgrotmd is in health care management. He has worked in Anchorage Alaska. He has three sons. He is with a group of eye surgeons in Stillwater. FIe was on the Human Services Advisory Board and the Criminal Justice Advisory Board for Dakota County. Election of Officers Chair Portz opened the floor for nominations. Commissioner Commers nominated Commissioner Morris for chair. Commissioner Toth seconded the nomination. Commissioner Morris said he would be willing to serve as chair. AYES 6 NAYSO Commissioner Morris thanked the Commission for their vote of confidence. He commented that Chair Portz has been a great model to emulate and there were a lot of learning opportunities and thanked him you his contributions. Chair Morris opened the floor for nominations for vice chair. Commissioner Kraus nominated Commissioner Commers as the vice chair. Commissioner Commers accepted the nomination. Commissioner Portz nominated Commissioner Brackey as the vice chair. Approved Commissioner Brackey passed on the nomination. A vote for Commissioner Commers as vice chair was held. AYES6 NAYS Rules of Order Chair Morris commented that the City passed City Code for the Parks and Recreation Commission in 1981. "There were no rules of order adopted for the Parks and Recreation Commission, Mr. Sedlacek said there are no rules of order for the Parks and Recreation Commission but there is a set for the Planning Commission, Commissioner Morris said it is a good idea to have a written set of ntles of order. It has been his experience that the rules are looked at the first meeting and voted on at the next meeting. Commissioner Commers said he would like to see in the Code to strike out the sentence "until the member loses the position of chair" in section 2-2-2 of Chapter 2 and increase it to twelve consecutive years. By changing it you would not lose the experience of that person. Mr. Scdlaccl< said the Parks and Recreation Commission cannot change the code. Council will be looking at that. Commissioner Brackey said that under powers and duties it should be added that the Parks and Recreation Commission oversees the golf course. Commissioner Kraus said under absenteeism it is different under the rules of order and the City Code. The Code does not specify unexcused absence. Chair Morris commented that it came up a couple of years ago. If there were three unexcused absences you could be terminated. Chair Morris said that at the next meeting the rules of orders could be discussed and voted on. Commissioner Brackey says in the City Code that the Parks and Recreation Commission serves without compensation. Chair Morris said the discussion of the rules of order would be carried over to the next meeting. Page - 2 2/9/r 0 Approved Approval of Minutes Commissioner I xaus made a motion to adopt the January 125 2010, minutes. Commissioner Commers seconded the motion. AYES6 NAYS Recreation Programmers Report Ms. Ciangelhoff reported that more summer programming has been added to the report. The warming house hours and hotline number are listed on the report. The rinks have only been closed three times this year because of below zero weather, heavy snow and rain. Another week has been added to the summer playgrounds. It has been staffed except for the lead person and that position will be posted soon. Job descriptions have been written for parks positions. Chair Morris said the rinks were opened on December 18��' and there are 16 rink attendants. Commissioner Portz asked if Ms. Gangelhoff could tell if the rinks were being used. Ms. Gv7gellroff said she sent rink attendants home last night because of the heavy snow. Commissioner Commers said he noticed the Ivy Hills Park rink was being used by a lot of skaters on Saturday. Ms. Gangelhoff said softball registrations have begun for last years teams. Returning teams have until February 17t' to register and then other teams can sign up after that. Parks Celebration Update Mr. Sedlacek said getting letters out is a little behind. It will be kept to the same scope. Volunteer job descriptions are being developed. Chair Morris said the celebration is Saturday, June 5, 2010. If anyone would like to volunteer or donate please contact Teresa at City hall. Mr. Sedlacek said people could email lovetheparlcs a,mendota-heights.com. Mendakota Park Playground Mr. Sedlacek said the Parks and Recreation Commission recommended to the City Council to approve a proposal fi•om Earl F. Anderson to improve the play structure at Mendakota Park and include 2-5 year old play equipment. There had been a lot of discussion regarding equipment and cost of the improvements by the Commission. City Page - 3 2/9/7 0 Approved Council did discuss the same matters. It was over the working budget. It was recommended to get competitive bids. There are rive vendors in the area with different products. The RFP could be discussed with a timeline. Feedback could be given on the RFP. The project could be put off until after the five year improvement planning. This is a 2010 project. What is the time frame for this project? Chair Morris asked if the RFP has gone out yet? Mr. Sedlacek said it has not. Commissioner Toth asked if the demo of the equipment could be done by City employees to save money? Mr. Sedlacek said that the cost of that item is for the disposal of the equipment and the demo is done in house. Commissioner Portz said it is a good idea to review the RFI''s. The snow should be gone before a quote is obtained. Commissioner Brackey asked about the different vendors that were here last year. Mr. Sedlacek said the different vendors were for Victoria Highlands Park improvements. Earl F. Anderson came in and previewed their new equipment for the Mendakota Park Project. Chair Morris said Mr. Kullander went to Earl F. Anderson for a price because of their track record. Mr. Sedlacek said F,arl F. Anderson has been very competitive and we have gotten great use out of the equipment— up to 20 years. Parts are easy to find. City Council does want bids for this project. Commissioner Kraus asked how much has been spent on playgrounds installation in the past? I am sensitive to Couneil's desire to get bids. Mr. Sedlacek said he would need to look up the numbers. Commissioner Morris said prices have been increasing over the years. This is also the first park to have components for 2-5 years old. Commissioner Kraus said there were discussions about the surface for the 2-5 year old equipment. The rubberized surface added cost to the project. His wife emailed her Mom's Club members and all eight responses said they liked the rubberized surface. It is easier to walk on and will not get in kids mouths. Page - 4 2/9/10 Approved Mr. Sedlacek said the RFP could be written to get the cost of the wood chips versus the rubberized surface. Commissioner Commers said he would like to move on with the RFP's since this is a 2010 budgeted project and hopefully it can be installed before the Parks Celebration, Commissioner Kraus said the RFP's needed to get out right away and get results back by the April meeting. Commissioner Commers said let us get the RFP's out there and get feedback if the vendors want to see the site. Mr. Sedlacek said there are dimensions for the site and lots of information. Chair Morris asked how long are RFP's were good for? Or. Sedlacek suggested 45 days. We could get them back by April. Chair Morris said we could try to get it done by June but it would be a tight schedule. It would take some time to install the equipment also. Commissioner Toth asked about the safety surfacing and the synthetic surfacing. Commissioner Kraus said there are two different areas one is for the play area and the other is the surface for the panels for the 2-5 year olds. Chair Morris said when the vendors come in the Commission could ask about the different surfaces. Commissioner Kraus said the RFP should price each surface separately and for each component. Commissioner Toth said that is a good point. Mr. Sedlacek said there will be an update for the March meeting and would try to get the vendors in for the April meeting with a small open house before the meeting to describe their products to the Commission, the Mom's Club or anyone else who is interested. Commissioner Klaus made a motion that the RFP's be sent out for the Mendalcota Park playground equipment as proposed. Commissioner Commers seconded the motion. Commissioner Miller asked if the City Council needs to approve the recommendation. Chair Morris said yes Council needs to approve expenditures, pproved Or. Sedlacek asked if the motion included the discussion with clarifying and background points. Commissioner Kraus said yes. AYES 6 NAYS Five Year Capital Improvement Plan Mr. Sedlacek said the Parks and Recreation last passed a Five Year Capital Plan in 2007. Staff would like to revisit the Five Year Capital Improvement Plan and formalize it. It is a wish list of items that are prioritized by year. The first two or three years are items that you would like to get done and already have an dea of the cost. The 201 1 year could have a budget adopted to propose to the City Cotmcil. Mr. Kullander updated the Five Year Plan, Commissioner Portz said trails have been considered in the past and have not been talked about recently. Chair Mon -is said this plan used to be looked at two or three times a year and kept the Commission on track. Mr. Sedlacek said the first two pages of the document are Mr. Kullander's ideas. Attachment A is the plan with funding sources. There are three sources of funding, the Special Parks Fund (from new developments), Municipal State Aid (for trails), and General Funds from the City (for maintenance of projects). There are also grants and G partnership projects, Commissioner Portz said there at•e also the Water Tower Funds. Mr. Sedlacek responded that the fund has been tapped into for projects. Attachment B was adopted in 2007 and has good information about how the plan has been done in the past. Chair Morris asked if the packet for March could have items crossed off that have been done. Or. Sedlacek asked the Commission to go through the packet and a presentation and discussion with Mr. Kullander would be done at the March meeting. Chair Morris said in March the rules of order would be revisited as would the Five Year Capital Plan. Page - 6 2/9/10 Approved Or. Sedlacek said the RFP process would also be revisited in March. Commission Comments Commissioner Toth welcomed Commission Miller and thanked him for being here. Chair Morris seconded Commissioner Toth's comments. Commissioner Portz said he was at the Olympics in 2002 and recommended that people watch them starting on Friday if they get a chance. Commissioner Brackey welcomed Commissioner Miller. Commissioner Miller said he appreciated the warm welcome. Commissioner Commers welcomed Commissioner Miller and asked Commissioner Kraus if he could get more feedback from the Mom's club. Chair Morris said if anybody was interested in looking at the exhibits in the firture they are welcome to come to a meeting. Mr. Sedlacek reminded everyone that the first Saturday in May is the spring clean up at Mendakota Park. Mendota Plaza is on target for redevelopment; the plan has been approved but the developer has run into problems with the soils. Commissioner Toth asked if the City was looking for volunteers at the spring clean up. Mr. Sedlacek said they are. Commissioner Kraus made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Commers seconded the motion. AYES 6 NAYSO The meeting was adjourned at 7:42 P.M. Paee - 7 2/9/10