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2005-11-09 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES NOVEMBER 9, 2005 The October 2005 meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Wednesday, November 9, 2005 in the 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 Richard Spicer and Commissioners Stan Linnell, Dave Libra, Missie Hickey, Raymond Morris, Paul Portz, and Larry Craighead. City Staff present were Operations and Projects Coordinator Guy Kullander, Recreation Programmer Teresa Gangelhoff, and Administrative Assistant Patrick C. Hollister. Mr. Hollister took the minutes. MINUTES Commissioner Morris moved approval of the October 11, 2005 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes. Commissioner Portz seconded the motion. AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 CHAIR SPICER'S REPORT ON COMMITTEE MEETING TO PLAN 2006 PARK CELEBRATION /50TH ANNIVERSARY RECOGNITION Chair Spicer reminded everyone that observance of the City's 50th Anniversary will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2006. Chair Spicer said that the festivities will include a 5k run and 5k walk. Chair Spicer showed the route on a map. Chair Spicer said that the admission would be $5 per entrant and that the fee would include a T -shirt and water. Chair Spicer said that there will also be an antique car show at Mendakota Park and Mendota Plaza. Chair Spicer said that games will include airplane tosses and beanbag tosses, and that these activities will also cost $5 per participant and will include a T -shirt. Chair Spicer said that in the afternoon there will be food vendors, dignitaries, bands, kids' activities, and a night dance. Chair Spicer said that the evening will conclude with a fireworks display. Chair Spicer held up a draft issue of the Heights Hilites calling for volunteers for the events. RECREATION PROGRAMMER'S REPORT Ms. Gangelhoff provided an overview of recreation activities, including horseback riding, self defense classes, crochet lessons, and skating rink hours. Chair Spicer said that details of the programs offered are available in the City Hall lobby and in the next issue of Heights Hilites. CLARIFICATION OF CITY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH MHAA Chair Spicer acknowledged Mr. Scott Applebaum, MHAA Baseball Commissioner, Mr. Mike Kuenster, husband of MHAA board member, and Mr. Murphy. Chair Spicer noted that he had received a letter from Planning Commission Marc Miller inquiring about the relationship between MHAA and the City. Chair Spicer read the letter. Mr. Applebaum said that the MHAA parents would like to see upgrades made to the City's athletic facilities. Chair Spicer said that the City has limited facilities for kids but that Mendakota Park is one of the best of its kind in the metro area. Mr. Kuenster said that he has coached baseball. Mr. Kuenster said that there are holes in the mats at Mendakota. Mr. Kuenster said that Amelia at MHAA reports that MHAA has lost a lot of baseballs at the Civic center field because there is no canopy at the field. Mr. Kuenster said that when MHAA hosts tournaments, they use a parent's lawn tractor to groom the fields. Chair Spicer explained that Mendota Heights has no Recreation Department, and that this is one thing that keeps taxes low in the City. Mr. Applebaum said that MHAA would be able to provide some of the funding for these improvements. Chair Spicer said that when Scott Miller was involved in MHAA baseball, that is precisely what happened. Chair Spicer said that Mr. Miller provided funding to the City for improvements such as batting cages and upgrades to the Civic Center field. Chair Spicer said that for a while the Special Parks Fund received cell tower revenue but that is no longer occurring. Chair Spicer said that MHAA should provide an itemized list of improvements that they would like to see made to Mr. Kullander. Commissioner Craighead said that it appears to him that the infield is in good shape at the Civic Center ballfield. 2 Mr. Kuenster said that the sprinlder system at the Civic Center Ballfield has not worked for two years. Mr. Kuenster said that the fields are usually in bad condition by August. Mr. Kuenster handed out a list of desired improvements. Commissioner Morris said that the City has many needs and a limited amount of money. Mr. Applebaum said that MHAA would be willing and able to raise money for specific needs. Chair Spicer said that MHAA is welcome to present their wish list to the Parks and Recreation Commission, and that the Commission would make a recommendation to the Council. Chair Spicer asked for a list of things that need improvement. Mr. Kuenster asked who he should provide the list to. Chair Spicer said that the list should go to Mr. Kullander. Mr. Kuenster acknowledged that the Parks Crew does a great job in advance of tournaments in preparing the fields. Mr. Kullander said that the parks crew brings in ag lime every year. Chair Spicer noted that one of the items on MHAA's wish list was advertisements on ball field fences. Chair Spicer said that previous Councils had been opposed to this, but that MHAA could try to persuade the current Council to allow it. Chair Spicer said that Scott Miller got ahnost everything that he asked for from the City. Chair Spicer said that other Cities have a Parks Department with its own budget, but that Mendota Heights does not even have a full -time parks employee. Chair Spicer recommended that MHAA talk to Mr. Kullander. Mr. Kuenster asked about money that the City contributes to MHAA. Mr. Kullander said that the City contributes $10,000 annually to offset Amelia's salary and also contributes approximately $3,000 annually for T -ball. Commissioner Libra noted that one of the items on MHAA's wish list were lights at Mendakota Ballpark. Commissioner Libra noted that this item had been rejected by the Council in the past. Commissioner Portz said that the City may be willing to match financial contributions by MHAA for improvements. Chair Spicer reminded MHAA that the Parks Commission is not the final decision maker. 3 Mr. Murphy said that he saw irrigation working at the Civic Center ballfiled, but that not enough water is being applied that the fields are too dry. [Attached please find the written response that Mr. Kullander sent to Mr. Kuenster and Mr. Applebaum the day after the Parks Commission meeting, including the original MHAA "wish list" that Mr. Applebaum and Mr. Kuenster presented to the Commission on November 9, 2005.] DNR PERMIT FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS ON WAGON WHEEL TRAIL Mr. Kullander said that the Council has not scheduled a date for the improvements to Wagon Wheel Trail and that this is an information item only that a request to extend our permit has been submitted. Mr. Kullander said that a Street Assessment for improvements near Ivy Park would be paid from the Special Parks Fund in the amount of $3,315. Chair Spicer said he was disappointed that the money came out of the Special Parks Fund because the Special Parks Fund does not receive a yearly stipend any more. REQUETS FROM RESIDENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TWO TRAIL SEGMENTS Mr. Kullander reviewed the two requests from residents for construction of additional trail segments. Mr. Kullander said that one request was in the Laurel /Sylvandale /Sunset Lane area and the other was in Bunker Hills connecting Ridge Place to Valley Park Trail. Mr. Kullander recommended that we no longer pursue an extension of the trail to Sunset Lane because it would go between two houses. Mr. Kullander said that he talked with one of the homeowners who objects to the trail. Mr. Kullander said that altemate access can be made north of this area or through Somerset Elementary playground area. Commissioner Libra asked about the property to the west. Mr. Kullander said that that property was City property and did not go anywhere. Commissioner Libra said that it would be nice to have a trail along Dodd Road to ride a bike or walk safely. Mr. Kullander said that the City will push for a trail if MnDOT comes in to upgrade Dodd Road. Commissioner Craighead asked if residents currently use Sunset Lane for a foot trail right now anyway. Mr. Kullander said that there is no definite path and that if there is a "volunteer path ", it is used by very few people. Mr. Kullander said that as for the second trail at Dodd and 110, the homeowner is willing to work with the City. Commissioner Morris moved that the City further investigate the trail at Dodd and 110; Commissioner Libra seconded the motion. Chair Spicer said that this would be similar to the McDonald's trail project several years ago. AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 UPDATES Staff provided the following updates: HURT Trail Mr. Kullander said that the City Council had passed a Resolution supporting a study by Dakota County for the trail north of the frontage road. Mr. Kullander said that the approval was conditioned on mitigation for the residents. Mr. Kullander said that the grant funding was extended to provide enough time for the County engineers to design the project. Mr. Kullander said that City staff had met with Dakota County engineers on the subject, and that the City made a request to the County to help pay for moving the road away from two neighbors. Mr. Kullander said that the County did not grant the request, and that MnDOT also declined to help with funding. Mr. Kullander said that the trail has now been re- aligned to cross over in the middle of the frontage road, and that this will mitigate the impact for the most impacted homeowners on the west end of the trail. Pilot Knob Mr. Hollister said that the City intends to close on the Pilot Knob purchase by the end of 2005. OPUS /EcoLab Mr. Hollister said that the OPUS proposal for redevelopment of the Ecolab site has now received final approval by the Council. Mr. Hollister said that the Commission could anticipate $297,000 (at 110 units x $2700) of income into the Special Parks Fund as a result of this project, minus credits to OPUS for in -kind parks contributions such as trails. 5 Police Report Staff provided the Police Report for October 2005. JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PARKS COMMISSION WORKSHOP — DECEMBER 6 Mr. Kullander reminded the Commission that a joint City Council/Parks Commission workshop has been scheduled from 6:00 pm to 7:20 pm on Tuesday, December 6, immediately before the regular Council meeting. Mr. Kullander asked the Commissioners to provide him with any topics that they wished to discuss at the workshop. OTHER COMMENTS The Commission expressed interest in continuing communication with MHAA. ADJOURN Commissioner Hickey moved to adjourn. Commissioner Portz seconded the motion. AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. 6