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2019-04-09 Parks and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS, DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING April 9, 2019 The April meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. 1. Call to Order – Chair Steve Goldade called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call – The following Commissioners were present: Chair Steve Goldade, Commissioners Pat Hinderscheid, Ira Kipp, Bob Klepperich, David Miller, and Dan Sherer. Commissioner Stephanie Meyer and Student Representative Matthew Boland were absent. Staff present: Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence, Assistant City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson and Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek. 3. Approval of Agenda Motion Klepperich/second Miller to approve the agenda. AYES 6: NAYS 0: ABSENT 1 4. Approval of Minutes from March 12, 2019 Commissioner Sherer had one correction to the minutes that being that the basketball backboard he suggested be obtained from Friendly Hills Middle School would come from the outdoor court, not from the gymnasium. Staff agreed to make the correction. Motion Klepperich/second Sherer to approve the minutes of the March 12, 2019 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. AYES 6: NAYS 0: ABSENT 1 5. Citizen Comment Period (for items not on the agenda) *There were no citizen comments. 6. Acknowledgement of Reports 6.a Par 3 Update 6.b Recreation Update 6.c Communications Update Motion Klepperich/second Miller to acknowledge receipt of the Par 3 Update, the Recreation Update, and the Communications Update Commissioner Miller, given the upcoming weather reports, asked if the Par 3 Golf Course was open. Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence replied that the course was officially opened today. However, the course will likely be closed for the next few days and will reopen whenever the weather is cooperative. In regards to the Recreational Update, Chair Goldade wanted to highlight the Earth and Arbor Day Volunteer Event on April 27, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. He encouraged residents to check the city’s website for information. He also highlighted the need for an adult D level men’s softball team. Chair Goldade noted that the Commission has been in discussions about surveying the community regarding Parks & Recreation issues. The City of Mendota Heights is working with a company called POLCO; giving them the opportunity to survey citizens. That initiative will start in May 2019 with a whole city focus. Therefore, in May and June 2019 the commission will start talking about questions they are interested in asking and have those 3-5 question choices made for a July 2019 survey. Commissioner Hinderscheid stated that the Commission had discussed getting a school class or organization involved in creating a survey; however, it appears that they are rolling the Parks and Recreation survey into a broader city survey. He asked for confirmation. Assistant City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson replied that staff still has a survey outline filed with the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Mankato, and Hamline University as a potential project or senior capstone project; however, they have not had any takers. Chair Goldade clarified that the POLCO would come out with a city-focused survey; however, at some point the Commission would be picked to have a batch or a number of questions related to Parks and Recreation. It is just one tool that the commission can use to get feedback from the residents. AYES 6: NAYS 0: ABSENT 1 7. Unfinished Business 7.a Park Bench Donation Program Revision Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek explained that the Commission has been asked to review the Park Bench Donation Program as well as the application form. A slightly modified form was included in the Commission Meeting packet. He continued by explaining that citizens are asked to complete the form to request a memorial park bench. Staff reviews the application and routes the request through the Parks & Recreation Commission for approval of the location and to provide recommendation to the City Council for final approval and official acceptance of the donation amount. The former donation amount was $1,000. In 2017 the actual cost of the bench and plaque delivered to the city was just under $1,200. With the addition of a concrete slab ($500) and staff time to assemble the benches and anchor them to the new concrete slab the total estimated cost of a park bench would be approximately $2,000. Therefore, staff recommended that the minimum donation required per bench would be increased to $2,000. Commissioner Hinderscheid asked if the Commission had ever offered potential site locations for benches; for instance, at the Dog Park. Mr. Ruzek replied that staff currently leaves that option open as many memorial benches are located where the person being memorialized enjoyed being. However, staff could put together a list of possible locations if the Commission desired. Commissioner Kipp said that it was very nice that the citizens might want to subsidize the uses of the benches as this is like a charitable donation on their part. Some of them have probably planned for some time to purchase a bench. Kipp expressed concerns with raising the cost of the donation to a minimum of 100% by going from $1,000 to $2,000 in one jump. Commissioner Sherer asked if the benches have been coming from the same vendor that the city has used historically. Mr. Ruzek replied that yes, these have been purchased through Flagship Recreation who have provided some of the playground equipment. Commissioner Klepperich noted that there are no other funding sources for the benches so if they want to continue the bench program it has to be self-supporting. Mr. Ruzek replied that there could be a recommendation from the Commission to request funding in future years to subsidize these; however, there is nothing in the 2019 budget. Staff could make that recommendation to Council for 2020. Chair Goldade asked how many benches are donated per year. Mr. Ruzek replied that there has been nine benches donated since the mid-1990’s, when this program began – maybe one donation per year or every other year. Commissioner Kipp suggested that the Commission prioritize where they want these benches to go and put something in the newsletter informing the citizens. Chair Goldade replied that the Commission has talked of being purposeful in communicating about the program in the Friday News. This is something the Commission can continue to inform the citizens about. Commissioner Sherer asked if there was a way to reduce the cost of the concrete slab – make it smaller or something. Mr. Ruzek replied that he would have to see the surfacing underneath as his concern would be vegetation or weeds growing underneath. Also, if they put down weed blocker and/or gravel, the dirt and gravel might blow off more. Most of the cost for the concrete slab is the mobilization and setup by the contractor. Commissioner Miller raised the concern that doubling the price could put a stop to the donations all together. Commissioner Kipp suggested that the focus be on placing benches no further than one-half to three-quarters of a mile apart and that staff, knowing which paths are walked more than other, make those paths the priority. Since most people interested in donating a bench have a specific place in mind, Chair Goldade suggested staff put together a list of 3-5 preferred spots. Chair Goldade summarized the feedback as: • Find a way to reduce the cost o Different type of bench o Reduce the size of the cement pad o Asking Council to supplement the cost (in 2020) • Finding a standard distance between the benches, taking topography into consideration • Make the preferred location by a contributor the priority, but then have a list of 1st, 2nd, 3rd possible bench locations if no preference is indicated or the preferred location is not available Commissioner Kipp asked if the park donation has to be paid all at one time or if it could be paid for over a number of years. Mr. Ruzek replied that he has not had that request come up. If it were requested it would probably be a one-time event as the city runs on an annual budget. He did not believe payments over time would be the best option for this program. Motion Kipp/second Klepperich to authorize the Park Bench Budget Donation Form as is, ask City Council to provide short-term and long-term subsidies, and direct staff to develop a preferred location list AYES 6: NAYS 0: ABSENT 1 Chair Goldade expressed his appreciation to the residents who have already donated park benches and encouraged others to donate a bench to this great city. Commissioner Kipp asked if the donation for a park bench would be tax deductible. Staff agreed to look into finding the answer to this question. 7.b Community Outreach Chair Goldade reminded the Commission of Commissioner Meyer’s suggestion of having each commissioner choose a community group to partner with as another way to obtain feedback regarding Parks & Recreation by meeting with them periodically, update them on park and recreation ideas, and listen to them about their ideas. She specifically provided the example of the Mendota Moms Group. Commissioner Hinderscheid asked if there were any indication from these groups that they would be interested in having an arrangement like this. Chair Goldade indicated that this would probably be the first step after deciding if the commission wanted to move forward. Commissioner Sherer mentioned that the Moms Group would be a great start as they have children who play in the parks, participate in the programs, and use the facilities. Commissioner Hinderscheid stated that it would be helpful to know the community groups that they would consider contacting. Commissioner Klepperich stated that he knew that sometimes the relationship with MHAA was not very smooth; however, would offering to have someone represent them and provide their feedback be advantageous? Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence replied that there are three main youth associations that currently utilize the city’s facilities; Sibley Area Youth Hockey Association, Salvo Soccer Club, and MHAA. They might be good groups to reach out to. Chair Goldade suggested the following for a start: • Mom’s Club • Somerset Elementary School PTA • Mendota Elementary School PTA • Friendly Hills Middle School PTA • Henry Sibley High School • Independent School District Community Education • Mendota Heights Athletic Association Board of Directors • Sibley Area Youth Hockey Association Board of Directors • Salvo Soccer Club Board of Directors Chair Goldade asked Commissioners if this would be something they would be interested in doing since each of them would be responsible for contacting a group or groups. Ms. Lawrence noted that something to keep in mind is the desire to connect with groups that have perspectives of all age groups. One area they are lacking getting information from is people who are not in the school system. Commissioner Hinderscheid suggested some business groups would be a good contact point. Commissioner Kipp asked if the outreach would be invited by the commissioners or by city staff. Chair Goldade replied that city staff may help the commissioners with the message but his thought was that the commissioners would go to the groups. Each Commissioner was asked if they wanted to continue with this idea: • Commissioner Kipp – yes • Commissioner Sherer – yes • Commissioner Klepperich – yes • Commissioner Hinderscheid – yes, one Commissioner hears the various groups interest level • Commissioner Miller – see two levels of engagement o Specific input on a project o Periodic basis for open ended input for new ideas or desires Chair Goldade requested that the commissioners come back to the next meeting – or next few meetings – with ideas and suggestions, keeping in mind Ms. Lawrence’s challenge of looking at all age groups and levels of involvement. Commissioner Hinderscheid recalled a meeting he had with a representative from the Hastings Park and Recreation; they conducted a Facebook Live Park and Recreation Meeting. They had tremendous involvement and were surprised at how well people participated in it. 8. New Business 8.a Parks, Recreation, and Par 3 Annual Report Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence presented the Commission with the same report presented to the City Council on April 2, 2019. The items covered in the report included: • Commission Update • Facility/Park Improvements • Recreation Program Review • 2019 Recreation Plans • Par 3 Usage Review • Financial Review • Equipment and Approvals • Special Events/Footgolf • Facility Improvements • 2019 Par 3 Plans Commissioner Hinderscheid mentioned that Inver Grove Heights has doubled their greens fees on the weekends and asked how much those fees were increased on the weekends at the Par 3. Ms. Lawrence replied that the fees are increased by $1.00. Commissioner Hinderscheid asked if they would want to consider increasing those fees even more. Ms. Lawrence informed the Commission that they had approved the fees for 2019 and they have been set by City Council. However, it is something they can look into for 2020. She cautioned them by saying that the golf course industry in Minnesota is very competitive and the city has a very short course. She sees this as a benefit because it is a quick course to get through. However, she would be very careful about increasing the fees too much. With any increase they will see the number of players decline. Commissioner Hinderscheid requested that there be some sort of study done to see what similar sized courses do on their weekends. Ms. Lawrence also mentioned that she would not consider Inver Wood Golf Course a very good course to compare to the Par 3. Burnsville has a nine-hole course that would be a better comparison. Commissioner Hinderscheid suggested a simple solar light be installed to light up the golf sign on Dodd Road. Ms. Lawrence said she would check into it; however, there are residential homes nearby that may not be a fan of having a light there. The lights installed at the maintenance garage had to be diminished because the residents felt they were too bright. Chair Goldade asked if the basketball hoops had been installed at Marie Park. Ms. Lawrence replied that the basketball hoops have arrived at Public Works, it is just a matter of time to get them installed; however, it is on their list. Chair Goldade also asked about the bike racks now that the concrete pads are in. Ms. Lawrence replied that they are on their way and will be installed soon. Chair Goldade congratulated Ms. Lawrence on moving the spraying of the grass at the golf course in-house. It is a great solution. Commissioner Sherer asked if there was a cost to the city for the W orkouts in the Park or is that a marketing effort by Anytime Fitness. Ms. Lawrence replied that it is a marketing effort on their part. 8.b Parks Celebration Volunteer Signup Chair Goldade reminded residents that they are invited to Mendakota Park after they run the 5K race on June 1, 2019. Besides the activities, they can meet their favorite Park and Recreation Commissioners. He then asked for volunteers to sign up for one of the two shifts: 1. 10:45 – 12:00 2. 11:45 – 1:45 Commissioner Miller volunteered for the early shift Commissioner Kipp volunteered for the same shift. Commissioner Hinderscheid volunteered for the later shift (11:45 – 1:45), as did Chair Goldade. Commissioner Sherer said he would do 11:00 – 12:30, as did Commissioner Klepperich. Chair Goldade asked for ideas or suggestions on what to have at their table/booth or what they would like to do at the Parks Celebration. Commissioner Hinderscheid provided an example of what they did in the previous year with the survey. Commissioner Klepperich suggested they resurrect the written survey used last year. Another suggestion was for the Commissioners to wear Parks & Recreation Polo Shirts for a look of continuity. However, Ms. Lawrence noted that apparel was not budgeted for 2019. Commissioner Hinderscheid suggested a board showing the locations of the parks and trails in the city. Mr. Ruzek replied that staff could print a 3 x 5 poster board. 8.c Discussion of Parks Tour Chair Goldade reminded the Commission of their discussion to have a Parks Tour to look at facilities that may need updating in the future. Staff is available on Thursday, May 23 at 5:00 p.m. He then asked for suggestions on which parks to visit. Ms. Lawrence said it would be a good idea for them to pick parks where they would want to look at certain facilities or amenities that they may want to do upgrades to – ensure there is a purpose when visiting the parks so they can stay on topic that night. Chair Goldade asked if Ms. Lawrence had a list of 3-5 they could choose from. She did not; however, a park that had been discussed in the past was Valley View. It is a park many residents do not know exists. Commissioner Klepperich suggested Wentworth Park since Public Works has had an on-going project there. That would also give them an opportunity to view the warming house that they have been working on. Commissioner Hinderscheid suggested the Dog Park and maybe Rogers Lake. Commissioner Miller noted that he visited Victoria Highland and found it to be clean and relatively new; there are not any significant issues there. Commissioner Klepperich also suggested Mendakota since that is the city’s crown jewel and gem. It would be worth seeing how much it is being used. Chair Goldade summarized the list of six: • Valley View Heights Park • Wentworth • Dog Park • Rogers Lake • Victoria Highland • Mendakota The list needed to be whittled down to four. They asked Ms. Lawrence to choose the four. 9. Staff Announcements Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence made the following announcements: • There are still open positions available for summer employment, details are available on the city’s website • The Earth and Arbor Day Volunteer Event will be on Saturday, April 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Register through the city’s website prior or at the event on that day • Golf course is open for the 2019 season. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek made these announcements: • City Clean-up Day has been scheduled for Saturday, May 4 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Mendakota Park. There is a fee for some items; details on fees and what can and cannot be brought in can be found on the city’s website or Facebook page • Impending snow on the way; staff is not proposing to do any snow plowing of the city trail systems. The grounds have thawed and they would severely rip up the turf surrounding the trails • Some of the metal ramps have been repaired at the Skate Park • Grants were submitted for both playgrounds • Staff has been unable to complete the pond project at Wentworth due to melt off and thaw • There is a city monument sign on the corner of Mendota Heights Road and Dodd; staff is doing a re-landscaping of that project in early May 10. Student Representative Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence read an update provided by Student Representative Matthew Boland: • He, along with four other students, has started an Environmental Group at St. Thomas Academy o They will have regular meetings at school along with a monthly Mendota Heights Park Clean-up. Their first project area is Rogers Lake Park Skateboard Area on Saturday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m. They encourage people of all ages to join them in cleaning the parks to make them a better place. 11. Commission Comments and Park Updates Commissioner Miller: • Nothing to report on Victoria Highlands • There was good discussion this evening • He expressed his appreciation to Ms. Lawrence for the annual reports Commissioner Hinderscheid: • Asked if the vegetation at Ivy Hills Pond would come back now that the dredging of the pond has been completed. Mr. Ruzek replied that the city did install some native plantings at Ivy Hills Pond, North Kensington, and Rogers Lake over 10 years ago. He is now in the process of trying to reach out to Prairie Restorations to get them back out to all three sites to see what kind of maintenance they need to be brought back to their original native planting designs. • The Dog Park was very busy on Sunday, which was encouraging. The people there could not say enough nice things about the Dog Park. • He asked if wood chips, gravel, or something could be put down in the high traffic areas to alleviate the mud. • Looking at what took place in 2018 was very exciting with a lot of positive changes and he looks forward to 2019. Commissioner Kipp: • He noted that conversation had taken place in the past about an exercise course for elderly people in the parks; this should be followed-up on. • This was a very good meeting and the Commission accomplished a lot • Ms. Lawrence did a wonderful job with the golf course • Commissioner Hinderscheid noted that they did try to put in some features that would be designed for adults when they did the playground updates Commissioner Sherer: • Suggested that an actual adult exercise area might be better suited placed separate from the playground as the adults might feel more comfortable, especially if they are not with their children • Hagstrom-King and Friendly Hills Parks are very busy with the warmer weather • Hagstrom-King grass is soggy with the rain and thaw • Friendly Hills – the hockey nets are still out on the rink and should be put in storage for the season Commissioner Klepperich: • Summer is on its way, which is great for the Parks and Recreation programs • He looked at Mendakota yesterday and there were preschoolers and moms on the playground equipment; everything looked to be in really good shape • There were two Public Works employees who were literally up to their elbows trying to locate an irrigation valve over on one of the fields – they found it. But it was certainly an example of the devoted Public Works people in action. • The baseball field at Mendakota appears to be ready to play on. • Baseball was being played on the Civic Center Field • He would like to see users of the Civic Center Field have a volunteer day where they could help with some of the cleanup of leaves and twigs, etc. • The streets are being swept but he encouraged residents to keep an eye on the sewer openings to keep them clear, especially if there will be another round of rain and snow Chair Goldade: • Asked if the tree purchase program was still going on or has the deadline passed. Mr. Ruzek replied there are two different programs going on: o Friends of the Parks – not sure of the deadline on that o City-sponsored program is available until May 11, 2019 and an update posted yesterday stated that trees are still available • He encouraged everyone to check out the Adult Tennis Program and to get out an enjoy the parks • Marie Park – the new Pickleball nets are here and encouraged everyone to gather together to play Pickleball • He too was encouraged by the 2018 report and is looking forward to a great 2019 12. Adjourn Motion Klepperich/Second Sherer to adjourn the meeting at 7:56 PM AYES 6: NAYS 0: ABSENT 1 Minutes Taken By: C. Darlene Oehlke Independent Contractor