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1997-01-14 Parks and Rec Comm Minutes (2)CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION(CTTY COUNCIL JOINT WORKSHOP MINUTES JANUARY 14, 1997 The Joint Workshop of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission and the Mendota Heights City Council was held on Tuesday, January 14, 1997, in the Large Conference Room at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM. The following Commissioners were present: Spicer, Libra, Kleinglass, Linnell, Damberg, Liberacki and Norton. The following Councilmembers were present: Smith, Koch, Huber, and Krebsbach. Also present were Mayor Mertensotto, City Administrator Kevin Batchelder, Recreation Programmer Chris Esser and Administrative Assistant Patrick C. Hollister. ITEM #1: REVIEW PURPOSE AND ROLE OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Chairman Spicer said that a few years ago when there was rapid development in the City and the City was acquiring parkland, life on the Parks and Recreation Commission was more exciting and Commissioners felt a real sense of purpose. Chairman Spicer continued that now that the pace of development had slowed down, the Parks and Recreation Commission had been reduced to discussing maintenance items. Chairman Spicer said that he wished to hear the Council's thoughts on what the new role of the Parks and Recreation Commission should be besides just maintenance. Chairman Spicer said that the Commission should redefine its purpose. Commissioner Kleinglass added that the Commission spends a lot of time discussing small amounts of money, and that Staff should be empowered to spend such small amounts without troubling the Parks and Recreation Commission about them. Commissioner Kleinglass added that meetings often take only an hour, and that he doesn't feel the Parks and Recreation Commission is accomplishing anything anymore. Mayor Mertensotto said that anytime the Commission felt that there were not sufficient items on the agenda to justify a meeting, they could request through the Administrative Assistant that the Council grant them a waiver from having to meet, and that the Council in most cases would be happy to comply. ITEM #2: A FULL-TIME RECREATION PROGRAMMER Councilmembers Krebsbach and Smith asked the Commission to explain what a Full -Time recreation programmer could accomplish. Chairman Spicer replied that the City of Mendota Heights had a growing population, and that this led to an increase in demand for recreational services such as Cross -Country Skiing. Chairman Spicer continued that Mr. Esser has done an excellent job as Recreation Programmer. Chairman Spicer added that a Full -Time Recreation Programmer would not just allow more traditional recreational programs such as baseball, volleyball, etc., but other activities which would appeal to a wider range of age groups and interests such as Nature programs and senior activities such as Gardening. Spicer concluded that a Full - Time Recreation Programmer is necessary to maximize use of the City's open spaces, and that the Commission was not seeking to create a Recreation Department. Chairman Spicer asked why the Council was afraid of any growth in recreation services provided by the City. Commissioner Kleinglass said that the City did not provide any recreational activities that appealed to him, such as a Bike Club, a Running Club, or a Walking Club. Commissioner Ueinglass said that a Full -Time Recreation Programmer would allow the City to provide recreational activities that would appeal to adults beyond merely softball. Commissioner Kleinglass said that volunteers alone would not be sufficient to get these programs going. Commissioner Kleinglass said that if a Running, Walking or Biking club were formed, it could eventually elect officers from residents, but that the initial impetus would have to come from the Recreation Programmer, Councilmember Krebsbach said that she was concerned that aFull-Time Recreation Programmer would duplicate services provided by Community Education, Councilmember Krebsbach added that as government grows, it exposes itself to the risk of painful cuts down the road. Mayor Mertensotto said that the City has entrusted MIIAA with the primary provision of sports activities in Mendota Heights, and that the current half-time Recreation Programmer position was created to facilitate better use of the City's fields, not to create a Recreation Department. Mayor Mertensotto added that more West Saint Paul kids currently use Community Education because it is located in West Saint Paul, but that once Community Education moved to Mendota Heights more Mendota Heights kids would use it. Commissioner Damberg said that the City had spent millions of dollars on fields, and that many of them were not being used much of the time. Commission Damberg added that she saw very few "pick-up" games going on. Commissioner Damberg continued that one Full -Time Recreation Programmer would not constitute a "department". Commissioner Damberg added that since the City built all these fields and courts, they should be used. Commissioner Damberg said that the City should be setting up leagues, particularly for 2 different age groups with different interests. Commissioner Damberg concluded that residents of Mendota Heights without young children also pay taxes and that they should receive some benefits in the form of recreation programming oriented toward their interests. Councilmember Huber said that there is a stark contrast between the types of programs offered by Community Education and those which are or could be offered by the City. Councilmember Huber added that he saw no overlap between what a Full -Time Recreation Programmer would offer and what Community Education offers. Councilmember Huber concluded that he supports creating a Full -Time Recreation Programmer position, and that the tax impact is very minimal. Commissioner Spicer asked if a Full -Time Recreation Programmer could be tried for one year on an experimental basis. Mayor Mertensotto responded that it would not be fair to Mr. Esser to entice him to drop other commitments for the sake of Mendota Heights, only to be cut back to half-time a year later. Mayor Mertensotto added that creating a Full -Time Recreation Programmer would inevitably lead to the creation of a department. Councilmember Smith said that if the City ever had aFull-Time Recreation Programmer, that individual should facilitate programs created and maintained by citizen -run organizations such as MHAA, but should not create and maintain programs himself or herself. Councilmember Smith added that the City should not run recreational programs, but that individual residents in the community should take initiative to create programs, and that MHAA or similar organizations could expand into providing recreational opportunities for other age groups. Councilmember Smith said that the City should build on the successful model of the past, which is empowering volunteer organizations such as MHAA to provide recreational programs, and that this model could be applied to adult programs as well. Councilmember Smith concluded that if a Full -Time Recreation Programmer were hired, limits would need to be placed upon their scope of activities. Commissioner Linnell pointed out that all City recreational programs were self-supporting through fees. Mayor Mertensotto responded that the City still subsidized these programs. Councilmember Krebsbach said that if no parameters were placed upon the Full -Time Recreation Programmer, it could create both a dependency on the City for recreational programs for adults and activities that duplicate Community Education. Councilmember Krebsbach continued that this increase in demand could eventually require additional Staff beyond one full-time Recreation Programmer, Councilmember Krebsbach added that a volunteer association similar to MHAA in structure but focused on the recreational needs of adults may be successful. Councilmember Krebsbach added that she was looking for parameters to be placed upon a full-time Recreation Programmer that would clarify that the individual role is to schedule, facilitate and link recreational programs generated by volunteer organizations. Mayor Mertensotto said that the City doesn't currently provide programming for seniors. Mayor Mertensotto added that the seniors were asking the City for space, and that he would be willing to provide the seniors with space, but that they would have to run their own programs. Chairman Spicer said that in comparisons between Mendota Heights and Cities of comparable size, Mendota Heights provides fewer recreation programs than any other City. Commissioner Norton stated that the Commission's role is to inform the Council about community needs. Mayor Mertensotto responded that the City takes care of its highest priority, which is providing low cost government to its residents. Chairman Spicer said that he was willing to pay $4 more per year for more Recreational Programs, Councilmember Koch said that many small incremental increases in costs would add up to a significant increase in taxes. Councilmember Koch elaborated that often government justifies minor increases in spending, viewing them in isolation and claiming that they are not significant. Councilmember Koch continued that it was important for the City to look at the whole picture and realize that all of these supposedly minor increases would lead in aggregate to significant tax increases for Mendota Heights residents. Councilmember Koch concluded that the City does provide the basic infrastructure for adult recreational programs, such as streets, trails, and parks, and that it was the responsibility of residents to organize activities for themselves if they so desired. Chairman Spicer asked Staffto prepare a new proposal for aFull-Time Recreational Programmer that would emphasize voluntary programs, and would set limits and parameters upon the position that emphasize the facilitation of programs. ITEM #3: MEETING INCREASING DEMAND FOR BALLFIELDS Chairman Spicer said that there is a growing demand for Ballfield space in the City of Mendota Heights. Mayor Mertensotto said that the residents of Mendota Heights would not be willing to support a bond issue to acquire more field space, and that lighting Mendakota Park was not a politically feasible option. 0 Mr. Batchelder updated the group on Staffs discussions with MHAA. Mr. Batchelder stated that the MHAA was proposing new traveling teams requiring fields with longer base lines even though such fields were not available. Mr. Batchelder said that the "ballfield crisis" predicted for 1996 did not occur, and in fact the numbers for 1996 were down from 1995. Chairman Spicer asked what happened to the idea of putting fields at the Cemetery. Mayor Mertensoto responded that the City had originally asked for T-Ball fields and could not then go back and ask for baseball fields. Mayor Mertensotto continued that the cemetery pays no property taxes but receives government services, and so they could be asked to provide field space for the City. Mayor Mertensotto added that fields could be built there on a five-year lease and a fence could be constructed. Mayor Mertensotto added that Visitation could make a similar arrangement with the City. Councilmember Smith suggested the south side of Acacia Road for ballfields. Chairman Spicer said that ballfields could be a good temporary use in many sites before they were developed. Mayor Mertensotto said that Staff needed to spend time with MHAA discussing why the City's fields were underused. Mayor Mertensotto added that MHAA had to adjust to the City's current field capacity. Mr. Batchelder responded that MHAA has told the City that it is impossible for them to get parental cooperation on weekend scheduling. Mr. Batchelder added that the City should review the use of the School District's fields, and also look at Fort Snelling. Commissioner Kleinglass said that the VA hospital had a baseball field and that he would be willing to rent it to the City for a good rate. ITEM 444: STAFF WORKLOAD AND THE PRIORITY OF PARKS PROJECTS The Parks and Recreation Commission pointed out that the following Parks Projects had not been completed as scheduled in 1996: 1. North Kensington Park 2. Wentworth Park Shelter 3. Park Maps Staff was directed to implement these projects in 1997, or to determine priorities with the Commission and Council if the engineering department was unable to accomplish these improvements to the park system. ITEM #5: NORTH KENSINGTON PARK Councilmember Smith said that she was still in favor of the "backyard" concept, but that she felt it needed to be modified in favor of more traditional plantings of trees, bushes and grass. Councilmember Smith said that the Plan now cost more than they had originally thought. Councilmember Smith added that the pond area was now too expensive as it was currently planned. Councilmember Smith said that she was also worried about mosquitoes and rodents. Councilmember Smith added that the Prairie grass would take several years to establish. Commissioner Spicer recalled that at the neighborhood meetings on North Kensington Park, the neighborhood had overwhelmingly supported the existing plan. Chairman Spicer added that the City had picked prairie grass because it was low maintenance. Commissioner Damberg said that the City should place more value on natural grasses and natural habitats, and that the original plan was preferable to a formal park. Commissioner Damberg added that the Parks and Recreation Commission had heard no objections to the agreed upon plan and that therefore the City should proceed with this plan. The Council and Commission directed Staff to place North Kensington Park on the February Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda to revisit the design of the plantings. ITEM #6: OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION Chairman Spicer said that the City should consider preserving more open space before it is lost forever. Chairman Spicer said that a referendum would be very difficult and asked how the City could finance land acquisition. Mayor Mertensotto said that contract -for -deed would be an option, and that the City should take everything it can afford to get. Councilmember Huber suggested that parcels PI A be ranked by priority based upon the desirability of the land and the risk of losing it in the near term. The Commission and the Council expressed interest in the following parcels: • #6 Acacia Area TIF Acquired Property • #9 Slowinski Property • #11 Foss homestead by Wentworth Park • #16 Acacia property north of Acacia Boulevard • #18 Resurrection Cemetery "Break Off' Area • #19 Visitation Convent Property • #21 Tousignant Property off Mendota Heights Road ITEM #7: EXPANSION OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM The Commission and the Council expressed interest in the following Trail possibilities: • #8 Valley Park/Par 3 Cross Country Ski Trail • #19 Ski Trails in Mendakota Golf Course • #22 Copperfield/Centex Area Trails • #23 North Side of Mendota Heights Road from Dodd to Delaware ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn made by Kleinglass and seconded by Damberg. AYES: 7 NAYS: 0 The meeting adjourned at 10:15 PM. Respecz�lly Szzbmitted, Patrick C. Hollister 7