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1993-06-08 Parks and Rec Comm Agenda Packet (2)SG� QOQ--c PARxs Arm zzECREATaorr cormiassaoar JUNE 8, 1993 - 6:30 P.M. ** 6:30 o'clock p.m. ** 1. Call to Order. 2, Roll Call. 3. Approval of May 11, 1993 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes. 4. Future Land Acquisition - Revisit Discussion * Par 3 Golf Course * Burrows Farm Site 5. Discussion of Parking - Mendota Heights Road * Hagstrom - King Park 6. Purchase of Big Top Tents 7. Verbal Updates * Capital Improvement Plan for 1994 Budget * Approval of Concessions Agreement * Celebrate Mendota Heights Parka! * ISTEA Grant Award for Soo Line Trail * Calendar of Activities 8. Adjourn. Auxiliary aids for disabled persona are available upon request at least 120 hours is advance. If a notice of less thaw 120 hours is received; the City of Mendota Heights will make every attempt to provide the aids, however, this may not be possible on short notice. Please contact City Administration at 452-1850 with requests. The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, May 11, 1993 in the City Hall Large Conference Room, 1101 Victoria Curve, The meeting was called to order at 6:40 o°clock P.M. The following members were present: Spicer, Kleinglass, Linnell and Norton. Commissioners Katz and Damberg were excused. Commissioner Libra had notified the Commission he would be late. Also present was Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder and Parks Project Manager Guy Kullander. Mr. Jim Kilburg, President of the Fire Relief Association and three members of the Fire Relief Association were in the audience. APPROVAL OF kIINUTES Commissioner Norton moved to approve the April 13, 1993, Minutes with corrections, Commissioner Linnell seconded the motion. YS1�Idn7>�:{�yh!e�.fiS�tN�X •,: a ��. Vice Chair Spicer introduced this item by stating the Parks and Recreation Commission had been aware, for over a year, that the Fire Relief Association had desired to operate the Mendakota Park Concession Stand. Spicer also stated Mend - Eagan was not interested in doing this on a regular basis. Fire Relief Association President Jim Kilburg stated he had submitted a letter in order to describe what the Fire Relief Association is and what they do for the Fire Department and the City of Mendota Heights. Kilburg stated their major efforts were towards funding of the fire prevention program. Kilburg stated the Fire Relief Association is loosing funding donations, which they have received from the VFW in the past, due to the demise of pull tabs. Commissioner Spicer inquired as to how the money, the Fire Relief Association would make off the concession stands, would go back into the community. Kilburg stated the Fire Relief Association intended to use this money to help fund their fire prevention program. Kilburg stated with the loss of VFW donations the Fire Relief Association is trying to find other avenues to provide funding for their program other than going to City Council and asking for budgetary dollars. Kilburg stated the Fire Relief Association operated the concession stand twice last summer and has been in operation for a week Parks and Recreation Commission May 11, 1993 Page 3 Commissioner Kleinglass moved to approve the proposed agreement between the Eire Relief Association and the City of Mendota Heights for operation of the Mendakota Park Concession Stand, Commissioner Norton seconded the motion. Batchelder stated there would be slight changes to the agreement, as written tonight, due to his discussions with Don Maddaus, the City's insurance agent, this morning. CONCRETE PADS Parks Project Manager Kullander explained that Parks Leadperson Terry Blum had requested the Commission to authorize the expenditure of $6,000 in order to install concrete pads for bleachers at eight ball fields in the City's neighborhood parks. Kullander stated that at the Parks Commission's direction in April, staff had looked into other surfaces such as gravel and asphalt for bleacher pads. Kullander estimated if the City crews were to dig out these pads and place gravel their time and cost would be roughly the same as contracting for concrete pads. Kullander stated the City would still have to spray the gravel pads and the asphalt pads were not the best on hot summer days as the bleachers can sink into the asphalt. Commissioner Libra arrived at 7000 o'clock P.M. Vice Chair Spicer inquired if it was cost efficient to place concrete pads for the bleachers in the neighborhood parks. Kullander stated herbicide can be used instead of building a pad or the park crews could pair up and move the bleachers. Kullander explained this request originated from the fact that one person cannot move the bleachers when he is in the park mowing them. He stated it takes two to three men to move these heavy bleachers. Spicer stated for the 120 days a year that the park crews are mowing grass, it is probably not necessary to build bleacher pads. ' Commissioner Linnell stated if it is important to the park crews, then it could be placed as an item in the Maintenance Budget and then it could be done one park a year when there is time for the park crews to do it and that this makes more sense as a maintenance item. Vice Chair Spicer moved to recommend that the park crews consider this as a maintenance item in the 1994 Budget and Parks and Recreation Commission May 11, 1993 Page 5 compare these numbers witty other municipal operations. Vice Chair Spicer stated it would be in the City's interest to plan ahead and after the fifteen year bonds to purchase the golf course retire, then the City would be profiting off of the revenues. Commissioner Linnell stated there might be other opportunities in Mendota Heights including the land held by Resurrection Cemeteryo Linnell stated it might be more appropriate to allow the Par 3 to develop as single family homes which would provide a tax base in this area and have a golf course in a Less developable area such as the Resurrection Cemetery property where there is airport noise. Spicer stated this golf course could possibly provide a long term source of revenue for the City and this might appeal to the Parks Commissioners as the Special Park Fund is relying on cash dedications for subdivisions which are dwindling. Commissioner Linnell inquired about the Friendly Hills school -- site and wondered if this could ever be used as a golf course on a lease basis from the school district. Batchelder stated whenever the City has inquired if the school district intends to release the land, they say no and that they are going to hold on to it for possible future schools. Commissioner Spicer moved that the City obtain an appraisal to determine the value of the Par 3 Golf Course land and to direct staff to look at alternative sites for golf courses. Commissioner Libra offered a friendly amendment stating to have the appraiser take a look at other sites in Mendota Heights and compare this to the fact that Mendota Heights Par 3 is already an operating business as compared to raw land, Commissioner Libra stated further that the City could compare the cost of improving alternate land costs and the fact that this would be a business buy out. Commissioner Spicer accepted the friendly amendment. Commissioner Libra seconded the motion. AYES: 5 NAYS° 0 17: iiDIHVi:i�i�:i1c[�►�+.Li�i� G.�J Parks Project Manager Kullander stated the City's Budget for 1993 had included the replacement of four bridges in Wentworth Parks and Recreation Commission May li, 1993 Page 7 basis. Kullander stated the park crews feel that a permanent fix is needed for these bridges. Commissioner Linnell stated he would like to consider having a bridge at Wentworth Park at least in one location instead of a culvert. He stated this bridge could be widened out for motor vehicle access. Commissioner Norton stated the Parks Commission needs to consider future capital improvements. Batchelder stated the Special Park Fund grew by $28,000 last year. Commissioner Libra inquired if other big park maintenance items were coming or due in the near future. Kullander stated no, not really, He stated most maintenance items are covered by the General Fund Maintenance Budget which includes the warming houses, hockey boards, trail improvements and picnic tables. Kullander that the only capital improvements needed in the near future would be for ADA modifications, which are not significant. He stated that the Valley bridge by itself would be $9,000 to $10,000 and he compared this to the cost of the bridge at Somerset Elementary School. Commissioner Kleinglasa stated it seems the Parks Commission was of a consensus to do this project but the question was how to pay for it. Commissioner Linnell stated Special Park Funds would be appropriate if this is deemed to be a life safety issue. Commissioner Kleinglass inquired about the Special Park Fund. Batchelder explained the Special Park Fund currently has $391,614 in it and that this is an increase of $28,639 from 1992. Kleinglass stated it seems a lot of people are using the trails and the Maintenance Funds in the Parks Budget is not adequate to pay for one bridge a year. Kleinglass inquired, if in staff's estimation, is this absolutely necessary to be done in 1993. Kullander stated the patching and reinforcement of the railings on these bridges is a liability concern. Kullander stated we have had the same problem for the last few years, it could cost about $500 to $1,000 this year to fix the railings and next year the frost could heave again and it would need to be done all over, Commissioner Libra inquired about the time frame in completing this project. Kullander responded it would take approximately two months for bidding and the construction process. Commissioner Norton repeated that the Parks Commission would like to see projections for capital improvements. Kullander responded the only large maintenance item, he could think of, is the resurfacing of the tennis courts. He stated resurfacing of the tennis courts had been an annual budget item until 1993. Linnell stated the Americans With Disability Act might require a number of improvements in the City parks. Kullander stated he had done a self evaluation of the park system and that the Referendum had anticipated most of the Parks and Recreation Commission May 11, 1993 Page 9 accepted the County would pay for the trail which the City had included in the highway project. Kullander stated the County may provide approximately $60,000 of funding if the County Board approves this change of trail routing. Kullander stated the City then would only have to pay for a connection from the Mendota Bridge to the Pilot Knob Road trail. The Parks Commission discussed having a brochure or handout on the parks and trails systems. Commissioner Linnell inquired if the Ivy Falls Project had progressed to the point that landscape plans for the pond in Ivy Falls had been completed. Kullander stated no, but he has had discussions with Engineer Eckles and at the time the landscape plan is completed, they will stake the area and maybe the Parks Commission can tour the area to determine appropriate landscaping in coordination with the Parks Project Manager. There being no further business, the Parks and Recreation Commission adjourned at 8:05 o'clock P.M. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Batchelder Administrative Assistant