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2021-03-09 Park and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS, DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING MARCH 9, 2021 The March meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, 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: Jaffrey Blanks, Patrick Cotter (arrived at 6:32 p.m.), Bob Klepperich, Stephanie Meyer (arrived at 6:32 p.m.), Dan Sherer and Amy Smith; absent: none. Staff present: Recreation Program Coordinator, Meredith Lawrence, Assistant City Administrator, Cheryl Jacobson and Public Works Director, Ryan Ruzek. 3. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Commissioners Meyer and Cotter arrived. 4. Approval of Agenda Motion Klepperich/second Blanks, to approve the agenda. A roll call vote was performed: Chair Goldade aye Commissioner Klepperich aye Commissioner Meyer aye Commissioner Sherer aye Commissioner Blanks aye Commissioner Cotter aye Commissioner Smith aye Motion carried. 5.a Approval of Minutes from February 9, 2021 Regular Meeting Motion Klepperich/second Blanks to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2021 Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting. A roll call vote was performed: Commissioner Smith aye Commissioner Blanks aye Commissioner Cotter aye Commissioner Sherer aye Commissioner Meyer aye Commissioner Klepperich aye Chair Goldade aye Motion carried. 6. Citizen Comment Period (for items not on the agenda) None. 7. Acknowledgement of Reports Chair Goldade read the titles of the updates (Par 3, Recreation, Park Improvement, Park Volunteer Program, City Council Priorities, and Student Representative Updates) and polled the Commissioners for questions. 7.a Par 3 Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence stated that staff is beginning prep work for the 2021 season. She stated that with the changing weather they are working to open the course as soon as possible as well as updating the COVID-19 plan. She stated that staff has been working on irrigation box wiring and other maintenance updates. She stated that the City Council approved a new well pump, motor and other components and she has been working with the contractor to ensure the irrigation system will mesh with the computer system and well pump motor. She stated that registration opened this morning for programs, noting over 400 people registered with a record of over $36,000 generated in funds for recreation and Par 3 programs. Chair Goldade congratulated staff on the success of the recreation registration. Commissioner Smith asked if there is a tournament of golf outing for families scheduled for May 1st. Ms. Lawrence confirmed there is a Par 3 family kick-off event on May 1st at 9 a.m. She stated that there is another youth tournament scheduled for June 18th. Chair Goldade stated that the City mailed a $5 off coupon since the last meeting and commended staff for following the input from the Commission. He noted that there were comments on social media today related to league play. Ms. Lawrence replied that there are weekly leagues for youth, in groups of four. She stated that instruction is not provided but staff is on the course to ensure play runs smoothly. She stated that many of the golf league tee times received full capacity through registration today. Chair Goldade asked for additional details on the use of the well. Ms. Lawrence explained that the well is used for the maintenance building, irrigation and other water sources needed for maintenance. She clarified that the Clubhouse is connected to City water. 7.b Recreation Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence stated that a postcard was mailed to residents with more information provided on the City website regarding recreation programs. She expressed appreciation to the Communications Coordinator that created the mailer. She noted that there are plenty of programs that still have availability and encouraged residents to explore the website to find those offerings. She stated that field and facility permits were issued, noting that group meetings were held with priority group three and four users. She stated that 6,200 hours were requested for the City fields noting that staff reviewed the requests and mailed the appropriate approved permits to the user groups. She stated that the canoe rack rental is now available, noting that 11 of the 12 rental space have been reserved by Mendota Heights residents. Commissioner Cotter asked for input from staff on how the permit process went this year. Ms. Lawrence commented that the community and user groups meetings that were conducted were successful and helped to better explain the process for permitting. She stated that staff did still receive blanket permits from users, which is understandable as groups are not yet sure of their registration. She hoped that schedules will be better known by those user groups soon and that the City would also be updated which could potentially open up additional time for additional users. She believed that the communication has been improved between the user groups and staff. She noted that she would provide an update once the season gets underway. Commissioner Sherer stated that he has heard from the baseball and fast pitch organizations they have stated that they would like to know tournament dates earlier for planning and suggested that perhaps there be a separate permitting for those events. Ms. Lawrence stated that she has not heard that comment from the organization but would welcome the opportunity to discuss that if the group reaches out to her with that input. She reinforced that City events receive first priority, and those dates have to be known before dates can be reserved for other activities. 7.c Parks Improvement Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence stated that at the last meeting the Commission made a recommendation to the City Council related to the Marie Park playground update. She noted that staff met with the contractor and feels that could be done without further encroaching upon the baseball field, reporting that the City Council authorized the playground and shade structure; totaling $133,004. She stated that the playground will be double the size of the existing playground and hoped for construction to be completed by June 1st. She commented that she is proud of the process for this project and the amount of community interest and input received. Commissioner Meyer asked if staff has a drawing of the layout, as she would assume that has changed from the Commission meeting in order to not encroach on the baseball field. Ms. Lawrence stated that she does not yet have the drawing but noted that staff is going to walk the site with the vendor and will then have a final rendering to provide to the Commission. Commissioner Meyer asked if the subcommittee could participate in the walkthrough. Ms. Lawrence noted that she could let the group know when the walkthrough will occur. She stated that the elements of the playground included in the RFP must be included, therefore the walkthrough will simply be to determine where items can fit. Chair Goldade stated that he has received comments from residents as to why the playground was being replaced as it did not appear to be in disrepair. Ms. Lawrence stated that playgrounds have a typical lifespan of 15 years. She noted that certain items had been replaced but the swings were close to 30 years old and therefore are becoming a safety concern. She stated that staff was also completing more maintenance on the playground than other similar playgrounds, therefore the equipment was being replaced related to safety and maintenance concerns and in order to stay up to date with changing standards. 7.d Park Volunteer Program Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence stated that an update on the park volunteer program was included in the packet on the development of a program. She stated that staff is refining the concept using the input received from the Commission as well as several City departments. She stated that staff will bring the concept back for Commission review once additional information is available. Chair Goldade stated that this item will remain on the agenda in order to continue to provide updates as staff continues to work on this program concept. 7.f Student Representative Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence commented that there were three applicants for the student representative position. She stated that staff has been in contact with the applicants, and that City Administrator Mark McNeill and Mayor Levine recommended that Chair Goldade and Commissioner Klepperich interview the candidates and provide a recommendation to the City Council for appointment. Commissioner Blanks asked the number of representatives that would be selected. Ms. Lawrence stated that although it had been considered to have three representatives, the decision had been made not to do so. Chair Goldade commented that he felt strongly that there not be three representatives as that would create a Commission of 10 members. He commented that while student representatives provide valuable insight, they also tend to have busy schedules and therefore it could be beneficial to have two members. He asked for input from the Commission on the desired number of student representatives. Commissioner Blanks agreed that students tend to have busy schedules and therefore it could be helpful to have two members or a second alternate, or even a third member. Commissioner Klepperich stated that when he first joined the Commission there were two student representatives and that worked well but commented that three could be too many. He stated that two students would provide a better opportunity to have at least one student in attendance at a meeting. Commissioner Cotter agreed that two students would help to provide rotating attendance between the two students to accommodate schedules. Chair Goldade stated that one additional member of the Commission could join he and Commissioner Klepperich for the interviews if desired. 7.e City Council Priorities Update Assistant City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson stated that the priority summary list created by the City Council was included in the packet as an update. She explained that this process is completed each year in order to identify City Council priorities and provide direction for staff. She stated that this year was developed as a two-year process and provided background information on the process. She stated that staff worked with the City Council to develop the action items for each priority and worked further to identify a timeline. She stated that a “parked” column was added for items that are dependent upon the completion of another item. She referenced the items related to parks and natural resources. Chair Goldade commented that this is a great document and acknowledged the work of the City Council and staff. He recognized the link to the Park and Recreation Commission for those two items and stated that perhaps the group stay updated on those items bi-monthly. Ms. Jacobson commented that the City Council was clear that the Commission should be involved in the work on the related items. Commissioner Sherer stated that the Skate Park is shown as a priority and asked for additional context. He noted that seems to have taken priority over projects discussed the previous year. Ms. Jacobson noted that further discussion will occur later on the agenda for that item. Motion Klepperich/second Blanks to acknowledge the staff reports. A roll call vote was performed: Commissioner Sherer aye Commissioner Meyer aye Commissioner Klepperich aye Chair Goldade aye Commissioner Smith aye Commissioner Cotter aye Commissioner Blanks aye Motion carried. 8. New Business None. 9. Unfinished Business 9.a Skate Park Work Group Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence commented that the subcommittee has been working diligently on how to keep the Skate Park safe, both operationally and structurally. She stated that some ideas for remodeling opportunities have been developed using a potential budget of $125,000. She stated that there have been questions related to priority, location, and funding. She noted that both the Skate Park and the Wentworth W arming House were discussed at the worksession the previous night and the decision was made to pause the projects. She stated that the City Council directed staff to conduct strategic planning in order to ensure both projects are done correctly and the right decisions are made for the park system and community. She noted that staff will continue to provide updates as they arise. Commissioner Smith asked if there was discussion related to the existing Skate Park and what would be needed to keep that safe for this summer. Ms. Lawrence replied that some maintenance will occur at the park to ensure that it will be safe for this summer. She stated that staff will meet with a contractor to determine the work that would be needed to ensure the park is in compliance and safe. She stated that there will not be additional features added, but the City wants to ensure the safety of the users. Chair Goldade asked the role of the subcommittee moving forward. Ms. Lawrence replied that the subcommittee will be paused until there is further direction from the City Council. She stated that staff will notify the members of the subcommittee this week. Chair Goldade stated that he received a memorandum from concerned citizens on Mendakota Court, dated February 19, 2021. He thanked the City Council for their leadership and looked forward as to how the Commission can support this topic moving forward. He agreed that this should be done right, and additional research should be done. 9.b Asset Management Plan Draft Review Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence stated that a park asset management plan was included in the Commission packet with the intent of providing a framework for park improvement projects and the parks system as a whole. She stated that this plan includes regularly scheduled projects, such as playground replacements. She noted that the document is a draft and additional information will continue to be added. She stated that the document will provide long range plans, goals and policies working on a five-year rolling period. She stated that this will allow staff to plan and provide the City Council and Commission with the appropriate information to plan for future projects. She stated that this information will be used for budget purposes as well. Assistant City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson commented that this will be a forecasting tool for the parks system that includes both scheduled maintenance and planned improvements. She noted that this will be a comprehensive document that will continue to evolve over time and will assist in budgeting for those improvements and maintenance. She stated that the Commission has discussed funding quite often and stated that this document will help to identify the desired improvements and maintenance, available funding, and appropriate timing. She stated that a referendum and the Par 3 bonds have been discussed as a potential opportunities for parks funding and this asset management plan will help to provide input on whether those would be appropriate funding sources or whether those items should be budgeted for. She stated that strategic planning will be used to gather information and input and to develop the timing. Commissioner Sherer commented that it is great to see progress on this topic. He noted that the Commission has discussed this concept in the past year and thanked staff for their efforts. He asked if there would be opportunity to help shape the document as it was mentioned that this is a draft, or whether that input would be provided from the City Council. He stated that he noticed a few items missing from the list. Ms. Jacobson stated that the draft plan was to serve as an example of a plan and is by no means finished and will be an evolving document. She stated that staff is completely open to additional enhancements or scheduled maintenance needs. She stated that they would like this to be very comprehensive as this will be used as a tool in the larger strategic planning process for the City and its budgeting. She expected that this would repeatedly appear on the Commission agenda as the versions of the document progresses. Commissioner Smith asked for clarification on what a regional sporting venue is. Ms. Jacobson replied that there have been a lot of suggestions for Bourn Lane. She stated that her understanding of a regional sporting venue would be a large destination park with baseball and soccer fields. Ms. Lawrence replied that there are three categories for parks: neighborhood parks, destination parks, and regional sports complex parks. She noted that a regional sports complex would be larger than Mendakota and typically has multiple fields with seating for larger crowds to accommodate events that draw more users and spectators. She stated that this process will help to determine if there is a need for that type of use. She stated that the document will help everyone and provide guidance moving forward. Ms. Jacobson commented that it is not decided that Bourn Lane would be a regional sporting venue. She noted that the property could be sold to a private developer as well and that decision will be based on the input of the City Council. Chair Goldade stated that the proposal came from residents while others have proposed other uses as well. He stated that perhaps the Commission members would be interested in walking the property in April or May to discuss whether that should become a park. He stated that a need for a park was identified for that area of the City but also recognized that there is other interest for that property as well. Commissioner Smith noted that there is also a need for indoor basketball courts and a walking track. Ms. Jacobson stated that she would encourage the Commission to wait to provide input on the Bourn Lane property until the strategic plan is developed. Chair Goldade stated that his concern in delaying input would be that he is aware there is pressure from developers for that property. Ms. Lawrence commented that the City has received calls from developers for the past few years, so that is not new. She stated that the City Council is not making an immediate decision on that property and confirmed that the Commission would provide input. Commissioner Sherer stated that he would be interested in walking the property when appropriate. Commissioner Cotter commented that he is very excited with this document and being involved in shaping this process and the ability to take a step back to look at the bigger picture as the Commission is often involved in more details for the individual projects. Chair Goldade asked for input on the special park fund money. Ms. Lawrence replied that the special park fund money would remain for new improvements or enhancements for existing projects. She used the example of the Marie Park playground noting that because the size of the playground is double compared to the existing one, special park fund monies could be used for that expansion portion of the project. She stated that the funds simply cannot be used for maintenance or replacement of an existing park feature that does not expand recreational offerings. She stated that when more information is available in the plan that will be used in forecasting the funding. She stated that input will be solicited from a wide variety of residents and stakeholders to determine future parks needs. She stated that the strategic plan process will help to ensure everyone is on the same page in identifying needs and wants as well as the vehicle to get to that outcome. Commissioner Klepperich noted that it appears that striping will occur at Friendly Hills tennis for pickleball this year and resurfaced next year and asked for input. Ms. Lawrence noted that the pickleball lines will be striped on the ice rink and the tennis courts will be resurfaced in 2022. Commissioner Sherer commented that he is under the impression that special park fund dollars cannot be used for maintenance of the paved trails and asked for clarification on the type of funding that would be used for that maintenance. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek confirmed that trails would be included in the discussion for a potential referendum. Chair Goldade commented that the asset management plan draft review may not occur on the April agenda, but will come back on a future agenda and will be a guiding document for both the City Council and Park and Recreation Commission. Ms. Lawrence stated that staff is looking forward to the opportunities this document will provide. 10. Staff Announcements Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence shared the following announcements: • Applications are being accepting for golf and tennis instructors, additional information is available on the City website. • Par 3 Golf Course will be opening soon, and staff continues preparations to ensure the course could be opened once weather and COVID-19 procedures allow. • Program registration is open on the City website and residents can browse available programs on the City website. • Other events can be found on the city’s website 11. Commission Comments and Park Updates Commissioner Sherer • He has not visited Market Square Park recently • Snow is melting at Hagstrom King Park and activity is increasing • Basketball courts are beginning to see use with the melting snow and warmer weather Chair Goldade commented that he noticed that Market Square Park has seen increased use in people meeting up for coffee or lunch this past year. Commissioner Klepperich asked where the materials from the ponds was hauled. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that the contractor hauled that material out in trucks. Commissioner Klepperich • Ivy Hills Park is a gem and a tremendous asset to the City • Woodchips are needed for distribution in different areas as the snow melts • He commended staff for their work allocating 6,200 hours in field permits. He also thanked City staff for their continued participation in the Commission meetings Commissioner Smith • Kensington Park has increased activity with the melting snow • The Friendly Hills ice rink had a lot of use this season but has been melting with the warmer weather • Mendota Heights and West Saint Paul are offering an Adult Beanbag League and that is a fun addition to programming Commissioner Blanks • It is great to see the start of spring. He visited Valley Park and noticed many vehicles but no children which he believed meant that people were out walking in the park Commissioner Cotter • He is thrilled with the canoe rack rental at Rogers Lake and was pleased to see residents secure 11 of those spots • He has visited the dog park a number of times and it is wildly popular. It is a great amenity for the area • He recognized the work of the Marie Park Playground Subcommittee and the Skate Park Subcommittee, noting the hours that those members have contributed and extra work that was put in Commissioner Meyer • There have been more children out at Marie Park and people are very excited about the coming improvements Chair Goldade • He noticed the portable bathroom disappeared from Valley Park • He asked the members to think about the potential to return to in-person meetings at some time in the future, noting that is also dependent upon the direction of the City Council Ms. Lawrence commented that each Commission has the right to choose whether they would like to meet virtually or in-person. She stated that staff would need some advance time in order to notice the meeting appropriately and schedule the video coverage. Chair Goldade asked that members come to the April meeting with a decision on whether they would like to return to in-person meetings in May. 12. Adjourn Motion Cotter/Second Klepperich to adjourn the meeting at 7:52 P.M. A roll call vote was performed: Commissioner Cotter aye Commissioner Smith aye Commissioner Blanks aye Commissioner Klepperich aye Chair Goldade aye Commissioner Sherer aye Commissioner Meyer aye Motion carried. Minutes drafted by: Amanda Staple TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.