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2021-12-14 Park and Rec Comm MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS, DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING DECEMBER 14, 2021 The December meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, December 14, 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: Patrick Cotter, Bob Klepperich, Stephanie Meyer, Dan Sherer and Amy Smith; absent: Commissioner Jaffrey Blanks. Student Representative: Niko Hess. Staff present: Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence, Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek, Police Captain Wayne Wegener, and Police Officer Cara Hogan. 3. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4. Approval of Agenda Chair Goldade suggested moving item 7D to be considered as 7A and then moving the other items down to follow. He also suggested that 8A be split into two items: Dakota County Ordinance 110 Mendota Heights City Code 4-2-2, Mendota Heights City Code 4-2-4; and Field and Facility Use Fee Discussion. Commissioner Klepperich suggested tabling Item 9B until the Commission has the opportunity to hold a joint worksession with the City Council. He commented that he feels the entities are operating in parallel and he would prefer to meet jointly to discuss the plan. Chair Goldade asked staff for input. Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence commented that she would like to provide a presentation to the Commission tonight to receive initial reactions from the group. She stated that the hope of staff would be to present the information to the Commission and Council to receive input. She stated that staff would then make the desired revisions and bring it back to a joint worksession. She noted that the Council has already received the presentation and provided its feedback. Chair Goldade confirmed that staff would like to make the presentation tonight to gather initial input and then hold a joint worksession. Commissioner Smith noted that the Commission has a spent a lot of time discussing items which are then vetoed by the Council and therefore she believed it would be a waste of time to have discussion tonight. She believed that it should be tabled to a joint worksession. Commissioner Sherer agreed with the comments of Commissioner Klepperich that it would be helpful to have the joint worksession. Commissioner Cotter commented that there is a large agenda tonight. He noted that the intent does not appear to have discussion tonight or do substantiative work, but more to receive the presentation. Chair Goldade agreed that after hearing the input of staff he feels comfortable leaving the item on the agenda. Commissioner Klepperich agreed that he would be supportive of receiving the presentation and withdrew his suggestion. Motion Meyer/second Cotter, to approve the agenda with the noted changes by Chair Goldade. AYES 6: NAYS 0 5.a Approval of Minutes from November 9, 2021 Regular Meeting Commissioner Sherer noted on page seven, the eighth paragraph, it should state, “…certain fields for baseball and baseball softball.” Motion Meyer/second Smith to approve the minutes of the November 9, 2021 Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting as amended. AYES 6: NAYS 0 6. Citizen Comment Period (for items not on the agenda) Adam Crepeau, 1016 Douglas Road and MHAA Board Member and Commissioner of Baseball, stated that he has attended the meetings of the Commission for the past two months and is available again tonight to provide any additional information related to items 8A and 9A. He noted that MHAA is very interested in the permitting process, ability to book weekend tournaments earlier, permitting fees, as well as dugout covers. He also asked for an update related to the Victoria Highland pitcher’s mound. Recreation Program Coordinator noted that she would be providing that update in Item 7C. 7. Acknowledgement of Reports Chair Goldade read the titles of the three updates (Par 3, Recreation, Park Improvement Updates, and Dog Park Update) and polled the Commissioners for questions. 7.d Dog Park Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence stated that Commissioners have received comments from residents related to the off-leash dog park. She noted that the dog park is currently designated as interim use through December 31, 2025. She stated that at this time the Council is not considering taking action on changing that designation. She noted that one concern that has been received is related to motor vehicle theft for users of the park. She stated that she has been working with the Police Department to review the recent incidents, noting that there were three incidents of theft in 2021. She advised that a sign has been installed alerting users not to leave valuables in their vehicle. She noted that she continues to work with the Police Department to study the area and encouraged residents to call 911 if they see any suspicious activity at the dog park. She stated that she has asked Captain Wayne Wegener and Officer Hogan to attend tonight to assist in the discussion. She stated that another issue that has been brought forward is holes that have been created from dogs digging. She noted that staff does not have the capacity to fill all the small holes but does attempt to address large areas that need attention. She urged residents to assist in cleaning up after their dogs. Commissioner Cotter stated that the dog park has fully grown trees that block the view of vehicles from the users of the park. He stated that obviously trees have value and asked if there is any other type of clearing that could be done to improve the view of vehicles for the users of the park. Captain Wegener stated that Officer Hogan reviewed the site and provided recommendations. He stated that the largest recommendation is to clear the underbrush and anything under the six-foot canopy of the trees to improve that view. Commissioner Cotter agreed that would seem to be an immediate action item that could provide some assistance with this issue. Chair Goldade stated that another suggestion has been off-street parking and asked if that has been considered. Ms. Lawrence commented that the park is designated as an interim use and therefore staff is cautious of spending thousands of dollars on a parking lot. She stated that staff recommends continuing to use street parking until more progress is made on the park. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that, per City Code, a paved surface is needed for parking, which would have a cost of a couple hundred thousand dollars. He stated that public works has assessed the trees but that project would be beyond the resources of staff. He noted that a quote was received for the underbrush clearing of about $10,000. He noted that Acacia Boulevard is planned for a mill and overlay and although tree trimming was not originally included, that may be an option. He stated that staff is also considering a trail from Pilot Knob to the dog park entrance. Commissioner Sherer asked for more information on the vehicle theft, whether windows are broken or keys are left in the vehicles. Captain Wegener clarified that the reports are theft from vehicles, not theft of vehicles. He stated that typically the vehicles are unsecured and items are stolen from within. He stated that not having valuables in the vehicle or in plain sight is a deterrent. He stated that theft can occur very quickly and quietly. He noted that even if a window is broken, that is still relatively quiet and quick. Commissioner Smith asked if this trend is occurring at other parks or just this location. Captain Wegener stated that he did not pull data from other parks and therefore could not respond to that. Chair Goldade stated that it would seem the dog park would be an easier target with easy access to roads that provide a quick getaway. He welcomed input from the public. Sara Braziller, of 1959 Oak Street, stated that she finds it interesting that the dog park is referred to as an interim use. She stated that the dog park was originally called temporary and now it appears it will run through 2025. Ms. Lawrence clarified that the park is categorized as an interim use park through 2025. She stated that it may eventually be a permanent park or may become something else after that time. Mr. Ruzek commented that the land where the dog park is located is zoned industrial. He stated that when the current five-year interim use permit for the park expired, the only option was to issue another five-year interim use because the land use could not change during the Comprehensive Plan process. He noted that the plan is to continue to have some type of park on the property and if it not a dog park, a dog park would be created in another location. Chair Goldade stated that the dog park is well used and would continue to exist in this location or another. Ms. Braziller commented that the dog park is well used. She stated that one of her suggestions to staff was to allow parking along the gravel road. Mr. Ruzek stated that the police would ticket those vehicles because the gravel road is not designed for that use. Chair Goldade stated that the addition of the sign and collection of data from the police will hopefully decrease the amount of theft, along with the resident education via Facebook. He stated that the community should now be more aware of the issue and be more attentive. He stated that staff also did an excellent job explaining the cost for a parking lot. Ms. Braziller stated that she also uses the dog park located in Eagan and noted that there is a police officer that parks in the dog park lot several times per day to discourage criminal activity. She suggested that perhaps Mendota Heights do that as well. Chair Goldade believed that the police have increased their presence in that area. Ms. Braziller stated that she was planning to put laminated flyers on the tables at the dog park to alert the users of the issue. She stated that she would also plan to place the flyers on vehicles. She asked if the Park Commission or staff would want their name on the flyers. Ms. Lawrence commented that she is unsure of the policy of putting flyers on vehicles on public property. She stated that contacting the Commission and staff is great, but issues noticed should be addressed by calling 911. Andrew Katz, 1960 Walsh Lane, commented that as a user of the park that frequents the park six days per week, the park is popular with not only residents but residents of other communities. He commented that it is one of the more appreciated dog parks in the metro area. He stated that the different issues with theft occurred during the summer. He stated that while the people did not notice the disturbance, the dogs did focus their attention toward that direction. He stated that perhaps a light could be placed on the utility pole near the on-street parking. He also suggested that perhaps a camera be installed in that area to capture activity. He stated that the users also mentioned removal of the buckthorn/underbrush. He noted that if the City does not have the resources, there are many users of the park willing to assist as volunteers in that type of project. He commented that when the City uses herbicide spray along the fence line, perhaps signage could be installed to alert users to keep their dogs away from that area. He referenced the holes created by dogs and realized that staff does not have the capacity to address that issue. He suggested that perhaps a pile of soil be placed by the outhouse and volunteers that use the park could assist in filling those holes. He commented that water and snow melt builds up over the winter months causing an unusable section. He suggested that perhaps that issue be addressed to assist with drainage. He commented that the bench that was donated was donated by a family of a man from Eagan that used the park daily. He believed that encompassed how users of the park treasure that amenity. Chair Goldade asked the percentage of the holes that are dog-made. Mr. Katz commented that the holes are 100 percent dog created. He noted that the drainage issue results from perhaps heavy equipment that created ruts over time. Chair Goldade thanked the residents for their input. He also thanked Captain Wegener and Officer Hogan for their service. 7.a Par 3 Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence briefly reviewed the 2021 October Financial Report. She stated that the course shows a good financial status for the year with an operating surplus. She noted that there are some expenditures for November and December which will decrease the operating surplus as the course is now closed. She stated that information was also provided in the report that tracks the number of rounds purchased this year. She stated that three pieces of equipment were brought before the Council and were included in the now adopted budget, so staff will bring forward the purchase requests for the equipment to the Council at its meeting in January. She noted that the Council also reviewed the recommendation from the Commission related to the senior golf pass and advised that the Council approved continuing the pass for 2022 as recommended. Commissioner Sherer referenced the equipment and the previous suggestion to attempt to share equipment with neighboring courses. He asked if the old equipment could be sold for salvage value. Ms. Lawrence stated that the equipment can be traded in. She stated that the aerator is not running and therefore will be difficult to move off the property and will likely not receive a high trade in value. She noted that many of the neighboring courses have newer equipment and therefore are not interested in this equipment. Chair Goldade congratulated staff on another great season. 7.b Recreation Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence reviewed the recreational programing information included within the report. She stated that she intends to have the planning for the summer 2022 season completed by mid-January. She also highlighted upcoming winter programs and events. Commissioner Sherer recognized the increased partnerships with other municipalities and asked for details on the cost-share between the communities. Ms. Lawrence explained how the cost is allocated between the parties based on those registered from each community. Commissioner Smith asked how the bean bag tournament is being advertised. Ms. Lawrence stated that staff is still working on that and reviewed the different methods of communication that will be used to market the event. She confirmed that staff would be reaching out to the local schools to advertise the event. Chair Goldade asked if Student Representative Hess could hang posters at his school if provided by staff. Student Representative Hess confirmed that he could do so but noted that there are not many places available that would be highly visible. Commissioner Meyer asked for an update on rink flooding. Ms. Lawrence commented that flooding of Marie and Friendly Hills has not yet begun. She stated that staff intends to begin the process later this week. She stated that the liner has been placed at Wentworth and was filled with water. She believed that rink would most likely be the first to open. She hoped to open the rinks December 30th, give or take. Commissioner Meyer asked if the ice at Wentworth would need to be smoothed. Ms. Lawrence commented that staff would continue the flooding process which will help to smooth it. 7.c Parks Improvement Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence noted that she plans to bring the recommendation from the Commission forward to the City Council related to light use at Marie Park and Friendly Hills for 2022. She stated that if agreed upon by the Council, she would send the recommended mailing to residents within 500 feet of Friendly Hills and would hope to receive public comment at the Commission’s February meeting. She reported that the Council has approved the dugout covers for Mendakota Park and hoped that the project would be completed in early spring. She stated that the Victoria Highlands mound request was brought forward to the City Council and the Council tabled the request, directing staff to solicit residents near the park for input, and also to gather input on the cost of temporary mounds. She stated that she has since met with local park and recreation staff to discuss temporary mound use. Commissioner Sherer stated that he is happy to see the approval of the Mendakota dugout improvement project. He asked if a completion date was included in the contract. Ms. Lawrence stated that a completion date was not provided but staff has asked that the work be completed as soon as it can. Commissioner Cotter stated that it is his understanding that staff will solicit feedback from the neighbors of Victoria Heights and research temporary mounds. He asked if the City would plan to purchase the temporary mounds or whether that would be a purchase made in conjunction with MHAA. Ms. Lawrence commented that has not been decided. She stated that in the discussion with staff from other cities, the cities are not purchasing the temporary mounds and those are purchased from the athletic associations. She stated that a nice temporary mound can be purchased for about $2,000, but recognized that can become pricey if being done for multiple fields. Commissioner Sherer commented that one disadvantage of the temporary mounds is the instability because of children using that field stepping off the mound for other actions. He was disappointed that the Council did not approve the recommendation but recognized that the Council has been busy with other topics and did not watch the meeting and missed important information discussed by the Commission and MHAA. He commented that a real mound is not permanent in his mind as it can be removed with a skid loader. He stated that he would like to find a simpler way to complete easy projects such as this, especially when residents are willing to assist. Ms. Lawrence stated that the hope would be to solicit residents within 500 feet. She stated that a public meeting could be held for the Commission in March and move forward to the Council in April. Commissioner Sherer asked if that public engagement process is the new standard for any addition to a park moving forward. He commented on other park improvements that did not involve neighborhood comment through that format. Ms. Lawrence commented that staff received direction from the Council to solicit input from the neighborhood. She stated that community involvement is important as these are taxpayer dollars. Commissioner Smith stated that she has only seen baseball being played on that field, therefore she did not believe equity was a part of this decision. She stated that the Council suggested that perhaps the neighborhood uses the field for kickball. She commented that a friend of her daughter lives in that neighborhood and stated that she has only seen baseball and kids practicing soccer in the outfield. She believed that should be kept in consideration as this moves forward. Commissioner Meyer stated that in the discussion of the Commission it was determined that there were appropriate fields for both baseball and softball and therefore equity was not a concern. Ms. Lawrence commented that there is not a turf infield, therefore it is a multi-purpose field. She commented that turf infields are typically more successful with mounds. She stated that the City receives comments from softball parents stating that there is not enough field use for softball in Mendota Heights and that is why they use fields in West Saint Paul. Commissioner Meyer asked if the list of softball parents could be provided to her and Commissioner Smith to assist in their work on community outreach. Ms. Lawrence commented that is a great idea. She believed that perhaps Commissioner Smith would be more in touch with softball parents through MHAA. Commissioner Meyer commented that she would love to engage with some of the residents that have expressed concern. Ms. Lawrence confirmed that she could follow up with Commissioner Meyer to discuss. She noted that for this time the request has been tabled and will come back to the Commission in the future. Chair Goldade commented that the Commission was more willing to add a mound to Victoria Highlands than the City Council, therefore the request has been delayed. He stated that he would like the City and MHAA to work together to find a temporary mound solution for 2022 as he did not believe a permanent mound would come through for the 2022 season. Ms. Lawrence confirmed that she has been in communication with MHAA and has also involved MHAA in the research of temporary mounds. Student Representative Hess asked if the basketball courts are also being considered for the park lighting. Ms. Lawrence confirmed that the basketball courts are included for Marie Park. She noted that she still needs to review Friendly Hills to determine if that could be done at that location as well. She stated that if the available lighting used for rinks would reach the basketball courts at that location, she would include that in the recommendation. Commissioner Sherer commented that Mendota Heights does not have enough fields for baseball and softball, noting that it is a challenge to find space for all the teams. He noted that without a nice athletic complex, the City will need to continue to use neighborhood parks as baseball fields. Motion Meyer/second Cotter to acknowledge the staff reports. AYES 6: NAYS 0 8. New Business 8.a Field and Facility Use Fee Discussion Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence commented that she was not aware the items would be split into two for this discussion. She noted that she prepared a presentation that she will provide, and the Commission can then split the related discussion as desired. She stated that this is the same presentation that the City Council received. She reviewed the policy history, noting that the policy dates back to 1992 but was not followed until 2018. She also reviewed related human resources available for permitting the facilities and related to maintenance. She stated that staff met with all user groups in January 2021 and noted that the fields and facilities continue to be in high demand. She highlighted the fields that receive the most requests. She noted that blanket permitting continued in 2021 which reserves fields that may not actually be used and results in a lack of public reservations. She believed that the City has a sufficient number of fields but the use of blanket permitting blocks other use. She commented that there was a lack of communication within MHAA and its parents. She stated that MHAA tournaments are larger and require more staff time. She stated that the Council approved a waiver in May for the tournament fees for MHAA. She stated that in 2021 the new tennis court reservation policy was put into place. She reviewed the actual 2021 hours of usage, noting that MHAA continued to have the most usage of all field facility usage. She reviewed details on the 2021 participants and revenue. She also compared the MHAA tournament revenue and compared that to the revenue that would have been gained without the waiver. She recognized the revenue generated by tennis reservations and noted that cost associates to about half of the revenue gained through that entire season. She stated that the current fees were included within the Commission packet. • Dakota County Ordinance 110 Mendota Heights City Code 4-2-2, Mendota Heights City Code 4-2-4 Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that Dakota County has a goal of reducing waste and therefore any event within the City with 300 attendees must collect waste through trash, recycling, and organic waste bins. He noted that in 2021 there were four weekend tournaments and staff was used to collect the trash. He stated that the other neighboring communities require the sponsors of the event to submit a waste collection plan to the city and perform those duties on their own. He stated that staff is requesting that these tournaments/events follow the same process to submit a plan and complete the trash, recycling, and organics collection on their own. Commissioner Cotter asked if there is an idea of the cost for that action per tournament. Mr. Ruzek estimated a cost of $300. Commissioner Cotter asked if that cost would be to contract with a trash collector. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that the tournament would contract with a trash collector and would provide a plan to the City on where those bins would be located. Commissioner Cotter commented that public works does a fantastic job keeping the parks clean and he would like to see that consistency remain. He asked if public works would recommend a vendor for the users in order to ensure consistency. Mr. Ruzek explained that staff would work with event sponsors and would not provide a recommendation on the best vendor. He noted that there are a number of companies that offer that service. He stated that as this program is further developed, staff could provide such recommendations. Commissioner Cotter commented that there is a continued dialogue between MHAA and public works and the City. He asked how the fees would be set, noting that this request would be a substantial increase. He stated that he would be looking at whether MHAA would have the revenue to cover that service. Mr. Ruzek stated that tournaments are used as fundraising events for MHAA and recognized that would be an additional expense. He stated that currently the City has a public works employee that is onsite and paid at time and a half. He stated that event sponsors would not be able to use the organics collection at Mendakota because that is setup for Dakota County residents and not event sponsors. Commissioner Cotter asked if volunteers could be used for onsite trash collection and whether the cost would be for the vendor to collect the trash. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that volunteers could be used to move the trash bag to the related dumpster. Chair Goldade stated that there are two issues related to trash; the dumpster and the party that will take the bag to the dumpster. He stated that in 2021 public works staff was used to bring the bags to the dumpster. Mr. Ruzek replied that public works staff brought the bags to a truck and hauled that to the public works facility as there is not an onsite dumpster at the park. Chair Goldade asked if staff is asking for feedback on who should pay for the dumpster and who would take the trash to the dumpster. Mr. Ruzek stated that as part of the policy, an event sponsor would be required to submit a plan on how the solid waste collection would occur. Chair Goldade stated that in 2021 public works provided this service. He stated that it would appear that the event sponsor would either provide their own vendor or pay the $300 to have public works provide the service. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that while public works was used in 2021, staff would not be made available to provide that service for fee going forward. He confirmed that duty would shift to be the responsibility of the event sponsor. • Field and Facility use Fee Discussion Ms. Lawrence stated that the 2022 recommendations brought to the Council from the Commission were to eliminate the tennis court reservation system to enable courts to be used on a first-come, first-serve basis. She reported that the Council did not agree with that and continued the tennis court reservation program. She stated that the Commission recommended to allow MHAA to submit tournament requests the first business day of January and to ensure a prompt response from staff within 14 business days. She reported that the Council did approve that action as an amendment to the policy with the change to allow 21 days for response. She noted that all user groups can submit tournament requests the first business day in January with a response by January 24th. She noted that the final recommendation was to formally reduce the costs for tournaments for MHAA to a “not to exceed fee” of $498 per weekend tournament. She reported that the Council has asked the Commission to choose one of three options: 1) not to exceed tournament fee of $498 plus user would be responsible for solid waste removal, 2) fess for the tournament remain as included in the 2021 fee schedule without having a waiver, or 3) fees for the tournament remain as included in 2021 fee schedule plus user would be responsible for solid waste removal. Chair Goldade stated that the fees are reviewed on an annual basis, therefore the fees are not really permanent. Ms. Lawrence clarified that her intent was to say permanent for 2022. Commissioner Cotter asked for clarification on the fees for a weekend tournament at Mendakota. Ms. Lawrence replied that the cost would be $340 per day for four fields prepped. She commented that a three-day tournament would be $1,020 for the fields only and does not include concessions. She reviewed the staff duties that are included for prepping the fields. She stated that in 2021 staff was also emptying trashes, restocking bathrooms, and addressing messes that arise. Commissioner Sherer stated that he typically does not see staff during the day at tournaments and asked if staff is typically spending two hours per day on prep duties. Ms. Lawrence commented that the staff member is working throughout the day and checking in every hour or two to collect trash and then empty it at public works. She stated that previously public works came in to prep from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. but that then transitioning to the staff person working from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. and can then be called back should another issue arise. Commissioner Sherer stated that he has not seen staff intermittently and only at the beginning and end of the day. Commissioner Cotter commented that it would sound like there is a cost difference of $200 between options one and two. He stated that because MHAA is the most likely tournament sponsor, it would make sense to gain their input on whether they would prefer the higher cost or be responsible for waste removal. He stated that input would be helpful. Ms. Lawrence stated that there is no deadline for the Commission to make that recommendation, but noted that MHAA will be submitting their tournament requests the first business day in January, and therefore MHAA would most likely want the fee set in order to know the appropriate cost to charge its users for the event. Commissioner Cotter stated that it would be nice to have the input of MHAA before making the recommendation. Chair Goldade noted that option one would be $498 plus $310 for the waste removal. Ms. Lawrence stated that $310 was the cost estimate provided from the one hauler in 2021, therefore the exact 2022 cost is not known. Mr. Ruzek stated that the event sponsor would be able to contract with the vendor of their choice. Chair Goldade asked if any of the options would include the City handling the waste removal. Ms. Lawrence replied that the City would provide that service in option two, which would have a cost of $85 per field per day which would equate to a cost of $1,020 for a three-day tournament. She noted that organics collection would still need to be done for the back of house, but staff would work with the event sponsor to dispose of the organics collected. She stated that option three would keep the costs in place from 2021 ($1,020 for a three-day tournament) and the user would have the responsibility of the waste removal. Commissioner Cotter stated that he would like to propose that a memorandum be provided to MHAA and the other user groups to provide these three options and solicit input. He did not believe any users would choose option three. He suggested that the user groups choose between options one and two and that the decision of the Commission be provided at the January meeting. He stated that his concern with event sponsors providing waste removal would be the consistency and whether it would be done well. Commissioner Sherer asked if this is a budget issue or what is driving the discussion related to waste removal. Ms. Lawrence replied that one of the main conversations with the Council has been related to who is paying for staff costs and supplies. She stated that the Council discussed in depth as to who should be paying these fees and whether the City should be subsidizing tournament costs using tax dollars from residents that do not participate in the tournaments. She stated that the Dakota County ordinance was brought forward as something that needs to be included in 2022, regardless of the fee discussion. She stated that the discussion is not just financial in nature. Chair Goldade asked if volunteers have ever been seen at tournaments dealing with trash. Commissioner Smith replied that she has never seen that practice. Commissioner Sherer commented that MHAA is a volunteer-based organization where parents are coaching, scheduling, and running concession stands. He stated that if given the choice he would suspect that MHAA would prefer to have volunteers deal with the trash but recognized there is a point where volunteers are stretched too far. He agreed that there is a need for a larger scale discussion related to City subsidizing of youth sports associations. He stated that many other communities have sports programing through schools and the City, but in this community MHAA is the only organization offering those sports. He stated that in the past he believed there was a subsidy of $10,000 to MHAA for providing this type of programing and that has dropped to zero and swung in the other direction to charge fees. He stated that he recently reviewed the costs for tournaments in other communities, noting that West Saint Paul charges $250 for tournaments. He stated that registration fees have increased by almost 500 percent from 2011 to 2021 in order to cover the costs and fees charged for fields and tournaments. He stated that continued increases in costs will eventually impact the ability of lower income families to participate. He noted that while MHAA offers scholarships, many people are reluctant to apply and admit that they need the help. Ms. Lawrence stated that there has been inflation from 2011 to 2021. She stated that in the past when the City provided $10,000 to MHAA, the residents were paying that which means residents that were not playing sports were paying for that amenity. Commissioner Cotter commented that the Commission understands that but there is a City park and recreation department. He stated that the City and schools previously offered these services but no longer do so. He stated that this community offers those programs completely through a volunteer organization. He stated that in his time with the Commission there seems to be an adversarial thing between the two entities. He commented that this is why he would like the input from the user groups. He stated that if the structure of youth sports in this community is through a volunteer organization, there has to be some working together and coordination. He stated that input should then be used along with the consideration of continuity of services such as waste removal. Chair Goldade asked if staff can confirm that the City Council has adopted a tax levy increase of 6.7 percent. Mr. Ruzek believed that is correct. Chair Goldade asked if City staff is aware of any tournaments where volunteers are required to handle trash duties. Mr. Ruzek replied that he has not attended many youth sports tournaments, but has been to many concerts where event sponsors are required to provide that service. Chair Goldade asked if the City would be itemizing trash costs for concerts this summer. Mr. Ruzek replied that the City would be providing that service because that is a city community event and not a private, for-profit tournament. Chair Goldade stated that the City Council has requested the recommendation from the Commission and asked if the Commission could propose a motion at this time. Motion Cotter to table this matter to the January meeting and direct staff to send a memorandum to the tournament user groups with these options and asking for their input prior to the Commission’s January meeting. Commissioner Sherer stated that he would propose a fourth option to leave the tournament fees at $498 and not requesting the event sponsor to pay for waste removal. Commissioner Cotter stated that he is not just looking for a choice out of the three options, but the explanation on the different choices. He stated that if option four is provided, users will select that option without explanation. Commissioner Sherer stated that under the actual fee structure, the organization breaks even. He stated that tournaments are meant as fundraiser in order to lower registration costs. Commissioner Klepperich stated that while he is sympathetic to that, he also recognizes the opinion of the City Council that some of these activities need to pay their way. He stated that even under the actual fee structure, the full costs of the City are not recouped. He believed they should reach a point where the fees come closer to paying for the tournament costs. Chair Goldade stated that it would appear the opinions of Commissioner Cotter to table and Commissioner Sherer to select option one without the waste removal costs are different and would not be the same motion. The motion died for lack of a second. Chair Goldade referenced the previously made suggestion of Commissioner Sherer which he believed was to recommend option one but to have the City to provide the waste removal service at the cost of the event sponsor of $310. Ms. Lawrence commented that if the City is responsible for waste removal, it would not contract for a dumpster as there is a dumpster available at public works. She clarified that it would appear Commissioner Sherer would be requesting a fourth option of a not to exceed fee of $498 for tournament field usage. Commissioner Klepperich stated that the City Council has already denied that option. Ms. Lawrence stated that the Council wanted staff to present the three options in the presentation. Commissioner Meyer commented that MHAA is a volunteer organization. She stated that as a parent with a child that participates in MHAA, most participants are Mendota Heights children, and the parent volunteers are Mendota Heights residents. She stated that she finds it incredibly frustrating that the argument is being made that the tax dollars of all residents should not be used to provide opportunities of recreation for other residents of the same community. She stated that when a community does not offer recreation opportunities for youth, the youth find other things to do that often are not positive. She stated that it is not desirable to live in a community that does not offer recreation opportunities, to have your vehicle vandalized, or to have your garage vandalized because kids are bored. She stated that the cost for participation should be reasonable for families. She stated that she does not like the option for City staff to work overtime and believed there may be other options that could be discussed. She asked if the trash removal were being provided by the event sponsor would that mean that City staff would just prep the fields and be done for the day. Ms. Lawrence confirmed that if trash removal is not being provided by City staff, the staff would come in from 5 to 7 a.m. to prep the fields. She stated that currently there is a staff person that is on duty as a scheduled shift. She stated that when that person was added to staff, it was anticipated that the staff person could handle other responsibilities during that weekend shift rather than trash collection. She noted that public works is always on call to address issues that may arise. Commissioner Smith stated that if the City is making it unattractive for groups to use the facility, Mendakota would not be used on a weekend which is lost revenue. She stated that user groups will go to other cities that are more welcoming. Commissioner Sherer stated that fastpitch softball is using a different facility because it is more attractive. He stated that he does not like driving to northern West Saint Paul to watch his kids play soccer, but that is where the teams play. He noted that there are club sports moving in that offer coaches and nice fields and some parents are becoming more attracted to that programing. He worries that the City will lose community-based sports and that families that cannot afford higher costs will not be able to play. Chair Goldade commented that the recommendation for $498 has been sent to the Council once before and asked if Commissioner Sherer is suggesting that be done again. Commissioner Sherer hopes that members of the Council are watching the meeting in order to better understand the perspective of parents that are involved with youth sports in Mendota Heights. Motion Sherer to recommend a not to exceed fee of $498 for weekend tournaments. The motion died for lack of a second. Commissioner Cotter left the meeting. Ms. Lawrence stated that there is still one more decision related to club sports as part of this discussion. Mr. Ruzek stated that this would only apply to tournaments and would not apply to students playing MHAA baseball. Chair Goldade commented that this is one of those situations with an unintended consequence. He stated that the City accommodated a lesser fee during COVID-19 and therefore it would sting more to go back to the fee and add the waste removal. Commissioner Meyer commented that if this is going to be tabled it would kick the can down the road and avoid the job the Commission is meant to do. She asked if the Commission should suggest a cost between $498 and $1,020. Chair Goldade stated that his position is that the Commission provided a recommendation which the City Council did not like, but that remains the position of the Commission and if the Council desires, they can change it. He stated that he would suggest the Commission provide information related to waste removal. He asked for input from the Commission on waste removal as he believes the recommendation on tournament costs has already been made at $498 the previous month. He stated that for the Council to send it back saying the Commission did not get the answer right, it would make sense that the Council can make the decision on its own as it did in 2021 to lower the cost to $498 without recommendation from the Commission. Ms. Lawrence stated that the Council directed this to go back to the Commission because of the new information related to the Dakota County ordinance related to waste removal. Commissioner Smith commented that volunteers are not allowed to do many activities in the park, such as creating the pitching mound as previously suggested by the Commission and MHAA, therefore she does not feel that volunteers should be used for trash removal. Commissioner Klepperich agreed. Motion Meyer/second Smith to recommend that tournament users should not be responsible for solid waste removal or related costs. Further discussion: Commissioner Sherer stated that it was mentioned that the City Council did not accept the previous recommendation of the tournament fee of $498. He asked if that was at a regular Council meeting. Ms. Lawrence replied that the conversation occurred at a worksession, which was a public meeting and open to the public. She stated that the Council cannot make formal decisions at worksessions but can reach consensus and send items back to the Commission. Commissioner Sherer asked if the conversation was specific to MHAA or all tournament users. Ms. Lawrence replied that for 2021 the only waiver issued was to MHAA, therefore all other users would have paid the three-day cost of $1,020. She stated that there are other organizations that hold tournaments. Commissioner Sherer stated that it would be helpful for the Council to receive additional input from MHAA on the impact that the increased costs would have on registration fees. AYES 5: NAYS 0 Ms. Lawrence stated that the City Council also wanted the Commission to review club per player fees. She commented that club organizations are becoming more prominent and are paying coaches. She stated that the Council wanted to know if there should be a higher cost for club sports. Commissioner Smith commented that MHAA does not provide traveling soccer, therefore there is no other option except for SALVO. She stated that SALVO would then be considered MHAA soccer. She noted that it is a nonprofit and that is the only option for the kids to play soccer. She stated that the Council has been driven to increase fees, but in her eyes, SALVO is similar to MHAA and therefore the price should not be increased. Motion Smith/second Klepperich to keep the priority four user fees from 2021 for 2022. Further discussion: Commissioner Sherer asked if there are requests from other clubs. Ms. Lawrence stated that there have been requests from other soccer clubs, but they have not received fields thus far. She believed that she had also received a request from club baseball and club lacrosse, but neither were able to receive fields. Commissioner Sherer asked if there has been research as to what is done by other communities for clubs. Ms. Lawrence replied that the City fee is in line with other communities. Student Representative Hess commented that he has played soccer for years, as have many of his friends, and there is no other option for soccer in this community. He agreed that it would not be a good idea to raise the fee for club sports. AYES 5: NAYS 0 8.b Wentworth Warming House Design Review Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek stated that the Commission has been asked to comment on the current plans for the Wentworth warming house. He stated that preliminary plans have been submitted by the architect. He identified the boundary of the existing warming house along with the proposed new warming house boundary. He displayed the two options developed by the architect and reviewed the different elements, noting that the only difference between the two is related to the vestibule. He asked for feedback and input on the vestibule options. Commissioner Meyer asked why a vestibule is necessary. Mr. Ruzek replied that is required per the energy codes. Commissioner Meyer stated that originally it was planned that the outdoor restrooms would be unisex. She asked if a decision was since made to mark one as men’s and one as women’s. Mr. Ruzek noted that the men’s room has a urinal which makes for easier cleaning. He stated that the bathrooms could be unisex if desired. Chair Goldade stated that he would prefer unisex bathrooms with urinals in both. Commissioner Smith asked if the vestibule with the opening towards the seating in option two would push cold air towards those on the bench inside. She noted that in option one it seems that cold air would push towards the vending area and therefore she would suggest option one. Commissioner Meyer stated that she would prefer option two, as sometimes people crowd near vending and that could create congestion with people coming into that area too. Commissioner Klepperich asked if there is enough water pressure for flooding. Mr. Ruzek commented that the utilities are not shown on the drawings. He displayed the different elevation drawings, noting that the architect attempted to match the architecture of the pavilions at the park. He stated that sewer and water have not been brought down and will be brought from Wentworth Avenue. He stated that he has also spoken with Saint Paul Regional Water Services to determine if another hydrant could be installed near the building for flooding. Commissioner Sherer referenced the Friendly Hills warming house, which is wood and aluminum, with a cost of about $150,000 and believed that this was meant to be of a higher quality. Mr. Ruzek replied that the warming houses at Marie and Friendly Hills were built for around $40,000 each and the desire for this building was to have indoor use and restrooms. He stated that with increased materials cost the estimated cost is about $250,000. He noted that a completely concrete and block building would run near $1,000,000. He confirmed that there was not a strong feeling on the vestibule options. Commissioner Meyer confirmed the consensus of the Commission that the outdoor restrooms should be unisex restrooms. Commissioner Sherer asked if that could then eliminate the need for the indoor restroom. Mr. Ruzek commented that could perhaps be an option but noted that additional measures would be needed to ensure that the exterior doors could be locked during the winter months. Commissioner Meyer clarified that Commissioner Sherer was suggesting making one restroom accessible from the interior and one from the exterior, eliminating the need for a third bathroom. She also recognized that would limit the amount of use people could have for the outdoor restroom in the warmer months if there is only one available. Mr. Ruzek commented that he does recall a conversation with the Police Chief, and it was stated that the restroom could not be accessible from the interior and exterior because of safety concerns. He provided the example of a child using the restroom and forgetting to lock one of the doors which provides the opportunity for someone else to come into the restroom. 8.c Friendly Hills Park Boundary Signage Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek identified the large pond in that area adjacent to residential properties. He stated that he has received concerns from residents related to clearing that is being done. He noted that upon inspection he did notice a number of private improvements within the park property. He stated that he is going to mail enforcement letters to the properties alerting homeowners to remove private improvements from the park property. He asked if the Commission would be supportive of installing park boundary signs, as almost all the properties have some type of improvement within the park property. He stated that similar signage was installed at another park. He hoped that the signage would avoid additional encroachments on the park property. Commissioner Smith asked the type of improvements. Mr. Ruzek commented that one property has a large brick fireplace, but most issues are related to vegetation removal to the shoreline of the pond. He noted that some properties also have fencing in the park property. Motion Klepperich/second Meyer to direct staff to install boundary signs as recommended by staff. Further discussion: Chair Goldade asked if new trees could be planted with the signs. Mr. Ruzek confirmed that staff could look at opportunities for tree planting. AYES 4: NAYS 1 (Smith opposed) 9. Unfinished Business 9.a Dugout Recommendation Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence reviewed the previous dugout recommendation from the Commission. She stated that at the October meeting MHAA provided a list of recommended improvements, which listed a different priority for dugout improvements. She asked the Commission for additional input before she brings this forward to the City Council. She estimated the cost for dugout improvements to be $20,000 to $25,000 per park. It was clarified that the top three priorities of MHAA were Victoria Highlands, Valley Park, and Civic Center. Commissioner Sherer stated that the Commission previously recommended dugout improvements for seven parks which was narrowed down to three parks. He stated that Ivy Hills was considered because fastpitch softball uses that field but recognized that Mendakota has dugout improvements, and that field is heavily used by softball. He stated that after that meeting, he spoke with MHAA, and it was clarified that MHAA does not believe Ivy Hills would be a good use of funds as the field is only used for practice and not games and therefore Civic Center was recommended in place of Ivy Hills. Motion Meyer/second Klepperich to recommend dugout improvements for Victoria Highlands, Valley Park, and Civic Center. AYES 5: NAYS 0 9.b Draft Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence provided an overview of the draft Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan; including the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the current state of parks and recreation in Mendota Heights. She then reviewed the guiding principles, goals, actions items, and desired outcomes for the future of parks and recreation in Mendota Heights. She also highlighted the key performance indicators. She noted that staff provided this presentation to the City Council and there was in-depth discussion. She stated that the initial feedback from the Council was that they would like more information on demographics, projections for the future, and for the CIP to be implemented in the document. She noted that staff will continue to refine the document with that direction and will plan to bring the document back in January. She noted that she will also attempt to schedule a joint worksession. She asked the Commission if there are any additional items that should be included or researched before the next update is provided in January. Chair Goldade commented that this was a great report and asked if there is specific information staff is looking for. Ms. Lawrence stated that her intent was to solicit initial feedback on anything the Commission feels may be missing or additional information the commission would like to see. Chair Goldade stated that he would want to ensure that the document can be used and will not just be something that sits on the shelf once completed. Commissioner Sherer commented that he agrees that the CIP should be incorporated. He also agreed that the changes in demographic would be important, noting that there were changes from 2010 to 2020 and continues to change annually. Commissioner Meyer asked if the percentages were provided from the census. Ms. Lawrence noted that there were most likely estimates from the census and the entire census information has not yet been provided. She hoped to look more in-depth as they discuss how demographics may change and the related changes that would be needed. Commissioner Meyer referenced the desire to attract staff and asked if the City has considered ways to attract residents to apply for City positions. Ms. Lawrence acknowledged that there are not many Mendota Heights residents on City staff. She stated that the City Administrator has been promoting the vacant positions as much as possible to residents but recognized the difficulty in attracting applicants in the workforce today. She commented that 95 percent of the seasonal staff are residents. Chair Goldade thanked staff for the excellent work and looked forward to the continued review in January, along with the requested joint meeting with the Council. 9.c Winter Fest Update Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence stated that updated information for the event was included in the packet. She noted that the event will be titled “Mendota Heights Frozen Fun Fest”. She reviewed the planned event dates and related events. Chair Goldade advised of a contact he has that could assist with writing clues for the medallion hunt. Commissioner Klepperich asked if there has been a thought for having cross country skiing at the golf course. Ms. Lawrence replied that has not been considered. She noted that the clubhouse has been closed and winterized and there would be a lack of parking. 10. Staff Announcements Recreation Program Coordinator Meredith Lawrence shared the following announcements: • There will a vacancy on the Commission as Chair Goldade will serve at his last meeting in January. She stated that interested candidates can apply and hopes to have the new member join the Commission for its February meeting. • Rink flooders are still needed. • Other events can be found on the City’s website 11. Student Representative Update Student Representative Hess commented that most of the youth sports activity has been focused on indoor/school basketball and outdoor hockey and believed that winter parks use will focus on rink activity. 12. Commission Comments and Park Updates Commissioner Sherer • Parks are covered in snow and his children are looking forward to the rinks being flooded Commissioner Meyer • Echoed the comments of Commissioner Sherer • Thanked public works for their efforts clearing snow on the roads, sidewalks, and trails Commissioner Klepperich • Echoed the appreciation to public works staff for their snow clearing efforts Commissioner Smith • Echoed the thanks for snow removal noting that the trails look great • Looking forward to the rinks being flooded for use Chair Goldade • Valley View Heights Park is a small park but noticed that the basketball court was cleared • Thanked Sue Light and noted that he will pass on the information she provided about the Rogers Lake Association. Thanked the Association for the work they do to keep the lake and park a great amenity. Chair Goldade commented that he believes the job of the Commission is to be passionate about parks and recreation. He recognized that is different than the job of the Council, whose job is to look at the bigger picture. He hoped that the meeting tonight would be seen as something that makes the collaboration better and stronger rather than adversarial to the Council. He stated that he respects the job of the Council as it has more information and sees the bigger picture for the community and therefore respects the decisions they make. 13. Adjourn Motion Klepperich/Second Meyer to adjourn the meeting at 9:16 PM AYES 5: NAYS 0 Minutes drafted by: Amanda Staple TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.