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Pk 01-16-2024CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS, DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 16, 2024 The January meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. 1. Call to Order – Chair Jaffrey Blanks called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call – The following Commissioners were present: Chair Jaffrey Blanks, Commissioners: Tica Hanson, Stephanie Meyer, Michelle Muller, Jo Schifsky, Dan Sherer, Michael Toth, and Student Representative Meg Murphy. Absent: None. Staff present: Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence and Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek. 3. Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4. Approval of Agenda Motion Meyer/second Schifsky to approve the agenda AYES 7: NAYS 0 5.a Approval of Minutes from December 12, 2023 Work Session Meeting Motion Meyer/second Hanson to approve the minutes of the December 12, 2023 Parks and Recreation Commission Work Session Meeting. AYES 7: NAYS 0 5.b Approval of Minutes from December 12, 2023 Regular Meeting Motion Meyer/second Muller to approve the minutes of the December 12, 2023 Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting. AYES 7: NAYS 0 6. Citizen Comment Period (for items not on the agenda) None. 7. Acknowledgement of Reports Chair Blanks read the titles of the three updates (Par 3, Recreation, and Park Improvement Updates) and polled the Commissioners for questions. 7.a Par 3 Update Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence briefly reviewed winter activities in preparation for the 2024 season. She stated that the capital projects were listed in the packet and will be reviewed in more detail once the final 2023 year report is complete to determine how those could be funded. She stated that the September and October financial reports were included in the packet and provided a summary. She stated that the Commission previously made a recommendation on the fees for the course which will be brought forward to the Council to consider for implementation in the 2024 season. Commissioner Sherer asked the earliest the course has opened in the past. Ms. Lawrence commented that she is unsure of the exact date, but does recall a March opening in a previous year. Commissioner Sherer asked for an update on the golf carts and leases. Ms. Lawrence replied that the City does lease the golf carts, currently a total of six carts. She commented that the carts are leased on an annual basis, and they would continue to lease. Commissioner Toth asked when the last fee increase occurred for the course. Ms. Lawrence replied that there was a $1 increase in 2023, which was the first increase since 2018. She stated that the Commission recommended a $1 increase in 2024, along with an increase for the cart rental fee, as that cost to the City is increasing. Commissioner Hanson commented that she spoke with residents that have been playing cribbage at the clubhouse on Wednesdays. She asked if the four tables is the maximum capacity or whether additional tables could be provided. Ms. Lawrence replied that the clubhouse currently has four tables with 20 chairs. She stated that the maximum number attending thus far has been 16. She stated that they could bring in additional temporary tables for cribbage if that is needed, but they still want to be mindful to have clear pathways for moving around safely. 7.b Recreation Update Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence reviewed the recreation update highlighting current and upcoming programing opportunities. She also provided an overview of the events planned as part of the Frozen Fun Fest. She noted that summer programming registration will open on February 27th. She confirmed that there are opportunities to volunteer for Frozen Fun Fest. Commissioner Hanson stated that perhaps it would be helpful for the Commission members to have nametags for events. Ms. Lawrence confirmed that staff could order nametags if that is desired. She noted that Chair Blanks had previously expressed interest in getting t-shirts, but agreed that nametags would be the easiest to move forward with. She confirmed the consensus of the Commission to make nametags for the Commission. 7.c Parks Improvement Update Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence stated that the improvement update was provided in the packet noting two projects continuing from 2023 with spring completion. She also provided an update on the upcoming projects. She stated that they began rink flooding on January 2nd and may be able to open rinks and warming houses the following day. She commended the seasonal staff for their efforts to get the rinks open during this challenging season and now cold weather. She stated that updates will be posted on the City website and Facebook page as well as weather hotline. Commissioner Schifsky asked if the concrete touch ups were completed at Roger’s Lake Park. Ms. Lawrence confirmed that the concrete work was completed, and the equipment would be installed this spring. Commissioner Hanson asked for an update on excavation at Marie Park. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek stated that there was a pause in excavation the previous week because of the sloppy conditions but they have started again with the colder weather and hoped that hauling would wrap up this week. Commissioner Sherer asked if the parking lot would be accessible when the rink opens. Mr. Ruzek commented that the contractor can block off the parking lot during business hours and during that time skaters would park on the road. Commissioner Sherer asked if the cracks would be sealed for the pickleball courts before the surface is redone. Ms. Lawrence commented that staff did meet with the contractors on site to ensure that the cracks and issues would be addressed before applying the acrylic surfacing. She commented that there is more maintenance needed for pickleball courts that are used as hockey rinks as well because of the thick sheet of ice and melt that occurs. Commissioner Sherer commented that he was disappointed to see the Council approve the fiber project for Mendakota, as he ranked that project the lowest on the priority list. He believed that to be an unnecessary project given the other needs for the park. Commissioner Muller asked for more information on the Mendakota fiber project, as she believed that some Commissioners supported the project because of the public Wi-Fi element which is not going to be provided. Ms. Lawrence reviewed the details of the proposed project noting the efficiency that it would provide for staff, ease of access for those operating concessions, and enhanced public safety. She confirmed that this does not include public Wi-Fi access, but that is something that could be discussed for the future. She stated that if that is a desire, the City would need to have a public Wi-Fi policy in place. She noted that the City has been behind in technology within the parks system, and this is an opportunity to move forward and explore additional opportunities. Chair Blanks asked how the cameras would be funded. Ms. Lawrence replied that the cameras would be funded through the special parks fund. Commissioner Muller asked why Mendakota was an easier location than the Par 3. Ms. Lawrence explained that the cost was much less because the City is pulling much less fiber for that location because of the existence at the Fire Station. She noted that it would be a much further distance to pull to the Par 3. She stated that they do still desire to bring a similar fiber project forward in the future for the Par 3. Commissioner Sherer asked for details on the City’s data associated with this and whether the current system will support this and archive video footage. He asked who would have access to the camera footage. Ms. Lawerence replied that the cameras would be added to the current City network that is supervised by the Police Department and hosted by LOGIS. She stated that there would be no additional cost to add the cameras to the existing system. She noted that certain approved staff members would have access to camera footage but requests for previous footage would be submitted through the Police Department. She reviewed the cost for the fiber project, noting that did not include the cameras as that will come forward as a separate request before the Council. She noted that the project was ranked as the second highest priority for the Commission in 2024, which is why quotes were obtained and it moved forward. Commissioner Muller commented that when public Wi-Fi was dropped, that completely changes her priority although she agrees that the proposed use would be a great use of the fiber. Mr. Ruzek commented that the fiber would be set up to handle public Wi-Fi in the future if that is added. Commissioner Toth commented that this will provide efficiency for staff that will allow them to focus on other tasks. Commissioner Meyer asked and received confirmation that if public Wi-Fi is recommended, that would be discussed by the Commission. Chair Blanks asked why the cameras would not be a shared cost as the Police would have benefit as well. Ms. Lawrence commented that cost was not allocated in the Police budget and staff believed that was an appropriate use of special parks funds. 8. New Business 8.a Park System Master Plan Update Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence thanked Commissioners Schifsky, Meyer and Chair Blanks for their work on the subcommittee. She explained the benefits that a park system master plan provides and noted that the subcommittee reviewed master plans from other communities to determine what should be included in the RFP. She stated that the Commission reviewed the RFP, as did the Council, and the RFP was released with no changes. She stated that four proposals were received from six consultants, noting that two consultants chose to work together on a proposal. She stated that all four proposers were interviewed, and the consensus was that the Confluence/PROS proposal was the top choice. She stated that $75,000 was budgeted for this master plan. She noted that the base bid from that consultant had a price of $76,745 with optional bid alternates. She stated that staff and the subcommittee felt that there would be value in adding the financial and equity analysis which would bring the total to $85,970. She stated that the Council approved the base bid with the two alternates and work will soon begin. She stated that this is a large-scale project for the City and staff will provide monthly updates to the Commission. She again thanked the members that served on the subcommittee, recognizing the time they dedicated to this process. Commissioner Toth commented that this is a great project that he supports but this is another item that comes in over budget. He asked how the $75,000 estimate was developed. He commented that there has been a recent trend in going over budget for projects, using the example of the skate park. Ms. Lawrence stated that staff provides a budget estimate and explained how that is estimated. She stated that often the projects are tough to estimate as each city asks for different elements within a project and therefore it cannot be an equal comparison. She stated that it is difficult to estimate what contractors will bid in this market, as some contractors need work while others do not. She noted that the two pickleball projects came in under budget. She stated that they asked for a lot within the Park System Master Plan RFP and all of the proposals included bid alternates that would have put the project above $75,000. She stated that they could have cut elements from the proposal to come in under $75,000 but felt that all the elements were imperative, noting that the financial and equity elements are important for this community. Chair Blanks noted that they are also working with dated information as the comparison information from other cities are from the time, they completed the plan and costs continue to rise each year. Commissioner Sherer recognized that all the proposals were above the budgeted amount and therefore that would show that the cost is reasonable for this scope of work. He agreed that the intent is to get the most out of the special parks dollars that they can and therefore the financial information will be important. Chair Blanks noted that the timeline is also different than anticipated. Ms. Lawrence noted that the first project meeting will occur in the next two weeks and the hope would be for completion in November/December, while preliminary data will be provided by May to assist with budget recommendations for 2025. Chair Blanks noted that a lot of data will be collected during the summer months, which delayed the desired timeline. Commissioner Sherer commented on the master plans for airports, which are updated every 10 years and have a cost of about $400,000. Chair Blanks commented that the hope is that this planning would support decisions that are needed for future planning for the parks. Commissioner Hanson asked if the financial sustainability analysis would provide recommendations on potential funding sources for the future. Ms. Lawrence commented that staff hopes to have a better analysis for what would be needed to maintain the park system in the future. She stated that the Council is looking at options for alternative funding park improvements in the future. Commissioner Sherer asked how often the Comprehensive Plan is updated and the cost for that. Mr. Ruzek noted that the Comprehensive Plan is updated every ten years and estimated that the last update had a cost of about $150,000. He noted that the Surface Water Management Plan is also updated every 10 years, estimating that cost at about $100,000. He noted that this plan would fall on the cheaper end for City plans. Commissioner Muller asked for additional information on the first task. Ms. Lawrence replied that they will review the current facilities and determine whether the capital management plan is adequate to address those needs. She stated that they will then look at the park spaces, trends, and demographics to address gaps and needs within the system. Commissioner Muller asked how closely they would look at the needs of the community as a whole, such as the Police Department needing more space. Ms. Lawrence commented that this will focus on parks and noted that a separate analysis is being done for Police and City Hall. She stated that they will compare the results of both studies to determine if there are opportunities to work together. 9. Unfinished Business 9.a Parks and Recreation 2024 Work Plan Approval Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence stated that the 2024 work plan was included in the packet, based off the discussion at the December worksession. She reviewed the proposed action items and those that would be tasked with each item. Commissioner Meyer commented that if the consultant has guidance for community outreach, that would be helpful and then members of the Commission could begin to implement some of those strategies and gain input from different community events during these winter months. Commissioner Schifsky asked how they would go about coordinating. Ms. Lawrence replied that would be up to the Commission, although she can help to facilitate a sign-up sheet and provide materials. She stated that the consultant will be meeting with some stakeholders, but the Commission will need to meet with different user groups as well. Commissioner Muller commented that there was a time where the Commission volunteered to get out and attend different events to gain input from community groups. She stated that it would also be helpful to have at least one member of the Commission present at a parks event to represent the group. Chair Blanks commented that it would be helpful to have the nametags to start as those would be helpful with this type of event as well. Commissioner Muller commented that t-shirts would also be helpful and would not have to be complicated, but just something that identifies the Commission member. Ms. Lawrence commented that she can develop a document that can be used for signups. Commissioner Muller commented that she believes that the sponsorship and donation policy should be broken into parts. She commented that sponsoring events is different than donating for a park bench or other items. Ms. Lawrence stated that there was direction from the Council that they are not interested in banner sponsorships in the parks but would support sponsorship of park programs and events as well as sponsorship of Par 3 hole signs. She stated that the Council does support a donation policy which would encompass the park benches, as well as other items such as trees or neighborhoods that may want to contribute to a larger playground in their neighborhood park. She stated that there would also be an overall general donation policy and use of funds. She confirmed that there would be separate policies although they are grouped into one action item. The Commission unanimously adopted the 2024 Work Plan. 10. Staff Announcements Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence shared the following announcements: • February will be the annual organization meeting and a Commissioner training will also occur. • Updates on warming houses and rinks will be posted on the City website. • Seasonal employment opportunities will be posted on the City website. • Other events can be found on the City’s website. 11. Student Representative Update Student Representative Murphy commented that she was glad to see the increase in attendance for Tour de Rec and looked forward to checking out the upcoming winter events. 12. Commission Comments and Park Updates Commissioner Sherer • Not much activity at Civic Center in the winter • Hagstrom King continued to have a lot of activity most evenings until the snow and cold temps started • He stressed that the Commission will remain the experts, even though a consultant has been brought in to assist in the master planning process • He looked forward to the plan that the consultant will develop and how the Commission can use that information Commissioner Toth • There has been cold weather and he looked forward to seeing people out on Rogers Lake, urging them to test the ice before going out Commissioner Muller • It is always a different experience to see the parks once the leaves drop • Thanks to those participating in the master plan subcommittee as she believes the add- ons will provide great value Chair Blanks • The parks have been busy before the cold weather set in • A resident requested a light near the compost bins at Mendakota Commissioner Schifsky • Enjoyed being a part of the master plan subcommittee and looks forward to the work ahead • Excited that the rinks are getting flooded and they will be able to use the new Wentworth warming house Commissioner Hanson • Spoke with pickleball residents and educated them to not use shovels or chemicals on the courts • Residents are enjoying the cribbage at the clubhouse • She will be out of state in February and therefore will not be at the next meeting Commissioner Meyer • Happy to see the master plan process move forward • Thanked City staff for their efforts during the winter months 13. Adjourn Motion Meyer/Second Muller to adjourn the meeting at 8:08 PM AYES 7: NAYS 0 Minutes drafted by: Amanda Staple TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.