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Pk 10-08-2024CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS, DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION MEETING MINUTES October 8, 2024 The October meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, October 8, 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: Stephanie Meyer, Michelle Muller, Jennifer Weichert, Dan Sherer, and Michael Toth; absent: Commissioner Jo Schifsky. Staff present: Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence, Recreation Program Coordinator Willow Eisfeldt, and Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek. 3.Pledge of Allegiance The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4.Approval of Agenda Motion Muller/second Meyer, to approve the agenda. AYES 6: NAYS 0 5.a Approval of Minutes from August 14, 2024, Regular Meeting Motion Meyer/second Muller to approve the minutes of the August 14, 2024, Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting. AYES 6: NAYS 0 6.Citizen Comment Period (for items not on the agenda) Gary Fischbach, 2150 Fox Place, stated that he likes the City services and has been proud to live here. He stated that he likes the park system maintained and to see the kids playing ball at Mendakota. He commented that the recent survey did not provide any options for people to object, as this seems like a massive expansion of government and would be an increase in taxes, which is concerning. He commented that the value of commercial properties is decreasing, as will the taxes from that commercial base while larger legislative decisions from the state and federal level will continue to increase taxes. Commissioner Muller commented that the Master Plan process is a method to gauge what the residents want and identify needs in the parks system. Mr. Fischbach commented that homes listed for sale in Mendota Heights sell within a couple of weeks because people want to come here as is. Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence noted that there is an item on the agenda tonight related to the budget. 7.Acknowledgement of Reports Chair Blanks read the titles of the three updates (Par 3, Park Improvement, Recreation, Park System Master Plan, and Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan Updates) and polled the Commissioners for questions. Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence introduced and welcomed the newest member of the Commission, Jennifer Weichert. 7.a Par 3 Update Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence briefly reviewed the August financial report. She commented that it has been a great season and highlighted some maintenance activities. She noted that typically the course is closed at the end of October or early November, weather dependent. She stated that two items were proposed for the 2025 budget for the golf course, a recreation facilities coordinator position and online tee reservation software. Commissioner Sherer asked and received confirmation that the golf course staff would need and receive training for the updated system if that is implemented. He noted that he has referred retired friends and neighbors to work at the clubhouse and was unsure if that new system would be difficult for some people to learn. Ms. Lawrence explained that is why training would be provided and was confident the staff would be able to use the new system, if implemented. Commissioner Weichert asked the amount of time Ms. Lawrence spends on the Par 3. Ms. Lawrence replied that currently 18 percent of her salary is coded to the course. She stated that during the season at least 15 hours of her week is spent on golf course activities. Commissioner Muller noted that the recreation facilities coordinator would also be at the course with the employees as well to provide ongoing training. Ms. Lawrence explained that currently she is the only employee fully trained in for the golf course for maintenance and financial elements and if there are issues on nights or weekends, that falls to her. Having an additional employee who is up to date on the golf course operations provides a deeper bench within the City. Commissioner Weichert asked the percentage of revenue increase that would be anticipated with the new software/employee. Ms. Lawrence stated that she has heard that other golf courses have increased revenue by 10 to 20 percent with the implementation of an online tee system in the first year. She noted that the new employee could also work some shifts at the club house, especially at the beginning and end of the season, which would decrease the staffing costs. She stated that she would also like to roll out more extensive programing at the course, which would increase revenue. She noted that 60 percent of the position cost would be funded through the golf course. Commissioner Sherer asked why public works would not be trained on the irrigation system at the golf course. Ms. Lawrence explained that public works only currently provides spraying capabilities at the course and all golf course maintenance is done by seasonal employees, which are under her supervision. 7.b Parks Improvement Update Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence reviewed the park improvement projects that have been completed in 2024 as well as progress on the items that remain. She stated that three items have been included in the preliminary budget for 2025 by the City Council in discussion thus far and provided a brief overview noting that there will be a larger budget discussion later on the agenda. She provided a brief overview on the special parks fund and how that can be used within the park system, as well as park dedication. She explained that the park system master plan includes financial information on how park projects and maintenance could be funded with the knowledge that park dedication would not be that source. Commissioner Muller asked the reasoning of the Council in delaying park projects, with the knowledge that there may not be funding in the future. Ms. Lawrence explained that there are a lot of budget requests, not just parks and recreation, and therefore the Council must make the hard decisions on which items are approved. She noted that she would provide more information on the budget requests during that agenda item. She encouraged members of the Commission to attend a budget worksession as department heads must explain why their requests are needed and if they could be delayed. Commissioner Weichert stated that neighborhood demographics are important when considering improvements for the parks. She stated that a fence that was put in for a baseball field in a neighborhood with mainly young children, noting that the fence is never hit by baseball, but it does limit the use of that space by other sports. She commented that the investment in baseball seems to push out other sports. She stated that she would also like to see dedicated pickleball courts. She commented that Mendota Heights has an aging population and also has young children. She stated that she would like to see more investment in the needs of the senior population and young families without singularly focusing on baseball. She believed that some of the tennis courts and basketball courts could be converted to different uses. Commissioner Muller commented that they are not singularly focused on baseball and work hard to provide equity. She stated that pickleball is often discussed and courts were just added at Wentworth. Commissioner Weichert commented that the Wentworth courts are on a hockey rink and cannot be used in the winter. Commissioner Meyer stated that she and Commissioner Sherer joined the Commission at the same time and pickleball has been a topic of conversation for many years. She stated that they have tried to utilize the hockey rinks. She stated that they have received input that people do like the tennis courts as well, so they have preserved some of those courts as well. She stated that the master plan is using the demographics of the community as well in order to better plan and determine the needs of the park system. She commented that the basketball courts are heavily used, specifically by teens. Commissioner Weichert stated that it would be very easy to dual stripe a tennis court so that it could be used for pickleball and tennis. Commissioner Muller commented that has been discussed for Valley and asked staff for more information on why they decided to keep that as tennis. Ms. Lawrence stated that the master plan will include demographics, although perhaps not to the level of neighborhood demographics. She stated that the plan will also compare the City’s park system to national levels. She recognized that Mendota Heights does have more baseball facilities than the average city of this size, but that does not mean they will be getting rid of those. She stated that grant funds have been received for tennis court projects and therefore she would need to look into the grant requirements to see if the additional striping could be done. She stated that they did look at refurbishing the Valley courts into pickleball courts, but that did not move forward. She stated that could be discussed but recognized the funding the is the biggest barrier. She stated that one of the barriers to some grant funding is that the City does not have a master plan, so she is hoping that once that plan is completed, the City could pursue additional funding opportunities. Chair Blanks commented that the Commission is mindful in how they make requests to the Council and providing equity in the parks system. He recognized that there are a lot of baseball fields, but there are also a lot of baseball players in Mendota Heights. Commissioner Muller stated that four of the Commission members have soccer players at home and recently received a letter from the association explaining why they choose to use the ISD 197 fields over the City fields. Commissioner Sherer agreed recalling the time the association made the transition from the neighborhood park fields to the school district fields. He welcomed Commissioner Weichert to the Commission and noted that the Commission has discussed the items that she brought forward multiple times, in depth. He stated that there was a lot of development in the 1980s and 1990s which funded the park system, and that development has slowed as the community has become fully built, which leads to discussion of how the park system will be funded in the future. Chair Blanks commented that the budget is a huge constraint on what can be done as well as space constraints. He explained that they also focus on equity, providing recreational opportunities for residents of all ages. 7.c Recreation Update Recreation Coordinator Willow Eisfeldt highlighted recent recreational programing and events as well as upcoming opportunities. Commissioner Muller congratulated staff on the high attendance for Barktober. Ms. Lawrence also commended Ms. Eisfeldt for the high attendance at Tour de Rec. She stated that three years ago they would be happy to have five kids show up and last week there were 70 kids. She noted that it is also a free recreational opportunity that does not require registration. Chair Blanks echoed those comments and noted that he has received comments from families showing their appreciation for the free recreational events. Commissioner Muller also commented that Tour de Rec is nicely done. Ms. Lawrence encouraged the Commission to come out for Trick or Teeing, as there are typically around 750 kids at that event. Commissioner Muller commented that the community is starting to catch on to the routine in the monthly events and the annual events. Commissioner Weichert asked how the programs are promoted and communicated to residents. Ms. Eisfeldt commented that they use social media, the City website and calendar, the Friday News, News from the Nine, flyers and sandwich boards, and notifications from partners. Ms. Lawrence stated that staff also works with the Communications Coordinator to provide department information in the Heights Highlights. She stated that they continue to look at ways to provide a diverse reach to residents. 7.d Park System Master Plan Update Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence provided background on the need for the master plan for the park system. She provided additional details on the phase two survey which was completed to gain input from residents on whether there was an appetite to pay more for higher quality and additional park amenities. She stated that the next step will be to have a joint worksession on November 12th with the City Council and Park Commission where the consultant will present the findings of the phase two survey. She provided additional information on those that have been included in the public engagement process, including focus groups. 7.e Parks and Recreation Strategic Planning Update Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence reviewed the progress on the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan. Commissioner Muller asked the number of responses for the phase one survey versus the phase two. Ms. Lawrence was unsure, estimating about 500 responses for phase one. She stated that there were more responses for the phase two survey and recognized that they brought the funding piece forward earlier than most cities do. She stated that her goal in bringing that funding piece forward was to gauge the appetite of the community, as if there is no appetite for additional funding, that would take the process in a different direction. 8. New Business 8.a Park Bench Donation Recommendation Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence presented a request for a park bench donation for Wentworth Park. She stated that staff walked the site with the residents and believe that this would be a great location for a bench, identifying the proposed location 20 feet from the pond. She noted that Wentworth does not have many benches and therefore this would be a great addition. She reviewed the language proposed for the plaque. She stated that staff made it clear that the concrete pad would not be poured until the spring and therefore the bench would also not be installed until the spring. Motion Meyer/second Weichert to recommend approval of the park bench donation at Wentworth Park by Bill and Joan Gacki. AYES 6: NAYS 0 9. Old Business 9.a FY2025 Budget Update Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence provided background information on the budget process. She stated that the City Council reviewed the seven projects recommended by the Commission and three of those projects were included in the preliminary budget. She stated that staff will meet again with the Council on October 15th to continue to discuss budget priorities, noting that the proposed recreation facilities coordinator position will be discussed in further detail at that meeting. She stated that a worksheet was included in the packet showing the department requests and whether the items were approved or denied. She noted that even the items that were approved in the preliminary budget could be denied in the final budget. Commissioner Meyer asked if the hesitation for the additional staff person is related to the balance of the job, or whether there was a reason provided. She recognized that recreation staffing is already maxed out and she did not want them to become burnt out and leave. Ms. Lawrence stated that she did not want to speak for the Council. She stated that Ms. Eisfeldt has been a great addition that she would like to preserve. She recognized that when you hire an employee it is an ongoing expense. She believed that the Council understands that the golf course has changed, noting that when she began in 2017 there were 5,000 rounds during the season, and they are now at 20,000 rounds per season. She stated that they have been transparent with the Council that if staffing is not increased, they will have to cut some things. She did not believe the golf course is yet at its capacity and that rounds can continue to be increased. Commissioner Meyer asked if it would be possible that the Council could accept the position as a part-time position and whether that would even be acceptable. Ms. Lawrence stated that the Council has many different options. She stated that her concern with a part-time employee would be that it would be a revolving position with a lot of training required. She stated that this position is easier on the taxes as 60 percent of that would be funded by the golf course rather than taxpayers. Commissioner Muller asked if there has been a decrease in attendance for any programs over the past two years. Ms. Eisfeldt stated that for all the programing she has seen an increase with the exception of golf programming. She stated that she does not have the knowledge or expertise in golf and cannot be there to supervise those doing the golf programing and therefore she believes people are going other places for golf programing. Commissioner Weichert asked if staff has reached out to the high school golf teams, as many students require volunteer hours and could perhaps assist with lessons. Ms. Eisfeldt stated that she does reach out to the schools and colleges with the seasonal job offerings and asking if those athletes would be interested, but there is typically not a response. She stated that the only issue with volunteers is that they need consistent staffing Monday through Thursday. Commissioner Weichert suggested reaching out to senior golfers that may be interested. Chair Blanks commented that there is not staffing to oversee that. Ms. Lawrence stated that the clubhouse staff is primarily seniors, and they are not currently interested in teaching. She stated that the golf course is a community amenity, and they do use it for different events, but believed that the number of annual rounds could be increased. Commissioner Weichert asked if mahjong could be another offering for seniors in addition to cribbage. Ms. Lawrence commented that the goal would be to expand recreational programs for seniors and teens, along with nature-based programming—should the new position be approved. 10. Staff Announcements Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Lawrence shared the following announcements: • Student Representative Meg Murphy’s term ended in June and there is a vacant Student Representative position open that is currently being advertised • Staff is beginning to prepare for winter skating and warming houses and the City is beginning to look for staff for warming houses, skating instructors, and flooders • Volunteers for Trick or Teeing should contact Ms. Eisfeldt • Thanks to the parks staff and seasonal Par 3 staff that made this season a great one • Other events can be found on the City’s website 11. Student Representative Update None. 12. Commission Comments and Park Updates Commissioner Sherer • Commented that there does seem to be a void in the parks north of 62 for soccer. He suggested perhaps a soccer goal at Wentworth or Ivy Hills for kids to practice. • Civic Center got a lot of use this summer with three teams using it and commented that the updates were much appreciated • Provided additional details on the growth of the baseball and softball programs • The nets on the batting cages at Civic Center could be replaced • Hagstrom King continues to be heavily used between the playground and basketball court Commissioner Toth • Commented on how clean the Mendota Heights parks are compared to parks in other communities • Recognized the changes to the park model today compared to the 1980s and encouraged residents to participate in the engagement for the parks master plan Commissioner Muller • Her sister recently moved near Kensington and provided positive comments on the park and trail system • Inquired as to where the outhouse at the skate park was Ms. Lawrence commented that the outhouse was removed last year because of vandalism, and they tried it again this year but there was again vandalism. She stated that there is still an outhouse near the playground. Chair Blanks • It was a great run for Music in the Park at Market Square, which had great attendance and was appreciated by the businesses • Encouraged residents to visit Valley Park Commissioner Weichert • Has visited 12 of the parks since she was offered the Commission seat and was amazed at how clean the parks are • Has not noticed users at the parks she was assigned • Found it ironic that the people she spoke with at Rogers Lake Park were not Mendota Heights residents • Skate Park users reported loose nuts and bolts • She lives near Victoria Highlands Park which is well-kept with a lot of baseball games. Expressed concern with dead and downed trees and with the safety of the pond • Plays pickleball every morning at Marie Park and rarely sees people playing tennis • Would like to see pickleball courts that could be used year-round Commissioner Meyer • Marie Park continues to be well used as does Mendakota Park • Thanked staff for all the work they do and the wonderful events that are hosted 13. Adjourn Motion Weichert/Second Muller to adjourn the meeting at 8:28 PM AYES 6: NAYS 0 Minutes drafted by: Amanda Staple TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.