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1993-01-12 Parks and Rec Comm Minutes • CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION PdINUTES JANIIARY 12, 1993 The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Parks and Recreation Commission was held on Tuesday, January 12, 1993, in the City Hall Large Conference Room, 1101 Victoria Curve. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 o'clock P.M. The following members were present: Katz, Kleinglass, Spicer and Hunter. Commissioners Damberg and Norton were excused. Also present were Administrative Assistant Kevin Batchelder and Recreation Programmer Michelle Morgan. Mr. Stan Linnell, a resident, was also in attendance. APPOINTMENT OF ACTING CHAIR Commissioner Spicer moved to appoint Commissioner Katz as acting chair for the remainder of the current term. Commissioner Hunter seconded the motion. AYES: 4 NAYS: 0 iAPPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Hunter moved to approve the November 10, 1992 Minutes. Commissioner Kleinglass seconded the motion. AYES: 4 NAYS: 0 VERBAL UPDATES Commissioner Spicer inquired it the City had been in recent contact with the owners of the Par 3 Golf Course regarding possible future land acquisition. Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated he was not aware that any additional contacts have been made in recent months. Commissioner Spicer moved to recommend that the City contact the Par 3 Golf Course to inform them that the City is interested in discussing possible acquisition of this site. Chair Katz seconded the motion. AYES: 4 NAYS: 0 January 12, 1993 Page 2 Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated that City recreational staff had proposed to the City Administrator to set schedules for the quarterly newsletter, the Heights Highlites, to accommodate the recreation programming deadlines. Batchelder stated it was likely that the newsletter would be assigned a schedule of February, May, August and November in order to give the recreation programs time to advertise for registrations for the upcoming spring, summer, fall and winter seasons. Commissioner Spicer stated Mend-Eagan would like to meet with the Recreation Programmer to begin discussing use and scheduling of City fields. Recreation Programmer Morgan stated the log sheets being kept at the ice rinks show approximately 30 to 40 people were using the ice rinks each day and that complaints are at a minimum. Commissioner Spicer stated Mend-Eagan hockey was going great and all of the ice rinks were working fine. RECREATION PROGRAM=G Recreation Programmer Morgan described the current • efforts to conduct the skating lessons program. She stated that registrations had been proceeding and that it was likely two classes were going to be held. Morgan stated the fees for the skating lessons will cover all costs of the program. Morgan stated it is likely a Youth Beginners class would be held with the possibility of one Adult class being held. Morgan stated all skating lesson classes will be held on the next five Saturdays. Morgan stated that next year the City could advertise the skating lesson program in the newsletters to assure themselves of a better response to fill up all five proposed classes. Chair Katz inquired if the City would also offer skating lessons on Sundays as that would work better for some families of the 'Jewish faith because Saturdays are a religious school day for children. Commissioner Kleinglass stated he was happy to see new recreation programs utilizing the City's parks. Commissioner Kleinglass inquired if the fees for the skating lessons would be going into the Park Fund. Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated all recreation fees that come into the City go into the General Fund. Batchelder stated the dollars that come in for the recreation programs would be coded as recreation revenue and at budget time the recreation staff could use those figures • January 12, 1993 Page 3 to request increased funding due to the fact that they are generating these revenues. Recreation Programmer Morgan described her approach to the upcoming softball season. Morgan stated the City would be advertising in the Heights Highlites around the first week in February for softball registrations and she had wanted to discuss details of the league and the league rules with the Parks Commission prior to proceeding with those advertisements. Morgan stated the two existing leagues, the men's Over 30 League and the Kittenball League would remain the same as last year. Morgan stated the City would be putting out feelers in their advertisements for four leagues instead of the three leagues that were budgeted. She stated these would be a men's industrial C league, women's D league and a men's C and D leagues. Morgan stated she is not quite sure where the demand for adult softball is in Mendota Heights, however these leagues that are being offered are based upon inquiries last year that were received by the City for these types of leagues. Morgan stated a D league is considered recreational, a C league is • considered recreational/competitive, a B league is considered competitive and A leagues are considered top flight competition leagues. Recreation Programmer Morgan stated the leagues would all play at Mendakota Park and depending on the number of leagues that are operated, Mendakota Park could be used four to five nights a week for adult softball. Morgan stated all of the softball programs would be supported by the fees for the program. Commissioner Spicer inquired if Mend-Eagan athletics would have use of the fields for their youth baseball programs. Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated Mendakota Park had been designed as an adult softball complex and the fields at Sibley were intended for youth use. Morgan stated the use of Mendakota fields would be dependent on the number of adult softball leagues that we operate in 1993 and that she would discuss possible use of those fields with Mend- Eagan. Recreation Programmer Morgan inquired about the eligibility issue for the softball leagues. She stated she is considering allowing only those people that live or work in Mendota Heights to be in the adult softball leagues with the exception of three non-residents per team. Demand for adult softball was discussed. The Parks Commission felt the stated eligibility requirements were appropriate. Morgan stated, for example, if Mendota Heights received requests for five teams from Mendota January 12, 1993 Page 4 Heights, to have an eight team league we would could consider three outside teams. The Parks Commission was of a consensus that Mendota Heights residents would be given priority and that a caveat in the advertisement should be that league availability is as demanded. The Commission agreed with the Recreation Programmer that participants in adult softball must be 18 years and over.. Commissioner Spicer stated Mend-Eagan offers softball and baseball recreation programs up to the age of 18. Recreation Programmer Morgan stated the fees for the softball program would cover all of the costs and that under current projected costs this would be approximately a $400 entry fee per, team. Morgan stated this would cover the costs for sanctioning by United States Slow Pitch Softball Association (USSSA) , umpires, balls, trophy's, printing costs and rosters, etc. Morgan stated the City would begin advertising for adult softball in February and registration would occur from March 1 to March 19 which would be followed by a manager's meeting in April with the season beginning in May. Commissioner Hunter moved to recommend that City staff be authorized to proceed with advertising for the softball programs under the terms discussed. Chair Katz seconded the motion. AYES: 4 NAYS: 0 Recreation Programmer Morgan stated she was considering offering three sand volleyball leagues this coming summer. She stated the three leagues would consist of a mens, women and co-rec and that this could be done at the Roger's Lake sand volleyball court three nights per week. Morgan stated there would be minimal fees of approximately $30 to $40 per team to cover costs. Commissioner Spicer inquired if these leagues would be supervised. Morgan stated she is looking at hiring a supervisor to take scores, provide first aid, keep track of balls and equipment but that the league is fairly informal with no umpires needed to call the play. The Parks Commission was of a consensus that staff should also advertise in the February newsletter for sand volleyball leagues to determine the demand and proceed with these sand volleyball leagues. • January 12, 1993 Page 5 PARK VIDEO Administrative Assistant Batchelder stated he had received a final draft of the park video entitled "Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks" from Paul Pieper the freelance producer hired by Northern Dakota County Cable Commission to produce the park video. Batchelder stated this park video had been produced under a grant from Northern Dakota County Cable Commission's Government Access Department. Batchelder stated NDC-4 would eventually air this video on Government Access Channel 18 for information for Mendota Heights residents. Batchelder stated this final draft was being previewed for the Commission tonight in order for them to provide input and comments on the production. Batchelder stated the master copy is essentially complete at this time and final comments could be incorporated into the video. The Parks Commission viewed the video and provided comments to staff on technical aspects of the video. Several Commissioners were concerned about the length of the video which is 27 minutes. Batchelder stated he would be meeting with Judy Skiei-Voss of NDC-4 to review • the final draft video and make any appropriate changes to dress up the video prior to public airing. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the Parks and Recreation Commission adjourned at 8:30 o'clock P.M. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Batchelder Administrative Assistant