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041982 PK MINCITY OF SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION MEETING MONDAY, APRIL 19,1982 MINUTES COUNCIL CHAMBERS 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD 7:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Carl at 7:40 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Gary Carl, Carol Chapman, Don Goettelman, Gordon Lindstrom, Council Liaison Tad Shaw, Assistant Kathy West. Late: Roger Stein, Conrad Schmid. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Corrections: April 5, 1982 Meeting Page 3 1982 Satellite Facilities (Change of dates) NWBER Location OF UNITS DATES Freeman Park 2nd of 3 May 15 - Oct 4 it 11 3rd of 3 May 15 - Oct 4 Goettelman moved, Chapman seconded, approval of the Minutes of the April 5, 1982 • Park Commission meeting as corrected. Motion carried - four ayes, O nays. FREEMAN PARK PROPOSAL - OPEN DISCUSSION Dennis Snyder, 5985 Eureka Road, was given a short explanation of the park development proposal by Chairperson Carl emphasizing the buffered entrance from Eureka. Mr. Snyder suggested that the Commission look at Chanhassen's Lake Ann Park on Highway 5. He asked if the Eureka Road entrance could be pointed toward a wooded area to the north side of his property. He also noted fast moving traffic,and the corner at Mann Lane as a blind intersection. The Park Commission agreed that traffic safety was an important consideration and that Eureka Road conditions should be addressed by the Planning Commission. The Park Commission noted that they would like Planner Ann Bronken to prepare enlarged detail sketches of the Highway 7 and Eureka Road entrances and incorporate any changes she noted from the April 5th meeting. These additions /changes are for the May 3rd. Park Commission meeting and the May 10th Council Meeting. The discussion was closed at 8:02 P.M. ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CONTRACT CLARIFICATIONS Staff brought to the attention of the Park Commission a request by Jerry Brenhofer for South Tonka Little League to practice at Cathcart Park on Saturday, April 17. Their contract with the City had not been signed and returned, nor had the City been named as i additionally insured. The City Administrator gave them permission to use the park- _facil- ities under the condition that their organization sign a waiver drafted by the City Attorney releasing the City from responsibility. The waiver was effective for one week only. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES - 2 - APRIL 19, 1982 ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CONTRACT CLARIFICATIONS - CONTINUED A policy requiring all athletic associations to complete these contracts and verify adequate insurance coverage before using Shorewood Park facilities was discussed. The Park Commission felt that this policy should be strictly enforced. BUDGET AND FINANCES: 1982 STATUS City Administrator Doug Uhrhammer gave a brief explanation of the current City budget. A problem in forming the budget was that the expenses were calculated first, which de- termined the revenues and the mill levy. There was no specific input from the Park Commission, the Planning Commission, or the Public Works Department. He also explained, the monthly financial statements and noted the areas relating to parks and recreation. The Park Capital Improvement Fund for 1982 totaled $34,902.78. Uhrhammer stated that he had not found any transfers from this fund for City Hall construction. Uhrhammer outlined the current financial pressures facing the City and the citizens. The costs of services keep rising while local government aid has been cut. Homestead credits have decreased so the property taxes must increase to maintain City expenses. The mill rate can no longer be set according to the services desired. The services the City provides must be directly related to the funds available and the City must budget carefully. Uhrhammer would like to see a new budgeting system put into effect which places the separate City departments in competition for funds. The process, as it involves parks and recreation, would require the Park Commission to identify yearly costs /expenses from data provided by the City Administration; determine yearly increases in park ex- penses; compare these figures with City revenues and formulate their own budget. This • budget, along with those from other departments would be submitted to a joint budget committee which would determine a final city -wide budget. Each department would have to justify their expenditures to retain their requested funding. Such a process would begin in July and end in December. The Park Commission discussed the ideas of selling undeveloped parklands, fees from athletic associations, and the search for grant monies. 1982 MINNETONKA COMMITY SERVICES FIELD SCHEDULING Minnetonka Community Services (MCS) proposed summer field schedule was discussed. The Park Commission saw no major conflicts other than the general baseball /BMX parking prob- lem and the special BMX race on July 10th. Carl agreed to coordinate these activities with Jim Jones of MCS. Carl said that no overnight events were planned. He also noted a "Race for Life" sponsored nationally by the American Bicycle Association and the Lukemia Foundation which will be held at the Shorewood BMX track on September 11th. Chapman moved, Goettelman seconded, that approval of the 1982 Minnetonka communit y with the BMX track. the Park Commission recommend to the City Council Services field schedule subject to coordination The motion carried unanimously. REAPPRAISAL OF SATELLITES FOR 1982 Staff brought to the attention of the Park Commission optional insurance provided by the Satellite company for vandalism of units. The Commission felt that the City's in- surance would cover any problems and that signs posted discouraging vandalism should be given the opportunity to work. They agreed to hold off on additional insurance. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES - 3 - APRIL 19, 1982 I t MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR Applicants for the Park Commission Tad Shaw distributed copies of an application letter from Launisse T. Cousins. It was noted that a few more individuals had expressed an interest in the Commission positions after reading the Shorewood Newsletter but their letters of introduction had not yet been received. The Commission agreed to defer discussion of all applications until the next meeting. Stein moved, Schmid seconded, to accept applications to the Park Commission through April 30, 1982, and interview the applicants at the May 3, 1982 meeting of the Park Commission The motion carried unanimously. BMX Track and Baseball Fields Gary Carl requested gravel, clay, and a drainpipe to prepare the BMX track for summer usage. He said volunteers would be working on the facility over the weekend of April 24th and 25th. The Park Commission suggested that all requests be presented in written form and placed on the agenda. The Commission would then pass them to the City Administrator if ap- proved. Carl was asked to contact the baseball organizations to determine what the ball fields need as far as fill. A motion was made by Lindstrom, seconded by Goettelman, to have Gary Carl coordinate the requests for fill for the BMX trackand Freeman Park baseball fields, and to pre- sent them to the City Administrator (who in turn will instruct the Public Works Director). The motion carried unanimously. Playground Equipment It was noted that many of the City Parks cater to organized team sports but provide little in the way of children's play facilities. The Park Commission responded that often playground equipment purchases seem to be a waste of money because of vandalism and maintenance expense. It was agreed, however, that a worthwhile project for the Commission would be to look into indestructible play equipment and possible donations of such by local organizations and clubs. Attendance Chairperson Carl emphasized the need for Commission members to keep up their meting attendance, promptness, and liaison work to the City Council and the Planning Commis- sion. REPORTS Tad Shaw reported on the April 12th City Council meeting. The major items were Public Hearings on the Vine Hill Floral property: rezoned C -3; the James Emmer property division; the IXI development proposal: The realocation of Community Development Block Grant Funds; and the IMDeC 18 unit apartment development proposal. Shaw also noted a letter from the City of Minnetonka regarding a planned bike trail on Vine Hill Road. The Commission agreed that the City of Minnetonka should be asked to present a detailed proposal of the trail at a Shorewood Park Commission meeting. ADJOURNMErTI' Schmid moved, Chapman seconded, to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 10:29 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Kathleen West, Assistant