070991 PK MINCITY OF SHOREWOOD JOINT WORKSHOP
PARK COMMISSION /CITY COUNCIL
PARK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1991
M I N U T E S
CALL TO ORDER
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
7:00 P.M.
Chairman Andrus called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chairman Andrus, Commissioners Lindstrom, Vogel,
Christensen, Dzurak, and Wilson; Mayor Brancel;
Councilmembers Stover, Daugherty and Lewis; Administrator
Hurm; Public Works Director Zdrazil, and; Administrative
Assistant Niccum.
Absent: Park Commissioner Laberee; Councilmember Gagne, and;
Park Planner Koegler
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
I• Vogel moved, Lindstrom seconded, to approve the minutes of Tuesday,
June 25, 1991, as corrected.
Page two - Motion in center of paste -
r
dugouts
2. delete $1,000
........ . .. . . :: g ts
Page five - "Freeman Park - Left turn lane
Change Left togT7 both in title and article
Motion carried - 3 ayes - 2 abstain due to absence at last meeting.
CATHCART WARMING HOUSE
Niccum reported that Mr. Paul Cullen, 7515 1st Avenue South,
Richfield, MN 55423 (869- 4615), had written a letter to the City.
Cathcart warming house was originally used by his family as a
summer home for many years, and he is interested in repurchasing
and restoring the building if it is going to be disposed of.
The Commission suggested Niccum contact Cullen informing him we had
received his letter, do plan on disposing of the building
eventually, and that it would be a good idea to check with the City
• every two years or so in case there is a change in personnel.
SHOREWOOD JOINT PARK COMMISSION /COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
PARK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1991 - Page two
VOLUNTEER FOR GARDEN CLUB
Niccum reported that Joanne Champion, 22150 Bracketts Road,
Shorewood, has volunteered to cultivate and maintain her own little
flower garden. She is a volunteer at a downtown shelter so does
not have time to take on more than this. Public Works Director
Zdrazil mentioned the garden at Manor Park. Niccum will check with
the League of Women Voters to see if they still plan on doing any
maintenance on that garden.
Wilson and Vogel expressed an interest in this area.
The Commission suggested asking Koegler for planting locations in
conjunction with the landscape plan. They also suggested using the
newsletter again to ask for volunteers.
PARK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
City Administrator James Hurm presented a cutback proposal to
improve the parks. No park land acquisition and no citywide trail
system are included in this plan. He said at the neighborhood
meetings held regarding the referendum people were in favor of the
• improvements in the parks but did not want their taxes increased by
a $2,000,000 referendum. He explained a 20 year plan that had
three elements: projects funded by referendum with an estimated
bond issue of $967,000; projects funded by groups and donations
identified by park and priority over a ten year period in the
amount of $75,700; and projects funded by the City with a
projected general fund contribution of $15,000 in 1992 and 1993,
and $22,500 each year thereafter.
Hurm said it is important that businesses, civic groups, and
volunteers become involved in order to be successful.
The annual tax impact, calculated by Finance Director Rolek, would
be $38.70 on a $150,000 home and $64.50 on a $250,000 home.
Park Chairman Andrus thanked Hurm for his presentation.
Councilmember Daugherty asked what would be in the proposed
multiuse building for Freeman Park. He thought a nice multiuse
building could be built for around $100,000 and the roads might not
have to be paved. These items may save several hundred thousand
dollars. He also asked if the assessment could be done at a flat
rate per household instead of being based on valuation.
Administrator Hurm said he didn't think it could be done that way
but he will check on it and report back.
SHOREWOOD JOINT PARK COMMISSION /COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
PARK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
. TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1991 - Page three
Daugherty also mentioned the possibility of borrowing to do the
City projects up front and paying it off with park dedication fees
and general funds later.
Councilmember Lewis said someone has to get behind the effort, some
group or organization. He has concerns for the success of a Spring
referendum.
Hurm said the key is public education.
Mayor Brancel suggested a questionnaire in the newsletter with a
comment area so residents could mail back their comments. She also
suggested advertising, and having neighborhood committee heads.
Councilmember Stover said the school calls people, sends
invitations, and does slide shows.
Dzurak felt the sports organizations were apathetic. Christensen
felt they offered support as sports leaders but as residents they
didn't want the tax increase. Lindstrom pointed out that the
City's share of the property tax bill is only 17 percent. The
percentage the City spends on parks is ohnly about 1% of the tax
bill. He felt education regarding this information should take
. place.
Daugherty said there are a lot of ways to raise money if people are
interested. He also said he was curious regarding why so much
money is being spent in Freeman Park, it is in the western part of
Shorewood, not centralized. He said his inclination would be to
put as much emphasis on other parks as on Freeman.
The Commissioners explained that one of the reasons for the expense
in Freeman Park is because Freeman is the City's "Community Park"
while the other parks are "Neighborhood Parks ". They also told
Daugherty that Silverwood Park was on their list of priorities for
finishing in 1990, as was relocation of the ballfield in Cathcart
Park, but the funds were not available so the work was not
accomplished.
Daugherty asked if the road cost in Freeman park couldn't be
knocked down in cost, he said other parks in the area did not have
paved roads. If they are not paved, would there be too much of a
dust problem? Have there been many complaints?
Stover asked what happened to the trail plan? Why wasn't it
included in the referendum? Dzurak told her that the estimated
cost for the citywide trail system would be an addition $2, 000, 000.
He added that referendums on trails were not doing well at this
. time according to Park Planner Koegler.
SHOREWOOD JOINT PARR COMMISSION /COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
PARR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 1991 - Page four
i
Stover asked if two separate questions could be asked on the
referendum ballot? The answer was yes.
Andrus said Freeman Park is basically the "Commons" of Shorewood.
He also said a campaign committee is important.
Vogel said he thought letting the residents know what the future
plans of Shorewood are is important. _He suggested providing
coaches with handouts, and that handouts go out with mailings.
Brancel and Stover liked the PCIP concept. Daugherty also liked
it, he said he was more accustomed to small neighborhood parks. He
felt the referendum had a better chance of succeeding if it was in
the $600,000 - 750,000 range. Christensen said he thinks it is the
word "referendum" that scares people, not the amount.
Stover said she would like to see a referendum take place. Brancel
agreed, but she said the timing is crucial and asked if the budget
cuts would create a problem.
Lewis said it is important to keep looking for a volunteer network.
Daugherty suggested contacting the Sailor, letters to the editor by
• interested residents, and publishing city maps. Councilmembers
also mentioned talking to Jennifer at Triax regarding T.V. time,
display booths at the Shorewood Shopping Center, having the
newpapers present at the Council presentation, and organized
meetings.
Hurm said if the referendum fails, the city would just have to
restructure the Park Capital Improvement Plan.
The concensus of the majority of the Council present was that they
liked the PCIP concept, and were willing consider a referendum.
ADJOURNMENT
Vogel moved, Lindstrom seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 9:40PM.
Motion carried - 6/0.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
Susan A. Niccum