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112800 PK JT MIN CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD PARKCOMMISSION AND COUNCIL CHAMBERS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION 7:15 P.M. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2000 MINUTES 1. CONVENE PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Mayor Love called the meeting to order at 7:22 P.M. A. Roll Call City Council Present: Mayor Love; Councilmembers Stover, Garfunkel, Lizée and Zerby Park Commission Present: Chair Arnst; Commissioners Puzak, Themig and Dallman Later Arrivals: Commissioners Bix and Berndt Staff Also Present: Engineer Brown and Planning Director Nielsen Absent: Commissioner Young B. Review Agenda Mayor Love reviewed the agenda. Puzak moved, Themig seconded, to approve the agenda. Motion passed 9/0. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Park Commission Meeting Minutes of November 14, 2000 (Att.-#2A Draft) Chair Arnst moved, Puzak seconded the motion to waive the reading of the Minutes and approve the Park Commission Minutes of November 14, 2000 as submitted. Motion passed 4/0. 3. DISCUSSION REGARDING FUNDRAISING - PROPOSED GOLF TOURNAMENT While Mayor Love indicated the Council likes the idea of possible fundraising efforts on behalf of the , Park Commissionthey could not endorse any such effort without taking part in further discussion. Commissioner Themig pointed out while no details for the golf tournament had been discussed at this step, Chair Arnst had presented the idea of a golf tournament as a fun way to promote and raise funds for the Park System. Engineer Brown mentioned that he and Brad Nielsen had spoken to Bo Woodtrack, of the Country Club, just this morning about the possibility of hosting the event. Woodtrack said he could supply the City with several names of experienced charitable organizations who’ve hosted just such proceedings. Nielsen shared the costs associated with the tournament at the Country Club. At $130 per participant, the City would need to defray the costs via corporate sponsors, silent auction etc. Brown added that public courses charge $70 - $80 per participant. Commissioner Bix arrived at 7:31 P.M. All agreed the costs were very high and the amount of effort great. Nielsen added that the Country Club PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28,2000 PAGE 2 of 4 was booked one year out. Puzak observed that this no longer sounded like a viable option and believed there wasn’t a way to make a deal with the Country Club when they are booked solid making money. Other ideas were then thrown out on the table, including; a house or garden tour, ice fishing or lake golf tournaments, embroidered City apparel, carnival, etc. Commissioner Bermdt arrived at 7:34 P.M. Mayor Love then reminded the group to examine the idea of fundraising philosophically. Puzak believed that people might be resistant to a fundraising effort by the City. They already pay taxes to care for the parks, why would they give additional money to the City. Berndt pointed out fundraising has been successful when tied to a certain venue, i.e. Eddy Station or the Skate Park. Mayor Love agreed, pointing to Excelsior as a successful example. Excelsior has succeeded in raising money for their parks in a variety of ways, selling “bricks” at the playground, soliciting funds from the rotary and chamber, and finally from their parking meters. Zerby wondered who carries out the selling and fundraising. Mayor Love indicated it requires a huge commitment from everyone, although he would be willing to do it if everyone agreed. Chair Arnst thanked Brown for gathering the information from the Country Club and while there didn’t seem to be any new ideas right now, perhaps everyone could give it some thought for a future discussion. Mayor Love believed fundraising could be further addressed after they’ve looked at revenue projections and evaluated “sock” user fees. A quarterly report would then give us enough information to plan budgets. Nielsen brought up the fact that this year will be the test period for the “sock” user fees. After the January meeting with Deb Malmsten of Minnetonka Community Education, we should have a good sense of the various organizations and what the user fees will be pulling in. Mayor Love also indicated that the current Joint Powers Agreement with neighboring communities is 14 years old and in dire need of evaluation. 4. DISCUSSION REGARDING STATUS OF PARK FOUNDATION Mayor Love and Commissioner Dallman noted the Foundation is an independent group made up of rotary, parks and sports organization representatives with the sole purpose of fundraising. Dallman added, that typically, it is the same five individuals attending the meetings. With that, Mayor Love asked if the bylaws could or should be amended to reduce the size of the group and promote communication with the Council. Stover mentioned that as a fundraising vehicle, the foundation offers people a tax-deductible way to donate. Since this is its purpose, Stover questioned why members who are not into fundraising are a part of the foundation. If the Sports Organizations are only interested in raising money for themselves why do we include them as foundation members. Puzak felt a business approach would be best, by simply raising the user fees for organizations. Mayor Love pointed out that based on projections, $6,000 in revenue will come from user fees, while $8,600 from the foundation. He agreed, these figures might need to be adjusted by raising the sock fee and using the foundation as a place to raise additional money. Arnst indicated the sock fee was locked in for this year, and questioned that if the foundation does not come up with the $10,000 it committed to, where that would leave the Park Commission. Mayor Love said they would be basically broke. Commissioner Lizée raised the issue that there has not been any report from the foundation on what and how much money the foundation has raised thus far. She asked Dallman if he knew how much they had raised and why their treasurer had not presented the Council with any report. Dallman said he did not know the answer to either question. Mayor Love asked if he could attend the PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28,2000 PAGE 3 of 4 next foundation meeting to discuss their relationship with the City and perhaps generate some new vitality within the group. Mayor Love also pointed out that the foundation can have a very positive impact, as it has, in the case of the Skate Park, and that he would like to come and discuss expectations. 5. DISCUSSION OF STATUS OF PARK FUNDS Mayor Love indicated that much of this discussion has actually been taking place throughout the meeting. Nielsen distributed a memo from March 24, 2000, presenting the financing plan for Eddy Station. As indicated by the memo, the Commission is financed for approximately 10 years. Brown shared that the projected budget for Eddy Station was $395,800. Based on numerous change orders the actual looks to be approximately $406,000, with the sanitary sewer and water main projects paid out of those funds. Zerby noted that puts the Park fund in a $19,000 deficit. Bix felt concessions and sock user fee estimates were low. Even with that, Mayor Love questioned whether those types of variables could make up a total deficit of $21,800. Themig mentioned that the RFP’s had been sent out and require vendors pay a base cost plus percentage to the City. Brown shared the RFP with the group. He mentioned copies had been sent out to every imaginable vendor staff could come up with, it was advertised in both the paper and newsletter and sent to eleven potential organizations. Thus far, there has been no interest from vendors, but Brown was optimistic for the pre-bid meeting scheduled for December 12, 2000. 6. DISCUSSION REGARDING GIDEON GLEN - ROLE OF PARK COMMISSION Mayor Love happily reported that they closed on the Gideon Glen property this morning. He pointed out that the responsibility and stewardship of this new piece of “greenspace” or “park” property will now fall under the LCEC and Park Commission umbrella. Mayor Love continued, that the mission over the next year would be to look for grants and contributors for this natural area. Lizée asked if a group should be assembled to look at its preservation. Mayor Love indicated much could be done with this full canopied wetland area, including tying it to the potential tunnel under County Road 19, beautifying the mall owners property with a pedestrian walkway and green space, provide for storm runoff, and meeting all five measures of natural wetlands. Mayor Love urged the Park Commission to consider its potential role and challenge in overseeing this natural “park” space. 7. DISCUSSION ON THE LRT TRAIL UNDERPASS AT COUNTY ROAD 19 Engineer Brown passed out a memo he received today from Bernie Jahn, of Hennepin County, in which Jahn indicates that due to the high groundwater levels, the ability to build a tunnel is not possible. Jahn does suggest they consider a pedestrian/bike bridge over CSAH 19. Brown had not yet priced out a bridge option, but will go back to Hennepin County to gain funds. Mayor Love asked about the possibility of raising the road. Nielsen explained that even if the road were raised 3 to 4 feet, the groundwater level is 3-4 feet, thus providing only 6 - 8 feet, and when digging a tunnel they need to go about 12 feet down. There still would not be enough room and the tunnel would be under groundwater levels. Brown felt he could examine other alternatives. He had not performed a full-blown feasibility evaluation as of yet and wanted to look into state aid dollars available to overcome the obstacles that have presented themselves. Lizée encouraged Brown to pursue potential state aid and Hennepin County dollars and press them to look at this intersection a bit closer. 8. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Love asked if there was any other business. There was none. Mayor Love complimented everyone on the meeting this evening and felt they had accomplished a great deal. He was pleased with the PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28,2000 PAGE 4 of 4 discussion about the Park Foundation, as well as, the dialogue over the way to trace the Park Commission finances over the next year. Lizée moved, Puzak seconded to adjourn. Motion passed 11/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Kristi B. Anderson RECORDING SECRETARY