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031114 PK MIN CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB RD PARK COMMISSION MEETING SHOREWOOD CITY HALL TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 7:00 P.M. MINUTES 1. CONVENE PARK COMMISSION MEETING Acting Chair Edmondson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. A. Roll Call ; Present: Commissioners Edmondson, Hartmann, Mangold, and SawtellCity Council Liaison Hotvet; Public Works Director Brown; City Planner Nielsen; Finance Director DeJong Absent: Dietz B. Review Agenda Mangold moved to approve the agenda as amended: Switch Items 4 and 5. Sawtell seconded the motion. Motion carried. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Park Commission Meeting Minutes of February 11, 2014. Commissioner Sawtell moved to approve the minutes of the February 11, 2014 meeting as amended: Mangold stated the money should be put into other areas and not the path. Mangold seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0. 3. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR There were none. 5. DISCUSS OUTDOOR HOCKEY RINKS Interested members of the area’s hockey association were present to discuss outdoor hockey rinks. Edmondson stated there has been discussion for many years about Badger Park and area rinks. He stated input is needed from people who use the rinks. Doug Howe, Minnetonka Mangold asked what the current outdoor usage is and where he sees the trend going. Youth Hockey , stated there are fifty kids in their program now, and it continues to increase every year. He noted they lack ice to use. He noted as years have gone on, usage has moved indoors because of the unreliable weather. Practice is done outdoors. He stated others parks do not charge for use and Shorewood does. He stated he would like if there is a possible remedy for that. He stated there are also more options for the kids to skate in organized teams. Jennifer Johnson stated they have contracts with other cities for indoor ice usage. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 5 PAGE 2 OF Nielsen stated the fee is $10 per player for every member per season. He stated it applies to all sports. Edmondson stated he is opposed to charging a fee. He asked if the leagues are also for girls’ teams. Howe stated there are girls’ teams as well, and they have become popular. Sawtell asked if there would be an issue if the rink is moved to Freeman Park. Howe replied that isn’t the issue. He stated they also use Cathcart which is near Freeman. Mangold summarized how the group collects information on ice availability and the coaches pick where to go. Johnson noted there are many pickup games at area rinks. Mangold asked what the interest might be for pond hockey setup. Howe stated he would like to see that offered. Edmondson asked Councilmember Hotvet for her input. Hotvet noted it was a difficult transition at first to have two times sharing a sheet of ice. She noted the Badger rink is mostly likely going to be removed. It will be important to determine what to do next. Mangold stated there are obviously details to work out. He was in favor of an open rink at the parking lot at Freeman with removable boards that could be easily maintained. Howe stated they currently use a rink in Eden Prairie which is smaller in size. Another one in St. Louis Park is also used. He stated smaller rinks are very popular. The popularity of outdoor competitions was discussed and whether a district game could be scheduled for outdoors. Hartmann asked if lighting is a concern. Howe stated lighting is needed as most of the coaches work during the day. Nielsen discussed the idea of putting up a portable rink at Freeman Park in the parking lot. He asked if the nets placed cross-wise on the ice is enough practice space. Howe stated that is what is done now. He stated it gives players more chances to have contact with the puck. Mangold stated he would like to work with their organization to publicize the possibility of the rink at Freeman. Edmondson suggested a tournament during the Arctic Fever weekend. 4. APPOINT CHAIR/VICE CHAIR Edmondson opened the floor for a motion to nominate a candidate for Chair. Sawtell nominated Edmondson for Chair. Edmondson seconded the motion. Motion failed 2-2. Hartmann nominated Mangold. Mangold seconded the motion. Edmondson stated he has been on the Commission for many years and was looking forward to being the Chair for the remainder of his term. Motion carried 3-1. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 5 PAGE 3 OF Sawtell nominated Edmondson for Vice Chair. Hartmann seconded the motion. Edmondson stated he would not accept the nomination. Mangold nominated Hartmann. Sawtell seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0. Edmondson stepped down from the Acting Chair duties and turned over the meeting to Chair Mangold. 6. CIP Nielsen stated the memo explains how an item becomes a CIP category or a maintenance item. DeJong discussed the two components that determine the categories. He stated if it is going to last longer than a year, it is a capital item. He noted the smaller the time, the lower the limit for capital expenditures. He stated the intent is to limit the amount of administrative hassle. He stated they generally try to keep the CIP expenditures at a minimum of $5,000 and to avoid spikes in the operating budget. Sawtell stated he struggles with what the Park Commission’s role is with regard to expenditures and fund balances. Brown agreed. He stated it is the Park Commission’s role to be the visionary – to determine what the parks can be. It is the City Council’s job to find the money. Nielsen stated this Commission gets into more “nuts and bolts” than other Commissioners might. He stated the focus should be on the bigger picture. He believed Badger Park is more of an issue for the City Council than it is the Park Commission. He explained how money identified in the CIP will always stay there vs. the budget where money “goes away” if it is not used the year budgeted. Mangold stated he has a problem with budgeting an item, getting the lower quote, and what happens to the money that is “left over”. Brown discussed the challenges with the tightening of the budget over the years. DeJong stated there are challenges with all the funds in the budget and not just the park improvement fund. Hotvet stated parks are very important. The City Council counts on the Park Commission’s recommendations. Nielsen stated the consultant is looking at both concepts for Badger Park and better costs will be recalculated and brought back in the near future. 7. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Brown discussed current maintenance activities which includes rink maintenance, mowing, drag infields, aerate in the fall, trash pickup, and general maintenance. Mangold asked if Public Works caught up despite their staffing issues. Brown believed they caught up toward the end of the season. He stated he would like the Park Commission to consider when tohave their park tours. They often have the tours before Public Works can get out there and do the early maintenance. Mangold asked if there are final numbers for maintenance in 2013. DeJong stated they are the process of getting the final numbers ready for the audit and have used the majority of the budget. He stated there was a little bit left over. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 5 PAGE 4 OF Nielsen stated the Mayor has suggested there be an overall landscape maintenance manual for the City. This would address overall maintenance, how vacant lots are maintained, and how maintenance is determined on a project-by-project basis. He stated the fields look great for the most part; however, the football field needs work. The installation of an irrigation system has been identified. He stated the manual would also be good for residents to know what our plans are for maintenance. Mangold asked for Brown to identify lighting locations in the parks. Brown identified locations and how effective the lighting is. He explained some lights are inadequate, others are too bright. He also explained how some lights are run by computer while others are run on timers. Commissioners and staff discussed lighting in the spring. Mangold stated auditing of the lights is needed as lights are going on earlier than is necessary. Brown stated it is generally a check safe system. He stated security is also a concern. 8. POLICY ON PARK COMMISSION ATTENDANCE Nielsen stated the City Council made the decision to reduce the size of both the Park and Planning Commissioners from seven to five members. He stated they also determined the Commissioners should address attendance and have them determine how many missed meetings would be more reasonable. The current policy states half the meetings could be missed. He suggested he would look at what other cities have in the way of attendance policies and bring back a recommendation. 9. RESCHEDULE PARK SUMMIT MEETING Nielsen stated the previous month’s Park Summit meeting was not held due to a lack of a quorum and discussed whether it should be rescheduled. Mangold suggested sometime in April. Nielsen stated it has usually been held the third Tuesday the month it is held. April 15 was suggested. Mangold asked if maybe we are meeting too much. Nielsen suggested the other attendees be polled. Sawtell stated there may be more going on in the spring. He suggested meetings every six months. Nielsen stated one agenda item will be to discuss future meeting dates. 10. MOVIE IN THE PARK Mangold stated staff has provided possible movie choices for this year’s Movie in the Park. Sawtell suggested Frozen be selected. Mangold believed it is very popular. He suggested two movies be shown on different nights. Sawtell agreed. Brown stated Freeman Park would be a great selection for a movie, and a double feature could be shown with the City Council’s approval. Mangold stated it would also depend on whether there is money in the budget for two movies. Hartmann suggested we look for a sponsor for the second movie. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 5 PAGE 5 OF Mangold suggested tabling the second movie to the next year and show the movie at Freeman Park. Nielsen suggest one movie be chosen now to order and then determine in April if there will be a second movie. Mangold recommended Frozen. Sawtell concurred. 11. NEW BUSINESS None 12. STAFF AND LIAISON REPORTS/UPDATES A. City Council B. Staff Nielsen updated the Commission on recent City Council activity, including: hiring a consultant to determine what alternate energy sources exist for cities (solar energy in the parks), and Hotvet discussed a recent scenic byway designation meeting update. Nielsen updated the Commission on the deer numbers and the number removed. He stated the numbers are lower than the threshold set for a management number. There will be discussions of reducing or suspending the program for a year. Nielsen stated the Christmas Lake Association has worked with the City to provide zebra mussel inspections. The City will apply for grant money to convey to the Association to work on having the program. Edmondson stated Mangold would be the Chair of the Park Summit meeting and would be liaison to the Parks Foundation. Edmondson tendered his resignation from the Park Commission effective immediately. 11. ADJOURN Edmondson moved, Sawtell seconded, to adjourn the Park Commission Meeting of March 11, 2014 at 8:56 p.m. Motion carried. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Clare T. Link Recorder