05-17-21-WS - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION - MAY 17, 2021 10 Councilmember McClung agreed in Councilmember Holden's suggestions, and felt they don't have a PTRC committee, they have a T committee. He is glad they are advocates for trials but the need to also show enthusiasm for parks and recreation. He thinks they need a direct work plan along with a refresher about what it means to be an advisory committee to the Council. Mayor Grant said they do review the parks annually. They assigned everyone a trail but not a park. Councilmember Holden said going to the parks once a year isn't showing interest in the parks. They should be reporting things as they see them, not just once a year. Councilmember McClung said he was on the PTRC previously and been Council liaison. He remembers discussions about how to improve the parks and he would like to have more of a balance from the committee now. For example, what should the recreation programs post COVID look like, and how can they work cooperatively with other cities. Councilmember Scott commented that he spent eight years on the PTRC and felt they were fairly balanced at that time. The focus has become more trail centric, but they do need to focus on parks and recreation. He had no problem redirecting the group. Councilmember Holmes agreed with the points in the email. Mayor Grant added there was a member of the PTRC who approached another city, he didn't think that was appropriate. There were also certain things with a park bench that also weren't proper. Councilmember Holden said it was at a Council meeting that she learned a member of PTRC approached another city instead of that city dealing with Arden Hills, and she felt that was inappropriate. Councilmember Holmes added that she was trying to figure out what the donation was and if the wording on the plaque. She said there was a notation on the donation application to have staff inquire about a second plaque. The donor said he was pressured to have a plaque on the front and on the back in order to get a better location in a park, but he really only wanted his own plaque. The application says the City will contact them to discuss the location of the bench, but apparently the PTRC member designated the bench to be in Crepeau Park. Councilmember Holden said telling someone "if you do this, we'll give you a better location" is totally inappropriate. She felt the person that did this should no longer be on the PTRC, between bribing the donor and adding to the form. She felt that is not what the City should have as a representative. Mayor Grant said he didn't know if they had actually approved that individual to be on the PTRC, at one point he had resigned. Mayor Grant added the same individual is the one that talked with the City of Roseville. He learned about that during a PTRC meeting. During the meeting it was conveyed the bench was to have a plaque in regard to Don Messerly. So, people were pressured, forms were altered, and they tried to represent the City about putting in a trail to another city.