12-12-2023 - PTRC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee - December 12, 2023 Page 2 Personnel Committee to mediate issues or bring motions forward. Also, the information she received didn’t come in time for it to be added to the agenda, so she added it as a bench motion. She acknowledged Mr. Kelliher’s contributions to the PTRC and buckthorn removal. She stated Council approved the resignations of Chair Hinton and Committee Member Poelzer, which will be effective December 31. She thanked them and said she was sorry to lose them. Council Liaison Rousseau congratulated Committee Member Edgar for getting a perfect score on her ACT exam. Council Liaison Rousseau said the Council approved moving forward with an application for funding opportunities for Old Highway 10 improvements. Also, the Rotary Club is interested in meeting with PTRC members to talk about what they did in 2023 that may align with their activities and see if they can partner with the committee. March 5 and February 20 are proposed meeting dates. Council Liaison Rousseau read an email from Public Works Director Swearingen regarding trees: “They maintain trees in a few ways; trimming and pruning, chemical injections treatments to ash and oak every other year, ground treatment to small ash annually, removal of dead trees that are considered hazardous. Trees that are dead within heavily wooden areas are left alone as that is the natural state of woods, and wildlife use them as habitat. For the trees Public Works has marked, we plan to remove them over the winter months. Due the large volume of dead and hazardous trees around Arden Hills, the best way to manage the workload is to select two to three parks or trails areas each year and plan the removal. Some of the trees identified are rather large and beyond the capacity of how our Public Works is equipped and must be contracted out. Depending on the number of trees and location this can be costly so we like to plan at least a year in advance. Cummings and Floral were identified by the Public Works maintenance plan that was presented to the Council in 2023, we are currently in the process of putting together the 2024 Public Works maintenance plan to include several new areas for removal.” Council Liaison Rousseau asked if anyone would be interested in connecting with Ramsey County Active Living and if so they should let her know. 4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. PTRC Goal Discussion Chair Hinton said this was brought back in case people were at this meeting that weren’t at the last meeting, or if anyone wanted to make changes or additions to what they had previously discussed. B. Trail and Parks Projects Update Recreation Supervisor Johnson reviewed the memo from Assistant Public Works Director Miller. • The Hazelnut parking lot negotiations continue with Trinity Lutheran Church. • Highway 10 is paved on the Safe Routes to School, there were $450k in grants awarded for that project. • Floral and Arden Manor parks are continuing construction. The contractor is pushing to get the play structures installed before winter. Hardcourt striping and restoration of both