08-20-24 - PTRC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – August 20, 2024 Page 14 Committee Member Olson likes the Adopt-a-Spot option. She believes a lot of cities have similar programs and it’s as simple as having an application online. The City typically manages those programs. She would support the PTRC looking into this for the 2025 plan. If there is interest from other groups who want to adopt a park, that would be helpful. Committee Member Dietz said he and his group do a lot of work at Floral Park and they could do so much more if they had more volunteers. Council Liaison Rousseau asked if volunteers were needed for certain days. Committee Member Dietz there are projects to be done. There are certain tasks that people are more apt to volunteer for. Committee Member Olson asked how a group like this would get into the Arden Hills Newsletter. She said there have been discussions regarding volunteer recognition in the newsletter. That would be a great spot to highlight this organization. She used the example that she would recognize Committee Member Seemann for a volunteer spotlight and in that article the Arden Hills Greening organization can be highlighted and contact information provided if other residents wanted to volunteer. Council Liaison Rousseau said that the newsletter did promote Rib Fest, which is facilitated by an outside organization. The Rotary’s Hopps and Vine event was also promoted in there. She believes that precedent would allow for this organization to be promoted, as well. She will email the Newsletter Council Liaison Fable and say she would like to highlight Arden Hills Greening and she can copy Steve Erler and Committee Member Seemann. Committee Member Olson thinks that highlighting the organization is important. She also believes that some people don’t have the time to volunteer but would be willing to donate money. She suggested the Arden Hills Foundation could help with collecting and distributing donations. She thinks before the group promotes themselves, they should figure out a way to collect donations. Steve Erler asked if it would be important for them to organize as a 501C-3. Council Liaison Rousseau noted that Rib Fest, Arden Hills Foundation and Rotary are all 501C-3 organizations. She thought registering Arden Hills Greening as such could add legitimacy to the organization. Council Liaison Rousseau said she has looked at the Friends of Minnetonka Parks website during this discussion and the concept seems great. They have lots of volunteer opportunities with dates, times and locations for the events. She would be interested to learn how many volunteers they get from outside their own group.