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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 4 Councilmember Monson wondered what Council appetite would be for moving forward with Freeway Park this year because that falls into the budget. Then hold off on Arden Oaks to see what a nature -based playground could look like. Then the projects would be staggered. Councilmember Fabel asked how much of the expenditure for this project is built into the 2025 budget numbers that will be discussed later in tonight's meeting. Finance Director Yang said the entire $475,000 is in there. Councilmember Fabel said his concern is one of the issues to be discussed later is the expansion of the Public Works Department, to include a full time Parks position. He believes that position is a higher priority than some of this equipment. He wondered if money could be transferred from the Capital Improvement Fund into the General Fund to cover that. Finance Director Yang confirmed. Councilmember Fabel said he is concerned about the Public Works position. He thinks that's important. Mayor Grant asked Councilmember Monson to provide a better understanding about what a nature -based playground is. Councilmember Monson said they are not a traditional playground structure. The ones she has seen are well built with a lot of investment. They can have streams and sand pits and rocks to climb and trees to build forts. She doesn't envision the City would have one that extensive. She is willing to explore the options because she just doesn't know what could be included on the City's budget. Mayor Grant asked what the useful life of a play structure is. Bryce Shearen said they should be programmed at 20 years. Councilmember Holden asked what parks are next in line to be improved. Public Works Director and City Engineer Swearingen replied Ingerson and Sampson in 2027 and Royal Hills in 2029. Councilmember Holden doesn't think Arden Oaks is the right location to have a nature -based playground. It has a lot of sun exposure. She thinks a location with more shade trees would be a better option. She said Sampson is a smaller park on two major pathways. She thought that might be a good location to consider. Councilmember Rousseau was hoping there would be a variation that included a ninja course. She didn't know if that might become outdated in a short time. She agrees that Arden Oaks is not the location to explore a nature -based playground. She thinks the residents selected Option 1 at Arden Oaks and that's probably a good choice for that location. She thinks Freeway Park is more of a destination park and it would be better to look at that location for a nature -based park, if one or the other of the current parks are to be considered. She thinks the two structures should be