09-16-25 - PTRC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – September 16, 2025 Page 7 request was to get permission for the PTRC to complete this planting. By that time Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky understood that is not the role of the PTRC. She asked Staff about it and she was told if any committee member wanted to do something it must be part of the work plan. She misunderstood and misspoke at the July meeting. She was saying that planting plan had to be part of the Parks Maintenance Plan. It needs to be part of the PTRC Work Plan. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said, having clarified the process, Committee Member Seeman has been working with Public Works Superintendent Frid to do the work she wants to do at Cummings. It probably won’t happen this year, but it is still a project we want to do. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said everything she said about Adopt-a-Park is still relevant, in that it will give Committee Member Seemann a more systematic framework to be able to complete these projects. There needs to be planning with Staff to make them happen. Chair Dietz said it has to fit into the City’s plan. You can’t just plant somewhere if the City’s plan is to mow or burn that area. The PTRC is here to make recommendations. This planting project has been on the agenda two times and we haven’t gotten to it because we are so busy. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said at one point Committee Member Seemann was spraying herbicides in City parks. Someone asked the City Attorney if we are allowed to do that due to liability. The City Attorney’s opinion was that she was not allowed to spray restricted chemicals but also can’t use chemicals available to the public at retail stores. She cited several laws. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky read the referenced laws and crafted a letter to the City Attorney stating why she thought the interpretation was wrong. The City Attorney agreed with her and Committee Member Seemann is allowed to spray herbicides that are available at a retail store and that don’t require an application certification. Committee Member Rogers said there are groups at other parks who plant things. They plant flowers. Why was permission needed in this case? Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said it may be because of the areas she is doing the work. There may be conflicting ideas about what is happening in those areas. Discussion ensued that the flowers are being planted in flower beds and what Committee Member Seemann is doing is natural and woodsy areas, that aren’t specifically intended for planting. They also discussed that many of the planting projects don’t require City resources. Many of the projects that Committee Member Seeman is spearheading need to be coordinated with City Staff. Committee Member Hilding said it is confusing. Who gets to decide what happens? PTRC might think something is important but another group or Staff may not see it as a priority. Committee Member Olson said that at Lindy’s Park there was a beautiful planting garden near the sign. The County ripped that up during their project. She asked if the County intended to replace the garden and she was told no. As a resident she wants to figure out how to make that look pretty again. Committee Member Johnson said Ramsey County should have to put that back. She thinks this is a lesson for Arden Hills. We need a process and documentation for everything. If there is a garden planted, we should note who did it, when, how it was done and how much it cost.