2008-10-01 P & R Minutes Approved

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Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes 10-01-08 Recreation Committee did do a spring clean up of this park and found drug paraphernalia, empty bottles and hundreds of cigarette butts in a secluded clearing in the dense pine trees. Vice-Chairperson Amundsen trimmed up the trees so there would be a better view of what was going on, as well as making users of the trail feel a little safer. The resident’s complaints also included the park is too dark and the tennis court too isolated and completely surrounded by trees. The residents are asking for a more frequent police presence at this park and are asking Parks & Recreation and Public Works to consider removing some of the trees. Mayor Capra also had met with residents and received emails from other residents with these same concerns. Chairperson Seeley asked Officer Dixon for input regarding additional lighting at Tracie McBride Memorial Park and Eagle Park, does it help to have additional lights or does it encourage use after dark. Officer Dixon prefaced his answer with another officer, who regularly works evenings in Centerville, was supposed to come to the meeting instead of him and Officer Dixon did not regularly work evenings in Centerville. But, he stated he could never say more lights are a bad thing, though cost is certainly a consideration. Officer Dixon asked what the committee would like to see from the Police Department regarding the complaints at Eagle Park. Council Member Lee said they would like stepped up patrol at Eagle Park and when officers do make contact with the teenagers, make a point of letting the teenagers know why you are there, bring the teenagers home and talk to the parents. Perhaps have officers walk the trail at night. Officer Dixon stated the teenagers would be brought home if there were doing anything wrong and citizens should call the police. City Council is already looking at the light issue for Tracie McBride Memorial Park. Officer Dixon has information regarding park lighting he will get to Ms. Stephan before the next committee meeting and he will talk to Chief Makela about stepping up patrolling around Eagle Park. Park Signage The committee discussed why park signs stating the rules have not been put in place as this was something that went to City Council in early spring. If would be much easier for the officers to enforce the rules, c such as hours, if they were posted. The ommittee then also questioned why the signs requested in 2007 and again in the spring of 2008 have never been put up in Hidden Spring Park? There were also supposed to be 'No Trespassing' signs on the north and south borders of Hidden Spring abutting the St. Paul Water Utility property and the property owner to the south. Vice-Chairperson Amundsen asked why the entry signs into Centerville have not been replaced, he came across a discussion in his notes the committee had in 2005 regarding this issue and they have still not been replaced. The recycling and no parking signs are so faded they can barely be read. Ms. Stephan will forward questions to Public Works. IV. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES September 3, 2008 Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes The first paragraph under Committee Business regarding additional lighting states ‘committee members individually toured all the parks.’ Chairperson Seeley requested that be modified to ‘individually toured the parks’, as each member did not go to each park. Also in the same paragraph change ‘Tracie McBride Memorial Park is the only park without a street light in the immediate vicinity’ to ‘Tracie McBride Memorial Park and Eagle Park are the only parks without a street light in the immediate vicinity of the entrance.’ Vice-Chairperson requested changing the sentence under Fete des Lacs 8K Run from ‘discussion was had regarding planning of this event’ to ‘discussion was had regarding the design and ad 2 of 6