HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-10-07 P & R Minutes Approved
Parks & Recreation Committee
Meeting Minutes 10-07-09
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - 6:30 p.m.
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the Parks & Recreation Committee of the City of Centerville held
the regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at City Hall, 1880 Main Street.
Present:
Chairperson Suzanne Seeley
Committee Member Kevin Amundsen
Committee Member Mark Haiden
Committee Member Brian Peterson
Absent:
Vice-Chairperson Kevin Selander
Committee Member Patrick Branch
Council:
City Council Liaison ~ Absent
Staff:
Staff Liaison Kim Stephan
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
I. CALL TO ORDER
Roll Call
Chairperson Seeley called the October 7, 2009 Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting to order at
6:40 p.m.
II. SET AGENDA
Committee Member Peterson requested adding a discussion of Movies in the Park for 2010 under
#6 Updates. Chairperson Seeley requested adding a request from Centennial Youth Hockey
Association for use of the Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park facilities for the 2009-2010 hockey
season.
Motion was made by Committee Member Amundsen, seconded by Committee Member
Haiden, to set the agenda with above additions. All in favor. Motion carried unanimously.
III. APPEARANCES
Matthew Neutkens, Eagle Scout Project - Eagle Project/Bluebird Houses
Mr. Matthew Neutkens made an appearance to update the committee as to the progress of his
proposed Eagle Scout Project, installing blue bird houses at Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park and
Hidden Spring Park. Mr. Neutkens stated that since his September appearance at the Parks &
Recreation Committee meeting he has gone through the necessary committees with the Scouts to
get his plan approved and is now looking for donations to support his project. Mr. Neutkens said
he would like to get the poles in the ground sometime this month before the ground freezes and has
1 of 6
Parks & Recreation Committee
Meeting Minutes 10-07-09
a map of both parks which show the locations. Mr. Neutkens has gone over this site plan with
Committee Member Amundsen who suggested he meet with Mr. Tedd Peterson, Public Works to
determine if any of the locations will cause a problem with things like mowing. Mr. Neutkens will
also coordinate calling Gopher One for locates with Mr. Peterson. Ms. Stephan will pass this
information on to Public Works. Mr. Neutkens’s plan calls for 18 houses in Laurie LaMotte
Memorial Park and 2 houses in Hidden Spring Park. The houses will be installed in pairs. At the
last committee meeting it was discussed who would clean these houses on a yearly basis after they
are installed. Mr. Neutkens committed to the first year and the committee said they would make it
part of their Earth Day Cleanup in future years.
Suggestion from Mr. Dallas Larson, City Administrator regarding the Parks & Recreation
Committee’s commitment to cleaning the blue bird houses yearly as part of Earth Day Cleanup:
I would suggest that the Parks & Recreation Committee have Mr. Neutkens come up with the
volunteers to adopt the bird houses and agree to clean them each spring. If it doesn't go that way, it
is putting a significant burden on the Parks & Recreation Committee. After all, this is an "Eagle
Badge" and they are supposed to be difficult projects requiring recruiting and planning.
The committee discussed Mr. Larson’s suggestion,n but feel this is a commitment annually that
they would like to do. They felt Mr. Neutkens is committing the time and the materials, the
committee would like to see these bird houses placed in the parks and it is unreasonable to request
Mr. Neutkens clean the houses for years to come. They also discussed making this commitment for
future committee members when the current members may no longer be on the committee and the
time involved in cleaning the houses each spring. Committee Member Amundsen said he would
personally commit to the houses in Hidden Spring since he has installed houses there also. Mr.
Neutkens will approach his scout troop to inquire as to the possibility of the troop adopting the
houses for future Earth Day cleanup projects and report back to the committee.
IV. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES
September 2, 2009 Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes
Motion was made by Committee Member Amundsen, seconded by Committee Member
Peterson, to approve the September 2, 2009 Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes
as is. All in favor. Motion carried unanimously.
V. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
Request of Charitable Gambling Funds from Dead Broke Saddle Club
The committee has been brainstorming possible projects for which Dead Broke Saddle Club may
consider donating charitable gambling funds. Some suggestions were improving lighting in all the
parks, parking at Acorn Creek Park so the facilities could possibly be expanded, the next phase of
the Tracie McBride memorial Park renovation with the basketball court being refurbished, trail
signage, ice rink improvements and a sand volleyball court at Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park.
2 of 6
Parks & Recreation Committee
Meeting Minutes 10-07-09
Committee Amundsen will do research as to what a sand volley ball court and refurbishing the
basket ball court would take and the committee will consider submitting these ideas to Dead Broke
Saddle Club at their next scheduled committee meeting.
Budget Review
Committee Member Branch was not in attendance but asked via email: According to the budget
material presented at last month's meeting we are under spending the 2009 allocations. Will those
funds be spent this year? Could those funds be reprogrammed to pay for some of the items on the
2010 list?
Mr. Dallas Larson responded via email: Generally unspent operating budgets are not carried over,
but roll into the fund balance. The Council can take action to allow carryover, but normally there
should be a specific plan or item to justify that.
The committee had requested funding for an irrigation system in Hidden Spring Park, August 2009
for $6,884.00. This was close to the remaining balance in the Parks & Recreation budget for 2009.
Due to budget constraints City Council did not approve this recommendation at that time. The
Parks & Recreation Committee would like City Council to consider rolling the remaining Parks &
Recreation balance for 2009 into the 2010 Parks & Recreation Budget to potentially use these funds
for the irrigation at Hidden Spring in 2010.
Motion was made by Committee Member Haiden, seconded by Committee Member
Amundsen to request City Council consider rolling the remaining Parks & Recreation
balance for 2009 into the 2010 Parks & Recreation Budget to potentially use these funds for
the irrigation at Hidden Spring in 2010. All in favor. Motion carried unanimously.
Committee Member Branch had emailed that the committee should also place the 2010 items in
priority order.
Chairperson Seeley would like to designate $1000 for startup costs for a Flea Market event as part
of the Annual Spring Garage Sale Days.
Centennial Youth Hockey Association (CYHA) Use of Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park
facilities for the 2009-2010 Hockey Season
Included in the packet was a request from the CYHA for the use of Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park
Hockey Rink for the 2009-2010 season.
CYHA - Use of Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park Hockey Rink for Dry Land Practice
The Parks & Recreation Committee discussed the use of the facilities for dry land practice and
agreed to the usage with the following conditions:
?
A schedule of usage, as well as a contact list of coaches responsible during the time it is
being used will be provided by the association.
?
There will be no use of the facilities after 9 p.m. daily.
3 of 6
Parks & Recreation Committee
Meeting Minutes 10-07-09
?
The nets will be padlocked when not in use. The key to the lights and padlock will be
supplied in a lock box by Public Works.
?
The Centennial Youth Hockey Association will sign a waiver releasing the City of
Centerville from any liability and will take responsibility for any damage occurring while
the association is using the facilities.
?
Do not use chalk or paint on the cement, use cones instead.
?
Entrance will need to be through the player gate opposed to the service gate as the service
gate keeps getting vandalized and is currently locked.
?
The following recommendation was made by the Parks & Recreation Committee:
Motion was made by Committee Member Amundsen, seconded by Chairperson Seeley to
recommend to City Council approving the Centennial Youth Hockey Association’s use of dry
land time with the use of the park lights at Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park with the above
conditions. All in Favor. Motion passed unanimously.
CYHA - Use of Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park Hockey Rink for the 2009-2010 Season
CYHA would like to use the rink for outdoor ice as they have in the past years. The committee
agreed to keep the hours and days the same as in past years, allowing Centerville residents access
to the ice with the exception of 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Motion was made by Chairperson Seeley, seconded by Committee Member Amundsen to
recommend to City Council approving the Centennial Youth Hockey Association’s use of the
hockey rink for the 2009-2010 season with a dedicated half sheet of ice from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
and a dedicated full sheet of ice from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday. All in
Favor. Motion passed unanimously.
VI. UPDATES
Proposals for Naming of the ‘Trailside Park’
The committee has been brainstorming trying to come up with ideas for naming the Trailside
Park(s) with the pieces being the small parcel on the lake and the area where the fountain will be
located. The committee would like to solicit ideas from residents, neighbors, Council Members
and staff. Suggestions at the last meeting were St. Genevieve Park, Fountain Park, Peace Park,
Sunset Park and Trailside Park.
The park where fountain will be located:
St. Genevieve Park, Fountain Park, Peace Park, Peltier
Park, Fountainhead Park, Fete des Lacs Park, Corner Park.
The park on Centerville Lake:
Sunset Park, Trailside Park, Trailhead Park.
This item will remain on the agenda for continued discussion.
The committee discussed the fountain potentially obstructing the sign for St. Genevieve and wanted
to be mindful as we move forward that we need to be good neighbors and either place the fountain
as to not obscure the sign (if possible) or potentially move the sign.
4 of 6
Parks & Recreation Committee
Meeting Minutes 10-07-09
Flea Market / Cleanup Days
Chairperson Seeley had requested a discussion of potentially sponsoring a Flea Market / Craft Fair /
Cleanup Days event, perhaps in coordination with Garage Sale Days, at the last committee meeting
as an event the Parks & Recreation Committee sponsored for the community. The item was tabled
for further discussion at the October committee meeting.
Over the last month Chairperson Seeley has given this idea more thought, discussing the event with
residents and is willing to take primary responsibility to put it together. Chairperson Seeley said she
has done some research as to what residents would like to see offered and there is interest in having
a Master Gardner on site for example and that would need to be arranged in January with the
University of Minnesota Extension Program Office. There will need to be advertising well in
advance, perhaps in upcoming newsletters and the newspapers. There would be potential to look
for donations or sponsors. Research would need to be done as far as offering food booths regarding
the Health Department or City Code.
As mentioned under the budget discussion, Chairperson Seeley would like to designate $1000 for
startup costs for this event. Costs would include; advertising, signage, possibly tables some of
which would be informational booths such as for Waste Management/Recycling and CERT.
Drainage of Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park Ball Fields
After discussion at the September committee meeting regarding the drainage problem with the ball
fields at Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park, the committee requested more information from Mr. Paul
Palzer, Public Works Director as to what would need to be done to resolve this problem and what
would the potential cost be for re-grading and re-landscaping the ball fields? Ms. Stephan
forwarded the request to Mr. Palzer and Mr. Dallas Larson, City Administrator who responded with
the following:
While re-grading the ball fields’ sounds like an easy solution, re-grading an area that size could
cost tens of thousands of dollars plus the cost of seed or sod. The fields are approximately 40,000
square yards of area. Reseeding would be at least $1 per square yard; we have had bids over $3.
Where would that kind of money come from? While re-grading would be nice, it is hard to justify
the cost. The field would be vastly improved with drain tile and irrigation. That has substantial
funding already in place, so it seems likely to happen in the next year or so.
The committee acknowledged re-grading would be too expensive, but would like leave this item on
the agenda for future discussions.
Pleasure Rink & Player Box Safety Issues at Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park
Update for the committee from Mr. Paul Palzer:
The roof and walls have been removed. The rest will depend upon our work load. We had
discussion about a railing to the pleasure rink and determined it would be more dangerous than the
5 of 6
Parks & Recreation Committee
Meeting Minutes 10-07-09
ramp that is currently in place. The ramp is sunken in to allow the broom to clean off the ramp.
When plywood or raised ramps were used, corners would get lifted and create a dangerous
situation.
The committee still feels railings would improve the situation giving skaters something to hang on
to and would like Public Works to look at installing removable railings, something that can be
pounded into the ground and then removed in the spring.
Motion was made by Committee Member Haiden, seconded by Chairperson Seeley to request
Mr. Palzer investigate options for removable railings to be installed from the pleasure rink at
Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park eliminating a current safety hazard with entering and exiting
the pleasure rink.All in favor. Motion carried unanimously.
City Council Vacancy
Ms. Stephan informed the committee that Mr. Tom Lee had resigned as Council Member and the
Parks & Recreation Committee Liaison. Chairperson Seeley said she wanted to state for the record
how much the committee appreciated Council Member Lee’s involvement and all the things he did
with and for the committee over the years he was the committee’s liaison and that he would be
greatly missed.
Chairperson Seeley questioned whether the committee would have a Council Liaison by the next
meeting? Ms. Stephan will forward question to Mr. Dallas Larson, City Administrator.
Movies in the Park
The committee had discussed Movies in the Park at their last committee meeting as an addition to
summer park programs. Committee Member Peterson did research and had information to present
to the committee, but due to time limits of the meeting the committee opted to table this discussion
until the next scheduled meeting.
VII. ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by Committee Member Peterson, seconded by Committee Member Haiden
to adjourn the October 7, 2009 Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting at 8:10 p.m. All in
favor. Motion passed unanimously.
Transcribed by Kim Stephan
6 of 6