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<br />City Council Study Session - 08/16/04 <br />Minutes - Page 24 <br /> <br />Gale Pederson, 929 West Roselawn Avenue <br />Ms. Pederson noted the third year of the City's Parks and <br />Recreation system receiving national accreditation, in addition to <br />recognition as a Gold Medal Winner. Ms. Pederson opined that <br />such national recognition didn't happen by Inistake. <br /> <br />Ms. Pederson recognized the difficult recommendations <br />considered by City Manager Beets, but differed in her perception <br />of his reconmlendations in the Parks and Recreation Department. <br />Ms. Pederson discussed the Naturalist position and the HANC's <br />amenity to the conlmunity in educating people about <br />environmental issues; the number of users of the OVAL, and the <br />need for full-tinle staffing in the departnlent to complement and <br />supervise the numerous volunteers that served the community in <br />various park and recreation venues such as programming, facility <br />upkeep and staffing, and maintenance. Ms. Pederson further <br />opined her opposition to selling green space. <br /> <br />Ms. Pederson expressed her personal expectations as a Roseville <br />resident and taxpayer: first class fire and police departments and <br />service; excellent staff; excellent public works-related <br />maintenance; and an excellent parks and recreation program. <br />Ms. Pederson further opined that she was willing to pay <br />increased annual taxes to maintain the department. Ms. Pederson <br />opposed reductions in the departInent's PIP budget, noting the <br />additional and unanticipated expense for removal of diseased <br />Elm trees, and the long-ternl ramifications of more expensive <br />project costs when they are delayed. Ms. Pederson concluded by <br />encouraging Councilmembers to keep the City's Parks and <br />Recreation Department programming and staffing at a service <br />level that maintains it's current excellent standards. <br /> <br />Bill Cushman, 1265 Josephine Road <br />Mr. Cushman spoke in support of the OVAL, personally and as a <br />member of the Midway Skating Club for a number of years, <br />noting that the OVAL was the best uncovered facility in the <br />country, with an estimated 20,000+ users of the facility, and had <br />received world-wide recognition. Mr. Cushman opined that it <br />was an excellent facility, and proposed that prior to the City <br />Council making any budgetary decisions, he and several Midway <br />