03/04/1996 - 00007880CITY OF FRIDLEY
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING - MARCH 4, 1996
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson Kondrick called the March 4, 1996 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Members Present
Members Absent
Others Present
Dave Kondrick
Tim Solberg
Marcy Sibell
Dick Young
Sue Price
7ack Kirk, Director of Recreation & Natural Resources
Bob Hemming, Hemming & Associates
Paul Beseman - Softball Tournament Sponsor
APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 5, 1996 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES.
MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Solberg to approve the minutes of the February 5, 1996 meeting of the
Parks & Recreation Commission as written.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE
MOTION CARRIED.
APPROVAL OF PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA FOR MARCH 4, 1996.
Recommended by Mr. Young that we move Item ld. and Item 2f. to the top of the Agenda to accommodate our
guests.
MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Solberg to approve the agenda as amended.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE
MOTION CARRIED.
1. STAFF REPORT
a. Program Update
Mr. Kirk referred to the Program Update report which was included in the Agenda Packets. He wanted to
call special attention to the attached page which was an update on The Zone special event held on February
24th called the "Battle of the Bands". There were over 300 youth that attended and participated in the event,
and five high school aged bands competed for a trophy. Each band was paid $50. It was a very successful
event which we plan to duplicate some time in the near future.
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b. Park Maintenance Report
Mr. Lawrence reported that the most significant item to report was that Curt Dahlberg will retire as Park
Supervisor on March 22nd. It is unclear at this time whether or not the city will be replacing him with
another individual for the Park Supervisor. With the absence of one Park Maintenance worker who had
surgery on his wrists for carpal tunnel and with Curt's pending retirement, this will cause the Maintenance
staff to be short handed -- at least early this spring. This may make it difficult to accomplish all of the tasks
that are needed in the park system.
Mr. Lawrence further reported that the primary function through the middle of February for the Park
Maintenance staffwas ice maintenance. They have been doing some cleaning up of the warming houses and
getting their equipment ready for spring.
c. Skating Season Report
Mr. Kirk stated that this information was presented to the Commission each year as a report on the usage of
our skating rinks. The commission may wish to consider this information along with additional information
presented in their packets under Item 2a. - The Skating Rink/Warming House Program.
d. Manomin Park Improvements -- Anoka County
Mr. Kirk reported that Anoka County would be making some significant improvements at Manomin Park. He
felt it was important that the commission members were up to date on what would be taking place this year at
that location.
Mr. Bob Hemming of Hemming & Associates has been contracted by Anoka County to plan the work was
present at this meeting and gave an overview of the improvements scheduled to take place. Mr. Hemming
reported that there is a$70,000 budget for the improvements to Manomin Park and they primarily center
around improvements to the trails and a new structure to be located within the park as a picnic shelter. The
plans right now are for a hexagon shelter with wood posts and a cedar shake roof, 3 5' diameter with an e�tra
large e�tended patio area to accommodate group functions at the park The trails would be improved, some
lighting will be added, and the access to the park from the Banfill Locke House will be according to ADA
specifications.
Mr. Kondrick suggested that they consider steel posts and a metal roof as it would make the park shelter
more vandal resistant. Mr. Hemming stated this was a good idea and he would relay it to the County.
Mr. Hemming stated he would like the city to look for a group to sponsor some interpretive trail signs at the
park. He felt that would be a nice addition and may help to link the park system more closely with the river.
e. Holiday Plus Donation -- Senior Transportation
Mr. Kirk reported that Holiday Plus has donated $2,000 to assist with the Senior Citizen Shopping
Transportation Program. This $2,000 will cover one third of the cost of the seniors' transportation fare for
shopping trips to the Holiday Plus store. The additional dollars are covered with the recent Lions Club
donation and the City of Fridley dollars in the Operating Budget.
2. NEW BUSINESS
a. Skating Rinks/Warming House Program
Mr. Kirk reported that a sub-committee of the Parks & Recreation Commission had met with some
community residents and staff members on February 27th to discuss the skating rink/warming house for this
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community. The committee determined that the appropriate level of skating opportunities for Fridley should
be no less than the average of other metropolitan area communities of our size. With this in mind, the
commission felt that the number of general rinks and hockey rinks in our community was adequate, however,
in order to provide the proper skating opportunities that several warming houses should be added to the four
that we operated this winter. Commissioner Young stated that wherever practical, at our warming house
locations, we should have a general and a hockey rink as per the recommendation of this sub-committee.
MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Ms. Price that the City add back warming houses at Madsen Park,
Stevenson Elementary School and Hayes Elementary School, and add a general skating rink at Commons
Park and Moore Lake Park to the existing skating rink program that we provided this year.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED.
b. 5 Year Capital Improvement Program
MOTION by Ms. Price, seconded by Mr. Solberg to table the 5 Year Capital Improvement Program decision
until the April meeting. The commission members would like to see a staffrecommendation on this 5 Year
Program at the ne�t meeting.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED.
c. Showmobile Rental Request -- City of Coon Rapids
The commission discussed the request and the attached letter from Liz Chevalier of the Police Department
asking for a reduction in rental agreement fee for the showmobile. The commission members were concerned
that a fee reduction would set a precedent for other communities requesting the same and that the current rate
was a fair one for such an expensive piece of equipment.
MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Mr. Young to rent the showmobile to the City of Coon Rapids at our
going rate of $600.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED.
d. Softball Tournament Request -- Fridley Lions
Mr. Kirk stated that the Lions have run at least one, sometimes two, softball tournaments each year at the
Community Park, and have done an excellent job in taking care of all of the facilities and being responsible for
the park site. It would be staffs recommendation that we approve the August 16-18 tournament request for
the Fridley Lions Club.
MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Solberg to approve the Softball Tournament Request by the
Fridley Lions with the appropriate fees or an approved donation to the city in lieu of those fees.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED.
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e. Soccer Tournament Request -- FYSA Soccer
Mr. Kirk stated that the FYSA Soccer was requesting the use of the Commons Park complex and the Locke
Park soccer field for their annual Youth Soccer Tournament on July 12-14, 1996. He stated that this would
be the 4th year, and that the FYSA Soccer group had done a good job running the tournaments in the past. It
would be staffs' recommendation to approve this tournament request. Commissioner Solberg stated that from
his observation, this tournament was very well done and drew a lot of young players (that were not
necessarily the competitive soccer players) to an exciting event each summer.
MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Ms. Price to approve the FYSA Soccer Tournament with the fee
schedule outlined by City staff.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED.
f. Softball Tournament Request -- Paul Beseman
Mr. Kirk stated that they have received this softball tournament request for May 31 - June 2, 1996 from Mr.
Beseman who represents a softball team. According to Mr. Beseman, four members of the team reside in
Fridley, however, the balance of the team do not currently live in the community.
Mr. Beseman stated that although these people do not live in Fridley, they all are originally from this
community. Mr. Beseman stated that the plans for the tournament would be to use all four fields at
Community Park, and run a Class "C" and "D" Men's Softball Tournament with 24 teams in each bracket for
a total of a 48 team tournament.
Mr. Kirk stated that the commission would need to decide whether or not Mr. Beseman's group qualified as a
Fridley Organization under our current policy. It has been our policy in the past not to rent the softball field
complex to outside groups.
After much discussion, the commission decided that the group would qualify as an "Other Fridley
Organization" on our application, and would be charged the appropriate fees for renting the Community Park
complex.
MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Ms. Price to approve the Softball Tournament Request by Mr. Paul
Beseman and his group for a softball tournament with all of the appropriate fees being charged and all
payments of these fees being made prior to the tournament.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED
THE MOTION CARRIED.
g. 1995 Citizen Survey Results
The commission decided that they would like staffto make copies of the survey graphics and send them out
for review prior to the ne�t commission meeting.
MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Ms. Young to adjourn the meeting at 9:20 p.m.
UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE
MOTION CARRIED AND THE MARCH 4, 1996 MEETING ADJOURNED.