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PR 03/07/2011 - 29915CITY OF FRIDLEY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING — MARCH 7, 2011 CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Sibell called the March 7, 2011 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Marcy Sibell, Michele Barrett, Mike Heintz Others Present: 7ack Kirk, Director of Parks and Recreation Dave Lindquist, Parks Supervisor Ron Ackerman, President of Fridley Lions Club APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY 7, 2011 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES MOTION by Mr. Heintz, seconded by Ms. Barrett to approve the minutes of the February 7, 2011 meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIBELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. APPROVAL OF PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA FOR MARCH 7, 2011 MOTION by Ms. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Heintz, to approve the agenda for the March 7, 2011 meeting as submitted by staff. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIBELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. 1. STAFF REPORT a. Program Update Mr. Kirk stated that the Program Update includes a report of activities and events in the past month. He wanted to call special attention to a couple of senior programs. The tax assistance is a free service in cooperation with AARP volunteers. They help 35 to 40 seniors complete their tax forms each Wednesday at the Community Center. Mr. Kirk further stated that the senior program has a series of legal issue seminars that are led by a local attorney to cover topics of interest to the seniors. The programs are free of charge and the most recent topic was planning for incapacity. It covered the steps that the seniors should take now so they have their papers in order should they become incapacitated in the future. Mr. Kirk stated that the ZONE teen center continues to draw good numbers during the after school hours. Last summer, staff recommended that the admission fee for the ZONE be set at $1 per visit. That appears to have been a good decision, as the attendance is double or more what it was last school year. Also, there was a Valentines Day party last month at the ZONE that attracted 250 middle school students. Parks and Recreation Commission Meetin� — March 7, 2011 Pa�e 2 Mr. Kirk further stated that the staff has been busy reserving picnic shelters and garden plots for this spring and summer. We also recently started registering teams for the adult softball leagues. b. Park Maintenance Report Mr. Lindquist stated that during the month of February, the maintenance workers were very busy with snow removal on city streets and the maintenance of the outdoor skating facilities. They were able to keep the rinks open through Presidents Day weekend. Since the rinks closed, the staff has been working on cleaning up the winter equipment and making necessary repairs. They have also done some interior painting in the facilities. c. Springbrook Nature Center Report Mr. Kirk stated that the Springbrook Nature Center Foundation has received word that it will get a $10,000 donation from the Cummins Foundation. Volunteers from Cummins working on a Rice Creek rehabilitation project designated Springbrook to receive funding as a match for their volunteer service. Mr. Kirk further stated that the SNC staff is working with the Public Works Department to plan for the possibility of a water draw down in the Springbrook ponds to protect downstream homeowners from possible spring flooding. The work involves preparing the weirs and floating boardwalks for significant water level changes. d. 2010 -11 Skating Rink Report Mr. Kirk handed out a report completed by Program Supervisor Mark Daly on the use of the skating rinks throughout the city this past skating season. There is a warming house attendant at Commons Park, so we have some accurate numbers for use of that facility. Participation levels at the other parks were recorded periodically by staff or by neighbors who live in the area of the rinks. There were not a lot of skaters reported on the rinks in the city, but we also did not have good monitoring of the use. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Proposed Changes to City Code Chapter 500 Related to Selling Beer and Wine at Commons Park During Community Events Ms. Sibell stated that this item is a proposal that the City Code be changed to allow the selling of strong beer and wine at Commons Park during an event such as Fridley 49er Days. Mr. Kirk stated that this proposal came from a request to the City by the Fridley Lions Club and the Fridley Rotary Club to allow for the wine and strong beer sales at Commons Park. He stated that this change would only be for special community wide events such as Fridley 49er Days. Mr. Kirk further stated that it should be understood that it will be the responsibility of the organization serving the beer and wine to make sure that beer and wine sales and consumption take place only in the defined area of the park This has been a fenced off area during recent 49er Days festivals. Mr. Ackerman stated that the Fridley Lions Club have kind of inherited 49er Days and are providing a management oversight committee for the festival this year. They are making some changes and it is basically a one day event on Saturday. The Lions have been trying to get some corporate sponsors for the festival and one business that was approached was Leinenkugels. They are willing to provide $3,000 for the events and the Lions Club would like to sell the Leinenkugel brand of beer this year and they do not have the 3.2 beer. Parks and Recreation Commission Meetin� — March 7, 2011 Pa�e 3 Mr. Ackerman stated that whether it is 3.2 beer or strong beer, it is still the responsibility of the sponsoring organization to patrol the area. He has run over 20 softball tournaments for the Fridley Lions Club at Community Park and they have not had problems with their beer sales. The weekend of 49er Days, they would have the street dance and other events at Commons Park, while at the same time they would be running the 7ohn Gargaro softball tournament at Community Park. He would like to see the ordinance change apply to both Commons and Community Parks. They would like to have Leinenkugels beer at both locations. Ms. Sibell stated that the way this proposal is written now, the beer sold at Community Park for softball tournaments would have to be 3.2%. Mr. Heintz asked if we couldn't combine Community Park with the proposed change as it applies to community festivals such as Fridley 49er Days. The softball tournament would be part of the 49er Days celebration, so he would support Community Park being included in the change for city wide events only. Other softball tournaments could still sell 3.2 beer. He would not support changing the ordinance to allow strong beer for all tournaments at Community Park. Mr. Heintz stated that he could understand why the Lions would want to have the same beer supplier for both locations during the 49er Days festival. Mr. Ackerman stated that they have been able to do that in the past. If they ran short of supply at one location, they could take some product there very quickly. Ms. Sibell stated that as she looked at the proposed wording, she would be okay if it stated that 49er Days is the community wide festival. She would not even add in other festivals in the ordinance change. Mr. Kirk stated that the reason for the broader definition was to include possible events that may be associated with a City anniversary or other large scale event in the future. He would not expect them to come along very often, but when they did it would not require an ordinance change. Ms. Sibell stated that the Parks and Recreation Commission could pass a motion recommending that Community Park be included with the proposed change to allow strong beer and wine sales during a community festival. If the Planning Commission or City Council wanted to go back to the original proposed wording of just Commons Park, they could then make that change. Mr. Ackerman asked what would happen if the 49er Days were to be moved from Commons Park to another city park. Would this ordinance allow for beer sales? Mr. Kirk stated that it would not. If a change of venue for 49er Days did occur, this would need to be looked at again in the future. Ms. Sibell stated that section 3 of Chapter 508 should remain in place to accommodate the other softball tournaments at Community Park that were not part of a city festival. Mr. Kirk agreed that section 3 should remain and would allow 3.2 beer sales at other tournaments. MOTION by Mr. Heintz, seconded by Ms. Barrett, to add Community Park, along with Commons Park, to the proposed wording for section 4 of Chapter 508 as an ordinance change allowing strong beer and wine during Community festivals. Section 4 would now read: Notwithstanding any laws to the contrary, upon approval of the City Council and issuance of a temporary on-sale into�cating liquor license, as provided for in Chapter 603 of the Fridley City Code, for the sale of strong beer and wine, a club, charitable, religious or nonprofit public or private organization may sell and allow buyers to consume strong beer and wine at Commons Park and Community Park. Parks and Recreation Commission Meetin� — March 7, 2011 Pa�e 4 Sale and consumption of strong beer and wine at Commons Park and Community Park shall be limited to that occurring during, and as part of, a community festival. Community festivals shall include Fridley 49er Days and other festivals of broad community appeal and participation as designated by City Council. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIBELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. b. Adopt-A-Park Program Mr. Kirk stated that the concept of an Adopt-A-Park program was brought to the Parks and Recreation Commission last year. Staff has put together some guidelines for implementing a program in our park system. We do not know what kind of response we will get to this program, but it would help to keep our parks looking good. Mr. Kirk further stated that a group or organization could adopt one of the parks in the city and help by doing a number of possible tasks. They could pick up litter on a regular basis, care for flower beds or landscape areas, assist with special park projects, help keep park facilities clean, and report any problems in the park to the city staff. Mr. Kirk stated that the guidelines outline what the City would do and what the Adopt-A-Park group would do. After a set number of volunteer hours in the park, the City would put up a sign recognizing the group having adopted that park. Mr. Heintz asked if Dave or other City staff would have the final okay on what the group was going to be working on in the park. Mr. Kirk stated that he would expect that all Adopt-A-Park groups would need to coordinate their work with Mr. Lindquist. The group would need to sign an agreement, so there was a clear understanding of what was expected and what the work process was. The group would also need to have some type of safety orientation. Ms. Sibell asked if there was a liability waiver that the individuals would need to sign before being part of this program. Mr. Kirk stated that he would expect that there would be some requirement for individuals to sign a liability waiver. MOTION by Ms. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Heintz, to approve the staff recommended guidelines for the Adopt-A-Park program in the City of Fridley. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIBELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. c. Softball Tournament Application — Fridley Lions Club Mr. Kirk stated that the City has received an application from the Fridley Lions Club to host the John Gargaro Softball Tournament at Community Park during Fridley 49er Days 7une 24 — 26, 2011. Parks and Recreation Commission Meetin� — March 7, 2011 Pa�e 5 Mr. Kirk stated that staff would recommend approval of the request. Ms. Sibell stated that the Lions Club has always done an excellent job running tournaments in the past and she would be in favor of approval. Mr. Ackerman stated that the Lions Club will be having a Community Division once again to get local organizations and groups to participate in the tournament. They are also planning on having a highlight game featuring the Fridley Police Department versus the Fridley Fire Department. Mr. Kirk stated that he would recommend approval of the tournament with the specified tournament fees of $1,000 for a local non-profit group. In some past years, the Lions Club has requested to make a donation of some equipment or toward a City park project in lieu of the stated fees. The Commission could address that at a later time if a request would come in from the Lions Club. MOTION by Ms. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Heintz, to approve the softball tournament request from the Fridley Lions Club for use of the Community Park on June 24 — 26, 2011 with the normal facility fees applied for the use. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIBELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. d. Softball Tournament Application — Fridley High School Mr. Kirk stated that a request has been received from Fridley High School to use the Community Park softball fields for a one-day tournament on May 7, 2011. This would be for a high school girl's softball tournament. They have done these one day tournaments in the past and staff would recommend approval. MOTION by Mr. Heintz, seconded by Ms. Barrett, to approve the softball tournament request from Fridley High School for use of the Community Park on May 7, 2011. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIBELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. 3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 4. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Mr. Heintz, seconded by Ms. Barrett to adjourn the March 7, 2011 meeting at 8:10 p.m. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON SIBELL DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE MARCH 7, 2011 MEETING ADJOURNED.