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PRM 09/09/2013 CITY OF FRIDLEY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING – SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 CALL TO ORDER: Vice-Chairperson Heintz called the September 9, 2013 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Michele Barrett, Greg Ackerman, Mike Heintz and Dave Kondrick Others Present: Jack Kirk, Director of Parks and Recreation Cleveland McCoy, Program Supervisor Jim Kosluchar, Public Works Director APPROVAL OF August 6, 2013 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES MOTION by Mr. Kondrick, seconded by Ms. Barrett, to approve the minutes of the August 5, 2013 meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, VICE-CHAIRPERSON HEINTZ DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. APPROVAL OF PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA FOR SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 MOTION by Ms. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Kondrick, to approve the agenda for the September 9, 2013 meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, VICE-CHAIRPERSON HEINTZ DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. 1. STAFF REPORT a. Program Update Mr. Kirk stated that there is a Program Update included in the Commission meeting packet with information on Department programming over the past month. There is information in the Program Update on the summer activities which have ended in the past month. Mr. Kirk stated that a Fridley Senior, Earl Hatten, was selected as the Outstanding Senior in Anoka County and was recognized for his service at the Minnesota State Fair. Mr. Kirk stated that Margo Numedahl coordinates several special events each summer and the Nickel Jamboree was held in August. We had over 300 participants this year, our largest attendance number ever. Mr. Kirk stated that the Moore Lake swimming season was pretty good this year with very good water quality numbers until the very last week of the beach season. We received high readings on a water quality test and closed the swimming beach for two days. Retesting revealed low bacteria counts and the beach was then reopened until the normal closing date th of August 19. Mr. Kirk showed the Commission members a copy of the fall brochure that was recently back from the printer. It will be mailed to residents soon. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – September 9, 2013 Page 2 b. Park Maintenance Report Mr. Kirk stated that a maintenance report is included in the Commission meeting agenda packet. The park maintenance staff was busy with mowing the parks, maintaining the athletic fields, and taking care of the park buildings and the landscaping areas. Mr. Kirk further stated that the irrigation system at Commons Park is back in working order after a disruption during phase one of the system replacement at the park. The city will be working on bids for phase two of the project which will be completed in 2014. c. Springbrook Nature Center Report Mr. Kirk stated that he has included a report in the agenda packet from Nature Center Director Mike Maher. It includes information on nature center events and happenings over the past month. Mr. Kirk stated that as part of the $190,000 Legacy Grant that was awarded to Springbrook, there will be removal of invasive species such as European buckthorn. That removal will begin this fall and will cover about 70 acres in the park. Mr. Kirk stated that the nature center Foundation received a $10,000 grant from Xcel Energy Foundation for wetland education. Mr. Kirk thanked Commission member and Lions Club member Greg Ackerman for making arrangements to have Mike Maher speak at a recent Lions Club meeting about the SPRING project. The Lions are considering another donation to SNC for this large undertaking. The Lions have already made three donations to the SPRING project totaling $60,000. d. Get Fit Fridley Mr. Kirk stated that the Parks and Recreation Department and the District 14 Community Education Department have planned the second annual Get Fit Fridley event to promote community wellness. Mr. Kirk invited the Commission members to attend this event on Saturday, October 12. e. Introduction – Cleveland McCoy, Program Supervisor Mr. Kirk stated that he would like to introduce the Parks and Recreation Department’s new Program Supervisor, Cleveland McCoy. Cleveland has been with the Department for the past two weeks and we are very excited to have him on our staff. Cleveland’s most recent job was with the Hubert Humphrey Job Corps in St. Paul, where he served as the Recreation and Sports Coordinator. Mr. Kirk further stated that Cleveland has a degree from South Carolina State University in Physical Education/Activity Management. Prior to working at the Humphrey Job Corps position, Cleveland was a relief counselor at the Carolina Youth Development Center in Charleston. In that position, he served as a mentor to troubled youth and assisted the program participants with development of daily living skills. Mr. Kirk stated that his Program Supervisor duties with the City of Fridley will include running the adult and youth athletics, supervising the ZONE teen program, coordinating facility use, and running fitness and exercise activities. The Commission members welcomed Mr. McCoy to the Parks and Recreation Department staff. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – September 9, 2013 Page 3 2. NEW BUSINESS a.Creekridge Park – Ponding and Maintenance Mr. Kosluchar stated that there are some surface flooding issues in the Creek Ridge Park area and staff has been working on some flood relief improvement options to help alleviate the problems. There currently is a dry water detention area in the southwest corner of the park and it has some maintenance needs, including re-establishment of its original dimensions. Mr. Kosluchar pointed out on an aerial photograph of two houses that had significant flooding issues in 2011. They are in a low lying area and surface water flows to these properties. With a little reconfiguring and grading of the detention area at Creek Ridge Park, the surface flooding issues in this area could be addressed. This is one of the options being looked at. Mr. Kosluchar pointed out on a map how the water flowed in the area and how these two low properties were affected during significant rain events. Mr. Kosluchar also stated that one of the options would require the removal of about seven trees in Creek Ridge Park as the detention pond was reconfigured. He really did not want to remove the trees if at all possible. Mr. Kosluchar stated that an alternative to removing the trees would be to build up a berm along the south edge of the detention area. This would allow more water to be detained in this area during heavy rain events. We could relieve about a half of a foot of flooding during a major storm by doing this. While a half of a foot doesn’t sound like much, it would make a significant improvement to the current flooding situation. Mr. Kondrick asked if there were any other ways to evacuate the water, other than holding the water in a detention pond until it percolated into the soil. Mr. Kosluchar stated that there was not for this area. Mr. Kirk asked how far the ball field area would be from this detention area. Would it become a safety issue when water was being held in the detention pond? Mr. Kosluchar stated that an option would be to put up a fence facing the ball field. That could be used to help stop balls from going into the water. Mr. Kirk stated that a concern would be that on a small field such as the one at Creek Ridge, the children may want to use that as a home run fence and try to hit balls over the fence. Once over the fence, the issue of retrieving balls from the pond is a problem. Mr. Ackerman asked if water is always present in this detention area. Mr. Kosluchar stated that it is not. Water would only be present after a rain event and would be there for a day or two until it infiltrates into the soil. Mr. Kosluchar stated that the proposed drainage improvements would come out of the storm water fund, not the parks improvement fund. The work would be done by the Public Works Department employees. They would insure that the finished detention pond would have maintainable slopes that would not be hazardous to persons using the park facilities. Replanting of the disturbed area would also be a part of this project. Mr. Ackerman stated that while we are improving an existing detention area, will there be rain gardens or other amenities that would be part of the requirements for the project. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – September 9, 2013 Page 4 Mr. Kosluchar stated that the City would need a permit through the Rice Creek Watershed District and will be replanting the detention area according to the permit requirements. Mr. Kirk asked how deep the water would be at its maximum before it would start overflowing the berm. Mr. Kosluchar stated that it would be three and a half to four feet. Mr. Kirk stated he would see a need for a fence along the south side of the basketball court to prevent the ball from going into the water. The other uses of the park should not be greatly affected by this project. Mr. Kosluchar stated that to recap the impact on the park, a couple of pine trees would need to come out, a berm adjacent to the detention area would be raised slightly, the detention area would be dredged to its original dimensions and a fence would be erected along the side of the basketball court. Mr. Kondrick asked if the neighbors in this park area have been aware of the plan. Mr. Kosluchar stated that they will be talking with them. Mr. Kondrick stated that he hates to lose the two trees, but sees in this situation that it is necessary for the project to proceed. Mr. Kosluchar stated that they can plant trees as replacements as part of the project. Mr. Kosluchar stated that he will be coming up with a final plan for this project, taking into consideration the concerns and comments of the Parks and Recreation Commission. He does not need any formal action on the part of the Commission at this point. The Commission thanked Mr. Kosluchar for his work on the project and for bringing this to the Commission for input. b. 2013 – 14 Skating Locations Mr. Kirk stated that staff is recommending the same skating and hockey rink locations for this upcoming skating season. There would be hockey and general rinks at Flanery Park, Hayes Elementary, Madsen Park and Stevenson Elementary. There would be two hockey rinks and the skating oval at Commons Park. Commons would also be the only warming house location. There would be general skating rinks only at Briardale, Hackmann, Logan, Ruth Circle, Summit Square, and Sylvan Hills Parks. Mr. Kirk stated that the rinks generally open mid to late December and run for about a two thth month season. The rinks normally close around the 15 to 17 of February. MOTION by Mr. Ackerman, seconded by Ms. Barrett to support staff recommended skating locations for the 2013 – 2014 season. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, VICE-CHAIRPERSON HEINTZ DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. c. Letter of Appreciation to Mark Daly Mr. Kirk stated that at the last meeting, the Commission members requested that he put together a letter of appreciation that could be sent to Mark Daly. A draft letter has been included in the agenda packet. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – September 9, 2013 Page 5 Mr. Kondrick stated that the letter of appreciation is well said. We wanted to express our appreciation to Mark for what he did in this community. MOTION by Ms. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Ackerman to approve the letter of appreciation and have it sent to Mr.Daly. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, VICE-CHAIRPERSON HEINTZ DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Ms. Barrett, seconded by Mr. Kondrick, to adjourn the September 9, 2013 meeting at 7:52 p.m. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, VICE-CHAIRPERSON HEINTZ DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 MEETING ADJOURNED.