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PRM 11/06/2000 CITY OF FRIDLEY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING – NOVEMBER 6, 2000 CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Kondrick called the November 6, 2000 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Dave Kondrick, Marcy Sibell, Tim Solberg, Dick Young Others Present: Jack Kirk, Director of Recreation & Natural Resources Paul Lawrence, Superintendent of Public Works APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 2, 2000 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES Mr. Young noted a correction on page four of the October 2, 2000 minutes. The first paragraph, second sentence should read, “ The State Parks require picnickers and non-campers to take out what they bring in”. MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Solberg, to approve the minutes of the October 2, 2000 meeting with the noted correction. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. APPROVAL OF PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA FOR OCTOBER 2, 2000 MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Solberg, to approve the agenda for the November 6, 2000 meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. 1. STAFF REPORT a. Program Update Mr. Kirk wanted the Commission members to know about the large turnout for the Springbrook th Nature Center “Pumpkin Night in the Park” on Saturday, October 28. There were over 1700 people in attendance at the event. Over 120 volunteers helped to make this event a success. Mr. Kirk said that he recently attended the National Recreation and Parks Association Congress in Phoenix and obtained some information on projects that the Commission have shown some interest in. He further stated that Chandler, Arizona has built a large skateboard facility that he visited and has some photographs to show. It is one of the larger skateboard facilities he is aware of and much larger than the type of facility that the Commission has Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – November 6, 2000 Page 2 talked about for Fridley. Skateboard and In-Line skating facilities are being built in many communities across the country and are receiving a lot of use from middle school and high school age youth. Mr. Kirk stated that he also has some information from companies that build skateboard parks from the conference. Mr. Kirk stated that he has also obtained some information from several companies that make brick pavers that the Commission suggested be looked at for the community memorial. Cost for the bricks can vary, but with quantity purchases they can run around $10-$15 each. They can then be sold to individuals for a larger amount to help cover the cost of a project, or in this case, the community memorial. Mr. Kirk shared the information on the engraved bricks with the Commission members. Mr. Kirk also wanted to let the Commission know that he has received about twenty thank you letters from a fifth grade class at Woodcrest Baptist Academy for the installation of the new playground equipment at Locke Park. Mr. Kirk stated that he sent a response letter to the students and asked them to help us keep the play area and park looking nice. b. Park Maintenance Report Mr. Lawrence stated that the October Maintenance Report submitted by Mr. Lindquist outlines the major work that has been done in the past month. He said the work being done on the Fridley Middle School track to create a skating oval has gone very well so far. Park Construction company sent a grader to the site for about six hours to help take off the top couple inches of soil and level the area. We should be ready to flood the oval skating surface once the temperatures are favorable. Mr. Kirk stated that he received a letter from Mr. Joe Westenfield, a youth football coach in Fridley, commenting on the great job that the City did in maintaining the football fields this year. Mr. Westenfield wrote that, ”in his 30 years of coaching youth football, he has never seen any fields in better shape”. MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Ms. Sibell, to receive the letter from Mr. Joe Westenfield regarding the maintenance of the youth football fields. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. c. Report on Goose Management Mr. Kirk stated that he received a report from Dr. James Cooper, Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, regarding the 2000 Twin Cities Area Canada Goose Removal Program. In June of this year, there were 61 geese removed from Moore Lake and another 6 removed from Harris Lake. Mr. Kondrick asked how much we paid the University for the Goose Removal program each year. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – November 6, 2000 Page 3 Mr. Kirk stated that the cost of the program is $1000. Mr. Kondrick said that since they are not removing as many geese as they did in the earlier years of the program, “are we getting our money’s worth”? Ms. Sibell stated that she thought the city needed to show a consistent effort to help control this goose problem at Moore Lake. By using this removal program, we have been keeping the number of geese down at the site. Mr. Kondrick stated there is more information coming out on the health concerns of the geese in the park areas. What else should we be doing to let people know about potential problems? Mr. Young asked “do we need to put up signs that warn people of the health concerns”? Mr. Young stated that maybe the city should contact the DNR or the Minnesota Department of Health to get more specific information on health concerns with the geese in the park areas. The Commission members agreed that they would like to see this item on a future agenda for some additional discussion. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Proposed 2001 Meeting Dates Mr. Kondrick stated that the proposed meeting dates for 2001 were included in the agenda packets for tonight’s meeting. Were there any concerns or problems with the schedule? Ms. Sibell was concerned about the day and time of the meetings, as it appears that this is a problem for one of the commission members. Mr. Kondrick suggested that the meeting schedule could be approved tonight and he would check with the Commission member not in attendance to see if a time and/or day change would be more convenient. If an alternate day and time would work better, they could discuss this at the next meeting. MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Mr. Young, to approve the proposed 2001 meeting dates and times as submitted by staff. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DELARED THE MOTION CARRIED. b. Hayes Elementary School – Basketball Equipment Request Mr. Kirk stated that a representative of the Hayes Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization had asked him if the city could help fund some new basketball equipment for the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – November 6, 2000 Page 4 Hayes playground area. The school was looking at purchasing some heavy duty, adjustable height backboard and goals that could cost around $3500 for the set. Mr. Kirk stated that he responded that the city was replacing a number of basketball standards and backboards in our park system and thought it would be unlikely at this time. He did say that he would bring this to the Parks and Recreation for a recommendation. Mr. Young stated that with the needs in our own park system at this time, he would be concerned with providing dollars to the school district for the playground expenditure. He was also concerned with the precedent this might set and future requests from the other elementary schools. MOTION by Mr. Young, seconded by Mr. Solberg, to not contribute dollars to the Hayes Elementary Parent Teacher Organization for the playground basketball equipment. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. Mr. Kondrick asked Mr. Kirk to contact the person representing this group and tell them that we have limited dollars for this type of equipment and are unable to help with their project at this time. 3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. St. Paul Waterworks Property Mr. Kirk stated that since the October Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, he had talked with Barb Woosley of the St. Paul Regional Water System about the property located at th 76 and Alden Way. Ms. Woosley said that it would be possible for the City to use this land for park purposes, however we would have to work out the details of this arrangement if we were going to proceed with this idea. Mr. Kirk further stated that from his conversation with Ms. Woosley, he was able to get the following information. The St. Paul Regional Water system would not sell or give this property to the City of Fridley, but would allow use as a park. There would be limitations on what structures or equipment could be placed on the site, because excavating could be a problem with buried water pipes. There would likely not be a rental cost expected from the City for use of the property, but they would likely want the City to take over the maintenance of this area. Mr. Kondrick stated that he was under the impression that the City of Fridley maintained this property now. Is this not correct? Mr. Kirk stated that no, the City did not maintain this property. It is maintained by personnel from the St. Paul Water system. Mr. Kondrick stated that when Ms. Arbour approached the Commission with this idea for a park, she was asking for minimal park equipment to be placed at this site. He thought she was asking for a swing set and a sand box. Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting – November 6, 2000 Page 5 Mr. Kondrick stated that the City has park service areas that do not have enough park land or even any park land for the residents. This area does have more than the minimal standard for the area, although the people living in this part of the park service area are a little further from Craig and Riverview Heights parks. Mr. Lawrence stated that it would be very difficult for the park maintenance staff to pick up additional parks to maintain unless some other areas were removed from the workload. MOTION by Ms. Sibell, seconded by Mr. Solberg to not recommend creating a new park area at the St. Paul Waterworks site because of concerns with (1) our maintenance requirements for the site, (2) the other park facilities in close proximity to this area, and (3) the spreading too thin the Parks Capital Improvement dollars that would be needed for the project. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Ms. Sibell, to adjourn the November 6, 2000 meeting at 8:26 p.m. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE NOVEMBER 6, 2000 MEETING ADJOURNED.