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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 01-16-1992Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting January 16, 1992 Page 1 Present: Commissioners Anderson, Gutzke, Johnson, Waage, Wahl and Watson; staff Bisek, Blank and Pederson, Councilman Edson 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. in the council conference room. Director Blank recommended that a Chair and a Vice Chair needed to be appointed by the members of PRAC. Commissioner Waage nominated Don Anderson to be Chair. No other nominations were made. Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Anderson as the new Chair of PRAC. Tom Johnson and Mark Wahl nominated Marlene Waage to be Vice Chair. No other nominations were made. Commissioners then voted unanimously to appoint Waage as Vice Chair. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the December meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present. b. Staff. Mary announced that the employee of the month for December is Bonnie Dow, one of our fitness instructors. Bonnie teaches three different types of fitness classes, body conditioning workout, which focuses on toning and strengthening the body without aerobics, yoga, and a back -in -shape class, especially for people experiencing back problems. The employee of the month for January is Joanne Shore, who teaches art workshops for adults and children. Joanne started as a participant in one of our classes and later became an instructor. Mary stated that 202 students from Plymouth Middle School have enrolled in the Plymouth Middle School Ski Club which is sponsored cooperatively by the school and our department. Members of the club can go on ski trips Fridays after school to various locations such as Afton Alps, Trollhaugen, and Welch Village. Mary mentioned the Fire and Ice Festival coming up on February 1, and that she needed volunteers from the Commission in two-hour shifts to supervise the bonfire. A sign-up sheet was distributed. Another special event coming up is the International Folk Arts Celebration, which will feature ethnic folk artists displaying and selling their crafts, ethnic food and entertainment. The event will be held in March at the Wayzata East Junior High School. Staff member Rarol Greupner applied for and received a $1,200 grant from the State Arts Board to help fund this project. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION There was no past Council action to report. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no unfinished business. PRAC Minutes/January 1992 Page 2 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Review 1992 Park Facility Rental Policy and Parkers- Rental Policy. Mary stated that the Parkers Pavilion fee schedule is proposed to be raised by three percent, with the school district group rate going from $7.25 per hour to $7.50, non-profit Plymouth group rate going from $16.50 to $17 per hour, and all other groups going from $27 to 28 per hour. The hourly rate includes a building attendant who is always present during a rental. Building attendant duties include opening and closing the building, setting up tables and chairs if needed, and general clean-up following an event. Commissioners asked who typically rents the pavilion and for what purposes. Mary reponded that the school district uses it for meetings, workshops and small banquets, and other groups use it for the same purpose as well as baby showers, birthday parties, graduation parties, wedding receptions, wedding rehearsal dinners, and even weddings themselves. Kitchen facilities are not available, so groups wanting food must either have it catered or do potluck. Occasionally groups will decline to rent when they learn there is a "no alcohol" policy. All group rentals are scheduled around the park and recreation department's use of the pavilion. Many classes are held there throughout the year, and in the winter, it is used as a warming house for about six to eight weeks. A MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER WATSON AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WAAGE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE 1992 PARKERS LAKE PAVILION RENTAL POLICY AND FEE SCHEDULE. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. Commissioner Watson asked if the new open air picnic shelter on the north side of County Road 6 would be available for groups to rent. Staff responded that the City Council had discussed that possibility, but that for now, it should be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Several commissioners stated they felt it was the ideal facility for company picnics and family reunions, and that groups like that would typically want to be able to make reservation. Without that option available, the commissioners believed the new shelter would not be used to its fullest potential. With the 1992 Park Facility Rental Policy and Fee Schedule, Mary pointed out that fees had not been raised, and that the $5 non- resident fee charged to youth athletic associations was being dropped. The other changes in the policy included requiring a 14 -day advance request instead of a 7 -day advance, and the loss of a group's damage deposit if they cancel an event with less than a 30 day notice. Deposits are required only on rentals of $200 or more.) A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WAHL AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GUTZKE TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE 1992 PARK FACILITY RENTAL POLICY AND FEE SCHEDULE. THE MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. b. Review 1991 Annual Report Draft. Director Blank explained that by City code, the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission must do an annual report of its activities for presentation to the City Council. He explained that several years ago, the annual reports were much lengthier, and that it was decided the same information could be PRAC Minutes/January 1992 Page 3 conveyed in a more concise manner with the use of graphs and charts and less written text. Director Blank then reviewed the annual report, section by section, and asked the commissioners to note the section on Goals and Objectives. He noted that this section had also at one time been much longer, with 20 or more goals, but had since been reduced to these twelve. He invited the commissioners to review this draft of the annual report and to feel free to make suggestions for additional goals, to change any goals if they felt it was necessary, or to change any other part of the annual report, since this was a draft copy. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION Commissioner Waage asked if there Council. Director Blank said he interest in having such a meeting. would be a joint meeting with the new believed the Council had indicated an Commissioner Johnson asked Director Blank if there was any long term vision of park and recreation's role in Plymouth. Director Blank responded that there is a goals and objectives section dealing with park and recreation in the City's Comprehensive Plan. This portion of the Comprehensive Plan will be copied and made available at the next PRAC meeting. Commissioner Johnson also stated that several members of the Plymouth Speed Skating Club would be attending the council meeting on January 27 to request that the maintenance of Parkers Lake speed skating rink be moved to a higher position on the priority list. At the present time, winter maintenance of trails is number one, hockey rinks follow in the number two position and the speed skating oval is number three, with neighborhood pleasure rinks being the fourth priority. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION Director Blank announced that the American Disabilities Act could have an impact on public playgrounds constructed or remodeled in the future. This act may require that all new playgrounds be accessible by the handicapped. At the present time, only the new 10th Avenue Park will have a structure designed with handicapped accessible features. Director Blank encouraged commissioners to think about items of discussion for future meetings, and after a comment was made that 7 p.m. is too early for PRAC meetings to begin, he said that the meeting time could be changed back to 7:30 if that would be better for everyone. The Wayzata School District recently informed the City that we would be charged $750 per pool this summer when we offer our swimming lesson program. Director Blank stated that the district is experiencing some financial difficulties, and that we might face similar charges in the future for the use of school district facilities to run our programs. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:34 p.m.