Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 03-12-1992Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting March 12, 1992 Page 7 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Burk, Gutzke, Johnson, Waage, Wahl, and Watson; staff Blank, Greupner, Pederson and Peterson, Mayor Bergman 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the March meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Conference Room. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Watson and seconded by Commissioner Wahl to approve the minutes of the February meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present at this meeting. b. Staff. Karol Greupner, Recreation Supervisor, made a presentation to the commissioners on the International Folk Arts Celebration coming up on Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wayzata East Junior High. She explained that funding for this event came from a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board through the Minnesota State Legislature. Other sponsors include Burnet Realty -Plymouth and Schneider USA. Additional funds will be generated by booth fees charged to crafters and vendors and the $1 admission fee being charged to adults and teens. Karol also stated she was looking for individuals to volunteer for a two or three hour shift to collect admission fees from visitors attending the event. The employee of the month for March is Julie Sterud, who has been working part time for the Park and Recreation Department since the summer of 1990. She has filled many different positions including pre-school program aide, youth Have -A -Ball instructor, playground leader, warming house attendant and Parkers Lake pavilion attendant. She has also volunteered for special events such as the Fire and Ice Festival. Julie is currently a freshman at the University of Minnesota. Mark Peterson, Superintendent of Parks, made a short presentation on the park maintenance department. He stated that Plymouth now has 700 acres of park land, 300 of which are maintained; and 60 miles of trails, of which 30 are maintained in the winter. Park maintenance crews take care of a total of 20 neighborhood parks, six playfields which contain a total of 18 softball/baseball fields, 12 soccer/football fields, 10 hockey rinks and 20 pleasure skating rinks. With the addition of the Bass Lake Playfield, two more ice rinks will be added to the system. There was some discussion then regarding dropping two of the lesser used rinks. Commissioner Gutzke wondered if we took head counts at all of our rinks. Director Blank responded that we take attendance at the larger rinks where we have warming houses, but at the small, neighborhood rinks, we rely on the maintenance crews to inform us if rinks show any signs of skaters. March 1992 PRAC Minutes Page 8 Director Blank indicated that the commission should discuss which rinks to maintain during the 92-93 season at their August or September meeting. Mark then went on to explain some of the types of maintenance done by park crews: trail plowing in the winter, brooming, shaving and flooding ice rinks, summer dragging, mowing, and painting of lines on playfields, turf renovation, mowing neighborhood and city parks and other city owned grounds, weed inspections totaling about 650 per year, tree preservation and reforestation, identifying and removing diseased trees. He also stated that his division developed a winter building and rink maintenance manual, a summer mowing manual, and a driving test designed specifically for maintenance employees. c. Others. Mayor Bergman attended the meeting on behalf of Councilmember Edson, who had another commitment. He indicated that the City Council would like PRAC to review their long term park development and park acquisition plans and prioritize needs. He stated that the Council is concerned about the acquisition of the Forster property since it was not included in the 1992 CIP. The Mayor went on to suggest that land acquisition in northwest Plymouth should be studied, perhaps in lieu of purchasing the Forster property. Director Blank explained that the Forster property had been included in the adopted 1991 CIP, and at the time the 1992 CIP was being prepared, staff believed that the Forster property would have already been in the process of acquisition, making it unnecessary to list it in the 1992 CIP. Some adjustments have since been made to the 1992 CIP, and once again, the Forster property is listed for acquisition. When questioned by Commissioner Gutzke as to the need for the Forster land, Director Blank responded that it is the only land left available in northeast Plymouth for park purposes, and if purchased, could be used for a number of things, including additional parking for the Zachary Playfield or another soccer/football field. It could also serve as a buffer from noise and lights for the homes located west of the playfield. Mayor Bergman also discussed the city's volunteer program and indicated that the Council would like PRAC to get more involved in this project. 4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION The City Council accepted the 1991 Annual Report of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Update on milfoil - Parkers Lake. Director Blank announced that he has been meeting regularly with the Parkers Lake Homeowners Association. Milfoil now rings the entire lake, and the DNR has recommended a new treatment called Sonar. It's a fairly strong chemical that will destroy milfoil but not other vegetation or fish. This chemical is quite expensive at $976 a gallon. A public meeting regarding the proposed use of this chemical is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, at 7 p.m., at the Plymouth City Center. March 1992 PRAC Minutes Page 9 b. Update on construction protects. As soon as weather permits, construction will get underway on the three neighborhood park projects approved in 1991. Crews will start with 10th Avenue park, and from there go to Shiloh and then Gleanloch. Construction crews will also get started again at Parkers Lake Playfield and Bass Lake Playfield. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Volunteer program discussion. Director Blank gave a brief overview of the many volunteers used by the Park and Recreation Department and the various projects in which they get involved. Approximately 860 individuals volunteered their time with park and recreation programs in 1991. Some of those programs were: Adopt a Park or Trail, Firearm Safety, Fire and Ice Festival, Goblin Walk, Junior Lifeguard Program, Old Fashioned Christmas, Santa letters, soccer coaches, Seniors Care and Share, gardening program, Water Safety Aide Program, and youth dance recital. Commissioners suggested that Commissioner Waage meet with Mayor Bergman to learn more about how the Council sees PRAC becoming involved in volunteerism. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION Commissioner Watson inquired about the status of getting a canoe rack placed at Parkers Lake. Director Blank indicated that we have two at Medicine Lake, and only one has been needed there. He stated he would need a recommendation from the Park Commission to move one to Parkers. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WATSON AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WAHL TO TAKE ONE OF THE CANOE RACKS AT MEDICINE LAKE AND PLACE IT AT PARKERS LAKE FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENTING THE SPACES TO RESIDENTS. The motion carried with all ayes. Information on how to rent a space will be available in the May issue of Plymouth News. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION Mayor Bergman suggested that the joint meeting with the Council take place at the April 9 Park Commission meeting at their regular meeting time of 7 p.m. One of the items for discussion may be the sidewalk and trail plan being prepared by Strgar-Roscoe-Fausch. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.