HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 03-09-2000MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
March 9, 2000
Page 10
Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Singer, Musliner, Fiemann, Thompson, Meyer,
Wahl; staff Bisek, Blank, Busch, Sankey
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Anderson called the March meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER SINGER AND SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER MUSLINER TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY
MEETING WITH ALL AYES.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present.
b. Staff Rick Busch spoke on the successful startup of the Fieldhouse. Revenue was a
total of $50,000 for November and December and $40,000 each for January, February,
and March. April rentals are a little slow. The total for the first six months will be
approximately $190-200,000. We are receiving outstanding reviews - everyone likes the
turf. Most of the rentals have been for soccer, but fastpitch softball, lacrosse, and rugby
groups have been in the dome, too. The take-down will be April 29. It will be used as
an outdoor field for six months, then the dome will be put up again at the end of October.
Mary Bisek said she and Intern Regina Callies have talked to the Youth Advisory
Commission about a teen coffee house in the lower level lobby of the Plymouth Creek
Center. The kids have said they would like to get the project off the ground before school
lets out. It probably won't happen that soon, but maybe this summer. Plans are for an
open mike for poetry readings or acoustic music.
Mary handed out a special event brochure. She pointed out Primavera and invited
Commissioners to attend. Local artists and students from area will be displaying their
work. There will also be live music and other performances. The art will be judged, and
awards given. There are also art exhibits every month in the City Hall lobby. History
Fest will be in the spring this year instead of August. We are experimenting with having
school days. A voyageur encampment will be set up, with additional demonstrators
because of the student participation. Approximately 1500 students in
4th
through
6th
grade are signed up to attend. Volunteers are needed.
c. Others. None
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4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION
a. The Council accepted the 1999 Annual Report.
b. The Council approved Change Order No. 6 on the Plymouth Creek Center.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Comprehensive Plan update. Director Blank spoke on the all day workshop attended by
the Council. No changes were made to plan. The Northwest Greenway, golf course,
third ice sheet, and living farm have all stayed intact. There will be a public open house
on Wednesday, March 15, from 5-9:00 p.m. There will be a 60 day period for
surrounding communities to review and respond to the proposed Comprehensive Plan,
then the Council will take final action. The complete plan will go to the Metropolitan
Council in June. A review will be held for the commissioners to help them become more
comfortable and knowledgeable with the plan. The consultants will come in to discuss
the plan and to aid in this process. A condensed version will be available to the public
for their study and reviewal. Three years of work have gone into the plan, and it will be
nice to have it completed. Developers are anxious to get started on new development in
the city. Commissioner Fiemann asked if the plan will be on Web. Director Blank said it
is currently on the City's home page, but work is being done to make it more usable.
b. Plymouth Creek Center update. Director Blank said that the `Buy a Brick" program has
begun for the Millennium Garden. Commissioner Thompson made a presentation to the
Council at their last meeting, and she did a wonderful job. The mini garden display in the
City Hall lobby is a focal point for the fiind raising activities. Commissioner Singer
asked if the bricks in the lobby are samples of the actual bricks to be used. Director
Blank said that those are possible choices being considered.
Rick Busch said that the building is coming along pretty much on schedule. It will be
substantially done a week from tomorrow. A walls -through is scheduled next
Wednesday. Exterior cement work should be done by the middle of April. Landscaping
may need to be replaced. Besides himself, Rick said that the staff that will be moving
into the new facility will include Dan Lauer, Sara Mittelstaedt, Sheri Moonen, and Susan
Makela. The ceiling in the ballroom is pretty much done. Wallpaper, painting, and
carpeting are being done. The ballroom carpet should go in the beginning of next week.
The wood floor still needs to be done. Ballroom & meeting room fiirniture are due by
April 1. The office fiirniture has started to arrive. A wedding reception will be held the
first weekend in May. Kathy Bullard from the City I.T. staff has the honor of being the
first event. The seniors grand opening will be in mid May, and the overall grand opening
is the first Saturday in June. It will be from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. More
information will be forthcoming.
Commissioner Wahl asked if the connection to the dome will be done. Rick said we will
use the temporary access for rest of this season. Commissioner Fiemann asked if there
will be a lighted path around building. Rick said that it is substantially lit around
building and parking lot. There will be a trail extension which will go over to Lifetime
Fitness and the Ice Center. Commissioner Singer said she had toured the building and it
PRAC Minutes/March 2000
Page 12
is fabulous. Commissioner Wahl suggested that the entire commission have a tour of the
facility. Mary said the May meeting would be in the new building.
6. NEW BUSINESS
Plymouth Creek Center Rental Rates and Policies. Rick Busch stated that the cost of the
main ballroom was established last fall so that we could start to book the large events
such as wedding receptions. Twenty events are scheduled from May through December.
We are starting to get calls on the smaller rooms and partial rooms, so we need to
establish the rental rates for these rooms. Equipment charges must also be established.
Rick conducted a community survey and tried to find similar rooms to use in the report.
Our other city -owned meeting rooms are included also. The proposed prices are probably
a little on the low end because the city administration felt we should embrace the city
groups for their meetings. Most of the money will be made on the large ballroom. Non-
profit civic groups can have one meeting per month for free — they have to pay for
additional meetings. Commissioner Thompson asked if the $5 fee for the slide projector
and overhead projector would be adequate to cover replacement costs. She felt it should
be increased. Commissioner Singer felt the flip charts charge should be $5 because the
cost of providing these is fairly high.
Commissioner Meyer asked for clarification on the renting priority. Rick said the Park &
Recreation staff has first priority to book the rooms. Resident groups can book the rooms
no longer than three months in advance. Mary Bisek said this was established because of
the quarterly nature of planning for classes. Resident groups have priority over non-
residents. Non-residents can book up to two months in advance. Mary said if there is an
activity that merits reserving a room longer than three months in advance, it could be
considered. In the schools, school activities take precedence over all other activities.
Our programs held there can get bumped. Rick will have the ability to make decisions to
bump activities if necessary.
Commissioner Musliner asked if everyone will have to pay the $200 damage deposit,
even if using the room for free. Rick said he would assume that for a non-profit
Plymouth group, no deposit would be charged. Commissioner Musliner felt that a person
may be turned off by that issue if it isn't clarified in the rental policies. Mary said that
typically deposits are required when an activity might cause damage or require extra
clean up. For a general meeting, it would probably be unreasonable. Commissioner
Wahl suggested that we could say the damage deposit may be required. Chair Anderson
said it could depend on the activity. Commissioner Thompson asked if the deposit would
be refunded or applied toward the rental. Rick said the checks would be cashed and
refunded after the event.
Chair Anderson asked about the statement that under no circumstance would people be
allowed to bring in their own beverages. How would the intoxicating beverages be
provided? Rick said the caterer would provide them. The commissioners thought the
words alcoholic and intoxicating should be made consistent in the rental policy
document. Rick suggested they should be changed to alcoholic. He pointed out that if
PRAC Minutes/March 2000
Page 13
alcoholic beverages are served, two police officers would be required at a rate of $35 per
hour for each for a minimum of four hours. On the rental policies sheet, it didn't specify
that two officers were needed. That needs to be clarified.
Commissioner Singer asked if the policies would be part of the signed contract. Rick
said yes it would. A number of changes to the documents were suggested. Mary listed
the changes:
Rental Rates: Change slide projector to S10.
Rental Rates: Change overhead pi-ojector to S10.
Rental Rates: Change flip chart to S5.
Rental Policies, Rental Procedures 2a: Change to 5200 damage deposit may be
required
Rental Policies, Rental Procedures 5: Change that to than.
Rental Policies, Security/Conduct 2: Clarify that for events with alcohol, we require
2 Plymouth police clfficer,v on handf )r a minimum q/'4 hours at S33 per hour each.
Rental Policies, Security/Conduct 4 and 8b: Change intoxicating to alcoholic
Rental Policies, Security/Conduct 7: Change ending time to 12:00 midnight.
Commissioner Thompson asked for clarification on what constitutes an adult. Rick
agreed that we should clarify it. She suggested 21 years of age.
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON MOVED TO ACCEPT THE POLICIES AND FEES
WITH RECOMMENDED CHANGES AND COMMISSIONER SINGER SECONDED.
ALL AYES.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
None.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION. Director Blank reported that the Council held a study session
last month to set their new goals, which should be adopted at their next meeting. These goals
will be published and shared with the public. Their second highest goal was open space
acquisition. This brings a new project into the forefront for us, and a workplan will need to
be set up. Existing fiinds or a referendum would need to be used for acquisition. The fifth
goal was the Millennium Garden. The 2001 Council could possibly set a new set of goals.
Chair Anderson asked for more details on the open space work plan. Director Blank said it is
probably too early to tell what the priorities will be, but the number one issue is the first link
of the Northwest Greenway between Chesshire Lane and Vicksburg Lane. There is a need to
be ahead of development. The property on Hadley Lake and also the Little Peninsula in
Medicine Lake will probably be important. A lot of work will need to be done.
Chair Anderson asked about the MN Wild. Director Blank said that they called on Friday
and asked for clarification on our proposal. They indicated the our proposal was good, but
gave no hint on whether they will accept it. Director Blank said he met with the
superintendent of Wayzata Schools about facility issues, including ice rinks. The
PRAC Minutes/March 2000
Page 14
superintendent assured him that they will keep their rink open. The City Council and School
Board may have a joint meeting to look at some of these issues, including perhaps the ice
rink issues.
Mary reported that three consultants for the Millennium Garden are working on design
proposals for the entire space, including the formal gardens and the transition and wetland
areas. Presentations and estimates will come from each consultant. They are being paid for
their preliminary work. Some elements of design may be used from each.
Mary brought in a mock up copy of a brochure for the `Buy a Brick" program and passed it
along to the commissioners. The committee for the Millennium Garden is working on other
ideas, but the Buy a Brick program will be the cornerstone of the fiend raising efforts. If
anyone knows of any potential contributors, please let Director Blank know. Commissioner
Thompson thought the bank may do matching gifts. Mary pointed out that if contributions
are in before March 15, they will be listed in the Leisure Times. It would be good to have a
strong showing to get the program off and running.
Mary said that Bloomington has hosted a "Taste of Chocolate" event in the past. We are
trying to initiate a similar event to be held in conjunction with Plymouth on Parade. The
Friday & Saturday of that week are already booked for weddings, so we are planning to hold
it on Thursday evening. We will be asking local restaurants to participate in a chocolate
dessert competition for which awards will be given. There will also be a silent auction of
donated items. Other fiend raising possibilities include a bus tour with garden theme and a
Home & Garden show on a local level in conjunction with the Horticultural Society. The
commissioners felt these ideas sounded great.
Commissioner Musliner suggested that we offer a birthday party package at the dome. Mary
said that this is being discussed. In fact, we are talking about putting together a birthday
party brochure, with all the possibilities offered by the city listed, such as programs at the Ice
Center, Dome, Activity Center, Parkers Lake, and perhaps the Fire Department.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.