HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes 02-09-2006MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
February 9, 2006
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PRESENT: Chair Fiemann, Commissioners Aamoth, Davis, Krahulec, Pederson,
Singer, Rezabek; staff Blank, Evans, Pederson; Councilmember Slavik
ABSENT: Commissioners Griwac and Mohagen
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Fiemann called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers
and then asked for nominations for Chair and Vice Chair to serve during 2006.
REZABEK MOVED TO NOMINATE FIEMANN AS CHAIR AND SINGER AS VICE
CHAIR. DAVIS SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED ALL AYES.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Rezabek moved and Singer seconded a motion to approve the January 2006
minutes. All ayes.
3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
a. Athletic Associations. None were present at the meeting.
b. Staff. Evans thanked commissioners for the changes they suggested for the
annual report and stated that a photograph of the commission would be taken
at the conclusion of the meeting. Singer appreciated the addition of the map in
the annual report and the additional items in the work plan that had been
suggested at the January meeting. Evans informed PRAC that we had updated
all of our publications with the addition of the tobacco free policy. We have met
with the youth athletic associations and given them an overview of the comp
plan, etc. We want to make sure we are meeting their needs. Singer wanted to
know if this meeting included adult associations. Evans said it only included
youth. Staff is preparing for the bicycle roundtable on February 22nd at the
Plymouth Creek Center. We have posted information on the website as well as
other notices around Plymouth. We have received e-mails from bicyclists that
cannot attend the meeting. Our intent at the meeting is to lay out some big
maps of Plymouth with trails on them and have visitors write on those plans
where they are biking now, so we can get an idea of how they are using our
trails or on -road bike lanes. The meeting is also being advertised on Ch. 12.
The living farm has also been discussed. We may get a historical preservation
representative to look at the farm. Fiemann asked about the person coming to
look at the property. Evans said he or she would be looking at the buildings and
the land. Davis asked about who decides the alignment of Peony. Evans said
the Council makes that decision. There are four alignments that were studied
about 10 years ago, Blank said. Peony now stops at the high school. If new
alignments have to be looked at, that will be done. We need a way to tie in to
Maple Grove. Blank said that the Wayzata school district just completed a
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student population study as well as Robbinsdale and Osseo. Blank said we are
also gathering information from the athletic associations. Even though our
number of youth has leveled off, their participation is going up. We don't know if
this trend will continue. The Council's goal is to have the land use guide plan
done in June. Warming houses are open on a day-by-day basis Evans said.
We're in for a few good cold days now, so we will remain open as long as we
can. Last week we held our Sweetheart Ball with 200 participants. This event is
becoming a staple in our recreation program. Another new thing is a flat screen
TV at the Plymouth Creek Center that was donated by the seniors. It's right
inside the entry. It's connected to our Class software, so it displays what's
meeting in which room. Evans said that she attended an NRPA workshop about
Step Up to Health. It's something that Park & Recreation is going to be involved
in. It's about incorporating healthy initiatives into recreation programs. We are
to take the role of being a catalyst for promoting healthy lifestyles, Evans
explained. We have no solid plans right now. Staff has talked about serving
healthy snacks at day camp as one small way of participating in this endeavor.
We may put something like an icon in our brochure indicating programs that are
healthy and active. We may also do a health summit next year in the
community. Other ideas include signage in our parks promoting healthy
lifestyles, such as encouraging people to walk and bike. Fiemann asked if we
had received any complaints about the cancellation of Fire & Ice. People were
disappointed, but they understood the reasons Evans said.
c. Others. There were no other presentations.
4. REPORT ON PAST COUNCIL ACTION
Blank had nothing major to report other than some closing out of contracts on the
ice center. One contract on heating/ventilating is still open.
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Approve 2005 annual report and 2006 work plan. SINGER MOVED AND
REZABEK SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL REPORT
AND THE 2006 WORK PLAN AND TO FORWARD IT TO THE CITY
COUNCIL. Aamoth mentioned that the correct spelling of his name is Erik with
a k. THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL REPORT CARRIED, ALL
AYES.
6. NEW BUSINESS
a. Review proposal to tile floor in Ice Center lobby. Blank said it has been 13 or 14
months since the new part of the arena opened. The original design called for
the tiling of the entire lobby of the Ice Center. Blank said we get more
compliments on our lobby and bathrooms than anything else. When the original
bids came in over budget, it was decided to remove the tile from the bid. Blank
wanted to see the total project budget before considering tiling the new lobby.
He stated that we have an internal loan on the project from the park
replacement fund. He then explained other funding we have for the project such
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as the Denny Hecker advertisement deal, Excel energy rebate, money from
Coca-Cola, and additional revenue from Providence. We also still have the
200,000 pledge from Wayzata Hockey. Expenses include architectural fees,
printing and publishing, landscaping, machinery and equipment, etc. We also
still owe Doody Mechanical and RJM, the construction manager. Blank
explained that at this point expenses exceed the revenue by about $35,000.
Staff is going to recommend that this amount be tacked onto the loan. The loan
would be paid off over the next 15 years. Blank then said that the Plymouth
Creek Center project was completed approximately $85,000 under budget. He
is recommending that we proceed with tiling the lobby floor using surplus
revenue from the Plymouth Creek Center project. Blank had several
photographs of the lobby that he shared with PRAC. If we don't do the project,
the $38,000 will remain in the park dedication account and will be used
elsewhere. Blank intends to take this item to the Council at their second
meeting in February. Rezabek was concerned about the proper wording for
acknowledging Denny Hecker. It's listed on the budget page as Walden Group.
Blank said that the name on the check was Walden Group. Rezabek wanted to
know when the project might begin. Blank said March or April. Krahulec asked
about the Blue Line Room floor. After nine years, the carpet is pretty bad in that
room. The blue line room may be tiled rather than carpeted, Blank said. Davis
asked if the new tile would match the existing tile. Blank said it would. Krahulec
asked when the money is due from Wayzata Hockey. Blank said there is no
timetable for that. Aamoth asked if these were one-time revenues or on-going
revenues. Blank said these are all one-time revenues, and he explained those
contracts. Pederson asked about the maintenance history of the current tile and
if there have been problems with cracked tiles. Blank said we haven't had any
problems like that. All the wheels on the hockey bags are urethane, said
Rezabek, and contain less weight than you would think. Singer said she agrees
that this needs to be done. She believes we should go forward. REZABEK
MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE TILING THE LOBBY FLOOR WITH THE
PROPER ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO THE DENNY HECKER ADVERTISING
DEAL. DAVIS SECONDED. Rezabek asked about the pillars by the concession
stand. He wanted to know if there would be a kick plate to match the tile. Blank
said he wasn't sure, but that we would look into it. THE MOTION CARRIED
WITH ALL AYES. This will go to the Council on the 28th of February.
7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION
Rezabek had some concerns about the dumpster behind the ice center. He was
told that construction materials were being dumped in there. He was wondering
about adding more security cameras. The outdoor lighting is not good enough to
identify any one that might be seen on the security camera putting things in the
dumpster, Blank said. He will talk to the Ice Center staff about this. Rezabek also
mentioned that the lighting on the back of the building seems rather dim. Fiemann
agrees that it seems like one light may have been forgotten. Rezabek said he has
received several e-mails and calls about outdoor refrigerated rinks similar to
Roseville's. Several requests have come from Wayzata Hockey. They'd like to
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have an area at the Plymouth Creek Playfield. They would help with the purchase
and help with the maintenance, etc. Blank said formal communication with staff is
the way to get this started. Someone from the hockey association would need to
contact him.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
New computer software training is being conducted February 10 by a company
called Land Logic. It will allow us to map everything we own, down to every single
sprinkler head. A demo will be given to PRAC at a future meeting. The system we
are purchasing is amazingly economical. An example of what it can do is tell you
how many square feet of land you'd have available for a tennis court, by simply
outlining an area of the park on a computer screen. Blank stated that staff met with
the consultant on the redesign of Zachary Park. We now have a base layout. In
another four to five weeks we'll be narrowing down the plan. Aamoth asked if we
would explore using that Land Logic technology on our website. The state has a
system that allows you to enter your zip code and it maps out what legislative
district you're in, as well as other useful information. Davis asked about the
timetable for the new baseball complex at Zachary. Blank said we're going to let
groups play there this summer, then the construction could begin at the conclusion
of the baseball season. The fields would be out of commission then until next
spring. Fiemann has neighbors asking about a bike path connecting Plymouth
Station over to Lowe's. Slavik said she hasn't had any conversations regarding
that. She said they did talk about a pedestrian bridge over Hwy 55, but it just
wasn't practical, because it would have to be placed so far east that no one would
likely use it. Slavik said there has been a big outcry to protect the wetland behind
Lowe's. If we're trying to be more bike friendly, some type of trail should be
encouraged Fiemann said so people can get from Plymouth Station to the new
shopping area south of Hwy 55. Blank said it might be possible to put in a
boardwalk. This would be an expensive undertaking, however. Singer would like to
request that we reschedule the April meeting, because the second Thursday falls
on Passover. Staff will check into the possibility of meeting on Monday, April 10.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8 p.m.