HomeMy WebLinkAbout7. c. Director's Report4ROSEMOUNTEXECUTIVE SUMMARY
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting: April 22, 2013
AGENDA ITEM: Director's Report
AGENDA SECTION:
New Business
PREPARED BY: Dan Schultz, Parks & Recreation Director
AGENDA NO.
7 c.
ATTACHMENTS: None
APPROVED BY:
RECOMMENDED ACTION: None, discussion only.
Park Improvement Fund Balance as of March 31, 2013: $503,115.87
Inflows to the Park Improvement Fund last month were as follows:
Dedication fees — $3,400
Grants /Other - $0
Interest - $12.55
Donations - $0
Expenditures - $5,709.00 (UMore Ballfields and Flint Hills Athletic Fields)
Adpot - A - Park - Each spring and fall we send out letters to all of our Adopt -A -Park groups. We do
this to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts, to pass along information about the program
or specific tasks, and to confirm that they would like to continue participating in the program. The 2013
spring letter was sent out last week. For several years all of our park sites had been adopted. However, last
fall one group that had been with the program for many years notified us they could no longer commit
adequate time to the program, and last week we heard the same thing from another long -time participating
group. We currently have two parks available for adoption: Schwarz Pond Park and Connemara Park.
Tree Removal - In recent weeks the Public Works department has been removing ash trees from some
parks. Over the winter several more confirmed infestations of Emerald Ash Borer have been discovered
in the metro area. It appears it is only a matter of time before an infestation is identified here in Dakota
County. By selectively removing trees now, we can lower the overall number of ash trees in our park
system and do so in a non - emergency mode. We are also able to target the least healthy and /or least
attractive trees. In addition, the removal of trees now makes room for planting new trees funded by a
grant the city will receive from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The recent tree removal
occurred at nine parks. Approximately 60 ash trees were removed in the last few weeks.
Health Fair - On Saturday, April 13, the Rosemount Parks and Recreation Department participated in
the annual Red Pine Elementary Health & Fitness Fair. We featured our informational display highlighting
our department, and also handed out summer brochures and program and special events information.
This event was attended by approximately 500 people.