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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 09-29-14PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION September 29, 2014 Special Meeting DRAFT Members Present: Maureen Bartz, Jason Eisold, Mike Eliason, Barb Farrell, Lincoln Tilson Members Absent: None Staff Present: Dan Schultz, Director of Parks and Recreation and Sonja Honl, Recording Secretary Student Volunteers: None Others Present: Alba Nowlin, City Council Candidate 1. CALL TO ORDER: Eliason called the meeting to order at 6:58 p.m. 2. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: None. 3. APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 25, 2014 MEETING MINUTES: MOTION by Bartz to approve the minutes of the August 25, 2014 meeting. SECOND by Farrell. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Motion passed. 4. AUDIENCE INPUT: None 5. DISCUSSION (Response to Audience Input): None 6. OLD BUSINESS: a. Parks and Recreation — Project Planning — Schultz was bringing this list back to finalize it. One thing that hadn't been discussed or included was the Central Park/Splash Pad Phase 2 improvements. The City Council is interested in moving forward with this sooner than later. The Commission thought this item should be included under the Special Interest category as item 1.c. Schultz will bring the finalized list to the City Council for their review. The Commission asked Schultz to let them know if the Council had additional ideas that weren't included on list. 7. NEW BUSINESS: a. Prestwick Park — Playground Request for Proposal (RFP) — The City received seven requests for proposal for the new playground equipment at Prestwick Park. The seven plans were reviewed by Parks and Recreation Commissioners Bartz and Tilson, Ryan Rausch from the Public Works Department, Tom Schuster from the Parks and Recreation Department, Council Members Shoe -Corrigan and DeBettignies, and the Rosemount Youth Commission. All who scored the playground plans chose the Parkitecture plan (Little Tykes) as their first choice. Moving the existing playground equipment from Central Park to Prestwick Park and adding some of additional new pieces of equipment was suggested by one of the council members. The reasoning for this was that that we could save some money and expedite the new playground for the second phase of the Central Park improvements. Schultz explained that the Central Park playground equipment is approximately 15 years old and will need to be replaced in 8 -10 years. Also, if we decide on this option, the RFP for the Prestwick Park project will be delayed until spring instead of being done this fall. The Commission felt that if we were going to move the playground equipment from Central Park anywhere, maybe it could be used in Erickson Park because there isn't anything there right now. They expressed concern that we could be setting a precedent by recycling/moving playground equipment instead of following our scheduled playground equipment replacement plan. The Commission asked how many residents had attended the Prestwick Park playground planning open house. Per Schultz there were approximately 30 people in attendance. The Commission thought that because the option of recycling equipment from another park hadn't been mentioned at the meeting, this -1- PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION September 29, 2014 Special Meeting option might not be well received by the residents. Schultz's recommendation was to purchase the Parkitecture playground equipment. It should take 20-25 days to order and install. MOTION by Farrell to recommend that we move forward with the purchase and installation of the Parkitecture playground plan. SECOND by Bart. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT by Eisold that the Central Park playground equipment not be relocated to Prestwick Park. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Motion passed. b. Director's Report - The Parks Improvement Fund Balance as of August 31, 2014 was $282,369.82. Dedication fees of $39,100 were received. Interest for the month was $1,506.29. There were no grants or donations. There were expenditures of $57,303.17 for Erickson Park Tennis Courts. The Commission asked what was new regarding the issue of some residents whose property backs up to Carroll's Woods who have mowed, planted shrubs and other plants, decorated some of the trees, and put lawn furniture on parkland behind their homes. Per Schultz, the residents have been sent a letter explaining the City's policy as far as parkland and they have been given 30 days to remove items from the parkland. He has also spoken to two of the neighborhood residents. After the 30 days, city staff will remove the items and let the parkland return to its natural state. The Commission suggested installing signs along the trail in this area that explain that it is parkland. Per Schultz we can discuss this further at a future meeting. 8. ADJOURNMENT - MOTION by Farrell to adjourn the meeting. SECOND by Tilson. Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 7:54 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Sonja Honl, Parks and Recreation Secretary -2-