HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 11-22-04APPROVED
Members Present: Mike Eliason, Mark Jacobs, Eric Johnson, Phil Sterner
Members Absent: Leslie Defries
Staff Present: Dan Schultz, Director of Parks and Recreation and Sonja Honl, Recording Secretary
Student Volunteer: Philip Harris
Others Present: None
CALL TO ORDER: Jacobs called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: Sterner asked for an update on the part time senior coordinator position that was recommended by the Facilities Task Force. Johnson asked for clarification
of the Council’s approval of the athletic complex. Schultz will address this under the Director’s Report.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA FOR NOVEMBER 22, 2004: MOTION by Johnson to approve the November 22, 2004 meeting agenda as amended. SECOND by Sterner. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Motion passed.
3. APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 25, 2004 MINUTES: MOTION by Eliason to approve the minutes of October 25, 2004. SECOND by Johnson. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Motion passed.
4. AUDIENCE INPUT: None.
5. DISCUSSION (Response to Audience Input): None.
6. OLD BUSINESS:
a. 2005 Fees and Fee Study – Schultz provided information on questions the Commission had from the last meeting: 1) The breakdown of prime time ice/non-prime time ice sold was as follows:
Summer – 500.25 hours; non-prime -114.5 hours; and prime - 1,378 hours. 2) Regarding expectations for the current budget, we should break even this year. We would have had a surplus,
but had a $27,000 emergency repair to the compressor/chiller. 3) Schultz checked with other cities to see if they would be raising their fees for 2005. Many have not yet decided
if they will be increasing their fees. Inver Grove Heights is looking at increasing their rates. 4) As far as budget expectations for the Community Center, we expect to meet all
revenue marks with the possible exception of the auditorium. We will meet or exceed all other rental revenue expectations. 5) Outdoor Park Rentals – Schultz is proposing creating
a new priority use group. As far as charging for lights, the city’s softball leagues are the most frequent users of the lights, and use of lights is currently included in their field
rental fee. Schultz wouldn’t recommend charging an additional fee at this time. 6) Parks Dedication – The Commission had asked about charging what developers paid for the land or
the market rate for cash dedication. In using this method, there are concerns that we might end up paying for multiple appraisals, lot splits, and small subdivisions. The benefit
of this method is that cash dedication could increase based on the value of the land. Our current method, based on 1/25 acre per unit seems to work well.
Schultz’s recommendations were as follows:
Community Center – No changes recommended based on the Commission’s discussions at the last meeting. Arena – the Prime Time Ice fees were increased from $150 to $155; Evening and Holiday
Vacation fees were increased from $3.50 to $4; and the following additions were made: Daytime Youth Open Hockey fee - $2; Open Skate Passes – 8 for $20; and Skate Sharpening Passes
- 8 for $20.
Parks - Schultz made the following changes to the Outdoor Facilities section of the fee policy (page 7): 1. Park Facility Priority Use - added B. RAAA, Dakota Rev, and RAHA to this
section; C. - removed “Youth Athletic Associations, (RAA, RAHA), Jaycees, St. Joes School, Rosemount Middle School Athletics, Baptist Softball, etc.”; D. - removed “Falcon Ridge Middle
School Athletics”; and 2. Facility Fees, A. - recommended dropping the Grill Cleaning fee.
The Commission discussed the priority of use and decided on the following priority list:
1) City Sponsored Events
2) RAAA, RAHA, Rosemount Youth Athletic Associations
3) Rosemount Non-Profits and Civic Groups (Jaycees, Lion’s, etc.)
4) Rosemount Residents
5) Rosemount ISD 196 Schools
6) Rosemount Non-Public Schools
7) Rosemount Colleges and Universities
8) All Other Requests
Parks Dedication – Based on discussion at last month’s meeting, Schultz recommended the following: increase Residential fees from $60,000/acre to $75,000/acre; increase Industrial
fees from $45,000/acre to $50,000/acre; and leave Commercial fees at $90,000/acre. There was discussion regarding raising the Residential fee to $80,000/acre, or $78,000/acre which
would be in the middle.
Motion by Sterner to increase Residential Parks Dedication fees to $78,000/acre; Industrial Parks Dedication fees to $50,000/acre and to leave the Commercial Parks Dedication fees at
$90,000/acre. Second by Eliason. Discussion followed. There was concern that raising the Residential fee to $80,000/acre could result in possible challenges from developers. Schultz
felt that $75,000/acre is in the ballpark with what other cities would be charging. $80,000/acre would put us towards the top with Bloomington as far as fees being charged. It was
the consensus of the Commission to go with $75,000/acre. Friendly Amendment by Sterner to change Residential fees to $75,000/acre; Industrial fees to $50,000/acre and leave Commercial
fees at $90,000/acre. Second by Eliason. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Motion passed.
The Commission thought that it would be a good idea to review these fees every six months.
b. Park Signs – The City Council recently approved a new “visual imaging system” (logo) for the City. A committee had been formed to come up with a logo that would provide Rosemount
with a new image, something simple and more up to date. Schultz provided examples of the new logo and how it might appear on city signs and vehicles. Schultz has asked our Communications
Coordinator to forward the new logo to The Plastic Lumber Company so they can include it in our park sign design. They should have an example ready for the December Commission
meeting. We can then make a decision on the park signs, order them and have them ready for spring installation. We will be doing a park sign inventory to get an estimate on the number
of signs we will need and then we’ll be able to budget for them accordingly. Schultz will bring this back to the December meeting.
c. Skate Park Update – A meeting to discuss the operations of the new skate park location was held at the Community Center on October 25. 12 students and two parents attended the meeting.
SkateWave representatives gave the kids the opportunity to use scaled down pieces of equipment as well as a computer to design the skate park they’d like to have. SkateWave has provided
us with a proposal for the additional equipment that could be added and a drawing of the layout combining the new pieces with some of those we already have. The cost for the additional
equipment would be $40,223 plus $5,010 for installation, for a total of $45,233. Schultz asked the Commission for their thoughts on moving forward with the purchase of additional skate
park equipment with parks improvement funds. The skate park continues to see steady use, the new location is working out very well, and there’s also ample room for expansion. Schultz
will put together a budget and bring it back to the next meeting. We could also write grants and ask for donations as we did for the original equipment. Johnson asked if it would
be possible to move some of the smaller pieces of equipment to a corner for use by less skilled skate boarders. Per Schultz this could easily be done. Eliason asked if we could also
purchase some picnic tables. Per Schultz, this has been discussed and we are looking for tables that can be anchored as well as some that can be moved. Jacobs asked that we send a
letter to the Jaycees to remind them of the $10,000 they had promised to donate but have not. Lights and phone service at the skate park were discussed. Schultz explained that we
don’t have phones at most parks. The Community Center is usually open during the hours that the skate park is open and a phone is available there. Installation of lights would cost
approximately $25,000 - $30,000. Because the skate park is mainly used during the summer, when it’s light until 9:30 p.m., Schultz thought that installing some kind of security lights
may be a more cost effective option.
The Commission felt we should move ahead with the purchase of additional equipment. Schultz will get quotes and bring this item back to the next meeting. He’ll also check on the feasibility
of having our Public Works staff install the equipment, possibly with supervision by someone from the skate park equipment company.
Motion by Eliason that the Parks and Recreation Commission authorize up $46,000 of park improvement funds for the purchase and installation of the listed skate park equipment. Second
by Sterner. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Motion passed.
NEW BUSINESS
a. Director’s Report – The Parks Improvement Fund Balance as of October 31, 2004 is $1,088,004.84. No parks dedication fees were received this month. There were expenditures of $68,246.20
for paying down the balance owed for Bloomfield Park, and minor expenditures for picnic tables and signs for the skate park.
RCC Parking Lot – Rosemount High School students who have been parking in the Community Center Parking lot were asked to park at the high school instead due to concerns with trash,
reckless driving, and construction of the entrance for the new dome. The high school was also notified. They have 480 parking passes available and had sold only 412.
Athletic Complex – Schultz explained that Flint Hills Resources is finishing up their land use plan/study because of their involvement in the 42/52 corridor study. Per Schultz, the
person who wrote the newspaper article on this was confusing the moratorium in the 52 area and the 52/42 study, which are two separate issues. We are in the process of trying to negotiate
with the landowners, then we’ll start the design process.
Senior Coordinator Position: The Facilities Task Force had recommended hiring a part-time senior coordinator. This was discussed with the City Council, and due to budget constraints,
they wanted to see what we could do with our current staff. Schultz has met with the seniors to try to come up with the duties and responsibilities they need the most help with. Schultz
will be giving this information to the senior president this week for review. Schultz will then forward it to the City Administrator for review, and then pass it on to the City Council.
We’ll be tracking the time spent to coordinate senior activities. Apple Valley has a coordinator who works 20 hours per week for their 500-600 member senior organization. Rosemount
asked for a coordinator for 20 hours a week, and they have approximately 160 members.
8. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by Sterner to adjourn the meeting. SECOND by Johnson. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 9:16 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by
Sonja Honl,
Recording Secretary