HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes-November 28, 07
City of Columbia Heights
Park and Recreation Commission
November 28, 2007
Eileen Evans called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Members present: Eileen Evans; Tom Greenhalgh; Stan Hoium; Kevin
McDonald; David Payne; Marsha Stroik; Keith Windschitl,
Recreation Director; Kevin Hansen, Public Works
Director/City Engineer; Gary Peterson, Mayor
APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA
Motion by Payne, second by Greenhalgh, to approve consent agenda. Upon vote: all
ayes, motion carried.
LETTERS AND REQUESTS
A. Request for a discount or fee-waived rental of JPM from the Aquatennial Ambassador
Organization.
Peterson informed the Commission that he spoke with Anne Sumangil of the organization
and a Sunday rental would work for their program. He felt that by hosting the
Community Meeting at John P. Murzyn Hall it would be good exposure for Columbia
Heights. Evans replied that the fee of a $40 entry and $15 per hour of use would be
implemented.
Motion by Payne, second by Greenhalgh, to charge the rental fee of $40 entry and $15
per hour of use for this event. Upon vote: all ayes, motion carried.
B. Request for a discounted rental fee of JPM from the Council for the USA group.
Windschitl indicated that he gave a tour to this group and spoke about the rules when
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renting JPM. He stated that the desired date of December 15 is available and would
then require a turn around to set up for the event on Sunday. There appears to be no
affiliation between this group and the City. Windschitl recommends a rental fee of $265.
This breaks down into the $40 entry fee and $15 per hour for the event and cleanup the
following day.
Evans asked how many people would be attending the event. Windschitl stated between
100-150. Hansen suggested calling the previous rental places to gain a little more
background information on the group since there was minimal information on the request
letter. Peterson suggested requiring a damage deposit from the group.
Motion by Hoium, second by Greenhalgh, to offer the reduced rental fee of $265, giving
Windschitl the contingency to relinquish the offer if negative comments were received
from the previous rental places for this group. Upon vote: all ayes, motion carried.
Park & Recreation Commission
11/28/2007
Page 2
OLD BUSINESS
A. 2007 Parks Capital Improvements: Silver Lake Park & Sullivan Lake Park picnic
shelter options.
Hansen reported that City staff surveyed Silver Lake Beach and found some
discrepancies in the elevation; as a result everything in the park plan was moved 30 feet
away from the water. A grant application was submitted to the Board of Soil, Water and
Resources for approximately $95,000 for storm water features within the park.
Hansen stated that all of the things that could be taken down by the City have been taken
down at Sullivan Lake Park. Staff will have to review setback requirements with where
the parking lot is proposed on 51st. When park plans are ready they will be posted on the
web and notification will be sent out to over 100 residents around Silver Lake Park and to
all residents and businesses around Sullivan Lake Park. A grant application will be
submitted by December 31, 2007 to the Rice Creek Watershed District.
B. 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update
Hansen distributed the 2008 Park and Open Space Goals, which are essentially the same
objectives as in the current plan. The Park and Recreation Commission Members should
review the goals and recommend any amendments to the new comprehensive plan to be
considered by the Council. He reported that the plan indicates implementing a trail
system within the City and will promote alternative funding sources for park and
recreational facilities and programs within the community. Hansen suggested changing
the focus from Huset Park to include all parks within the City. He indicated that the Park
& Recreation Commission has approved a Huset Park Master Plan, but the City Council
has not approved the plan.
NEW BUSINESS
A. 2009 John P. Murzyn Hall Rental Rates
Windschitl recommended a 3% increase from the 2008 JPM rental rates to the 2009
rental rates. Beginning January 1, 2008 the Damage Deposit will increase to $500 for
any new rentals. This fee is going up to cover any possible damages or extra cleaning
charges. The Security Deposit fee will increase to $150 for 2009 rentals. Currently there
is a late fee charge of $60 every 30 minutes if a renter is past the 1:00 a.m. rental time.
This charge will increase to $80 every 30 minutes after 1:00 a.m. Windschitl indicated a
new change to the rental policy would require house Premix with any rental. The Premix
system is being phased out by Pepsi and will be switched over to a Post-mix system.
Post-mix has a shorter shelf life and is acquired in a larger container. He stated the
benefits of this system are lower costs for JPM and to the customer because the Post-mix
system produces more. The rental fee of $50 has been added for the use of the white
Melamine dinnerware, silverware and plastic tumblers to help cover cost of lost items.
Hoium asked if the $40 entry fee and $15 per hour of use charge for non-profit groups
needed a change to cover increased charges. Windschitl stated that fee could be
addressed at any time in the future if it needs to be increased.
Park & Recreation Commission
11/28/2007
Page 3
Hoium stated that the Columbia Heights Lion’s Club would increase the cost of drink
tickets from $2.50 to $3.00 in 2009.
Motion by Payne, second by Greenhalgh, to accept all recommended changes to the
rental rates of John P. Murzyn Hall. Upon vote: all ayes, motion carried.
REPORTS
Recreation Director
Windschitl reported that the regularly scheduled December meeting on December 26
would fall on the day after Christmas. Hansen indicated that final park plans would be
needed to present to the Council but the plans would not be available by that date. The
Commission discussed the meeting date and unanimously decided to schedule the target
date of Wednesday, January 2, 2008 if the park plans are ready for discussion.
Public Works Director/City Engineer
Hansen reported MNDOT is reviewing the plans for the service drive along University
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Avenue. A trail is in the plan from 40 Avenue up to 45 Avenue.
Hansen indicated there is a meeting scheduled with State Legislators requesting funding
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for the 2008 bonding cycle to replace the pedestrian bridge at Central and 49 Avenue.
The City is also trying to receive federal funding for this replacement in 2008.
Commission Members
McDonald stated that LaBelle Park looks much better after the tree removal and
landscaping that was done by Public Works.
Payne stated that he feels the City needs an activity center but does not want any
ballfields or park space to be taken away. He feels that the parks are highly used and
loosing any ballfields would be tough on the recreation and school athletic programs.
Payne indicated with the amount of new housing around Huset Park, the park needs to be
utilized in the way that the Huset Park Master Plan was designed for.
Greenhalgh asked Windschitl if all the City ballfields were used during the summer of
2007. Windschitl stated that all ballfields in the City were used for recreation programs
this summer. He indicated that there was an additional need for ballfields to the extent
that the Recreation Program needed to use some of the School District’s fields.
Furthermore, losing any ballfields would be detrimental to the Recreation program.
Commission members mutually agreed that Huset Park is not the location for an activity
center.
Windschitl stated that the Activity Center Advisory Committee, ACAC, would be
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making their final recommendation to the Council on December 17. The Committee is
aware of ballfields that could be lost with the Huset Park location for an activity center;
therefore the final recommendation is concentrated on the NEI location.
Park & Recreation Commission
11/28/2007
Page 4
Motion by Payne, second by McDonald, that the Park & Recreation Commission firmly
supports the activity center but would strongly suggest another location other than Huset
Park for the building site. Upon vote: all ayes, motion carried.
ADJOURNMENT
Eileen Evans adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m.
______________________________
Deanna Saefke
Recreation Clerk Typist II