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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOct 24, 2012 min City of Columbia Heights Park and Recreation Commission October 24, 2012 Tom Greenhalgh called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present: Eileen Evans; Tom Greenhalgh; Stan Hoium; Kevin McDonald; David Payne; Marsha Stroik Staff Present: Kevin Hansen, Public Works Director; Gary Peterson, Mayor; Keith Windschitl, Recreation Director; Deanna Saefke, Secretary APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA Hoium asked about the expense for the install of flag light fee. Hansen replied that it was for the Ramsdell Park flag. Evans asked where trees were removed. Hansen replied LaBelle and Sullivan ponds had extensive tree removal and any other diseased trees within the parks. Evans asked about the park bench expense and where it was installed. Hansen replied that we were reimbursed for the bench. Windschitl replied that the park bench is located right outside of Murzyn Hall near the flower arch. The family of Sue Murzyn purchased the bench for her in honor of being Humanitarian of the Year. He indicated that she is the main beautification committee volunteer who takes care of the flowers outside of Murzyn Hall as well. Evans asked about the Wargo Court fountain. Hansen replied that this was the second time that the parts of the fountain have been stolen. It is over a $3000 replacement and insurance covers it after the $1000 deductible. Motion by Hoium, second by Greenhalgh, to approve the consent agenda. Upon vote: All ayes. Motion Carried. LETTERS AND REQUESTS A. Introduction of Delynn Mulligan, Senior Citizen Coordinator. Windschitl introduced Delynn Mulligan the new Senior Citizen Coordinator who has been on staff for about a month. He stated that she overlapped with the previous coordinator for two weeks of training. Mulligan was introduced at the City Council meeting last month. She has a Bachelor of Science in Recreation from the University of Minnesota, has worked for the Three Rivers Park District, Colonial Acres in Golden Valley and Main Street Village in Richfield. Windschitl stated she is doing a good job so far. The Commission welcomed her and thanked her for coming to the meeting. B. Request for the rental fee to be waived of John P. Murzyn Hall for a fundraiser on Friday, October 26, 2012. Windschitl reported the benefit on October 26, 2012 is for Donny Laufenberg. He has been very active in the community over many years. Laufenberg is a longtime CH Lions Club member who has been instrumental in the Jamboree carnival and supporter of the recreation programs. He has experienced many medical problems over the past few years resulting in the amputation of his leg. The fundraiser will help to offset some of his medical bills. It will be $10 at the door with a spaghetti dinner, music, and silent auction items. The family of Laufenberg is conducting the fundraiser. Staff recommends waiving the fees completely for the rental of this event due to Laufenberg’s involvement in functions for the Recreation Department and for the City. Park & Recreation Commission October 24, 2012 Page 2 Motion by Payne, second by Stroik, to waive the fees for the Laufenberg fundraiser on Friday, Motion carried. October 26, 2012. Upon vote: All ayes. C. Request for the rental fee to be waived for the Mayor’s Taste of Columbia Heights Holiday Kickoff annual event on Friday, November 16, 2012. Peterson indicated this annual function will have local restaurants that the Women of Today are lining up. Half of the money raised goes back to the vendors and the other half will benefit the youth recreation programs. A local resident will be performing with his band the Erverators, Joe Macko will also be playing the according. The Columbia Heights Activities Fund is sponsoring the event. Stroik asked what restaurants would be present. Peterson indicated that Friday nights are hard for the places to give up staff. Some of the vendors so far to give a commitment are Tasty Pizza, Yaffa Grill, Miller’s Bar, The Royal Orchid, possibly Puerta Del Sol and some others. Saefke indicated that the CH Lion’s Club will be having a cash bar, the Top Valu Liquor stores will be having free wine and beer tasting, raffle items and dessert from Kevin Lindee. The event is free at the door with $2.00 food tickets. Motion by Hoium, second by McDonald, to waive fees for the Mayor’s Taste of Columbia Motion carried. Heights Holiday Kickoff event on November 16, 2012. Upon vote: All ayes. Peterson indicated the Sister Cities Fundraiser event at Murzyn Hall this past Sunday was a really great event. The entertainment was fabulous and had a really good turnout of people. OLD BUSINESS A. LaBelle Park Playground Equipment – Grant Award Hansen was happy to report that grant money was received for the playground equipment at McKenna Park from the same equipment manufacturer that we have had in the past. The playground equipment has been installed and curbing will be put in next week. This was a first come first served grant and Hansen had to move quickly to get the City Council approval for the grant process. As part of the application the equipment company does require a lot of demographic information and already had that information from our previous applications. Hansen indicated this is a great opportunity for the City to upgrade our park system with half of the costs being funded through this grant. Peterson asked if the Police Department had been contacted to conduct more patrols for graffiti at the parks. Hansen replied the Police Department just received digital cameras. The original plan was to place these cameras at the wading pools to hopefully catch or deter some of the vandalism happening at the pools. Stroik asked what was happening at the pools. Hansen replied the pools with roofs had pieces torn off of the roof, also the throwing a variety of things in the pools which resulted in more closures this year than any in the past. When this happens the pool needs to be closed, drained, cleaned, sanitized, tested and reopened. Hansen reported there is enough money in the park development fund to pay for the City’s share of the playground equipment for LaBelle Park. The goal is to start construction in the spring to be able to use the playground in the summer. This park will have specific equipment geared towards the 2 to 5 and the 5 to 12 years of age. NEW BUSINESS A. Resignation of Commission Member Justin Grussing Windschitl reported Grussing had communicated through a previous email that he was resigning from the Commission due to time constraints and would send a formal letter. Currently there is Park & Recreation Commission October 24, 2012 Page 3 no one on any lists at City Hall to volunteer for any Commission. Windschitl invited members to ask people that they know if they would like to be involved. B. Review of Wading Pool Report Evans asked if there is money to do anything with the results of this report. Hansen replied no. He indicated that if we do not come into compliance with the ADA rules we cannot open the pools and will be forced into closure. Hoium asked who would inspect the pools. Hansen replied that a letter needs to be sent to the State of Minnesota indicating our compliance. On behalf of the State an Anoka County inspector will visit each pool for compliance. Each year we are required to have the pools inspected prior to opening to the public. Stroik asked if we were grandfathered in. Hansen replied there is no grandfather rule for this ADA requirement. Hansen reported this rule came in 2010. It is a broad, wide ranging ADA requirement that affects not only public pools but other accessibility issues like the sidewalk ramps that have been done this year. Hansen included the League of MN Cities summary of what the requirements mean for our City. There needs to be accessibility for our pools by January 2013. The time frame has been setback three times and Hansen does not believe that will be pushed back again. Peterson asked if all three of our pools need to be completed. Hansen replied yes because they are separate locations. Stroik asked if the work needed to be completed by March 2013. Hansen replied that the work needs to be completed by January 2013 but because our pools are not inspected until May 2013 we do have more time. Hansen indicated four options to make the City wading pools compliant: a lift, a compliant transfer step or platform, a sloped entry, or a ramp. The first two options the State does not allow for wading pools. USA Aquatics have supplied estimated costs for a sloped or zero entry and for a ramp. Evans asked if one pool can be done and the other two pools closed. Hansen replied that is an option. Hansen reported the pools were built in approximately 1965 and in our estimation are past their useful life. They are highly used during the season which is Memorial Day through Labor Day. The City of Minneapolis has been retrofitting pools. Hansen indicated an estimate replacement cost for one pool is $350,000 (from USA Aquatics). Evans asked about a splash pad. Hansen replied that many Cities are doing those types of water features which is less costly for insurance purposes but may cost more for operational costs such as filtering and pumping the water. Stroik suggested eliminating the wading pool and putting money into a splash pad feature. Hansen encouraged discussion on the options. Windschitl indicated that the summer Recreation programs use the pools extensively. Not only would it be detrimental to our programs to lose the pools, but to the daycares and community as well. Windschitl asked if a ramp could be installed with other concrete companies. Hansen replied that there are many other things that need to be done along with the ramp but design wise he does believe that the project can be done less expensively. Hansen does not recommend a ramp (which requires a hand rail) from a maintenance or operation perspective. Staff recommends a zero entry. Hansen indicated one approach may be to propose to the State a timeframe of when the improvements will be made. This would help to recognize the fiscal ability to pay for the project. The hope would be to keep the pools open and running while the improvements are made over the next few years. Hansen indicated that each pool also needs to be sandblasted and recoated. McDonald asked if it would be cheaper to demolish the pool and install some type of splash pad water feature. Hansen replied no, an estimated cost could be around $350,000 and higher. Hansen discussed the process of installing a zero entry to remove the tripping hazard per the requirements. Evans asked if it makes sense to put more money in if the equipment is outdated. Park & Recreation Commission October 24, 2012 Page 4 Hansen replied the considerations are to sandblast and recoat the pools; the sandblasting would be contracted out to a company but the recoating would be done by City Staff. The pools have failing concrete around the skimmers, skimmers are cracked, skimmer covers do not stay on, protrusion hazards, the piping needs to be plastic, the west end of the Ramsdell pool keeps sinking, inlets need to be adjustable, perimeter fencing, and existing plumbing is not up to code. Peterson asked if Hansen included this in the 2013 budget. Hansen indicated funds were budgeted in 2013, but prior to the USA Aquatics report coming out. Peterson indicated the City is selling the high rise and there may be some funds available from that sale. Peterson suggested holding a public hearing with the neighbors near the wading pools to find out what they would like to do and relay the costs for any required work. Hansen posed the question: does it make sense to retrofit these pools and spend about $50,000 each that are nearing 50 years old. Should the pools be repaired and how long do we want to keep the existing pools. Discussion was held on keeping the pools, keeping only one or two pools, or having one central location for a pool or water feature and what neighborhood would be the best area. Stroik asked what the timeline is for a decision. Hansen replied the State needs to know by January 2013, if a decision is not made right now the pools will not be open in 2013, period. Evans suggested for the Commission to go to the public with a specific plan otherwise every neighborhood will want to keep their pool. Hoium indicated the wading pools are a very important asset to the City. He suggested a five year plan or as much leeway that the State will allow to make the requirements. Hoium stated that the citizens should make the final decision. Hansen indicated if we want to open the wading pools this year at least one pool needs to have the compliance requirements met. Windschitl suggested a three year plan beginning with Huset Park, McKenna Park and then Ramsdell Park if the conditions are worth repairing. Hansen stated that the improvements on LaBelle Park with the removal of the boardwalk area need to be considered in the funding for 2013. He indicated that the sandblasting and recoating of all three pools needs to be completed prior to opening them in 2013. Hansen indicated that with the conditions of the pools with any improvements it may extend the life of the pools another ten to fifteen years but that would be the end. An estimate to install a zero entry at each pool is a range from $35,000 to $50,000. Motion by McDonald, second by Hoium, to develop a financing 5-year plan to the State of Minnesota to keep the three wading pools open and finish the pool compliance requirements in Motion carried. the increments of one, three and five years. Upon vote: All ayes. REPORTS A. Recreation Director Windschitl reported multiple communications with resident Laura Hutchinson regarding the smoking at the trails near Medtronic at Sullivan Lake Park and about the bike riders on the trail system. Peterson suggested sending Hutchinson an email response to her concerns. Stroik asked if she has spoken to Medtronic. Windschitl replied that she has. Hansen asked if we have ever received complaints about pedestrian bicycle interference. Hansen indicated this is the first that he is aware of and is typically user beware for both bicycles and pedestrian users of a trail. Windschitl and Hansen will write a letter of response to Hutchinson. Windschitl informed the Commission a resident near McKenna Park has raised a concern with the volleyball group. He has also had residents contact him in favor of having the volleyball group use the park each week and ask for the park lights to stay on later for their use. Windschitl stated that the main issue with that large of a group is the lack of parking. Of all the City parks Park & Recreation Commission October 24, 2012 Page 5 McKenna has been the best fit for this group over the years. Windschitl indicated the group fills out a park permit each year and from a resident of Columbia Heights. Being that this is a public park the group could just use the park without a permit but they do fill one out. B. Public Works Director/City Engineer Hansen reported the MWMO is holding a grand opening this Saturday. He gave a handout to the Commission. This MWMO is new and also a possible funding source for the City regarding water quality. They are located near the Lowry Avenue Bridge. C. Commission Members None at this time. Evans adjourned the meeting at 6:42 p.m. ______________________________ Deanna Saefke, Recreation Clerk Typist II