7. PRSR 02-08-2012Item: 7
MEMORANDUM
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TO: Parks and Recreation Commission
FROM: Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director
DATE: February 10, 2012
SUBJECT: Director's Report
This will be my first Directors Report to the Parks and Recreation Commission. I plan to make
these reporrs highlights of our Department's activities to inform the Cormi>ission on items related to
strategic plannring, staff development, park operations and collaborations.
Bailey Point
City staff recently reviewed a fast draft of the conservation easement with our attorney Bob Walter.
We feel the restrictions outlined in the conservation easement will make it difficult to plan for the
features outlined in the initial concept plan approved by the DNR We had a follow up meeting
with the Minnesota Land Trust on February 1, and they inform us that most of our concerns can be
properly addressed in a second draft we hope to review by February 15.
Hockey Day Minnesota 2014
A contingency of City staff, Council Members, and School District staff attended the Hockey Day
Minnesota event in Minnetonka on January 21~` to represent and recruit for the City/Elk River
School District to host the event in 2014. A copy of the recruiting marketing piece will be handed
out at the Commission Meeting. The event will require volunteers and a myriad of community
collaborations to be successful. Much more to come later...... .
Outdoor Ice Rinks
We have witnessed a decreased use of our neighborhood ice rinks this season, due to the
unseasonably warm winter. As of February 9, all four neighborhood rinks and the Lions Park rink
have been closed. Handke Pit continues to hold its ice because of its ideal location. Unless the
weather gets colder in the next week, the rinks will be closed for this season. Handke could become
questionable.
New Scoreboard at YAC
The Elk River Youth Football Association wants to donate a $6,000 scoreboard to the football field
at YAG The installation, electrical work and operational requirements are being reviewed by staff.
Public Works Facility
Bids for the new Ciry Public Works facility came in on Tuesday, January 31. This new maintenance
facility will be used byparks maintenance.
Hillside Park Letter
A letter from a regular nonresident Hillside Park user is attached. It is an effective wayto explain
the economic benefits that a park user can have upon our community. This letter was shared with
City Council.
Staff Development
I have developed leadership training/teambuilding for staff as an opportunity to grow and raise their
level of leadership and organizational effectiveness. The first workshop was on February 2, and it
will continue through April with weekly one-hour sessions. The main source of training materials
comes from the "The 21 In-efutable Laws of Leadership" program by John Maxwell.
Annual Board and Commission Appreciation Dinner
A reminder that you and a guest are invited to attend the Annual Board and Conunission
Appreciation Dinner at the Rockwood's. Please RSVP by February 10.
Branding, Core Values and Visioning
The Department held an afternoon session on January 25 with all full time employees to discuss
branding and begin developing core values and a mission statement. A work session to involve
the Parks and Recreation Commission in this process will be held on February 8 following
the regular meeting. I hope you plan to attend. We need your feedback.
I just want to compliment you, Dirtwirx, and your city on having Hillside Park. It's the finest
trail in the area by far and the one that I ride most often. I like to ride all of local trails but if
given a choice of one, it would be Hillside. The crew have laid out a wonderful trail. It's as
good as it gets anywhere. I really like the tight and twisty trails with sudden ups and downs. I
do all the Thursday and Friday Races, Halloween race, and MMBS series race. It's amust-do.
I live in Plymouth and truthfully, have no occasion to go to Elk River except to ride the trail.
However, when I'm there, I'll usually fill up my car as there is a station that offers a cash
discount. I usually ride my bike to the store, but when I have to pick up $100 of groceries, I'll
usually do it in E.R. as I'm already out in the car. The same goes for some of my other
shopping.
For 201 I, I've collected receipts of what I spent in Elk River and summarized them for you.
Gas 411.25
Groceries 426.54
Hardwaze 55.84
Department Store 94.73 General purchases
Goodwill donations 50.00 Best guess
Pharmacy 26.16 Curse those rocks in section III!
Restaurant 52.68
Race entries and yearly pass 105.00
Auto parts 17.86
Total 1240.06 Yowsa!
So as you can see, the trail can have a positive impact on your community beyond just being a
cool place. I've been coming up to Hillside for a number of years, so do the math. I will
probably spend even more there this year for two reasons. I was out of the country earlier in the
year and wasn't coming in the winter nor doing the winter races and this year will be there for all
the Cold Bear Challenge races and be riding at 1-3 times a week. The other is that the spring and
early summer of 201 I was rotten for riding as it rained so much that we stayed off the trails to a
large extent to prevent erosion. Hopefully that won't be the case this yeaz. You know you could
probably double that amount if you guys have a house ofill-repute open up! O
Feel free to share this letter with anyone that you feel appropriate (um, except for the Chief of
Police and the last sentence of the previous paragraph, of course). Oh, I rode the first two days
of the year and filled up my car on Jazi 1 for $24.87 and will be calling your department to renew
my annual pass on Jan 3`d, so there is another $50 or so. Well, thanks for all that Dirtwirx and
Elk River parks have done for us. It is appreciated and noticed.
Craig Brown