8. PRSR 11-13-2013 •
City of
ElkMemorandum
River
To: Parks and Recreation Commission
From: Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director
Date: November 13, 2013
Subject: Director's Report
This report is a monthly highlight of our Department's activities informing the Commission on items
related to collaborations, strategic planning, staff changes/ development, and park operations.
Parks and Recreation Master Plan
The city received ten proposals, of which nine were able to meet some aspects of the scope, ranging in
cost from $76,000 to $130,000. We are told this is a result of identifying potential vendors and writing a
good RFP. After many hours of review from the staff selection committee, four proposals were defined
to most effectively meet the scope with a not to exceed amount of$85,000. The bid alternate needs
assessment is part of this total cost.
The needs assessment portion includes a statistically valid survey to "take the pulse of the community"
and define priorities for the park system. Statically valid surveys are a strong planning tool— the only
tool that reliably can obtain the opinions of the Non-users of our park system. If approved, this will be
the City's first comprehensive parks and recreation master plan with a community needs assessment.
The selection committee will invite consultants with the highest scoring for an interview. The scoring
criteria used in the screening are outlined in the master plan RFP. Staff plans to make recommendations
to City Council on November 18 to proceed forward with the most qualified consultant to complete the
Master Plan. This project was briefly discussed at the City Council work session on November 4.
The project schedule expected for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is up to nine months taking it
through September 2014. The planning group will include a core group of City staff to guide the
process and work. We recommend up to two Parks and Recreation Commissioners become part
of the planning group. The Parks and Recreation Commission will act as a sounding board for the
entire process during 2014.
An article is attached"Coon Rapids voters approve park bond referendum" Coon Rapids voters
approved a $17.4 million bond referendum in Tuesday's election. The decision by the Coon Rapids City
Council to move forward with the park bond referendum came after an updated parks and recreation
master plan,which set priorities for park improvements,was completed last year, and a
recommendation from the Coon Rapids Parks and Recreation Commission.
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N:ADepartmentsAParks and Recreation A Commission A Packets\2013V11-13-13]'RC Packet ADirectors Rcport.docx NATURE
Park Improvement Fund
The Park Improvement Fund priorities and requests for 2014,which were recommended by the Park
and Recreation Commission,were reviewed by City Council on November 4. The amount for the Parks
and Recreation Master Plan project will need to be increased by up to $20,000 to adequately reflect the
consultant submittals approach in meeting the RFP increased scope. The cash balance estimated in the
fund for 2014 and the Trail Repairs will make up the difference.
Oak Knoll Athletic Field Lighting
The project to install athletic field lighting at Oak Knoll was discussed during the Park Improvement
Fund discussion. The total expenditures for this project are$135,000 of which $73,000 is the total
donations from the football and lacrosse organizations. The first donation amount expected in 2014
will be $43,000 and then $10,000 for three years beginning in 2015.
The City Council explored some funding options and consensus was to use a budgeted transfer from the
liquor store fund to the Ice Arena in2013 that will not be needed, and amend the transfer to the park
improvement for the funding gap between the cost and the donations. The remaining$10,000
donations for 2015, 2016 and 2017 will go back to the liquor store fund as they are received.
Riverfront Concert Series
Staff has been working with the Bank of Elk River staff on the 2014 sponsorship package. An
agreement has been reached in which the Bank of Elk River provide $14,000 in order to be the sole
• corporate sponsor of the Riverfront Concert Series, Kidstock, Chalk-It-Up, Farmers Market as well as
being co-sponsors of other community events. Effort was put towards refining the sponsorship to still
provide value to the Bank of Elk River, and also to allow for opportunities for the city to pursue other
sponsorship opportunities.
The Bank of Elk River will be recognized in Council meeting in early January for their sponsorship.
Staff is planning 10 concerts with a quality lineup of bands for 2014, following the success of 2013. We
have received numerous positive comments in regards to the 2013 season from the public, including a
record crowd season.
Houlton Farm property acquisition
City Council approved Resolution No. 13-63 on October 21, 2013 supporting the acquisition of the
Houlton farm property through the Parks Legacy Grant Program. The proposed regional park in the
grant is being called the Elk River Nature Preserve.
City Council discussed the Houlton property trunk utility assessments at the November 4, Council
meeting. City Council has been requested by the Houlton family to waive or pay all or part of the
deferred special assessment. City Council has requested city staff develop a plan in which the city could
assist with the special assessments. The plan will need to be approved by City Council.
N:\Departments\Parks and Recreation\Commission\Packets\2013\11-13-13 PRC Packet\Directors Report.docs
11 abcnewspape rs.com http.//abcnewspapers.com/7013/11/06,/coon-rapids-voters-approve-park-bond-referendum/
Coon Rapids voters approve park bond referendum
Coon Rapids voters approved the $17.4 million park bond referendum in Tuesday's election, but not by much.
The final tally was 2,637 yes votes and 2,490 no votes, a
5143 percent to 4857 percent margin. Fourteen of the
city's 22 precincts voted for the referendum in a light
turnout. - '*
When the first five precincts reported, the yes votes only
had a 661 to 643 margin, but that widened when the next '
wave of precincts came in and with 15 precincts reporting t
the votes were 1,949 yes and 1,821 no. I ' 'S t r5 f £n
i �, . If i ti
With only three of the precincts left to report, 22, 33 and
53, the referendum was still tight — 2,365 yes and 2,249
no — and with one precinct remaining, 33, the yes votes
were ahead 2,507 to 2,389.
Ted Schmolke, who headed the Coon Rapids Vote Yes for
Parks committee, was "excited" by the outcome.
"It could not be better news," Schmolke said. "It shows me that a lot of people are willing to invest in this
community and step up to the plate."
Schmolke, who is president of the Coon Rapids Athletic Association, urged people who have ideas of what
they would like to see in their parks to present them to city staff and their councilmembers, who would be very
open to these ideas, he said.
The park bond issue, earmarks an estimated $15 million for parks and trails construction, with $135 million
allocated for design and testing work, $750,000 for contingency and $270,000 for bond issue charges
(underwriting and legal/financing).
When a projected $5.1 million in interest on the bonds to be paid back by the city over 20 years is factored in,
the overall cost is $22.470 million.
With referendum approval, the parks and trails improvements will take place over a period of six to eight years,
possibly starting as early as 2014.
The decision by the Coon Rapids City Council to move forward with the park bond referendum came after an
updated parks and trials master plan, which set priorities for parks and trails improvements, was completed last
year, and a recommendation from the Coon Rapids Parks and Recreations Commission.
Five cornerstone parks, which are larger parks in the city, will see improvements — Crooked Lake, Sand Creek,
Pheasant Ridge, Riverview and Lions Coon Creek— and four neighborhood parks have been ranked top
priorities for upgrades — Woodcrest, Delta, Mason and Riverwind.
In addition a new park will be constructed on Coon Rapids Boulevard — Boulevard Park in front of the Coon
Rapids Ice Center— and upgrades will be made to the rest rooms at the Coon Rapids Soccer Complex.
Bond issue proceeds will also be used to enhance and expand the city's trail system, including the Coon Creek
Regional Trail, Sand Creek Linkage Trail, 85th Avenue trail connection to Kennedy Park, Mississippi Regional
Trail, middle and northern linkage trails and filling gaps on other trails.
With passage of the referendum, detailed plans for each park to be improved will be prepared by WSB, the
consultant the council hired to develop the updated master plan.
These plans will be presented at neighborhood meetings for residents living in the areas of the parks where
construction will take place to give their views.
But that won't be necessary for Riverview Park, which means reconstruction of that park could begin next year,
according to City Manager Steve Gatlin.
A master plan was completed for the redevelopment of Riverview and a neighborhood meeting took place in
2011, but the council shelved the project because of lack of funds and first talks of having a referendum
began, which prompted the updated master plan for all city parks and trails to be ordered.
The complete renovation of Sand Creek Park, the city's largest park, is also expected to be one of the first
projects to go forward with the park bond issue proceeds, Gatlin said.
According to the information brochure distributed by the city, the 20-year bond issue tax increase impact on
residential, commercial and apartment property owners of the referendum is projected as follows:
• Home valued at $125,000, monthly increase $2.73 and $32.75 yearly.
• Home valued at $150,000, $348 a month increase, $41.77 a year.
• Home valued at $200,000, monthly increase $4.98 and $59.80 a year.
• Home valued at $300,000, increase of $7.99 a month, $95.85 a year.
• Commercial property valued at $300,000, $8.77 increase a month, $10526 a year.
• Commercial property valued at $500,000, monthly tax increase of $1545, for the year $18546.
• Commercial property valued at $1 million, monthly increase $32.16 with a $385.96 annual hike.
•Apartment building valued at $500,000, the monthly increase would be $1723 with $206.75 annually.
Peter Bodley is at
peter.bodley @ecm-inc.com