PRSR AGENDA MEMO 05-03-1989 ■; TO: RECREATION BOARD
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FROM: PATRICK KLAERS, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
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El T, iver DATE: APRIL 28, 1989
j� SUBJECT: 5/3/89 RECREATION BOARD AGENDA MEMO
The next Recreation Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday,
May 3, 1989, at 7:00 p.m. at the Elk River City Hall Conference
Room. Attached for your information and review are the draft
minutes from the 4/5/89 Joint Recreation Board/City Council
meeting.
I wish to inform the Recreation Board that I will not be
attending this 5/3/89 meeting. I anticipate that Phil Hals and
Charlie Blesener will be in attendance .
4. Open Mike - I understand that some neighbors of the
softball complex will be attending this meeting and would
like to discuss some of their concerns regarding the new
lights with the Recreation Board.
5. Rolland Ring-Jarvi has requested to make a presentation to
the Recreation Board regarding cross-country skiing in the
upcoming winter season of 1980/90. The program, as
developed and organized last winter, was very successful at
a minimum amount of expense and manpower. This was a very
good start in the City ' s effort to offer a variety of
recreation opportunities . At this point in time, I believe
the City should be cautious in terms of getting over
ambitious in the development of the cross-country skiing
program. If the program gets to be too expensive, creates
a drain on the City manpower, becomes an insurance or legal
issue because the program is not on public property, etc . ,
then the project may get too large for the City to handle .
Phil and Rolland have discussed the successful program last
winter, and Phil should be able to provide some input to
this agenda discussion item.
6 . As there was a minimum quorum of the Recreation Board
Members at the joint City Council and Recreation Board
meeting on 4/5/89, I felt it would be relevant to discuss
this meeting with the members that were not present. From
the staff point of view, it was a very good meeting with a
healthy exchange of ideas regarding park and recreation in
Elk River.
7 . Phil Hals has indicated to me that he will be presenting a
list of possible park capital improvements to the
Recreation Board at this meeting. This list of possible
improvements will be financed from the City Park Dedication
Fund. The total amount of monies in this fund currently
exceed $38 , 000. As building and zoning activities are
slightly down in 1989, there will be a decrease in annual
revenues into this Parks Improvement Fund. Park dedication
720 Dodge Avenue N.W., Elk River, Minnesota 55330 (612) 441-7420
Recreation Board Agenda Memo
ilp April 28, 1989
fees have averaged approximately $30, 000/year for the past
few years . If expenditures do not exceed $25, 000 in 1989,
there should be sufficient monies for other improvements in
1990. In later 1989, the City will be adding a park in
Deerfield IV and the Council has specifically requested
that this park receive some improvements in 1990. Other
parks that may generate some discussion for potential
improvements include Woodland Trails, Hillside, the soon to
be acquired railroad trail , Orono Park, and some of the
smaller neighborhood parks . Per request of the Recreation
Board at the last meeting, the staff will not be making a
recommendation on which improvements should be undertaken
in 1989, but will be receiving input from the Recreation
Board on which improvements they would like to see happen.
8 . A report from the Athletic Association Task Force that was
formed by the Recreation Board at its March 1 , 1989,
meeting is a carry over agenda item from the last
Recreation Board meeting where time did not allow for this
to be discussed.
9 . At the 4/5/89 Recreation Board meeting, I enthusiastically
indicated that it was potentially possible for the
Recreation Board to be conducting interviews with
consultants for the development of the Master Park Plan at
this May meeting. Upon further evaluation, I felt it was
appropriate for the Recreation Board to review the actual
Request for Proposals that would be sent out to potential
consultants who would be completing this Master Park Plan.
Also, attached is a list of consultants who would receive
the City's Request for Proposals (RFP) . Recreation Board
Members may have additional names to add to this list.
Input from the Recreation Board is desired on this Request
for Proposals but it was believed that this should be a
Master Park Plan that allows the City to provide a variety
of recreation opportunities . However, this Request for
Proposals is not for a Recreation Master Plan. Following
approval of this Request for Proposals form, the staff will
be sending this information out to consultants and
hopefully will be conducting interviews the last week of
May so that three finalists can be interviewed by the
Recreation Board during its June 7, 1989, meeting.
Two RFP questions that the Recreation Board needs to
address are the addition of more specific goals and
objectives to the scope of the project section and the
inclusion of concentrated area studies . By "concentrated
area studies , " I am referring to a park plan for Woodland
Trails or the Hillside Park that would be much more
detailed and would be a basis for a LAWCON Grant in the
future . If these are not added to the actual Request for
Proposals, then they may be discussion items during the
interviews .
10. With spring/summer upon us , I believe that there will be
staff items to discuss with the Recreation Board.
Recreation Board Agenda Memo
April 28, 1989
. 11 . Other Business . . . Per Recreation Board request, attached
for your information are the City of Big Lake ' s Park and
Recreation Ordinances and Rules . Also attached are the
brief City of Elk River Park Rules . The City is currently
not experiencing any significant problems with its park
rules and system, but this information is being offered in
anticipation of concerns being expressed by the Lake Orono
Homeowners Association. City staff member and Big Lake
Councilmember, Tom Tyler, is available to attend a future
Recreation Board meeting to discuss the City of Big Lake
Recreation Ordinances and Rules .
Depending upon Recreation Board interest and time it may be
relevant to get a softball update from Dave Anderson as the
lights are in operation.
The Recreation Board may want to consider the previously
distributed Park and Recreation Advisory Commission
Ordinance.
There is not much to update the Commission on regarding the
Joint Powers Agreement other than to indicate that it is a
slow and difficult process in putting such an agreement
together. A significant step forward was made at the
4/5/89 meeting when the City Council accepted the
• responsibility for financing some park improvements on
School property when such improvements are used almost
exclusively for City recreation purposes . Now that this
hurdle has been overcome, Charlie and I will have to work
on ways in which other governmental agencies financially
participate in recreation programs . The City and School
Recreation program has operated fine in the past few years
and there is no great urgency to enter into a Joint Powers
Agreement. However, it is a project that should be
completed in 1989.
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