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PRSR AGENDA MEMO 08-02-1988 Memorandum , City of IS, TO: RECREATION BOARD MEMBERS lElk • River FROM: PAT KLAERS, CITY ADMINISTRATOR DATE: JULY 28 1988 SUBJECT: AGENDA MEMO The next City Recreation Board meeting is scheduled for approximately 7: 00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 2, 1988, at the Elk River City Hall conference room. Attached for your information is a suggested agenda for this Recreation Board meeting. Also attached for your information and review are the draft 7/19/88 Recreation Board minutes . Please note that there is a tour of the Woodland Trails Park planned prior to the Recreation Board meeting at City Hall . This tour is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. The schedule calls for everyone to meet at the golf course parking lot at 6:30 in order for the tour to begin in a timely manner. The only difficulty in not getting back to City Hall at 7: 00 p.m. for the regularly schedule meeting is if there is some citizen desiring to address the Recreation Board under public mike. The agenda is rather light so if the tour takes an hour or so, the Staff has no difficulties reconvening at City Hall after 7: 00 p.m. The agenda will be posted on the outside door of City Hall so that if there is some non-scheduled public citizen desiring to address the Recreation Board, they will at least be put on notice that a tour of the Woodland Trails Park is being conducted. Comments on agenda items are as follows: #5 - UPDATE ON RECENT CITY COUNCIL ACTION 5 .1 . Railroad Depot Site Beautification Proposal The City Council at its 7/25/88 meeting strongly endorsed the 2001 Green Space Committee proposal for beautification of the old Railroad Depot site . City Staff will be assisting the Committee as needed in order to achieve the desired results . Phil may be able to provide the Rec Board with an update on any contact that has been made with the Railroad regarding obtaining permission to proceed with the improvements. City Dutch Elm funds are available for the purchase of trees, and the maintenance crew is available to assist with some labor as needed. • 720 Dodge Avenue N.W., Elk River, Minnesota 55330 (612) 441-7420 Page 2 4 Recreation Board Agenda Memo July 28, 1988 410 5 .2 . Park Names At its 7/25/88 City Council meeting , the City Council unanimously approved a motion accepting the names of Woodland Trails Park for the 160 acre parcel of property north of the golf course and Hillside Park for the former City dump site. These new names will be reflected in the Growth Management Plan that is anticipated to be adopted by the City Council on 8/22/88. The Recreation Board may want to discuss trying to obtain some publicity for announcing the contest name winners and presenting them with their gift certificate. This will be another opportunity for some good public relations for the Recreation Board. 5 .3 . Warmin g Proposal Pro osal By unanimous vote at the 7/25/88 Council meeting, the City Council rejected the proposal to construct a new warming house at Handke Pit in 1988. However, it was also agreed upon by the Council to consider this project in 1989 and to plan for this project during the budget process. Council agreed that the proposal should be forwarded to the School Board to obtain any financial committment from the School for this project, and to receive the approval of the • School Board that skating will continue in Handke Pit for an extended period of time if a new warming house is constructed and financed by the City. A number of Council Members still expressed serious concern over whether the City should be constructing such a facility on School property. In this regard, even if money is budgeted for this project in 1989, it may not take place unless the entire Council can be convinced that it is appropriate for the City to do this project on School property. The other major rationals for not constructing this warming house this year was lack of budgeted funds and to see how the skating areas and warming house in Lion ' s Park are received this upcoming winter by the public. 6 . Softball Complex Lighting Proposal Vice Chair and Softball Organization Leader, Dave Anderson, will be presenting a proposal to the Recreation Board for the purchase and installation of lights at the softball complex. I am not sure of what details have been worked out between Dave and the City Finance Director. My understanding is that it is imperative for this project to begin in late 1988 in order for the lights to be installed and useable for the softball season in 1989 . At the previous Recreation Board meeting discussion took place • relative to City participation in this project and whether it was more appropriate for the Softball Organization to finance the entire capital outlay project and then the City absorb more of the on-going maintenance expenses of the 4 Page 3 Recreation Board Agenda Memo July 28, 1988 softball complex. By installing softball lights, the number of teams participating in the softball leagues will increase and, therefore, revenue to the Softball Organization will also increase. Regardless of how the Softball Organization finances the lighting system, it will still be ultimately a City responsibility, as it is a City Park and it will be necessary for the City's name to be on any contract for the purchase of these lights. I don't believe the Softball Organization would be able to get a loan; or any lighting firm would feel comfortable about incurring a debt to a loosely knit organization when a City is available to be ultimately responsible for the project. The Staff concurs that it is more appropriate for the Softball Organization to finance this Capital Outlay and the City to absorb more of the on-going maintenance cost. However, when the lights have been paid for, a concern exists that the City will not be able to obtain the previously established level of financial contribution from the organization for ongoing maintenance expenses. 7 . Lion's Park and Winter Skating Update Hopefully Phil Hals or some Recreation Board Member will be • able to provide an update on skating activities that are planned in Lion ' s Park this upcoming winter season. The issue discussed at the last Recreation Board meeting related to the purchase and installing of permanent hockey boards. This is not a budgeted item in the City approved 1988 Budget and, therefore, alternative sources of finances have been discussed. The suggestion at the last Recreation Board Meeting was that the Lion 's Organization contact the Youth Hockey Organization in order to determine what is available in order for hockey boards to be installed this year. 8. Telephone Proposal at Salk Athletic Complex If Charlie Blesener is not on vacation and can attend this Recreation Board Meeting, he may be able to provide the Recreation Board with an update on the telephone proposal at the Salk Athletic area. I don 't believe there is any change in the proposal for a private telephone under lock and key with keys being distributed to all the Recreation Supervisors. At this stage of the year, it may be more appropriate that such a phone is installed in the Spring for 1989 activities. If Charlie is not able to attend this Recreation Board Meeting, this issue will be placed on the September Recreation Board Agenda. 410 • y Page 4 Recreation Board Agenda Memo July 28, 1988 • 9. Discussion on Woodland Trails Park Tour and Comprehensive Park and Recreation Plan As time allows, and interest expressed by the Recreation Board, this issue can be discussed at this meeting. However, the Recreation Board can table discussion on the tours that we have been taking (and on a future comprehensive park and recreation plan) until meetings are held during the Winter season. There will be less on-going issues to discuss during the Winter season and this time frame may be more appropriate to deal with topics that need a great deal of time spent on them. 1Q. September Agenda and Meeting Date The next regularly scheduled Recreation Board Meeting is planned for Tuesday, 9/6/88, which is the day after the Labor Day Holiday. If this date is still acceptable to the Recreation Board, the Staff has no difficulty meeting on this date. I believe the Recreation Board should consider additional tours of selected City Parks prior to the next few Recreation Board meetings. These tours will provide the Recreation Board with a better idea of what exists and what potential there is for future activities in various parks . This will assist the Recreation Board in the development of a Comprehensive Park and Recreation Plan. 11 .1 . Discussion on Recreation Program Supervisors This item was requested to be placed on the agenda at the last Recreation Board meeting . I know that there is a concern that if there were not an adequate supply of adult supervisors for the Recreation Programs that the City and School District would be experiencing a very difficult problem in organizing these programs. I am not sure in which direction this discussion will take, .but per request at the last meeting, it is listed on the agenda as a discussion topic. 411 •