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19.docx
Item: 9
Memorandum
To: Parks and Recreation Commission
From: Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation Director
Date: June 12, 2019
Subject: Director’s Report
_______________________________________________________________________
This report is a monthly highlight of department activities related to collaborations, strategic
planning, staff changes/developments, and park operations.
Active Elk River Local Option Sales Tax
On Thursday, May 31, Governor Tim Walz signed the 2019 Omnibus Tax Bill into law, authorizing
the City of Elk River to impose a local option sales tax of one-half of one percent (half-cent) to fund
$35 million in bonding for recreation facilities, park enhancements, trail extensions and dredging of
Lake Orono. At the Monday, June 3 the City Council approved an enabling resolution and will
approve a new sales tax ordinance on June 17.
City staff are now preparing for a bond sale and bid opening for the multipurpose facility. The bid
opening is scheduled for Thursday, June 20. Demolition/construction is tentatively scheduled for
July 8. City staff has also been working very closely with ISD #728 leadership on the final
construction details.
Woodland Trails Regional Park (WTRP) Grant Committee
The Committee met for the last time to finalize the design plans on May 8. The nature playground
and picnic shelter will be presented to the Commission and then City Council later this summer. It
is expected that this project will go out to bid in January, 2020 with construction planned for spring
2020.
WTRP Great Northern Trail Closure
City staff members have received a number of inquiries about the potential closure of the Great
Northern Trail (GNT) to accommodate construction of a permanent leachate pipeline from the Elk
River Landfill to the city’s sewer collection system. The city and the Elk River Landfill are working
together to iron out some complications, therefore the project is postponed indefinitely. All signs
previously posted along the GNT indicating an upcoming closure have been removed.
Riverfront Concert Series
The first concert of the Riverfront Concert Series is next week June 20. It will be a “Buddy Holly”
N:\Departments\Parks and Recreation\Commission\Packets\2019\06-12-2019 PRC Packet\Director's Report 6-12-19.docx
tribute band with an opening by the 728 Cadets Marching Band. The concert series is every
Thursday at 7:00 pm through this summer (except July 4) untlil August 22.
Outdoor Ice Rink at Spectrum High School
Elk River Youth Hockey and Spectrum continue to discuss a potential partnership for dasher
boards at Spectrum’s outdoor athletic facility.
Lion John Weicht Park Master Plan
The Commission was able to discuss and provide me a list of the top priorities (May 15, 2019
Special Meeting minutes) for Lion John Weicht Park at the May 15 special meeting. I will use this
information to develop a list of needs for the park. We will wait to the end of this year to take this
list and begin working on the master plan for the park.