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11-10-2021 PRMMeeting of the Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission Held at the Elk River City Hall Wednesday, November 10, 2021 Members Present: Chair Williams, Commission members Anderson, Holmgren Loidolt, Niziolek, Rathbun, and Soltvedt Council Liaison: Ms. Wagner Staff Present: Parks and Recreation Director, Michael Hecker, Recreation Coordinator, Tonya Love, Warren Ellingworth, Recreation Sports Coordinator 1. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission was called to order at 6:31 p.m. by Chair Williams. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Consider 11/10/2021 Agenda Mr. Hecker added Scout Project by Dain Cleaveland. Moved by Commissioner Loidolt and seconded by Commissioner Soltvedt to approve the November 10, 2021, Parks and Recreation Commission meeting agenda with the addition of the Scout Project by Dain Cleaveland under Presentations. Motion carried 7-0. 4.1 Consider 09/08/2021 Regular PRC Minutes Commissioner Soltvedt stated that on page five to change Commissioner Sevcik to Mr. Sevick. Moved by Commissioner Soltvedt and seconded by Commissioner Holmgren to approve the following September 8, 2021, Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes with changes. Motion carried 7-0. 5. Open Forum - None 6. Presentations – Scout Project by Dain Cleaveland Mr. Cleaveland would like to build two concrete cornhole goals, and the molds to be able to build more in the future. The goals will be 6x4 feet and have concrete pads. Commissioner Anderson asked if he could do two sets. Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes Page 2 November 10, 2021 ----------------------------- Mr. Cleavland said he could do two sets and would work with Forterra to secure a concrete donation. Mr. Hecker stated staff can work with Dain to work out the ideal park location. 7.1 Park Dedication Pullar Prairie Preliminary Plat Mr. Hecker shared his report. Commissioner Niziolek stated the community is seeing more development in that area and there is a trail alignment that is undefined north of the property, and it may become critical in the future. Moved by Commissioner Niziolek and seconded by Commissioner Anderson to recommend to City Council to accept staff recommendation that park dedication for Pullar Prairie Preliminary Plat be paid, at the applicable rate, for the final number of dwelling units when the lots are released for recording. Motion carried 7-0. 7.2 Park Dedication Preliminary Plat: Briarwood Farm Mr. Hecker shared his report. Moved by Commissioner Soltvedt and seconded by Commissioner Holmgren to recommend to City Council to accept staff recommendation that park dedication for Briarwood Farm Simple Plat be paid, at the applicable rate, for the final number of dwelling units when the lots are released for recording. Motion carried 7-0. 7.3 Park Dedication Natures Edge Business Park Mr. Hecker shared his report. Commissioner Anderson asked if there was a side specific for the trail? Mr. Hecker shared that planning staff could work it out. Commissioner Niziolek would recommend the trail on the west, inside the curve to line up with the proposed trail on the south of 168th Circle. Council member Wagner shared that if people use it to go to YAC, if trail is put on Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes Page 3 November 10, 2021 ----------------------------- east side, then they wouldn’t need to cross the road to utilize it. Moved by Commissioner Soltvedt and seconded by Commissioner Rathbun to recommend to City Council to accept staff recommendation that park dedication for the Preliminary Plat Natures Edge Business Park Third Addition be in the form of cash for approximately 5.84 acres at the City Council established rate when the addition is released for recording. Staff will determine the final acreage and amount when the plat is released for recording. Motion carried 7-0. 7.4 Park Improvement Fund and Park Dedication 2021-2026 Mr. Hecker shared his report. The PIF was recommended in September and the amount will stay the same, however the group deferred the ninja course for Lion John Weicht Park and staff is asking for a decision to be made so they can start work this winter if needed. Mr. Hecker shared the differences made to the PIF from the last meeting. The two shade structures will include a concrete pad and will be approximately located on south side of the pickleball courts. The cost breakdown for the $89,500 is the following: cameras for $30,000, windscreens for $4,500, and shade structures for $55,000. Mr. Hecker also shared the local match for trails when Sherburne County improves roads and can construct a trail. This is an opportunity that has been presented. Commissioner Anderson asked how much time there is to decide. The trails deserve more discussion. What area is this serving and where does it go to help make the decision. Mr. Hecker shared the cost for 2023 is $1,500,000 for County Road 44 trail and 2024 is $250,000 for County Road 33 trail. Chair Williams stated to pull out the County Road 44 trail. Commissioner Soltvedt asked how the shade structure compares in cost to a four- post metal roof structure. Mr. Hecker stated he was trying to match the other structures in the park. It is possible to change and can investigate the cost difference. Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes Page 4 November 10, 2021 ----------------------------- Council member Wagner asked about the ninja system, and what does the $285,000 cover. Mr. Hecker shared it would include the installation, except for the staff work done in house. Council member Wagner stated she doesn’t support the ninja course at this time, since the Active Elk River project is finishing up and we are adding another staff position to maintain what we have. Stating we should let the system work for a year before we add another playground to see what gaps need to be filled in. Chair Williams shared he remembers hearing that we are staying right on budget and adding to the pickleball, and ninja course will bring it over budget and cannot support that. Mr. Hecker shared that Mr. Sevcik shared it would be less staff time in this type of system, parks maintenance hasn’t gotten any comments about the safety netting, and it may not be needed at YAC. Commissioner Loidolt stated the city may not get the complaints, but the youth associations hear the complaints, and the netting is needed. Commissioner Loidolt shared he doesn’t feel like they can move forward with the trails without more information for 2022 through 2026. Moved by Chair Williams and seconded by Commissioner Soltvedt to recommend to City Council to approve the proposed 2022 Park Dedication Fund and to include the approved added items listed below. Motion Carried 7-0. • Ninja Course at Lion John Weicht Park. Motion Failed 1-6. Commissioner Anderson abstained. Commissioners Holmgren, Loidolt, Niziolek, Rathbun, and Soltvedt opposed. • Pickleball Windscreens. Motion Carried 5-1. Chair Williams opposed and Commissioner Loidolt abstained. • Orono Park Security Cameras. Motion Carried 7-0. • Orono Park Pickleball Shade Structures. Motion Carried 4-3. Commissioner Loidolt abstained, Chair Williams and Commissioner Holmgren opposed. Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes Page 5 November 10, 2021 ----------------------------- • YAC Playground Safety Netting. Motion Carried 7-0. 8. Invasive Species Management Mr. Hecker shared his report asking if the commission interested in having a dedicated funding source to contract services to control invasive species. Commissioner Niziolek stated it is imperative to have a dedicated fund to invest on a yearly basis to be successful. Commissioner Anderson shared, we transformed Woodland Trails Regional Park temporarily by cutting down the buckthorn and if the funding would have been there, we could have sprayed the buckthorn this year to keep fighting it. Commissioner Anderson would like the State of Minnesota to declare that buckthorn is an invasive species to fight it. You can improve the quality of your native community in a site-specific area even if the neighbor does not. We must do our part to preserve and protect the lands we have. Commissioner Rathbun would like to know a long-term eradication plan. Council member Wagner understands the concern and wants to know what the amount is needed yearly and for how long. Commissioner Niziolek one thing that would save us is a prescribed burn in the parks where we can be aggressive to save significant amount of money. Plan by implementing burn programs to minimize the cost. Commissioner Anderson stated it is very complicated to name all the nature areas we have without consulting experts in the area. Stating if we don’t put $75,000 to $100,000 towards Woodland Trials Regional Park next year, we will have lost. Chair Williams stated if it is in the Parks Operation budget then staff and council would figure the amount out for invasive species. Council member Wagner clarified, the commission wants the funding source but council to determine the source and to bring in a consultant to work out how much. Commissioner Anderson stated for the sake of timeliness it should be $100,000 and then look at future funding and leverage Friends of the Mississippi, but they wouldn’t come up to Woodland Trails Regional Park, this partnership has helped in Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes Page 6 November 10, 2021 ----------------------------- the William H. Houlton Conservation Area. Commissioner Soltvedt doesn’t have a number but would support staff’s recommendation, defer to staff recommendation to what it would maintain and progress. Commissioner Niziolek stated the prescribed burn in places we can burn will really help us in the long run and eco system being proactive. 9. Parks and Recreation Director Update Mr. Hecker shared his report. Sharing that the flagpole at Orono Park will be installed soon and a portion will be paid for by the flag runners’ group. 10. Announcements - None 11. Adjournment to Work Session There being no further business, Chair Williams adjourned the meeting of the Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission at 8:03 p.m. 12. Work Session The work session meeting of the Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission was called to order at 8:07 p.m. by Chair Williams. 12.1 Park Pavilion, Shelter, and Facility Fees Mr. Hecker shared his report comparing the current fee structure to the proposed 2022 fee structure. Pointing out that the damage deposit be increased for Woodland Trails Pavilion and to have 2-hour minimum reservations. Commissioner Niziolek doesn’t think it is a good practice to charge to use the Woodland Trails Regional Park shelters. Commission members want to address the non-profit rates to support their work. Commissioner Soltvedt stated somebody must pay for it, clean it, empty garbage cans and it’s a relatively minor fee to get an investment from a group to use it for the whole day. Commissioner Rathbun could see a minimal fee to cover expenses instead of the Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes Page 7 November 10, 2021 ----------------------------- resident fee or increase the regular fee to cover the non-profit free uses. Chair Williams suggested everyone think about this and bring suggestions the next month. Commissioner Loidolt suggested implementing a cleaning fee. Commissioner Soltvedt shared his experience of having too many fees that confuse the consumer and to just increase the fees by $10.00. Chair Williams stated to go with the proposed fees and increase in 2023 if needed. Commissioner Anderson suggested to change fee to $35 and $55 for the shelters and to change the 2-hour minimum to 2-hour reservation (minimum) in parenthesis to lesson confusion. 12.2 Field Use Policy Fees Mr. Ellingworth shared current rates and proposed rates and changes. Looking to holding the organizations more accountable for their actions. Two scoreboard controllers have gone missing in 2021 as an example, keep fees reasonable and preaching accountability. Get rid of per player fee and go to per field rate. Staff met with the baseball association and the board felt this would hold the coaches more accountable to what is booked versus what is used. Mr. Ellingworth shared the proposed Group A and Group B fees. Also working with other city staff to get a cost of running the lights. Commissioner Holmgren asked if there are other outside groups using the fields? Mr. Ellingworth stated that soccer is considered an outside group. Commissioner Holmgren shared that the coaches would reserve all the fields, so they are guaranteed to have a field over outside groups. Mr. Ellingworth shared that the State of Minnesota is aware of us having a new concession stand at YAC and we would need to have a license and then a staff person on site at every event. We are recommending that each organization get their own temporary license, so the accountability will be on group. Mr. Ellingworth shared that the porta potties will stay the same and in the process of Parks & Recreation Commission Minutes Page 8 November 10, 2021 ----------------------------- figuring how to charge out for the new restrooms. Refundable deposits will be charged, for all users, to hold them accountable. When the deposit is used, the group will have to replenish their deposit amount to keep using the fields. 14. Adjournment There being no further business, Chair Williams adjourned the meeting of the Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission work session at 9:09 p.m. Minutes prepared by Tonya Love. ___________________ David Williams, Chair _____________________ Tina Allard, City Clerk