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05-14-2025 PR MIN Meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission Held at the Elk River City Hall Wednesday, May 14, 2025 Members Present: Chair Dave Anderson, Commissioners Mike Niziolek, Joy Goodwin, Greg Loidolt, Hal Stewart, Jill Varty Members Absent: Melissa Fermoyle Staff Present: Assistant City Administrator/Business Services Director Joe Stremcha, Parks and Recreation Manager Jeff Shelby, and Senior Administrative Assistant Dawn Larson 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting was called to order at 06:30 PM. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. CONSIDER AGENDA Moved by Commissioner Loidolt and seconded by Commissioner Varty to approve the agenda. Motion 6-0. 4. CONSIDER MINUTES 4.1 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes 04-09-2025 Moved by Commissioner Stewart and seconded by Commissioner Goodwin to approve April 9, 2025, Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes. Motion carried 6-0. 5. OPEN FORUM 6. PRESENTATIONS, AWARDS, AND RECOGNITION 6.1 Archery Deer Hunt Steward Mr. Shelby presented his report. Mr. Becklin introduced himself and read the report that he provided to Chair Anderson and Mr. Shelby. He shared that first-time hunters have gotten to participate in the hunt. Chair Anderson explained that every time a hunter enters or exits the park, they send a text message to Mr. Becklin and that Mr. Becklin assists with any issues that arise during the hunt. Commissioner Goodwin asked how they chose the threshold of 24 hunters. Mr. Becklin explained that they rotate in alternates if the first hunters get a deer or decide to stop hunting early. Chair Anderson explained that the current number of hunters is based on spacing them out within the parks to encourage a successful hunt. Chair Anderson and Mr. Becklin explained that they changed the Archery Hunt Program to just include Elk River residents. Hunters are allowed to use cross bows, and deer stands during the season. Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes May 14, 2025 --------- Page 2 of 3 Commissioner Niziolek asked how the deer herd is being controlled. Mr. Becklin shared that for the first time a deer was shot in each park during the hunt. 7. ACTION ITEMS 7.1 Villas at Fillmore 3rd Addition - Park Dedication Mr. Shelby presented his report. Moved by Commissioner Niziolek and seconded by Commissioner Loidolt to approve park dedication for The Villas at Fillmore Third Addition to be paid in cash, at the applicable rate at the time of recording, for six single-family parcels. Motion carried 6-0. 8. DISCUSSION ITEMS 8.1 Disc Golf Course - Burr Oak Park Mr. Shelby presented his report. Tim Schreder, an Otsego resident, was in attendance to check on the status of Burr Oak Park as a disc golf course option. Last week, Mr. Schreder and another disc golfer walked the property, and, in his opinion, Burr Oak Park is still a viable option. Mr. Schreder asked for clarification if he could park on the road and disc golf out at the park without an official course or parking lot. Commissioner Niziolek asked what the status of the housing development going in next to the park was. Mr. Shelby and Mr. Stremcha shared that they were not sure at this time. Mr. Schreder said that many disc golfers in the area are traveling further away because there is not anything currently in the Elk River and Rogers area. Commissioner Goodwin said she thinks it would be a good litmus test for them to try to run a course there. Commissioner Loidolt said he is all for this because he thinks it would be a great amenity for Elk River. Mr. Schreder mentioned that he has experience with developing disc golf courses as well as having worked with Tim Mackey who is a local course developer. Mr. Schreder said there are portable tees that disc golfers can use if they do not have a real course yet. Chair Anderson asked if Mr. Schreder would be willing to try this for a season. Mr. Schreder agreed that he would like to try several times and see how it goes, reporting back to the commission on his experience later in the summer. He would ideally like to create an Elk River disc golf club even if there is not an official disc course in the city. Mr. Shelby said that he has had park maintenance out at the park this week and they believe it would be a possibility to have disc golf at the park. Commissioner Loidolt confirmed that the park right now is just sitting there not being used and this would give it a purpose. Chair Anderson said that putting in an official disc golf course at Burr Oak Park would have to be an approved budgeted expense out of the park improvement fund. Mr. Shelby agreed. Chair Anderson said that Burr Oak Park is a hostile environment, and he suggested that Mr. Schreder experience an entire season disc golfing out there to see how the terrain changes into late August. Chair Anderson said that it would be important for the group to hear Mr. Schreder’s Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes May 14, 2025 --------- Page 3 of 3 report at the end of the summer. Commissioner Goodwin said if the user group really enjoys the experience, then the commission could look at moving forward with the development of disc golf at the park. Mr. Stremcha said the budget preparation for 2026 starts in the summer. Parks Maintenance staff can provide cost estimates for installing a disc golf course and Mr. Schreder’s evaluation from the summer usage experience will provide feedback for budget discussion on what it would take for course development. Mr. Schreder explained where the fairway would be. Chair Anderson asked if there would be an expectation that the trails would be mowed. Mr. Schreder said only in the prairie areas. He also shared that more courses now tend to be temporary, and they use turf around the tee’s so they can move them. He said that most parks have concrete tees. He sees a trend of a lot of natural tees so that it is less invasive and permanent and always change. Chair Anderson asked if a report in August would be too early or late. Mr. Stremcha said that August would be perfect if the testing happened in June and July and then Mr. Schreder came back in August with a report. Commissioner Niziolek asked what staff is planning to do with management of that property as far as buckthorn. Mr. Shelby said that would be a park maintenance piece that would be considered based on what happens out there. He said there is nothing in place now since the park is not being used. Commissioner Niziolek said he thinks a landscape management plan should be in place now before a disc golf course. Chair Anderson said it could be done simultaneously. 9. RECREATION MANAGER UPDATE 9.1 Recreation Manager Update Mr. Shelby presented his report. 10. ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Loidolt requested to add an action item on the June agenda to change the Trails Master plan to the Trails Framework plan to stay in the same line of wording as the Facilities Framework plan. 11. MOTION TO ADJOURN Moved by Commissioner Goodwin and seconded by Commissioner Loidolt to adjourn the meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission at 7:00pm. Motion carried 6-0. __________________ Dave Anderson, Chair ___________________ Tina Allard, City Clerk