Loading...
03-11-2026 PR Packet (1) Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting Agenda Wednesday, March 11, 2026 6:30 PM Elk River City Hall ▪ Regular meeting in Council Chambers 1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. CONSIDER AGENDA 4. CONSIDER MINUTES 4.1 02-11-2026 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes 5. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR 5.1 Election of Chair and Vice Chair 6. OPEN FORUM An opportunity to provide comments and feedback regarding items not on the agenda. Information provided in Open Forum will not be discussed at this meeting; rather, the information will be referred to staff and/or scheduled for discussion at a future meeting. 7. ACTION ITEMS 7.1 Parks and Recreation Framework Plan — Scope of Work 8. DISCUSSION ITEMS 8.1 Robert's Rules Review 8.2 Parks and Recreation Commission Bylaws 8.3 Trail Signage - Ebikes 9. PARKS AND RECREATION MANAGER UPDATE 9.1 Parks and Recreation Manager Update 10. ANNOUNCEMENTS 11. MOTION TO ADJOURN Page 1 of 27 Meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission Held at the Elk River City Hall Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Members Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Goodwin, Stewart, Varty, and Niziolek, and Councilmember Grupa Members Absent: Commissioners Loidolt and 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 Stewart and seconded by Commissioner Varty to approve the February 11, 2026, agenda. Motion carried 5-0. 4.CONSIDER MINUTES 4.1 01-14-2026 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes Moved by Commissioner Stewart and seconded by Commissioner Goodwin to approve January 14, 2026, Parks and Recreation Commission minutes. Motion carried 5-0. 5.OPEN FORUM 6.ACTION ITEMS 6.1 Park Dedication - Heinen Estates Mr. Shelby presented his report and shared a photo of the trail plan in relation to the Heinen Estates parcel. Commissioner Niziolek said he had a question about a small odd-shaped lot on the other side of the street that doesn’t presently meet the appropriate parcel size. He asked if someone would ever be given a variance to build there. Chair Anderson asked if it was part of the parcel up for discussion and Commissioner Niziolek said no it was not. Commissioner Niziolek said the reason he is asking is that there is a trail alignment on that side of the road and would someone developing it take even more of the property away. He is curious what the city would do in that situation. Chair Anderson said that they are not going to change the trail map. Commissioner Niziolek said the trail would only be installed if the road were improved, and asked if they want a little bit more of that space in that road, right of way for that trail. Chair Anderson said the only solution would be to flip it to the other side of the road, but they aren’t going to do that, so they will wait until the time comes and if it does. Commissioner Niziolek said he just wanted to point it out as an unusual feature in this area that will indirectly affect a trail in the future. DRAFTPage 2 of 27 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes February 11, 2026 --------- Page 2 of 5 Moved by Commissioner Niziolek and seconded by Commissioner Goodwin to recommend park dedication for Heinen Estates be paid in cash for one single family parcel, at the applicable rate at the time of recording. Motion carried 5-0. 7. DISCUSSION ITEMS 7.1 Annual Standing Commission Agenda Calendar Mr. Shelby presented his report. Chair Anderson asked if this was a living document. He also asked if the park improvement budget should be listed as a separate item for discussion in June and July. Mr. Stremcha asked if he meant the budget and the CIP. Chair Anderson said one is capital improvements, and one is park improvements. Mr. Stremcha said they are both captured within the 5-year CIP. Mr. Shelby said they can separate them on the list. Mr. Shelby asked for clarification if they were talking about park dedication and park improvement. He said they could spell it out on the agenda. Chair Anderson said he would like to start the 5-year discussion in May for this year and then once they get up to speed, they could keep it in June. He said right now it is set to be discussed in June and approved in July. He asked if August would be a cushion since it wasn’t finally approved until September. Mr. Shelby said yes it would be. Mr. Stremcha added that the CIP documents get approved in November and December. He said there is more time for the CIP than the budget. Chair Anderson said it would be nice to have this agenda. Commissioner Niziolek said he would like to see the results of the grant activities being funded for this year. He said there are grant activities being carried out right now, and it would be nice to highlight them and note the contributing source of funds. Chair Anderson asked where he would like to place that on the agenda. He suggested July so they could get an idea of what they might apply for next year. Chair Anderson suggested moving it up to April and Commissioner Niziolek agreed. 7.2 Parks and Recreation Framework Plan Mr. Shelby presented his report. Mr. Shelby said moving through the current process has been cumbersome. He is not giving a critique of anyone’s time or work, he thinks wanting to do it a particular way wasn’t giving them the best product at the end of the work sessions. As far as a timeline, they are not where he would prefer them to be. Mr. Shelby said he is looking for permission from the commission to have staff draft documents and then bring them to and from the meetings for feedback and approval. He believes this will allow them to be more productive and efficient. This is not staff wanting to create a document and then have them rubber stamp it. It would still be a document the commission would be involved in. Chair Anderson said that while he hates spending money on this, he thinks they should hire professionals, since they still have the money in the budget. Commissioner Stewart said he would feel better about spending the money if he knew more about the specific things that they wanted to see from a consultant. Mr. Stremcha said that it would be in the request for proposal and scope of the work requested from any consultants they worked with. Commissioner Goodwin said that she thinks it would be a more efficient way to do the process, as long as they consider the nuance of this community and prioritize what it means to be a resident of Elk River. She also wants to build a future for what the families would like to see in the parks for the next 20 years. Commissioner Goodwin thinks this is a good way to expedite the process and then collaboratively work on finalizing it and getting it implemented. DRAFTPage 3 of 27 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes February 11, 2026 --------- Page 3 of 5 Commissioner Niziolek asked if they could identify a topic or two to have staff work on and then bring it back to the commission to review and then repeat the process each month. He would like to know ahead of time what topics staff would be working on and then, if he or the commission had an innovative thought, they could send that to staff. Mr. Shelby said that he doesn’t think they would like to break it down in that detail because of speed and how staff would engage with a consultant. Chair Anderson asked Commissioner Niziolek if he would like the Commission to do it themselves. Commissioner Niziolek asked if staff were going to do any of it. Mr. Shelby said the intention was for staff to build part of the plan and then, at the direction of the commission, to work with a consultant as well. Chair Anderson said that he would just like to proceed with the request for proposals and get it done. Mr. Stremcha said that he feels staff can do a lot and $100,000 is a lot to leverage for professional help. Staff can start with a piece and keep adding as needed with community engagement and activities. He believes that staff have a lot of internal resources and leverage available to them to create a better draft of what the commission is looking for. He feels there will still be areas where staff will need to engage with a consultant for more in-depth research and demographic studies. He believes that staff have the bandwidth to get a template built around some of the other plans they have previously had, as well as other communities’ examples. Chair Anderson said creating a plan is a lot of work. Mr. Stremcha said he feels he and Mr. Shelby could spend a couple of months putting together an RFP. Commissioner Stewart asked if the consultants would submit examples as part of the bidding process, so the commission can get a feel for the style and content. Mr. Stremcha said that as part of the RFP process they could add a request for referrals. Commissioner Niziolek said he would like to see the topics and ideas that staff are working on presented to the commission monthly. Mr. Stremcha said staff would be working on the table of contents over the next couple of months to develop a scope of work for a request for proposal. Chair Anderson said that he still thinks that a professional should do the project because he doesn’t think staff and the commission have the bandwidth to do it. He said that they were very stuck in the details and overthinking everything when the commission was working on it. He thinks that if they decide to proceed with a hybrid version of this, then he thinks the commission should only review the finished document. Commissioner Goodwin said that if staff added something to the managers’ report summarizing what theyare working on that would be good enough to move forward. She thinks they need to trust the staff and whoever they hire to work with them. She doesn’t want to create more work for staff because she also knows that parks and recreation are moving into a busy season. Commissioner Goodwin asked what staff needed from the commission. Chair Anderson said that the discussion is the action requested. If the commissioners all agree that a hybrid is a good idea, then that is what they will go with. All the commissioners agreed. Chair Anderson said he wants staff to take advantage of using AI. Mr. Stremcha stated that the city already has an AI policy. 7.3 Trail Signage DRAFTPage 4 of 27 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes February 11, 2026 --------- Page 4 of 5 Mr. Shelby presented his report. Mr. Shelby handed out an 11 by 17 size of the trail user’s sign. Chair Anderson asked if this version would be revamped to fit the space better by the graphic department. Mr. Shelby confirmed they would clean it up according to the city branding standards. Chair Anderson said the sub-committee worked with Mr. Shelby on putting together this version. He is impressed with the simplicity and yet all-encompassing results. Chair Anderson referenced the symbols on the bottom of the trail sign and pointed out there isn’t a Minnesota department of transportation universal symbol for e-motos, so maybe they should add the words no e-motos on the sign. Commissioner Stewart asked about including the ordinance number. Mr. Shelby confirmed it will be placed on the sign as well, possibly with a QR code link. Commissioner Niziolek said they don’t allow horses on the trails but asked if they needed to make a notation on the sign about it. Chair Anderson said the sign they are reviewing tonight is just for the Great Northern Trail and will be put where they have the most conflicts and complaints first and then figure out what needs to be added or changed. Commissioner Varty asked specifically where they would be putting these signs. Mr. Shelby said they identified seven potential locations, but they will primarily be entry points on the trail. Chair Anderson shared that starting from the north there would be one at the city limits, one on either side of 221st, one at the Watson Street entrance, and then one at the Woodland Trails Regional Park parking lot. Then on the south end of the trail by Meadowvale and Lafayette Woods. Chair Anderson said Mr. Shelby has these written down from their meeting. Commissioner Varty said she likes the simplicity of the sign. Chair Anderson said he agrees with Commissioner Niziolek that there should be a separate bullet point for horses. Commissioner Stewart asked if it had to be a separate bullet point or if it should just say no horses or motorized vehicles. Commissioner Goodwin said it should be separate since the focus is primarily on motorized vehicles and they have a lot less issues with horses. Chair Anderson pointed out that horses are not included in the ordinance. Mr. Shelby pointed that out as well. Commissioner Stewart said he knows they had this conversation before and asked if the city has any language concerning horses. Chair Anderson said yes on their current Woodland Trails signage. Councilmember Grupa asked if they had a problem with horses on the trails. Commissioner Varty said yes, they have in the past. Councilmember Grupa asked what cleared it up. Chair Anderson said other trail users and signage. Chair Anderson said he isn’t sure why it couldn’t be added to the sign even though it isn’t in the ordinance. Mr. Shelby said from a consistent standpoint if they put that piece on the sign and the ordinance, but horses aren’t included in the ordinance, it could lead to some confusion. Chair Anderson said they have had problems with significant damage to the green trails in the past but not anymore. Chair Anderson said for now they should just leave it on the other signs at Woodland Trails since it isn’t really a current issue. Commissioner Goodwin said she thinks they should just leave this sign alone as far as adding horses and focus on the motorized vehicle issues. Commissioner Niziolek said it was a significant issue in the past, but it isn’t now, but they should keep it in the back of their minds, so the trails are used wisely. He asked if they must have a notation about the exception of the use of motorized vehicles for maintenance purposes. Chair Anderson agreed because DRAFTPage 5 of 27 Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes February 11, 2026 --------- Page 5 of 5 there are often maintenance vehicles out there. Mr. Shelby asked for confirmation to add no unauthorized motor vehicles to the sign. Mr. Shelby will revamp the sign with communications staff and bring it back next month for approval. Chair Anderson said to make Attention larger, Trail Users smaller, the bullet point statements larger and also the symbols on the bottom larger. 8. PARKS AND RECREATION MANAGER UPDATE 8.1 Parks and Recreation Manager Update Mr. Shelby presented his report. 9. ANNOUNCEMENTS 10. MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING Moved by Commissioner Goodwin and seconded by Commissioner Niziolek to adjourn the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting at 7:15pm. Motion carried 5-0. __________________ Dave Anderson, Chair __________________________ Jolene Richter, Deputy City Clerk DRAFTPage 6 of 27 The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity Request for Action To Parks and Recreation Commission Item Number 5.1 Meeting Date March 11, 2026 Prepared By Jeff Shelby, Recreation Manager Item Description Election of Chair and Vice Chair Reviewed by Jeff Shelby Joe Stremcha Action Requested Elect Chair and Vice Chair to lead comission. Background/Discussion City code requires that the commission elect a Chair and Vice Chair annually. This is done by a vote of the membership. Nominations for these positions will be done from the floor. Financial Impact None. Mission/Policy/Goal Appropriately govern in an ever-changing environment. Attachments None Page 7 of 27 The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity Request for Action To Parks and Recreation Commission Item Number 7.1 Meeting Date March 11, 2026 Prepared By Jeff Shelby, Recreation Manager Item Description Parks and Recreation Framework Plan — Scope of Work Reviewed by Jeff Shelby Joe Stremcha Action Requested Recommend, by motion, that staff develop an RFP for consultant based scope of work as presented by staff for the Parks and Recreation Framework Plan. Background/Discussion The commission has discussed the potential Parks and Recreation Framework Plan at several previous meetings. Last month, the commission asked staff to proceed with creating a scope of work and assignments. Staff will present that scope and a timeline for the project. Staff will have a final RFP draft presented to the commission in April. Financial Impact Staff will develop a request for proposals based on the scope of work. Mission/Policy/Goal Opportunity to live, work, and play. Attachments 1. Table of Contents with delegation 2. Parks and Recreation Framework Plan Tentative Timeline Page 8 of 27 Potential Table of Contents – 2026 Parks and Rec Master Plan Introduction ▪ Overview ▪ Mission and Values (Jeff/Designee) ▪ Community Profile (Jeff/Consultant/Brent/EDA) ▪ Plan Purpose (Jeff/Designee) ▪ Planning Process(Jeff/Consultant) ▪ Executive Summary Inventory and Assessment ▪ Chapter Overview ▪ Public/Community Engagement (Jeff/Consultant) ▪ Parks Inventory (Jeff and Josh) ▪ Level of Service Analysis (includes Needs and Trends Assessment) (Jeff/Consultant) ▪ Park and Trail Use (Jeff/Consultant) System Plan ▪ Chapter Overview ▪ Arts and Culture Programming Plan (Jeff/Consultant/Designee/Programmers) ▪ Marketing Plan (Jeff/Consultant/Designee/Joe/Communications) ▪ Natural Resource Plan ( Jeff/Consultant/Designee) ▪ Parks and Facilities Plan (Jeff/Designee/Joe/Justin/Josh) ▪ Recreation Programming Plan (Jeff/Designee/Programmers) ▪ Risk Management Plan (Jeff/Consultant/Designee) ▪ Trail System Plan (Jeff/Designee/Joe/Justin/ Josh) Volunteerism and Stewardship (Jeff/Designee/Justin) ▪ Chapter Overview ▪ Roles ▪ Opportunities ▪ Coordination ▪ Recognition Implementation and Sustainability(Jeff/Consultant/Justin/Designee/Joe/Cal/Finance) ▪ Chapter Overview ▪ Maintenance and Operations Strategy ▪ Capital Improvement Plan, Operations, and Maintenance Costs Page 9 of 27 ▪ Funding Options and Sources ▪ Implementation Recommendations ▪ Timeline Appendices (*Continue to build as plan develops/Consultant) ▪ Park Maps ▪ Peer Comparison ▪ Natural Resources Supplemental Information ▪ Community Engagement Summary Page 10 of 27 Parks and Recreation Framework Plan Tentative Timeline ▪ March 11 Commission meeting, review action request to approve the table of contents designees and move forward with preparation of the RFP. ▪ April 8 Commission meeting, review the RFP and take action to approve. ▪ April 20th City Council meeting review RFP/recommend the RFP. ▪ April 21st Publish RFP ▪ May 12th Close RFP bidding ▪ May 13th Choose Finalists ▪ May 18th Interview Finalists ▪ May 18th Send recommendations to Council. ▪ By end of May schedule kick off meeting with consultant team Page 11 of 27 The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity Request for Action To Parks and Recreation Commission Item Number 8.1 Meeting Date March 11, 2026 Prepared By Jeff Shelby, Recreation Manager Item Description Robert's Rules Review Reviewed by Jeff Shelby Joe Stremcha Action Requested Review the basics of Robert's Rules as they apply to the commission. Background/Discussion Staff will present a short review on the usage of Robert's Rules during commission meetings. Financial Impact None. Mission/Policy/Goal Appropriately govern in an ever-changing environment. Attachments 1. roberts_rules_simplified 2. ParlimentaryProcedure (002) Page 12 of 27 Roberts Rules of Order – Simplified Guiding Principles: • Everyone has the right to participate in discussion if they wish, before anyone may speak a second tim e. • Everyone has the right to know what is going on at all times. Only urgent matters may interrupt a speaker. • Only one thing (motion) can be discussed at a time. A motion is the topic under discussion (e.g., “I move that we add a coffee break to this meeting”). After being recognized by the president of the board, any m ember can introduce a motion when no other motion is on the table. A motion requires a second to be considered. If there is no second, the matter is not considered. Each motion must be disposed of (passed, defeated, tabled, referred to committee, or postponed indefinitely). How to do things : You want to bring up a new idea before the group. After recognition by the president of the board, present your motion. A second is required for the motion to go to the floor for discussion, or consideration. You want to change some of the wording in a motion under discussion. After recognition by the president of the board, move to amend by • adding words, • striking words or • striking and inserting words. You like the idea of a motion being discussed, but you need to reword it beyond simple word changes. Move to substitute your motion for the original motion. If it is seconded, discussion will continue on both motions and eventually the body will vote on which motion they prefer. You want more study and/or investigation given to the idea being discussed. Move to refer to a committee. Try to be specific as to the charge to the committee. You want more time personally to study the proposal being discussed. Move to postpone to a definite time or date. You are tired of the current discussion. Move to limit debate to a set period of time or to a set number of speakers. Requires a 2/3rds vote. You have heard enough discussion. Move to close the debate. Also referred to as calling the question. This cuts off discussion and brings the assembly to a vote on the pending question only. Requires a 2/3rds vote. You want to postpone a motion until some later time. Move to table the motion. The motion may be taken from the table after 1 item of business has been conducted. If the motion is not taken from the table by the end of the next meeting, it is dead. To kill a motion at the time it is tabled requires a 2/3rds vote. A majority is required to table a motion without killing it. Page 13 of 27 You believe the discussion has drifted away from the agenda and want to bring it back. “Call for orders of the day.” You want to take a short break. Move to recess for a set period of time. You want to end the meeting. Move to adjourn. You are unsure the president of the board announced the results of a vote correctly. Without being recognized, call for a “division of the house." A roll call vote will then be taken. You are confused about a procedure being used and w ant clarification. Without recognition, call for "Point of Information" or "Point of Parliamentary Inquiry." The president of the board will ask you to state your question and will attempt to clarify the situation. You have changed your mind about something that was voted on earlier in the meeting for which you w ere on the winning side. Move to reconsider. If the majority agrees, the motion comes back on the floor as though the vote had not occurred. You want to change an action voted on at an earlier meeting. Move to rescind. If previous written notice is given, a simple majority is required. If no notice is given, a 2/3rds vote is required. Unanimous Consent: If a matter is considered relatively minor or opposition is not expected, a call for unanimous consent may be requested. If the request is made by others, the president of the board will repeat the request and then pause for objections. If none are heard, the m otion passes. • You may INTERRUPT a speaker for these reasons onl y: o to get information about business –point of information to get information about rules– parliamentary inquiry o if you can't hear, safety reasons, comfort, etc. –question of privilege o if you see a breach of the rules –point of order o if you disagree with the president of the board’s ruling –app eal o if you disagree with a call for Unanimous Consent –object Quick Reference Must Be Second ed Open for Discussion Can be Amended Vote Count Required to Pass May Be Reconsidere d or Rescinded Main Motion √ √ √ Majority √ Amend Motion √ √ Majority √ Kill a Motion √ Majority √ Limit Debate √ √ 2/3rds √ Close D iscussion √ 2/3rds √ Recess √ √ Majority Adjourn (End meeting) √ Majority Refer to Committee √ √ √ Majority √ Postpone to a later time √ √ √ Majority √ Table √ Majority Postpone Indefinitely √ √ √ Majority √ Page 14 of 27 Page 15 of 27 Page 16 of 27 The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity Request for Action To Parks and Recreation Commission Item Number 8.2 Meeting Date March 11, 2026 Prepared By Jeff Shelby, Recreation Manager Item Description Parks and Recreation Commission Bylaws Reviewed by Jeff Shelby Joe Stremcha Action Requested Review the Elk River Parks and Recreation Bylaws for 2026. Background/Discussion City code requires that all commissions review and update their bylaws annually so that all members are familair with their roles and responsibilities as commission members. This is also an opportunity to update the bylaws if the commission sees a need. Financial Impact None. Mission/Policy/Goal Work with citizens to achieve goals. Attachments 1. Parks and Recreation Bylaws revised 2025 Page 17 of 27 Page 1 of 6 BY-LAWS OF THE ELK RIVER PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ARTICLE I - NAME AND AUTHORITY 1. Name The name of this organization shall be the Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission. 2. Authority This commission is established under the authorization of Elk River Code of Ordinances Chapter 2, Article 5, Division 3 Parks and Recreation Commission. ARTICLE II - PURPOSE AND FUNCTION 1. Purpose The Park and Recreation Commission is established to review and make recommendations to the city council on the development and organization of the city parks and recreation programs. The scope of the commission shall consist of advising the city council on matters relevant to city parks and recreation functions. The commission shall participate in the planning for development and acquisition of parks and recreation programs. 2. Function A. The commission shall prepare, hold hearings on and recommend to the city council such plans, programs, and policies it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the parks and recreation department. Such powers shall include, but not be limited to, the study of and recommendations to the city council on the following: i. Land acquisition for parks, trails, and recreation facilities. ii. Plans for and major improvements in city parks, trails, and recreation facilities. iii. Rules and requirements for conduct of and in parks, trails, and recreation facilities. iv. Plans and programs relating to the design and programming of city parks, trails, and recreation facilities. v. Development of a comprehensive city park, trail, and recreation plan and make recommendations for plan implementation. vi. Collaborate with city staff and local experts to create a comprehensive natural resources management plan. vii. Assist with the promotion of city parks, trails, and recreation facilities. viii. Provide feedback on existing situations and make recommendations on improvements of city parks, trails, recreation facilities and recreation programs. ix. Collaborate with external organizations to ensure the offering of an appropriate array of recreation opportunities for the youth and adults of the city. Page 18 of 27 Page 2 of 6 x. Collaborate with city staff to ensure the proper maintenance and developments of city parks and park facilities. xi. Collaborate with city staff in ensuring that appropriate park properties are obtained by the city during the city development platting process. xii. Any other plans and programs as may be assigned by the city council from time to time. A. The commission shall not be considered a park board under state law and shall have no powers to acquire or lease land, employ personnel, or enter contracts or leases, or any similar powers authorized for a park board by state law. B. Commissioners shall be familiar with the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the city Comprehensive Plan as it relates to parks and recreation. ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP, COMPENSATION AND TRAINING 1. Membership A. The Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the city council. An appointment to city residents shall be given preference, but residency by itself shall not be a disqualification for appointment. B. A member of city council shall be a non-voting member of the commission and will act as a liaison between the Parks and Recreation Commission and city council. 2. Compensation Commissioners shall serve without pay but may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred while performing duties as a parks and recreation commissioner. 3. Training Commissioners are encouraged to take training courses offered by the city, state, and other governmental units and agencies, and the city council shall budget for the reimbursement of expenses incurred in training each year. ARTICLE IV – TERMS AND VACANCIES 1. Terms Terms of office are for three years, and all terms shall end on the last day of February; however, commissioners shall hold office until their successor has been appointed. The terms of commissioners shall be staggered so that no more than three terms of office expire at one time. Page 19 of 27 Page 3 of 6 2. Vacancies A. Vacancies shall be filled by the city council for the remainder of the term. B. The chair shall immediately, upon receipt of a resignation or when advised of a vacancy, notify city council. C. Should a resignation be submitted to staff, they will immediately notify the chair and city council. ARTICLE V – OFFICERS AND DUTIES 1. Officers A. Officers of the Parks and Recreation Commission shall consist of a chair, vice-chair and secretary which are voted in by a majority vote at the commission’s first regular meeting in March of each year. B. If a vacancy occurs in the chair office, the vice-chair shall assume the chair’s duties for the remainder of the year and a new vice-chair shall be elected by the commission at the next scheduled commission meeting. C. A vacancy occurring in the vice-chair or secretary office shall result in an election by the commission at the next scheduled commission meeting. D. City ordinance requires that commissioners must have served on the commission for at least one year to be elected chair of the commission. 2. Duties A. Chair i. Preside and preserve order at all meetings of the commission. ii. Calls special meetings of the commission in accordance with the Section 2-235 of the city’s Code of Ordinances. iii. Sign documents of the commission. iv. See that all actions of the commission are properly taken. v. Work with city staff to set monthly meeting agendas. vi. Provide orientation to all new commissioners as soon as possible. vii. Perform all other duties and functions assigned by the commission or the city council. viii. Be familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order and Minnesota Open Meeting law. B. Vice-Chair i. Assume the duties of the chair in their absence. C. Secretary Page 20 of 27 Page 4 of 6 i. Assume the duties of the chair in the absence of both the chair and vice-chair. ARTICLE VI - ATTENDANCE A commission member shall be expected to maintain a suitable attendance record. Attendance is vital to board service and city council expectations. Because attendance is important, city council has adopted the following attendance policy: Regularly scheduled monthly commissions – missing three (3) regularly scheduled meetings during a calendar year. All other commissions – missing two (2) regularly scheduled meetings during a calendar year. Participation for less than three-fourths of a meeting shall be the same as a failure to attend a meeting. Members removed pursuant to this paragraph shall not continue to serve on the board and such removal shall create a vacancy. A member may appeal the termination by requesting a hearing before the City Council within 10 days of notice of termination. A standard commission attendance form shall be used by all commissions for the staff liaison to record attendance. The Office of the City Clerk shall forward the attendance record to the City Council at the end of each June and December for the Council to review. Commissioners shall notify the staff liaison of planned absences 72 hours prior to the meeting missed. ARTICLE VII – QUORUM AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 1. Quorum A quorum shall consist of a majority of the sitting members. 2. Conflict of Interest Commissioners shall comply with the city Conflict of Interest policy. Any commissioner who feels that he or she may appear to have, or in fact has, a conflict of interest on any matter that is on the Parks and Recreation Commission agenda shall voluntarily excuse himself or herself, vacate their seat and refrain from discussing and voting on said item(s). ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS 1. Regular Meetings Regular meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 pm at Elk River City Hall unless otherwise posted. 2. Special Meetings Page 21 of 27 Page 5 of 6 Special meetings may be called by the chair as needed. Notice of the time and place of any special meeting shall be communicated to the members and publicly noticed at least three business days prior to the meeting. Special meetings may or may not have actionable items. 3. Work Sessions Work Sessions may be called by the chair as needed and will be before or following a regular meeting. Work sessions do not have actionable items and are open to the public. 4. Public Hearings Public hearings are very infrequent and are posted as part of a regular meeting. They follow specific protocol different than the Open Forum agenda item. 5. Protocol A. All meetings follow Minnesota statutes on open meeting law. B. Robert’s Rules of Order, latest revised edition, governs the parliamentary procedure. C. Meetings are open to the public. D. In addition to providing the agenda packet to commissioners, the staff liaison will provide copies of the agenda, minutes from the previous meeting and backup documentation to the city administrator, city clerk, park planner, ice arena manager, parks superintendent and meeting support staff. ARTICLE IX – STAFF SUPPORT 1. Staff Liaison A. A city appointed staff liaison will record attendance and minutes of each meeting and make a permanent file of all minutes which shall be available to the public on the City of Elk River website. B. The staff liaison will provide materials pertinent to a commission meeting in advance of the meeting to allow commissioners time to review and prepare. 2. Videographer A videographer will film the meeting which shall be made available to the public on the City of Elk River website. 3. Parks and Recreation Management Page 22 of 27 Page 6 of 6 The Parks and Recreation Manager will attend the meetings to update the commission on department activities and provide answers to any questions discussed during the meeting. ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS 1. Any changes to the Bylaws will be reviewed and approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission and filed with the City Clerk’s office. 2. These bylaws shall become effective upon adoption by the Parks and Recreation Commission. 3. These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a majority vote of the membership provided that the amendment(s) has (have) been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting. 4. City ordinance requires that the by-laws be reviewed and updated annually at either the first meeting of the calendar year (January) or the first meeting of any newly elected or appointed members (March). Adopted on this 9th day of April 2025. Chair, Dave Anderson Elk River Parks and Recreation Commission Page 23 of 27 The Elk River Vision A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity Request for Action To Parks and Recreation Commission Item Number 8.3 Meeting Date March 11, 2026 Prepared By Jeff Shelby, Recreation Manager Item Description Trail Signage - Ebikes Reviewed by Jeff Shelby Joe Stremcha Action Requested Review trail signage. Background/Discussion The commission viewed and offered input on trail signage related to the electric bicycle and device ordinance to be installed on the GNT at Woodland Trails Regional Park. Staff will present a more formalized version of that sign from our Communications Division. Financial Impact Cost of signs and posts will be deducted from the Park Improvement Fund. Mission/Policy/Goal Opportunity to live, work, and play. Attachments 1. TrailRules - Woodland Trails Page 24 of 27 Page 25 of 27 Memorandum To: Parks and Recreation Commission From: Jeff Shelby, Parks and Recreation Manager Date: March 11, 2026 Subject: Parks and Recreation Staff Report Senior Activity Center February was a record-breaking month for average daily check-ins. We averaged 87 check-ins per day, surpassing the previous high of 82 set in February 2025. 475 memberships have been sold this year — 17 more than at this time last year. Program highlights for February included the Valentine’s Brunch and Music Event, Valentine’s Bingo sponsored by Guardian Angels, our art classes, and the trip to the Paramount Theater. We have also seen increased attendance in many of our drop-in activities, including Social Club, Cribbage, and all our fitness classes. Community Events The indoor Farmers Market is seeing an increase in vendor interest. The YMCA continues to be a great location for this event. There will be two remaining indoor dates before the market heads outside on June 11. The coloring contest is open and will run until March 31. The vote will take place at the April meeting. Details for the outdoor season are coming together, and we are looking forward to another great season. The Citywide Garage Sale will take place on the 3rd weekend in May. We are partnering with the City of Ramsey again and will have a shared Google map. Registration is currently open and will close on May 11. Sports/Programs The Breakaway Youth Hockey League started this week. We have a total of 278 kids participating. Our inaugural season of NFL Flag Football in collaboration with Elk River Youth Football currently has 130 kids signed up. Registration closes in a few weeks. Fields We held our annual youth association/city field meeting on February 25. All associations had representation present, and we covered all field related items, projects, and questions regarding the upcoming field use season. We are hopeful that fields will be ready to use around mid-April, with tournaments starting the first weekend in May. Ice Rink We closed the ice rinks for the season on February 17. For the season, the warming house at Handke was open for a total of 52 days. During the staffed hours, we saw 4,697 users on the rinks and sledding hills . Page 26 of 27 Park Passport Staff are developing a park passport program for this summer. Community members will be able to pick up a park passport that will guide them to specific parks in the city where they will have the opportunity to engage in the park. Staff will present the passport and the program at next month’s commission meeting. PT Complex Protective Netting Staff are still working to finalize the replacement and installation of the protective netting over the play area at PT Complex. The existing posts are scheduled to be removed by the end of this month. Page 27 of 27