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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 7, 2003 0 C-B~\...Q....c;t C~ CITY o F QlYLQ.r\iiLci Q-Lf-03 NDOVE , ) 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W, . ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 . (763) 755-5100 FAX (763) 755-8923 . WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING -AUGUST 7,2003, MINUTES The Regular Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Acting Chairman Dave Blackstad on August 7,2003, 7:36 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners Present: Acting Chairman Dave Blackstad, Commissioners Dorrie Peterson, Al Grabowski and Thomas Goodmanson. Chairman Jim Lindahl arrived at 7:40 p.m. Commissioners Absent: Commissioners Dan Masloski and Valerie Holthus. Also Present: Parks Coordinator, Todd Haas RESIDENTS FORUM ~~) There were no comments at this time. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Peterson stated the following changes should be made: Page 4, paragraph 1, should read as follows: None of the Commission members agreed with the location suggested by Mr. Quigley. Page 4, following paragraph 5, the following motion was made: Motion by Lindahl, seconded by Blackstad, to recommend Lot 4 and Lot 5 be used for the park with a trail on the south end connecting to Drake Street. Motion carried on a 6-ayes, O-nays, I-absent vote. Chairman Lindahl arrived. Page 7, paragraph 3, should include the following sentence: On June 23,2003, Mr. Haas sent a memo to all associations indicating there was a problem with litter at all of the City i parks. 8 ¡ I I ¡ - Regular Andover Park & ReQtion Commission Meeting 0 Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 2 Å ~~~~tC (..~) Motion by , seconded by Peterson, to approve the July 17,2003, Park Commission minutes with stated changes. Motion carried on a 4-ayes, O-nays, I-present (Grabowski), 2-absent (Masloski and Holthus) vote. lffN1Yi.tci C]- t..{ -03 UPDATE OF 2003 FALL SOCCERlFOOTBALL SCHEDULE Mr. Haas explained that this item was an update of the 2003 Fall Soccer/Footballl Softball Schedule. He reminded the Commission the schedule had been approved at the July 17,2003, meeting and the attached schedule was the [mal schedule to be used. He noted the Andover Athletic Association was shown on the schedule and Andover Invaders Soccer was working through North Metro Soccer Association regarding the use of the soccer fields. Commissioner Blackstad noted the Commission had approved the schedule contingent on this [mal schedule being completed. APPROVE 2003 FALL SOFTBALVBASEBALL SCHEDULE Mr. Haas explained this item was in regard to approving the application for field use by the Andover Athletic Association (AAA). He added the Andover Baseball Association, ~) had originally indicated they would not have a fall league but a team has come forward to do so. Mr. Haas stated the Commission was requested to approve the application and the use of Fields 2 and 4 for AAA at Andover City Hall as indicated on the schedule. Mr. Haas noted he had received a request from the Andover Baseball Association on August 6, 2003, to use one field at Shadowbrook East Park for one game and one practice. He added they probably wished to use the northfield, as it is larger. Mr. Haas stated there were no conflicts with the requ~st. Motion by Blackstad, seconded by Goodmanson, to approve the application for field use by the Andover Athletic Association and the use of Fields 2 and 4 at Andover City Hall and Andover Baseball Association at Shadowbrook East Park as indicated on the schedule. Further Discussion Commissioner Grabowski noted football was using City Hall fields 2 and 4 and softball was asking to use the same fields. Mr. Haas responded that softball would be using the fields August 2,2003, to September 11,2003, and football would use them after September 11. He added that he did not know of any conflict. ~) Motion carried on a 5-ayes, O-nays, 2-absent vote. I Ü () , \..j' Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 3 .' , \.~--./I UPDATE OF PRAIRIE KNOLL PARKl03-1/GRADING AND IRRIGATION Mr. Haas noted the Commissioners should have received the agenda item ITom Dave Berkowitz on August 6, 2003. Mr. Haas explained this item had gone to Council at its last meeting and, after discussion, the bids were rejected. Commissioner Grabowski stated he thought there was confusion about the expenses and why we would wait until next spring with the money that is available. He added there was concern football would not be played on the fields next August and September if it were not seeded now. He noted the fields would need to be sodded if seeding was done in the spring. He stated there was also concern regarding the cost of sod versus the cost of seeding. Commissioner Grabowski indicated this issue was discussed with Mr. Berkowitz, and the consensus was the fields would be superior and ready in a month if sod were used. In addition, it was felt seed would be a waste, as there would be no irrigation this fall. Commissioner Grabowski noted accepting a bid and then deleting and negotiating items \ was not an ethical way for the City to handle bids. Consequently, he felt it was a smart \.j decision to delay until spring. Chairman Lindahl stated the City would not get the best price using "unethical" behavior. Commissioner Grabowski stated Mr. Berkowitz had indicated he could do the trail along Andover Boulevard. He added the project would be sent out for bids and should be done within the next four to five weeks, which would be good for the kids walking to school along Andover Boulevard. Mr. Haas indicated the Commission should look at the method it uses to do the CIP. He felt projects were being planned using anticipated money and there was no guarantee the money would be available. He stated the money should be in the bank before the projects were planned. Commissioner Blackstad noted money had not been available because Prairie Knoll had been sidestepped so other projects could be done. He specifically mentioned the lights at Sunshine Park. Commissioner Blackstad stated he felt the CIP was a good roadmap of the projects that needed to be accomplished. He felt the Commission needed to sit down in November or December of each year and decide what would be done the following year with the money that was available. " ì '--J - · 0 0 Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 4 CJ Commissioner Peterson indicated that was how it had been done in the past. She added the Commission had then gone to Finance Director Jim Dickinson regarding the reliability of its forecasting. She added City staff needed to keep the Commission apprised of needed infonnation. Commissioner Blackstad stated the $50,000 given the Commission by the City was to be used as a pledge for a loan and he felt that should be untouchable until the CIP was formalized. He added, in the past, the Commission or Council had seen the $50,000 and looked for a way to spend it. He indicated the $50,000 should either be for CIP projects or to payoff a loan. He felt the Commission should not fmd ways to use it just because it was "still there." Chairman Lindahl noted if the Commission sat with too much money in its budget, it would be hard to go back to the City Council for additional money. Commissioner Grabowski noted the numbers for the Commission's CIP would be put together by Mr. Dickinson from his projections for the next year. He asked when the builders' cutoff was for submitting their plats, as the CIP should be based on that information. Mr. Haas responded the developers had been given quite a bit of flexibility. He noted time limits were extended if the developers did not submit information by a given date. Commissioner Grabowski stated maybe the Commission needed the have the plat numbers available before completing the CIP. \.) Commissioner Blackstad stated the City was currently in the middle of its budgetary process for next year. He felt the problem with waiting for the plat numbers was the Commission would not have an answer when the City came in October asking for the CIP. He felt that using the CIP as a roadmap of what the Commission would like to accomplish over the next five years was a good planning tool. Commissioner Grabowski noted a developer could come in November, decide to develop an area and the City would approve it. Commissioner Blackstad noted the CIPwould be changed if that happened. Commissioner Grabowski added the opposite could happen, where a developer decided not to follow through on a planned development. Commissioner Blackstad noted it would be better to bankroll the money for the current year and in November or December decide what should be done the following year, according to what money was available. : Commissioner Peterson stated more accurate estimates were needed. She added many of the estimates had been far too low. Mr. Haas gave examples of situations where expenditures increased because "things got bigger as we started working on them." Ü 0 0 Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 5 ( ) Commissioner Blackstad noted the projects the Commission wanted to complete now '--.- could be considerably more expensive in a few years. Mr. Haas responded that, if that were the case, those projects may not be completed due to lack of money. Commissioner Grabowski noted Council was looking for direction ITom the Commission regarding Prairie Knoll Park. He added some Council members wanted to make a decision at the last Council meeting; however, other members wanted the Commission to recommend a decision. Mr. Haas indicated City staff would be meeting within the next week regarding this issue, and he would update the Commission. Commissioner Grabowski stated a decision could not be currently made, as there was still information that needed to be reviewed. Commissioner Blackstad noted the project had evolved into a few extra things, including working around the sliding hill. He stated his thought was to move it to cap the WDE site. Commissioner Peterson stated she had been told it would be too expensive to do anything with the hill. She felt the Commission needed infonnation regarding the costs involved. ( '\ Commissioner Grabowski responded there would be a cost to move the hill. He added \.~ the cost for leaving it was the loss of a field. There was further discussion regarding the history and location of the hill, removal of part or all of the hill and the fill that would be needed at Prairie Knoll. Commissioner Peterson stated she would like to see the costs involved. She also asked if savings could be realized by using what was milled from Prairie Road for the parking lot. Mr. Haas responded he would find out the savings involved and report back to the Commission. Commissioner Peterson asked if those savings would go back into the Commission's budget. Mr. Haas responded that was correct. Commissioner Blackstad asked, when starting to look at the WDE site, if it would be feasible to take the ITont half of the hill and "flip over" to push it a little further north. Commissioner Peterson responded that would create more park space and make more room for amenities. Commissioner Peterson asked if the information regarding this issue would be available at the next meeting in August. Mr. Haas responded there would probably be only one C) meeting in August, as there were no items for a second meeting. - 0 0 Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 6 (- ') Commissioner Peterson asked if the Commission's input to Council should be delayed. \..-..-J Mr. Grabowski responded the work on Prairie Knoll would not be done this year. Mr. Haas added it did not matter if the work was done now or in the spring, as the same result would be achieved by the end of June. Commissioner Grabowski suggested volunteers could lay the sod. He felt three football fields could probably be done on a Saturday. Mr. Haas noted he had met with soccer and football, and they did not care if the work was done in the spring or in the fall. Commissioner Grabowski noted the WDE site did not have to be completed until it was developed. He added there might be help to payfor it later. Commissioner Blackstad indicated moving part of the hill could be worked into the process if the costs were known. Commissioner Grabowski added it would not need to be moved if enough dirt came out of thàt site after construction. Mr. Haas commented he did not think there was a rush to do anything at this point. Commissioner Peterson stated she did not want it to look like the Commission was not doing what it should, thereby delaying the move to Council. Commissioner Grabowski 0 responded he did not feel the Council had needed the recommendation at their last meeting. He added it really did not matter, as the work was not being completed this year. Mr. Haas stated he would bring the Commission an update at the first meeting in September. Commissioner Peterson asked if this item was tabled until September. Mr. Haas responded that was correct. REVIEW OUTSTANDING ITEMS Mr. Haas noted the on-going projects were as follows: Regarding Coon Creek Corridor and other miscellaneous trail signage, staff had completed the final as built for Public Works; however, City staff would continue as an I on-going project as construction of new trails continued. Develop site plans for all existing parks that indicate the available facilities. Update of Quarterly Sheriff's Department Report on park patrol and vandalism would be C) due in October (3rd quarterly report). - (J 0 Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 7 ~J Item on Prairie Knoll Park was previously discussed on the agenda The picnic shelter was on order for Sunshine Park. Mr. Haas indicated he would call and detennine the status of the picnic shelter. He added he thought it was due in early August. The field lighting and poles had been installed at Sunshine Park. Mr. Haas added Connexus should be out the next Thursday to install the cabinet. Mr. Haas indicated the following projects were on hold: There was nothing new to report regarding the WDE site plan (Andover Station North) south of the landfill. It appeared three ball fields (I).ot four) were being considered on the draft plan. Sizes of fields had not been determined at this point. Funding of this was still unknown. It was noted SEH had been hired to prepare an overall rough grading plan for the entire site (including the park portion of the property) and to design the main roadway and utilities (Jay Street - 139th Lane) from Bunker Lake Boulevard over to Hanson Boulevard. There was nothing new to report regarding the Sunshine Park batting cages. City staff had contacted the president of the baseball association indicating the batting cage could be constructed subject to the cage being at least 12 feet high. Staff had contacted the Ü baseball association to recommend the cage be at least 15 feet high. Regarding the Andover Athletic Association proposal, Commissioner Grabowski indicated he would be contacting the associations regarding installation and costs of the scoreboards. The Task Force updates were as follows: Regarding the Skateboard Task Force, Commissioner Peterson stated she had spent time observing and had seen no problems. She noted parents were pleased as the older children were actually teaching the younger children. She suggested the garbage be emptied every other day, as some of the garbage containers were overflowing. She added some of the kids were drawing with chalk, which would wash away. She specifically mentioned chalk drawings of arrows pointing in different directions. Commissioner Grabowski indicated there were not as many issues with behavior as in the past. Commissioner Peterson responded that it appeared more parents were staying. She added she received a positive reception when she was polite and deferred to the kids. Mr. Haas noted there were also fewer problems at City Hall. Regarding the Stakeholders Design Team, Commissioner Blackstad noted things were (.-" "moving along." He indicated any concerns that surfaced were being handled. "J - 0 0 Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 8 ~ ) Commissioner Peterson asked if there was something to "look at" for the park site plans. Mr. Haas responded he had a book that contained the information collected to date. Commissioner Peterson asked if it contained pictures of the park layouts and of items in the parks. She also asked if it was on the City's website. Mr. Haas replied it was currently in a binder, which was being used as a reference book. Mr. Grabowski noted the binder contained park information, such as the park size, layout and equipment. Commissioner Blackstad stated he saw Coon Rapids' book when they did a complete audit of their park system. He added the City's book did not need to be as elaborate as Coon Rapids' book. Commissioner Blackstad gave details regarding Coon Rapids' book. He noted his intent was to obtain drawings of park layouts, which would include the amenities in the parks. There was discussion regarding who would continue to work on the park site plans. Commissioner Peterson suggested it would be a good project for interested Eagle Scouts. Mr. Haas responded staff was flexible. Commissioner Peterson asked if the book was at least half completed. Mr. Haas replied he thought most parks were in the book and all of the pictures were there. CHAIR'S REPORT : CJ Commissioner Blackstad asked why information about the vandalism at Pine Hill Park had not been included in the Sheriff's Report. Mr. Haas responded he had been informed it was reported. Mr. Grabowski noted there needed to be an item indicating the report had been submitted. , Commissioner Blackstad indicated information explaining what was vandalized should also be listed. Mr. Haas stated he had hoped the people living near the park would call when there were problems. Commissioner Grabowski stated many amenities had been put in the park because of repeated requests from the surrounding homes. He noted the neighborhood had indicated they would watch the park for problems. He added Pine Hill Park experienced more vandalism than others within the City. Commissioner Blackstad commented that some of the playground equipment had been J vandalized about a week after it was installed. Chairman Lindahl indicated the people living in close proximity to Pine Hill Park should be notified that nothing more would happen in that park if problems continued. He felt ¡ 0 the City had done its duty for the neighborhood. - Regular Andover Park & ReQion Commission Meeting f) \.. ~ ... Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 9 ¡', Mr. Haas suggested a neighborhood watch could help the situation. , ) \.. - j~ Commissioner Grabowski suggested the residents call the Sheriff's Office if kids were hanging around the park. He noted the kids would not continue to congregate there if the sheriff were constantly harassing them. Commissioner Peterson asked when the meeting time change would take place. Mr. Haas replied the time change occurred when daylight savings ended. Commissioner Grabowski stated he was concerned about repairs needed on trails/ sidewalks. Mr. Haas responded work was being done and should be completed before school started. Mr. Haas added he would check the status of this issue. Commissioner Grabowski noted there would be problems with kids walking on the streets if it were not completed before school started. Commissioner Grabowski stated he had sent an e-mail regarding the Cushman usage fee. He noted he did not have a problem paying for it if he used it; however, he understood he was the only one paying for it. Commissioner Peterson indicated she had sent e-mails saying there were problems with storage security. () Commissioner Grabowski responded the doors had been wide open when he was there. He added the associations should contribute each year for maintenance if the City was not doing any of the maintenance. Commissioner Blackstad stated that was why there was a fee. Commissioner Grabowski stated those benefiting from its use should be absorbing the cost. L-D (Y")cY\ I SS I ~Vìe...v-, ß \ Ci CIL6-tcu:.:i '\ C\c\~CCL teá KD.-ÓL.-n éf([\.Kr . hC\..d. sc.()t ~IY1C\. ì t s '5q~y f\3 The.re.. U,e..1-c.. pr'Cb\cA'Y)..S W"IY> S-tQ,-Cl.Se. S(r-c..I.U""I~. Commissioner Peterson added respect needed to be shown for others who would be using ftr-ruJ'"\cLu:.i ! it. She noted it would not be available for others to use if it were left unlocked and was ~-4-06 stolen. There was further discussion regarding the number of keys and who was responsible for i those keys. Commissioner Blackstad noted some of the equipment was being left out after being used. There was discussion regarding the Commission's response to Mr. Quigley's proposal and the Commission's July 17, 2003, recommendations for the new park proposed for the ! Peterson property. Mr. Haas noted their recommendations would be forwarded to the ! Planning Commission and the City Council. i (J - o ::) Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - August 7, 2003 Page 10 (\ '. ) ADJOURNMENT Motion by Blackstad, seconded by Goodmanson, to adjourn the meeting at 8:21 p.m. Motion carried on a 5-ayes, O-nays, 2-absent vote. Respectfully Submitted, Marjorie R. Jenkins, Recording Secretary TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. e) <J