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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br /> September 25,2023 <br /> 6:00 o'clock p.m. <br /> PARKS REPORT <br /> 20. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN APPLICATION FOR A HENNEPIN COUNTY <br /> SPORTS FACILITY GRANT FOR HACKBERRY PARK—RESOLUTION NO. 7402 <br /> Park Director Lemons asked the City Council to approve by resolution an application for a Hennepin <br /> County sports facility grant for Hackberry Park.He said the maximum amount of the grant would be <br /> requested for parking,a t-ball field,multi-use sports field and drainage. The maximum amount would be <br /> $300,000 and require a 50 percent match.The total cost is estimated at$1.1 million.The City has a scope <br /> of the project but is still meeting with residents and the sports associations,he said.The plan is still <br /> developing at this point,but they know the scope of the project is those four items. Within the grant <br /> changes could still be made to configuration as long as those needs were covered. The application is due <br /> in mid-October. <br /> Benson said she had some comments after reading City and Parks notes since 2016 when the City <br /> purchased the house in the middle of the park.Youth sports groups have been engaged informally for <br /> years and needs for drainage and parking are known. What she didn't see in those notes until recently was <br /> larger engagement of the community and surrounding neighbors. That began recently. She has not seen <br /> any savings in parks funds in seven years for these projects.It has not been budgeted for. The cost to the <br /> City and partnerships if the City received the grant would be over$800,000. There are many unknowns <br /> here,not the least of which is finances and there are still many concerns. She said she has concerns about <br /> applying for a grant when the City doesn't have reserve funding for the City and partnership portions of <br /> the costs. She noted grants are a lot of work and there is only three weeks to apply. Items like drainage <br /> and trees could be addressed in the meantime. <br /> Walsh said this is a first step to move forward and have funds allocated.He said it is necessary to have <br /> something to move forward. In the past there has not been money budgeted for parks,he said,but that has <br /> changed under this Council. When the City would have access to the house in the park to remove it was <br /> also an unknown that prevented money from being set aside because it could have been years down the <br /> road. <br /> Veach moved,Johnson seconded,to adopt Resolution No. 7402 authorizing an application for a <br /> Hennepin County Sports Facility Grant for Hackberry Park.VOTE: Ayes 3,Nays 1 (Benson). <br /> 21. APPROVAL OF PICKLEBALL CONCEPT SERVICES <br /> Park Director Lemons said he was seeking approval for hiring Bolton and Menk to develop a concept for <br /> pickleball courts behind Fire Station One near the donation garden. The plan includes a timeline with an <br /> open house on the various concept designs with approval in February of next year. He said they were <br /> looking at something similar to what was proposed at the golf course with four to six pickleball courts. <br /> Veach asked what had happened to the idea of pickleball at the golf course. <br /> Lemons said an overwhelming majority of neighbors and golfers were opposed to adding pickleball to the <br /> golf course. It has been about two years since the City was first approached by residents about having <br /> pickleball courts in the community.After the golf course the Park Commission looked at two sites, <br /> Bederwood and the donation garden.Bederwood had a number of drawbacks including the need to move <br /> the playground. <br /> Page 8 of 13 <br />