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Minutes <br />Park Commission Regular Meeting <br />Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 6:00 PM <br />City Council Chambers 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 <br /> <br /> <br />Page 1 of 3 <br /> <br />Chair Roath called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. <br /> <br />ROLL CALL <br />The Orono Park Commission members present: Chair Brian Roath, Commissioners Rick Carter, Gordy <br />Stofer, and Michael Huddy Absent: Commission member Cameron Porter. <br /> <br />Staff present: Park Superintendent Joe Ruthenberg <br /> <br />APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA <br /> <br />The agenda was approved by consensus. <br /> <br />APPROVAL OF MINUTES <br /> <br />1. August 6, 2024 Park Commission meeting minutes <br /> <br />Stofer moved, Huddy seconded, to approve the minutes of the August 6, 2024 Park Commission <br />meeting as submitted. VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0. <br /> <br />PUBLIC COMMENT <br /> <br />Janie Delaney, 1325 Woodhill Avenue, spoke against locating a mountain bike trail at the golf course, <br />saying it is a 100-year-old facility and not conducive to multiple uses, especially active uses like a bike <br />trail. The ability to hike or snowshoe already exists at the golf course without disturbing it. <br /> <br />Jacqueline Ricks, 2108 Sugarwood Drive, said she is a new member of the City Council and would like to <br />meet with Park Commission members to find out if there is a comprehensive plan for parks and if so, how <br />it relates to the City’s Comprehensive Plan. <br /> <br />John Withrow, 425 Oxford Road, spoke in favor of locating a bike trail next to the golf course as has been <br />done at other golf courses, generating enough use to preserve the golf course from development for <br />another 100 years. <br /> <br />Kim Carswell, 261 Cygnet Place, asked about the reason for looking at the bike trail project now and how <br />the parks department decides what projects to work on. <br /> <br />Ritchie Anderson, 3205 Crystal Bay Road, noted there is $15,000 already set aside for the mountain bike <br />trail study. He said it is a fast-growing sport involving kids of all ages and abilities and thousands <br />showing up for races and he supports the city going ahead with the study. He said he would be interested <br />in participating in fundraising for the development at some point. <br /> <br />Walter Holmes, 6775 Fogelman Road, said he was introduced to mountain biking as a youngster and <br />competed in high school and found it to be a positive experience that changed his life. He said it is not <br />bad for the environment because they don’t cut down trees, they go around trees but do clear brush that <br />can lead to fires. <br /> <br />3