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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-10-2020 Park Commission Minutes MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. CALL TO ORDER Chair Roath called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Roath led the Commissioners and those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance. Chair Roath then welcomed the newest Commissioner Vanessa Keller and said they are happy to have her and looking forward to her contributions on the Park Commission. ROLL CALL The Orono Park Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Chairman Brian Roath,Commissioners Janice Berg,Rick Carter,Vanessa Keller,Jennifer Klaahsen and Taylor Stephens. Commissioner Casey Hudson was absent. Representing Staff was Adam Edwards. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. June 1,2020 Park Commission Meeting Minutes Carter moved,Klaahsen seconded,to approve the June 1,2020 Park Commission Meeting Minutes. VOTE: Ayes 6,Nays 0. PUBLIC COMMENTS None. MAN'S REPORT—BRIAN ROATH 2. 2020 PARK COMMISSION COMMITTEES AND GOALS UPDATES AND REVIEW— Now considered as item No. 10. Roath proposed moving this item until after discussion and come back to it with ideas of who might like to participate in each committee,considering they have some vacancies. Roath moved,Stephens seconded,to move the 2020 Park Commission Committees and Goals Updates and Review to Agenda Item No. 10 and move the other Agenda items up. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0. 2. PARK COMMISSION CALENDAR Roath noted the Park Commission has a meeting almost every month and there is move to have a meeting every third month and have two work session-type meetings which are less formal. He said for the remainder of the year,they will have a work session on October 5, 2020 and a formal meeting had been scheduled for November 2, 2020, however this meeting was moved to November 5,2020 because of the Election on November 3,2020. He noted the November 5,2020 meeting will be the last formal meeting Page 1 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. of the Park Commission for the year,and there will not be a meeting in December. They will meet again in January 2021. Edwards noted they are late in the year regarding the meeting schedule and asked the Commission how they want the calendar laid out in 2021, do they want to keep the once a quarter formal meeting with the informal meetings on the other two dates. He said there has also been discussion about the time of the informal meetings, as they were staggered so one month it would be at 6:00 p.m. and the next month it would be a 2:00 p.m.meeting. He noted that may have worked for the old Commission but may not work for the new Commission. Roath said he'd still like the formal meeting and two work session meetings schedule in 2021. He then asked if the January would be the formal meeting. Edwards answered in the negative, saying January and February would be work session meetings and March would be a formal meeting,and it would be the third month of each quarter with the exception of November as there are no meetings in December. Roath clarified the formal meetings in 2021 would be March,June, September and November,they would skip December and the remainder months are work sessions. Keller asked if March is too late if the Commission wants to plan anything for spring or summer for parks,noting they would have the work sessions but if they wanted to get anything approved or make decisions it might be hard. Roath asked Edwards to articulate the difference between what the Commission can do in a formal meeting versus a work session. Edwards said a formal meeting is when the Commission can take a vote on something. In particular,they look for votes on things that will be formally brought before the City Council for their decision regarding, for example, funding. He said formal meetings are a good time to talk about things like the Capital Improvement Plan,the Budget and other things the Council is looking for input on in the next few months. One thing he has learned from watching many Commissions over the years is that the January meeting tends to be unproductive as far as a formal meeting. His impression is that it tended to be more of a regrouping meeting which may actually be better in a work session format, suggesting they could look at what the goals are for the year and who wants to do what in January. As far as the cycle of the year goes,if they are looking at projects,having decisions or input in March is perfectly fine in the construction schedule as they're not awarding projects until April and May. Roath asked if they get to January and find they have something pressing,how easily can the Commission convert February to a formal meeting rather than a work session. Edwards replied it's pretty easy as long as it's on the calendar, Staff just needs a month's notice so the City Clerk can repost the meeting,as formal meetings need to be advertised and a notice must be put up at the post office announcing the formal meeting. Roath asked if it's easier to convert the meeting from a formal to a work session. Page 2 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Edwards answered it's easier to go informal to formal,because if it's already listed as a formal, it's being advertised as a formal. He stated if the public wanted to come and make statements, it is already advertised. Berg asked if there is enough time in March. Edwards answered to the affirmative,saying that is his thought. Klaahsen said she is okay having the formal meeting the second month of each quarter and since November falls that way anyway,they may want to be consistent. She noted if they get to February and there are more decisions needed,they could convert March if needed. Roath said they used to have every other month alternate between formal and work session. Klaahsen stated she doesn't think they need six formal meetings and she likes that they've cut it to four, but perhaps they want to do the second month of the quarter as the formal meeting. Roath noted that would be February,May,August and November. Edwards said that de-conflicts the Monday holidays, so formal meetings could be on Mondays as sometimes in July and September the holidays cause them to have to re-work the schedule. Berg said if in January they find there is something that the Commission really needs to vote on, at that time they can make February a formal meeting and asked if that is enough time to post it. Edwards answered yes and that would be true in any month, as long as Staff knows in advance to get the posting out in time. Roath stated he likes shifting the formal meetings one month. Klaahsen said it seems like a long time between November and March for a formal meeting. The Commissioners agreed. Roath moved, Carter seconded,to adjust the 2021 calendar to have formal meetings in February, May, September and November with work sessions in January,March,April,June,July and August(he noted sometimes they cancel the August meeting),and October. He stated the Commission generally does not meet in December. VOTE: Ayes 6,Nays 0. Roath asked if Carter would like to propose the times for the meetings. Carter said it seems counterintuitive but with everyone working from home,he has so many more meetings he is unable to do a daytime meeting, especially on a Monday. Stephens said unfortunately,he is in the same position. Berg moved, Carter seconded to change the meeting time to 6:00 p.m. for the formal meetings and work sessions. VOTE: Ayes 6,Nays 0. Page 3 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. 3. PARKS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN(CIP)REVIEW—ADAM EDWARDS Edwards began a presentation and reported that Agenda Item No. 4(now considered as Agenda Item No. 3)is the draft proposed Capital Improvement Plan(CIP)for 2021 and beyond, and noted this planning is how they forecast and program money for capital projects,usually things that are$10,000 or more and capital in nature. He noted that reconstruction in a park, adding a playground,or creating a trail where one doesn't exist are a few examples. He stated there are some other things in the plan that may be under $10,000 but they still want to keep track of in the plan. Edwards explained that regarding the CIP,they look at a 10-year horizon but are looking specifically in the next five years, and are even more focused on the next year. He said there are separate CIP programs for the parks and golf course(together as one), and a separate CIP that covers equipment. He noted when the Commission sees"CMP"that stands for the Community Management Plan, and it is a 10-year cycle in which the City must report to the Metropolitan Council what they think the City will look like in the next 10 years,noting part of it is development but there is also a large parks piece, as well. Edwards noted as the Commission is looking at the numbers in the plan,they are all planning-level estimates and there is not a detailed design or cost estimate,he puts the numbers together based on recent projects or things other people have done and gives an idea of what that cost might be. He stated some numbers are wild guesses and placeholders for things of which they are not sure what the scope is yet,but still want to have something in the"out years" as a placeholder so they remember to continue thinking about that item. Edwards reported he's broken down the plan and grouped it by Parks, Golf Courses,Lake Access Points,Trails,and Equipment, noting there is also a separate funding item for Lurton Park. He noted some changes from the last time the Commission looked at the plan,Line No. 1 $10,000 for potential dock/swimming platform/TBD at Sandy Beach. Berg asked if it's too late to talk about Lydiard Beach and possibly getting a dock there. Edwards replied it's not too late at all,if the Commission tells him that is a priority,he will add it in. He noted that he moved Line No. 2 Summit Beach and that it originally had some money forecasted for this year to improve the parking lot,put in a playground and other things like that,but he slid that back in the timeline as it is still pending what the City Council will decide regarding Long Lake Rowing Crew's proposal for something to there. Under the Golf Course Miscellaneous improvements, $10,000 each year was added;he said regarding the Trail Connection along County Road 19 and Barr between Livingston and the Dakota Trail,the number dropped there as they are in a 3-way partnership with Hennepin County and Three Rivers Park District. He said Three Rivers Park District is leading the design,Hennepin County owns the right-of-way,and Orono is the City where it's located, so they are all partnering based on a verbal agreement from five years ago that they divide it equally between the three entities. He said it had been projected to be as high as$160,000 each in the past year,but with the more refined design they are thinking it may be around$120,000 each, as a conservative number. He noted he says it every year, and the plan is to do the project next year, which is likely as Three Rivers is under a funding constraint as they received a grant for their portion of the funding which expires next year. Edwards noted the number in red is the Wayzata Boulevard Phase 3 Trail Connection. For those who've been around the last few years,the County has been rebuilding the road and changing it from a State Highway structure to a County Road structure and they started in the middle a few years ago(Phase 1),then did the East end (Phase 2)and Willow Drive towards Lurton Park(will be Phase 3). As they've been completing the road projects,the City has been incorporating a trail along the North side of County Road 112 and one of the thoughts was to extend the trail to Old Crystal Bay Road where it would meet with the Independence Regional Trail and perhaps even to the far side of the school property. Edwards stated there were some thoughts within the community of extending it even further out and going all the way to the County Road Page 4 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. 6 intersection past the Lurton Dog Park. He asked the County Designers to give him a rough estimate of what that cost would be to the City, and noted they originally have$1.4 million but they've been able to refine that number down to$929,000. He noted he has it in red because it completely blows the City's budget. Roath asked where the Trail starts. Edwards answered this would continue the trail from Old Crystal Bay Road all the way up to County Road 6. Roath stated there was an interim phase that just went from Orono Orchard to just before Lurton Park. Edwards clarified that within the existing master plan for the road,there is a version of the trail that goes to the far side of the school property. Roath asked if that is in the$929,000. Edwards answered that is not, and the pricey bit starts on the far side of the school going West and the reason that it is so expensive is because the trail would have to be included within the existing County right-of-way and the only way to get it in the right-of-way is to build an artificial slope on the North side of the roads as they go through the two sets of wetlands. He reported it's the same thing they had to do as they went past Long Lake in Phase 1,which shut the road down for a good eight months as they did the process and that it is expensive. Roath asked where the funding is from here to the school. Edwards replied most of the funding comes from state turn-back funds,not from the City, and there is a little pot of money that is not in the Parks CIP but is in the Community Investment Fund CIP and he thinks it's around$500,000 that was set there many years ago waiting for Phase 3 to happen and that pays for the City's part of signaling, intersections,streetlights and other things not covered by the state part of the funding for the project. Roath asked if they could go top to bottom,noting this document is a great tool for the Commission to help create plans,subcommittees and work for the coming year. One thing he has always struggled with this document is differentiating what things have been decided,what things the City or the Council has decided and what things are just ideas that are placeholders right now. He asked if Edwards could categorize each item. Then if there is an idea that the Commission agrees they want to do some work on, that may create a subcommittee or some of the work they tackle in the coming year. Edwards clarified that on the CIP,everything is still at a proposal level, although sometimes it may be a multi-year project and he will put an actual number in there. He said even after the City Council approves the CIP later in the year,it doesn't mean that the projects are actually approved, as he must bring each project individually before the Council for approval. Roath said there are certain things on the CIP that the Commission has talked about and decided to go forward with,and there are other things such as lawn bowling on the golf course which are placeholders. Page 5 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Carter noted if anyone wants to join the Trails Committee,they have a separate document that was part of the Comprehensive Plan where they ranked the top seven or eight trail projects and Edwards has them in the far-right column. He clarified that priority 1 was the East Long Lake Trail which has already been taken care of,he said he doesn't know if Lowry Woods is number seven in the Comprehensive Plan, but everything else looks correct in terms of priority. He stated one way they can inform Edwards of the Commission's priorities is in a separate exercise and document with priorities they want the CIP to reflect,with the understanding that it can be a timing issue because funding comes from somewhere else. Roath asked to confirm if the school to County Road 6 is part of the Trail subcommittee priority No. 4. Carter answered that is correct. Edwards noted that is another area that is tied to something else and right now the County says that road project will happen in 2022. Roath noted while it's a priority it hasn't been approved. Stephens said the Commission prioritized those before they had a number and they could potentially change their opinion. Roath agreed and asked Edwards to start at the top and work down,noting at the last meeting they had talked about the dock and swim platform for Sandy Beach, and that Berg wasn't at the meeting. Berg said she'd like to see Lydiard Beach added to that,not a swim platform as she doesn't think there is enough room between the canal and the cove,but a dock. Roath said he doesn't have an opinion either way and he doesn't know how much it would cost. Edwards noted the$10,000 cost they put in for Sandy Beach is probably right, as he based that off of a recent dock replacement at one of the lake access points. Roath asked if this was a dock or a swim platform. Edwards noted the Commission was going to figure that out in 2021 and the$10,000 is what a dock would cost and if they decide on a swim platform, although they hope it would be$10,000 or less. Berg asked to add Lydiard Beach. Roath asked if anyone else has an opinion and asked Berg to expand a bit on why she'd like a dock on Lydiard Beach. Berg said there used to be a dock there and the neighborhood has wondered why it went away. Now there are several young children in the neighborhood and parents have asked if they can have a dock, and this is the reason Berg is bringing it forward. The families in the neighborhood use the beach and would like to have a dock. Roath asked if Berg knows why the dock was taken out. Page 6 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Berg replied they took all the docks out,noting it wasn't just Lydiard Beach, but every dock was taken out because of a decision by the Park Commission back then,before Mr. Edwards was working for the City. Edwards reported that it was before his time and it might have even been before the Park Commission existed that there was a proposal and a change in policy that the City would not have docks at beaches. He thinks the justification at the time was the maintenance expense and some concerns over safety as people tried to use the docks with motor boats at the same time,noting there were fisherman and swimmers all mixed together. Berg noted on Lydiard Beach specifically,they need to make sure to buoy off the swim area because of the canal and cove, as boats go in there and it's very important to have that very distinctly roped off. She said if there was a dock,the parents and kids could be on the dock. Klaahsen asked if they have the swim buoys at Lydiard Beach this year. Berg answered they had two and they tend to disappear sometimes. Roath stated at the last meeting,to be fair,they put Klaahsen through the ringer on Sandy Beach and why they should or shouldn't have a dock or swim platform,the merits of all those things and the history behind why the docks were taken out, and they found there were boats parking at the dock and leaving them overnight. Berg stated that was not happening at Lydiard Beach, she did not see many people parking their boats and after the dock went out, instead people brought their boats up on the beach to get on and off. Roath said for this purpose,what Edwards said is they are just sliding in some numbers, so he would move to increase the line item from$10,000 to$15,000 or$20,000. Edwards said it's another$10,000 for a dock and asked if they'd want it in 2021 or 2022 or beyond. Berg answered she'd like it in 2021. Roath stated they'd move it to 2021, but they still need to have a discussion about that beach specifically and whether it's 2021. He noted there is some merit to why the docks were taken out in the first place and he doesn't want to throw that all out. Berg agreed. Roath moved to change the$10,000 to$20,000 as a placeholder and continue that conversation over the winter as to the plan for Lydiard Beach. He stated they ended up in a good place with Sandy Beach. Klaahsen agreed and said they landed on a swim platform for Sandy Beach because they thought that was the safest option where boats or fisherman would not be using it,it would purely be used for swimmers. Berg agreed and said Sandy Beach is a better location for a swim platform,Lydiard Beach is not, unfortunately, as they are too close to the people coming in and out and there is a house right there that has three boats. She said she doesn't think it's an appropriate place for a swim platform. Page 7 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Carter seconded it and said he thinks it's a good idea to have a dock at Lydiard Beach,noting he goes there now and then to keep an eye on it and he agrees with Berg. Roath clarified that the proposal is to change the CIP with further review. Carter answered in the affirmative. Roath moved, Carter seconded to change the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)line item Dock or Swimming Platform for Sandy Beach from$10,000 to$20,000 to include a placeholder for Lydiard Beach.VOTE: Ayes 6,Nays 0. Roth asked if they should have anything in the CIP for Summit Beach improvement at this point. Stephens asked if there is still an aspiration to put a playground there and he thinks they should look at paving the parking lot as it's a nightmare. Roath stated they're assuming that the Rowing Club is not going to happen and if they assume that,the Park Commission will have to pay for the pavement and playground from the$95,300 line item for 2023. He noted at the March 2020 meeting,the proposal they sent to the City Council recommended going through the process of doing a master plan for Summit Beach. He doesn't know if it's appropriate to do now or if that is still on hold,but clearly as things get settled with the Long Lake Rowing Club proposal, it may be beneficial to go through the master plan at some point. Berg asked if they had an idea of when they'd do the master plan. Carter replied it would probably be Bolton&Menk. Edwards stated they can, it's just expensive. Carter had a question and comment on Exhibit A of the presentation,he noted some of the line items are listed under later years than 2021 and asked if those would be done in 2021 or later years. Edwards explained this is the 2021 Capital Improvement Plan which covers a 10-year period. Carter asked if they should just look at 2021 and not worry about a project that is three years out. Roath said he thinks they need the visibility. Edwards stated they don't need to spend a lot of time on it right now,unless there is already a strong feeling one way or the other regarding the project. Carter said with that understanding,he thinks $95,300 for Summit Beach in 2023 is fine and they can talk about it next year. He noted if he thought the Rowing Club was imminent,he would say let's double down and do a master plan ASAP but it doesn't appear imminent to him. Berg agreed they could wait until next year and see what transpires with the Rowing Club. Roath asked about French Creek Park(Tree Maintenance and Planting). Page 8 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Edwards noted that came about as an aspiration after they had the Orono Rotary put together a project for tree plantings last year, and they happened to have it at Lurton Park and Saga Hill. He said as they were looking at it, one of the target parks for trees was French Creek Park and the thought was if anyone has walked that park around the old sewage lagoon,many of those trees are falling into the water. The thought process was if in the future it would make sense to do a sort of reforestation project where some diseased,falling down or scrub trees would be removed and they could plant a mini arboretum with specimen trees and plaques around that walk. Roath asked who is assigned to French Creek Park. Edwards replied it is currently vacant. Roath noted they should get someone assigned to it and asked for a consensus on how big of a priority this line item is. Carter stated since it's listed out under 2024,he doesn't feel the need to worry about it much right now, noting it's a$20,000 item four years from now. Roath said not to worry about what year it's in for the document,he is asking if French Creek Park is something the Commission wants to focus on. He noted they will get someone assigned to that park,they will leave it in 2024 for now and if anyone proposes that the Commission work on that sooner or later or not at all,they can take it up at that point. Roath asked if any Commissioners have an interest in that park. Edwards explained for anyone who has not been to French Creek Park that it is a nature park and is basically a trail that goes around the former sewage lagoon before they integrated with the Met Council. It is now a haven for water fowl, and said the past projects at the Park have been restoration of prairie and a few Scout projects putting up benches to view the water fowl. He said it's not a complicated park. Berg said it's more a wildlife area. Carter suggested as they go into next year,in the same way they've done for the golf course and trails for the parks,to have a strategic approach to the priorities. He noted he has a tough time doing it this way, although they should get through it as they are halfway. He thinks if they were able to look at a column and understand what is the No.2 priority and the money is there, it makes sense. He said it's kind of throwing darts to him. Roath replied there is a page that lists the 2020 focus parks,for instance the French Creek Park is not on there for 2020 as it's not a focus. Edwards stated one of the things the Commission has done in the past is to drive what Committees they want as some of the projects come forward, for example East Long Lake Trail, as it marched forward on the calendar,the Commission formed a committee to help steer what that would actually look like. Roath said he was using the CIP to start that prioritization and noted they could go alphabetically by park name;however,they want to do it, but it should align with the focuses in 2020 and 2021. Page 9 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Edwards continued on in the presentation with Hackberry Park and said not to worry about the date on Hackberry,he put in$300,000 as a placeholder. He said the Park is over by Long Lake and the is an odd shape from an aerial view as there is one private property that sticks into it like a finger. Back in 2016 or so,the City came to an agreement with the property owners and the City bought out the property but the residents get to live there as long as they wish to. He said the idea is at some point when that property reverts to the City,they would create a master plan for the entire park and noted it currently has a playground,two little league ball fields, an ice rink that hasn't been used in 5-6 years and a basketball court. The baseball areas need some work,the entire park has some drainage issues that might be resolved in the big picture and most recently they've been able to facilitate field sports using the out fields for flag football, lacrosse and soccer. He noted this line item is a made-up number with a made-up spot on the calendar,but something that may not be too far down the road and they perhaps want to start thinking about putting a group together to look at the plan when the time comes. Roath suggested the Commission at least put together some sort of vision plan for French Creek Park as one of the focus parks for 2021. He said the park is used by the baseball association, so perhaps partnering with them might also be good. He clarified with Edwards that there is a placeholder in the CIP for$300,000. Edwards said he used that number as a roundabout figure based on what something like a Beiderwood project would cost. Roath asked for volunteers who would like to participate in that steering and vision group for French Creek Park. Edwards moved onto Antoine Park and stated the playground equipment is on a replacement cycle; the Commission makes the assumption that a playground lasts 15 years so they space all the playgrounds out and replace them in cycles every 5-7 years. He said some playgrounds last longer so as they get closer, if Antoine is still looking fine,they have the option to move the date back or switch to another park with greater needs. Roath said Crystal Bay Park is another one they should start thinking about in 2021. He asked if Keller lives in that neighborhood and noted Hudson is in that neighborhood. Keller answered in the affirmative. Roath said he doesn't know when the timing would play out,noting it's a great piece of land and the park has lots of potential being right next to the trail. If Keller and/or Hudson wanted to lead a group to at least start talking about that and come back to the Park Commission with a proposal based on the neighborhood,growth and demographics. Keller replied that sounds good. Roath noted on the CIP it is 8-10 years from now but the line item is another$300,000, similar to Hackberry. Continuing on in Exhibit A,Roath asked about the Golf Course Wetland and Fairway No. 4 Improvements Edwards said that is based off a 2007 study done by Minnehaha Creek Watershed District about various improvements in the Watershed and one of the proposals was looking to redo the No. 4 Fairway and the Page 10 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Wetlands. He noted if you go out past the Golf Course there are a series of ponds and wetlands that run along Orono Orchard Road. He said it became a topic around 2017 with the Watershed District again, and more recently Edwards' personal feeling is he is less and less confident that it will ever happen. He said he has left it on the CIP as it was an aspiration at one point. Roath said under Golf Course,they have$10,000 per year as it makes sense for the equipment replacement. He noted he is on the Golf Course committee and he hasn't sat down with Staff to talk about it all year and perhaps the Fall is a good time to do that and reprioritize along with what the CIP states. Edwards noted the big items listed under Golf Course as Priority 5, 6,and 7 originated from a mini master plan that the City did for the Golf Course with the Commission. He said he's pushed all of those back in the calendar as he hasn't been sensing a great ambition to do them,however they were important at one point. Roath said Goehring perhaps has his own priorities that the Commission needs to incorporate. Keller asked if they were referencing the Orono Golf Course. Edwards answered that is correct and that is a municipal golf course. The Commission continued on in Exhibit A with Lake Access Points. Roath asked why the dock at Sandy Beach isn't under the Lake Access Points category. Edwards replied that Sandy Beach is a named Beach and a named Park. The Lake Access Points, of which there are approximately 50,for the most part are either forfeited pieces of property which abut the lake or are parts of old right-of-way. He noted Lydiard,Pasco, Sandy, etcetera are considered fire lanes and they were platted right-of-way and were never developed with actual pavement or roadway but lead down to the lake. Berg said Lydiard Beach is platted as Lydiard Avenue. Edwards replied that is correct and they just use it as a beach. He said regarding the others listed as Lake Access Points,some are more recreational than others, a bunch of them are purely drainage ways without much function otherwise,but several are active and used for either recreational or lake access. He noted a follow-up item that talks about the four Lake Access Points where there are docks. Edwards said the $10,000 line items they see in the future are placeholders to remind them to look at Access Points and picking one that needs to be refreshed,for example gravel-ways leading to the lake which are only used in the winter for access for snowmobiles. Roath shared a follow-up point regarding the work that needs to be done in clarifying the policy around the Lake Access Points. Edwards replied they would get to that topic tonight. Page 11 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Carter moved onto the Trails line items and said he thinks he can group those together with a couple questions. He asked Edwards if the CR6 OCB Willow Trail is one of the priorities as he doesn't see it on the CIP. Edwards noted that is a refresher and major maintenance effort,and it is the last of the existing asphalt trails that has not been done. Carter asked about trail access to Lowry Woods,noting on his list it's not No. 7 and he asked if his list was incorrect. Edwards replied it could be his own list that was incorrect and he would clarify that. Carter noted on his list he has Bayside Road Trail,rather than trail access to Lowry Woods. He said he didn't think that was a priority as it's for people who don't know there is no legal publically owned path into Lowry Woods,rather both ends are private,but it seems to work. He noted County Road(CR) 19 is not on the list and stated it's a bit of a long story;while the bridge was out, Carter spent quite a bit of time talking to people at Hennepin County about the possibility of trying something like a pop-up trail on CR 19 from 15 to the bridge on the Orono side(while the road was closed),however it did not work. He did get them to confess that the next mill and overlay is probably 10 years away and it would be very difficult to get something to happen there,but it is the No. 8 priority so it should be on the CIP, even if it's blank for 10 years. Berg said Hennepin County wanted to go all the way down through Shorewood and Tonka Bay, and she was on that committee. Carter said it would be an entire project in itself to get other communities to go along, and if they put a trail committee back together,he would definitely revive the idea,but it's not imminent in terms of spending money. He said unless they think the$1,000,000 trail will happen,he would suggest moving a higher priority trail up,which is the North Arm for Legacy Park into 2022, but they could wait and see what happens with that project. Edwards said one thing he is looking for from the Commission is an initial inkling of how important the trail is going all the way out as Hennepin County will be working on final design of the road project in the Fall of 2020 and will be looking to the City to tell them whether or not they are incorporating a trail in the design as they move forward. He said that is one of the questions he will bring before the City Council, as well. He stated although it's not projected for several years,the City will have to make a preliminary decision on it shortly. Carter said he just can't imagine that. Edwards said he can't either but it was something people felt strongly about for a while. Roath asked who felt strongly about it. Edwards noted when the Committee met it would've been former Commissioners Ruegemer,Johnson and himself a year ago, and they had it as a No.4 priority but they didn't have numbers for anything, noting if they knew it would be$1,000,000 it would not have been at the top of the list. Page 12 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Carter's advice would be to move Priority No. 3 (Trail along North Arm drive to Lakeview Legacy Park) into 2022 and either take out the CSAH 112 Trail out entirely or move it out and say if a miracle happens, they would support it. Carter noted on the previous page it says the Council has proposed a$50,000/year dedicated levy and asked if that is something they are still to vote on. Edwards replied yes,the Council will not make the final decision for the 2021 levy until the December Council Meeting. He noted at the preliminary budget meetings to date they have said that is one of their goals and their direction to Staff has been to include that in the levy. Carter said if that happened,on the following page it shows the negative balance of the Park Dedication Fee if they spend$929,000 it is-$915,989, so if they add$50,000 instead of subtracting$929,000 there is actually money for at least a couple of years without any backfilling from development projects. He said it's up to Edwards whether it makes sense to slide it to the right or just take it off the list,but he would suggest that it's not a priority for the next couple of years. Roath asked if Edwards has what he needs to get back to Hennepin County. Edwards said it would be something he would like to hear from the Commission with a formal motion. Carter proposed to shift the priority of the North Arm Drive Trail and eliminate the CSAH 112 Trail from the Capital Investment Plan. Roath said before they propose he'd like to ask a question about the CR6 Trail(OCB to Willow) Improvement. Carter said he agrees that should happen in 2022,and if they're spending between$50-$100,000/year they may be able to continue with the funding they will add. If they slide North Arm Drive to the left, they've got a year to plan for what they might do in 2023 if there is funding. He said he's not sure if they should take Priority No. 4 (CSAH 112 Trail)off completely or slide it to the right. Edwards noted in practical terms, if they don't build the trail while the road project is going on,they don't build a trail. He said the reason it's only approximately$900,000 and not more is because the County needs to do all the rough grading for the road, so that cost is already there and absorbed by the State turn- back funding. He stated this number is just the extra things that are needed and if they had to do the rough grading themselves the number would be through the roof Carter said realistically they would need to design the trail at the same time,rather than coming back later. He stated in that case,he is fine taking it off. Roath moved, Carter seconded to remove Trail Priority No.4(CSAH 112 Trail)which is currently slotted for 2022,from the CIP.VOTES: Ayes 6,Nays 0. Roath asked regarding moving Priority 3 (North Arm to Lakeview Legacy Park) up to 2022, can Carter sell the rest of the Commission on why they should move that up a year. Page 13 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Carter replied they had three top priorities they thought they could get done in a couple of years, which is at least one per year. Klaahsen said she supports that and personally feels the trails are more beneficial in the residential areas versus on the County Roads that don't have homes and children who want to use the trails. She noted it is a very residential area and she thinks it would be a great addition. Carter thanked Klaahsen and said having it closer gives Edwards some direction if he needs to do any legwork in 2021 to plan for the project or get something organized. Roath asked if the County Road 6 line item move to 2023. Edwards answered that it could,but again it's a pavement rehabilitation project. Carter said it's not a bad idea to flip those two line items. Roath noted the proposal is to move Trail Priority No.3 (Trail construction along North Arm drive to Lakeview Legacy Park)from 2023 to 2022,and move the Maintenance of County Road 6(OCB- Willow)Improvement from 2022 to 2023. VOTE:Ayes 6,Nays 0. [NOTE TO STAFF: there was no motion or second on this proposal.] Roath asked what Priority No. 1 is. Carter replied it is East Long Lake Trail. Roath clarified that now everything gets bumped up. Carter answered in the affirmative and said he would follow up regarding East Long Lake Trail,Lowry Woods and Bayside Trail and get that straightened out. Roath asked Edwards to educate the Commission on what a Tool Cat is under Equipment on the document. Edwards replied the Equipment CIP is generally Staff driven,based on the needs to support the City. He said most of the things under the Equipment line items are things for the Golf Course which are coming to the end of their life. Staff had some of the Equipment earlier on the calendar,noting the Tee Mower, Greens Mower and Top Dresser were projected for 2021 but there were some funding issues with the Equipment Outlay Fund so those have been pushed back to 2022 as they wait to see how it pans out. Edwards explained a Tool Cat is a name brand from the fine folks at Bob Cat and it looks like a robust golf cart or a Polaris All-Terrain vehicle. A Tool Cat functions with all of the Bob Cat accessories, and as there is an aspiration by the City Council to take on the maintenance of the regional trail network as it goes through Orono,they are proposing to procure one primarily for winter maintenance of trails. The Tool Cat is smaller and can fit down a sidewalk and works with all of the City's existing accessories such as the snow blower and sweeper drum. The purchase would include a Tool Cat,an articulating snow blade,and a material dispenser for de-icing. Edwards said the nice thing about the Tool Cat is that it also has a summer function in general park maintenance and because it is a wheeled vehicle rather than a skid steer Bob Cat,it is much more user-friendly on turf. Page 14 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Roath said he thought they had discussed that the Dakota Trail might be like the Three Rivers Trail, and maintaining it in the winter. Edwards noted Three Rivers does not provide winter maintenance for any of their trails,they very graciously allow municipalities to maintain their trails in the winter if they so choose. He said recently they have tried to provide more enticements, for example, Three Rivers will provide the municipalities $500 per mile of winter trail maintenance,which isn't nearly enough to maintain a mile of trail throughout the winter, and that has been one of their strategies for their funding shortfall. Edwards noted he is prejudiced as a public works guy,he personally believes that every government entity ought to take care of their own stuff, and that the City tax base is there for them to take care of City amenities,the County tax base is there for County amenities, State,Federal,and so on. However,there is currently some political will for the City to take that over,and there is a bit of precedent in that historically; Orono has always maintained the Independence Trail in the winter,primarily because it connects to the City's trails and functions as a sidewalk for the school. The current guidance from the City Council is to look into taking care of the Dakota Trail from boundary to boundary and perhaps even offering to Minnetonka Beach and Spring Park that Orono might maintain their sections as well. Roath remembered conversations in the past regarding whether they even want them, and there is an argument that the City shouldn't be clearing the snow off the trails. Nevertheless,all that aside, if they don't use the Tool Cat for plowing the Dakota Trail,the City would still use the Tool Cat. Edwards replied they would still use the Tool Cat for their existing sidewalk and trail network,which they've been trying to do with skid steers, a small tractor and some light pick-up trucks,but they are sub- optimal for the task. Edwards continued on in the document and noted the final part of the CIP is Lurton Park,which has its own fund which was set up when the park came to the City and is now being refreshed with the annual dog permit fees collected. He said the$4,000 listed for Prairie Maintenance Contract is just for some visibility,it's an operational maintenance thing that comes out of that fund,and is just to maintain the existing prairie at the park. He noted a couple years ago they did some trail improvement with gravel trails and it is proposed in 2021 to do another round of that to the tune of about$20,000 which would double the amount of improved trail. Carter asked what the current balance is and how much it goes up per year. Edwards said Park Passes come in at about$15,000 per year and the projected balance is about$7,000 at the end of next year(2021),noting they would spend$24,000 and bring in$15,000 and he can't remember quite what the current balance is right now. Carter said it sounds like a good idea. Edwards noted on Exhibit B,the Park Fund is almost exclusively funded from Park Dedication Fees, which he explained is when a development occurs in the City, an ordinance requires that the developer either provides a recreational space as part of the development or provides a certain dollar amount(based on a formula regarding how many lots they're creating)and that is what has traditionally funded the Park Fund. He said they've had many big projects lately so that fund has gone from the$500,000 range down to almost$0 now. He stated the City Council has recognized that and wants to dedicate$50,000/year in levy to that fund. He thinks the Council has aspirations of growing the Park Fund if they can put more of Page 15 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. the levy into it without increasing the levy overall. He noted that the levy is what property owners pay their City property taxes into. Roath wants to include any aspirations for Big Island Capital Improvement. Carter asked regarding the$1,050,235 Park Fund Expenditure for 2022 on Exhibit B, if that number should or shouldn't include the Golf Course Equipment listed on Exhibit A, as that Equipment is funded somewhere else. Edwards replied all of the equipment comes from the Equipment Outlay Fund(EOF),however the EOF is back-funded by, in this case,the Park Fund. He clarified money is transferred out of the Park Fund into the EOF to roughly cover anything Parks related. He said the same thing happens regarding anything sewer related it comes out of the Sewer Fund,if its water related it comes out of the Water Fund. Carter asked which revenue line is paying for the Golf Course Equipment,the Park Dedication Fee or the levy or something else. Edwards replied it would eventually come out of the Park Fund,which is currently funded by Park Dedication Fees, but if approved in December,will also include$50,000 coming from the levy into it. Carter asked if the levy into the Park Commission is just to pay for the Golf Course related items. Edwards said in a particular year,the Commission could say that$50,000 would be Golf Course Equipment that year. He noted on the Fund Balance Projections,he put the$50,000 projected from the levy and the second$50,000 is just an estimate based off of a typical year in dedication fees. He said some years they bring in$200,000 and some years $15,000,it depends on what developments might happen. He said they do not foresee any major developments the size of Lakeview or even Orono Preserve in the near future, and noted those are the ones that bring in the$200,000-$400,000 in a year, and most of the developments on the horizon are 6-7 unit developments which don't bring in enough cash. Carter asked if the Golf Course makes money. Edwards replied no,the Golf Course traditionally loses money and is usually subsidized by the General Fund. Roath noted that Carter brought up a good question,they talked about the Tool Cat but didn't go through the Tee Mower,the Greens Mower,the Top Dresser and asked if that all needs to be done in 2022. Klaahsen said Edwards pushed those back a year. Edwards agreed and said they pushed those back a year and if Goehring were there,he'd be begging to move them back to 2021 but they just don't have the funding forecast for that. Carter said as long as it wouldn't prevent the Commission from doing the North Arm Drive Trail, if they got to the point where could either improve a park or buy equipment for the Golf Course,he would want to wait. Carter also said to answer the question regarding Big Island Park,the project will be underway very soon,the panels have been installed and previously there was a shortfall in private funding and much Page 16 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. of it was covered by the City,but they still left approximately$25,000 on the table of the match from the DNR. He said now there is an option for people to have a small brass plaque on a picnic table or a sitting stone for$2,500 for(half of a picnic table) or$650(for half of a sitting stone), and they have two tables and three stones committed so far. He is hopeful they can spend as much of that$25,000 as possible and his guess is that is the last of the projects at Big Island for a while,but there is a bonding request for $300,000 that could happen if there is ever a bonding bill. As far as Carter knows,there is not a requirement for the City to put money in as it's not a match. He said if that doesn't happen,the Big Island Legacy will most likely fold up its tent and go away;however,if it does happen,they would try to raise money to do a similar sized project. He said the first project was between$400,000-$500,000 and they already have ideas on how to easily add another bathroom,build a shelter and add additional trails, but he doesn't envision coming to the City for additional funding. Carter closed by saying they would likely wait to do a grand opening next year and hopefully they will not have to wear masks,the project is done and the weather is beautiful. Roath noted Seven Nations Park is the other park they've talked about in the past that didn't make it onto the CIP. He said the park is a cool nature space that is surrounded by neighborhoods and could use some TLC regarding a driveway,parking lots, some tree removal and beautification in adding some natural gardens. He said a few Commissioners walked the park a couple of years ago and had that idea, although they've never put pen to paper. He stated it's a park that hasn't been touched in years and it is a natural park but it could serve many residents who live nearby. Berg reported it was former Commissioners Brenda Johnson and Julie Ruegemer who took that park and Johnson was very much for working on Seven Nations Park but since she's been gone,they haven't really concentrated on it. Klaahsen said with Seven Nations Park as well as French Creek being nature areas,the Commission could pick one or the other to focus on this year and look at the other the next year. Roath agreed they could do that and said they don't need a motion, and clarified that the proposal is that they don't add Seven Nations Park to the CIP at this point as a focus for this year, but perhaps they revisit it for the CIP again next year. Klaahsen answered in the affirmative and proposed the Commission focus on French Creek Park in 2021 and move Seven Nations Park to 2022. Roath added it would be with the idea that if the Commission wanted to do something,they could still add it in the 2024-ish time period. Berg said they need to look at both French Creek and Seven Nations and evaluate what they want to see there. She said they could put Seven Nations on the CIP but move it out in the future. Carter said in that spirit he wanted to remind people that the Commission did a drive-by visit of a park that most people don't know exists on the West end of Big Island called Pleasant View Park,which has a wide fire road access out to the lake. He stated he goes there often, either in his canoe or on skis and he thinks they should also talk about that area at some point but he also wants to get through Big Island Park first,which could be done in six months or six years. He noted at some point he would probably bring it back to the group. Page 17 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Roath asked if Carter proposed adding Pleasant View Park to the CIP. Carter replied he doesn't think it is necessary,noting Edwards added it to the official list of parks which was good. Roath said in the past five years,the Commission has made a lot of improvements and the City has spent a lot of investment in parks and trails,noting Lurton, Saga Hill,East Long Lake Trail,Big Island,and many good things have happened. He thinks this Commission should think about having some focus on major improvements to certain parks every two,three or four years. This would help to spread it out and also help them get to the parks they really haven't touched. He said if he characterized what this CIP is saying,the Commission is putting some money into trails in the near term, with Hackberry as the next big park which is slotted for 2024, and there are some things to do at the Golf Course,perhaps, as well as the trails in the years following up until another big park improvement in 2028. He said if this holds true that is great and they've added two more in the next 10 years, noting a lot of work has been done on the trails and many smaller projects here and there. After 10 years,the parks that would still be unfinished would be French Creek, Seven Nations and Pleasant View(although that wouldn't be a major project). He asked if the Commissioners are good with this as the long-term strategic perspective. Roath thanked Edwards for going through the document and although it took a while,he thinks it was a good tool to introduce Keller to what the Commission is doing and to recap for everyone else what the next couple of years might look like. Klaahsen asked regarding the Lurton Park passes, if they determined that money would always go only to Lurton Park. Edwards answered yes and no;there were aspirations by the Park Commission when it was set up that the Park passes be dedicated to Lurton Park,then there was direction that it go into the General Fund which funds all parks, and about a year later the Council said no,they want it to go only to Lurton Park. He said now the funds are collected and go directly into the Lurton Park Fund. 4. 2021 PARKS BUDGET REVIEW—ADAM EDWARDS Edwards said there are two operating budgets that impact the parks:the Parks Operating Budget,which is what they pay for the labor,routine maintenance and supplies; and the Operating Budget for the Golf Course,which is tracked separately. The Parks Operating Budget right now as proposed has a 21% increase.Edwards said if anyone wants line by line detail of the budget,he is happy to walk through that. He noted under Personnel Services,it is partly a wage distribution which accounts for some Staffing costs as well as general labor or wage increase impacts. The other line of notice is under Maintenance and the increase covers higher contacted maintenance costs, and as they do more improvements on the parks,they will be following up with a contracted maintenance plan,which costs money. Under Professional Services, it pays for the minute-taker for this meeting and as they transition from the previous provider to the new provider,that cost went up. In the Golf Course,there are increases in personal services across the board regarding year to year labor and wage increases. Under Supplies and Maintenance,they shifted the way they are doing chemical applications on the Golf Course, and in the past,they've been buying materials and doing it themselves, and last year and going forward they are looking at contracting that work out. Page 18 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Roath said the Operating Budget shows a 21%increase and asked if they take away the re-categorization of the labor and the 45%increase of the minute-taking of the meetings,is there really a difference between this year's budget and next year's budget. Edwards replied there is not a substantial difference. Klaahsen asked what the percentages are comparing. Edwards answered the increase should be the draft budget for 2021 compared to the budget for 2020. Klaahsen said she's not understanding as$500 is not a 45%increase from$8,400 to $8,900. Edwards said he would double-check the percentages with the Finance Team. Roath asked how the Commission can provide value to the budget. Edwards explained the biggest way is by providing guidance to Staff on the level of maintenance and services provided to the park. If there is an aspiration that particular parks are maintained at a higher service level standard,as Staff prepares the budget for the following year,they can say"the City Council and Parks Commission has asked us to...."He gave the example of Big Island, stating they used to mow Big Island 1-3 times per year but there was an aspiration from the Parks Commission that it be mowed every other week during the summer; a standard changed and they needed the funding to provide that level of service. He said it's a good justification for Staff when they bring the Operating Budget before the Council to say the Parks Commission wants this or that. Klaahsen said she would've expected the Professional Services to have gone down as they reduced the formal meetings. Edwards said perhaps but the increase in the per-meeting cost has gone up drastically,noting he believes they were getting quite a bargain before. He clarified that previously they had an independent contractor doing the minutes and now it is a professional firm. Roath said plus his meetings last a long time. The Commissioners laughed and Klaahsen said the one with the Long Lake Rowing Club was about five hours long so if it's per hour then she understands. 5. ACTIVE LAKE ACCESS POINT REVIEW—ADAM EDWARDS Edwards said this item is one he proposed for consideration. As previously mentioned,there are a number of access points in the City and showed a map onscreen of the various lake access points. He circled in red the points that currently have a dock and put an X on the two in which there have been concerns from neighborhoods. Berg said she did not get the map. Edwards noted the map is not in the packet but just onscreen. He proposed a committee or group from the Park Commission take a look at the City's lake access points—in particular the active ones—and look Page 19 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. at what level of service and rules the City wants to put in place at the lake access points. Regarding timeliness,there has been feedback from the surrounding communities on two of the four active points about how they're being used. He said in particular two are being used as ad-hoc boat launches and that has been causing concern from neighboring residents,although some of the neighboring residents are using them for that purpose and the ensuing parking of vehicles with trailers in those neighborhoods poses a problem. He said if they look at access point No. 15 which is on Park Avenue,that road is about 16 feet wide,a narrow,tiny alleyway,so any vehicle parked there is a challenge. It is the same with No. 22 which is off the end of Loma Linda, a narrow and winding road. He said he'd like the Commission's feedback as he doesn't want it to just be him making recommendations to the Council. He noted the recommendation may be to do nothing and leave it as it is,but perhaps they can look at some solutions. Klaahsen said she thinks it's a good topic and she's had some resident feedback regarding lake access points being taken over by neighboring homes and somewhat claimed as their own and not being very public. Edwards noted encroachment on some of those lake access points has been a historical issue. Klaahsen noted especially the one on Casco, and said she thinks it's a good thing for the Commission to establish standards and if they need to invest in some gates,no parking signs, etcetera,to better enforce their purpose... Berg said the Carman Street lake access points have been an issue. Edwards agreed that Carman Street has been an issue. He noted some of the current Commissioners were here when they had problems with that access point and said one of the lake access points is timely as they will have a major road reconstruction project next year, so if they want to incorporate some changes that is the ideal time if they want to put curb,concrete or different drainage improvements in. Roath noted they hear Edwards' request and when they get to the new Item No. 10,they will take that up. 6. PUBLIC WORKS PARKS UPDATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS—ADAM EDWARDS Edwards reported they are still in the midst of summer maintenance so Parks Supervisor Jason Goehring and his seasonal employees are out there doing all the routine maintenance. He noted one change in the structure:they created a part-time position in the City. He said they eliminated their contracted Custodial Services as they were having some issues and hired a part-time Custodian and to round-out that position, they allocated approximately 1/2 of his time to routine park maintenance. Edwards explained the Custodian comes to the building in the morning, does the cleaning and custodial tasks, and spends the afternoon at the various parks doing the simple maintenance tasks. He said that added a bit of seasonal part-time effort to the parks and so far, it is working well. Edwards said in the next couple months they will be transitioning,sadly,to Fall and Winter and all that entails. He said he is hearing from Goehring regarding that revenues at the Golf Course are up 60%over previous years which is fantastic considering there was a month-long period where they were figuring out how to open the Golf Course in the COVID- 19 pandemic environment. However, once they solved it, it's been gangbusters at the Golf Course, as they've had good weather and many people who have time to do other things and are looking to the City's Golf Course. Regarding projects,major construction at Biederwood is complete and priority is establishing the grass on the playing field;they've taken that on in-house and Goehring has been leading Page 20 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. that,putting his grass degree to work and getting things established. Edwards said if weather cooperates, there will be youth soccer happening by the end of next May. The East Long Lake Road Trail(as previously mentioned is No. 1 Trail Priority),is about 70%complete and Edwards hopes it will be 95% complete in the next week-and-a-half or so,weather cooperating. He said part of the trail is asphalt but there are low-lying areas where the permitting was going to be so onerous to raise the asphalt that it became more cost-effective to put a boardwalk in,therefore the design was changed to insert an approximately 200-foot boardwalk, one foot high off the ground. He noted there is a shortage of treated lumber at this time, as everyone is redoing their deck during the pandemic, and that has pushed the overall completion of the project back a bit as the City waits for the lumber to come in. He said the way awarding worked out this year,the same contractor was awarded East Long Lake Trail and Big Island,so the current plan is as soon as they are done with East Long Lake Road and can shift a crew they will go out to Big Island in the next couple of weeks. As previously mentioned,the biggest change at Big Island are the three additional sitting stones and two picnic tables that have been donated,which is great. He said knock on wood,they will have the accessible trails and the toilet all completed by November 2, 2020, which is the completion requirement on the contract for that project. He noted that is one that has been a long time in coming. Carter asked Edwards about the status of the Rowing Club request and what the next steps will be. Edwards said the Rowing Club presented a sketch plan earlier in the year to get Council feedback and the feedback was that the Rowing Club should continue to put a more detailed plan together. He noted they haven't put in a formal application yet, but the next thing the Rowing Club needs to do is the Conditional Use Permit(CUP)process,which is a zoning and property related process,to be able to build a commercial structure in a residential area. As of today,Edwards hasn't heard that they've submitted the application with the Planning and Zoning Department,and once that application is in it would go to the Planning Commission with public hearings and then before the City Council for approval to issue the CUP. If that happens,the Rowing Club would need to go through the Building Permit process,with specific building and site requirements. Roath said he would appreciate Edwards keeping people in the loop regarding public hearings which is good input from the residents to the Park Commission. He noted they don't often hear how residents want to use their parks and if there are public hearings before other commissions that would be helpful. 7. TRAILS COMMITTEE UPDATE Carter had nothing to add regarding Trails as that had been covered. Roath had a question regarding a sign on the Dakota Trail soliciting volunteers about the future of the trail and asked if anyone else had seen that. Stephens said it is right by his house. Keller agreed there are numerous signs like those on the trails. Carter said he thinks it is for the Diamond Lake Trail they talked about,not the Dakota Trail. Roath didn't realize it was for the other trail. Page 21 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Edwards reported it is part of Three Rivers' public input process,noting they came to the City Council, Staff and other municipalities and now they are in the public input gathering portion of the process. 8. EVENTS COMMITTEE UPDATE Roath said Berg,Edwards and himself are moving forward with a tree lighting event on December 5, 2020 and told people to mark their calendars. He noted they brainstormed ways that it may look different this year and Berg had a lot of great ideas and he(Roath)had a lot of stupid ideas. He said they ended up with something they will summarize and talk with Victoria Seals about it and they will let the Commission those details soon. Berg asked if it is up in the air. Carter stated it is going to happen. Roath replied it is going to happen. Berg said as far as they know right now,it will take place. Keller asked where the tree lighting will be. Roath answered it will be at the Golf Course and the other notable idea is that Santa is cancelling Christmas and he's decided to opt out of this event his year so they will do something else. Edwards reported that amazingly he received a letter from the vendor which was sent return address North Pole with the message saying Santa was not coming this year. Roath said currently that is the only event on the schedule,however in the back of the Commission's mind is still the Big Island Grand Opening and the Biederwood Grand Opening. Berg stated they just pushed those down the road. Carter said they should probably do a Grand Opening for the Little Trail Connection, also,noting they made a big deal of planning it publicly. Edwards asked if Carter was referring to East Long Lake. Carter replied East Long Lake, also,but he was thinking of the Dakota to Navarre Trail. Roath noted they should reach out to the newspaper reporter from the Pioneer Press regarding the East Long Lake Trail to let them know it's near completion. Edwards said he'd ask the City Clerk if they'd do a press or news release on that item. 9. BIG ISLAND COMMITTEE UPDATE Carter gave one more pitch in case anyone wants their name engraved on a stone and stated they are really cool big limestone benches and there are lots of great locations for them. The stone bench is Page 22 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. $1,300 and people only need to pay half of that,the rest is a match;and the picnic tables are approximately$5,000,but it would sure be nice to get a few more stones and picnic tables and not give up money that is free to them and they're trying to do everything they can as a committee. Roath asked what the timing is on the match. Carter answered technically they have until next spring(2021), but to get the contractor to do it now under the pricing they've committed to,they'd need to know by early October. He said he's waiting every day for the information to be live on the Big Island website and encouraged the Commissioners to check the website this week and if they don't see anything they should email him as he'll be checking it as well,and he can use his rough draft email with all the information and send it to the them if needed. 10. 2020 PARK COMMISSION COMMITTEES AND GOALS UPDATES AND REVIEW Roath said they had touched on much of this throughout the meeting today and he appreciates it and what is shaping up nicely is that in January,they typically do work to plan out the year but they already have an idea of what their"focuses"will be next year. This gives the Commissioners time to volunteer for what they want to divide and conquer and to set the goals. He said they will officially set the goals in the January meeting and looking at the list,the East Long Lake Trail goes away as that is finished;the standing Committee for Lurton Park which is currently vacant;the Community Events Committee;the Trails Committee;the Big Island Committee,which may not be very active in 2021;the Golf Course; Hackberry, Crystal Bay and Lake Access Sub-Committees. Roath asked if anyone had a proposal on new or different focuses for next year or if that was a good list. Berg note Summit Beach would stay while East Long Lake goes away. Carter replied it is a good idea to be poised to respond if anything heats up with the Rowing Club and if it doesn't,to do something proactive such as the parking lot or the playground. Berg agreed with the playground and noted they talked about a master plan but she thinks they may need to get past what is going on with the Rowing Club. Roath stated that is a good idea and that stays(Summit Beach). He recognized there are a lot of vacancies and it would be ideal if they could fill a lot of these Committees tonight. Stephens said he had previously joined the Trails Committee and said they've only had one brief meeting since he joined. Carter said Stephens did join them for their last meeting so if they add Stephens' name to that Committee the two of them can handle that for now. Roath told Berg he's looking to fill some holes and if she wants to jump in,he's giving her the first right of refusal. Berg thanked Roath and said she'd take the Lake Access Committee. Roath asked if it makes sense for Klaahsen to be on the Lake Access Committee, also. Page 23 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Klaahsen responded she'd be happy to be on the Lake Access Committee. Berg noted she still has Lydiard Beach and Casco Point Beach. Roath volunteered Hudson(not present)for the Crystal Bay Master Plan,as he lives there and asked if Keller was interested. Keller replied that she is absolutely willing. Roath put himself on Hackberry and said Commissioners could jump in with their requests. Stephens volunteered for Lurton Park. Edwards stated he doesn't want to volunteer him,but they may want to ask Hudson if he'd like Hackberry as he's shown an interest in that park in the past. Roath said this will teach him for skipping a meeting and noted they signed him up for two of the"big" committees. Berg noted they have French Creek and Seven Nations left. Roath reminded the Commission he took out Seven Nations for next year, as they will not focus on that next year. Berg said it could still be someone's committee. Roath clarified that is on the next page, as this is just for the Sub-Committees for 2021. Klaahsen said she could take French Creek and learn about it. She also stated if there are any playground conversations at Summit,Hackberry or Crystal Bay she'd be happy to participate in those, as well. Roath thought Klaahsen was on Summit,but then stated she is not. Klaahsen said she was somewhat working with former Commissioner Ruegemer on it and she can fill in as a third person on that Committee, as well. Roath stated he'd remove himself from Summit and put Klaahsen on that Committee with Berg. Klaahsen stated they'd have the"Jen and Jan Team." Roath said this isn't the be-all-end-all but most of the Committees are slotted and the Commissioners could sub as need for a couple of months. He noted they need an agenda for the next meeting,which is a Work Session. Klaahsen suggested looking at the Lake Access Points. Carter said one of the things they'd talked about in the past was allocating part of a Work Session to pair off/split up and have their Committee meeting right there,noting there would be a bit of crossover. Page 24 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Roath said that is great and he feels like they're at the stage in this Commission where they've finished some big projects and now,they have new members and are(hopefully)coming out of COVID-19. Edwards asked to clarify that the October Work Session would be a Committee-focused event. Roath agreed it would be a Committee-focused event,include Lake Access Points,and he'd also like a conversation around expectations and Rules of Conduct of the Park Commission and being on the Committee, as that is something they haven't discussed in a while. Klaahsen asked if they would still have the sledding events this winter. Edwards answered the Golf Course is open to those who want to use it,but they'll have to decide whether they will open the Club House, as it has been open all season for golf and done things out a window. Klaahsen asked if they could still use the window in the winter. Edwards replied he thinks they could, and at Staff-level they could look at how to do that safely and find a seasonal volunteer. Berg asked regarding Lake Access Points, what will they be doing at the October meeting. Klaahsen suggested they divvy the Lake Access Points up and the Commissioners can visit them in the meantime. Berg asked Edwards to send a copy of the map. Edwards replied he would send a copy and if the Commissioners are willing,they can meet as a sub- group and he can give some history on the things he is aware of. Berg asked if Edwards could send her a copy,as well,as she's not as familiar with all of the access areas and she'd like to educate herself and start going to the sites. Edwards said in the new Commissioner book,he has included the maps,but he can certainly send the digital version and noted they're also available on the Orono website under the Parks or Comprehensive Plan section. Roath asked to add another thing to the October meeting agenda, noting they can put it as the lowest priority;he suggested each of the Commissioners go out to their assigned parks and report back with some ideas and what the park looks like. Klaahsen said she could share the template she used during her beach visit sites and noted it's just an inventory of what is there(i.e.playground,garbage cans, etcetera)and that it is nice to see what is at each of the parks,their condition and any other comments. Edwards said in particular for the new Commissioners,they do not have to wait for these meetings; if they're out at any of the parks and see something that needs attention,they can reach out to him to get Staff to take care of it,and said he's most accessible by email. Page 25 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday, September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Roath told the Commissioners they don't need to feel obligated to go to every park in the next month or two,but he wants to at least get them signed up for some of the parks on the next page. He noted they assign parks so they can divide and conquer and there are some big vacancies such as Seven Nations, Saga Hill,Navarre,Highwood and Casco Point. Klaahsen volunteered for Highwood. Berg volunteered for Casco Point, as she has the beach and asked if that is where they did the plantings. Edwards replied it is generally maintenance as it's in the middle of Casco Circle and is a nature park. Klaahsen said it makes sense for her to have French Creek as she's on that Committee. Roath said he's happy to take Saga Hill as it's in his neighborhood. He asked for a volunteer on the Navarre playground. He asked when Stephens is moving as it is in his neck of the woods. Stephens said hopefully in 6-7 weeks. Carter stated he'd be happy to take Lowry Woods. Klaahsen asked what Livingston Tower is. Edwards replied Livingston Tower is the tiny little park immediately behind the Navarre water plant and tower,noting the parcel is just to the North of it and some people call it ? ?Park or Tower Park but it's now labeled Livingston Tower Park. He noted it was one of the first park projects when the Commission was reestablished in 2014. Roath asked Stephens if he'd mind taking that park as well, since it is right up the street from Navarre. Stephens agreed. Roath said he was out there a couple of weeks ago and noted the water tower is leaking and asked if he should be worried. Edwards clarified it's condensation. Roath noted Seven Nations is the other park on the list. Keller asked where it's located. Edwards explained Seven Nations Park is on Watertown Road between Old Crystal Bay and Willow on the South side. Keller responded she would take Seven Nations Park. Edwards explained it's an old homestead site and used to have a farmhouse. When everything else around it was developed,the property was donated to the City and there has been speculation that it had Native American artifacts,although everything he reads says it did not. However,that is how it got the Page 26 of 27 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Wednesday,September 10,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Seven Nations name and noted in the 1970's there were some events held there by Native American groups and it's some interesting history to read. Roath thanked the Commissioners. 11. COMMISSIONER'S UPDATES Klaahsen noted Sandy Beach looks good,with good buoys and upkeep. Roath welcomed Keller to the Commission. He said they could also use an alternate or two,if anyone had any candidates to suggest. Carter noted they have a full Commission but no alternates. Roath replied that is correct. He thanked the Commissioners for a productive meeting and said they are setting themselves up well for the next year and some good, active work in the next couple of months and into 2021. ADJOURNMENT Roath moved, Carter seconded,to adjourn the Orono Park Commission meeting at 8:07 p.m. VOTE: Ayes 6,Nays 0. ATTEST: Brian Roath, Page 27 of 27