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.=r,Cn 7 I <br />MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO PARK COMMISSION MEETING <br />Tuesday, January 3, 2017 <br />6:30 o'clock p.m. <br />ROLL CALL <br />The Orono Park Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: <br />Chair Rick Meyers, Commissioners Jan Berg Bryce Johnson, C. Paul Pesek, and Julie Ruegemer. <br />Representing Staff were Public Works Director/City Engineer Adam Edwards and Recorder Jackie <br />Young. Park Commissioner Brenda Johnson arrived at 6:35 p.m. Council Member Elect Victoria Seal <br />was present and Mayor Elect Dennis Walsh was present. <br />Chair Meyers called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. <br />APPROVAL OF MINUTES <br />1. NOVEMBER 7, 2016, PARK COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES <br />Chair Meyers requested the minutes on Page 13 under Item No. 7 be corrected to reflect Navarre Park <br />rather than Bederwood. <br />Pesek moved, Ruegemer seconded, to approve the minutes of the November 7, 2016, Park <br />Commission Meeting as submitted. VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0, Berg Abstained. <br />PRESENTATION <br />2. CROSS COUNTRY SKIING ON BIG ISLAND — RICK CARTER <br />Rick Carter, Race Director from the Big Island and Back Race (BIAB), was present. <br />Carter addressed the Orono Park Commission regarding a cross-country ski trail on Big island. Carter <br />stated he and his wife for the past four years have run the Bird House Inn on Excelsior Bay and that their <br />business tends to be busier in the summers than in the winters. Carter stated that prompted them to start <br />the Big Island and Back ski event. The fourth public version of the event will be held this year, with over <br />200 participants anticipated to attend the event being held on January 28, 2017. <br />Carter stated he and his wife are proposing that BIAB be allowed to create a temporary track on Big <br />Island this year. Carter stated they would like to create a temporary groomed trail in the Orono Big Island <br />Nature Park along existing trails for public use for as long as it lasts. <br />Carter displayed pictures of the groomers creating the trails. <br />Pesek asked how wide they make the trail. <br />Carter stated they typically make the trail 10 or 15 feet wide on the lake but that they are proposing to <br />make the trail on Big Island only one track wide, which would be designed to be a two-way trail with <br />minimal signage. The trail around the island is 7.5 kilometers and the winners of the event typically will <br />complete the course in approximately 30 minutes. <br />Carter commented most of the people that are involved are simply there to have fun and that they do <br />skiing and snowshoeing during the winter. Carter stated he spends a lot of time outdoors doing <br />recreational activities around Big Island and that he thought it would be nice to have a trail on Big Island. <br />Page 1 of 9 <br />