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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-07 Park Board Minutes1 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PARK BOARD HELD AT CITY HALL NOVEMBER 7, 2011 7:01 PM I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Hulbert called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm II. ROLLCALL Answering roll call were Members Jacobson, Jones, Segreto, Hulbert, Lough, Steel, Peterson, Neville, Weicht, Fronek III. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Member Jones made a motion, seconded by Member Peterson, approving the meeting agenda. Ayes: Jacobson, Jones, Segreto, Hulbert, Lough, Steel, Peterson, Fronek Motion Carried. IV. ADOPTION OF CONSENT AGENDA Member Peterson made a motion, seconded by Member Lough approving the consent agenda as follows: IV.A. Approval of Minutes – Special Meeting of Tuesday, September 27, 2011 IV.B. Approval of Minutes – Regular Meeting of Tuesday, October 11, 2011 Ayes: Jacobson, Jones, Segreto, Hulbert, Lough, Steel, Peterson, Fronek Motion carried. V. COMMUNITY COMMENT None VI. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS VI.A. Edina Veterans Memorial Mr. Keprios gave the Park Board a power point presentation on the Veterans Memorial. Bob Kost, Architect with SEH, gave the Park Board a presentation on the site review, design concept, options presented, preliminary cost estimate and where they hope to go from here. Mr. Keprios indicated that he is requesting that the Park Board recommend to the City Council the approval of the Veterans Memorial design, concept and location as it is currently proposed. Member Segreto asked if any trees will need to be cut down to which Mr. Keprios replied as it is currently designed there is no tree removal contemplated. Member Segreto asked if the watershed district will have to approve the project to which Mr. Kost replied they will and they have had preliminary conversations with their consulting engineer. Member Segreto indicated that in looking at the maintenance she didn’t see any snowplowing during the winter and asked if that is anticipated. Mr. Keprios replied it is not their plan and if any snowplowing were to be done it would be done by volunteers. 2 Chair Hulbert asked what the maintenance cost of $4,152.00 is for. Mr. Keprios explained that figure is the most expensive case scenario which would reflect the use of only full-time maintenance staff and no part-time staff or volunteers. Member Jones pointed out that she knows the watershed district is willing to offer grants to programs that meet certain criteria. She asked if there is something they may need to do in the design that would affect their eligibility for being able to secure a grant. Mr. Keprios responded that is something that would become his responsibility if the City Council approves this project. Marshall Schwartz, 5528 Dundee Road, member of the Veterans Memorial Committee, talked to the Park Board about the Veterans Memorial and very strongly urged the Park Board to give it their full support. Member Peterson made a motion, seconded by Member Segreto, to approve the Veterans Memorial concept and recommend the City Council do the same. Ayes: Jacobson, Jones, Segreto, Hulbert, Lough, Steel, Peterson, Fronek Motion Carried. VI.B. Edina Aquatic Center Swim Team Use Policy Mr. Keprios recapped the Report/Recommendation that was in the Park Board packet. Member Jones asked if there is a reason for the different policies for the fields and gymnasiums. Mr. Keprios explained when they built the two gymnasiums they needed to establish the recognized bodies that use gymnasium time in order to be able to dictate who has priority access. Mr. Keprios pointed out at this time they do not have a priority access policy for the Aquatic Center or Braemar Arena. Member Jones stated if no swim club were to meet the 90% resident rule then as she read the proposed policy it would go in the hierarchy of the criteria listed with number one being the percentage of Edina youth served. Mr. MacHolda replied that is correct. Member Segreto indicated that she takes great comfort in consistency so if they decide to implement a policy she would favor the 90% residents because that is what all of the other facilities have. She noted that to rewrite the proposed policy to 75% they would be writing a policy to address what is before them and there is something inequitable about that to her especially with the long history they have with the Aquajets. Mr. Keprios explained the reason this is in front of the Park Board is because we currently do not have a public policy that addresses priority access to the Edina Aquatic Center. He stated the question is do you want to establish public policy or not have public policy and have staff deal with it using the best business practice possible to maximize revenues. Member Steel commented that she is hesitant to make a decision tonight as their User Fee Working Group is essentially looking at this and unless there is an extreme urgency she would ask that they hold off on this decision. Chair Hulbert responded he thinks there is urgency because these groups may need to start to find out where they can secure their pool hours. The following people gave public testimony before the Park Board: John Wanninger, 6509 Navaho Trail, Aquajets Jeff Carpenter, 6705 Galway Drive, Edina Swim Club Sally Glieden, 5515 Grove Street, Aquajets Rachel Wittmer, 4706 Sunnyside Road, Aquajets 3 Gracie Taylor, 4600 Oak Drive, Aquajets Erica Evans, 6232 Concord Ave., Aquajets Katie Taylor, 4600 Oak Drive, Aquajets Kristina Taylor, 4600 Oak Drive, Aquajets Kim Jones, 4601 Edina Blvd., Aquajets Amy Anderson, 6909 St. Patrick’s Lane, Aquajets Lisa Wittmer, 4706 Sunnyside Road, Aquajets Kate Lundsten, Head Coach of Aquajets Swim Team, 8986 Deer Run Drive, Victoria, MN Alex Adams, 5129 Wooddale Glen, Aquajets Steve Foster, 1841 Nicolas Way, EP, Aquajets Leslie Nicholson, 5617 Beard Ave. So., Edina Swim Club President Todd Hansen, 6221 Ashcroft Lane, Edina Swim Club Scott Jones, 4601 Edina Blvd, Aquajets Amy Murphy, 5316 Ayshire Blvd., Aquajets Midi Hansen, 6221 Ashcroft Lane, Edina Swim Club former President Van Donkergoed, 9497 Painters Ridge, EP, Aquajets Jeff Rodriguez, Head Coach of Edina Swim Club Paige Bingham, 4626 Edgebrook Place, Aquajets Member Jones indicated if no one were to meet the residency requirement that she would like other people’s opinions on whether they should look at a percentage or total number of residents. She noted they could have a very small group of 30 swimmers and have a high percentage of Edina residents but it would not serve their community at all to have them have total monopoly of the pool. Member Steel commented that is why she is fearful of making a decision right now on a percentage different from the one already established. She pointed out what if there are new associations down the line or one association fails to meet the 90% rule and other groups can step in then they would be setting precedent tonight. Member Lough gave an example of three different swim clubs. If club A had 60% residents, Club B had 50% residents and Club C had 40% residents; however, Club C has the largest team with the most absolute Edina residents on what basis would you choose and allocate pool time under a policy such as what is being suggested. Mr. Keprios replied if they are going to establish a policy it ought to be one that’s realistic and best fits and serves the community at large. Mr. Keprios asked if the Park Board is going to recognize one organization formally as they have with the other sports, then what should that percentage be. Member Peterson suggested someone from staff and a couple of Park Board members meet with the two clubs and try to come up with a solution. He stated if they are unable to do that then Park Board and staff will make the solution for them. Member Segreto indicated she agrees with member Peterson and would rather see this worked out between the groups and staff and a Park Board member or two rather than vote on it this evening. Member Steel stated that maybe it would be fair to propose that if the User Fee Working Group does not have a policy to present to the Park Board at their next meeting that they continue with the no policy for the upcoming season but come up with a policy for the 2013 season. Member Segreto made a motion, seconded by Member Jones, that the Park Board adopts a no policy for the Edina Aquatic Center. Member Fronek informed the Park Board that he thinks it makes the most sense to be consistent and 90% has been consistent across all of the associations. Member Fronek made an amendment to the 4 motion, seconded by Member Segreto to empower staff to make the decision for the 2012 season and request staff to continue to work with the two swim clubs and the User Fee Working Group to establish a policy for 2013. Chair Hulbert indicated that what he doesn’t like about the motion is they are just deferring the problem down the road and he would prefer to hash it out right now. Member Lough stated it’s his understanding if they choose 90% the result would be that staff will still have to work with the two clubs to try to negotiate a solution which is why it is in front of the Park Board. He indicated if they were to vote 75% then perhaps there would be a different result which he is not really prepared to go there because it would be inconsistent with the other policies that are at the 90% level. He noted that he feels there needs to be a little more shaping and wisdom put together in terms of a policy for the Aquatic Center. Mr. MacHolda indicated that without a policy in place it has always been his role to honor the request of the recognized body. In his 26 years in working for the City he has known one swim club and that is the Edina Swim Club. He stated that staff is caught in between and without a policy he would have to go off the same guidelines he has for the past 26 years and without a policy in place that is the direction he would have gone. Mr. Keprios informed the Park Board that when it comes to enterprise facilities they need to do what’s good for business to which they are both great customers. He stated that if the Park Board is not willing to take the step to create policy then they are going to remain status quo. Member Jones stated she has heard two different things that staff would do. Mr. Keprios replied if the Park Board is unwilling to make a policy they are going to carry on with business as they have unless they are directed to do otherwise. He stated that Mr. MacHolda has done a wonderful job trying to resolve this matter at a staff level; however, Park Board is being challenged by a group to create policy and, if the Park Board is unwilling to do that, staff will continue to rent pool time to both groups similar to the past several years. Chair Hulbert asked for a vote on the amendment: Ayes: Jacobson, Jones, Segreto, Hulbert, Lough, Peterson, Fronek Nays: Steel Motion carried Chair Hulbert asked for a vote on the original motion: Ayes: Jacobson, Jones, Segreto, Hulbert, Lough, Steel, Peterson, Fronek Motion carried Member Jones made a motion, seconded by Member Lough for Park Board to develop policy for the following year. Ayes: Jacobson, Jones, Segreto, Hulbert, Lough, Steel, Peterson, Fronek Motion carried VI.C. Edina Senior Center Presentation – Sue Weigle, Director of Edina Senior Center Mr. Keprios explained to the Park Board the relationship between the Senior Center and the Library. Ms. Weigle gave the history of the Senior Center to the Park Board. She then discussed all of the different types of activities, classes, speakers, trips, sports, etc., that the Senior Center offers. 5 Ms. Weigle informed the Park Board that their biggest problem is parking because there are only 80 spots for the Senior Center and library. She noted that she tries to schedule the Senior Center activities during the day and the library schedules their activities later in the day and evening. Ms. Weigle pointed out that Community Education and the Senior Center have a verbal agreement on who offers what so that they are not in competition with one another. She added that Community Education does use the Senior Center for some of their classes and has worked out fine. Ms. Weigle indicated that so far this year they’ve had approximately 50 to 60 rentals to which most of them are during the day. She stated during the evening hours are non-paying organizations that use it such as the library, City of Edina, Firearm Safety program, Adaptive Recreation programs and the Twin Cities Harmonica Group. She added that the Senior Center is also a voting precinct. John Lundquist, Chair of the Senior Center Advisory Council and President of the Senior Center Golf League at Fred Richards Golf Course, informed the Park Board what the Advisory Council does. Member Lough asked which spaces inside the Senior Center they are using to which Ms. Weigle replied they use the Sherwood Room for rentals at night so that a staff person does not have to be there and the Senior Center can be locked up. There are people from the library there until 8:00 pm. Member Jones asked Ms. Weigle if there were more parking does she think their programming would grow to which she replied yes. Member Lough commented that the Senior Center is a real asset to the community and he would like to think they could see that place full both daytime and evening. He stated that it seems to him to be underutilized. Ms. Weigle commented that she doesn’t want to see them compete with the library. Member Lough indicated that he is just saying parking notwithstanding there could be ways to utilize the facility in the evening as well as ways to market and utilize the facility. Member Lough indicated that the city has to subsidize the Senior Center to a fair degree and as with any segment of the population they are deserving of consideration by the City; however, at the same time they are trying to understand how they can best cover the costs of that segment of the community through the user fees and other mechanisms. He stated that in terms of the Senior Center he is not necessarily looking at charging senior citizens more but because it is such a nice facility is there some way they can increase the utilization of the facility yet provide the seniors with the same programming. Ms. Weigle responded that if they were to start renting in the evening they would need to hire staff so she is not sure that would balance it out. Mr. Keprios pointed out they would have to analyze the return on investment and see if it is feasible to have more evening rentals. VI.D. Braemar Golf Course Revenues Analysis Member Jones noted that even though Mr. Anderson is not at the meeting she would like to thank him for creating the Braemar Golf Course Revenues Analysis, it was very helpful. Chair Hulbert indicated that he thinks it may be helpful to see more of this for next year’s budgets. Member Jones commented that it will also be quite helpful in the future when there is a proposed increase in fees and charges. VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS None VIII. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS Member Steel indicated that she has frequently been going to the dog park and that the dog waste has become a significant issue. She stated she thinks the problem is growing because it is getting darker 6 earlier at night and people are not as motivated to clean up. In addition, you cannot see where you are walking and it’s harder to monitor your dog. Member Steel indicated another item that has become a big issue is people are using the park and do not have an off-leash dog collar on. She stated that she knows there are signs and that it’s hard to police but was wondering if they could put up a sign just temporarily saying this has become an issue and if you do not have a collar you need to leave the premises. She added that she has heard some park goers say they will probably not renew their off-leash license if it continues. Mr. Keprios responded this has been an ongoing issue and he will bring it to the attention of the Edina Police Department’s Animal Control Officer, Tim Hunter, and see what ideas he may have. Mr. Keprios informed the Park Board that there is a group that has been willing to pick up on occasion and clean sweep the whole park in return for some advertising. He noted that the sponsor has donated some doggie bags and some containers with their names on them to help us address the issue. Mr. Keprios indicated that they did put some outdoor lights in at the park but probably not enough and they will need to take a look at that. He noted that is something that we may need to add to our capital improvement plan to get that done. IX. STAFF COMMENTS Mr. MacHolda informed the Park Board that the excavation is now done for the flow rider and they’ve started to pour the concrete, so it’s a good sign. X. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 10:11 pm