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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-05-12 Park Board MinutesEDINA PARK BOARD 7:30 p.m. May 12 ,1992 MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob Christianson, Bill Lord, Bill Jenkins, Jean Rydell, Pat Vagnoni, Jim Fee, Mac Thayer, Andrew Herring, Paul O'Connor, Beth Hall, Andy Montgomery STAFF PRESENT: Bob Kojetin, John Keprios, Janet Canton OTHERS PRESENT: Sandy Stooke, Ann Lindquist, Tish Osborn I. APPROVAL OF THE APRIL 14. 1992 MINUTES Pat Vagnoni MOVED TO APPROVE THE APRIL 14, 1992 MINUTES. Mac Thayer SECONDED THE MOTION. MINUTES APPROVED. II. YMCA - PARTICIPATION FIELD USAGE FEE - SANDY STOOKS. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mr. Keprios introduced Sandy Stooke, Executive Director of the Southdale YMCA. Ms. Stooke introduced two other people from the YMCA, Ann Lindquist and Tish Osborn. Mr. Keprios explained that what brought the YMCA to this meeting is the field usage fee. Mr. Keprios gave a brief history on the topic. The YMCA has been using Yorktown Park for several years now for their T -Ball program in the summer and for their soccer program in the fall. Mr. Keprios never had a benchmark to go by in the past and so he felt $500 per activity per year seemed reasonable until recently. There is now a charge (field usage fee) of $5.00 per registrant who participates in a youth athletic program that utilizes fields, such as football, baseball, soccer and softball. Mr. Keprios indicated that this year the YMCA has 459 kids registered in their t -ball program. When this number is multiplied out the amount is $2,295.00. Mr. Keprios stated that the Board needs to recommend to the City Council what would be a reasonable amount to charge this community based non-profit group. It was asked if other communities charge the YMCA for field usage. Ms. Stooke indicated that Edina is the only community that charges a fee. She also mentioned that they use Edina school fields as well and do not get charged any fee for that usage. It was also asked what other communities does the YMCA basically serve. Ms. Stooke noted that the majority of the kids come from Edina, Richfield and Eden Prairie. Ms. Stooke indicated that they are now in the middle of a budget year and $500 was budgeted for each sport. Both the YMCA's soccer and t -ball programs run seven weeks. Ms. Stooke brought up the point that the adult softball players use their parking lot, drinking fountains and restroom facilities all of the time. It has been a very good collaborative effort. She stated she is concerned about the amount that the YMCA, a non-profit organization, would have to pay. The $5.00 amount would take a big bite out of the registration fee and she indicated they could not afford to do it. Mr. Keprios noted that Yorktown Park is currently not a scheduled field. Adult softball players use it for their practices only. This field is mowed, bases are set out and the infield is kept level. This field is never chalked by the City of Edina. This is something the YMCA does. It was asked does the $500 pay for what the maintenance men do? Mr. Keprios indicated that a cost analysis would have to be done to determine what that amount would be. Mr. Lord asked what the staff's recommendation is. Mr. Kojetin noted that it would be difficult not to recommend the full $5.00 when Edina residents are charged $5.00 for each of the ten athletic associations. It would be difficult for us to tell our own resident tax payers who pay $5.00 for each field type sport that the YMCA participants, many of whom are non-residents, pay less than $5.00 per sport. It was asked if the YMCA uses other communities fields. Ms. Stooke stated that they do use Richfield's fields also. However, 54% of the participants are Edina residents. It was asked if Richfield charges their people $5.00 field usage fee. Mr. Keprios indicated not that he is aware of. It was noted that Edina's coach pitch program charges $22.00 and this does include the $5.00 users fee. Also adult softball pays $100/team for field maintenance. Mr. Christianson wanted to clarify that for Yorktown Park the maintenance consists of mowing grass, keeping the infield level and having bases there. A lot more work is done on the other softball fields. Mr. Montgomery noted that Yorktown Park does not have a premium field. Mr. Christianson noted that he feels $500 is fair and equitable for the amount of maintenance that is done at the park. Mr. Fee asked if the YMCA could be grandfathered in this year and maybe next year be charged $3.00 per person. Mr. Christianson asked Ms. Stooke if $5.00 is charged does that mean that the YMCA will not use the field. Ms. Stooke indicated that they probably would not use the field. Mr. Christianson stated that the staff recommends charging $5.00 per person per activity to use the field. He asked the Park Board if there is a motion in favor of this? Ms. Vagnoni asked Ms. Stooke if she feels the numbers will go up in their program. Ms. Stooke replied the numbers are staying about the same. Paul O'Connor MOVED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE FEE REMAIN AT $500 THIS YEAR AND CHARGE $3.00 PER PERSON PER ACTIVITY NEXT YEAR. James Fee SECONDED THE MOTION. 2 Mr. Christianson asked Ms. Stooke if there was a charge of $3.00 per person next year what affect would there be? Ms. Stooke indicated she does not know but thinks they would have to look at other options. Mr. Kojetin noted that the reason the $5.00 field maintenance fee came into affect was that the City Council wanted to cut the maintenance budget in half and the Athletic Associations would need to pay a usage fee to make up the $30,000 budget cut in order to keep the maintenance level the same. The $500 charge to the YMCA existed long before the $5.00 fee came into affect. Mr. Keprios didn't think the $35/hr. per field seemed justifiable for the YMCA at that time. It was also noted that last year YMCA fall soccer had 526 participants. This sport was also charged $500/year. So a total of $1,000 is what the YMCA has been budgeting. Mr. Fee stated if the YMCA is grandfathered in this year and charged somewhere between $1.00 and $5.00 next year it would be okay because the YMCA can use our facilities and we can use theirs. It's a good accommodation. Mr. Herring noted that the YMCA is a substantial benefit to the City of Edina to have these two programs. It would be too bad if the YMCA would have to move to Richfield. Mr. Herring noted that he is inclined to leave it as it is. Mr. Christianson asked the Park Board who is in favor of keeping $500 this year and charging $3.00 per person per activity next year. IN FAVOR - 2 OPPOSED - 8. Jim Fee MOVED TO MODIFY AND MAKE A NEW MOTION. MOVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE YMCA BE GRANDFATHERED IN THIS YEAR AT $500 FOR EACH ACTIVITY AND COME BACK TO THE PARK BOARD NEXT YEAR FOR REVIEW BEFORE THE YMCA DOES THEIR BUDGET IN NOVEMBER. Mr. Herring does not feel compelled to review this again, but to leave the amount at $500. No rider to review next year. Jim Fee MOVED TO MODIFY AND MAKE A NEW MOTION. MOVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE YMCA BE GRANDFATHERED IN THIS YEAR AT $500 FOR EACH ACTIVITY. Bill Lord SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED. III. ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION FUND-RAISERS Mr. Keprios compiled information from the survey that he handed out to the Park Board members. The staff recommends not making any recommendation at this time until after the City Council meeting in June when they will make a final determination on the gambling issue in Edina. This will also give the Park Board enough time to look at the budgets of the Athletic Associations that were also handed out at the meeting. Mr. Keprios noted that the Edina Hockey Associations pizza sale fund-raiser seems to be the most successful. They net approximately $25,000. A point was brought up that it seems the traveling teams need fund-raisers because their programs are more expensive where the house leagues can rely basically on the registration fees. Mr. Christianson asked why are we so involved in traveling. He feels that possibly the traveling programs 3 should be separate from the house league program. Mr. Kojetin noted that this would not work. There would be more problems if the two types of programs separated. Mr. Montgomery asked why the girls sports have been able to break away. Mr. Keprios noted that the Edina Girls Fast Pitch broke off from slow pitch because the two sports are very different in how they are played, taught and the rules. Girls traveling basketball broke off because it is such a big sport and there really was not enough time for the EGAA to handle it. It is too big. Also, girls traveling basketball has a different season. It is during the winter, where the house league basketball is in the fall, because of the amount of gym space available. A big concern of the Park Board is that the money raised from funds is equally apportioned between the house leagues and the traveling leagues. Ms. Vagnoni asked Mr. Kojetin if everyone could get copies of the ordinances once they are done. Mr. Kojetin indicated he will see to it that everyone will get a copy. IV. UPDATE ON AQUATIC CENTER AND SENIOR CENTER Mr. Kojetin asked the Park Board if they would like a formal dedication of the aquatic center on Saturday June 13, or if they would like to take a tour of it at the next Park Board meeting? It was decided that at the next Park Board meeting there would be a tour of the aquatic center and of the Senior Center. Both facilities are coming along right on schedule at this point. V. OTHER A. Hockey Ice Time - John Keprios met with two members of the Hockey Association to establish a recommendation to resolve the ice allocation issue. The proposal to be presented at the next Edina Hockey Association board meeting will be to provide all in-house and "C" level hockey teams with 17 hours of indoor ice at Braemar Arena and all other levels of hockey 27 hours of indoor ice. In addition, the recommendation is to eliminate the Reimann Tournament this year and alternate it with the Squirt Tournament every other year. The balance of indoor ice would then be distributed to all teams in a lottery fashion at a point in time when all coaches have had an opportunity to have their team parents meetings. PAUL O'CONNOR MADE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THIS RECOMMENDATION AND ENCOURAGE THE EDINA HOCKEY ASSOCIATION TO ACCEPT THIS SOLUTION. JIM FEE SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. B. Tennis Courts - Mr. Montgomery asked when the Garden Park tennis courts would be rebuilt. Mr. Keprios explained that this is the busiest time of year with programming and construction projects and hopes to begin the process soon. Mr. Kojetin explained that the best time to resurface and rebuild tennis courts is actually in the Fall of the year. Mr. 4 Montgomery expressed a concern that the tennis courts are getting very little use and we should consider eliminating some courts and not spending the money to maintain them. C. Tournaments at Van Valkenburg - Mr. Montgomery asked about the issue of allowing beer sales at Van Valkenburg Park softball complex. Mr. Keprios explained that the beer issue is being addressed as part of the ordinance codification and that the current recommendation would allow groups to sell beer at special events, such as tournaments, at Van Valkenburg Park with a time stipulation that the same group could not get another temporary beer license until a certain period of time has elapsed. The recommendation is to not have the City of Edina get involved in selling beer as an organization and would continue to prohibit park users to bring in and consume their own beer at the Van Valkenburg Park site. D. Sherwood Park - The playground equipment is now installed at Sherwood Park and the contractor is now finishing the installation of the rubberized safety surface material pathway that makes the equipment accessible for persons with disabilities. E. Arbor Day_- Mr. Kojetin noted that 50 Oak trees were planted at Arneson Acres on Arbor Day. Thirty of these trees were planted from seedlings that were taken from Tupa Park. F. Planting - Mr. Kojetin indicated that at the Crosstown Highway and Highway 100 cloverleaf, Prairie Flowers were planted. The seeds for these Prairie Flowers came from the State. The City received 10 pounds of Prairie Flower seed, which cost $100 per pound. Generally, one pound is planted per acre. However, there will be approximately 10 pounds planted on 1 1/2 acres. Mac Thayer MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:35 P.M. Jean Rydell SECONDED THE MOTION. MEETING ADJOURNED.