HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-01-12 Parks & Rec Comm MinutesDraft Minutes☐
Approved Minutes☒
Approved Date: 2/9/2021
Minutes
City of Edina, Minnesota
Edina Parks & Recreation Commission
VIRTUAL MEETING
Jan. 12, 2021
7 p.m.
I. Call to Order
Chair Ites called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.
II. Roll Call
Answering roll call were commissioners McAwley, Dahlien, Doscotch, Good, Nelson, Strother and
Ites and student commissioner Sorem.
Absent: commissioners Miller and Willette and student commissioners Mork and Nahlovsky
Staff present: Staff Liaison Perry Vetter, Assistant Director Parks & Natural Resources Tom Swenson,
Assistant Director Recreation & Facilities Tracy Petersen, Administrative Coordinator Janet Canton,
City Forester Luther Overholt and Assistant City Forester Owen Palmer
III. Approval of Meeting Agenda
Motion made by Nelson to approve the meeting agenda. Motion seconded by McAwley. Roll
call vote. Motion carried.
IV. Approval of Meeting Minutes
Motion made by Good to approve the Dec. 8, 2020 minutes. Motion seconded by Nelson.
Roll call vote. Motion carried.
V. Reports/Recommendations
A. Forestry Update: Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan
City Forester Overholt introduced himself and introduced Owen Palmer who will be assisting
him in the forestry department until August. He explained that Mr. Palmer is a member of a new
pilot AmeriCore program called Community Forestry Core. He noted this is the first year of the
program and it has been a great help.
City Forester Overholt gave a power point presentation regarding the Emerald Ash Borer
Management Plan. He also noted he applied for another grant with Hennepin County and was
able to get inventoried all the ash trees located on mowed maintained areas of the parks.
Commissioners asked questions.
Staff Liaison Vetter pointed out as replacements are planted due to tree loss from disease that
there are a variety of trees to choose from to stress diversification of the forestry efforts in
Edina so that they are not in this type of situation 15 years from now.
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B. Proposed Parks & Recreation Fees for 2021
Assistant Director Recreation & Facilities Petersen went over the proposed 2021 fees. She
explained the fee philosophy, factors impacting costs and revenue sources for the Parks &
Recreation programs as well as the enterprise facilities. She indicated staff is asking the
commission to review and recommend the proposed 2021 fees to the City Council.
Commissioners asked questions and made suggestions.
Motion made by Good to accept the 2021 fees as recommended and pass them on to the
City Council. Motion seconded by McAwley. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
C. 2020 Work Plan Discussion
Staff Liaison Vetter asked the commission for any additional comments to the 2020 Work Plan
and asked for feedback on Initiative #4 and talk about the capital improvement prioritization.
Initiative #4 - Develop criteria that incorporates sustainability and equity for prioritizing capital
improvements for park infrastructure needs, including playground equipment, warming houses
and core amenities for expansion and replacement. Parks and Recreation Commission will create
the criteria and both Energy and Environment commission and Human Rights & Relations
commission will appoint up to 2 members for feedback on final criteria before it goes to council.
Staff Liaison Vetter informed the commission there have been several meetings on this initiative
with the work group and they are now bringing it back to the commission for comments before
it goes to the City Council. There is a summary of prioritization (not listed in order of
importance or weight) with feedback from the Human Rights and Relations Commission and the
Energy and Environment Commission in the packet.
Commissioner Nelson informed the commission gathering of feedback is a challenge because of
the variety of data points and how that data could be used.. However, she thinks it gives them a
good understanding of what areas they need to look at when they analyze projects that are being
proposed as well as what will they need to tell residents or groups who are making suggestions.
She explained this gives them something they have not had before in looking at how do they
want to prioritize projects in times of scarce resources. They need to make sure they are
constantly looking to protect assets and constantly looking at how factors of race and equity and
sustainability will be reviewed.
Staff Liaison Vetter pointed out that he did mention to Commissioner Nelson that the feedback
from EEC was the most detailed survey and noted it would be a challenge for staff to put
together when they are proposing a CIP project. However, that is really good information for
review when a project is coming up for vote or begins to move forward. They are really good
details to have so it is trying to find that balance between helping prioritize to get things of need
with limited funding versus all of the details of a full project that is up for debate.
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Commissioners asked questions and made suggestions.
Initiative #7 - Study and report on the strategic goal of 15% of Edina land dedicated to parks
and green spaces.
Commissioner Good informed the commission that the work group will be meeting one more
time before bringing back a finalized draft to the February meeting.
Staff Liaison Vetter thanked everyone for their work on the initiatives.
D. 2021 Work Plan Discussion
Staff Liaison Vetter gave a PowerPoint presentation on how the 2021 Work Plan comes together
and how it fits in with everything.
Staff Liaison Vetter went through the five initiatives on the Parks & Recreation 2021 Work Plan
and confirmed that the commissioners were listed under the correct initiatives.
Staff Liaison Vetter indicated as staff they will update the progress on the work plan quarterly but
would still like to keep it on the monthly agenda for any updates the commissioners may have.
He noted council is looking for some progress at the end of each quarter.
Chair Ites noted that he should also be listed under Initiatives #2 and #3.
Commissioner Good noted that the student commissioners Sorem and Mork were interested in
participating on Initiative #5.
VI. Chair and Member Comments
Commissioner Good congratulated Staff Liaison Vetter and his entire staff on managing the
impact and changes due to COVID-19 in the past year. He wanted to recognize the great work
staff did on scrambling to keep things going as best they could in not just having to live with it but
really succeed with it.
Commissioner Good informed the commission he was thinking what a theme for 2021 could be.
He noted in thinking about some of the core reasons why people move to Edina (strong schools,
excellent park system, attractable location within the twin cities geography, etc.) how do they
continue to really communicate the strengths of their parks and their programs through 2021.
They need to let the City Council know the need they have for strong funding going forward and
to at least take note of the great work that was done in 2020. He stated there are 44 parks and
8 or 9 enterprise facilities and most of them have a real true lack of funding to keep them as
excellent as they would like them to be. He indicated this would be a good opportunity to take
the good foundation they have in the strategic plan, the comprehensive plan and master plans in
place and really spend some time continuing to promote what they have but also talk seriously
and directly about what they need and think about five or ten years from now will they still have
the same excellent structure they have today. He noted this is critical if they are going to
maintain and improve what they have. Commissioner McAwley added they need to keep this an
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issue to the community if they want to have great parks for everyone, they need to set up that
fund.
Chair Ites asked how the golf dome is doing. Staff Liaison Vetter replied that with the most
recent executive order they are now going to start hitting on the lower and upper levels. The
dividers are 10 feet apart, so they were able to use every other one. If new guidance is received
staff would review and modify operations as allowed by executive order. He noted things are
picking up and are steady and added they have a good, dedicated staff ensuring the protocols are
in place so when a patron walks in, they feel safe in the environment.
VII. Staff Comments
A. Informational Items
Staff Liaison Vetter gave the following updates in addition to what is in the packet:
Staff received a very nice letter from a resident highlighting several things staff has done. It is
great to hear a lot of positive feedback from commissioners and from the public on all of the
great stuff that staff has been doing.
There are two projects going on along the road around the golf course. There is a buckthorn
management project occurring on the south side/course side of the road. It is not a roadway
expansion it is purely some buckthorn management along that side. In addition, Forester
Overholt is doing some buckthorn management at Bredesen Park.
B. City Council Updates Dec. 15, 2020 and Jan. 5, 2021
Staff Liaison Vetter went over the updates listed in the packet.
VIII. Calendar of Events
A. Upcoming Meetings and Events
Staff Liaison Vetter informed the commission the February Parks & Recreation Commission
meeting with be a virtual meeting.
IX. Adjournment
Motion made by Strother to adjourn the Jan. 12, 2021 meeting at 8:38 p.m. Motion seconded
by Good. Roll call vote. Motion carried.