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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.13.15 Parks and Rec MinutesFarmington Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes from the May 13, 2015 Regular Meeting Members Present: Mike Haley, David McMillen, and Gene Spars Members Absent: Chad Elliott and Rob Carpentier Other’s Present: Parks and Recreation Director, Randy Distad I. Call Meeting To Order Chair McMillen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Quorum was present. II. Approval of May 13, 2015 Meeting Agenda Moved by Haley and seconded by Spars to approve the meeting agenda. All persons in favor (APIF). Motion carried. III. Approval of April 8, 2015 Regular Meeting Minutes Moved by Haley and seconded by Spars to approve the April 8, 2015 regular meeting minutes. APIF. Motion carried. IV. Presentations None V. Business Items A. Meadowview Park Basketball Court Resurfacing Project Specifications Director Distad reviewed the specifications for resurfacing the half-court basketball court at Meadowview Park. He shared that staff is recommending the surfacing color should be tan and maroon, which are colors in the playground. McMillen thought the colors would be a good match with the playground equipment, which keeps the colors consistent in the park. Spars asked if the City is required to take the low bid. Distad shared that the City is normally required to accept the low bid unless there is a compelling reason not to hire the contractor who submitted the low quote. Spars moved to approve the project specifications and court colors for the half-court basketball court in Meadowview Park and the motion was seconded by Haley. APIF. Motion carried. B. Finalize June Driving Tour of City Parks Director Distad asked if there were any specific parks that Commission members would like to drive by during the tour to see. Commission members by consensus identified the following City parks to tour: Hillview Park, North Creek Park, Prairie Pines Park, Marigold Park, Pine Knoll Park, Troy Hill Park, and Prairieview Park. Director Distad will put together a schedule and email to Commission members for review. If the schedule is satisfactory to Commission members, then Director Distad will create a map for the park tour and include it in the June meeting packet. By consensus it was decided the tour would leave from City Hall at 6:00 p.m. and return to City Hall shortly before 7:00 p.m. in time for the regular meeting. VI. Discussion Items A. 2015 Work Plan Review Commission members reviewed the 2015 Work Plan and identified the work items that were accomplished since the April meeting. There was one item identified as being completed. B. Recreational Facilities Task Force The Commission discussed the Task Force and determined that before it could move forward with any type of recommendation, it should wait until the community survey results are known. The Commission discussed that even if the city determined that it would not pursue a possible referendum for recreational facilities in 2016, it still felt there might be some benefit to still having a Task Force assembled to discuss recreational facilities. The Commission felt there was a need to have a continued discussion about a Task Force after the survey results have been presented. C. Solar Lighting in Parks Director Distad reviewed information that was contained in the meeting packet that showed different styles of solar lights that could be used in a park and/or trail setting. Spars suggested to continue to do further research on solar lights and see if there could be a presentation about solar lights from Dakota Electric Association (DEA) to the Commission. Director Distad stated that he would contact DEA and see if they could make a presentation at a future Commission meeting. Spars shared that he works for a company that has an electrical engineer on staff and he would contact this person to see if he could acquire additional information about LED and solar lights. Director Distad shared that he could also check with the company that is doing lighting retrofits in city buildings to see if they have any information and/or ideas that could be shared with staff. D. Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) Historical Cemetery Tour McMillen shared information about an upcoming HPC tour that will be occurring in the Middle Creek Historical Cemetery on May 26th at 6:00 p.m. and invited Commission members to attend. He shared that if anyone was interested in attending, they should meet in the City Hall parking lot at 6:00 p.m. E. HPC and Park and Recreation Commission Joint Meeting McMillen made Commission members aware of the HPC’s interest in meeting with the Commission to discuss the installation of way finding signs in a few of the parks directing park visitors to the downtown area where historical properties have been designated. Commission members were open to this joint meeting, but by consensus wanted to wait until all Commission members were in attendance before a date was determined for the joint meeting. F. Boards and Commission Reception McMillen suggested that the Commission host a reception in December for all city boards and commissions. McMillen felt the purpose of the reception would be to allow each board and commission to share what they have accomplished in the past year and what they are hoping to accomplish in the upcoming year. Spars liked this idea and felt that it would provide an opportunity for some cross training on what each board and commission does. Haley suggested that it could also be open to the public to attend so the public could also hear what has been accomplished by the city’s boards and commissions. It was suggested to continue this discussion to the June meeting and try to formalize a date to hold the reception in December. G. Park Maintenance and Municipal Service Department This item was added by Spars. McMillen shared that he had heard about this in the community and asked if Director Distad would provide an update on this. Distad shared that this item of looking at park maintenance being moved under Municipal Services was identified on the City Council’s Strategic Plan. Haley felt that if this were to happen that it would position park maintenance low on the priority list. Spars was concerned with the size of the city’s population and park system it should not be combined. He further shared that the city should be increasing the staff to help with maintaining the existing park system. McMillen and Haley agreed it would be a good idea to bring this item back for further discussion at the June meeting. VII. Commission Roundtable Spars: Shared that he and his wife were downtown in Farmington when the Flea Market was held last week. Stated that he saw a lot of people in attendance and thought it was a good idea to have this downtown. He also shared that people in the community are talking about the Music in the Park Program that will be held on the fourth Thursday of the month in May, June, July and August. Haley: Didn’t have anything to share. McMillen: Didn’t have anything to share. VIII. Staff Report Distad provided an update on the following: 1. Shared the city will be completing a lighting retrofit on the Rambling River Park tennis courts, which will result in LED lighting being installed and it will save the city money on the cost of electricity to light the courts with a 2.5 year payback time period. 2. Shared the city will be completing a lighting retrofit in the shop area at the Central Maintenance Facility, which will result in the existing metal halide lights being replaced with new energy efficient T-8 fluorescent lights and it will save the city money on the cost of electricity to light the shop area with an expected 2.5 year payback time period. 3. A third project will involve the replacement of existing light switches with occupancy sensors that will turn on and turn off the lights in the building when no motion or heat is detected. It will save the city money on energy costs and will be paid back in about 6 years through the reduction in the electrical bill. 4. A fourth project being completed will involve the removal of two small walls and the roof that comprise the west entrance to the Arena. The existing walls are starting to crumble and deteriorate. 5. A fifth and final project slated for completion this summer is the installation of new concrete curbing around city park signs that have been installed in the past 5-6 years. The inside area of the circular curbing will then have plants and mulch installed. IX. June 10, 2015 Meeting Agenda Items The following item was identified by Commission members for its next meeting agenda: 1. Discuss possible meeting date and time with Empire Township’s Park and Recreation Commission 2. Community survey review 3. Set date for joint meeting with the HPC 4. Further discussion on Board and Commission reception 5. Park Maintenance and Municipal Services discussion 6. Presentation about a Little Free Library installed in a city park 7. Park solar lights discussion X. Adjournment Moved by Haley and seconded by Spars to adjourn the meeting. APIF. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Randy Distad Parks and Recreation Director and Recording Secretary