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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.12.17 Parks and Rec MinutesFarmington Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Minutes from the April 12, 2017 Regular Meeting Members Present: Hannah Simmons, David McMillen, John Moore and Dustin Johnson Members Absent: Laurie Suchanek Other’s Present: Recreation Supervisor Ryan Hayes and Parks and Recreation Director Randy Distad I. Call Meeting To Order Chair Johnson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Quorum was present. II. Approval of April 12, 2017 Meeting Agenda Moved by McMillen and seconded by Simmons to approve the meeting agenda as presented. All persons in favor (APIF). Motion carried. III. Approval of March 8, 2017 Regular Meeting Minutes The meeting minutes were approved with no revisions noted. IV. Presentations A. Mike Haley Recognition of Service Mayor Todd Larson presented a plaque to outgoing Commission member Mike Haley for the 7.5 years of service on the Commission. Mr. Haley thanked the Mayor and city for allowing him the opportunity to serve on the Commission. He thanked current and former Commission members he worked with while he was on the Commission. V. Business Items There were no business items on the agenda. VI. Discussion Items A. Review 2017 Annual Work Plan Chair Johnson reviewed the 2017 Annual Work Plan and identified items having been completed since the plan was approved in January. Director Distad shared he would update the document to show which items have been completed based on the discussion that occurred and will include the updated document in the next meeting packet. B. Draft Park Improvement Fund Capital Improvement Plan and Long Term Financial Plan Director Distad provided background information about the two plans that were included in the meeting packet. He reviewed the long term financial plan for the Park Improvement Fund (PIF) and then shared how it would fit with a five year capital improvement plan that is developed for the PIF. Information was shared showing how funding could occur long term through having a two dedicated funding sources that would allow each park to have funds available to make improvements every 20 years. The sources of funding would still have to be determined. This is something the Commission should discuss with the City Council in the future. C. City Council Parks and Recreational Facilities Tour The Commission discussed and determined it would like to have the tour on Wednesday, August 9 starting at 6:00 p.m. so it fell on a regular Commission meeting night and the tour started early enough to allow for the tour to be completed in daylight. The Commission discussed possible park and recreational facilities to tour. Based on the past practice of touring parks that have received recent improvements along with future parks that have been identified for improvements, the following parks were identified for possible inclusion in the tour:  Pine Knoll Park  Fair Hills Park  Troy Hill Park  Prairie Pines Park  Marigold Park The Commission also discussed possible recreational facilities to tour and determined that the Rambling River Center and Schmitz-Maki Arena were the two preferred facilities to tour with the City Council. The Commission suggested Town Square Park be added to the list of parks to tour. Commission members expressed an interest in having further discussion about the tour during the April 2017 meeting. (Recreation Supervisor Ryan Hayes attended the meeting at 8:15 p.m. and introduced himself to Commission members) D. 2040 Comprehensive Plan’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Chapter Director Distad briefly reviewed the 2030 Park and Recreation Chapter with Commission members. He made the Commission aware that a price quoted to hire a consultant to write the 2040 Park and Recreation Chapter would have cost the city between $30,000 to $40,000. Given this cost estimate and that there is no funding available to hire a consultant it will be done in-house. He informed Commission members this meant the 2040 Park and Recreation Chapter will be updated by Park and Recreation Department staff, Park and Recreation Commission and Rambling River Center Advisory Board. He shared there will be a public engagement process used to gather input from residents. During the public open houses planned, there will be questions related to Park and Recreation that will ask the community to identify issues/concerns, wants/needs and likes/dislikes with the current system. Until this input is given, staff will update the areas of the 2040 Park and Recreation Chapter that do not require public input. As this information is updated, it will be brought to the Commission for review. E. Empire Township Park and Recreation Commission Parks Tour Commission members determined it would be best to have the tour on either September 11 or 25 since these were the dates the Park and Recreation Commission in Empire Township has its regular meetings. Distad stated he would contact a member of the Empire Township’s Park and Recreation Commission and work through them to get a date finalized for a tour. Commission members suggested the following parks and facilities should be toured in Farmington:  Troy Hill Park  Rambling River Center  Prairie Pines Park  Schmitz-Maki Arena Commission members wanted to have a final review of the tour schedule once Empire Township’s Park and Recreation Commission has selected a date they wish to have the tour occur on. It was also suggested to Director Distad to have Empire Township’s Park and Recreation Commission identify which parks and/or facilities it wanted in Empire Township included in the tour. It was determined the city’s Parks and Recreation bus should be used for the tour. VII. Commission Roundtable Johnson: Nothing to share. Moore: Asked about the Veteran’s Memorial flag pole and when it was going to be replaced. Director Distad shared the Veteran’s Memorial Committee is responsible for the flag pole and they are currently studying options on how to best reinstall the flag pole. McMillen: Reminded everyone about the Pond and Park Clean-Up Day event that was occurring on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and encouraged other Commission members to volunteer and get involved with this event. Simmons: Shared she would like to discuss how the Commission might be able to connect Farmington businesses to community members and/or organizations to access funding for small projects around the community. It was requested to put this as a discussion item on the May 2017 meeting agenda. VIII. Staff Report A. Prairieview Park Playground Update Playground equipment has been ordered and will have a color scheme of gray, silver and red. B. Prairieview Park Shelter Update Shelter has been ordered and will have a red and charcoal gray color scheme. C. Dew Days Information Informed Commission members about the events Park and Recreation Department will be involved in including the Dew Run and Rambling River Center’s Kiss the Pig and Live Bike Auction Fundraisers. Shared park maintenance staff also supports the Dew Days Committee by transporting picnic tables from the Dakota County Fairgrounds to the big tent prior to Dew Days and then returning the picnic tables to the Dakota County Fairgrounds after the event is over. D. Rambling River Center Plaza Design Updated the Commission on the city hiring Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc. to design the Rambling River Center Plaza. He shared there will be a public open house once concept design plans have been developed and he would keep the Commission informed when the public open house will be held. E. Akin Road Elementary Project Made the Commission members aware of a project that staff worked with Akin Road Elementary School students on that involved the students either designing a playground for Prairie Pines Park or creating a winter special event. He share the boards that are in the Council Chambers are the final product of this project. He encouraged Commission members to look at the boards after the meeting to see what unique ideas the students developed for the projects. IX. May 10, 2017 Meeting Agenda Possible Items The following items were identified by Commission members for its December 10, 2014 meeting agenda: 1. 2017 Annual Work Plan review 2. 2040 Comprehensive Plan 3. 2018 to 2022 Park Improvement Fund Capital Improvement Plan 4. City Council tour and schedule 5. Parks tour with Empire Township Park and Recreation Commission 6. Schmitz-Maki Arena ice season presentation 7. Business partnerships X. Adjournment Moved by McMillen and seconded by Simmons to adjourn the meeting. APIF. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:43 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Randy Distad Parks and Recreation Director and Recording Secretary