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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRMinutes_2021_08_02Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Minutes Monday, August 2, 2021 5:30 PM Call to Order Steve Berseth called meeting to order at 5:27 PM. Present: Steve Berseth, John Maynes, Doug Smith, Erika Saunders (GoTo), Ashley Ragsdale, Jay Larsen, Isaac Schulte, & Carson Cody; & City Staff Dusty Rodiek, Al Kruse, Greg Redenius, Stacy Claussen, Darren Hoff, & Ronda May. Not present: Board Member Andrea Hogie and City Mgr Paul Briseno. Approval of Agenda Motion to approve agenda by Doug Smith, seconded by John Maynes; motion carried. Approval of Minutes Motion to approve minutes by Doug Smith, seconded by Ashley Ragsdale; motion carried. Staff Highlights (Ronda will send out in email next day as didn’t realize she hadn’t and wasn’t able to display during meeting.) Al: Arts Festival went well w/a lot of staff working it. Mowing staff busy watering new trees when not mowing. Ripping up trails at Dakota Nat Park & forming them up to change over to concrete. Forestry busy trimming trees for Streets (sealing), especially Jefferson & Lincoln Ln for BMU, & also doing tree work for Engineering. Pool has had some maintenance issues but nothing major. Steve asked how are trees looking with our drought? They’re hurting & lost a few new trees but nothing more than typical. John asked how we were helping BMU? Al said they’re replacing storm sewer & water lines so some trees had to be taken down in the process. Doug asked about the pool–any idea where it’s leaking water? Al said we’ll look at it after draining it by using a line to go into the drainage system & hopefully a break closer to the drain so fix with epoxy. Stacy: DNP still busy but as not as much as last year. She’s scheduled 3 wedding rentals for this fall & another this weekend. The facility will be closed off during these rentals so signs going up. All summer rec activities & lessons finish this Friday. Hours at pool changed to closing at 7 PM Fri–Sun due to staffing & last day open is Aug 15th ending w/Soggy Doggy from 6–7:30 PM. Pool parties scheduled, & starting to lose staff to college, high school practices, etc. Steve asked if we close off facilities at DNP, does that affect rentals? Yes. He also noted that the water is really low this summer. Yes, Al said luckily soccer fields gets their water from a well. Doug asked if Al knew how much that well cost? Al thought between $6-8,000 & was done within last 5 years. Ashley commented that people here for recent soccer tourney complimented how nice our fields are, etc. She reported SDSU Soccer currently fundraising for soccer facility on campus – by old practice field. Mini golf @ Hillcrest basketball court put up State Swimmeet weekend and will be there about 1 more week. Doug asked if we let public know other than by FB as not everyone has it? No, but feel word spread well as it’s been busy. Dusty said we’ll move it this fall/winter to ice arena, Library has expressed using it, & perhaps set it up at Senior Activities Center. Darren: The red rink at Larson Ice Center was filled & started using July 12th. It’s consistently rented for 16-17 hours per week. Tball done & summer league play about ready for tourney, kickball only as sand volleyball chose not to have summer tourney. We’ve received a lot of positive comments on Bob Shelden & SouthBrook. We have State A Amateur baseball tourney this weekend & 1 more softball tourney (State Co-Ed) in Sept. The turf really helped out the schedule this past weekend with the rain. Darren said we’re hosting a fall soccer tourney, & Ashley said Brookings Futbol Club recently renamed to SoDak Spurs. Greg: Everything’s going well except being hot & dry. Both irrigation pumps are working again, & staff’s been busy trimming & removing trees on the course. Doug said that Greg & staff has done a remarkable job this summer! Dusty mentioned they’ve dug up some of the gravel cart paths & put down pink rock. Dusty: Land & Water Cons Grant received & signed for Sexauer Dog Park. Met there last week & drew up layout. Construction starting yet this fall & hopefully completed mid-summer 2022. Traci at Activities Center retired w/Friday as last day but we have tremendous candidate to take her place but not official. Old Business: Reported by Dusty Rodiek unless otherwise noted A. Bob Shelden Field Update: people loving it. Cody Wright sent text 1st of July–FOB received rave reviews from our fans & opposing fans & told we have best field in State. There are still some things that need to be Page 2 done – drainage that faces 8th St – w/engineering they have plans & hope to get it done this summer. Public art in entryway originally scheduled for Aug install but w/challenges w/supply chain, etc. looking like late Oct & weather permitting. Jay–who’s responsible for clock & scoreboard? Darren said FOB has/had maint agreement for scoreboard but not sure if clock’s working, fixable, etc. B. Parks Master Plan Update: Dusty would like to have special mtg after talking w/consultants either 2 weeks from today or 2 weeks from tomorrow w/GoTo/Zoom so done remotely. They have action plan want to go over & get feedback along w/capital improvement plan, long-term, so thinks in 2 wks can give recap, strategies, potential funding options. Staff will work off action plan. Nothing will be voted upon so presenting & get feedback. Dusty will send out documentation w/meeting invite. Will also have consultants record the remote meeting. Steve–does it seem at Council level this will drive budgeting? Dusty–a tool to put this in front of Council. Three pieces of CIP – what you need to do to maintain what we have, here’s stuff for group we think we can reach w/alternate funding, & larger projects (dream type) that will take commitment from private donors, City, whathaveyou. Council has other priorities than us. Pencil in week from tomorrow at 5:30 PM. C. Community Games: Darren–total of 5 teams, weather challenges, but comments we kept getting back was how much fun & how we were able to use technology to move events around & keep everyone going, etc. Kiley, our intern, did a phenomenal job organizing & contacting teams w/changes as needed. Very little on negative side from teams’ comments. Understand now the need to have teams of 25 & not 12 people so more activities can be participated in. Change up some events to keep fresh. Doug asked if Kiley’s done now? No, still working w/us through school year. Doug agreed she did a great job. Stacy thought it was a lot of fun, different types of programs & events so that anyone could do something so that will help it grow, heard a lot of great feedback. Dusty felt bad being gone before Games & ended up being team capt for City. Honestly looking for it to double next year. Sat down after as group, went over Games, & have notes. Jay asked if there’s a place where individuals could put names to join a team? Dusty said we’re going to create an event page on FB so that would be the place. D. Kart Club Lease Update: Dusty met w/Univ Speedway rep. Had lawn mower races 2 weeks ago w/some other events heading into Sept. Lease (1983) had expired, & they have newer people to work with so had meeting, put together new lease. We’ll get revenue as flat fee w/this year being pro-rated. Thinks good partnership going forward, & we reserved the right to have some potential use up there – mountain bikes, cyclo cross, etc. Jay–maint costs? John–do they maintain liability insurance? Yes. Jay–any places for horses, in case SDSU wants to do some practice, etc? Darren said SDSU has own land so don’t seeing this as use. New Business: Reported by Dusty Rodiek unless otherwise noted A. BISA Request for Naming Rights of Red Rink: Dusty thought someone was going to be here. Handout– rename red rink to First Bank & Trust Rink. Orginal discussion was to add locker rooms on N side of arena but now looking @ training facility w/100% fundraising by BISA. Includes weight room space, add’l restroom space, synthetic ice, shooting cages, etc at $1-1.2 mil project. FB&T will be 1 of major sponsors so naming rights for 10 years. Memorandum of Understanding–they would maintain space, replace/purchase of any equipment. Thoughts? John–has Larson been contacted? Yes w/Dale agreeing to match half of what FBT comes up with. Doug–how big of space? Enclose E side all way to same point as W side–edge of oval to E. Any interference to holding barn? No. John-move equipment? No as upstairs space as well as NE bottom corner. Steve–no $ amount listed in handout? Possible to be paid by FB&T & Larson? No, will need fundraising & Larson will match BISA raises and possible endowment. Red Rink & Training Center $10,000 for 10 yrs & Blue Rink $8,000 for 10 yrs for naming rights on BISA website. Dusty would like this Board to make a recommendation for Council. Jay motioned to recommend to Council to accept naming rights, Steve 2nd; motion carried. B. Golf: 1) Personal Cart Policy: understood that personal carts not on golf course. Gary & Dusty talked & w/advent of scooters, been the question if could be allowed? Dusty’s not opposed if we charge an appropriate trail Page 3 fee but wasn’t setup this yr so used single cart membership as trail fee. Dusty will look for this policy but what are our thoughts? Doug–store carts? No. Volga & CC charges trail fee. Would we allow during tournaments? Would we allow for 1 day? Yes, pay cart fee. John asked what would it do to our cart revenue? Gary feels we’re short on carts at different times. John thinks worth the risk as will include play as long as trail fee charged. Dusty agrees. Darren–Volga $730 w/trail fee, $850 for cart rental. Greg–sign waiver? Yes, Steve drew it up. Darren asked if limit type of carts out there–gas only? No, but will need to get language pertaining to only golf carts (no ATVs). Gary has been allowing a couple carts on course. Consensus is okay to have personal carts. 2) Renovation & Strategic Planning: Handout. Greg, John, Dusty, & Doug met w/Norby Design. We have $$ in cart paths & planning for it. Looking for planning doc to start making incremental improvements to improve current experience & to set us up for newer irrigation system. Would need some strategic planning & to maximize our rev potential. Dusty’s going to contact gentleman from CO–golf course strategist (worked w/City of Duluth). Would like to get proposal from him, scope of services. Outside source to maximize ourselves in the market & business plan to operate off of. Handout for 2022 budget. John–add’l contract w/CO guy? Yes, as this is land feature standpoint & CO guy is from business standpoint. Doug thought excellent meeting, & Dusty’s talked with City Mgr so he’s aware. Doug thinks Norby’s very reasonable & Dusty hoping up to $20,000 for both. John asked if Steve B (City attny) okayed it? No, as Dusty just got it. John thinks Mr Norby very good & great first step. Both Doug & John expressed thanks to Greg for getting him here & setting up meeting! 3) Water Level & Pump Update: Greg – both pumps operating & only running small pump because of H20 level. Water level today up 3” from week ago. John – dropping a well? No decisions except well guy to calm down as we’re 21 on the list for the fall. City broke equipment? Yes, their wet jet but hoping to recover it for BMU. Hoping to completely clear it out of rocks. Water from E into pump pond, connected by culvert. Dusty spoke w/Everist – culvert runs under both traffic lanes of I29 that could pump into golf course but well better in emergency situation. John thought back 9 took brunt of no water? Yes, as those heads put in 1986 so oldest heads, Greg said. None of isolation valves work. What is play? Up. C. Volunteer Prog Planning: Dusty asked Steve to help plan a volunteer prog–what might this look like? Need a volunteer coordinator, someone willing to coordinate program on volunteer basis but Steve politely declined. Steve & Dusty will sit down next month to start planning so if yourself/you know anyone interested in being vol coord please talk w/Dusty. Steve asked if Dusty had number of hrs estimated for the volunteer? Doug–what type of volunteering? Grounds maint, special events help, to anything we do in our dept. Incorporating volunteers will make our dollar go farther. Ashley–age restriction of volunteers? Depends on nature of tasks. Ashley–as incentive of sports clubs points, help City? Hopefully bring back draft sometime this winter. D. Establishment of Mayor’s Award: Dusty referenced email from City Clerk Bonnie Foster. Event Thurs, Oct 7 @ Swiftel Center. This Board doesn’t have award that Dusty’s aware of–would there be interest & what might criteria be? Disability, Hist Preservation, Sustainability, Human Rights all do annual award. Do we want to identify award that Mayor could present from this Board? Interested & what would we look at? Doug thinks good idea to reward people for doing things but doesn’t know what exactly. Steve said possible mechanism could be sports groups nominating people, submitting info to this group. Dusty said yes or could do partnership award, nominate people for it or Board directed. A lot of different groups–sports & other programming. Decide today/wait until next yr. Ashley suggested having 3 different areas & ask for nominations. Jay motioned to consider organization award for this year, 2nd by John Maynes – amended to Partnership Award. John said can study issue for next yr. Motion carried. Press release & will ask for nominations for those affiliated with Parks & Rec. Timeline–Bonnie issues press release/call for nominations in early Aug, nominations due Aug 31st, look at nominees, & then Board vote on nominees. Nominate Matt Bien for Brookings Marathon. Page 4 E. Consideration of Fee for Blvd Trees: Al & Dusty discussed-currently plant up to 300 blvd trees every yr & costs us roughly (tree, man hours, etc) at least $100/tree so roughly $30,000/year. Don’t want to take away but constantly pressed to make budget go farther. It’s $40/tree in Watertown to have tree put in so was thinking $50 here, Dusty said. A lot of trees we put in are in new developments, some without new homes yet or very new so developers benefitting. Al–hard for rentals w/people taking care of them. Spent a lot of time watering but didn’t have much mowing. Al said about 99% of new tree program went into yards. Doug said hard to charge when giving away w/tree program. Maybe do impact fee for new developments? John doesn’t think City has raised real estate taxes in long time? Al said could tack on fee in building permit. Doug thinks developments should be paying. Dusty will have staff gather what other communities are doing & bring back to Board. F. Bike Comm Activity: Steve part of meetings, but main thing most recently is hoping to set up meeting with gentleman owning property connecting to Sexauer & University property. Late last week, Mayor received letter saying we were approved for Prairie Hills Bike Path Extension Grant that we submitted last April. Basically 65-35% match w/City coming up w/35% to extend path going S of Soccer Complex to W to Prairie Hills development to hopefully connect to Dakota Prairie area. Doug thinks 20th St between Christine & Medary–nothing there for trail, across from soccer complex needs something. Upcoming Programs & Events: A. Sept Meeting: Tues, Sept 7, 2021 at 5:30 w/tour of facilities. Doug asked if inviting City Council? Yes, we can Dusty said. B. Disc golf sanctioned event at Larson Park this weekend. Soggy Doggy Days Aug 15 at pool. The Nat’l Guard event scheduled at DNP for 9-11-2021 has been cancelled but still interested for next year. Adjournment: John Maynes motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:19 PM, seconded by Doug Smith; motion carried. Submitted, Ronda A May Ronda A May, Park & Rec Office Manager