ITEM 5.1ITEM 5.1
TO: Parks and Recreation Commission
FROM: Ross Demant, Parks and Recreation Director
DATE: December 14, 2017
RE: Minnesota Medical Solutions Grant
Minnesota Medical Solutions has awarded a $20,000 grant to the City of Otsego to
support local investments in public education and parks.
The City Council has directed staff to put together a program on how the City can best
utilize the funding for this grant with a focus on natural resource education and
management.
Staff is recommending breaking down this program into (4) sections:
1. Edible Landscapes:
a. Using the example of the City of Duluth's program, the City would
purchase up 10 trees and identify three parks to begin the edible
landscape program. Each park would have identification signage that
would explain the program, identify the trees, and encourage residents to
assist with the program (i.e. adopt an edible landscape). The University
of Minnesota provides ample information on apple trees and other fruit
trees best suited for our growing zone.
b. Budge:
i. Trees $3,600
ii. Signage/ Information $900
iii. TOTAL $4,500
ITEM 5.1
2. Pollinator Gardens:
a. Develop a pollinator education program, promoting it on our website and
program guide.
b. Identify parks and other areas where pollinator gardens would be installed
and maintained.
c. Create a garden that educates the community on what the Mayor's
Monarch Pledge is. This would also help with meeting the criteria that
needs to be met in order to maintain our designation.
d. Create an educational programs offered throughout the year (free or
discount?)
e. Make available materials for people to establish their own pollinator
gardens.
f. Budget
i. Materials $2,000 (Seeds, signage, pollinator
garden establishment, educational literature)
3. Rain Barrel Program:
a. CROW (Crow River Organization of Water) offers a rain barrel program
each year to residents within its district. Rain barrels can capture and
store runoff from small to medium size rain events. The water that is
captured in the barrels can then is used to water flowers, landscape areas
or irrigate lawns in between rain events.
b. In 2017, barrels were being sold for $55 each; the CROW staff anticipates
that the price will remain the same in 2018.
i. CROW buys and has delivered about 345 barrels each year to sell
to residents year.
c. Through the grant, Otsego would offer this program to its residents at a
discounted rate and advertise through the View.
d. Using the program registration software, residents would be able to
purchase barrels on-line.
e. Barrels will be delivered to a centralize location, possibly Hutchinson.
Staff would then pick up Otsego's barrels for residents to pick up at a pre-
determined day and time.
f. Rain barrel information and education would be included with the on-line
information on pollinators and edible landscapes.
g. Budget
h. Discounted program for rain barrels: $900 ($10 resident discount per
barrel with an anticipated purchase of 35 barrels total, City would
purchase an additional 10 barrels for City use or future sales )
4. Emerald Ash Borer and other invasive species Education and
Resources:
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ITEM 5.1
a. In 2009, EAB spread to Minnesota, and the Minnesota Department of
Agriculture ratified a quarantine area of a number of Minnesota counties,
including Hennepin, that placed restrictions on the use, movement and
transport of ash wood material.
b. In January 2017, the City of Maple Grove received confirmation from the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture that EAB was present in Maple
Grove.
c. When EAB invades an area there is a characteristic lag period where
populations are too small to kill trees and typically too small to detect.
However, EAB populations eventually grow to a "tipping point" where
population growth accelerates and tree mortality occurs rapidly.
d. Otsego would create a EAB management program that would include:
i. Create a management plan that would include the following:
1. Inventory of City trees in boulevards and parks
2. Create and begin a replacement and implementation plan for
those ash tree located on City property.
3. Provide residents access to trees through the Wright County
Soil and Water Conservation District Tree program.
4. Construction of a gravel bed nursery
e. Budget:
i. Gravel Bed Nursery (Including Trees) $ 4,000
Budget Summary:
Edible Landscapes
$4,500
Pollinator Gardens
$2,000
Rain Barrel Program
$900
EAB Education & Gravel Bed establishment
$4,000
Intern/ staffing for creation of programs and
establishment and maintenance of
landscaping and gardens
$6,000
Funding for 2019 project continuation
$2,600
TOTAL
$20,000
Requested Action:
Staff is requesting that the Parks and Recreation Commission review the material
included in this memo and provide a recommendation to the City Council on how to
proceed with the funds received from the Minnesota Medical Solutions Grant.
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