11-14-12 PRItem 3-2
OTSEGO PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
OTSEGO PRAIRIE CENTER
November 14, 2012
7:00 PM
Call to Order.
Chair Torresani called the meeting to order at 7:03PM.
Roll Call: Chair Peter Torresani; Vice -Chair Charles VonBerg; Commissioners; Mike
Brumm and Susan Krekelberg; Absent: Commissioners Rose Cassady, Triste Freeberg
and Kathy Roberts; City Council: Mayor Jessica Stockamp; Absent Councilman Doug
Schroeder; City Staff: Ross Demant, Parks and Recreation Manager and Sandy
Lindenfelser, Special Licensing.
1. Open Forum:
No Items
2. Consider Agenda Approval:
Commissioner Krekelberg motioned to approve the agenda. Seconded by
Vice Chair VonBerg . All in favor. Motion carried.
3. Consider the Following Minutes:
3.1. October 10, 2012 Regular Meeting Minutes.
Commissioner Krekelberg motioned to approve the minutes. Seconded by
Commissioner Brumm. All in favor. Motion carried.
4. Unfinished Business:
Commissioner Krekelberg asked for an update on the Josh Teasdale's Eagle Scout
project. Parks and Recreation Manager Demant said the project was completed on
October 20, noting that the Public Works Sub -Committee decided that the fire ring
should be located in an area that was irrigated which will help prevent any fires
spreading due to users not extinguishing their recreational fire. Parks and Recreation
Manager Demant said he will take pictures of the completed project and email them to
the commission members.
5. New Business.
5.1. Moving the Prairie Center Sliding Hill
Parks and Recreation Manager Demant stated that at the July Parks and Recreation
Commission meeting the Commission motioned to recommend the sliding hill be moved
to the area North of 90th Street NE and West of Nashua Ave NE. He went on to say that
City staff discussed the cost to move the hill and determined it qualified to be put into
the Capital Improvement Plan for 2013. City Engineer Ron Wagner put together two
(2) different cost estimates, the first was to move the current hill and the second is to
move I and expand the current hill with additional materials that would be added over
time. The estimated costs are for City staff time and fuel which would come out of the
Park's operating budget and would not utilize the Park Development fund or the
Community Facility fund. Parks and Recreation Manager stated that if the current
sliding hill was not moved that the erosion would have to be addressed next year.
Chair Torresani motioned to recommend leaving the sliding hill where it is for
the time being. Seconded by Vice Chair Vonberg. All in favor. Motion
carried.
5.2. Prairie Park Soccer Fields.
Three Rivers Soccer Association (TRSA) approached City staff stating that they are
willing to donate money for construction costs to help expedite the construction of
soccer fields at Prairie Park. (TRSA) at their meeting scheduled for November 18, 2012
will discuss the amount of the donation. City staff is proposing that the initial parking
area to be Class -5 gravel which would reduce the initial construction cost from
$585,000 to $342,300, a savings of $243,000. Parks and Recreation Manager Demant
asked the Commission members if they had any questions that needed to be addressed
for the Commission to feel comfortable to move this project forward, it was noted that
none of the Commissioners had any questions. He also stated that if Commissioners
have any questions to please contact him by phone or e-mail.
6. Parks and Recreation Manager Update.
Parks and Recreation Manager Demant presented to the Commission the plans for
establishing a skating rink in the basketball courts at School Knoll Park. He stated this
skating rink would be in addition to the ice rink at Prairie Park. School Knoll Park was
chosen due to high density housing in that area and the fact that the elementary school
is located nearby. Parks and Recreation Director Demant went on to state that he had
contacted Otsego Elementary's Principle who told him that if a rink was put in at School
Knoll that the elementary school would make use of it. The Parks and Recreation
Department would maintain both rinks with the same flooding truck. Estimated costs to
maintain and flood the rinks would come out of the Park's operating budget. The
possibility of putting ice rinks in other City parks will be look into and possible sites
brought back to the commission at later meetings.
Commissioner Torresani motioned to recommend that City Council approve a
skating rink to be established in the basketball courts at School Knoll Park.
Seconded by Commissioner Brumm. All in favor. Motion carried.
Parks and Recreation Manager Demant gave an explanation of how the rinks will be
flooding throughout the winter. He stated that he would bring a video demonstration of
the process to the next meeting.
Parks and Recreation Manager Demant met with Kaleidoscope Charter School and will
be working on a partnership that would help promote both Otsego's Parks and
Recreation Programs and Kaleidoscope school.
7. City Council Reports.
Mayor Stockamp reported that the City Council is just finishing up on the Capital
Improvement Program (CIP) and budget for 2013. The Administrative Subcommittee
met on November 12, 2012 and is looking at stop signs placed along trails noting there
have been concerns as to whether they are regulation signs. Some of these signs will
be taken down, however the ones at School Knoll will be left up due to the student
traffic. She also stated, voting was very busy and there was some residents where
confused where to vote and what precinct they were located in. A letter was sent to
Wright County requesting more training for future election judges. Mayor Stockamp
also stated the City will meet with representatives from Otsego Elementary to discuss
improvements to the current voting configuration and that parking at both locations
was identified as an issue that will be addressed.
8. Adjourn by 10 PM.
Vice Chair Vonberg motioned to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by
Commissioner Krekelberg. All in favor. Meeting adjourned at 8:19PM.
Written by Sandy Lindenfelser, Special Licensing