PRC 2000 12 12CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 12, 2000
Chairwoman Lash called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jan Lash, Fred Berg, Mike Howe, Jim Manders, David Moes, Jay Karlovich,
and Rod Franks
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park and Rec Director; Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Superintendent;
and Corey Hoen, Recreation Supervisor
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Todd Hoffman added under Administrative Presentations discussion of the
agenda for the January 9, 2001 Park and Recreation Commission meeting.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Howe moved, Moes seconded to approve the Minutes of the Park and
Recreation Commission meeting dated November 28, 2000 as amended by Jan Lash on page 38 and
showing Jim Manders as absent.
MEMORIAL PARK, PRO3ECT UPDATE.
Hoffman: Thank you Chair Lash, members of the commission. Memorial Park is an exciting project that
we've been working on with the folks from Hoisington-Koegler for the last few months. Lillian Leatham
and Paul Paige are here this evening. Our sole audience members and we'll give them some time to go
through the plan. Really we're at a point the plan had developed quite nicely. We're at a point where we
need to complete some refinements and then also talk about timing and that's the primary subject
addressed in my cover memo. When do we want to hit the streets with the project. When do we feel that
is appropriate. The trail is about, well about 50% complete. That will take you around the perimeter of
the wetland. It stops right here at this point and then comes around. If you can zoom in Jerry. There we
go. So when Autumn Ridge apartments went in, this section of trail was completed. It dead ends there at
Highway 5 so anybody walking to the north, they stop and then tum around and come back. And then this
section was completed that runs down through here to Galpin and then it goes on street on Galpin and then
it comes along to the back of, what's that called?
Franks: Trotter's Ridge.
Lash: And then does it stop right when it gets to the park boundary?
Hoffman: Yeah. Do it dead ends here and here. These two industrial lots, the large one in this location
and the smaller one here which is really a commercial lot, will most likely be a restaurant. As a part of
their development contract they were responsible for building the other two quarters of that trail when they
develop. And most likely that will occur when this intersection of Century Boulevard is completed at
Highway 5 which will be started next summer and probably completed the summer after. Once this
developer has access here, then these two lots will be sold or most likely will sell and then we would see
those trails. In addition to that, if we're selling a product which we are asking people to make some sort of
a significant investment in, it would be nice to have this park and trail head and some sort of a kiosk
explaining the program and giving directions. And then from that point they could walk out to the
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
perimeter trail. Walk the entire preserve and get the feel for where they would like to see their memorial
invested and come back to their vehicle and give the entire experience. Now the timing of these things is
uncertain so we would like to see the project...prior to that time. We just want to start earlier and not have
a trail so, that's what I'd like to hear from the commission tonight. Then we also want to go through the
whole plan with you and ask for questions or refinements on that. The timing that I see is, we'll take the
input from the commission. We will involve one more rendition of refinements, and we want to talk about
all areas this evening. The elements and then this contribution if you recall when we started that we talked
about how are we going to manage that and how are they going to contribute? Are they going to buy a
specific item or general contributions so we want to go through that. And then we'll do one more rendition
of the plan. Run it through the Planning Commission. Their impacted here in the fact that we're working
in the Bluff Creek Watershed and the Overlay District and that commission would permit.., how this
affects Lori Haak and her water resource position. And then after approval we're going...to the City
Council for their authorization in the first half of 2000 or the first quarter. Probably the first half of 2001.
At that time we'll know more about the timing of these other proposals. There are these other elements of
the park and then we can make a final decision on when we want to put this out for the vote. I'll tum it
over to Paul.
Paul Paige: Thanks Todd. You hit on most everything. The only other item that we're really looking for
input on, of course all the elements and the approach for the fund raising but also just a general layout for
the brochure. There was a draft brochure that we sent, getting at aspects that you like about it. Scale. The
way it reads. Is it complicated? Do the graphics read? I mean we've been looking at it a lot. Probably
too much and it's great to get a fresh eye... And then of course all the individual items which Lil will go
into further detail on describing here. In fact I'll just tum it over to her.
Lillian Leatham: I'm going to run through the plan and describe the plan to you guys and then also talk
about fund raising program that's being proposed in the brochure .... stored natural area or a place where
the people can go for a walk, that has some wildlife habitat and areas where environmental education.
And so the main elements of the park really draw on the existing natural features and there are three main
natural habitats in the park. There's prairie, or there's upland grasslands which are probably former farm
fields. And there are woodlands and extensive wetlands on both sides of Coulter Boulevard. The plan is
to, for the upland grassland is to restore them as native prairies with grasses and native flowers. For the
woodlands there's some areas that have been invaded by buckthom and other invasive species and these
would be restored, removing the buckthom and reintroducing native plants. Forest plants. For the wetland
areas, our proposal is to create south of Coulter Boulevard a large, open water area to increase the wildlife
habitat and also to provide a focal point for the trail system. And along side the open water area, to restore
native wetland vegetation and provide more vegetation for birds and other wildlife. Similarly these
existing storm ponds will be reconfigured and revegetated. Now weaving through the entire natural, the
entire site is a network of trails and overlooks and benches and the main goal of these trails are to provide
access for the site and multiple loop, hiking loops. The trails all convert, oh. Along all the trails would be
interpretative signage and the signage will cover mostly topics about the environment and also the history
of the site. So for instance in this prairie area there might be a sign that talks about how the area was
farmed and then some other signs that talk about plants and animals of the prairie. All the trails converge
at a trail head shelter, the kiosk and parking area and also in this area would be an outdoor classroom
which would just be terraced seating and a small stage for groups to use and a nature center which
environmental programs could be run from. And it would also have a display area and some classrooms,
meeting areas. So that's basically the plan. And then how people can contribute. Right now we're talking
about letting people contribute in two different ways. Either giving with a monetary contribution or with
donating a specific element. And the monetary contribution would, how that would work is people could
donate any amount of money and that money would go into a fund and then annually the Park and Rec
Commission can decide what should be funded based on how much money there is and what needs to be
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
done. People can also donate elements and this could be any amount also from a bench to an entire prairie
restoration or wetland restoration. And people who want to donate a specific element would have to
contact the Park Department and talk to somebody who could talk to them about how much and what they
want to donate. All the donors would be recognized in the parks in some way. Probably a plaque that
would either be at the trail head kiosk or in the nature center when it's built. So that is how we're seeing
the fund raising program and it's in process so any input now and in the next few months would be
appreciated. And then you guys all have the brochure and also I need input into how that's laid out and
what information should be included on that.
Lash: Okay. Can we, are you ready for some questions?
Lillian Leatham: Yeah.
Lash: Okay. Who's prepared to start?
Berg: I've got a couple.
Lash: Why don't we go in order, otherwise I'll get mixed up. Jim? Would you be ready?
Manders: In terms of the entire wetlands, is there, the way you've got the woodlands and the open water
and all that. You know the trees must be there but the water and everything, was there much needed to
reconfigure that at all or is it just a matter of using what's there now?
Paul Paige: As far as developing the open water?
Manders: Yeah.
Paul Paige: I think the water table's right there and the water is evident in the cat tails around it. It was
formerly sort of a low woodland, wet woodland with the dead standing trees and the history...kept it wet
for a period of time. So as far as getting open water there, it's just a matter of removing some of the
growth that's there. That sounds simple but the complicated side of that is the permitting and that's what
we're just in the process of exploring. I think there are, if this is brought about in the perspective of
enhancing the diversity of the wetland, which that would achieve. Not only just open water but those
transitions from open water to more of the cattail, swamp. There's probably 3 or 4 layers of different plant
communities that would grow there at different depths. Each providing it's own benefit to different
habitats and ecology independent ecologies. If we went through the DNR, the Corps of Engineers and said
we want to dredge this wetland and create open water so it looks nicer, that wouldn't go anywhere. It's
about creating diversity and increasing the habitat. Open water is a legitimate habitat. It's also in this case
would be very nice to look at and add a little bit more character to the site.
Manders: Relative to the evolution of this, I mean this is obviously something that will take years and years
to complete, is there any thought in terms of some type of phased activity? Probably the trail system being
part of the early piece and then...pieces kind of as funding is available?
Paul Paige: It's a little complicated. Todd mentioned a loop trail and I think that's a great idea to get that
in place so that people can really, the framework of the perimeter is in place. People can tour it and
people are starting to use it and walk before things can happen there. As far as other phasing, I agree with
the parking lot. I don't think that's a legitimate donor sought element. I think the city should provide the
parking lot and the kiosk and then have on the plan somewhat, I mean what would be wonderful if there
was this grand donation for a nature center. That's the really big dollar, physical icon donation here. If
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
that were to happen, then lots of other things could spawn from it but as far as could one work without the
other? Yeah, a lot of these trails could come together at this parking lot without a nature center. They
would still function as a useable park. You just don't have quite the educational side of things there.
Manders: There was some mention about the buckthom that's out there and at home or the farm where I
grew up, you know we'd try to get that out of the woods for years and years. And I'm wondering how
successful you think you'll be in trying to remove that from this area? You could take it out and it's going
to be back.
Paul Paige: Right. Buckthom isn't a one time removal unfortunately and it's easily reseeded and easily,
and very hard to permanently get rid of but as part of a longer range management plan for the forest, and
it's something that is manageable from, if it's part of the long range endeavor and it's not just people.
Some people get frustrated because they get all these volunteers together and they rip out this buckthom
and then 2 years later here it comes. Like what good was that? And I mean you have to acknowledge that
it's very aggressive and you have to be just as aggressive to it? It's a legitimate practice. Management
practice.
Manders: That's it.
Lash: Okay, Jay.
Karlovich: The only question I had was, it seems like there's an old shadow path on here. What is that?
Hoffman: There was an aligmnent that was put onto the map prior to having these boundaries so it's just an
old, it's a depiction of where the trail alignment should have gone or wanted to go and so it's been
redefined.
Karlovich: Okay. So that will come off`the final brochure or whatever?
Hoff`man: Correct.
Karlovich: That's the only question I had. I really like the floating boardwalk. It makes for a nice walk.
Lash: Fred.
Berg: Do we have any idea of time or cost for new plantings and the restored vegetation and all of these
things? Are we looking at a timeframe for this? Will some of it just happen naturally?
Paul Paige: Most of it won't happen naturally as far as evolving the farmed open grasslands back to a
native prairie. They're going to remain invasive species until they're removed and replaced. And as far as
the cost, there are more aggressive and less aggressive approaches to doing that depending, I think
someone's going to be like how much funding wants to be pushed in that direction? You can get a pretty
quick prairie in an area in a matter of a couple seasons if you use a lot of plugs versus just straight seeds.
Use small plants. There are a lot of extras out there that do that now. It's very popular to do and a lot of
good reasons to do it so, but it needs to be done purposefully.
Berg: Because it seems like we'd have a harder time getting money for something like that to be donated.
I mean trust us. It's going to look really nice in 2 years.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Hoffman: At the planning meeting that Lil and Paul and I had we brought in Jill Sinclair, the
Environmental Resource Coordinator and Lori Haak to talk about their potential involvement with the
Park and Recreation Department on this site. Lori is very involved in the Bluff`Creek standpoint and Jill
in the environmental restoration so if we can get some ownerships and buy in from those two areas. In the
future if Jill had the opportunity to restore prairie, why not at Memorial Park. Or some of the wetland
issues, the surface water management money that comes in that you see on your utility bill. Those are the
dollars that Lori's investing in projects throughout the city and so, this is a pretty large project to create
this open water area and Lori can participate from a city basis on that project. You would just advance the
park that much quicker and really leave opportunity for the enjoyment of those respective donors.
Berg: So we could potentially be getting some money, earmark some money from three different areas if
we play our cards right.
Hoff`man: Correct.
Berg: If we bring them on board.
Hoffman: Yep. Which we have and these two are working with those individuals as we move forward.
Berg: The only other question I have, Lil you mentioned about the donating money. Just straight money.
Do we want to talk at all about ifI donate $100, where I'd like to see it spent? Do we want to have that on
the brochure? Do we want to say that someplace or do we want to just let them trust us?
Lillian Leatham: Well it makes it more complicated. Definitely.
Berg: Yeah. But ifI want to contribute towards a nature center.
Lillian Leatham: Yeah. I mean it probably could be worked out but it could be earmarked towards a
specific element. Now it might be years and years before that element is built so if you say I want it
towards the nature center and it's a hundred bucks, it might take a while.
Hoff`man: The accounting for that.
Berg: I know. Maybe we don't want to give them the idea.
Hoff`man: Yeah, you know we came up with those two areas. It's either you contribute and then you're on
a plaque. There's a memorial there. There's a $250 contribution. Hopefully Memorial Park is such a nice
place that simply saying that you contributed $250 towards making Memorial Park what we hope it will be
will be significant enough. Now if you have a particular interest, then you have that opportunity where you
can say you want to donate a specific feature in the park. But as you can imagine, 10 years down the line
and somebody's trying to keep track of where this $50 goes and that $100 and that 80, I think it would be
too complex.
Berg: That jogged my memory for one of our committee meetings though. We were going to say
something in here, I know we're not going to put it in here. That you have a list of how much a bench costs
for example so they can find out, they can ask you, I want to donate a bench. How much is it going to
cost? You'll have a price range of the different kinds of benches and whatever? We did talk about that
didn't we?
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Hoffman: Yeah, we talked about that and we talked about creating that in a follow-up larger format
brochure.
Berg: Okay. That's all I had.
Lash: Okay. I had a couple different things. I thought it might be nice on the front if we mentioned the
acreage so people have an idea. Of how large it is and also the miles of trails that are provided. So people
could see that.
Hoffman: Or planned.
Lash: Planned, right. And then another question I had is do we need to take some kind of action to make
a recommendation that we officially changed the name of the park because is it still not Chanhassen
Nature Preserve or something?
Hoffman: Yep.
Lash: So we would need to, we could do that tonight could we not?
Hoffman: Sure.
Lash: And then, so that we've just taken care of that business. And then just because I'm a teacher, you
know that I'll be looking for typos and misspellings so. I'm surprised that Fred didn't already do this, but
on the very first paragraph park should be capitalized. Should it not, the second line? Memorial Park.
And then you guys can help me with this one. So you use, put an s on the end of towards or do you just say
toward?
Berg: Where are you?
Lash: In the very first paragraph, under park elements. Your donation will be used, is it toward or
towards?
Howe: I'm with you, I'd strike the s.
Lash: I think you're supposed to but I'm not necessarily positive. Okay. And then I wondered, and I don't
know if this can be on. This is just an idea but for an average person looking at prairie restoration,
woodland restoration, would it be possible to somehow put like what some examples of that would be so
that people would know?
Paul Paige: Local area?
Lash: Well like prairie restoration, example seed or plugs or you know, I don't know whatever kind of
things.
Hoffman: Yeah in our last planning meeting we talked about what we'd like to see is, we talked about,
what did we call it? Almost a poster with the parkland on one side and then go through these natural
features. Park amenities, education and plot them out on the back and say here is what a prairie restoration
involves and here's a potential dollar amount. If we want somebody to, if they're going to donate $5,000
for prairie restoration, they'd better have a little, we better provide them with a little bit more detailed
information.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Lash: That was my other question. Well can we provide a little more detail and also some cost estimates
so if someone picks this up they could say, prairie restoration. That's $10,000. That's out of my league
but I could do you know, I could contribute a tree, a tree to the wind break planting or whatever, ifI knew
what that involved. But looking at this would be kind of general for me to know.
Hoffman: Would it be best to do as an insert of this?
Lash: I don't know.
Hoffman: Because it's going to change and evolve over time.
Lash: And then also under the next one where it says park amenities, I wondered if, and I'm just throwing
this out as an idea. Should it say planned amenities include? Because it's really none of them are there
right now. I mean overlooks, the benches, the classroom, the shelter, nature center.
Howe: That's a good idea.
Lash: So that they don't think they're already there. And then I thought somewhere in there you might
want to insert donation opportunities include so plans, donation are planned amenities. I don't know. So
that they know that that's where some of their, I don't know. Think about it? And then down in the
education paragraph, I think self guided, I don't know that you're supposed to have a hyphen in there. My
computer always sticks hyphens in so I don't know. Maybe your's does too. And then I was wondering on
the $50 donation, when it says individuals and organizations who donate $50 or more will have their
names inscribed on a plaque. So is there going to be like a big plaque with a whole bunch of names that
we can just continue to add to? And will the $50 even cover the cost of adding a name to a plaque? Or
are we going to be operating in the red here?
Hoffman: No, it will cover it. It could be the wall with the brass nameplates.
Lash: Okay. So the nameplate doesn't cost, how much do one ofthose cost?
Hoffman: 6-7 bucks.
Lash: Oh okay. So that's cheap. Alright. And then under the next paragraph, donation of park features. I
thought maybe we'd want to strike of any size from the second line. If you'd like to donate a specific park
feature from a bird nest box to just because that sort of duplicates the idea. And then on the back I think
the phone number for the city hall is incorrect because that's the fax number isn't it? On the top.
Hoffman: Yep.
Lash: Yeah, okay.
Hoffman: And it's 952.
Berg: You're catching the details. I can't tell you know happy I am that I just have to be with you once a
month.
Lash: I know. Think if you had to work with me... Okay, now don't embarrass me. I'm not done yet.
Okay, then under the, on the bottom part it says I'd like to make a monetary contribution to Memorial
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Park. Please fill in the amount of your, there should be a r there instead of you, your donation and down
where it says expiration date under VISA or Mastercard, expiration is misspelled. And also at the very
bottom where it says in, so you want the person's name or in honor of, and then do you want them to put
from? Because I don't understand what the purpose of having from is there if you have the donor's name,
that's already who it's from isn't it?
Lillian Leatham: Maybe if you were to donate in honor of somebody besides yourself.
Lash: Yeah, but wouldn't that be the donor's name? You know what I mean? So it's in honor of Todd
Hoffman. Donor's name, Fred Berg. From would be the same as the donor's name. Yeah, okay. And
then from Todd I had just a couple of questions. I'd be interested in finding out if we wanted to try and
move forward as a city with the parking lot and a kiosk or some of the things to get started, I'd like a
ballpark.
Hoffman: Estimate?
Lash: Estimate of that. And I had grant money available too so I was kind of on the same line with those
ideas. And then one other question with the planting of trees and those kind of things. Is it possible, would
this area provide a place where someone wanted to plant flowering trees or flowering shrubs, is there an
area where that could be done or not?
Paul Paige: I think there could be a palate of more native based omamental trees. I don't think we want
to put a lot of crab apples.
Lash: No.
Paul Paige: But...berry. Other flowering, even middle story shrubs.
Lash: Or like sumac or lilacs or, you know because sumac.
Paul Paige: I know what you're saying. Different types of trees.
Lash: And different seasons so you've got the lilacs in the spring. The sumac color in the fall and just to
give a little diversity there to some of that stuff. Okay, I'm done nit picking now so that's it. Did you find
any typo's? Sorry Jay, did you find one that I missed? I'll be embarrassed.
Berg: I'm surprised you missed this.
Karlovich: I was just wondering under make checks payable to City of Chanhassen, should check and
payable be capitalized? We just wanted to see if we could find one.
Lash: Actually I even screwed myself up because I circled occasion because it looked like it was
misspelled but then I think it's right so.
Berg: Well there is one, how to contribute your contribution to Memorial Park. Probably the contribution
shouldn't be capitalized.., well you capitalized Memorial Park.
Lash: Yeah, but then it's got touching and.
Berg: Right here.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Lash: Oh, I thought you were talking about here.
Berg: No, down below. In the middle of the paragraph.
Hoffman: Jan, back down to the bottom of the page with the in and of. Do you see the examples up
above?
Lash: Where are you?
HolTman: Down at the bottom of the back page where we talk about the of. And we said...of and then
the example right above it, for example in loving memory of John Smith. So they just put the of in there.
Lash: Right, no I get that but then it says from under it. What's that supposed to mean? The person who's
donating?
Hoffman: I would think so, yeah.
Lash: Okay but then it says donor's name. So pick one and go with it. I'm done.
Franks: It's a jewel and I think what a lot of us sat here and really envisioned years ago so I think that it's
great and that it can come about in this way. And when I think how this will put Richfield's Woodlake
Nature Center to shame because of the increased bio-diversities that we'll have in this park that they can't
have. So I'd like for them to show me an oak savannah. It won't happen. Todd the question for you, or
maybe any of you is, when I looked at this plan the one thing that I thought was to start with the parking lot
and bend the trail extension up to the overlook south and north of Coulter. And then doing that in
conjunction with creating the open water space and reconfiguring the ponding. To give it a sense that
people can pull in. They can walk to either one of the overlooks and then kind of get a sense for what this
is all about without us having to maybe put all that expense into creating this loop trail because that's not
going to happen really it seems to me until the development really goes through or we have some serious
money. So I'm wondering if that would appear to be a viable altemative to get people introduced to the
park without having to necessarily create the loop trail.
Hoffman: The one issue there is that the overlooks are overlooking areas which also need time and money.
The open water areas.
Franks: Well what I'm wondering is, if we could looking at starting really with getting the ponding done.
Creating open water areas and start moving on that quickly.
Hoffman: Yeah. It's also a primary goal of the planning group. Paul, can you think of what these or will,
what those two ponds are currently and what we would be doing with those?
Paul Paige: Those are really stereotypical retention basins that were developed as part of the industrial
development here and the idea would be to make them more wetland like and less engineered.
Franks: Well they're square now aren't they?
Paul Paige: Yeah. Shapes are bad...and the edges are bad... I think there's an opportunity there to more
easily adapt these and diversify the edges which will I think will help us in the permitting of this. I think
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
that's where we show the core of the DNR that we're taking seriously about the habitat question and what
these wetlands really are and how they function and we want to carry the same idea into this other...
Franks: So is it necessary to secure permits to alter the ponds that are already present?
Hoffman: The permitting, coordination with other departments, planning will take just as much time as the
probably the trail...
Paul Paige: But the permitting for those is in essence simpler because they're not a very high classified.
They're classified as a wetland but they're not classified as a very high quality wetland at all. So it's a
different threshold in the permitting than it is for the.., fairly high quality wetland.
Franks: Well other than the spelling mistakes, I think the brochure looks nice. I like the idea that instead
of your classic kind oftri fold, that you actually have something that opens up and draws your eye out
across the pages and really gives you a nice presentation of what the concept is of what we're trying to
accomplish so I think the brochure looks really nice. Another question I had too about people putting
money into the fund. That is set up as a dedicated fund? Or how does the accounting for that work? So
people are just donating cash to the development of this park and we're figuring out how to disperse that
cash. Does that go into general fund account or does that stay in some kind of a dedicated memorial fund
or how does that work?
Hoffman: I would hope it would go into a dedicated memorial fund. We'll have to talk to Bruce DeJong,
the Finance Director about that. There's a trend as of late to minimize the number of funds but for this
type of project you'd want a separate fund.
Paul Paige: Another idea I had while I was standing here and you were talking about phasing and how the
dollars can come in and how people are really going to want direct their donation. The idea with...pricing
might be also a way to market year by year specific elements. It might be you know this year we're
focusing on this boardwalk. Contribute to the boardwalk to be part of the Memorial Park so people are,
and that way that gives you direction. They understand where it's going before it even comes to you...
Lash: Do you have anything Dave?
Moes: Yeah just a couple real quick. And we were just talking about the insert and kind of looks upon the
current year agenda. How do we prioritize those items there? Is that something we discuss and then
determine what the priorities are from donations that are made?
Hoffman: These items?
Moes: Yes.
Hoffman: Yes. It would be similar to a capital improvement program discussion of you know 3 or 4 years
go by kind of, it depends on what you set your sights on. 3 or 4 years go by and you collect, depending if
the number of dollars you collect is $2,000 or $20,000 and how far you can go with it and then you would
make a recommendation and again, all the dollars that are donated then would be in control of the City
Council and make recommendations. They would go and approve that and then the project would be
initiated.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Moes: Okay, or do we maybe put a step in front of that which is we go in there with the one or two
priorities which then the people know they're donating to? Is that the other part of the insert thought there
as well?
Hoffman: Potentially.
Lash: If it was big...
Moes: I'm just trying to put it down into smaller pieces which is, the end picture looks really nice and it's
just a matter of how many steps are there to get there and if I'm donating my $100 or $200.
Paul Paige: It's like a church fund where you have building funds.
Moes: Right, oh I understand. So okay. Then just one other quick one was, if someone is like donating,
I'll use bench as the example. Is like a plaque put on the bench then specifically that they're donating or
will that be part of the other big plaque?
Paul Paige: That's something we need to discuss. The idea was that, because this is a, the bench may be
the, because this is a natural area restoration, that it wasn't entirely appropriate to have plaques by a bunch
of trees as you walk through more like an arboretum or another memorial or refined memorial park. But
that a lot of those can be consolidated into that kiosk or into the nature center. Specific donations for just
benches in the park are give thanks to so and so, the following people have put the benches in the park so
it's not really a specific bench, even though they may know which bench they contributed, but it's more
attributed to the benches. That's my personal reaction because we don't want a lot of plaques for other
reasons.., on a lot of different things.
Moes: I was going to use the nest as an example but I thought better of that. Okay, thanks.
Hoffman: Some ofthese things over time are going to disappear. Be replaced and so we feel a permanent
location for the memorial is on a kiosk or this plaque presentation so if over time that particular
contribution is invested, has served it's useful life and is gone, and 50 years from now the memorial is still
going to be there.
Berg: And I like Paul's idea of let me know which bench is mine so that I know. That's all that really
matters is that I know which one it is.
Lash: I think as a committee we kind of talked about that and talked about when the day comes and the
bench falls apart and it needs to be replaced, you know how do, we thought that'd be kind of a book
keeping nightmare to keep track of so we decided it would be better for us to not... There was one other
thing I forgot it now. I'll think of it.
Hoffman: You may...if you look at it, it's almost, they'll say you were responsible for replacement. I'm
thinking who's keeping track.
Lash: Mike.
Howe: First of all, I was very impressed with how this came out and despite the typo's, how it looked and I
could envision this and I'm fortunate enough now to live near enough to this that I can run through here
and ride the bike through here. It's wonderful. But do you have experience Paul or Lil with fund raising
with cities? Doing something like this?
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Paul Paige: No.
Howe: I work with a couple non-profits in Minneapolis and it's, it may actually be easier here because we
have, you know who it's going to go to. The people of Chanhassen. It's not like anybody would do this.
You have a dedicated target. I like Rod's idea that it might be nice just to start and give them a taste of
what this could be. Boy if we had more money we could extend this trail around or we envision this great
interpretative center here. But I think if you don't want to be, from my experience, you don't want to be in
the position that every year you're coming back. Well this year we're going to build the trail. Well this
year we're going to build the interpretative center. This year we're going to build these overlooks because
people get tapped out I think so fund raising is a science and I don't know anything about it but I know that
it can be very tricky and you have to be very careful how you do it and it takes a lot of time and a lot of
work. So that's one caution. Did the neighbors here, these apartments or the people in Trotter's Ridge
have any, would they have anything to say about this? Are they going to?
Hoffman: We can invite them in, sure.
Howe: I just, I don't see why anybody would complain other than more mosquitoes if you add water but
then for what this is going to be, that's a huge...
Paul Paige: Your corporate citizens might be very interested in this plan also.
Howe: And I was going to say, tie in with the, you have a school across the street. I mean it's a huge, and
maybe if somebody can't give 50 bucks or $500, but and I don't know if you can do this but as far as
groups of volunteers or churches or people coming through and cutting down buckthom or putting those
plugs in. You know labor is huge and if you...do that or we can get away with that in the future, that's
something you could suggest too. The Arboretum would be someone. They did the same thing just on the
west side of 41 which tumed out very nice I thought. I don't know if they'd have an interest in this but I
think there are a lot of people you could talk to. Great looking idea but fund raising is something that has
to be I think approached very carefully.
Hoffman: I would hope it would tum into one of those things where it's like the bricks that are down at the
old depot where, and that was a one time opportunity to get your name into the depot brick yard there.
Where people once it got going, all the groups, the service organizations and my fear is it would be you
just don't want to set your sights too low because like the Rotary is going to contribute. The Lions are
going to contribute or the businesses are going to contribute and.
Lash: I could see the Legion you know for members there that.
Hoffman: So you're right, you want to be smart about it because once, you could even a community the
size of Chanhassen, you could tap out the business community in 2 or 3 years and then you're done.
You've got a big surge of money and then after that it could be difficult.
Howe: Did we put any money aside for anything like this? Don't we have any money in one of our
accounts? The 4 year plan. 5 year plan. Nothing for this?
Hoffman: That would be, that's what Jan's asking for for future capital plans for the cost of the parking
lot.
Lash: Figure out when we want to budget that in under the CIP. Are you done Mike?
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Howe: Yes.
Lash: Okay. And then the other thing I think we need to talk about is when we want this to break you
know because it will come out in the paper and we need to be prepared once it comes out in the paper so
that if we start getting phone calls we've got intelligent answers and a plan. And then how often we want
to revisit it. Ask the paper, now do we want to do it every spring? Do we want to do a mass mailing and
send this out to everyone in town to kick it off'? You know how do we want to kick it off`to get the
attention to get it started and then, I do think it's something we need to continue to advertise but we don't
want to do it too often but we might want to pick a time of year that we just remind people that it's
available and new people in town... Jay, you had a couple other things?
Karlovich: I just had one question with kind of the location of the parking lot. I was looking at this and I
pictured myself wanting to cross the street and walk over here before taking my children up next to the
four lane Highway 5 and hearing the back and forth so I don't know what, where it says restored prairie
over here. Whether it makes more sense to have the parking lot on the kind of bigger and nicer side of the
park as opposed to the north side of the park there.
Lash: I think there's only a couple places sturdy enough to support it. The other's too gooshy.
Hoffman: One.
Paul Paige: There's a little bit of high ground.
Hoff`man: Yeah, high and hard ground. There is some high ground on the other side but it's not finn
enough to support building a parking lot.
Lash: Jay, would you be more excited to take your kids up on the north part if there was a wind break
along 5 too so that you didn't see the highway and hear it? If we had a nice row of pine trees or something.
Karlovich: Yeah. I mean that will help. Plus I think there's a grade separation.
Hoffman: Big grade separation there.
Manders: I think a perfect opportunity for the city though is that Highway 5 can see into all instead of
trying to block the view to the road. Allow the view out to this.
Hoff`man: That's what the Highway 5 corridor study talked about is the view shed area. I am working with
the engineering department and MnDot to make sure that that trail grade is benched in there as part of the
Highway 5 project. They will not build the trail but we can work with them on grading. And then when
the contract, the property line is right there for their property and our trail stops over here. When they get
a contractor we'll hire them on to complete that...
Manders: I had two other things I was going to ask about. One is, and you're talking about marketing this
and all that and something that catches my eye are the pictures and to the extent possible we can add any
more, I think that's a real valuable component. Now that might be something as we're marketing this.
You know the next year or the following year you put in different pictures or something in an insert or
however you do this but I think that... And then the other part is with the naming of the park is signage so
that people know where this is at. I mean I think people would recognize it but are there 2, 3, 4 signs or I
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
would think we'd want a pretty visible signage that people would recognize that this is what this area is.
Does that make sense?
Berg: Or if we even want a sign out on Galpin. Maybe Galpin and Coulter.
Hoffman: It would be nice but we can't get one for the Rec Center because of the County right-of-way
issues. I don't think they'll allow us a permit. We could try. We can also, essentially it would be easier
since it's a city street.
Manders: Something that I'm thinking of is just visibility from 5 or a sign that you would see from 5 that
this is what this area is because there's going to be so much traffic there.
Franks: You're talking like a brown highway informational sign?
Manders: Not necessarily. A park, some type of park sign I think you know.
Hoffman: Any time we're in MnDot right-of-way or County right-of-way we have to meet warrants for any
type of sign. Bandimere was a stretch. We only received that, it was paid through the issue of safety at the
access. Lake Ann is a regional destination for a much larger area so they'll allow that. MnDot would not
put a brown sign up for this park on Highway 5. We own Coulter and Century and we could put signs up
there. I would think a nice large park sign out at the parking lot but yeah.
Manders: I'm thinking of one large typical park sign that would be visible from 5. And it wouldn't have
to be in their right-of-way but still be visible that people would recognize what this area is.
Hoffman: Okay. We can think about that. We can hang a banner on the Rec Center.
Lash: I guess when you're talking about the pictures and the pictures...and I know there's pretty much
nothing there. It's not developed.
Hoffman: These pictures are for examples.
Lash: Yeah, okay. Because I'm not particularly fond of the one in the front. It sort of makes it look like
Death Valley or something with those dead trees. I mean it would inspire someone to want to donate
money to perk it up but.
Hoffman: Once we go to press with this, we'll have some professional...
Lash: Even the one down here just looks a little, have the dead trees.
Karlovich: I like the floating bridge.
Lash: You like the what?
Karlovich: Floating bridge.
Hoffman: That's a Richfield picture.
Karlovich: That caught my eye.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Lash: I'm so excited. This is one of the most exciting projects I think we've taken on in years. I think this
is going to be really fun to see happen. So thank you for your work on it. Anyone else have questions or
comments? No? Okay. So there's a couple of things we need to decide tonight. Right Todd? We need
to act on this name change.
Hoffman: I don't know that, now that I think about it. We need to be presumptuous and change the name
before we go to the Planning Commission or Council with the idea.
Lash: Oh. Kind of thought they had done that so, okay. So we can do that the next time.
Hoffman: Yeah.
Lash: And then also at that time talk about how to.
Hoffman: Market it?
Lash: Yes. When to do that.
Hoffman: Well the question of when yeah, is really the more time we allow ourselves the more we'll know
about these other improvements or potential improvements on permitting and the development of the
industrial lots. I would think once this brochure is printed, just a mass mailing to all residents would kick
it ofl~ All business and residents and then there would be some newspaper coverage.
Lash: How about a tie in with Memorial Day? I mean would that be a logical connection? I mean we're
not going to be able to start anything really until spring anyways so, I mean as far as any work there.
Hoffman: Correct.
Lash: So maybe it would just be a natural connection to mail it out in May sometime and say, you know in
honor of Memorial Day, this has been the idea and it's going to be called.
Hoffman: Memorial Day 2001 I would think would be aggressive. I think it would benefit the program for
us to have everything kind of dressed up with red carpet laid out before we invite people down to the park.
If we don't have a trail head and we don't have a trail system and we splash out the brochure, we have to
make that conscience decision, is that what we want to do? Or do you want to wait until you're a little bit
better prepared and you have the kiosk prepared and the nameplates are up and the plaques are all empty
and people drive in and they go, there it is. That's what I get.
Franks: That's what I'd like to see. I think we'd get a great response from that.
Moes: Yeah, I think a little more established for a drive by person to see.
Hoffman: Just getting it through the Planning Commission and the council and answering some of the
permitting questions, I don't think we would make 2001.
Lash: Okay. Well better to take the time and do it right.
Howe: Absolutely.
Hoffman: These lots could go quite quickly. The industrial lots. That may happen you know.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Lash: The what?
Hoffman: These industrial lots that are tied to the trail development. Once that stop light and that
Century Boulevard goes in, I would think they're going to want to push those and if you've noticed that
industrial park is kind of dragging behind and I would think they want to market their properties.
Lash: Okay. Anyone have anything else? So will we, do you think that you might have answers to some
of these things by January or February or how long do you think it will take for you to get?
Hoffman: Probably February.
Lash: Okay. So should we table any action on this until February?
Hoffman: Do you want to see this back before I take it to the Planning Commission and Council?
Lash: No. I just think we need an update.
Berg: Maybe get some answers to costs.
Hoffman: Alright. So then, and currently I'll schedule those in February and March for the Planning
Commission and Council and bring back the refinements so.
Franks: My guess is Todd, when you take this to council they're going to have the same questions about
cost of the parking lot that we'll have so.
Hoffman: Let's shoot for the second meeting in January for an update and then we'll schedule...
Lash: Okay, sounds good. Thanks.
RECREATION PROGRAMS:
A. 2000/2001 ICE RINK PROGRAM.
Hoen: Thank you Chair Lash, Commissioners. Quick update on the ice rinks. The park maintenance
department started flooding the rinks last week. We were scheduled to open up this Saturday hopefully.
Karlovich: It's this warm weather.
Hoen: Yeah. They began flooding right after the... Yeah, so we're opening this Saturday. Is our
scheduled date to open the warming houses. But our one house is going to be delivered this Thursday and
we'll hook up the phones at that time. We have 11 ice rink attendants right now and we'd kind of like to
get maybe 1 or 2 more attendants.
Lash: Would you like any substitutes?
Hoen: Yes.
Lash: I might have a name of a substitute.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Hoen: That would be great. You never know when people, kids are sick and what not so that'd be great.
The warming house is going to be at the same parks as last year. Chan Hills, the Rec Center, City Center
Park, Roundhouse and North Lotus. So do you have any questions?
Franks: What hourly rate do you pay the rink attendants?
Hoen: The new ones are $6.75 and there's a couple that retumed from last year so they're getting $7.25.
Lash: Okay. Anyone have anything else quickly on this?
B. HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING EVALUATION.
Hoen: The tree lighting ceremony was held last Saturday with 125-150 people show up. Came up and
braved the cold. It was a chilly wind. It was a great tumout. It went well. We had refreshments that were
donated. Nancy Lipinski was in charge of getting all the refreshments from Applebee's, the Chanhassen
Inn, Velvet Green Coffee and Tea, Festival Foods and Chapel Hill baked cookies, which worked out great.
We had a bonfire going which helped out with the cold weather. We kind of gathered around the bonfire.
We had kids from Chapel Hill singing Christmas carols so that worked out really nice. Santa Claus was
played by Brian Beniek. Did a great job. He arrived by fire truck with red flashing lights and sirens
going. Kids really kind of enjoyed that.
Lash: Did anyone think that that was not like really real? Like representative of Santa that comes by fire
truck.
Ruegemer: His sleigh was in the shop.
Hoen: ...telling the kids so yeah. The only thing is the kids wanted to pull on his beard as they were
following behind him but otherwise everything worked out great. I will continue to do the exact same for
next year.
Lash: Anybody have questions on that? Sounds good Corey, thanks.
Hoffman: Probably one of the biggest.
Lash: Yeah, that's a lot of people. I was surprised.
Hoen: Very good turnout.
PARK AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT.
Lash: This is kind of self explanatory I guess, right?
Hoffman: Coldest year since '88.
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS.
Lash: Then under the administrative thing we have the update on Pulte.
Hoff`man: The letter that I drafted to Kate was sent off`to Mr. Griswold. Planning Commission tabled
Arboretum Village as well. They want Pulte to respond to the issues raised by the Park Commission and
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
they raised some questions of their own. I hope to have Mr. Griswold back on the 9th of January for this
special meeting that the Park and Recreation Commission has called. Currently Kate Aanenson is
coordinating a meeting with Dennis that I will be attending and we'll sit down and go through some of
these issues. There's some larger issues on the table as you can recognize. The State of Minnesota would
like to complete the access boulevard. In order to do that through this subdivision Pulte needs to be
approved as a project for them to dedicate the right-of-way to the State of Minnesota. So if that timing is
to occur, the State of Minnesota would like to complete the project next summer. If Pulte does not receive
approval, then the State would stop at Century Boulevard and that intersection and not continue on to
Highway 41.
Berg: Did he have any reaction to our meeting? Have you talked to him at all?
Hoffman: To Dennis?
Berg: Yeah. Did Mr. Griswold have any reaction to our meeting?
Hoff`man: No. Not that I've heard to date.
Lash: So other than the Planning Commission did you get reaction from anyone else? Okay. Well I
appreciate the fact that they're.., commend Commissioner Franks on his well worded quote in here.
Franks: I'd like to commend Park Director Hoffman for the editorializing of my well worded.
Lash: No, that's exactly how you said it. I remember.
Berg: Word for word.
Lash: It's in the minutes.
Karlovich: He had some written notes though, didn't he?
Lash: Yeah I think it was probably prepared. Was it prepared?
Franks: No.
Lash: Oh. It was smooth. Anyone else have anything on the Pulte?
Franks: Just one thing. This brings up a different issue but Pulte's related to it. I also was very pleased to
hear that the Planning Commission was really interested in wanting to work with what we had as feedback
as well and it strikes me that the process between the two commissions is not real smooth. And I don't
know if historically there's been other means or on large scale projects like this where I mean this is in the
Bluff`Creek overlay district and it's a big development and park needs and out of other services. I mean
we're really coming together. If there's other ways to work with that I don't know.
Hoff`man: I've thought about it and in the past we have had some joint meetings with the Planning
Commission. That's one step towards doing that. At least in putting some, sitting down face to face and
gaining that mutual trust and respect for each other's jobs.
Franks: Now that you mentioned that, we did do that once. I can't remember what it was for but that was
years ago.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Hoffman: Yeah, I believe it was just for, just like having a joint City Council meeting. We just had a joint
Planning Commission meeting which could easily be completed again. And it's a good opportunity to talk
about these other long range issues in the city. Where are you guys headed? What's your vision? I'll talk
to Kate about that.
Franks: Great, thank you.
Lash: Anything else on that? Okay, move on to the directory update. Anyone besides me with updates?
Karlovich: I was wondering why David's still here. It looks like his commission has expired.
Hoffman: Oh, it does. Jan you're in there?
Lash: Am I expired?
Hoffman: No. 02.
Lash: Okay, is that it for that? I mean you wanted to the January 9th meeting right Todd?
Hoffman: I had a meeting with Brian Hubbard of the YMCA. I informed him that the commission would
be having a work session to discuss issues pertaining to the YMCA. He asked if there's anything you
would like to receive in your packet for that meeting. From him or the Y. You probably remember you
got that binder.
Berg: Do we know how much land they need? Is that somewhere in the binder? Is that somewhere in the
information? The kind of area we have to find.
Hoffman: I doubt it.
Berg: That might be nice to know. If they envision between building a parking lot.
Lash: I have some kind of recollection that we talked about that. Wasn't it like 9 acres?
Howe: Yeah but if we combined it with something else it was less.
Lash: Yeah but if we didn't put in fields it was less. I think. But I was thinking it was more but it was 9
ballfields.
Howe: 9 or 10 kind of rings a bell with me but.
Berg: It'd be nice to get that nailed down a little bit.
Franks: I'm sure it's pretty similar to the Lifetime kind of proposal and they were between 8 and 10 acres.
8 at a minimum.
Hoffman: That's another call as well.
Berg: And if we could have some idea of where we have, where that kind of space is available, that
wouldn't be from him or course but.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Franks: And the other thing that would be helpful for me would be, what is their standard kind of time line
process? Maybe not nailing down dates but there's Step 1 and there's Step 2 and there's Step 3.
Hoffman: Okay.
Berg: And did he talk about benefits to residents?
Lash: I believe it was reduced, was it not reduced membership?
Berg: Is that what it was?
Lash: That's my recollection but I think those are things we can kick around at our meeting. What are we
looking for in trade for what they're asking.
Berg: Right. It might be nice to know what they've done in the past so we have some idea where they
bargain.
Lash: I think the video and the booklet gave us a pretty good overview of the types of things that they
could provide. If everybody still remembers. Does anybody need refreshing on?
Hoffman: I'll print the packet in paper form and send it out as a part of the agenda.
Lash: He's not coming that night?
Hoffman: No.
Lash: Okay. It's just us right? Anybody else have anything they want to know for that night? And then
did you say you're putting, is Pulte on that night too?
Hoffman: Yeah. The other items would be Pulte and so you would have their representative here to talk
about an update plan, we hope. That is if they respond to updating the plan.
Lash: Can we have that first then so that anyone who comes for that can leave and then we can get into
that.
Hoffman: Sure. Third item is the Round House Park. We had the bid opening on December 6th. The low
bid is $119,000, which is 50% over our $80,000 project. So the major factors there are the architect's
design with the you know brings in some cost elements. The lead base paint on the exterior of the building
and then there's some asbestos, those create some costs. Anytime you include those elements into a
project, I don't care how minor or extensive they are, the costs will go up. So folks from Locus will be
here to talk about what the options are. We obviously need to talk as a commission about if you want to
scrap the project. Recommend that the City Council increase the budget, or you reduce the scope of the
project and try to reduce the cost. The bids were 119, 124, 131,000 and 168,000. So four bidders so the
market tends to estimate right around that $125,000, or at least the plan that we had for Round House.
How do you like your agenda so far?
Howe: It's going to be fun.
Berg: It's not going to be a short night.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Hoffman: And the last item is the 2001 park and trail dedication fees. We have not raised our fees in 4 or
5 years. Land cost continue to raise so I will be bringing you a recommendation to raise the fees.
Lash: Can we have some comparisons to other communities to see if we're in the ballpark?
Hoffman: Yep. And that's it for January 9th. We will also have a meeting on the 23rd and if there's any
items that commissioners would like to see, we should talk about those now.
Lash: Will Pulte be back, they'd probably be back by then wouldn't they?
Hoff`man: We hope so. It's hard to predict what they're going to do.
Lash: And you'd have an update on some figures for Memorial Park thing.
Hoffman: End of January.
Franks: A discussion on the Bluff Creek Overlay District.
Hoff`man: Rod and I talked about that today. The commissioners that have not been around since the
Bluff Creek Overlay District was initiated by the City and I've asked Kate if she would like to talk about
that or if we just send the packet through, just to bring people up to speed. Many of our projects are in that
Bluff Creek Overlay District so I'm understanding what those guiding principles are for that is beneficial
for all commissioners.
Karlovich: I don't know if this is, one of the questions I have in mind, are we ever going to get a briefing
on you know our financial condition. Our TIF problem and how that's going to affect us or are we going to
keep on sending you know projects that we want to do and then we don't have the money. Can we be kind
of in the loop on that? I don't know how too well off`we are.
Franks: I think that'd be a really good topic for, if we do like we have in years past, that joint work session
with City Council. Do you think that'd be an appropriate forum for that Jay?
Karlovich: Yeah. I just otherwise we put a lot of time into a project and if we say we want to do it and
then all of a sudden we get shut down because they don't have the money.
Hoffman: Always think about two different lines. General budget or the park dedication funds. The
things you've been reading in the paper about general obligation dollars is true. The times are going to be
leaner until we paid off`some of this debt between now and 2004, 2005 but the park dedication fund has
never been doing better so last year over $600,000 in park dedication fees generated, primarily due to all
the industrial/commercial stuff between Audubon and Powers Boulevard so large projects coming on line
but that money is going to dry up. Residential permits are estimated to be down significantly in 2001.
Industrial permits will flatten off` so the good times are not here for a lot of years so.
Lash: I hate to sound snippy but let's not forget that that money's not our's. That budget's not our's.
Karlovich: No, I'm just wondering, I mean that would even be helpful. Having an understanding of where
we are you know with even that fund. So that we can be realistic and financially responsible or know
where we're at.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Hoffman: I'll also bring up as a part of the project capital improvement discussion we'll be having in
2001. Each year we update because we have to go out that extra year and we'll talk about the allocations.
City Council also elected last evening, as a part of their capital plan to increase the budget for 101 north
trail from $600 to $850,000 over 2 years and they earmarked Fund 410, park dedication. It's actually
called Park and Trail Acquisition and Development Fund for that project so that would consume $850,000
of that about $1.4 million that's in there if that project did come to bear and those dollars were used.
Berg: That's money from the referendum?
Hoffman: No. Dollars, Fund 410, Park Acquisition and Development. Those are the fee dollars that you,
that the City collects. The estimate on that now, it's in your Admin Packet for the 9th meeting is at about
$1 million for that trail section.
Lash: Which initially.
Hoffman: Was about $400,000.
Lash: But that was not initially coming out of our fund, was it?
Hoffman: No. Your recommendation was to take the money from Highway 101 South, $200,000 and
pledge that to the project and Council said, you know that's fine but we want to identify a funding source
for this and the only one we see available is Fund 410 so that's not that, if the project ever comes to bear
that that's where all the funding will come from but it is a designation.
Karlovich: I just think, I know it's a moving target all the time. I just don't have a good feeling of where
we are.
Hoffman: You bet. You want to know where the checkbook is.
Karlovich: Yeah.
Commissioner: Do you do this at home too Jay?
Karlovich: Yeah. Somebody's got to.
Hoffman: Funny, I know it's a moving target .... I do that too Jay. I know exactly what you're talking
about.
Lash: The funds are fluid...Okay. Under Committee Reports. Does anybody have a committee report?
Our committees, we don't really have much for committees anymore. Do we have any commission
member presentations? Anyone? Under the administrative packet, anyone have anything under that? I
made a little note, this Herman Field vandalism.
Hoffman: Pretty constant.
Lash: I'm becoming disenchanted with our clientele in that park. So how damaged is it? Is it damaged to
the point it needs to be removed?
Hoffman: No, they removed the graffiti.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Lash: That was able to be removed?
Howe: But there's holes in the slide. The slide melted.
Hoffman: On this one or the previous one?
Lash: This one.
Hoffman: Yep. Haven't talked to them about that.
Lash: You know it's just, if it is damaged to the point where it needs to be removed, then we need to
remove it and at this point I'm kind of disinclined to replace it. You know pieces are just going to be
completely demolished there and...
Hoffman: I stopped reading when I whited out the phone numbers so I'll find out about the slide with the
hole in it.
Karlovich: Just need to put on some cameras.
Manders: You might not want to see what you see.
Lash: And then was there something with this benchmarking that we were, I mean is this just supposed to
be kind of FYI in the future if we want to do some kind of?
Hoffman: FYI from the national conference.
Franks: Was there a point that you gleaned from all this? Being a people person, the bar graphs and
numbers kind of escaped me.
Hoffman: The point I gained from this is that, I tend not to have to want to find out where everybody's at
before I decide where I want to go. And this is for people who tend to want to know or have to know
because of the governmental system. Where other people are at before they can decide where they want to
go. I think of Chanhassen as an individual community doing things that we see fit for our community and
our citizens and I don't necessarily need to know where everybody else is at to make that happen. But in
certain areas, I mean data such as event parking has a limited life span. It's not always good for your
community. It can do damage depending on what the statistics are and I think of the community needs to,
if they're talking about do we have to, like for the Y. Have to have a survey you know. So yeah, you do
that one time for a specific issue. What these are, in Missouri. I think that's Missouri what they're doing
is state wide to give all park and recreation agencies kind of a snapshot of what's going on. And I just tend
to, I don't like to pay for that. I just like to steal somebody else's and take a peak into it and then say
alright, see. We're either above or below and that confirms where I think we're at and then move on so.
I'm not in the, in fact we had a benchmarking conversation at a Minnesota Recreation and Park
Foundation meeting where the foundation, some of the members would like to see some dollars from the
foundation being generated for statewide surveys. If it's salary surveys or those type of things. I just don't
have an interest in that.
Franks: I'm glad to hear that because I'm not particularly interested in us spending any of our money on
stuff like that.
Lash: Anyone else have anything before we adjoum? Okay, is there a motion to adjoum?
Park and Rec Commission Meeting December 12, 2000
Berg moved, Howe seconded to adjourn the Park and Recreation Commission meeting. All voted in
favor and the motion carried. The meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by Todd Hoffman
Park and Rec Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim