PRC 2001 06 26CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
JUNE 26, 2001
Chair Lash called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jan Lash, Rod Franks, Jay Karlovich, Mike Howe, David Moes, Jack Spizale,
and Tom Kelly
MEMBERS ABSENT: None.
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park and Rec Director; Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation
Superintendent; Susan Marek, Recreation Center Manager; Dale Gregory, Park Superintendent; Kara
Wickenhauser, Senior Center Coordinator
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: No Amendments.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Franks moved, Howe seconded to approve the Minutes of the Park and
Recreation Commission meeting dated May 22, 2001 as amended on page 28 by Mike Howe. All voted
in favor and the motion carried unanimously.
RECREATION CENTER UPDATE.
Marek: Well welcome to the slow period of our finally hot weather and less traffic at the rec center. And
not much new going on. We did buy two light fitness cross trainers. Spent $7,000. They're really nice
and really hard so I challenge you to come out and actually try it. I was quite challenged just on a 20
minute workout there. It's a nice addition and they are well used already. Todd, where are we at with the
rec center sign?
Hoffman: The electrical connection. We talked with our electrician and he's coordinating the schedule
and so within the next 30-45 days it will be hooked up to power and you can look at that beautiful sign all
year long. Investment in advertisement well worth, by the time we're done it will be $10,000 for the sign.
A couple thousand dollars it will cut up but you can't buy advertisement like that off` of Highway 5 so,
people should know where we're at. I'm not sure if you've seen it yet but it says Chan Rec Center. It's
right there on 5 so.
Marek: Other news out of the rec center. After 3 ~2 years of me being at the rec center, I'm expecting a
major tumover in staff`in the next 6 months so that's something coming up that I will have to deal with. As
Andy Sauter and John Eff`ertz are moving on with their careers having graduated from college. Jennifer
has moved up to Winthorp and finds the commute a little bit long. And Rachelle is looking for a job in
senior programming so all of these people who have been with the rec center for some time, and we'll miss
them when they do find other jobs so if you have anybody who might be interested in employment at the
rec center, now would be a good time to tell them to come out and get an application. Other than that, all
of our programs seem to be running great and despite the warmer weather, our expanded fitness class
offerings continue to be popular. I don't know, we've hit something there with adult fitness programming
and people still seem to like coming inside to do the yoga class, the Pilates class, and the stretching class
so those are still going hot and heavy, even though it's summer. So we'll look for quite a bit of
Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
participation in the fall and winter coming up. Other than that, things are good. Any comments or
questions?
Franks: A lot ofpeople are commenting about the sign. So I'm out there with the kids soccer and I'mjust
getting, people are saying wow, look at that sign. It's like they're noticing the rec center for the first time,
even though they might have had their kids up there for sports programs forever so it was a good
investment I think.
Hoffman: We talked to the school. We were going to put Chan Rec Center/Bluff`Creek Elementary but
they didn't want a sign. They figured people knew it was a school. Kids come there by bus. You know it's
not like they need to find the destination so.
Lash: They don't need the publicity. Okay, anybody have questions or comments for Susan?
Franks: Susan, just one more thing. With the conclusion of the dance program in May and everything, are
they going to be taking the summer to look at space issues again or have those been pretty well worked out
or?
Marek: There hasn't been any request to adjust the space for the coming year. The class offering has
already been determined and the space is already worked out for the next year. For the year after that, we
may need to look at something again but for the next year I think we'll be just fine.
Franks: Good.
Marek: One other note before I'm finished. Elizabeth Cohane is exhibiting some large pieces of art at the
recreation center. They're quite colorful. Abstract in nature.
Lash: Are they paintings or what?
Marek: Paintings. Acrylic on canvas. Like 4 feet by 5 feet. Very large, bold things. They look nice at
the rec center.
Hoff`man: Buy one and take it home. If you have a big wall.
Marek: She's a Chanhassen resident and her show concludes at the end of September. At that point Ms.
Kay Faust will have an exhibit and last time we had Kay up, I think we sold every single one of her pieces
so we're looking forward to her show coming up in the fall.
Lash: And is September the month that we look at the child care program?
Marek: Actually there is a short update.
Lash: Yep, I saw that. We're close.
Marek: We're close. This was year to date. January through June 15th. Expenses of $3,337 and revenues
of $2,968 so I'm about $400 ofl~ Coming into the fall I expect that will make up with that as participation
grows. And we do cut back the hours for the summer as well. But yeah, it's always just real tight.
Lash: Good. Okay, thanks Susan. Let's also go ahead and do Dale's report up too.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
PARK AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT.
Gregory: Since the last quarter report that I gave you, and as I mentioned that this spring for us has really
been a tough for us and that is the late spring. We had a lot going on. Then into grass cutting season and
that, we had no seasonals or anything like that. We ended up putting a lot of time in. I've only got a total
of 7 guys in our department and so we ended up putting a lot of extra time in evenings and that just getting
grass and everything kept up with. At this present time we do have our seasonals. We got them started as
of June 15th. We have a total of 15 seasonals that work, will take care of the downtown. Out of those 15
we have 3 of them that are retired seasonals, or people that come in and they give us a big hand in cutting
grass so they're able to start a little earlier and help out. We were able to get a couple of projects done in
the spring right away. The Stone Creek playground Phase II, and that was the help of the residents and our
staff; we were able to get that taken care of. And also we do put a new dock in at Lake Ann for the paddle
boats for Jerry. And the old dock will be refurbished as soon as we get time and that, and that will go back
in to Lake Ann for a fishing dock. So it will be re-used. I also had in there that we were really making an
effort this year to get out and spray all our parks. We've had a lot of dandelion problems and that so this
year we want to make an effort to get that. At the time I wrote the report we were at about 70% of the
parks and I talked to the guy that does the spraying and we're just about at 100% right now. They have
just about everything sprayed. We still have a few areas and that with thistles and that and...so we're
working on that area to treat. We did have a chance to get a hold of the Sentence to Serve people. They
work great for us and we had a total of 6 days of use of those guys this year. Usually it's 6 to 8 people.
They took care of cleaning our downtown this spring. We usually get them back. That always works real
good. But we also had them out at, cleaning around all of our city buildings. We had them out at the
Pioneer Cemetery. I mean they did a great job. They completely raked that whole cemetery out for us and
we finished up painting picnic tables and doing things and that so they give us a call every once in a while.
Want to know if we've got anything to do and like I say, it works great because we don't have to supervise.
They have their own supervisor and it works real well. So we've got a good working relationship with
those people. The only other thing I have is our maintenance building and I don't know if anybody's been
out there to take a look at it. It's coming along good. We're to the point of starting to get things and we
can move in and they're hauling in rock today so we can get it blacktopped pretty good. And the road has
got to be re-done yet but it's getting close so that's, we're getting kind of excited about that part of it. But
that's pretty much where we are at this point.
Lash: Anybody have questions or comments for Dale?
Franks: Two comments from residents of two different parks about spraying the weeds, and they thought it
was great. So I mean you know people are even noticing that.
Gregory: Well we're trying to get out and like I say, make a real conscience effort to it. We're trying to, I
mean we put signs out that the parks have been sprayed so people know it. We've had a few people call
and wanted to know what we're using for chemicals. We give them all the information and they're
satisfied with that and just, they're just curious of when it was done and stuff`so.
Lash: I have two little questions for you Dale. Did you have anything else Rod?
Franks: No.
Lash: I'm sorry, okay. On the old dock that you're re-installing, where are you going to put that?
Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Gregory: We actually right now don't have a plan. We'll work with Todd and Jerry and those and that,
right now like I say we're just going to be refurbishing it when we get the time. And wherever they really
want it to go in it will go. We don't have a place for it at this point.
Lash: Okay. And then on the park maintenance shed. I know the plan includes a bunch of landscaping,
some trees and stuff. Do you think that that will happen yet this year or?
Gregory: Oh yes, definitely this year.
Lash: Okay, that'd be good. Okay, thanks. Anyone else have anything for Dale?
Hoffman: Jan, just for the information of the two new commissioners. As front line managers, we have
Susan and Dale report to the commission 4 times annually as an informational session and then a time to
answer any questions of the commission. Give you an update on those facilities so you can do your job
better and then Kara, as the coordinator of the Senior Center, joins us twice a year as a half time employee.
And so Kara would be next.
SENIOR CENTER UPDATE.
Wickenhauser: Thank you. There's not much new at the senior center. I just got back from matemity
leave...and I kind of jumped into a busy month of May. We had a senior awareness month, which
recognizes Old Americans Month and so we had two special activities a week. That is not normally
planned so kind of came back and jumped right into the swing of things and just feel like I'm... June has
also been very busy. As you can see attendance, the monthly attendance tends to climb as the summer
months and the spring months come. People are kind of coming back from their winter getaways and what
not's so currently I'm just doing a lot of just programming. Trying to keep ahead. I can't believe I'm
planning for the winter months already, and it's only June right now so. Other than that, we'll be having
rd
an open house on Tuesday, July 3 when all the activities are going on. It's kind of a good plug and we
pull at least, I'd say 5 or 7 new people in a year. That come in and see the senior center and just a good
way to have an open door if everyone gets too warm or what not. Have people come and sit in. We'll do
lemonade and cookies that day so. Other than that, our trips and our activities have been well attended.
Our golfing club is going really well. We've got 19 people that come on a pretty regular basis so, people
are pretty active and get out but the weather hasn't been cooperating very much. It's either been wet or too
hot so. Other than that, that is all that I have.
Lash: Okay. Anybody have questions on the Senior Center report? Okay, thanks.
Hoffman: You're all free to go. I know some of you like to stay and listen but, whatever you'd like.
APPROVE PARK RULES SIGN DESIGN, LAYOUT AND COLOR.
Lash: Okay, we've got 3 options here, correct?
Hoffman: Correct.
Karlovich: I had one question. Where do the seniors play golf?
Wickenhauser: Red Oaks.
Karlovich: At Red Oak. I go there with my kids all the time so.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Lash: Where is it?
Karlovich: It's kind of, Highway 19, just north of Lake Minnetonka.
Moes: It's by Lakeview Golf Course.
Lash: I know where that one is.
Karlovich: It's the little one on the left hand side.
Wickenhauser: They don't require you to be there every week so I mean people, if they can't make it, they
don't need to make it where Chaska, you need to be there, a commitment every week so it's very flexible
that way.
Lash: Okay, thanks. So Todd, on the rules sign. The wording is all the same. These are just the 3
different color choices, is that the idea?
Hoffman: Correct. And please double check the wording to make sure, we had a lengthy discussion that
evening. I took it directly from the minutes. We weren't talking into the microphones so the minutes were
somewhat vague and there were some lines skipped so I believe by going through and picking out the intent
of the commission, but there may be some things that you'd still like to discuss. Then we have the 3
layouts. The red, the green and the green with the maple leaf and if you'd like to make a recommendation
this evening to the City Council, we'd move that for your consideration. Okay, hand it back to you Chair
Lash.
Lash: Okay, anybody have any comments on the wording first? How about if we do that before we tackle
the color combination.
Karlovich: Save the hardest for last.
Lash: Yes. Wording.
Hoffman: There was a comment tonight from the lifeguards that they're talking as an organization, and
one of their recommendations back to the city will be to band alcohol from any of the beach areas in the
city. They think that's a contributing, or could be a contributing factor in perhaps, if not these incidents,
any future incidents so that's something they're considering. And if we're purchasing 300 signs, if you
will consider that. Just talked to a lifeguard tonight. They went through a series of meetings because of
the drownings.
Lash: Okay, I have one little thing that we can throw out and just see where it goes because I don't even
know for sure how I feel but the second one where it says vehicles prohibited from off`road travel or
parking. I think for me is slightly confusing. It makes it sounds like vehicles are prohibited from parking.
Karlovich: Just keep them running.
Lash: You've just got to keep driving around the whole time. Drive, drive, drive through the park. So I
know it would throw the balance off` somehow but maybe we need to separate that into two things or
something, or put parking prohibited from parking on grass or I don't know. That is the only one that I see
as confusing.
Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Spizale: To me I guess it's not confusing, because it starts off saying from offroad travel or parking.
Lash: But we know what we mean.
Karlovich: I wouldn't park my car.
Lash: See. It's not legalese enough for you is it Jay?
Karlovich: No, that's bad.
Hoffman: This is bad?
Karlovich: No, the parking thing. I think I'd go park out on the street and walk in.
Lash: Because you wouldn't know what to do?
Karlovich: Yeah.
Lash: You just wouldn't park period.
Karlovich: I'd go drop my kids off`and park out on a city street.
Hoff`man: Vehicles restricted from parking.
Lash: Prohibited from parking.
Howe: If you just said parking on grass, that would be more.
Lash: Don't you think?
Howe: Yeah, I mean it's much more clear.
Karlovich: I think you'd have the defense of entrapment with the stalls parking you know. The fact that
we painted them and then prohibited it.
Lash: Okay, so Jay thinks it's a little confusing too. I didn't know if it was just me.
Karlovich: What if you say off`road parking or travel, well then I guess.
Hoff`man: Off`road parking or travel clears it up?
Howe: Yeah, I think that might.
Karlovich: Off`road what?
Lash: Park, switch it around. Parking.
Karlovich: Then you can't walk around the park.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Hoffman: No four-wheeling, don't park on the grass. Vehicles prohibited from parking on the grass is
what we're mostly after. That's what we write all the tickets for.
Lash: Right.
Hoff`man: Vehicles prohibited from parking on the grass.
Karlovich: But then they're also prohibited for parking where there's no stalls, right?
Lash: Right.
Hoff`man: Correct, which is true. We don't want them parking there.
Lash: But they don't necessarily get tagged for that. Do they?
Hoffman: Parking along...
Lash: Well you know like when you're driving in the road and you go into the parking lot, there's lined
areas but then, you know especially when the games overlap people end up parking along the edge of the
grass of, I mean they just squeeze in everywhere and I don't think they get tagged there.
Hoffman: If they're on the grass they get tagged.
Lash: Ifthey're onthe grass, yeah.
Karlovich: Does anyone ever think they have the right to go off`road?
Franks: Yes, I'm assuming that there's already some kind of ordinance or law about, within the traveling
not on a designated street.
Lash: Vehicles on road only.
Franks: So I mean is that something that we even need to address within the park? If the sheriff's catch
somebody driving through the park, they're going to tag them whether that's on the sign or not.
Hoff`man: Pretty much we tag them for damage to property. There is no ordinance for driving off`the road,
but you tag them for damage to property.
Franks: I guess my feeling is, and this was confusing when we came up with the wording at the last
meeting as well but, if the off; or parking in an area that is not designated for parking is the issue, then
maybe that's what we should just address.
Lash: Parking in designated areas only.
Franks: Only.
Lash: But we've had that.
Franks: We had that before and that was not effective so.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Howe: Well vehicles prohibited from driving or parking on grass.
Karlovich: How about parking in stalls only?
Lash: That kind of sounds twidley.
Karlovich: It's better than the pooper scooper suggestion.
Moes: That or do we just expand that one to say, I mean it's a little repetitive however you say vehicles
prohibited from off`road travel and off`road parking. I mean it gets a little longer but it hits the point.
Kelly: Or vehicles prohibited from off`road travel or non-designated parking.
Lash: That's a double negative. Prohibited and not designated.
Moes: Well that's what I'm thinking. You expand it a little bit, although...you throw the off`road in front
of the parking.
Lash: So what if we put on grass.
Howe: Yeah, on grass covers everything.
Lash: Vehicles prohibited from off` road.
Karlovich: Are out there tagging people? Is there parking along like the driveways?
Hoff`man: If they're on the grass. It's difficult to park along the driveways without getting on the grass.
Most places they pull off` on the grass and then they get tagged.
Franks: Can we just say parking on grass prohibited or parking in grass areas prohibited? I mean if that's
the issue...
Lash: Well maybe it needs to be a whole new thing and just take it away from the off`road travel.
Karlovich: How about vehicles prohibited from grass areas?
Franks: Well that covers it.
Moes: Well another option is, we could put meters up and we could say parking at meters only.
Lash: Or we could put up a gate and charge two bucks to get in.
Howe: Well seriously, do people drive on the grass a lot? Is this something that we see a lot?
Hoff`man: Driving on the grass?
Howe: People cruising around the park to go to a picnic or back their car up.
Hoff`man: Sure, but that's an honest violation. People know they're doing something wrong when they're
driving on the grass. People don't know they're doing something wrong necessarily when they park on the
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
grass because people run out of parking but it's an ordinance. They get tagged. And so it's no parking on
the grass.
Franks: People know they're doing something wrong when they're driving on the grass but they might not
be aware when they're parking on the grass that they're going to get a ticket so we need to have that
posted.
Howe: That's more important than.
Lash: Well there's signs all over the place that say no parking.
Franks: We're assuming everyone can read. I hear you.
Hoffman: No parking on the grass. That's what the signs say, don't they Dale?
Gregory: I think.., say no vehicles, or vehicles prohibited from driving or parking on the grass.
Lash: That works for me.
Franks: Yeah, but then you're back to the same problem though, driving or parking on grass.
Gregory: Well you're saying, no driving on the grass and you're saying no parking on the grass.
Howe: If you think about it too much, I mean you don't drive and you don't park on the grass and I think
we can all figure that out.
Hoff`man: You're paid to think about it too much Mike.
Howe: That's what I'm saying. We speak English.
Hoffman: $300 a piece for these babies and they're going up for 10 years.
Howe: Right. It's got to be right. I think you should cover that but I think that gets the message across.
Franks: What if you just made two lines, no parking on grass. No driving on grass.
Spizale: At Bandimere I've seen non-Chanhassen vehicles driving on paths. Kind of cruising around
taking a little tour of the...fields. I'm just kind of visiting.
Hoffman: That's what we like. Eyes and ears in the field. That's off`road travel.
Howe: That is off`road travel.
Lash: How about vehicles prohibited from grass?
Franks: No.
Lash: No?
Franks: Can we get two sentences?
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Lash: Yes.
Franks: No parking on grass. Travel on designated roadway only.
Howe: That's nice and simple.
Franks: Or driving on designated roadways only. Break it down into two sentences.
Spizale: Write that down. That sounds like it makes sense.
Franks: Simple but claritive statements. No driving on grass.
Lash: And that needs to be first. I mean first after no people in after hours because that's our number one.
Karlovich: No parking on grass.
Franks: Yes, no parking on grass. Right. Driving on designated roadway only. And don't tell me that
people are going to take their golf clubs out onto the streets.
Karlovich: What about all the weeds we have?
Hoffman: Driving on designated roadways only.
Franks: Driving. That'sjustmyproposal.
Lash: That's clearer for me.
Hoffman: No parking on the grass gets grass in there which is very important.
Franks: Yes grass. Be clear.
Hoffman: I like that.
Lash: Well plus it ties in very clearly with what it says on every single sign. Does it not say every single
sign, no parking on grass. So it's the very same wording.
Franks: No parking on grass. Driving on designated roadways only.
Howe: ...no parking on the grass, you can say that simply. Seriously.
Lash: You can say no parking on grass more simple than that?
Howe: No. Than the designated roadway. I like the no parking on the grass. I'm very happy.
Hoffman: No off road driving?
Franks: There you go.
Lash: No vehicles on the grass.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Howe: No driving on the grass.
Hoffman: Well but they drive on the trails too.
Franks: Right, they're driving on the trails so we have to stick to roads.
Howe: Okay.
Karlovich: I could throw some legalese in there.
Hoffman: Vehicles prohibited from off road travel.
Moes: Works well with the second one being no parking on grass.
Franks: Vehicles prohibited from offroad travel. Can you get that in?
Karlovich: There's got to be plenty of room.
Franks: One line.
Lash: Alright. Are we okay with that? Alright, let's move onto the color.
Franks: Have you got that Todd?
Hoffman: We got that. No parking on the grass goes first.
Lash: Yep.
Hoffman: Vehicles prohibited from off road travel goes next.
Lash: Okay. Comments on the colors.
Karlovich: We have made a difference in life.
Hoffman: Did we go through the rest? Are we done with the rest?
Lash: What?
Hoffman: Are you done?
Franks: The rest looked good to me.
Lash: The rest looked fine to me.
Howe: What are we going to do if the lifeguards come back and say we don't want any alcohol on the
beaches?
Lash: Is that not a change of more than just a park rule sign? Wouldn't that be an ordinance of some sort?
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Hoffman: Sure.
Lash: Okay.
Moes: What approval process would that require then?
Hoffman: A review here and.
Karlovich: Public hearings.
Hoffman: Public hearing.
Lash: So that would be all city beaches? Or all city parks?
Hoffman: It could be either or. City beaches, that's going to be difficult the enforcement issues. They
were drinking up on the beach. They were drinking up in the picnic area, swimming at the beach so I
would think if the desire of the city as a community is to limit alcohol because of concem of safety, you
would limit it all throughout the entire park system.
Lash: Okay, let's go to the colors. That's easier. Well maybe not.
Karlovich: That's more our scope.
Lash: Yeah, specialty. Okay, any opinions on the 3 different layout plans?
Kelly: Just a question. Is Option B orange or red?
Hoffman: Red.
Lash: Oh, because it looks orange. I thought it was orange.
Kelly: I've been told I'm color blind so.
Franks: And the background, white or?
Hoffman: White.
Franks: And on Option A and Option C, also white background?
Karlovich: I just feel like I shouldn't be reading this. Very offensive.
Hoffman: In your face.
Lash: Okay, I'll start it out. I like the third one the best.
Franks: Can we go with, does it raise the cost substantially to go to color as far as having a colored
background and of course a color for the print?
Hoffman: Yes.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Franks: Okay.
Lash: How do you feel Tom?
Kelly: C.
Lash: A, B, C, okay Mike.
Howe: Well I really was a red letter boy and I really think, I'm not going to like the red letters anymore.
...the green would look nicer in the parks. I've finally come around and admit that.
Hoff`man: So A or C?
Howe: Okay, C.
Lash: Dave.
Moes: I myself like option B. And the reason for that is, I was trying to think where I was over the
weekend and there was a sign that was on the side of one of the buildings at a park and, it may not have
been in Chanhassen but the sign just blended right into the building. It was the park rules blended into the
building and I'm not sure if anyone would have even seen the sign blending into the building so I myself
prefer seeing something that stands out a little bit more. If that's offensive and in your face, but it catches
your eye as well. I think it just lets people know that there are certain rules that need to be adhered to and
it stands out and I think it can be done in a way that, you know from a positioning standpoint, that you're
still able to send the message and not make it look too in your face so I'm with B.
Lash: Okay. I like C. Rod.
Franks: I prefer C.
Lash: Jay.
Franks: I'd really prefer C with a buff`colored background.
Hoff`man: This is a screen print on a metal sign.
Franks: But I understand that of course the cost involved in that would not be worth it.
Lash: Jay.
Karlovich: I like Option C. I think it does a really good job of setting out the park hours which is kind of
one of the most important messages that we're putting across here.
Lash: Jack.
Spizale: I like C. I think it's perfect.
Lash: What colors do we have now?
Hoff`man: Green on white.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Lash: Just like this, okay. Okay, any other talking about this we need to get?
Hoff`man; Recommendation to the City Council.
Lash: Yep. So I'll call for a motion.
Karlovich: I'll move that we recommend to the City Council Option C as shown in the addendum to our
packet here for the new park rules sign for the Chanhassen parks. How many are there going to be?
Hoffman: How many signs?
Karlovich: Yeah.
Hoffman: A couple hundred.
Karlovich: For a couple hundred signs.
Lash: Is there a second?
Howe: I'll second.
Karlovich moved, Howe seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend that the City
Council approve Option C as shown in the addendum for the new park rules sign for the Chanhassen
parks. All voted in favor, except Moes who opposed, and the motion carried 6 to 1.
RECREATION PROGRAMS: 4TM OF 3ULY CELEBRATION.
Ruegemer: Coming up next week. A week from tonight you're going to be dancing. CVO's coming back
again for the 3rd of July. Corey's been working hard on getting all the details ironed out for that. We were
kind of sitting down and going through a little mini-brain sessions around the course of the days here.
Making sure that all the details are finalized and Corey's been doing a good job. He's been taking care of
all the details and getting things pretty much put into, in line for that. He's been having seasonal staff
work and kind of do some projects for him. Other members of the staff`working for him so he's going to
pull it all together and we're going to have some advertisers. There's been signs put out. There's
information going out in the papers and schedule of events around town. The shirts are out. He's been
working with sponsors on getting information out to them. He's been working with food vendors and
power needs and layouts and working with the Chamber on the trade fair so a lot of that is starting to come
together and we've been kind of going back and forth and talking over our petitions quite a bit lately and
working out details on that so. I think he's going through it last year, I think it will help him with this year
but we'll certainly be around to assist him in every way. He's pretty nervous about it. Going through his
first one. All his responsibility so, he's going good. He's been working with the fireworks vendor and a
lot of different people so he's going to pull it together just fine so, and we'll have good food too.
Hoffman: I gave him the fatherly speech after hours tonight. He was up there working...
Lash: Tell him to smile, have fun.
Hoff`man: Yep.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Lash: Remember it's a party.
Hoffman: It's a party.
Lash: If you're not having fun, there's a problem.
Ruegemer: And I have my marching orders that nobody leaves tonight without putting their name on this
volunteer list...
Howe: I won't be here either.
Hoffman: Up north.
Howe: No, out east.
Kelly: What type of things do they need volunteers for?
Ruegemer: All kinds of things. Traditionally the Park and Rec Commission's helped out with the prize
board. The schedule of events everybody had, one on their desk area or chair area. A t-shirt is there for
you. Anybody needs a different size, let us know. We can take care of that tonight. Other than that,
we're getting ready for the biggest celebration of the year.
Lash: I happened to read in the City Council agenda in the paper that, I think it was the Rotary or
someone was applying for a gambling license. Is that for this or? No? So it's not for bingo here? No?
Okay. Just checking.
Ruegemer: Had a pretty good response from the community organizations about doing camival games and
that sort of thing and I think there's at least 3 or 4 that responded to that so.
Lash: They were interested or not?
Ruegemer: Oh yeah. They're lined up.
Lash: Like who?
Ruegemer: I think South Tonka's one of them. Susie Blake called with Chaska Area Hockey. Tonka
United I think is doing one. So we've had a pretty good response to it so.
Lash: Good.
Hoffman: I think that was St. Hubert's Harvest Festival for the gambling.
Lash: Oh, okay. I happened to talk the other day to one of the guys from the Rotary who usually works
the concession stand and he said, he was talking about how much beer that they had ordered and how short
they were last year and some of the problems they had, so I asked if they were thinking of maybe possibly
setting up a different configuration or more pitchers. He said they're definitely getting more pitchers. And
that last year they gave a price break from pitchers, I don't know how many glasses, can you get 5 glasses
out of a pitcher or something. Come on everybody. I know you get 5. But you got a price break and this
year they're not going to offer the price break but they're going to have way more pitchers available to
speed up the.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Ruegemer: We're going to have to reconfigure because our tent is 20 feet narrower this year. It's a 40 by
160 versus a 60 by 140.
Lash: And you're moving the prize board to the back end?
Ruegemer: Back, yes. Back towards the back. It will be kind of set up in the trade fair area to begin with
and then once they clear out we'll be back in the back area.
Lash: So it will face the band?
Ruegemer: Would you like it to face the band?
Lash: I would like it because then we, who work could see the band.
Moes: At least you'll get the people from standing in the middle.
Lash: Yeah.
Moes: There's a lot of people that were standing always behind the board trying to see the band and.
Lash: Watch the prize board. Watch the band.
Hoffman: The tent's 20 feet narrower because we saved about $2,500 bucks.
Lash: Also on the prize board, I'm thinking last year, but I can't remember for sure that we started selling
tickets a little earlier, didn't we? And that helped a lot.
Ruegemer: Did we have a 6:30 start? A lot earlier than 6:30?
Lash: Well what time?
Ruegemer: 6:30's onthe list.
Lash: But you know what I mean, and then the drawing's won't start until 7:00, is that correct?
Ruegemer: Yes.
Lash: Alright, that's fine.
Moes: IfI remember right, we always have plenty of help and guidance in regard to staying on track with
the drawings.
Lash: Yes. But it's just such a mad rush at first. So many people want to buy tickets and then to be
drawing at the same time and doing everything to sell tickets first and get the rush out of the way.
Ruegemer: Sure, what do people buy?
Lash: Usually, you know you get $5.00 or $10.00 worth. A lot of $10.00.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Ruegemer: Should a person have $5.00 of tickets already stacked and separated.
Lash: That'd be a good idea. When we started early, that's a lot of times we'd go in before we even sold
and just start ripping them in the right amounts. It saves a lot of time.
HolTman: Remember, this is the last year for the festival on the front lawn. It will go to the back lawn
next year and forever after so.
Ruegemer: The petting zoo, the pony rides and the Remax hot air tethered balloon rides will be up on the
north side this year.
Lash: I talked to the Dippin Dots gentleman down at Art on the Lake. I said are you the guy who's
coming to the street dance and he said yes I am. I said well thank you and bring lots. He said okay. I said
I've been trying for 4 years to get you up there. Okay, anybody have any other?
Kelly: Does that mean you're going to keep the prize board workers well, a stash of those for us?
Lash: Of Dippin Dots? Not at $3.50 a cup probably. That's more than beer... Okay, any other things for
Corey? No? Okay. Have you been there Tom, to this?
Kelly: Yep.
Lash: Jack? Have you been up here for this before? The street dance? Yeah, okay.
Spizale: Yeah.
Lash: Alright. Okay, good.
SELF SUPPORTING PROGRAMS.
Hoffman: There's no report in the packet unless Jerry has anything for you or not.
Ruegemer: ...keep on with softball has been making up rain outs here. The week of the 4th of July, we
don't have any scheduled games but I did schedule days for rain outs so we're making games up next week
on Monday, not Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of next so. We're doing that. Fall softball information's
going out in the next couple days. Other than that, basketball season will start up again in September so,
that's it.
Hoffman: I have a couple public announcements. Last evening City Council attended a dedication
ceremony at Lake Ann Park, the Lion's Field. It was at 6:15. 3 members of the council were able to
attend. Craig Peterson, due to his mobility issues did not come out to the park but he intended he would
have liked to. And we had a large gathering of the Lion's there. They had a picnic planned down at the
pavilion that Jerry had reserved for them and we all gathered up at Field #4. Stopped play on the field and
the Mayor read a prepared statement thanking the Lion's for their contribution of over $50,000 now since
1996 when they made that pledge of $98,000. Their pledge was contingent upon charitable gambling.
Since they lost their charitable gambling they decided, can we do this? Can we continue to make this
commitment to the City and they have stated formally that they will continue to work towards fulfilling
their $98,000 commitment to the City, albeit $4,000 or $5,000 at a time on pancake breakfast and tree
sales. Not $20,000 or $25,000 at a time on charitable gambling so. That was nice to hear from the Lion's.
A great event. They appreciated the council coming up to the dedication. If you haven't seen the great,
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
beautiful monument, the Lion's paid for that as well. It was just over $5,000 to put up that monument
there at that field location. The investment in Lion's park or Lion's field has been the installation of the
lights and then spectator improvements with the hope that the Lion's at some point in the future sponsor a
toumament, Lion's Toumament Softball Toumament, and then the final games, the championship games
would be played right there on Lion's Field with the improved spectator seating and viewing from the
concession stand. So that bit ofbusiness took place last night. In addition to that, the Council appointed
Gary Boyle to the City Council. Gary has formerly been on the HRA and the EDA so I thought you'd like
to know that. July will be a busy meeting for you with capital improvement discussions for 2002 and the 5
year capital improvement program. I will draw up a notice in the paper encouraging citizens if they have
items that they would like to see in the parks, capital items that they either contact the commissioner or
send a note to City Hall so, just so you're aware of that upcoming business.
Lash: Okay, let's move onto Commission Member Committee reports.
COMMISSION MEMBER COMMITTEE REPORTS.
Howe: Thank you. We had a quick meeting today with the Dave Huff`man Race Committee.
Congratulations to Jerry because he won an award from the MRPA. The Award of Excellence in the
events category for last year's race. Jerry. It said in the letter that I read that they may come here
sometime this summer to make a formal presentation before the Council or whatever you wanted to do.
Did you read that? Did I just make that up?
Hoffman: City Council.
Ruegemer: The August meeting they'll be here.
Howe: They're working on more Chamber involvement, the City Chamber of Commerce. The Minnesota
Arboretum just gave us their entire race list to send letters to which I thought was great. The people from
Americlnn's pulled that off~ And the Viking's link continues and that's it. It's coming up so if you
haven't started running now, you're in trouble.
Lash: I'm in trouble.
Howe: That's all I have.
Lash: Okay, thanks Mike. Anyone else? I don't think we have any other committees going right now.
That's our only committee isn't it? Memorial Committee.
Hoff`man: We talked about this evening on our tour that there is a grass roots organization starting on the
Seminary Fen. If that comes to fruition then a liaison from the commission should be appointed so I'll
keep you informed about that.
Lash: Okay. I had one I guess, this would be under presentations. We'll move onto presentations.
Anyone have anything?
Franks: In the administrative packet.
Lash: That's administrative packet.
COMMISSION MEMBER PRESENTATIONS.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Lash: Okay, I have a question. Is there any update on anything going on with the round house?
Hoffman: I talked with Deanna Bunkelman about 3 weeks ago. The council has been inquiring about that.
She stated, well first of all she e-mailed and asked me if she needed to report back to the City Council. I
informed her that she did. The council made that a requirement of the neighborhood's efforts and so they
have the budget. She said they've made a lot of contacts but she still has to come back and talk to the
council about the plan. How they're going to get it done. The contributors. And I haven't talked to her
since then.
Lash: So she's working on the plan or she has the plan?
Hoffman: She has the plan that the city had. She's working on her effort, she was meeting with the
contractor that day. I mailed her keys to the building and so I'll call her tomorrow and check that out and
report back to you.
Lash: Okay. If it's possible, I'd like a monthly update since we're on kind of a deadline situation with
that. What was our deadline? September, right? So I mean we're already.
Hoffman: Halfway there.
Lash: I don't want to forget about it. Okay, anyone else with a commission member presentation? Then
we'll go onto the Administrative packet.
ADMINISTRATIVE PACKET.
Lash: Do you have anything Tom? Mike?
Howe: No.
Lash: Dave?
Moes: On the, just off of the schedule Todd. On the back page of Correspondence. Just, you can
eliminate the work number there...
Lash: And I just wanted to mention to Tom and Jack that this schedule is set up that if there is a park and
rec issue on that agenda, Todd would provide you with the information that you need to be there. And if
there's really no buming issues, it's not that necessary for you to go. Okay? Okay, and then I just wanted
to thank you Todd. Thought you did a very nice job in your letters to Jim and Fred. Very nice.
Hoffman: They both called.
Lash: And I had one little question for, on the sheriff's report with Mr. Livingston. So it was deemed that
he was not the dumper?
Hoffman: No, he was calling in.
Lash: Okay, I was confused how that happened. Okay. That's all I have. Did you have anything Rod?
You had something.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Franks: Herman Field continues to be a problem I guess, but really in the administrative packet you'll see
in the back plans for the Chan Library. And Todd, were you able to confirm when that's coming before
the Planning Commission? Is that July 19th for a public hearing?
Hoffman: I wasn't able to confirm that. That's what they're talking about but there's been no submittals
made to the planning, community development yet. So Kate is unsure of the exact schedule for that.
Franks: Okay. I would just like to encourage everyone to take a look at the plans and this is probably our
only opportunity to give comment regarding the library when it goes before the Planning Commission for
public hearing so if any of you have questions or concems or comments as a citizen with some knowledge
of park and recreation issues in the city, I would encourage you to keep your eyes open for that meeting.
Hoffman: There's a meeting on Thursday night, this Thursday. Isn't that a public meeting?
Franks: This Thursday? Public meeting?
Hoffman: Correct.
Lash: Okay, anything else Rod?
Franks: No. But I would encourage, I've attended two of these public meetings already and they were just
very, very enlightening so anybody who is interested in the library should really, really attend if they can.
Lash: Okay, thanks Rod. Jay, do you have anything?
Karlovich: No I don't.
Lash: Jack, do you have anything?
Spizale: I don't really have anything. Maybe I've got a question. Have there been any more problems
with that Herman Field Park that we visited last time?
Hoffman: I think this report was just immediately before or after we were there but since then, I actually
drove out there that night. We had the neighborhood meeting with the Sergeant Dave Potts, Crime
Prevention Officer Beth Hoiseth and about oh, 8-10 of the neighbors there that evening. Re-hashing some
of the same issues. Drove out there that evening and it's pretty dam quiet that particular night. We're
going to do some environmental corrections. Placing boulders atthe comers ofthose sharp drives. They
won't be taking those comers, or they're going to be smashing their vehicles. The light in the back in, the
neighborhood would like to talk about this gating system and the commission asked that we conduct that
survey. We wanted to have that meeting first and then I'll be mailing out a neighborhood mailing to them
talking about those particular issues. They were really hot and cold on that one. Checked the file, the
park. The land has to remain as a park. If the City no longer wants to utilize it as a city park, it
automatically reverts back to Carver County as part of Minnewashta Regional Park. So same stuff. It's
the after hours stuff that really bothers me, and they talked can we close Herman Field at 8:00 p.m. so then
if there's problems after 8:00 p.m. they can call immediately because what they see is there's activity
going on. Lots of cars and driving but up until 10:00 they really can't call. Once it's 10:00 they call and
say there's people down there after hours so. Pretty good core group of people. Some of them are reacting
to the problems in corrective fashion. Some are just getting outright negative you know. Don't want it.
Get rid of it.
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Park and Rec Commission Meeting June 26, 2001
Lash: Okay, thanks. Anybody have anything else?
Spizale: That's all I had.
Lash: That's all you had Jack? Anything else? No? Okay, is there a motion to adjoum?
Howe moved, Moes seconded to adjourn the Park and Recreation Commission meeting. All voted in
favor and the motion carried.
Submitted by Todd Hoffman
Park and Recreation Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
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