Agenda and PacketAGENDA
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020
CHANHASSEN RECREATION CENTER, 2310 COULTER BOULEVARD
A.7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER
B.ROLL CALL
C.APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioners may add or delete items at this time.
D.PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
E.VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
Commission Procedures allow for presentations from the audience at this time. If a motion is
required, the item will be forwarded to the next available agenda to allow for publication and review
prior to consideration.
F.APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1.Approve Park & Recreation Minutes dated August 25, 2020
G.NEW BUSINESS
H.OLD BUSINESS
I.REPORTS
1.Park Maintenance Quarterly Update
2.Chanhassen Recreation Center Quarterly Update
3.Senior Center Quarterly Update
4.2020 Halloween Preview
J.COMMISSION MEMBER COMMITTEE REPORTS
K.COMMISSION MEMBER PRESENTATIONS
L.ADMINISTRATIVE PACKET
M.ADJOURNMENT
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Subject Approve Park & Recreation Minutes dated August 25, 2020
Section APPROVAL OF MINUTES Item No: F.1.
Prepared By Nann Opheim, City Recorder File No:
PROPOSED MOTION
The Park and Recreation Commission approves the minutes for August 25, 2020.
Approval requires a simple majority vote of members present
ATTACHMENTS:
Summary Minutes
Verbatim Minutes
CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
SUMMARY MINUTES
AUGUST 25, 2020
Chairman Boettcher called the meeting to order at6 7:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim Boettcher, Joe Scanlon, Karl Tsuchiya, Matt Kutz, Haley
Schubert, Jim Peck and Youth Commissioner Zoe Erpelding. Sandy Sweetser arrived during the
2020-21 Ice Skating Rink discussion.
STAFF PRESENT: Jerry Ruegemer, Park and Rec Director; and Priya Tandon, Recreation
Supervisor
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Tsuchiya moved, Kutz seconded to approve the agenda as
amended. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 7 to 0.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS: Jerry Ruegemer invited commission members to meet with
the recruiters for the city manager position.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS. None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Kutz moved, Schubert seconded to approve the verbatim
and summary Minutes of the July 28, 2020 minutes as presented. All voted in favor and
the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 7 to 0.
2020-2021 ICE SKATING RINK RECOMMENDATIONS. Priya Tandon presented the staff
report on this item. Commissioner Peck asked for clarification on the skating rink attendants.
Kutz moved, Peck seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommends the
City Council approve staff’s proposed ice skating rink locations and warming house hours
for the 2020-2021 season. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a
vote of 8 to 0.
REVIEW PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION BYLAWS. Jerry Ruegemer
presented the staff report on this item. Commission members discussed changing the starting
time of the meeting from 7:30 to 7:00 p.m. and the number of commission members including
youth representatives.
Tsuchiya moved, Schubert seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission modify
Section 2.1 of the Bylaws to change the start time to 7:00 p.m. and the curfew to move to
10:00 p.m. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 8 to 0.
Park and Recreation Commission Summary – August 25, 2020
2
Schubert moved, Tsuchiya seconded to approve the Chanhassen Park and Recreation
Commission bylaws as amended. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously
with a vote of 8 to 0.
DISCUSSION ON NEW PARK AND RECREATION ACTION ITEMS.
Jerry Ruegemer reviewed how the park and rec department staff has handled dealing with
programming during the pandemic and explained how the CARES Act funding will be used in
city facilities. Commissioner Kutz discussed that he would like to see the commission work on
preparing for bonding, prepare a list of projects that would be used with that bonding money and
discussed the possibility of renting out a covered rink. Commissioner Sweetser discussed the
need for more volleyball courts in the community. Commissioner Schubert discussed the need to
address the senior population and the possibility of having an Adopt a Trail program.
Commissioner members discussed the need to develop the trail system at The Park around Lake
Ann as soon as funding becomes available.
UPDATE ON PARK PROJECTS GOING ON IN THE CITY.
Jerry Ruegemer provided updates on projects happening in the city. Commissioner Kutz asked
for an update on the skate park.
Tsuchiya moved, Schubert seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and the
motion carried unanimously with a vote of 8 to 0. The Park and Recreation Commission
meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Submitted by Jerry Ruegemer
Park and Rec Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
CHANHASSEN PARK AND
RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
AUGUST 25, 2020
Chairman Boettcher called the meeting to order at6 7:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim Boettcher, Joe Scanlon, Karl Tsuchiya, Matt Kutz, Haley
Schubert, Jim Peck and Youth Commissioner Zoe Erpelding. Sandy Sweetser arrived during the
2020-21 Ice Skating Rink discussion.
STAFF PRESENT: Jerry Ruegemer, Park and Rec Director; Priya Tandon, Recreation
Supervisor
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Ruegemer: Chair Boettcher I’d like to just give a brief update on some projects that are going on
in the city that the commission might be interested in.
Boettcher: Okay would that be under new business?
Ruegemer: Yes please.
Boettcher: We can call it number 4.
Ruegemer: Yes.
Boettcher: Any other additions or deletions?
Tsuchiya moved, Kutz seconded to approve the agenda as amended. All voted in favor and
the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 7 to 0.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Boettcher: Any public announcements Jerry? Priya?
Ruegemer: No public announcements. I just wanted to reiterate, I sent you guys an email out
just about the city manager recruitment process. If anybody would like to meet with the recruiter
tomorrow and or Thursday at 4:30 to go over characteristics. Maybe things you’d like to look
for as they’re going through the process of looking for qualified candidates looking for certain
characteristics and that sort of thing. It’s open to all commissions. City department heads. All
city employees both at city hall and public works so they’re trying to really gain kind of insight
from a wide variety of brush stroke I guess of the people that are involved with the City for a city
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
2
manager so please feel free to stop by. You don’t need an appointment. Stop by and kind of
give them your two cents.
Boettcher: So it’ll be the whole group meeting with the recruiter or.
Ruegemer: No individually.
Boettcher: Individually. So that’s tomorrow and Thursday?
Ruegemer: Yep, tomorrow and/or Thursday.
Peck: Why don’t we just let you do both for all of us?
Ruegemer: I’ve got a 2:00 o’clocker tomorrow so with the recruiter so I will definitely have
some input on that but I just wanted to make the commission aware of that so you guys are more
than welcome to attend.
Boettcher: Okay. Thank you Jerry.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS. None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Kutz moved, Schubert seconded to approve the verbatim
and summary Minutes of the July 28, 2020 minutes as presented. All voted in favor and
the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 7 to 0.
2020-2021 ICE SKATING RINK RECOMMENDATIONS.
Boettcher: Priya this looks like this one is your’s.
Tandon: Yep, so thank you Chair Boettcher, commissioners. So for the 2020-21 skating season
it’s staff’s recommendation to flood 11 ice rinks at 6 locations and maintain 5 warning houses.
It’s the same number of ice rinks locations, warming houses as the 2019-2020 season. So most
locations have one pleasure rink and one hockey rink with the exception of the Rec Center that
has two hockey rinks, no pleasure rink and then Roundhouse Park just has a pleasure rink as
does Pioneer Pass which was the experiment last year that has no warming house but it will be
flooded. Warming house hours are recommended that they also stay the same as the previous
season so weekdays from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Saturdays from 10:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Sundays
from 1:00 to 7:00 and then the warming house at Roundhouse Park has modified hours being
closed during the weekdays and then on Saturdays from 12:00 to 6:00 and Sundays from 1:00 to
7:00 and then on no school days and holidays kind of typically follows the Saturday schedule
just to accommodate the kids and families who are out of school. Off work, things like that. And
then you can just kind of see some background down here. Last year, last season we had 7,580
recorded users throughout the season which is up from the previous 5 years which is great to see.
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
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A total of 24 rink attendants were hired. Rink attendant wages total close to $20,000 with a total
of about 1,700 hours worked and then it kind of lists expenses below.
Peck: I just have one question on that.
Tandon: Sure.
Peck: Is there any, and to just bring up the past. I don’t know how this all works but what’s the
thoughts of leaving the warming houses open without attendees? I mean I’m sure we’re covered
with insurance if something really bad would happen but I’m just curious what our thought
process was in the past on you know, because sometimes if you want to go there and if the
person’s not there or people want to skate earlier or later but they want to change in their car,
what’s our thought process on that and is that a spot to save money on wages if we have them
open but they’re not staffed? I don’t know what you guys thoughts are on that.
Ruegemer: Yeah.
Tsuchiya: You’ve got a bunch of vandalism of some sort?
Ruegemer: Yeah that certainly is part of that and certainly those are rentals that we have that
many of the warming houses have, and Priya is going through the exercise of reserving those and
that sort of things so obviously we do have insurance riders on all of them but obviously with
any type of vandalism our, I want to say our deductible is $5,000 on those so we’d be on the
hook for a pretty good chunk of change per incident right so, so that is and you know Priya can
certainly touch on this as well but kind of going forward with the COVID situation we’re, the
rink season is still a little bit unknown at this point. Obviously we’re talking about it tonight so
we can potentially advertise in our fall brochure. Our deadline for the fall brochure is September
10th so we traditionally have kind of gone through this exercise to get it to you guys to get it
approved but just know this that there may be future modifications to the rink season. Really
depending on Executive Order what may happen with the State of Minnesota. With that because
you know currently we all know right now indoor spaces or indoor numbers are 10 right now so
those warming houses are not huge by any means so you know for us to keep track of you know
one in, one out type of thing. That doesn’t work well for hockey teams or practices coming in so
we’re going through all that kind of right now to try to figure out some of those type of things so
just want to give kind of the commission kind of a head’s up on that. That this program locations
probably won’t be modified but hours of operation could be potentially modified to fit within
budget schemes and scope and/or warming house limitations on that so whether it’s mask
requirements or numbers we’ll see. So we just want to give everybody kind of head’s up if we
have kind of major modifications we may bring this item back to you guys so you’re kind of
aware of kind of what’s going on with that so we’re kind of going through kind of the budgetary
process right now. We’re just trying to figure out where we’re going to go with this. A lot of
cities are in the same boat that we are right now with schools just kind of starting or not starting
and delayed so it’s kind of bubbling out there right now with the whole winter season. With how
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we’re, Priya’s looking really hard to make modifications and to make it go. Or it may not go.
You know it’s hard for a situation when really public health is our number one concern right so
we’re kind of waiting to see what’s going on with schools and now it looks like we’re going to
be delaying the start of schools maybe even more now so we’ll make that determination by the
first week or two in September about the Halloween Party but that being said, looking ahead to
Feb Fest. You know is Feb Fest going to go and we do dog sled rides. We do hay rides so all
those really things are kind of looming out there now until we get vaccination. Until they relax
the guidelines of the Executive Order so a lot of things kind of have to fall into place so we’re
aware of that and Priya certainly is on top of that and does a great job on you know we’re going
to try to find some examples and some ideas of kind of work around’s. I call them work
around’s. Maybe that’s the wrong word but ways to modify it to make sure we have successful
and safe events so. So that’s kind of the idea right now so I guess tonight obviously with what
Priya presented we’re kind of looking for locations and current times. Traditional historical
times that we’ve had and days of the week and that’s kind of what we’re working on today.
Boettcher: Just real quick I know we can’t control it but weather wise I was looking at the open
dates and close dates going for 5 years. Apparently 2015-16 for me it was a good year because it
didn’t open until January 6th because I’m not a cold weather person but what is the earlier that
the rinks would open say we had 10 below weather at Thanksgiving already? What is the
earliest that the rinks have actually opened that you flood them?
Tandon: You know I think it would be the second or so week in December.
Boettcher: Because I see the 15th and 17th.
Tandon: Yep, just because you know that’s I guess when we hire our rink attendants and that’s
when people are wanting to get outside and skate and I think that’s when the…makes sense so
probably that would be the earliest we would open is the second or so week in December.
Preferably we like to get open before the holidays.
Ruegemer: It’s kind of a science a bit with Adam and his crew. You know obviously ground
temperatures have to be a certain temperature and we’re here just basically wasting resource so a
lot of times if there’s a little bit frost on the ground, not very much you dump water on it. A lot
of times it will suck the frost out of the ground so you’re really kind of going backwards so you
really have to kind of have sustainable colder temperatures to kind of drive that frost into the
ground at least probably 8 plus inches. 6 to 8. 9 inches so to kind of sustain that ice to kind of
keep building it and once you get that base then you can really pump it up so Adam and crew
they will go 24 hours a day for 10 straight days if they need to, to get it built up and ready to go
for Priya’s attendants to start so. You know you always kind of budget for that kind of second-
third week in December but realistically it’s, if we can get them open the weekend before the
Christmas holiday that’s kind of our goal so they’re open like Priya said for the break for the
kids.
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Tsuchiya: Priya would it be possible to open the rinks without warming houses if it’s weather
permitting? Is that always a possibility to flood early?
Tandon: Yeah I think it would definitely be a possibility if you know the ground is ready for it.
It would probably just depend on budget.
Tsuchiya: Sure.
Tandon: How much you know we have for seasonal wages. But yeah we always tell people that
yes, the warming houses are going to be open on this date but if they choose to come skate on the
rinks when there are no warming houses they’re welcomed to do that but yeah that would be an
option.
Tsuchiya: Okay. Great I’m sure that’d be Adam’s call.
Peck: If we don’t have an attendant or anything does our liability doesn’t change? We just have
the rinks open.
Ruegemer: People can skate on the rinks anytime they’d like to.
Peck: Right.
Ruegemer: So yeah we don’t have an attendant on duty.
Peck: …whatever you do every day.
Ruegemer: It’s no different than using the playground equipment or ballfield that sort of thing so
or the skate park so…
Boettcher: So last year we had the residents from Pioneer Pass that came in and made the
impassioned plea and we did the experiment. Has there been any other word that you’ve heard
anyone in another subdivision or a park area where they would like to have possibly a flooded
rink?
Ruegemer: Yep, no I haven’t heard from anybody else. Joe Shamla who was kind of the driving
force behind the whole Pioneer Pass last year, he definitely emailed me again and would love,
love, love to get it back so, and you know we as a staff did go out and take pictures and take a
look at if the rink was being used. Our park maintenance staff kind of monitored it as well. It
really didn’t cost the City really all that much money and to do, there was no warming house.
There’s no lights. No attendants. That sort of thing so it’s pretty minimal compared to that and
Pioneer Pass is a little landlocked in the southern part of Chan and a very large kind of a
neighborhood with lots of kids so it was fine for us to recommend that decision again for this
year.
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Boettcher: And just for the record I’d like to note that Commissioner Sweetser is here.
Sweetser: Thank you.
Boettcher: So I guess if there’s no other discussion we’re looking for, there’s a proposed motion.
If you’d like to, Commissioner Kutz.
Kutz: I’ll make the motion that we approve Priya’s recommendation for hours and staffing
operations. Is that what you’re looking for or need?
Tandon: Yeah.
Kutz: I don’t even know what we have.
Boettcher: That works. And a second on it?
Peck: I’ll second it.
Boettcher: Any other discussion?
Kutz moved, Peck seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommends the
City Council approve staff’s proposed ice skating rink locations and warming house hours
for the 2020-2021 season. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a
vote of 8 to 0.
Boettcher: Motion passes. We’ll have rinks this year.
Ruegemer: And if that schedule in any way is modified we’ll bring that back to the commission.
REVIEW PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION BYLAWS.
Boettcher: I believe Commissioner Schubert this was a request of your’s at some point in time.
Which is something that we do, or we should do.
Schubert: They just never updated the date last time they were reviewed so then they were out of
date by that.
Boettcher: Right, but it is a good idea to do that.
Schubert: But now this is the time to be reviewing them.
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
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Ruegemer: Yeah, it typically you know certainly our apologies from the COVID situation.
These are generally reviewed the first meeting in April every 5 years so that time line is a bit off
right now just with the timing of COVID since we didn’t meet during those times so, anyway so
the time is now.
Boettcher: Has everyone had a chance to look at it? Familiarize yourselves. See if there’s
anything, anyone have any special requests to add or delete any items or how something was
worded?
Schubert: I would like to discuss the start time. Changing the start time to 7:00 versus 7:30.
Boettcher: Okay.
Schubert: But I don’t know if other people have strong opinions on that so.
Ruegemer: It certainly was identified as a discussion reaction.
Schubert: I saw that. When I saw your notes on that I was like yes because I was going to bring
it up.
Ruegemer: The same wave length right so. One other thing that Chair Boettcher and I talked
about too is kind of changing the wording of the quorum. So I think a lot of other commissions,
so it’s item number 3.3 under the quorum. So before it just said kind of had the quorum. We
just added the half plus 1 equals 5 to that so really it’s essentially the same but just the wording is
different with that just with our youth commissioners and that sort of thing so I don’t know if
that makes sense or not make sense. We can change it back however we’d like to with that just
wanted to make the commission aware of that tonight.
Boettcher: That’s pretty much forward…like we talked with any of the other commissions that I
remember. Half plus one makes sense. The only question that always comes up, there’s some
meetings I’ve been in where we didn’t have a quorum but we still had a meeting so why? You
can’t vote on anything. We can have Jerry order out some subs or pizza or something. Make it
worth our while. Does anyone have any other, any dissections that you’d guys would like to add
something or change the wording. I guess the big item is as Commissioner Schubert just
mentioned would be the start time. We had that listed under the next item actually as a
discussion point but we can do it here. Make a decision. Make a motion.
Ruegemer: It’s been 7:30 in all 30 years that I’ve been here with that so, your mom was a 7:30
gal so way back in the day but with that kind of the reasoning kind of behind that was you know
traditionally when the City was a bit younger a lot of the people that were on the park and rec
commission were youth coaches and that sort of thing so it’s hard for them to get here by 7:00.
Obviously in 30 years I think the dynamic of the commission has changed with that so I don’t
know that that is necessarily a sticking point with people anymore with that so, and I guess that’s
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
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really why I kind of brought it up. I mean just to be consistent with City Council and Planning
Commission, a lot of the other commissions are at 7:00 so just kind of keep it consistent across
the board but you know I’ll take the direction from the commission tonight on that.
Boettcher: Just noting that if we do make the change you’re going to have to do 3 email
messages and text messages to everyone because…I just had a meeting at 6:00 on Tuesday so
now I’ll have to be here at 7:00 instead of 7:30. But I only fish Monday, Wednesday and Friday
so it doesn’t affect me there. Tuesdays and Thursdays…
Tsuchiya: They don’t bite at that time anyway.
Boettcher: They don’t bite on Tuesday and Thursday.
Ruegemer: Just for the commission’s consideration too in Section 3 is we do we need to do
anything with the composition? Just kind of adding in the youth representatives. It pretty much
does kind of state in there but I don’t know if we want to change that. The commission shall
consist of, if we want to change that number to 7 to 9 depending on youth commissioners or just
have it, leave it at 7 and then the youth commissioners are certainly mentioned below in there
and they do, it did mention that they are voting members of that as well so it definitely identified
it in there if we want to leave it alone, totally fine.
Boettcher: I think it looks good.
Schubert: That’s fine.
Boettcher: Because we were discussing the other day we had only one time that I remember that
we had two youth members. It’s always been one.
Ruegemer: Yeah.
Boettcher: I think we had 3 where it was…
Ruegemer: Yeah, Grant and Lauren Dale I think were together at that point so.
Sweetser: What would happen if these guys weren’t here, we were here and the two, or Zoe was
here? So from a standpoint of a vote?
Boettcher: We’d still have a quorum.
Sweetser: It’d still happen, okay.
Boettcher: Because I know with youth members were, they’ve been around forever but it was
reinstituted when Mayor Furlong about 7 years ago.
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Ruegemer: Yep.
Boettcher: At that time I think we made a definite decision that they would be voting members.
Ruegemer: Yeah, prior to they were not.
Boettcher: But we decided to add them as a voting member so it changed because then you had
an even number, if you had one youth member you had 8 so it wasn’t even. Yeah it wasn’t an
odd number so you could have had a tie on vote. We never did but the possibility existed.
Sweetser: Right.
Ruegemer: They’re going to go with the flow anyway right? Just saying.
Boettcher: So do you want to make a, does someone want to raise the question of changing the
start time? Do you want to make the change here?
Tsuchiya: If we do, do we also move the curfew from 10:30 to 10:00? I think a 3 hour meeting
no matter what is by limit. I don’t think it would ever go that long with how little we can do
right now.
Schubert: Right now yeah. I was going to say last year we hit curfew one night.
Boettcher: Last year.
Tsuchiya: Yeah we did.
Schubert: That was a long night.
Tsuchiya: That was. I got a little bleary eyed.
Boettcher: And the Chair was very upset about that.
Peck: Cut into his fishing.
Tsuchiya: Cut into his cookie time.
Boettcher: It kept going on Wednesday.
Ruegemer: In the olden days it would go routinely up to that point and when I first started we
would go twice a month. Second and fourth Tuesday so yeah it was quite a bit back then.
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Tsuchiya: There was that much to do?
Ruegemer: There was. A lot of developments…
Schubert: Because that was the start of Bandimere again too.
Ruegemer: Yeah. The acquisition? Yeah. Referendum. So good call on that with the curfew
so we’ll change that.
Tsuchiya: I guess yeah I’ll make a motion that we modify Section 2.1 start time to be 7:00 p.m.
and the curfew to move to 10:00 p.m.
Boettcher: We have a motion on the floor, do we have a second?
Schubert: Second.
Boettcher: Any further discussion?
Tsuchiya moved, Schubert seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission modify
Section 2.1 of the Bylaws to change the start time to 7:00 p.m. and the curfew to move to
10:00 p.m. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 8 to 0.
Boettcher: So we’re going to have stragglers the next 3 months coming in at 7:30.
Tsuchiya: Put it in big bold letters at the top of the agenda Jerry that says Jim, 7:00. We should
all text Jim. What’s your number?
Boettcher: Being on 5 commissions I think I only got confused one time. It was the Carver
County Water Management meeting and I always get to meetings early. It started at 6:00. I was
thinking it started at 6:30 like the park commission. The County park commission meeting so
I’m sitting in the parking lot down in Chaska, the public works building at 5 til 6:00 and one of
the guys inside texted me, where are you at? Oh wait a minute, these start at 6:00. I better get in
there. I still made it on time I was just had the start time wrong. Alright so the bylaws now the
next time we’ll do that.
Schubert: I was going to say do we need to move to approve the bylaws as a whole?
Ruegemer: We do, yep.
Boettcher: We should yes.
Schubert: Okay. So moved.
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Boettcher: So moved and do we have a second?
Tsuchiya: Second.
Schubert moved, Tsuchiya seconded to approve the Chanhassen Park and Recreation
Commission bylaws as amended. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously
with a vote of 8 to 0.
Ruegemer: So Haley did you make that motion?
Schubert: Yes.
Ruegemer: And who was then second on that? Karl?
Boettcher: So the motion passes and this will happen again in April, 2025. Item number 3 Jerry.
Ruegemer: Okay one second. Chair Boettcher, could I get that motion again please.
Schubert: It was motion to approve the Bylaws as amended.
Ruegemer: Okay. Alright thank you. Sorry about that.
DISCUSSION ON NEW PARK AND RECREATION ACTION ITEMS.
Boettcher: So discussion on new park and recreation items, Jerry?
Ruegemer: Yep so we kind of talked a little bit about this last month obviously with the
COVID-19 pandemic kind of going on right now. That certainly has changed our lives on a
daily basis obviously so, and a lot of different things so kind of traditionally what we’ve done,
we talked about the rink program tonight so a lot of things that we’ve done historically we’re
kind of having to modify or change so, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing for us. I think what
it does it gives us time as a staff, as a commission to kind of reflect. Take a step backwards and
kind of reassess right, so I think what do we do right. You know we certainly have tenants or
foundations of what our department does. Providing public recreation and community events
and really customer service are really the top that we’re certainly trying to do so it really, I guess
this exercise tonight is really to engage the commission on you know is there something that you
guys have kind of been thinking about either with Rec Center operations. Senior center
programming. Community events. Policy. Any of those type of things that you know we have
time to work on right now to break from our, we’re certainly still busy with everything going on
in our department but just really it’s just an exercise is really for open dialogue to direct staff if
there’s things that you’re kind of itching to do or wanting to talk about and this really is plain
and simple with that. This is really just to open the conversation to talk freely about maybe you
want us to do something differently or present differently or do different things. It’s really kind
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
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of an open book I guess right now and we’re really just looking for conversation so anybody can
start.
Boettcher: So what’s been the biggest modification that you’ve had to do because of the
COVID? I see items in there that Jodi always had going on I’m sure was probably one of the
biggest.
Ruegemer: Yeah we get start it here. Obviously you know Jodi has been very careful about
what we can do as far as renting out community space so you know Jodi could rent these rooms
out as she did in the past but really kind of limited by Executive Order so we’re really trying to
you know honor the spirit of the Executive Order. Priya gets phone calls, how many a day?
Quite a few about picnic reservations now so we could book 100 plus person picnics right now if
we would want to do it. So what people are doing is you know people are certainly modifying
outdoor spaces. 25 people right so Priya’s been doing a lot of reservations for 25 or under
people so right now so, tons of phone calls on that every day. You know the main goal for this
building was certainly to get back open. Jodi worked very hard to come up with really a COVID
plan of safe distancing and obviously we added the Plexiglas at the front counter as part of the
CARES Act. We’ll be adding a lot more kind of touchless type of contact points with paper
towels and soap dispensers and part of the earlier funding with City Hall. Part of that remodel
bit. We got a new drinking fountain here with a bottle filler so all those are kind of positive
things but really, so really on a daily basis it’s kind of almost starting over to see what we can do
to modify our current situation and that’s also with all purpose facilities you know. When are
playgrounds going to open? When’s the skate park going to be open? Where are we going to
have lifeguards at Lake Ann? We’re going to have adult leagues play outside at Lake Ann.
Where are youth sports going to go? They obviously didn’t and modified schedules were going
on and the Red Birds had a modified schedule. All the Legion programs had modified schedules
so, so just a lot of things had changed so we as a staff drained our stay at place or work at home
kind of scenarios. You know we as a programming staff would talk at least twice a week on a
conference call but then we had email chains going back and forth with Priya, Jodi, Mary and I.
We were in communication daily I would think with all that kind of stuff so things that popped
up we’d text and phone call and do different things so, because we were working on many
different things. A lot of times we’d make a decision and a week and a half later we’d have to
kind of throw that out and really kind of start over so kind of really the main thing going through
this whole COVID pandemic thing is really being flexible and being able to adapt to change at a
rapid pace so it was really unknown. I mean we didn’t know when City Hall was going to open
back up again and so just a lot of those type of things you know. There wasn’t a text book or a
blueprint plan on all this kind of stuff here too so again we were operating on if we had to cancel
things, we had to cancel things but really when was the right time to reopen. When it was safe
for our community and for the overall public health of our organizations as well as, we certainly
were aware of what our employees are going through as well so, that’s kind of really you know
just kind of looking back and we started virtual programming during that time with that so Priya
was very instrumental on that and Mary and Jodi from the Rec Center and Senior Center and rec
programming did a great job with kind of coming up with ideas. We knew that people were
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13
completely screened out at that time. We know the kids were doing at home learning so we just,
we weren’t really there to fill 24 hours a day with virtual programming. Where our thought
process was to enhance maybe what people were doing. Give people a little direction. If you
want to look at this link to go do some exercise at home or go to the Minnesota Twins and do
some activities type of things is really kind of where our thought process was and Priya and Jodi
and Mary did different kits. Stay at home kind of camping kind of kits and different senior kits
so a lot of those type of things were really kind of made on the fly with that and really to keep
our community engaged and a diversion from the daily grind of the COVID situation so that’s
really kind of what we did so. You know just that kind of being said you know we were really,
you know I think we all adapted really well working from home and it was certainly a change. I
had never worked from home in 30 years but it took probably a couple three weeks for me just to
kind of find the kind of routine of it and you know a lot of, we didn’t a lot of our employees
didn’t have city laptops when we first started this whole situation so we didn’t have access to our
networks and so there’s a lot of things I couldn’t do at home that I could at my desktop but we’ve
got all that figured out and now with the COVID, the CARES Act we are definitely planning for
all of those type of things that we can work remotely at any given time so there is positive that
comes out of this whole situation. We’re going to be much better prepared as a city. With that
we’re going through this whole exercise of kind of having an over chart of who’s responsible for
what and we can really do it. We can apply it really towards a natural disaster or pandemic so
we can kind of plug in place what the fire department does for EOC’s and that sort of thing here
too so we’re going through all those types of exercises now as department heads. It will be kind
of rolled out for the staff at some point in time. Another thing that kind came out of this was
communication committee so we’re meeting on Thursday again with that so that’s comprised of
many members from our different departments with the City so I think the City of Chan, I think
kind of like a lot of other things like what information do we put out? What time do we put it out
so there’s a lot of those type of things. You know foundational type of things and it was such
rapid change so we just really want to get control of our communication and from social media
to you know messages from Mayor Ryan and council and just keep people informed so there’s
just a lot of good that’s coming out of this situation. So and that’s kind of part of the
conversation that we want to start today so obviously we’re kind of breaking away from, with
CIP items. With the Arboretum trail there’s not a lot of opportunity for us to do a lot of CIP
items going to the future of the next probably 1 to 5 years here so are there things that you guys
are kind of thinking about that we could potentially look at and give you guys some work items
and kind of get things off that check list.
Boettcher: The one question I had regarding, I read in the City Council meeting Minutes from
the last meeting and Mayor Ryan was talking about the funding that the City was getting, was
going to be used at City Hall. Was that over a million?
Ruegemer: The City received $1.9 million in CARES funding.
Boettcher: Was that all going to be used at City Hall for updates?
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14
Ruegemer: No. No, no that’s kind of across the organization. So there’s been improvements
here. There’s been improvements at the Senior Center. So part of public works is going to be
part of that as well. Getting new touchless different things for restrooms and that sort of thing.
The biggest thing that really the biggest ticket items for that CARES funding is new air handling
HVAC systems and that sort of thing. The one at City Hall is over 30 years old so city
employees have been I’d say complaining about that for a very large number of years so it’s very
inefficient. There’s a large, there’s a lot of rooftop units that are kind of obsolete so every time
there was an addition put on city hall there was another rooftop unit plopped in. Priya can attest
to that. You know Kate Aanenson, our Community Development Director, the thermostat for
our whole bank on the kind of east side of the building is back in her office. Well it’s a southern
exposure office right so it’s hotter than heck up there. I’m on the north wall coming in the city
hall steps. I’m in fleece all year long and she’s in a short sleeve shirt back there so you know, so
those are the type of things that will be corrected. Obviously dealing with the COVID, there’s a
lot of things with NO’s and different things that can collect air. Purify it somehow and then kind
of reproduce so just a lot of those systems will get updated so much needed updates. So then
obviously public works building is tenish, less than 10 years old. There will be a couple of
things that will be added to that system at a much, much cheaper dollar amount than here but just
I’m trying to think the Rec Center, I think there’s about $3,000 down here for that air system as
well amongst other type of things. You know the Plexiglas can be included in that COVID
funding. And then also part of that too the council thought that was very much important to give
small business grants to people that were affected by the pandemic so there’s kind of a tiered
system for that kind of based on number of employees and kind of annual I guess revenue
generated for that so all that is kind of a grant process. They’ll be reviewing applications for
that. That just rolled out I think last week and they kind of do that in conjunction with Carver
County’s program as well so I believe $200,000 was put for that portion of it so just for people to
apply and recoup some of those revenues. Employee costs. That type of things. I know Café
Thyme was one of those too that lost, you know Jessica lost all of her employees at the start of
COVID and even prior to laying off they were gone so she was virtually by herself so, the Mayor
and council is very aware of that and we’re hoping and praying that people can hold on, Nobody
wants to see a local business you know have to close the doors so that’s part of that equation as
well so.
Boettcher: I guess initially I looked at that number and I thought wow, that’s a lot of
modifications but when you break it down like that, especially for the small business assistance,
you can spend a lot of money there.
Ruegemer: Yeah I want to say just an air exchangers for all the buildings, I mean that was $1.2-
$1.3 million I think it was so it definitely adds up. There’s no question about that… But no it’s
going to, and there is certainly is stipulations and criteria for that. There is some front line or
public safety dollars that can be recouped. Fire department potentially with that. That could be
recouped as part of that CARES Act as well so, so there’s, you have to be very careful of what’s
identified and what is an allowed expense on that so Greg is completely on top of that. Kate
Aanenson has been working on that quite a bit as well. Economic and Development Authority,
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the new EDA has been kind of involved with that as well. I don’t know if they’re going to be
reviewing the applications but for the grants but it’s going.
Kutz: Well I’ll just start off and say you know I think we all think you guys do a great job of
getting this organized. The one funding source that you didn’t talk about yet is, and we’ve talked
about this in the past, the bond that we kind of informally got approval from the citizens when
they approved it by 80 percent and we decided not to go forward with it and I think that was the
right decision at the time but that being said, that’s what we can do within the next 1 to 5 years.
We can get that process set up in our minds so when we do do it, maybe next year. Whenever we
decide, you know we can have stuff ready to go so I mean that’s what I see as one of our best
opportunities to make an impact in the community. I think a lot of citizens in the community
expect that now. I mean it’s time for us to take a step. Some of the other communities around us
have taken steps to improve their facilities. Their community centers. Their outdoor recreational
areas so I think our goal should be to look at what we can do with that money and have proposals
ready and make sure we’re setting ourselves up for success if we ever do get questioned by the
community saying you know hey, whatever happened with that proposal for $10 million dollars?
What did you guys do anything with? No we haven’t voted on it yet. Or what do we need to do
to be ready to utilize that money? And the parks and rec is going to be the most important part in
my opinion because people aren’t gathering together in large groups but they are using the
facilities more and more and more so we have to have more and more facilities. We need to
think about that. Make sure we’re doing a good job preparing for that so I would like to see us
getting ready to propose that bond at some point in the next whenever, and I’d like to see us have
a project list proposed to whoever. The citizens or the council or what we would do with that
bond so we can say this is what we’re requesting. We’re not requesting it for the City. We’re
getting our own money and we’d like to decide that we’re going to do with it you know. That’s
what I’d like to see happen definitely within the next year. I don’t know the bonding cycle or
how that normally happens. I’m assuming it’s normally on a November ballot or something like
that but.
Ruegemer: You could do a special election for that too but generally they like to do it in
conjunction with an existing. It’s cheaper to do it that way.
Peck: And you get way more people vote also than a special.
Ruegemer: Yep. Just so everybody kind of knows the, the City Council did review it. There
were KFS goals identified and kind of listed for discussion or talking points. One is the
permanent bathrooms at Lake Ann, City Center Park, Bandimere. Splash pad at Bandimere was
part of that discussion. Covered sheets of ice here was part of that and then to identify a timeline
and funding source for the Lake Ann Nature Preserve so obviously that was relatively at the
time, you know with the start of the year. You know with kind of those traditionally the
commission will have those discussions and staff would work on those kind of work items and
kind of work through that and navigate that process through City Council to identify potentially
identify funding sources then the COVID-19 hit so there really were no discussions. There’s no
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identified funding source right now so I’ll tell you right now council’s appetite is not real large
for that type of discussion right now. That doesn’t mean that it can’t happen in the future but just
with the lack of road funding and a lot of the neighborhood that we’re going to have rehab street
projects sort of thing, all got taken back because the, the council heard from residents that we
don’t want to get assessed for these street improvements right now.
Peck: That is correct.
Ruegemer: So with the lack of funding and well people are, a lot of people are furloughed and
losing jobs and times are tight and council didn’t feel that that was the right time to do that so, so
this is kind of obviously with those type of things you know we identified $9 to $10 million in
project costs for those so, you know right now we can’t do anything right now as far as without a
referendum right because the Arboretum trail sucked up pretty much all the park and rec
dedication fees and then some, so until we get our 5 year note paid off to the Carver County, you
know there isn’t going to be a whole lot of things going on but I’ll tell you this. There has been a
ton of developments coming in. We’re having a meeting tomorrow morning regarding the
northern half of the Lennar development. Now Gonyea Homes is going to build that next section
so that’s coming in. Right now they’re kind of going through that process right now so, so
obviously we’ll reiterate the trail you know recommendations and the desires up on that northern
part is, I was kind of paging through the Lake Ann feasibility study before you guys got here to
kind of look at it and this will be in the document in the developer’s hands in the group
tomorrow that’s going to be meeting. City staff is going to be meeting on this tomorrow so just
you know that’s one thing. There’s Avienda is kind of gaining some momentum again on that so
my hope is that we will generate some of those park and rec dollars. There’s been a lot of these
onesie twosies. You know people are sitting on maybe 3 extra acres at their homes that they’ve
had for a number of years now so people now are kind of starting to develop those type of things.
So you know small sums add up to large sums right so we’re getting $1,500 per unit right now
and you start to kind of multiplying that by, playing with the density and the designation is for
the development but there’s just a lot of those type of things out there. There’s another talk
about another senior out on kind of 41. A senior living kind of scenario so there’s just a lot of
that development that’s going on right now that is exciting and hopefully we can start generating
on some of that and get some money back in the back and get it paid off so we can start to do and
have these conversations so. I know council will certainly entertain any conversations on that
but.
Kutz: And on that note they did ask us, at least the ones I’ve talked to have asked us to challenge
them. I mean you definitely have the feel more than I do for what they’re really willing to look
at but when you talk to them individually they want challenges to them. They want proposals.
They might say no to them but they want the option to say no so I don’t want this group to be
afraid to make recommendations to them. Even if they say no, even if we know we’re going to
go into them saying no, it’s our job to gently pressure them to make a decision and I’d like to see
us do that. So that’s my thought process on that.
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Sweetser: Jerry did that $10 million, that did not, I can’t imagine if that included a new Rec
Center.
Ruegemer: No. No. I think a lot of that was like $4.2-$4.5 was kind of the Lake Ann
expansion. I think out here for the rink was like $2 million.
Kutz: Covering, $2 million yeah.
Ruegemer: $2 million. Bathrooms infrastructure I think there was a picnic down at Bandimere
that kind of finish that off. I’m trying to think what else was on there. Splash pad was
$500,000-$600,000 maybe for that so.
Schubert: Courts too at Bandimere.
Ruegemer: Sport court yeah. Sport Court.
Schubert: It’d be nice to get lights there for the soccer fields. Baseball doesn’t have anything
does it?
Ruegemer: They do not. No.
Schubert: But I was just thinking down the line of the splash pad is great, especially for the little
ones. What are those things like the lights can monetize those you know? Can there then be
more rentals to the CC United, to the Minnetonka.
Kutz: For example if you did a covered rinks here you would have the CCHA Hockey
Association rent ice from you. You would have the Lacrosse, if you had a covered rink you
could rent out in the summer time, you could make it multi-use. In the summer time it’s just
covered for weather and you can rent those things out so there are opportunities to fund and
those organizations are willing to help you fund some of these projects. I mean I’m just telling
you there’s Southwest Christian is thinking of moving to Carver because Carver’s thinking about
putting up a covered rink ice facility so they’re going to have their hockey team in Carver if they
can get that proposal through. Will it happen? Don’t know but my point is it’s, there’s
opportunities like that to make an impact so.
Sweetser: Do we do volleyball anywhere?
Kutz: And if you get the covered here you can move these lights to your soccer field.
Ruegemer: We have sand, there’s some sand courts.
Sweetser: Okay.
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Ruegemer: And there’s volleyball here as well but yeah there’s no leagues or anything here.
Sweetser: Working with, I work with North Country Region USA Volleyball is the governing
body for volleyball in the United States. North Country Region is Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota region and just with the COVID stuff you know everything has been cancelled.
Now we just put out a fall league which is like $50 for a team to play two matches one night a
week and we got, you know we just want the kids to be able to play because high school
volleyball has been shut down until spring. We have 100 teams in just a couple days. 10 girls on
a team so just from the revenue standpoint, I mean we’re not going to make money off of this
because we’re going to pay officials and everything but it’s just a chance to give back to that
volleyball community so I just think there’s youth sports. There’s some things like that we could
kind of, we don’t necessarily have the court space here maybe to do a major league but we could
probably use a couple courts here though, we could rent them. If you have the stage.
Ruegemer: Talk to Jodi.
Sweetser: I will. I just thought of that. Oh we need a couple more courts. But all those kids
have been displaced are looking for opportunities too so just kind of a longer question Jerry of
what should we be thinking of? Well just from the community standpoint maybe there’s
something like that. Is there a group of residents that are missing something?
Schubert: I was going to say group of residents missing are seniors right now.
Sweetser: Yes, yes.
Schubert: We have a family…who lives alone and his mental decline is substantial in the last
couple of months because he’s not going to the senior center daily anymore and it’s to the point
where he needs to probably go into some memory care at this point because he just knows, took
a nose dive and so I would really like to, I can’t think of anything. I’ve been trying to think
because they are the highest risk population right now but I think our seniors in this community
are really hurting right now and if there is anything we can do to help them. I saw that concert
that the Lions Club did.
Ruegemer: I was going to mention that. Yeah Mary’s been working very hard on that.
Peck: It’s going to be difficult to get the seniors to come back to this when it’s all clear and free
because they’re afraid.
Ruegemer: Yeah.
Tsuchiya: …my girls, our grandparents receive virtual games. Like when this whole thing hit
we didn’t want to see grandparents but we each got like a Battleship board. We played
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Battleship over Zoom. Stuff like that so I don’t know if there’s a way to like connect seniors
with willing participants or senior to senior.
Sweetser: Or like Matthew McConaughey who did Bingo. He was the caller on virtual Bingo.
Tsuchiya: Yeah. Games like that where you don’t have to be over the same board.
Sweetser: I’m not sure Jerry would be on social media quite as much as Matthew was calling the
numbers but it really was cute and the seniors really did enjoy it.
Ruegemer: Yeah, yeah.
Sweetser: They didn’t know who he was. They didn’t care.
Ruegemer: Hey great ideas though. It’s awesome.
Schubert: Another thing I was thinking of because it’s free and it’s where my mind went for a
lot of these things was, have we ever looked at like an adopt a trail program because we have so
many trails now and we just keep expanding and with all these community groups not being able
to do nearly as much in person if anything, I feel like a trail clean up is something you can do
outside. You can stay distanced and do something good for the community and it still gives
people that camaraderie that is starting to come back but it still very missing in this day and age
of COVID. I think that would be something that would be really cool. I actually have a few
people in our Rotary Club that would be interested in helping with that too so.
Boettcher: There is something that’s come up the last 2 years when we had National Night Out.
Down off of Mission Hills Drive there’s a lot of seniors live there. They have the detached
homes. They’re really small. I mean it’s like a 1950’s community. I mean a little road that goes
back and then ends. Every time we, well the 2 years I went with the Carver County deputy and
the people were very friendly and the questions that I got as a park commission member, you
know wasn’t one of our trails but around the storm retention ponds there’s like tree limbs
hanging here and a limb hanging here and it wasn’t our’s. It wasn’t the City’s. It was the
development but no one from the development would take care of it because they didn’t see it as
an issue. I mean they did the maintenance on the houses and all, you know they did the lawns
and did the street. They did the trash but that might be something even though it’s not a city trail
per se what you’re talking about, I mean it would really be appreciated. I actually went back 2
days later and talked to one of the ladies and said I wish I could help you. It’s not our’s. She
was very appreciative and I was so thrilled I was able to find the place again. All these little
streets…I know she lives here somewhere. Going to find her but that would be an idea definitely
that people would really appreciate.
Sweetser: Well any of those kind of ideas would be great for Matt’s point down the line in a
couple years, well that park and rec committee they were really active and they helped us do this
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and x, y, z and now we’re going to go okay. You know it’s…that they really care about our
faces but you know what I mean, it’s just a I love that personal…from 6 feet.
Schubert: I saw the Facebook post today about the taking pictures. What was it? I looked at it
really quickly and got pulled away at work. By taking pictures out at parks or something. Doing
a little more structured type scavenger hunt or like selfie of, get a selfie at every single park in
town and have a list and bring it in for something or have them find something specific at each
park or come Fall take pictures or find leaves from all these different trees and then they’re
learning about nature on top of it. We could do the same thing in winter. You know like have
almost like a seasonal scavenger hunt based on what you’re going to see or what you’re going to
encounter during the season. Especially if everyone’s home and stuck in the house with one
another. Not a bad idea to get out. Take pictures. Go to these parks and take pictures and then
come back in 2 hours.
Ruegemer: One thing that we kind of talk about, Jim and I talked a little bit about this last week
was kind of updating our field distribution policy with that. You know obviously it seems that’s
kind of a thing that was probably last updated a number of years ago. Could probably use a little
updating with that. And just so the commission knows there is no perfect distribution policy out
there right so a lot of what our’s was really kind of based on residency percentages of residency.
Different things and kind of related to that. You know soccer associations are very involved
currently with challenging for more field space for that so that’s kind of an exercise that I have
certainly been involved with on an annual basis so it could use some updating so that’s
something that staff will probably advance to the commission here prior to late maybe this year
yet or first part of, first quarter of next year as well. Try to get that kind of done so there’s a
number of different ways that we can look at it. We’ll get sample field policies out there. We
could base it on residency again. I don’t want to base it on square footage of soccer fields within
Chanhassen as some of the CC United people would like to do and so. Yeah I think… likes to
kind of poke the bear a little bit with me so.
Sweetser: He does. But you’re very, very kind about it.
Ruegemer: So well I’ll tell him. We have kind of a good banter back and forth but again that
could use some updating with that so we’ll take a look at that and bring that to the commission…
No that’s great and the commission will certainly have an opportunity to take a look at that and
kind of tweak it. I guess what I’d like to do too is you know we talk a lot about our youth
associations. I guess I would like just to if we could organize this somehow bring them in and do
a quick 5-10 minutes per association. Bring in Tonka United. Bring in CC United. Bring in
Lacrosse and bring CAA and all the divisions of CAA. You know just bring you know, and we
all know about the Red Birds but Legion teams type of thing. Have them give their 5 to 10
minutes of who they serve and how many people, you know what’s their population for their
programs. I think that’d be a very kind of a good thing for the commission to kind of take a look
at and I guess I always find it beneficial too when we do have potential conflicts that we can’t
resolve and I always had a meeting and I would bring everybody into the same room so you can
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hear about your problems. You can hear about your problems and you know we’re not just
individual associations. We got to look kind of a bigger picture here so I guess it’s kind of an
exercise for that too like, to look at the community as a whole. We have a very good situation
here with our facilities and could we use more lights and different things like that. Absolutely.
But we have a pretty good, we currently don’t charge anybody still to use our fields. Rent our
fields. We don’t charge them for lighting costs type of thing. We know a lot of people do so I
think our associations see that as a huge benefit that they don’t have to charge extra per
participant fees to cover those types of things. Certainly that would be a revenue source for us to
reallocate back into park maintenance or lighting costs or capital projects type of thing but I
guess the way we look at it I guess as department with our CAA, they’ve done a lot of
tournaments through the years that have paid for improvements. You know they pledge money
for the new lights at Lake Susan. They’ve done dugouts at Lake Susan. They’ve done
scoreboards. Remodeled the concession building at Lake Ann so we kind of look at it at that is
that we’re not going to, we’re going to get the money in some way, form or fashion back so it’s
kind of those type of things so we haven’t really touched on that but so there’s just a lot of good
that the associations do with that. You know soccer groups would pay for soccer goals if asked
and type of thing so we may need to tap on them because our CIP budget is gone so that, so we’ll
bring that back to you and I guess I’d like to maybe try to organize that in some way in October-
November potentially bring these groups in when their seasons are kind of done for the year just
to bring them in and basically just introduce them to you and you to them.
Boettcher: Any other ideas or discussion items?
Tsuchiya: I’d like to just, I know we don’t have the money here but I don’t know maybe Jerry
give an opinion on it. I’m worried that with the Park, the former Prince property developing as it
is, it’s going to get to a tipping point where we can probably anticipate whenever we do have the
money to build out those trails we can anticipate a lot of push back from the residents just
because we can’t do anything now so I’m just worried that, you know is there any opportunity
that we have right now to do anything with those trails so that we don’t have a lot of residents
seeing the construction and pushing back on that so we don’t have to deal with that in the future
or is that really not in the cards in a practical way?
Ruegemer: Karl they’re already emailing. As part of that development.
Tsuchiya: I figured they would.
Ruegemer: Certainly the inner trail system is getting done as that, so there is some of those
segments that are in already that basically go to where the walking’s going to start so what we as
a staff are going to do is kind of push signs up. You know this trail will be extended in the future
type of thing. Kind of similar to what we’ve done over at Lake Lucy in that area. Different trail
segments across the board so we’ll have to kind of take a look at that and Adam and I both
walked that whole Lake Ann before Todd left. I wanted to kind of grab him before he left and
walk through that system and look at okay here’s where the boardwalks are going to go. Here’s
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
22
where the two bridges are going to go type of thing so kind of get conceptually we walked kind
of the alignment of kind of where things are going to go and kind of spider off and that sort of
thing and connect to the future. Then you go to the Lennar development where they kind of have
been busy with their portion of that but yeah we’re going to have to start addressing mowing the
grass along those trails that are currently there to nowhere. We probably won’t touch them for
any type of snow at this point but there’s already, it’s already starting to bubble. Already with
that and the last houses haven’t been built yet so certainly what we want to do is get some money
in the CIP potentially to start doing some of those. At least the pylons for the bridges or the
boardwalks. Obviously you have to do that during the wintertime to drive those down in those,
those anchors into the ground so you can kind of go over it frozen. It’s much easier and much
more economical to do at that point. We can get those in. You know we’re going to need
$40,000-$50,000 just to get that kind of, that portion of it kind of done so we can progress as we
get to that point so we can kind of take off small bites and kind of get it going that way but you
know we kind of have to, you know you talk about challenging the City Council. We went
through 3 different budget scenarios last night. They City Council they are completely
challenges at this point to make up for lack of road funding and different things like that so we as
a staff feel, it was very involved in creating scenarios of how we could trim our budgets. I know
on the recreation program side the Rec Center side, Rec Center sports, senior center, park
maintenance, we went through that exercise with a fine tooth comb of looking for ways to cost
save so that’s what we did prior to kind of bring our 2021 budget submittals to Finance Director
Sticha and then now as an exercise in 3 different scenarios based on the level, the percentage
levels that the council kind of have an appetite for so 3 different scenarios. They’re going to
probably kind of settle in on the middle with 2 to 2 ½ percent levy right now is kind of what
they’re talking about. Nothing’s set right now but you know with that there were certainly
reductions in overtime and they’re talking about not doing a couple Chanhassen Connections and
reallocating maybe some of that money into website enhancements for that to get more of an
interactive website to kind of just changing the way we’ve done things traditionally and kind of
cost savings with that so all those things are on the table right now and going through that
exercise so, but that is part of that funding for Lake Ann, that certainly is what I have to get that
done before I retire and I’m not close to retirement so, so you know obviously that is a large goal
of mine that that has to be done so, at some point in time we will advance that conversation.
Tsuchiya: So the plan is to put signs at the stub ends of the trail to say future trail expansion.
Stop emailing Jerry.
Ruegemer: Well people are, they’re very excited about it. I mean obviously that was a huge
selling point for.
Tsuchiya: Oh they’re for it?
Ruegemer: Yeah.
Tsuchiya: Okay, okay. I thought they were complaining about it.
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
23
Ruegemer: No. No, no. No, everybody wants it in.
Tsuchiya: Oh good. Okay.
Kutz: ...I thought once the developer they got approvals for the place I thought some of the
funding from that development, their approvals, they were supposed to start funding some of that
stuff a little bit more. I know they’re funding their stuff in their development but I thought some
of the money from that development would also be going to that. What happened to that?
Ruegemer: That goes in the park dedication.
Kutz: So we’re robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Schubert: Well wasn’t a lot of that park dedication though just giving us the land for it and not
being asked, it was mostly just giving the land.
Ruegemer: Yep, density transfers and stuff like that too so if you look at the, I think it was over
100 acres of, I think 60 upland and 40 swamp type of thing so that was the major goal of that.
That was the major goal of that was to preserve that strip of land between Lake Lucy and Lake
Ann.
Kutz: I agree with that. I just thought that when that development was in, the park funding for
that was supposed to go towards the Lake Ann stuff. Maybe I’m misunderstanding.
Ruegemer: No, no, that was a separate conversation because there’s no way that that could ever
fund.
Kutz: That big of a project.
Ruegemer: No. No way.
Tsuchiya: The value of the land was greater than actual cash so we came out ahead…so that’s
why they didn’t give us any cash on that deal. They gave us more land than we were entitled to.
Ruegemer: Yep, and the City was very happy to take them up on that deal.
Boettcher: If we look at what the tax assessed value of that was, 188 acres. I believe the last
time I looked at it on GIS it was $13 ½ million for we got 100 of 188. I mean that was a $7 to $8
million dollar gift. But it is true what you said about the trail that’s within the park. The
development there. My wife and I drive through there probably every other week because it’s
right in our back yard. I think 3 times now I’ve seen where a husband and wife, a couple of kids
or a couple of ladies, they’re walking. They come up to the sign that says trail closed and they
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
24
kind of go… In fact even a big turkey, a big gobbler was going along and he couldn’t go any
farther so he jumped the partition and went into my back yard. But people are there. They’re
ready for it but again it’s getting the funding is just, it’s going to be a $10 million dollar total
with everything we want to do but, and I think right now maybe there will be enough hopefully,
enough pent up demand with people having to sit at home for X number of months. Another
year or two. Whatever, 18 to 24 total.
Kutz: Yeah but I don’t want to bond $10 million to pay just for that project alone. I don’t think.
Ruegemer: The estimate right now is like $4.2-$4.5 to complete that project.
Schubert: And I think we can get a lot of community involvement to help build some things to
help reduce cost of that as well. I just, we have a lot of people that like playing with chainsaws
in this town so.
Boettcher: Well the people that live in the Bandimere area, I mean they’re chomping, I mean
we’ve been piece mealing that thing together as long as I’ve been on the commission so to
finally.
Schubert: That’s why my mom joined the commission to begin with 30 years ago was for
Bandimere so yeah.
Boettcher: I mean to finally get that thing completed would be such a, it would be awesome.
Sweetser: I know Zoe lives there too. In our neighborhood.
Tsuchiya: Yeah she’s in my back yard.
Ruegemer: That’s a great list. Is there anything else you guys would like to discuss on that?
Alright awesome. That gives staff some direction on that so we appreciate that. Thank you.
UPDATE ON PARK PROJECTS GOING ON IN THE CITY.
Boettcher: Do you have more updates? Item number 4 Jerry.
Ruegemer: Yeah you know what I just want to give the commission a brief update with that as
part of the park replacement program. Adam and crew did obviously completed the Power Hill
Park. The playground and container up there and you guys had taken a look at at the July
meeting. So now what’s next is the Lake Ann Beach playground will be replaced so that is,
Adam was kind of waiting until the end of the beach kind of season so that will probably start
within 2 weeks out there so probably what I’d like to do is maybe take a tour of that. Maybe
September. Our September meeting going out and take a look at that. Hopefully it’d better be
done by then so we’ll have to push Adam on that so, but he’ll blame me because I had him hold
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
25
off until the beach season got done with right so, but that is starting to kind of start now so we’ll
remove that and, so we’re starting to kind of chip away at that a little bit so I just wanted to give
the council, the commission an update on that. That will be coming down the line into the
future. And also just wanted to give an update on the City Center paving project. So I’m not
sure if any of you have been up to City Hall lately but council at the June 27th meeting did pass
that contact consent for that paver replacement project out there. It was just about $139,000 so
the original City Center project was done in conjunction with development of the Chanhassen
Library. That whole kind of courtyard plaza area was done by the Veterans monument and all
those pavers were concrete pavers at the time because those were much less in price and project
cost but they do not hold up through snow and salt and all the above so they basically…so that
whole kind of meeting corridor from the lower level senior center parking lot heading west to the
entrance of the library, those were basically crumbling but you look at them they crumble so they
were very bad. It was getting very unsafe. Tried for a number of years to get replace, get those
replaced and at a larger scope of a project. The council okayed $165,000 for that project with
that so we could do the main corridors so when budgets came in very favorably so we added
additional square footage I guess for $138,000 for that so we were under budget for the original
estimate cost for that so started last Thursday for that so the main corridor from the senior center
parking lot to the library is just about complete. We’re going to start breaking up, or do some
new curbs on that parking lot. New truncated domes for ADA accessible walkways so all that’s
going to be done here in probably the next day or two so that whole segment is just about
probably 90 percent done right now and then they’re going to kind of switch over, kind of the
walkway into the library. Start kind of going to the west side of the library to kind of get that.
It’s going to go all the way into the kind of where the turn around area is to the west of that to
address some areas that are falling apart by the senior center kind of entry door for that and then
ultimately then out by the West 78th Street side along kind of going there that are crumbling
pavers there as well so they’re clay tiles now. Or clay bricks. 100 year shelf life on there
supposedly so I will be retired by then. But Priya still might be here but I’m not going to be here
but and just kind of a different look. Little bit different color. Distinctive color difference just a
little bit just with the fading and that sort of thing but it’s going to be so much nicer and the guys
are moving pretty fast on that so we hope to have substantial completion by late part of next
week for that so. That’s just kind of an update kind of what’s going on. We talked a little bit
about the Arboretum trail that’s moving along with that and we talked a little bit about
developments that are starting to kind of come in now too so you know with the COVID
situation things are still progressing and with that so we’re still busy on a daily basis so.
Kutz: I have a question on one of the parks. The skate park. How often does the steam cleaning
go through that? Do they go through that once a week or anything like sweep up all the pebbles
and rocks or anything like that?
Ruegemer: Daily.
Kutz: They do go daily?
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
26
Ruegemer: Yep. They go in there daily and address any type of, there’s always a lot of garbage
in there as you probably know. You’ve been at the fire station a lot but we’ve been having some
challenges over at the skate park as of late with the foul language and some other types of
activity kind of going on so that’s a pretty big topic of conversation right now between myself
and Lieutenant Pearce with the Carver County Sheriff Department and that type of thing so
there’s been some increased activity over there that hasn’t been favorable.
Kutz: It’s getting a lot more people there but like you said with more people comes more
problems I think.
Ruegemer: Yeah when there’s a little bit of an element that’s over there right now that is not
very respectful and to myself. I’ve been swore at and even to our Carver County deputies that go
over on a daily basis to.
Kutz: When we respond to fire through the city we’ll drive there once in a while and we were
responding to a call, a firefighter, they got in the way of his vehicle and his respond vehicle and
they would not let him pass. They would not get out of his way. He honked his horn. It’s like
can you guys move and the kids are like no, we’re not moving. This was late at night.
Boettcher: Where were they at? Were they on the street?
Kutz: Right in front of city hall. Right in the street there. They would not move out of the way.
Ruegemer: So there’s you know obviously that is some of the disrespect that we’re kind of
dealing with right now and the Carver County deputies will roll over there and you know Lance
made a very concerted effort to go over there and hey you guys get out of your cars. Do some
community policing, talk to them and you know. Show them the way a little bit but it’s basically
it’s FU Pig and just a lot of disrespectful behavior. They feel empowered at this point so we’re
trying to work through that situation so just to make the commission aware of it too, it’s not all
rosy over at that current location with that so obviously there’s been some…at city hall there.
One of the entry windows was broken about a month ago. Maybe something like that out there.
The planters were damaged and so there’s just some stuff that’s kind of been going on so.
Kutz: Well the reason why I ask you though is my question, I did talk to a couple of kids and
they’re like yeah, it’s kind of getting a lot of pebbles you know in their skateboards or whatever.
Does this ever get cleaned up and I think they go through it I thought it was weekly.
Ruegemer: Yeah.
Kutz: But you say daily.
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
27
Ruegemer: We definitely address garbage every day and that type of thing and I can’t think
what when the grand opening was, when we kind of repaved everything. Equipment. Was that
’03 or ’04 or ’05?
Boettcher: 2012. My first year on the commission we, it was like October-November
timeframe.
Ruegemer: That was all brand new?
Boettcher: When everything was redone. The railing. The tubes. The pipes.
Ruegemer: That was the equipment. Did we do that asphalt at that point too?
Boettcher: I think so.
Ruegemer: Okay. Boy time flies.
Kutz: I know it gets a lot of use.
Ruegemer: It gets a lot of use and I think some of that element that the kids that come over, from
what I can see they’re from Eden Prairie. I think they got kicked out of Eden Prairie.
Kutz: I think there’s a lot of that but the two kids I talked to was like this is probably one of the
best ones in the southwest metro so that made me feel good but.
Sweetser: Maybe we need to get their names and then bring the moms to the rink.
Ruegemer: Yeah with the situation obviously we did have skate park attendants over there for
the summer and not that the skate park attendants are going to do really a whole lot in those
situations but you know we have to come up with some solutions for that so just to kind of make
you guys aware of it. Which may include cameras or may include closing it for a week or so and
see what happens so. But you know like I said they told me to F off too so.
Boettcher: But you get that when you go to Cub so.
Ruegemer: That’s how you’ll find me here. It may ruin my day but I wasn’t super happy about
it.
Boettcher: Well another thing that was completed when I first was on the commission, and I’ve
heard very little discussion about it, is there a lot of usage of the disc golf course at Bandimere?
Sweetser: Yeah.
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
28
Tsuchiya: Oh yeah.
Boettcher: There is?
Tsuchiya: They’re there all the time.
Sweetser: Yeah.
Boettcher: I remember that was a really big deal when.
Tsuchiya: Even more so with COVID. I see when I take my kids over there…
Ruegemer: Very much so and I just received an email from one of the gentlemen that uses it
quite a bit and he was looking for improvements in the tee boxes.
Tsuchiya: Yeah they are getting a little tough.
Ruegemer: So which is great and I know that a number of years ago we did add, you know try to
address some of those kind of stuff so I’ll get with Adam and make sure we can, let’s go take a
look at it.
Tsuchiya: One thing you might ask is, with the nets and the holes themselves is there any way to
maybe just go around and spray paint with a spray can or something like that and increase the
visibility because I know some of them are kind of hard to see because they’re tucked in the
woods. Because I’ve heard some people talking about it as I’m walking my dog they say
where’s the hole you know.
Ruegemer: Are those all galvanized steel?
Tsuchiya: Yeah they might be but I know that there’s a color part on the top…and I think that’s
meant to be for visual so I don’t know if there’s any way to retouch that up to make it like
hunting orange or something…
Sweetser: That was the only thing my college student who was home since March til last week
did the whole summer outside because he really was watching the COVID thing and you know
his parents aren’t necessarily 25 and so he was really good about it but he and his buddies would
mask up and they’d go play.
Ruegemer: Get your backpack, your music and you’re all set. With that so, anyway that’s just
some updates.
Boettcher: I was going to say when we had the grand opening for it that night we had the
competition who could throw the farthest and this 11 year old kid came up and threw it past the
Park and Recreation Commission – August 25, 2020
29
boundary… Whatever his style was and the way the threw it and it went and I’m like where did
it go? And the guy goes ah it’s still going…that’s not possible. It was so popular. I think the
next closest, I know there’s one at Baylor Park in Carver County.
Schubert: Bryant Lake has one too. Oh there is one at Starring Lake too.
Tsuchiya: Yeah Starring Lake’s got one.
Boettcher: Any old business, next item? If not reports. Commission member committee
reports. The only thing when was the Arboretum trail dedication? Was it last August?
Ruegemer: Yeah I was trying to think of that. Yeah it was the first, August.
Boettcher: Jerry was there. I was there. Jill was there. It was pretty nice all the commissioners
showed up. Everybody was happy, happy, joy, joy because it was finally happening. What was
the I think commissioner board member Workman, didn’t he say when he did his presentation
was it 2003.
Peck: It’s been almost 20 years I know.
Boettcher: I think 2003 is what he said so that will be awesome. I mean just to finally have that
connection.
Peck: It’s a long time on one project.
Boettcher: Yeah, a long time. Anyone else have any updates? Anything happening in the
world? Other than the obvious. Jerry you have anything else? Priya?
Tsuchiya moved, Schubert seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and the
motion carried unanimously with a vote of 8 to 0. The Park and Recreation Commission
meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Submitted by Jerry Ruegemer
Park and Rec Director
Prepared by Nann Opheim
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Subject Park Maintenance Quarterly Update
Section REPORTS Item No: I.1.
Prepared By Adam Beers, Park Maintenance File No:
SUMMARY
2020 Projects:
City Center Park Existing pavers in critical walkway corridors have deteriorated and no longer provide safe
walking surfaces. Paver replacements were limited to the 5,000 square feet in the poorest condition. This
project will replace approximately 20% of the entire plaza; additional sections will need to be replaced over
time.
The Park Equipment Replacement Schedule includes new playgrounds to be installed at Power Hill Park and
Lake Ann Park Beach.
Park & Trail Maintenance:
Maintenance staff will start our fall fertilizer application in midSeptember.
Irrigation shutdown starts in midSeptember; this process typically takes a few weeks to complete. During
shutdown procedures, staff will make any necessary repairs in preparation for the following season.
With the outdoor facility season coming to and end, maintenance staff has been busy starting the
shutdown/closing process. This typically starts at the beginning of September and is completed by November
1.
Maintenance crews have completed about 70% of the trail pruning that is scheduled to be completed each year
prior to the plowing season.
Seasonal Staff:
Each year, we are fortunate to have a great staff of seasonal employees that join our team. This workforce is a
critical part of our operations and handles a majority of the tasks, allowing our fulltime crews to work on
bigger projects. Thanks for a great season!
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Subject Chanhassen Recreation Center Quarterly Update
Section REPORTS Item No: I.2.
Prepared By Jodi Sarles, Recreation Center Manager File No:
SUMMARY
FACILITY INFORMATION
The Recreation Center and Bluff Creek Elementary School is undergoing HVAC repairs and upgrades. The current
system is failing and many parts have become obsolete. In September, the system was charged with glycol to better
operate. Additional system repairs to the building automation system are scheduled for 2021. The system was also
altered to not recirculate indoor air.
With the pandemic, we have greatly increased our cleaning protocols. We are using a child safe, food surface, hospital
grade sanitizer that we are able to spray throughout the facility many times daily. We have increased times between
programs and reservations so we are able to properly disinfect.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
A number of modifications have been made in each program to safely return to activities this fall. We have increased
the amount of space for activities or decreased the capacity to continue to offer programs that our residents have
confidence in participating. We also decreased the amount of shared equipment used.
Dance for Fun
We have a smaller dance program this fall with the Covid19 safety precautions. The studio has been spaced with
squares to keep the dancers properly spaced. Dancers will also have the option to virtually participate in our program
via Zoom. Thirteen classes are being offered in the studio and 83 dancers are currently participating.
Rec Center Sports
Our sports program is scheduled to be outside as much as Minnesota weather allows. It allows much more space to
distance the children safely. When programs return indoors, our capacities lower and we will need to restrict the
amount of spectators attending.
Small Fry Sports (ages 34) – We returned to sports with a September session of Tball. We have 32 youth
participating in the two sessions. We will follow this with a session of soccer in October.
Lil’ Star Sports (ages 56) – Our Tball program has been a success this fall. There are two sessions with 40
youth participating. We will continue with Soccer in October.
Fit for Life
Our fitness class geared for adults over age 55 is back. They are now using either the outdoor hockey rinks or
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORTTuesday, September 22, 2020SubjectChanhassen Recreation Center Quarterly UpdateSectionREPORTSItem No: I.2.Prepared By Jodi Sarles, Recreation Center Manager File No: SUMMARYFACILITY INFORMATIONThe Recreation Center and Bluff Creek Elementary School is undergoing HVAC repairs and upgrades. The currentsystem is failing and many parts have become obsolete. In September, the system was charged with glycol to betteroperate. Additional system repairs to the building automation system are scheduled for 2021. The system was alsoaltered to not recirculate indoor air. With the pandemic, we have greatly increased our cleaning protocols. We are using a child safe, food surface, hospitalgrade sanitizer that we are able to spray throughout the facility many times daily. We have increased times betweenprograms and reservations so we are able to properly disinfect. PROGRAM INFORMATIONA number of modifications have been made in each program to safely return to activities this fall. We have increasedthe amount of space for activities or decreased the capacity to continue to offer programs that our residents haveconfidence in participating. We also decreased the amount of shared equipment used. Dance for Fun We have a smaller dance program this fall with the Covid19 safety precautions. The studio has been spaced withsquares to keep the dancers properly spaced. Dancers will also have the option to virtually participate in our programvia Zoom. Thirteen classes are being offered in the studio and 83 dancers are currently participating. Rec Center SportsOur sports program is scheduled to be outside as much as Minnesota weather allows. It allows much more space todistance the children safely. When programs return indoors, our capacities lower and we will need to restrict theamount of spectators attending. Small Fry Sports (ages 34) – We returned to sports with a September session of Tball. We have 32 youthparticipating in the two sessions. We will follow this with a session of soccer in October. Lil’ Star Sports (ages 56) – Our Tball program has been a success this fall. There are two sessions with 40youth participating. We will continue with Soccer in October.
Fit for Life
Our fitness class geared for adults over age 55 is back. They are now using either the outdoor hockey rinks or
spaced in the gymnasium. This group was so happy to come back and exercise safely together again.
Pickleball
The Rec Center will begin to offer Indoor Pickleball on September 21. Reservations will be required to participate
and we have added that to the City website. Our adult basketball players have been hesitant to return, Tot Time has
been suspended so we have added additional time slots for pickleball to accommodate this popular sport.
Pilates
Our Yoga instructor, Christine Pedretti, became certified in to teach Pilates last winter. We introduced this program in
September and it is a success! There are eighteen participants and the reviews are great.
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Subject Senior Center Quarterly Update
Section REPORTS Item No: I.3.
Prepared By Mary Blazanin, Senior Center
Coordinator
File No:
SUMMARY
After making the Senior Center COVIDsafe and compliant, we reopened our doors at the beginning of July with a
very gradual increase in programs. Due to limited capacity allowed in our event rooms, remote presentations are being
created in addition to inperson attendance.
We are not currently allowing any game or card playing, largegroup gatherings, day or overnight trips. We are
working on modified events which include an Oktoberfest Concert on October 22, sponsored in part by TMobile; a
Veteran’s Pancake Breakfast on November 10 with Mayor Ryan sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary (this
includes takeout options and some inhouse seating); and a Holiday Celebration on December 3, sponsored by
Charter Bank.
We are keeping these events safe, small and simple, giving our isolated seniors a chance to at least enjoy music and
see their neighbors and friends.
Our Senior Commissioners and Advisory Board Members are also making regular checkin calls to our seniors who
are known to be more vulnerable and living alone.
Here is a summary of our programming this fall:
Meeting the needs:
1. Caregiver Support Group, meeting twice per month (1 group by zoom; 1 group in person).
2. Foot Care Nurse Clinic, offered twice per month, serving 12 people per month.
3. Flu and vaccination clinic offered onsite by Cub Pharmacy on September 29; walkin or by appointment.
4. HomeDelivered Meals, coordinated by CAP Agency. Serving 260290 meals per month.
Providing information sessions and assistance:
1. 55+ Driver Safety classes from the MN Safety Council; qualifies participants for 10% insurance discount. Out
of 76 registrants, one third of those opted to attend from home via Zoom.
2. Medicare Information classes offered remotely in partnership with the Senior Linkage Line, MAAA.
3. Veterans benefits presentation offered by Carver County's VA staff (September 29).
4. StayatHome Activity/Memory Kits created and distributed in coordination with the City's Act on Alzheimer’s
committee and Carver County Health. Two kits are complete.
Just for fun:
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORTTuesday, September 22, 2020SubjectSenior Center Quarterly UpdateSectionREPORTS Item No: I.3.Prepared By Mary Blazanin, Senior CenterCoordinator File No: SUMMARYAfter making the Senior Center COVIDsafe and compliant, we reopened our doors at the beginning of July with avery gradual increase in programs. Due to limited capacity allowed in our event rooms, remote presentations are beingcreated in addition to inperson attendance. We are not currently allowing any game or card playing, largegroup gatherings, day or overnight trips. We areworking on modified events which include an Oktoberfest Concert on October 22, sponsored in part by TMobile; aVeteran’s Pancake Breakfast on November 10 with Mayor Ryan sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary (thisincludes takeout options and some inhouse seating); and a Holiday Celebration on December 3, sponsored byCharter Bank.We are keeping these events safe, small and simple, giving our isolated seniors a chance to at least enjoy music andsee their neighbors and friends.Our Senior Commissioners and Advisory Board Members are also making regular checkin calls to our seniors whoare known to be more vulnerable and living alone.Here is a summary of our programming this fall:Meeting the needs:1. Caregiver Support Group, meeting twice per month (1 group by zoom; 1 group in person).2. Foot Care Nurse Clinic, offered twice per month, serving 12 people per month.3. Flu and vaccination clinic offered onsite by Cub Pharmacy on September 29; walkin or by appointment.4. HomeDelivered Meals, coordinated by CAP Agency. Serving 260290 meals per month.Providing information sessions and assistance:1. 55+ Driver Safety classes from the MN Safety Council; qualifies participants for 10% insurance discount. Outof 76 registrants, one third of those opted to attend from home via Zoom.2. Medicare Information classes offered remotely in partnership with the Senior Linkage Line, MAAA. 3. Veterans benefits presentation offered by Carver County's VA staff (September 29).4. StayatHome Activity/Memory Kits created and distributed in coordination with the City's Act on Alzheimer’scommittee and Carver County Health. Two kits are complete.
Just for fun:
1. Mah Jongg class for beginners; currently running sixweek class.
2. Aging with Gusto, piloting a threepart virtual class which focuses on aging well. Twentyfive participants meet
three consecutive weeks and include Senior Commissioners, Senior Advisory Board members, Senior Housing
Directors, and Carver County Health representatives. We received a SHIP grant to offer this pilot class free of
charge, and will be able to offer three more classes next year to the general community.
3. Drivein Ice Cream Social and Concert, held Friday, September 11 in the Chan Rec Center parking lot. This
event was sponsored by the Chanhassen Lions Club and TMobile. Ice cream treats from “A Whale of A
Treat” were served while the local band “Purgatory Creek” played for a little over an hour. Ninetysix people
attended the event, with almost 50 cars.
ATTACHMENTS:
Drive In Ice Cream Social Promo Flyer
Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast
Flu Shot Clinic
Prohibition Speaker
For more information, please call the Chanhassen Senior Center at 952.227.1124. Mail in or drop off registrations.
Participant’s Name: DOB:
Participant’s Name: DOB:
Address: City, State, Zip:
Home Phone: Alt. Phone: email: PROGRAM REGISTRATION FORMParticipant Signature: Date:
For Office Use Only – Date Registered: Recorded By:
Celebrating Patriot’s Day is cool, and what better way to so than with ice cream! This year,
we’ll commemorate it with the Chanhassen Lions Club and T-Mobile as they serve up treats at
our first ever drive-in ice cream social in the Recreation Center parking lot. Enjoy the music of
Purgatory Creek Band while staying parked in your car or while sitting in your folding chair in a
socially distanced listening area. Reservations required. Deadline is Friday, Sep 4.
DRIVE-IN ICE CREAM SOCIAL – FRIDAY, SEPT. 11TH – 12:30-2PM – COST: FREE
COVID-19 Safety Information:
● Preregistration is required for this event. Space cannot be guaranteed for nonregistered patrons.
● Follow the directions of parking lot attendants as you enter the Chan Rec Lot, 2310 Coulter Blvd.
You are allowed up to 6 people per parking spot; we strongly encourage you to carpool as able.
● Masks are strongly encouraged
● Please do not attend the event if you or anyone you know has been in contact with, are sick with, or is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19,
such as a cough, fever, headache, or fatigue.
● Please arrive ½ hour prior to event start. Drive-in spots are reserved per car, up to 6 people per stall/car.
● Outside, distance seating is limited to 6 people per “pod.” Please bring your personal folding chair for outdoor seating.
The Chanhassen Lion’s Club
and T- Mobile
PRESENT WITH THE CHANHASSEN SENIOR CENTER
Outdoor Concert& Ice Cream Social
Friday, Sept. 11th, 12:30-2pm
LOCATION: Chan Rec Center Parking Lot
FREEEvent!
Please list all people with whom you’ll be sitting or carpooling (up to 6):
The American Legion Auxiliary and Mayor Ryan host our annual Veterans Day breakfast with style! This year, we
offer you a choice: dine in at the Senior Center, or pick up your breakfast to eat at home--you can decide which
option works better for you! Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, fruit, butter, syrup, and coffee or juice. Even
amidst a pandemic, we want to honor our veterans and our community of active older adults. So sign up, stay
safe, and stay tuned! We’ll fill you in on dining/pick-up protocol once we get closer to the event date.
Chanhassen Senior Center | $7/FREE for Vets
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, November 4 | Drop Off/Mail-In Registration
PANCAKE BREAKFAST | TUESDAY, NOV 10 | $7/FREE FOR VETS | DINE IN OR PICK UP| REGISTER BY NOV. 2
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 |
For more information, please call the Chanhassen Senior Center at 952.227.1125. Mail or drop off your registration form to Chanhassen City Hall, 7700
Market Boulevard P.O. Box 147, Chanhassen, MN 55317. No refunds given after the deadline date unless the event is canceled by the Senior Center.
Participant’s Name: DOB:
Participant’s Name: DOB:
Address: City, State, Zip:
Best Phone Number to Reach Me: E-mail:
**Family and close-contact friends will be allowed to sit together with mutual agreement. Who would you like to sit with?PROGRAM REGISTRATION FORMI, the participant, do hereby allow the City of Chanhassen to use any photographs taken by the city of the individual(s) named herein in city informational bulletins released to the general
public for the period of one year from the date I have signed below. Data Privacy Policy: The information requested on the registration form will be used to verify eligibility and determine
staff, facility, and equipment needs.
Participant Signature Date:
Please make checks payable to the City of Chanhassen. Credit card payments accepted for $10 and over ONLY and must be made in person.
For Office Use Only Date Registered: Amount: Check: Cash: CC: By:
Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast
Veterans
Eat
Free!
Sponsored by the Chanhassen
American Legion Auxiliary
CHOOSE YOUR DINE-IN OR PICK-UP TIME
8:30-9:30AM OR 10-11AM
DINE IN (ARRIVE AT 8:30AM), CODE 6204.201 | DINE IN (ARRIVE AT 10AM), CODE 6204.202 | PICK UP (BETWEEN 8-9AM),
CODE 6204.203 | PICK UP (BETWEEN 9-10AM), CODE 6204.203 | PICK UP (BETWEEN 10-11AM), CODE 6204.203
Cub Pharmacy again hosts our annual Flu and Vaccine
Clinic. Call ahead for a specific appointment time, or
walk in the day of. Bring your Medicare and insurance
card, and a checkbook for any uncovered co-pays. This
year we are offering three vaccines:
Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines
FREE with Medicare Part B
Shingles Vaccine
Cost varies, please check with your Medigap carrier.
Not sure you need it? We can let you know if you are
eligible and it’s needed. Stop by for a consult.
Chanhassen Senior Center
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 | 9AM-12PM
Flu Shots &
Vaccine Clinic
In 1920, the United States entered a period during which the manufacture, sale and
transportation of liquors was banned. As it turned out, the U.S. also entered a period of
lawlessness and corruption, unequaled in it history. Rather than curing society’s ills,
Prohibition is remembered for creating some of the worst possible results. Historian David
Jones tells the fascinating story like none other. Seating is limited, so sign up early!
Chanhassen Senior Center | $6 | mail in or call for registration
Registration Deadline: Monday, October 5
PROHIBITION: A GRAND MISADVENTURE | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 | $6 | MAIL IN OR CALL TO REGISTER
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 | 10:30AM
For more information or to register by phone, please call the Chanhassen Senior Center at 952.227.1125. To mail in your registration form: Chanhassen City Hall, 7700 Market Boulevard P.O. Box 147, Chanhassen, MN 55317. No refunds given after the deadline date unless the event is canceled by the Senior Center.
Participant’s Name: DOB:
Participant’s Name: DOB:
Address: City, State, Zip:
Best Phone Number to Reach Me: E-mail:
**Family and close-contact friends will be allowed to sit together with mutual agreement. Who would you like to sit with?PROGRAM REGISTRATION FORMI, the participant, do hereby agree to participate in the above-mentioned activity and I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any and all liability for injury which may be suffered by the aforementioned individual(s) arising out of, or in any way with, his/her participation in this activity. I do hereby allow the City of Chanhassen to use any photographs taken by the city of the individual(s) named herein in city informational bulletins released to the general public for the period of one year from the date I have signed below. Data Privacy Policy: The information requested on the registration form will be used to verify eligibility and determine staff, facility, and equipment needs. You/your child‘s name, sex, birth date, address, phone number and health information will be provided to city staff, volunteers, the city attorney, insurer, and auditor. Although you are not legally required to disclose this information, failure to do so will prevent you from participating in the program.
Participant Signature Date:
Please make checks payable to the City of Chanhassen. Credit card payments accepted for $10 and over ONLY and must be made in person.
For Office Use Only Date Registered: Amount: Check: Cash: CC: By:
Prohibition:
A Grand Misadventure
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Subject 2020 Halloween Preview
Section REPORTS Item No: I.4.
Prepared By Priya Tandon, Recreation Supervisor File No:
SUMMARY
The City of Chanhassen's Annual Halloween Party is held each year at the Chanhassen Recreation Center and brings
over 700 children and their families to enjoy trickortreating, carnival games, live entertainment, and refreshments.
This year, due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic and limitations on the size of gatherings, the 36th annual
Halloween Party will be modified into three new, COVIDfriendly, Halloweenthemed programs. These programs are
an inperson TrickorTrail event, a takehome Boo Your Neighbor kitstyle program, and a virtual Halloween
costume contest.
BACKGROUND
Phase 3 of Minnesota's Stay Safe Plan began on June 10, 2020 and is currently still in effect. Phase 3 guidelines
include setting a maximum capacity of 250 people for indoor and outdoor entertainment events.
The City's annual Halloween Party that runs in typical years is designed to have a large group of more than 250 people
together, without the option to social distance.
DISCUSSION
As a modification of the 36th Annual Halloween Party the City ,along with Community Event Sponsors and the local
business community, will present three new, COVIDfriendly programs.
2020 TrickorTrail
The 2020 TrickorTrail event will be held on Saturday, October 24th from 13pm at the Chanhassen Recreation
Center. At this event, kids and families will dress up in costumes and walk in one direction along the Chan Rec Center
trail, trickortreating and participating in distanced activities. Fifteen local businesses have volunteered to provide and
hand out candy and trinkets at the event. Gray Duck Concessions food truck will also be present at the event, offering
beverages, mini donuts, and pigs in a blanket for purchase. The fee to attend the event will be $2 per child.
The event will follow the most current CDC and state guidelines regarding COVID19 safety. Measures included will
be limiting capacity to less than 250 people at one time, painting socialdistance markers all along the trail, and
encouraging preregistration. Gloves and masks will be worn by all business representatives handing out candy, and
participants will be encouraged to wear masks and stay home if they are sick.
In the event that COVID19 guidelines change to where the event cannot be run safely, modifications can be made to
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORTTuesday, September 22, 2020Subject2020 Halloween PreviewSectionREPORTS Item No: I.4.Prepared By Priya Tandon, Recreation Supervisor File No: SUMMARYThe City of Chanhassen's Annual Halloween Party is held each year at the Chanhassen Recreation Center and bringsover 700 children and their families to enjoy trickortreating, carnival games, live entertainment, and refreshments.This year, due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic and limitations on the size of gatherings, the 36th annualHalloween Party will be modified into three new, COVIDfriendly, Halloweenthemed programs. These programs arean inperson TrickorTrail event, a takehome Boo Your Neighbor kitstyle program, and a virtual Halloweencostume contest. BACKGROUNDPhase 3 of Minnesota's Stay Safe Plan began on June 10, 2020 and is currently still in effect. Phase 3 guidelinesinclude setting a maximum capacity of 250 people for indoor and outdoor entertainment events. The City's annual Halloween Party that runs in typical years is designed to have a large group of more than 250 peopletogether, without the option to social distance. DISCUSSIONAs a modification of the 36th Annual Halloween Party the City ,along with Community Event Sponsors and the localbusiness community, will present three new, COVIDfriendly programs. 2020 TrickorTrailThe 2020 TrickorTrail event will be held on Saturday, October 24th from 13pm at the Chanhassen RecreationCenter. At this event, kids and families will dress up in costumes and walk in one direction along the Chan Rec Centertrail, trickortreating and participating in distanced activities. Fifteen local businesses have volunteered to provide andhand out candy and trinkets at the event. Gray Duck Concessions food truck will also be present at the event, offeringbeverages, mini donuts, and pigs in a blanket for purchase. The fee to attend the event will be $2 per child.The event will follow the most current CDC and state guidelines regarding COVID19 safety. Measures included willbe limiting capacity to less than 250 people at one time, painting socialdistance markers all along the trail, andencouraging preregistration. Gloves and masks will be worn by all business representatives handing out candy, andparticipants will be encouraged to wear masks and stay home if they are sick.
In the event that COVID19 guidelines change to where the event cannot be run safely, modifications can be made to
run the event in either a drivethrough or weeklong, individuallyparticipating format.
Boo Your Neighbor
Personalized, Halloweenthemed "Boo Your Neighbor" goodie baskets will be available to purchase for $12. Staff will
assemble adult and youth goodie baskets, which participants will pick up and deliver to friends, family members, or
neighbors to spread Halloween cheer.
Halloween Costume Contest
As part of the 2020 Halloween Costume Contest, participants of all ages will be able to submit a photo of their 2020
Halloween costume to be judged. All photos will be posted to the City Facebook page, and the 3 submissions with
the most number of 'likes' in the individual and group costume categories will win a prize.
ATTACHMENTS:
Boo Your Neighbor Flyer
Halloween Costume Contest Flyer
Show your neighbor, friend, or family member some
love this October by delivering a personalized,
Halloween-themed ‘Boo!’
Each Boo is a fully-assembled, personalized,
Halloween-themed goody basket containing treats
& tricks, and is meant for you to drop off on your
neighbor’s doorstep to give them a smile. Both adult
and child/family themed Boo’s are available.
Boo’s will be available for pick-up the last three
Fridays in October at the Chanhassen Recreation
Center (2310 Coulter Blvd.) from 7am-8pm.
Order Halloween Boo Baskets Online at:
https://apm.activecommunities.com/chanhassen/Home
Questions?
Contact Priya Tandon at 952.227.11
or ptandon@ci.chanhassen.mn.us
Friday, October 15 ................................................Sunday, October 11
Friday, October 23 ...............................................Sunday, October 18
Friday, October 30 ..............................................Sunday, October 25
Pickup Date:Order By:
BooYOUR NEIGHBOOR!
$12 Per Boo!
COSTUMECONTEST2020
Contest Rules:
• Costumes must be tasteful and appropriate
to be posted and judged • Maximum of 1 entry per person. You must
choose to enter as a group or as an individual • Contest entries must be submitted by
11:59pm on Sunday, October 25th • All photo submissions will be posted to the
City of Chanhassen Facebook page. The three
submissions in each category (individual and
group) with the most number of ‘likes’ by
Friday, October 30th at 9am will win a prize.
• Bonus prize for the “Best Mask!”
(as chosen by contest administrators)
Submission Rules:
Email one clear, well-lit photo of your
(or your group’s) costume to Priya Tandon
at ptandon@ci.chanhassen.mn.us.
• Email Subject: Submission, Costume Contest • Please include the following info. in your email:
First name, last name, age, and hometown of you
or all members of your group • Best contact phone number and email address
Questions? Contact Priya Tandon
at ptandon@ci.chanhassen.mn.us
or call 952.227.1122
Let’s getCREATIVE this Halloween!
Please submit a photo of your 2020
Halloween costume, either as an
individual or group, to our 2020
Halloween Costume Contest.
Feel free to personalize your
submissions – you can include themes,
props, or even backdrops if you’d like!