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PRC 1994 02 22 ~ CHANHASSEN PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 22, 1994 Chairman Andrews called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Ron Roeser, Jim Manders, Jim Andrews and Jan Lash MEMBERS ABSENT: Jane Meger and Fred Berg STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman, Park and Rec Coordinator; Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Supervisor; and Dawn Lemme, Program Specialist APPROV AL OF MINUTES: Lash moved, Manders seconded to approve the Minutes of the Park and Recreation meeting dated January 25, 1994 as presented. All voted in favor and the motion carried. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: Andrews: Tonight we do have one presentation which we are aware of in advance and that's Chuck Rienstra, Vice President of Operations, Tonka United Soccer. Chuck, if you'd like to "'" make your presentation. Please state your name and address for the record. Chuck Rienstra: Okay. My name is Charles Rienstra. I live at 3511 Maplewood Circle in Minnewashta Heights. Let me tell you something about the organization. We're Tonka United Soccer and that's strictly at Minnetonka. About a third of our children are in Chanhassen. Last year we had 1,000 kids in our program and this year we expect about 1,200 and our problem is space, in a big way. And what I'm asking for tonight, to make it real simple, is there's a little park in Minnewashta Heights that's got a small area that's used as a skating rink now. We'd like to use it as a practice field for our small children. What we would do is we would supply the nets. We would stripe the field. The nets are approved by MYSA, which is our sanctioning body. We are insured through MYSA. Our coaches are insured through MYSA. There'd be no games played there. It'd be very small kids practicing to alleviate some of the over crowding we have at Freeman Park. It wouldn't be used on the weekends. It would be week nights. The amount of children practicing at one time would probably be 10, maybe 12. They're very small teams so kids get lots of playing time and we keep the teams real small. This is an instructional team. It'd be a down sized field. We'll do the maintenance. We'll clean up the area. Our coaches are instructed. The nets are laid down. They're left there all the time. We'll pick the nets up at the end of the season. We'll put them there at the beginning of the season. So virtually there's no cost to the city. It's just we're asking your approval to use this property. 2 or 3 nights a week basically. Any questions? ,.-.. 1 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 ....."". Andrews: Would your hope be that this would be a field that would be mainly serving Chanhassen resident children? Chuck Rienstra: I can't say that. There are 8 houses on my dead end. There are 5 children in the program. They all live in Chanhassen. Minnewashta Heights, I'm guessing there's probably another 10 or 15 children in the program in Chanhassen. The age groups vary so much. I'm hoping that a lot of them will be from Chanhassen. We tried to, those young kids we've tried to keep in neighborhood groups and what we're hoping is to have a neighborhood group from Minnewashta Heights. Maybe a couple from the Low's and the Estates. They'll have first choice at that. Close to their house. These are kids, they don't have to cross Highway 7 but I can't specifically say that they're all going to be Chanhassen kids. Andrews: I'd like to comment. As you know I've been very active in both the Tonka United Soccer program and the Minnetonka Park and Rec Soccer program and I think this is my fifth year coaching and I've always used, been at Chanhassen fields. Early in that time I didn't realize that you reserved fields. You just went and practiced and then I began to contact the city here and make some sort of arrangement that yes, I could use a field. So this is something that has already been happening but not on a formal basis through the city. Chuck Rienstra: We haven't used Chanhassen fields actually. ....."I Andrews: Well you have but you don't know that you have. For practices because it has happened. I mean. Chuck Rienstra: Some of the other teams on their own have gone but they haven't officially done it through us. Andrews: Correct. That's what I'm saying. Coaches have taken it upon themselves to make those arrangements and I'm not aware of any problems. I know people tend to be cooperative about using space and area sensitive to the fields. That they don't get abused. Chuck Rienstra: Even that, that I live in the neighborhood I understood the worry about the influx of traffic and they were worried about all those cars coming in. In the beginning there are going to be 10-12 kids to a team and probably a lot of them will be in the area there. You're not going to get an influx of cars. We only let one team on there at a time and never more than 2 a night so. Lash: Those were some of my questions was how many kids and how many teams per night and is this summer soccer? 2 ....,I ,... Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 Chuck Rienstra: Summer soccer. It's a very short season. The instructional league is very short. Lash: From when to when? Chuck Rienstra: It will be over July 20th or something is the tournament. They're talking end of May, June and July. The end of July and then they're done with it. Lash: What kind of parking do we have available there? Chuck Rienstra: There's just the street parking. Lash: So do you foresee that as a problem? Chuck Rienstra: No. You're only going to see a coaches car and if he can get an assistant, you might see the two cars but usually the parents drop off the kids and they disappear because they have an hour or two by themselves. 1""'-. Andrews: Again, relating what happens. I normally have practice up at North Lotus, which does have parking. There's usually at least 3 or 4 teams practicing at once there and usually there's no more than I or 2 cars parked because of exactly that. Parents drop them off. They come back in an hour, hour and a half and pick them up and that's it. So there's not much. Chuck Rienstra: And this will be instructional league. We won't have any traveling teams up there. Traveling team's a different story. You're talking 18 kids on a team. You're talking a lot of parent involvement and lots of times the parents will watch and stuff. You're not going to have that. We're looking just to alleviate Freeman Park a little bit. Manders: What's the arrangement? I guess I'm not familiar with that particular park. What's available there? Chuck Rienstra: Freeman Park is, or I can show you the plans here. Freeman Park was originally laid out with 2 full sized soccer fields and a U 10 soccer field. Being we use it for an instructional field, it's been cut to 7 fields. 7 instructional parcels. I can show you right here. Freeman Park is back a bit. Highway 7 runs up here. And what we're trying to do is, I'll have to back up a little bit. Freeman Park, we were basically handed an $11,000.00 bill from the City of Shorewood for special park usage fees. It's actually more than that. We've paid $5,000.00 of it and we have an $11,000.00 outstanding balance that we owe the City of Shorewood. We've got to start looking someplace else. Tonka United Soccer is not...soccer club. I mean our fees are just nominal to get the kids through this instructional league. ,..... 3 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 -" They're all basically 5 years old to age 10 and 12. At 12 we stop the instructional program and they have to look to the traveling league. We've got to find some other space and this is just the beginning and if we have a place to practice and we're looking at other areas too, we'll be looking maybe down...and actually leaving Freeman Park. It's cost prohibitive. We're in big trouble right now financially and we're starting to look elsewhere. We're going to the school district. We're going to approach Chanhassen again to start using some of their fields. Minnetonka, the far side of Minnetonka we're trying to take over some of the Hopkin's fields...So this is just one of the beginnings we're doing to try and alleviate that problem. Lash: Two issues that I think we need to think of before we make a decision on this. Number one is our policy of having organized activities in neighborhood parks. And number two is just at our last meeting when we discussed how we were going to start prioritizing. The City of Chanhassen is having just a terrible space problem trying to find space for all of the sports that are going on as it is and we have really tried in the past years to not use neighborhood parks just because a lot of the neighbors don't like it Chuck Rienstra: That's why we proposed the instructional league, and Jim understands that the instructional league are very small in size. 10-12 players and like I say, a lot of the kids are from the area right there. ~ I can't guarantee all of them because of the age differences but a lot of them, or the majority of them will be from Minnewashta Heights, Minnewashta Lows, the Manor and that area. -" Lash: At our last meeting we looked at policy of how we, as the city, can meet the needs of the residents of the city with...given the problem that we have with Minnetonka School District and the Chaska School District both being within the city so we need to meet the needs of all the Chanhassen residents, and it doesn't matter which school district they live in. And because of the two different school districts and the different leagues pulling at us, we had to try and come up with some way that we can juggle this by filling the needs of our residents but by not spreading out the fields so thinly by accommodating a lot of people who are non residents. Chuck Rienstra: Right, and that's the same problem we're looking at We don't cover just Minnetonka. We cover Chanhassen, Shorewood, some of Mound, some of Minnetrista, part of Hopkins now, and we have to deal with all the communities and it's hard for us because we've basically stayed out of Chanhassen and not try to impose upon the park system here. As you say...but we have to do something with the growing program and like I say, we're not excluding Chanhassen kids either. And we're taking all the kids that come to us. The kids in Chaska. We've got a kid from Chaska playing with us and we're trying to help everybody. We're in the same predictament as you are except we're in reverse. We want to use the land. 4 ....."" ".... Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 It's not a big area. There's a skating rink on it now. It's not big enough for a full sized field. It would only be a practice so you're not going to see the influx of kids playing there. Lash: I mean I don't have a problem with it. Where we need to be careful though is if we decide to allow this, is that it is going against one of the directions we went with organized sports in neighborhood fields. And the other one is, if we just pass, or are passing this policy of basically the prorating of the amount of time it can be used based on the number of residents on the team, if that's what we decided at the last meeting, then we need to be careful that we're abiding by some of these past decisions because if we start waffling on some of this stuff. Andrews: It will bite us. Lash: Yep. It's going to come back to haunt us bit time. I don't have a problem with this personally. I don't. I understand what they're trying to do and he thinks it's under utilized and it's just for practices. It won't be a parking problem for the neighborhood. But again I don't want it to come back. ,... Chuck Rienstra: The little area sits virtually vacant and unused year round. There's a small playground equipment and if you go by there and see 2 kids on the playground equipment in a week, that's a lot. The ice rink is used a little bit in the winter time. There's no boards up so none of the hockey players like to go there. And it sits empty. It's mowed and that's about it. Andrews: I have two comments. I asked you about the residents. That is our way of prioritizing right now and my guess is pressure increases for softball, soccer, other sports that require field space, that's going to be how we are forced to make decisions. As being supported by the taxes of the Chanhassen residents, that has to be who we serve first. Chuck Rienstra: Right. Like I say, they're big houses in my dead end and there's 5 children in the program. Andrews: Yeah, well I'm not arguing the facts here. I'm just saying as these pressures increase, that's how you can help us is by saying, you know we are trying to put together a team that is predominantly, you know 3/4. Chuck Rienstra: Yeah, and it will be too. That's why I come to you with this proposal. Minnewashta Heights, Lows and the Estates, they're the ones that are going to go to it. The kids on the other side of Excelsior and stuff, they don't want to go there because it's too far away and what I'm trying to do is I'm trying to get this instructional team so they don't have ,-, 5 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 ""'"'" to cross Highway 7 and the parents that shoo their kids out the door and say go to practice, they don't have to run across Highway 7 and go to Freeman Park. They can run up to Minnewashta Park and do it there. Andrews: What I suggest is we do this. And that is that we do this on a one time, see how it goes basis. And we've got to vote on this. This isn't my edict here but that we do this on a one time basis through this July what, 20th for approximate termination date and that we see what sort of response we get. If we get complaints from neighbors, then we know that this is something that we have to watch out for. If the field is over used, we can take a look at that too. Lash: The other thing that I want to fmd out, once the word gets out that this is being done, then there's going to be somebody else in Chanhassen that's going to come to us and say, well why is Tonka United using that field? We could use that field or if Tonka United can use that field then we want to use the one at, you know in such and such a neighborhood. And so it could open up a whole can of worms but I agree with Jim's recommendation too. That we try it and see and if it creates a lot of headaches for us, we'll have to go back. Andrews: And I guess I'd also say, kind of based on what Ian said, that my feeling right now is that we would not do this with any other organization until we saw how this one turned out because I don't want to be doing it for 4 or 5 or 6 different teams. Then it's hard to figure out if somebody was the cause of a problem, who was it and what can be we do about it. This way we know who we're dealing with. We know if it worked, it worked but if it didn't work, we knew who to call. ..."." Manders: Under the circumstances...quite different than a lot of other places. If you're saying this facility isn't being used that much and the parking shouldn't be a problem. It is somewhat remote there to the other city neighborhood parks so to draw comparisons with other neighborhood parks. Chuck Rienstra: It's really rather sad that the park isn't being used more. Manders: Yeah. So for that reason I could see going along with this. Andrews: Could we have, does somebody want to try a motion here for action? Lash: Do you have, Todd something you wanted to add? Hoffman: Just to point out how small it is. It's just actually 5 lots. It was 6 originally but the city fathers back in the early 70's sold that sixth lot for $700.00 to develop the park. 6 --' ~ Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 Roeser: Well I just hope we're not starting something that is going to snowball. I'm not sure that, you know it's in the policy not to schedule organized activities for all this time. All of a sudden we're going to start doing that. We're going to start doing it with this park and I'm sure people are going to say, well you did it here. Chuck Rienstra: This could happen. This is going to be a very low key deal. Roeser: All things start out low key. Chuck Rienstra: It's really limited because of the size of the area. It's very small. Roeser: Yeah but you see that's not really relevant, how big it is. It's a matter of if we do it here, and we have someone come along and say well you did it out there. Why can't we have softball practice at the little park down by Rice Lake or something like this. See I think that's what we're struggling with. Lash: Okay it was what? A couple months ago that Jack Jensen came to us and asked, could they start, could CAA start having games and practices at Curry Farms and a couple other places and we said no. Because that goes against the policy. ,..... Hoffman: They'll be back again this year. The Athletic Association asking for. Roeser: I think that's what's going to happen. Neighborhood parks should be neighborhood parks I think. Even you say they're under utilized, and I agree that probably this one is. No one's using it very often but even if it's one family having a picnic in the neighborhood park and there's a bunch of kids playing soccer. And it is being utilized. Chuck Rienstra: See our first idea was, well we're going to have the neighborhood teams coming out of the three neighborhoods up there anyway. Let's just send them over there and that's why I said, well wait. Let's just go to Chan and say this is what we want to do. We're going to send the kids over here but let's give them some nets to practice with and I can run over there with the striper and strip some lines on the field so they know where they're going and where they're making their comer kicks from and it can be upfront and they know what's going on and we don't have to get calls because our nets are laying in the middle of this field in the middle of the night. Lash: You said earlier Chuck that was going to be 2 or 3 nights a week. Chuck Rienstra: Well that would be maximum. That would be maximum would be 3 nights a week. What I'm trying to do is, at the beginning of the season they generally have 2 ,...., 7 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 ....." practices a week and nobody does it Friday night and weekends are kind of...so it will probably be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The reason I said three is because I didn't want to leave myself short and say 1 or 2. Lash: Okay. Well knowing the problems that we know we could possibly face with this, it sounds like we're all willing to do it on a this year and see how it goes. But if this starts opening up a big can of worms, you're going to know where we're coming from because. Chuck Rienstra: Oh absolutely. It's my neighborhood. Lash: No, and it's not even going to be related to your park or your neighborhood. It's going to be related to all the other neighborhood parks that a lot of other people are going to come and say to us, well they're getting to use that park. Why can't we use this park and why can't we use this park and then it just mushrooms and it gets out of control and then we've got a major problem to deal with. So it's not even your request for that or a specific park or that it's serving kids outside of the city. It's the whole picture. Chuck Rienstra: Right, and that's why I'm saying. That's why we're going to try and keep it that neighborhood kids. Lash: And keeping it to a practice is also something that makes it easier for me to deal with because of the parking. Like you said, there aren't as many cars around when it's just practice so. I would move that we approve this request for the summer of '94 only at this time and it would be up for review again before it would be approved in the future. -' Manders: I'll second that. Andrews: Any more discussion? Lash moved, Manders seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission allow Tonka United Soccer to use Minnewashta Heights Park for instructional league soccer practice for the summer of '94 only and it would be up for review again before it would be approved in the future. All voted in favor except Ron Roeser who opposed and the motion carried with a vote of 3 to 1. Andrews: I just want to say that I do agree with Ron that this is going to be back to us in many different forms over the next couple years as field pressure increases. Item number 3 is land development proposal. 8 ..",., ,..... Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 Lash: Jim, can we back up just one second? Chuck, just for your information. You said that they may be coming to Chanhassen more in the future as, if they pull out of Freeman. Chuck Rienstra: Well some of the coaches, I think what the coach...they're going to come down and say hey, can we use this field on Tuesday and Thursday nights between 7:00 and 8:30. Lash: Okay. Just so you guys know. There is a policy now and it's going to be the teams that have the highest percentage of Chanhassen residents will get first crack at the field. Chuck Rienstra: So that means that U14 Boys teams are going to be down here like this. Andrews: Well that's how we've had to do it so. The other thing would be, as your needs increase it would behoove you to, in an organized way, get in front of this commission. Chuck Rienstra: Well that's why I'm here. .I"'" Andrews: Yeah, but talking about next year. I mean perhaps because this issue is going to come back. Not just for soccer but also for softball and we are short of field space. The new school going up in the Chaska School District, which is going to be a Chan park area, that's going to be a big help but that's going to just be some help in a big problem so. Thank you for coming. LAND DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL. PRELIMINARY PLAT TO SUBDIVIDE 19.7 ACRES INTO 26 FAMILY LOTS ON PROPERTY ZONED RSF. AND LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 7 AND MINNEWASHTA PARKWAY. MINNEWASHTA LANDINGS. Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item. Andrews: Todd I have one question. This concerns, you mentioned the trail corridor on the Highway 7 right-of-way. Seeing that that solution really hasn't been workable for TII 101, I guess is it really wise for us to assume that if we were to want a trail on that north edge of the property, that the highway right-of-way would provide us any flexibility in the future. Hoffman: At least in discussion with our engineer's office, they thought that that would be, the right-of-way is much wider than Highway 101 right-of-way and there's future ventures for that roadway are. ,.... 9 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 ~ Andrews: What do we do on that, there was added development further to the east here that, was it Harbor. The Harbor development? Hoffman: We did... Andrews: Same decision there? Hoffman: Right. Andrews: Okay. That was my question. Any other questions or comments? A motion? Lash: I'd move that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend to the City Council that we accept full park and trail dedication fees in lieu of parkland dedication and trail development with said fees being collected as per staff recommendation. Andrews: Is there a second to that? Roeser: I'll second it. Andrews: Any further discussion? --' Lash moved, Roeser seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend to the City Council that we accept full park and trail dedication fees in lieu of parkland dedication and trail development with said fees being collected as per staff recommendation. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously. Andrews: Thank you Mr. Durr for coming. We appreciate your comments. Best of luck on your development. REOUEST FOR A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT. CITY OF MINNETONKA IN REGARD TO A PROPOSED GOLF COURSE DEVELOPMENT ON THE FORMER OAK TERRACE NURSING HOME SITE. Hoffman: Chairman Andrews, members of the Commission. I have nothing to add other than Dick Wilson, Director of Recreation for the City of Hopkins-Minnetonka... Lash: I don't get what this has to do with us. Roeser: I think if it bordered on Chanhassen or something like that, but this is way down in Glen Lake. I'm not sure that Minnetonka needs our approval or disapproval. 10 --' ,...., Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 Andrews: I agree. I feel that we should not comment at all. Anybody else? Manders: I'm not against it but it's like I agree with what you're saying. What does it have to do with us? Lash: Is this some standard procedure that people do? Hoffman: Well they try to broaden their support as much as possible. The only reason they sent it to us is we have that triangle of Hennepin County in our city. Lash: Yeah, I mean we barely are in Hennepin County to start with. Roeser: There is some opposition to that thing you know. From the people that run the Boys Home down there and things like that I don't think we should mess with it at all. Andrews: Alright. I think we're unanimous in wishing to make no comment, pro or con. Okay, let's move on to item number 6. "...... PROGRAM UPDATES. Dawn Lemme stated that she didn't have anything further to add. Andrews: Alright. There's a comment, a verbal comment for the Daddy-Daughter Date Night. Lemme: That's...dads and daughters come to that. It's a spaghetti supper and line dancing... Lash: Was that on Valentine's Day? Lemme: It was Valentine's oriented... Lash: So did you go Todd? Hoffman: No, I did not.. (There was a tape change at this point in the discussion.) Andrews: I guess my comment would be, if there was going to be any attempt made, it should be concentrated to City Center rink at this time. ,.... 11 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 ....". Lash: Would that be a really big deal to do? I don't know what kind of weather forecast we have but if we could stretch it out.another couple of weeks it would be nice. Would it be a real big thing to do? Hoffman: Dale is a pretty good odds maker. He's kept a calendar for 20 some years and we rarely go past mid February. We're already past that. Last year we did make it to March though... Manders: I wouldn't worry about it. Andrews: Skating rinks are expensive aren't they to maintain? D. NEW CHAN REC CENTER. Todd Hoffman presented the staff report on this item. Andrews: The concrete surface for the rink I think, I strongly support. I think it's just an exploding sport or interest area and I think if we were to do that, it could make us very unique in a lot of cities and give us a year round use for a hockey rink instead of a 2 month use like we have now. Plus with a light colored surface, I think the ice would stay longer .....,JII' too. Hoffman: All the cities are coming back in and you're right...right inside of their hockey rinks...Other than that, Dave Leschek, if you remember Dave, was the principle architect for the city. For this project representing HGA for the city and he has...Bob Rothman, the person who was somewhat second in charge brought the time table to the commission...With that, if you have additional questions you can let me know. I'll continue to update you. Obviously we're... Andrews: How soon before we might have access to graded fields? Is it possily earlier in the program than the building completion date? Hoffman: No. We'll have access to skating, winter activities in the fall and winter of '95 but we would have fields at the earliest in the summer of '96. With the grass and... Andrews: Looking at any irrigating? Hoffman: Irrigation. The School District is looking at irrigation in the areas of the school, the high maintenance areas...but these fields are low maintenance. ....". 12 ,..... Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 COMMISSION MEMBER PRESENTATIONS: Andrews: Are there any commission member presentations? Manders: I have one. I'd just like to recognize all the work that Todd and Jerry and Dawn put into February Festival. In being there, it's quite obvious the amount of time they put in and I'd just like to recognize it and say thank you. Lash: I'd second that Andrews: I wasn't able to make it. How did that go? Hoffman: I think it went pretty well for the first year. I think we're the ones that want to do the recognition part of the program. Back to the Park and Recreation Commission for their fine job of handling the prize board. Lash: No...we screwed up totally. ~ Hoffman: ...we'd knew you'd want to educate staff on how we could do that. Lash: I have no idea. You guys obviously spent hours trying to come up with the most efficient way to do it and we just, I mean Jim. They had 50 gazillion prizes. Roeser: What was it, 500 prizes? Hoffman: 250. Lash: Well it seemed like more than that. It seemed like a lot so we were suppose to draw every 30 seconds and they had the boxes all filled and identified by time. Each prize had a post it with the time for the drawing and then each box on the outside said what time was inside the box and these boxes were all strategically placed around here. And this huge you know what, 20 x 6 foot prize board all done in puffy paints... It was beautifully done and we went up there and made such a mess out of it you could not even believe it. We started drawing and I think what happened was, we started drawing 5 names, or 5 tickets and we'd each go up and write the numbers on there and then we decided we had to keep a master sheet because we couldn't see the big boards. So then we'd go back and write the numbers on the master sheet. And then people would come up and start claiming these prizes and they'd be pawing through the box trying to find their prize and we started getting backed up.so we started hitting the panic button. So then we started to draw 10 at a time. r' 13 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 ...." Roeser: So we got further ahead. Lash: So we got screwed up even faster...so anyway, I finally took over the master sheet and the guys were doing the drawing and Jane and Colleen were digging for prizes. So we thought we all had our assigned roles. But then I think the biggest problem we had was, and this only happened once so, but with 10 prizes. Was I wrote down the numbers on the master sheet and then when they were written on the big board, I think it got reversed. So our master sheet didn't match the master board. So people were coming up there saying, well here's my ticket and I'd say oh, well you won a raffle and they said well no. It said I won 3 games of bowling... Roeser: We'll get it straight next year. Lash: Yeah, no kidding. I don't know, you guys put a lot of work into it It should have just went like that but you know... Roeser: We were away from it too far or something. And then you couldn't get in and out because you guys were always standing right where the break was between the tables. Lash: That's where people would come in. --' Roeser: Yeah, just a couple logistically things... Hoffman: We could put you right in front of the board. Roeser: Yeah, I was think about that. If we could put us in front of the board. The tables in front. Hoffman: Then you've got full control. Andrews: I think it's amazing the amount of company and corporate support that was generated here for the fIrst time. I mean a tremendous amount of work that you guys put in. Roeser: I think if the weather hadn't been bad it would have been really great. I thought it was terrific the way it was and it was miserable. Water out there and. Hoffman: ...somewhere over 1,000 tickets. Lash: And how about the fund raising, do you know how we did? .....-i 14 ,..... Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 Hoffman: As far as the eAA? Lash: Grossed about $500.00 and ended with a couple hundred bucks. Roeser: People didn't like standing in line for the food. It didn't work out very well but they'll have to work that out Lash: They didn't like standing in line to claim their prizes either. They were getting crabby... Andrews: You did get a whimpy day so you're lucky for that. Hoffman: Yeah, and it dropped 20 degrees. It was 48 degrees in the morning and 28. Roeser: By the time I was watching the fIreworks at night it was cold. Hoffman: ...comments all the way around the paper... ,.... Lash: It's really too bad the weather, you know for the cross country skiing. You know that was probably not. Roeser: They did it They cross country skied. Lash: But that's a problem we'll have. Hoffman: As far as ticket sales and fIshing, somewhere around $5,000.00 just out of our ticket sales. That covers... Lash: So it wasn't a big waste of money? Hoffman: No. We invested a great deal obviously in fIrst year promotion. Advertising, signs, banners, those things which next year, we did the downtown banners. We did the downtown... Andrews: Good idea. Let's do it again. Any more presentations? ADMINISTRATIVE PACKET. Andrews: Any highlights there that need to be noted? r 15 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 -"" Hoffman: The garbage can... Lash: Actually I'm so dumb I thought this was some way of helping to get them out of it instead of being trapped in it. Hoffman: It's a trap. Andrews: I guess as I mentioned to Todd before the meeting started, one of the highlights to me in here was that spread sheet of the all the developments in progress and just the incredible demand that's going to put on all city services but I feel like every year we get further behind. Tonight was just a small little signal of what's going to happen here as far as field space goes for all these various teams and it's going to be really a disaster here in the next couple years looking for soccer and ballfield space. Manders: Kind of following up on that same statement though. It's hard for me to feel real sorry for some of these developers coming in here and crying about a lot of the things you know in terms of getting what it is that they're looking for when it's obvious with all the developments, people that want to get in here and really do the things that we're asking. Andrews: Yeah, you're right and we've sort of said before. We've had no reason to apolgize. ..."I' Lash: And looking at the maps that we've looked at at our last two work sessions, we have to get what we can because the land out there now is getting so limited in supply that we will never be able to do it. Andrews: It will be gone. Lash: Yep, if we don't, if we're not active now. I have a couple of questions. Are you done with your? Okay. First thing is, on all of these summer job listings for the city of Chanhassen. Do you have an age, is there a minimum age? Hoffman: 16 is the minimum age. Lash: They have to be 16 for all the? Hoffman: Yes. Lash: Okay. And then I wanted to just, I think I'm willing to go on the record that I am somewhat confused and somewhat frustrated over the lengthy discussion that's having to take 16 -.JIll ,.... Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 place on the appointment to the commission. I would like to think that the Council should be able to move forward in a timely manner on that. I think it would be a frustrating position to be in were I a candidate. Hoffman: Yeah I think we're, I feel it's my position to be an intermediary between the Council and the candidates so I've had, I've not had much communication with the candidates because I have nothing to say to them when I call them. There's still nothing decided... They know where it's at so obviously when this article came up, I had thoughts of calling the candidates but I did not do that. However, Clark Cummings did have a call into me this evening and he was at this office until about 6:00...and the note said something to the effect that I didn't know I was going to be such a controversial item so I don't know if Mr. Cummings is going to withdraw or...but obviously this kind of coverage for an appointment to the Park Commission, our city attorney was just amazed. Y ouknow most other cities you can't get anybody to come out and apply... Lash: Well I appreciated the comment I think it was from Councilman Mason. Roeser: And Wing. ,.... Lash: Or maybe it was from yeah, Councilman Wing who said that, unless they see some major political problem with the appointment. You know say the person was not in line with the current philosophy of the Councilor you know they had some major problem like that, I don't understand what the controversy is over this. It should not have to be this difficult I don't think and I'm sincerely hoping that when Mayor Chmiel comes back from vacation, that this will be one of the fIrst items that they will address and get on with it because this is, I think this does not look good for us and the Council as working hand in hand. That there should be this much controversy when there has not been a lot of controversy on this board for years. I don't understand the problem. And if there is a problem, then I think they need to let us know what it is. And I too would feel like Clark, I would wonder what is going on if I were a candidate and would want to know where the problem lies. One of the comments was that people have to work and get along. Yes we do and we made our choices and I think we would all be able to work with any of the candidates that we recommended or we would not have recommended them but my concern is that they are not getting that message. I'd hate to see someone start here on the wrong foot. Roeser: Well there's no question about Jan then right? Megers. Lash: Jane. Roeser: Or Jane. ,.... 17 Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22, 1994 ...,."i Hoffman: Not at this time, no. Andrews: I agree with Jan that it's not proper to treat somebody that's applied for a position like that without responding more promptly. I guess I would hope in the future they could act more promptly. When we sit and interview people, we try to consider all the issues. Do they have the time? How active are they already in the community and I feel like we are trying to make, that we are really making a recommendation of who we feel would be best. So I appreciate the Council members that did see that we do serve a function and have some knowledge and appreciation for quality candidates and would hope that they can move ahead on this year's nominees and next year promptly make their selections for candidates for any position. Lash: Or if there is a significant problem, I think we need to be informed of what that problem is in some type of a closed session so that we know where they're coming from and they know where we're coming from. I don't think that should come out in the newspaper for everyone to read. I don't think that's very professional. Roeser: I think it's with the Council Jan. I don't think it's us. Andrews: Any other administrative items of interest? --' Lash: Then I also had a question on the letter from Tom Redmond for the city of Chaska. I was kind of trying to read, figure out where that was coming from. Do you have any? Hoffman: You and me both. I know where probably where it was initiated from is a conversation which I had held in regard to the future...of the high school in that the school district has requested the City of Chaska to utilize Pioneer Park for practices. School practices. So in response to that Chaska has made a request of the school district, well we're allowing you to use our park. We want to be able to schedule your school fields during the summer exclusively for Chaska Park and Rec schedules. That leaves the rest of the community in a second position. Obviously if they're scheduling it they're going to take first priority to facilities which...distributed evenly throughout the community but the school district has put us in that position by their own actions. We don't have much to say. Our beef is not with Chaska. It's really with the school district not being able to provide for their students and having to cut deals with other communities for fields and that puts uS...so we can put as much pressure on District #112 as we can make sure that...so this letter just goes on, as far as I can see, to tell us exactly how much the city of Chaska helps the school district... Andrews: I don't think we need to make any comment at this time. Is this a...so I think as 18 ...." ,.... Park and Rec Commission Meeting - February 22. 1994 ,.... ,.... the new school facility is completed in Chanhassen here. that we have to sort of look at how we can bargain with what was done in the past for Chaska and how it can then be used to even the tables for Chanhassen so. Any other comments. questions? Hearing none. is there a motion to adjourn? Manders moved, Roeser seconded to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor and the motion carried. The meeting was adjourned. Submitted by Todd Hoffman Park and Recreation Coordinator Prepared by Nann Opheim 19