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FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -4- March 23, 2005 REPORTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS (continued) Mr. Long said new signage will be installed in the City parks to provide a uniform look and identity. The two annual City events, the Dead of Winter and Ice Cream Social, were well attended. The summer and fall recreation programs had 357 participants. The 2005 recreation program brochures are out and registration will begin April 1. He reminded people about the Friends of the Parks Fund, which allows individuals and businesses to make tax deductible donations. In 2005-06, the Parks Commission will be stepping back and looking at internal procedures-use of the fields and fees. They will be looking at revenue streaming and working with the Falcon Heights Elementary School regarding improvements to their playground. The Parks Commission meets the second Monday of every month, 7 PM, at City Hall. The Parks Commissioners are: Chuck Long, Pat Dolan, Jim Evans, Kimberly Kuhens and Denise Deen, who completed her second term and retired from the Commission in December, 2004. Parks Commissioner Kimberly Kuhens, a high school student, invited other young people to join her on the Parks Commission. Neighborhood Commission • Kris Grangaard, Co-Chair of the Neighborhood Commission with Robert Thompson, said the members of the Neighborhood Commission are: Sue Majerus, Lavone Johnson, Bill Downing, Lieutenant Dominic Cotroneo, Tom Brace, Linda Fite, Dan Johnson-Powers and Joe Letourneau. She said there are many different ways that neighborhoods are supported by cities. The Neighborhood Commission was created in 2002 to be City liaisons with neighborhoods. During the first year the Commission concentrated on recruiting and training liaisons and block captains. During the second year they focused more on the CERT Program. Fifty people who live or work in Falcon Heights graduated from that program and are asking for more continuing education. A fourth CERT class will begin the first week of May and will continue for eight weeks. Last fall, at an emergency management training, they found that communication is crucial. Russ Hobbie, a Falcon Heights resident and CERT graduate, is recruiting ham radio operators to attend the CERT class and CERTS will be encouraged to learn about ham radio. The Neighborhood Commission was energized by the report done by Jenna Washnieski, a survey she conducted in Falcon Heights as a part of her master's thesis and presented to the City Council. It confirmed the importance of recruiting and supporting the neighborhood liaisons because residents who live in neighborhoods with liaisons indicated they felt more connected to the community. Sue Majerus is contacting apartment building owners regarding increasing communication with apartment dwellers and finding ways to get the monthly flyers into the apartment buildings to help them feel more connected to the community. Ms. Grangaard said that MarySue Hanson, Executive Director of the Suburban Ramsey Family Collaborative, gave Falcon Heights a Recognition Award because of the wonderful response from the Neighborhood Commission, • liaisons and CERTS to a request for box springs, mattresses and blankets for at risk children.