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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 7, 2019 Agenda PacketCITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Regular Meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue AGENDA January 7, 2019 at 6:30 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: B. ROLL CALL: ___ Walt Dunlap ___ Ron Eischen ___ Olivia Demerath ___ Alyssa Schmeling ___ Ryan Carlson ___ Council Member Leehy ___ Staff Tim Pittman, Public Works Director ___ Staff Sack Thongvanh, City Administrator C. PRESENTATION D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. N/A F. AGENDA: 1. Grant Updates a. Piano in the Park b. Curtiss Signage c. Target d. Rec on the Go 2. Special Events a. Spring Together b. Ice Cream Social/Hot Dog with a Deputy 3. Updates a. Park Programming Budget b. Staffing and Summer Programs c. Position Replacement for Tim Sandvik d. Community Park Building e. Curtiss Field – Half Basketball Court 4. Appointment of Officers H. INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENT I. ADJOURNMENT: REQUEST FOR COMMISSION ACTION Families, Fields and Fair __________________________ The City That Soars! Item Grant Updates Description a. Piano in the Park The City of Falcon Heights regularly explores grant funding opportunities to enhance Parks and Recreation throughout the city. As an ongoing effort to connect visitors with the parks, the Parks and Recreation Commission discovered an opportunity to do so by hosting a “Piano in the Park” for public use at Community Park. In the Fall of 2017, the city was awarded the grant and the first payment of $833.33 (one third of the cost) was received in September of 2017. The Good Neighbor Fund was established in 2008 by the University of Minnesota. Funds are available from the annual proceeds of an endowment established at the time of the development of TCF Bank Stadium. Groups eligible to apply must be member organizations of the University of Minnesota Stadium Advisory Group. Having completed the project in July of 2018, staff submitted final reporting and has now received the final payment totaling $1667.67. b. Curtiss Field Signage The Minnesota Historical Society announces 50 recipients of 56 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants (up to $10,000 each), totaling $415,269 in 29 counties. Small grants are awarded quarterly to help nonprofit and educational organizations, government units and tribal organizations preserve and share Minnesota history. This cycle of awards was approved by the MNHS Executive Council on June 1, 2017. Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants are made possible by the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008. The Legacy Amendment supports efforts to preserve Minnesota land, water and legacy, including Minnesota history and cultural heritage. Meeting Date January 7, 2019 Agenda Item Agenda F1 Attachment N/A Submitted By Sack Thongvanh, City Administrator c. Target The City of Falcon Heights regularly explores grant funding opportunities to enhance Parks and Recreation throughout the city. An opportunity to enhance our soccer programming through a Target Corporate grant application was presented to staff by a local resident in May at the Spring Together event. The effort of the grant is to primarily enhance our scholarship program. This program provides Parks and Recreation programming to low-income families who are residents of the City of Falcon Heights. Over the years, the scholarship program has received donations from various sources including individuals, local businesses and other grant opportunities. At the June 4th, 2018 Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, the commission voted unanimously to submit this application. At the June 27th, 2018 City Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously to submit this application as recommended by the Park and Recreation Commission. At the December 12, 2018 City Council meeting, the Council accepted the grant funding. d. Rec on the Go In 2017, staff submitted an application to Como Park Lutheran Church Trust Fund to increase communication for cities events and participation in programs organized by the City. The purpose of the request was to start implementing the “Statement of Community Values” produced by the Falcon Heights Task Force on Policing and Inclusion. The City is also looking at test piloting the idea of “Rec-on-the-Go”. The purpose is to provide a few “free” programs to the unengaged residents to showcase programs that the City provides. Budget Impact Award Amount: 1. U of MN Good Neighbor Fund – Piano in the Park ($2,500) 2. The Minnesota Historical Society – Curtiss Field Signage ($2,136) 3. Target – Enhance the Scholarship Program ($1,000) 4. Como Park Lutheran Church Trust Fund - Rec on the Go ($500) Attachment(s) • Pictures Action(s) Requested N/A Curtiss Field -Signage Falcon Heights Parks and Re Bryan Soto, Justin Tacheny, & Joe Butze Purpose ●Increase awareness for each program and find new ways to reach a diverse population. ●Increase participation for the free program Rec on the Go! ○Main focus Review of Past Research ●Market your programs specifically to different focus areas ●Less about the activities, more about the environment ●Key to success: Knowledge Summer 2018 Data ●Rec on the Go: Session 1 ○1 participant ●Rec on the Go: Session 2 ○17 participants ○5 of diverse populations ●Rec on the Go: Session 3 ○8 participants ○2 of diverse populations ●Town population ○Roughly 5,592 ●Facebook Followers ○595 ●Flyer Distribution ○3 apartment buildings Curtiss Field Current Participation Target Participation Study Design ●We constructed a survey that consists of two yes/no questions and four open-ended questions ●Open-ended questions allowed for optimal feedback ●Questions were geared to reveal the factors that would motivate or prevent an individual from attending Research Process ●Collected data the afternoon of October 31st at Town Square Apartments ○We thought conducting the survey on Halloween would increase the number of participants ●Stationed in the lobby and outside the building ●We wanted to collect as much data as we could and finished with 46 complete surveys after two hours of data collection ●Purposive sampling to reach our target market Survey Results ●Are you familiar with the free Falcon Heights Park and Rec program "Rec on the Go"? ○9/46 said yes ●Have you ever attended "Rec on the Go"? ○2/46 said yes Overall lack of awareness Survey Results -Open ended ●If you have never attended, please list reasons why not? ○Unaware, Not interested, New to the area, Too early, No kids, No time. ●What about the program would motivate you to come back next summer? ○Free/fun ●What form of marketing do you prefer? ○Mail: 12 | Electronic/Facebook: 15 | None: 15 | Instagram ads: 1 | Radio: 1 | Twitter: 1 | Free stuff: 1 What did you like? Why are you not attending? What you are doing right ●Programs that are offered ●Staff is welcoming ●Correct marketing style Recommended practice ●Falcon Heights Town Square Apartment ○In house marketing the Friday before each Rec on the Go! ○Give the flyers to the manager to put in the mailboxes ○Have an information table run by summer staff the week before ●Overall Marketing ○Find a way to increase the reach on Facebook. ■Encourage people to share posts to spread the word ○Flyer distribution should either be amplified or eliminated. ○Send flyers and letters to the school before summer comes ■Summer program coordinator in schools Projected Results ●Year 1 ○An increase of roughly 10% -15% per program ●Year 2 ○An increase of roughly 15% -30% ★Does not seem huge but with the current participation number it will be noticable and will continue to grow Questions? REQUEST FOR COMMISSION ACTION Families, Fields and Fair __________________________ The City That Soars! Item Special Events Description a. Spring Together 2018 There were between 30 to 40 attendees. b. Ice Cream Social/Hotdog with a Deputy 2018 The Ice Cream Social/Hotdog with a Deputy was the first combined collaboration since Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office took over for the City of Saint Anthony for police services. We had an attendance of 300+ and the County estimated that they handed out around 400-500 hotdogs. Budget Impact Fund budget in 2018 and 2019. Attachment(s) • Pictures Action(s) Requested N/A Meeting Date January 7, 2019 Agenda Item Agenda F2 Attachment N/A Submitted By Sack Thongvanh, City Administrator Spring Together 2018 Ice Cream Social / Hotdog with a Deputy 2018 REQUEST FOR COMMISSION ACTION Families, Fields and Fair __________________________ The City That Soars! Item Updates Description Park Program Budget A more detailed budget analysis will be available later this year once the staff replacement is hired. The City Council levied and transferred $26,000 for the 2019 Budget. The same amount that was transferred in 2018. The Park Program Fund (201) has a positive balance of $2,400 based on the 2018 revenue and expense report. Staffing an Summer Programs The total hours dedicated to Park Programming that included Rec on the Go was over 600 hours. Position Replacement for Tim Sandvik The position title has been changed from Deputy Clerk/Recreation Supervisor to Assistant to the City Administrator. The City has received over 30+ applications for the position. Applicants are currently being reviewed. Community Park Building The City Council has discussed the Community Parking Building for the last two due to the deterioration of the interior and exterior of the building. I have included pictures presented to the City Council at the last two Council Retreat. Staff was been directed by Council to look at various options that include, but not limited to a total teardown/rebuild and renovate the building. Curtiss Field – Half Basketball Court Due to wet conditions at the end of 2018, City Staff was not able to complete the project. This will be first priority going into 2019. Budget Impact All the listed items in the Updates have been funded in the 2019 City Budget except for the Community Park Building. Attachment(s) • Community Park Building Meeting Date January 7, 2019 Agenda Item Agenda F3 Attachment N/A Submitted By Sack Thongvanh, City Administrator Action(s) Requested N/A REQUEST FOR COMMISSION ACTION Families, Fields and Fair __________________________ The City That Soars! Item Appointment of Officers Description Walt Dunlap was the Chair in 2018 and Mary Hannon Jacobs and Ron Eischen were Co-Chair Secretary. Budget Impact N/A Attachment(s) Action(s) Requested The Park Commission will have to appoint the Chair, Vice-Chair and the Secretary. Meeting Date January 7, 2019 Agenda Item Agenda F4 Attachment N/A Submitted By Sack Thongvanh, City Administrator