HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.7.25 Park & Rec Minutes - Joint Mtg w CEC1 | Page
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Joint Meeting
Parks & Recreation Commission Community Engagement Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue
MINUTES April 7, 2025 at 6:30 P.M.
A.CALL TO ORDER: 6:35 PM
B.ROLL CALL:Eric Brenton__X___ Mike Bradbury_X___Erin Williams___X__Tom Faust_____Robert Haight__X___ Wesley Goldberg___X__
Cooley-Kistler_X___Ebbesen__X__ Leighton_____ King____Stockford____ (The Community Engagement Commission did not have quorum)
COUNCIL LIAISON:
James Wassenberg __X_____
Melanie Leehy ____X____
STAFF PRESENT: Kelly Nelson___X___
Elke Johnson __X____
C.PRESENTATION: N/A
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:1.March 3, 2025 – Parks and Recreation Regular Meeting Minutes Williams motions to approve the Park minutes; approved 5-0
E.AGENDA:
1.2025 City Events
Nelson shares the amount that is budgeted for City events in 2025 and receipts from 2024 events
with commissioners. Due to previous staff turnover, both the Parks and Rec Commission and Community Engagement Commission have taken turns putting on Spring Together, based on whether they had a staff liaison to lead planning. Commissioners discuss whether joint meetings are needed or if one commission would like to coordinate any particular city event.
Bradbury wonders if Spring Together still fits with the Community Engagement Commission’s mission.
Leehy says that the CEC was historically in charge of putting on Spring Together and that it started as a potluck in the Northome neighborhood.
Williams asks if the CEC’s goals still align with these events.
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Ebbesen says that the CEC will focus and has been focused on apartment outreach. Cooley-Kistler adds that she spent two hours calling apartment managers this past week.
Nelson mentions that the ice cream truck has another event and will arrive thirty minutes later than the planned start time. Should the event be pushed back thirty minutes or just let residents know ice cream is not available for the first thirty minutes of the event?
Leehy asks if the ice cream truck has a minimum.
Cooley-Kistler wonders if the commissioners should ask residents to bring yard games to share.
Ebbesen wonders if the CEC should take the lead on Spring Together.
Leehy mentions local businesses were sponsors of events in the past.
Williams thinks the Parks Commission needs more support in planning the fall festival rather than
Spring Together or Ice Cream Social.
Bradbury didn’t feel like the fall festival felt like a Parks and Rec event because it didn’t take
place in a park.
Leehy believes that Parks and Recreation is two parts, parks AND recreation. So, the recreation component is still there.
Bradbury wonders if there’s enough there to collaborate on for Fall Fest.
Haight likes Bradbury’s idea of hosting an event at The Grove.
Nelson and Brenton recently spoke to a resident at Coffman and learned that they hold many events. Perhaps the Parks Commission could team up with them on an event that they are already
hosting.
Leehy shares that she did a fall festival at Curtiss Field. If attendees brought non-perishable food items, they received a bag of candy in exchange.
Cooley-Kistler mentions the idea of having a pet parade.
CEC Commissioner Ebbesen motions to adjourn the CEC from the remainder of the meeting at 8:17 PM. Ebbesen is the sole remaining commissioner at the meeting. Motion passes 1-0.
2. Ice Rinks – End-of-Season Review
Commissioners discuss the skating season in terms of weather and usage by residents. This is the first year the City of Falcon Heights has utilized a liner under the ice and Bradbury and Wassenberg felt this is the best condition the ice has ever been in for skating.
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Wassenberg did note that it’s important to remove leaves and other debris from the tarp before flooding it because that becomes embedded in the ice. As thawing occurs, a hole or divot is left
behind and that can be somewhat dangerous.
Information/Announcement
Nelson shares that the City applied for the MN DNR Outdoor Rec Grant and updates commissioners that the funding would impact the playground in its entirety, rather than only
specific components. Originally, the city was going to ask for funding to help fence the playground in, install shade canopies and replace Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) with Poured-In-Place (PIP) surfacing. However, Staff was told during a review of the application in draft
form by the MN DNR that the city had to ask for funding the playground in its entirety, not only specific elements. That may mean a revised timeline of installation then. The City will know whether or not they will receive grant funds at the end of June / early July. If grant funding is
received, the installation could not begin before the agreements could be signed and would likely not be before fall 2025 / spring 2026.
G. ADJOURNMENT: 8:31 P.M.
Goldberg motions to adjourn the meeting; Approved 5-0