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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/04/2002 Park Board Packet• Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 • CITY OF LINO LAKES PARK BOARD MEETING Monday, November 4, 2002 City Council Chambers (televised) ** *AGENDA * ** 1. Call to Order and Roll Call 2. Approval of Minutes from August 5, 2002 3. Setting Agenda 4. Open Mike 6:30pm 6:31pm 6:32pm 6:33pm 5. Discuss Existing Joint Powers Agreements with Centennial School District 6:34pm 6. Determine 2002 -2003 Skating Rink Locations and Warming House Hours 6:49pm 7. Recreation Update 6:54pm 8. Park Update 6:57pm 9. Project Updates 7:OOpm a. Clearwater Creek Park b. Highland Meadows Park c. Timberwolf Trail d. Birch Park Trail 10. New Business 7:15pm a. 2003 Goal Setting Meeting Scheduled for Monday, January 6, 2003 b. Determine 2003 Park Board Meeting Dates 11. Next Park Board Meeting, Monday, December 2, 2002, 6:30p.m. 7:25pm 12. Adjourn 7:30pm If you are unable to attend the meeting please call Sandie at 651 982 -2442. sw /parkbrd/11 -4 -02 Board Agenda.doc Park Board Meeting - August 5, 2002 Minutes • The August 5, 2002 City of Lino Lakes Park Board meeting was called to order at 6:30pm, by Chair Lindy. • • Roll call was taken, members present were Bill Kusterman, Pam Taschuk, Katie Boyle, Michael O'Connor and George Lindy. Members absent were Paul Montain and Pat Huelman. Also present was Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director. APPROVAL OF JULY 1, 2002 MINUTES: Bill Kusterman made a motion, seconded by Katie Boyle, to approve the July 1, 2002 minutes. The minutes were approved. SETTING THE AGENDA: The Agenda was passed as presented. OPEN MIKE: No one was present for open mike. REVIEW BEHM'S CENTURY FARM 6TH-10TH ADDITIONS - PRELIMINARY PLAT: Rick advised the 95.12 -acre development consists of 156 single - family lots. The proposed parks and trail amenities are as follows: Park - Outlot B (13.5 acres). The proposed park area consists of a significant amount of wetland as well as a 90' power line easement. The park area does have road frontage at three different areas and will provide good access from different areas of the development. Given the ditch, the power line easement, and the wetlands, the city needs to insure there is a suitable area for development consisting of contiguous, usable upland. It appears there is possible room for park expansion near the northwest area of the park, perhaps up to the ditch line. Trail A - An 8' wide bituminous trail along the southern edge of Carl Street. Carl Street is classified as a collector street. Trail B - A trail that begins in the southeast corner of the proposed development that extends the platted trail in the Behm's Century Farm 5th Addition adjacent to the Lino Air Park. The trail continues through the proposed park area providing access to the proposed park from Carl Street and continues northward to the northern limits. The trail would also provide direct park access from the northern most street. Trail C - A trail beginning at the eastern limits of proposed development and moves westward into the proposed park area. This would also provide an access to the park via the road directly east of the proposed park area. The proposed trail is located in close proximity to the existing power line. 1 • • Park Board Meeting - August 5, 2002 Minutes Rick added the Environmental Board reviewed the project last week and the Planning and Zoning Board will be reviewing it on August 14, 2002. Mr. John Johnson, Engineer for Gary Uhde, came forward and reviewed the preliminary plat noting the proposed location of Carl Street. The proposed location has caused a lot of discussion. It was determined that Carl Street will be built on the indicated location on the current map. Mr. Johnson advised a traffic report has been completed that does show other options for the roadway. If the location is changed, the trail location will also be affected. He noted the total upland park area is 8.46 acres, over 5 acres of wetland and available open space. He also reviewed the park dedication requirements for the project. He indicated Mr. Uhde would like to create the park area as soon as possible and a recommendation needs to be made to the Planning and Zoning Board and the City Council. Chair Lindy asked if the intent of the park area was a linear type park. Rick advised the intent was to have a larger park area to accommodate substantial park amenities. Mr. Johnson stated there is a greenway element that blends into the project. Earlier discussions did include linear greenways but staff did indicate the active park should be in one area. Chair Lindy noted in the original discussions did include the difficulty of getting around the wetlands. Mr. Johnson referred to the map and pointed out the brown dotted line noting there is space there. The wetland there cannot be defined. That area needs to be mitigated but there needs to be a connection to the southern piece of the property. The two cul- de -sacs do connect with a trail. There was concern by the Air Park regarding the location of the trail. Chair Lindy stated the upland park area has notions of wetland also. He asked if the green area on the map is upland. Mr. Johnson stated there is a large area that is wetland that needs to be restored in another location. The green area will become entirely upland. Rick stated the city needs to get a minimum of 4 -5 acres of contiguous upland that is buildable for the park area. • Mr. Johnson stated the developer understands that and he believes that will happen with the current plan. 2 Park Board Meeting - August 5, 2002 Minutes • Chair Lindy inquired about the location of the area that will be developed for the park amenities. • • Mr. Johnson referred to the map and pointed out that park area noting any of the green area can have park amenities. The question is where the trail will be developed. The plan may also have another acre to include in the park area. Chair Lindy referred to the map and inquired about the green square. Mr. Johnson stated the green box is a larger area of open space around the trail to buffer the residents. Chair Lindy stated the Park Board needs to differentiate between useable park land and open space. Mr. Johnson stated that area is part of the park land dedication calculations. He stated he has not yet discussed with staff how the park land and open space will be calculated in regards to park dedication requirements. Chair Lindy stated it appears that if the land is not developable it has been thrown into open space. The Park Board needs as much developable property as possible for the park area. Mr. Johnson stated he can not respond to that at this time. The plan tries to blend a lot of different aspects including the power line easement, wetlands, trails, developable upland and open space. The plan does try to optimize the amount of land to dedicate to the park. Rick advised there are three substantial areas for park activities. He stated he does like the concept of the trail corridor and the park area. He indicated his only concern is that after the Rice Creek Watershed District makes its final determination that the city has 4 -5 acres of contiguous land that can be developed for an active park area. The city does have to determine if the smaller green box shown on the map will remain as is or developed and maintained. Mr. Johnson stated the Environmental Board made it very clear they want natural open space areas within the plan. Bill stated he likes the plan and the location of the park within the plan. He stated the city just needs to be sure to obtain the 4 -5 acres of contiguous developable land. Chair Lindy stated he wants to see a developable park area that is not especially spread out. 3 • • • Park Board Meeting - August 5, 2002 Minutes Mr. Johnson stated staff had indicated the city needs 8 acres of upland with 4 1/2 acres of that contiguous land to develop the park area. It was the consensus of the Park Board that the presented plan is agreeable but the City needs assurance that it will obtain 4 -5 acres of contiguous developable park land. Mr. Johnson advised that if there are significant changes to the plan he will present those changes to the Park Board at a future meeting. RECREATION DEPARTMENT UPDATE: Rick referred to the Program Highlights Flyer from July 2002. He noted the Summer Playground Program is coming to a close and will officially end on August 1. There were 229 full -time registrations and over 210 daily registrations this summer. The Options program is still going well. Some negative comments about the construction at the new location have been received, however, the new location has allowed for some cooking programs, on -site swimming and more classroom space - all of which were unavailable at the previous site. Rick advised many of the youth instructional programs are now over or will be coming to a close in the early part of August. Over 120 youth participated in the Soccer "Fun "damentals program and over 300 youth participated in the T -Ball program. Registration is now complete for the annual Safety Camp program scheduled for August 8. Ninety -nine youth are currently registered. Registration has concluded for the Fall Soccer and Tackle Football programs. Approximately 500 youth are registered for soccer and approximately 300 youth are registered for football. Rick noted work on the Fall Activities Guide is underway. Delivery is scheduled for the last week in August. PARKS DEPARTMENT UPDATE: Rick reviewed a memo from Mike Hoffman, Parks Supervisor, which summarizes the maintenance highlights for July 2002. Rick noted the summer softball and soccer programs have come to a close, which will allow more time for improvement projects vs. daily game preparation. Rick added that maintenance highlights during a very busy July have included party wagon delivery and pickup, a new City Hall Park sign, and playground installation at Clearwater Creek Park. 4 • • Park Board Meeting - August 5, 2002 Minutes OLD BUSINESS: Birch Park Trail Update - Rick advised he had indicated in a July 12, 2002 memo, the lowest submitted bid is $106,632. To date the designated park dedication fund for this project amounts to $75,000. Taking into account all associated project costs including the above bid, engineering, legal fees, and easement acquisition are approximately $135,000. This leaves a shortfall of $60,000. Mr. Richard Gray, Landscape Architect of TKDA, and staff have reviewed this issue and have looked at several options including whether to modify the bid proposal, re -bid the project, or to accept the low bid. Also considered was modifying several line items such as omitting the load testing of piers and omitting the grouting of pier shafts. Several substitutes such as using poured concrete rather than pavers on the stairs and open areas were considered. However, the identified cost savings are marginal and will detract from the aesthetics of the project and its longevity. Rick recommended that the city proceed with the project and award the bid to Global Specialty Contractors, Inc. with a base bid amount of $106,632. This will require designating approximately $60,000 of undesignated park dedication funds for the Birch Trail project. There is currently $98,954 in undesignated funds. Also, the city has received $113,725 in park dedication fees for the developments (Trappers Crossing, Royal Pines, Gemini Estates) that will utilize this trail segment to access Birch Park. If the Park Board concurs with the recommendation, this item will be discussed at the August 12 city council meeting. Pam stated this trail needs to get done even though it is a large amount of money the Park Board has to spend. The city should proceed with the trail. Rick noted he does not expect that the city could get lower bids if the project was re -bid. The project is a good quality project and the initial costs were just underestimated. Michael stated he feels the project should move forward. Bill stated the city has worked for this trail for years and it needs to get done. Pam Taschuk made a motion, seconded by Michael O'Connor to proceed with the installation of the Birch Park Trail in the amount of $106,632 with Global Specialty Contractors, Inc. The motion passed. Park Board Meeting - August 5, 2002 Minutes Woods of Baldwin Lake Park Playground Equipment Update - Rick stated the playground structure that was set on fire at Baldwin Lake Park was discussed at the last Park Board meeting. The claims adjuster has indicated the city will be receiving a check for $8,870.61 to replace the equipment. This includes the city's $500 deductible. Staff will be working with the manufacturer to replace the damaged portions of the playground structure. Pam asked if the City has any leads regarding who is responsible for the fire. Rick advised the Police Department does have a suspect identified. It is being determined whether or not there is enough evidence to make an arrest. Restitution will be pursued if the juvenile is convicted. SCHEDULE NEXT PARK BOARD MEETING: Rick advised next month's park tour will be held on Tuesday, September 3, 2002, 6:OOpm at Paul Montain's house. ADJOURN: Pam Taschuk made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Katie Boyle. The meeting was adjourned at 7:40pm. Respectfully Submitted, • Kim Points Recording Secretary • 6 Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 October 31, 2002 TO: Park Board Members FROM: Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director SUBJECT: Discuss Existing Joint Powers Agreement with Centennial School District The City of Lino Lakes has a Joint Powers Agreement with the Centennial School District regarding the maintenance of outdoor facilities and use of indoor facilities at Rice Lake Elementary School and the Centennial Middle School. Rice Lake Elementary Site Agreement This agreement was executed in 1991. The City of Lino Lakes agrees to maintain all outdoor athletic facilities and open areas directly adjacent to the athletic fields, including the purchasing of all supplies necessary such as ag -lime, chalk, bases, etc. In return, the City of Lino Lakes will be given first preference by the School District for scheduling recreation programs. Centennial Middle School Site Agreement This agreement was executed in 1997. In exchange for maintaining all athletic facilities and open areas adjacent to the athletic facilities, including the purchase of all supplies, the School District shall make available to the City of Lino Lakes the use of one gym space at least five nights per week starting at 6 p.m. On September 10, 2002 the Centennial School Board adopted Policy 2060 - Community Use of School Facilities. This new policy prohibits the use of any indoor gym/cafeteria space for adult use prior to 8 p.m. This new policy has greatly diminished the quality of our adult programs. Since the City received only five days advance notice of this new policy it has led to even more frustration and anger from the instructors and participants. This follows a culmination of several situations with the School District on having our programs canceled with little or no notice. This letter outlines several of the concerns on how the School District is fulfilling the site agreements. On September 23, 2002 the School District submitted a proposed site agreement that modifies the existing site agreements and also addresses Blue Heron Elementary School. Since the proposed agreement does not address any of my concerns previously communicated to the School District, I have recommended that the City terminate the existing site agreements. It is my understanding that the School District is attempting to address my concerns by modifying the proposed agreements. I have attached a memo dated September 25, 2002 to Ms. Linda Waite - Smith, City Administrator. I am interested in hearing any comments the Park Board Members may have regarding this situation. I will keep you posted as this dilemma progresses. sw /parkbrd/meeting info /Discuss Existing Joint Powers Agreement with Centennial School District.doc Lino Lakes Public Services Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 September 25, 2002 Ms. Linda Waite Smith, City Administrator 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, Minnesota 55014 Dear Ms. Smith, After extensive research, analysis, and contemplation, I am recommending that the City Council terminate the Rice Lake Elementary School Site Agreement and the Centennial Middle School Site Agreement with the Centennial School District. In my opinion, the School District is not meeting its obligations per the current site agreements. The District's proposed changes to the site agreements, along with its new facility use policy make it even less advantageous for the City to continue the relationship. I have detailed below the issues that have led to my recommendation. Background Existing Rice Lake Elementary School Site Agreement (Formerly Birch Street Elementary School Site Agreement) This agreement was executed in 1991. Section 3 states, "The City of Lino Lakes will be given first preference by the District for scheduling (recreational) and park facilities. Such preference shall not apply to any scheduling during normal school hours, shall not interfere with the scheduling (of school district activities and shall be done in coordination with the school district community education programs)." Section 4 states, "The City of Lino Lakes agrees to maintain all (outdoor) athletic facilities and open areas directly adjacent to the athletic facilities, (of the Elementary school site, including but not limited to) all trails located on/or directly connected to the Elementary School, (site and) all trees located within the aforementioned areas. It is the City's responsibility to purchase and provide all supplies necessary to perform maintenance for the above mentioned facilities..." Existing Centennial Middle School Site Agreement This agreement was executed in 1997. Section 4 states, "The School District shall make available to the City of Lino Lakes the use of one gym space at least five nights per week starting at 6p.m. It is understood that the scheduling of this gym space shall be during the regular school year and it shall not interfere with the scheduling of District activities and shall be done in coordination with the District's Community Education program." Section 6 states, "The City of Lino Lakes agrees to maintain all athletic facilities and open areas directly adjacent to the athletic facilities including, but not limited to: all trails located on/or directly • connected to the Centennial Middle School and all of the trees located within the aforementioned areas." Section 7 states, "It is the responsibility of the city to resurface when necessary the trails located on the school site. It is also the City's responsibility to purchase and provide all of the necessary supplies and equipment to perform the maintenance for the above mentioned facilities." I have identified several factors which have lead me to my recommendation to terminate the school site agreements with the Centennial School District. Cancellation of Several Recreation Classes Several months ago, Dr. John Christiansen and Ms. Cathy Wyland requested a meeting with Mr. Bernstein and me to determine whether the City of Lino Lakes was interested in considering a similar site agreement at Blue Heron Elementary School. I expressed several concerns on how the existing site agreements were being handled by the Community Services Department (CSD) staff. Below are several examples of how our recreation program offerings have been canceled on short notice: August 1, 2001 - Wednesday evenings at Centerville Elementary no longer available for aerobics because, "St. Gen's has priority over aerobics because we rent space for kindergarten and as part of that agreement they rent our building Wednesday nights." September 12, 2001 - The September 17 aerobics class at Centerville Elementary canceled due to rescheduling of a school event. The CSD staff stated, "Time does not permit us to reschedule your event." September 12, 2001 - The September 18 aerobics class at Rice Lake Elementary canceled due to a school event. The CSD staff stated, "Time does not permit us to reschedule your event." Fall/Winter 2001 - Request to extend a Saturday morning basketball class at Rice Lake Elementary denied because, "It would be difficult to find a gym supervisor." No effort was made by CSD staff to see if a gym supervisor was actually available. December 19, 2001- The January 22 martial arts classes at Centerville Elementary canceled. CSD staff indicated that no other space was available. February 25, 2002 - The April 9th aerobics and martial classes canceled at Rice Lake Elementary for a school event. April 18, 2002 - The May 14th Aerobics, Yoga, and Martial Arts were previously rescheduled from Rice Lake Elementary to Centerville Elementary. Now the classes rescheduled at Centerville Elementary were canceled due to "last minute school events." The cancellations and changes of our recreation programs have resulted in several participants quitting classes and has created a frustrating experience for participants, instructors, and city staff. Proposed Site Agreement During my meeting with Dr. Christiansen and Ms. Wyland, a commitment was made to address my concerns when drafting the proposed site agreement. The proposed site agreement received on September 23, 2002 from the School District does not address any of our concerns regarding getting bumped from school district facilities with little or no notice. Furthermore, the proposed site agreement has changed dramatically to the School District's benefit and to the City's detriment. I have identified several examples. 2 A. The only commitment for indoor facility use from the School District is gym space at the Middle School five nights per week starting at 6:00 p.m. The School District has completely removed our priority use of gym space at Rice Lake Elementary School. Therefore, the City is expected to fund the maintenance of the outdoor facilities at the Centennial Middle School, Rice Lake Elementary School, and Blue Heron Elementary School in exchange for one gym per night at the Centennial Middle School. The School District is proposing the City to maintain more athletic fields, yet utilize less gym space! B. "The District shall provide maintenance of the irrigation systems at Rice Lake Elementary and Blue Heron Elementary at no cost to the City." The City currently maintains the Rice Lake Elementary School irrigation system. The School District maintains the Centennial Middle School irrigation system that is in very poor condition. Again, how can the School District in good faith suggest the City take over maintenance of a problematic irrigation system (Centennial Middle School) in exchange for maintaining the irrigation system at Rice Lake Elementary School which is in good condition since we have provided proper preventative maintenance and inspections? The proposed site agreement indicates to me that the School District has no desire to address our past concerns. To expect the City of Lino Lakes to maintain additional outdoor facilities while reducing the available use of indoor facilities is unreasonable. Poor Communication by Community Service Department (CSD) Staff CSD staff has demonstrated a lack of communication and effort in several instances, which has created ill will for everyone involved. The most recent example of lack of communication dealt with the School Board adoption of a new school use policy. On August 23, 2002, city staff received a memo from Ms. Wyland dated August 21, 2002. The memo indicated the revised facility use policy prevents adult programs from being held prior to 8:00 p.m. The memo also indicated that the School Board was scheduled to have the first reading of the new policy on August 26, 2002. At this time our Fall Recreation Brochure was already printed and being mailed to all Lino Lakes residents. Since the revised policy dramatically affects our programs, some effort of CSD staff warning us in advance was warranted. It should be noted that the facility use application forms were sent to the CSD staff several months ago. Therefore, the School District was well aware of the programs that would be affected by the new facility use policy. Since we were given no advance warning about the new policy, several programs held at the Rice Lake Elementary School have been in limbo. City staff was unable to answer questions from registered participants whether we would be allowed to conduct the classes as advertised in the Recreation brochure. This uncertainty with the general public certainly did not place the Parks and Recreation Department in a favorable light. The subsequent passage of this new policy and actions (and inactions) of CSD staff has created a lot of turmoil for city staff and our program participants. For example, the city has conducted an aerobics /yoga program at Rice Lake Elementary School on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the past 10 years. The School District informed us that the aerobics program needed to be relocated to an alternate location. The first suggestion by the CSD staff was the Centennial Middle School Wrestling Room. The rubber matting is not conducive for an aerobics program. The CSD staff then suggested Golden Lake Elementary School Cafeteria. Based on our approximate 40 participants per class attendance and its location outside of Lino Lakes, we indicated that this alternative was not acceptable. The CSD staff then determined that the most suitable location for the aerobics program was at the Centennial Middle School Gymnasium. This decision not only 3 diminished the quality of our aerobics/yoga classes, the Centennial Basketball Association (CBA) try-outs and practices were displaced. Had we known this in advance, city staff would have been more than happy to either find an alternate location or cancel the class for the previously scheduled basketball try-outs. Actual Implementation of New School District Policy Prior to the implementation of the new policy, the aerobics/yoga program was held at Rice Lake Elementary and CBA had use of a full size gym at the Centennial Middle School. Given the needs of the various programs, this is efficient utilization of gym space. However, after implementation of the new policy, the aerobics /yoga program has been moved to the Centennial Middle School Gym. Full size gyms are a precious resource and to eliminate the use by the Centennial Basketball Association due to an aerobics class doesn't make sense. Also, to schedule a yoga class in a high use (noisy) area doesn't provide a suitable environment. It doesn't appear that CSD staff is taking into consideration the needs of a particular class /group when assigning indoor space. Opportunities to Make More Efficient Use of Gym Space Moving the aerobics and yoga programs to the CMS Gym is just one example of the CSD not using available space efficiently. Another example that has been suggested in writing on at least two occasions is to relocate the martial arts program (currently held at Rice Lake Elementary Gym) to the Centennial Middle School Wrestling Room. This would provide a more functional atmosphere for the martial arts participants and also create an additional gym for youth basketball practice. For some reason, the CSD staff has not been receptive to this suggestion. Based on conversations with several affected participants, Centennial Basketball Board Members, and a City Council member, CSD staff is apparently placing the blame for this situation on the Parks and Recreation Department, not the CSD staff (where it belongs). Use of Gym Space Since my tenure overseeing the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Lino Lakes, we have conscientiously not increased our use of gym space. As a matter of fact, we have reduced our use of gym space. For example, we no longer offer an adult volleyball program. We often consider proposals to provide additional programs for the residents but decide not to, to ensure that gym space remains available for youth basketball and other groups. We recognize the importance of providing adequate gym space for the youth basketball participants and other programs. Due to the turmoil regarding use of facility space, we plan to discontinue Cardio Kick Boxing to free up more gym space. On a somewhat related note, I resent the fact that CSD staff has indicated to the CBA Board that the reason available gym space has been reduced is due to the Parks and Recreation Department programs. The fact that the School District has relocated programs and has decided to allow new programs such as "Cheer America" at Rice Lake Elementary are the primary reasons less gym space is available for CBA. I have attached a matrix indicating the proposed Parks and Recreation Department facility use of Centennial School District facilities. This matrix indicates the utilization of indoor space when our demands for facilities are the highest. This means this matrix shows a "worst case scenario" as far as the use of cafeteria and gym space. The bold type indicates adult programs. Please note that the adult programs at the Middle School on Wednesdays and Fridays are the lowest demand times for youth basketball practices. Perhaps the only criticism for our gym use would be 4 whether to offer open basketball for adults on Monday evenings. Also note that currently the fitness programs are scheduled at the Centennial Middle School Gym 1 (The matrix indicates aerobics at RLE where we proposed it be held and feel is more appropriate than the CSD's decision to move to the CMS gym). Maintenance of the Rice Lake Elementary and Centennial Middle School Facilities In March, 2002, I prepared an analysis of the city's direct costs associated with maintaining the Rice Lake Elementary School and Centennial Middle School outdoor facilities. Salaries Full time (35 %) 390 hours x $19.50 $ 7,605* Part time (65 %) 723 hours x $11.00 $ 7,953 $15,558 *Please note the above calculations reflect the hourly wage only, not FICA, PERA, worker's comp, insurance, etc. Maintenance Supplies $ 8,500* *Includes fertilizer, broadleaf weed control, irrigation parts, paint, chalk, grass seed. The total maintenance supply reflects direct costs, not equipment costs such as depreciation, maintenance, repair, and gasoline. Total 2001 Cost $24,059 City Performs More Than Required of Site Agreements From my perspective the City continually goes above and beyond the requirements to maintain the outdoor facilities at Rice Lake Elementary and the Centennial Middle School. For example, the City has lined fields at CMS for School District sponsored activities, prepared a soccer field for the girl's varsity soccer program, assisted school district maintenance staff on field maintenance and preparation that the School District could not otherwise complete, offered to purchase tumbling mats at Rice Lake Elementary that could be utilized for gym classes during the school day and recreation programs in the evenings, purchased volleyball nets for school use during the day and recreation programs in the evening, purchased soccer goals, nets, bleachers for community use and school groups, and replaced irrigation heads at Centennial Middle School even though the School District is actually responsible for this system. These examples illustrate the willingness and cooperation from City staff to not only fulfill the agreements between the City and the Centennial School District, but to ensure the community is better off. Calculating Potential Cost of Indoor Facility Use In 2001, the Parks and Recreation Department used a total of 775 indoor school district facility hours. Using the 2001 facility use rates of "Schedule B Community Groups ", the city would have been charged a total of $6,200. As you can see the city expended almost four times as much maintaining the outdoor facilities as we utilized "free indoor space." Recommendation The recent incidences with the School District including the cancellation of pre- approved gym space with little notice, the proposed Site Agreement for Blue Heron Elementary School, the poor communication by CSD staff, the recently revised facility use policy, the false information disseminated to the general public by CSD staff, and the increasing costs to maintain the outdoor facilities, leads me to recommend that we terminate both facility use agreements. The School 5 District needs written notification to terminate the Rice Lake Elementary School Site Agreement by December ls`, and the Centennial Middle School Site Agreement by April 1s` Conclusion The School District is well within their authority to determine what they feel is the best use of indoor gym space. However, the way in which they implemented this policy by notifying city staff five days before the School Board was scheduled to vote is inexcusable. If the CSD staff would have notified City staff only a few weeks earlier, we could have distributed the parks and recreation brochure with accurate program information. This simple action would have minimized a lot of confusion and frustration for everyone involved. Since the City of Lino Lakes is most affected by the new school use policy, an explanation why School District staff decided to notify City staff only five days in advance is warranted. It is unfortunate that the decisions made by the School District have had an adverse effect for those involved, especially the youth and adult participants in our recreation programs as well as participants in other activities (i.e. youth sports associations). Under these circumstances, it is not in the City's best interest to expend the resources necessary to maintain the outdoor facilities. I would suggest that we place this on the October 28th City Council meeting for action. We can certainly discuss this in detail with the City Council at the October 9`h or October 23rd work session. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact me at 651 982 -2444. Sincerely, • Rick DeGardner Public Services Director 10/1/02 11:26 AM RD /Recreation/2002 School District Issue • 6 • z w H w 0 2 z_ 2 w H J LL 1- z w 1- cc o. w z 0 1- w cc U w cc z G. w 0 • 0 I.L. a *BOLD DENOTES ADULT PROGRAMS N CO N Q) Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 October 31, 2002 TO: Park Board Members FROM: Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director SUBJECT: Determine 2002/2003 Skating Rink Locations and Warming House Hours Staff is recommending the following warming house shelters and hours of operation as follows: PARK LOCATION WEEKDAY HOURS WEEKEND HOURS Sunrise Park 6918 Sunrise Drive 4 -9 p.m. Saturday 12 -9 p.m. Sunday 12 -6 p.m. Birch Park 6520 Pheasant Run S 4 -9 p.m. Lino Park 7850 Lake Drive 4 -8 p.m. Saturday 12 -9 p.m. Sunday 12 -6 p.m. Saturday 12 -8 p.m. Sunday 12 -6 p.m. Staff also recommends the following ice rink locations that do not have shelters: *City Hall Park 1189 Main Street Marshan Park 7204 Lake Drive Sunset Oaks Park 7481 Leonard Avenue *City Hall Park will still have a hockey rink and general skating area but will not have a supervised warming house due to budget cuts. City staff is working with the youth hockey associations to make arrangements to provide access to the warming house during scheduled hockey practices. sw /parkbrd/meeting info/Determine 2002/2003 Skating Rink Locations and Warming House Hours.doc Tap and Ballet Dance Class Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department Program Highlights October Park Board Update '7. YOUTH Youth Instructional: Our fall youth instructional programs are now well underway. We had to adjust the start dates of some programs due to construction delays at a couple of the elementary schools, but we notified participants and received little negative response. Registration numbers have remained consistent with, if not improved over, last year's registration numbers. CLUB: We had our first set of CLUB outings for the school year this month. Thirty -seven children participated in the "Fall Harvest Fun" trip on October 17. Twenty -six children participated in the "Cheapskate and Movie" trip on October 18. Thirty -three participants attended our family "Zoo Boo" trip on October 26. Our only trip planned for next month is Cosmic Bowling and Tropics on November 8. Youth Soccer: This program concluded on October 26 with a weekend playoff for the older participants. Based on the feedback we received, this was another great year for this program. Aft Youth Football: This season we saw an increase in participation and teams across all divisions. The season Imp concluded with a playoff and will have a championship game on November 7 (weather permitting). ADULT Fitness: Fitness classes have been disrupted due to the new school district facility use policy. It is uncertain if we will continue to offer these classes. Open Basketball and Volleyball: Due to the new school district facility use policy, these programs have been revised. We will evaluate the attendance at these programs and monitor any effects the new policy may have had on them. SPECIAL EVENTS Family Turkey Shoot: This year's event will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2002 at Centennial Middle School. We've received an overwhelming response again this year from both Centennial and Forest Lake Senior High Schools in regards to our request for volunteers. Breakfast with Santa: This event reached its capacity of 200 individuals on September 30 - the earliest its ever filled. Due to this early fill date, we added an additional 20 spots. As of 10- 29 -02, only four of the newly added spots remained. MISCELLANEOUS aActivities Guide: We are currently working on our winter brochure - due in homes the last week of November. Questions? Please call Liz Bursack or Barry Bernstein at 651- 982 -2440. Family Turkey Shoot - 11/16/02 Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 October 29, 2002 TO: Park Board Members FROM: Mike Hoffman, Parks Supervisor SUBJECT: October Maintenance Update Finally, football and soccer programs have come to an end, and the old saying "turf grows by the inch, but is killed by the foot" has never been so true. Many of our fields are in need of the three "R's ", renovation, rest, and recovery. If the weather ever cooperates we are hoping to aerate, top dress, and overseed many of these fields yet this fall. Maintenance activities during October have included: ♦ Mowing of all park areas. (We are almost done with our last mowing of the season!) ♦ Completed irrigation system blowouts. ♦ Winterizing and storing of summer equipment. ♦ Attended chain saw safety training. ♦ Ordered plant material for spring 2003. A number of young trees have been vandalized (snapped off), replacements have been ordered. ♦ Hockey and pleasure rink repairs. (Leveling, repairing boards, gates, etc.) ♦ Removing soccer nets and goals. ♦ Clearwater Creek Park. (Contracted) Rip plowing of site. Gazebo work — painted frame and installed roof. Site must dry out before remaining dirt work (tilling, regrading, seeding) can take place. ♦ Highland Meadows Park — Much has happened here, I am sure Rick will be updating you. Those are the October highlights. More to come in November. sw /parkbrd/Mike Hoffman/October 2002 Update.doc Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 October 31, 2002 TO: Park Board Members FROM: Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director SUBJECT: Project Updates Clearwater Creek Park In order to create better soils and to establish healthy turf, approximately 1500 cubic yards of peat was delivered to the park area. The peat was spread throughout the park and chisel plowed. As soon as the weather cooperates, a netavator will be used to till the peat and mix a couple inches of subsurface clay with the imported peat. The park area will then be surveyed and final graded. Depending upon the completion of the above work, the park area will either be dormant seeded yet this fall or seeded next spring. The trails and basketball court will be paved this spring. The remaining landscaping was recently completed. The gazebo roof panels, beams, and rails have been painted and installed. Electrical service will be run to the gazebo this spring. Highland Meadows Park The development of Highland Meadows Park has seen tremendous progress the past few months. All onsite earthwork including stripping of the vegetative growth and grading work have been completed. One thousand cubic yards of topsoil was imported, spread, and graded throughout the entire park area. All asphalt work including the installation of trails and a half court basketball court, as well as concrete work including the play area curbing, picnic table pads, and park bench pads were also completed. A limited amount of landscaping work may begin yet this fall. This may include seeding several of the naturalized areas around the perimeter of the park with various types of seed mixtures including mesic prairie, wet -mesic prairie, and savanna. An extensive landscaping plan including trees and planting beds are also planned. An irrigation system will also be installed this fall. Playground equipment proposals will be on display at City Hall, 600 Town Center Parkway, in the library on the following dates and times. Monday, December 9 Tuesday, December 10 Wednesday, December 11 Thursday, December 12 12p.m. — 8p.m. 8a.m. — 8p.m. 8a.m. — 8p.m. 8a.m. — 8p.m. Area residents are encouraged to review the playground equipment proposals and provide input. The playground equipment will be installed Spring, 2003. • • • Timberwolf Trail This trail segment located in the Pheasant Hills Development is nearing completion. Final grading and paving are scheduled to begin the week of November 4. This trail connection will provide a direct link to the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve Trail System. Birch Park Trail This project was temporarily delayed due to the Rice Creek Watershed Districts desire to obtain additional information on potential wetland impacts. It was expected that the project could continue forward by the first week of November. The project includes the installation of approximately 315 feet of timber boardwalk and a timber staircase, including planters and concrete pavers. This trail will provide a trail connection from the Trapper's Crossing Development to Birch Park. sw /parkbrd/meeting info/Project Updates.doc • • Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 October 30, 2002 TO: Park Board Members FROM: Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director SUBJECT: New Business a. 2003 Goal Setting Meeting Scheduled for Monday, January 6, 2003 I am proposing that the Goal Setting Meeting be held immediately following the January 6, 2003 Park Board Meeting. Please put in some thought on proposed goals for the upcoming year. I will be sending you updated information regarding the Park Dedication Fund in mid December. Assuming the goals can be determined in January, it is expected that the Park Board will present the goals at the Wednesday, January 22, 2003 City Council Work Session. b. Determine the 2003 Park Board Meeting Dates Staff recommends the following 2003 Park Board Meeting dates. Please note the September meeting will be our annual park tour and bbq. Monday, January 6, 2003 Monday, February 3, 2003 Monday, March 3, 2003 Monday, April 7, 2003 Monday, May 5, 2003 Monday, June 2, 2003 RD:sw sw /parkbrd/committee info/Goal setting meeting and 2003 meeting dates.doc Monday, July 7, 2003 Monday, August 4, 2003 Tuesday, September 2, 2003 Monday, October 6, 2003 Monday, November 3, 2003 Monday, December 1, 2003 /O. Lino Lakes Public Services Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 October 1, 2002 TO: Park Board Members FROM: Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director SUBJECT: Use of School District Facilities I want to make sure all Park Board Members are aware of some issues concerning the use of school district facilities. I have enclosed a copy of a letter that I sent to Ms. Linda Waite - Smith, City Administrator, that provides detail on several issues. Ms. Smith met with Dr. Christiansen on September 27 to discuss the issues addressed in my letter. City Staff hopes our issues can be satisfied during review of the proposed Joint Powers Agreement that the school recently sent to City Staff. I will keep you posted as the process continues. Since the October Park Board Meeting is cancelled, I anticipate placing this on the November 4th Park Board Agenda. RD:sw sw /Parkbrd/Meeting Info /Use of School District Facilities Memo to Park Board.doc Lino Lakes Public Services Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 September 25, 2002 Ms. Linda Waite Smith, City Administrator 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, Minnesota 55014 Dear Ms. Smith, After extensive research, analysis, and contemplation, I am recommending that the City Council terminate the Rice Lake Elementary School Site Agreement and the Centennial Middle School Site Agreement with the Centennial School District. In my opinion, the School District is not meeting its obligations per the current site agreements. The District's proposed changes to the site agreements, along with its new facility use policy make it even less advantageous for the City to continue the relationship. I have detailed below the issues that have led to my recommendation. Background Existing Rice Lake Elementary School Site Agreement (Formerly Birch Street Elementary School Site Agreement) This agreement was executed in 1991. Section 3 states, "The City of Lino Lakes will be given first preference by the District for scheduling (recreational) and park facilities. Such preference shall not apply to any scheduling during normal school hours, shall not interfere with the scheduling (of school district activities and shall be done in coordination with the school district community education programs)." Section 4 states, "The City of Lino Lakes agrees to maintain all (outdoor) athletic facilities and open areas directly adjacent to the athletic facilities, (of the Elementary school site, including but not limited to) all trails located on/or directly connected to the Elementary School, (site and) all trees located within the aforementioned areas. It is the City's responsibility to purchase and provide all supplies necessary to perform maintenance for the above mentioned facilities..." Existing Centennial Middle School Site Agreement This agreement was executed in 1997. Section 4 states, "The School District shall make available to the City of Lino Lakes the use of one gym space at least five nights per week starting at 6p.m. It is understood that the scheduling of this gym space shall be during the regular school year and it shall not interfere with the scheduling of District activities and shall be done in coordination with the District's Community Education program." Section 6 states, "The City of Lino Lakes agrees to maintain all athletic facilities and open areas directly adjacent to the athletic facilities including, but not limited to: all trails located on/or directly • connected to the Centennial Middle School and all of the trees located within the aforementioned areas." Section 7 states, "It is the responsibility of the city to resurface when necessary the trails located on the school site. It is also the City's responsibility to purchase and provide all of the necessary supplies and equipment to perform the maintenance for the above mentioned facilities." I have identified several factors which have lead me to my recommendation to terminate the school site agreements with the Centennial School District. Cancellation of Several Recreation Classes Several months ago, Dr. John Christiansen and Ms. Cathy Wyland requested a meeting with Mr. Bernstein and me to determine whether the City of Lino Lakes was interested in considering a similar site agreement at Blue Heron Elementary School. I expressed several concerns on how the existing site agreements were being handled by the Community Services Department (CSD) staff. Below are several examples of how our recreation program offerings have been canceled on short notice: August 1, 2001 - Wednesday evenings at Centerville Elementary no longer available for aerobics because, "St. Gen's has priority over aerobics because we rent space for kindergarten and as part of that agreement they rent our building Wednesday nights." September 12, 2001 - The September 17 aerobics class at Centerville Elementary canceled due to rescheduling of a school event. The CSD staff stated, "Time does not permit us to reschedule your event." September 12, 2001 - The September 18 aerobics class at Rice Lake Elementary canceled due to a school event. The CSD staff stated, "Time does not permit us to reschedule your event." Fall/Winter 2001 - Request to extend a Saturday morning basketball class at Rice Lake Elementary denied because, "It would be difficult to find a gym supervisor." No effort was made by CSD staff to see if a gym supervisor was actually available. December 19, 2001 - The January 22 martial arts classes at Centerville Elementary canceled. CSD staff indicated that no other space was available. February 25, 2002 - The April 9th aerobics and martial classes canceled at Rice Lake Elementary for a school event. April 18, 2002 - The May 14th Aerobics, Yoga, and Martial Arts were previously rescheduled from Rice Lake Elementary to Centerville Elementary. Now the classes rescheduled at Centerville Elementary were canceled due to "last minute school events." The cancellations and changes of our recreation programs have resulted in several participants quitting classes and has created a frustrating experience for participants, instructors, and city staff. Proposed Site Agreement During my meeting with Dr. Christiansen and Ms. Wyland, a commitment was made to address my concerns when drafting the proposed site agreement. The proposed site agreement received on September 23, 2002 from the School District does not address any of our concerns regarding getting bumped from school district facilities with little or no notice. Furthermore, the proposed site agreement has changed dramatically to the School District's benefit and to the City's detriment. I have identified several examples. 2 A. The only commitment for indoor facility use from the School District is gym space at the Middle School five nights per week starting at 6:00 p.m. The School District has completely removed our priority use of gym space at Rice Lake Elementary School. Therefore, the City is expected to fund the maintenance of the outdoor facilities at the Centennial Middle School, Rice Lake Elementary School, and Blue Heron Elementary School in exchange for one gym per night at the Centennial Middle School. The School District is proposing the City to maintain more athletic fields, yet utilize less gym space! B. "The District shall provide maintenance of the irrigation systems at Rice Lake Elementary and Blue Heron Elementary at no cost to the City." The City currently maintains the Rice Lake Elementary School irrigation system. The School District maintains the Centennial Middle School irrigation system that is in very poor condition. Again, how can the School District in good faith suggest the City take over maintenance of a problematic irrigation system (Centennial Middle School) in exchange for maintaining the irrigation system at Rice Lake Elementary School which is in good condition since we have provided proper preventative maintenance and inspections? The proposed site agreement indicates to me that the School District has no desire to address our past concerns. To expect the City of Lino Lakes to maintain additional outdoor facilities while reducing the available use of indoor facilities is unreasonable. Poor Communication by Community Service Department (CSD) Staff CSD staff has demonstrated a lack of communication and effort in several instances, which has created ill will for everyone involved. The most recent example of lack of communication dealt with the School Board adoption of a new school use policy. On August 23, 2002, city staff received a memo from Ms. Wyland dated August 21, 2002. The memo indicated the revised facility use policy prevents adult programs from being held prior to 8:00 p.m. The memo also indicated that the School Board was scheduled to have the first reading of the new policy on August 26, 2002. At this time our Fall Recreation Brochure was already printed and being mailed to all Lino Lakes residents. Since the revised policy dramatically affects our programs, some effort of CSD staff warning us in advance was warranted. It should be noted that the facility use application forms were sent to the CSD staff several months ago. Therefore, the School District was well aware of the programs that would be affected by the new facility use policy. Since we were given no advance warning about the new policy, several programs held at the Rice Lake Elementary School have been in limbo. City staff was unable to answer questions from registered participants whether we would be allowed to conduct the classes as advertised in the Recreation brochure. This uncertainty with the general public certainly did not place the Parks and Recreation Department in a favorable light. The subsequent passage of this new policy and actions (and inactions) of CSD staff has created a lot of turmoil for city staff and our program participants. For example, the city has conducted an aerobics /yoga program at Rice Lake Elementary School on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the past 10 years. The School District informed us that the aerobics program needed to be relocated to an alternate location. The first suggestion by the CSD staff was the Centennial Middle School Wrestling Room. The rubber matting is not conducive for an aerobics program. The CSD staff then suggested Golden Lake Elementary School Cafeteria. Based on our approximate 40 participants per class attendance and its location outside of Lino Lakes, we indicated that this alternative was not acceptable. The CSD staff then determined that the most suitable location for the aerobics program was at the Centennial Middle School Gymnasium. This decision not only 3 diminished the quality of our aerobics/yoga classes, the Centennial Basketball Association (CBA) try -outs and practices were displaced. Had we known this in advance, city staff would have been more than happy to either find an alternate location or cancel the class for the previously scheduled basketball try -outs. Actual Implementation of New School District Policy Prior to the implementation of the new policy, the aerobics /yoga program was held at Rice Lake Elementary and CBA had use of a full size gym at the Centennial Middle School. Given the needs of the various programs, this is efficient utilization of gym space. However, after implementation of the new policy, the aerobics /yoga program has been moved to the Centennial Middle School Gym. Full size gyms are a precious resource and to eliminate the use by the Centennial Basketball Association due to an aerobics class doesn't make sense. Also, to schedule a yoga class in a high use (noisy) area doesn't provide a suitable environment. It doesn't appear that CSD staff is taking into consideration the needs of a particular class /group when assigning indoor space. Opportunities to Make More Efficient Use of Gym Space Moving the aerobics and yoga programs to the CMS Gym is just one example of the CSD not using available space efficiently. Another example that has been suggested in writing on at least two occasions is to relocate the martial arts program (currently held at Rice Lake Elementary Gym) to the Centennial Middle School Wrestling Room. This would provide a more functional atmosphere for the martial arts participants and also create an additional gym for youth basketball practice. For some reason, the CSD staff has not been receptive to this suggestion. Based on conversations with several affected participants, Centennial Basketball Board Members, and a City Council member, CSD staff is apparently placing the blame for this situation on the Parks and Recreation Department, not the CSD staff (where it belongs). Use of Gym Space Since my tenure overseeing the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Lino Lakes, we have conscientiously not increased our use of gym space. As a matter of fact, we have reduced our use of gym space. For example, we no longer offer an adult volleyball program. We often consider proposals to provide additional programs for the residents but decide not to, to ensure that gym space remains available for youth basketball and other groups. We recognize the importance of providing adequate gym space for the youth basketball participants and other programs. Due to the turmoil regarding use of facility space, we plan to discontinue Cardio Kick Boxing to free up more gym space. On a somewhat related note, I resent the fact that CSD staff has indicated to the CBA Board that the reason available gym space has been reduced is due to the Parks and Recreation Department programs. The fact that the School District has relocated programs and has decided to allow new programs such as "Cheer America" at Rice Lake Elementary are the primary reasons less gym space is available for CBA. I have attached a matrix indicating the proposed Parks and Recreation Department facility use of Centennial School District facilities. This matrix indicates the utilization of indoor space when our demands for facilities are the highest. This means this matrix shows a "worst case scenario" as far as the use of cafeteria and gym space. The bold type indicates adult programs. Please note that the adult programs at the Middle School on Wednesdays and Fridays are the lowest demand times for youth basketball practices. Perhaps the only criticism for our gym use would be 4 whether to offer open basketball for adults on Monday evenings. Also note that currently the fitness programs are scheduled at the Centennial Middle School Gym 1 (The matrix indicates aerobics at RLE where we proposed it be held and feel is more appropriate than the CSD's decision to move to the CMS gym). Maintenance of the Rice Lake Elementary and Centennial Middle School Facilities In March, 2002, I prepared an analysis of the city's direct costs associated with maintaining the Rice Lake Elementary School and Centennial Middle School outdoor facilities. Salaries Full time (35 %) 390 hours x $19.50 $ 7,605* Part time (65 %) 723 hours x $11.00 $ 7,953 $15,558 *Please note the above calculations reflect the hourly wage only, not FICA, PERA, worker's comp, insurance, etc. Maintenance Supplies $ 8,500* *Includes fertilizer, broadleaf weed control, irrigation parts, paint, chalk, grass seed. The total maintenance supply reflects direct costs, not equipment costs such as depreciation, maintenance, repair, and gasoline. Total 2001 Cost $24,059 City Performs More Than Required of Site Agreements From my perspective the City continually goes above and beyond the requirements to maintain the outdoor facilities at Rice Lake Elementary and the Centennial Middle School. For example, the City has lined fields at CMS for School District sponsored activities, prepared a soccer field for the girl's varsity soccer program, assisted school district maintenance staff on field maintenance and preparation that the School District could not otherwise complete, offered to purchase tumbling mats at Rice Lake Elementary that could be utilized for gym classes during the school day and recreation programs in the evenings, purchased volleyball nets for school use during the day and recreation programs in the evening, purchased soccer goals, nets, bleachers for community use and school groups, and replaced irrigation heads at Centennial Middle School even though the School District is actually responsible for this system. These examples illustrate the willingness and cooperation from City staff to not only fulfill the agreements between the City and the Centennial School District, but to ensure the community is better off. Calculating Potential Cost of Indoor Facility Use In 2001, the Parks and Recreation Department used a total of 775 indoor school district facility hours. Using the 2001 facility use rates of "Schedule B Community Groups ", the city would have been charged a total of $6,200. As you can see the city expended almost four times as much maintaining the outdoor facilities as we utilized "free indoor space." Recommendation The recent incidences with the School District including the cancellation of pre- approved gym space with little notice, the proposed Site Agreement for Blue Heron Elementary School, the poor communication by CSD staff, the recently revised facility use policy, the false information disseminated to the general public by CSD staff, and the increasing costs to maintain the outdoor facilities, leads me to recommend that we terminate both facility use agreements. The School 5 • • District needs written notification to terminate the Rice Lake Elementary School Site Agreement by December 1st, and the Centennial Middle School Site Agreement by April 1st. Conclusion The School District is well within their authority to determine what they feel is the best use of indoor gym space. However, the way in which they implemented this policy by notifying city staff five days before the School Board was scheduled to vote is inexcusable. If the CSD staff would have notified City staff only a few weeks earlier, we could have distributed the parks and recreation brochure with accurate program information. This simple action would have minimized a lot of confusion and frustration for everyone involved. Since the City of Lino Lakes is most affected by the new school use policy, an explanation why School District staff decided to notify City staff only five days in advance is warranted. It is unfortunate that the decisions made by the School District have had an adverse effect for those involved, especially the youth and adult participants in our recreation programs as well as participants in other activities (i.e. youth sports associations). Under these circumstances, it is not in the City's best interest to expend the resources necessary to maintain the outdoor facilities. I would suggest that we place this on the October 28th City Council meeting for action. We can certainly discuss this in detail with the City Council at the October 9th or October 23rd work session. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact me at 651 982 -2444. Sincerely, Rick DeGardner Public Services Director 10/1/02 11:26 AM RD/Recreation/2002 School District Issue • a z Q 2 w 0 1- w 2 0 0 z_ E2 m a w m >- 1- J_ 0 Q u. 1- O z w 2 1- ce Q a w a z 0 1-- a w ce 0 w cL a z Q ce Q a a w cn 0 O a. O ce a Saturday Friday Pre Kids /FOG (3:30 -9pm) Open Volleyball (8 -10pm) Open Volleyball (8 -10pm) Thursday Fitness (6 -10pm) Martial Arts (6 -9pm) Wednesday Basketball (7 -10pm) Basketball (7 -10pm) Basketball (7 -10pm) Tuesday Dance (6 -8pm) Fitness* (6 -10pm) Floor Hockey (6- 7:30pm) Martial Arts (6 -9pm) 10 a c 0 2 Toss Kick & Catch (6 -8pm) Soccer (6 -8pm) Dance (6 -8pm) Open Basketball (8 -10pm) Open Basketball (8 -10pm) Open Basketball (8 -10pm) Sunday Softball (9am -1 pm) Facilities Rice Lake Elem A Rice Lake Elem B Rice Lake Elem C Centennial Elem Gym Centennial Elem Cafeteria Centerville Elem Gym Centerville Elem Cafeteria Golden Lake Elem Gym Golden Lake Elem Cafeteria Centennial Middle School 1 Centennial Middle School 2 Centennial Middle School 3 CMS Wrestling Room High School - White Main 1 High School - White Main 2 High School - Red Lower High School - Red Upper 2 g 0 OC 0. 1- J m 0 Q 0 W 1- 0 z w 0 0 J 0 FP N O (0 N 0) Lino Lakes Parks and Recreation Department 600 Town Center Parkway Lino Lakes, MN 55014 (651) 982 -2440 Fax (651) 982 -2439 October 1, 2002 TO: Park Board Members FROM: Mike Hoffman, Parks Supervisor SUBJECT: August and September Maintenance Updates Well another busy summer has come and gone and with fall now upon us, hopefully the dam grass will stop growing! Maintenance activity during August and September has included: • Soccer field maintenance — weekly or twice weekly. Line mow -ins, and line painting as needed to 10 soccer fields (6 at Rice Lake Elementary (RLE) and 4 at Centennial Middle School (CMS). • Football field maintenance — weekly or twice weekly. Line mow -ins, and line painting as needed to 3 football fields (CMS). • Softball field maintenance and game preparation — (Thankfully the softball season has officially come to a close!). • Weekly mowing of all park areas. (Athletic fields usually cut twice per week). • Weekly garbage collection. • Party wagon delivery and pickup. (Party wagon season has officially ended!). • Trail inspections. • Irrigation system maintenance and blowouts. • Poured two park bench pads at Wenzel Farms Park. • Poured three concrete pads at CMS. • Replaced vandalized playground equipment at Brandywood Park. Also installed drain tile from playground to wetland area. • • Seeded boulevard area at Lino Park. • Sodded area adjacent to trail at 6459 Clearwater Creek Drive (contracted). • Behm's Park — Sodded area adjacent to trail between Mustang Lane homes. Site prepared and seeded at corner of Mustang and Palomino Lane. • Tree removal at Highland Meadows Park (contracted). • Began ordering plant material for spring planting 2003. And of course, the ongoing work at Clearwater Creek Park. Work there has included hauling and spreading of topsoil, (mainly peat 4" depth), completion of landscape plantings, and installation of the gazebo frame (all contracted). Remaining work includes: • Ripping or chisel plowing site to help relieve compaction. • Rototilling (netovator) entire site to incorporate peat into existing clay. • Finish grading and seeding. • Completion of gazebo. • Those are the major highlights for August and September. More to come in November. sw /parkbrd/Mike Hoffman/August- September 02 Update.doc