HomeMy WebLinkAboutSunfish Lake Park ski trail grooming policy
Parks Commission
Date: 12-21-09
Item: 3
ITEM: Discussion on Sunfish Lake Park ski trail grooming policy
SUBMITTED BY: Carol Kriegler, Project Assistant
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The City has a long standing contract with Washington County for services related to grooming
the ski trails at Sunfish Lake Park. While the annual contract includes a schedule for hourly labor
and equipment rental rates, it does not include other details such as an estimate of time
associated with a typical grooming event, or any mention of any authorization, schedule or
conditions that would trigger a grooming event.
The City also has a history as a DNR Grant-In-Aid Ski Trail. The GIA program provides limited
funds to trails owned and operated by both private trail organizations and local units of
government. Trail administration, development, and maintenance costs are divided with the GIA
program paying 65 percent of these costs and the local club or sponsor providing the remaining
35 percent. Winter trail grooming costs are divided with the GIA program paying 90 and the local
sponsor paying 10 percent. Record keeping is required by the local sponsor.
Reimbursable trail maintenance costs include:
Trail grooming (90% of the DNR’s established reimbursement rate)
Parking lot maintenance
Parking lot and driveway snow plowing
Signs / trail map reproduction
Portable toilet rental
Trail mowing
Tree and brush removal
While the City apparently stopped participating in the program some years ago, its status as a
GIA trail was reinstated last spring. In addition, trail grooming at the park has not been done on
a regular basis, or at all, in the past few years. It appears that the trails were groomed twice in
2009 and not at all in 2008.
The City has been awarded a GIA maintenance grant of $4,064 and a capital improvement grant
of $2,000 for an information kiosk for the year of 2010.
ACTION REQUESTED
Park Commission is being asked to discuss / establish a policy related to the grooming of trails at
Sunfish Lake Park. The Park Commission is being asked to determine a desirable level of
service for the trails with consideration of the City’s operating budget, GIA reimbursement grant,
and the County’s staffing constraints. The Commission may also want to consider recommending
other management practices in an effort to enhance the ski experience at Sunfish (i.e. trail hiking
signage).
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Washington County – Parks Division Exhibit F outlining labor / equipment rates
B. DNR cross-country ski trail grooming tips
C. Trail grooming budget information / Proposed grooming policy