1997-08-28 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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adjacent to the park. Damages include broken windows, dented cars, and downed fences from youth retrieving balls that are hit into backyards. As • the Commissioners stood discussing the problem, 5 foul balls were hit in the vicinity of where Commissioners were standing. Two foul balls hit cars, one being a Commissioners car- denting it. During the ten minutes that Commissioners stood at the Park, there was more than enough observations as to the problems with foul balls. Staff provided options including the installation of additional netting on the sidelines as well as draping over homeplate. The cost of additional netting would be $6,000 - 9,000. Staff explained that users of this particular field are older baseball players, 15 - 18 years old. Teams using the field are not all Mounds View residents but instead are players from the school district area. The field is normally locked to exclude general public use because of its special older age baseball features including the pitching mound and grass infield. Therefore, users of this field are required to sign out a key from the Parks and Recreation Department. Because of exclusive use Commissioners suggested that user Associations should be asked to contribute funding for the additional netting. Motion was made by Commissioner Silvis and seconded by Commissioner Gunn that baseball associations using Greenfield Park should be asked to contribute to the cost of installing additional netting necessary to protect the citizenry. Motion passed unanimously. • Director Saarion reported another complaint called in by the resident of 2356 Sherwood that stated that youth using the Greenfield Park trailway had pulled out her seedlings in her backyard, downed their fence and cut her flowers. Staff suggested that she file a complaint with the police department which she said that she would do. In addition, staff said that her concern would be brought up to the Commission. Upon discussion Commissioners agreed that if problems with dilinquent youth continues the Commission would suggest planting prickly bushes that would inhibit youth from entering her backyard. OTHER BUSINESS: Commissioner Starr reported that a hornet's nest is under the bleachers at Edgewood School and one of the bleacher planks are broken. Commissioner Long reported that branches are obscuring view of th field at Silver View. Staff said that these would be reported to the Parks Maintenance crew. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Long made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Starr to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed unanimously. •