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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes April 25, 2006 Page 7 1 Councilmember Gray asked whether the report should indicate the annual cost for public safety 2 services at Silverwood Park is projected to be $85,000 at the time the Master Plan is fully 3 implemented. Mr. McPhee stated that is correct, it should say $85,000 (not $8,500). 4 5 Councilmember Thuesen asked how often the Park District gets police backup from the local 6 community. Mr. McPhee stated he expects they will take care of 99% of the calls from 7 Silverwood Park. However, if there is an officer safety type of call, there would naturally be 8 backup from New Brighton, St. Anthony, or another agency. 9 10 Councilmember Stille asked about the work hours for the Park Service Officers (PSO). Mr. 11 McPhee advised that the three PSOs would be there when the Park is opened. The full -time 12 officer would be on various schedules and the primary area of responsibility will be the 13 Silverwood Park area. Councilmember Stille asked what is a typical incident. Mr. McPhee 14 stated it is mostly calls for service, first aid, assistance issues, vehicles locked out, and missing 15 children. They receive minimum calls for disorderly conduct, smoking, or drug use calls. A 16 lower incidence would be for a more serious calls such as assault or criminal sexual conduct. 17 18 Councilmember Horst questioned whether they will have public safety officers on horseback. 19 Mr. McPhee stated they actually do have the oldest continuous mounted patrol unit in the upper 20 Midwest, which started in 1980. They have eight officers assigned to mounted patrol and it is a 21 potential use in Silverwood Park if there is justification. 22 23 Councilmember Thuesen asked about the usage patterns of the Park since the focus is on arts and 24 the environment. He noted that some parks are more heavily used during warm weather months 25 but questioned whether it will be different at this Park since the focus is on arts and education. 26 27 Mr. Bryant stated he will send the City the 2005 incident report so the Council can see the types 28 of calls made. He explained they work with 100 cities throughout Hennepin County and other 29 counties and believe it is extremely important to work with the City. If this project goes forward 30 there will be collaboration on management activities. He stated that passage of the resolution 31 and the Council's message to support this project is very important to them. It does not 32 necessarily mean the Park District will or will not get money but they believe it is important to 33 work with St. Anthony and the City Council to provide this facility, programs, and recreational 34 opportunities. Mr. Bryant noted this is a significant project with Phase 1 costing $12 to $15 35 million and the net operating costs are between $550 and $600 million. He stated he hopes this 36 is a great project for this community and the surrounding area. 37 38 Mayor Faust stated that St. Anthony also wants to work with the Park District but they do have 39 concerns with the Master Plan and need answers prior to considering a resolution in support. 40 41 Mr. McDowell explained that there is an ebb and flow of usage at the park so it is a little difficult 42 to predict but there are some rhythms in place at the rest of the parks. On a weekly basis they 43 know that usage at the program centers, Monday through Friday, is predominantly scheduled 44 programs. On weekends there are more public and family driven activities. Mr. McDowell 45 stated that they have four people on a daily basis coming into the parks in spring and fall for 46 every one person who comes into the parks in the winter. April and May tend to be the busiest 47 months along with September and October. However, Silverwood Park is entrenched in a high