PK PACKET 09142020 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Parks and Environmental Commission Regular Meeting Minutes June 8, 2020 Page 3 Dr. Palmer stated the School Board takes the Covid pandemic very seriously and the impact to 1 the budget. In planning next year’s budget, they have included contingency funds and will 2 need to remain flexible. They need to do the right thing for every student. 3 4 Chair Bellinger thanked Mr. Urdahl for his thorough presentation. 5 6 Commissioner Guest joined the meeting. 7 8 B. Friends of the Parks Update 9 10 Ms. Lona Doolan provided a PowerPoint presentation on Silver Point Park – Demonstration 11 Gardens. Ms. Doolan reviewed the status update including Phase 1 – Planting Native Plugs 12 (September 2019), Phase 2 – Seeding Bee Lawn (November 2019), and Phase 3 – Now 13 starting prep for Seeding Pollinator Garden. Photographs were provided for Commission 14 review. Germination started mid-March and most of the space now has vegetation growing. 15 The planted garden is growing with 85-90% of the plants surviving winter. The first blooms 16 of the season were spiderwort and columbine. Ms. Doolan gave a thank you to Anjeli and 17 Thad Sonstegard who are watering park plants and bee lawn from their home. The bee lawn 18 can be mowed. 19 20 During Phase 3 – the final 25’ garden will demonstrate the direct sowing method; starting 21 seeds in the garden rather than starting with transplants. The benefits of this method are it 22 provides an alternative style of garden, uses a mix of annuals and perennials to get blooms in 23 1st season, easier to install and is cost effective. 24 25 Additional opportunities in Silver Point Park are to clear cement and trees from drain area, 26 seed clover in the empty hockey area, and install a gate to enter from SE corner. 27 28 Commissioner Niemi asked how difficult it would be to mow and Mr. Gumpke stated they 29 have a special piece of equipment and mowing would not be a problem. Commissioner Niemi 30 asked if anything planted on the hockey rink would survive. Mr. Gumpke stated perennial 31 ground cover would be a good choice. Ms. Doolan stated she could research appropriate 32 plantings. 33 34 Commissioner Reed asked about the gate in the SW corner. Chair Bellinger stated it could be 35 presented to the Planning Commission or have discussions with Staff on the best way to 36 proceed. Ms. Doolan stated she believes a gate was in the plans as the posts are already 37 installed. Chair Bellinger agreed there was discussion about that in the past. She suggested 38 Mr. Hartmann be contacted. Commissioner Niemi suggested it be looked at during the 39 Commission’s park visits. The park visits have not been scheduled yet. 40 41 Commissioner Guest asked about the history of the Friends of the Park group. Ms. Doolan 42 provided a background. 43 44 C. Citizens for Sustainability Updates 45 46