HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/21/1992 � �
CITY OF APPLE VALLEY
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMIfiTEE
Apri1 21, 1992
Minutes of the Apple Valley Parks and Rscreation Advisory Committee held
April 21, 1992 at the Apple Va11ey Community Center.
PRFsSENT: Chairperson Greg Kopischke; Coaunittee M�mbers Co�nie Scheid, David
Grass, John DiRieo, Tina Rankin (sr�ivsd at 7:65pm) and Russ DeFauw <arrived
at 7:47pm); Parks and Recreatioa Director Randy Johnson; Park
Maintenance Su�erintend�nt Tom Adamini; Valley Athletic Ass+ociation
Representative Chris Dalhed.
ABSENT; Charlie Maus.
Item #1. - Chairman Kopischke called the mesting to order at 7:40 pm.
Randy Johnson noted the Volunteer Recognition scheduled at 7:OOpm prior to the
April 23, 1992 City Council meeting. All Committee and Commission members are
invited to attend, Those Committee members with ten years of service will
receive awards. Greg Kopischke asked Mr. Johnson �o extend his apolo�y, but he
has another comntii:ment that evening and will not be attending.
Item #2. - Approval of the Agenda.
MOTION: by Juhn DiRico, seconded by David Gross to apprt�ve the agenda
as presented.
VOTE: Yes - 4, No - 0
Item #3. - Approval of the March 1992 Minutes.
Corzection should be made on page #4, paragraph #3 of the March minute� to read
. . . "Mr. Gross expressed his feelings that the Park Aedication Fund should io be
used £or either of these projects. These items do not fit into our Comp Plan."
MOTION: by David Gross, seconded by Jahn DiRico to accept the Ma�rch
1992 minutes with the noted change to page #4.
VOTE: Yes - 4, No - 0
Item #4. A. - Spring/Sum�ner Park Maintenance Update.
Park Maintenance Superintendent Tom Adamini was present at the meeting to give an
overview of the park maintenance schedule for the upcaming seasons. Mr. Adamini
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stated that during February and March the maintenance department had a very
successful season: warminghouses' interiors have been painted; the small soccer
goals for all hockey rink areas have been built; every piece of equipment has
been gone over.
As of April 21st, 384 trees have been planted; they have finished the application
of a pre-emergent in the flower beds for weed control. This particular pre-
emergent has a six month residual as far as keeping weeds ouC of flower beds.
Maintenance crews are getting back into the area of athletic field maintenance
and will start mowing soon.
Coming attractions will be the batting cage at Eastview; and the athletic complex
press box is to be built in-house; all of the old wooden play equipment sets will
be sand�d and stained to make them last as long as possible; asphalt overlay
projects are planned; County Road 42 beautification project is scheduled for this
season; there are three new play equipment sets to be set up.
There is some storm sewer work necessary at Summerfield Park: two catch basins
and tile to get the water out before any other work can be done. The soccer
kickboard is scheduled to be placed at the back of the Apple Vall.ey Community
Center by the end of May.
These items plus the list included in the Committee's packets, cover the main
focus of things over the next three months for the park maintenance department.
Dakota County's Sentence to Service program has been a real help to the
maintenance department. They do a top-notch job on all of their assignments.
Through the program, the County provides a work crew with a supervisor.
Mr. Adamini reports that there are a couple of part-time seasonal staff positions
to be filled because of resignations and there will be approximately three tough
weeks because many of the seasonal employees are not available to start working
until later in the spring. The maintenance departmer�t employees 26 of the 120
total Parks and Recrea�ional seasonal employees. Mr. Adamini believes that 30
would be the optimwn nwnber of seasonal employees this ysar for the maintenance
department.
The average park maintenance seasonal employee makes between $5.75 and $6.25 per
hour for approximately $2,800 per 12 week season. Overtime is sporadic, possibly
for special pro,jects like the 4th of July or a tournament or in case of emergency
repairs.
During the Big Apple Soccer Tournament the teams use every available field. A
minimum of 14 fields are used for an average tournament.
Russ DeFauw pointed out that with the revenue generated by the $35 per field user
fee, another seasonal employee could possibly be hired for maintenance.
Randy Johnson complimented Tom Adamini on the accomplishments he has done so far
with the maintenance department. Chair Kopischke thanked Mr. Adamini for
stopping by for the Advisory Committee meeting.
Item #4.B. - Alimagnet Park - Potential for Enhancement.
Randy Johnson stated that at the City's goal setting session last fall, one of
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the City Council's long range gosls is to complete the deveiopm�nt of Alimagnet
Park.
Mr. Johnsan distributed copies of the park map for the Comini�tee's infor�nation.
The controversial item will be th� opening of an entrance of£ Garden Visw Drive.
Mr. Johnson suggested having a �elf-guided pathway with a nature center in the
future. He also recommended that the Park Advisory Committ$e meet at the
Ridgeview Drive entraace a�ea for Alimagnet Park for the May meeting.
The Ci�y Council's impression is that thfs park is underused. Research showed
that there were quite a £ew park shelter rentals in i991.
Chair Kopischke su�gested getting informational materials from Burnsville showing
their side a£ the park. There may be ways to help compliment their already
existing pathways, etc.
The City engin�er has prepared some preliminary plans for a road and small
parking lot at an estimated cost o� $40,040.
Tina Rankin suggested not having the new parking lot too close to the lake. It
would be nice ta have a place for the cars and a walk area too.
Randy Johnson has available topography map copies of the southe�n half of the
park and will have the northern half available at next month's meetin�.
John DiRico said that he would be concerned with the cars too far back off the
street.
The Committee agreed to meet at the park shelter structure at 6:30pm for a picnic
dinner before the regular meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 1992.
Russ DeFauw will check with the past park director, Jon Gurban to ask if he can
recall a master plan map of Alimagnet Park. Chair Kopisehke believes there was
one made up several years ago.
Item #5. A. - For Profit Youth Athletic Tournament Update.
Enclosed in th� Gommittee's packet were copies of the letter received by Randy
Johnson from Jeff Krause and Mr. Johnson's repiy to that letter.
Mr. Johnson voiced his concern that there seems to be some ur�dercurrent between
the Parks and R�ecreation Department and the V.A.A. 4ther si.tuations have arisen
in the past few days regarding the installa�ion of a snow fence at Valley Middie
School also.
In the past the Park Department had purchased a special fence for Va11ey Middle
School field, but it received heavy vandalism. Another fence was purchased in
cooperation with the school, but that fence did not last either, The most recent
fencing was purchased by V.A.A.
Jeff Buck of the V.A.A. baseball program has requested that the snow fence be
installed again this year by the Park Maintenance crews as they have done in the
past. The situation involves a snow £ence owned by the V.A.A. that the City's
risk manager has recommended against installing for safety reasons. It would be
locaCed on school property to be used by the V.A.A. Throughout the course of
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last season, the Park Department received complaint calls on the condition of the
fence, etc. Some people don't understand the difference between the Park
Department and schooi property.
At the end of the 1991 baseball program, the Park Department and V.A.A.
representatives agreed not to have the fence put up again.
Mr. Johnson stated that the information is provided to make everyone on the
Committee aware of what's going on. It being school property, Mr. Buck should be
talking to the school officials.
Mr. Johnson is searching for some direction from the Advisory Cammittee and Mr.
Dalhed as to how the Park Department can work with the V.A.A. to alleviate these
kinds of problems.
Chris Dalhed cammented that in regards to Mr. Krause's letter, he believes there
was some pressure from the V.A.A. Board of Directors for Mr. Krause to write the
letter. Mr. Gross stated that the letter was "poppycock" and he felt that Mr.
Johnson wrote a very nice letter in respo.nse.
Mr. Dalhed said it was difficult for him to comrnent on the fence item being a new
board member, but the V.A.A. Board has told the coaches/people that there will be
no fence at Valley Middle. Memos have been sent out and a meeting has been held
to get the word out. 3'he 12-14 year olds playing at Va11ey Middle can get along
without a fence.
Barry Collatz will be the individual contact for V.A.A, dealing with field
requests.
Mr. DeFauw reports that there seem to be some lingering feelings in the V.A.A.
baseball program about the extensive rapid soccer field expansion. The baseball
participants feel that the soccer participants got a dramatic response and the
baseball program got very little. Some people feel that the V.A.A. is very
soccer oriented.
Item #S.B. - Update on Park Dedication Expenditures.
Mr. Johnson reported that after some discussion by City Council, it was decided
to pay for the repair of the Hayes building roof with Capital Improvement funds.
However, the Eastview improvements would be funded entirely by Park Dedication.
Mr. Johnson is in pursuit of othex sources of funding and has sent out letters to
some speeial interest groups for donations.
Russ DeFauw stated that the Al1 Sports Booster Club will vote in May about a
possible donation towards Eastview. He doubts that they will have the available
funding for a $1000 donation.
The roof repair of Hayes will begin as soon as the rain stops. The Eastview
press box construction has started, but wili not be finished in time for the Big
Apple Soccer Tournament the end of May.
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Item #6. - Othesr
No discussion.
Item #7. - Adjourn.
Th�re being, no further business on the agenda., the Parks and Recreation Advisory
Commititee meeting was ad,journed.
MQTION: by David Gross, seconded by Russ DeFauw to adjourn the meeting
at 8:35pm.
VaTE: Yes - 6� No - 0
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