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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 06/05/2000 APPROVED MINUTES CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE PARKS & RECREATION CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMISSION MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2000 7:00 P.M. CITY CENTER 8080 MITCHELL ROAD PRAIRIE ROOM A & B COMMISSION MEMBERS Kim Teaver, Chair(excused); Don Jacobson, Vice Chair; Susan Dickman, Ann Birt, David Larson, Paul Sodt COMMISSION STAFF Robert A. Lambert, Director Parks and Recreation Services; Tria Mann, Arts and Special Events Coordinator; Laurie A. Obiazor, Manager of Recreation Services RECORDING SECRETARY: Peggy Rasmussen I. ROLL CALL Vice Chair Jacobson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Sodt moved, seconded by Dickman, to approve the agenda as published. Motion carried 5-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES —MAY 1, 2000 Birt made a correction on page 5, paragraph 6, where the name Dickman should be replaced by Birt. MOTION: Birt moved, seconded by Dickman, to approve the minutes as published and amended. Motion carried 5-0. IV. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS V. OLD BUSINESS VI. NEW BUSINESS A. Approve Special Meeting for June 19, 6:00 p.m., Park Tour Mann said Lambert requested a tour of Eden Prairie parks for the Commission members, in order to familiarize them with the parks and to update them on improvement projects . Lambert will be in charge of the tour, which will begin at 6:00 p.m. from the City Center and will consist of visits to Miller Park, Riley Lake Park, Richard T. Anderson Conservation Area, and Crestwood Park. The tour will take 2-3 hours. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 5, 2000 Page 2 Birt asked if spouses could be invited. Mann said she would find out. The van being rented has 12-15 seats. MOTION: Sodt moved, seconded by Larson, to take the special tour on June 19. Motion carried 5-0. B. Subsidy Requirements for Recreation Programs Mann said this information is being provided for the benefit of new Commission members. She referenced the Parks & Recreation policy on recreation fees and subsidies previously distributed with the agenda. The services are broken down to four levels. (1) Basic services include playground programs, swimming beaches, free skating, as well as services for seniors and the disabled. Subsidies range from 40% to 120%. The programs subsidized at 120% would be free programs, with '100% direct costs, plus 20% indirect costs charged to the program. (2) Enhanced services include special events or activities to which the community is invited without a fee, such as the Fourth of July, the Staring Lake Amphitheatre programs, Sunbonnet Day, etc. The maximum subsidy levels for these types of programs should be 75%, with a goal to obtain sponsorship of the entire cost of the programs. (3) Fee-assisted services include programs that are slightly subsidized (up to 20%) such as preschool playground and some senior programs, as well as programs with mandated fee levels. The fees offset the direct costs but might not cover the entire indirect cost of the program. (4) Fee-supported services are provided at no cost to the taxpayers and in many cases show a profit. These programs include the majority of all adult and youth athletic and lesson programs. Mann said the decisions the recreation staff makes regarding fees for programs, eliminating programs or adding programs are based on the goal of providing the maximum amount of recreational services and opportunities the budget will allow, within these City guidelines. In response to a request from Sodt for a summary of the programs, Mann said the 1999 Annual Report for Parks & Recreation covers the entire program. It should be available soon, and will be provided to the Commission in time for its August meeting. If the commissioners want additional information included in the future, they should let staff know. Birt asked about subsidies for the Senior Center. She thought the charges seemed low. Mann said some are low because volunteers teach classes, and the AARP provides volunteers to teach the defensive driving course. Using the policy helps the programmers set fees for each class. If a class or program doesn't meet the minimum goal set for it, the class can be canceled unless there is another class that exceeds its goal to make up for it. PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 5, 2000 Page 3 Sodt asked what the process would be if someone wants a new class started. Obiazor said the department is putting together its budget for 2001 now, and nothing is supposed to be added to it. Staff would need to present the new program idea and go through the budgeting process for funding it. Mann said a new community event would have to be approved by the Community Program Board. Jacobson noted that the program "Eden Prairie Loves Its Kids" is not a yearly event. Mann said typically it has been funded by a separate organization. VII. REPORTS OF STAFF A. Arts and Special Events Coordinator 1. Arts and Special Events Summer Happenings Mann said the Staring Lake programs start Sunday, June 4, with "Jazz on the Prairie". There will be performances on 30 evenings through the summer. The program ends on August 13 with "DiverCity on the Prairie". For the ninth year, the City will put on a community production. This year "State Fair" will be presented, which requires 52 performers, 37 of whom are from Eden Prairie. Birt asked how players are solicited. Mann replied through the schools, direct mailing, and through the Minnesota Association of Community Theaters. They have also received e-mails through the City's Web site and staff responds through e-mail. Most of the performers at Staring Lake Amphitheatre are paid, with the average being $700, but some are not paid and some are paid $100. The bands are paid up to $1,000. Regarding the 4"' of July Celebration, the daytime events will be held at Riley Lake Park. The Youth Athletic Association will be putting on games for youth to play against each other. There will also be canine events. The evening events will be at the Eden Prairie Center. The Eden Prairie Community Band and Temporary Heroes Orchestra will play. Fireworks will be at 10 p.m. One firecracker will be hidden several weeks before July 4, with prizes for the winner being $100 in Eden Prairie bucks for Parks & Rec. programs, Parks & Rec. T-shirts and gift certificates. Mann devises the 24 clues to finding the firecracker. Larson asked if there would be adequate parking at Riley Lake Park. Mann said they have worked with the police, and people can park across the street from the park up to 6 p.m. A trailer pulled by a tractor will bring PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES June 5, 2000 Page 4 people in. There could be as many as 500 people at the park at the busiest times. There will be a drop-off place for those with disabilities. The very attractive 41h of July Celebration brochure was printed by Anchor Printing Company, which split the cost with the City to make it a four- color brochure. They printed 21,000 of them. Obiazor said the City could not put on the celebration without the sponsors, which are printed on the back of the brochure. Asked if volunteers are needed, Mann said they could use volunteers at the information booth. Two people at a time work at the booth. 2. Cancellation of Fall and Springy Events at Eden Prairie Center Mann said due to renovation activities at the Eden Prairie Center, which will not be done until late next spring or early summer, they have had to cancel the Halloween event and the Arts Festival in spring 2001. Mann is looking into "neighborhood watch" groups sponsoring Halloween parties in their neighborhoods. The fall brochure listing City programs will give people this information. Regarding the Arts Festival, the Arts Commission decided last year that the only good place to hold this is at the Eden Prairie Center. These events will be coming back to the center in the fall of 2001 and the spring of 2002. General Growth, the developer of the center, expects to have the grand opening in July 2001. The Vice President of General Growth and the City Manager are working together to plan fireworks for the grand opening. VIII. OTHER Commissioner Birt asked what resulted from the presentation to the Community Program Board of the Third Rink Task Force Report. Obiazor gave a summary of the meeting and said the Board agreed there was a need for a third sheet of ice from October to March,but didn't believe the task force had shown it was financially feasible. Their recommendation now goes to the City Council for consideration at its next meeting, on June 6. Obiazor will ask Bob Lambert to bring the Commission up to date at the next meeting. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Birt moved, seconded by Sodt, to adjourn the meeting. Vice-Chair Jacobson adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m.