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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks and Recreation - 01/03/2011 APPROVED MINUTES PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MONDAY,JANUARY 3, 2011 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: Geri Napuck, Chair; Commissioners Tom Bierman, Derek Gunderson and Larry Link COMMISSION MEMBERS ABSENT: Hutch Coburn, Lee Elliott-Stoering and Joan Oko COMMISSION STUDENTS PRESENT: Pranay Rao COMMISSION STAFF PRESENT: Jay Lotthammer, Parks and Recreation Director Laurie Obiazor, Recreation Services Manager Stu Fox, Parks and Natural Resources Director Wendy Sevenich, Community Center Manager Lyndell Frey, Recreation Coordinator Carol Pelzel, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Chair Napuck at 7:05 p.m. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Lotthammer asked that the item Commission Brainstorming/Visioning under Reports of Staff Item D. 2 be held over to the February meeting. Coburn had offered to moderate this item and since he was absent from tonight's meeting he asked that it be continued to the February meeting. Motion: Link moved, seconded by Bierman, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried, 4-0. III. APPROVAL OF PRNR MINUTES —DECEMBER 6, 2010 Motion: Bierman moved, seconded by Gunderson, to approve the minutes from the December 6, 2010 Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission meeting as published. The motion carried 3-0-1 with Link abstaining because of absence from that meeting. IV. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION Lotthammer reported the City Council adopted a 2011 Budget that included reductions in certain service areas. The impacts affecting the Parks and Recreation Department included the Deer Management Program. Staff reviewed this program and felt it is not necessary to institute the program every year but perhaps every three years. This is something staff will continue to PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION January 3, 2011 Page 2 monitor. This would result in a savings of approximately $54,000. Staff also looked at the 4th of July celebration and recommended eliminating the morning and afternoon activities. Fireworks and the major concert would be maintained. This would result in savings to other Departments as well and not only to the Parks Department. Another item staff looked at was lifeguards at Round Lake. Based on projected water levels, lifeguards would not be needed this year and, therefore, staff was able to reduce the number of lifeguards. Bierman questioned what other options would there be to generate revenue for the Department. He said maybe this Commission should challenge themselves with ways to generate revenue. Lotthammer said in looking at the history for the past few years the cost recovery concept seems to work the best. The Community Center cost recovery for 2010 will be closer to 80 percent than 70 percent which was budgeted. The Community Center has generated more revenue and held expenses. He also explained there are two major functions of the Community Center that generate revenue; membership and hockey. Lotthammer said he has been working with the Recreation Coordinators over the past few years in looking at fees. They have a good balance and department cost recovery is going in the right direction. The Community Center has come from a 60 percent cost recovery to 80 percent. Link asked about the swimming pool at the Community Center and if there is any way to increase rentals of that area. Lotthammer responded the rental rate for the swimming pool is pretty good. There is only one pool while they have three hockey rinks. Also, there is a limited time for swimming. They have open swimming and the pool is used for conducting swimming lessons. Because of the time constraints there is not as large of a potential for a revenue stream as there is with the hockey rinks. V. REPORT OF PLANNING COMMISSION Fox reported the Planning Commission considered a request to rescind a one-lot subdivision back into a three-lot subdivision. Should these lots be developed new park fees would be generated. VI. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS A. LARGE GROUP USE PERMITS Lotthammer explained Lyndell Frey, Recreation Coordinator, will be presenting to the Commission an overview of the Department's large group use permits program. He explained groups of 20 or more have to obtain a permit to use the City's facilities. Frey explained the large group use permit program originated about five or six years ago and has helped staff control and govern activities in the parks. There are a number of Athletic Associations that are paying a rental rate and other large organizations would come in and run camps and clinics in the park system without paying. Staff needed more control over this. Frey reported in 2010 there were 94 permit requests with 40 of those requests from the YMCA School Age Care Program. Of the 94 requests, 84 were approved and they were all PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION January 3, 2011 Page 3 free uses. He explained the process for obtaining a permit and that a postcard is given to the user which they must have with them when they are in the park. Ten requests were not approved because the park was not available or for some other reason. Frey said when staff has to clean up after a group a nominal fee of$50 is charged. If there are a large number of participants a facility group rental may be required. Frey also reviewed the Facility Group Reservations program explaining organizations reserve parks when they don't want to take a chance on a first-come-first-served basis. One example of a reservation is a group of seniors that reserve tennis courts for their use. In 2010 there were 33 requests with 16 of those having no charge. This included tennis groups, church groups, schools, etc. Revenue generated from those requests in 2010 was $1,200. Frey explained a third type of reservation is field rentals for tournaments, camps/clinics, etc. The rentals range from one day to two months. Revenue generated from field rentals in 2010 was $28,000. The majority of the rentals are short-term rentals. The field permit for a tournament is $100 per field per day with an additional $15 per hour for use of lights. The City provides two full-time staff at overtime wages for tournaments. Frey reported there were a total of 141 reservations for 2010 with $29,200 of revenue generated from these rentals. Staff is working with Community Center office staff to coordinate all park rentals and large group permit registrations. Link said this appears to be a good program to deal with conflict. He asked if staff marks fields to show they are reserved. Frey said the park user does have a permit. Miller park fields are posted that all fields are reserved. Napuck questioned how staff determines if there is a charge for a group to use a park. Fox explained every request is reviewed and if there is a charge to the participants the City almost automatically charges for the use of the park. A lot of the requests are for use of the park for birthday parties and family gatherings. As long as it is not in conflict with anything else they will not charge for the use. Lotthammer said their goal is to protect the City's facilities for the residents and resident groups. If a group wants exclusive use of the facility then they will generally be charged. The policy is fairly clear as to how staff will work with the group. Link said the YMCA School Age Care Program does a few programs in the City's facilities but are not charged. He asked if the YMCA School Age Care Program charges their participants for the programs. Fox explained if the YMCA School Age Care Program comes to the park with 50 kids and has a pizza party and requires maintenance cleanup they will be charged. The participants are Eden Prairie children and the YMCA School Age Care Program is more closely tied to the school system and because the City has a partnership with the schools they don't charge the YMCA School Age Care Program. Link said he thinks it is great there are programs offered by the YMCA School Age Care Program for kids in the summer. VII. OLD BUSINESS PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION January 3, 2011 Page 4 VIII. NEW BUSINESS IX. REPORTS OF STAFF A. PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER B. COMMUNITY CENTER MANAGER 1. Passport to Fun Scholarship Proizram Sevenich presented an overview of the City's Passport to Fun Scholarship Program, the Parks and Recreation fee assistance program. This program has been in existence for over 20 years and staff has evaluated the program trying to develop ways to make the program a more efficient and cost effective program and to provide more funding for more people. The scholarship amount has been reduced from$150 per person to $100 per person allowing them to provide funding for more people. Sevenich reviewed the mission and vision of Passport to Fun explaining this program enables people to participate in City programs who may otherwise be unable to do so. She reviewed how the program works and that it pays up to one-half of the cost of the activity. Sevenich explained anyone who lives or works in the City or high school students and has access to the City's facilities are eligible for the program. The program is marketed through brochures, the City's web site and buildings and in the City's newsletter. Staff also works directly with social service areas. Sevenich presented a four-year comparison showing the number of participants has risen each year. In 2010 there were 647 participants for access to facilities and 382 participants using funds. The number of daily use permits purchased was 99. The total amount of funding provided in 2010 was $10,315. The amount provided in 2009 was $11,185. The highest number of `free access' participants are high school students who are using basketball facilities. In response to a question from Gunderson, Sevenich said they did not receive any complaints about the reduced funding. Matter of fact, last year only 5 percent of the participants used over$100. Staff felt comfortable in reducing the funding amount. C. RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER FYI: Rock on Ice—January 16 FYI: Family Bingo Night FYI: Art Center and Senior Center Closed—January 17 PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION January 3, 2011 Page 5 D. PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR 1. 2011 PRNR Work Plan Lotthammer indicated additions will be made to the work plan as they move forward. Staff will provide the Commission with an update on the Flying Cloud expansion and a review of partnerships. Staff will also be presenting a forestry update and in February they will work with visioning. Bierman asked for an update on Riley Lake and the house located on that property. Lotthammer reported the County did close on the property and will eventually turn title over to the City. The house will probably be removed in the spring or summer. Bierman asked if the house could be used for some revenue generating programs. Fox explained the house was built in the early 1900's and the configuration of this property makes it difficult to use. Link questioned if the barn located by Staring Lake was purchased. Lotthammer said the property did go to auction and the County accepted a bid. This facility will probably be used for storage. Fox explained the closing on the property has been held up because of issues with the division of the property. They are working with City staff to clear this matter up. Bierman said with respect to generating revenue, he asked what staff would consider a meaningful number. Lotthammer responded each dollar counts. They may increase fees from$25 to $27 and some of these fees are market driven as to what the community would support. There are some programs like concerts, the 4t' of July celebration where there are no fees associated with the programs. There is a basic service expected from traditional Parks and Recreation programs. FYI: City Center Offices Closed—January 17 X. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission is Monday, February 7, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. X. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Gunderson moved, seconded by Link, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 4-0 and the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.