2024-04-CSCJoint Sustainability/Community Services Commission Meeting
AND Community Services Commission Regular Meeting
Tuesday, April 16, 2024, 7:00 pm
Richfield Municipal Center (Bartholomew Room)
Commission Members
Community Services: Kris Anderson, Grace Bronken, David Vrieze Daniels, Michael Devane, Tessa Johanson (Chair),
Adam Kerekes, Jeff Klein, Jessica Johnson-Kreps, Jim Reilly, BJ Skoog, Hayley Tompkins (Vice Chair)
Sustainability: Matthew Dobratz, Amanda Kueper (Chair), Adam Burnside, Amanda McKnight, Craig Heinen, Santwana
Dasgupta, Logan Thein, Helen Burk
Staff and Other Liaisons
Ben Whalen (City Council Liaison) Karl Huemiller (Recreation Services Director), John Evans (Recording Secretary)
Mattias Oddsson (Public Works-Engineer), Chris Link (Dep. Public Works Director), Rachel Lindholm (Sustainability Specialist)
CALL JOINT MEETING TO ORDER (Community Services and Sustainability Commissions)
PUBLIC COMMENT
• Comments and items not printed on agenda
DISCUSSION ITEMS
• Stormwater Pond Priority Plan (Oddsson)
• Forestry and Park Maintenance Update (Link)
ADJOURNMENT
CALL REGULAR CSC MEETING TO ORDER
PUBLIC COMMENT
• Comments and items not printed on agenda
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
• Regular Meeting: March 19, 2024
STAFF REPORTS
• Recreation Services (Huemiller)
DISCUSSION ITEMS
None
ACTION ITEM
• 2024-2030 Recreation & Open Space Capital Improvement Plan (Huemiller)
COMMITTEE REPORTS
• Transportation Commission (Devane)
• FOWL Board (Johnson-Kreps)
• Planning Commission (Kerekes)
• Arts Commission (Skoog)
• Sustainability Commission (Anderson)
NEXT MEETING
Tuesday, May 21, 7:00 pm
Madison Park Building (6244 Knox Ave)
ADJOURNMENT
March 19, 2024
REGULAR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Richfield Municipal Center
PRESENT
CSC:Adam Kerekes, Tessa Johanson, Hayley Tompkins, Grace Bronken, David Vrieze Daniels, Mike Devane, Jeff Klein, Kris
Anderson, BJ Skoog
STAFF: Karl Huemiller (Recreation Director), John Evans (Secretary)
ABSENT CSC: Jessica Johnson-Kreps, Jim Reilly
CALL TO ORDER/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chair Johanson called the meeting to order at 7:05. Johanson moved, seconded by Devane, to approve the minutes of the February 20
regular meeting. Approved, ayes all.
STAFF REPORTS
Recreation Services
Huemiller provided the staff update:
• Scott Ramsay retiring. Recruiting for that position and interviewing for recreation manager position.
• Splash pad contract awarded. Scheduled to open in July.
• Wood Lake Building Project making progress. RFP for construction manager.
• Working on Donaldson Park; applied for a grant for the play equipment.
• Seeking feedback about design ideas for the Donaldson building. Will apply for Hennepin County Facilities Grant.
• Local Sales Tax information public information campaign is underway.
• Skate Park expansion should start in the next few weeks.
• Fee Assistance Program. $14k allocated to people, about $2,500 used towards programming.
• Maple Syruping at Wood Lake is wrapping up (very early this year)
• Adult Basketball League is wrapping up.
• Rain barrel sales begin soon.
• Roosevelt Park Cell Tower: talked with Verizon about site plan. 494 project will affect the intersection near the park, as well as the sound
wall on the edge of the park, so the tower is on hold.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
2025-2030 Recreation Capital Improvement Plan
Huemiller provided a summary of the plan. He outlined the plan to update the parks master plan, which was last updated in 2018. Many of the
facilities have changed since then, as well as the needs of the community. Adams Hill Park playground was postponed to 2027 after a master
park plan can be established. Huemiller said that the playgrounds are monitored with a goal of replacing them after 25 years, so they are in
rotation throughout the city (21 play lots). Anderson asked about the dredging of Adams Hill Pond; Huemiller said it will begin in Fall 2024. A
member asked how a project is determined for the major maintenance item. Huemiller said that, for the general major maintenance items in
the plan, staff makes an ongoing assessment of infrastructure needs and can even make use of liquor store revenue as matching funds for
grants. Anderson said that neighbors are looking to do improvements at Jefferson Park; are grants an option. Huemiller said that the City will
work hand-in-hand with them to define the project, apply for grants, etc. Anderson said that grassroots efforts like these may be a way to
approach projects in the future. Skoog asked if the major maintenance items will be affected by the Local Sales Tax, if that’s approved.
Huemiller said that it may change a few things, but those are ongoing maintenance items that are too expensive for the operating budget, like
a recent compressor that needed replacing at the Ice Arena for $5,000. Any major maintenance funds that aren’t used can be placed in
reserves to spend in future years. Devane asked how this plan differs from last year’s plan. Huemiller said that a few of the play equipment
replacement projects have been pushed out a little further, mainly to re-address those after the parks master plan is complete. A few of the
park building removals and park shelter constructions were combined and labeled as Major Maintenance items to give ourselves more
flexibility to alter the plan between now and then. Devane asked if tennis court resurfacing will always include Pickleball striping. Huemiller
said that court resurfacing is so expensive, the discussion was put on hold for a while. Huemiller said that he would return with it in April for
the CSC to consider recommendation of approval.
ACTION ITEMS
Friends of Wood Lake Board Reappointment
Vrieze Daniels, seconded by Skoog, to reappoint Patrick Bergin to the FOWL Board. Approved.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
TRANSPORTATION – Devane
PLANNING – Kerekes
ARTS – Skoog
SUSTAINABILITY – Anderson
OTHER/NEXT MEETING/ADJOURNMENT
Huemiller said that staff has discussed opening multiple gates around the Wood Lake perimeter fence, like at Bryant Avenue, Emerson Lane,
and a few other locations. Vrieze Daniels said it seems like a good thing to offer more access; he suggested some trial openings to see how it
goes.
Regular April Meeting: Tuesday, April 16, 7:00 pm, Municipal Center (possible meeting at a park in May)
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned by consensus at 7:57 pm.
DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC.
RECREATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
2025-2030
2025 $500,000
Donaldson Park Building Rebuild (multi-year: total $1,300K - $1,600K)
($335K from 2024, $190K from reserves, $300K Grants, Remainder from other sources)$450,000
Wood Lake Maintenace (multi-year)$10,000
Ice Arena Repair (multi-year)$20,000
Community Center Building Repair (multi-year)$20,000
2026 $500,000
Parks Master Plan $180,000
Wood Lake Trails ( total $250K)
(Matching $200K State Grant)$50,000
Parks - Major Improvements (multi-year)$210,000
Wood Lake Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
Ice Arena Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
Community Center Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
2027 $500,000
Adams Hill Playground $120,000
Parks Major Maintenance (multi-year)$320,000
Wood Lake Maintenace (multi-year)$20,000
Ice Arena Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
Community Center Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
2028 $500,000
Heredia Park Play Equipment Replacement $120,000
Parks Major Maintenance (multi-year)$320,000
Wood Lake Maintenace (multi-year)$20,000
Ice Arena Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
Community Center Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
2029 $500,000
Little Bob's Park Play Equipment Replacement $120,000
Parks Major Maintenance (multi-year)$320,000
Wood Lake Maintenace (multi-year)$20,000
Ice Arena Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
Community Center Building Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
2030 $500,000
Parks Major Maintenance (multi-year)$440,000
Wood Lake Maintenace (multi-year)$20,000
Ice Arena Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
Community Center Building Maintenance (multi-year)$20,000
Major Park Improvement Needs
Ball Field Lights TBD
Light Controlers Taft $30,000
Park Building Repairs or Removal TBD
Augsburg Tennis Courts $850,000
Donaldson Tennis Courts $800,000