07-19-22 CSCCommunity Services Commission Meeting
Tuesday, July 19, 7:00 pm
Community Center Back Patio, 7000 Nicollet Ave
IN CASE OF RAIN: RUTH JOHNSON ROOM
Commission Members
David Benson, Meredith Bruzek, Michael Devane, Jenna Hanson, Tessa Johanson,
Jessica Johnson-Kreps (Vice-Chair), Ben Marx, Brooke Nelson, Stephanie Nwaudo, Kevin Wendt (Chair)
Staff/Liaisons
Amy Markle (Rec Serv Dir), John Evans (Recording Secretary),
Ben Whalen (City Council Liaison), Crystal Brakke (School Board Liaison)
CALL TO ORDER
1. Approval of Minutes/Agenda
Regular Meeting Minutes: June 21, 2022
2. Public Comment
Comments and items not printed on agenda
3. Staff Reports
Recreation Programming Update (Markle)
4. Discussion Items
Skate Park Expansion Project (Markle)
Tennis Court Discussion Follow-up (Markle)
5. Action Item
Cancel August Meeting (Markle)
6. Committee Reports
Transportation Commission (Devane)
FOWL Board (Bruzek)
Planning Commission (Marx)
Arts Commission (Nelson)
Friendship City Commission (Benson)
Sustainability Commission (Hanson)
HAVM (Nwaudo)
7. Next Meeting
Tuesday, August 16, 7:00 pm
Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave)
Tuesday, September 20, 7:00 pm
Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave)
ADJOURNMENT
REGULAR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
AND JOINT MEETING WITH PLANNING COMMISSION
Tuesday, June 22, 2022
Richfield Ice Arena
PRESENT
CSC: Brooke Nelson, Tessa Johanson, Ben Marx, Jenna Hanson, Jessica Johnson-Kreps, Stephanie
Nwaudo, Heather MacDonald
CITY STAFF: Amy Markle (Recreation Director), John Evans (Secretary)
ABSENT OTHERS: Crystal Brakke (school board) COUNCIL: Ben Whalen
CSC: Meredith Bruzek, Kevin Wendt, David Benson, Mike Devane
Call to Order - Approval of Agenda – Minutes - Other
Acting Chair MacDonald called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm. The 6/21 agenda and 5/17 regular meeting minutes were
approved by consensus.
Staff Reports
Recreation Services Updates
Recreation Services Director Markle reported on the following:
Pool has seen record numbers and great season pass sales.
Wood Lake summer camps and Playgrounds are all full.
Farmers Market has seen very high attendance.
Arena lease proposals are scheduled to go to Council in July.
Items for Council study sessions: Community Gardens, Bike Park, Skate Park
Tree planting in Donaldson will be the next liquor store roundup cause.
Discussion Items
Community Gardens
Markle reported on staff’s plan to construct community gardens in Richfield, one in each ward. She reviewed the history of the
gardens that were in airport land and issues that were encountered. She said that locations were chosen that would be
accessible, sunny, wouldn’t conflict with other uses, and could host water tanks. The three areas of land identified by staff:
patch of unnamed park land on the west side, Fremont Park, and Veterans Park. She said that only residents could rent a plot
and they could do so at the Community Center.
Tennis Court Planning
Markle summarized the condition of the tennis courts in Richfield and the cost of maintaining and renovating them, as needed.
She said that the cost will occupy a large percentage of future capital improvement budgets. Members asked about user
numbers, saying that some get more use (Christian, Augsburg) and some get less (Fairwood). Markle said that surveys often
indicate that people would like to see more green space. Johanson asked about conducting some kind of survey to see how
people feel about the courts. Markle said that some kind of online survey could be conducted.
Action Items
Vice Chair Election
MacDonald said that she is moving out of Richfield, so she will be resigning from the CSC. She asked for a nominee for Vice
Chair. Tessa Johanson volunteered and was approved unanimously as Vice Chair for the remainder of 2022.
Recreation and Open Space Capital Improvement Budget
Markle reviewed the plan, which lays out how some liquor store profits will be spent on park-related items in a budget for 2023
and a plan for the next four to five years. Hanson moved, seconded by Marx, to recommend Council approval of the Recreation
and Open Space Capital Improvement Plan. Approved, ayes all.
Committee Reports
FOWL: Markle / Arts: Nelson / Sustainability: Hanson / HAVM: Nwaudo
Next Meeting/Adjournment
Regular July Meeting: Tuesday, July 19, 7:00 pm, Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave)
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned by consensus at 8:17 pm.
DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC.