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2022-11-CSCCommunity Services Commission Meeting Tuesday, November 15, 7:00 pm Richfield Municipal Center, Heredia Room Commission Members David Benson, Meredith Bruzek, Michael Devane, Jenna Hanson, Tessa Johanson (Chair), Jessica Johnson-Kreps, Ben Marx, Brooke Nelson, Stephanie Nwaudo 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: September 20 and October 18, 2022 2. Public Comment  Comments and items not printed on agenda 3. Staff Reports  Recreation Programming Update (Markle) 4. Discussion Items  Local Sales Tax (Markle) 5. Action Item  Election of Vice Chair (Markle/Johanson) • Through January 2023  Cancel December CSC Meeting (All) 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, December 20, 7:00 pm Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave) ADJOURNMENT September 20, 2022 REGULAR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING Tuesday, September 20, 2022 Richfield Municipal Center PRESENT CSC: Mike Devane, Brooke Nelson, Tessa Johanson, Jenna Hanson, Jessica Johnson-Kreps, Stephanie Nwaudo 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, Ben Marx Call to Order - Approval of Agenda – Minutes - Other Meeting called to order at 7:02. Report: Kevin Wendt resigned from CSC, Tessa Johanson became Chair. June 21 regular meeting minutes approved. Staff Reports Recreation Services Updates Recreation Services Director Markle reported on the following: • Pool saw record numbers in 2022. • Arena has seen heavy activity. • Special events have been well-attended: 4th of July Family Day, summer concerts, Penn Fest, Urban Wildland Half Marathon & 5K. • Farmers Market has seen high attendance (as many as 2,500). • Wood Lake summer camps and Playgrounds are all full. • Friends of Wood Lake Dinner: Oct 22, Community Center Fall Boutique: Oct 29, Half-Haunted Halloween at Wood Lake: Oct 28 • Program Supervisor MaryKaye Champa retired after 30 years • Emerald Ash Borer has had a great impact on parks, especially Christian and Donaldson. Tree planting at Donaldson took place on September 15 and will take place at Christian on September 22. • Round Up for Parks at the Richfield Liquor Stores supports purchase of trees through September. In October-December, round up will benefit the purchase of bike medic stretcher trailers. • Wood Lake project was in the bonding bill, but the MN Legislature adjourned without considering the bill. • Unveiling of Mixto mural on Friday, September 23, 6:00 pm. • A splash pad will be built next to the existing pool on the west end; it will be funded with surplus COVID-19 money that was reallocated. • A local option sales tax is being proposed and would fund a number of park improvements. Going to Council, MN Legislature, then has to be approved by referendum. Discussion Items Skate Park Expansion Project Markle said that $90k is budgeted in our capital improvement budget and we will seek a matching grant through Hennepin County to expand the Augsburg Skate Park into the old basketball court area to provide more area for beginner skaters. Bike Park Project Markle reported that Three Rivers Park District has committed funds to the project in addition to City capital funds. She said that the company who will likely do the work met her out there and they, as well as Three Rivers, are excited about the accessible location, which is on a bike path corridor. Tennis Court Planning Markle said that more information will be coming about plans for resurfacing some courts or removing underutilized courts.. Round Up Program Markle said it will benefit trees at Donaldson through September and bike medic stretcher trailers in October, November, and December. Community Gardens Markle said that she and Sustainability Specialist Rachel Lindholm had an open house prior to this evening’s meeting and feedback was good. She said that the Vets garden will be installed for 2023 and other locations will be discussed for 2024. Action Items Special Event Permit Price Increase Markle said that staff reviewed the fees that Richfield charges for organizations to hold community events like run/walk events, etc. She said that our fees are less than neighboring communities like Minneapolis and Bloomington and proposes an increase from $250 to $300 for permit and trail fees and $2 to $3 for per-participant fees. The revised special event fee schedule was approved unanimously. Friends of Wood Lake Board Appointment Daniel Bredemus was unanimously appointed to the Friends of Wood Lake Board. Committee Reports Transportation: Devane / Arts: Nelson / Sustainability: Hanson / HAVM: Nwaudo Next Meeting/Adjournment Regular October Meeting: Tuesday, October 18, 7:00 pm, Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave) Adjournment: Meeting adjourned by consensus at 8:17 pm. DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC. October 18, 2022 REGULAR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING Tuesday, October 18, 2022 Richfield Municipal Center PRESENT CSC: Tessa Johanson, Jessica Johnson-Kreps, Stephanie Nwaudo, Meredith Bruzek CITY STAFF: Amy Markle (Recreation Director), John Evans (Secretary), Kris Weiby (Facilities Mgr) COUNCIL: Ben Whalen ABSENT CSC: Mike Devane, Brooke Nelson, Jenna Hanson, David Benson, Ben Marx OTHERS: Crystal Brakke (school board) Call to Order Meeting called to order at 7:07. Staff Reports Recreation Services Facilities Manager Weiby reported: • The City will receive ARPA funds that will allow for the construction of a splash pad facility that will provide the public with a place to keep cool for free. There will be a public engagement process prior to soliciting proposals. • The Minnesota Whitecaps professional women’s hockey team is moving to the Richfield Ice Arena. Arena staff is remodeling and getting things ready for the Whitecaps. The first home stand is November 18. • Fall events are in full swing: Half-Haunted Halloween at Wood Lake on Oct 22, Friends of Wood Lake Dinner on Oct 28, Fall Boutique on Oct 29. • Farmers Market: last outdoor market of the season was October 15. Great attendance. Indoor market starts Nov 19 at Vets Park building. • Council worksession coming up about community gardens; pilot location will be at Vets Park in 2023, behind the Arena. Pollinator garden will be next to the vegetable garden. Discussion Items Skate Park Expansion Project Markle said that $90k is budgeted in our capital improvement budget and we will seek a matching grant through Hennepin County to expand the Augsburg Skate Park into the old basketball court area to provide more area for beginner skaters. She said that letters of support are being gathered from different organizations, local elected officials, and others. She said that the goal will be to construct the expansion in September 2023. Bike Park Project Markle reported that Three Rivers Park District has committed half of the funding for the project ($100k) in addition to City capital funds. She said that the company who will likely do the work met her out there and they, as well as Three Rivers and Richfield Safe Routes to School, are excited about the facility and the accessible location, which is on a bike path corridor. Friendship City Commission Markle said that a proposal will be going to Council in October to rescind their status as an advisory board to the Council and sunset this role, transitioning to more of an informal committee. She said that staff has talked with the commission members, who agree that there is not any pending official business and they could continue to meet as a committee. Local Sales Tax Markle said that Richfield staff will prepare a report detailing the projects that would benefit from a sales tax and the terms of such a tax. She said that staff will approach the Council in December and the MN Legislature in January. Committee Reports FOWL: Bruzek / Arts: Markle / HAVM: Nwaudo / Sustainability: Hanson (submitted in writing) / Transportation: Whalen Next Meeting/Adjournment Regular November Meeting: Tuesday, November 15, 7:00 pm, Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave) Adjournment: Meeting adjourned by consensus at 8:10 pm. DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC.