2002-06 CSC
RICHFIELD COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
Wood Lake Nature Center
Present: Commissioners Chad Sharkey, Rick Jabs, Tim Erlander, Gary Ness, Barb Kritzman Staff Jim Topitzhofer, John Evans, Frank White Council Liaison Planning Commission Liaison Others Steve
Krantz (President, RGSPSA), Ken Murphy (Director, RGSPSA) Absent: Commissioners Kari Johnson, Linda Slocum, Maureen Scaglia, Gordon Vizecky, John Easterwood, Bob Dietl Council Liaison John
Enger
Call to Order The meeting was called to order by CSC Chair Jabs at 7:14 p.m.
Discussion Items Lincoln Field Improvements: Richfield Girls Slow-Pitch Softball Association
Krantz said that the emphasis of the association leagues is recreation and instruction. He said that returning girls and boys to the same or similar complexes is a goal of the association.
Murphy and Krantz said that when the East Richfield fields were replaced, more money was spent on the facilities for the boys than the facilities for the girls. Murphy said that the
girls’ fields are not maintained as well or as frequently as the boys’ fields and the treatment has not been fair or equal.
Jabs said that he and former RGSA President Scott Freeman sat on the Ballfield Replacement Task Force and gave long and careful consideration to the facilities for girls as well as boys.
He said that the opportunities for input from the RGSA were constant and ongoing.
Krantz said that Freeman felt that the direction of the task force was not in accordance with his wishes and some of the opinions of the RGSA were not represented in the end result.
Erlander said that he hears the complaints at hand from the RGSA representatives. Sharkey agreed and said that current and future problems must be addressed.
Topitzhofer said that working with the school district to coordinate maintenance of the fields has been frustrating. He said that maintenance issues during the school year are particularly
difficult because field maintenance is not a priority for the school district.
Murphy said that the girls play on school fields, boys on City fields, which contributes to the maintenance problems. Murphy said that the support has been poor at the school fields.
He said that the City has done their best to work with the school, but the amount spent at Roosevelt, for example, was greater than the amounts at the girls’ fields.
White said that the ballfield replacement process took over a year. He said that the amounts spent are not comparable because of the differences in the existing fields. Also, he said,
in situations where field maintenance is the City’s responsibility, staff has done an excellent job and the feedback has reflected this.
Krantz said that the present and future problems are what need to be addressed.
Jabs said that this is not a gender equity issue and should never be identified as such. He said that the task force worked hard on a solution and the increased prioritization of Lincoln
Field improvements was a decision of the CSC. He said that the improvements may be revisited at budget time next year.
Murphy said that Lincoln Field could accommodate four fields. He said that the layout at Roosevelt is superior to the school fields and could be used as a pattern at Lincoln. He said
that the girls have lost a community atmosphere and it could be regained at Lincoln.
Ness said that his son uses Lincoln. He said that Lincoln is in use on most nights by t-ball and machine pitch and he wonders what would become of these leagues if Lincoln were dedicated
to girls’ leagues. He asked if the fields at Lincoln would be slow and fast pitch.
Murphy said that RIS and RMS have power for machine pitch leagues. He said the fields at Lincoln should be usable for both, with the pitching rubber being the only crucial difference,
but the slow pitch league could occupy four fields at Lincoln nightly. Krantz said that Lincoln could not be used for adult play.
Topitzhofer said that the RGSA has been heard and will be made a part of a task force to discuss the renovation of Lincoln Field, which will be inevitable. RGSA concerns were summarized:
Fields spread out, no common ground
No concessions
Lost community sense
School is not maintaining fields; city does 100% of maintenance
More money spent on boys baseball.
Action Items The following action items were postponed due to a lack of a quorum:
Approval of minutes of May 21 regular meeting
Reappointment of FOWL Board Members
Cancellation of regular July CSC meeting
Committee Reports None
Staff Reports None
Adjournment Meeting adjourned by consensus at 8:13 p.m.
June 18, 2002 Minutes