2007-01 CSCRICHFIELD COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Richfield Community Center
PRESENT CSC Members Gordon Vizecky, Rodney Schmidt, Michael Christian, Gary Ness, Catherine Peloquin, Barb Kritzman Staff Jim Topitzhofer, John Evans ABSENT CSC Members Dean Johnson Council
Liaison Fred Wroge
Call to Order Chair Vizecky called the meeting to order at 7:06 pm.
Approval of Minutes Christian moved, seconded by Schmidt, to approve the minutes of the regular December meeting. Approved, ayes all.
Other Items Ness commented that a parent praised the youth athletics program and field maintenance in Richfield.
Staff Reports Recreation Services
Topitzhofer reported on the following:
2006 Budget: Revenue was up and expenses were down.
Broomball Policy: Group playing pickup broomball at Donaldson were told that they couldn’t play there. Policy reads that pickup broomball can be played at Taft. Staff will meet with
the group to discuss changes to the policy.
New Year’s Eve Programs: Went well at Wood Lake and the Ice Arena. Pretty good attendance.
Arts Center: Staff will find out in January if the MRAC grant is received.
Master Park Plan: A bus tour with the consultant was held in December.
Discussion Items Capital Improvement Plan, 2007-2011
Topitzhofer reviewed the plan as submitted last year. Christian asked about the Lincoln Field project; he asked about the design phase and if the total project cost will be known.
Kritzman asked about the Cedar Point project developer providing funding for raising and reconstructing Taft lighting; Topitzhofer said that he explored that option, but the project
did not end up taking any park land. Peloquin suggested looking into environmental grants. Ness suggested asking Metro Airports Comm for funding; he also suggested working the Ice
Arena parking lot reconstruction into the 66th and Portland roundabout project; Topitzhofer said that, even if funds aren’t available, a low-bid rate through a contractor could be used
for the project. Topitzhofer said that this plan will change as the master park plan work is conducted this year. Ness asked if a property-sale or building-permit fee can be dedicated
to parks, as well. Topitzhofer said that state law may not allow that. Christian asked about the year that shows a $50,000 decrease. Topitzhofer said that it’s an amount designated
for liquor store improvements. Christian asked about the ice arena subsidy. Topitzhofer said that the arena/pool/mini-golf combination, counting interest from funds and not counting
depreciation, does not subsidize those funds in large amounts (sometimes it breaks even or makes a small profit). Vizecky asked about work on the mini-golf program. Topitzhofer said
that there’s a year identified in the future in which to determine whether mini-golf will be rehabilitated or dismantled.
Renaming Park Facilities
Topitzhofer said that individuals have expressed interest in naming a field at Donaldson Park after Gordy Larson. The CSC had considered this before, he said, and it was decided that
it would set a precedent that might present a problem in the future and may present problems with sign standards and cost of renaming maps, etc. Ness said that the group had suggested
that a group rename a tournament after the person and the field could be designated as the home of that tournament. Christian said that fields could be renamed without changing the
park name in materials. Vizecky suggested establishing guidelines that may require a fee for renaming a facility. Topitzhofer said that the CSC could define the parameters for such
a facility renaming program (certain kind of plaque, placement of it, no City funds, etc); he said that an individual will be coming to the group about this.
Park Reports Garfield Park
Kritzman provided the report; she said that it doesn’t appear to get much use. Topitzhofer said that the play equipment is old, but not unsafe to the point that it needed to be removed.
Christian asked if it’s worth replacing. Topitzhofer said that it’s a park in the midst of some high-density residential units, so it might be a park to still consider developing in
the future; possibly as some kind of specialty park, like a rose garden.
Committee Reports City Hall TF
Ness provided the report.
FOWL
Kritzman reported that the FOWL Dinner is Friday, April 27.
Vets Memorial TF
Topitzhofer provided the report. He told the group about the state statute that forbids municipalities from raising money to build a memorial. He said that the group that raises the
money will need to be a non-profit organization; the task force voted to form the group. Vizecky asked about the $15,000 allocated to the memorial in the capital improvement plan.
Topitzhofer said that the City will spend that money on site improvements. Schmidt said that the name was determined to be All Veterans Memorial in Richfield.
Next Meeting Tuesday, February 20, 7:00 pm, Richfield Community Center
Adjournment Ness moved, seconded by Kritzman, to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 8:19 pm.
January 16, 2007
DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC.