2016-03 CSCRICHFIELD COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION
DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC.REGULAR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Richfield Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave)
PRESENT
CSC: Reed Bornholdt, Art Felgate, Michele Thompson, Carolyn Engeldinger, Lisa Rudolph, Emma Nollenberger, Crystal Brakke
STAFF: Jim Topitzhofer, John Evans, Chris Link < </w:tPUBLIC: Birgit Johnson, Steve LaVictoire
ABSENT
CSC Joannette Cintron de Nunez: < </COUNCIL: Edwina Garcia </PLAN COM: Rick Jabs
Call to Order/Minutes
Chair Bornholdt called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Thompson moved, seconded by Rudolph, to approve the minutes of the regular February meeting. Approved, ayes all. Brakke moved,
seconded by Thompson, to approve the agenda for tonight. Approved, ayes all.
Staff Reports
Recreation Services
Vets Park Boardwalk: Public Works Superintendent Link reported that many of the floats are cracked and are leaking Styrofoam pellets. Staff has been skimming the leaked pieces with
a butterfly net. A contractor will be replacing floats on the sections, beginning with ones that have the largest cracks. Link said that the work will be done around April 1. Topitzhofer
said that the cost to replace all of the floats, spread out over a few seasons, will be $40,000. Link said that the contractor will do a final cleanup after the work is done this season.
Action Items
2017-2021 Parks & Recreation Capital Improvement Plan: Topitzhofer presented the items in the plan. Felgate said that he was shocked by the large amount of the plan that has to be
devoted to the conversion of the Arena refrigeration system. He asked if closing the Arena is something needing to be considered; he also asked if we can plan on any more liquor store
revenue in future years. Topitzhofer said that the City is hoping for State of Minnesota Mighty Ducks funds to help pay for the conversion work. Felgate asked if it may be worth studying
and considering the future demand of the Arena and if the resources may be better applied to new soccer fields or other types of facilities. Topitzhofer said that closing the Arena
would be a very big policy decision; he said that there have not been surveys that have asked that direct question. Cintron de Nunez wondered if there is demand for the Arena among
neighboring communities. Rudolph asked how our rink rental rates compare to other area arenas. Topitzhofer said that the rates are comparable and are adjusted each year. Brakke asked
what the operating budget is and said that it would be an important consideration to know how much revenue the Arena produces. Bornholdt asked if this has affected smaller rinks in
Minnesota; Topitzhofer said that there are rinks closing. Topitzhofer said that ice time is still being sold, despite hockey programs ending in Richfield. He said that, with the revision
of the Parks Master Plan in 2018, community surveys will be a part of that, which could include this question. Brakke asked if we could inquire about more liquor store funds, or other
funds, to help us with the rink conversion process. Topitzhofer said that we will know more when we find out how much funding will be coming from the State of MN. Engeldinger asked
if the Arena breaks even; Topitzhofer said that it doesn’t quite break even and is still subsidized by the general fund. Engeldinger said that she believes that the Arena is a key part
of Richfield’s brand and closing it would have a negative impact. Felgate said that changes in demographics and recreational interests, like bike trail development, make the issue worth
raising. He wondered if an arena serves the people of Richfield. Topitzhofer said that we did sell all of the ice time we lost from the Richfield hockey program ending. Brakke asked
if the Wood Lake floating boardwalk work would change its location or size; Topitzhofer said that it is just budgeted to replace it as is. Nollenberger asked if both rinks have to be
converted. Topitzhofer said that the refrigerant from rink #1 can be stockpiled and used in rink #2, which would delay the necessity to convert rink #2. He said that there may be items
identified in the Parks Master Plan that would require a bond referendum; Felgate said that putting the rink conversion on a bond referendum would be a direct way to gauge the community’s
interest in keeping the Arena open. Bornholdt asked if the recommendation should include a stipulation to flag the rink conversion item. Felgate moved, seconded by Cintron de Nunez,
to recommend the 2017-2021 Recreation Capital Improvement Plan, stipulating further study to determine if or how the rink conversion item should be included in the capital improvement
plan or if other funding can be identified. Approved, ayes all.
Friends of Wood Lake Board Appointments: Thompson moved, seconded by Brakke, to reappoint Gordon Hanson and appoint ReAnn Dargus Robelia, to the Friends of Wood Lake Board of Directors.
Approved, ayes all.
Committee Reports
Transportation Commission: Felgate provided the report. <Band Shell Taskforce: Topitzhofer reported that additional soil borings were done closer to the Arena and the soil is considerably
better than the other location. He said that cost estimates were done and the better soil will save some money, but not as much as hoped. He said that Stahl Construction put together
a cost estimate that is still $67,000 over budget; they are revising their numbers to see if the project would be more viable. Friends of Wood Lake: Bornholdt provided the report, reminding
people of the FOWL Dinner on April 29. Planning Commission: Brakke provided the report. <
Arts Commission: Rudolph provided the report. <Friendship City Commission: Topitzhofe provided the report.
Next Meeting/Adjournment
Regular April Meeting: Tuesday, April 19, 7:00 pm, Richfield Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave)
Adjournment <Meeting adjourned by consensus at 7:54 pm.
March 15, 2016