2019-04 CSCREGULAR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Richfield Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave)
PRESENT CSC: Kevin Wendt, Carolyn Engeldinger, Anne Flake, Lisa Rudolph, Art Felgate, Ava Noack, Dan Smieja, Joannette Cintrón de Núñez SCHOOL BOARD: Crystal Brakke STAFF: Amy Markle,
Chris Link, John Evans ABSENT CSC: Danielle Indovino Cawley, Joseph Miller, Andy Soto COUNCIL: Edwina Garcia
Call to Order Rudolph called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
Approval of Minutes/Agenda Minutes and Agenda: Motion by Engeldinger and second to approve the minutes of the regular March meeting. Approved, ayes all. Felgate added a presentation
to the agenda.
Staff Reports Recreation Services (Markle)
Peterson Family Stage Dedication passed Council
MN DNR grant application was approved for a lagoon boardwalk at Wood Lake Nature Center.
Floating boardwalk at Wood Lake was pulled up and moved in a windstorm. Repair options are being considered, including an insurance claim.
Egg Scramble: Sat, 4/13. Great turnout.
Interviews for the naturalist position at Wood Lake have been conducted.
New Urban Wildland course is being measured for certification.
Earth Day Park Clean Up: Tue, April 23, 11:00 am
Dog Park Update (Link)
The dog park project, previously budgeted in the capital improvement plan for 2019, will be postponed until 2020. Staff suggested dedicating an existing ice rink area at Roosevelt Park,
surrounded by boards, for an off-leash dog area. Engeldinger suggested separating large and small dogs. Markle suggested an additional hockey rink area, designating one park for small
dogs and one for large dogs. Link asked if wood chips would be necessary; most agreed that it wouldn’t be necessary. Link said a bag dispenser would be essential. He said it will
be a good pilot project for a more official dog park.
Recycling System in Parks (Link)
Staff is working on providing recycling containers and pickup service in the parks. He said that staff is working on the type of receptacles and the possibility of fewer receptacles,
which could create concern about more littering, so staff would work to get the word out about it.
Action Items Facility Dedication Request: Gertrude Ulrich Memorial Garden
Recreation Services Director Markle summarized the Band Shell Taskforce’s application to dedicate a new garden area near the band shell to former Council Member and State Representative
Gertrude Ulrich. She said that the Friends of the Band Shell have a plan from Bachman’s that would cost $10,000 and there are funds donated for the project. Smieja said that there
was clarification from the Council about dedicating rather than naming and this seems like a facility naming. Engeldinger said that the funds came from an effort to raise money specifically
for a dedication to Ulrich. Markle said that she could request a rewording of the plaque to not name a facility, but just to dedicate it. Flake moved to recommend approval of the facility
dedication request, with wording change as a dedication rather than a naming, based on their understanding of the City’s dedication policy and to recommend that the Council revisit the
dedication policy and consider naming it at their discretion with respect to the policy. Approved, ayes all.
Capital Improvement Plan and Budget Revisions
Markle presented the draft plan. She highlighted the following:
Moving Augsburg Play Equipment to 2020 and Donaldson Play Equipment to 2021.
Repairing fence at Wood Lake. Felgate said that the Wood Lake fence may not need to be in the plan if the Lyndale Avenue project funds a new fence; Markle said that it relates this year
to repair to the existing fence.
Sewage lift station pumps will be replaced in 2019 at the Community Center.
Taft, Jefferson, and Nicollet play equipment replacement amounts may need to be increased with funding from other sources, possibly from funds previously allocated for light replacement
at the Taft Park Ballfields.
Possibly not replacing the boardwalk at Veterans Park, creating a curved dock rather than a boardwalk.
Boardwalk replacement at Wood Lake may be funded by insurance (pending).
Motion and second to recommend Council approval of the Parks Capital Improvement Plan. Approved, ayes all.
Other Felgate reported on a seminar he attended regarding the Highline Park in New York City.
Committee Reports Friends of Wood Lake: Markle reported on the FOWL Dinner, 4/26 Arts Commission: Noack reported. Friendship City Commission: Markle reported on Cynthy Mandl’s art
opening. Honoring All Veterans Memorial: Markle reported Organics Recycling: Markle reported.
Other/Next Meeting/Adjournment Regular May Meeting: Tuesday, May 21, 7:00 pm, Richfield Municipal Center (6700 Portland Ave).
Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 8:34 pm.
April 16, 2019
DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC.