11-01-2004 PRCEM
MINUTES
Parks, Recreation & Community Education Advisory Board
November 1,2004
Members Present: Bill Arndt, Ralph Johnson, Lora Muilenburg, Deane Dietel, Mary Inglis, Kirk
Kosel and Mike Cannon. Also present were DolfMoon and Karen McKay.
The meeting was called to order at 5: 15 pm
A motion made by Bill Arndt and seconded by Lora Muilenburg approved the minutes dated
October 5,2004. The motion passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
Fall Projects - Park staff have been seeding several park areas. Work has begun in the Roberts
Park concession stand. Improvements include new cabinets and wall overlayments, which are
recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health. Hutchinson Junior League
Baseball has contributed $1,500 to help pay for the improvements.
Projects have been completed at Veterans Memorial Field in preparation for the State Amateur
Baseball Tournament next year. Work is still going on to complete improvements at Rotary
Park; the restroom was installed the last week in October. The Park staff is also in the progress
of winterizing the park shelters.
2005 Budget - The City Council has met several times and has provided feedback to the City
Administration. City staff will need to cut $327,000 to achieve a 5% levy increase. Dolf
reminded the Board that the PRCE Department reduced its budget by 4.5 staff last year. Bill
Arndt asked if the Board had any suggestions for cuts. The final budgets are not set, so Dolfwill
keep the Board posted.
Dolf said the Parks Department has been able to utilize several volunteer groups this fall; a
second grade class at Park Elementary raked the Harrington/Merrill property. Two high school
classes varnished picnic tables. An environmental class divided plants and placed new mulch on
school property. The Rotary Club is organizing volunteers to work with elderly on weekends.
NEW BUSINESS
Grant Proposals - The City of Hutchinson has received a $10,000 grant from 3M for the
Harrington/Merrill house. The project will focus on intergenerational activities such as Senior
Citizens and Park Elementary students gardening, cleaning the woods and planting landscape
materials.
The city has applied for a $15,000 grant with 3M for environmental improvements. 3M gave
$20,000 the last time the city applied for this type of grant. The project would include work
along the river from the 2nd Avenue Bridge to the 5th Avenue Bridge that would cut down on
maintenance issues and encourage fishing.
MINUTES
PRCE Advisory Board
November 1,2004
Page two
Dam Proj ect - John Rodeberg, Director of Engineering & Public Works, put together a slide
show presentation for the Crow River group; Dolf presented it to the board. It showed river
projects in progress and completed for the past 10-15 years. The dam is going to be in need of
replacement because of structural and operational issues. The Main Street Bridge will be
replaced in 2007 and replacing the dam at that time would be practical. Funding the dam
replacement project will be an issue. The Department of Natural Resources and the Corp of
Engineering may be a source of funding along with the City of Hutchinson. When the bridge is
replaced, the trail will also be improved with an underpass crossing Main Street.
The Bass Pond area has a loop trail project proposed, it will restore and enhance the wetland and
trail area.
Fall Program Wrap-Up - The board reviewed a handout of recreation program statistics.
Registered program participant numbers remained stable with last years numbers.
BOARD MEMBER ITEMS
Deane Dietel reported that the Crow River clean-up scheduled for Saturday, September 18th was
hampered by the sewage leak reported in the Crow River. Approximately 30 people showed up.
A large scale clean-up of the river took place in 1993 when truck loads of debris were removed.
Bill Arndt mentioned that Snowmobile Safety Class is offered November 29th, 30th and
December 1 at the McLeod County Fairgrounds.
Ralph Johnson asked about the outdoor ice rinks. Dolftold the Board that a pleasure and hockey
rink will be flooded at Park Elementary. Kiwanis Park sliding hill and Park Elementary will
have regular warming house hours after school, non-school days and weekends. The rink at
Northwoods Park will be open Fridays after school and weekends.
Dolf told the Board that the warming house along 2nd Avenue Southeast will be removed. Right
now it is being used for cold storage, there is no electric or gas hooked up to the building.
ADJOURMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:15pm by a motion made by Ralph Johnson and seconded by
Mary Inglis, the board unanimously agreed.
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