12-01-2003 PRCEM
MINUTES
Parks, Recreation & Community Education Advisory Board
December 1, 2003
Members Present: Mike Cannon, Kirk Kosel, Bill Arndt, and Bernie Miner. Also present were
DolfMoon and Karen McKay.
The meeting was called to order at 5: 18 pm
A motion made by Bill Arndt and seconded by Kirk Kosel approved the minutes dated November 3,
2003. The motion passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
Capital Projects -A new divider net has been installed in the Recreation Center. A rider type floor
scrubber with a wider deck was purchased this year.
$47,500 has been set aside as half the cost of new synthetic flooring in the gym. $47,500 is
proposed for the 2004 budget, installation is expected to be complete in August. The synthetic
product will be smoother than the floor currently in the gym. The cost of the flooring is expected to
be approximately $97,000. Mike questioned if a wood floor was considered. Dolftold the board
that the gym is not climate controlled and that warping would be a problem with a wood surface.
Bernie questioned the moisture problem in the gym that occurs in the spring. With the smoother
floor this will have to be monitored as a safety concern. Dolf said the problem is not structural, its
condensation.
New lighting in the Rec Center is also being considered. Dolftold the board the lighting would be
bi-level. The cost would be approximately $32,000. Mark Schnobrich, City Forester, has received
$30,000 from the Hutchinson Utilities Commission in the past to provide shade trees on private
property. Mark has several grant projects coming up in 2004 with the Minnesota Department of
Transportation and a Miller's Woods. Not putting the shade tree project in jeopardy, Dolfhas
checked with Patrick Spethmann of Hutchinson Utilities to see if the $30,000 could be reallocated
in 2004 for the lighting project at the Recreation Center. The item will be presented at the January
Utilities meeting.
Steel sheeting has been purchased and will be installed to cover the insulation rising above the brick
in the Rec Center in 2004.
Kirk asked about a clock in the gym on the new scoreboard. Dolf told the board that a component
needs to be added to the scoreboard to keep the clock lit. Aluminum standards and new nets have
been ordered.
There have been several capital projects in the parks. The Roberts Park parking lot was resurfaced.
A new backstop is scheduled for Veteran's Memorial Field, the current one is 18 years old.
2004 Park & Recreation Budget - The 2004 proposed Park and Recreation figures are in place
and Dolf feels that they will stand as proposed. The seasonal staff is back in the budget for 2004.
MINUTES
PRCE Advisory Board
December 1, 2003
Page two
OLD BUSINESS
Merrill House - The City is receiving the Merrill House through tax forfeiture; it's a six month
process. An adjacent property owner donated a piece ofland to the city. The City Engineer and the
City Planner have been meeting to decide how to restore the property. Money is available for
historical preservation.
Youth Soccer - Dolf attended a meeting, of soccer boosters in the Hutchinson area. Their desire is
to promote youth soccer with the ultimate goal of establishing soccer as a varsity level sport.
Walter Patino, soccer organizer in the Glencoe area, has developed soccer into a varsity sport there.
The high school won't be able to offer soccer until it is able to sustain itself. In Hutchinson, the
interest has started slow. The club needs a parent organizer.
Parkland Dedication Fees - The board received a report on open space in Hutchinson reviewing
inventory, acres and history of parks and employees. With the addition of the school turf
maintenance and snow removal, the city was able to purchase wider and better maintenance
equipment. The city does not accept any parkland donation smaller than four acres for new
development. Rotary Park will get a restroom in 2004.
BOARD MEMBER ITEMS
Bernie Miner had a safety concern with the low-rise bleachers in the Recreation Center, several
braces are broken. Dolf will have them repaired.
Bill Arndt would like to see an underpass across Highway 7/22 near Modern Mazda to Golf Course
Road.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:15 pm on a motion made by Bill Arndt and seconded by Bernie
Miner. The Board unanimously agreed.
klm