Minutes_Park and Recreation Commission 3 9 10PRESENT:
ABSENT:
OTHERS:
MINUTES
APPROVED;
VOTE:
BOY SCOUT
REQUEST TO
WAIVE
ENTRANCE FEE
TO EAGLE POINT
PARK; VOTE:
DISCUSS
CAMPGROUND
PROCEDURES
AT MILLER
RIVERVIEW
PARK:
RAGBRAI
UPDATE:
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
4:30 p.m., Snack Bar, Bunker Hill Golf Course
Bob Blocker, Tom Blocklinger, Gary Harjehausen, Karen Lyness, Evelyn
Nadeau and Mark Noble
Paul Hoffmann
Staff present: Pat Prevenas, Bob Fritsch and Eileen Trimble
It was moved by Harjehausen, seconded by Nadeau, to approve the minutes of
the February 9, 2010, meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Tyler and Dillon Runde were present representing the Boy Scouts, asking to
have the entrance fee to Eagle Point Park waived for persons attending their
pancake breakfast on Mother's Day. This request is the same every year, and
in exchange for waiving the entrance fee, the scouts do a service project at
Eagle Point Park.
It was moved by Nadeau, seconded 12y Lyness, to waive the entrance fee to
Eagle Point Park on Mother's Day, May 9th, for anyone attending the Boy
Scout pancake breakfast. The motion passed unanimously.
Acting Leisure Services Manager Pat Prevenas told commissioners that we are
considering some changes to the reservation process for camping at Miller
Riverview, so we will be reviewing the system during this coming season. We
have had suggestions from citizens such as: • require payment when
reservation is made — this would involve issues with credit card payment
information security, privacy, phone lines, computer access, etc; • do not take
reservations at all, have first -come, first - served system — may have increased
revenue because people would need to come to the campground sooner to get
a weekend and it would eliminate "no shows" for held reservations that had not
paid. This year we will have the park ranger talk to campers throughout the
season, watch the operation and get their opinion on reservation process.
This year reservations will be taken April 1st for holiday weekends only,
starting at 7:00 a.m. for in person and 8:00 a.m. for telephone. All other dates
for the 2010 season can be reserved starting April 2nd.
Manager Prevenas said Ragbrai will finish in Dubuque on July 31st at the Port
of Dubuque. The route is tentatively scheduled to go through Industrial Center
West and Bergfeld to Radford Road, to Pennsylvania, to Chaney, to Hillcrest,
to Clarke Drive, to Madison Street hill, through downtown and over 3rd Street
overpass to Port. There is a wedding reception scheduled at the Amphitheater
that we are trying to get changed since there could be 15,000 bikers in that
area; they may move to the Grand River Center.
PET PARK FEE
UPDATE:
RECREATION
DIVISION
REPORT:
OTHER
BUSINESS:
ADJOURN;
VOTE:
March 9, 2010 meeting
page two
Manager Prevenas told commissioners that the final budget hearing is tonight
for the City Council and they will be passing a resolution to initiate pet park
fees effective May 1st. General comments from commissioners included: •
will there be a low income waiver or special fee? • how will we keep track —
special tag to go with city license tag: • after this fall can we do an
expense /revenue comparison to evaluate and make sure expenses are being
covered? • citizens will have higher expectations for amenities at the park
since they have to pay a special fee to use it. Mr. Prevenas said he didn't think
we would spend more than revenue that comes in and checking for tags at the
park would be done by periodic stops by the park patrol and the animal control
officer
PARK DIVISION Park Division Manager Bob Fritsch updated commissioners:
REPORT:
• Drew Cook and Sons will begin demolition of the new park site at Grandview
Avenue and Rockdale Road. The two low bidders both dropped out. The
building should be down by the end of March. Bob Fritsch is doing the design
for the park. • park cleanup has begun; • Park Division will be in charge of
the two large planters on the south side of the IBM building; • new section of
Bergfeld Recreation Area trail has been added and is done except for the
parking lot; • Eagle Scout project for the tile at the rest area of the Trolley Line
Trail is completed and looks really nice; • city received a DNR Water Trail
Grant to have signage placed at A.Y. McDonald Park and boat ramp at
McAleece for informational purposes for paddle sports.
Recreation Division Manager Pat Prevenas updated commissioners:
• softball registration deadline is tomorrow; • alumni basketball tournament
deadline is today; post season basketball tournament is in progress; • indoor
soccer open gym offered on Wednesdays at Audubon has about 20
participants; • Hempstead has open swimming on Sundays.
• Since the City Expo is the second Tuesday in April and both managers
would be involved with that, the April meeting will be changed to APRIL
20TH.
• Summer meetings: request to have a meeting in the new bridge complex
when it is completed and some of other summer meetings at department
facilities.
It was moved by Blocker, seconded by Noble, that the meeting be adjourned at
5:25 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
Attest
Chairperson