1993 PRC MinutesCRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
January 6, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:08p.m. by
Chairperson Bill Gentry. Members present were: Ms. Moucha,
Ms. Reid, Mr. Ertz, Mr. Jungroth and Ms. Saunders. Absent
members were: Ms. Barrett and Mr. O'Reilly. New member
Richard ("Andy") Anderson was introduced to the Commission.
Present from city staff was Ms. Hackett. City Council
liaison Tom Krueger was also present.
Minutes of the December meeting were approved as sent.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Monthly Activity Report and the
Community Center Usage Report. Decline in Senior Membership
was mentioned. If the decline continues this will be
discussed at a future meeting. The 800th permit was issued
by the Community Center since it opened. There was no
Vandalism Report as no vandalism was reported in December.
Mr. Gentry gave the Chairperson's report: Marlyn Theisen
has resigned from the Commission. Mr. O'Reilly has been
absent due to a shift change at work. He will hopefully be
able to return in February.
The DNR State Forester (Ken Holman) in charge of the Tree
City program addressed the Commission. He spoke about other
tree boards, the Tree City program, and Arborfest.
Highlights were as follows:
-The Tree City USA program began 15 years ago. There
are four standards that must be met to obtain Tree
City status. They are as follows:
1. The city must have a tree board
2. There must be a tree ordinance
3. The city must spend $2.00 per capita on
tree care
4. The city must hold an Arborfest celebration
-Arborfest was started 100 years ago by Morton Salt Co.
There are grants available that are funded by the
legislature - The Minnesota Releaf Program.
-The DNR publishes a guide for Arbor month. They will
send one out.
-The DNR can help or even train the Tree Board staff at
Crystal. They can provide speakers versed on tree
care. The DNR will produce guides for residents
listing suitable and/or non -suitable trees for the
community. Inexpensive software programs are
available.
-He strongly suggested that we do a tree inventory. He
suggested expanding community education by publishing
more information, even borrowed articles, for the
Community Newsletter, or possibly putting a small
arboretum in one of the parks. He also discussed
having a tree sale and having residents show a plan of
where they will plant.
-He suggested that the Tree Board contact Robbinsdale's
tree inspector since Crystal only has a seasonal tree
inspector. He said to keep the City Council informed
and to send them an annual report. He also suggested
they contact Brooklyn Center and Maple Grove as they
have well established tree boards and arboretums. The
suggestion was made that we budget as much in the
first 5 to 7 years for maintenance as the cost of the
tree. This can save big money in the long run.
The Commission was in favor of having someone come out to
discuss inventory, public property, size species, condition,
etc. The Commission also liked the idea of community
education. The Chairperson suggested using the DNR sample
goals sheet as a discussion guideline at the next Tree Board
meeting.
The Golf Committee Reorganization was discussed. Greg Ertz
agreed to be the new chairperson. The purpose of the
Committee needs to be discussed and redefined. Bill Gentry
will prepare a statement of goals and objectives for
discussion at the February meeting.
The Activity Assistance Application was accepted and
approved. The information will go out in the April
newsletter.
The SCORP Plan was discussed. The emphasis of this plan
seems to be on newly developed communities. The Commission
would like to see more emphasis on keeping up established
communities. Commission comments will be forwarded to the
State Office of Planning.
Ms. Hackett suggested that the Commission Long Range
Planning Committee review all park land, definitions and
classifications as per the City Comprehensive Plan. Future
park development should follow the guidelines as they are
adopted.
The Arborfest and Earthday city celebration was discussed.
The events will be combined. The tentative date is Sat.
April 24. The Commission discussed the tentative schedule
of events. April 24 is also City cleanup at MAC park.
Educational games were discussed. Richard Anderson invented
an electronic matching tree identification game that could
be used. The celebration will start with a general park
cleanup, followed by planting seedlings at Bassett Creek.
Participants will receive a free hot dog and pop, and a
chance to win a door prize. There will be entertainment
Several booths will be set up around the parks ("stations")
for games, education, etc. The day will end with the door
Prize drawing. Other possibilities were discussed as
_ follows:
-Target may be interested in co -sponsoring the event
as part of their Kids Saving Earth program.
-A ceremonial tree planting to replace trees lost to
vandalism.
-"Andy" may have access to the world's largest tree
spade.
-Since it is a priority to inventory trees that need
to be replaced, volunteers could inventory Bassett
Creek during cleanup day.
Ms. Hackett's tentative plan for Arborfest was deemed
"great" as is by the Commission. All events have been
planned so that they can be moved to CCC in the event of bad
weather. Ms. Hackett will forward the tentative schedule to
Julie Jones for discussion at the next Environmental
Commission meeting.
Bill Monk will attend next months meeting. He and Charlie
Tostenson will alternate meetings.
New Committee Assignments are as follows:
-Public Relations: Reid, O'Reilly, Saunders and
Anderson.
-Planning: Ertz, Moucha and Gentry
-Marketing: Jungroth, O'Reilly and possibly Gentry
Not Assigned: Barrett
Openings on the Commission: 'I
Mr. Jungroth mentioned that there are still 14 KLBB spots
that could be used to promote Arborfest, and also there is
the possibility of using public service announcements for
promotion of other events.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Noor
Recorder
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
February 3, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:02p.m. by
Chairperson Bill Gentry. Members present were Ms. Moucha,
Mr. Anderson, Ms. Reid, Ms. Saunders, Mr. Jungroth and Mr.
O'Reilly. Absent members were Mr. Ertz and Ms. Barrett.
Present from city staff were Ms. Hackett, Bill Monk, and
Jerry Dulgar. City Council liaison Tom Krueger was also
present.
Minutes of the January meeting were approved as sent.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Monthly Activity Report. The
report format was changed to make the annual report easier.
Senior Membership is stable. Warming House numbers are up.
Ms. Hackett also reviewed the Community Center Usage Report.
Youth and adult non-profit are now combined into one
category. Meeting room rentals are up. Friday nights are
completely booked for March and April. Adult open gym,
(basketball) has started on Friday night.
Mr. Gentry gave the Chairperson's report: He briefly
discussed the Children's Tree Fund. He reported that he
volunteered for an MRPA committee that will put seminars
together, do some networking, etc. starting in early spring.
Their kick-off meeting will be held February 4, 1993.
Crystal City Manager Jerry Dulgar attended the Commission
meeting to discuss the restructuring of the Recreation Dept.
and Park Division. He stated that the loss of State aid to
local governments has posed significant problems over all.
He discussed other City departments that have been
eliminated and others that will possibly have to combine
with other cities or Hennepin County. The City will be
doing a study of the Recreation Department. The committee
has been formed but has not yet met. They need to look at
program costs versus total cost to determine whether or not
the programs are paying for themselves and whether or not
more services should combine. Mr. Dulgar then opened the
floor to questions from the Commission. They were as
follows:
Are Parks and Streets under the same department?
Yes, but employees are not really cross -trained at
this time. Some cross-over can occur in areas
such as snow plowing, but not specialty areas such
as asphalt.
What about equipment? Is this shared?
Not really. The finance director has talked about
a central motor pool. There would be priority use
but shared equipment. We now share a "bucket
truck" and a tree spade with the City of New Hope.
Since the City has eliminated its Health Dept., will
our rules change as far as food permits, etc?
No, all food serving permits, etc. will remain the
same. Someone will be hired part-time to handle
calls.
The Commission discussed the request of the Local Focus Task
Force (Twin West Chamber of Commerce) that business people
who may live outside the City of Crystal be allowed to serve
on City Commissions. This change would require a change of
the city ordinance. Commission input will be submitted to
the City Council after this meeting for their consideration
along with the input of the other advisory commissions.
Moved by Ms. Reid and seconded by Mr. O'Reilly to
recommend to the Council that the Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission is willing to change the ordinance
to allow Crystal business owners to apply for
Commission openings, with the maximum of one Commission
Member at Large position being occupied from the
business community.
Motion carried. Voting yes: O'Reilly, Moucha,
Anderson, Reid, Jungroth, and Saunders. Voting no:
Gentry.
The Park and Recreation Advisory Commission has 10 members.
One available for each Ward and 2 at Large seats.
The Tree Board was discussed. Bill Monk began by discussing
the budget. The forestry budget is $30,000.00 per year,
including wages. The part-time forester salary is budgeted
at $7500.00 per year. The Tree Board should develop a Goals
and Objectives document. Ms. Hackett and Mr. Monk were
asked to review the sample document distributed so the
Commission can discuss it at the next meeting. The Tree
Board will be looking at private versus public diseased
trees, and possibly turning the responsibility back on home
owners to have trees removed, rather than having the City
remove and then assess the cost.
The Commission discussed the Golf Task Force. Mr. Gentry
distributed copies of the Crystal Citizen Golf Course Task
Force dated December, 1991. A copy will be given to Greg
Ertz to assist in restructuring the group and defining their
responsibilities and purpose. Their job is fact finding,
not decision making. They will need to reassess the
expertise that is on the commission. The Park and
Recreation Advisory Commission will determine the
feasibility of building a Golf Course based on the Task
Force's findings. A timeline will be set after Mr. Ertz
sees a copy of the handout.
Bill Monk presented an update on the Twin Lake Trail System.
The three city staff group is trying to define the core
trails and how they will radiate out into the communities.
There may be funding available if they can show how the
trails go back to the existing City's trail systems. There
are still many components that don't work, but they are
actively working on the project. Money/funding will end up
being the key to the whole plan.
Ms. Reid gave a Crystal Frolics update. She read their
financial report. As of 1-1-93 their treasury held $25,000
in a C.D. and $1,706.00 in cash. They had a good financial
year due to successful booths and concessions. They will
have Bingo again but don't know who will do it yet. The VFW
Auxiliary will have a food booth. The Boy Scouts who
participated last year will have food booths this year.
Much will be the same as last year. The VFW will raise
scholarships for royalty. They will have the dunk.tank
again. They may possibly have heads of organization in the
tank in addition to the bartenders.
Committee meetings were reviewed.
Marketing - Discussed radio promotions and 1993 pool
fees.
Public Relations - Reviewed Arborfest events.
Long Range Planning - Discussed land use definitions
as related to the City Comprehensive plan.
The Commission agreed to sell concessions at the City
Housing Fair on March 26.
Commission members were reminded of the Appreciation Dinner
on February 25. RSVP's are due by February 18.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Noor
Recorder
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
March 3, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation Advisory
Commission was called to order at 7:05p.m. by Chairperson Bill
Gentry. Members present were Mr. Ertz, Ms. Reid, Mr. Anderson, Mr.
Jungroth, Mr. O'Reilly, and Ms. Moucha. Absent members were Ms.
Saunders and Ms. Barrett. City Council liaison Tom Krueger was also
present. Present from city staff were Ms. Hackett and Mr. Monk.
The minutes of the February meeting were approved with the following
correction: the Crystal Frolics Committee has not received donations
for 1993.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Monthly Activity Report. New programs
offered - Country Line Dance, Black Jack and Stamp Art classes went
well. Offering the Fun, Fitness, and Tumbling program during a new
session went real well also. A new afterschool Drop -In program with
Hosterman school began. The participants are bused to CCC from
Hosterman and return by bus. The program is open to all but is
targeted toward at -risk kids. They felt more would participate if it
was held off school grounds. 40 signed up, 10-15 come each day.
Senior membership is still down from last year. A Safety First
program was offered in conjunction with Camp Fire. Ms. Hackett
reviewed the Community Center Usage Report. The format of this
report was changed in response to the Commission's request for more
specific numbers. Ms. Hackett also reviewed the Vandalism Reports
for January and February. The doors at Bassett Creek were damaged
and also some trees. Ms. Hackett will send copies of the Vandalism
Reports to the Post newspaper and is writing an article for the City
Newsletter.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the annual reports. She will obtain additional
pool information for the report. Additional efforts will be made to
market the Pool Coupon Books for 1993. Ms. Hackett and Mr. Gentry
will present the annual reports to the City Council, at either the
April or May meeting. Mr. Monk suggested possibly graphing 5 year
trends -income vs. cost for recreation and pool programs.
Mr. Gentry gave the Chairperson's report:
Commission events were briefly discussed.
follows:
4/17/93 - Sat., 9:OOam-12:30pm.
will be provided. More details
7/16/93 - Picnic at French Park.
families are welcome. They will
trails. More information later.
The MRPA Conference will be held
No other information yet.
The MRPA Board and
They will be held as
At Shoreview, lunch
later.
All members and their
have a naturalist lead
in the Fall of 1993.
Mr. Monk led discussion of the Tree Board Structure and Organization.
Crystal has been named a Tree City. Mr. Monk reviewed the
recommendations he made to the City Manager for 1993 for Parks and
Forestry. He has proposed to hire a temporary Forester from May 1
through December 31, 1993 to work with the Tree Board. In 1994 the
position would go back to part-time. Mr. Gentry recommended the Tree
Board meet separately to continue the discussion of the
structure/organization of the Tree Board. Mr. Anderson noted that
there is a law that says that a forester must be "on board" from
April 1st through Sept. 15, due to Dutch Elm Disease. Firewood with -
bark is illegal within the city limits during these times. The Tree
City plaque will perhaps be presented during Arborfest and/or the
City Council meeting. The announcement appeared in the Crystal
Newsletter and will appear in the Post. Ms. Hackett has the press
packet.
Mr. Monk gave an update on the Twin Lake Trail Project. Westwood
Engineering developed some additional maps. There are three problem
areas. They are:
the HWY 100 crossing, at Twin Lake
the railroad bridge in Brooklyn Center
the north end of Bass Lake Road in Brooklyn Park
The Tri -City Task Force will be meeting on 3/11/93 at 7:00 at CCC.
Ms. Hackett presented the pool rate proposals that were distributed
in the Commission packet. They were as follows:
-daily rate up to $2.50 from $2.00
-Thursday will be "Dollar Day" all day
the economy book up to $20.00 from $18.00
There has been no increase on the water slide tickets since it
opened. Ms. Hackett is proposing they be raised this year. A 15%
increase should generate $8000.00 in revenue. This would help make
up some of the $30,000.00 deficit due to bad weather in 1992. The
Pool will open 6/12/93.
Moved by Ms. Reid and seconded by Mr. Jungroth to
approve the 1993 Crystal Pool rate changes as
proposed.
Motion carried - unanimous
Additional pool discussion included the following:
-try to market the pool to more groups to make is more
appealing to more people, and setting group rates
-possible 1/2 price discount on foul weather days
-possibly set one fee for water slide which would
eliminate problems with wrist bands
Ms. Hackett and Mr. Monk will research new ideas and look for new
ways to promote the pool and water slide.
Locations for the summer Park and Recreation Advisory Commission were
discussed. It was decided to meet in the reverse order of the sites
listed for the Commission packet. The meetings for summer 1993 will
be held as follows:
June 2, 1993 Lions Valley Place Park
July 7, 1993 Lee Park
Aug. 4, 1993 Broadway Park
Sept. 1, 1993 Yunker Park
The Commission also discussed setting up a five year, rotating cycle
for the summer schedule for future years.
Ms. Hackett and Mr. Gentry developed the "Crystal Park and Recreation
Foundation outline" which was distributed in the Commission packets.
Commission discussion concluded that there should be something added
to the outline establishing when and how often the Foundation will
meet. The Foundation Outline will next go to Dave Kennedy to check
legal ramifications.
Ms. Hackett gave an Arborfest update. The Tree City plaque will be
presented to the City at the Arborfest celebration. Ms. Hackett and
Renee Opat are finalizing events. All information will be put
together for the April Commission meeting. Ms. Hackett will also
meet with Julie Jones before the next meeting.
The Golf Committee had no report due to Mr. Ertz' involvement with
Little League. He will set a meeting time with Ms. Hackett within
the next couple of weeks and will report at the April meeting.
Ms. Reid had no Crystal Frolics update as there was no Frolics
Committee meeting last month.
Ms. Hackett circulated the work schedule for the Housing Fair which
will be held at CCC on Sat. March 27.
The motion from the February Park and Recreation Advisory Commission
meeting was brought up for further discussion. The request Twin West
made for input was for their accreditation. Therefore, the motion
was left as it was written.
Mr. Gentry presented Mr. Monk's question regarding how the Commission
members would feel about Commission meetings being televised on
Community Cable T.V. There were no objections to this, if the
subject ever comes up.
Ms. Hackett asked for Commission members help for the annual Easter
Egg Hunt. This will be held April 3, 1993 at Lions Valley Place.
The question of how the fire extinguisher in the CCC hall works.
Commission members noticed before the meeting that there was nothing
to break the glass. Mr. Monk will check into this.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:47pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Noor
Recorder
JOINT CITY TWIN LAKE TRAIL COMMITTEE
Minutes
March 11, 1993
Crystal Community Center
Committee Members Present: Brooklyn Center, Crystal
Staff Present: Brooklyn Center, Crystal, Robbinsdale
The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. by Chairperson
Bill Gentry.
Tim Erkkila (Westwood) gave the report on the Trail System
Plan Update. He reviewed previous meetings attended by city
staff. The purpose of these meetings were:
- Discuss and agree on routing
- Discussion of financing the plan
- Where we go from here
He showed the over-all routing map. It is broken down into:
Lake Loop - original premise
Transportation Loop - connects the business areas of
the three cities
Connectors - specific to each community
Mr. Erkkila addressed specific issues associated with the
Lake Loop including:
(1) Highway 100 - He showed map of lake crossing area
and highlighted specific issues such as: handicap
accessibility, DNR concerns and MNDOT concerns.
(2) Middle/Upper Twin - Mr. Erkkila addressed specific
issues of: acquisition of property, railroad
crossing, wetlands, channel crossing.
(3) Bass Lake Road - Plans were reviewed with the
major issues including: traffic, land ownership
and routing decisions.
The next topic addressed was funding. There are six
programs that could assist the cities with funding for
various parts of the project:
LCMR
CDBG
ISTEA
LAWCON
State Aid Streets
Enhancement Funding
In addition, a discussion took place related to how each
city might finance their share of project costs. There are
basically three methods to consider:
1. Each city pays for projects within its respective
boundaries.
2. Combine costs and divide by a specific factor
(example: by population).
3. Separate certain elements and use a combination of
#1 and #2•
It was noted that any decision on how each city would fund
the project might well be based on the nature and amount of
grants received.
The Committee discussed the following questions; however, no
formal conclusions were decided upon:
1. If Highway 100 project moves ahead of schedule,
how would it affect the Twin Lake Trail Project?
2. How would the pot of money derived from a grant be
shared by the cities?
3. How would the different elements of the plan be
prioritized for grant funding?
4. What part of the project should be targeted for
the first grant application?
Committee organization was discussed. It was the concensus
of those present that each city's voting members should be
limited to the following:
One Park/Recreation Commissioner
One Council Member
One Staff Member
The Committee discussed suggestions on project components to
submit for grant funding. Also discussed was how the
matching funds would be obtained. The ISTEA grant deadline
is in April 1993. Some concern was expressed as to the
readiness of the cities to commit dollars at this time.
It was suggested that the Committee be formalized through a
joint powers agreement. Committee members were reminded
that each city has already established the Committee through
resolution.
After discussion, the group made these decisions:
1. The April 1993 deadline for grant submittal is not
realistic; try for the December 1993 deadline.
2. Bring project to the respective city councils.
3. Neighborhood meetings will need to be held in each
respective city when more elements are finalized.
Mr. Erkilla explained his contract with the cities was now
complete. He suggested that if the cities would like
additional information on:
- Price for developing the transportation corridor
- Price for developing the trail loops
- Investigation of grant programs and which program
would fit what part of the project
Westwood would be willing to write a proposal contract. The
three cities could share the cost of this new contract. No
decision was finalized on this.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
NEXT MEETING:
Thursday, June 3
7:00 p.m.
Crystal Community Center
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
April 7, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by
Chairperson Bill Gentry. Members present were: Mr.
O'Reilly, Mr. Reid, Mr. Jungroth, and Mr. Anderson. Absent
members were: Ms. Saunders, Ms. Moucha, Ms. Barrett and Mr.
Ertz. Also present were: City Council liaison Tom Krueger
and Ms. Hackett and Mr. Monk from the city staff.
The minutes of the March meeting were approved.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the monthly Activity Report. Spring
volleyball is in full swing with about the same number of
teams as last year. The skiiers had their annual luncheon
with 30 attending. The annual March Youth Wrestling
tournament was held jointly with St. Vincent's and St.
Raphael's schools - 104 youth participated. There were 37
activites going on throughout the month for a total dollar
amount of $2,752. Ms. Hackett reported that there was one
case of vandalism - a pussy willow tree was cut down
resulting in $200 worth of damage.
Mr. Gentry distributed a MRPA workshop flyer. He urged
members to try to attend especially to network with other
park and recreation departments to get ideas of operations,
etc. This will be held at the Shoreview Community Center on
Saturday, April 17 from 9 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Also, he
suggested it would be a great idea to attend the MRPA picnic
on Friday July 16 at French Park. More details later.
Mr. Monk gave an overview presentation of the work that has
been done on the Twin Lake Trail Plan as discussed by the
Joint Study Commission. Three components are identified to
allow consideration of a comprehensive trail system. One
component is entitled the Transportation Triangle which con-
nects the major retail centers with each city and addressed
the need for an integral pedestrian and bikeway system. The
second component is a Lake Loop System that identifies a
more recreational trail circling the three main water bodies
of Twin Lakes. The final component of the layout includes
the connectors which make the trail system available to as
many of the area's residents as possible. Mr. Gentry's
concern was whether this is a transportation route vs. a
recreation route. Mr. Monk said the key infrastructure is a
recreational trail and the rest would fit in.
A preliminary cost study shows that the proposed Lake Loop
portion will cost about $1,000,000 to construct. About 20
per cent of those costs would be for the construction in
Crystal. No costs are yet available for the transportation
or link systems. There is a question as to whether each
city will be responsible for construction within its own
boundaries or if some other cost-sharing formula is
necessary; it may be split three ways and each city pay its
own share. With three cities involved, will all three share
in the grants along with the costs?
Mr. Monk stated that another consideration of the financing
element includes the submittal of a grant application.
According to the Westwood report, there are four sources
that may finance a portion of the project; each looks at
different facets of the project (recreation, transportation,
safety, etc.), but all would fit some part of the plan.
There is a possibility that 80 per cent of the project can
be funded by grants; however, the competition is intense and
funds are limited.
Mr. Monk stated that if we proceed, each city must have a
real interest. We may wish to move this up to a 1994
priority and shift other park projects. After discussing
this procedure, the Commission would make a recommendation
to the the Council on how to proceed; then when the joint
group meets in June, they can see if all three cities are
serious. It was agreed that we must make a commitment
before we begin to see where we could get the grants.
If one city reneged, the plan might not go - the group
carries weight. All agreed it would be great to have the
trailway system and that we should go full speed ahead.
The thought is to present the whole plan but select one
phase to start - maybe the middle loop with street trails
would be most economical.
It was agreed to table the 5 -year Plan revisions to a future
meeting.
Arborfest was discussed. The Commission felt that they
could handle the food serving themselves. Activites for
the participants were discussed. Also, 200 seedlings
will be given away and five trees from the Knights of
Columbus will be donated for door prizes. Ms. Reid, Mr.
O'Reilly, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Gentry agreed to work.
Park clean up will be done by the Kiwanis Club. In case of
rain, the event will be held at the Community Center.
Ms. Hackett showed members the Tree City plaque and flag.
They will be displayed in the showcase at the Community
Center after ArborFest. The Lions Club donated $200 for a
tree to be planted at Bassett Creek Park; the Knights of
Columbus donated $2,000 to replace some of trees destroyed;
McKay Nursery offered to donate a tree to the city. We
shall present plaques to the civic groups.
Ms. Reid gave the Frolics Committee report. No one vet has
agreed to run the Bingo tent. Committee is trying to expand
the parade involving more businesses. All are urged to work
at the dunk tank.
The Golf Committee will meet on April 27. A letter will be
sent out regarding future meetings and to see if members
wish to continue to be on the committee.
The Housing Fair was very successful for both Crystal and
New Hope. About 1,000 people attended - more than expected.
About 400 people attended the Egg Hunt and 150 people
stayed for the entertainment afterward - very successful.
This event will be held on March 14 next year. The program
may be revamped for next year - different age categories.
Mr. Monk said we are committed to do something with the
playground equipment design for Bassett Creek Park. He said
he would work with the Commission on coming up with a set of
specs. Mr. R. Mark Koegler, a landscape architect consul-
tant, would be willing to meet with the Commission and
design a spec for use for the purchase of playground equip-
ment. A budget of $65,000 is allotted for this project.
The design would meet the ADA code. If we do a "basic
spec", we might be able to use it for future parks.
Discussion involved setting up a meeting time to meet with
Mr. Koegler.
Moved by Ms. Reid and seconded by Mr. Anderson to
recommend to the City Council to accept the proposal
made by Mr. R. Mark Koegler to develop specs for
playground equipment construction.
Motion carried - unamimous.
It was agreed to table the response to the Environmental
Quality Commission letter to the next meeting.
Meeting ajdourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Marlene Simonson
Recorder
CRYSTAL TREE BOARD
Minutes
May 5, 1993
The meeting of the Tree Board was called to order at 6:30
p.m. by Bill Gentry. Members present were: Mr. Anderson,
Mr. Gentry, Ms. Moucha, and Ms. Reid.
Due to a mix up Gregg Hove, City Forester, was unable to
meet with us. However, he will be invited to meet with us
at our June meeting at Lion's Valley Place Park.
The Arborfest Event was not as well attended as we had
hoped. About 50 persons attended the activities. People
who were there enjoyed themselves and stayed to the end.
Word of mouth may bring more next year.
The Board discussed several ideas which would make the
public more aware of Crystal's status as a tree city. We
could have the forester present to answer questions at the
Park and Recreation Commission meetings in the parks. A
tree could be planted at that time. As part of the Frolics
we could put on a program --"Frolic in the Trees" --which
could include a scavenger hunt, tree identification,
orienteering, etc. These ideas will be discussed at the
next meeting.
The Board discussed the memo which outlined the forester's
work plan. They expressed approval of the plan although
they might put more emphasis on educational articles for the
City newsletter and a management plan for tree protection
guidelines and replanting.
The meeting adjourned at 7:00.
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
May 5, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by
Chairperson Bill Gentry. Members present were: Mr.
Anderson, Mr. Ertz, Ms. Moucha, Mr. O'Reilly, and Ms. Reid.
Absent members were: Ms. Barrett, Mr. Jungroth, and Ms.
Saunders. Also present were: Ms. Hackett, Mr. Tostenson
and Ms. Montzka from the City staff and Mark Koegler,
Consultant on Bassett Creek Playground Equipment.
The minutes of the April meeting were corrected and
approved.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Monthly Activity Report, calling
our attention to the several new activities. She also
reviewed the Community Center Usage Report and the Vandalism
Report. Since we have decided to use the overhead projector
the Commission was asked if they wanted to continue
receiving paper copies of these reports. The Commission
decided they would like to receive a paper copy of these
reports for reviewing at home, and then bring them back for
recycling.
Mr. Gentry presented an outline of activities for the MRPA
Park Board and Commissioners Picnic for the Metro Area on
Friday, July 16, at French Park. He discussed ideas for a
winterfest which he picked up at the MRPA Board and
Commission Meeting and suggested that we look into what
Hopkins and Plymouth are doing. He suggested that we may
want to ask local businesses to sponsor an event and take
over the running of it for Snow Fun Days.
Mr. Gentry felt we should provide information for the new
residents on the parks and on the recreation programs. Ms.
Hackett will check with the Assessing Department to see if
they are still giving out packets to people when they file
for the homestead credit.
Mr. Gentry suggested that we may want to look into offering
a waterslide and pool package for small businesses.
Ms. Hackett introduced Mark Koegler, the consultant on
Bassett Creek playground equipment. The sume of $64,000 has
been allocated for playground equipment. In order to keep
within this budget constraint the City is looking at
consolidating the equipment into one area and not two areas
as at present. Also, the Park Department would do the base
and timber work which would save additional money. We are
looking at a structure which would provide activities for
all age groups (preschool to 10-12 years old) for at least
60 to 80 children. The structure would be metal rather than
wood to avoid splinter problems. We will take into
consideration handicap accessibility for both parents and
children and current safety standards which are constantly
changing. Mr. Koegler will be writing up the plans and
specifications which will then be given to the Commission
and then the Council for approval. The current plan is for
construction to start around August 15. One suggestion made
by the Commission was that a poured concrete edge would be
less of a problem than the timber edge.
Ms. Hackett called attention to the memo of April 29 from
Bill Monk which summarized the position of the Commission on
the Twin Lake Trail.
Moved by Ms. Reid and seconded by Mr. Gentry that the
Crystal Park and Recreation Advisory Commission
recommends the Twin Lake Trail Proposal be adopted in
preliminary form as stated in the memo of April 29 and
staff directed to prepare 1994 grant submittals for at
least the Middle and Upper Twin Lake Trail Loop.
Motion carried --Unanimous
Mr. Gentry suggested that we get Robbinsdale involved in
this project. Ms. Hackett will contact Russ Fawbush.
The problem of dog feces in the parks was brought up. As
possible solutions, the following were brought up:
Get the Boy Scouts to patrol the parks as a service
project.
H<.,e an article in the City newsletter reminding
residents of the rules.
Begin fining vigorously.
Ms. Hackett will talk with the Bill Monk to discuss
additional options.
Ms. Hackett reported on her discussion with the City
Attorney regarding the Park and Recreation Foundation. He
thought that the documents were good but felt that there was
$2,000 of legal work to be done to put the documents into
the appropriate legal language. We need to look into ways
of getting this $2,000:
(1) Approach local attorney and get the legal work
done gratis.
(2) Ask civic group to provide funds
(3) Approach City and get money
Ms. Hackett also reported on her discussion with the
Woodlake Foundation and felt we should review their
documents before going ahead. Their foundation is part of
the City budget and not independent. However, they still
felt they had autonomy.
The Commission reviewed the response memo to the
Environmental Quality Commission regarding the Bike Trails.
Ms. Hackett will forward the memo to the EQC.
Mr. Ertz reported on the Golf Committee which meeting of
April 27. The Committee has lost a few members and it was
decided to ask those people who had previously volunteered
for the Golf Committee if they were still interested. At
this point the Committee is gathering facts and hopes to
have some recommendations for the Council by fall.
Ms. Reid reported on the Crystal Frolics Committee. A
sponsor has been found for bingo.
The Park and Recreation Commission will plant one of the
Becker Park Planters.
Mr. O'Reilly requested that Mr. Monk obtain a copy of the
ISTEA Alternative Transportation Plan (bike paths) Minnesota
Plan B.
Ms. Reid wondered about the honored seniors program for the
Frolics and it was suggested that a seniors dance would
probably have a better turnout.
Ms. Hackett reported that Mr. Jungroth is looking into the
advertising of the waterslide on KLBB Radio. Special rates
have been printed in The Happenings Book and the Shoppers
Coupon Book.
Adjourned at 8:30.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Montzka
Recorder
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
June 2, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:05 p.m. at
Lions Valley Place Park by Chairperson Bill Gentry. Members
present were: Mr. Anderson, Mr. Ertz, Mr. Jungroth, Ms.
Moucha, and Ms. Reid. Absent members were: Ms. Barrett,
Mr. O'Reilly, and Ms. Saunders. Also present were: Ms.
Hackett, Mr. Hove, Mr. Tostenson and Ms. Montzka from the
City staff.
The minutes of the May meeting were approved.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Vandalism Report, the Community
Center Usage Report and the Monthly Activity Report.
Mr. Gentry reported that the cost for the MRPA Park Board
and Commissioners Picnic for the Metro Area is $7.00 per
family and not free as previously reported. The picnic will
be on Friday, July 16, at French Park.
Mr. Tostenson reported on works in progress for the Lions
Valley Place Park. The plans call for the removal of the
building on the hill by 1994. It will cost $2,650 to
relocate the electrical box. Tearing the building down and
hauling it away will be an additional cost. The parking lot
will also be repaired in 1994. The grass on the lower level
will be reseeded. The tennis courts are scheduled for
resurfacing this fall. Before the work can begin, soil
samples will be taken and the water table checked as there
have been problems with the courts cracking.
The Park Commission and City employees present were
introduced to the residents who were attending the meeting.
The residents expressed the following concerns:
One resident expressed a concern about the lack of an
outdoor public phone in the winter. This park is used
frequently in the winter for sliding and skating.
Children come to their house to use the phone after
the park building has closed. Ms. Hackett will look
into the feasibility of getting an outdoor public phone
all year round.
Mr. Tostenson will check the outdoor light timer to be
sure the lights are programmed to go off and stay off.
If the lights are on, people come back to the park.
When residents call the police about vandalism or dogs
that are let run loose in the park, the police don't
arrive right away. Residents were encouraged to keep
reporting the problems, but reminded that the police
force is not large and the police have to set
priorities to the calls they receive.
A resident expressed concern that there were fewer
supervised activities in the park this summer. It was
pointed out that as the youth population of Crystal
goes down, services have to be centralized. There is a
summer playground program as well as youth softball for
third grade and up are in Lions Valley Place Park and
T -Ball was run at Lions Valley Place last year.
Another resident expressed concern about the dandelions
in the park. Mr. Tostenson reported that the Park
Department was behind because of the wet spring, budget
cutbacks, and public concern about the impact of
spraying on the environment.
Residents reported that groups were coming back to the
park at 11:30 in the evening in the summertime and
expressed a desire for the police to patrol the park in
the evening.
During softball games cars are parked on both sides of
the streets, making it difficult for cars to use the
streets. Could signs be put up saying no parking on
certain streets? Bill Monl will be contacted in
regards to this matter.
A resident expressed concern about the removal of the
building on the hill. An appraiser had told the
resident that the building did not add to the value of
the resident's land. The resident was informed that
the building is scheduled to be removed.
Several cities have tree sales in the spring, why don't
we? The Tree Board is looking into this project for
Crystal.
The Lions Valley Place Park residents were thanked for their
attendance and their comments.
Ms. Hackett reported on the progress of the Twin Lake
Trailway motion. There will be a meeting of the three
cities on June 3 at the Crystal Community Center. The Park
Commissioners are invited to come to that meeting.
The Commission decided that the dog ordinance did not need
to be changed, but that the problem was in the enforcement
of the ordinance. It was suggested that signs be posted at
appropriate spots --where dogs usually go --and that the signs
be about dogs only. Mr. Ertz reported that in Plymouth
where there is a problem the park maintenance department has
gone in and cleaned it up and then put signs in that spot.
Also park maintenance workers in Plymouth have confronted
offenders --such as people cleaning out their yards and
putting it on park property. If all else fails, we could
considering setting up a special dog area.
Mr. Ertz updated the Commission on the activities of the
Golf Committee. The Golf Committee is having an expert do a
walk through of the area to make recommendations. Nafstad
has made a presentation to the Planning Commission regarding
his property on 32nd and Douglase. Mr. Ertz will check with
the Planning Commission to see what the plans are for the
area. The next meeting will be in later July.
Ms. Reid reported on the progress of the Crystal Frolics
Committee. The Grand Marshall has been chosen. They have
five queen candidates and 10 sponsors. There will be no
dance for seniors, but there will be a senior event the
Wednesday before the Frolics in conjunction with the Senior
Dining Program. Mr. O'Reilly reported that Norwest bank in
Crystal will sponsor the Bike Race and a Bike Clinic.
Flowers for the Becker Park Flower Planting Contest will be
available Saturday, June 2, from 9:00-2:00 at Becker Park.
The question was brought up whether we would call 911
regarding vandalism when the City moves to the county
dispatcher.
Meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Montzka
Recorder
_ CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
September 1, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation Advisory
Commission was called to order at 7:04 p.m. at Yunkers Park by
Chairperson Bill Gentry. Members present were: Mr. Anderson,
Mr. Ertz, Mr. O'Reilly, and Ms. Reid. Absent members were: Mr.
Jungroth, Ms. Moucha, and Ms. Saunders. Also present were: Ms.
Hackett, Mr. Tostenson, and Ms. Montzka from the City staff and
Officer Tradewell from the City Police Department.
The minutes of the August 4, 1993, meeting were approved.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Vandalism Report, the Community Center
Usage Report and the Monthly Activity Report. She also reported
that next year swimming lessons will be following the new Red
Cross guidelines so there may be a change in the length of
classes. Another change contemplated for next summer is setting
a minimum and maximum number of participants for the playground
program.
Mr. Tostenson reported on improvements being made and
contemplated for Yunkers Park. A new roof will be put on the
park shelter building this fall. There will also be new flooring
put in which can be walked on with ice skates. They will be
installing new park signs. Benches will be installed around the
building. New shrubs will be planted. If there is enough money,
the basketball court will be repaired. They are also hoping to
install a concrete enclosure for the satellite so that it will be
more difficult to tip.
Ms. Hackett reported that the City Forester has accepted a full-
time position with another city. This may delay some of our Tree
Board organization until another person can be hired. However,
Mr. Hove will return for the tree sale which is planned for
October 9. Mr. Anderson, Mr. O'Reilly, and Ms. Reid volunteered
to help with the tree sale.
Mr. Gentry called the Commission's attention to the letter from
the EDA Advisory Commission requesting volunteers to work on the
Star City project. Volunteers will be needed for two hours (one
for training) to conduct interviews with Crystal business owners.
Commission members were advised to Contact Julie Jones or Anne
Norris at 537-8421.
The Park Commission and City employees were introduced to the
residents who were attending the meeting. Officer Tradewell
reported on the curfew sting, the tougher penalties for drug
possession on park or school grounds, storm awareness, and the
Police Department Call Report. She reported that the area was a
safe area in which to live. Residents were concerned about what
kind of calls they should be making to the police. Officer
Tradewell felt that anytime someone was creating a disturbance,
residents should call 911. If residents don't call, the
violators think they are welcome. Residents wanted to know at
what time vandalism was taking place. Summer is when most of it
occurs, but it occurs any time of the day. Mr. Tostenson
encouraged residents to call if they noticed any broken bottles
on the ice so that it could be cleared up before it was covered
with a layer of ice. He encouraged them to call re the midnight
broomball games which usually occur over Christmas vacation.
Everyone should be out of the parks at 11:00 p.m. The residents
were also concerned about people driving on the fields, outhouses
being tipped over, standing water on the ball field, and high
grass. The park has a drainage problem caused by the large
amount of rain and the clay soil. Residents thought the paint
job on the building was nice.
Ms. Hackett reported that Tree Trust has finished the Twin Lake
Trailhead Project. This project was made possible by a donation
from Honeywell and Councilperson Grimes is checking to see what
Honeywell would like in the way of recognition --a ribbon -cutting
or a plaque for example. One suggestion was for the celebration
to take place on October 9, the day of the tree sale.
The Twin Lake Trail Project met and it was decided that it would
be more appropriate to pursue funding from LAWCON rather than
ISTEA as the project is more recreation oriented than
transportation oriented, but they will seek funding from both
sources. The next meeting of the Twin Lake Trail Project will be
September 8 at Brooklyn Center in the Council Chambers. After
that meeting, they expect to have enough information to hold
public hearings.
Mr. Tostenson reported that the playground equipment at Bassett
Creek may be moved to a different area because of poor soil
conditions and the need for deeper footings for the heavier
equipment. The equipment should be in by October 1. The
Commission decided to have the celebration in the spring at the
Easter Egg Hunt, Earth Day, or Arbor Day.
Ms. Reid shared pictures of the Crystal Frolics events.
Gene Hackett has been named Recreation Director.
Next month's meeting will be in -doors at the Crystal Community
Center and will be a full agenda.
The meeting adjourned at 8:00 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Montzka
Recorder
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
October 6, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. at the
Crystal Community Center by Chairperson Bill Gentry.
Members present were: Mr. Anderson, Mr. Jungroth, Ms.
Moucha, Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Reid and Ms. Saunders. Absent
member was: Mr. Ertz. Also present were: Ms. Hackett, Mr.
Monk, and -Ms. Montzka from the City staff and Mr. Krueger
from the City Council.
The minutes of the September 1, 1993 meeting were approved.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Community Center Usage Report and
the Monthly Activity Report. Adult football enrollment is
down from last year, probably reflecting last year's bad
weather. Senior memberships are now holding steady at
around 700. The Senior Program now includes Saturday with a
different card game each Saturday of the month (e.g., Bridge
on the second and fourth Saturdays). In response to an
inquiry about whether fees for the rental of the Community
Center paid for the expense of running the Center, Ms.
Hackett thought that the rentals paid for themselves, but we
do not figure in rent for programs run by the Recreation
Department. There was no Vandalism Report this month
although there were occurrences of vandalism. Next month's
Vandalism Report will cover both September and October.
Mr. Gentry gave the Chairman's Report: Councilman Grimes
has contacted him regarding having Santa Claus arrive in a
helicopter for the Winterfest. Mr. Jungroth will be Santa.
Ms. Hackett asked the Commission if they thought any of the
comments made by citizens at the summer meetings needed to
be followed up on. It was decided that installing and
maintaining a pay telephone at Lions Valley Place for after-
hours calls cost too much to warrant the expense. Mr. Monk
has several temporary signs saying "Resident Parking Only"
which can be installed during softball games and other
activities to reduce some of the traffic congestion.
The Commission discussed the composition of the Park and
Recreation Advisory Commission. They felt there were three
issues which needed to be addressed: (1) the number of
members on the Commission, (2) the representation or
distribution of the Commission, and (3) the inclusion of
non-resident members. The Commission felt strongly that
there should be ten members due to the large number of
events that Park Commissioners need to attend and the number
of subcommittees that are formed. The Commission felt that
they put in a lot of extra hours, perhaps more than other
Commissions. They also felt strongly that the Commission
ought to represent geographic areas and would like to
prevent the Commission from being skewed in favor of a
particular section of the City. The Commission also felt
that the business community should have an opportunity to
have input on the Commission. They also discussed whether
they should include "Two of the members appointed at large
maybe students in a Junior or Senior High School at the
time of their appointment." It was decided that since there
is no age requirement to be on a commission we would not
need to spell this out.
A motion was made by Mr. O'Reilly and seconded by Ms.
Reid that the Crystal Park and Recreation Advisory
Commission should be composed of ten members. .One
member is to be appointed from each of the respective
wards, two members from each section of the City, and
two members are to be appointed at large, one of whom
may be a non-resident of the City.
Motion carried - unanimous.
Mr. Monk report -ed on t.;e iiStaiiation of the playground
equipment at Bassett Creek Park. The equipment had to be
installed in a different location than originally planned
due to the condition of the ground underneath the equipment.
He suggested that the Commission take a look at the
construction.
Mr. Monk updated the Commission on the October 9 Tree Sale.
Due to weather conditions the nursery had difficulty
harvesting the trees and will be delivering the trees to the
buyers' homes during the week of October 25 or April 25
rather than having the buyer pick the tree up on October 9.
An informational meeting regarding the Twin Lake Trail
Project will be held on October 20. The Commission is
hosting this meeting and members were reminded that it is
important that they be there to hear the comments of the
citizens so the Commission can duscuss the project and make
a recommendation to the City Council. Bill Monk will be
introducing the consultant who will explain the project.
The dedication of the Highway 100 Trailhead is scheduled for
Saturday, October 9. The project was funded by Honeywell.
Ms. Hackett has not yet heard whether Honeywell will be
attending. Mr. Gentry, Mr. O'Reilly, and Ms'. Reid are
planning to attend.
The Commission discussed the next steps to take with the
establishment of the Foundation. At this point we need to
get legal advice. There was some discussion about the
strong ties between the Foundation and the Commission and
City employees which would mean that the City would
ultimately be liable. If that is the case, the next place
to go with this is to the City Council and then to the City
Attorney. Ms. Hackett will discuss the situation with the
City Manager.
Ms. Hackett updated the Commission on PIR funding
priorities. Maintaining what we have has the highest
priority. New projects have low priority. Twin Lake Trail
may have to be moved into 1994 rather than 1995 as
originally planned due to the grant application process. A
consultant will be looking at the Municipal Pool and will be
giving us -a recommendation on what needs to be done.
Mr. Gentry reported on the activities of the Golf Committee.
The Committee thought a golf course would not be feasible
using existing park land and acquisition of private property
may need to be looked into. A survey is being made that
will go out to the public. Some of the questions on the
survey are: Do you want a golf course? Would you use a
golf course? Should the golf course be supported with tax
money? Respondents will receive one free water slide
ticket.
Ms. Reid updated the Commission on the activities of the
Frolics Committee.
The Commission discussed concessions for the December 4
Winterfest. They thought they would sell donuts and coffee
for the parents from 9:00-4:00 during the Santa Shop. Hot
chocolate and cookies and/or pepsi and popcorn from 1:00-
4:00. At the November meeting Commissioners will be asked
to sign up for a particular time. Ms. Reid will ask the
Frolics royalty to help out with the Santa Shop.
Ms. Hackett announced that the MRPA Conference would be
November 17, 18, and 19. There are no specific workshops
for Commissioners, but if Commissioners would like to attend
they should let Ms. Hackett know.
Ms. Moucha reported that she sees a large number of people
playing disc golf. Ms. Hackett reported that the disc golf
association is interested in putting on a clinic or a
tournament for next year's Frolics.
Mr. Jungroth wondered what has happened to the plans for the
Becker Park storage shed. Ms. Hackett will check on what is
happening.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Montzka
Recorder
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
_ Minutes
November 3, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:05 p.m. at the
Crystal Community Center by Chairperson Bill Gentry.
Members present were: Mr. Anderson, Mr. Ertz, Ms. Moucha,
Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Reid and Ms. Saunders. Absent member was:
Mr. Jungroth,. Also present were: Ms. Hackett, Mr. Monk,
and Ms. Montzka from the City staff and Mr. Krueger, City
Council liaison.
The minutes of the October 6, 1993 meeting were amended and
then approved as amended.
Ms. Hackett reviewed the Community Center Usage Report. She
also reviewed the Monthly Activities Report discussing the
new classes, several of the cooperative programs, and the
increase in the volleyball program. The Vandalism Report
and the 1993 Diseased Tree Removal Update were also
reviewed.
Mr. Gentry reported on the Public Information Meetings on
the Twin Lakes Trail Proposal. Meetings were held in
Brooklyn Center, Robbinsdale and Crystal. The Brooklyn
Center and Robbinsdale meetings went well with citizens
generally supportive of the project who offered constructive
criticism and suggestions for alternative routings. The
Crystal meeting attracted several people opposed to the
project. These residents expressed several concerns
regarding many aspects of the proposed project.
Mr. Monk further reviewed the Public Information Meeting of
the Twin Lake Trail Project pointing out that residents
voiced concern about the process (who authorized what
studies, who will consider it next, etc.), fear of outsiders
(drug dealers, child molesters), concern about safety (both
traffic and environmental --wildlife and wetlands and the
pollution of the Joslyn pole treating site) as well as
individual concerns about how close the trail was to their
homes. Mr. Monk also felt there were several long-term
issues which needed to be considered. At this time there is
no over-all trail plan for the City. Should we spend our
money for this trail when trails elsewhere in the City may
be accessible to more people? The Twin Lake Trail is not
easily accessible to the rest of Crystal because of the
railroad tracks and Highway 81. There is also the question
of cost. Our portion of the Trail could be done for $34,000
but because we are sharing the cost with two other cities
the cost will be $150,00 to $250,000. However, without the
participation of the other cities there would be no
attraction to the trail which is why it was decided to split
Ms. Hackett distributed a schedule for Commission members to
sign up for working concessions at the Winterfest.
Ms. Reid's and Mr. Ertz's terms on the Commission will
expire at the end of the year. Both have decided to apply
to continue their appointments.
Elections for Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary will be held
at the December meeting.
Several ideas were discussed regarding the Bassett Creek
Park dedication.
Ms. Moucha reported that the signs for the exercise stations
are missing. The Commission also discussed the possibility
of concentrating the exercise stations all in one area.
Mr. O'Reilly brought up the
class maintain portions of a
discussed in the Anoka area.
Meeting adjourned at 9:10.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Montzka
Recorder
idea of having a high school
trail such as is being
CRYSTAL PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION
Minutes
December 1, 1993
The regular meeting of the Crystal Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission was called to order at 7:05 p.m. at
Crystal Community Center by Chairperson Bill Gentry.
Members present were: Mr. Ertz, Mr. Jungroth, Ms. Moucha,
Mr. O'Reilly, and Ms. Reid. Absent members were: Mr.
Anderson and Ms. Saunders. Also present were: Mr. Monk and
Ms. Montzka from the City staff and Mr. Krueger, City
Council Liaison.
The minutes of the November 3, 1993 meeting were approved.
The Vandalism Report, the Community Center Usage Report and
the Monthly Activity Report were distributed to the
Commission.
Mr. Gentry updated the Commission on the Twin Lake Trail
Project. Because of the financial situation of the City,
Crystal will not be involved in this project at this time.
At this time it would be appropriate to design a City-wide
trail plan.
Mr. Monk reported that he will be working with Ms. Hackett
and Mr. Dulgar on a city-wide trail plan which will then be
presented to the Commission. He hopes to have an overview
for January's meeting. Brooklyn Center will continue to
work on their portion of the Twin Lake Trail Project.
Robbinsdale is undecided on their next step.
Mr. Monk discussed the progress of the Tree Board projects.
An application has been filed to remain a Tree City. The
diseased tree program is completed for the season. They are
now working on the trimming program. The assessment of
trees in the park has not been done and will probably be
done in 1994. A forester will be hired in the spring for
April through the remainder of the 1994 year.
Because of the many duties involved in being chairperson of
both the Park and Recreation Commission and the Tree Board,
the Commission decided that the Vice Chairperson of the Park
and Recreation Commission would be the Chairperson of the
Tree Board.
Thera was no information to report on the Park and
Recreation Foundation as Ms. Hackett has not discussed this
with Mr. Dulgar.
The work schedule for the Winterfest Events was distributed
and changes were made to the schedule.
There were no meetings of the Golf Committee and the F7
Committee. However, a short discussion took place at the
meeting regarding the timing of the golf course survey.
Because of the timing of a present development proposal and
the status of the area's street rehab project, the mailing
of the survey may well be delayed to avoid conflicts.
The election of Commission was held and the following were
elected to office:
Bill Gentry Chairperson
Mary Moucha Vice Chairperson/Chairperson of Tree
Board
Liz Reid Secretary
Mr. O'Reilly inquired about the possibility of the use of
Bassett Creek Park for a Cycle Cross Race during the
Frolics. Insurance would be provided by the Cycling
Federation. This would replace the Bike Race around Forest
School. He is waiting to hear if the event has a sponsor.
Mr. O'Reilly was encouraged by the
talks with the public schools about
on the maintenance and landscaping
Bassett Creek or MAC Park.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:42.
Respectfully submitted,
Jean Montzka
Recorder
Commission to pursue his
a science class taking
of the hiking trails at