06/08/1978 - Advisory Parks & Recreation Commissioni r , t j
REGULAR METING
PARK COMMItTEE
EAGAN, MINNESOTA
CITY ,HALL
6 -8 -7.8
7:00 P.M.
AGENDA
I. 7:00 - Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance
7:05 - Approval of 4 -13 -78 Minutes
7:10 - Establishment of Agenda
II. 7:15 - Receptions of Reports and Other Communitcations
A. Council Meeting - Tom Hedges
1. Report on Recent Council Actions
B. Consultants
C. Park Department
1. Park Construction Contract Progress Report
2. Summer Recreation Program Review
a. Charge for Tumbling and Dance Classes
b. Increase in Fee for Tennis Lessons
c. Change in Field Trip Reservation Procedure
3. Saturday Recreation Report
4. Pilot Knob Bikeway Report
5. Grants Update
6. Play Equipment Purchases 1978
7. Kehne House
8. Response from HUD Regarding Thomas Lake Park
9. Permit to Garden in Undeveloped Park Land
10. Discontinuance of Providing Free Plant Materials
8:00 - D. Special Meetings
1. Report from Eagan Valley Ranger's Meeting 5 -x15
2. Report from Meeting with River Hills 9 Residents
on Play Equipment - Carolyn Thursten & Jean Loken
3. Set Trail Subcommittee Meeting
E. Other
III. 8:30 - Development Proposals
A. Parkcliff Oaks - Dale Runkle
B. Meadowridge, Cameron and Oak Pond Hills - Tom Hedges
IV. 9:00 - Old Business
A. Report on Action on Carriage Hills, Buffer Hills &
Rustic Hills Plats - Staff
V. 9:30 - New Business
VI. 9:30 - Visitors to be Heard ( Persons not on Agenda)
VII. 10:15 - For Your Information
VIII. 10.30 - Adjournment
PARK COMMITTEE AGENDA BACKGROUND INFORMATION
EAGAN, MINNESOTA
JUNE 8, 1978
I. Park Director, Schmidt, has corrections of 2 omissions in the 4 -13 -78
Park Minutes.
II. A. City Administrator, Hedges, will review Council action on park
matters since the 4 -13 -78 meeting.
C. 2. Summer Recreation Programs
Attached is a copy of the Summer Recreation Program Brochure which
is available at Cedarvale, the City Hall and the Park Department
Office. Also attached is a memo from Recreation Programmer,
Dorothy Peterson, detailing the 2 new programs which are being
offered. The following changes should also be discussed.
a . A fee of $3.00 is being charged for Tumbling and Dance Classes to
help to cover the cost of the instructors, to encourage more
regular attendance which is desired because of the recital at the
end of the program and to be more consistent with other cities
procedures.
b. The fee for tennis instruction has been increased from
$6.00 to $8.00 for 6 one hour lessons to cover the cost of
the instructors who have been granted an increase in salary
and to be more consistent with fees charged by nearby
communities, thereby discouraging residents of other cities
from filling up the Eagan classes.
The above two changes also reflect efforts to make as many
recreaional offerings self supporting as possible because of fiscal
restraints.
c. Summer In the Park remains as a free program, however, the
registration procedure for field trips has been changed to
require that parents sign up and pay for all field trips at the
beginning of the session to eliminate the frequent handling of
money and the large amount of time that is spent by the
instructors registering and collecting for field trips. This
new system will be evaluated as to its effectiveness this summer
and will be continued if it works well.
6. Play Equipment Purchases
The Subcommittee on Playground Equipment selection may wish to
arrange to meet with residents of the Pilot Knob Park, South Oaks
Park, and Oak Chase Park areas to allow residents to participate in
the selection of play equipment for those parks if the Park Committee
recommends such purchases at this time.
7. Kehne House
The report on costs for upgrading the Kehne House is not yet available.
Some Park Committee Members may wish to look at the house to evaluate
its potential as a park building. Arrangements for this can be made
through the Park Director.
Memo To: City Administrator, Tom Hedges
From: Park Director, Barb Schmidt
Re: Item for May 16, 1978 Council Meeting
Date: May 8, 1978
The City of Eagan has received a request from the Dakota County
Association for Retarded Citizens,a non profit membership organization,
for assistance in funding a summer day camp program for the mentally
retarded. At the present time retarded residents of Eagan, including
some from Orvilla Homes participate in Day Camp programs run by the
Cities of Apple Valley and South St. Paul in co- operation with DARC.
The Day Camp are held in parks in those 2 communities. There are
three 2 week sessions serving a total of 60 children and adults. If
every Park department offerbd a- s1m4.14 ram it would be a
duplication of effort because of the s all target population.
The actual cost to conduct the camp equals $50.00 per participant. The
amount charged is $15.00. Last year 14 residents from Eagan enrolled in
the program. DARC is asking for $490.00 from Eagan which is equivalent
to the deficit incurred last year for Eagan participants. The funds
contributed will be paid to the Park Departments to offset these losses.
The Cities of Rosemount and Apple Valley have agreed to contribute their
fair s' Burnsville will contribute staffing and West St. Paul is
considering doing the same only Hastings, which runs a similiar program
has decided not to contribute at this time.
I recommend that the City authorize a fair share payment to DARC in the
amount of $500.00 to be used to reimburse the Cities of Apple Valley and
South St. Paul for expenses incurred in offering a Day Camp program Lera+�Q 1 -°-a'-
-kb Eagan residents. This item was not included in the budget, however I
feel that it can be absorbed and could be charged to outside contracts.
I will be bringing this matter before the Park Committee on May llnth
and will have their recommendation available for the May 16nth City
Council Meeting.
RIVER HILLS 9 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
We the residents of River Hills 9th Park East Neighborhood
Association (P.E.N.A.) propose putting aside the fact that we may
be getting some usable equipment (a climber and slide) from
M.H.R.A. (We are unable to depend on it due to government red -
tape and the speed of action of all parties concerned.)
We hereby propose the following plan: Keeping in mind the
above equipment could be added at a later date.
This plan is based on: 1. A P.E.N. *. account of $750.00 Plus
2. Neighborhood desires
3. Eagan co- operation
The proposed plan is to buy: 1. a 4 seat swing set 5 �9
3 regular seats
1 infant seat
2. 2 spring bouncers ItsO
3. 1 teather ball pole (to be -d
made by Eagan)
4. 2 Volley ball poles (to be 23(2
made by Eagan)
We hereby propose the City of Eagan to use their portion of
the match - money to purchase and install the equipment.
P.E.N.A. to use their match - money for landscaping, entrance
signs, cedar and railroad ties, benches, etc.
is purchased by the City without counting man hours as part of the
matching funds. However, if large amounts of equipment are obtained
free of charge, time spent installing such equipment should be
considered as part of the matching funds. Park Director, Schmidt, also
recommends that landscaping done with materials already in the Cities
possession not be'counted as part of the match but that any sizable new
trees should be ordered planted. On the question of whether future
funds raised will also be matched, the Park Director suggests that the
Park Committee recommend matching future park contributions raised by
River Hills 9 residents if possible but reminds the Committee that
committments made by present City Council Members are not binding on
future City Councils.
3. A meeting should be scheduled to continue work on the Eagan
Trail Plan.
E. Other
A letter from Ken Hedtke_which appeared in recent issue of the Dakota
County Tribune should be discussed. A copy is enclosed for Park
Committee Review.
Park Director, Schmidt, will discuss City Council comments on Park
Development at a recent Staff Meeting.
III. A. Development Proposals
Dale Runkle will discuss 2 new plats for Parkcliff and Hidden Oaks.
Cash dedication appears appropriate for the former and park
dedication for Hidden Oaks was included in the Pilot Knob Heights
final plat approval.
B. City Administrative, Tom Hedges, will discuss Council action on 3
plats which may require additional Park Committee action.
IV. Dale Runkle will report on final action on three plats; Carriage Hills,
Buffer Hills and Rustic Hills, which were previously reviewed by the
Park Committee.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Park Committee Member Mike Thomas and Park Director Schmidt took
4 representatives of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on
a trail ride through the Ligh Line Trail area and Holland Jensen Park.
DNR representatives expressed appreciation for the opportunity and
commented very favorably on the experience.
A check in the amount of $825.97 has been received from Ed Dunn
in payment for crop rental for land rented out in error in Northview
Park. The check has been deposited in the Park Bond,Fund.
Continued
8. Thomas Lake Park
No answe has been received from HUD at this time regarding possible .
use of ark as a Fire Station.
9. The For Your Information section of the 4 -13 -78 Park Committee
packet contained information on 2 items which should be discipssed
and noted in the minutes; the discontinuance of providing paint
materials for defining rear lot lines abutting park property and
the procedure for obtaining permission to garden on park property.
D. 1. Eagan Valley Ranger's Meeting Ma 3rd
Park Director, Schmidt, met with the Eagan Valley Rangers, y
1978. Club members expressed interest in preserving a route out of
Eagan snewmebil® t rails. The High Line Trail was suggested as a
possible route. Club members were invited to appear before the
Park Trail Subcommittee to discuss their needs.
D. At the 4 -14 -77 Park Committee Meeting the Park Committee expressed a
. willingness to match contributions raised by residents of tie River
Hills 9 for improvements to the park in that development. The City
Council at its meeting endorsed the Park Committees recommendation
but no official recording of that endorsement appears in the Council
Minutes. River Hills 9 residents are questioning whether the matching
funds promised by the Park Committee were a "one time" committment or
whether any and all funds raised in the future will be so matched.
Carolyn Thursten and Jean Loken met with River Hills 9 Park
East Neighborhood Association to discuss play equipment.
Enclosed is a report from the Association regarding the
improvements they would like to see made in the park. The
Park Committee should approve these suggestions if they meet
with their approval.
The question has also arisen as to whether labor expended by the Park
Department maintenance staff in installing equipment planting trees and
fabricating structures for the park will be considered as part of the
match. This question has come up because the River Hills 9 Homeowners
Association may be able to obtain free play equipment which they would
then expect the Park Department to install. For liability reasons such
installation should be done by City crews if the equipment is obtained.
Park Director, Schmidt, also understood previous dicussions by the Park
Committee and the City Council regarding matching funds to refer to the
initial fund raising efforts but suggests that the same policy, so far
as it is reasonable and possible would be continued in the future.
Park Director, Schmidt, recommends that the match be in dollars expended
for equipment as far as is reasonable. Limited man power prevents the
Park Departments crews from performing many hours of labor in an attempt
to maximize the financial committment made by the Park Committee. Park
Director, Schmidt, suggets that Park Department crews will fabricate
and install badminton and volley ball posts and park benches and picnic
tables with the matching funds consisting only of the materials
purchases. The Park Department will also install such play equipment as
To: City Council and Eagan Park Committee
From: Dorothy Peterson, Recreation Programmer
Re: For Your Information
Two new summer programs will be offered this year to young
residents of Eagan. The Rahn Park Building will be the site for
these activities.
TINY TOTS
Two sessions for Tiny Tots, ages 3, 4 and 5 will be offered
during the month of July. Sessions will meet on Monday and
Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00- 11:30AM. The program
will be staffed by one adult leader and two aides. Pre registration
will be required; each session is open to the first 25 youngsters
registered.
A registration fee of $3.50 will be charged to cover the cost
of materials. Staff salaries were included in the Rahn Building
budget; anticipated cost $300.00.
Expansion of the program to other park sites in 1979 will be
determined by the success of this program in terms of numbers of
children registered, numbers not accomodated, requests by citizens
to expand to their neighborhoods and availability of funds for
staff salaries.
TEEN CENTER
The Rahn Park Building will be open four evenings a week, Monday
through Thursday, from 7:00- 10:OOPM for Eagan area teen- agers. The
program is slated to run June 19- August 3; the same dates as the
afternoon recreation programs.
Activities will be foosball, ping pong, checkers, chess, bocce
ball, volleyball, etc.
Two young adults will supervise the activities. Their salaries
were included in the Rahn Building budget; anticipated cost $675.00.
Extension of the program during the month of August will be
determined by attendance and availability of staff.
Memo To: Barb Schmidt, Park Director
From: Dorothy Peterson, Recreation Programmer
Re: Saturday Morning Recreation at Pilot Knob March 4 - April 15, 1978
Date: April 24, 1978
Attendance at this session of Saturday morning recreation was the
best we have ever had. Twenty -five to 30 youngsters attended each
Saturday during March. The majority were boys once again but two or 3
girls did come also.
Attendance was lower the first Saturday in April. We attribute
this to the building being unavailable the Saturday of Easter vacation
which broke the continuity of the program. Twenty youngsters were
present the last two Saturdays.
Six weeks seems to be a good length of time for this program. It
would be best to avoid a break because of a holiday, however this is
not always possible as the objective is to offer Saturday Recreation
when Athletic Association Programs are between seasons, and when
outdoor activity is not dominant.
Locating a competent supervisor is easier with a 6 week program,
despite fewer hours of work, because it is not always possible to find
individuals who have no schedule conflicts for 8 consecutive weeks.
si gned t { letters to the
are welco »ed an will prin
es space permits. ,e rye p t
right to edit letters an ;regus
that they` °be ke pi short u `�F'
when lie drove away ; l
Why Must We
I n The Streeis
May 17, 1978
To`The Editor:
A lette f rom, a t lea
woul b e , a ; li tt l e `difficult for a
fo ur- and -a- h -year old tb write;
;so 1 am sending i t f or h ( fo
oth rs in similar circumstances)
` M ynai v e i Jea nne. "l 'm .4 .
years old and 1 ve i East
an
M I" guess . I r,,etty well
represent all kids, -about my" age`
who live in Cedar Grove,ryWilder
ness Run or one of the other
many home developments in
Eagan. My folks like Eagan and l
guess I do too.
" play a "lot and -1 like to ride
my ; new big wheeler. My mom
my tells me to stay • on our
driveway, but I like to ride my
big wheeler in the street with the
test of the neighborhood kids.
Most of the time one or two of our
mothers sit on the front steps and
watch us, but not always.
"yesterday Bobby, he's also
4x and lives next door „got bit "by
a dog. When we're playing in the
street, there are always : lots of
1 dogs around, and I think Bobby,
ran over Rex's tail with his Super
Cycle. Anyway Rex;bit Bobby in
the face. An ambulancehad
take' Bobby to the hospital and
moinmy said the doctors had to
put in 12 stitches
"My folks were excited'
about that at the dinner table last
night, but not nearly - as real excited
as when Judy, who is about four
and lives across the street from
us, was run, over by a car last
month. No one knows if Judy was
really run .over, but a car sure
smashed her , Hot Rodder
trike. Judy was coming down one
of those sl oping driveways and
shot right into the street in front
of a car.
"Most people think Judy fell off
before the car hit the trike Judy
was on, but there sure was lots of
crying and shouting going on.
Everyone was saying how lucky
Judy was have only a few
scratches. The man in the ,car
kept saying how sorry he was and
offered to pay for the ' smashed
tri Mnmmv said he was crying ff
o ften wonder why .us little
1}ave
to 'play in' he; streets.
3i er kids = agyrounds
play ini an 'd have addy p plays soft
an mommy plays tennis. I think
all of':theSee in Eagan as th ey
n't " seem to` ravel too far;'But'
n, What do little kids have
say?
earns"
HEN HEDTKE <'.'`
3635 Blackhawk Rd.
it wa t
MEMO TO: MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY PARK COMMITTEE
FROM: PARK DIRECTOR SCHMIDT
DATE: MARCH 10, 1978
SUBJECT: MARCH 14, 1978 PARK COMMITTEE MEETING
The March 9, 1978 regular meeting of the Advisory Park Committee was
not held due to lack of a quorum. In order that two items which require
prompt action be considered by the Park Committee, a special meeting has
been scheduled for March 14, 1978 in conjunction with the Park Committee's
appearance before the Advisory Planning Commission.
The first item on the Planning Commission agenda at 7:00 p.m. is Eagan
Hilts West, which is one of the items requiring Park Committee action.
Park Committee Members should be present to hear the presentation. The
Park Committee will then hold a special meeting in Tom's office while the
Planning Commission meeting continues and after the Park meeting concludes
will appear before the Planning Commission. Any Park Committee Member
unable to attend this special meeting is asked to contact the Park
Department office as soon as possible.