3-4-2019 MinutesCity of Scandia Parks and Recreation Committee
Monday, March 4, 2019
Members Present: Terry Gorham (Chair), Dustin Hegland (Vice Chair), Carol Schwinghammer, Cami
Van Abel, Greg Zauner, and Patti Ray (City Council Representative)
Staff Present: Judi Negus (Office Assistant) and Adam Hawkinson (Director of Public Works)
Chair Gorham called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
Greg Zauner was introduced as a new Committee member serving a five-year term.
PUBLIC FORUM
Cycling Scandia Representative Janie O'Connor informed of a bicycle tour scheduled for June 1, 2019.
There will be five stops along the 15 -mile local area tour led by Dale Setterholm. The registration fee
to participate in the tour is $24 to help offset insurance costs.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Hegland, seconded by Van Abel, to approve the agenda. The motion carried 5-0.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion by Hegland, seconded by Schwinghammer, to approve the February 4, 2019 minutes. The
motion carried 5-0.
REPORTS
Chair Report
Chair Gorham prepared a written report and deferred discussion on updates to the Lilleskogen
subcommittee until the Capital Planning agenda item. Gorham attended the February 19, 2019 City
Council meeting and reported Council approval of the formation of a Lilleskogen subcommittee. The
subcommittee will address updates to the Lilleskogen Park Restoration Strategic Action Plan and work
on details of the Conservation Partners Legacy grant re-application.
City Administrator Report
Committee members reviewed the written report provided by Administrator Soltis. The City Council
approved a Recreation Program Assistance Policy to benefit Scandia residents in need of financial
assistance to participate in recreation programs. A legislative bill was introduced that could provide
funding for the Gateway Trail extension. Living Healthy in Washington County will be accepting
applications for Active Living Equipment Partner Projects. Cycling Scandia will consider pursuing these
grant opportunities.
In order to move forward with the plan for a water fountain at Hay Lake Shelter, the Historical Society
would need to initiate the project, as the owner of the well, or jointly through a cooperative
agreement between the Historical Society and the City. Plans for the connection and extension would
need to be submitted to the Department of Health for approval.
Financial reports provided by Soltis were reviewed by the Committee. Noted was the $60,000
budgeted for capital improvements for 2019.
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Public Works Director Report
Hawkinson provided Committee members with the Public Works February 2019 activity report.
Hawkinson informed the part-time seasonal maintenance worker is done for the season.
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Skateboard Park Improvements
Hawkinson informed he has received a quote from one of three sources from "Sourcewell" and is
waiting for at least two quotes. The Committee plans to review the quotes for skate park equipment
at its April 1, 2019 meeting and make a recommendation to the City Council.
Capital Planning for 2019
Committee members reviewed the capital projects for 2019 for the following parks and identified the
status of each of the projects:
T -ball field and Wojtowicz skate park: $10,000
Creating a path from Community Center, tree removal, stump grinding and grading to expand
pleasure rink
The Committee has already recommended a contractor complete the project of installing a path from
the Community Center to the t -ball field. Hawkinson shared it was premature to make a
recommendation for pleasure rink expansion. The biggest obstacle is the underground sewer, as
well as frost concerns. The recommendation should include a diagram and specifications of the
location and size of the expansion, in addition to identifying any trees to be removed.
Hay Lake Shelter: $15,000
Doors on the shelter and water fountain.
Hawkinson offered to research potential costs for screens at the shelter. Committee members
agreed to focus on the water fountain installation as a priority. As noted earlier, to move forward
with the plan for a water fountain at Hay Lake Shelter, the Historical Society would need to initiate
the project or a cooperative agreement between the Historical Society and the City would need to be
executed. It was questioned who would provide the plans for the connection and extension to be
submitted to the Department of Health for review and approval.
Lighted Ball Field: $10,000
Two concrete pads
Zauner informed the legs of the bleachers are rotting and questioned if the allotted $10,000 could be
used to replace the current bleachers. (The concrete pads are funded from another source.)
Hawkinson will determine whether the bleachers need to be replaced and will receive quotes for the
installation of the concrete pads and potential bleacher replacement with concrete pads taken into
consideration of the type of bleacher replacement. Hawkinson advised of a May timeframe for this
project.
Settlers Monument: $5,000
Light on flagpole; create a path to the monument.
Lee agreed to trim oak branches from his property to allow the solar attachment to be operational.
Hawkinson recommended the installation of the light occur as the trees are trimmed. This project
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should be completed in the near future. Committee members plan to visit the site in early spring to
assess the path.
Lilleskogen: $10,000
Wetland restoration, trails and council ring(s)
A Lilleskogen subcommittee was formed. Members include Gorham, Ray, Dan Lee and Karen Schik.
The subcommittee will work on the details of the Conservation Partners Legacy grant re-application
and update the Strategic Action Plan. Hawkinson advised he has signed off on the DNR grant in order
for the subcommittee to pursue the grant. The grant will focus on habitat, not infrastructure.
Natural park clearing and trails: $10,000
(Bone Lake, Big Lake, Orwell)
Ray informed Bone Lake Association President Dave Bakke was out of town when she planned to
reach out to him to request volunteer assistance from the Association members. The Association is
meeting later this month for Ray to propose help with potentially creating a natural path at Bone
Lake park.
Volunteer Agreement with Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails
Hawkinson provided Committee members with a draft of the Volunteer Agreement Between City of
Scandia and Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails. The agreement identifies the roles and
responsibilities of each party as they relate to supporting the butterfly garden at Lilleskogen park.
The Committee recommended the City's responsibilities be clarified. The Agreement should state,
"FSP may request PW resources, if available, to perform other maintenance that is deemed necessary
to maintain the character of the butterfly garden."
Motion by Hegland, seconded by Zauner, to recommend approval of the clarified Volunteer
Agreement Between the City of Scandia and Friends of Scandia Parks and Trails. The motion carried
5-0.
NEW BUSINESS
Program Survey Results
Gorham presented results of the recent Programming Survey. There were 100 responses with yoga
being the number one requested program. Schwinghammer offered to lead yoga classes.
Schwinghammer will meet with Negus to work on a proposal for the program to present to the
Committee. Gorham offered to consider pursuing a pickleball program. Gorham and Negus will share
the survey results with the YMCA and Wild River Fitness to inquire of their interest in offering some
of the other programs identified by the survey.
Community Group Collaborative
Schwinghammer shared local organizations were invited to meet to discuss their initiatives and
objectives in hopes to reduce duplicated efforts among the organizations. A result of the meeting
was the implementation of a "Community Calendar" on the City's website. The calendar will list local
events sponsored by a variety of organizations. The next meeting of the collaborative is planned for
April 13 at the Gammelgarden Museum.
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Summer Recreation Programming
Negus shared statistics from the last five years of registrations for Camp Lakamaga day camps. Due
to the reduction of registrations and the inability to meet minimum registration requirements, Camp
Lakamaga will not be offering day camps this year.
Negus met with the Arts Education Director at St. Croix Festival Theatre. The theatre is interested in
offering the Art in Action summer arts camp again this summer. The camp would run the week of
August 12 through August 16 at the Community Center. The week-long camp would run from 8:30
a.m. to noon. There is a $60 registration fee.
Motion by Zauner, seconded by Gorham, to recommend offering the Art in Action Program. The
motion carried 5-0.
Election of Chair and Vice Chair
Motion by Zauner, seconded by Gorham, to recommend Hegland as Vice Chair for the 2019-2020
term. The motion carried 5-0.
Motion by Hegland, seconded by Zauner, to recommend Gorham as Chair for the 2019-2020 term.
The motion carried 5-0.
AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING
The proposed agenda for the Monday, April 1, 2019 meeting:
1. Park Capital Improvement Plans
2. Preliminary Park Budget Planning (Fund 404)
3. Butterfly Garden Updates (Sonja Borg)
ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Hegland, seconded by Zauner, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 5-0.
The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Judi Negus
Office Assistant