all right I'll call to order the corkin parks and trails commission February 20th 2025 meeting we'll start with roll call chrison here Anderson here Schmid here Nao here ster here excellent good work everybody I invite everyone to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation indivisible with liy and justice for all okay any questions on the agenda otherwise we can make a motion to [Applause] approve move to approve the agenda all right do we have a second second all right all those in favor I agenda approved all right the meetings uh meeting minutes from the January 16th meeting any issues Corrections Etc you'll notice that it does have a different signature on it I did notice that yeah even your work away huh we'll we'll make that smaller next great it looks fine move to approve second all right all those in favor Seth you're one for one so open Forum public comment opportunity I'd like to invite we you have a comment her today can you call up to the podium state your name and address Katherine Dria 6747 Oldbridge Drive I just came tonight because I you won't let me comment on Zoom but well thank you for coming and I'm a little stir crazy because I've been in because of the cold but I just wanted to say thank you to parks and Trails um for the clear Focus you've given the city staff besides Jessica and the city council um as you know I listened last week for um moving forward for the future of city park somehow this has become important to me um and I think well it's a couple of reasons my new reason is there are old neighborhood like mine and some of you are in Old neighborhoods also are out in the country that are really not getting anything as corkin expands um so we need to get something and um I think city park is the perfect place to do that and so I appreciate how much thought went into it and um how you distilled everything down so that when the rest of the city city staff got a hold of it they could keep their focus and I just wanted to say thank you for that um I'm also a big proponent and it sounded from the city council meeting that they were kind of leaning this way too of getting that building built because there is no place in corkin for the community to gather and um I want to go on the record of saying that especially as somebody from an old neighborhood um you know we gather at the tea um in our neighborhood but there's there's no place and corkrin needs a place corkran needs a I lost my notes corkran needs a place um where programming can be done to pull people together you know I'm in the Rockford School District it is a long haul I know I can go over there and use their Fitness facilities but it sure would be nice if there was a class close by um and I just think that that's that's what we need that's how we need to build community or quom will become a place where every neighborhood stays onto its own so let's get it done and then let's let the staff like Jessica take over and and get that programming in there so I just wanted to say thank you and then there are a couple of other things um one that little cook Lake spur that I'm calling it they talked about a bench it really needs a table too a bench and a picnic table or some kind of table I mean if I'm going to go up there and walk on that trail because that's a close Trail for me um it would be nice if I could walk out on that little spur and have some place to set something down and sit you know without going in the ground and then I bring this up every time we need to get those open space Parks named so that the development name can come off of them um I think that keeping the development name on them is exclusive and um you know I just I just think we need to do that um so I've got new ideas because last time I think I said it should be called Bard owl Woods that little open space park that's adjacent to Old Sturbridge the golf course and rinia now I think we have wild wildf flower Park maybe it be could be something like Woods Trail because really the little bit of woods that are there are the only place you can really walk because everything else is kind of wet or has the potential to be wet um and then like the I'm not certain but the one in Belle weather can't that be somehow just named Boardwalk Trail something like that or something to give it a place because Wild Flower Park really is nice it's a nice little name needs more wild flowers but it's a nice little name um so they're just something to kind of get everybody thinking but I think that would be a good priority so thank Youk you thank youate okay we don't have any presentations Unfinished Business Park dedication chastic Family Farm this will likely look and sound kind of familiar it came to the Commission in March of 2024 so it's been a while since it's been seen um and it's coming back so I'll have more information on the history but quick overview this is uh looking for feedback on the park dedication for chq family farms uh it's located at 7600 Maple Hill Road so right off of 10 in Maple Hill Road uh it is 104 single family residential lots and three out Lots I as I said this uh was a previous preliminary planned unit development and preliminary plat that were denied by Council in 2024 This Is A New Concept plan that was reviewed at the end of 2024 and now this has moved forward to be placed in front of you all tonight uh in the 2040 comp plan natural resource inventory area this space doesn't show any natural communities of not um commissioner Anderson if you feel otherwise I'm sure sure that you would know where the natural resources are um beyond that the comp plan also doesn't show any parks in the area however a proposed off-road Trail is shown along the northern property line which you can see kind of with that orange line as part of this the developer is proposing a trail which I've highlighted in yellow um and then I've also highlighted the sidewalk in Orange now the staff recommendation is to actually not acquire the trail our reasoning behind that is it's kind of cut and paste it goes behind the houses for a while um with the Wetland buffers it's kind of causing some conflict there and it just doesn't provide that continuous behind the house experience so the recommendation from staff is to actually just keep the sidewalk the whole way it connects on both the east and the west side of the property so by doing that it's limiting the maintenance requirements on our Public Works team it's allowing for more Park dedication in the form of cash and L of land and it allows for more of a seamless route um happy to help with any questions that you all might have with the trail acceptance you would be looking at approximately $512,000 in park dedication without the trail acceptance you're looking at approximately $100,000 more coming to about $619,000 so with that the numbers that are proposed for Park dedication are estimates at this point um as it develops more we'll have more solidified information um but if there are any questions I'd be happy to help answer them otherwise like I said staff recommendation would be S just so the the outlaw a and and why would the why would the trail could why couldn't the trail go across the the northern edge of the lot throughout lot a so there is a buffer requirement for the wetlands so unless we're doing like a boardwalk and adjusting how we've seen how the boardwalk is going to and the outlot is chosen by the developer to put it there just because that's a good place to put it essentially well I think part of it's probably believe because it's a wetland and so just there is is it a is it a wetland there yes Wetland a outlet a okay oh yes I see that sorry and then to the east you've got a lot of b as well so it just it doesn't allow for a very continuous pathway behind the houses um the other challenge that we had discussed at a St level was in between the sidewalk where that Orange meets the yellow you you kind of have to continue some of the trail in some portions and then how does it look with a sidewalk and and then a trail and then a sidewalk it just which was also where the conversation came into play of is it does it make more sense to just accept a sidewalk but we certainly want your feedback if you feel otherwise maybe there's something we miss but well does the neighborhood there HOA or whatever require That Sidewalk then not be blocked by Park cars or correct so that would be assumed yes okay I would I I believe it would be in cold okay okay like C C okay and the connection connection is it is it developed on on the east side and the West Side both uh the East Side connects to I want to say Fairway Shores and then the West Side would be um Maple Hill and and they both have trails that match up this is the orange Trail at the tops Top Line [Applause] there so you be looking up here this so North is Maple Hill on the North side is the so that so that people would actually be using that as a as a trail going cook Lake over up to the North and the west or the other way around true ask me the question one more time ior was trying to follow it I okay the the develop the property that is um just to the east of this development has something that looks like that it does have a connection point that matches up with the East okay and they've got a trail there yes that was part of the Fairway Fairway Shores and then it will match with the sidewalk through this development I want to say it connects to a sidewalk and Fairway okay all right that that that's fine that's good but from the SE and cook yep angling west north and west yeah we have nothing there right we there is it goes that far past cook Lake no the one that's behind the yeah up to the sea but then I don't know does it go to the north and west also I know it's planned but does it how far does it go the one that's there that I would have to get more information on and come back to you I wasn't prepared for that as part of this one my what's generating that is that is that we can have a we have a sidewalk trail and I want to make sure that the connectivity is not Disturbed if it's not developed if that if that parcel is not developed yet North where one that's in Sea of cook Lake mhm that then when it is then we would want to make sure that the trail connects to the sidewalk TR so um what Natalie had put in the pack or in the agenda item was the proposed sidewalk will align with the proposed sidewalk in the Fairway Shores development to the east okay and they can realign their Trail to a te into the sidewalk okay so it sounds like it should be connecting and continuous yes I just want to make sure that we're in in the end going to have something that people can can successfully walk or bicyc yeah that's great so if we don't have this Trail we won't be be able to connect the cook Lake Trail when that's there out to the West the trail or the sidewalk as part of this because the sidewalk the trail the sidewalk will be there regardless right yes so the trail could connect to the sidewalk which would then so the sidewalk will still connect to the sidewalk to the East and then so we can connect the trail to that in theory okay because the trail so here uh the trail would go down into the sidewalk into the so either way it's going to connect yep okay so it's just a matter of if the yellow is something that you all feel is of value this doesn't seem like a high value Trail we can still make the connection right connect over here and come up and what do we we're just adding a little route behind the houses yeah that's all we're do yeah the opportunity cost is an extra $100,000 that go for nicer bigger part add another maintenance requirement concerned about what was over here I would lean towards not accepting it what does everyone else think I make a motion to take cash in L of excellent me too second that second that second all those in favor I I all right motion passes right okay new business enhancing structure and commission my Pi I know two I know St it on there so I'm keeping it Anonymous but I have had someone reach out regarding inconsistent meeting times and to be fair we do have inconsistent meeting times um we had a 30 minute meeting in January I'm not going to guess how long tonight will be I don't think it'll be that long but then we've also had some three-hour meetings so in an effort to kind of try and get us into a rhythm of having meetings that ideally don't go until 10 o'clock at night right I mean we want to be respectful of everyone's time but also soot I'm making sure that I'm highlighting the points that you guys need to know about and keeping the presentations condensed and trying to make it as efficient as possible while also considering that we have commissioner training next month so keeping that in mind of maybe there's things that you all have questions on that I can help answer next month during training that would set you up for Success moving forward and would help flow the meetings better so clearly I have a typo uh inconsistent meeting likes some may some may uh they may last longer than others is what I was trying to get at basically we might have more topics that are a little heavier and will require more discussion and that'll happen but trying to keep us on the path path and the trajectory I'm trying to figure out what I can do on my end to make it easier for you more efficient what can I do or what can we do as staff to make this a little more streamlined so some potential options that I've discussed with some folks prioritizing key agenda items earlier in the meeting so you'll notice that like the park dedication item that was first now it also helped because it was unfinished business because we've already discussed it before um but really trying to I guess Focus the important things on the front end and to be fair that's not to say that I put the tree giveaway at the back end intentionally I didn't um and then keeping presentations condense so is there stuff that maybe I don't need to be including that you guys are like stop talking uh focusing memos and reports to the perview of the commission so maybe we're giving you too much information and it's getting like too big and maybe we need to condense it down more and then that yearly training I think is going to be beneficial and making sure that I'm updating that frequently at least yearly as new items come to light that you guys want to learn about or hear about um so basically I don't need a motion or anything tonight I just am more looking for feedback on is there anything I can do additional to make this a little more efficient are there ways I'm not asking you to take shots at each other but are there ways that you guys can be more efficient that's up to you I'm not telling you how to do your job I'm just asking are there things that I can do or anyone can do to kind of try and streamline I think personally I think it's fine but you know obviously if there's some people that have a hard time with a later meeting I can understand that too because I don't but I I feel like sometimes there's things that need a lot of longer discussion you know for us to be comfortable as to what we're where some things go quick I agree some meetings are just going to be longer yeah but you know there are I think a few small things that you could do like oh we have a big meeting item and we think it's going to take a while so the no offense to parks recreation Trails update but we could combine that like move that to the next time when we don't have a big item and have that be a larger item then right so hey I'm giving you an update for the last two months instead of one I don't know what's required in terms of what we have to talk about but let me be very clear the parks recreation and trails update is not a requirement it used to be a recreation supervisor update and if you remember I didn't really enjoy that so much so then we transitioned into how can we kind of focus on what's going on yeah yeah okay and it also encompasses Council now there might be a I mean planning project update kind of gives you some of the council but maybe but in a meeting when we have a very large item we could even move the planning project update we could move the they could all be information yeah so there are some things I think we could do when we anticipate a longer meeting right some me going to be longer city council typically has a consent agenda could we take some of those routine items and move it to a consent agenda and then if somebody has looked at the at a project list and wants more discussion about something they could just take it out otherwise we could we could do five or six things with one motion and um it calls on each of us to look be looking at our minutes at our agenda the day before you know the time before so that we have a question we asked to pull it uh we could save a little time that way and it would maybe organiz it organize the meeting in a slightly different way but I don't know why we couldn't I can definitely look into it kind of makes it more like an exception based yeah like if there's anything that's you need to bring up otherwise move on I would love that if we could throw the parks recreation and trails update in yeah I think that makes sense can can we move new business and unfinished business and things like that around pretty much we control the structure of this I believe so I would want to check that if we can is there a certain order that you'd like to see things I the only reason I say it is because if we had new business that we knew was going to take longer we'd put that in front of everything else and then as we're conducting the meeting oh this item took two hours to talk through then it's easier for us to expedite the remaining items of lesser importance right so that if we could restructure based on the priority my recommendation with that um would be during agenda approval if there's things that you want to kind of move around that might be easier rather than I just I wouldn't want to switch unfinished business and new business every single meeting it would get really complicated on the back end um so since I'm might be the one doing that can before the meeting I could say hey I want to move new business up to number five or something okay yep so when we go through agenda approval you would just okay I want to make a motion to move such and such before such and such gotcha and then Seth has to figure out how to put it in the minutes so sometimes we we are under a time crunch for like a project um simply because when somebody files their paperwork the city has to respond within x 60 days or the project is automatically approved I mean it's it's a big deal and um I I would find it helpful that if there is something here which is time dependent that we absolutely need we need to do our work so that the council can do its work that it be highlighted in some way um so that so that we you can see that those are going to be a real hyper and I don't know if there's if there's a bunch of stuff on the agenda move that to the top to the top part of the agenda so we can give it the time it needs rather than caught with you know be caught with not much time really because it's getting really late and and then we need we need to do our work with that one I will ask for one one additional favor if you ever have questions prior to to the meeting please please please send them to me it lets me prep it doesn't make me spend my time here trying to find the [Music] information I don't embarrass myself on camera you know we'll try our best sometimes it just pop in I know to be fair I'm making I finished the presentation about two hours ago so clearly things are still popping in anything else otherwise we can also you you're more than welcome to email me any suggestions I'd be happy to make any adjustments this is great to work with yeah see what I us good D could hardly believe how in I think he liked that I really appreciate a good okay good uh Club request okay so it was actually in late 20124 I believe when Garden Club submitted their request um we were in the middle of trying to make some really good progress on city park so there were some things that were taking a little bit of priority and I said hey if we wait until a little closer to Spring is that going to be okay or you going to use the wheelbarrow over the winter um so here we are coming forward with Garden Club request um they are looking for a wheelbarrow a garden SL storage shed a he two heavy duty tarps an oscillating sprinkler and a hose hanger uh grand total for these items was estimated at $558 62 that's assuming that I can't find any deals I haven't done a lot of deep diving onto all of this but they did did provide me um examples of the items that they were looking for If This Were approved tonight the next steps would be working with Public Works uh on a shed location and then potentially city council approval if an administrative site plan amendment is necessary as well as exploring cost savings options because I love a good deal and I like saving the Garden Club money if it means they can buy other things in the future um so as a reminder purchases under $5,000 do have to be brought forth to the parks and trails commission for approval if approved it then moves forward to council as part of the claims register so ultimately under $5,000 you guys have the purview under how much 600 less than $600 $558 oh so uh recommendation the staff recommendation would be to direct staff to work with the necessary parties to purchase the items proposed by The Garden Club up to $600 I'm giving myself a little bit of a buffer in case we need to go a little larger in the storage storage shed size well the shed doesn't look a $200 shed don't look like it's going to last very long it's is almost as much as the wheelbarrow or you know good point there you know I know that's a deluxe wheelbarrow but I I mean first of all there I wait were we discussing I'm sorry I jumped in I was done talking um the memorial back here has its own fund that was donated yes it does you know it doesn't go to that park it is for this park so you know and there's what I don't have that $12,000 in it 10,902 as of 13125 okay now yes over 600 you said it I didn't quite catch who all it has to go to but I thinking they need a better shed than this I don't know it's up to them but you can also approve higher I was giving the $600 as a buffer of $42 in case there is a bigger ass once we go over the 600 then what happens yeah that's so under 5,000 is what you all have the approval for the $600 the $600 I was trying to give myself a buffer that request is8 we don't pay tax but I did want to be mindful in case they're shipping or prices have been going up yeah and as we speak right pretty much I don't know I mean Tom what do you think on the well I I have to admit that I'm I'm the only property owner in quirer without a shed um CU that's one of the rules is you have a shed in your property but um yes no a shed that would last 10 years would be really nice if this one doesn't look like it'll last 10 we should we should yeah I you know I don't know what you know I would want to go shake it and do this you know how thick is that plastic or whatever and I will say this is not the shed that they originally proposed the one that they proposed was smaller so I did up the size a little bit because I looked at the wheelbarrow size and I was like I don't think that's fit in the smaller shed so we can definitely explore other sheds and other options if we do that I would maybe ask you to consider raising the price if you're looking for a better quality shed maybe providing a higher threshold but I want to know what you're comfortable with and I I would need a motion so for sure I think we should raise that to a thousand that's exactly what I was thinking I suck at that I would you know yeah I I mean you don't yeah get something decent why not why not why not because yeah I guess the wheelbarrows wor good observ put the wheelbarrow on the insurance I do have that wheelbarrow it's a nice wheelbarrow it looks like it yeah I could handle it I would tip it yeah that's like no I like it a lot who's going to install the sh well is that the Garden Club that that would be worth making a YouTube video for the Garden Club does a project okay actually uh let's see who would do it uh well you know they bet I bet we could do it yeah yeah see how many pieces it comes in first could you I work assuming that the recommendation being up to a th is what you would want to move forward with I would work with the appropriate parties I.E public oh no EG Public Works and the Garden Club to make sure that everything meets the needs of both parties in terms of like maintenance requirements as well but yeah Garden Club does a lot for us to make sure they have the material be back all right someone want to make a motion I think Tom did I think I said you second all right all those in favor $1,000 all excellent motion passes okay moving on to the tree giveaway I'm hoping that commissioner Anderson will pop in here as well because I'm sure he has thoughts uh so a little recap from 2024 we were buying trees they come in bundles of 25 and they cost $40 per bundle and they are oh gosh I'm going to ruin the seedlings mhm so they're not full grown trees for those that might not be aware of the program um the Department of Agriculture certificate in 2024 was to the tune of $230 and the total cost sponsored by the JC's was $1,236 so as we are planning for 2025 the bundles remain the same cost at $40 for 25 however the Department of Agriculture certificate went down to $55 when it's zero I'll be happy no me too but don't worry I asked again this year and they still told me we had to pay it I said 55 is better sweet tiet Tre I I did try and explain that multiple times there are free trees we don't have do we know what the the penalty would be if we got caught without an eggs or tette I would imagine more than $55 well we did have to have it for years all I think we had to have it I think we just didn't know well maybe I it's stupid Sor ignorance is type of situation B it went down ask for forgiveness at this point the total cost estimated for the program this year assuming it's 25 bundles again for a total of 625 trees comes to $1,055 uh including in your packet I did make a note that we tend to give all of the trees out and that sometimes we do have extra people afterwards asking for additional trees with the cost of the program going down this would also be an opportunity for you all to let me know if you want me to request more funds from the JC's if we need to look at offsetting costs to get more trees but using a different funding source I would have to look into that further um at this point we're looking for feedback on that if there are specific tree species that the commission would like to see included in the program if there's any Commissioners that have an interest in being further involved I mean Tom and I do love to hang out but if anyone would like to come and join we would be happy to have you and if there's any additional feedback regarding the number of species total trees included in the program anything of that nature and then oh that shows up a lot better on my screen than it does on there sorry we got copies that's okay but I wanted to provide this as well in case there were specific tree species or any other information from this list that would be helpful as you have this discussion and a reminder I'm just it for this program she she wouldn't know which end of a tree to plant you know I don't think I could maintain a tree um well let's start on the finances are you going to go ask it JC's that is my intention yes excellent and but before I go forward to them I wanted to figure out what am I asking for right and so we figured the cost what was it 1,100 total with the 55 bucks and all that $1,055 with the amount of trees right we going to throw the fee in there too we do every year I mean the is the 1,55 with the fee yep I apologize I was adding the two together oh no sorry and how much did they donate last year $1,230 and6 so we'd be asking for a little 200 less I okay well I would suggest 1,200 asking the JC's and then and if we get it working within that budget if you want to order more but that's up to you yeah I you know if it seems like we we could certainly enlarge it um to uh 700 we could under 725 trees that would be four more bundles another 160 that would get us up there close to the 12 to the 12 I wasn't you your fast math was it might be might be able to squeeze might be able to squeeze one more out of that but that would be that' be pretty close I just I mean we could shoot for more but I don't know where they're sitting on their finances and and changes I'm really comfortable with with increasing kind of in incrementally I don't know how many trees I mean I'd hate to have extra trees right so so if we if we get another 100 trees we we've sold out every year we sold out every year yeah other than the first year we did not know what we were doing that first yeah learning CP yeah are we assuming that more households want trees or more or each household wants more trees we have a limit a liit five trees per household if we upped it would it say six trees per household or we saying just we're five still but more households right we usually have people coming in after the trees are all gone and saying hey I missed it or oh I didn't know we were doing this yeah that makes sense keep it so I think it's more quantity of homes not so much quantity of trees per home and it's been it's been interesting in the old days everybody ordered five mhm that was I mean because we had an acre and a half at least you know and now with these with with much smaller Lots people order two or three and that so which is really it's nice to see you know free stuff you way of taking all you can get and not not everybody does that I have a lesson to learn there you know yeah so so it's it's pretty fun yeah but I would like to uh I would like to get this up on the website you know next week in the last couple years we have what dollar amount do you are you comfortable with the 12 yeah is that how your fast MTH went yep yep y because I think there JC meetings next week next Thursday so we might not know on funding till next week that's fine we can correct we can we can pick the trees last Thursday we don't uh we don't we last couple years we we' picked the trees and we put it out on the website and then we've watched the first bunch of orders come in and so we've learned which are the hot ones this year and then we've gone back and figured out the the number of bundles of each to make it all work it's given us which meant we've given more PE more people more of the trees that they want more rather than what's left what's the best selling tree every year it it varies and I you know I can't tell my memories just you can't tell you or those will be the first one to sell out there you know they're nice trees they are just they're yeah sometimes they're a little small but uh we have some we have some at our house that have done I have some red bud trees they're not offering red bud this year but red bud is a spectacular small tree and it was you know a stick this big and now it's uh you know as big as a a small car and it is spectacular actually I have two what red bud red bud is name yeah really just lovely blooms early in the spring um on right on the stems and then it uh and then and then the leaves are pretty it's a nice kind of heart shaped leaves nice shade of green and uh the the leaves are nothing spectacular in the fall but for a for a tree that it's 6t tall we can't have those 8T wide it's it's all excited we can't have those again they're they're not they're not offering this year but it'll come around again but pagota Dogwood is also a really lovely tree which does make some some fall nice fall color and blooms does it give really well the red butt yes that is that is just like that I want that one no next year next year when it comes up again we'll that is pretty yeah wow so what are you suggesting on the trees Tom you know I I have to say it's been a busy time I've not I usually get at least a couple of shrubs mhm and then couple of small trees and and then a few more Big Trees but we may switch that around with fewer fewer uh with more city city siiz Lots not so many Big Trees anywhere so maybe more small trees and then a couple of different I'm open for suggestions as to what you like for the big trees and then conifers are always the popular ones evergreens get a bunch of several different kinds of those and you know there some are fussy about dry drought what's a tulip tree I know well it is a nice big tree normally its normal range is a little further south oh so it's not but but they're perfectly hearty why they didn't grow here I I don't know but it's on our list yeah it's on the list they're yeah they're nice trees the the leaves look sort of like a tulip BL aome okay which one right in the middle [Music] tulip okay that c it's in the pop family okay probably grows fast probably fast gr people would like that good okay what's that cotton wood it says female what is the male the one that sheds all theale cwood male only male only and and all that you then what you get is you get the pollen but you don't get the snow the cotton God I wish my neighbors so so that's that's that's the deal people hate the cotton yeah what a mess but but you know I'm not a big fan of cotwood because the males all that pollen you know your allergies are worse in the spring they used to and that's because we plant M cottonwood trees every time there's a bad storm they lose one I [Laughter] cry well I say you go ahead and pick I'm not real okay particular theber the aot's not on these lists every year so that might be a popular one I think I Mar my she mountain ash is always looks nice yep that's good food for the Wildlife too it [Applause] is for the Big Trees I like the Oaks I don't know if they're that popular anymore it take forever to grow you know that's the rumor they you know they they're trees they you know it's a 30-year project but they they are they grow there's little trouble with with wilt but uh but they've been but they've been good the the maples you know the roots are all on the surface you can't grow grass under it Oaks don't care about such things so my husband always says that Oaks grow in poor soil that be he goes wherever there's where will'll be driving in I oh that farm is beautiful poor soil Oaks okay then okay all right do you have what you need then I do okay do we need to make motion for the Thousand no okay and you're going to take care of the financing M okay all right thanks for doing that did anyone want to come with to do what to ask for the answer oh no we got this we'll see where the meeting's at maybe you might be there anyways all right reports and information planning project update information and I will note Council Nichols is not on the call so I can kind of answer questions maybe Seth might be able to answer not much too new on there is there I mean that I recall you want to give us a brief summary of the report of the work on the city park I will as part of the next item next item that oh yeah how about number seven here Ana tree and Landscaping concept plan are we really going did that pass the council do know kind of like a recycling place by over by oh yard yard waste over by the maintenance Public Works building they did not like that if I if I watched the meeting who didn't like it the city council okay because of all the noise and I can't remember what else the issue was but apparently no cities like them so you really it's got to be plac to recycle your trees apparently really yeah uh you might want to watch the meeting cuz I'm not explaining it that's well you know cuz Maple Grove has the one over there but I think if we take something there prices have gone up so like if you want some to chop down your tree that the tree cutters are saying well we can't drop it off anywhere so we can't cut down your tree right now or it's going to cost you more or something well interesting yeah it wasn't a permanent structure they were concerned about that they were concerned about other items being on the land like machinery and things of that nature that might not be up to code okay yeah cuz the Machinery I mean I mean I'm just thinking of the Maple Grove one and um you know it's there and they're Ming and turning there is a good location for noise fun yeah okay thank you okay parks recreation Trails update all right I'm going to hammer through this real fast things I'm working on youth Athletics we're trying to hire a program coordinator working through that Park planning which I'll touch on on the next slide parks and trails commission so it's been nice Seth is here Seth is very helpful Seth helps compile your packets SE Seth helps do minutes so I'm trying to transition some of that off of my plate and Seth has been taking it on like a champ um policy update so I'm working with uh our planner and our deputy director I think I had told you guys about this uh sign update special event permit type of updates uh Diamond Lake Regional Trail working on getting reimbursed history of the corkran athletic association I met with Kevin Dale last week and so I got to get something written and put together but he also gave me some documents which was really fun to see I saw a picture of Kevin as a uh baseball coach it's my personal favorite pretty pretty intense huh I'm pretty sure he was smiling but he did have quite the musle did back then oh it was quality um the only other thing I want to touch on before I get into the council items um we did have a request back in December and there were some other more pressing things that kind of took a little bit of a front seat but the request was to explore a reciprocity situation essentially with the city of Plymouth to a family wanted to play Bad mitton at wi Isetta High School the city of Plymouth runs like a badminton program it sounds like and they're having a hard time getting into the program because it fills up with residents before they get the opportunity to enter in we don't have any options to really counter and say oh here well you can play badminton here or do whatever physical activity here depends on what you're looking for um the staff perspective at that time in December was we don't really have time and we don't really have anything to offer Plymouth in return and if we do want to explore that are people comfortable with giving them a resident rate allowing them to register for our stuff early does it benefit more than just this one Community member there were a lot of questions um when we played Devil's Advocate a little bit that it just it didn't seem like it needed to happen right now now if the commission feels other otherwise please let me know and we can look at pursuing that a little further um but as far as items that need to get accomplished this didn't make its way to the very top but if you'd like it to we can explode any initial thoughts commissioner NAA you see the wheels turning yep get it I'm making sure understanding it completely they could get into bad Mitten and wetta inlo but it takes place at wetta high school okay so basically but we don't have anywhere anything to offer for badminton we don't so but we also don't have anything essentially what my perspective was if I go to Plymouth and I say hey we have residents who are interested in participating in your programs they can't get in because they're not residents then the conversation might go oh okay well what do our residents get in return because generally reciprocity is going both ways right so then it turns into a much bigger discussion of okay if we go down this Rabbit Hole what are we actually comfortable with giving and receiving so so that when we get the new park building built We could decide that we want to have a bean bean ball bean bag tournament tournament league league and then we could and we could and that could be something that we charge for and then then we could say we'll let Plymouth people pay play in our bean bag league if you let corkin residents play in your badminton league with the same fees as residents and same early registration and but we have nothing to trade I mean that's the question how much are you willing to trade and seeing as this has been a request from one family it's one of the those do you open up the entire registration to all of the Plymouth families then as reciprocity how do you how do you navigate that so I just want to make sure that our initial not right now is the right answer from the commission's perspective it's not that we can't readdress it or reevaluate in the future but just making sure that as of right now we're I mean it might be that when we have pickleball courts that they'll be quick and residents won't fill them up right away and we could do a trading on that yeah something I bet they'll be I'm sure they will be I agree I think at this point we have to watch out for our people and let them enjoy what we're trying to make and that seemed to be the feedback from the commission and Council in the past was how come residents aren't paying a little more for the program so let we up the cost and then we added that week of priority registration and then I just want to make sure that we're still following that path I think so um and then before I forget uh t-ball 38% residents coach pitch 28% residents Machine Pitch 56% residence which averages out to 41% which I believe is still up from last year but our numbers are down so I will be sending out more information to people saying hey don't forget to register because this is about the time that people usually flood in so I'm not worried about it but this weekend will be warm yeah think about it for sure all right right now they're happy we have a hockey rank right um so the council meeting last week we had two bigger discussions one was about Park dedication fund um the last time we really looked at the park dedication fund formula or Park dedication formula was back in 2022 I want to say um so our community development director Natalie my supervisor we worked together she did most of it and we brought it to council and they directed staff to review and update the park dedication formula look at it a little further make sure we're more in line with you know what we need to be to address the park system needs and make sure we're collecting what we should be that was the less exciting part in my opinion uh the 60% design though the council wants to move forward with scenario 2A which in the packet presented to them had a full building a minimum paved parking lot and then it did not have a playground or a splash pad there were four scenarios I believe that were mentioned um they want to move forward with 2A with r Visions they would like a full building minimum paved parking lot to try and be mindful of cost and then they want to move forward with the playground what does that mean it means that we are working with our Consultants to develop construction documentation prepare items for bid um really honing in on the budget numbers trying to figure out what Al alternates we can have as alternates that we can cut if we need to to be mindful of funding down the road um we're also looking at grant opportunities exploring those as if we weren't already doing that but really honing in on that and then um working with our Consulting team to like I said narrow in those numbers get closer and closer and more specific um next steps we are planning to come back in March at this time the March meeting with 90% design um that would be the opportunity to provide feedback on any of the items that are included in there that you've seen a handful of times at this point um they I know that Gabby with h KGI is working with our playground vendors to get that slide moved up uh the other request of council as far as the playground goes uh there was a request to there's two Bridges connecting the hillside to the playground if you recall there was a request to have some variety in there so trade out one of the bridges for maybe like a rickety Bridge type of situation and then keep one more standard um there's a few Hillside slides uh seeing either some wines or some sort of variation in those as well just let us not the same thing and then I had also brought up the moving the slide higher because I know that was a parks and trails request um if there's anything else that I might be missing on that please let me know if there's any questions I can help answer so there 60% did not include the splash bed the design itself included it but moving forward does not include the splash pad which then requires further conversation with the JC's about the funding option um in informal conversations that would have to be brought forward it sounded like there might be an openness to using those funds for a different community so they don't want a splash pad at all I think they want the splash pad it's just we don't have the funds for a splash pad in this phase but I thought we had the money for the splash pack wasn't that we have $100,000 but it's an $800,000 [Music] amenity but I thought it fit into our numbers when we sat and looked at it all without digging back we were reaching qu like we we didn't have all the money to get it but I think the message was we were encourag to just push through with what we thought was best so we added a lot more than I think we can technically afford and I would also note that just because we're phasing it out doesn't mean that those pieces can't move forward in the future it was going to have to be phased out either way I mean not specifically the Splash Pad but pieces of it just because it was an 11 million cost estimate I mean we have 5.3 in park dedication right now do you remember what our phase one estate was or that was the 11 phase one the 11 would have included everything that was if we did one phase the nice thing is we do have the concept now so I mean moving forward you don't really have to start from scratch because we've done a lot of the work to get to here which makes future phases easier questions disappointment very disappointed I mean it's I think it's going to be Hardo asking them for money for trees when we've been sitting on their money for a splash pad for four years now we don't actually have the money do we you know and I understand it it's expensive don't get me wrong yeah but and yes the trees will go out quicker than the Splash Pad but I just feel bad on it you know well when we see the re the redesign or the plan that's when we can stress the importance of the spash pad I will say this we are going to be on an aggressive timeline in order to make it happen this year um so that 90% in March and this is all tentative I mean this was a 1:00 or 2 o'clock meeting this afternoon that we had so this is all very fresh but um March for 90% to you all um and then game plan would be 100% an approval to bid in that first April meeting ideally for Council um and I'm saying this before I've talked to my supervisor or my boss's boss so yeah do they talk about other funding options like besides grants and things we've already looked into um the theme seems to be that people do not have an interest in bonding if that's the question that would be an alternative funding option so if you have further question questions as to why I would highly recommend you contact your council members and I I think that you Jay talked about the bonding load that we already bond for for some equipment and some things that are going to continue and to shift that over to parks and trails is a is a a pretty big step yeah big ask I understand that and you don't you really don't want to run short of that as an option you don't want to be borrowing right up to your yeah interest rates are well a lot higher than they were so it's harder to sell that option I gu now okay so they'll be looking for feedback once we see next month and to be sure a lot of it more than likely won't change a lot of the things you'll probably be looking at are the building design yeah I mean the playground you've provided feedback for the most part and unless you're passionate about parking lots and the building didn't have much changes in it the what the building didn't have a whole lot of change no but there was a new color variation it's like a wood color there's wood black and gray or wood gray and red um the only other thing as far as the parking lot goes council did discuss um that grassy area that was overflow they had discussed potentially Paving that area and then leaving the rest of it gravel there's concern with having to do like a variance for the site because it would be required to have it paved if it were a development so there's there's some sticking points there that we're working through um the other part that councelor Friedrich had brought up from her time on the parks and trails was that that grassy area part of the reason you all intended to leave it grassy at least for the beginning was that the entrance was a nice grassy and then there's the building the view was a little better um so if anyone had any big thoughts on that either way does that make sense I think so the minimally paav parking lot though is that it's a sticking point that we're working through does that just mean we don't get the little tree spots in there or what no it means that some of it might end up being gravel remaining gravel or I don't have a problem with it until you know you're seeing you know I if you got kind of spots you know yes you might have to draw lines but like they do now oh we don't draw lines not anymore I thought I'd seen some up there but maybe we did it I think the Lions do at their park like for Country days yeah oh yeah they do for that yeah which to be fair it does allow for more well not such chaos Everyone likes a little chaos okay beyond that that's all I got for you guys for the rest of the meeting I think I'm done talking unless you have questions for me on other things all right any other questions on that uh Garden Club report do you have anything else for us right now okay Park dedication fund everyone looked at it it's a different it's a different format somebody has looked at it is that okay yeah well yeah so moving forward is this going to be an appropriate way to format it do you need to see the old transactions is that really that helpful and I can't guarantee that the projected incoming Park dedication fees portion will get updated every time just because it is a lot of work on Natalie's end to have to do but um I now have access to the park dedication fund and memorial fund Bal so I can at least update those I mean some of the transactions should be in there so I know what we spent okay I feel and interest ver is interest okay on money that's right is there any like last three months last year what are you looking for well that's that for interest well just in general how much do you want on there oh um your dat helpful dat so far year two date January what you know I know I don't think that one or two transaction that's the hard thing is like in a year you'll maybe see with interest maybe seven to 10 transactions yeah until we're really although I suppose there is the um use of Park dedication funds for the planning for City Park as well that's getting bu so is there any understanding of when these amounts will transact act like like to add a date or a month or a quarter in here when it will happen or is it just assumed it's it's dependent on the development true so like we by putting a timeline on that it puts us in a tricky situation where you might go well how come it said that it was going to be here in March and now it's April where is it yeah we can't really hold them to a certain time frame but I could maybe see if she could do quarter I think that' probably be our safest but just yeah give a range wondering if it yeah cuz like if we're talking about the park and the phases then and aligning it with what money might be coming in to fund those phases it might help kind of those conversations and there might have been more information in that uh 7B from Council during that meeting because that's where I actually pulled this from was her report so these these numbers here are for the total project though so like Hope Community we have four or more phases this 2.5 million would be the entire development all understand okay this nice to and you'll notice CH is on there as well oh yeah you put the 69 you knew what we were going to do I did not put those numbers together which ones tics well that's the number we out the trail yeah it is but yeah not I mean tell the stuff is approved it's doesn't I want to say the numbers do us good but they don't yeah because the chastic one could have been in here a go and it wasn't you know so personally I like the old method so you don't want the projected on there no I like I like our old format where it said it didn't have to be you know broke down 2013 don't get me wrong but you know the interest was on there what we spent the memorial fund was broken out or the Memorial Garden because that is separate totally those monies were donated just for this and well I have those two separate but I can get the transactions on there um it used to be that our finance manager would put the report together we no longer have a finance manager on site but which makes it harder to coordinate that so I mean I I can I can do it but it just probably won't be the exact same format but I can include the information that you're looking for if that works add another the column in the Excel is that what she say I'll do my best oh honey I love you and you know what is fine not in finance I tried so hard anyone want Finance yeah I don't have time on it's simple fil yeah exactly I'm already volunteering I'm putting my time in okay no other business anyone want to make a motion to adjourn I make a motion okay all second all those in favor I meeing is adjourned