Heat. Heat. [music] [music] >> [music] >> Babe. >> Okay. Uh, I'd like to call to order uh the November 5th parkboard meeting. Uh, Leslie, can you call a role? >> Yes. Uh, Christie >> here. >> Hanley >> here. >> Lairman >> here. >> Schultz >> here. >> Samurski >> here. and Chair Ingraham >> here. >> Um, next item is the approval of the agenda or any comments or do I have a motion to approve? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> All right. Christie, >> yes. >> Hanley, >> yes. >> Larman, >> yes. >> Schultz, >> yes. >> Samurski, >> yes. >> And Chair Ingram, >> yes. Uh, there are no minutes for approval today. >> Correct. They'll be in the December packet. We didn't get them in time for this. >> And I don't believe we have any citizens looking to discuss anything on the agenda. Correct. Anybody on? >> Uh I don't know. Is there anyone here interested? Nope. >> You said no. >> So with that, we'll move to special matters. And there are no special matters this evening. >> No special matters. >> So we can go right to our business items and 7A, the big willow master plan. >> All right. I'll turn this over to Matt, but before I do, just a reminder, this is um some high level introduction. I know you've already heard a little bit about this at the joint park board council meeting. That was a very quick uh look into it. Matt's going to go into more detail. I'm certainly interested in looking for feedback. Um but just a reminder, there's no formal action required with this. It's just about listening and providing feedback as necessary. I'll turn it over. >> Thank you, Park Board Chair. park board. Um, Big Willow Park. It's one of our gems of our numerous gemmed uh, park system in Minnitonka. Um, so as Leslie mentioned, I did sort of give a preamble to the master planning process to the joint meeting. Um, tonight I was hoping to walk through a little bit closer look at the process of our master planning, where it comes from in terms of the the post planning that leads into the master planning and some of the key sort of opportunities and constraints that we're seeing as we begin to look at the park and what sort of gets folded into the master planning process and of course open for feedback. Um, but I want to make it clear that tonight this is sort of these are a lot of the ideas that we have so far working with the consultant. Um, so some of these things may or may not end up in the draft master plan. Um, so we're going to need to stay tuned for that master plan to be prepared and sent out to the public for really sort of a deep dive into what's being proposed. So this is sort of the uh second version of the preamble if you will. Wrong computer. So a little bit of the background. So the parks open space and trails system plan. This came out in 2021. Um this sort of lays out a roadmap for park planning and what we want to do in terms of improvements. So there's really a multi-stage process to this. It's about inventory inventorying and assessing the conditions of the park. Um we like to look for user trends. What are people using this park for? Um and this leads to uh an ability for us to prioritize park improvements and the investments if necessary. We have a beautiful park system. Um we don't necessarily need to make change just for the sake of change. So part of this process is to generally understand what's valuable about this park and if we want to leave it alone then that's what we're going to do. So I added these guiding principles from the post plan on the side here. Advance environmental sustainability and resiliency. provide connection to the park trails and and the programs in terms of recreation programming that happens in the park system. Promote community health and wellness, promote equity and inclusion and support excellence and innovation. So again, this master planning process is really about inventorying analysis. So what's the current condition and how are these park features being used? Um we like to take this opportunity to look back at the plans that were previously adopted. So the post plan, as I mentioned, the natural resources master plan ends up being a big consideration as we go through this park planning process. Knowing how important our natural resources are in the city, those natural resources, that natural resources master plan has led to habitat restoration and maintenance plans. Um, one has been adopted or or considered for Big Willow in the past. So, we use those to sort of inform the park planning process and and greater understand what investments we've previously made in the park and how those will influence our choices moving forward. So, survey and outreach has been going on for a little while now. Really, the goal of that is to understand how residents use the park, what should not change in their perspective, um, and what needs improvements. We end up hearing a lot of the similar concerns over and over again. We want to make sure those are nice and and documented early on in the process. Um, we're really looking at a human- centered design consideration. Um, this is about inclusive pl placemaking, making sure that we're accommodating the largest group of potential users as possible. Um, especially when it comes to active recreation and the ball fields and getting in and out of those bathrooms, those sorts of considerations. So, a little bit of uh stats related to Big Willow. So there's a very large athletic complex and in the post plan it's listed as an athletic complex and a preserve. So sort of the western and north side of the railroad tracks are are wooded and trailed areas. Um it totals in at 101 acres. There's 2.3 miles of existing trails in the park. The ball complex has one full-sized field, so this is a rather large field. Three little league fields and two softball fields. At this point, not all the fields are lit either. So, some of the key park features include this legacy baseball and softball so soccer complex. Um, if you look back on historic aerials of this parcel, there were ball fields in there in the 50s and 60s. Um, they've moved around quite a bit, but there were ball fields for decades at this point. This extensive trail network through the park um is really a gem. The trails are quite beautiful. We have the mini haha creek corridor running through the park which is really spectacular. We do have a very scenic bridge that crosses the creek through this park. Part of the issue and something we're looking closely at is how do you get into this park? So, there's a lot of entrances. There's a variety of small parking lots. Are they doing what they need to do to get people closer to the park? Might they need improvements? Those are some of the things that we're thinking through. Um there is some adjacency to um larger scale regional trails. So, Three Rivers Park District has a regional trail to the south and there's a a new connection happening along Plymouth just to the west here. Um, we have a nearby commercial area. DQ gets very popular in the summer. Um, and Minamona Mills Park is sort of a cultural hub. Spooktacular come up later tonight. So, um, how how can Big Willow sort of connect more regionally to these center hubs? Um, again, the restoration and maintenance plan was created earlier this year. Um, we are ongoing working with our volunteers. We have some really hardcore volunteers out there that have been doing spectacular work removing invasive species, installing um, native seed mixes. So, we want to continue to support that through this master plan planning process. Make sure this document really emphasizes the role of those volunteers and the restoration in terms of the natural resources in this park. So, some of the opportunities that we look at through this master planning process. Um, I'll talk quite a bit about this sense of place. We want to make sure that when you're in Big Willow Park, you get a sense of it being special. You're there for the ball fields or you're there walking in the trails. You get a sense that there's something unique, but it's part of the overall Minnotonka Trail and Park system. Um, again, accessibility and safety through the ball complex is is quite a concern. We want to highlight and improve the natural resources along that creek corridor. Um there's lots of upland in the in the park. Some beautiful oak woodlands and some opportunities to create quite a bit of ecological diversity in the park. Um there are some opportunities that I'll get into in in terms of improving the trail network. There are some odd deadends um in terms of the trails that have developed over the years. So, we have some ideas to to um improve that loop loop system to be able to get you through the park a little bit more easily. There are large turf grass parcels which I'll show in an aerial. Um over the years, the city have bought um residential properties that are now part of Big Willow Park but have sort of um been absorbed into the park footprint over the years. So, there's some opportunities in those turf grass parcels along the creek. And then generally as I mentioned connectivity along Minnitankka Boulevard to the west. So some of the constraints there's a large active rail railroad corridor through the park. Um there a lot of the park like a lot of our parks are large wetland complexes. This one's particularly dynamic. The way that Graze Bay Dam opens and closes changes the elevation of the creek quite rapidly. Um we are constrained by the railroad crossing that the trail goes underneath. Um that leads to flooding of the trail network at given times of the year depending on what the creek's doing, how high the waters water is. We certainly know that the ball field complex gets very popular at times when there's regional tournaments going on and the parking gets maxed out. So again, I wanted to highlight the restoration and maintenance plan. Through this process, we identify target plant communities. Um, we've been working with our local contractors which are going to be doing more and more work coming up this fall actually supporting the volunteer work and as well as uh our city staff who are working in the park doing that work as well. Um, this is again about removal of those invasive species and establishing climate change resilient plant communities um through our our sort of pot of uh resources that we get to pull from. So we are going through this inventory analysis process. We are working with Bolton and Mink, a local engineering firm. They work with us on a lot of things. Um so I'm going to showcase some figures that will be included in the draft master plan. There's a lot of detail on here. I don't expect you to be able to read this at this point. This is more about the process at this point. So this inventory analysis is about identifying issues related to accessibility infrastructure and amenity conditions. So we had our consultant walk out there, look closely at the trails, look closely at things like um the entrances to the bathroom facilities. Are there potential ADA concerns in some of these locations? So we look closely at things like um slopes on the trails and the the sidewalks leading into the ball complex. um issues like railings, whether or not they're needed on some retaining walls, the general surfacing, um what the condition of these asphalt and sidewalk, concrete, concrete sidewalks look like these days. Um I mentioned the threshold gaps at some of the bathrooms. General concerns about parking. There's not enough, but there's really not a whole lot of opportunity potentially for us to increase the amount of parking. So this is a really detailed process to really get a sense of the current condition and help sort of prioritize budgeting in the future. So we are going through outreach and engagement at this point. You've probably seen signs up in the park. There's orange signs all over the place. They have a QR code that take us to uh Minnotonka Matters. We're getting good feedback on Minnotanka Matters already as we do with these park projects. Um, at the city open house, we tabled and I had a lot of people walk up and pointing at parts of the park, where they come in, what they enjoy about the park most, which is always fun. Uh, we also had a presence at the Latino cultural heritage event. This was over in Hopkins. That was about six or eight weeks ago or so. Um, so far on Minnitonka Matters and through the public survey that we host on Minnitankka Matters, we've had 1,400 visits to the site, unique visits. We've had 49 downloads of the restoration and maintenance plan. So, sort of doubling up on this master planning effort and how it how it sort of was supported by the restoration work going on. So, we use this as an opportunity to point people to the restoration and maintenance plans and we've got 49 downloads of that. And so far, we have 308 survey responses and as we compile that data from the survey response, you'll see those in the draft master plan as as we get ready to prepare that. So there's a lot happening on this figure. Pardon pardon me at this point, but what I see through the park are really five key areas. So moving east to west, the ball complex I'm calling area one at this point. Area two is north of the tracks. Area three is what I'm calling the creek overlook. That's those residences along I got a pointer here actually. That's the residences along Minnotonka Boulevard here. Then to the west of Big Willow, there is actually a separate park called Mills Landing Park. Um, so we're sort of looping in area 4 as Mills Landing and a new parcel that we've recently acquired between Big Willow Park and Mills Landing Park, which I'll talk about. I'll talk about these areas in more detail. And then finally in reference to connectivity to the west um what I'm calling area five this western commercial area. So a little detail on each one of these. Here's a better look at that. So these these are the sorts of figures that you'll see in the master plan highlighting opportunities at this point. This is the consultant and our staff thinking sort of throwing everything at the wall and see what sticks. what are we seeing as easy opportunities in terms of um sort of if the lowhanging fruit was to be grabbed, what could we improve in the park? So, there's a lot of ideas in here and let me zoom in a little closer to each one of these. So, yeah, I know it's a lot. It's a lot. So, ballfield complex, um concourse improvements. So, we see potential for gathering opportunities, shade, and seating through that area. Um it's quite open. and it can get a little hot at times. We do get a lot of foot traffic. We want to make sure that that can get um in and out of there quite easily. There are some accessibility concerns on some of the slopes of those sidewalks through that area. Um the two um southernmost little league fields aren't lit at this point. There is a lot of lighting for the other fields, but um there's some potential for additional field usage through um added lighting on those southernmost fields. Um, we've previously scheduled to replace the playground. Um, so that'll be identified in this master plan as modernizing and creating more accessibility opportunities in this playground as we look to replace that in the future. There's some highlevel ideas for how do we get more parking in here? Really, this is our attempt to um, you know, think generally high level. if we were able to get any more parking, where could it go? It's really tight out there. There's a lot of steep slopes through here. So, the consultant had included this new parking terrace. I don't really think that's possible, frankly. U but we wanted to make sure we're looking as closely as we can at um the opportunities for additional parking. Yes. Yeah. >> So, when are the games on played when public works people are at work? >> Uh at times, yes. at times and Darren can help in or Kelly. >> I just was wondering if there was an opportunity to overflow into >> They do. They do. Oh, yeah. They do. >> And they in fact overflow and park in the grass. >> Oh. >> Um when it gets really busy. >> During the summer schools out, we'll often see tournaments start midday. that the fields will start to fill up and and we'll get advanced warning from our staff saying, "Hey, there's going to be a tornado. So, try to park a little further away or beware when you come and go." But yeah, it fills up fast and people end up crossing uh Minnotonka Boulevard, Gilliams Field, and parking over there. >> Um so the parking gets maxed out for sure. >> Yeah. When all the when all the fields are being used, then that that's when that's when it really gets over the top. So there's a couple times during the year when they're all used at the same time as softball, soccer, baseball, little league, every field has something going on at that's when luckily it doesn't happen too often. But yeah, it does happen. But even when they say if there's no soccer is still pretty full. So it's we got a lot of comments so far from the folks I talked to about parking overflowing. I certainly see it working out of that office there. So, what could we possibly do? Probably not a whole lot, but we want to look closely at what potential there might be. Um, to the west, um, there's a bit of a trail dead end at this point. Folks end up walking down a sort of abandoned asphalt trail. There's a fairly nice gazebo, a really nice gazebo that overlooks the wetland. If you look at historic areerials through this through this area here, there were boardwalks that stretched out into this wetland into a bit of open water there. Um so we do see some opportunity to enhance the views through there. Um certainly um emphasize how beautiful that shelter is and the sort of the vista over the wetland that it can provide. And then some potential for green infrastructure, storm water bmps. We end up storing a lot of snow out there in the winter. um sort of emergency storage. Um so just what could we do in terms of storm water quality improvement knowing that the that the creek is right there. So north of the tracks um that's this area up here Minnesota shaped. Um this is generally nature preserve. This is a wooded area. Um there's sort of a north south trail uh primary trail that we care for. Um but a lot of walking paths back in the woods there. There's a small parking lot in the northwest corner with about eight to 10 stalls or so. Um so we do see some opportunity for um park signage and trash cans and a little more welcoming of this small parking lot in the northwest corner potentially. Um my call out is off the figure here, but there is some interpretation related to um sort of this feud between two mills. There was the the Burwell family mill and then there was another mill up here that were feuding. >> St. Albins. >> St. Albins's. Yes, that's right. Um interesting history of our city and an opportunity to sort of showcase that. There's some uh legacy earthwork through there where they had um I guess impounded the the creek and brought water through to run the mills. So, some of that is still evident in the woods up there. So, opportunity to interpret the history a little bit more. >> Um >> yeah, a street car line also ran through there. >> Oh, did it really? Yeah. >> Is that where the um that that path is kind of on this >> It's hard to see it. It kind it goes uh east to west and it kind of curves a little bit. You when you're on the main trail, you kind of go up over a little rise and that's where it it cuts through. >> I didn't know that. >> Yeah. >> Um so lots of beautiful trails on the north side, but what ends up happening, especially when the path is flooded down here under the railroad bridge, is that folks end up clamoring over the trail. And that should not show that as a trail. That is not an official trail. Um, >> it's heavily used. >> Yes. Yes. Despite the signs there saying you're not allowed to go through there, Dave. So, part of the problem is that folks get down to this dead end and they don't feel like turning around. They want to continue their adventure. So, they'll scramble up over the trail or the railroad. So, the post plan had identified um using our wetlands as opportunities for additional trails and potentially boardwalks. So, initially we kept thinking about if we could create a trail loop with an with a new boardwalk following the creek through this wetland here to at least make that experience for people on the north side of the park to be able to >> to create a loop through there. The creek is quite beautiful. It meanders. This is the St. Alburn's Mills uh condos. They've done a lot of restoration on their slopes. Very significant buckthorn removal. Um so it's quite scenic through there. So, opportunity to create a bit more of a loop system on the north side of the tracks. So, area three, um the creek overlook. There were two residential properties in here. Um this is first off a really um lowhanging fruit in terms of ecological restoration. So, we do mow this area now. It is primarily turf grass. After we tore down those houses, we just replace it with turf grass when we mow it. Um, but there are beautiful white oaks, mature white oaks in that area. And it's an opportunity to remove some of that turf grass, create some trail networks through that area, and easily install um sunnier loving native perennial grasses and forbes through that area um to really enhance the corridor of the creek through that area. And there is beautiful topography. So, I do see folks walking through that area and enjoying it now, but it could be nicer. I'm guessing >> there'd be an opportunity under the oaks to do some soft landings plantings with some signage so that people could think about doing that in their own yards. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. And there's a lot there's this is a bit busy here, but keep in mind this is early draft. One of the post plan elements that were identified was we do not have enough reservable gazebo or picnic shelters in the city and we want to look at the opportunity for those in other park spaces. So, this seems like an opportunity, but it would require additional parking and potentially a bathroom amenity. Um, so we would through this master planning process be looking closer at this area whether or not that would be appropriate. >> We do know that the gazebo in Lone Lake Park gets booked quite a bit. Um, and generally from our surveys, we understand that they would get reserved for family reunions and parties and barbecues and that sort of thing. Um, but there would need to be some infrastructure installed as a part of that. So, fitting that in with the restoration goals and potentially a a new creek um canoe launch. There's an old canoe launch in that area. That's sort of awkward standing out on the creek bank there. Um, and knowing what an adventure it is when they have the the dam open to come down in a canoe and go further. >> Yeah, it's pretty spectacular. Mhm. >> Tubers. >> Matt, is there any history in this area? Um because I've walked up along the hill there and there's like an old homestead site. There's a brick wall or there's some kind of retaining wall. Yeah. >> What What's that about? >> So, there was a mansion uh on that parcel. So, there's two brick pillars adjacent to the sort of the main parking lot, I'd call it, right across from um Applewood Point there. There are two brick pillars and then there's an old staircase that's somewhat been absorbed by the woods again. But there was a driveway through there and a and a old mansion or estate I guess you'd call it. And at some point I believe in the 60s uh that the city acquired that property and it's been Big Willow Park ever since. >> But yeah, there's um a sort of a a footprint of a house when you walk up that. And we never took down those brick pillars. There's still some posts and some of that stairs. Um, I find it interesting a little bit of history as the trees kind of push into the staircase >> signed with history. >> Yeah, sure. >> I think it goes back to somewhere on one of the historical websites. I finally found what the heck that was. >> And if I remember right, it was goes back to the guys at Burwell, I guess, who did the >> Oh, is that right? >> You know, around that time, >> I think. >> Sure. You can see it on some of the earliest aerials that we have. It's a little hard to make out, but >> well, to point in the same way that we have some signage about the mills over by the may maybe there's an interesting historical footnote. >> Yeah. Yep. Exactly. Um these plans are sort of an opportunity for us to work with the Minnotonka Historical Society >> and determine what is it an interesting enough story to do some permanent signage. >> Yep. Absolutely. kind of like Nerburgg, they took that down. Although it was part of the conditions of the donation, but it might be interesting to see what that original structure looked like as an example. >> Absolutely. >> And you've uh I don't know if you're going to go back to area 2, but there's a another boardwalk you're thinking about that goes >> Oh, yes. through here. So, connecting between air the sort of the creek overlook and the ball field complex. So, let me >> right at the bottom end there >> back up to here. So, part of the here's the existing bridge >> um that we do recognize is steep on both sides and has some um repair needs. Um we currently were planning to replace that bridge in the relatively nearish future. It's a larger expense though certainly, but some of the issues with the trail becoming a dead end when it's flooded um also arise on the south side of the railroad tracks there. So, we are thinking of a possibility of creating a loop >> from the west side of the ball fields along the south side of the tracks and then on the the popular trail network from the parking lot. Um, so between games you'd be able to potentially make that loop and >> hopefully prevent people from scrambling over the railroad tracks and and just to again further be able to walk along the creek and and sort of make a loop rather than backtracking on yourself. >> And while you're on that one, >> uh, the thinking on the trail, the asphalt trail from the soccer field down to the Applewood. >> Yeah. So, how's that going to work? That's really steep. So that's a bit of a problem. So there there are challenges with how steep that is, >> but there are very beautiful oaks through that area. We are seeing some oak death. So that's sort of we need to weigh the pros and cons of what earthwork would need to happen to, you know, get that trail to be a more comfortable slope, safer slope through that area because it is quite steep. There are some opportunities to if we were to create a circuit through here to keep a trail >> along the toe of the slope through there. >> But we do need to look closer at what trees would we be removing? What would that earthwork um look like to get a trail benched in to that location? But yeah, creating that connection without having to go up by the soccer fields would be really cool >> to be able to get along there. >> From a long-term plan, I would love to see a trail from Big Willow all the way to 494. >> Sure. Yes. So, I hinted that a little bit here. So some sort of connectivity to the west knowing that we have sort of a chain of >> nodes if you will. So we have Big Willow through this commercial district >> to the Burwell House site >> all the way to Civic Center and beyond. >> Yeah. >> Um what would that connection look like? How would we possibly be able to accomplish that? >> Um I think quite a bit about the trail. Well, the creek being behind these businesses here, you know, these are big ideas community. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> But could we create access along the creek some some way to keep people away from the street and enjoying the creek there a little bit more? We would have to work with those businesses certainly >> or even in front of the businesses so that people go spend money there, right? >> But that connection >> east west. Yes. And I think I was thinking about the connections too to the Three Rivers Park District on the other side. Maybe a separated grade crossing because Minnitaka is so busy. >> Yep. >> Yep. So using these park master plans to think ahead of what connections are potential opportunities do we want to sort of set the stage for with this master plan? to Jennifer's question actually and this maybe maybe you don't know yet but what is Three Rivers plan to cross Minnetonka Boulevard. >> Uh it's essentially going to be the same. It's going to be through the intersection the way it >> the intersection that exists. So you wouldn't you wouldn't you'd go straight straight south across to where St. David's Church is and then along the >> Correct. >> Then you'd go a little bit west and then you turn down Baker. >> Yeah. But that's quite a distance from the ball field, you know. So, >> oh yeah, that's close to this. >> Yep. >> We do have a a bike lane >> long >> in front of these businesses now, which is a relatively recent addition. Um, but is that the best solution? So, um, there's a concept called a small area plan, and we just hint at it here because it's not in the park obviously, but small area plan would address that sort of regional connectivity and walkability, streetscaping. Um, how does that tie into connectivity to >> do we have access to that creek or is that p private property? >> Most of it's private property. >> Okay. That would be really nice though because it's it's a lot of people go hit DQ up and then they go down to the creek there. >> Yeah. And you know that's I understand you know that's where the businesses store their dumpsters and stuff like that but could we somehow use that amenity? You know we had this very amazing leadership however long ago at the city where we were spending a good chunk of change to buy these properties um to have more creek to have more park around the creek. So what you know what opportunities might arise in the future where we can create some >> we're even asking for a donated easement to help and we would you know the city would look at doing the development of the trail if they would be some kind of a cooperative group. >> Whenever I get a chance to include those sort of big ideas in these plans I'm going to take them. All they have to do is talk to the guy that owns the drive-in off the Lake Minnitanka Trail out in Mound where the trail goes right right along the back of the drive-in. >> Sure. >> And they get a lot of business. So these are these are I'm pushing the scope on my Big Willow Park master planning here a little bit. >> Just kind of sneaking some of that stuff in here. Um, so questions. Creek overlook area 3 sort of the heart of the park to some degree. >> So the north side is really just wooded and beautiful trails through there. So a lot of ecological restoration happening on that north side of the creek. >> Is the thinking on the on some of those trails? Um, and I'm particularly thinking of the one that's in area two that goes right where your square is rectangle for the mills. You know, the up up. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. The one that goes all the way out to the creek and then back along the, you know, it's it's it's informal, but it's heavily. Is there any chance thought about making that more of a >> actual trail because everyone uses it and it's really nice. So through this process again, we'll go through this sort of inventorying of the primary trails and then the informal ones. So the ones that aren't just cow paths that are redundant to one another, but making these connections where folks are going to want to get to the creek. So, where does it make sense for us to formalize a little trail that can get you near the creek and we can do some stabilization and erosion prevention to let people get a little closer to the creek without it just being sort of one path. Yeah, that's Yep. That's sort of this trails planning aspect of this. >> So, we would then sort of use this document to uh formalize the trail network. The other advantage of some um making this a linear park all the way to civic center potentially is that it would help with wildlife, you know, possibly keep them off the roads and just a way for >> well >> our little fellow creatures to move back and forth. >> The creek is an amazingly diverse corridor, ecological corridor. It just is. So, a lot of our restoration is focused around enhancing the creek corridor, pollinator habitat up and down it, knowing that a lot of birds will certainly be near the creek. So, whatever we could do to enhance that in terms of landscape ecology and the ecological corridor that the creek is, we're going to look to take it. >> Is that bridge at the west left side of number four, is that the existing little bridge that goes to St. David? >> No. So this this is the culdesac at the end here. So our consultant drew in is there a possibility to add a connection. So this doesn't exist. The city owns two two or three parcels on the north side of the creek here. Then it's private residences again, >> but we do have a trail that comes off of Burwell Drive >> into the park. >> So we were thinking, could we connect >> somehow through city-owned property through here? we would need an additional bridge. We would be coming through this relatively private um culde-sac. So, we'd have to think very very carefully about that. But, it does seem like an opportunity to connect and create a larger trail loop. >> There's I grew up on Burwell Drive, so there's there's a >> there's like a an outlot. Is that what you're talking about? I thought there was only one. No, I believe we own three parcels through here. >> So that that's in our in that's in our property. >> Yes. It's not part of the park officially city owned. >> Yes. >> That'd be great. >> Huh. >> Yep. >> And then there was talk about >> trail loops via a another bridge. So closer to the existing one, but sort of overlooking the creek by this potential new picnic shelter area. Would a second bridge make sense here? Just knowing how popular these bridges are that people love to go on and take pictures and it's really cool to look down on the creek. Certainly, >> I've watched people paint the bridge in fact too. There was an artist down there. >> Yeah. >> Um we have a bridge at the Burwell House. We have this bridge. We have a bridge behind the civic center. So, wherever we have opportunity to cross and interact with the creek, we want to look at taking those. Um but those are relatively large expenses obviously. Um so thinking thinking that through very carefully with this planning process. Um area four and area five. Area five is the commercial area. Um we talked about that quite a bit. But area 4 is this um Mills landing park with a little bit of a parking lot. There's an opportunity to um improve that. There is we do keep a portage on there a seasonal bathroom. Um and this parcel here that we now own. So through the um off leash discussions, uh the community work group did identify the potential of an uh sort of a suburban/urban fenced in dog park adjacent to this parking lot on this land that we now own. Um the city now owns. Um so uh fairly low hanging fruit in terms of potential for uh a more formal off leash area. It's over an acre. Um it's all upland. There is some wetland along there. So, it it wouldn't be that shape. Don't get hung up on those shapes. It would have to fit in there a little bit better. Um, but it would be, you know, fairly wooded. There's a lot of buckthorn in there. We'd have to open it quite a bit. Um, but it seems like a pretty good opportunity to implement an off leash area. So, we're going to include that in this master plan. Think through that a little bit closer. So, each one of these zones, these areas will have a sort of a more detailed concept in the in the draft version of the plan. So, next steps, our survey is going to close in a few weeks here. Um, the draft master plan will be published for community feedback early winter. Um, then it'll come back to you folks for um, additional comments. Um, I'll present it again with more of the details for each one of these areas. And at that point, I'll have sort of a summary of what we're hearing from the community. Um and then finalizing the master plan over the winter at some point and eventually sending it to city council per your direction for adoption um late winter, early spring or so. So a lot to do until then. Um we're still, you know, hearing a lot from the community. I get calls quite often. um with the signs up in the park that certainly gets it a lot of attention. But really, I see the draft version of this plan being an opportunity for people to really dive in and understand some of these larger ideas, how we go through this process of the planning and give people something to react to. I feel like we're sort of um needing that reaction out of folks. So before we go to the questions, just to clarify this, >> winter 2026, is that December 2026 or January, February 2026? >> I think we're still figuring that. That's >> because you got early winter and then you got early 2026 and late. >> Yeah, true. I could I should have said late fall. >> So it's later next year. >> No, no, no. >> This year. Okay, good. January. Okay, better. That's better. Okay, good. >> The new year is in here. Okay. Upcoming new year. >> Okay. >> So, over the winter. This winter. >> This winter. Questions. >> It's It's moving fast, but I think I've said it before um that I thought you did a really nice job with the signage. I walk there every day. Um ran into Leslie the last week or so. Um and so I I just want to give you guys good kudos because the message is out there about the master planning. Every every intersection, every location. Um if you're a user in the park, you're going to see that there's that master planning process going on. And um the the signs get a lot of attention and people sometimes I get uh OG's why are you changing the park? And that's not necessarily what we're doing. So just making it clear that, you know, we are open to feedback, but it doesn't mean we're definitely changing something or we're forcing change where we don't think it's necessary. So really supposed to be a thoughtful process. And then the second was based on our meeting not too long ago with the sustainability committee that's relatively new. I'm just wondering if we can incorporate their input as well since it maybe wasn't included because it didn't exist before. I think it'd be really good to hear that feedback and tie the park board and the park master planning into other initiatives going on in the the city. >> Absolutely. Mhm. >> Uh our internal DEI folks turned us on to this Latino event, the cultural event that we tabled at >> knowing that there's an active soccer field there. >> Football. >> Yeah. Ann, do you have a question? >> Um I had a comment. Maybe it's a question. the I think about when we went on the tour and we saw the Glen Lake fields >> and that lovely area with the flowers and the seating and um and then compared to the Big Willow complex which is kind of flat and concretish um I I realize that there's not um probably the same opportunities at Big Willow, but it seems like something to try to aim for. I don't I don't know. I can't visualize how to make it better, but >> Well, part of the this planning document is to find precedence. So, what makes a field complex like that welcoming and gets people to sort of stand around with their team in between games and give out snacks to the little kids and make it very welcoming. And the Mighty Might Fields does a really tremendous job of that. They have that topography. You can look down on the field. It's a little more limited here, but what placemaking amenities can be added? I think there's a lot of opportunity there. It's a bit of a blank slate. >> Caleb. Yeah. So, I was wondering, you know, or I guess emphas wanting to emphasize that if if there's a a new off leash fence dog space, it will likely be very popular. Uh and because it's um uh kind of currently separate from the sports focus. >> Yeah. uh that uh for for that purpose alone it would be very important in my opinion to make sure there's trail connectivity >> direct between the two not just along the the road >> but um actually through if possible the the the great nature opportunities. Um my experiences there personally as a as a you know parent watching sports uh and in between games or before the game starts it's kind of a bummer when you come up upon a a dead end. >> Sure. Yeah. >> And it not only is a bummer but it also I remember feeling like oh what is this about? Who thought who thought this up? And [clears throat] so so I think it I think and I'm not sure I was I'm not sure people don't have that same response of like what you just had me walk to a dead end. Um so [clears throat] I think the more we can focus on connecting those dead ends uh the better. And um of course there's significant uh [clears throat] inclusion uh challenges uh with the bridge with the bridge. >> Yeah. Yep. And so that needs to be a high priority for mitigation. and um and the playground, you know, instead of trying to get ADA compliance, uh you know, it'd be it'd be nice to see us kind of have an equity centered approach that to to like a a playground redesign or a playground um upgrade that uh goes beyond that and really is uh like I said, equity centered and and um in and fully inclusive for folks who might be on uh motorized uh motorized wheelchairs or or uh you know u manual wheelchairs. So, um, those are some of the features that I think would be really, really nice. Those can activities for the dog park visitors or people who are who are there really for the maybe for the sports, but then hey, I can walk through this nature path over the dog park, let my dog have some social and physical time, and then walk back through that nature space, too. Other questions or comments? Oh, I've got a couple. Um question first. Um can you go back to the one of those? Uh that one's fine. Um area two. Uh there's a old Minnitanka Loop Trails. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, whatever that's called. Is that right? Mitanka Loop Trails. Because there's that loop trail that exits right out the top of the park across >> Yep. >> Cedar Lake Road and heads towards Hillway, but stops somewhere by Bentry. >> Is is there And this isn't Big Willow, but it kind of is if we're talking about going to 494. I mean, is there any chance somehow that that could actually, you know, to Kayla's point, it it's a dead end, you know, I mean, and it'd be really cool if it got all the way to Hilloway. Um, >> sure. >> Because then you could bridge Hillway to Meadow conceivably. Anyways, so just just as a thought. I don't know if you guys it's kind of out of scope, but just to be thinking. >> I haven't considered it, but I know what you're referring to. No, we haven't talked about it yet. So, Three Rivers is improving their trail on the east side of Plymouth here and potentially a a bike bridge on the east side of the the the ve vehicular bridge here. Yeah. So, they're they're going to have to add there. So, a lot of bike traffic along there. So, potential for them to get pulled into our other surrounding parks. >> Um I just want to compliment you on this. I think this is looks really exciting. Um, this is our first real master plan. What I mean by that is Purgatory was totally hijacked by a single issue >> and and so it really wasn't in my mind ever master planned. And I think the kind of thinking that's been going into this is really um exciting and again you do have this sort of two weird areas. You got heavily athletic which doesn't even show up here and then this all this excitement over here. So, I just want to applaud the efforts so far and it's um this I think will be kind of a real master plan which is great. >> It's a very exciting opportunity. >> Anything else? I would just add again I what I'm hearing from everybody and the connectivity and the thoughts that you are working with the consultant seems to match what this the park needs with that the dead end and the connectivity bringing back boardwalks I think um would really bring in more people to park too >> you've been to Dell Road right the Eden Prairie one just south of >> I mean what they did with board with boardwalks is is really kind of cool and that's kind of what you're in on a small scale here is great >> there's So, looking more closely at, you know, modern technology for boardwalks, there's all different types. Like, how wide are they? [clears throat] Do we need to >> drive over them and clear snow off or are they more just pedestrian? Um, there's a lot of options and we're going to lay that out in this. >> Great. And I think to that point, you just joged my memory. Do we really need, you know, a 10 ton bridge to go over, you know, that as a result, you can't um get up there in the winter time? I think I brought up, you know, the challenge of trying to go up that slippery slope. And I'm an able-bodied person. >> That's a challenge for anyone. >> It is, but it's kind of fun. But but at the same point, we want to make sure it's accessible to everyone. And and you can tell it's it's built for a vehicle to go over. And I'm sure that's great for maintenance, but is that really needed? Is there different access points? >> Well, there's um public safety. I mean, if there's somebody has a terrible accident, you need to get a vehicle up there to extract them. There's there's that. >> Yeah. >> But I agree that if if it could be >> it better have four-wheel drive in the winter. >> Right. Right. >> Right. While the bridge may fit that, >> the vehicle may not make it. >> So, nice job. And again, the connectivities and people like looping and not coming to to dead ends. And I I know you get to the dead end at the the creek, so you're like, "Okay, this is great at the creek." But I mean, the next step and more probably adventurous is walking over stones if it's low enough to get to the other side. >> Yep. >> But maybe even a bridge at that location is an idea, too. >> Yeah. >> To connect to the rest of the trail system. And if from a public safety standpoint, if you can get to whichever wherever the human is um from maybe you can get into the park from the other side so that the bridge wouldn't have to be uh vehicles. >> For instance, I do believe we can get trucks down here >> off of Plymouth. >> Yeah, you can. >> Yeah, that's a driveway. >> Yeah. >> And then into the park this way. So >> it just would make it much more accessible for people with disabilities and not dis having disabilities for everyone. >> Yeah. >> Make it inclusive >> for sure. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So I just want to add um just to reiterate again this will be coming back as a more formal draft plan. Um the hopefully the benefit for you to see this and start to hear about it now is it's a lot to take in. So just sort of get an introduction to it. Um know what kinds of things that Matt's hearing and what the consultants are thinking and then you'll actually get to see that in the plan. So it's not the first time you're seeing it. Um and then we would still be looking for feedback from the park board along with the public. So we always want to make sure to go back to the public to say, "Okay, this is what we're thinking now. What what's your reaction?" Um, so that'll happen and then, you know, a final basically a final draft would come to the park board for a recommendation of approval to the city council. So, just to sort of reiterate that process, >> this has been very helpful to see something that's concrete versus just conceptual, more specific than >> this is a master plan. >> Part of the goal tonight, too, is while we have these lingering warmish days to plant some of these seeds about what we're thinking through. So, if you do have an opportunity to go see some of these locations and think through where these trail connections or, you know, see them before we get too cold and nasty out there, >> which is this weekend. >> It's [laughter] never too cold. >> Great. Well, thank you, Matt. >> Thank you. >> So, now we're uh move to 7B, the parkboard strategic plan and 2026 work plan. >> Yes. Thank you, Chair Ingraham and Parkboard members. Um, so this is something that's new for um, our newer members of the park board. Um, every year the park board reviews your strategic plan and so we're going to walk through it tonight. This will be the first time you see that and then it will come back in December. So you'll have some chance to have some discussion around it. Um, you know, deliberate if you want to make any updates or changes before it comes back. So, we'll walk through the strategic plan, but also new this relatively new this year. I say relatively because last year we had we tried to uh create somewhat of a work plan for the park board. Um it was not quite as formal as you what you're seeing this year um because the council is now reviewing the uh work plans for all of the boards and commissions. So, they will be doing that in January. So actually the chair Dave and I will be presenting to the council um in January for review of your actual work plan for 2026. So with that um what we what we'll do is just sort of walk through the strategic plan uh section by section. I won't read every word. Um it was in your packet. Um and we'll talk about the strate strategic plan first and then we'll turn towards the actual work plan for 2026. Um the strategic plan is again it's a plan for the park board. It's meant to be sort of that highlevel guidance document to provide some goals and direction for the park board. And then the work plan is much more specific on on action items that will take place next year. So Matt has it up on the screen again. It's also in your packet. So you do have a vision and a mission. Um your vision is to uh an inclusive city with outstanding parks and recreational opportunities within a healthy and biodiverse natural environment. And uh the mission is to proactively advise the city council in ways that will conserve and enhance Minnetonka's natural resources. Promote quality and inclusive recreation opportunities, natural amenities, and facilities the meet to meet the needs of all. provide a forum for public engagement regarding our parks, trails, athletic facilities, and natural resources, and adhere to the goals and strategies of the natural resources master plan, what we call the NRMP, and the parks, open space, and trails plan or the post plan. So, there any just want to pause quickly and see if there's any uh thoughts or concerns or comments on that. >> And maybe maybe some quick background if I remember correctly, the park board worked with staff to come up with this vision and mission like in 2022 or 2023. >> Correct. In 2021, the park board worked with a outside consultant to generate the strategic plan. >> Yeah. And then we refined it a year or two ago to include >> correct. Ken probably has more history in this, but every year it's come to the park board, but the last time it came to the park board was actually technically in 2024, but and it's been a while because we changed the timing. It was coming earlier in the year and now we're bringing it late in the year to accommodate the council's desire to see a work plan in January. Does that sound right? >> Yeah, we've looked at it every year. I think when we looked at the vision and mission, we've just made some minor tweaks over the years. Haven't really >> We have generally thought it was in pretty good shape. We've made minor tweaks. Yes. >> The the strategic plan has been since before I started here, so it was in the 2000s. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So >> I think we had So 2001 is what I had as a record. Does that sound about right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. here. >> Oh, Caleb. >> Uh, so I was wondering if we could add to the second bullet point, uh, you know, um, equity. So, promote equity, quality, and inclusive recreation or however we want to layer it, but it's not listed. Uh I appreciate the inclusive language that I'm seeing both in the vision and the mission. But the thing about equity that we should be taking into consideration or we should have as our mission is to ensure that uh there's not you know inequitable distribution of amenities or activities or that sort of thing. Now we have we have specific like natural or physical barriers that prevent us from just creating uh perfectly equitable you know uh every acre or every uh 10 acres there's this plot this land and this amenity but to to call back to it um I think is is critical. Um, I I find it interesting as well that this is the first time uh I'm a I'm a I'm a new park board member. I started in February, but this is the first time I've been presented with the vision and mission. and in other groups that I'm a part of uh on a volunteer basis. This is part of every single meeting uh where we where we are refamiliarized with our vision and mission as we make decisions about policy, about funding, about whatever the components of our uh decision- making are. It it's it centers us, right? It gets us back to what we're really trying to focus on. So, I would appreciate seeing it more uh as we go through our our different uh times of meeting, but I'd also like to add uh request that we consider adding the word equity and then actually working on that. >> Um this >> this expands beyond just this term, but I'd also I'm I'm also curious and this perhaps is a work plan item or uh for 2026 where wherein uh we as a park board andor staff andor consulting firm does essentially a current state of equity analysis of both our park natural space and recreation offerings uh kind of report and and offers uh you know whatever grade or whatever like opportunities that we could then use as a work plan for subsequent years. Uh but just the generation of that type of analysis might be really helpful to uh to to to actually start working on or to to demonstrate for ourselves how well or not well are we are we accomplishing equity in our vision and our mission rather uh and ways that we can improve or ways we should be uh talking it up as a positive as something we're already doing well in the way in the ways that we are. So, so um two two po two points. Could we add a word and then could we make that part of our uh one of our work plan items uh for for the year? >> Well, I think I think uh I hear from others, but I think I think uh having you guys look at how you might include uh equity as a as a as a term in there and that's probably the right bullet. the second one. >> And uh Katie was nice enough to point out if you go back to our prior agendas, we used to say have the vision and mission on the right hand side of the page. So we should probably go back to that. >> We did. Okay. Probably was a formatting nightmare. >> That was back in the Kelly days. >> Very helpful. >> Well, it wasn't. Yes, we did have it there. Um when the city changed the the software [laughter] system that that we >> software problem um >> No, I could see that. Yeah, I mean it it it is much easier for us to to create reports and or you know I mean there's a lot of efficiencies with the new software. We can see if we can get it >> we can actually add it. I I discovered you we can add language that then shows up on every agenda. So you're right. We did have that on our agendas previously. We related every report back to uh one of the goals and strategies. >> I'm being shown it [laughter] right now. Another another option another opportunity if it's not digital because not not all of us are going to have digital information in front of us is just a lanyard that goes right here that >> that says vision and and mission you know trifold right there. >> Um so we're always looking at it as we're talking and thinking with one another about >> the agenda items. >> So we can certainly add that to the agenda. That's actually pretty easy to do as far as equity and putting that into the strategic plan. Just want to make sure there's a consensus. >> Yeah, it's a consensus. People good with that idea? >> Yeah, I think it's a great idea and I think it I think it fits really well in bullet too as well. >> Yeah. >> Okay, >> good. >> And we don't need to word smith now. We'll bring back some changes for you in >> Okay. >> Um, so moving on. So really there are if I can scroll through four highle goals related to the strategic plan. So we'll walk through each one and just stop and pause and get any feedback. So the first one is to conserve natural resources and open space uh and there are four strategies uh related to this. So providing feedback to assist staff and decision- making reviewing and providing feedback on strategies and funding and again I won't read all of the words. um promote the city's efforts of conserving and restoring the uh community's natural resources and providing guidance that aligns with the goals of both the natural resources master plan and the post plan. So I'll pause there and >> yeah and let me jump in. These are our uh goals and strategies as a park board. >> Correct. So these are you know from my perspective these when I first saw these way back these seem pretty high level but this is for us as a park board this is not staff has more rigorous sets of strategies and plans that support these more I'll call them general highle ones so >> I think I just have one but it might be just more my issue with the conserve um I guess I like the conserve and the preserve and a preserve um conservation so I I don't know if you guys went back and forth a lot with the conservancy. >> We did. >> Yeah. So that I just I have to say it because it it does um they have two different connotations and I guess I'm okay with the conserve and I I know where we're at. Um I just would like to >> I can't remember why we ended up >> see conserve would include a preservation as well. And so, um, >> I and Kelly, I'm trying to figure out what we had before. I could try to find an old one because I remember this discussion. There was a lot of discussion around conserve versus preserve. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> I don't remember the reasoning, but yes, I do remember the conversation. >> Do you remember? >> I I remember the discussion. I don't remember. Um the details have escaped me. >> I didn't know they had different meaning. >> They they do and it it's more at the national level as well as at the state. And so you would have like a forest would be a conservation and it would include outdoor recreation and hunting and fishing. And um >> uh a preservation would be more of a park where it's preserving and protecting. And so that's where I'm just maybe being an extrovert thinking out loud about, you know, is conserve reasonable in Minnetonka with what we're trying to do. And and I guess I'm kind of leaning towards Yes. Even though I I would like to see preserve, but I think preservation is a component of conservation if that makes sense. But I it's just some feedback maybe for discussion or others thoughts >> meetings >> the uh the [clears throat] uh the prior iteration where there was a lot of discussion it was to protect natural resources and open space. >> Yeah. And and maybe that's my park and wreck background. It it is typically more protect versus conserve. Conserve is more um flexible. do the best you can. >> I I think there was some discussion on if it if it's called preserving that you're you you're locking everything down as it is now. So the changes that are maybe being considered for Big Willow Park, >> right? >> If it's preserve, then we're not touching anything. So then you can't make any >> correct >> any efforts to make improvements or change anything. versus conserve. >> You're still looking at protecting most areas. You can still do some projects and enhance the parks. And >> I think that was more the feeling that >> preserving you're just you're locking it down, >> right? And and that's where that to me that should be off the table. Um from my perspective knowing my background with Three Rivers Park District, which is 80% preservation, protect, not develop, and 20% develop. I know we don't have that. Um, but then the state parks are even more. I would say they're probably de developed at 3 to 5%. Somebody could probably argue with me from the state at that percentage, but it's quite low. And so then >> what I'm trying to figure out is we've got national, which I won't go into national because there's wilderness areas and things like that. >> Um, >> we still have those. >> We do. Boundary Waters is an example in Minnesota. >> Sorry. Um, and so I'm just kind of looking at where does it fit with the city with what the city's trying to accomplish and um, protecting because there's always going to be demands and I learned on my second meeting here um, demands in the conflict potentially which I think are not always mutually exclusive, but um, I I'm I'm okay with with conserve at this point unless somebody else wants to open it up and think about it more thoughts >> as long as conserve is understood to include restore because we're doing a lot of that. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I think I think I personally feel like that's heavily invested in a lot of our dialogue, best restoration efforts. And so I I'm comfortable with the way it is, especially after hearing Darren's comment about >> G3 specifically says uh >> Oh, yeah. Right. >> efforts of conserving and restoring communities natural resources. >> There's just nothing about protecting. And I guess that's maybe where from my background and because of the values of the citizens of Minnitonka having a word protection somewhere in a strategy maybe not necessarily the goal >> serving >> and strategy four talks about balancing the conservation of resources with providing recreational opportunities. So if I recall when the park board discussed this and made some changes, it was the the word conserve and conserving was I think meant to capture that preservation mindset of you know preserving not necessarily locking down but preserving and balancing with human use. >> Right. [laughter] So >> yeah, we actually had on 2023 we actually had language balancing the protection of natural resources with providing quality and we changed it to the language that's here now. >> We changed all the protections to concern. >> Yeah. >> Which I don't remember why >> which I'm okay with some of them. I just feel like it should be in >> somewhere >> one of them. You know, I conservation usually does have a connotation of protection, but there's nothing in here about protecting our resources. And there's always going to be demands, commercial, residential, >> um, active recreation, dog parks. Um, >> yeah. So if strategy number four reference balancing the preservation of natural resources with the providing recreational that may capture what you're trying to >> yeah I think that really would be a good solution to include it so it's not part of the goal >> but it's part of a subcategory that protection is a part of what we need to do as a park board member. >> Okay, >> that's my okay with that. >> I think that sounds good. I like that. >> Okay. So, >> I have a question as I'm listening and I don't want to words smmith it because I don't know how to do it. But nowhere in here is a discussion of habitat restoration. I don't see the word habitat in here. >> Uh and maybe that's the same as natural resources. >> Maybe it is. Um so, but to your point that you know preserving not just about human activity but animal activity as well. And because we have a spectacular corridor in the Minhaha Creek watershed, maybe we should also include something about habitat. >> The restoration on number three is where I see res restoration of natural communities. That would be considered habitat restoration to me. >> I will say in in general, we've used the term natural resources to refer to habitat. It could also include water and water quality, >> uh, preservation of soil and soil health. >> Um, so we've >> kind of use that to encapture or encapsulate habitat. >> Yeah. >> But if if you want to call it out too, that's fine. >> Oh, that's helpful. Um, if we're still on goal one, >> Nate Nate suggested, um, he emailed some of us. I think he meant to email you. Sorry, >> I forwarded it. >> Okay. uh explore and promote volunteer opportunities for a variety of abilities, skills, and interests that furthers the work of the natural resources master plan and fosters connections between neighbors and generations. >> As a strategy >> as a strategy, >> you think that fits under goal one? >> Uh that was his suggestion, but I um >> I see it more in a goal too, quite honestly. Oops. Okay. Because we're talking about maintaining, >> right? Like it's the how do you implement it versus the conserving and the preserving. >> Well, I think possibly where number one is >> we do a lot of restoration in areas where there are no trails or parks. I mean, uh, >> active >> active park use. So maybe that's why >> I can see that >> it might fit better under one. >> I kind of like that. I that's I I I haven't seen that that that that note yet, but I like I like the idea of the because we rely on a lot of volunteers. It is a strategy we use. >> We called out promoting volunteerism and strategy three. >> Right. >> There. >> Uh oh yeah, we do. >> Last words. >> Yeah. I I think >> the point >> was he trying to get at intergenerational? >> Can you read it again? Because >> um I can and he's here if you want to ask. >> Oh. Oh, you're here. >> Did you see my reply? I >> I did. Um >> this is all from yesterday. Um so not everyone's had a chance to read all through it. >> We haven't had a chance to >> um absorb it all. Um okay. So I had asked a question about what does that mean? Increase the scope. Let's see. Was meant to include specific language for two purposes. To increase the scope of volunteer opportunities promoted through the city. Managing buckthornne, for example, is limited to those with physical abilities and requires certain ages to handle the equipment. The city should explore and encourage multiple volunteer opportunities for people of various abilities and the park board should ensure they're making every effort to do that. >> Can can you read the original statement though he wrote? >> Uh yep. >> Uh goal one to conserve natural resources and open spaces. Consider adding language to highlight the communal benefits of volunteerism and add more inclusive language. >> Explore and promote volunteer opportunities for a variety of abilities, skills, and interests that furthers the work of the NRMP and fosters connections between neighbors and generations. Well, having just walked from here to Jadana, you've got a poster on the stick that kind of asks that as for volunteerism for natural resources and has a picture of, you know, it's it's almost kind of asking for what he's talking about. I mean it I I wouldn't be opposed to adding a fifth strategy around some of that language that's more explicit than the implication on number three. So um I did I read number two in his there's increase the scope of volunteer opportunities so that it works for people of various abilities. And then there's specifically list the benefits of volunteering in community building with the park board's responsibility to ensure that the volunteer events the city promotes includes these benefits. For example, volunteer events shouldn't be advertised to one specific interest group, i.e. people who visit one park, but promoted to the community as a whole through multiple means, which I kind of think we do, but >> maybe not well enough. >> Well, I think for the standpoint of the park board, at least just my perspective, that last part's more prescriptive than we would need to be as a park board. at the idea of um you know promoting more you know the kind of communal aspect of the volunteerism and stuff would be because I think you're doing that and maybe we could do we need to do more of it but I think you know that's kind of what you're trying to do. Yeah, I I agree. I like that ex the promoting volunteer opportunities is more highlighted and it goes to all abilities and I like that component. Um, and then I like the connections between neighbors and and having people um react or interact outdoors and then I like that multi-generation piece. So I think it would be a nice um expansion of what we have than just um volunteerism. >> So just from a process standpoint, we haven't seen what you're referring to. >> You got to just forward to you. >> I just forward it before this meeting started. So, if it's something that you're if there's something that the park's interested in incorporating and and you're thinking this goal one is the area to do it as staff, we can certainly take that and try to incorporate it in there without having to word smith right now >> and bring that back to you in December and see >> if that's what you like or if you want to make additional changes. >> Is that something the park board's interested in? >> I think so. I don't know. Um, in general, yes. I'm not sure everybody's had I don't feel like I've had a whole lot of time to absorb this. Um, and I think a lot of Nate's ideas are good. So, I if there's some way that we can incorporate this uh without messing up the schedule too much, that >> mean incorporate what we just talked about >> and his other ideas that we haven't gotten to yet. Well, that's a little hard to prioritize. >> That would be a little hard to do. >> So, >> but this one sounds good. >> So, I mean, again, if this one sounds good, we can to take a crack at incorporating it >> and and and the parkboard can absorb the stuff as well as staff and at their next meeting if there's other items we could entertain then, too. >> I just don't mean I mean, we can't we can't stop now to review a document some we haven't seen, but we'll have a chance to do that between now and our next meeting. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Okay. >> Just for clarification, I forward it to Dave and then to Leslie, but I didn't take the time to make sure that there wasn't anybody else not on the >> I got it. >> Okay. >> They sent it to me. >> Did everyone else? >> Did Caleb, were you copy? >> Okay, >> good. >> Okay. So, okay. I'm hearing there's interest in that portion of it. We'll take a look at that. >> Thanks. >> Uh ready to move on to goal two. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So goal two two is to renew and maintain parks and trails. So there's five highle strategies here. Uh strategy one is participating in park and trail projects process project process and make recommendations to the city council. It's worded a little goofy, but it's just about reviewing and making providing feedback and making recommendations on specific projects. Um, identify areas of the city that are deficient of adequate park or trail amenities. Reviewing the city's trail improvement plan uh and consider trail projects um that will encourage outdoor recreation. uh reviewing conditions of park facilities, fields, amenities, and natural resources to inform park investment and reviewing park rules and ordinances as needed. Are there any comments under goal to strategy 2? Are we the ones who identify >> or is there a process through trail improvement where the city recommends areas that are deficient? >> Yeah. And I think this is part of like for instance the big master plan. This is a vehicle for identifying what what might be deficient in terms of trails and parks. So it's kind of wrapped into other planning and project work that is happening. >> Yeah. And like the post plan looked at areas of the city, >> right, >> for the >> park system as a whole, >> park locations. >> Y >> So what about from an equity perspective? Are there certain subsets of the Minnotonka community who don't have enough of something? I don't know, soccer fields, um, basketball courts, some amenity that do do we know that? I mean, how do we find those people to ask? >> The post plan did do quite a bit of surveying to that extent where it looked at modern recreational opportunities and what are we missing potentially. So um there's a lot of data in there but then we bring that to these individual park >> park plans. Yeah remember that >> so there's there's there is stored knowledge coming out of that that'll be incorporated in new plans. So, um I was wondering along the same line. Um when we much of our approach in the park board as a as a process uh agendad driven group is peace meal. And that eliminates uh our ability to inform on either a more global strategy or uh like park or citywide systemwide. And so what can get lost is uh things like equity because if we're focusing on large if we're if the main focus is on large park planning then we are talking about a place where there is uh significant um value but to fund it to enhance it we're we're doing it at the expense of some place else that either has inequity or has uh perhaps you know lower lower access lower investment amounts. So that's why I say if we if we aren't able to either as a specific strategy or goal have a equity centered approach to how we decide what to fund, what to focus our time on in terms of renewal and maintenance of parks and trails and uh review of athletic this is goal three and park wreck facilities and programs. If if we're not equity centered uh to start then the focus becomes more peacemeal and we can lose again based on time focus money the ability to actually make a dent in equity uh if if we're not focusing on it making it the center of what we do. Am I making sense when I try to parse these two things? bigger picture focus uh versus uh kind of the step-wise uh agenda driven narrow approach that makes it very hard to say is this really where we want our equity centered policy approach to go >> well the the post plan have you reviewed the post plan because I mean we can't the post plan I think was our most recent attempt to I I I kind of take umbrage with peace meal because by definition we're dealing with stuff every every meeting that are actionable for right now. But from the standpoint of a broader more strategic view, that's really what on the natural resources side the natural resource master plan was. But the post plan most more specifically deals with because it went through, you know, what areas of the cities are underrepresented in terms of SP parks. You know, what's the I can't remember the magic number of distance from a park for each area. We know that [clears throat] the south south, if I recall right, the southeast corner and the north side of the the city are deficient in that sort of range of reach, so to speak. The major the the master plans aren't only trying to say only the big parks matter. It's just that the master plans are for our largest parks that are the more complex. I mean, Darren's doing stuff all the time with, you know, the neighborhood park restoration, not restoration, but revamping and re and refreshing and stuff. So, um, I think the I think the post plan is a good place to start and and the language has changed since that, but I think the intent was still very much around um, to your point um, making sure everyone has access. And I remember there was a lot of out outreach to all kinds of community groups. Uh even in OP like Opus had a real interest in in uh larger gathering spaces for their community of uh their community of people uh and Lone Lake Park was a source for them and that which we need to do work on when we get that master plan. Uh so >> I think it's good feedback though for for newer board members who didn't participate in the two big umbrella plans of post and >> natural resources plan. If you don't participate in it, it doesn't >> Yeah. Yeah. you you didn't really live the the path and it doesn't it so there's something about our onboarding that we need to think about or like maybe we have people who buddy up and kind of go through the some of those big plans with new board members because I can see how it would be perceived as we're just going through individual parks all the time >> and not revisiting um our 20-year umbrella plans. Um I >> even if you were here >> feel that way. >> Even if you were here then you lose sight of what >> because now it's been a couple years. >> Excuse me. >> That's a good observation. >> Yeah. I think it's a a good observation but there's also the implementing. So it's the balance between implementing and taking action >> from the plan and not continuing to revamp or word smithing like I'll take ownership. you know, the word preservation versus conservation, you can get really um dragged down by the details. And so I I do see that there is that master plan, those overall reaching plans. And then we have a schedule where we're going to attack, if you will, each of the different projects. And that's where we've the with the staff given us the priorities of the master planning. They just happen to be large parks. Um but you have [clears throat] to go through each one of them at the same time. >> And that that the the post plan I mean it is a systemwide plan. I did take a look at the entire park system. It does have a pretty in-depth prior uh implementation plan within the post plan and so we are generally working through that implementation plan. Um, and certainly if any parkboard member wants to sit down and talk through and and really kind of try to better understand how it came to be, what went into it, you know, staff is always happy to do that as well. Um, I hear you about onboarding too. We we are actually starting a new onboarding process with new uh boards and commission members. So, that is coming. But it is, yeah, it is pretty daunting to come in and and and and not having been part of that larger systemwide planning effort to just kind of walk in probably feels can feel a little daunting. I would agree. Well, and I think that the plans take on the characteristics of the people who were representing the park board at the time. And I think the um parks have changed from the balancing of natural resources with outdoor recreation is a common theme. Um but I would say the newer ones that we're hearing today and from um the email that received is is the equity. DEI has become um a more centered um concept that may not have been um around at the time that the original one does. So I think there's some merits to say to include that. >> Um I know Minneapolis Park Board is a part of that and Met Council in fact is the main driver um of it. So I I think I'm very supportive of it. So there might be some areas for us to um bring in some of that newer stuff >> but not lose the work of the people who came before us. >> Well for instance again as a new member newish member I've not had an agenda I've not had a meeting where the focus of the meeting or an agenda item was based on the post plan result showing inequity. Today we're working on this problem or through this problem. So clearly we're not dealing with the ne we're not we don't have an equity centered plan of action approach to our agenda approach to our work items even though we have a giant overarching document that demonstrates inequity. So if we find inequity and then we say we're I guess gradually going to work on it, uh we should ask ourselves is gradual appropriate uh and why doesn't it not take precedent over um other issues. Um because the longer inequity continues in access to trails, parks, other amenities, the longer the um kind of assault is on the people who live in those areas um the the residents of those areas. So to me, we should to the fact that I haven't seen it uh makes me concerned that the result of of of this overarching plan is not getting uh the necessary attention. Which is why I'm saying we should have as strategy andor goal that we conduct our business in an equity- centered approach. That that is the first focus. I I I hear what you're saying. I'm not sure I necessarily agree. I I see recreation, natural resources. Um balance is more of the approach that I see as primary. The balance between equity like you mentioned and the natural resources. We don't want to take out old growth. Help me out. Oaks. Thank you. Bur oak. um because we want to make sure that everybody that that it's equitable that any everyone can go in there. You you had mentioned that there is and and has been since ADA came out in the 1990s that balance. So I think equity should be a component of what we do and might be missing in some of this before when this was written when it's a natural resource base versus an outdoor recreation. But I I'm not quite sure I buy that equity is um the main driver. I think it's a balance um and something that we include in the matrix to make sure that it's a component that's being looked at. I don't think it should be the only thing we look at, which is kind of what I'm hearing you're advocating for. So that's that's where my perspective is is um a balance between multiple competing demands, needs, um desires. And so I see my role as is how to manage those those um and and balance those multiple demands and funding sources >> so that we can get our biggest bang for the buck >> without intentionally alienating anyone or um making sure we look at things for oversight. I don't I don't see Minnetonka as the same as Minneapolis Park and Recck Board where they made the determination that their northern part of the city have been unequitable. I don't know if that's the case in Minnetonka, but I I I've lived in the north side of Minnotonka and the east side of Minnotonka and I know that we have a very dispersed park system. I I don't think it's the same situation um as Minneapolis Park and Rec board from uh racial disparity perspective, >> but that's just my view and that's not based on anything but facts, but perception of living [clears throat] in different parts of the city. >> So, I'll I'll stop now. But there's >> Yeah, it sounds like from the post plan we know there's inequity. That's my point. So if we know there's inequity and we're not making equity centered the focus then we have and and if we don't >> have you reviewed the post >> equity equity have reviewed the post plan >> no I've not been able to review it in in but if I'm hearing that equity is demonstrated to be or inequity has been demonstrated in that plan >> if you read the plan I think you'll see what I referred to as inequity inequity was portions of the part of the city very few but portions of the city where their reach to a park was greater than say the southwest corner. And some of that's because the north side of the city is high density housing. And so the the abs the availability of a large meadow, Big Willow, Lone Lake, Purgatory Park isn't going to happen. So, but is there a park up there? Yeah, there's a couple parks up there. And in the southeast part is Opus got a actually Opus has got close access to Lone Lake, but it's again it wasn't that the we're inequitely treating people. It's that this the location of various parks are differing. And um so maybe maybe the best thing for this from a to get this through a time perspective would be to go through that and then if you've got some you know I think you'd have some good input back to us on what you find in the post plan. And again admittedly language has changed since >> 20 22. >> 22. Yeah. >> Um but I think a lot of the intentions was still the same. Mhm. >> We could have a study session like the city council does and just go through the post plan. >> That would be I you know if the park board wants to and staff can do that that would be we could have our very own special study session. Is that what they're calling? >> Yeah. I mean we can certainly Yeah, we can certainly look >> that might that might that might be a good idea. We can when we get to the work plan for next year, we can >> I might be the only one who's >> What month do we get people? >> That's what I was going to bring up as well. >> February coming up soon. >> Um I would go >> No, no. I was going to say I might be the only one was around back then. >> Oh, >> from the original post plan. >> Yeah, I just saw that. >> No, you were Katie. >> Were you there? Yeah. Okay, good. Good. >> Another oldtimer. It's good to have context lived through that and and shared like the preservation versus the conservation >> um topic >> because things do kind of come around >> uh again. >> Okay. So, um I'm moving on from goal tool unless I hear >> I did have one thing on goal too. Okay. Um >> relative to the parks and trails. Uh I think it fits here. Um there's been there was a lot of discussion at the end of last year around off leash dogs and we have this hanging open thing around uh additional off leash dog areas and just if I'm not sure if this belongs in a strategy under goal two or if it's just a work plan item but I think somewhere we should reference the effort that is going under to determine if other off leash dog areas are feasible and what they might And then obviously your big willow plan incorporates the idea of one. So I just think somewhere that should be visible if no other reason. So if people are interested in dogs and they look at our plan, they don't go see they don't care about dogs. It's not even listed anywhere. >> So but it could be a work plan item. >> So yeah, just just a reminder I would say this is a meant to be a highle strategic plan. Um that might be something better for a work plan as a work plan action item. >> Can I tweak it your idea? We in [clears throat] I think last year we had something around safety. I remember adding a strategy around ensuring that we preserve safety in the parks or we're mitigating risks something like that. Um when the mayor told us our you know job number one is as a city is public safety and our big disconnect with Purgatory Park was maybe city council was prioritizing safety much higher on the priorities than we were. Um I think maybe a strategy around safety would be I don't know the exact words but we had it we've had it before. Um, >> would that be >> to ensure that's top of mind for us? >> Would that be goal two? >> Goal two of strategy five is park rules and ordinances. Isn't the dog >> um ordinance? >> Oh, yeah. >> Off leash ordinance is in there. I don't know if we want to [clears throat] get more specific and include safety. Can you call it which one you said again? >> The five number. So the yeah the park rules and and ordinance is >> I think where you would >> be most likely to ensure that we're maintaining safe spaces for people. >> Okay. >> Okay. You look at doing that. >> Yeah. That way. Great. >> Thank you. >> Are you taking notes on? >> Yes. [laughter] >> It's hard to talk and write at the same time. >> Good. Good one. >> I think so too. >> Okay. Uh moving on to goal number three. Um to provide quality athletic and park recreational facilities and programs. So there originally were five strategies here and there was a sixth strategy that actually was added um by staff and I'll explain why but I'm not sure this is necessarily the right place. So certainly looking for feedback um but strategy one this is um looking at anticipating reviewing and responding to community needs um that may not have been previously identified. Uh reviewing strategy two, reviewing policies related to the operation and management of park facilities to determine if changes are needed. Ensure uh three is ensure that park amenities and facilities address future community needs and changing demographics. Um four is offering a full range of programs for people of all ages, ability levels, and economic and cultural backgrounds, ensuring all have opportunity to participate. Uh strategy five uh responsibly maintain our parks, trails, and park facilities while fairly balancing fees and general community support. And then the sixth one is uh came out of actually a discussion with Jace Alexander who is the senior DEI coordinator and the liazison with the um uh DEI commission. Um there is a interest in having some crosscoordination in terms of review and providing input and support between the sustainability commission, the DI commission, the park board. And so they are including in their work plan engaging with the park board um to re to review uh relevant policies or plans as needed um depending on what the you know what the particular content is. And so we felt it was important to include that here because it's in their work plan as well. Um, again, I'm not sure this is exactly the right place. >> I like it, but I thought maybe under goal four, strategy five made more sense. >> That is when I was read through this again, I thought I think that's a better place because it's more internal operational >> versus externally focused. >> Can you scroll down on there so we can see the >> Yes. Yes. I think this is great. I'm very glad to hear uh that that our meeting with Jace uh has borne this fruit of his desire to have more uh uh specific goal and strategy level uh connections between these these commissions. Um so wherever it ends up uh I think goal four is great uh is a great area. Um, I'm very glad that that you guys work together uh behind the scenes as staff to to get it in both both places. and what that looks like. We're still um thinking that through, whether it's actually having a DEI commissioner come to the park board and be part of a discussion when something like a master plan is being reviewed or having staff present to the DEI and bringing their re their you know feedback back to the park board. We haven't figured that out yet, but we're still that that intention is there. >> I agree. I think it it does go a little bit to what Caleb's been bringing up in our park boards and and that's where I'd like to even add that sustainability and I don't know if there's a a committee with that as well or part board >> commission. So, I mean, I think it's it's just about better uh collaboration across the boards uh in general. And so, that's why I know they brought up DEI, but I think it should be >> Yep. >> all of them because I'd like to know how we could do more sustainable design on the trails, you know, sustainable >> uh natural habitat restoration. And >> um >> so and it says engage with other city commissions for example the DEI commission but the intent is that it's DN the DEI or sustainability. >> Do you have that language that's in the packet Matt? This doesn't this is a different draft. >> Is this not the right one? Well, I I also wondered about >> did you have >> do we do we need to list any commission as anam or any uh yeah commission as an example because >> uh perhaps our senior members could tell uh people who've been on the on the park board I don't mean senior members people who've been on the park park board some years >> could talk could it could be both could talk about um whether or not like we've never been asked to give input to the planning commission. Right. >> He sat on the sustainability commission for example for >> Yeah. >> Right. But the but the sustainability commission is not the planning commission. The planning >> on the planning commission. >> You're on the planning commission. >> No, I'm not such a project commission right now. >> Okay. So >> So right if they're doing uh if they're doing so that's what I'm saying. There are ways I guess our tentacles are already in these other commissions. Um, so do we need to list all the ones that could be or that we're planning on? I mean, maybe we do so this city council knows how we're thinking this cross talk should look. Uh, and I'd leave that up to staff, but otherwise we could get into a situation where the list grows of example commissions in parentheticals there. I guess uh if I may, I would suggest leaving it a little bit vague and having it be dependent on the situation and the context. Um we have the sustainability commission, we have the DEI commission. The planning commission is a little bit different. They focus strictly on zoning and private property. So they are not reviewing park board or park facilities and park lands and public any other public lands. So I think there's a bit of a limited opportunity there. >> Um does the planning commission have anything to do with asking developers to set aside um to make sure that the water is runoff water is taken on their own land and providing some green space and whatever. >> They do have to adhere to standards. So performance standards related to how they manage runoff from a a site, um trees, wetlands, anything that's actually on the property. Yes. >> But not not to the extent that it would be sort of quasi park. >> No. No. >> No. Okay. >> No. No. No. >> Zoning. I don't think so. So, what I'm hearing is that strategy six moved to goal four. Um, are there any other comments on the rest of goal three? >> I'm hearing I don't remember that we've ever really talked about programs. This would be Kelly's world. Um >> like what kind of programs? >> What do you which one? >> Oh, it says offer a full range of programs for people of all ages, ability levels, and economic and cultural backgrounds. >> Well, this gets into this is a good question. This gets into the >> Yeah, I mean our purview is not recreational programs. >> Yeah, I think we could definitely do, but you know, in the summer, I think a lot of the programs happen in the parks. So, I think we could do like a summer end program overview or something like that. That's something we could do. You often summarize some of the programs in the park. Correct. Um, >> but we haven't done like a season end or year end >> overview of No. And I don't think you've ever um >> No. Um, I I don't mean that you're keeping stuff from us. I just meant I didn't >> But he is. He is. He is cuz he's supposed to. I'm serious. I mean, we do not do recreational programs. So, like, we don't worry about the ice rinks or skating programs or the swimming pools or because that's not This isn't what Lesley Leslie Snope Swopee >> Parks and Recreation. We're just parks. >> Leslie, no. >> Is that a fair statement? >> So, should we take that out? >> I think that the it's relative to parks. The intent is that is about programming in parks. >> Okay. you could. >> So, if we're going to offer bird walks or >> that would fit for us. >> Okay. >> And if you recall, we typically provide a report uh early in the year, kind of a year-end report in February or March on the natural resources engagement programming. And so even that includes, you know, the volunteerism, activities that are happening that may be in in parks. Um Christine Peterson will often, not often, but occasionally she leads events in parks, [clears throat] bat walks, bird walks, >> um journaling, nature journaling. And so she would report about that those types of activities in her in her uh year end report. Okay. Okay. So, uh moving on, goal four is enhancing park board engagement. And this is this goal is really more internally focused within the park board itself. So, uh strategy one, increasing community and council awareness of parkboard projects through online project page and community outreach. Um which really frankly is something that the staff uh facilitates. uh encouraging board member involvement in annual park board and city related special events and habitat restoration events. Um continue to explore new ideas and strive to build community for those who work, live and volunteer work, live, volunteer and recreate in Minnetonka and actively explore and enhance partnerships engage and engagement opportunities with other agencies such as the city of Hopkins and community-based organizations. Are there any other other any other comments or potential changes? >> I can see in strategy Oh, sorry. I can see in strategy for an opportunity to possibly reach out to people that haven't been using the park so much. Possibly um whether it's um ex accessibility focused or culturally focused. So good. I we should keep that. >> Yeah. Are there other comments on that? >> At one point, Leslie, you said that maybe we were going to have a youth commissioner. >> Yes. >> And I'm wondering whether incorporating our engagement or an action with the school system in some way. Uh it's not an agency, uh it's not a commission, it's it's the schools themselves. >> Um I think we could all be really good diplomats and ambassadors in the school systems. >> So potentially add under strategy 4 recognized schools >> districts. I would like to >> and I'd be happy to go out and do that if there was a >> pardon. I I was thinking of them included in community based organizations. >> Done lots of outreach to the high school trying to find this youth ambassador for us >> for like two years. >> And we're going to get one. >> Yeah, >> maybe. >> We are actually. >> Oh. Oh, I had coming up. That'll come up. >> Okay. Staff reports. That'll come. >> Great. >> So, I'm am I hearing an interest in in recognizing or calling out schools? I think it's included in community based, but I don't I don't object to adding schools if you feel strongly about it, Mr. Lairman. [laughter] >> Thank you. I I I prefer to see it uh because I think it's it's something that we should be striving for in in the mission here. >> I support it. Okay. >> That could be could come in handy with the skate park, too. >> Oh, yeah. We're going to need that. >> Okay. Are we ready to move on? >> Anything else before we go to work plan? Anybody other questions or comments? >> Great. Okay. So, moving now specifically to 2026. So, the intent here is that we're identifying specific action items that would take place. And we really separated out by quarter. So, quarter 1, quarter 2, quarter 3, quarter 4. And uh I'm not going to re read all of these, but this is an opportunity. Um these are I these are items identified by staff at this point. There's an opportunity if the park board wants to weigh in. Um happy to have that discussion. I'll save you from having [clears throat] me read everything. is I don't know whether this goes here or [clears throat] somewhere else but uh what's the status of signage in purgatory about the dog areas and how much input would you like from us >> it's currently being fabricated at this point >> is the oh so they're >> the signs are being made >> yes >> okay >> from the council we went ahead and designed mind and are fabricating. >> Okay. So, you don't want any feedback. >> Related to purgatory though, do we need to revisit the master plan at some point next [clears throat] year? Call it second half of next year and >> make it up to date to the changes that are being made. >> There are going to be opportunities specifically related to the red barn site feasibility, one of the to-dos out of the purgatory plan, >> but interpretive signage about the restoration. and we're going to have this creek remander project in there. So, it does seem to make sense to revisit some of the goals, especially that a lot of it was sort of >> kick down the road as we discuss [clears throat] dogs. >> Yep. Be cool. >> I I think I support that. I think it's important to have the plans reflect reality as much as we can. Mhm. >> Can I uh add uh just some things for what's list for what's already like on on the list? Um so I see we have the DEI commissioner for Big Willow, but I was also thinking given what we got as an opportunity with Cullen Nature preserve their input on the um inclusivity and uh accessibility trail system. So, we're not just creating a a segment that is uh ADA, but that is uh uh accessible [clears throat] to everybody to enjoy the same trails, have the same views um uh in that. And so, if if they're willing, you know, we I don't want to overload them. Uh so, it's your communication with them, but I'm just adding that as an idea. Um, and then the same with the Glen Lake Park because again that feels like a maybe a new slate or a new opportunity where we could really utilize the vision of the DEI team for uh inclusivity and and um and that design. Um, I don't know how that is structured, but I I I would just think those would be really good input points from what I'm seeing so far on the quarterly um plan. >> Mhm. Since you brought up Glenn Lake, um I was surprised to see that we wouldn't see anything till Q3. What's what takes place next year? >> We could a plan review like a final plan. It sounds like a final plan review, but I'm sure it's a draft or >> we're certainly going to be wrapping it up before Q3. >> Do you want to move that? Yeah. So, checkpoint before then. I think it was just things crowded before that >> but it is going to be done before that at least knowing >> sort of master planning of that corner. >> Yeah, we can move that >> and that will be under park board responsibility not because sometimes when it gets to be a really big park project it becomes city council responsibility. Okay ours sounds good. Um I think uh I think in Q1 we should have some I don't know what the action item is exactly but we should have some report back from staff relative to off leash additional off leash areas. So there sort of a maybe it's the road map >> for additional offish areas >> and then in Q2 I think uh we need I I would recommend that we add in the review the purgatory data >> because that's going to the city council >> in the second quarter and if our job is to advise them I I you know we kind of got moved out of the process and I think it would be beneficial for us to be back in the process >> uh so we could you know give them our feedback on what the stats show. >> Mhm. >> Which purgatory data? >> This is the the results of how how the dog dog data we'll call it. >> If there's >> we're collecting they're collect the process. They're collecting feedback from people in the parks about interactions with dogs and dogs and stuff. And so there the city council has an action item to get a re report back on that in June or Jul. >> Yep. >> On the outcome or how that's going. And I'm just suggesting we probably would want to be part of that process. >> Oh, absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Especially if we're going to be planning more. >> Yeah. >> So, I think it should be a good work work plan item. >> Okay. Are others >> okay with that? >> Yeah. I had a thought on um off leash dog areas because you're incorporating it into multiple master plans. Maybe it's a footnote and a star. a footnote that says off leash dog areas under consideration or something and then a star next to those master plans or so >> related to the ones specifically. >> Yeah, because you're trying to incorporate it in um potentially big willow I don't know >> but the the work group some of the some of the work group opportunities were not in the master plan parks. >> True. >> Right. >> Okay. you decide then how did it >> so [clears throat] >> well to Dave's point about general future opportunities and the review of the community workg group and their recommendations and what the process moving forward as we get past purgatory does seem to tackle that. >> Yeah. So your cons your concern is that you want the citizens to understand that >> when they see the work plan that yes it's being addressed is not being ignored. >> It is being considered and >> not just not just the citizens it anyway. So if they're like no park board we took it from you it's on us. They'll tell us >> correct >> they'll line item that out probably if they [clears throat] >> clear and then and then and then we're like okay okay we get it. >> That clarity would be good. Okay. All right. >> So, I I was not I'm not sure exactly how to approach this because I'm not sure that it's a quarterly item or like uh when I was thinking about our work plan, I was thinking a little bit more like what do we want to do in the next year as opposed to like this where we do quarter and then this quarter. This is very helpful, but um just in my mind so you're aware, I was thinking about when we were hearing from Jace, they had two or three interns present to us. And that got me thinking about could we work uh as a park board um to to find out how to get an intern and and go through that process andor um a I guess maybe those are staff those are interns for the staff. >> Yeah. alternatively assist staff in that process or assist staff in a Americanore person and that Americanore member may uh we would in in my view this is what I would envision it would be a uh either either park park activity park board natural resource specific uh personnel that would work probably in conjunction with DEI on a focused equity and inclusion activities and process methods development and codification like plan or document that would then you know serve in perpetuity with uh revisions um a lot of the a lot of the work that we've been talking about that I've been talking about. So, I'm curious about that process for us as a strategic or as a work plan item for how the park board could assist staff in that. Um, and then in terms of designing it, what efforts would would would we um would it take for us as park board members to to assist in that process to get um additional help on this this topic? >> So, I don't know. What do you guys think about that? I guess it's maybe more of a staff question >> and also how would we assist you other than just doing more work? Uh I don't know if it would fit well in the context of a meeting to do some of the work or if it would be more like a a subgroup, a task force um that's created to either do we create a task force to create a position or to help create a position or do we just create a task force as part of our work plan that may accomplish the same thing without any or an American court member. But >> before we get to staffing, what's the what's the driving objective? In other words, what do you want to create? Because I mean the staffing would be do you have adequate staffing or not? I think I think what your questions is I think you want to have a a a project, you know what I mean? And that that would be the thing to start with. I mean, >> yeah, the project is to create a [clears throat] uh basically a document that codifies the process methods that uh our city should use to ensure that we have an uh equity and inclusivity uh uh you know focused or or leveraged um park and wreck or you know park activity um model. Um, what I what I'll kind of you know what I'll what I'll kind of say is that there are places there are cities that have this. There are also documents out there, but they're not specific to our city. And so the opportunity to do that for our city that is then part of how our city operates, how our staff operate, how the park board operates would be a great um opportunity for long-term impact on areas of uh equity and inclusivity as it relates to the activities that the park board and staff related to the park board are are undertaking. And we don't I don't know that we have all the time or that staff have all that's what I'm trying to be sensitive to. >> Yeah. And I hear what you're saying and but but I think you being on this member Caleb of this park board um is representing that interest and and you're very very vocal and you're very and this is in a positive context. Um you're very vocal. You make sure that this item is front and center. you know, we've um had the DEI um staff come and collaborate that I I guess I question if that's where we need our resources to advocate for staff or interns. Um because I think what I'm hearing, you know, and I wouldn't say a a good chunk, but a a good portion of the meeting is always on this topic and I think it's great to have it for in the forefront. I'm just not sure I'm supportive with all the demands on the funding that's available. Um that I'm ready to advocate for a new position on the park side to collaborate with the DEI because I feel like these conversations Oh, sorry. Thank you. I thought something dropped. I thought it was my name tag. Um and it's so important to hear what I'm saying, right? [laughter] Um, so my my point is I hear what you're saying, but I think that you are doing a great job representing this aspect uh to be considered that I'm not sure I'm buying into that we need to advocate for new staff or a project at this point. That that's my perspective. >> Yeah. I I I think that what I'm hearing is you want to make sure that this uh DEI is is collaborating and is a component that is considered and I think you're doing a great job representing it. So, I'm not quite sure I'm I'm supportive that we need to take it to that next step until we see that it's not having the outcome >> uh that we're look that we're looking for. >> Katie, did you have a comment? Um, no. I I need to fully digest the Minneapolis document to I've only skimmed it and I have not fully digested it to understand how if it might solve a problem here or not. So, it could be one idea is we loop it into our study session too. um if a document like that would solve any problems that we've identified here. I can't speak intelligently to it yet. So, I'll do that before our next study session. >> When you read post, I'll read that. >> Right. Thankfully, we have two meetings, right? Like we're we're brainstorming a bit and and jing about what should we do and what should our plan be. So, that's partly what I'm trying to do is plant these ideas that uh may may fall flat. That's totally fine. Um I just know for myself uh it's hard to be the it's hard to be the main voice, the only voice. Uh as a uh I I may not always be present to to share that voice. Uh um and we all we all hope that we can that we all hope in our service to the city that our work uh is goes beyond our service time and that is my goal with this and that perhaps a more uh intensive intern which uh I don't know both the DEI commission paid their interns, but there's still a cost. Free is not free. Uh but and Americaore is um is not free but it's a a full-time employee a full-time uh US member US service member who who is u effectively uh on a stipend that is uh probably a tenth of an FTE in cost to the city. So, um, if that was a focus, it's certainly either one is certainly a, uh, >> I I just want to I I want to come back to intern and staffing is I don't think something we necessarily need to get into in our role as the board, but I think in the context of if we feel there's some large initiative that needs to be addressed, then that's something and we should dialogue here and agree whether or not as a board we want to agree that we want to put forward an initiative that that then they might need staffing for I don't know but I think jumping to staffing when we you know right now they haven't really defined or gotten sanctioned for the initiative I mean part of what I think about is um and I I agree with Jennifer's point you're very passionate and and and articulate about about the need but we also need to know where the city is in terms of their relative levels of priorities around the need and and within the park board. We have the these projects that we're going through are very important projects to the city to get done and and they're um just to make sure we maintain and and and you know move forward with the the resources we have. So, uh, if we do a study session, that might be a good thing to to talk about. Well, and I I see this process today and next meeting as [clears throat] our chance as individuals or as a park board to institute a plan, an idea for our work that maybe is outside of the previous scope or previous butwise approach to the park board and let the city council decide. >> That's a great idea. We would we haven't thought of that. We haven't thought of that. And because the city council will approve our strategic or our um >> our work plan. So if they see something on there, they may say, "No, we're not doing that." Or they may say, "That's a great idea. I'm so glad that that was that that idea iterated there and now it's on a on a work plan." >> Do you have a proposal from this existing work plan that you'd like to see on the agenda? >> That's the key to me. Am I missing the tangible? What's what is it you would like us to entertain? Not just a open-ended concept, but what is it? What's tangible action? What's the you know? So, I would like us to c I would like the I would like us as a park board to work on the codification of uh equity and inclusion focused uh approach to uh to the way we we advise and manage our park and natural resource uh activities. that kind of uh in investment in time and effort in writing and best practice reviews and uh [clears throat] you know interaction with uh neighbor neighbor park boards uh national park board groups um disability in the parks groups requires more than any one individual park board member could do. So, as a board of numerous members, that would be the goal. And if staff, if we can't just direct staff to help and they say to us, well, we could use additional uh people to help, then we would also help as a park board. >> Do you see that agenda item fitting? >> So, that's why that's why I >> it's not quarterly. Okay. >> No, I don't see it. I don't see anywhere in here. >> I think it's a larger >> yearong process. >> We don't have on the agenda today any actionable items requiring a vote. But I think what I hear, and let me run this by you. I think what I hear is if you were to come back at the December meeting with a proposal for the park board to review and have a motion to whether or not the park board would entertain that concept, then we'd have a second and a vote. And then that that's how I think this would work. Correct. >> Yeah. Just if I could weigh in here and and other staff can too as well. Um so and there's a lot kind of going on here as far as what is potentially being proposed. Um I don't know that I entirely uh envision what it looks like to have to codify something like this. So, if it's a a study that's looking at our park system and and and you know, similar to what our post plan is, but it's not a specific focus. So, it's maybe it has a it's done in a little different way. Um, you know, that's something we would have to have worked into the budget. Um, just from a practical standpoint, we can't just hire staff. It has to be in a in a budget. >> Um, those budgets get approved uh a year in advance. So, we've already budgeted for all of next year. Um, even interns, we don't have funds, you know, slush funds to hire interns. We that's something that would have to get budgeted for a year out. Um, if it's something that involves hiring a consultant to do, it is something that we would have to budget for specifically. Um, typically we would put it in the CIP, which you would see in May or June of next year. um you know it could be something that's proposed in the CIP to have consultant dollars to do something like you know what you're looking for. Um and then that goes through the normal park board and council review as well. Um so you know those just I wanted to kind of give that grounding to this discussion. I don't know if that's helpful or if staff has other anything other to add. Um, >> but if if if um because I I I I too am not sure I I I I get the flavor of what you're looking for, but I don't have enough grasp of the specificity of what it would be. And so, and but I think you have a a strong idea what it would be if if he were to come back with uh I guess I'll call it proposal that we would review. Is that the kind of item that the park board could review and discuss and decide if we want to make that a priority >> by by by having a motion, a second, and a you know a majority vote and then and then it would go into the process of okay >> how would it be where would it get slotted, how would it be funded and but then we would kind of have a tangible direction. >> Yes, >> that would be okay. >> Yes. So, if you if you wanted to put something together, probably get it sent out before the meeting so we can all kind of study it. That would be a good thing to do. >> Yeah. And it would be something that would be uh it would ideally be worked into the work plan and I recognize it may be something that's >> but we haven't we have we haven't approved it yet. >> No, no, no. I know. But >> if it was approved, yeah, >> if it was approved, it would be worked into the work plan. And you know, some of these things are specific >> items that happen on a specific date, but they also some of them reflect uh uh like the red barn feasibility that's going to be, you know, multiple months of work and it's not a one-time thing. So, I would say if it's something you do decide you want to add, you should put it in the work plan >> after the next meeting. >> After the next meeting. Yeah. >> So, we would want to review the material before and then vote it, have you discuss it and vote it there. In terms of process, I would want us to have that post plan review before seeing that proposal so we can really clarify what the problem is we're trying to solve before jumping to what the solution might be. I don't know if timing wise that's possible. >> That would be challenging, I think. >> Would would there have to be staff overseeing us? >> Can we get together and talk through? Well, it has to be in it has to be in the context of the park board. >> It has to be. >> So, if you wanted to work with Caleb on the proposal, you could. >> I meant looking at the post plan. >> Oh, I think you want I think from a continuity spectrum, you'd want to have staff involved. >> Yeah. Staff, we're we're happy to sit and talk to any of you if you want to talk through the post plan, but as a as a group, um you can't come together and talk about an item that's >> Oh, yeah. public >> public review of the post >> violating open meeting law. >> Right. So could we have a study session on the post plan and then Caleb could present and give to us in advance his proposal so we could compare that afterwards just to be efficient with the time. >> You mean both do both of the study sessions? >> Yeah, that's just what I'm >> That's public. The study session is public >> and that's okay. >> Yeah, >> I meant that as a good that's something a good thing for her. Like I'm fine with everything being >> so >> excuse me being transparent. >> So what you're at what I hear you saying is a study session before your regular meeting in December >> of which we would have to have a quorum. >> So we have to make sure we get >> not vote on anything in the study session. No, >> there would be no voting on vote on the post. It would just be basically uh right the >> the post a review of the post >> and your proposal >> and then >> what she's talking about >> could it be could we have new me new >> could number one uh I I may be having to edit in real time but number two um which isn't great but it would be near real time anyway because it would be the meeting after or something but uh can we do new business in Of course we can in a study session. >> No. Right. So then I wouldn't be able to present my >> No, you can present. You can present your >> I just [clears throat] don't think we Yeah. My vision would be, you know, it feels like what I'm hearing you say is you want to have more of a work group. Um, you know, what I'm hearing is there's a need to review the post plan and then based on that, you know, you Caleb, maybe bringing in your proposal and seeing after that post plan, you know, how much of is covered in it and what's missing and then what you'd be proposing. And I think the key thing that I'd be looking for is what's the problem we're trying to solve >> because I'm not I I I value and appreciate equity. I'm just not sure I've seen what the problem is and I think the post plan will help talk about the vision and and the analysis and of where we are. So that that's where I was thinking of combining them in a study session where we would be all together. We would be talking about it but there wouldn't be any motion on it. It would be discussion and come up with a strategy for a potential motion or maybe not. And Caleb, if you're looking at comparative analysis of other municipalities that you said have similar, you know, cotifications, that would be very helpful. I'd like to see that to see what other communities are doing to solve the problems because you said, but it's not specific to our city, but you know, I'd like to see whether we can make it specific, but I I need a comparative basis to understand what that looks like. what what does the universe of those of those um ordinances or commission suggestions or templates look like? If they're out there, that would be great at the study session to go through them. >> So, one thing I would suggest is if you have information you want to share with the with the board >> before that meeting, send it to me and then I can include it. So we can have a study session before the regular meeting similar to when we had the training with Mike Funk and the city attorney. So it would be that type of situation >> meeting the same day. >> Same day. Yep. >> The post plan is pretty long. >> Another day or a long, >> you know, the only other option, chair and Leslie, is uh the January meeting is pretty short. We could actually postpone the adoption of this until January. at our December meeting talked through the post plan. I don't know that it's that important to approve this in December. >> Oh, because we don't have to go to the council till when? >> Well, January, you know, our next meeting is January 7th. I don't know what date the council >> there's maybe an opportunity to just not have a special meeting with holidays. This this is going to get tight. Another evening meeting. I mean, this let's let's be realistic, too, about >> things. So, >> I I have not been told when in January it's going to the council, but if this board meets on the 7th, there's a council meeting um on the 5th and the 19th. I can't imagine it would be the 5th. So, I'm guessing the 19th hopefully, >> but that is an option. >> It sounds like we have a couple options. Yes. Depending on what happens with >> Yes. >> City Council agenda in January. Okay. Good suggestion, Kelly. >> And so I I can certainly look at calendars. Um, we also would need to make sure we have a quorum to support having a a study session before a meeting. >> If it helps, last year it was on January 13th, whatever day of the week that is. I mean, whatever meeting that would have been. >> Okay. So, I think we would be fine. >> So, make sure I'm tracking. So we would be doing this in at a dece the post plan and this this issue and the December meeting and the December meeting items would be moving to the January meeting. >> Is that what that we I heard? >> That's an option pending when we hear when the both have to go to the city council. Correct. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Do people like that idea? I I guess I would prefer trying to do it at the December meeting than have a second meeting in November. >> You don't want to have it with Turkey. >> Are you bringing it? >> No. [laughter] >> I would I would agree. I I think that would be better. Make people already have the third as marked on their calendars and stuff. >> Okay. I would agree. So, but we still have an opportunity. I would like for people to have a chance to absorb Nate's suggestions for the >> right that's that's happening. >> Everyone will get it. Everyone's got it or will get it. And then we can read that over and they're going to try to incorporate the the one elements and we can comment at the December. >> Oh, I see what you're saying. more. >> There are some more. >> We can certainly I mean we can certainly review the uh work plan in December as well. Okay. Good. >> That precludes us from doing that and then finalizing it in the J at the January meeting. >> Okay. >> Okay. Good. >> Okay. Uh before we go, is did are there more comments or questions or suggestions around um the work plan? >> Any in your notes, your minutes? Matt, did you move up the Glen Lake? >> Sure did. Move Glen Lake Park up to up in the schedule Q2 >> and added the dog stuff. >> Additional off leash areas in Q2. uh the review the purgatory data >> purgatory off leash data in Q2. >> Okay. >> Are we moving any are we moving anything from Q2 to Q3 just because that's feeling a little bit heavy. [clears throat] >> Red Barn feasibility study could move into the future. >> Okay. >> If it's still standing. >> We had a action item of uh the trail maintenance plan. Reviewing the trail maintenance and park investment plan. Darren, I don't know if that can move to Q3. >> Okay, >> that could move. >> Okay. Um, is there any action needed to be taken about relocating the bats that we need to know about? >> Just that I've been in communication with Melissa Bowman, who was featured in Conservation Magazine recently, by the way. >> That's the DNR specialist that I spoke with. uh she's offering help. So when we know more, she she offered to help host a count >> and get a sense for how many houses we'd potentially need, what the population looks like. >> And there's some I assume there's some specific timing when that has to happen. >> It'd be a spring thing. >> Okay. >> Should have done that on Halloween. >> [laughter] >> That's >> how many bats go in those little flat houses, >> but they hook >> quite a lot. They crowd in there. >> They do. >> Yeah. >> And they don't live there permanently there. It's like housing. Yeah. >> Now, if you're bad, >> it's not scary. It's not any more scary than a bird house, >> is it? >> Well, there's a lot of bats in that little flat box. There is. Yeah. Kind of scary. >> So, you have no idea how many bats are in that environment. >> A lot, according to the guano. So, I walked in there with her and we looked around and >> we didn't go too far. >> She said they're here for >> What's all this gooey sticky stuff on us? [laughter] >> Oh, man. >> Scary. >> Okay. Is that Are we done with um >> I think we are. We don't need an actual uh formal action. So >> So now we're on to 8A information items. >> Yes. Uh, and I believe Kelly >> the one. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. So, I saw Kayla over at the Burwell Spooktacular. That was about a week and a half ago. Um, I ordered the weather, FYI. It was perfect. Um, you know, the weather really plays a big factor in uh both KidsFest and the Burwell Spooktacular. We're showing a couple pictures here, but uh we had about 1,700 people uh that night. It was very, very busy. Many were dressed up as you can see. Uh we had about 1,500 of those. 1,700 went through the house, the Burwell House. So, that's nice to see, too. Um, you know, we do tours throughout the year and don't get anywhere near those numbers. So, it's nice to see that the Burwell House gets uh some use. That's great. >> Uh, you know, police were there with their they had a little what do they call it? I don't know what they were calling their police trunk and then fire had their slide and then we had some other vendors there. So, um, it was a very good event. The weather was the biggest piece. It was perfect. It was warmer. Um, like I said, 1700 was a lot of people. So, >> and 1500 went through the house. >> 1500 went through the house. So, definitely a successful event. >> We're, you know, we're seeing, and I think Sarah's talked about this in in previous meetings, the these free special events people are coming out to and they really enjoy them. The Summerfest, kids fest spooktacular. So, um, no, it's it's it's we're very appreciative that the city funds these events. So, it went well. Oh, this would be a program. >> Going back to this would be a program. >> That's it. >> Okay. >> Oh, are we I'm next. >> Yeah, you're next. [laughter] >> Um, just to uh talk about this upcoming schedule. So, um, we have a meeting again on December 3rd. We will bring back the the uh strategic plan and work plan for another look. Uh and then uh anticipate having some updates on Opus and Opus Park uh in uh January. Uh we anticipate >> pardon and we're going to go through the post plan >> study session. >> Yes. in in November >> December actually >> actually we'll be doing will we point a question uh whatever >> will we be doing the post plan as a study session at lean into the de in December or it'd be part of the actual meeting >> I mean we can do part of the meeting there's no reason why it can't be >> might as well might as well do that okay >> good >> that's fine we that I mean frankly that's a lot easier all around from scheduling and >> we don't have to notice a special Yeah. >> Yes. Thank you for saying that, Chair Ingraham. Yes, let's have that part of the regular meeting. >> Um, so in January again, the uh we uh likely having more information on the Big Willow master plan coming back in February, you will have to appoint a chair and vice chair. Uh that happens every uh February. And then the Cullen Nature Preserve Master Plan is another plan that likely will be coming back to you again. Uh in March uh we are hoping for an update from Three Rivers Park District on the Bryant Lake Trail. Uh and then we also provide at that time some natural resources division updates on our public engagement efforts. So that is the upcoming schedule subject to change. Uh as far as other meetings, I'll turn it over to Kelly. >> Yeah, activities saw in the park is up and running. We've had I believe two or three weekends already out at Shady Oak Beach. It was quieter the first two, but it's ramping up. I think this weekend is getting busier. That's Wednesdays. Uh then Friday, Saturday, Sunday, light up the Commons. So, this is our third year. Uh we'll have we'll light up some trees, do some kids activities out at Ridgedale Commons. That is Saturday, December 6th. >> What kind of turnout do you get at that? >> Um a couple hundred. >> That's what I thought. Okay. >> Um and that's another weather thing. One year it was very cold and um we had a few less than that. So, uh, Saturday, December 13th is our winter market here at the community center at 10:00 a.m. Uh, and then the Yeti hunt will be going on, uh, kind of over the break, December 20th through January 4th, and that will be kind of the trail from here all the way to Jed in the park. >> Okay, >> great. Uh, now we have any park board member reports at all? Anybody would like to report or comment on outside of what we had in Jennifer? Um, I just like to report that I went to the book fair and uh with my mother and it was extremely >> huge >> well attended. I could barely find a parking spot and everybody walking out walked out with a large um garbage bag of >> Yeah, grocery bags. >> Grocery bags. Thank you. Not garbage. Grocery bags. Thank you. Grocery bags of books. So, it was uh really great to see and and the food component, you know, really encouraged conversations cuz I, you know, I think as I have older parents and aging parents, seeing that need for a recreation for all generations, um was really impressive to see and and you forget about the different stages of life, not just youth and teens, middle, but all ages. And it was impressive. It sounds like you were there, too. My wife and I went to vote. >> Okay. >> And we were scared cuz all these people are going to be voting. >> Yeah. >> Because the parking lot was packed >> and but it was it was the book fair, which I I apologize. I didn't know was going on. Voting was empty, but the book fair was packed. It was it was um it was really impressive and and it was a a different segment than I'm used to seeing >> and it was so well attended and so appreciated that that that camaraderie and um community was definitely felt through that event. So >> your pie too absolutely a little pie. My mom got the crust so I was generous enough to let her have the crust [laughter] and some sloppy joe's by the way. and we had some great conversations with other people at our table. So, it was really uh something to that wasn't on the list that I wanted to give accolades. >> And I can just quick comment on that. Thank you for mentioning that we had about 400 people for the book and pie sale that they have every November. Uh they also raised $5,500 for the senior scholarship fund. So, that was a big deal. A lot of pie, a lot of sloppy joe's and so many books. I mean, the the days before when we collect books, it is it's a scene. So, >> and I think it I used it as an opportunity when my mom lives on Medicine Lake, but so they don't really have a community. And so, it was just it's such an important thing that we don't always think about how to connect people who are in a stage post work, you know, um to to connect and and to share all the different activities that are available for people if they want to participate. Um so, they know they're not alone. That's my commercial, Caleb. >> Yeah. So, uh I was so glad to donate books to this. Um I was able to attend uh a virtual forum uh that's was part of the uh conservation Minnesota. Uh it was a couple weeks ago. Um and we had uh the chance to kind of uh you know break into small groups virtually into our little rooms to uh meet and talk with other either park board members from the metro or like Three Rivers folks or um there was some elected uh officials um on there too. So it was a chance for our our sphere around the area to kind of connect and um [clears throat] there's ongoing um presentations like uh coming up including um like the next one is uh about low low salt design as we kind of you know work through our winter. um and you know smart smart salting workshops uh that's that's you know timely but then throughout the year they have these different other forums so hopefully I'll be able to uh engage a bit more um throughout the year with these different online forums and create community connect us to them and then as I get word I can pass things along to my fellow park board members too about getting engaged in that way. Great. Ian, >> um I was just going to >> You pushed green. That's why I called in. >> I was just going to ask Kelly if the senior services part is under you or if that's somebody else. >> Senior services as under me. It's with our community center division and and they do a lot of programming for seniors. I mean, they do. We appreciate you coming here, but if you come any day, it there's multiple programs going on every day. So, I appreciate that. >> And I saw Glenn Lake, too, because not necessarily just that generation, but cards is was a big part of the social and there's some card stuff going on at at Glen Lake, too. So, I mean, there was a lot of programming here and everywhere. It was almost overwhelming. There was so many opportunities quite honestly. So, then that's a good good problem to have. >> Great. >> Well, oh, >> shout out to public works. I'm in the middle of hauling a lot of debris to public works to the bush drop off guys do a great job over there. If anybody doesn't use that as a resource, it's just fantastic. There's a lot of communities that don't have that and team there does really good work. >> That's why they ask for your ID. >> They never do, by the way. >> The the leaves the trees are hanging on to the leaves this year. There were 1850 fewer vehicles in October this year than last year. Wow. >> November will get very busy now. >> Yep. And it was the lowest number since I've been keeping track of numbers since 2012. >> It's the lowest number in in October we've had. >> Wonderful. >> I see it every day. >> Interesting. So much. >> But you can also pick up the chips afterwards, too. I And I've seen uh neighbors pick up the chips and I'll call beautify uh the neighborhood too with them. If you have a semi, you're more than welcome to take all you want. [laughter] >> We have a lot of it. >> If there's nothing else, do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Good meeting. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> [music]