--- ## title: CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD author: City of Shorewood date: D:20260707093416-05'00' --- ## CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB RD ## PARK COMMISSION MEETING SHOREWOOD CITY HALL ## TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 7:00 P.M. ## MINUTES ## 1. CONVENE PARK COMMISSION MEETING Chair Hirner convened the meeting at 7:02 p.m. ## A. Roll Call ## Present: Chair Hirner, Commissioners Bahneman, Stern, and Sylvester; ## Parks and Recreation Director Czech; Councilmember ## Sanschagrin ## Absent: Commissioner Garske ## B. Review Agenda Sylvester moved to approve the agenda as written. Bahneman seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0. ## 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ## A. Park Commission Meeting Minutes of April 28, 2026 Commissioner Sylvester requested a correction to page 3, paragraph 3, to indicate: Commissioner Sylvester shared that she had not seen any of the movies but had picked four from a variety of genres and explained how the movies could incorporate fun activities. Sylvester moved to approve the minutes of the April 28, 2026, meeting as amended. Bahneman seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0. ## 3. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR There were none. ## 4. GENERAL BUSINESS ## A. Park Commission City Council Report Assignments Parks and Recreation Director Czech reviewed the Park Commission City Council Report Assignments as found in the Agenda Packet. Chair Hirner shared that he would be gone on June 8. Commissioner Sylvester stated that she is not available on June 8, but she would be available on every other date. Commissioner Stern asked if there was a Commission meeting on June 23. Parks and Recreation Director Czech shared that on June 23, there are park tours, but no report is generally given to the Council. Chair Hirner explained that for the park tours, there is a quorum with the Commission and the Council, and the tours take place, but there is no official meeting. ## PARK COMMISSION MINUTES ## TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 ## PAGE 2 OF 6 Chair Hirner asked if Commissioner Garske could do June 8. Park and Recreation Director Czech pointed out that Commissioner Garske would have been absent from this meeting, but he could report on the April 28 meeting and make the report on the May 19 meeting. Chair Hirner noted that he could be added to the June 8 meeting for now, and Commissioner Garske could be reached out to to see what he thinks. Commissioner Bahneman stated she could do the September 14 Council meeting. Commissioner Sylvester noted she could do the August 10 Council meeting. Parks and Recreation Director Czech stated that Commissioner Garske could report at the October 12 Council meeting. Chair Hirner stated that he could do the November 9 Council meeting. Commissioner Stern noted that he could do the December 14 Council meeting. Commissioner Sylvester stated that she would do the January 11 Council meeting. Hirner moved to send the Commissioner reporting dates to the Council. Bahneman seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0. Chair Hirner noted that the next items were in this year's CIP plan, for which planning has already begun. ## B. Cathcart Tennis Court Resurfacing Parks and Recreation Director Czech presented the Cathcart Tennis Court resurfacing as found in the Agenda Packet. Chair Hirner asked when the CIP was scheduled to replace the tennis and basketball courts fully. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that in 2028, the basketball court will be fully replaced, but the tennis court will not; it is just a resurfacing in the 10-year CIP. Chair Hiner noted that if nothing is done to the tennis court, then it will continue to degrade. He asked if there was a general sense of how many years the tennis court could last if nothing is done. Park and Recreation Director Czech noted that the tennis court will not drastically decrease. If the City were to resurface right now, that would add another three to five years of quality life with the court. He added that Cathcart Court is used frequently, but it is not a demanding use with people on the court nonstop. He noted that if nothing is done, then things will stay as they are and the cracking will continue. He shared that there are a few areas of concern on the court, but the worst spots are not in the playing area itself, but rather on the edges. Chair Hirner questioned the timeline of the need of a full reconstruction if both courts were resurfaced this year. Park and Recreation Director Czech explained that in 2026, the Commission does not have the funding to do both the basketball and tennis courts. In 2028, there is $60,000 allocated for the basketball court reconstruction. If a simple resurface to extend the life of both courts by 3-5 years was the desire, that would need to wait until 2028 when the full basketball court reconstruction is scheduled. Commissioner Sylvester asked if the Commission was discussing resurfacing versus redoing the whole tennis court. The Park and Recreation Director shared that if that is the route the Commission would like to take, it would involve resurfacing both courts in 2028 and extending their life by about 4 years. At that point, the Commission would need to look beyond the ten- year CIP and allocate funding for a full reconstruction. Commissioner Sylvester asked if the budget right included resurfacing the tennis court and redoing the basketball court. Park and ## PARK COMMISSION MINUTES ## TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 ## PAGE 3 OF 6 Recreation Director Czech confirmed that it was true. He added that it is $18,000 this year for resurfacing the tennis court and $50,000 in 2028 for the basketball court. Commissioner Sylvester asked what Chair Hirner was suggesting. Chair Hirner asked whether, with the tennis court being resurfaced now, anything would need to be done to it in 2028. Park and Recreation Director Czech shared that if the tennis court is resurfaced this year, then nothing will have to be done for roughly five years. Chair Hirner asked, even with the root damage that has become a tripping hazard. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that those will not be corrected 100 percent, but will be leveled out and be in better condition than they are now. He noted that a resurface will not create a perfectly level surface, but will improve things by filling in the high and low areas. Over time, the current cracks will reappear. He added that the best way to maintain the court is to clear the water and debris from it. Chair Hirner stated that, without seeing the courts, he did not remember their condition. He thought that the basketball court was more concerning than the tennis court. He added that if there were a way to get a weighted roller on the tennis court to flatten things out, that would be a good idea before doing anything with the court. He stated that the roots will not stop unless the tree is taken out. He suggested postponing any action in court and taking a look at them during the park tour. Commissioner Sylvester agreed that it might be best to wait until the park tour and take a look. She added that she has some questions, but is in favor of resurfacing the tennis court this year. She knows the court and feels it does need resurfacing this year, but would be best for the Commission to look at it first. She asked about the ATE Recreation quote, stating that they would apply Sport Master Acrylic. She added that the sports master has a range of acrylic qualities and would be curious which acrylics would be used. She asked how long a life that would have been. She added that ATE Recreation handled the tennis courts at Minnetonka High School, which is good to know because the school did its homework. She pointed out that the ATE Recreation and C & H Sport Surfaces quotes are for different resurfacing methods. She noted that it would be helpful to know which acrylics are being used in the quotes. Chair Hirner stated that the City spent $350,000 on the double court and the fencing. He stated that PRO Track and Tennis mentioned $150,000 to $200,000 for Cathcart. Given those numbers and the fact that the Commission has $50,000 for the basketball court over three years, they do not seem to work. He noted asking that question during the Master Plan and being assured it would be good for the basketball court, but that does not seem to have been the experience. Park and Recreation Director Czech explained that reconstructing the tennis court would cost between $60,000 and $100,000. He added that a basketball court is smaller, so $50,000 is likely. Commissioner Stern shared that both courts need to be resurfaced, with the basketball court needing it more. Hirner moved to postpone a decision on the Cathcart Park Tennis Court until a site assessment is conducted by the Commission during the park tours on June 23, 2026. Sylvester seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0. ## C. Off-Leash Dog Area Pilot Program ## PARK COMMISSION MINUTES ## TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 ## PAGE 4 OF 6 Park and Recreation Director Czech presented on the Off-Leash Dog Area Pilot Program as found in the Agenda Packet. He stated that no action would be required at this time, just a topic to discuss. Commissioner Sylvester asked that the information be shared so she could visit some of the spots before the meeting. Park and Recreation Director Czech shared that he would also provide links to websites of other directors who have dog areas in their cities. Chair Hirner pointed out that the fencing is interesting and the boards in the hockey rink are about four feet high. He asked what the recommended height is for the fencing when being used as a dog area. He also asked if the fencing would need to go all the way around. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that the fencing would probably not need to go all the way around. He shared that he could get exact heights from other cities. He explained that a dog could technically jump over a four-foot wall, but that would be more on the owner to ensure the dog is under control. That may be a rule to consider. Chair Hirner pointed out that the last time something was done to the rink, the community came together to complete the project, which helped keep costs down. He thought the same thing could be done again, and some additional things could be done with the money saved. The Park and Recreation Director noted that the Staff is working on the volunteer-led effort and is currently working with a painting company to see how volunteers could lead the bulk of the effort. He added that the church across the street is willing to help, as are other community members. Commissioner Sylvester reminded that primer should be used along with the painting, which may not have been done the last time. Chair Hirner noted that the timing of the project could leave little time to open the dog area before it must be closed for the ice rink. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that, depending on timing, there could be a fall opening of the pilot, or the materials could be purchased this year and the pilot officially open in the spring. Chair Hirner stated it would be great to get the pilot going this year, so that feedback could be received to fix for next year. He noted that the Commission should aim to reach a decision in July. The Commission would look at the rink during the June tours. ## D. Memorial Bench, Sponsorships, and Donations Program Park and Recreation Director Czech presented on the item as found in the Agenda Packet. He shared examples of the SeeMyLegacy software. Commissioner Stern asked how the bench program is currently run. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that currently, there is no program. Commissioner Stern asked about a specific bench on the trail before Freeman Park. He added that there is a plaque bearing someone’s name. Park and Recreation Director Czech noted he was not sure and would take a look at the bench. He stated that the process for putting a memorial bench out now is not good. People will call, and then that goes to the Commission. The cost of the concrete pad needs to be figured out; the bench costs about $1,000. He shared that there is a lot of back-and-forth. It was discussed by the Commission to have a more formal process with baseline pricing already established. Commissioner Stern asked how much of the cost is to cover the costs of putting the bench in. Park and Recreation Director Czech shared that the program's intent is to cover costs. ## PARK COMMISSION MINUTES ## TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 ## PAGE 5 OF 6 Chair Hirner asked how much of the money that a person pays for the donation goes to SeeMyLegacy. He stated that when donating online, there are usually credit card fees associated with the donation. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that the City would be responsible for the credit card fees. He stated that the City pays the annual subscription fee, so no percentage goes back to the company. Chair Hirner stated that the software does everything. He asked who would be called if a person is using the software and there is a problem. Park and Recreation Director Czech shared that the City's information would be on the website. Still, the City would have a dedicated customer service representative if the issue was outside of the City’s control. Chair Hirner noted that he likes the software because it is well organized. He asked whether there is a project component to the software in which the company sends the required materials to the City. Park and Recreation Director Czech explained that the City would receive an email about a bench or other item being ordered and would go through the City’s vendor to order the materials. He added that there would still need to be contact with the person. The software serves as a platform for gathering all the information. Chair Hirner asked if other cities have been happy with the software. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that other cities that utilize the software have great things to say, and most have seen an increase in overall sponsorship as well, by having an accessible platform. Chair Hirner asked who sets up how the page looks. Park and Recreation Director Czech shared that, if the City is to proceed, a customer service representative would undergo orientation and have a website set up with the Staff. The company would set up the website with guidance from the Staff's goals. Chair Hirner asked whether the City would have someone in IT handle the website after the initial setup, or the Staff. Park and Recreation Director Czech noted that he would learn how to add content to the website. Chair Hirner stated that there would be other costs associated with maintaining the website that are not always considered. Park and Recreation Director Czech stated that a lot of time is spent on the current donation process, and this software would provide cost savings. Commissioner Sylvester stated that she loves the software and it was a good find. Chair Hirner shared that the software is a good choice and reasonably priced. Park and Recreation Director Czech explained that, since it's only a one-year commitment, the City could always do something different next year. Sylvester moved to recommend approval of the SeeMyLegacy software to the City Council. Bahneman seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0. ## 5. REPORTS / UPDATES ## A. City Council Councilmember Sanschagrin gave a brief overview of recent Council discussion and actions. ## B. Staff ## i. Parks Unplugged Event Reminder ## PARK COMMISSION MINUTES ## TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 ## PAGE 6 OF 6 Park and Recreation Director provided an update on the upcoming events, including the tree planting on May 21. He stated that many questions are coming in about the trees coming down, and that those trees are dead or dying due to the emerald ash borer, with more removals planned at Freeman Park in the future. He added that on May 27, there would be a Parks Unplugged at Camp Fire Minnesota. ## ii. SCEC Task Force Update Park and Recreation Director stated that a Task Force is in place, with a kick-off meeting on May 20. The group has a wide range of experiences and perspectives. He added that Commissioner Sylvester is the Parks Commission representative and will provide information. He noted that the intent is to provide the public with information along the way. He shared that a purpose statement was developed with the consultant: The Task Force serves in an advisory capacity to provide community-based insight and feedback that supports the evaluation of current operations and the development of practical, financially realistic recommendations to increase utilization and revenue at the SCEC. Park and Recreation Director noted that things are very busy, especially with sports up and running. ## C. Commission Commissioner Sylvester asked where the Commission is meeting for the June 23 meeting. Park and Recreation Director Czech shared that he would send out information. Generally, the Commission starts at 6:00 p.m. to take advantage of extra daylight. He stated that tours would be at Freeman and Cathcart. The Commission would start at Freeman Park at 6:00 p.m. He noted that some materials would also be prepared to guide the meeting. He added that the tours are open to the public as well. He noted that the tours would be good for upcoming projects. Chair Hirner shared that, in only going to Cathcart and Freeman, the Commission should also visit the other parks to identify any needs there. The City has been good if given a list of things to fix to get it done. The Commission praised the Public Works Staff for all that they do. ## 7. ADJOURN Stern moved to adjourn the Park Commission Meeting of May 19, 2026, at 8:52 p.m. Bahneman seconded the motion. Motion carried 4-0.