survey of the area um and costs um associated with the engineering department. So um we're right in line with that 227,000 um with the bids that we received. With that, I'll take any questions that we have on that. Um looking for a motion today to approve one of the contractors that u submitted bids that you do have copy of as well. >> I have a question, Adam. Y >> um on the schematic when it shows the uh curb cut out to cross 30th there um would there be any like striping or anything like that of the actual 30th roadway that would or could happen? >> So that is part of our um our crosswalk policy right now. They are going through those areas. Um as you may have noticed right out here we've uh added some crosswalks and signage here. So that is part of the overall plan is to update the city on those. This one here probably wouldn't be on the forefront of that yet because the opposite side of 30th Street wouldn't have an apron yet. >> So we're providing the apron on 30th, but directly across from that is a driveway mailbox and a small area that we would have to access that first. So um until that's done, we we would put that crosswalk in there. >> Okay. Um would it make sense to extend the um sidewalk on the north side like on the city property a little bit until you could come over into a better area without the driveway and the mailbox? >> They are extending it to the east um approximately I'm I'm going to take a guess here like um 25 feet or something like that. So they're not directly across from the driveway. Yeah. Yep. Other questions? >> I think you can see in the bottom left corner of that uh of that diagram where they do have that laid out where it is kind of set back from those two dash lines are the um the driveway and the mailbox. You can see that there identified that as well. So it is bringing that to the further east to >> okay >> to be on the right side. Does this include um painting the stripes, parking stripes? >> Normally that is included and it is striped now. So I would assume that would be striking as well. >> Yeah. And this is concrete replacing it with concrete, right? >> So uh the current parking lot is asphalt. So we are replacing that with asphalt. There will be new concrete curb uh throughout um that edges the the outside of the the parking area. >> Okay. And how high is the curb? >> So, this will be um highback curb on the radius and then just drive over curb um little bit little bit higher than drive over curb on the on the remainder of it. >> And the point is for all the drainage to go to that French drain or whatever that is. >> Yeah. So, you will see the line in the middle of that diagram. I think it says 64 ft. There's going to be that's almost the divider of the which way the water's going to go. >> So, it's going to go left and right there as well. So, you will get a lot of this water that goes down to the catch basin at 30th Street as well as everything on the left is going to go to a drainage. There is a storm water pond right to the be directly west of that parking lot as well. Which it currently does. So, no changes in our storm water. Do you have a time frame once it's approved, Adam? >> Um, so city council will review this um at their next meeting. Uh, so that' be end of the June. So we weren't looking till late fall on this project to begin with. So August, that way it correlates with our uh summer baseball and spring fall baseball. A fall baseball will start after school starts. So we got that window in there of August, September, uh, which is doable with this project. We it will uh overlap a little bit, but we've already notified the the people that have reserved the park for that time. >> Okay, >> just a heads up with it. >> Other questions? >> Um I do have one more question. So, one thing that I noticed at this park is people when it's full, people park along the like entrance. Um, and I know we've had this discussion about other um, parks and driveways and things like that, but if 24 feet is not enough for um, you know, depending on your requirements uh, for like if that fully needs to be open for access, I would just recommend some >> maybe like one sign or something. I know signs are not super attractive either, but >> but a highback curb will also prevent people from driving over that parking too. So >> something like this reviewed by the police and fire for access or they just assume it was good for >> this is not. No. >> Okay. >> Yeah. this just to take just takes into account um our engineering specs of you know that we have on file for mostly you know our roads and parking lots and things like that. So they all those are taken in place but a lot of times it's not reviewed by our our our fire marshal. >> This one's just a little bit different because it's one way in and you know a lot of our parking lots have in and outs and >> Right. >> Okay. Other questions hearing? None. Can I get a motion, please? I'll make a motion to recommend to city council to approve the bid from Miller Excavating to reconstruct the parking lot and trail at Reed Park not to ex exceed $27,20. >> Any second? >> I'll second. All right. Uh, any more questions now that we have a motion? I think it sounds good. I think it needs to be done. I don't remember. I You said it was full tonight, but I've seen it fairly full. But I think it needs to be >> Yeah. I mean, in the summer it's it is quite full at least one or two days. I will say I also see people or I have seen people using that basketball court. Um but I think that you know looking at the analysis that was done we do have two other full basketball courts. Um and you know if the asphalt is nicer people can just use that to pass to. So >> the synopsis with that was is that um I think people preferred a full court full court as well. Um and we thought to with that open area um possible location for a smaller pavilion if we were to look at that park for pavilion in >> so probably wouldn't fit one of our large ones in that area just because we do have that drainage on the south side of that parking lot. But if we were to go with a smaller one, that would be an ideal spot. You still have shade. You'd still see the ball game. Um access for accessibility for um ADA compliance would be great right there. That's where our ADA parking is. Um >> um so that that's that that was our kind of intent in that that does come down in the next five years is one of our potential spots. That's like >> Yeah. Yeah. And I think that would be that park in general, not specifically, would be a good place to put one of the shelters. >> Yeah. Because the only other spot would be out near the playground set and then you're kind of affecting that open open space again. >> All right. Anybody else want to express opinion or say anything more about the motion? >> Really appreciate the uh continuation of the sidewalk down to 30th. kind of ends in no man's land right now. So, that'll be nice. >> All right. All in favor of the motion to recommend to the city council to approve the bid from Miller as excavating to reconstruct the parking lot and trail at Reed Park not to exceed $227,120 and 0. Indicate by saying I. I >> any negatives? No. All right. Moving on to park service level staffing. City staff is following up with recommendations made by Bolton Mink after the completion of our parks master plan last fall. The parks master plan again was completed in 2024. And the first priority being um first priority of that plan was to add a parks um parks director position uh as part of uh city staff as part of a 2025 work plan. The parks commission added it to the item to re be reviewed and implemented in 2025 as well. This work plan was presented and reviewed by city council at a joint parks uh joint city council workshop and the work plan was approved in February 2025. The issue before the parks commission tonight, what park level related services need more attention or what is being missed that should be relayed to city council for consideration in improving our park system? So currently the um public works is going through an evaluation of our of our staff levels and that was one thing if um if anybody listened to the last workshop was what they were what they discussed is is this position right and so um and the question came up is like what are we what aren't we providing that the parks commissioner or our parks master plan is asking that we do provide. So, um, as staff, we were looking u for your comments back if we could put together, um, you know, a short list that we could review at another meeting as well. Um, so if everybody could put together eight to 10 things possibly, we bring all those things back, we review them in order, and put together those solid eight things that we could bring to that uh, joint that joint workshop uh, to discuss with city council uh, movement towards getting that position. Um, so I think right now with our our consulting firm that's doing their evaluation, it's just kind of um they read it saying parks master plan says it's there, but it just sits out there in lingo because again, as we discussed like who are they supervising, what assets do we have that we're not meeting? Um if you review that they are saying like we're meeting our expectations of what you want. If you want more then you might have to have that next level of of participation or service level for um staff as well. So, that's what we're looking for from our commissioners to bring those items up. Um, bring those forward so we can review those with city council to see see if those see if our ideas match uh or if uh there's programming that we need to provide to the community that you'd like to see that they'd like to see as well um and how we can service those. >> All right. So, let me get the plan here. So tonight we're just going to have a general open discussion with our ideas, but our homework is to go back and come up with each of us come up with a more organized list. And then let's say next month we would revisit this to come up with an integrated combined list to present to city council. That's the plan. >> Yeah. So I would suggest that we put those you email me those uh eight to 10 items a year. I would uh make the list of those at our next meeting. We collaborate again. Um we review those. Um they have a longer discussion of those. Pick amongst that list. Um I give each member um or commissioner more time to discuss their opinions on what's on that list. Um and then we can then we probably bring that back in um the September probably make a meeting in September with the joint commission >> joint with council. >> You going to email Peter or should I >> either way. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. Yeah. No, I can. Yep. >> All right. So, some general Let's open it up for at least a few minutes because I have a list um and I don't know what everybody else has got. you've got a list. We're going to throw some of these at you. Um, >> so this is very preliminary. >> Can I start real quick? I just want to say I feel like all of my recommendations really I think that city staff here like you and Marty are doing a great job working with what we have. And so >> I just want that to kind of be the >> good thing. I don't anticipate that there will be a reason that the people who are currently doing the work are not able to provide service to us. So you got to get over that threshold first. We're looking a lot of this is above what we're doing right now. >> Correct. >> Okay. Um, so I am very glad that you remembered to bring that up uh because I had one time thought about that, but because of that, you can have the first shot. >> Oh, no, you go ahead. >> No, go ahead. You're right there. >> Um, well, so I think I mean I don't have fully organized bullet points, but I do have some notes here. So, one thing that really stands out to me um when I read that master plan and when I think about how our city compares to other cities around us is I think we have really great parks and amenities, but we're kind of lacking that um recreational programming um that a lot of >> a number of other comparable cities have. And I think that was spelled out in the master plan. Um, I think there's a lot of great models for that. You know, I think that the Sally Manzer Nature Center um fills one specific niche, but there are a lot more um that could be, you know, what do they say in the master plan? Uh get the ball rolling on programming to help activate Lake Elmo Parks. Um so that's kind of the highest priority thing that I see. And >> I agree with that. I think there's lots of programming that could be done that's not in competition with the school district or the VAAA, something like that. I think there's programming at, you know, for kids, for teens. One uh city website I looked like looked at that was of comparable size had like a teen laser night because we don't have we have so little for teens. Um and then different leagues. Um, this past weekend, my 16-year-old grandson was in a pickle ball tournament put on by the city of Cottage Grove, and they had some for kids. Then they had one with kids against a team would have someone over 35 and someone younger than 18 or something like that, you know, all sorts of different mixes, which sounds really neat to get people involved. Um, and not just pickle ball. They have all sorts of different leagues. And then of course there's things for um adults that we that the VA or I'm sorry the school district community ed doesn't provide that we could do um I also some have programming like music in the park maybe once a month you know another way to utilize the parks we have uh years ago there used to be a puppet wagon that would come around to neighborhoods and I think the puppet wagon was funded maybe by the JC's and the teenagers who operated it might have been had a stipen from the city. I I don't remember how that worked. Um but other cities have programs not where they go to a neighborhood, but they go to a park, a neighborhood park once a week or maybe once a month with some activities. Uh and they might also do games or, you know, something like that where people don't have to necessarily sign up but just show up. Um let's see. Um, also looking at um improving the website. I know you guys are so busy and maybe it it doesn't necessarily go to I'm not sure who would be in charge of the website or directing someone to improve the website for the for the parks, you know, to showing all the different things we have. Also having, and we've mentioned this before, having a spot for donations for trees, benches, different equipment, um, picnic tables, shelters. Um, one a couple cities had where you could buy a paver, an engraved paver to someone where they're doing some work to to help fund it for improvements in the park. >> Just that also was on my list just to give some extra weight to that. Um, to publicize and promote the opportunities for that. And then also I I think that there is a great value in having some visibility of thanking people as well. >> Um >> yeah and then something I wasn't aware of till um till today is something to uh have a grant writer to help us get more things in our parks >> which I I was you know never occurred to me but that would be something that would be really helpful to >> Yeah. If you look in the report it gives your suggestions >> like there's a whole bunch of Yeah. opportunities. Yeah. >> What else, Matt? >> That's I think that's all. >> Yeah. Some I could echo some similar things. I had explore and secure additional funding sources, mechanism, and partners. Um, so to me, that's a big one like how do we as the community continues to grow, we've got to find other sources of funding to support it. Um and then I also had long-term strategic planning regarding resource needs to support that growth. Um usage of parks and trails and some of that I think also includes and I don't even know what we do it right now in the city but coordination of volunteers and partnerships like how do we support all this with other resources and I came from Plymouth and there's a whole you know volunteer coordination group. So even if you live in the city and you want to volunteer for some of these things like there's this whatever it is going on as programming you can volunteer to help and and so there's a big thing you know somebody's got to organize that and that is included in the park director or whoever is is underneath that park director. So long term, you know, there might be other positions under that director, but somebody's got to figure that out. Like, you know, somebody's got to start with that strategic planning around resources. Um, then I also also had the same thing about community recreational education programming. Um, I think of course I'm a big trail user and so the whole piece around just yearround trail accessibility to me that's just sort of out there. You know, nothing's really happening around that. Um, but if we got additional sources of funding, maybe that could be something we could do. Um, and then another piece is of course the inner connectivity of the trails which I know is on our plan. And I know there's different areas identified, but how's even more um resource spent on that to try to figure that out. Um and then the other thing ahead in the list is just with this new sports complex, you know, just that opens up a whole lot more opportunities down the road. So I think again back to your point, Ellen, it's not like the staff isn't already doing their job, but it's just like it's just going to grow. and how do we grow to support that from a resource need >> keeping up with us because they're coming fast. >> Yeah, >> I can email those too. >> Well, we'll thank you. um to start off and dubtail in with the trails. Part of the overall thing here that I've noticed is that and this this is not a knock on any of us to continue on um is it's the things that go on relative to this the parks are somewhat helter skelter or hodge podge like the trails. there's some of these issues that need focus and concentration um to get them coordinated to figure out where things so prioritization um I think something that would need to be done is um saving money. Okay, I can tell you since we don't have anybody looking specifically at it, we can probably save some money. Okay, around. All right. And we have some areas that I think that were even mentioned in the report. Maybe we should combine the parks or get rid of the parks or something. And that's hard for this structure. You need somebody focused on that to be able to make those kind of recommendations. Um so the hard issues, I think some of those will come out of the new um wreck area, the baseball field. Um there'll be a lot of hard issues that come out of that policy we're going to talk about here in a minute. Again, if we had somebody more active on this could focus on policy changes, more real time policy changes, make those challen changes, keep them up to speed, goes along with advocacy. So cost savings, efficacy, coordination, potentially saving money. Uh dubtailing on the the um earlier ones, uh communications. We've already had our former young person say we are in the subd dark ages about communicating with stuff. Okay. Um and I agree with all the rest of the ideas and it will make it but you can look it talks about in their uh in their comparison and benchmarking to cities around >> and they'll have staff four, five, six, >> 13 on average. >> 13 on average. >> We've got zero. >> Two. >> They say two. >> They say two. All right. 13.7 is the average for or the median for >> but if you look at one the city of little Canada which is only slightly bigger than Lake Elmo they have four people okay and now a lot of them are doing the things that we were suggesting and talking about about programs and activities and communications and things like that um but I think you can kind of see that we are definitely in the area of staffing somewhat out of the norm when it comes to parks. So again, um more ideas. Um Adam said he could use infinite ideas. Uh so please email. >> Yeah. >> And I'll I'll send something to Peter. >> I'll send something. Um just to add on some more things, some other things that I good found. Well, >> yeah, considering this prompt, which I thought was really thoughtful, you know, um I think that it's easy to say we need or like more would be great, but like for what, you know, what's the vision here? Um and I think that so yeah I guess a couple question I don't know the inner workings of the city of Lake Elmo but I think so in the master plan recommendations it was also recommended to think about a forester um and with a lot of development right like I know that there are tree ordinances and you know all of that work needs to be done too and so I don't know if things could be shuffled around in a way that would free up someone else's is some space on someone else's work plan so that they could do something that is more of their interest, something that they're better at, you know, where an emerging need is to take some stuff off. I was also think and they recommended, you know, considering a a part-time forester. I know the city of Lake Elmo had one previously and so I don't know what duties got piled on to someone else um or what ended up not being a priority and if that's still true that's great maybe some things could get brought back um >> quick question here for same as a arborist >> yeah there seems like there's a lot of variability there so I don't know what lake had prior >> I think they had uh they had a part-time arborist that helped out and they would they would reach out or there were so many hours at that point has but there you know a tree city and somehow if you're a tree city you have to have an arborist or there's some connection there um but I don't know that's why I asked the question >> yeah so I think that um well I will say um just to kind of continue this um The city of River Falls, I happen to know quite well because I grew up there. Um, but this past winter they actually advertised for a conservation and parks manager is what they called it. And that position also was to serve as the city forester. Um, they were, you know, I think that maybe that would be worth taking a look at because it was it hit kind of all of the points in the master plan. Um something else too that I was just thinking about capacity and um yeah I guess questions for you to think on Adam like with your colleagues um if it would be useful to have someone do some more of that natural resources GIS type of stuff like could that come off someone's plate if there's programming well we know there will be programming for the new um community park so maybe there is a lot of kind of startup energy that needs to be put into there and then maybe it can kind of you know flux in other ways. Um, so I I think thinking about some flexibility to um also address other emerging needs for city staff is kind of top of my mind and I don't have great insights into that about what might be your pinch points here or where where folks are super stressed um or overworked. So you see how the uh discussion about um like a parks superintendent or parks manager or whatever um delves into the question as was brought up earlier who works for that person. Okay. >> And so there could be a forester, there could be a administrator of programs and those types of things. So you got to have kind of have that collective discussion. Um, and then that's why it's good that you brought up the forester part of it. >> I think it would be great to have a connection with the tree trust >> um program because you can get trees for this, not only for the city parks, but also help homeowners add more trees. And they work with a large group of cities across the the metro area to reforest. This would probably be an initial foresting here, but bringing in more trees, >> which you got back to the presentation by the woman a few weeks ago about the flight paths, the paths through the city of the animals and things like that, >> you know, that's tied to trees and tried to vegetation. And is there, you know, might we keep some of these parks maybe not as a park, but as a a place where we could keep um the vegetation that keeps the animals having places to go. Um so yeah, there's a lot to do there. It's exciting to think of all the possibilities. >> And that is in part what you get with a city like Lake Elmo that's growing. >> Yeah. >> And guess what? There are going to be more people. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Um since this is an agenda item, Adam, could we ask for your thoughts too? Um like do you is the city planning to grow in other departments I guess and I mean would it be feasible to think about some reshuffleling? Like is that on the table or is that not really on the table? like we would it would need to be a dedicated position to do like extra things in order for the city council to talk about it. >> No, I I think uh I think we're on the right track here. The only problem is um as we just talked about as we grow, what else grows? Water, sewer we >> I don't think you're ever going to take that away from somebody. Okay. >> You know what I mean? >> I think your question was is are we taking this away? >> So, we're not putting you out of work. >> Yeah. there's more work coming for that person with the additions to all that, right? So, more lift stations, you know, more it's more roads to plow, it's more imagine all that. So, um >> but that kind of falls along the lines is we're giving you kind of a fraction of the answer because we don't know the overall budget. We don't know where the overall we know what it is for parks, but we don't know the overall situation. um we're just throwing out >> and we don't know what things you know are on your work plan that you just kind of never get to that we are not related to anything parks or anyone else, right? Anything. >> And so I I I'll be honest as our work plan is kind is set up and uh laid it out for what we can handle, >> right? um >> to be honest because if I put if I put 25 things on there I'm not going to accomplish then >> you're going to be asking why it's on work plan why we going after right so um >> so yeah that's 100% on that but this person could also work with our CIP and keeping that up >> oh yeah from >> and really looking at priorities too okay >> you know as you go through the year that things change and things pop up and maybe this you want to shift that and somebody who could do that. Not to say that you don't do it, but again, somebody who's really focused on it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Well, and I was just going to add, I mean, it's right to start with the work because then starting with the work defines what that position is and even what that level is because a director or do you start with a manager or what do you know what's the level that you start with >> or a coordinator? >> Well, right. Exactly. Like, so if you start with the work, then it's like what's the right position for that work and and the level and pay and all that good stuff that comes with it. >> Y and again with our parks, we have contracted services, right? So, you know, I think Pat and I had talked about that in the past as far as, you know, is that is that service level being met or is that something we have to take back in? If it's, you know, if it's our mowing side or if it's the Salman Center or if it's, you know, it's our volunteers, whatever that might be. Um, we need to address that to say, are those services being met by those contractors or is that something that we need to hone back in, >> tone up our, you know, just our bid to them or that the bid that they're providing you have to increase it or what that might be. >> Yeah. And I I would say in my comparison and I'm always looking at parks that our parks in general are wellkept. All right. But they're not greatly, you know, they're not over the top. than a lot of parks I've visited at there's more amenities um and there's more you can tell more upkeep. All right. Um so we're doing fine, but just as far as the parks themselves, I think we could do better. Okay. Anything else? Again, email to Adam. Uh, and then the plan was around September he would you would put those all those together >> we'd come back I'd bring it back to a a regular parks commission meeting as an agenda item. We review that list of of 20 whatever it might be and we'd really prioritize those down to eight to 10 possibly that we bring back to that joint that joint meeting >> and I think it is a very good right wrong or different or whatever decide it is that we're discussing this because again if we're going to get the value out of this report we need to do what it says we need to consider doing what it says and then the reality set All right. Park reservations under communications. >> Yes. I just wanted to follow up with our park reservations. We had I had a number of um of community residents reach out in regards to our park reservations and the like since we last met in the last month. And I have asked that some of those reach out to the commissioners as well just to express their um their input on that because a lot of times what they might tell me might be different than what they tell you or they might give you more insight of if they're at a park every day versus you know where we might only see those once a week or something like that. So um just wanted to go back and review those park reservations what we discussed and let you know just because our CIP was moved up that month. That's kind of why I shuffled this down. Uh we'll bring this back likely next month uh to review actually what what will be written in there um for suggestions approval to city council a change of that policy. So just review of that again um that parks reservation is to really look at reservations of residents versus non-residents uh specifically with our shelters is splitting that up half day versus full day. Um again, uh with that funds of likely receiving those funds all um keeping all those funds versus being returned mainly because um we're still going back there to clean up the garbage after each time, right? Um so that doesn't change right now. Um you know, we're we're giving that money back right now, but we're still doing that service, right? So um with these we do look at are we increasing our level of service when we're increasing the the the demand or the money funds that they're giving us right so we need to keep those in mind as we go through those as well. So that's one thing item there that I thought well that's that's a straightforward right we're giving the money back however we're doing the same level of service but we should be increasing that or keeping those funds uh for for future shelters um um but also just maintaining them in the long run right um lighting we talked about raising the price um of lighting currently we charge $150 for that um when they reserve a lot of times those people are reserving for um the whole season. So, we'd be looking at that reservation being on a monthly basis. A lot of times in that June, July, you're likely not using those lights, but you're also getting the best advantage out of those early spring, late fall when you're using them a lot more. I did include the prices that we had we recruited over the last year in regards to our lighting. A lot of that coming from our our large fluorescent lights at our pickle ball and uh baseball fields in town. So, um, just to recoup maybe some of that funds, maybe not not here to make a whole lot of money on it, but recoup some of those funds and keep the update of those because those are expensive lights, the bulbs themselves. Um, especially when you got to call the electrician out when the squirrel gets in the, uh, and starts eating the wires, too, she doesn't get. um uh court going back to court use uh we talked about res um reservations of of a percentage versus um all the all you know a percentage of the courts versus all of them. So leaving some of those courts open for reservations for normal walk-ins and public if that'd be 50% is what I had initially written down. Um but also um for those long-term residentials um of if it be residents or non-residents um if they reserve for a longer period of time there'd be fees applied to that that are nonreserve non-refundable that so um that's what I have written down but if you recall anything else I'll make note of those as well so >> questions comments >> I have one quick question um how are in practice so I know making a reservation, right? You call um is there like software that's uh being used to manage that right now or is it just like >> So there's a manual out right now. Our deputy clerk now current clerk goes through those goes based off that reservation policy. How we have that listed out is a they a resident are they a club within the community, you know, and that's how they prioritize. Right now they're currently put on the website um >> calendar. Um but or changing over to a new website. That's going to be a whole different um right different. So there is nothing that there's not a program that you're implementing those online and submitting them. Um it's still all paper draft right now. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I guess I mean I assume all of you got the same email, but um you know I I think having something that would allow for you know like each day to be reserved rather than I want this for the full summer you know except for these days or something like that could just make sure that a reservation when a reservation is out someone has reserved something it's being used right um instead of saying like I want this field from 6:00 to 8 through the summer like that. You know, just if we can get more specific so that people don't get shut out, I think that would be helpful. >> Other comments? >> Yeah, I had several comments. Um, uh, playing a tablin several times in the in the past month. Um, the the portable toilets are really clean. They really like how how that's done done well. Um, and often questions about whether there was a recycle bin because there's two waste baskets up at the top. One is green and one is blue. They're a distance from each other, but neither one is is labeled recycling or not. >> Okay. >> And a number of people asked me about that. I had no idea. Um, I wasn't sure if there was a difference. Um, a number of people saw there was a there were two papers posted um showing reservations. I don't remember exactly how long they were, but it was for the whole summer for many days for several hours and I heard um a number of people there was a lesson going on. So there was an instructor and eight eight um students u adults and they all were complaining about this what we can't come here then and it it appeared that all the courts were being used. So there was a lot of discussion. I was almost afraid to go over and walk over to them but um you know listen to them and and um them talk about that. On the other hand hand, I have a friend who used to play in um another city and they came over here because it was a much better deal. They get their money back and they're one of the groups reserving for three days during the week for a number of hours each day. So I've heard both sides. Some people really like it, others who are shut out are not so u happy about it. Um and then um I know that there are signs posted that um if it hasn't been reserved that you wait and you cycle in and out. You play your group plays a game and then if someone is waiting another force will come in and play. And there are some things that you can use to make the waiting equitable. You know, there's certain pickle ball rack rackets. You can put your hand your paddles in there and and so that if your group is done, you put your paddles in there and it really controls who's going and it avoids um any issues with people jumping ahead of others. And it would be really nice to have some of those at each of the pickle ball uh courts. Most of them have them. Still Water just got them this year. Um, a lot of them in White Bear Lake and around the area have them and it would be really nice to to have something like that a setup for the waiting people. >> One thing uh I don't know if we brought up but was do we want to add any additional parks to the reservation? Um, prior it was, you know, we have have our table and Pebble, you know, our baseball field. Um, but, you know, Stonegate is not reservable. Um, but if it includes a pavilion, should we make it reservable? Um, you are all just all pavilions reservable. Like I said, some right now we have certain parks that are reservable. Um, and not so Ivywood is not a reservable park. So that does have a pavilion. Um, so it's just a question I toss out as consideration is like, do we make all parks reservable or just ones with certain amenities if it's a pavilion or a ball field or a court? Um, but you are, you know, you're adding to that list of of reservable u things. Ivywood works out great now. We have very few complaints about it as far as people playing reserving. They don't I mean, we don't have nothing. Yeah, something must be different with Ivywood because they must manage it themselves versus um Pebble or something because uh I see it. It's packed. Everybody seems to be working through it and we don't have complaints from residents, the nearby residents about the courts all being packed. >> So, >> I think a lot of people go to Tablin. Um I've been at Ivywood twice and it was so windy we left and went to play at Tablin. because it's in the it's out in the open so much >> comments. >> Um, you know, just to back to the one email that we got. First of all, there are a lot of things within our park system like the baseball fields. If I have my family all over and there's 14 of them on Saturday morning and I want to play baseball at Lions Park, I can't. Okay. So, there are things that are utilized. We don't have enough double uh resources for everything. So, that's one side of the question about having all of our U pickle ball courts reserved or not. Okay. Well, the one answer is go to another park. All right. I realize this is the one that's right next door to you, but you know, maybe the answer is go to another park to see how they are. Um but at the same time I think that there's the ability and you got struck part of that question is you know so if we're going to say half of them are nonreservable I don't know what that does um to the parks like Ivywood where it's all figured out now we're going to come in and say you got to keep part of them open. So that's a tough question there, but um I think it's good to look at it and I I like keeping some aspect of it even though it makes more difficult of it open for the public. Um but there are times of days too because they're not out there all the time. >> All right. But if we had a parks director, they would be on top this to build a more coherent policy structure. I think it would be nice to have more um parks and pavilions rentable reservable because if you have a family thing you want to do and you'll know that if you show up there's not a neighborhood group going on that you're interrupting you know >> not I'm not I'm talking like a one-time thing not every week for the whole summer. Oh yeah. I lived in Oak Park Heist for years and they're they have a couple pavilions that every Saturday morning through the summer there's a family reunion, there's a church thing, there's something booked almost every Saturday through the summer. >> So that's a little bigger and it has a few more amenities than what we've got. Not. >> All right. Anything else on that policy? I think it's good that we're working on the policy. >> I think it was very apppropo and you keep working on it. Put it together and I think it's good and do not mind hearing from the public. I think you suggested come in and talk about it. So, all of that is good. I'm not sure a lot of people they might see it written on the fences but they I don't think they've gone to the website and really looked at the policy. So I would encourage people to go out and look at that. >> The calendar isn't up in operation on the website is it? >> I don't think so. Not right now because of the transition. >> Yeah. >> All right. Anything else on the park reservation system? Anything else on the park review? Any updates? Um, yes. I'd like to go back to um, in the past we've been going to our parks, reviewing them, bringing back information. So, I'd like to, if we could before our next one, uh, review Tana Ridge Park just north here. Um, bring that one back for suggestions and some considerations. Just a quick walk through again. Just looking for commissioner's input. Um, some things there. Tanner Ridge. A few things coming up. Not in the next couple years, but uh we are looking probably three or four years out for anything with that one. So, >> good one to look at. Yeah. >> Anything else? >> Nothing further. >> The parking lot at at Sunfish or I'm sorry, at Pebble looks nice. The changes, the additional spots. Yes. And the U concrete barriers at the end. >> Um I see it's in works at Sunfish. There was something else that was new. I saw >> the playground. >> The playground. Yeah, but I thought there's I thought there was something before that. Yeah, the playground of Cly is is partially done. And the structure, the climbing structure that we voted on for the teenagers looks pretty cool. >> Okay. The um again, I would encourage even as part of this going out and look at parts, go out and look at parks that people are using them. I was out at the dog park and I had been out there last fall and there was hardly anybody. But this went about two weeks ago and it was jumping with dogs. Lots of dogs. So that's going well. >> Oh, one more thing. The with the cleanup of Sunfish Park, there's a lot of wild flowers popping out. You know, with the trees gone and the sunlight reaching in, it's really pretty. >> Friday 9:00 a.m. I'm walking it. So, all right. What else? Well, I hope they've made a copy of our meeting. That would be good. Anything else before we adjourn? Get a motion to adjourn. >> Motion we adjourn. >> Second. >> I'll second. >> This meeting is adjourned. Give.