HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark Board Minutes 07.10.2008MINUTES
CITY OF LAUREL
PARK BOARD
JULY 10, 2008
5:30 P.M.
Members Present: Chairwoman Kate Hart Amy Pollock
Bill Haldaman Mark Mace
Kurt Linse
Staff Present: Public Works -Kurt Mazkegazd
Public Comments: (three-minute limit)
Citizens may address the committee regarding item of city business NOT on the agenda. The duration for an individual
speaking under Public Comments is limited to three minutes. While all comments are wrelcome, the committee will not take
action on any item, which does not appear on the agenda.
Chairperson Hart opened the meeting at 5:35 p.rn. introducing from staff, Kurt Markegard, who
detailed what information the Public Works Department would need on the leases to maintain rules
governing groups using the parks.
Kurt contacted Billings Parks and Recreation regarding their leases for the groups who use the parks
the most. The Legion teams use the Stewart complex the majority of the time and the fields have
gates, which aze locked during the offgame days. Other fields aze maintained by the Pazks crews, but
are not locked, and if a team for practice or a game is not using a field, then anyone from the public
can use the field if they desire. This allows the public to feel like they are paying for something they
can use. Kurt says that in NO case will the City of Billings pay for a group to use its facilities at any
time. The parks are for all the citizens in town to use.
There was a short discussion on whether the parks committee could recommend to the council a
monetary limit or "cap" which would be a set amount for all groups who use the pazks and it could be
set based on the usage and the need. Kate Hart, the chairperson, suggested she would ask legal
counsel if that is a passibility. Kurt stated that Ponderosa Park did have a joint effort with the city and
the School District to maintain the field far soccer for all high school games. Kurt feels as though the
groups using the parks should not depend on, and should not be able to use city funds from tax dollars
to support their individual programs.
Chairwoman Hart suggested that the committee's charge is to come up with a lease that can be used
by all groups in the city's park system
Bill Haldaman stated that the Jaycees do not expect any help from the city for their program and they
WELCOME a lease agreement as soon as possible to protect their investment in the city park
buildings they maintain in repair. Kate notified the committee that the city is currently in contract
with Dan McGee Land Surveying Co. to survey and/or search the title or legal description for all the
parcels of land that make up the Riverside complex. A discussion regarding the concession stand
began and it was to ascertain how much to chazge for the use of that facility, and who would pay for
the use ofthe stand. All agreed that the city should not be responsible for all the costs. Residual costs
show up well beyond the end of baseball season and the City of Laurel has no alternative with which
to recover those costs. Heaters and lights left on run electrical bills to very high sums.
Kurt would like to have an audit of the charges that appear in the end of a year and try to find out why
those charges appear so high in relation to the other months. Kurt believes his job as a public work
supervisor is to look at all aspects of the operation in public works and look at eliminating waste in
parks, as well as water, solid waste collection, sewer, building permits and street maintenance.
Chairperson Hart then asked Kurt if she could see some sample lease agreements with all the items
that Kurt has in mind, to ga forward and come up with a solid agreement with this group of people in
the affected parties. This would also be great to bring up all the issues that plagued this past season,
and try to correct them now. Kate Hart will ask legal counsel to look at these agreements as soon as
they can.
Uadate on the nlav$round equipment:
Kurt mentioned that work is presently being done in Russell Park and Kids Kingdom. The bathrooms
are all installed and walkways will be poured by Concrete R Us under a small services agreement.
Kurt also stated that, as long as he is supervising the playground equipment installation, he would like
to have a pool of "volunteer help" that he could work with. The workers that are under the City of
Laurel employment have a large workload, due to some vacancies in same areas. Kurt felt that as
long as he is supervising the effort as a certified playground inspector, he could use a task force of
individuals that could get all the work done this season with little or no encumbrance on the parks
budget, which is very low right now,
Tree Board news•
Tree trimming is being done is several areas by Pro Rover Tree service. The city's assessment of
$2.00 per citizen is getting a great deal of trimming done, in Russell, Thomson, and all the triangle
parks, which will help assure our city to remain on the list of "Tree Cities". This designation is a very
high honor to have and we will look forward to possibilities for grant monies to aid in the
beautification of our parks and public places.
With no other business before the board, the Chairwoman adjourned the meeting at 6:47 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
~~~2
Mark Mace