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City of Hastings Natural Resources and Recreation Commission Minutes City Hall Spiral Bridge Room October 14, 2008 – 6:00 pm 1) Roll Call at 6 pm: Commissioners Miller, Nelson, Rohloff, Schommer, Tessmer-Tuck and Vandehoef, Parks and Recreation Director Bernstein. Absent: Commissioner Smith, Superintendent Smith 2) Approved August meeting minutes. Motion by Nelson. Seconded by Vandehoef. Passed unanimously. 3) Setting Agenda: “Skate Park” added to Old Business by Commissioner Nelson. 4) The November meeting is currently scheduled for Veteran’s Day (11/11). Since a public meeting can not be th rescheduled for Wednesday, November 12 at 6:00 p.m. held on a holiday, the meeting will be The NRRC decided that since it is easier for staff, the meetings will be held at the Parks & Recreation building from now on. 5) Department updates were passed out and reviewed by the commissioners. Director Bernstein mentioned that the lower numbers at HFAC were weather-related. He has spoken with other communities who had similar seasons. The June bridge closure did affect our swim lessons, but we were able to make up some of the numbers later in the summer by offering bigger classes. Warming houses for this winter were reviewed. The Kennedy warming house will not be open to the general public this year. We will be using it and the Arena rink/shelter for scheduling outdoor practices. This will leave other more popular rinks/shelters for the general public. Bernstein estimated that this would save about $5,500. Staff is also planning to have fewer warming house hours available at Isabel and Wilson (Sat. & Sun. only.) Rinks will still be flooded in all the regular locations. 6) Vet’s Park Baseball Field Committee Update/Info – A group including Commissioners Schommer and Rohloff has been formed to research and improve the Vet’s baseball field. Director Bernstein has requested that the committee keep in mind that this is a community field, so Commissioner Schommer has gotten several members from the baseball community involved. A lot of the ideas are not new, and this committee is trying to gather all the ideas that have been brought forward through the years. At the committee’s meeting in September, three council members were present and requested that the committee put a plan together and have the NRRC review first and then bring it forward to City Council. A draft plan of ideas, including fundraising, was passed out to the NRRC. Schommer stated that he is hoping to have the plan completed and in front of the NRRC for review at the November meeting. The main goal is to get the field to feel like a “ballpark” instead of just a field. The fundraising plan is aggressive but there are some very good ideas. Commissioner Miller asked if there is any idea how much this will cost. Schommer stated that while the list of projects planned is still being revised, he estimates that if the entire project was paid in cash, it would cost roughly $160,000. Miller asked about Shaffer field and was told that was a school facility that is used some by HYAA as well as the high school. The baseball field at Vet’s is popular because it is the only field that is lit. Other communities have even come to use this field. Bernstein stated that there is only one youth baseball field with grass infields in the whole community located at Pioneer Park. Many of our ball fields are located in neighborhood parks which affects the residents due to the high usage. Schommer stated that one part of the fundraising plan that is being examined is the possibility of naming rights. He thinks that if it goes well with the Vet’s baseball project, that might be an avenue the City can use to complete other future projects. Bernstein stated that based on surveys and the Park Comprehensive Plan that was recently completed, there is a need for more youth ball fields. 7) Hwy 61 Update – Director Bernstein is continuing to have meetings with MNDOT along with other city staff. It is likely that the western end of the River Flats area will be used as a staging area for the bridge construction. This will close part of the river trail. MNDOT also said that they will need about 700 feet of shoreline to get equipment on/off the barges. This will require the removal of some of the scrub trees along the shoreline. Superintendent Smith has reviewed the tree removal with the MNDOT forester and agrees with the assessment. nd There is a potential that a 2 bridge will be built to the west of the current bridge. If that happens, Hudson