Miller, >> yes. >> Schaefer, >> yes. >> here. >> Burns, >> yes. If you can please stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> I'll start. >> Thank you everyone. We will I will look for a motion to approve the agenda. >> I will make a motion to approve the agenda. >> I'll second that.
>> I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Moving on to item number five, the consent calendar. Notice to the public. All matters listed are considered routine by the board and will be enacted
by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless good cause is shown prior to the time the board votes on the motion to be adopted by roll call. Do I have a motion for the consent calendar? >> We'll make a motion to approve the consent calendar. >> I'll second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any
further discussion? Andrew. >> Uh I had one question. Um page seven, there's a line item for about just under $2,000 for BPU for the library. I didn't know. Are we typically paying
that? Is this just a weird thing with the accounting software? >> That's the only thing. >> Was it >> page seven? >> Vendor 0296. >> Yeah, Max has it pulled up too. >> At the bottom.
>> Yes. What I can do is I can dig into that and then I'll just email everyone. >> Cool. >> 1,956 and three cents. Any further discussion?
All right, we will go for a roll call vote. >> Miller. >> Yes. Schaefer, >> yes. >> Shape, >> yes. >> Burns, >> yes. Motion passes. Moving on. Number six, we have the public forum. This is time allocated for citizens to bring matters not on the agenda to the
attention of the board. Time limits may be imposed. I will open the public forum at 4:02 p.m. Oh, the public forum. Perfect. >> All right. Uh, seeing none, I will close public forum at 4:03 p.m.
Uh, 8A, we have approval of youth tournament staffing and fee structure. >> Thank you, Mr. President. In 2025, with our BBBA, with our youth tournaments, the city charged uh staff uh cost for field maintenance and also for cocking.
In 2025, we had five tournaments across two park locations, resulting in a total staff uh invoice of $3,79352. From the last park board meeting, it was suggested motion to have a standardized staff cost. So, we dug into this and
weekend full-time staff cost is normal with normal rate of $56 and overtime is $69. In 2025, we charged part-time staff cost at normal rate $20, overtime rate $29.
You can also see the attached uh invoice indicating that overtime was about 90% of the time. We had only one applicant in 2025 for seasonal weekend field maintenance position and they were not available for
the BBBA tournament weekends. other uh two part-time staff were hired for the weekend coverage. So by the time weekends arrived, we only had re then they have reached 40 hours resulting in most of the cost being in overtime. It
is very challenging to find staff willing to work weekends for these tournaments. If we could not include overtime in the budget, we may be losing money. We simply do not have enough staff to cover weekends without occurring overtime. If
a part-time employee is unavailable, our only backup would be if we're a full-time staff member, which would also be an major increase to the cost. So, our options are we could charge for actual cost such as just as 2025.
And another option is we can charge a standardized rate for part-time staff which will not cover all the cost as with a normal rate of $20. Our number three, we could cha charge a standardized rate of full-time staff
coverage to ensure we cover all cost at the overtime rate of $69. Another option, we could meet in the middle of the two rates and it would be about $45. Again, this would never really guarantee that we are going to be covering all of
our costs because we don't know who's going to be working whichever weekend. So as we have discussed this with our staff, the following recommendation best moving forward would be to charge the staff cost and and cocking same as 2025.
And with that we can take any questions. >> We have any questions for staff? >> Um so I kind of like I I'm totally fine with the idea of charging for staff cost and and chalking as we previously had. I I think one of my problems with the
severe amount of overtime that we're incurring and then passing on to these organizations is that the department itself over the course of the last, you know, decade or two has basically relinquished recreation responsibilities for youth and adult sports to
organizations across the city. Right. My issue with this is that we are taking some responsibility for field maintenance and then passing it on to these organizations that are hosting these things for us basically in in
absence of of a structure internally. So, I feel like I'd like progress towards having I mean because five tournaments $3,800 is a significant amount considering that you know as presented a lot 90% of that
was overtime. So internally, I don't feel like we have the capabilities right as it sits. And I think I'd like to see the future like if we're saying that the YMCA and you know um Briner Community Action or not community action, sorry, um the
school district, um the BBBA, the soccer, you know, um all of these different organizations are coming in and utilizing our facilities and we're saying we we want to promote that. We want the public to take a lot of this responsibility and not have to do it in house because it would cost us too much,
right? Or administratively or or otherwise and maybe we wouldn't put on programs the same as them. I feel like this cost like having so much overtime and that being the pro the sole reason that folks are paying so much money to have these fields maintained is maybe an
oversight by us and maybe a disservice to the public. That's just my opinion on that. I mean, because that's the philosophy of the department now, right? Let's have the public take care of the majority of our our athletics. So, I have no issue continuing, you know,
regular staff costs. I guess the experiment of overtime versus, you know, part-time, what we have on staff and things like that. I think the future of it though is charging 90% of our overall time as OT is I don't know maybe an
oversight I think and maybe something I'd like remedied in the future just so that we don't have to charge these organizations. I mean that's just so much I mean to me I again I'm not a runner of an organization but what is what is the cost per tournament there? Nearly $800
for a youth tournament um just out of pocket. I mean, I don't know what the BBBA pulls in on these particular tournaments, but I can't imagine an $800 cost if we could have even cut that, you know, down 50%. Um, wouldn't be a huge savings for for
people in the public. And I mean, and that goes along with, you know, having to pay additional staff for YMCA striping and and other things like that. I mean, I have to imagine we're paying OT for those guys to go out and do those things as well. So, um I you know, as
far as I'm concerned, I I think I'd like some sort of like field maintenance or tournament staffing type of thing that we anticipate and we aren't charging these organizations or inflicting that wound on ourselves on a regular basis,
right? Um so, that was really the only shocking thing for me. I I I think the rates, it all kind of makes sense. Um, and I appreciate you guys doing all the the leg work to look for that. Um, it's just kind of, like I said, it kind of disappointing that we charge the BBBA so
much money in overtime and I don't know if we necessarily had a plan to to try to reduce that cost or just eat it, right? So, um, that was my only comment is that I I probably just like to see a little bit more of a sustainable nonovertime
method of of covering these co or like passing these costs on to people because I I feel like that overtime dollar amount is is somewhat avoidable um if we can, you know, move things around or get you guys the staff or whatever it might
need to be um just based on the comments. So, >> any other questions for staff? >> Seeing none, I would entertain a motion. >> Uh, I'll make a motion to um takes uh staff's recommendation to charge for
staff cost and shocking for um youth uh tournament staffing and fee structure. >> I have a motion on the table to maintain last year's 2025 uh staff cost and chalking. Do I have a second?
I'll second it to have a discussion. >> Okay. Uh motion and a second. Any further discussion, Mr. Shape? >> To to your point, John, like we could pay these organizations
$20 an hour and save the city money. Say if you provide a person to maintain these fields between tournaments, we'll pay you $20 an hour. like that feels like a more responsible path for us than because what what I'm
learning is we cannot staff this, right? We can't hire people and we have to pay overtime to recurrent staff because they're busy during the week, which is good. Uh but like why would we I don't know. It
Yeah, it >> Well, feels like it kind of stinks. Um, my comment on that would be we can't hire people because there's a lack of marketing for the open positions. Um, so I think that that could be alleviated
with some forethought. Um, and trying to begin that earlier. So I think that it could be reduced from mostly overtime and kind of flip the script on that. Schaefer. >> Yeah, I just don't really feel good about this either. Like I I feel like
that's why I couldn't second it. I mean, I'm not going to like I don't know. I just don't feel good about any of these things because of like what you guys have shared about that overtime is just going to be what it is and the organization shouldn't have to be penalized because of that. So
yeah, >> Mr. Mayor. >> Yeah, I I was going to ask for clarification. John, you and the understanding that you'd like to see a shift in our staffing to try and accommodate this or >> I'm just like maybe some creative direction right on this. I mean, Andrew's idea is fine. There's a lot of
a lot of solutions and we have a lot of a lot of organizations within the system that are interested in making sure we've got the best system possible, right? And so what can we do differently because based on our philosophy, right? Like we maintain softball and pickle ball and
pond hockey, right? internally, but we've just sent the rest of that out and you know, a lot of great organizations have come to us even recently to do all of these things. But, you know, our staff is going to carry that burden. So, as we continue to let our facilities be
utilized, this is going to come up more, right? Like, I mean, we're going to have soccer nets out at at Memorial Field. They're they're going to have to do some of more some increased maintenance there. And and so, what is what does that look like, right? a creative solution, I guess. Yeah, to your guys's
point, you know, we can't hire this part-time weekend person, like it just they don't materialize or we can't hire whatever it might be. Um but uh a push on that or finding again partners that uh even within the organizations if we're rewriting contracts if we're you
know whatever it might be to to alleviate some of that burden costwise when we push that out because in when we're as we move on to the other like the contracts and things like that the BBVA does not have a sweetheart deal
like the YMCA and the school district do to utilize our fields. So the BBBA gets smacked with a 30. So we're we're paying these other organizations to run these programs for us and then the BBA BBBA gets slapped with a $3,800 bill to
utilize our staff when we when we give the YMCA and and and the school district money to run our programs. Like we give them money. So we're asking other organizations to pay us to do things that we're paying other organizations to do for us, which I don't necessarily
think is completely fair. Um, and so I, you know, we we need to we need to establish a baseline and I think continuing that is fine for now, but I I don't feel comfortable with with sending an invoice like this next year to these
guys. I mean, I just don't think it's fair like when the city gets to decide who they sign a contract with or maybe we sign a deal with the BBA. We're putting contracts together for all these different organizations. Maybe we do slap something together, but I can't justify coming back to this next year
and saying, "Here's you pay us $3,800, we're going to give you we're going to give other organizations 15 grand to run our organizations." And that's again, that's the philosophy of the parks and recreation department in the last decade or two is we want other people to do it. We'll pay for it, take care of the
community, but other organizations step up and we're charging them money. I mean, a significant amount of money and not just like a regular rate. I mean, an overtime rate, which is absurd to me. And I I don't feel very comfortable with that in in that kind of sphere of like
the government shouldn't pick and choose. So, we just need to come to that. I mean, we kind of talked about this the last meeting where where everything's on an equal playing field and everybody has an opportunity to sign these types of agreements with us and utilize our facilities and um and and do
good for our community inside of the park system. And so I just want to create a solution to this cuz this invoice is was very troubling to me and that's a lot of money to be charging an organization like that and I I don't think it's fair. So, >> so we do have a motion on the table that we need to take some action on and then
I think I have uh an idea afterwards. So, any other discussion on that motion, Mr. Mayor? >> Can I just have one one kind of follow-up comment on that? I Yeah, I I think I tend to agree with you in that part of the problem is that parks aren't
a 9 to5. You know, they're just not parks are not a 9 to5. They're they're nights and weekends typically. And um at some point we're going to have to figure out a solution that involves us being available in terms of the city staffing on nights and weekends. We're going to
have things happening in our parks. That's when most of the usage is going to happen. And from a youth sports aspect, which is an economic driver for our area, nights and weekends are going to be when you're going to see those activities. So there's going to have to be some kind of shift in in understand because I I I feel the same way that the
overtime thing to me is concerning in that either we aren't able to find enough workers or we're not scheduling ourselves to be available on those times. And if the if the usage of the park is shifted and that's what we have to do then is shift the way that we work
then we're you we may have to start looking at those things and being creative. So I'd like to at le I like hearing the conversation that you guys are having. I I have just one followup coming. Obviously, there is a there is a difference between what we're talking about in this particular invoice because again, these are running full programs, right? The YMCA and the school district
are running full programs and we're talking about this particular invoice being for five tournaments, you know, kind of one-off deals and things like that are still going to happen within our community. But what happens when we have independent leagues or things like that that want to utilize our facilities?
Shouldn't they be treated the same way? or in you know these particular examples like hey we've got what if the YMCA wanted to put on a tournament would we you know within their own you know their own programs would we charge them this rate you know and I that's again it's it's a level of fairness I think we'll
continue to try to adapt and and try to establish a baseline for but yeah I I'm 100% with you I think based on our philosophy this has got to be just a touch different and I like I said I don't know the answer immediately but um I I think we need to think about it. >> All right. So, we're getting a widow off
base on that. So, let's take a vote on this. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. >> I motion fails 3 to one. All right. So, in followup to that, my idea is uh this is going to require further discussion
that we should look at setting a workshop for January and finding the actual root cause and a solution to it. at that point. 8B, approval of adult tournament staffing fee and structure. Sounds like
it's going to be very similar to the youth tournaments. >> Can I can I slow your roll for just one second? >> Yes. >> So, was that was that direction to staff or? >> Yes. Okay. If we're going to direct staff though, let's direct staff. So, just to be fair
to staff, let's direct staff if we're going to do that. Do you need that in a motion? >> I would make a motion to do that. Then I would like to direct I would entertain a motion to direct staff to set a workshop for January to discuss the youth tournament fees and fee structures in
general for that. >> Are you thinking the adult tournaments just to maybe save ourselves some time? Are you thinking the adult tournament? >> I honestly I would say that we're probably going to end up at the same discussion that we've had for the last 10 minutes on it. I would move to direct staff to set up a
workshop for January to discuss youth and adult tournament fees. >> We have a motion. Is there a second? >> Yeah, I was going to say I don't care probably would be interested in doing
something like that, but yeah, I will I will second the motion to uh Yeah. Yeah, I was going to say. Yeah. So, sorry. I was uh I was deep in thought. I was like trying to think about what it would in like I was I was way ahead of the game on that. Yeah, I'll definitely second. Um that sort of >> I have a motion by Andrew and a second
by John. >> Any further discussion on the workshop? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. >> Thank you. >> 8B, approval of adult tournament staffing and fee structure. Do we want
to discuss this today or do we want to table this till after the workshop? >> Yeah, I'll move to table this until after the workshop. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second to table 8B till after the workshop. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I.
>> I. >> I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. 8 C. Approval of YMCA and community education 2026 contracts. >> Thank you, Mr. President. The park board entered into an agreement with the YMCA and the school district to oversee uh
youth programs. The attached revised agreement up was updated by the lawyer uh the city attorney and has it reviews the city's responsibility and all and also the third party agencies the YMCA and community edifies
compensation terms strengthens oversight and the insurance the um identification provisions. Key revisions can be seen on the attached contracts. We have uh red line and clear versions on there. And again, I just want to reiterate that we
have met with both groups, the YMCA and community ed. We got their input on on just the overall programs itself. We had another follow-up discussion with uh community ed and uh the city attorney has reviewed this these contracts and
has signed off on them. And with that, we can take any questions before um so staff is recommending approval of the approved uh proposed agreements with YMCA and community ed for the 26 programming. >> Any questions for staff? Otherwise, I would entertain a motion.
>> I have a question. >> Um okay, so on page third, okay, for both contracts. So page 23 which is like the packet page and then also 31 for um so when it says like spring is
highlighted in summary of upcoming seasons activities and registrations. So do we want to clarify that they should report to us if registrations are down at all and they're concerned that the program could be cancelled. It'd be nice
to know like what they're planning to do. And I know it's kind of in there, but like I feel like what happened last year, I feel like it would be helpful if they like knew that they had to come to us with a plan of like, okay, we're going to maybe have to cancel girls
softball. Um, our plan is this. We're going to contact them at this point or whatever. like and I don't know if you guys agree with that, but I'm I know that, you know, they will get refunded or whatever all that they or they won't get paid for
the full amount if they do cancel, but I think it might be nice to know depending on when that spring meeting is if they have an idea that it might not come to fruition that season, >> right? And I think >> Yeah, >> sorry. Go ahead. No,
>> I think the the best uh example is in the community ed one. Um and so that is the district and that is oversight responsibilities because we do have that in there. Um that would be on
the red line version. So to uh two weeks uh 2C scheduling of teams a full schedule of field uh facility usage shall be provided to the city as soon as
reasonable uh reason as as reasonable possible. Um any changes must be communicated at least two weeks before use of facility or field. So we want uh within two weeks we want a
confirmed list of all their activities. So we because that was uh one of the major concerns last year. So we really tried to tighten this up very specifically and Lisa, thank you for uh spearheading that and then we met with the city attorney to dive into these
things. Um and um so this they have to do that. >> 2 also has a line that um it is uh provides city recreation specialists with program information upon request.
So we could reach out prior to to get the status update as well. I just think um just for expectation purposes when they come to present come that evening just you know when we communicate with them just let them know like hey if if we're seeing a shortage just we're we're
going to see it on your list like that you don't have a lot of register registration and like last year they did the same thing like hey registration's low um but they didn't kind of mention you know like just I would set expectations just say look if you come in and registration's low just tell us what your backup plan for this is and if
there's no backup plan, let us know that sort of thing. Um, so we can we can prep the public. So I think that's kind of to car like, hey, it's great like happy to know like internally that they're going to communicate these things and it's going to be I just think for presentation purposes when they come in front of us and and give us that
summary, what we want to know is registration numbers and what they're going to do about it. Um, you know, and and so that we are just a little bit more informed um as far as those programs are concerned um and where the money's going. Any other questions for staff?
Otherwise, I would entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the 2026 contract with YMCA and the city of Brainard and the >> um ISD 181 and Brainard for 2026
programming. >> I have a motion. Do I have a second? Yeah, I'll second that. >> I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. All right, moving on to staff reports.
Uh staff, do we have any update since the packet was distributed? >> No, I just want to um give an update on the uh the pleasure rinks and the hockey rinks. Um most of them are doing really well. the ones at Memorial Field with a concrete um are having a hard time
because that concrete just sort of melts. So JC and Bane are looking pretty good and we're looking at opening those next week. Um probably Monday or Tuesday of that. >> Perfect. >> All right, moving on. Board member
reports. Start with Mr. Miller. >> Hey, so this is actually agenda related. Uh, since we're moving the fees, we didn't approve the fee structure technically. Are we going to have any issues moving into 2026? Like I know that there's probably not going to be anybody who requests tournament time,
but like as far as like what are responsibilities for approving that structure are concerned. Are we going to have any issues between now and then because we're putting the actual approval of the fee structure on hold? >> Right. So, what we can do if we do even BBA uh we're constantly in contact with
them. we can get them scheduled and we can just say, "Hey, we haven't nailed this down yet and this will be pending. I'm pretty strong in in January we can knock something out and get a standardized process." So, I think by then we will have something.
>> Yeah, I just wanted to make sure operationally we didn't have any obligations to have those set forth by by the end of this year. So, uh moving on to that, yeah, Pleasure Rink looks relatively great. Um, you know, like I said, I was out there in the initial, you know, um, making of it. So, I haven't been over to the park since
then, but yeah, it looks great. I'm actually excited to to get over there. Um, when this Well, I mean, I don't want to pray it gets colder, but uh, you know, so if it cools if it cools off, uh, it'll be great. So, that's it for me. >> Okay. Uh, for me, um, I I know that
Cara's kind of mentioned it in the past, but I want to thank you for all of your years of service on the park board. So, you are always welcome to reapply. That application is right next to you and I have a pen for you to use if needed. Otherwise, thank you staff for a great year. Um, and look forward to more of
them. It's all for me. I also wanted to thank Cara for all your time and patience as we got our capital planning and master plans. That was a a tremendous effort. Um, but I think we're in a much better spot because of it. and thank you for helping me get up to speed
when I first joined the park board in my first meeting was the ski loans and I was like what have I done >> and now look at you >> causing my own problems now. Uh so I appreciated all your time on the board and we'll miss you. Um I do have a
second item. Uh so at Gregory Park for three weeks now we have plowed the sidewalk around a down tree branch. I'm just wondering if we could move the tree branch and stop plowing around it. That
would be I think nice for people using the sidewalk. Uh it's not a big one. I thought about like can I just move it? I'm like where am I going to move it? Uh, and I had a crying baby, so that was not a good idea for several reasons. Uh, but I don't
know, if staff see it again, you know, move it, chop it up. I get there's a lot of snow, so I'm not saying like it has to leave the park. There's some very big branches that I think are probably very hard to get out right now, but uh, off the sidewalk would be cool. Um, that's
all I got. >> Cara. >> Yeah. So, uh, seven years, you guys. like that's a really long time but a really great time but like I went back to look and see if I could like find an email maybe from Dave or someone. So
then like accepting me on the park board and it must have been 2018. I found an email though from Tony Sailor and it was about the ski loons like of course >> from the very beginning >> one of the very first but yes it has
been yeah it was a hard decision to step down but someone else can step in and but learned a lot met a lot of people so thanks for putting up with my quiet but you know hopefully
yeah honest opinions Thank you, Cara. >> Yeah, Cara, you were you were the last of the old guard. You were the first member that I recruited to the park board. So, that's kind of crazy to We've
been doing this for too long. We've been doing this for way too long. >> But yeah, you you sadly went through the hardest part of any of the parkboard stuff in probably the last 40 years. and uh I really appreciate all the effort that you've put in. So,
>> thank you. Yeah, thank you for all of that. And then uh to staff, if we're still having problems with that rink at Memorial, which is not going anywhere, it is going to continue to be a hockey rink. I'd like to see us figured out this year. If we got to raise the
boards, if we got to ra if it's an issue where we the doors aren't working, we got to change the doors, whatever we got to do, the hockey rink ain't going anywhere. And since we've put it in, we've had nothing but problems with that rink. It's time to figure it out. It is winter. It's not going to figure itself out. We're gonna have to figure it out
ourselves. But to hear that we're still having problems with it. A rink that we spent a lot of money on. It's time to get it figured out. Uh brief comment on that. Uh contact the city of Aken. Uh basically I I've heard nothing but the the horror stories that they experienced in their pickle ball hockey rink and
they have it solved now. So uh they'd probably love to talk about it. Yeah. I I have all the faith in the world of our staff to be able to figure it out. But I think it's it's time. It's time to get that figured out. Once again, I've been here for too long to watch a hockey rink that we spent this much money on just continue to not have have ICE work on
it. So, whatever it is, let's figure it out. Thank you guys. >> Okay. I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> I will make a motion to >> journ. Sorry, supposed to let you do it. I think >> her her last part of a motion. I have a
motion in a second. Seeing no discussion, all those in favor say I. I. >> I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion passes. Meeting adjourn 433.