All right. Welcome everyone. I'm going to call the to order our regular meeting today. Today's Monday, May 12th of 2025 of the city of New Alm Park and Recck Commission meeting. Let's start with the roll call. Cheryl, can we begin with
you? Cheryl Carman, staff. Jim Jensen, commissioner. Kurt Johnson, commissioner. Amy Johnson, commissioner. Carissa Bller, commissioner. Dave Christian, council rep. Luenberg, commissioner. Joey Schugle, staff. Okay,
welcome everyone. Uh, let's move on to agenda item number three, which is approval of the agenda. Looking for a motion to approve or amend approve the agenda for the our regular park and rec commission meeting today. Motion to approve the We have a motion.
We have a motion. We have a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion has carried. Moving on to agenda item number four, which is the approval of the minutes. Looking for a motion to approve
the minutes of our last regular meeting, which was on April 14th. Do I have a motion to approve or to amend approve? I'll make a motion to approve. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in
favor, please say I. I oppose and sign. Motion has carried. Moving on to agenda item number five, the city council recap meeting. Chair Bugler, commissioners, a couple items to uh to review here. Uh first, at the April 15th meeting, there
was no regular park and wreck related items due to our meeting was the previous day. Uh and then at the May 6 regular meeting, council approved the BMX temporary camping in South German Park and also accepted the donations that you recommended in April.
Great. All right. I'm looking for a motion to receive an order filed the park and wreck. Sorry, the city council passed action report. We have a motion. We have a second. Any further discussion hearing? None. All those in favor, please say I.
I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion is carried. Moving on to agenda item number six, which is old business, the park and rec comprehensive master plan update. Director commissioners, uh, a few updates uh, now that we're a little bit into our our master plan, uh,
with ISG, we had we did have the kickoff meeting uh, middle of April. And at that meeting, uh, we had various city staff attend uh, a number of representatives from ISG. And really what they did at that meeting is gather a lot of information on kind of how we currently
operate, what our system looks like today, and then they actually went to locations. Um, a few of them I took them around to, but they they spent two days then inventorying our parks. And that will create a dashboard eventually for us to work on long term where we can
look at what different amenities we have in the parks, what condition they're in, and really get a nice uh replacement and maintenance schedule um with some of that information there. And as well as be uh public facing as well to show what what's in Lincoln Park, what's in
Washington Park, so people can further utilize the website before visiting, you know, parks that way. Um, in addition, we had we had a bunch of homework to complete. So, we had to submit uh various stakeholder uh list uh
uh current parks plans that we have in process, our maintenance standards, and a variety of information. And then, as I I talked about last month is I'd have an update on what it looks like for this commission. So, if you look at this schedule uh that's in your
packet, if I can get there, we go. So, originally we had our uh our first meeting with the consultants being set for November. I felt like that was too late into the process um and and staff agreed on that. ISG agreed on that. So,
that's moved up into August. So at our regular August meeting, uh we will either have a regular meeting and a workshop or just a workshop with with the consultants that day. Um and we'll have some additional visitors on there. City council will be invited that day as
well uh to attend. Um but that will um you'll be able to get a uh give a lot of feedback that day and have we'll have some um we'll have an agenda prior to that meeting. So you'll have that information prior on what's expected at that meeting as well. Uh the other thing
that kind of really changed is when did pop the first popup engagement event. So we've pushed that back a little bit to fall in line with some um whether it's concerts in the park, national night out, some of those type of events to engage our
community. And then uh also included in in the packet is a draft survey. Now this is a just a first draft survey. this is not the final uh of some what could be some questions that go out. So, the survey will be really important uh and we'll we'll broadcast that as
farreaching as possible. Um so, as of this morning, staff sent back our um recommended uh updates to the these survey questions, but um although this is a paper copy, the the surveys will be digital um on with QR codes and access
on our website to uh to get to that. So we will look to promote that once that's ready to go as well. And so that's our update right now for uh the master plan. Director Shugle, may I just ask a quick question? So during the comprehensive plan that the
city of New Alm did, there was a lot of questionnaires and feedback that the community already gave on park and recent planning, things like that. How is that data being incorporated into this beginning kind of the it seems like we're in the data review part here happening in May right yes great
question cheer bugler uh so both when the proposals went out all the consultants received our comp plan and saw those results but now that we have ISG selected um we've made it very clear that we want something different than ready cuz that was so recent to do the
comp plan we have a lot of the data there so we're really trying to get either either additional data or more detailed based on what some of those surveys and questionnaires went out on. Okay. So, this survey is based off of somewhat different or more detailed questions and that than that we've
already asked the community, right? Some of it is. Yes. Okay. Yep. There any questions for director Schuall on the master planning update? hearing. None. I'll look for a motion to receive an order file, the
park and wreck master plan update. So move. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion has carried. Moving on to agenda item number
seven under new business 7.1, the North Park Advertising Agreement. Thank you, Chair Bugler and commissioners. So, in your packet, you have a proposed advertising agreement with New Alm Junior Baseball in the city
of New Alm for advertising at the North Park um youth complex, but for scoreboards only. Uh in that um advertising agreement, it is our standard verbiage um that's a standard format and verbiage that's approved by
the city attorney, but then unique to uh the type of facility it's at and um the type of advertising being looked at. Um, so this agreement, as mentioned, would just be for the three scoreboards on fields 1, two, and three at North Park. And the the proposed agreement would
allow Newm Junior Baseball to retain 90% of the their advertising revenue. The city would get 10%. And those numbers were based off of um really one main thing is Newm Junior Baseball uh would be fully funding three new scoreboards
at at North Park. So doing it with a twins grant for 15,000 and then covering the difference of almost 7,000 would our cost would be 22,000 to put in three new scoreboards. The scoreboards at North Park are at the end of their life. Although still working, we're seeing more issues. They're 20 plus years old
at the time. That's a good run for scoreboards. Um and the proposed agreement then would be for three years. That would take starting on January of 2026 and run through 2028. Um, I'm happy to answer any questions
you have. There's also a representative from the new M Junior Baseball Board here this uh afternoon as well. One question on item three. Junior baseball had no interest in I noticed just scoreboards, nothing on fencing like Mueller and Right. Um,
great question. So the junior baseball could probably better answer that, but at this time they just wanted to start with this, you know, really as a you know, it does take a lot of effort to get get that. Um, that is something we are open to out at North Park. Um, but I
I think in my conversations with the junior baseball board is it's kind of baby steps to see how this goes and then see how opportunities lead into the future. Got it. And that's why we put a term limit for a three-year at the end of this. Um, some of our all of these
advertising agreements are different based on the organization we're working with. Um, length of time. Um, if something changes within 3 years, we can we can always look to amend it and look for your approval that way as well. Thank you. I'll motion to recommend city
council approve proposed advertising agreement for the North Park scoreboards between the city of New and the New Junior Baseball Association. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Oppose. Same
sign. Motion has carried. Moving on to agenda item number 7.2, Hermanfest 2025 requests. Director Shukall. Thank you, Chair Bugler. Commissioners, uh, Hermanfest for 2025 is scheduled for Saturday,
September 6th, always the Saturday after Labor Day. And once again, the Herman Monument Society is requesting use of both Herman Heights Parks and Harmon Park for that one-day event uh as
Hermanfest. Um really no changes to the event. Uh fireworks will be roughly around 8:30, 8:45. Always a great show. um Thunder in the Valley with the New Battery and the M municipal band is would be scheduled and entertainment
throughout the day both at both parks. Uh starting with Herman Heights Park and then closing down that park to get ready for fireworks and coming down below to Harmon Park. um in there uh the Herman Monument Society again has to follow all the
protocol to put on an event like this which they are um in the process of getting all their permits and everything in line for this event once if this would be approved. Any questions for Director Schug? Motion to approve the request for the
Hermanfest event. I'll second. We have a motion and a second to recommend to the city council to offer re resolution and to authorize the requests of the Herman Monument Society for Hermanfest on September 6th in Herman Heights and Herman Parks. Any further
discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor, please say I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion has carried. Moving on to agenda item number 7.3, park and wreck donations. Director Schugle, Chair Bugler, commissioners, a
couple donations this month. The first one for recreation and wellness day at the at the recreation center from Alina Health, uh, New All Medical Center for $500. I'll talk a little bit more about what that um what that went to in our activity report for the month. And then
also an AED and outdoor cabinet for North Park from the Physicians Group of New Alm and Alina Health Foundation. That cost totaled $2,450. So, the total donation amount would be $2,950. Any questions related to these
donations? If not, looking for a motion to recommend to the city council to offer a resolution and wave the reading to accept the following donations to the city of New. Make a motion to accept the donations. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hear none. All
those in favor, please say I. I. Oppose. Same sign. Motion has carried. Moving on to agenda item number eight, reports from commissioner and staff. Agenda item 8.1. Do we have any commissioner reports tonight? Hearing none, we'll move on to
agenda item number 8.2, department activity report. Director Schugall. Thank you, Chair Bugler. Commissioners, uh, variety of activities happened in April. uh busy months. So, over 30 trees were planted. Uh 13 alone at Washington,
which saw a lot of ash removals. Uh it was also Easter events. Um so, our Easter egg hunt in Harmon Park went over really well. It was a first year in Harmon Park. Um more space for people at at that used to be, if you can remember, at
German Park. Kind of outgrew that area. And we had decent weather this year. Um it's always a wild card. We're lucky to have a couple an indoor facility that can house it if we have bad weather, but all went well with that. Uh there was also the ECF family fun fair at the
civic center. So, park and rack partners with ECF to put on that event and has different activities. Really great um for those younger families to find out what's going on in the community at that event. Um, I talked about Alina Health and that
$500 donation for the health and wellness day. So, it was um years ago there was similar programs like this for free admission to the rec center. This uh this year kind of had a unique spin on on that and and those funds helped us
allow um for free admission to the rec center and had um three groups attend. ARS, Adaptive Recreation Services, the Pollinator Group and Bicycle Club offered their information, but we had a lot of great free options for people.
So, we had um paddle board yoga in the pool. We had a swim lesson uh orientation or um swim lesson assessment, sorry. Um and for families to come and free of charge to kind of find out where their kids
kind of fall in the swim lessons so they maybe don't get registered for a wrong level. and have to either retake it or it's below what their levels are. So, um staff did a great job with it. We saw about 250 people attend that day and wanted to thank Alina Health and the New
Medical Center for helping us put that on and partnering for that event. Any questions on the April activity report? Hearing no questions, we'll look uh for a motion to accept and file the activity report for April.
So move second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Same sign. Motion has carried. Moving on to agenda item 8.3, the staff report.
Director Schugle again. Thank you, Chair Bugler. Commissioners, uh first off, wanted to talk about the Lincoln pickle ball court. So, uh, those were redone about a year ago. Uh, it was the the court system that was chosen is a seven layer system more than,
um, a seven layer system to kind of stand up to our harsh winters. And hopefully we get more long-term use out of these courts and get over having to re redo or crack fill every few years um, on there. the top layer, just the
green coat, not the actual court surface, kind of flaked off. Don't know if there was an issue with the product. They had it tested in a lab. Everything came back and it was just a really unique, didn't affect the play of the courts, but the good news is it was under warranty. Uh, so those contractors
were on site to redo those last week. Uh, it actually took a quite a few days to sand off that layer, a little more than expected. They had a perfect week of weather to do that. repaint, finished repainting over the weekend and we'll be o reopening those courts on Wednesday
morning of this week. So, um they look great. They're very playable. Uh pickle ballers are happy with the way they've played leading up to this and now they'll just look better as well. So, uh that's the look the Lincoln pickle ball update. Uh update on Harmon Park. Harmon
Park is seeing uh youth soccer for the the first time, organized, uh games of youth soccer. Uh there's been practices in the past, but uh the soccer club indicated um they needed more space and we're trying to utilize the parks even more than we already do and this was a
great opportunity to get them on utilizing the Harman football field area. They can't quite get a full 18U field on that area. They they'd cover part of field two egg lime there and didn't want to do that. So 12U fits really good down there and have a lot of
games scheduled coming up. So, it's a good utilization of Harmon Park. And then, uh, wanted to highlight some volunteer agreements. It's always nice to have, uh, very invested volunteers. Um, we have, uh, Chad and Lorie Wingert
are doing a lot for the Riverside Environmental Learning Center. Uh, do a lot of programming there, keep that facility open as we lead into the summer months here. Uh, there's going to be a variety of weekends open and Thursdays are kind of the day to visit down there.
um with schedules that will be updated um frequently uh when there's special events coming as well. So, thank you to them for helping out. And then uh Keysling Park has uh Steve Iikenburgger um is volunteering to help on the grounds of Keysling Park, right outside
the Keysling House with a a kind of a a garden that would be more set for the 1800s when the Keysling House was around um out front and then looking to do something in the back. If you've ever been in the back area, um it's kind of a unique spot to freshen up that. We don't
have a fully developed plan yet for the for the back area, but Steve's very willing to help out. So, thank you to him as well. Great report. Just a couple of questions. Director Schugall on Harmon Park. Is that the area that we voted on
a year or two ago to sprinkle sprinkle? Okay, so and yes, great question. So, that's one of the reasons. Um so that football field has now been irrigated for about a year. Um and that's one of the reasons it's more enticing for the
soccer association as well. Um at their current complex um they do have issues with standing water um quite a bit and uh we don't have those same issues down at Harmon Park. Um so uh ideally we we'd
have a complex for them uh someday. We just don't have the land right now but trying to accommodate as best as we can. Sure. Okay. I have a follow-up question on a different um on the pickle ball courts. I don't know about the other commissioners, but it's probably the biggest question that I get from the community is are we adding more pickle
ball courts? It's such a popular sport for all ages and I knew both from this but also from people in the community that Lincoln was being taken down again. Are there other plans to continue to expand outdoor courts for pickle ball?
Yes, great great question. So, um, if you recall, our our budgeted items for this year were to redo Washington Courts as well. Now, um, and that that project is set for mid July this year. So, that that is overdue for a resurfacing
project. That will not be the same type of courts um that Lincoln has. It's actually in better shape uh with the concrete underneath. Um, so that will be just a top layer resurface. We didn't want to pull out tennis completely cuz we do have a lot of tennis play. We also have our youth tennis program that's
down there. Um, so we're doing a hybrid where the pickle ball courts will be painted on. Uh, so the kitchen will be a different color than the rest of the court, but not so much lines that the tennis players also don't like to play there as well. Um, if you're really get
into the weeds, tennis nets are 2 in higher than pickle ball nets. We do have some they do make some um straps that pull down. So when we run pickle ball programs out there, we will put those straps on. So it's the correct height,
but for recreational pickle ball, it it's the same for both sides. And it it there's been a long uh history of playing pickle ball and tennis net heights anyway. So I I see that as more of a recreational use for pickle ball, but yes, making it important to have pickle ball there as well. So that's
budgeted for and scheduled for July. July. Yes. We actually have an agreement with our contractor. bids came in already for that. Okay. All right. Any other questions for Director Schugal related to the staff report? So, the
um pickle ball and the tennis courts are all the same material. I mean, they can interact. They Yes, they it's the same hardcourt surface if you go with that. They make some synthetic and plastic outdoor court
surfaces as well. Those are commercially those have not went over great in um some park systems around um Minnesota that we've heard. So we we did get quotes on those but didn't after hearing some of that feedback. There's some communities pulling those out already. Kind of that sport court if you know
that um um hasn't been huge with pickle ball enthusiasts. So is there times I mean say you go to play tennis is there times to just play tennis on them? So for pickle ball, great question. Um, so
the courts at all times will be avail. So there's no court switch or anything like that. So if the court's open, you could choose to play pickle ball on it or you could choose to play tennis. And I bet some people would probably do both if they had the option. So
any other questions? That's good. Hearing none, I'll look for a motion to accept and file the staff report. So move. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Oppos. Same
sign. Motion has carried. Agenda item 9.1. The date of our next meeting is Monday, June 9th at 4 p.m. Again, is there any further business? Hearing none, I will declare this meeting adjourned. Thanks everyone.
Thank you. Thank you. All right. The