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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-01 CITY OF LAKEVILLE P ARKS, RECREATION & NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES October 1 , 2025 Committee Chair Weberg called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Lake Marion Conference Room . Members Present: Holly Weberg, Steve Henneberry, Mark Engler , Dan Volkosh , Shahid Nadeem Members Absent: Pat Sauer, Saima Ali, Vicki Schwartz, Renee Brekken Staff Present: Parks and Recreation Director Joe Masiarchin, Recreation Manager Susan Johnson 1. Approval of the August 20, 2025 Meeting Minutes Volkosh made a motion , seconded by Engler , to approve the August 20, 2025, minutes as written. Ayes: unanimous 2. Citizen comments . No citizens were present. 3. Park Vendor Applications Recreation Manager Susan Johnson has received a few inquiries from local businesses who are interested in vending at Antlers Park. These include a sauna operation with a cold plunge element and retail sales of bait, tackle, sunscreen and other items that park goers might find helpful. Staff is seeking committee input on if these inquiries seem appropriate and what that process could look like moving forward. Committee Discussion: Would the City require insurance from vendors, and if so, what type? Yes, insurance would be necessary and in accordance with our standard requirements for liability and personal injury. Staff would work with the City attorney to finalize these requirements. Committee members recommended that vendors in the park provide goods and services that complement the park and offer helpful services to visitors. Identifying which park locations would allow vendors and during what seasons was discussed. Additionally, the park capacity and seasonal traffic should be able to accommodate the presence of vendors and any additional foot traffic they generate. The committee was in agreement that before approving any one business, a detailed framework and policy need to be in place. Guidelines on the types of businesses allowed, a timeline for submitting applications, and clear messaging to the public should be included in this. It was suggested that this new policy could be developed as part of the Parks System Master Planning process. Staff will notify the interested vendors that a plan to accommodate these requests is underway, but will not be approving requests at this time. 4. Current Park Facility Reservations Johnson provided an overview of current facility reservations to date . Processing reservations is a considerable part of what we do as a department. This was the first year that double rentals were introduced Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Committee Meeting Minutes, October 1, 2025 Page | 2 at the John Hennen Pavilion, and overall, it was a relatively smooth season. May through June is popular for graduation parties, and most weekends were double-booked. Staff is working to maximize indoor facility usage and exploring more long-term rental opportunities. The rental fees are reviewed annually; shelter fees are anticipated to increase in 2026. 5. Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement with ISD #194 The City and ISD #194 have utilized a joint powers agreement for many years to address the use of shared facilities, maintenance of these facilities, and the conditions under which each party can utilize them. The agreement is subject to review by the City and the school district when deemed necessary. Staff and representatives from the school district have met several times over the last year to discuss potential changes to the agreement. As part of the recommended changes, some school facilities currently maintained and reserved by City staff would be transferred back to the school district. The school district is making changes to its fee structure and anticipates being able to absorb these operational costs. The shared maintenance and reservation model has presented challenges for the City and user groups in terms of communication and maintenance needs. This transition will provide a better user experience and allow City staff to focus on other amenities throughout the parks system. Committee Discussion: How will this impact the demand for City fields and facilities? We are already reserving facilities to capacity; this transition will hopefully drive more efficient field usage. There was discussion around the fee increase to youth athletic associations. Staff did not have specifics on what fees the school district would be charging but did acknowledge that there could be direct cost impacts to the associations. The City will not be increasing field usage fees at this time. Volkosh made a motion, seconded by Engler, to approve the Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement with Independent School District #194 as written. Ayes: unanimous The agreement will be reviewed at the November 3 City Council meeting and then sent to the district for signatures at their next School Board meeting. Pending no objections from the Mayor and City Council or School Board, the new terms will be enacted for the upcoming field rental season. 6. Staff Report The Parks System Master Plan process continues, and yard signs have been delivered to all park locations that promote opportunities to complete the community-wide survey. The link is also being shared via social media channels, such as Facebook and Nextdoor. Mark shared a brief overview of the initial meeting, which primarily involved gathering information, setting expectations, and providing an overview of the process. Upcoming meetings include joint sessions with athletic associations, Dakota County, and advisory groups. Staff will continue to provide updates at committee meetings. The Spyglass P ark expansion is progressing well, with some rework on the bocce ball concrete work. The shelter was in poorer shape than initially thought and the park will have one of the extra shade structures that was ordered for Antlers Park installed instead. Although this is a change from what was presented to Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Committee Meeting Minutes, October 1, 2025 Page | 3 the committee and residents as part of the final master plan, it will be an improvement over the timber structure that was previously located at the park. A considerable number of trees have been planted for shade around the bocce ball courts and near the stormwater pond for an additional park buffer. The Grand Prairie Park fall walkthrough with Friedges Construction was completed. This is a necessary step before the construction season comes to a close. The review included several amenities and resulted in a relatively small punch list of corrections. The f inal lift of asphalt on the parking lot will be completed next week. The f ield drainage installation is in process; the infield is expected to be completed within the next three weeks. The construction of the grandstand will be ongoing over the course of the winter. 7. Other Business Henneberry made a motion, seconded by Volkosh , to adjourn the October 1, 2025 meeting. Ayes: unanimous 8. Adjourn Meeting 7:30 p.m.