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March 21, 2005

A regular meeting of the Hopkins Park Board was held on March 21, 2005.

  1. Call To Order
    Chairperson Richard Niemann called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm.
  2. Roll Call
    Present were Park Board members: Richard Niemann, Robert Edmonds, Ron Helgeson and David Specken. Absent was Park Board member Elizabeth Dorn. Also present was Hopkins staff liaison Ray Vogtman.
  3. Approval of Minutes for January 20, 2005
    D. Specken moved and R. Edmonds seconded a motion to approve the minutes for the January 10, 2005 meeting. On the vote: R. Niemann, R. Edmonds, R. Helgeson and D. Specken voted yes. The minutes were approved 4-0.
  4. Business
    1. Resignation Of New Park Board Member E. Dorn
      Citing work related and other volunteer commitments, E. Dorn resigned from the Hopkins Park Board. See email message to Ron Schwartz dated 3/21/2005. City staff will begin a search for her replacement.
    2. Maetzold Field #3
      Subsequent to the January 20, 2005 meeting of the Park Board, City staff met with Ron Schwartz with the H.M.R.S., Kevin Johnston with the Hopkins School District and representatives of the Hopkins Minnetonka Babe Ruth (HMBR) and Hopkins Area Little League (HALL). We were successful in getting HMBR to relocate one night a week from Maetzold #3 to Hopkins Eisenhower baseball field. Each party agreed to a variety of tasks to make the relocation successful. No further action by the Hopkins Park Board is necessary.
    3. Park Board Commission By-laws
      City staff was looking to change some minor language in the by-laws to coincide with language in the Hopkins City Ordinance 2002-886, Section 335. Although this change was readily agreed to; it did present an opportunity to review the duties and objectives described in section 3.1 of the Park Board Commission By-Laws. R. Niemann questioned whether or not the Park Board in the broadest sense actually does have an advisory role in the recreation programming found in certain facilities. In particular it was noted that the Senior Activities Center, the Pavilion and the Hopkins Depot did not appear to have direct oversight by the Park Board. Therefore he felt that the Park Board does not appear to have those duties for all other recreation facilities as described in the Duties and Objectives. The discussion of the Board members indicated that oversight of these facilities is under the direction of the Facilities Operations Manager, who in turn does have accountability to the Art Center Board. It was suggested by Staff Liaison R. Vogtman that whenever the Park Board wished to clarify or suggest items within these facilities, to feel free to present those items for discussion. He indicated that City staff would be happy to discuss any items of concern and report back to the Park Board with the results. After further discussion R. Helgeson moved and D. Specken seconded a motion to recommend to Council that the City of Hopkins Park Board Commission By-Laws be approved as changed and shown in the March 21, 2005 agenda. On the vote: R. Niemann, R. Helgeson, D. Specken and R. Edmonds voted yes. The motion was approved 4-0.
    4. Park Board Agenda
      The Board members discussed 14 items found in the January 10, 2005 minutes. This list was developed to help give direction to the Park Board for future projects to be developed and worked on. After some discussion it was agreed to drop Items #1; Banger boards for tennis courts and Item #5; Improvement in public communications (as this can be accomplished without C.I.P.). The remaining twelve items were then discussed and ranked for importance.
      1. High Importance
        1. Miniature golf site on Co. Rd. 3 corridor
        2. Memorial planting garden on Co. Rd. 3 corridor
        3. A Hopkins garden club
        4. Upcoming events bulletin board at Downtown Park
        5. Order of additional Park maps
        6. Placing Central Park Tennis Courts in the 5 year C.I.P. (2006-2010)
      2. Medium Importance
        1. Replace Burnes Park black top pay surface
        2. Trail kiosk maps (medium and 2 high importance votes)
        3. Raspberry Days promotions
      3. Low Importance
        1. Valley Park open-spaces development
        2. Hopkins landfill recreational opportunities
        3. Improvements to Nine Mile Creek shorelines
      These items will be carried forward as Business Items for the next several meetings.
    5. Park Area Assignment Report
      None noted.
    6. Parks Update
      Staff liaison R. Vogtman updated the Board Members on some recent vandalism activities at Burnes Park (paint graffiti) and Maetzold Field (lock damages, break and enter). Police reports were made and the Police Department is doing follow-up investigations. The old Mark IV playground has now been removed by the Park Department. There is $50,000 in the C.I.P. for the replacement of this play equipment at Burnes Park. The bid specifications call for completion by August 1, 2005.
    7. Hopkins/Minnetonka Joint Recreation Board
      The last meeting was held on 2-9-05. No board action was required.
  5. New Business
    None
  6. Next Scheduled Meeting
    May 16, 2005, 6:30 pm
    City Council Chambers
  7. Adjournment
    R. Edmonds moved and R. Helgeson seconded a motion to adjourn. On the vote: R. Niemann, R. Edmonds, R. Helgeson and D. Specken voted yes. The motion was approved 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm.