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Park & Rec Board - MINUTES - 11/12/2007 City of Muskego PARKS & RECREATION BOARD Monday, November 12, 2007 Approved 12/10/07 Board President Whipple called the monthly meeting of the Parks and Recreation Board (Board), City of Muskego, to order at 5:30 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Those present recited the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting notice was posted in accordance with the Open Meeting Law on Thursday, November 1, 2007. Present: Mr. Gary Boisits, Mr. Eric Hetzel, Mr. Jerald Hulbert, Mr. Brett Hyde, Ald. Tracy Snead, Mr. Toby Whipple and Director Craig Anderson Absent: Mrs. Kelly Koble (excused) GUESTS: Larry Lefebvre, Randall Hojnacki, Ald. Schaefer, Ald. Borgmann, Tom Zagar, Residents (2) APPROVAL OF MINUTES: October 8, 2007 Mr. Brett Hyde moved to approve the minutes of the October 8, 2007 meeting, seconded by Ald. Snead. Upon a voice vote, the motion to approve the minutes carried unanimously. October 19, 2007 Mr. Jerald Hulbert moved to approve the minutes of the October 19, 2007 meeting, seconded by Mr. Boisits. Upon a voice vote, the motion to approve the minutes carried unanimously. PERSONAL APPEARANCES: Trail from Cheviot Road to Bluhm Park Entrance Mr. Randall Hojnacki came before the Board members to request a trail from Cheviot Road to the Bluhm Farm Park entrance. He would like to be able to get to the park and bike trail without walking on the roadway. He cited several accidents that had occurred recently in the area. He further advised the Board members that he has obtained permission from Tudor Oaks for a walkway on their property. Director Anderson presented pictures of the area to the Board members. He was recommending a swath be mowed to serve as a pedestrian trail rather than paving or putting wood chips in the area and that it be in the road right-of-way rather than work out an agreement with Tudor Oaks. This mowing could be included in the contract with F & W Landscape. The trail would be signed as a pedestrian trail. Mr. Hulbert moved to make the trail connection, a mowed pathway between Tudor Oaks and the entrance to Bluhm Farm Park with signage that it is a pedestrian path and no motorized vehicles allowed. Mr. Boisits seconded. In discussion, Mr. Hulbert stated it as not on the master plan and they would need an amendment to the plan. He would like to have the mowed swath and see what type of usage it gets. He agreed with Director Anderson that it should be in the road right-of-way. Director Anderson to notify F & W Landscape to mow the area. Upon a voice vote, Minutes, Parks & Recreation Board, November 12, 2007, page 2 the motion carried unanimously. Janesville Road Crosswalk, Muskego Park Entrance to Muskego Recreation Trail Ald. Schaefer presented her request for the Board to recommend a crosswalk on Janesville Road. The crosswalk to be from the Muskego Park Entrance to where the Muskego Recreation Trail ends on Woods Road. This would assist residents to cross the roadway in a safer manner. She had mentioned it to County Supervisor Hammitt who will take it to the county. It is a county road so it would have to be left up to their consideration. Director Anderson provided pictures of the area for the Board members to review. Mr. Hulbert moved to recommend to the Waukesha County Parks and Land Use Department that the crosswalk be installed connecting the City of Muskego’s trail on the We Energies right-of-way to the entrance of Muskego County Park with the associated signage. Ald. Snead seconded. Upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. Little Muskego Lake District’s Request for Lake Access #19 (Oak Court) for Weed Cutting Larry Lefebvre representing the Little Muskego Lake District advised the Board members that they have the plants in on the berm in Park Arthur by their tipping site. In regard to the weed cutting operation, to provide better service to the people that use the lake and to increase productivity, they have ordered a fourth harvester. They already have four conveyors. They use Hillview, Pleasant View and Idle Isle as sites for their conveyors. What is lacking, is a site at the south end of the lake for a conveyor. Earlier the Board members had approved usage of Schubring lake access as a site for their conveyor. Mr. Lefebvre, in looking at that site, stated it was steep and there is a tree root down in the lake that the WDNR (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) says they can cut , but cannot remove. They have been looking at other access points for the conveyor. In the past, they had used Lake Access #9 and they would like to resume using this access for the conveyor. If this was not available, then they would be looking at Lake Access #16. Director Anderson questioned if there would be enough room at Lake Access #9 for others to launch if the conveyor was parked at that site. Mr. Lefebvre stated there was more room accessible at that site than the Hillview site. Ald. Borgmann interjected that he had received negative comments from citizens around both accesses. They were concerned that they would not be able to launch their pontoon boats and also an issue of the truck being parked overnight. Mr. Lefebvre commented that people want the weeds removed from the lake but not the equipment near them. He said they could not leave the truck parked overnight. Director Anderson recommended that they talk with the residents to see what could be done to alleviate some of their concerns. WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE: None NEW BUSINESS: Athletic Field Operating Fees Director Anderson provided the Board members with background on the athletic field costs per acre. The costs considered mowing, weed eradication, staffing, administration, equipment. Revenue received was also taken into consideration. He pointed out that they could be looking at, without mowing or weed eradiation cost, $775 per acre for baseball as opposed to $37 for soccer; $325 for flag football which is skewed because of the field painting which is done once a week and it is one acre, one football field. This information was given for the purpose of a funding type mechanism for the leagues when the fields are developed at Park Arthur. Director Anderson advised the Board members that it is getting to a point where there are two many fields to manage without additional staff and equipment. Ald. Snead inquired if the department was looking at some of the leagues doing the prepping of the fields. Director Anderson stated that going into 2008, it should be the same with the leagues charged 100% of the cost prior to June 8. He informed the Board that they would need to totally evaluate the cost and look at options where the city’s cost could be reduced as well as the baseball leagues’ costs. Ald. Snead thought they should look forward to training league personnel to prep the fields and meeting with them on the issue. Director Anderson mentioned having the meetings in 2008 and alerting Minutes, Parks & Recreation Board, November 12, 2007, page 3 them that in 2009-10, things could change. At the meetings, the staff would provide baseball league personnel with the options and also get their input on what services they can take on themselves. Parkland Options in Southeastern Muskego Ald. Fiedler has requested the department look into acquiring parkland in the southeastern area of Muskego. His constituents would like a park that is closer than Bluhm Farm Park. To that end, Director Anderson brought to the Board’s attention two properties in the area. One was the land across from the Big Muskego Lake Estates consisting of 49 acres, presently owned by Towne Realty, and the other was the dedicated land in the Wildflower Farms subdivision consisting of 24 acres for conservation purposes and about 4-5 acres could be used as the terrain is uneven. Mr. Zagar commented on the conservation easements on the properties and gave background information on the properties. Director Anderson had inquired of Ald. Fiedler what his constituents specifically in Champions Village were looking for in a park. Ald. Fiedler indicated they wanted some type of shelter, picnic area and playground, more of a neighborhood park. Board members discussed the amount of park dedication fees for park acquisition and interest in these properties. Ald. Snead stated she would like to investigate the Wildlife Farms land as the first one is close to Bluhm Farm Park and would be like a park on top a park. The other is farther from Bluhm Farm Park and could service more area around it, a nice transition and closer to Champions Village. Mr. Boisits moved to consider Wildflower Farms first. Mr. Brett Hyde seconded. Mr. Hulbert cautioned that they should be looking at a larger area also in the Highway 36 area that was unsewered. Eventually, more of the city will be in a sewered area and the Parks and Recreation Board would not be able to afford purchasing land. In the short term, he did agree though with the Wildflower Farms land and mentioned that a shelter and playground equipment would be a cost. Upon a voice vote, the motion carried unanimously. (Ald. Snead departed.) UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None ALDERMAN'S REPORT: None STATUS OF PROJECTS: Park Arthur Master Plan Public Information Hearing is scheduled to be held before the December Board meeting. In their packets, the Board members had copies of the public notice as well as the letter to be mailed to residents and interested parties. They had no changes or comments. Muskego High School Softball Field Director Anderson had contacted the high school as he noticed no activity. He was told that construction would start next spring due to a few contract issues and wet field conditions. Hwy 36 Trail The department received approval from We Energies on the Highway 36 trail. Mayor Johnson has signed both copies and forwarded on to We Energies. Once the approved document is returned, the packet will be forwarded on to the WDNR. The bridge installation will take place in 2008. Director Anderson had Zenith Tech do a quote on the project. Depending on how the project is to be done, it may have to go out for bids. Moorland Park/InPro Skate Park Grading at Moorland Park is expected to be done by the end of this week. On the west side, there are some sanitary manholes that need to be raised. He is getting a quote from the contractor to do the work. Depending Minutes, Parks & Recreation Board, November 12, 2007, page 4 on that amount, city utilities may do it in the spring. The department will be responsible for the restoration. The skate park sign on possible closure was vandalized with graffiti. The rules sign has been taken to the shop to be redone. The Moorland Park sign is up again and in the spring, a new one will be put in similar to the ones Eric has done for the other parks. Mr. Hulbert asked about the timeline for putting in a shelter. Director Anderson said the park plan calls for a playground in 2009 and a shelter for 2012. DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2008 Winter/Spring Program Guide The guide will be mailed the week of November 19. Park Dedication Payback Ald. Snead had brought up to the Committee of the Whole the concerns that the Parks and Recreation Board had taking the park dedication payback money and using it in the general fund. The city may be willing to do a one-time payoff to parks dedication. If that is the case, then the department would not have to keep track of the revenue generated from the programs at the Old Town Hall. The amount would be in the realm of $170,000-$175,000. Then, the program fees would go into the general fund. This did not affect the budget. This could happen sometime next year. Closing Up Parks Staff has closed up the parks, winterizing the buildings, taking in the piers and aerating the fields. Next year with the lake drawn down occurring earlier, the piers will have to come in earlier. In August, the department will have to put signage up on when the piers will be out. OTHER BUSINESS Subdivision Plans—none. COMMUNICATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS AS AUTHORIZED BY LAW Mr. Hulbert shared his conversation with Bill Carrity on the recreation trail along Durham Drive. Mr. Carrity stated he had it staked out. Mr. Hulbert said the trail is to go along the tree farm, up to the recreation trail crossing on Durham. There is a portion along this area that is not owned by Mr. Carrity and some negotiating is being done with the property owner. Mr. Carrity advised Mr. Hulbert that the trail was going in this fall. ADJOURNMENT - There being no further business, Mr. Hulbert moved for adjournment at 6:36 p.m. Seconded by Mr. Hyde. Upon a voice vote, the motion carried. Stella Dunahee, CPS Recording Secretary pc: Board Members, Craig Anderson email: Mayor, Alderpersons, Department Heads, Peter Theis, Tammy Dunn,