Parks and Recreation Minutes – April 21, 2015

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Meeting date: April 21, 2015                                                                  approved  05-19 2015
In attendance: Steve Dell, Brad Gerlach, Jim Gurr, Ken Masck, Dave Peterson, & Ruth Smith.
Absent:  Mike Crawford & Jan Loveland.

  1. Community Input: An application for a Lighthouse project at the Alden Safe Harbor was presented by the Alden Volunteer and DABA groups.
  2. Minutes from 3/17/2015 meeting -approved as presented and will be published on the HT website.
    3. Information from the April Helena Twp. Mtg.: Steve presented a request that HT pay an additional  amount (over the $1,500 in the grant request) to the project engineer on the tennis court renewal project. This was approved. The HT Board also voted to approve the grant agreement sent by the DNR.

Not remembering if this had been done previously Ruth presented Carolyn Nowfel’s official resignation from Pk & Rec.. Also presented was a request that Mike Crawford check out the safely of re rod in the cement pieces at Alden Safe Harbor.  This was approved.
OLD BUSINESS:
4. Recreational Passport Grant from DNR. See previous information in #3.  Steve continues to take the lead role in seeing that the correct process is followed.
5. Coy Mt. redevelopment.  The survey is soon to be completed. It appears that there will be
a place on currently owned HT land on which to develop a parking area. Dave Peterson will continue to work on this project.

  1. Review map of public accesses in 5-yr plan.  Dave has worked on the needed verbiage for various HT signs.  Dave has done an assessment of each road ending and Park to determine what signs are there and what might be needed.  He will pursue an estimate for the cost of getting all signs at all sites. Ruth looked into what it would take to put a link on the signs that will give people access to more information.

 

7.Discuss park goals & objectives for each park.  This will be moved to the May agenda.

 

8.Subcommitee update on ‘application to HT for Project’ forms.  Moved to May agenda.
NEW BUSINESS:

  1. Check responsibilities of Pk & Rec. per HT Master plan. The Master Plan was reviewed for information on Pk & Rec. responsibilities and it was suggested that if Pk & Rec. wants to influence what is in the Master Plan they need to present information to the planning committee when the Master Plan is next updated.

NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED:

 

  1. Deed restrictions for HT Parks. Steve obtained the deeds for all the HT Parks. He reviewed all restrictions with us. There are very few deed restrictions. These documents will be kept in our Pk & Rec. resource book.

    11. Report on our 5-year –plan for each park. No new information on action steps to move toward the goals and objectives for each park as stated in the 5-year-plan. Moved to May agenda.

Other Agenda Items:  Brad Gerlach has been appointed as a committee member for the Pks & Rec. Committee.

Ken reported that he has talked to Heidi Shaffer and the grant to fight invasive species was received. However, there are a lot of questions about how and by whom the grant may be used.
Ken reported that a clean-up day will not be needed at Coy Mt. as he has done most of the needed work. Trees blocking the trail will be cleared soon.

Action Items needed / Individual Assignments to be completed:

These action items will be updated in the May minutes.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
These items will continue to be carried forward until they are discussed by the Committee
1. April – Discuss possible action steps for meeting goals of 5 Yr. Plan for each Park during the P&R Meeting.  Now moved to May agenda.

  1. May – discuss possible requests – park benches/work at Safe Harbor & Archie Valleau beach.
  2. May- Discuss ADA acceptable doors for the Comm. Center bathrooms.
  3. June – Discuss handicap parking in Helena Township.
    5. June – Talk about a possible future request for a low % millage to help fund our Parks. Stand alone or with a HT operational millage request.
    6. August – Review possible fee scale for the Depot Park

    The next monthly meeting is scheduled for:
    Tuesday, May 19th, 2015 – 3 PM at the Helena Township Offices.

    Respectfully submitted by Ruth Smith
    04-24-2015