Parks and Recreation Minutes – March 15, 2016

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Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes for 03/15/2016                                

Approved 4-19-2016

In attendance: Mike Crawford, Steve Dell, Jan Loveland, & Ruth Smith. Absent: Brad Gerlach, Jim Gurr, Ken Masck, & Dave Peterson.    Special guests: Heidi Shaffer& Bethany Springsdorf.  

1. Community Input:  None

Minutes from the 02-16/2016 meeting were reviewed and approved as presented. They will be published online.

  1. Information from the monthly Helena Twp. Mtg. – Steve presented information to the HT Board concerning follow-up work needed for the tennis court resurfacing project. The HT Board approved a contract with Gordie Frasier for some needed paperwork and supervision. Pk. & Rec. and Dave Peterson, as clerk, will see to all other needed items the soil erosion at the Ball Park was brought before the HT Board so that they are now aware that we are looking into this issue.

OLD BUSINESS:

  1. Recreational Passport Grant from DNR – tennis court resurface + sidewalk: See Item 3 above. Steve will continue to work with Dave Peterson and the engineer as appropriate to move this project forward.
  2. Juniper Garden Club request. On hold until pictures are provided.
  3. Possible meeting time change to Monday night. The decision was made to leave the meeting day & time as is on the 3rd Tue. Of each month 3-5pm. This may be further discussed when more committee members are in attendance.
  4. Erosion abatement project at Ball Park. Heidi Shaffer, Antrim Co. Soil Erosion Officer, & Bethany Springsdorf, AmeriCorps volunteer, are willing to work with Pk. & Rec. to come up with a plan that will stop erosion at the Ball Park. The Committee is also looking at other improvements that could be made near the beach area of this park.

NEW BUSINESS:

  1. Next year’s Pk & Rec. budget. According to the revised HT Master Plan we are no longer mandated to prepare a yearly budget. There are no specific funds designated for Pk. & Rec. use.
  2. Revision of our five-year-plan. Forward to the April agenda.
  3. Mike Crawford asked for support from P&R to have unsafe trees removed from Tennis Court Park. There was unanimous agreement that P&R supported Mike’s suggestion to have these trees removed. He also mentioned other trees that needed trimming to be safe.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:

  • Report on our 5-year-plan progress. This is something that we need to talk over as a committee. It will be on the April agenda. The discussion will include how we are going to prioritize needed improvements in the parks based on the current 5-year plan. We also need to consider what might need to be included in the next 5-year plan. (April)
  • Coy Mountain forest management.

 

  1. We were asked by the HT Board to do the following: A. Send any questions we have about forest management at Coy Mtn. to Joyce for forwarding to Mike Meriwether.
  1. Invite Mike Meriwether to a P&R meeting.
  2. P&R to develop a general Forest Management Plan for Coy Mtn. (Could have an ecologist evaluate Coy Mtn.). D. After our Forest Management Plan for Coy MT is completed, formulate recommendations to be sent to the HT Board.  (May)
  • Look into new sign for Coy Mountain. (April)

 

  • Bathroom doors in community center and ADA issues-(April).
  • Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes for 03/15/2016 continued                Approved 4-19-2016

 

  • Discuss 80 acres that township owns near McPherson Rd. to decide what recreational uses it might provide (April)

 

  • Discuss and decide what twp. Roads would be best for a bicycle route. Look at the entire county for continuity. (See master plan) (May).

 

  • Discuss Requests for Memorials in the Parks. (June)

 

  • Updating of P & R website (Sept each year)
  • Park & Rec. Budget. This was removed from the Master plan so we can remove this from the future agenda items list. Costs of possible improvements in parks will be looked at when each parks plan in reviewed.
  • Handicap parking in HT (discussion) to be discussed when each Park is evaluated.

 

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS TO BE COMPLETED

Report on assignments/research/activities since last meeting (Brad, Dave, Jan, Jim, Ken, Mike, Ruth, Steve).

Brad:

  • Contact Heidi Schaffer. Find out how Helena Township can be included in grant funds received to help combat invasive species.

 

    • Dave:
  • Continue work on getting quotes on prices for signage at road endings and parks. When ready send quotes to Ruth to be presented to the HT Board for approval of funding.

 

    •              Ken:
  • To work with Heidi Shaffer concerning erosion problems at Ball Diamond Park.Ruth:

 

  •  
  • Complete March meeting minutes.
  • Send approved February meeting minutes to Joyce Looman to be published online.
  • Contact Brad Gerlach to let him know that at this time the meeting day/time remain unchanged at this time.

 

    •                Steve:
  • Continue as point man for working with the project engineer and the DNR to resurface tennis courts and do walkway in Tennis Court Park.
  • Send memo to HT regarding P&R support of removal of unsafe trees at Tennis Ct.
  • Start gathering information concerning possible bicycle routes in HT / Antrim Co.
  • Work with company awarded the court resurfacing to obtain estimates on replacing the bent posts.
  • To gather information concerning potential biking routes in HT.
  • Prepare agenda for April meeting.   

 

  • Jan, Jim, & Mike:        No current assignments

The next monthly meeting is scheduled for: Tuesday, April, 19th, 2016 – 3pm at Helena Township Offices

Respectfully submitted by Ruth Smith 03-18-2016