TOWN OF TROY

PARK BOARD MEETING

MINUTES

 

Tuesday September 28, 2010

7:00 pm, Town Hall, Town of Troy

 

Members Present:

Jill Berke, Charlie Macdonell, Supr. Jason Kjos, Suzanne Van Mele, Jim Freund, Eric Starr

 

Members Absent:

Greg Small (excused)

 

Others Present:

Mel Hermansen, Town Constable, and Aaron Schroeder, Eagle Scout

 

 

Call to Order 

Chair Berke called the meeting of the Town of Troy Park Board to order at 7:10 PM. 

 

1.       Adoption of Agenda

Supr. Kjos moved to adopt the agenda; second by Macdonell.  Motion was unanimously carried

 

2.        Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the August 24, 2010 were reviewed.  Member Kjos moved to approve the August 24th minutes with minor corrections; second by Freund.  Motion unanimously carried.

 

3.       Budget Review of Park Revenue/Expenditures for September 2010; Approval of any Invoices

The park revenue and expenditures, through September 2010, as prepared by the Town Clerk, were reviewed.  Income to date was $ 8,763.07; expenses to date were $21,619.59.  Invoices and receipts for trees from Sunrise Nursery, fencing and tree guard from Fleet Farm, and plants from Hermes Nursery totaling $706.72 were presented by Chair Berke and have been paid by the Town Clerk. There were no capital expenditures.  Member Freund recommended listing 2010 full year budgeted income and expenses to the right of the actual year to date income and expenses. Member Freund will contact the Town Clerk to request this change. Member Macdonell moved to approve the income and expenditures through September 2010 as tabulated by the Town Clerk, second by Van Mele.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

4.       Review current impact fees & county park funds

Impact fees available were $59,923 and County Park Funds were $ 95,169.94.

 

The question of whether the Park Board should fund a portion of an extended bike trail shoulder as an addition to the North Glover road improvement project was discussed.  It was agreed that the bike trail is a form of the town’s public recreation and is an extension of Glover Park’s recreational amenities. Member Freund moved to fund $40,000 from the County Parks Funds account toward the cost of paved, extended shoulders for bike and pedestrian use as an addition to the North Glover Road improvement project. The extended shoulders would be built on both sides of Glover Road from Omaha Road to Coulee Trail. Motion seconded by Berke.  Motion carried unanimously.

 

5.       Constable Report

§         Pemble’s is still relatively quiet.  Chair Berke reported that the park watch sign has been completed and will be installed next spring by the town crew.  

§         Cove Ramp: Constable Hermansen reported 161 envelopes were received, indicating the ramp is busy.  Most of the citations and warnings have been at the ramp.  

§         Glover has been quiet. But the picnic tables have again been vandalized and will need sanding down to remove graffiti.

 

Constable Hermansen reported there is much erosion on the trails at the southeast corner of Glover Park. The trail needs restoration and repair to counteract the washout there.

 

Thank you to Constable Hermansen for going the extra mile for clearing downed trees and branches.

 Enforcement Action Summary:

 

August 2010

Pemble’s Access

Cove Boat Ramp

Glover Park

Totals

Citations Issued:

0

4

0

4

Warnings Issued:

2

4

0

6

 

 

6. Eagle Project – Scout Aaron Schroeder

            The plan for tree planting project is incomplete.  It is questionable if any trees can be planted

 by the deadline, the next park board meeting. Scout Schroeder will be in contact with Member

Starr, after gaining approval for the project from his scout leader.  Starr will report if the project

 can still proceed in a timely and suitable fashion or not.

 

7. Report Town Board’s consideration to change Constable Position to Park Ranger

At the town’s budget hearing and special town meeting on November 11th at 7 PM, a discussion will be held and vote taken to consider abolishment of the elected office of Constable, and instead appoint Park Rangers as town employees. Park Board members as well as all town residents wishing to voice their opinions may do so at the public hearing meeting on

 

8. Park & Recreation Reports

     

Cove Boat Ramp

            a.       Status Report, Realignment project – Member Macdonell reported the river level is very high,

 approaching flood stage this coming weekend.  The water level returning to normal is not likely in time for Boumeester Excavating to realign the ramp sections this year.

b.       High water and high winds have necessitated adjustment of the gangway upward, resulting in higher than normal expense. The gangway cannot be removed early since Windmill Marina has no storage area for it yet and part of the agreement with the DNR’s partial funding of the ADA compliant dockage was that it be available to the public.

c.       Member Macdonell presented the 2011 Windmill Marinas dock and gangway storage contract .No increase.  There will be an additional charge of $136 per hour to remove and reinstall the dock and gangway estimated to be 2 hours of work.  Motion was made by Freund to approve these expenditures. Second by Van Mele. Motion carried unanimously.  The contracted storage fee of $447.50 will be paid in 2010.

 

Glover Park

a.             Status Report walnut tree trimming.  Member Macdonnel reported clipping low branches. There is room under the trees for the new picnic tables. Freund and Macdonnel will cut the tall grass and requested the area be included in the 2011mowing contract.

b.             Native tree planting project.  Per Aug. Park Board action, Chair Berke coordinated the planting of 6 trees installed by Sunrise Nursery, planted a native dogwood tree from Hermes Nursery near the prairie garden, and two additional winterberry shrubs along the park entrance fence.  She may plant 1 more Kentucky coffee tree, which would still be within the budgeted amount.

c.             Chair Berke presented the newly made ball field signs and asked for suggestions on where to

place them.

d.             Macdonell reported the ball field gate latch was missing and is being repaired at a cost of

$60-$75. Starr reported an incident with two very likely intoxicated persons who were slow to leave when he was closing the park gate. He called the sheriff’s department to investigate.

 

           

     

 

      Pemble's Access

a.        Activity Report, See Constable Report. Chair Berke reported the new park watch sign 

will be installed next spring. Park closed Sept. 26th. Member Van Mele will remind Darryl’s Septic to pick up the portable toilet.

 

9.   Update report town parks website page 

Ranger Fred Miller will remain on the park page until he moves out of the town and is no longer functioning as the Troy Town Park Ranger. Chair Berke reported that she has tested the final round of changes and enhancements. Van Mele will implement the park pages on the town website Monday Oct. 4th and will monitor performance.  If it’s not satisfactory, the implementation will be rolled back to the old park page until resolved. 

 

10.  Status, Park Ordinance 

Supervisor Kjos reported that the park ordinance was approved by the town board at the Sept. meeting.

 

11.  2011 Budget Finalization – including mowing and trail maintenance contracts

The proposed 2011 budget includes Glover Park trail improvements to include installation of class five material on 120 ft. of trail, berm restoration along trails in bluff area, eliminate water problem in southwest corner to include board walks or combination of class five material and boardwalks, and other general maintenance ($3555) as provided by Tim Wegner, Trail Source.  Lawn Barbers maintenance contract $7600 (no increase from previous year) was also reviewed. Member Macdonell led a review of each line item, and park board members made significant reductions in both the proposed 2011 operating expenses (reduced from $52,400 to approx. $45,000), and the capital improvements budgets (remained $10,000).  Final budget figures will be updated by Macdonell and forwarded to town clerk’s office for distribution to the Town Board for their budget workshop. 

 

12.  Correspondence –. Invitation to board from Scout Vincent Thao to “honors ceremony” on Oct. 8th; St. Patrick’s Church, Hudson at 6 PM. Scout Thao completed the Glover Park trail marking project in 2009.

 

13.  Announcements – Town Board 2011 budget public hearing will be held on November 16th, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

           

14.  Adjournment

Member Van Mele moved to adjourn the meeting, second by Chair Berke.  Motion unanimously carried.  The Sept. 28, 2010 meeting of the Town of Troy Park Board was adjourned at 10:22 PM.

 

 

Next Meeting is October 26th, 2010 at the Town Hall.