Nat'l Resources Conservation Board

10801 Town Square Dr. City of Blaine Blaine MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes - Final Nat'l Resources Conservation Board The Natural Resource Conservation Board is an advisory body to the City Council. The Board is charged with recommending acquisition of lands for open space and developing a Natural Resource Plan which includes environmental policy and guidelines for the maintenance and preservation of Blaine’s existing and future opens spaces and trail corridors. One of the Board’s functions is to hold public meetings and make recommendations to the City Council. For each item, the Board will receive reports prepared by City staff, provide the opportunity for public response, conduct Board discussions and make recommendations. The City Council, however, makes all final decisions on these matters. Tuesday, September 17, 2013 7:00 PM Council Chambers 1. Call To Order The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call Absent: Staff Liaison Jim Hafner Present: 7 - Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Schrunk, Castillo, Truchon, Villella, and Perkins Absent: 1 - Gunter 3. Approval of Minutes Chair McKinley requested the following change: Under 6.c last paragraph, 6th sentence should read: She stated the section of trail starting at 85th and up to the John Henry Graham Loop needed a name. MOVED by Boardmember Castillo, seconded by Boardmember Rafferty, to approve the minutes of the August 20, 2013 Board Meeting as amended. The motion carried unanimously. 4. Approval of Agenda MOVED by Boardmember Truchon, seconded by Boardmember Perkins to City of Blaine Page 1 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 17, 2013 Board approve the September 17, 2013 Board Agenda. Motion carried unanimously. 5. Open Forum for Citizen Input None. 6. New Business 6.a Final Accounting of the Kiosk Project Chair McKinley stated that Mr. Josh Bostrom had completed the construction and installation of two kiosks - one at Pioneer Park and one at Laddie Lake Park. The adjustments and revisions as requested by the Board have also been completed. The total cost of materials, after return of unused materials, came to $938.47. Mr. Bostrom was able to secure donations in the amount of $800 to help fund the project. The balance remaining was $138.47. The Board had previously indicated that they would cover the balance of the project after any donations were applied. He recommended the Board approve payment to Mr. Bostrom in the amount of $138.47. MOVED by Boardmember Truchon, seconded by Boardmember Villella, to approve the payment to Mr. Josh Bostrom in the amount of $138.47. Boardmember Villella recommended thank you notes be sent to the people/companies who made donations to the kiosks. He stated he would be willing to send out thank you notes if staff did not have time. Boardmember Truchon stated donators could also be acknowledged in the kiosks. She stated a letter sent to Mr. Bostrom thanking him should also be sent by the Board. Motion carried unanimously. 6.b Call for Committee - what to place in kiosks Chair McKinley asked what the Board wanted to put in the kiosks. She recommended a Committee be formed to discuss this and have something in place for voting on at the next Board meeting. Boardmember Castillo recommended having a ten minute discussion City of Blaine Page 2 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 17, 2013 Board at this meeting. Boardmember Truchon stated she would like a large color trail map of the City including all of the open spaces as well as a more detailed color map of that particular location. She stated she would like a habitat flyer along with more specific information on plants, animals, invasive species, and other things to look for. She indicated Pioneer Park was an oak forest and a restored fen and this could be noted in the kiosk. She stated Laddie Lake’s history of the lake, restored prairie, restoration, mixed forest with many oak trees, and wetland could be noted in the kiosk also. Boardmember Castillo recommended there be suggestion/feedback forms with the website information available. He stated they could also add information on future things happening in these parks. 6.c Update on Information Boxes Chair McKinley stated as far as she knew the information boxes have not been put up yet. Boardmember Truchon asked if there was a policy on snowshoeing on the existing trails. Chair McKinley stated all of the paved trails were open for walking and would be plowed. She stated she would speak with the Staff Liaison about any policies on skiing/snowshoeing on the trails. 6.d Summary of Boardmember Reports on Open Space Chair McKinley handed out a summary of the Boardmember’s reports. She requested each Boardmember look at their open space report and let her know if she had missed anything. Boardmember Truchon recommended for the Wetland complex, to add how well the restoration of the habitat was coming along - the Rice Creek Watershed District restoration was very successful even in a dry year and the water and plants were returning on their own. Boardmember Villella stated he would like to have an information and trail maps available at Loch Ness park. Boardmember Rafferty stated with respect to Hidden Ponds the woodchip trial needed to be fixed up and someone needed to talk to City of Blaine Page 3 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 17, 2013 Board the residents about not mowing next to the pond. Boardmember Perkins stated he would be handing in his report for Oaks Savannah. Boardmember Truchon stated another bench could be used on the Wetland Complex before the loop on the paved trail. Boardmember Schrunk handed out her report on Pioneer Park. She confirmed there were two bat houses in that park. Chair McKinley stated the Public Works Department had put the bat houses up a couple of years ago. Boardmember Truchon stated her report on Site 7 needed to be completed. She stated while she was at the site, a resident in the area approached her and volunteered to allow any future tours of the area to be started from her yard. 6.e Open Space & Trails Fund Report Chair McKinley reviewed the Open Space & Trails Fund Report. Boardmember Perkins stated he had met with Staff Liaison Hafner and together they located around a $200,000 discrepancy in favor of the Board. He stated all of the open space projects that were recommended to be done would be funded or continue to be funded until 2015, when the work would be deemed maintenance and not be eligible for payment from park dedication fees. He noted Staff Liaison Hafner was recommending the $600,000 fund balance be used by expanding Site 7’s trails, amenities, trail heads, parking, and interpretive center and to get an RFC put out to get bids and recommendations on the development of that area. 7. Other Business Boardmember Villella stated updates to the website needed to be done still. 8. Adjournment MOVED by Boardmember Truchon, seconded by Boardmember Villella to adjourn the meeting at 7:57 p.m. City of Blaine Page 4