City Council

The City of Columbia City In Columbia County on the Columbia River PARKS COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES August 3, 2021 - 6:30 P.M. 1840 SECOND STREET, COLUMBIA CITY, OR 97018 Present: Katrina Claridge, Committee Chair Nell Harrison, Committee Member Jack Hruska, Committee Member Micah Rogers, Public Works Superintendent Mike McGlothlin, City Administrator Rosemary Jeffrey, Citizen Jean LeMont, Citizen Katrina Clift, Citizen Sally Ann Marson, Citizen Chair Claridge called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm. 1. Status Review of City Parks: Public Works Superintendent Micah Rogers provided the following status update in regards to recent activities conducted within the City’s parks: Veterans Park: The drinking fountain repairs have been completed and it is back in operation. The Veterans Park sign relocation project is still on the Public Works project list but has not been completed as of yet. The stone monuments in the park are back on their annual maintenance schedule and the latest service was completed in the first week of July. New flags for each military branch have arrived and been installed. Public Works Utility Worker Jeremy Schaff is also currently working on removing crab grass and bind weed from within the park. Sally Ann Marson mentioned reaching out to local golf courses for their assistance with this project and Nell Harrison also suggested the possibility of soliciting a quote from a local lawn care specialist in order to address the issue – Superintendent Rogers will coordinate further and provide direction to Jeremy. Katrina Clift also passed on kudos about the Veterans Park that she had received from veterans. Nell Harrison also made note that the St. Helens Garden Club provides volunteer services in Veterans Park the first Monday of each month, with a start time that normally ranges between 1 9:00 am and 10:00 am. City Administrator Mike McGlothlin was also asked to publicize this information in the next addition of the monthly community newsletter in order to recognize the Garden Club as well as solicit any new potential volunteers. Harvard Park: The installation of the shade sails at the park is scheduled to begin the week of August 9th. Public Works personnel are also completing the maintenance of playground equipment at the park and the installation of new wood chips in the playground area. Katrina Clift provided input, as a citizen that lives near the park, in regards to the proposed development of a graveled parking area along the Penn Street side. She said that she has concerns about the gravel eventually spreading into the street and that the resolution would actually cause more problems that it would solve. Katrina Clift also proposed an alternative solution that would involve the posting of signs at either end of a dedicated parking space area, but to keep the grass surface as it currently exists. The committee agreed to this alternative proposal and the parking area improvements were selected as the final stage of park projects; after shade sail installation, the moving of equipment and when the previously mentioned maintenance activities were completed. It was also noted that a low hanging tree needed to be examined and suggestions for improving the growth of the arborvitae in the park were also discussed. 2. Columbia River Life Vest Project Discussion: Rosemary Jeffrey discussed with the committee a proposed life vest project for the City. She gave a brief history of the problems that she has observed with children not having life vests on when they are playing in and along the City’s stretch of the Columbia River, specifically the Pixie Park and River Club Estates areas. She also shared information about the number of lifesaving efforts that have taken place along the shores of the river within our community. It was discussed amongst the committee that many people who frequent the shores of the river in Columbia City may not be aware of how close the shipping lanes are to the beach areas. Further discussion took place about the project itself; which would be comprised of a kiosk being built that would have educational material about the Columbia River and, importantly, a selection of life vests available to be loaned to persons in need of one. Sally Ann Marson also made a suggestion that the addition of a life ring with a length of rope attached could also be considered to be added to the kiosk. Building materials, labor and life vest procurement were also discussed with the City Administrator saying that he would reach out to specific groups to gauge the feasibility and processes moving forward. These specific groups included: the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit, the State Marine Board, the Department of State Lands and OSP Fish & Wildlife, the St. Helens Marina and the City of St. Helens. Rosemary Jeffrey volunteered to remain involved with the project in order to assist with its start, and both the River Club Estates HOA Board and the Multnomah Chapter of the DAR, the owner of Pixie Park, were identified as potential organizations that would need to be reached out to in the future for possible site location(s). 3. Other business: Committee member Jack Hruska shared a concern about overgrowth at Datis Park after he received complaint information from Frank Cisneros, a citizen who lives across the street from Datis Park. The City Administrator and Public Works Superintendent said that they would follow up on the issue in regards to the status at Datis Park, as well as making contact with Mr. Cisneros. 2 Superintendent Rogers also shared an update for the Rivers Walk Trail Project that informed the committee that Public Works was about to start coordinating and conducting construction efforts within the area but that he would also have to check with the local ODF Office in order to ensure that work could be safely done due to current weather and fire conditions. He also said that he is about to order 400 tons of gravel for the project that will cost approximately $6,000.00 of the remaining $48,000.00 budget. 4. Next meeting time: October 19, 2021 at 6:30 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers. 5. Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:39 pm. 3