Parks Commission

Parks Commission Minutes June 21, 2012: 7:30-9PM Community Room, Police Station Commissioners: Lyn Munno, Aaron Brondyke, Kip Roberts, Emily Boedecker Staff Present: Geoff Beyer 1. Minutes of May Meeting The May minutes are not complete yet. The Commission agreed to wait until the July Meeting to approve the May minutes. 2. Follow up on site walk The Parks Commission did a site walk in Hubbard Park and North Branch Park on June 4. At that site walk, Commissioners discussed timing and details for dredging sediment from the Frog Pond. The Commission has budgeted half of the necessary funds for dredging for this budget year, and half for next budget year. During the walk, Commissioners were amenable to putting off this work for up to two years. Geoff reported that the pond’s water quality has deteriorated since the site walk. He now recommends that the Commissioners take a look at the pond, and make a decision at July Meeting. We might want to do the work this year, after all. At that site walk, Commissioners also recommended that the pond’s shoreline slope and vegetation be modified to make this artificial impoundment look more natural, and make access to the shoreline more appealing and less steep. Geoff’s crew is close to finishing work on the large culvert area on the Connector Trail in North Branch Park. The Storm Crew is using FEMA money for this repair. At the site walk, Geoff explained that due to persistent erosion problems, he is considering moving the steep part of the Connector Trail up onto a dry ridge and out of the wet drainage where it currently is routed. This new route would be a pedestrian trail. This strategy would minimize maintenance obligations on the existing steep, eroded former logging road that was constructed by filling in a natural drainage swale. Everyone agreed that this sounded like a good idea. The Commission discussed potentially enlarging the parking area at the Gould Hill Road Trailhead, and plowing it for winter use. Geoff agreed to consult some of the direct neighbors for feedback on those concepts. 3. Finalize Dog Survey Distribution Plan The Commission discussed ways to circulate the Dog Behavior Survey to park users. The Commission would like to see an article published in the Bridge. Feedback from Bridge staff suggest that an article might be a possibility. While the newspaper might not publish the whole survey, they might consider including an article, with a link to the online survey.  In addition, some have proposed setting up a booth at the Montpelier Farmer’s Market, to distribute the survey to a wide range of residents and visitors. Emily agreed to check the options on the online service Survey Monkey for getting feedback from the survey. 4. Dog Safety Sign at bottom of Tower Geoff is working on carving a new sign. The old sign has been gone for at least two weeks. 5. Hubbard Park Signage Kip has heard a number of stories of folks getting disoriented in the park. The trails are named on the map, but trail signage is scarce. Geoff reports that there are 10 signs at key intersections in the parks. Kip’s wife Jen Lamphere is working on a new AMC Guide to 50 Hikes in Vermont. She is considering putting Hubbard Park in the guide. Geoff suggested increasing “You Are Here” maps at several key intersections in the park as a means of improving the situation. All commissioners agreed that this was a good strategy that could help. A general reluctance to blaze park trails, or to install excessive signage was expressed among the Commission. Geoff expressed interest in seeing the kinds of orientation signs that have been installed at the East Montpelier Town Forest on Haggett Road, for reference and example. 6. Summer project update (including Tower landscaping update) Geoff has made progress on key parts of the Connector Trail at North Branch Park. Roughly 100 tons of material (gravel, fill, and landscaping stone) will be installed on this problem section of the trail to repair 2011 flood damage. The 6-person Storm Crew will be working at least through July, and into August, to fix spring flooding and Hurricane Irene damage. Carpenters have been working on building new picnic tables and a bench for the Peace Park. 50-60 Bricks are missing from the Peace Park labyrinth. Next week, revetments will be installed in the Winooski River at angles to the riverbank along the Peace Park. These boulder structures should help to prevent future mass wasting of the riverbanks at the Peace Park. Geoff has a pile of boulders and a permit to put them in place in the river. The crane will be there next week to install them. Bike Path Paving: Public Works will open the bids in two weeks, and then will pick a contractor and schedule the work.  The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps starts work Monday on the National Life Trail. They will be working with gravel and stone installation. They have committed up to 7 straight weeks of work for Montpelier Parks. Next week, Geoff needs to hire a crew leader to oversee the 9-person Department of Labor summer work crew for 8 weeks of work this summer. Geoff has an excellent intern from Sterling College. She has been working with some of the Department of Labor volunteers on invasives management. Geoff also has a full-time intern from Norwich University. Tower Landscaping: The Parks staff and volunteers have been watering and mulching the new plantings to keep the things that have been planted alive through the recent heatwave. Emily recommended that Geoff seek some publicity for all of the great things that he is getting done in the parks--possibly an article in the Bridge. Lyn recommended press for the National Life Trail in the fall, as well. 7. AmeriCorps applicants Next week is the deadline for hiring an AmeriCorps Member for the Parks to start in the fall. Geoff is currently screening applicants. 8. Stone art project ideas/ proposal A local sculptor has proposed installing an internet-funded park sculpture. He wants to do it in the shape of a sleeping black bear. This public art installation would cost the City nothing. The sculptor is considering carving the sleeping bear into either black granite, or creating a 3-times life-size dry-laid stone bear. Geoff recommended that he have the sculptor draft up some designs, and circulate them by email to the Parks Commissioners for review. Aaron suggested that any design incorporate seating, and be placed in a developed or semi-developed area. 9. Ranger house Geoff and Kim have bought a new house off of Gould Hill Road. Geoff would like to move into that new house in less than a year. He is currently working on renovations. Geoff suggested that the Commission might consider finding someone to live in the Hubbard Park Ranger House, in exchange for a certain amount of work in the Parks. It’s time to start grooming someone to fill Geoff’s position upon his retirement in several years, and this situation might pose an opportunity to begin that process. The Parks Commission is uniquely qualified to make recommendations for how to fill Geoff’s position. Geoff reminded the Commission that he started his career with the City of Montpelier by being paid for only the summer months, in exchange for free rent for the rest of the year. If the proposed new park caretaker was paid for a certain amount of part-time work, then that person would be a City employee, supervised by Geoff. The Commission could start by offering the right person a year lease, and monitor performance. Geoff also provided a brief history of the Ranger House. It was built in the 1950s. Until the 70s, it was a seasonal camp that folks only lived in during the summer. The original owners sold it to the Parks Department in 1976 for $17,000. In 1981, the Parks Department interviewed people to serve as park caretaker, and Geoff was hired. 11. Next Meeting July 19. Submitted by Aaron Brondyke