Parks Commission

Parks Commission Minutes August 29, 7:30 to 9:30 Police Station Community Room Commissioners Present: Kip Roberts, Cara Robechek, Aaron Brondyke, Lyn Munno Staff Present: Geoff Beyer 1. Park Roads and Park Gate. Geoff reported about the situation with the park gate. The police had a complaint from an individual that, by law, a Class 3 road must be kept open at all times. By locking the gates at Hubbard Park, the City was not in compliance with the law since all park roads are currently classified as Class 3. Since July the park gate has been left open. Geoff met with the chief of police, the head of public works and the fire chief. The Chief of Police wrote a letter expressing that the park could slip back to the way it was before the gates were there when there was significantly more inappropriate use and crime in the park. The police are currently checking the park more frequently at night. If the Parks Commission wants to see the gates locked again, the commission needs to request to the City Council that the road be downgraded from a class 3 to a class 4 road. The parks commissioners discussed how to proceed. Parks Commissioners all expressed concern about the high potential for increased inappropriate use, vandalism, and other crimes if the park gates are left open at night. Aaron Brondyke also expressed concern that the police are spending more time patrolling in the park. Kip Roberts asked if there were other implications to keeping the gate open. Geoff Beyer explained that the City would lose roughly $900 to $1500 annually in road funding from the State of Vermont. Also, several commissioners wondered whether there were implications for ATV use. Geoff doesn’t think so but will look into this. Geoff does not feel like this is an issue since the commission could always make a park rule about ATVs. Aaron made a motion that: The Parks Commission will ask the City Council to reclassify all the park roads as Class 4 roads. Kip seconded. Commissioners in favor: All. Commissioners opposed: None. Geoff will write the proposal requesting the reclassification of all park roads and Aaron and Cara will go to the city council. 2. Dog Waste Proposal: The Dog Waste Working Group presented their proposal to the Parks Commission. The working group members present introduced themselves: Elizabeth Grupp, Sharon Asay, Danis Regal and Lyn Munno. The two absent working group members are Susan Ritz and Cindy Maker. Elizabeth Grupp gave an overview of the proposal (attached). Here are highlights of the proposal:  Proposing dog waste bag and bin stations as the most effective way to have dog waste cleaned up in the park and city.  Selected the gladiator stations: durable, small opening just for dog waste, well reviewed.  o 5 in Hubbard Park, Winter street entrance, Hubbard Park Drive Entrance, near the tower gate at the Cliff Street entrance, the field where dogs often play, and the new shelter/entrance to the walking trails by the caretaker house. o 1 at Rec Field/North Branch Park o 1 at Dog River Park o 2 on Bike Path o 2 on Stonecutter Way, near Sarduccis, near coop.  A contractor for the City would be hired to pick up the waste - $3.75 per bin. Estimating once a week pick up though possibility that for certain stations might need two times a week. Would have to monitor volume to see what is needed.  Three pronged approach – waste stations, recommending change to a simple ordinance that people pick up after their dogs, and education campaign of some sort – articles, signs – encouraging clean up and reasons for it. Cara asked how difficult it is to put in the stations. Elizabeth Grupp responded that they are a simple T bar that would not be hard to put in. Budget (see attached): Group will try to fundraise for the initial cost – roughly $4400 for the 11 stations. Some potential sources: individual donations, grants (Block, NEGREF, National Life), business sponsors. The yearly maintenance costs will be roughly $2800 for bags and trash collection, about $1400 will be attributed to the parks budget and the rest to the recreation budget and the City. Will fundraise yearly to off-set those costs. Some recommendations for yearly fundraising: voluntary fee on the dog license fee to go to the dog waste stations, masonry donation box in Hubbard, events. Discussed whether it seems okay to have a small sign on the waste stations saying that a business or individual supported that station. Aaron supports having a very small acknowledgement sign. Geoff also said he would want to keep them small. Discussed that while people/businesses can make donations to the parks and towns that it is not tax deductible because there is no non-profit associated with the park. Danis Regal emphasized that having the stations are really important since it has been shown that providing dog waste stations are the only effective way of managing dog waste. Aaron Brondyke commented that he was very impressed with the proposal and that the proposal was incredibly well thought out. He thanked everyone on the Dog Waste Working Group. Geoff Beyer said he likes quite a number of components. He said it is both a pro and a con that the stations will be noticed. There will be some people who do not like seeing the stations. But being noticed will make them more used. He also commented that the $1400 annual fee will be a big change for the park budget. He also wondered whether it was a strange precedent to have waste collection for one user group, but when asked said there was not a lot of other trash in the park. Several commented that the dog waste pick-up would benefit all park users and Aaron Brondyke stated that he feels like it is a benefit worth paying for. Robert Kest, a member of the public, commented that there is an understanding that there are different needs in different groups. Many people without kids still financially support the schools. Geoff warned that the trash collection fee seemed low and he would not be surprised if that rate went up significantly. Aaron made a motion: The Parks Commission endorses the Dog Waste Management Proposal and authorizes the subcommittee to explore opportunities to fundraise for its implementation. Kip seconded the motion. In favor: All; Opposed: None. 3. Dog Policy Subcommittee Commission discussed whether to discuss the Dog Policy since it had just been sent out several commissioners had not yet had a chance to read it. Lyn said she had just received it and felt like we should wait until the next month to discuss Robert Kest, member of the public, said it was on the agenda and he came specifically to hear this discussion. Commission agreed to discuss briefly tonight and again next month. Robert Kest, member of the public stated that for the code of conduct to be successful, then people with dogs need to think it is reasonable. Feels that most seems reasonable except the third rule in the code of conduct. Number 3 states that dogs cannot approach other dogs or people without mutual consent. He feels like this is not feasible and that if one part of the code doesn’t make sense then people will dismiss the whole thing. Then commented that he would like to see this successful. He feels the park has been a wonderful place and that Geoff has done a wonderful job over the years. Lyn Munno agreed with Robert that prior mutual agreement seems unrealistic. She likes much of the other aspects of the code of conduct though needs to look at it in more detail – would certainly need to change number three – just not practical that there would be mutual agreement prior to a dog approaching another dog or person. Feels that we can come up with something that emphasizes people politely checking in with each other but in a more realistic way. Lyn acknowledged that it must have been hard as a committee to come up with the policy and thanked the committee for their work. Danis Regal, member of the public, commented that we should phrase things in the code of conduct a positive way. Marilyn Mode commented that it was a flawed Survey. So biased. It created a huge problem by its very tone. Geoff Beyer commented that he still wants to make sure that the onus of responsibility is on dog owners for the conversation. He feels quite discouraged because in the past he feels that there was always recognition of the problem by the dog walking community and community collaboration and he does not feel that now. Robert Keck emphasized that the park has been great for dogs and that he has never seen that that Geoff is against the dogs. We can bring the tone down. Marilyn Mode said we should create a kid code of conduct and that she is very discouraged. Geoff emphasized that he would still really like to see a cooperative verses an oppositional approach. Not just attacking the commission. Lyn Munno asked if the working group will take Commissions’ comments and create a revised proposal or if it was in the hands of the Commission at this point. Cara Robechek thinks that the working group has concluded their work and that it will be up to the Commission to make revisions. The commission will relook at this next month. 4. Other Updates  The neighbors on Cliff Street have installed the boundary pin  The folks who proposed the race in the park are likely postponing it.  Cara Robechek recommended that maybe the commission have a secretary position again to have more consistent minutes, though not sure anyone will want to take on that role. Discussed that it is hard to participate and take minutes at the same time and that it might even make sense to have an Americorps volunteer taking notes to allow all commissioners to participate in the discussions more fully. Will discuss further at next meeting.  Cara Robechek reported that the city has hired a mediator to work with the Commission and Todd Bailey. The mediator has talked to Geoff, Cara and Todd and will likely have a meeting with the whole commission. Todd would like other dog owners at the meeting as well.  Cara Robechek reported that there was an email complaint regarding an off leash dog in North Branch Park and an email complaint about a belligerent mountain biker in Hubbard Park.  Smoke Free Zone representative wants to come back to the Commission in the fall. Geoff still needs to talk to the Department of Labor on this issue.  Geoff has hired an Americorps volunteer – Gabrielle Monteith who will start at the end of September.  National Life Trail – all the steps are complete! Lyn Munno wondered whether we should do some kind of article or outreach to celebrate the accomplishment and let folks know about the trail.  House – Alec and Shannon are living upstairs. Downstairs is not livable. Time and budget are both issues. The City is not yet collecting rent due to the ongoing construction.