Parks Commission

Dan Dickerson Carolyn Grodinsky Bill Johnson Bryan Pfeiffer, Chairman Sarah Swenson Geoff Beyer, Parks Director Alec Ellsworth, Parks Caretaker Montpelier Park’s Commission Meeting Minutes June 14, 2016 Commissioners attending: Bryan Pfeiffer, Sarah Swenson, Bill Johnson, Carolyn Grodinsky Parks Staff: Geoff Beyer, Alec Ellsworth · Agenda approved · Approve May Park’s Commission meeting minutes: Sarah motioned, Bill seconded, approved · Meet with Parks Commission candidates: Dan Nickerson, Fab Pattison, Joanne Garton. Each gave a short talk about their interest in and experience, to fill one open spot on the Commission. · Update on intergenerational “Community Service Department” o Geoff – talked with Tim Traver and Deliah Clark, The two are coming to the next Park’s meeting and they want the meeting to be a public process. Tim will have a series of questions for public and Commissioners, pros and cons of joining or not joining. Question: do we want to combine this with a Parks meeting or have a separate Parks meeting? o Two staff from each department are involved in this process for merging. What level of these services do residents want and what would be the process for this? Bryan: 1) For the meeting on July 19th, we would need to set aside 1 ½ hours. Parks should set some agenda items including: a. Governance b. What are the potential benefits and costs c. Allocation of resources d. Parks staff thoughts on the merger e. Reorganization should involve a wider spectrum of City agencies. For example, efficiencies could be achieved by having DPW help more the Park roads or the City Clerk’s office collect Park fees. Bill and Geoff to meet and draft a memo for Parks Commission members about the Pros and Cons of merging, from their June 24th meeting and include the recommendation that Park’s staff tree work moves to DPW staff workload. · Ordinance and potential options for new dog park space o Sarah - Ordinance Committee met last week: concerns are, what is the due process if a dog is recommended to be put down. Recommendation is to have an Animal Behavior Specialist review the situation. Any animal issue will go through the Restorative Justice process. o Discussed have a dog park in Montpelier, is there a place in Hubbard Park for a dog park? · Flat area and woods before you get to the soccer field. · Is there interest in discussing this? Yes, need to do it in preparation for 2017 budget. www.montpelier-vt.org/464/Parks-Commission parks-commission@montpelier-vt.org 802.223.7335  Dan Dickerson Carolyn Grodinsky Bill Johnson Bryan Pfeiffer, Chairman · Discussed having an educational dog class for owners, Carolyn to follow up with Kas at Sarah Swenson CVHS about leading a demonstration at the Park. Geoff Beyer, Parks Director · Question the enforceability of the ordinance Alec Ellsworth, Parks Caretaker Parks Director and Caretaker Reports and Items: Summer Project Review (Geoff and Alec) · Interested in creating some parking spaces on Gould Hill Road to provide for access to North Branch trails. Would need to apply for a permit to do this. · Old Shelter outhouse to be done at the end of summer · Pond at Winter Street entrance – pond has algae in it, last cleaned up at least 15 years ago. The DPW received a grant as part of the Better Back Roads program to control erosion. They are working together with Stone Environmental to develop a plan for the park road and pond, and we will be working together with them to carry out improvements. · Park celebration day: We are planning a one-off event in the park to celebrate the parks and our international volunteers at some point in July. · Vermont Community Foundation – The Parks Dept. received a $2500 grant from the VT Community Foundation to improve our nature trail. · Geoff: interest in having a hiking trail on step long section of North Branch Park to reduce erosion and make it easier for the Park’s staff to maintain. Would like to do this with NCCC in the fall. · AmeriCorps staff, Zack, working on invasives in North Branch and Hubbard o Montpelier project App iNaturalist– take photo of invasive at its location and App does GPS location with the goal of mapping invasive plants on public and private land in Montpelier. · Earlier this summer, The park received a grant to plant fruit trees, nuts, and shrubs between the high school and Peace Park. We have been carrying out this work and have planted over 70 plants along the bike path. · Parks will work on at least three miles of trails each year. Got a grant from Department of Labor for a crew to begin at the end of June. · Need to replace benches along State House trail – might be a Youth Build project. · Alec and Geoff to develop 8 acre Stoneview Meadows park plan (by fall), have a neighborhood meeting · Tower area – trees are starting to block the view. Staff doing a cutting plan for trees. Much of the area to be trimmed is donated state land, for use as a park. Statehouse wants to make sure the dome is kept in the trees (plan for trimming is November/December) · Grant received to do an inventory of street trees from the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program · Would like to do a trail up from Police Station to Blanchard Park trail, perhaps to begin this fall with NCCC, or at least start making plans for it. · Feedback/reaction on new reservation fees · Park’s staff still waiting to get signs back Esther Farnsworth’s email on Peace Park · Peace park as well as Stonewall meadows are not on the map, will add them to the map and post on the website Executive Session: New commissioner appointment, Ranger House Rental (Alec) www.montpelier-vt.org/464/Parks-Commission parks-commission@montpelier-vt.org 802.223.7335  Dan Dickerson Carolyn Grodinsky Bill Johnson Bryan Pfeiffer, Chairman July 19th agenda topics Sarah Swenson Intergenerational “Community Services Department” meeting Geoff Beyer, Parks Director Alec Ellsworth, Parks Caretaker August Parks Commission meeting is a walk in the park (instead of a meeting at Police Station) www.montpelier-vt.org/464/Parks-Commission parks-commission@montpelier-vt.org 802.223.7335