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10-30-2023 HOPKINS PARK BOARD AGENDA Monday, October 30, 2023 5:30 pm THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE UNTIL THE START OF THE PARK BOARD MEETING The public may attend this meeting in-person. I.CALL TO ORDER II.ADOPT AGENDA III.COMMUNITY COMMENT 1.At this time, any interested resident may come to speak on an item not on the evening’s agenda. IV.CONSENT AGENDA V.GENERAL BUSINESS 1.Buckthorn Event Update, Stiele/Miller 2.Park Board Work Plan, Imihy Bean 3.Adopt-A-Park Program, Imihy Bean VI.GENERAL PARK UPDATE 1.Park System Master Plan Update, Imihy Bean VII.PARK AREA ASSIGNMENT REPORTS 1.Callie Flynn: Burnes, Buffer 2.Kimberly Stiele: Park Valley, Oakes 3.Kristin Hanneman: Maetzold, Valley 4.Wendy Woodfill: Harley, Elmo 5.Matthew Miller: Downtown, Central 6.Carsyn Johnson: Cottageville, Minnehaha Creek Preserve 7.Rachel Dachenbach: Interlachen, Hiawatha 8.Jon Lyksett: Shady Oak Beach, Hilltop VIII.ANNOUCEMENTS 1.Next Meeting: Monday, November 27, 2023 – at Hopkins City Hall, 1010 1st St S. IX.ADJOURN Park Board 2024 Annual Work Plan Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Develop a master plan for Central Park which includes a feasibility study for an expansion of the Pavilion Winter 2024 $100,000 Staff support from Planning, Public Works + Minnetonka Parks and Recreation would be needed. Information/Progress Report: In 2022, the Park Board selected Landscape Architecture firm, Confluence, as the contractor for the Master Park System Plan. The work on this plan will be complete in Winter 2023, and the next step is to begin implementation of the plan. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Tour Hopkins and Minnetonka Recreation Facilities Winter 2024 None Support from Public Works and Minnetonka Parks and Recreation staff would be needed. Information/Progress Report: With many new commissioners onboarded in the past year, as well as Minnetonka’s acquisition of the Marsh, it would be useful to the Park Board to tour some of the Park facilities and spaces as the board implements the Park System Master Plan. Park Board 2024 Annual Work Plan Initiative ☐ New Initiative ☒ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Continue Tabling at or Creating Events related to the Parks (Arbor Day, Garden Plot Kick Off, Buckthorn Removal, Earth Day) Fall 2024 $500 Support from Hopkins Public Works Information/Progress Report: The Park Board will continue to table at events to promote use of the parks, sustainability within the parks and to promote keeping the parks clean and safe. Initiative ☒ New Initiative ☐ Continued Initiative ☐ On-Going Initiative Target Completion Date Budget Required Staff Support Required Council Approval Park Policy Review for Racial Equity Winter 2024 None Support from Minnetonka Recreation Information/Progress Report: The Park Board will form a working group to review the City’s policies related to the parks for alignment with the City’s overall equity goals. Park Board 2024 Annual Work Plan Ongoing Responsibilities • Review of Park Dedication Funds • Advise Council on operation and maintenance on parks • Increase public understanding of park policies, practices, and ongoing projects Other Work Plan Ideas Considered for Current Year or Future Years • Revised Capital Improvement Plan which incorporates recommendations from Master Parks Plan • System improvements consistent with Master Parks Plan Proposed Month for Work Session: November Staff Comments: Council Comments: 1 CITY OF HOPKINS Memorandum To: Chair and Members of the Park Board From: PeggySue Imihy Bean, Special Projects and Initiatives Manager Date: October 30, 2023 Subject: Adopt-A-Park Program Recommendations _____________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDED ACTION MOTION TO approve the Adopt-A-Park program as recommended in this report. OVERVIEW At the Park Board’s request, Staff has reviewed the City’s current Adopt-A-Park program and compared it against other similar programs in other communities to make recommendations for the program in 2024. CURRENT PROGRAM The City of Hopkins Adopt-A-Park Program has 14 parks/nature areas, and one trail available for adoption. Park adopters range from individuals, families, several civic organizations or neighborhood groups, and businesses. Many of the parks have had the same adopters as far back as 2013 or even earlier. This list is made available on the City’s website. Park adopters are named on a sign in the park and listed on the City website in recognition of their work. The current program requires adopters to pick up litter a minimum of one time each month. Public Works will provide bags and disposal services if requested by the adopter. The program currently does not have a set clean-up day or event where all adopters come and clean their park or trail. Currently, this program currently receives little administrative or financial investment from the City, largely leaving the nuances of what park adoption looks like to each park adopter. In conversations with the Park Board and City Staff, it was decided the program should be evaluated for what additional administrative support from City Staff and direct involvement from the Park Board may be needed. As part of the research for this item, staff connected with park adopters to understand their perspective on the program. The following comments and observations about the program were made: Administration 2 • Adopters often used their own bags and disposal services because they did not know about the free resources from the city. • The level to which adopters maintain their parks varies from group to group , with some doing annual larger clean-up events, while others do more frequent clean- ups throughout the year. • While some adopters may reach out to the City after they have performed a clean - up, there is no regular communication from the City to the adopters nor is there currently a check-in, update, or reminder process in place for adopters. With the added staff capacity of the new Deputy City Clerk and renewed interest in the program from the Park Board, and after evaluating the current City program and other similar programs, Staff recommends the following changes to the program. RECOMMENDATIONS First, Staff recommends updating the documents available on the website and the website to clarify expectations and information regarding the Adopt-A-Park Program. Secondly, Staff proposes the following requirements of the Adopt-A-Program participants. Adopter Duties: • Sign a Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liability Form. • Pick up litter and clean up refuse at least once per month • Remove branches, sticks, and other harmful objects from public area. • Raking leaves, playground woodchips, and pulling weeds as necessary. • Maintain and oversee clean park equipment and facilities such as the playground, picnic tables, benches, sidewalks, courts, fields, etc. • Notify any vandalism, graffiti, maintenance repairs, and unsafe conditions at the adopted site to City Staff. Finally, Staff recommends adding information to the website providing more information about how residents or businesses might do a one-time clean up event as this has become more popular over the past year. In previous discussions on this item, the Park Board has also expressed their interest in being more involved in the program. Staff proposes that this looks like the following: Park Board Program Involvement: • Connecting with the adopters of each member’s park assignments. • Consider participating in monthly or annual events with those who have adopted a park assigned to a board member. • Consider hosting a city-wide event to promote cleaning up the parks. Additionally, as part of the program changes, City Staff will work to improve communication with program participants throughout the year, continue to evaluate and modify the program as necessary and support adopters throughout their involvement in the program.