Minutes Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting – Alden Community Center
Meeting date: June 17, 2014

In attendance: Steve Dell, Jim Gurr, Ken Masck, Dave Peterson & Ruth Smith
Absent: Mike Crawford, Jan Loveland, & Carolyn Nowfel

1. Community Input: Someone mentioned to Ruth that sand was needed at Archie Valleau Landing.
2. Minutes from 05/20/2014 -approved as presented and will be published on the HT website.
3. Information from June Helena Twp. Mtg.: A written report can be found at the end of the minutes.

OLD BUSINESS:

4. Protocols and procedures:  The grid for scoring projects that might come before the committee was again discussed. Jan and Ruth need to spend more time upgrading the grid.  Jan & Ruth will report back in July.
   5. Review our 5-year-plan – It was decided that individual committee members will work on reviewing the 5-year-plan for various parks. Members will be prioritizing goals and objectives and will develop plan(s) to achieve these goals and objectives.  These evaluations will be brought back to the full committee for review. ‘Assigned’  Alden Safe Harbor – none, Archie Valleau Landing- none,  Ball Park, Dave, Community Center, Carolyn, Coy Mountain- Ken Masck, Depot Park – Jan Loveland, Tennis Court Park – Steve Dell & Ruth Smith
   6. Application for Recreational Passport Grant. Steve has submitted the grant and further documentation. Christie Bayus , our DNR advisor for grants will be doing a site review  at Tennis Court Park 6-18-14.
5. Walking path request from the Friends of the District library group. This remains on hold until the procedures and protocols to determine the Pk & Rec. Committee position on the project are completed.
   8. Steve and Ruth are organizing a meeting June 25^th. We want to see if there is support for forming some type of formal organization to work to renew and maintain the tennis courts.
   9. The Coy Mt. clean up will take place June 21^st.
   10. The application for placement of buoys at Ball Park, Depot Park, Archie Valleau Landing, & Mary’s Beach has been approved and Mike Crawford will work to get them installed.
   11. Application to GT Band for 2% funds for resurfacing the Alden Tennis Courts – move to July agenda.
   12. Joint Pk & Rec. and USTA project to introduce GT Band Campers to tennis – move to July agenda.

NEW BUSINESS:

13. Brad Gerlock from the Regional Land Conservancy has walked Coy Mt. to review the possibility of a redesign that will make the trail more accessible and sustainable. Depending upon what is decided the trail costs could be mostly labor. Relocation of the parking area was discussed. Improving a current trail & or adding a new trail that is more accessible was discussed.

There are a lot of details to look in to before we would be in a position to evaluate the feasibility of this project. Finding the survey or most likely a new survey is needed. We need to obtain the deed to check any restrictions. We need to research whether HT made any ‘promises’ to the DNR regarding further land use during the process of obtaining the Trust Fund monies to make the last Coy Mt. land purchase.

 
Minutes Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting – June 17, 2014 Continued

NEW BUSINESS CONTINUED:
14. Dave has taken pictures of signage at all of our Parks and Road endings. He will present them at the July meeting.
15. The need for repair of the steps at Depot Park was discussed. Steve & Ruth are to work on this project and present a MOU to the HT board.

16. Whether it is legal to have a vote via email was discussed. The decision was that it is wiser not to take a vote this was.
    17. Prioritize “future agenda items” – advanced to the July agenda.
    18. The first GT Band exposure to tennis groups will meet Thursday this week.
    Other Agenda Items:

None

 

 Action Items needed / Individual Assignments to be completed:
Carolyn:

1. May contact colleges concerning the possibility of students taking on a project to work on a site plan for the Alden Ball Park.
2. Dave:

1. Will talk with Heidi Shaffer about meeting with us to look over HT properties and discuss water access.
2. To discuss pictures of signage at various Pk & Rec sites with Committee in July.
3. Actions completed:

1.   Continues to work with company on garlic mustard eradication.
2. Took pictures of signage at various Pk & Rec. sites1. to further work with Ruth on developing a scoring grid for projects coming to the Pk. & Rec. Comm.
3. Actions completed:
4. Jan:

1. Developed a letter to be sent to property owners adjacent to the proposed buoy sites.
2. Buoy application has been sent to the DNR
3. Ken:

1. To continue work with Brad Gerlock to help asses issues of trail maintenance and possible trail development.
2. Actions completed:

1. Walked the trails at Coy Mt. with Brad Gerlock and discussed trail maintenance and possible trail development.
2. Provided maps for buoy request and also talked with one adjacent property owner.
3. Organized a trail work day at Coy Mountain – June 21^st – 9am until Noon. Mike:
   1. He will ask for abstracts for the HT Coy Mt. and Ball Park properties.
   Ruth:
     1.The approved May minutes are to be sent to Joyce Looman for publishing online.
4. 2. The June minutes need to be prepared for review by the Committee.
   3. Wk. with Jan to further develop. a scoring grid for projects coming to the Pk. & Rec. Committee.
   Actions completed:
   A. Sent April minutes to Joyce Looman for publishing online.
   B. Prepared May minutes for committee review at June meeting.
   Steve:
5. Action Items needed / Individual Assignments to be completed continued:
6.  

1. Will type up the scoring grid for projects presented to the Pk. & Rec. Committee for review as it is revised.
   Actions completed:

1. Completed a 2% Tribal Grant application for help with tennis court repairs

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
These items will continue to be carried forward until they are discussed by the Committee

1. October – Discuss fee schedule for use of Park or pavilions or……
   2. Discuss handicap parking in Helena Township.
   3. Discuss developing a plan for a reservation system for all township parks.
   4. Discuss doing a memo to the Twp. Board about placing signs at all parks to clarify that the township owns them and who to contact if there are questions or concerns about the site. This is to be discussed after the committee has a chance to visit all the Parks and Road Access sites this Spring/Summer.
2. Maps we use for Pks & Rec. Five Yr. Plan + are correct? – keep contact with Dan Roketenetz on this. Be sure the signs at the Lake St. and other sites give the public a clear idea of what is public and what is private land.
3. Work to update the Parks and Recreation pages of the Helena Township web site.
4. Mike mentioned the AAU Sports / Recreation Complex – Morey Complex- and suggested that they may be     looking to locate a similar complex in Northern Michigan.
5. Look into the possibility of Flo McCormick (MI Assoc. of Counties) helping with writing any Pks. And Rec.
   grants. (Mike Crawford). Determine a grant writing resource and consider a grant recommendation review committee (P&R Committee – ?) that would review grants and give input to the Township Board (Rick)
   9. Consider Keith Charters as a resource for Pk. & Rec. projects.
   10. Riparian rights / possible review by township attorney (Dave)
   11. Any new equipment (picnic tables, benches, etc.)should not be made of wood (Rick) – see Rick’s page
   12. Further discuss Alden Safe Harbor and its park status / ownership – memo to Board?
6. Research rules and laws governing road ending lake access sites (Steve, Ruth)
7. Deed restrictions for Helena Twp. Parks are to be reviewed. (Bring copies of deeds -Steve)

15 Check responsibilities of the Parks & Rec. Committee outlined in the current HT Master Plan.

The next monthly meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15^th, 2014 – 3 PM at the Helena Township Offices.

Respectfully submitted by Ruth Smith 07-14-2014

 

 

 

Parks and Recreation related notes from the HT Board Meeting June 12, 2014

1. The Historical Society wants to work with the Alden Volunteers to put a shed roof on the garage at Depot Park (30’ running n/s). This would be used to protect some old time equipment that has been given to the Historical Society. The AV would do the work but are asking HT to buy the supplies. This will be four posts and a roof.
   Issues involved:
   a. HT Board needs an estimate of the cost of supplies for this project.
   b. The Depot building is designated a historical site. When the garage was build it needed to be done in a certain style because of the historical designation. The HT board wants to be sure that we are doing everything that needs to be done concerning properly maintaining the historical designation.
   c. The need for a building permit and obtaining it if needed is to be pursued.

1. Memorandum of Understanding – I don’t remember this being discussed.

1. The cleanup project at Coy Mt. was discussed. The board approved the building of a path over the wet area. They want Mike Crawford to work with Bob Logee and Ken Masck concerning the cutting of any trees.
2. The redesign of the Coy Mountain trail was discussed. The board would like the Pks and Rec. Committee to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding to be presented to the board for consideration.
3. Dave Peterson stated someone had asked that doggy clean up bags be provided at Depot Park and the board approved this.
4. The board approved needed work on the driving areas around the Community center and the back parking area. Tearing down a deteriorating block building in the back was also approved. Included in this was also work on drains for runoff water from the roof.
5. The proper process for projects such as adding the shed roof was discussed. It was acknowledged that this project should typically be sent to the Pk. & Rec. committee. I said it was probably a good thing the board had handled it directly as we do not yet have the process of evaluating projects that come before us. The fact that groups don’t know that this type of request needs to go to the Pks and Rec Committee was discussed. The idea of sending this information for the process and expectations to community groups when developed was discussed.

Ruth Smith
6.13.2014