Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes for 11/17/2015 –                                                                            Approved 1-19-2016

In attendance: Mike Crawford, Steve Dell, Brad Gerlach, Jim Gurr, Jan Loveland, Ken Masck Dave Peterson, & Ruth Smith.
1.   Community Input:  None

 

2. Minutes from 10/20/2015 meeting:  reviewed and approved as presented. They will be published online.

 

3. Information from monthly Helena Twp. Mtg.:
   The board wants us to handle the Juniper Club project request using the full assessment process developed by P&R.
   

OLD BUSINESS:

4. Recreational Passport Grant from DNR and bid packages: No further information.

 

5.Juniper Garden Club request.  A letter has been sent to Juniper Garden Club letting them know that they need to provide information

concerning their final selection for garden ornaments to the P&R Committee. They felt this would be next summer.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

6.Mike Merriweather to discuss efforts to reopen Coy Mtn. Trail. Mike was not in attendance but did send a written assessment with two option to be considered concerning Coy Mt.. His information is attached. The committee reviewed and discussed the two options presented. There was not full agreement but the P&R Committee did vote to recommend option two to the HT Board. This plan includes a harvest that addresses forest health, wildlife, hazard trees & esthetics on the entire property. It is recommended that dead ash threes, infected beach, and other trees showing significant signs of decline be removed.

 

7. Mark Stone report on the state of parks and recreation in Antrim County. Mark’s report was reviewed. No action was taken.

 

8. Revision of our five –year plan. We are to work as a committee to look at each park to update current needs and develop a plan for maintaining and development of the park. We will begin with Depot park . This will now be a January agenda item.

 

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENTS TO BE COMPLETED

Report on assignments/research/activities since last meeting (Brad, Dave, Jan, Jim, Ken, Mike, Ruth, Steve).

Brad:

Contact Heidi Schaffer.  Find out how Helena Township can be included in grant funds received to help combat invasive species.

Dave:

Continue work on getting quotes on prices for signage at road endings and parks. When ready send quotes to Ruth to be presented to the HT Board for approval of funding.

Ruth:

Complete November meeting minutes.

Send approved October meeting minutes to Joyce Looman to be published online.

Work with Steve and Joyce Looman to update the Pk & Rec online information

Send recommendation to HT Board concerning Forest Management at Coy Mt.

Steve:
Continue as point man for working with the project engineer and the DNR to resurface tennis courts and do walkway in Tennis Court Park.

Work with Ruth and Joyce Looman to update the Pk & Rec online information

Prepare agenda for January meeting.

 

Jan, Jim, Ken, & Mike:
No current assignments

 

 

Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes for 11/17/2015 continued –                                                          Approved 1-19-2016

 

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:

 

1. Report on our 5-year-plan progress. This is something that we need to talk over as a committee. It will be on the January agenda. The discussion will include how we are going to prioritize needed improvements in the parks based on the current 5-year plan. We also need to consider what might need to be included in the next 5-year plan.

 

• Park & Rec. Budget. If this is removed from the Master plan we will not need to present a formal budget.

• Discuss the need for rules and a process including a Memorandum of Understanding, for the Ball Park and other parks similar to the one used for Depot Park.  The committee will consider working on a process and guidelines for requests for events to take place in our parks. (Jan. 2016?).

• Handicap parking in HT (discussion) to be discussed when each Park is evaluated.

• Look into new sign for Coy Mountain. (April 2016)

• Discuss and decide what twp. Roads would be best for a bicycle route. Look at the entire county for continuity. (See master plan) May 2016.

• Discuss 80 acres that township owns near McPherson Rd. to decide what recreational uses it might provide (Apl?)

• Discuss Requests for Memorials in the Parks. (February 2016)

• Updating of P & R website (Sept. yearly – in the works now for 2015 (Sept. 2016)

•  Bathroom doors in community center and ADA issues. (Jan. 2016?)

 

 

The next monthly meeting is scheduled for:
Tuesday, January 19^th, 2016 – 3pm at Helena Township Offices
respectfully submitted by Ruth Smith
11-24-2015