Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes for 01/01/2020            Approved 2-5-2020                                                  In attendance: Steve Dell, Jim Gurr, Jan Loveland, Bonnie Robbins, Ruth Smith, & Barry Snyder. Absent: Laura Westerman  

• Community input: None

• Minutes from the 11/06/2019 meeting were approved as presented & will be published on the HT website

• The HT Board was advised that P&R had been told by our DNR representative, Erin Campbell, that local jurisdictions have the authority to decide if there will be hunting or not on lands that DNR grants had helped to purchase.

1. 1. OLD BUSINESS

• Soil erosion at the Ball Park: An email was just sent to Heidi Shaffer asking if she could prepare the shoreline stabilization permit for HT in Jan. or Feb. 2020.   Copies of the three deeds at the Ball Park were given to P&R Members. Nothing further is to be done at this time. If work is approved for shoreline stabilization, we may suggest to the township board that the county attorney look at the deeds to see if there are any restrictions that would keep us from having this work done. After the planned stabilization plan has been determined we will want to pursue estimates of cost for the project.

• Coy Mt. Acquisition Project: The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) plans to try to raise monies through private donations for purchase of land from two property owners. Meanwhile the P&R Committee will do what needs to be done now in case we need to try to pursue purchase of the lands through a DNR Trust Fund grant request. Another adjacent property might be available but the owner is currently requesting an amount higher than the appraised value we have on record. Additional “comps” have been sent to the GTRLC and we are waiting to see if this changes the appraisal figure.

• The Helena Township “DNR 2019 – 2023 5-Year Plan” was approved by the DNR November 19, 2019.

• Capital Improvement Plan: The computer software is to be delivered in June 2020.

• The Coy Mt. Forest Management Policy was approved by the Helena Twn. Board as presented. This took place at their 11-14, 2019 meeting.

• Parking issues at Safe Harbor. Barry will attempt to contact Burt Thompson of Antrim Rd. Comm. and report back.

• Signage for Coy Mt.: Bonnie and Jan will talk over kiosk ideas and will report back at the February P&R meeting.

• Annual review of the P&R Website. To be discussed at the February meeting.

NEW BUSINESS:

• Tri-fold brochures and some “high-tech” chips telling about our parks and community events. This will remain as an agenda item for February.

The next monthly meeting is scheduled for: Wednesday, February 5^th, 2020 at 7pm in the meeting room at the Community Bldg.

Respectfully submitted by Ruth Smith 01/04/2020