Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes for 08/02/2017 Approved 9/6/2017

In attendance: Jim Gurr, Jan Loveland, Bonnie Robbins, & Ruth Smith. Absent: Mike Crawford, Steve Dell, & Jeanne Peeples.

Bonnie Robbins chaired the meeting. Community members present: Laura Westerman.

1. Community Input. None

2. Minutes from the 07/05/2017 meeting were approved & will be published online. 3. Information from the Helena Twp. Meeting John Ferguson requested that some upkeep work be done on the alley way behind his home so that he would be able to use this road. There was no other specific P&R input from the HT meeting. Some items of general interest to the Committee were mentioned.

OLD BUSINESS: 4. Recreational Passport Grant from DNR we are working with Cathy Rice to get the needed verifications in order to request the full amount of the remaining grant monies from the DNR. 5. GTR Land Conservancy at Coy Mt. Preserve Todd Vigland of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) has presented a draft project agreement for GTRLC and HT to work together at Coy Mt. Preserve. Todd has not yet furnished the needed budget information. Moved to the Sept. agenda. 6. Helena Township (HT) and Alden Volunteers (AV) working together on projects. The committee was in agreement that there is nothing further needed at this time concerning AV & HT working together. Before the HT board would approve any plan the funding sources would need to be clarified. If the committee does take on a project that they feel is appropriate they will work with AV to see what funds are available through them and will be proposing the township also provide appropriate monies. This item will be removed from ongoing agendas.

7. Erosion Abatement Project at Ball Park. Elmer’s gave us a bid estimate. Mike will continue to try to obtain other estimates and will hopefully report at the September meeting.

8 HT Parks Survey Results. The Committee reviewed the current survey results. Bonnie received eight more paper surveys which need to be input before the final survey results are tallied. There was agreement to hold a public meeting to review the results and take additional comment at 7pm on Aug. 21, 2017. Bonnie will contact the Antrim Co. Review to advertise. Ruth will contact The Elk Rapids News and The Voice. 2

9. Revision of our five-year-plan. Tentative Time Frames:

Currently: The final eight paper Monkey Survey results will be input. Information will be sent to local newspapers to advertise the public meeting Aug. 21st at 7pm. August: Aug. 21st -Public meeting to get input on survey results. Coop Extension will help.

Meet with other groups (DABA, AV, etc.) to discuss results and get input.

Sept – October: Complete “Recreation and Natural Resources Plan”

November: Consider approval of plan at regular P&R meeting and at same meeting get public

Input on the plan.

March 1: Submit plan to DNR prior to this date.

10. Accessibility assessment at the Ball Park. Steve has contacted Jim Moore from Disability Network and they will be arranging a date to review the site. Steve will report back to the Committee in Sept.

NEW BUSINESS: 11. 2017 Community Growth Grant. Cathy Rice passed on a possible grant opportunity. The Committee reviewed the information. The committee felt that it is not considering any projects at this time that fit the specifications of the grant. It was also noted that there is a Sept. 1st deadline for the grant which is not feasible.

The Public meeting to present the P&R survey results and solicit further public input will be at 7pm August 21, 2017.

The next monthly meeting is scheduled for: Wednesday, September 6th, 2017– 7pm Meeting room at the Community Bldg… Respectfully submitted by Ruth Smith 08/14/2017