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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes ADVISORY PARK BOARD MINUTES MARCH 13, 2006 Present: Bryan Bain, Ted Bowen, Bill Gogolewski, Kay Hansen, Jim Michelson, Larry Pasquini, Jim Schwochert, Terry Wohler Excused: Bill Akan Staff: Thomas Stephany, Director of Parks; Vince Maas, Parks Operations Manager; Bill Sturm, Landscape Operations Manager/City Forester; Trish Wendorf, Parks Office Manager Chairman Michelson called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. A quorum was determined to be present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Bowen for approval of the February 6, 2006 minutes, as distributed. Seconded by Gogolewski. Motion carried 7-0. 1) Water-based Facilities Projects Mr. Stephany reiterated his memorandum of March 10, 2006 (copy of said memorandum on file at the City Parks office and made a part of these minutes). Discussion ensued relative to the depth conditions at Fugleberg and the 24th Avenue boat launch areas. Mr. Stephany gave a brief synopsis of his recent meeting with Greg Jansen, Project Manager for Radtke Contractors. He stated he would like to have the coffer dam work done at Rainbow in the very near future. Mr. Schwochert arrived at this time (6:06 PM), making an 8-member Board. Mr. Wohler stated he had never heard of any complaints with either of the boat launches. He stated he had no problem with the pile cap work being done at either of the boat launches as the caps extend the life of the launches. Mr. Wohler suggested better lighting for the docks, especially at Rainbow since it is the busiest launch in the City. Discussion ensued as to what type of improvements could be made at the boat launches within the City and possible grants available through the DNR Waterways Commission. Mr. Gogolewski suggested improved parking at Rainbow and lighting at Steiger to guide the boaters. Ms. Hansen suggested a sanitation pump at Rainbow. Mr. Wohler suggested installing hoses at the launches to hose off the docks. It was the consensus of the Board to put the issue of extending the docks on hold at the present time in order to allow staff an opportunity to obtain price quotes for same. Motion by Wohler for approval of the construction of a 100-ft. transient (and fishing) dock at the 24th Avenue boat launch and to purchase caps for all dock piles within the City parks system. Seconded by Hansen. Motion carried 8-0. CITIZENS STATEMENTS 1) Nancy Sobralski – Sawyer Creek Trail Issues Paul Sobralski, 3195 Sawyer Creek Drive, husband of Nancy Sobralski, appeared before the Board. He stated his wife, Nancy, was ill and unable to attend the Board meeting. Mr. Sobralski expressed his family’s concerns with the vandalism and placement of graffiti constantly occurring on the bridge at Ruschfield Drive and Newport Avenue and the bridge at Sawyer Creek Drive. His family is working with the School District, the Oshkosh Police Department, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s ADVISORY PARK BOARD MINUTES PAGE 2 MARCH 13, 2006 Department, local television and newspapers and surrounding neighborhoods to heighten the awareness and enforce the City Ordinance. Mr. Sobralski also mentioned that the nuts and bolts on the railings on the top row of the bridge on the school side of the creek are loose or missing. Mr. Maas stated he was not aware of the nuts and bolts being loosened and/or removed, but noted that he would have the crews check the situation out early tomorrow morning (March 14, 2006). He suggested that the parks staff could install tampered resistant screws and bolts to deter further removal. PARK DIRECTOR/STAFF REPORTS 1) Lakeshore Municipal Golf Course Report No report was available. 2) Hiker’s Monument Project Mr. Sturm reported that he is working with the Project Oshkosh group, which is a motivated committee interested in improving the beautification of the community and areas related to parks. Other groups he works with are Oshkosh Blooms which is a committee committee that is instrumental with the Adopt a Flower Bed project, and the group from the Paine Art Center who have come forward with an interest to improve the plantings at the Hiker’s Monument property as well as the adjacent property on the southeast corner. These groups have generated money to help pay for conceptual plans to enhance that area as they feel it is identified as a gateway to the City. The plan includes the need to focus on the Hiker’s statue and make it more visible to that corner, which includes removing downed wood (brush/trees) and eliminate the buckthorn problem. The goal of these groups is to have an annual endowment fund which would enable the Forestry Department to grow plants on a yearly basis. 3) Tree City Award Mr. Sturm reported that on Thursday, March 9, 2006, the City of Oshkosh was awarded it’s 25th annual Tree City USA award. The award ceremony took place at the Madison Monona Terrace Convention Center. Mr. Sturm, City Forester, Common Council member Shirley Mattox, and Oshkosh Southwest Rotary Environmental Beautification Committee Chairman, Paul Fowler, received the award for Oshkosh for it’s 25 years as a Tree City from DNR Secretary Scott Hassett. Mr. Bowen stated he has been seeing a lot of pruning by the Forestry crew going on within the City and feels they are going a great job. 4) Boat Launches Start-Up Mr. Stephany reported that staff is making sure all the informational booths/stands are being updated and that they are well stocked with boat launch envelopes. He wanted to inform the public that once a person is in the Ranger’s computer as having a “warning”, then they are in the system permanently and the next step after a violation would be the issuance of a citation. Staff does not “restart” the warning system each year. Mr. Maas reported that the parks crew had removed the carpeting from the 24th Avenue and Fugleberg boat launches and replacing it with a hard white plastic which is a more durable product. He stated to continually replace or repair torn carpet was time consuming and expensive. BOARD MEMBERS STATEMENTS 1) Gogolewski/Boat Launch Update Mr. Gogolewski withdrew this request as staff previously answered his questions. 2) Gogolewski/Status of Golf Course Advisory Committee Discussion ensued relative to the purpose of the committee and if there was a need to continue to maintain it. Mr. Wohler stated it was something that the City needed when the golf course first started out, but he didn’t feel it was necessary to keep it formed. It was the consensus of the Board to dissolve the Golf Course Advisory Committee. ADVISORY PARK BOARD MINUTES PAGE 3 MARCH 13, 2006 ADJOURNMENT There being no other business, Motion to adjourn by Gogolewski; Seconded by Schwochert. Motion carried 8-0. The meeting adjourned at 6:55 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Trish Wendorf Recording Secretary