MINUTES

CITY OF OAK CREEK PARKS, RECREATION & FORESTRY COMMISSION

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Present:  Alderperson Ann Lampe, Patricia Glatch, Janet Fluegel, Marianne Dickmann, Peter Wagner, Paul Sigler (left at 6:52 pm) and Greg Lampe.

Absent: Dan Jahn

The February 8, 2007, Oak Creek Parks, Recreation & Forestry Commission meeting was called to order at 6:14 p.m. by Chairperson Janet Fluegel

The minutes from the January 11, 2007, meeting were approved on a motion made by Ann Lampe and seconded by Patricia Glatch.  All aye; motion carried.

The financial statements and claims for January 2007 were approved on a motion made by Marianne Dickmann and seconded by Pete Wagner. All aye; motion carried.

Safe Route to School Grant-Consider City of Oak Creek participation with Milwaukee County in application for a bike trail grant

Milwaukee County contacted the director to inquire as to whether or not the City of Oak Creek would:

  1. Be interested in participating with Milwaukee County in applying for a Safe Route to School Bike Trail Grant that is not a matching funds grant and in which the sum approved could be up to $200,000.
  2. Consider co-sharing in any expenditure not covered from grant funds.

After some discussion, the Commission favored a proposed bike trail segment where the Oak Leaf Bike Trail would branch off north of East Middle School, continue east and then northeast on parkway lands to Puetz Road.  Puetz Road is a class two (delineated bike lane next to traffic lane) bike trail that services the Forest Hill Neighborhood (which also contains Riverton Meadows Neighborhood Park). The proposed trial segment would continue from just south of Puetz Road southeast on parkway lands to 15th Avenue just south of East Carollton Drive.  Fifteenth Avenue to East Carollton Drive is a Class 3 (signage) bike trail that would service a large portion of the Carollton Estates Neighborhood (which also contains Carollton School and Park sites.  Once developed, the new bike trail segment would allow a large portion of the Forest Hill and Carollton Estates neighborhoods to have bike trail access (most of which would be off road trails) to Edgewood Elementary School, Senior High School, East Middle School and Shepard Hills Elementary School sites and the park sites/facilities located in or adjacent to the school sites.  Milwaukee County tentatively estimated that the bike trail segment may be developed for approximately $200,000. The Director informed the Commission that any proposal would have to receive Common Council approval.

Marianne Dickmann made a motion to recommend to the Common Council that the City participate with Milwaukee County in applying for the Safe Route to School Grant with the preferred bike trail segment development request being the Forest Hill, Oak Park and Carollton Estates neighborhoods connection, along with consideration of sharing development expenditures over and above the grant monies awarded.  Seconded by Anne Lampe.  All aye; motion carried.

5-Year Park & Open Space Plan Update

Pete Wagner stated that he is currently working on the 5-Year Park & Open Space Plan.  He is working on the needs analysis chapter of the plan.  This chapter identifies facility needs based on National Park Standards.  Staff has also examined areas for potential future locations of park facilities. Staff will begin to formulate the final goals and recommendations. It is anticipated that a draft of the final plan will be presented to the Commission at the March or April meeting.

Abendschein Community Park- Park Facilities for Phase 1 Development

The School District will construct their new middle school at the East Middle School site and then raze the existing middle school building.  Construction of the new school is scheduled to be completed by the 2008-2009 school year.  Exact location of the new school and the status of the park facilities located at the site have not been determined at this time.  Much more information should be available for the March commission meeting.

The Director met with the Oak Creek Bleacher Bunch. They are very appreciative of the recent improvements made at the baseball diamond.  They would like to see water and electricity available at the ball field.  The Department is discussing with them the possibility of relocating the backstop net poles to outside the backstop fencing.  The Club is asking if they can build a concession stand/storage building/shed west of the ballfield.  The Director requested them to develop a plan that can be presented to the Commission.

Change March Meeting Date

The Director will be unavailable for the next scheduled meeting date.  Marianne Dickmann made a motion that the March meeting be held on Thursday, March 15 at 6 p.m.  Seconded by Pete Wager.  All aye; motion carried

Park Development – Update 2007 CIP/CEP Projects

The RFP for Miller Park pavilion is due February 22, 2007.  Riverton Meadow tennis courts bids are due February 23.  The play structure upgrade at Riverton Meadows only has to be treated with a Class 1 notification in the newspaper.  Street tree bids are due February 23.  A mower will be purchased through a state bid process.  All items will go to the Council for approval on March 6.

Preliminary Winter Recreation Program Report

The Miller Park pond will open this Saturday & Sunday for supervised ice skating and weeknights until 9 p.m. for unsupervised skate. Skating will be available as long as safe ice conditions exist.

Communications

None

ADJOURNMENT

At 6:59 pm, Pete Wagner made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Seconded by Patricia Glatch.  All aye; motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Marianne Dickmann
Secretary
MD/dl