Meeting of the
Presque Isle Township Parks and Recreation Committee
held June 28, 2010
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Vice-chair Nancy Kinney.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Roll Call: In attendance were Nancy Kinney, Judy Kimball, Norma Crouch, Clayton Peters, and Lynn Morrison. Absent was Barry Schatz.
Audience: Also present were Supervisor Patrick Pokorski, Clif Taylor, David Lange, and Dan Rivard.
Minutes - May 24th: N. Crouch made a clarification under "Landscape Plan for Old Lighthouse Park" that she and J. Kimball went to Netta's. The correction was noted. N. Crouch made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 24th meeting with the above stated correction. L. Morrison seconded. All ayes; motion carried.
Member Items: L. Morrison asked to add the topic of "4th of July volunteers" to the agenda. It was decided to add the item under NEW BUSINESS. J. Kimball and C. Peters discussed the Oil House on Range Light property, however, it was determined that they would address the matter themselves.
Audience Items: none
Agenda Approval: C. Peters made a motion to approve the agenda with the above stated additions. Second by N. Crouch. All ayes; motion carried.
Correspondence: N. Kinney presented a letter from B. Schatz. He had requested it to be included in the minutes, however, it was agreed to not read it aloud since members were unsure of the content; each member took the time to read it individually before deciding whether or not to include it. C. Peters stated that he did not agree with everything that was written, also and did not feel that it was a Parks and Rec issue, but rather a political issue between a member of the committee and the Township Supervisor. He felt that the appropriate thing would be to acknowledge the fact that the letter was given to each member, confirm that it was read, and conclude that they chose to take no action. All members agreed. A copy of the letter will be available upon request. C. Peters made a motion that to state that the letter was accepted, read, and members chose to take no action. L. Morrison seconded. N. Kinney, N. Crouch, L. Morrison, C. Peters, aye; J. Kimball, nay. Motion carried due to majority vote.
N. Kinney read a letter from Dawn Barrett as follows;
Hello Patrick & Nancy
Feel free to share this email with your perspective committees and volunteers. The work being done at the Lighthouse Parks is impressive. The efforts and work of those doing the landscaping should be acknowledged. They are doing a wonderful job. Even though removing the trees was a necessary means to an ugly situation the final result will be beautiful. Public outcry will eventually turn into glorious praises.
June 19th at the Old Light, I assisted a wedding party with transportation of their guests. Many of the wedding guests had never been to the Lighthouses, were excited to return and visit them. Everyone commented on its beauty and no one questioned me regarding the removal of trees.
The wedding party went out of their way to make sure their guests didn't take valuable parking away from the visitors at the Old Light or those attending the Wooden Boat Show. I was surprised that the drive to the Old Light had not been treated for dust control. I believe in prior years both Lighthouse Parks' drives were treated. I would suggest that the Lighthouse Parks' drives be treated for dust control especially when there are events and/or weddings being held at the Lighthouse Parks.
I did notice many people confused with the "one-way" direction. Many drivers drove in correctly however they would turn around and exit incorrectly. This was being done by visitors and buses. Some drove incorrectly the entire way in the wrong direction. I would suggest a few more "temporary" signs indicating the correct way of entering & exiting. I believe some signs could be posted as they initially turn into the Parks.
Recently, the paranormal group returned to the Old Light. This past winter I was troubled by their visit last fall when I discovered pictures of them sitting on artifacts. It troubles me to know they were allowed to repeat the same actions most recently. The importance of the artifacts are so great; that it would be detrimental if they were broken. Questions arise who is responsible for broken artifacts. How do we justify groups allowing to move, touch &/or sit on artifacts, when we don't allow the visitors to do the same?
The attached website contains pictures taken during their fall visit. The pictures show where the artifacts were located prior to being moved and/or sat on. Would it even be possible to replace the fog horn if it collapsed and broke into pieces? I don't like to think about that possibility. If groups are coming out after hours, they too should respect the policy that has been in place for many years. If people are going to be sitting, then they should bring a chair or make arrangements to have folding chairs available for sitting.
http://www.spookylocations.com/photo_gallery_usa.html
Thank you for cooperation. Have a great day.
Concerned Citizen,
Dawn M. Barrett
16916 Norwood Court East
N. Kinney informed that she has addressed her concerns, and read her reply to the members.
Driving directions, signage, and dust abatement were discussed as a result of the letter.
OLD BUSINESS
Range Light Pavilion projects status: C. Taylor reported that the project is part of a Capital Improvement Project slated for next year. Some of the work is getting underway this year which includes the construction/installation of a port-a-potty and access drive. J. Kimball asked if there was a map to show where this was intended to be placed. C. Taylor responded that they are getting a survey done to determine where the lines are, and they will be developing site plan from there. The site plan will include the pavilion. They hope to have the project completed by this time next year, and the toilet in this year. The Army Corps of Engineers has determined that there are no wetlands in the area. The proposed site for the pavilion is where the old swings are. They will be removed, and the pavilion, permanent barbeque pits, and benches are proposed for the area. They also need to survey to ensure they do not encroach upon the historical burial site. He and L. Morrison are working on the project. C. Peters asked where the proposed location for the drive was, and suggested to consider handicapped accessibility. C. Taylor responded that they were taking that into consideration. J. Kimball pointed out that the pavers in the proposed area are over 100 years old, and they cannot be disrupted. C. Taylor confirmed that they have no intentions of disrupting them. C. Taylor also touched on each board's reporting/communication methods. The bulleted report is nice, but the lack of ability to communicate, despite previous decisions to not have a liaison, is not working. N. Kinney agreed, and each decided have representation present for each others meetings. C. Peters asked additional questions regarding the plan for the pavilion which were answered by C. Taylor.
C. Taylor also addressed the recommendation to widen the entry drive for the Old Lighthouse by 2 ½'. He suggested they widen it to 3' to allow for a center line and right-of-way which are required on any road. That will also allow for two cars to pass. In regards to the stump removal, he suggested 8' on either side for safety purposes. C. Peters confirmed that a man is already coming out to do that, and his suggestion matches the plan that is already in force. C. Taylor also provided recommendation for tree species and vegetation to help eventually replace the canopy effect. J. Kimball disagreed with the recommendations. C. Peters asked if there were intentions to go after grants to help with funding. C. Taylor responded that they could, and options of available grants and funding sources were discussed. It was also confirmed that the Township Board had already approved the recommendation for the road at 2 ½'. P. Pokorski clarified the reporting methods, and added that, in the resolution, it was stated that representatives would be in attendance to report at meetings.
Budget: N. Kinney reported that the P & R General Fund Budget was submitted on time. It included rate of pay, training expenses, etc. Members asked for a copy. N. Kinney and L. Morrison confirmed it will be available once it is approved. L. Morrison also informed of the change in pay rate for special meetings. N. Kinney stated that they also need to budget for ongoing expenditures, such as dust abatement and propane, that happen every year. There are other funds, like the Park Enterprise and Park Long Range Fund, that they are responsible for since this is where expenditures get paid out of as well. D. Rivard has been helping with the budgeting process. D. Rivard spoke and gave suggestions and recommendations of what next steps to take in regards to the budgeting process. P. Pokorski elaborated on the intentions of what the new budgeting process is to accomplish, and discussion followed. N. Kinney stated that they will be spending a little bit of time on the budget each meeting so that all members can be educated on how it all works and be involved in the decision making process. Additional discussion in regards to how to budget and what it would accomplish was also had.
CIP Projects and Maintenance- Road work at 1840 status: C. Peters provided an update on the status of the road work at the 1840 house. The man doing the work stated that he would like to be in before the 4th of July, but he has yet to hear back from him. He thinks that once everything is done, everyone will be pleased with the outcome.
1870 clean-up status: The 1870 clean up is done except for the swath. That portion is continually being worked on. The intention is to keep working with volunteers.
Old Library-storage: He reported that volunteers have already utilized the facility for some storage. The flag pole, light pole, and a piece of old ship planking had already been taken down there.
1840 Cottage Repairs and 1905 House Repairs: He reported that the bat problem is over with the exception of perhaps one or two that may be trapped. They will be going there one evening to see if they can get them out if they haven't already died.
Painting and other projects: C. Peters passed handouts of the list of priority projects for July. Being that the Board does not meet until the 12th, he asked them to approve it at the meeting that was held earlier that day. The Board approved it, but Parks and Rec still needed to as well. The lists were discussed. The total cost of all projects is estimated at $3,911.00. C. Peters made a motion to approve up to $3,911.00 to cover the cost of the July projects. C. Peters added that Incidentally, if they're not finished in July, they will go over into the month of August. L. Morrison seconded the motion. Discussion was had. N. Kinney asked if this is to be a Capital Improvement Project, and Clayton responded that it was not; they would all be Enterprise. All ayes; motion carried. C. Peters also had a request for approval for $245.00 for chipper rental. If he has it returned before 4:00 pm, it will only be $150.00. It is rented from Northern Tool, and the work will be done by volunteers. L. Morrison made a motion to approve up to $245.00 for the rental of a chipper. J. Kimball seconded. Discussion was had. It was stated that the funds are to come out of Enterprise. All ayes; motion carried.
Fresnel Lens: J. Kimball handed out copies of the 2007 Parks and Rec minutes that showed the names of Coast Guard representatives who visited at that time. She added that the Museum Society has taken it upon themselves to compose a letter which they are giving to visitors. It is encouraging them to write their Congressman (in support of return of the lens). She and B. Schatz had spoken with P. Pettalia, and he has agreed to continue to be the liaison for the lens for this committee since he's the one that everyone is familiar speaking with. She was unsure as to whether or not there would be a cost associated with his involvement, therefore members did not know how to go about approving the recommendation. It was agreed to present the matter to the Board. L. Morrison will add the item to the next Township Board Meeting agenda. J. Kimball also wrote a personal letter to the President. J. Kimball is upset that the matter has seemed to have been dropped, and that no action is being taken on their end. C. Peters made the suggestion to send a copy of the minutes referenced above to our Congressmen, and point out that the gentlemen in attendance were the ones who indicated that it would be approved. C. Peters made a motion to send a copy of the minutes with a cover letter informing that they were given an "okay" by the two Coast Guard gentlemen referenced. N. Crouch and J. Kimball will draft the letter. N. Crouch seconded the motion. Discussion was had. It was agreed to also include an explanation of the situation in regards to what's been done, as well as the financial aspect of the project; they almost need to start over again. It was agreed to address the letter to the Coast Guard and cc Congress. All ayes; motion carried. It was also agreed to inform of the extension of the lens grant.
Paranormal Group: J. Kimball reported that only the one sister, Kim, from England came. She gave a run through of what took place ,and what type of filming was done. She also gave stories of numerous occurrences that happened with some of the people present. P. Pokorski added that he spoke with the crew afterwards, and they had reported that it was a very productive shoot. They will be letting us know if/when it airs on national television.
Wednesday Night summer programs: J. Kimball handed out the list of programs, and briefly described each of them. She has turned in the invoices for payment already.
Fireworks shoot status: N. Kinney reported that it is on, however, there has been an implication that Parks and Rec. is to play a major role in funding, and she asked to discuss everyone's opinion of the matter. N. Crouch stated that they were not notified of the meeting that took place last Monday. P. Pokorski provided a bit of an explanation of the conversation that took place. J. Kimball asked where the money was coming from. C. Peters stated that it is paid out of the Parks Enterprise fund, as it had always been. He also clarified that any monies collected this year are to pay back what has been paid out. He continued that the goal for next year is to start earlier, and to raise the funds ahead of time to defray the cost or perhaps cover the whole thing. If they only raise $2,000, then that is what the shoot will consist of. There has been a task assigned for Parks and Rec. to develop a plan for raising money for the fireworks. It needs to be submitted to the Board by the end of the year. It is Parks and Rec.'s position to seek and raise funds for the fireworks. Discussion was had in regards to how to do this, and ideas were offered. Immediate action steps were determined. A list of local businesses/groups was complied, and each person was assigned to a few to contact and request donations. N. Crouch mentioned that she would like to have some sort of way, if she goes to these places, to be able to identify herself or confirm her legitimate involvement with the committee so that people don't have to be concerned or question her validity. P. Pokorski agreed and informed of the ID tags that all other boards had received, and agreed that Parks and Rec members should have them as well. It was also suggested that, in the mean time, there are also T-shirts and hats from the past events that they could possibly use.
Donajkowski Memorial: The proposed location was discussed with the Army Corps of Engineers, and it was stated that if it is put near the bell near the high ground that it would be okay. C. Peters met with Mr. Donajkowski and his daughter on May 30th. He described the proposed location. There will be no cost to the Township. His recommendation to the members was to approve the location. He informed that the Township Board has already approved it. L. Morrison made a motion to accept the bench and the work for installation at no cost to the Township in location described by C. Peters. C. Peters seconded. All ayes; motion carried.
Fireworks-add on discussion: Information was found pertaining to fireworks. L. Morrison informed that he has received a list of volunteers who will be helping with the fireworks this year. It was requested as a means to alleviate some of the confusion that had taken place last year. He read the names on the list to the members. He also informed that they still need additional help, and requested names and suggested to call Jeff.
N. Kinney was asked to draft a letter to the fire departments requesting their assistance for the evening, and she has received a response from Ron Fournier stating that they would be happy to help. The question of where to put the fire truck has been determined.
Resignations and replacements: N. Kinney stated that she has spoken with the applicants that had submitted letters of interest from before. Pat Hart and Richard Spencer were still interested. Molly Benson was still unsure. P. Pokorski added that Howard Welch should be added to the list as well, as his interest has also been confirmed. A bit of information was provided as to who Mr. Welch was and what he has been involved in. N. Kinney informed of who Jake Johnson is, and read his letter of interest. Members need to decide how to structure the interviews. They need to decide who they want to interview, who they want on the committee to do the interviews, and decide what they'd like to ask them. The intention is to only choose one person at this point. N. Kinney felt that she, as chair, should be part of the committee. It was also suggested that L. Morrison, as liaison, should also be involved. N. Crouch was also nominated. They will create a list of questions to ask and decide on a date. Further discussion will be had after the meeting.
Corps of Engineers representative (Ed Arthur) visit: N. Kinney provided a written report of the outcome of the visit. The area by the parking at the Old Lighthouse (from the propane tank to the third post of the parking lot) was the only area designated as wetlands. His contact information was also provided. C. Peters suggested, that due to the questions being asked, to ask the township to post a summarized version of Mr. Arthurs report to the Township website. Members agreed it was a very good idea, and will pass the information onto the office staff for posting.
NEW BUSINESS
Communication with committee: N. Kinney stated that she is finding it very difficult to be able to communicate with the members. She added that email is the easiest way. The reason being, she can send everyone the same message, and can be reassured that they got it. If she attempts to phone members, she ends up saying different things to different people, and she doesn't have the ability to keep record or track of it. J. Kimball and L. Morrison do not own computers, and had no desire to purchase one. The compromise she is proposing is that whatever gets emailed, hard copies are printed and put into mail bins which would require them to stop by at least once per week. J. Kimball did not think that she would be able to commit to stopping once per week. N. Crouch stated that will call J. Kimball and L. Morrison to inform them of information if necessary.
Meeting dates for July and August-proposed changes: N. Kinney stated that prior to being an active member of this Board, she made plans, and will be out of town. As they currently stand, she will not be able to make it to either the July or August meetings. Alternate dates were discussed, however, due to a majority of schedules, it was decided to keep the dates as currently posted. It was decided that L. Morrison will chair the next meetings in N. Kinney's absence. He will be in contact with the office staff in regards to creating agendas. He was unsure whether or not he would be able to attend the August meeting. C. Peters stated that he will chair the meeting on the 30th if L. Morrison is unable to attend. N. Kinney also informed that she will be around in between those times for assistance if needed. J. Kimball informed that she will be absent for the September and October meetings. C. Peters may not be at the meeting on July 26th but is not sure at this point.
Policy for small expenditures by volunteers and Gene Campbell: N. Kinney asked if there was a policy in place for these types of expenditures. C. Peters explained that the only authorized account for purchases at this point is Ace Hardware in Alpena and approval for purchases on the account by Gene or other volunteers needs to be called in and authorized by a member of the Board. P. Pokoski added that they are going to be developing a policy for this type of thing shortly. That plan had just been established at the meeting earlier. C. Peters had a draft concept proposal which he briefly went through. Discussion regarding budget items followed.
Fourth of July volunteers: This matter had been discussed earlier in the meeting.
Other: C. Peters had a volunteer group that was out at the parks earlier in the week. He would like to send a thank you to them. He said that rather than load N. Crouch up with more projects, he will just come in to the office, and ask the office staff to draft it, and then he will have it signed by Parks and Rec. He also plans on doing the same for the group that is expected to come this week. All members approved the action. J. Kimball asked if it should be regular policy or a regular agenda item for her to report on the Museum Society. It was agreed that it should be, and it will be added as a report for each meeting.
With no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 9:45 pm.
The next meeting is scheduled for July 26, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Erika M. Comerford