MARATHON COUNTY PARK COMMISSION AGENDA · 2016-01-29 · MARATHON COUNTY PARK COMMISSION AGENDA...

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MARATHON COUNTY PARK COMMISSION AGENDA Date Tuesday, February 2, 2016 Conference Room 3 Time 3:30pm 212 River Drive, Wausau, WI 54403 Gary Wyman (President), Gary Gisselman (Vice President) Commissioners: Connie Conrad, Jacob Langenhahn, Robert Mielke, David Nutting, vacant Marathon County Mission Statement: Marathon County Government serves people by leading, coordinating, and providing county, regional, and statewide initiatives. It directly or in cooperation with other public and private partners provides services and creates opportunities that make Marathon County and the surrounding area a preferred place to live, work, visit, and do business. (Last updated: 12-20-05) Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department Mission Statement - To provide a park and forest recreation system that will meet the needs of our current and future generations, preserve and protect the County’s open space, water, historical, cultural, and natural resources; and provide recreation opportunities that are designed to enhance the County’s quality of life. Agenda Items: I. Call to Order II. Public Comment Period – Not to Exceed 15 Minutes III. Approve Minutes of the January 5, 2016 Park Commission Meeting Policy Discussion and Possible Action IV. Mountain Bay Trail Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) - Discussion and Possible Action on Marathon County Entering Into a MOA With the State on Additional Trail Segment V. New Position Request - Discussion and Possible Action on Requesting a Full Time Management Position VI. Sunny Vale Softball Complex Use Agreement – Discussion and Possible Action on the Use of the Softball Complex by the Wausau Area Softball Association Education VII. Recreation Guide – Report on the New Marathon County Recreation Guide VIII. Recreation Activity Report A. 2015 Campground Report B. Winter Recreation Activity Report IX. Project Update X. Future Agenda Items XI. Next Meeting – March 1, 2016 at 3:30pm in Room 3, 212 River Drive, Wausau XII. Adjournment Signed________________________________ Presiding Officer or His Designee FAXED TO DAILY HERALD THIS NOTICE POSTED AT THE COURTHOUSE (City Pages, Marshfield News, Midwest Radio Group) Date___________ Time___________ Date_____________ Time______________ By_____________________________ By___________________________________ Any person planning to attend this meeting who needs some type of special accommodation in order to participate should call the County Clerk’s Office at 715-261-1500 or e-mail [email protected] one business day before the meeting.

Transcript of MARATHON COUNTY PARK COMMISSION AGENDA · 2016-01-29 · MARATHON COUNTY PARK COMMISSION AGENDA...

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MARATHON COUNTY PARK COMMISSION

AGENDA

Date Tuesday, February 2, 2016 Conference Room 3 Time 3:30pm 212 River Drive, Wausau, WI 54403 Gary Wyman (President), Gary Gisselman (Vice President) Commissioners: Connie Conrad, Jacob Langenhahn, Robert Mielke, David Nutting, vacant Marathon County Mission Statement: Marathon County Government serves people by leading, coordinating, and providing county, regional, and statewide initiatives. It directly or in cooperation with other public and private partners provides services and creates opportunities that make Marathon County and the surrounding area a preferred place to live, work, visit, and do business. (Last updated: 12-20-05) Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department Mission Statement - To provide a park and forest recreation system that will meet the needs of our current and future generations, preserve and protect the County’s open space, water, historical, cultural, and natural resources; and provide recreation opportunities that are designed to enhance the County’s quality of life.

Agenda Items:

I. Call to Order

II. Public Comment Period – Not to Exceed 15 Minutes

III. Approve Minutes of the January 5, 2016 Park Commission Meeting

Policy Discussion and Possible Action

IV. Mountain Bay Trail Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) - Discussion and Possible Action on Marathon County Entering Into a MOA With the State on Additional Trail Segment

V. New Position Request - Discussion and Possible Action on Requesting a Full Time Management Position

VI. Sunny Vale Softball Complex Use Agreement – Discussion and Possible Action on the Use of the Softball Complex by the Wausau Area Softball Association

Education

VII. Recreation Guide – Report on the New Marathon County Recreation Guide

VIII. Recreation Activity Report A. 2015 Campground Report

B. Winter Recreation Activity Report

IX. Project Update

X. Future Agenda Items

XI. Next Meeting – March 1, 2016 at 3:30pm in Room 3, 212 River Drive, Wausau

XII. Adjournment

Signed________________________________

Presiding Officer or His Designee FAXED TO DAILY HERALD THIS NOTICE POSTED AT THE COURTHOUSE (City Pages, Marshfield News, Midwest Radio Group) Date___________ Time___________ Date_____________ Time______________ By_____________________________ By___________________________________ Any person planning to attend this meeting who needs some type of special accommodation in order to participate should call the County Clerk’s Office at 715-261-1500 or e-mail [email protected] one business day before the meeting.

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DRAFT MARATHON COUNTY PARK COMMISSION

WAUSAU, WI Regular Meeting Tuesday, January 5, 2016 212 River Drive, Wausau WI 3:30 pm Present: Connie Conrad, Gary Gisselman, Jacob Langenhahn, David Nutting, Gary Wyman Excused: Robert Mielke, one vacant position Staff Present: William Duncanson, Peter Knotek Posting of the Agenda: President Gary Wyman called the meeting to order. Official notice and the agenda for this meeting were posted publicly in accordance with the State statutes. No quorum was present. The following educational reports were given Public Comment Period: None East Bay Sports Complex – Report on; Wausau Area Youth Soccer Association Gift, Sponsorships, Water Rates, Advisory Committee – Fiorenza reported that the first year at the Complex was successful and planning for next year is underway. They had a busy first year with 800 youth and 200 adult players and 125,000 visitors. There were 2500 people per day at the complex on a regular basis in July and August. The Wausau Area Youth Soccer Association helped finish the championship field by gifting the complex around $18,000 to $20,000 in a scoreboard and sound system. Staff is looking for sponsorships and has some good leads for 2016. Staff is trying to recoup sixty to seventy percent of the $184,000 expenses. The water rates increased in April and this was a late and unplanned expense. Staff thought the water bill at the complex would be $19,000 and it was closer to $34,000. Duncanson discussed the Wausau water rate increases to non-metered water. Fiorenza said they will need to generate more revenue at the complex to cover that cost. Fiorenza said that the groups want to start an advisory committee. He thinks it would be worthwhile to have some people help guide the direction of the complex with as much use as it has. Gisselman questioned upcoming tournaments in 2016. Fiorenza said there will be a tournament the first weekend in May hopefully with one hundred teams. Fiorenza said the complex is loved to death at certain times of the year right now and he doesn’t know if it has much more capacity. But at other times of the year it could be used more. Duncanson said there will be a large lacrosse tournament and they have also been approached by a Hmong group for a sports festival that could draw from multi-state. Sports Authority Partnership – Report on Potential Facility Fee Agreement For Sports Authority Sponsored Events – Duncanson explained this proposal to create a partnership with Marathon County on a grant funded type plan was initiated by The Sports Authority because room tax dollars are now being managed by Convention and Visitor Bureau’s rather than local municipalities. The Sports Authority wanted to set up a process whereby the room tax dollars have an allocation process. It would be jointly worked together with them to pay for the activities they have such as the spring soccer tournament at the Sports Complex, multiple softball tournaments at the Sunny Vale Complex, and the Badger State Games cross-country races at Nine Mile. The Sports Authority had talked about potentially a grant from the County and also because they don’t know what the costs of creating an event would be in the first year they were wondering if there could potentially be a waiver of fees for that first year. Staff discussed the departments cost processes with the Sports Authority and they understand the department can’t waive fees on the front end, particularly unknown fees. The Sports Authority is looking at costs based on past activities and discussions will continue. Winter Activity Report – Report on Cross-Country Ski, Snowshoe, Snowbike, Snowmobile/ATV, Pond Hockey, Indoor Ice – Krueger reported that Nine Mile opened on December 29th. Tonight is the first night of free ski lessons where the department partners with the Nordic Ski Club. To date there have been 923 paid skiers and 131 paid snowshoers at Nine Mile. Krueger said the trails are in desperate need of snow. This weekend is the annual Snekkevik Ski Race. Duncanson said staff did a phenomenal job of grooming with the snow they had. Krueger reported that the fat tire bike trail at Sunny Vale opened this weekend and volunteers are also grooming trails at the Big Eau Pleine Park. He said that both indoor ice rinks at Marathon Park have been up and running well. The pond hockey event which is normally held at Sunny Vale has been moved to the infield at Marathon Park due to the unsafe ice conditions at the lake. Sylvan Tubing Hill has one of the two sets of runs open and the 400 Block ice rink is planned to be open day tomorrow. Duncanson said the snowmobile/ATV trails are not open and need another 6 to 8 inches of snow. Krueger also noted that

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the cross-country ski trails at Sylvan Hill are not open because of the open springs. Duncanson discussed a fatality from a heart attack on the snowshoe trail at Nine Mile. Nutting and Langenhahn arrived at the meeting at 3:50 p.m. resulting in a quorum bring present. Motion by Nutting, second by Langenhahn to approve the November 3rd, 2015 regular meeting minutes. Motion carried by voice vote, no dissent. Personnel Management - Discussion and Possible Action on Filling a Vacant Full Time Position and Creating a New Full Time Position – Duncanson said Andy Hoppe has put in for retirement. He was with the department 38 years and was the number one groomer at Nine Mile. This position is an Equipment Operator II and needs to be replaced. There are some internal staff who would be able to fulfill that position. Commission approval is needed to fill the position and backfill any resulting openings. Motion by Conrad, second by Langenhahn to support filling the position and any resulting backfills. Motion carried by voice vote, no dissent. Duncanson said there is one other Park Maintenance Technician position that is funded fully by the City of Wausau. The need has been generated by new projects in the City like the expansion of Athletic Park, the east riverfront property, the enhancement of swimming pools, impacts of 400 Block which are all causing a whole variety of operating and maintenance needs. The City in their budget did not specifically approve the position but has approved the funding. The Employee Resources Committee had approved it initially and now is time to do the hire so staff wanted to bring it back and make sure everyone was fully informed on it. Motion by Gisselman, second by Nutting to approve the position. Motion carried by voice vote, no dissent. Park Commission Vacancy – Discussion and Possible Action on Filling a Vacancy on the Park Commission – Duncanson said there is a vacancy on Park Commission right now. He explained that the County Administrator recommends the filling of the vacancies to County Board. He explained there are three people appointed by the County Administrator, three people recommended by the Mayor to the County Administrator and one citizen member jointly agreed upon by the Mayor and County Administrator on the Park Commission. Duncanson wondered if the vacancy should be filled now with elections coming up in April. He questioned if all the current Commissioners were running again. Wyman said he was not running again. Langenhahn said he is running opposed. Wyman thought they may want to wait until after the elections since there may be a good amount of new people. Duncanson felt they may want to look for an experienced County Board member if there will be two new people on the Commission. Gisselman said if there was a current County Board member that was strong on parks and environment running without opposition they should look at them. Members recommended a couple County Board members they thought might be good to have on Park Commission. Gisselman and Mielke are running opposed on the City side. Duncanson noted that those Commissioners don’t have to be a City Council member to serve, they only have to be recommended by the Mayor of the City of Wausau. In the past there have been non-elected City representatives. The preference is to have people who sit on City Council and if possible who sit on City Council and County Board just because of the greater involvement and awareness. Project Update – Assistant Knotek reported on the following items: Bluegill Bay Fishing Pond Restoration Design work and permitting for the dredging and land spreading of spoils are generally complete. Noon Rotary, County Administrator and Park staff are currently applying for grants and fundraising. Knotek reported that grants were received from Greenheck Foundation, WPS Foundation, Harvey Nelson Foundation, and also the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin. Hmong-Laotian Courthouse Memorial Park staff is working with Mort McBain on the site engineering and landscaping for the new memorial scheduled to be installed in May 2016. Mission Lake Shoreline Restoration Parks is partnering with CPZ to apply for grants to design and construct native plant shoreline erosion controls along the east shoreline of Mission Lake Park. Future Agenda Items – Sunny Vale softball Next Meeting – Regular scheduled meeting on Tues., February 2, 2016 at 3:30 p.m. at 212 River Drive in Rm. 3. Adjournment – Motion by Langenhahn, second by Gisselman to adjourn at 4:20 p.m. Motion carried by voice vote, no dissent.

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From: Jon Daniels Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 2:51 PM To: 'Bump, Cameron M - DNR'; Tomlinson, Lynne B - DNR ([email protected]) Cc: William Duncanson Subject: Scott's Enterprise Trespass  Hi Cameron & Lynn,  A few weeks ago I contacted the Village of Weston asking for information on improvements being made to the Scott’s Enterprises, Inc. property located at 4801 Ross Av., Weston.  Scott’s Enterprises is a subsidiary of Ringle Properties LLC, which is owned by Scott J. and Marcia S. Habeck, who reside at R5338 Sahara Dr., Ringle, WI  54471.  I have attached copies of some permits and drawings supplied by the Village at my request.  This information indicates Mr. Habeck was aware of the ROW.  The ROW is clearly shown on two drawings that accompanied his permit applications.  Below is a timeline developed from the information I have to date.  June 30, 2011; property sold by Larson Cooperative TVCS to Ringle Properties, LLC (a.k.a. Scott’s Enterprises, Inc.) August 11, 2011; issue date of building permit for overhead doors (attached) October 10, 2011; date on PDM Construction drawing that was submitted to the Village (attached – earliest drawing showing ROW) February 10, 2012; issue date of building permits for interior office area alterations (attached) August 17, 2012; date on building exterior drawing with overhead doors (attached) June 28, 2013; I first inspected the ROW along Scott’s property line and contacted Cameron that afternoon, and contacted Mr. Habeck by phone, identified the trespass issues and encouraged him to remove ASAP any items he had in the ROW  Two drawings; one submitted to the Village on October 10, 2011 and a later undated drawing from Marathon Technical Services “MTS” (attached), both show the former railroad ROW, now the Mountain‐Bay Trail ROW.  Both drawings were provided by Mr. Habeck to the Village for building permits. It is evident on both drawings the ROW extends EXTREMELY close to the SW building exterior.  The MTS drawing shows that “CONCRETE” and a new “EDGE OF PAVEMENT” were planned to extend well beyond the building and onto the ROW.  The south overhead door services a new loading dock for a cardboard recycling business that recently occupied the SE corner of the building.  This business is only one of a number of tenants now occupying the remodeled building.  In my opinion, Mr. Habeck has ignored the property boundary until I contacted him on June 28, 2013.  Based upon the facts presented here and my conversations with a Village official, I believe Mr. Habeck deliberately trespassed on the trail ROW.  Jon S. Daniels Chief Ranger Wausau & Marathon County Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department 212 River Dr. Wausau, WI  54403 715‐261‐1557  

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Marathon County Parks 2015 Annual Campground Report 

By Ken Krueger 

Operations Superintendent Customer Service 

  The warm spring weather allowed us to open all of Marathon County campgrounds on Friday April 24th one week earlier than the normally scheduled May 1st opening. The on‐line reservation system became active, starting Friday, May 1, 2015 as scheduled. In all there were 3,611 camping permits issued in 2015 an increase of 18 % over last season. These permits break down as follows 1,941 were self‐registration permits, (drive up), 1,069 were on –line reservations, and 601 were staff assisted advance reservations.  

  

The average length of stay based on the type of camping permit is as follows;  

  Self‐Registration  Advance (Staff Assisted)  On‐Line 

BEP South  1.98 nights  2.77 nights  2.56 nights 

BEP West  2.05 nights  2.88 nights  2.61 nights 

Eau Claire Dells  1.92 nights  2.29 nights  2.46 nights 

Marathon Park  1.58 nights  3.32 nights  2.97 nights 

 Camping increased at all of Marathon County campgrounds in 2015; the largest percentage increase was at the Marathon Park. This is mostly likely due to the campgrounds not having the water line issues it had in 2014, and the campground was able to open as scheduled on April 24th.    

Advance17%

On‐Line29%

Self54%

Type of Camping Permit

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  The most popular type of camping unit at Marathon County Parks, based on the self‐registration permits was the Travel Trailer, followed by the tent and Motor Home. Tents being the most popular at the Eau Claire Dells, Motor homes the most popular at Marathon Park, and Travel Trailers the most popular at the Big Eau Pleine Park.  

     Electrical costs associated with the campgrounds; (includes the A Frame and Dells Cabin)   Big Eau Pleine South    $2,379.74   Big Eau Pleine West    $5,819.87   Eau Claire Dells    $970.56   Marathon Park    $2,277.98           $11,448.15   

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Number of Perm

its

Year

Campground Comparison

BEP Dells Marathon

14%

37%32%

6%

4%2%

5%

Type of Camping Unit

M.Home T.Trailer Tent Pick up Camper 5th Wheel  Other

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 Receipts from electrical fees;   Big Eau Pleine South    $2,600.00   Big Eau Pleine West    $5,196.00 

Eau Claire Dells    $2,100.00 Marathon Park    $3,180.00         $13,076.00 

 Campers have raised concerns about electrical service at the Dell’s campground not meeting their needs. Each campsite should have its own electrical pedestal with a minimum of a 30 amp electrical service available.   There is also a request to have a dump station installed at the Dells campground.  The requests heard most often regarding the Big Eau Pleine Campground is for a shower facility, better cell phone /satellite reception, and upgrading the electrical to 50 amp service on each campsite instead of the present 30 amp service per campsite.  Expenses associated with camping   Administration      $9,837.99   Labor FTE        $409.33   Labor LTE        $29,486.24   Campground Licenses     $792.23   Credit Card Transaction Fees    $2,743.53 

Supplies        $2,389.62 Firewood        $15,700.00 Utilities        $11,448.15           $72,807.09 

Revenues Camping fees (Acct. 5835) includes firewood sales      $138,980.69 

Big Eau Pliene    $88,607.04 Eau Claire Dells  $26,748.90 Marathon Park  $23,624.75 

 Campground Reservation fees (Acct. 5917)        $16,338.16   Big Eau Pleine    $11,137.03   Eau Claire Dells  $3,203.03   Marathon Park  $1,998.10  Other Misc. Revenue (Acct. 8400) (Dump Station)      $4,981.00   Big Eau Pleine    $3,157.70 

Marathon Park  $1,823.30  Total revenues associated with camping were $160,299.85 

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PARK COMMISSION FEBRUARY 2, 2016

PROJECT UPDATE

Bluegill Bay Fishing Pond Restoration The project is out to bid with the bid opening on February 15. Interest has been strong for this project which may translate into a good bidding environment.