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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET Parks Advisory Board 2021-3-183/9/2021 PAB Working Sub-Committee Meeting for “Estes Park Women’s Monument” project Minutes - 3/4/2021 Present: Ron Wilcocks, Lars Sage, Judy Schaffer, Karen Daugherty, Jill Lancaster, Karen D’Onofrio, Frank Lancaster, Jean McGuire, Merle Moore Meeting called to order 5:00 PM 1) We discussed the current status of fundraising. We have raised over $57,000 so far. Most of our documented “Asks” to individuals and friends have not responded with a donation to the project. Please continue to follow- up with your initial “asks” (i.e. ask again and again) to try to get these folks (your friends) to donate. The local papers have published a letter of thanks to the list of current donors. It’s a big list! Jean McGuire announced that the “100 years, 100 women” book is now available at McDonald’s Bookstore for $10. A portion of each book sold will go towards the project. This is great for the project. 2) Duck tickets are now available. The race will be on May 1st. If people are not into donating directly, I recommend that we try to sell them the “quack pack” to help our project. These are packages that give the purchaser six tickets for the price of five. It’s a good deal and our project will garner about $100 from each of these sold. Just make sure our project is picked for the donation when you sell these. 3) The first of the Artist presentations occurred last week. These were in-person presentations. They were both excellent and copies of the presentations were sent out to the Team for review. There are two zoom presentations planned for Thursday 3/11, one with Jane DeDecker and another with Dan Glanz and Sutton Betti. These will be recorded and made available to the Team. Voting for the final Artist will occur starting March 15th. Materials will be provided for voting at that time. Voting will be complete by March 17th. 4) Old Business. It was suggested that there are potential large corporate actors that may want to contribute. The companies mentioned were Johnson & Johnson, Sun Oil, Hewlett Packard, and Honda Corporation. Could someone create a list of these connections and contacts? There are also many very successful local companies, such as Home Builders, Realtor groups, local Banks, VEP, etc. that need to be asked for donations. If anyone knows of “ins” to these local companies (like the owners or heads of them), let me know and we’ll figure out how to get with them to ask for a donation. Is anyone familiar with creating a ”gofundme” page? If you are, please let me know. Please let me know of any ideas you might have to help in raising money for this monument. Bottom line is that there are many good plans being implemented, people are being “asked” and February looks to be another good fundraising month. A brief project description and a donation form (.pdf format) is at the web address: http://www.earthwoodgalleries.com/estes-park-womens-monument-project/ 5) Ron is working with the Town to get a final contract for the commission completed as soon as possible. It is currently in final review by Town lawyer. Meeting was adjourned at 5:30 PM Next PAB Estes Park Women’s Monument sub-committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 4/1/2021 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM via ZOOM (email with link will be sent out prior to the meeting). Art in Public Places (AIPP) Update Rex Poggenpohl 3.8.21, revised 3.10.21 Situation: - Responsibility for the AIPP program currently resides with Parks Advisory Board (PAB), with staff support from Public Works. - Public Works is uncomfortable with providing staff support for maintenance and storage of all of the Town’s collectible Art assets. - Some PAB members are uncomfortable with the PAB making esthetic and maintenance decisions about public Art without assistance from the local arts community and Museum curatorial expertise. - Town Trustees interested in pursuing public Art funding from grants and donors. - Art funding from grants and donors would benefit greatly from the Town having established a formal Art Master Plan without the assistance of expensive consultants. - Low cost development of an Art Master Plan with local University assistance is not feasible. - An Art Master Plan is not listed on Town Strategic Plan. - While artisan workshops and galleries are mentioned in several sections of the Town Downtown Plan, it has no mention of existing or developing public Art. - Trustees are interested in more involvement from the local arts community in the AIPP program, but do not want another committee reporting to them. Possible Actions: - Determine and propose appropriate administrative staff responsibility for Town owned art and other collectible fixed assets. - Determine and propose appropriate advisory group to assist Trustees and responsible staff per above. - Enlist Museum curatorial staff to review the list of Town’s collectible fixed assets (including all Town owned Art) to determine appropriate insurance value, maintenance, storage and monitoring procedures. - Propose that Art Master Plan be included in 2022 Strategic Plan. - Make Art Master Plan internally with assistance from Museum staff and local Arts organizations, to include: updated Brochure; a list of selected key Art in Public Places and corresponding map, all available on the PAB webpage and at the Visitor Center. Estes Park, Parks Advisory Board 2021 Planning Rex Poggenpohl, Revised 3.11. 21 Tree City USA Standards: - Expand the current Town policy on Pine Beetle controls to a broader Tree policy such as that recommended by Tree City USA. - Expand current programs with public School District and Eagle Rock School to educate about the importance of trees and shrubs to the ecology. - Expand school activities to celebrate Arbor Day. - Review the Town list of parks and open spaces to determine a long term plan where additional plantings of trees and shrubs would be useful. Public Art Policy: - Propose that Museum staff review the list of Town collectible fixed assets to determine adequate insurance value, maintenance and storage procedures. - Propose that responsibility for public Art be transferred to a Cultural Activities Advisory Committee, reporting to Administration with staff support from Museum staff. - Defer making a public Art Master Plan until decisions about future responsibility for public Art. Standards for: parks, trails, plantings, noxious weeds, pest control: - Review any existing standards for each and create, revise or expand as needed. - Form ad hoc committee of Merle Moore, Bruce Kane and Brian Berg to survey successful plants from: Mrs Walsh’s Garden, Garden Club, Community Gardens, Colorado Plant Select and Landscaping with Native Plants Conference to update the Recommended Plant List on the PAB webpage. Community educational programs for: environment; wetlands; river restoration, clean up, and bank re-vegetation; water quality protection: - Instead of the Town forming a new Environmental Advisory Board as indicated in the 2021 Strategic Plan; propose that the Parks Advisory Board should be given this responsibility and outline for such. - Identify all other local or regional organizations concerned with the above issues and strengthen relationship/participation with those desired (ie.: Estes Valley Watershed Coalition, Estes Land Stewardship Assn., etc.). PAB PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES I don’t know if I fully understand what you wanted PAB members to do regarding responsibilities. Is it to report how we are addressing these? If so, here are my observations on three bullet points regarding collaborative and personal accomplishments in 2020; many of these are ongoing for years. • Advise the Board of Trustees regarding the establishment and implementation of a Public Art Policy that guides the acceptance and placement of public art memorials, d onations and purchases. ~ Having actively served on the PAB for two terms, I’ve personally invested time observing and learning about public art in Estes Park and other surrounding communities. I hope my personal insight and perspective have improved the PAB choices and direction over the years. I think the DUB project, and other AIPP projects, need to continue and be expanded as is evident in other communities. • Advise the Public Works Parks Division Staff and the Board of Trustees on content and implementation of technical standards for public and private parks, trails, plantings, noxious weeds and pest control. • Support the Community environmental/wetlands educational programs in the schools and community efforts on river restoration, clean up, bank re-vegetation and water quality protection. ~ Estes Land Stewardship Association (ELSA) in coordination with the Town of Estes Park (TOEP) sponsors four Monitored Weed Drop-offs annually during the months of June, July, August and September. During the July event, traditionally called Weed Roundup, educational displays are also made available in cooperation with Larimer County Natural Resources and Master Gardeners. ~ ELSA sets-up and maintains a live noxious weed display at the EV Library during the month of July. ~ PAB and ELSA actively participate in the Mountain Festival. ~ ELSA wrote and published (April – Sept) 24 ‘Weed of the Week’ articles with photos in the EP News in 2020. ~ ELSA annually prints and distributes 1500 ‘Twenty Ob-Noxious Weeds in the Estes Valley Identification and Management Guide’ booklets. ~ ELSA annually coordinates with TOEP Parks Department to update the Noxious Weeds page website with new Monitored Weed Drop-off & Weed Roundup information, and posting of the ‘Twenty Ob-Noxious Weeds in the Estes Valley Identification and Management Guide’ and ‘Weed of the Week’ articles. ~ ELSA developed and posted a Weed Management plan (under Helpful Documents) on the Noxious Weeds page website in 2020. ~ Five days in April and May of 2020, ELSA and Estes Valley Watershed Coalition (EVWC) partnered to remove fencing, noxious weeds and trash along the Fish Creek corridor and hike/bike trail. Other volunteers included Weed Warriors (RMNP) and community volunteers. ~ Throughout the months of June and July, ELSA and Weed Warrior volunteers continued to remove trash and noxious weeds on TOEP property at Willows-Knoll, Hydroplant, Dog Park to Brodie, Mrs. Walsh’s Garden area, Scott Ponds, EP Visitors Center, residential and highway roadsides, etc. We hope to continue targeting these project areas in 2021. 500 B i g T h o m p s o n R i v e r This draft document was prepared for internal use by theTown of Estes Park, CO. The Town makes no claim as tothe accuracy or completeness of the data contained hereon. Due to security concerns, The Town requests that youdo not post this document on the internet or otherwisemake it available to persons unknown to you. 0 10 20Feet 1 in = 25 ft±Town of Estes ParkPublic Works Big Thompson Rec AreaPreliminary Site Plan Printed: 3/5/2021 Legend Bench Boulder Over Concrete Pad Concrete Sidewalk/Pad Landscape Garden Picnic Shelter Picnic Table Rock Steps Safety Pad 1ft Contours Streams ROW MWGAC meeting on Google Meet January 13, 2021 10:00 - 10:45 am Present: Brian, Mary Ann, Jim, Ele, Merle, & Kathy Absent: Jane, Margarete Committee Member News: Joan Sapp has contacted Brian by email. She has stepped off the committee due to time constraints since she is spending more time in California. Merle has served two terms on the Parks Advisory Board (PAB) and now he is off the board. He will continue, however, as a non-voting liaison between the PAB and MWGAC. Merle contacted Margarete after the meeting and she would like to continue on the committee. She is especially interested in working on the plant selection as parts of the garden are renovated. Merle also contacted Jane and hopes to hear back from her soon. Jane and Margarete are invited to add their comments to these minutes. If you have suggestions for committee members, please give their names to Merle. We'd like to expand the committee. Purpose of Meeting: 1)Decide how our meetings will be run. 2)Give Brian the authority to procure a contractor to work on the pond/waterfall project. 3)Discuss events in the garden for this summer. Merle agreed to run our meetings for now. Once we grow our committee we can elect a chair. The group reviewed the Master Plan from AloTerra especially p.2 where the “Design and Construction Notes'' are found. Here are some of the points we discussed: ●There will be a limited number of contractors who can handle the parameters of this project. The small size of this project will also reduce the number. ●AloTerra has already submitted a bid at around $20.000 for this project. ●Due to the cost of the project Brian must follow the Town’s RFP/PFQ bidding process. ●Can we find another contractor who can do this work at a lower price? Brian outlined a timeline for the process: ●He will get the RFP out by the end of January. ●He will set a limit of 2-4 weeks for contractors to submit their bids. (February) ●There will be a bid opening date. (March) ●Contractors will be selected for further interviews. ●These interviews will include details about the time table for getting the work done this summer. And also how much of the garden will need to be closed during the process. ●The contractor will be chosen. (April)? This is a 30% pond design/build project. This means that the contractor will be working closely with Brian and Ele as they deconstruct the pond space and rebuild it since there is already infrastructure there that may be removed, reused,repositioned, etc. Brian will need to call quick meetings as the construction proceeds so that the committee knows what is happening and can approve changes in the build out. One part of this project involves the stabilization of the east end of the garden above the pond. Motion: MWGAC recommends that Brian Berg issue an RFP for the construction of the waterfall/pond area following the 30% design/build Master Plan from AloTerra. Jim made the motion. Kathy seconded it. Unanimous agreement. Merle asked Garden events for 2021. ●The construction schedule and area of the garden impacted by equipment, etc. will determine what we can offer the public. We may have to close the garden for the summer. ●We could plan an event for the Opening of the New Waterfall/Pond feature. ●We want to be sure to have photos of the current conditions in the east end of the garden before the construction begins. ●We also need to consider where the sculpture is placed during the construction. ●Merle is considering having Plant Walks that begin at the garden this summer. ●Jim will continue to work in the garden at least for maintenance. ●Brian said that Ele is growing more native plants in the Town’s greenhouse and that salvaged plants could stay there during construction. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 am Next meeting will be Wednesday, February 10 at 10:00 am MWGAC meeting on Google Meet February 10, 2021 10:30 - 11:15 am Present: Brian, Mary Ann, Jim, Eli, Merle, Kathy,Jane Absent: Margarete Brian opened the meeting with these announcements: ●Jim will work again this year in the garden. ●Eli has the greenhouse loaded with native plants. ●The RFQ is in process. Brian has Megan helping with the finepoints of the work description. RFQ discussion Merle asked about the decking at the east end of the garden and whether or not we wanted to have this included as part of the current proposal.Several options were discussed and the group agreed that we would wait until the pond and waterfall are restored and then decide on adding either an arched bridge or a deck to the east of the pond. To keep the construction equipment and materials as much as possible at the east end of the garden, we discussed opening the wall where the second entrance would be and roping off the east end of the garden. As soon as the RFQ is announced, there will be a two-week window for companies to respond. The review of proposals will follow. If there is a need for our group to meet before the next scheduled meeting we agreed to do this so we can expedite the approval process. Brian will keep us informed by email. Jim’s work in the garden and rodent control After the destruction of so many plantings last summer due to the rabbit population, Jim is focused on how best to create a rabbit barrier. Some options could be hardware cloth attached to the fence and trenched at least 6” into the ground.Merle suggested black-coated chicken wire. The Town will continue to have a pest control service focused on the vole population. Eli shared a method she is using to control vole damage in the annual beds. This method uses an anticoagulant that is available at plant nurseries.A more potent material would require additional training and licensing. The Greenhouse Eli listed several native species that she has grown from seed in the greenhouse. Some of the species include: Western red columbine, Little bluestem,white locoweed, and more. Connections Merle asked Kathy if she was sending the corrected minutes to the Lamy sisters. Kathy will get in touch with Joan and confirm how to make this connection. Mike Kintgen from the Denver Botanic Garden has been in contact with Eli. He is preparing a plant list for MWG according to general themes. Eli attended an October annual meeting of the Native Gardens of Colorado Association. She will send information about the meeting and the member gardens to our group. Merle asked if the group would be interested in a workshop offered by Jim Borland on “Propagating Native Plants for the Home Garden.” There is strong interest so he will proceed with reaching out to Jim. Events in MWG Brian announced that there will be a wedding on July 17, 2021 in the garden. Merle noted that it is difficult at this time to plan events for the garden due to construction and the pandemic. Next schedule meeting: Wednesday, March 10 at 10:30 am