Antrim County
Parks and Recreation Commission

October 23, 2003

Minutes

Members Present:

Jerome Dobrzelewski, Russ Blasdell, Jerry Basch, Al Luurtsema, Mike Crawford, and Mike Meriwether

Members Absent:

Al Pecar, Mark Stone, and Stan Moore

Staff Present:

Howard Yamaguchi, Eileen Wallick

Others Present:

Mary Kay McDuffie and Janet Person

I.          Call to Order

Al Luurtsema called the meeting of the Parks & Recreation Commission (Parks & Rec) to order at 9:11 a.m.

II.         Approval of the Minutes of the September 25, 2003, Meeting

Howard briefed Parks & Rec about the decision by the County Planning Commission to not include members’ names for attribution to actions and comments in the minutes.  Parks & Rec decided to continue as before with the minutes.  Also, in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, the final (corrected) minutes on file will be a version showing the original as strikeouts.

Motion by Mike Meriwether, seconded by Jerome Dobrzelewski, to approve the minutes of the September 25, 2003 meeting.  Passed - unanimous.

III.        Vision Statement

Al Luurtsema suggested re-ordering the attributes of the draft vision statement (tabled at the previous meeting), and add “shall remain.”  Janet Person suggested adding a phrase about public access, as this was in the mission statement and was a high priority for the County.  Discussion followed on whether or not to specifically mention water access sites, as Mike Meriwether reminded the group that many forest parcels are also landlocked without public access.  Eileen Wallick suggested simply putting in “open to all.”

Motion by Jerome Dobrzelewski, seconded by Mike Crawford, to adopt the following as the Vision Statement of the Antrim County Parks & Recreation Commission:

“Antrim Co shall remain a place of clean water, a natural environment, and abundant leisure opportunities open to all regardless of population growth and pressures of modern society.”

Motion passed - unanimous.

IV.        Wetzel Lake Update and Recreation Proposal

Janet Person reported that the Antrim Conservation District (ACD) had completed laying Afton stone at fishing boat launch, and had repaired erosion control works along the approach road.   Depending on the Wetzel Lake Committee, maintenance for the park may be turned over to Mancelona Township.  Al Luurtsema noted that DURA may be willing to chip in to the upkeep of the Wetzel Lake park.

Janet also informed the committee that she met Joyce Angel-Ling of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at Sand Lake, and discussed how to formulate the recreation proposals for Wetzel Lake.  DNR would like a 3-phase plan for Wetzel. DNR’s thinking currently is for a 20 to 25 yr lease at some nominal rent per year.  Phase 1 will include this summer’s work and any other day-use improvements slated for 2004.  Phase 2 is the rustic camping plan, including a host site and some additional improvements beyond the day-use phase.  Phase 3 would be a future electric camping proposal.

DNR would like to see all standard requirements for each phase to be specified in the plan.  The proposal must also include a financing plan that shows how the County will raise the required funds for the various phases.  DNR would also like a brief discussion on County/Township experience with day use (2003), as well as some discussion on dealing with potential erosion threats and existing ORV trails at the site.

Janet reported that ACD will be putting together the plan over the next few months, with guidance from the Wetzel Lake subcommittee.  The timeline calls for a January approval of the plan by the Board of Commissioners, and an April 1 approval by DNR.

She also briefed Parks & Rec about ACD’s potential work at Sand Lake for the DNR.  She noted that three to five years hence, DNR may be interested in talking to Antrim County about a possible park there.

V.         Elk Rapids Day Park

Jerry Basch noted that many members had not yet turned in their Elk Rapids Day Park questionnaires.  Returns will be accepted through October 28.  The next meeting of the Elk Rapids Day Park subcommittee is on October 29 at Elk Rapids; all are invited.

 VI.       New Role for Parks and Recreation Commission?

Jerry Basch proposed that the County develop an umbrella organization that would include people and organizations devoted to activities that would make parks around the county more secure and open to the public.  The BOC and/or Parks & Rec could sponsor such an organization.  This organization would hold an annual meeting (or meet more frequently), and could retain MSU Parks & Rec Dept and MSU extension to perform planning and research activities for the collective benefit of all Antrim County park and recreational areas.  This would also be of benefit in planning cross-jurisdictional transfers of deed, such as that being contemplated for Elk Rapids Day Park.

Mary Kay McDuffie wondered where township parks would fit in this scheme of things.  Jerry Basch replied that they would be part of this system; all township and village parks would be covered by this. Mike Crawford agreed that this would be a good idea. Janet Person noted that this should be a task for Parks & Rec, rather than creating a new organization. Russ Blasdell cautioned that parkland turned over to individual jurisdictions must be kept in recreation. Janet Person noted that Parks & Rec can have MSU, nurseries, etc. do events at these annual meetings. Jerry Basch noted the need to get expectations started.  Al Luurtsema directed Jerry Basch to start on this idea, with a possible winter meeting to start this off.  Mike Crawford, Al Luurtsema, and Eileen Wallick volunteered to help.

 VII.      Elk Rapids Day Park Update

Mike Crawford briefed Parks & Rec that the current thinking of the Parks Committee was to turn over the management of the Day Park to ACD.  Howard added that ACD would be submitting a management plan to the County Lands Agriculture and Forestry Committee (CLAF).  Mike Meriwether noted that he had started on such a plan.  He would be taking ideas from the Elk Rapids Park survey, and then will decide which sub-projects will be implemented using Forestry funds.

Jerry Basch noted that the Elk Rapids subcommittee will be meeting on October 29, and will be finalizing and prioritizing the list of projects.  Jerry hoped that Mike would take into account the wishes of the Elk Rapids planning subcommittee in deciding which projects to implement.

 VIII.     Antrim County Comprehensive Recreation Plan

Al Luurtsema appointed a small subcommittee to start digesting the results of: a) the countywide opinion survey (2001), b) the 2003 master plan visioning session results, and c) the results of our own visioning session.  The subcommittee members are:  Stan Moore (chair), Al Pecar, Eileen Wallick, and Russ Blasdell.  They will report at the next meeting toward identifying the top ten goals and activities of the next Parks & Rec plan.

 IX.       Communication

Mary Kay McDuffie explained her note to Howard about the desirability of adding “natural areas” to the list of facilities in the Mission Statement approved at the previous meeting.  She noted that “natural areas” are very different from “parks”, just as “parks” are different from “recreational sites.”  Mike Crawford concurred.  Brief discussion followed.

Motion by Jerry Basch, seconded by Mike Meriwether, to amend the Mission Statement of the Antrim County Parks & Recreation Commission to read as follows:

“The Parks & Recreation Commission shall assist the Parks Committee of the Antrim County Board of Commissioners to improve and expand a system of natural areas, parks and recreational sites.  Planning for the sites will target environmental quality, effective land use, water access, usage by residents and visitors, conservation education, appropriate partnerships, historical awareness, and assistance to securing funds and volunteers.”

Motion passed - unanimous.

 X.        Other Matters

The vacancy on Parks & Rec Commission has been advertised, and to date one letter of interest had been received.

Mike Meriwether informed Parks & Rec that this week, the trail system at the Cedar River Natural Area will be completed by the construction crew, including all signage.  He encouraged everybody to explore the trails before the winter sets in.  He also asked if anybody had any further information on the 200-unit campsite under construction across from the Windmill golf course.  Some discussion ensued.

XI.        Adjournment        Meeting adjourned at 10:40 a.m.

Next Meeting
Thursday, November 20, 2003, at 9:00 a.m.