Rochester Park Board Meeting Summary - March 3, 2026
Rochester Park Board Meeting Summary - March 3, 2026
The Rochester Park Board met on March 3, 2026 at 4:30 PM in City Hall Conference Room 104 to discuss and act on several items including park projects, financial reports, and a naming rights agreement. All five present members voted unanimously on all actions taken.
Consent Calendar
- Bulk Playground Mulch Order: Authorized the purchase of playground mulch from Best Rubber Mulch.
- Golf Course Concession Contracts: Approved concession contracts for Eastwood and Northern Hills Golf Courses.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Tammy Gross (President, Rochester Area Pickleball Association - RAPA): Expressed full support for rebuilding the pickleball courts at Cook Park, emphasizing how pickleball brings together diverse community members and strengthens connections. She acknowledged concerns about priority play for association members, stating that their goal is not to create exclusivity but to support a system that works for everyone—casual players, new players, families, and organized groups.
Discussion Items
- Project CIP Overview: Parks and Forestry Division Head Mike Nigbur presented a detailed overview of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) project financials, funding sources (tax levy, grants, partnerships, donations, activity-generated revenue), and planning. He reviewed numerous projects including disease tree removal, playground replacements, Quarry Hill improvements, Cascade Lake fiber/Wi-Fi, Plummer House renovations, park safety surfacing, Silver Lake dredging, Oxbow trail, central dog park, natural resource inventory, Game Haven mountain biking expansion, and Kutzky tennis courts. The board discussed the history and funding of the Flood Control Project. A request was made to authorize reserve funding for the relocation of wood waste processing from its current site (due to nearby development) to KR3 on 19th Street Northwest. Staff requested $70,000 total ($35,000 from each of two years) from department reserves. The board approved the funding.
- Cook Park Pickleball Renovation: Staff presented five bids for the renovation of pickleball courts. The recommendation was for Alternate 2 (concrete courts) awarded to Rochester Sand and Gravel at $347,799.20, with an additional $25,000 contingency from General Park Reserves. Discussion included transparency around bid details, the relative costs of asphalt vs. concrete, and concerns about priority court time for RAPA versus public use. Commissioner Morgan expressed concern about verbiage in the agreement that could feel exclusive to taxpayers who also contributed public dollars. Staff explained that similar arrangements exist with other user groups (e.g., tennis, baseball). Commissioner Cormack inquired about the 10-year financing of RAPA's portion and default risks. Staff stated the 10-year timeframe is standard for larger-dollar agreements. President Neumann suggested signage at Cook Park directing users to other pickleball courts. The board approved the motion.
- Hadley Creek Golf Course Clubhouse Repairs: The bid deadline was March 3, 2026 at 11:00 AM. Three quotes were received. The recommendation was to accept Kramer Contracting's bid of $86,199 (base bid $59,998 plus two alternates). Staff described water intrusion issues, subfloor damage, and planned work including drywall removal, insulation replacement, and window reinstallation. Unit pricing was included for potential additional work due to unforeseen conditions. Commissioner Cormack inquired about surprises; staff expressed confidence in the scope but acknowledged potential for undiscovered damage. The board approved the bid.
- Rochester Recreation Center South Rink and Gymnasium Naming Rights Agreement and Partnership: Recreation Center Manager Caryn Rooney presented a 10-year naming rights agreement with Olmsted Medical Center (OMC). The south rink and gymnasium would be named "OMC Arena" and "OMC Performance Gym." OMC will invest $25,000 annually ($250,000 total) and provide $30,000 in gym equipment. Additional deliverables include community events like family fun nights and educational workshops. Commissioner Cormack noted the facility is much better maintained now than in the past. President Neumann thanked Rooney and OMC representatives (Brittany and Joel) for their efforts. The board approved the agreement.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes Approved: Minutes of February 10, 2026 meeting approved unanimously (5 ayes, 2 absent).
- Monthly Reports Received and Filed: Parks and Recreation Department monthly reports for February 2026 received and filed.
- Monthly Bills Approved: February 2026 bills approved unanimously.
- Financial Performance Report Received and Filed: Year-to-date financials through February 2026 received and filed.
- Consent Agenda Approved: Bulk Playground Mulch Order and Golf Course Concession Contracts approved unanimously.
- CIP Overview – Wood Waste Processing: Authorized reserve funding of $70,000 ($35,000 from each of two years) for the relocation of wood waste processing. Motion carried unanimously.
- Cook Park Pickleball Renovation: Authorized award of Concrete Alternate 2 to Rochester Sand and Gravel for $347,799.20, plus up to $25,000 from General Park Reserves as contingency. Motion carried unanimously.
- Hadley Creek Golf Course Clubhouse Repairs: Authorized bid award to Kramer Contracting for $86,199 (base bid + alternates #1 and #2), with unit pricing for potential additional work. Motion carried unanimously.
- Rec Center Naming Rights: Approved 10-year naming rights agreement between the City of Rochester and Olmsted Medical Center for the Recreation Center South Rink and Gymnasium. Motion carried unanimously.
- Agenda Planner: Staff noted that Director Widman and Nigbur may be absent for the July meeting; Ben will attend. Commissioner Cormack noted a date error on the agenda planner: the October meeting should be October 6 (not October 10).
- Adjournment: Meeting adjourned unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you very much. All right. First item on our agenda is there's any questions by any of the board members on our group of agenda. I'm not seeing any on that. So then we'll go ahead and start with roll calls starting in Mark. Marty Carnack Ward 1. Paul Marina Ward 2. Representative. Next item on our agenda is the approval of the net for the February 10th movie. Are any questions anyone hands on minutes? Seeing none, is my motion to approve. Um large, all favor say aye. Aye. So the next item on our agenda would be in the open comment period. We have one person signed up. Emmy Gross from the Rochester Pickle Ball Association. And if you'd like to speak for would you like to get the same here or you can stay on this two minutes? We have two minutes. We go I won't go beyond that. Okay. Thank you. Um, so good afternoon, members of the park board. And thank you for this opportunity to speak. My name is Tammy Gross, and I am the president of Rochester area pickleball association for 2026. Um, today we're here to ask for your support to rebuild the pickleball courts at Cook Park. Um pickleball is unique in that you know that it brings together youth, seniors, families, new residents, mail clinic, bond visitors, in a way that very few other activities in this community can provide. Um we feel that it strengthens the community connections and helps support active living and low barrier ways for people to stay healthy and engaged. Rebuilding Cook Courts will provide a high quality, durable and welcoming space for players of all ages and abilities. One thing that I do want to acknowledge is the conversation we've had in the past about priority play for association members. Um we understand that that can be a sensitive topic, especially as the sport grows in our community. Our goal is to not create exclusivity or to limit access to this park. Our goal is to support a system that works for everyone, casual players, new players, families, and organized groups. Our position is very simple. The Rochester Area Pinnaball Association is committed to helping build this sport. We value our concurrent partnership with the parks department to make this project a reality. And we respectfully ask your approval to move this part project forward so that Cook Park can continue to serve as a vibrant safe and well-maintained recreational asset for the entire community. Thank you very much, Gary. And we will have that item on as 9B today, and our staff will explain the discussion that they've had with our partners for the list, which is the rapper group, and uh we may get a signal like that on that time. All right. Um next item on our agenda is the market partly reports as usual. We are full of information and all the things. Paul, were you uh did you want to point out any specific items in there? I think one of the big milestones was the uh uh bean signing of the new maintenance facility that we'll be moving in soon to the end of the year. Hopefully, much sooner than that. We're thinking early fall, if not slightly sooner than that. Okay, and that's uh coming along with the partnership with uh our um the public works team. Um it's just really funny. I think there's uh what's really what we're seeing is the efficiencies are coming from those who uh really know what they're doing, those that are doing uh uh work and assigned uh all the activities and uh that part of it is so far moving each other in fact really positive direction um we'll keep hosting with Marx. Okay, I don't think I my question is what happens to the facility in the when we ran them in the land. I will know that we the board will need to uh turn that over to the city.
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