05-19-2025 Meeting Minutes.pdf
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
Chair Speltz called the meeting to order at 6:31 pm
Commissioners present: Jonas Courneya, Bill Delaney, Matthew Sanders, Dawn Speltz, Brian Wright
Commissioners absent: Roger Bergman, Matthew Olson, Scott Seys
Council Members: Gillian Rosenquist
Staff present: Janelle Crossfield, Parks and Recreation Director; Greg Simmons, Parks and
Recreation Assistant Director; Ben Disch, Golf Operations Manager; Brian Haley,
Golf Course Superintendent; Ryan Wigdahl, Assistant Golf Course
Superintendent; Jacquelyn Kramer, Senior Planner
2. Land Acknowledgment Statement
3. Oath of Office
Commissioners Sanders and Courneya read their Oath of Office
4. Approval of May 19, 2025, Agenda
MOTION by Chair Speltz , seconded by Commissioner Wright to approve the agenda as presented,
and the motion carried.
5. Approval of March 24, 2025, Meeting Minutes
MOTION by Commissioner Sanders, seconded by Commissioner Speltz to approve the March 24,
2025, meeting minutes as presented, and the motion carried.
6. Business
a. Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Simmons confirmed that commissioners had received the
boards and commission orientation information as attached in the agenda for review. No
commissioners had any questions.
b. Commissioners Sanders was nominated and elected through a unanimous vote as the chair.
Commissioner Wright was nominated and elected by unanimous vote as the vice-chair.
c. Simmons relayed to Commissioners that the current Open Space and Recreation Commission
Bylaws mandate that they be reviewed on an annual basis. Commissioners confirmed that there
were no current changes and Simmons responded that any proposed changes would need to be
done at a future meeting.
May 19, 2025 – 6:30 pm
Brookview Valley North Room
City of Golden Valley Open Space & Recreation Commission Regular Meeting Minutes
March 24, 2025 – 6:30 pm
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d. Ben Disch, Golf Operations Manager, introduced Brian Haley, Golf Course Superintendent, and Ryan
Wigdahl, Assistant Golf Course Superintendent. Both Haley and Wigdahl had started in their current
roles over the previous two months and shared pictures and discussion of recent and current
projects with the commission. Commissioners asked follow-up questions related to tree removal
and replacements, and Haley shared the plan for continued removal of ash trees and ongoing new
tree plantings. Golf staff also shared the current positive impacts of the new irrigation system and
the potential to pay off the loan much earlier than planned for this project.
e. Simmons discussed the background behind the City’s update to the current sign code and turned
the discussion over to Jacquelyn Kramer, Senior Planner, to provide additional insight as well as
discussion on the topic. This update to sign code will supersede any previous guidance or code
related to signs. Simmons clarified after questions from Commissioners that this update is related
to what signs are allowed in the City and less about how they look. Kramer said that this update is
related to signs City-wide, not just parks, and updates are common practice across cities to ensure
that what is being allowed and what is written in code are aligned. The discussion focused on
temporary and seasonal signs including both advertisement and general information signs. Kramer
answered questions from the Commission related to content and answered that the sign code
updates are related to amount and placement of signs whereas content is primarily protected by
first amendment rights which the sign code cannot override. Finally, the discussion shifted to
revenue generation through signs such as advertisements on athletic facilities. The commission
shared both the concerns around having too many signs in parks as well as the disparity in the
current guidelines in allowed signs. The discussion was summed up by Kramer that the Commission
was currently okay with the current number of signs and the code will need to account for the
material signs are made of and the differences in parks located in predominantly residential versus
industrial or business areas. The sign code update is still in the input process and there will be a
future public hearing on the topic.
f. The proposed 2026 capital improvement budget has a line for a sun/rain shelter construction at
Stockman Park. The current shelter there was recently constructed, in 2017, and not currently due
for replacement. This discussion shifted to the cost of playground replacements and that there
hasn’t been an adjustment to the budget for playground replacements in several years and the
Commission supported exploring an expanded budget request related to playgrounds.
g. The annual parks tour will be taking place during the June meeting. The commission discussed
locations of interest in visiting. As a part of the discussion, there was an interest in visiting a park
outside of Golden Valley with similar playground containers as many of Golden Valley’s to help
guide future budget considerations.
h. There were no Commissioner announcements.
i. Simmons showed the updates to the Bassett Creek Regional Trail and the work that has been
approved and will take place in Golden Valley. Summer programs began on June 10 th and most of
the programs are full with waitlist and staffing numbers are strong. The contract award for Scheid
Park Shelter Remodel will be on the Council agenda for May 20th. Construction will begin on august
1st once awarded. Finally, Simmons shared about an upcoming public meeting being hosted by
Breck School related to a potential change to their campus.
j. There were no Council Liaison announcements.
City of Golden Valley Open Space & Recreation Commission Regular Meeting Minutes
March 24, 2025 – 6:30 pm
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7. The commission confirmed the upcoming dates and made the decision to move the June meeting to a
5:30p.m. start for the parks tour
8. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by Chair Sanders at 8:01 pm
Chair, Matthew Sanders Greg Simmons, Parks and Recreation Assistant
Director