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Antrim Parks & Recreation Commission
Minutes
August 14, 2014
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm.
Attendance
Parks & Rec Commissioners: Mike Genest, Joan Gorga, Peter Lamb, and Isaac Lombard
Recreation Director: Celeste Lunetta
Minutes
The minutes from the July 10, 2014 meeting were approved as written.
Budget
CIP (due August 25, 2014). Capital Improvement Projects have been defined as those costing in excess of $10,000 and having a useful life of at least 5 years. Of the items that we had discussed putting into the CIP budget, cobblestones to reduce erosion on the slope by Shea Field, a new bench at Memeorial Park, and a new beach raft all cost below $10,000. In the CIP budget, we will request $25,000 to be added to the Capital Reserve Fund for improvements at Shea Field, specifically the installation of lights for the baseball and soccer/lacrosse fields. The additional funds will give a total of $90,000 at the end of next year, and we will have enough to install the lights at the soccer/lacrosse fields. The remaining two light posts can be installed the following year, with the last installment added to
the CRF. For the years 2016 - 2019, we will request that $25,000 be added to the CRF for Memorial Gym improvements, in anticipation of needing to replace the failing gym floor. Efforts will be made to get ConVal to contribute to the cost, as well. We will also request $21,400 for Memorial Park improvements in 2015, to include surface drainage work, playground relocation and expansion, lights, benches and tables. A grant will be applied for to fund rebuilding the tennis court, and we will request $30,000 for Memorial Park improvements in 2016, to include rebuilding the tennis and basketball courts.
Plans for next year. Items that we should consider putting into the budget for next year:
- Cobblestones to reduce erosion on the slope by Shea Field
- Replacement of the failing gym floor
- Shea Field lights. Peter will speak to Mike Cachinos about putting the lights onto Google Maps.
- We may need to replace the raft at the beach. It was billed as having a 10-year lifespan, and is now 13 years old. At a minimum, the welding needs to be repaired in several spots.
- The bent park bench in Memorial Park may need to be replaced if it is deemed unsafe. It is about 15 years old.
Memorial Park
Signs. The commission voted to recommend that the Selectboard approve a fine of up to $100 as a penalty for infractions of park rules.
Skate Park. The unsafe ramp will be removed, rather than repaired.
Maintenance. The plywood bus floor was rotted from a window leak. The hole was repaired by the Highway Department. The electrical issues have been fixed; some painting till needs to be finished. Tennis court use has increased, perhaps because some residents want to make sure that the court is not lost. One commissioner’s wife was spotted playing with her grandson during the Teddy Bear Picnic.
Ten-year plan. Berkshire Designs has not yet come to assess the park. Because no specific design is in place at this time, we will aim for the March deadline to apply for grant money to rebuild the tennis court.
Gregg Lake
Beach/Boat Launch Issues. The dock needs to be replaced. On one testing date, the bacteria counts in the water at the beach were high. However, the water was retested the following day, and the counts were found to be very low. The very low levels have continued ever since.
Use permits. More beach permits will be ordered for next year, and will possibly be combined with the ARTS as a multi-use sticker.
Shea Field
Use issues. A flashing stop light will be installed at the intersection of School Street and West Street. It will be on timer controlled by a 365-day calendar, which will be programmed for school and recreational events. Power will need to be run from Shea Field before school starts.
Soccer practice is about to start, and a soccer camp will be held next week. Teams from a wide area will be coming to play here, and games start the week after Labor Day.
Maintenance. The field is in great condition.
ConVal Agreement
Antrim’s Counterproposal. The Town Gym agreement appears to be all set. We have not yet begun to work on the Shea Field agreement.
Town Gym
Update. Celeste will be meeting with a floor guy soon. The basketball camp that has been using the gym is closing down, but will make a $1000 donation toward the floor repairs.
Recreation Department
Update. The mosaic is done and will be mounted in the lobby soon. The cubbies will stay out in the lobby area, and will be useable for winter.
The commission confirmed support for sponsoring the before- and after-school clubs, which are administered by the Grapevine.
Mark Swasey, ConVal’s new athletic director, proposed to the School Board Education Committee that ConVal take over the administration of the recreational basketball program, with the goal of improving coaching, and thus performance at all levels, and thus building towards stronger high school teams. The proposal will then before the full School Board. Our basketball program will remain the same for this year, as the proposed changes were not made early enough.
Antrim Friends of Recreation will be running a fundraiser at the NASCAR race in Loudon on September 21.
The next regularly scheduled Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting will be held on Thursday, September 11th at 7:00 pm at the Rec Office.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 pm.
-Joan Gorga, Chair and Secretary
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