Antrim Parks & Recreation Commission
Minutes
August 11, 2016
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm.
Attendance
Parks & Rec Commissioners: Joan Gorga, Peter Lamb, Isaac Lombard and Mike Genest
Recreation Director: Celeste Lunetta
Scoutmaster: Brian Beihl
Minutes
The minutes from the July 14, 2016 meeting were approved as written.
Boy Scout Projects
Troop 2 Scoutmaster Brian Beihl apologized for complications that had arisen over Henry Johnson’s Eagle Scout project, and expressed a desire to have a good working relationship with Parks & Rec. He explained that the Boy Scouts now require service projects at every level, ranging from two to eight hours of service depending on the level. He asked us to contact him if we have ideas for discrete projects that can be completed in relatively short periods of time, such as removing invasives or painting fire hydrants, and asked if one of the boys could stain and repair the benches at Memorial Park. It was suggested that Brian take a look at one of the benches, which is leaning, and see if he thinks it can be safely repaired.
Budget
CIP budgets are due at the end of the month. We will continue to try to build Capital Reserve Funds at $10,000/year for replacing the gym floor and $15,000/year for renovating Memorial Park. Celeste and Joan will work on the budget and an overall plan for Memorial Park. Shea Field will need a new coat of infield mix; as this will cost less than $10,000, it will be included in the department budget for next year.
Gregg Lake
Beach. The beach has continued to be busy; the restroom tanks have been pumped out regularly. The police have been called twice for people agitated about smoking rules or having to pay $5 to park. The few issues with people being rude or aggressive to the beach staff were resolved, and there were no busloads of swimmers from camps or beer volleyball games.
Boat launch/dog swim area. We will include money in the budget for benches next year to define a safer dog swim/kayak launch area. Celeste will reach out to the yacht club members to move their boats out a little farther from the beach.
Other Beach/Boat Launch Issues. Celeste will get someone to repair the damaged bathhouse door. Jeanne Baker redid the boating regulations sign at the boat launch. The lake bottom at the beach was not raked this spring; Joan will try to do it this fall as the water level drops. Joan and Missy Lombard are planning to do the third round of lake water testing on August 17. The algae growth is once again heavy in some areas, but not as heavy as last year in much of the lake. Joan and Helen Perivier did thorough Weed-Watching surveys in the area of the meadows and from the Harbor Camp beach around the northern end to the channel and up the eastern side to the southern end of the lake.
Memorial Park
Signs. The welcoming sign has been completed and will be installed.
Landscaping. We will look into getting some landscaping maintenance performed by the town or outside professionals. The gravel walk is full of weeds. In order to be able to spray to get rid of the, Carl will need to get a pesticide license from the state. After more complaints about poison ivy, Joan pulled up all she could find around the bridge and near the pine trees. Celeste will contact a poison ivy-removal professional about thoroughly getting rid of the patches of poison ivy. It would also be useful to transfer some of the routine shrub and perennial maintenance to landscapers. Mike Genest suggested Joan speak with Peter Beblowski about complaints brought before the Select Board regarding vegetation in the Mill Pond. In our opinion, the vegetation consists of native plants appropriate for a shallow pond, but some town
residents are suggesting the pond needs to be dredged again. Celeste will contact Andy Robblee about the dead pine trees. The annual Emerald ash borer treatment was recently completed.
Antrim in the Evening. Monica has been running the AIE programs, and most have been well attended.
Skatepark. Vandals have created breaches in the plywood and some of the decking needs to be replaced. Celeste will try to get the Highway Department to help with some of the repairs when they get the time.
Dog Park. Suggestions have been made that a dog park could be installed in the northeast quadrant of Memorial Park. The sense of the Commission is that the area is not big enough and that it would not be safe to have the fence open on the water side because dogs could get out of the designated area. We will put together our priorities for Memorial Park in order to justify requests for Capital Reserve Funds.
Shea Field
Lights. The installation of the remaining two light poles went smoothly. We will make plans to follow through with making an infield skating rink this winter.
ConVal Agreement. Joan and Donna drafted a letter, which Joan and John Robertson signed and Donna sent to the School Board. We haven’t received any response.
Bittersweet. Peter will ask Justin Santos to look at the dense bittersweet especially along West Street, and make a recommendation.
Town Gym
Floor. It is our turn to refinish the floor. Last year it was refinished by ConVal and began peeling early. The company that did it for us before said a simple reseal won’t work—it needs to be completely stripped, which will cost in the range of $12,000. Tim Grossi will meet with Celeste next week to assess the job and help decide what to do in the long term. The floor was last completely stripped in 2002. Thus, the job will not be done before school starts. The gym could be closed down the week of Thanksgiving for the work, giving a full week for drying and release of fumes. We are hoping ConVal will contribute to the cost; Antrim’s portion could come from either the government buildings fund or the Richardson Fund.
Recreation Department
Update. Celeste is back in full force again. With many signups for fall soccer, we will have six soccer teams, and Celeste can plan practices for 7-8:30 under the new lights.
The next regularly scheduled Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting will be Thursday, September 8th at 7:00 pm at the Rec Office.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:58 pm.
-Joan Gorga, Chair and Secretary
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