RECREATION & PARK COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Monday, November 16, 2009
Avon Town Hall, Building #1
I. Call to Order - 6:00 p.m. – By Chairman, Peter Ponziani
A. Attendance
1. Members & Staff Present
Glenn Marston, Director, Sharon VanDeusen, Admin. Coordinator, Peter Ponziani, Donald Droppo, Peggy Roell, Kathy Thompson
2. Members & Staff Absent
Doug Evans, Vice-Chairman, David Jadovich, Michael Trick
II. Minutes – September 29, 2009
After reviewing the minutes from September 29, 2009, Peggy Roell motioned to accept the minutes as presented and Kathy Thompson seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
III. Public Comment – None
IV. Director’s Report
A. Fall
Director reported to the committee that Basketball registration is finally complete and we registered approximately 514 kids from grades 2-8. Mr. Marston informed the committee that the Volleyball league is running smoothly and Bob Stacy, Kaitlin Stacy and Margaret Stacy are helping out with that program. Bob and Kaitlyn are paid to help with the program and Margaret volunteers her time.
Glenn gave the committee an update on the Ski registration that occurred on November 4 & 5. He said we registered 167 children for the After School program and 4 for the February Vacation program. Registration for the After School program ends in December and registration for the February Vacation program ends January 22, 2010. The Thompson Brook bus filled on the first night with 50 students and we added another bus and registered 29 more students. Maximum number of students allowed per bus is 50 and the minimum number of students needed to run a bus is 32. Once the minimum number of students for a bus is met, any money for students above the 32 is all profit for the Recreation Department.
Glenn told committee that the Department Heads had a chance to meet the new Town Manager at their November staff meeting.
IV. Correspondence
A. Marty deLivron
Glenn handed out correspondence from Marty deLivron regarding a practice mound on the first base side at Buckingham as well as looking into the purchase of advertising on the outfield fence to raise money for Avon Baseball. Glenn told the committee that Little League did get approval for advertising signage at Sperry Park, but the money had to stay with Avon Little League. Glenn was not sure that this would be able to be done at Buckingham. The committee felt this was a reasonable request and after some discussion, the committee concurred to proceed with having Glenn do a little more research on this.
Bryan Backiel
Glenn gave committee members a copy of an email from Bryan Backiel regarding rental of Fisher Meadows for next year for a men’s softball league. He is looking for two fields for about two hours on Sunday’s beginning in April and ending in August. The group would pay rental fees for their use of the fields. Glenn told committee members that we do have a Men’s Open Softball program there on Sunday mornings from April to September. The committee asked Glenn if he thought our Men’s Open Softball program would be willing to move to another location in town. Glenn said they have played on other fields in Town and he would be willing to ask them if they would be interested in changing their location. Glenn will get back to the committee on this.
B. Laura Young
Glenn informed the committee that Laura Young from the Unplugged Learning Project sent him an email regarding the reconstruction of the Middle school tennis courts. The groups goal is to have the tennis courts reconstructed and to re-instate regular education curriculum as well as after school programs. Ms. Young’s organization will go to the Board of Education meeting to present the project and see if the Board of Education would be interested in working with them to meet this goal. If the Board of Education is receptive to the plan, then the Unplugged Learning Project will look to community groups such as the Recreation and Park Committee and/or the Avon Tennis Association to assist them with the project. Glenn will wait to hear back from Laura Young after the meeting with the Board of Education.
VI. Committee Communication – None
VII. Old Business
A. Fisher Meadows Field Project
1. Update
Glenn reported that the Fisher Meadows project is in the Capital Budget. He said he had to upgrade the project by 5% to 1.1 million. Glenn said we have $138,528 in the Fisher Meadows fund and at his project update meeting with Phil Schenck, he discussed going to the Town Council and Board of Finance to have some of that money released for improvements to the facility.
B. Review of Fees – Further Discussion
1. $ 5.00 per registrant fee for all leagues.
Glenn reported to the committee that there has not been much push back from the groups on the $5 per fee.
2. Senior Center – Building Use & Supervisor Fees
He also reported that groups using the Senior Center seem to be fine with paying the fees. Some of the groups using the Senior Center have a person in their group that is willing to volunteer their time as facility attendant and we have them go to the Senior Center to be shown how to open and close the building for an event. Groups that have a volunteer are not invoiced for the facility attendant.
3. Capitol Improvement Program
Glenn reviewed the Capitol Improvement Program power point presentation with committee members. In the five year plan Glenn listed the Sycamore Hills Pool Painting, Wall, and Return Fitting Repairs as well as the Sperry Park parking lot and the Fisher Meadows Field Development. He said he does not see money coming anytime soon for the Sperry Park parking lot, and the demolition of the old school has helped with the parking situation there. Glenn informed the committee that the Capitol Improvement Program presentation to the Town Council was tonight and if any of the committee members could attend that would be great.
VIII. New Business
A. General Fund Budget
Glenn informed committee members that he is just about finished with the General Fund Budget. Glenn said the pool vacuum is in need of repair. The life expectancy on the vacuum is about 7 years and our current vacuum is 9 years old.
The cost to replace it is $4,200. He is going to try to buy a new one out of the current budget and ask public works to see if they can fix the old one and keep it for a back up or sell it. The cost just to repair the cord on the old vacuum is $1,100, so it would cost about the same to repair the old one as it would to buy a new one.
Glenn said the line paint machine needs to be replaced and the cost is about $10,000. He said there is $3,000 in the Buildings and Grounds budget; another portion in the Parks budget and the rest would come out of the Parks Reimbursable account.
Glenn put $6,800 in the budget for a new sound system at the Senior Center and he will ask groups that use the building to help contribute to the cost of the new system.
IX. Adjournment
A. Donald Droppo motioned to adjourn the meeting at 6:30 pm. Peggy Roell seconded the motion which passed unanimously.
Respectfully Submitted by
Sharon VanDeusen
Sharon VanDeusen
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