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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF
THE NEWTOWN PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
TOWN HALL SOUTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2012
These minutes are subject to approval by the Newtown Parks and Recreation Commission.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Marks called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.
Commission Members present: Marks, Boritz, and Brookes
Commission Members absent: Barczak, Yanni Jr., Crick Owen, and DiNicola
Staff present: Mangold, Samuelson and Reggiano
Staff absent: None
Public: Kendra Bobowick, reporter for the Newtown Bee
There was not a quorum present at this meeting.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES
Tabled
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
None
CORRESPONDENCE
Tabled
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
None
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Tabled
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS – PARKS AND FIELD REPORT
Tabled
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF RECREATION REPORT
Tabled
OLD BUSINESS
1. DOG PARK UPDATE
Tabled
2. EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT – JONATHAN VAUGHAN
Tabled
3. 2012/14 BUDGET
- The Budget will be voted on at the Special Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 27th at 6:00 pm. The Commissioners present did review the entire budget with Director Mangold, Assistant Director’s Samuelson and Reggiano. Director Mangold told the Commission that the direction from the First Selectman was to stay with the same level of service and that again this would be a difficult budget year.
- Director Mangold told the Commission that she renamed the Summer Program account as Day Camp Program. Swim instructors (WSI & WSIA) used to be included in this account now they will be with the lifeguards in the Waterfront Account that was previously called Lifeguard Account. In the Waterfront Account, Director Mangold has added back the lifeguard/time that was reduced last year at Eichler’s Cove Beach. Chairman Marks asked that Director Mangold remove the adopted amounts from the Day Camp and Waterfront accounts work sheets.
- The Sign account has been increased by $1,000.00 to cover signs for new projects done in house not covered by the bid process.
- Chairman Marks suggested that under Education, Staff Training, Etc., that Director Mangold and Assistant Director Reggiano start taking Recreation Facility Management classes.
- The filter system work has been completed at Treadwell Pool.
- Under General Maintenance there is a 5% increase in order to keep services at the same level.
- Under Grounds Maintenance there is a 5% increase due to the increased cost of field paint and fertilizer. We have also added the Skate Park, Victory Garden, Fairfield Hills trail and soon the Dog Park to this account.
- A $1,000.00 increase to the Trails Maintenance account is due to the number of doggy bags that are required for the Fairfield Hills Trail. The dispensers have been changed to try to eliminate people taking hand full’s of bags. These bags are biodegradable. Commissioner Brookes suggested having a dispenser that people could put their recycled grocery bags in instead of purchasing doggy bags. Assistant Director Reggiano told the group that New Milford dog park does that. Commissioner Brookes will contact them to see how it is working. Assistant Director Samuelson is concerned that people throw the bags into the woods along the trail now and if it was plastic it would not degrade like the bags we are using and that could create a whole different problem.
- Director Mangold has received a letter from the Newtown Conservation Commission requesting support for Open Space Maintenance and Budget Improvement suggestions. Under the Trails Maintenance account, Director Mangold has added that Parks and Recreation would again recommend the funding to consider an open space maintenance program be considered by the Board of Selectman in conjunction with the Town Budget for 2013-2014.
- Under Contractual Services there is a zero increase for this budget request.
- The initial budget of $2,203,022 reflected an increase of $26,651 (1.22%) over the 2012-13 amended budget.
- Chairman Marks, Commissioner’s Brookes and Boritz recommended a few minor line item changes before focusing their attention on the Capital Requests. ~~They discussed the fact that they had not really addressed all of our capital needs in the last several years and that at some point we would need to bite the bullet and take care of some of these items.~ They then prioritized the capital and infrastructure requests so that they could meet most of our immediate needs while still presenting a reasonable budget.
- By the end of the meeting, they had agreed on the capital requests.~ They settled on total capital requests of $220,000 vs. last year’s approved budget of $192,000 – an increase of $28,000.~ When combined with increases in other areas of the budget, they ended up with roughly a $57,000 budget increase vs. last year, representing about a 2.5% increase on a percentage basis.
- They are very comfortable with the requests that they have recommended and the net increase of 2.5%.~
- Chairman Marks will update the Commissioners, Director Mangold and Assistant Director’s Samuelson and Reggiano with a new summary of the above. Director Mangold will update her worksheets as well as her summary sheets.
- The last item discussed was the condition of the Parks and Recreation/Carpool van. Public Works has inspected the van and has determined it to be a five on the scale of one to ten. There are six or seven vehicles that need replacing before the van can be replaced. It will take a couple of years before this happens. Assistant Director Samuelson suggested that the Department/Commission decide what type of vehicle they would need. Leasing a vehicle might be a possibility.
4. FIELD USE AGREEMENT review
Tabled
NEW BUSINESS
1. VOTE ON 2013 COMMISSION MEETING DATES
Tabled
2. SET 2013 SUMMER FEES
Tabled. All Commissioners were sent the fees to review before the meeting. Director Mangold explained that there has been no increase in the fees for Treadwell and Eichler’s Cove Beach passes since 2009. New this coming year is the rental of the Pavilion at Fairfield Hills and the beach area at Eichler’s Cove Beach. Chairman Marks recommended the rates as presented. The rates will be voted on at the Special Meeting on November 27th at 6:00 pm.
The meeting ended at 7:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted by,
Donna Benson
Clerk
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