Old Lyme Parks and Recreation Commission
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Present: Bob Dunn (Chairman), Don Bugbee (Director), John Flower, (Vice-Chairman),
Mary Ellen Garbarino, Tim Gavin, Glynn McAraw
Absent: Missy Garvin, Nigel Logan
Guests: Sean McTigue (Old Lyme Rowing Association)
1. CALL TO ORDER
Bob Dunn called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – May 3, 2018
Tim Gavin moved to accept the minutes of Regular Meeting May 3, 2018 and John Flower seconded the motion. SO VOTED.
3. DIRECTOR’S REPORT – Don Bugbee
PROGRAMS
Adult Basketball
Adult Basketball ends June 13.
Summer Programs
Sign-ups for Summer Programs are ongoing, and all programs are listed on the Town Website.
The staff is all hired with a total of 41 people. On June 9 there will be a meeting for lifeguards, and on June 25/26 the Day Camp Staff will meet for training. Day Camp will start June 27 and run through August 3.
Town Woods Park
The facilities are in good shape, soccer and LX club activities will wrap up in the next couple of weeks.
Hains Park
The High School Rowing is over, and Old Lyme Rowing Association will be using the park. Swim lines have been installed.
White Sand Beach
Swim lines are out, parking lot prepared, beach has been cleaned, gazebo has been repaired.
Cross Lane Park
Fields are in good shape, some repairs to the water hydrant at the girls’ softball field. A sensor in the well is being replaced tomorrow.
4. OLD BUSINESS
a. Boathouse Phase One Update
Bob Dunn reported that the gutters are being installed on the boat house, the trench was dug by the side of the driveway that leads to the boathouse. Planning on redoing the asphalt on the driveway to the boathouse and adding a lip which will direct the water running off route 1 in the right direction. Rocks will be added to the trench.
b. Hains Park Improvements, PRC Committee
Bob Dunn reported that there is still no budget for the improvements as Phase 1 has not been wrapped up yet. The Commission agreed to do this when we were informed that there would be approximately $219,000 available for these improvements. The PRC was also told that local contractors could be hired instead of going out to bid which would have saved money and now have been told that is not the case. Not only a bathroom needs to be built, but a new well will have to be drilled. It is estimated that there will be very little money (if any) left from Phase 1 to be applied to Phase 2.
c. Cross Lane Playground Update, Budget Update
Missy Garvin had sent the Commission the budget update for the Cross Lane Playground Project. This from Missy in her email, “The fence installation has begun and is halfway finished. There has been a change order though and we are not sure of the total. They told us that it will not exceed $1,000 (the change order is to concrete the posts in on the wet side of the playground because they keep popping out!) We have added a $1,000 placeholder in the budget but will update as soon as the job is complete!”
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Swim area at Hains Park
When Harry Plaut placed the swim lines, it was smaller than years before. Harry fixed this today.
b. Nuisance complaints during regattas at Hains Park
Bob Dunn stated that although things were a little better than in the past, there were still some issues that need to be fixed. The biggest and most dangerous problem is the parking i.e. parking on areas in the park that are not parking places, parking on the road, and in local business establishments. There were many complaints from the merchants. The Commission reviewed Bob’s draft of Rules for Rowing Regattas and Practices in Addition to Standard Policies and Rules for using Hains Park. Bob will make the suggested changes and send around to members for a second review.
c. Any other New Business
Don Bugbee reported that Rogers Lake will closed on June 11, 2018 from 9 AM – 3 PM due to an Aquatic weed treatment (herbicide Clipper) that is being done.
Don reported that he had received an email request from Mya Johnson, who is a member of the High School Girls Soccer Team. OLGS is hoping to do a summer soccer league this summer. They need a home field to play on for three or four games and requested the use of Town Woods Park fields. Don read his response to Mya:
“Typically we shut down Town Woods Park fields for games and team practices for most of July and early August. We do this to repair the fields and let them "rest" a bit in preparation for the Fall season.
The L/OL Boys approached us last Summer for a similar situation and they were not allowed to do it.
I know this is disappointing to the teams, but it is in the best interest of maintaining good, quality fields.
Also, there would be fees attached to the process to line the fields, maintain the lining and putting goals out.
In the discussions last summer about this, it was determined by the Parks and Recreation Commission that D18 should provide the field space for D18 teams to play on. I know D18 Facilities position usually is to stay off of their 2 main fields during the summer. They do this for the same reasons we do at Town Woods Park. I believe the resolution last year was that D18 provided the back field for the summer games.
I will discuss this at tonight’s Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting and get back to you tomorrow with their thoughts about it all.”
The Commission agreed that District 18 teams should be playing on District 18 fields. The TWP fields are shut down for the summer months in order for them to rest. Town Woods Park fields will not be available for the High School Girls Summer Soccer League games. Don will relay this to Mya Johnson.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT
Sean McTique, a parent representative from Old Lyme Rowing, stated that there have been four or five regattas a season since the first boathouse was built in 1985. The size of the regattas is limited by the size of the Old Lyme Team which is not very large. It should not get any bigger than we have seen. Sean stated that they are getting lots of negative feedback about why the bathrooms are not done. It was explained to Sean that the Commission was told that there would be $219,000 left for Phase 2 which includes the bathrooms. Phase 1 has not closed out yet and because of that there is no budget yet. There will be no action until there is a budget. It is believed that there will be very little money left from Phase 1 to go to Phase 2.
At the BOS level, the direction was that Phase 2 would only begin after Phase 1 was closed out.
7. Glynn McAraw moved, and Tim Gavin seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 PM.
SO VOTED.
The next meeting of this Commission will be on July 5, at 7:00 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Ellen Garbarino
Secretary
| 
