Park and Recreation Commission
Minutes of the Meeting
September 12th, 2012
Meeting called to order: 7:45 pm.
Commissioners in Attendance: Rob O’Connor, Andy Paterna, George Caye, Dave Romejko, Craig Zimmerman, Dan Rezende, Sharon Parlapiano, and Ray Favreau
Also in Attendance: Gary Bazzano, Joseph Henault, Mary Lee Henault, Mary Colbert, Susanne Erickson, Marge Parker, and Cindy Beaulieau
Approval of Minutes: July Minutes Approved.
Public Input: A group of senior citizens wanted to know more information about the three new fields going in to Nevers Park. They had questions concerning use and noise. Gary Bazzano informed them that he is head of the Athletic Field Sub-Committee and that he had spoken to Mrs. Hatch. The group presented a letter to be read into the PARC minutes. The letter is as follows and was addressed to Gary Bazzano for the Town Council
Carol Hatch
101 Wyndemere Ct.
South Windsor, CT 06074
“Dear Sirs,
If you feel that you must surround our senior complex with bright lights, loud music and shouting coaches; please consider changing the location of the rest rooms and concession stand. According to your plans they would back up to the porches of my neighbors homes.
Is it possible that these fields could be place anywhere else in town?
A senior resident
Carol Hatch
P.S. We are concerned for present “peace” and later “resale”!”
The seniors living in the complex don’t want the smell of concession food. They would like barriers placed around the fields to block the view and noise. Rob O’Connor stopped the talk there and asked that they be informed when the next Athletic Field meeting is so they can voice their concerns. Craig explained when they questioned the need for more fields that even though the population in South Windsor has doubled in the last 40 years; no new fields have been built for the town. Some fields have been repaired or replaced but the town has the same number of usable fields as it did in the 1960’s.
SW Food Alliance: Andy presented a Draft of the Food Alliance’s Master Plan. The group is working on a venue for a Winter Farmers Market. They are also in contact with the Elementary Schools to begin composting. The Master Plan talks about tax credits for South Windsor Farm Families. There are three students from the Environmental Science Club at SWHS working with the group. The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) is in talks with the Audubon Society about using the Neiderwerfer Road property for farming and the house for educational classes.
Report From Council Liaison: The referendum for $1 million passed by the council has nothing to do with the Athletic Sub-Committee’s work. There will be another sub-comm. meeting before the election. Craig asked if questions about the athletic referendum could be asked by anyone during a Town Council meeting. Gary will look into this and get back to the group.
OSTF: The group evaluated a property on Avery Street. One of the members asked a neighbor about the property who happened to be a relative and was told that not all members of the family want to sell. Right now nothing is being done.
Report of the Rec. Director: Ray informed the group that there is approx. $377,000 in the current PARC fund balance.
VMP: Water features and the hand rails are complete.
Parks is working on the completing some of the connectors in the SWWWW master plan. Autumn Dr. to Tallwood Dr. was paved and they are putting down stone dust on the Windshire to Nevers Park connector this week.
SKATE PARK: Ray is having trouble fitting the park and site work into a $95,000 budget. Now that the Town council lifted the freeze Craig asked if the $377,000 could be used for projects. Gary Bazzano said it was available for any PARC projects. Craig would like to see any remaining funds after the six projects approved by the Town Council are completed be used for other projects in the Master Plan. Ray was asked to go before Town Council to use an additional $50,000 for the Skate Park Project.
New Recreation Center: Preliminary talks are going on with Evergreen Walk to build a 35,000 to 40,000 square foot Recreation Center. This was one of the reasons that the 1.5 million dollar referendum question was voted down to add to the Community Center. If this plan does come through, the Rec. Dept. will move out of the Community Center and give the space to the seniors. Craig requested that no corners be cut and a full Basketball Court that meets state requirements be installed in the new facility. The whole project is in the preliminary stage and nothing has been set yet.
Security systems are being completed at Rye Street Park and VMP and Ray has been in contact with Rotary about installing cameras at the Rotary Pavilion.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October is breast cancer awareness month and most of the sports teams have agreed to wear pink jerseys or something to support the cause. Parks will also be spray painting the lines for the fields with pink spray paint.
Barton Property: The town is looking at a potential Storm Debris Site on the property. They would like to clear 11 acres in the pine grove and have a rough level field that could be used as practice fields for Rye Street until there is a need to store debris from storms.
The Parks Dept. is now responsible to clean up abandoned blighted properties in South Windsor. They have worked on three properties and are looking at three more in town.
06074 T-shirts are still available for purchase at the Rec. Dept. Cost is $12/shirt., and $10 if purchasing more than one.
Ray has a deposition on 9/24 in regards to the Bark Park Lawsuit.
October 22nd is a mandatory Ethics and FOI seminar. The seminar will be held from 7-9 pm in Town Hall Council Chambers.
Ray wants us to be aware that two groups will be presenting to PARC for a Cricket Field in town and an Amateur Jai Alai court to be put in the Ten Year PARC Master Plan.
SWW&WW: There is a brochure in our packets about the Town’s Bronze Award from the League of American Cyclists. The event is part of a long day of different events is town on Saturday October 20th. SWWWW event will be at 1:00pm at Jacob’s View Pavilion. A bike tour of South Windsor will follow the ceremony.
Sidewalk/Bike Committee: They have received communications from Evergreen Walk and Dick Kelly from Town Center with a plan for biking/walking trails in town. They are also looking to ask Town Council to change some of the Town’s ordinances concerning Sidewalks.
PARC Master Plan: There was extensive talk as to how we can get the information out about the recreation referendum question to the public legally. Ray will ask the town manager what PARC can and can’t do. He is looking at getting a blanket mail brochure stating only the facts of the question. Craig had talked to some Town Council members and they suggested PARC along with other sports groups send letter to the editors of the local papers. We could also go through Patch and Sports Department, & Reminder News. Craig suggested that postcards be sent out to everyone. A motion was made to “spend up to three thousand dollars of PARC operational budget money for factual promotion of the referendum question, if allowed by the town manager.” Motion was
seconded voted on and passed unanimously. Ray will speak to him and will get back to us by email and also we may have to have a special meeting to go over how this will be accomplished. George will ask Little League if they are allowed by their rules to use their funds to promote the referendum.
Election of New Officers: Ray spoke about the possibility of having officers sever two years instead of one. We would have to change the by-laws. Ray will put this on our agenda for the next meeting and we can re-elect officers then for two years. A motion was made to elect the following
Al Larson Chairman
Rob O’Connor Vice Chairman
George Caye Secretary
Motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Motion made and seconded to adjourn.
Meeting adjourned at 10:10 pm
Next Meeting: 7:30pm Oct 10th, 2012
Respectfully Submitted
George S. Caye
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