Culture, Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - 12/15/2016

TOWN OF SIMSBURY – CULTURE, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION –

Subject to Vote of Approval – Special Meeting Minutes – Thursday, December 15, 2016 – 2.25 pages

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in the main meeting room of town hall by David Bush, chairman. Other commission members who were present included Kelly Kearney, Dennis Fallon, Gerry Post, Bill Mullen, and Sarah Cramer. The C. P. & R. Director, Gerry Toner, was also in attendance.

Approval of Minutes

No changes were made to the November 3, 2016 Special Meeting Minutes. Mr. Bush declared the minutes approved, and requested that they be put on record.

Eagle Scout Project Presentations

Alec Traktovenko. Mr. Traktovenko, from Avon BSA Troop 274, plans to build two “Little Free Library” book cabinets and install them outdoors near bike paths in Simsbury. Lisa Karim, the director of Simsbury Public Library, has been developing the idea with him. The library will be responsible for providing and re-stocking books. Mr. Traktovenko will build the book cabinets in his home during the winter and spring. He estimates that five to six scouts will help him with the construction and installation. The installation will be in May 2017, in honor of National Bike Month. He hopes to get donations of wood and building supplies from local hardware stores, and he may set up a “Go Fund Me” web page. Commission members noted that Mr. Traktovenko should: 1. Call the electric company before installation, in case of buried power lines, 2. Make low or no- maintenance book cabinets, and 3. Submit pictures of the finished project to Mr. Toner so he can share them with the commission. Mr. Fallon made a motion to approve Mr. Traktovenko’s Eagle Scout Project. Mr. Mullen seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously.

Chris Anderson. Mr. Anderson, from Simsbury BSA Troop 76, plans to renovate the  David Emott Memorial Family Fitness Trail at Simsbury Farms. It includes 20 individual exercise stations. Each station has two signs on metal posts. Mr. Anderson will sand and repaint all the posts, and make new signs for the three stations which no longer have them. Most of the stations have stone dust areas where the exercises can be performed. For the eight that do not have these areas, Mr. Anderson will add them. His project will also include using fill to build up eroded spots along the trail. Mr. Anderson estimates that the project will cost about $750. He will first ask local businesses to donate materials, and then ask family, friends, and troop members for materials or money. The installation in early to mid-April 2017 will be labor-intensive. It will span about 10 days. Four scouts per station and 8 scouts per day will be required to complete two stations per day. Mr. Mullen made a motion to approve Mr. Anderson’s Eagle Scout Project. Mr. Fallon seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously.

Park Sign Proposal

Sally Rieger, chair of the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic Study, brought samples of aluminum signs that remind people to take their litter home. The signs have an image and wording in both English and Spanish. They were created from funds left over from a National Parks survey. The survey studied 10 Connecticut towns along the Farmington River. Since there are no manned trash bins in most parks along the river, these signs will encourage river and park etiquette. Ms. Rieger must seek approval to install signs in each of the 10 towns. She requested permission to install three signs in Simsbury. Mr. Fallon made a motion to approve the park sign proposal submitted by Ms. Rieger, to include signs for Curtiss Park, the Pinchot Sycamore Park, and the Betty Hudson property when it is developed into a town park. Commission members reserved the right to replace the signs if they do not blend well with the uniform signage to be developed for all town parks in the future. Ms. Cramer seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously.

Fish & Game Club License – Proposed Extension

On March, 1, 2017, the non-exclusive license agreement—between the town and the Simsbury Fish & Game Club to use the Stoddard Reservoir for its fishing program—will expire. Mr. Toner was contacted by the president of the SF&GC in November to request a 4-year renewal. The C. P. & R. Department provides a portable toilet, and site preparation to make the area safe before each fishing season. It also sells 1-year Stoddard Reservoir fishing permits. The SF&GC provides all other maintenance on the property, and annually stocks the reservoir with fish. Mr. Toner mentioned that his department’s partnership with the club has always been good, and that the permit fees are used exclusively to pay for fish, insurance, and family events. Mr. Mullen made a motion to approve extending the SF&GC contract for another 4 years. Ms. Cramer seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Commission members suggested that a link to the SF&GC should be on the C. P. & R. Department web site.

Golf Course Restaurant Bid Results

One bid was submitted by Maple KRG LLC. for $26,500 per year for two years. The current vendor decided not to bid. Commission members discussed the new agreement and Mr. Bush indicated that he and Mr. Toner would monitor the performance of the new vendor to assure that all conditions of the lease are adhered to. Mr. Fallon made a motion to accept the bid from Maple KRG LLC, pending its agreement to the terms of the new contract. Mr. Mullen seconded the motion.  All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously.

Golf Course Year End Report

A 1-page spreadsheet was distributed. It compares 16 years of greens fees and rounds from March to December of 2000 through 2016. Figures were collected through the end of November 2016. While it was not the best year for the golf course, it was a good year overall. Mr. Toner believes the course improvements have increased play, and season pass sales have increased significantly because of the value they offer. Pro Shop sales were also up. Mr. Bush noted that the Pro Shop and restaurant staff have also contributed to the success of the golf course, and thanked them for their efforts.  

Special Revenue Fund Subcommittee - Update

Mr. Bush reported that discussion at the first meeting of the new SRF Subcommittee centered on alternatives to the SRF. One option is taking the golf course out of the SRF, and setting it up as an enterprise fund. This would allow the course to be its own profit center, buy its own equipment, and borrow its own money. It was noted that the town could give additional cash to the enterprise fund if needed. Establishing an enterprise fund in the coming fiscal year, with a major irrigation replacement project of $1 million scheduled for the next 2 to 3 fiscal years, could be risky. In addition, the golf course relies on good weather to be profitable. Two bad weather seasons could negatively affect a new enterprise fund. Other options were also discussed. Financial scenarios were needed by the subcommittee to make an educated decision about what option to pursue. Sean Kimball, the town’s director of finance/treasurer, will provide the numbers at the next meeting in January.

Old Business. None.

New Business. Mr. Bush expressed his sincere gratitude to all the commission members for their time, expertise, and hard work on behalf of the C. P. & R. Commission this year.

Adjournment

Mr. Mullen made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Fallon seconded the motion. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Next Meeting
The next Regular Meeting of the C. P. & R. Commission will take place on Thursday, January, 26 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the main meeting room of town hall.

Respectfully submitted,

Lorrie McElligott

Commission Clerk