Culture, Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - 3/24/2016

TOWN OF SIMSBURY – CULTURE, PARKS, AND RECREATION COMMISSION –

Subject to Vote of Approval – Regular Meeting Minutes – March 24, 2016 – 2.5 pages

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:32 p.m. by Gerry Wetjen in the main meeting room of town hall. Commission members who were present included Dennis Fallon, Sarah Cramer, Frank Salls, Bill Mullen and Gerry Post. Gerry Toner, the C. P. & R. Director, was also present.

Approval of Minutes

There were no changes made to the January 28, 2016 Regular Meeting Minutes. Mr. Wetjen declared the minutes approved, and requested that they be put on record.

Simsbury Farms Ice Rink – Final Report

Mr. Toner distributed a 1-page spreadsheet titled, “Simsbury Farms Ice Rink Revenue Report – 2015/2016.”

Mr. Toner reported that it was a good season. Overall revenue was up more than $4,000 from last year. Despite the significant loss of the Renbrook School rental contract, revenue was made up through skating lessons, an increase in small group rentals, rink board advertising, and profits from the newly opened snack bar. Groups are already locking in for the 2016/17 season. Ms. Cramer suggested that the SF Rink offer “Open Hockey” ice time next season, during traditionally empty early morning or mid to late evening slots. She noted that it would be well-received, especially if the rink charged around $8.00 to $10.00 per person.

FY 2016/17 Budget – Operating and Capital Projects

Mr. Toner distributed two reports. One was a 1-page spreadsheet titled, “C. P. & R. General Fund Budget Fiscal Year Comparison,” which proposed a 4.3% increase and looked back 5 years. The other was a 1-page spreadsheet titled, “C. P. & R. Revenue Fund Budget Comparison,” which looked back 4 years.

Mr. Bush and Mr. Wetjen attended a recent Board of Selectman (BoS) Budget Hearing Workshop to support Mr. Toner and the C. P. & R. Department. Mr. Toner noted that the town of Simsbury spends the lowest amount of money on its C. P. & R. services, per capita, than any other comparable town in region. Mr. Wetjen shared that the SF Golf Course always runs a surplus, and ends up saving every Simsbury resident $4.00 per year on their tax bill. The BoS admitted that Mr. Toner and his staff have been doing as much as they can with the budgets they have been given, but that using the Special Revenue Fund for the bulk of their budget was not a good long term plan. In order to remedy this, the BoS suggested reinstating a Tri-Board Commission—the former “Special Revenue Fund Subcommittee”—which would include 2 members from the Board of Selectmen, 2 from the Board of Finance, and 2 from the C., P. & R. Commission. Mr. Wetjen made a motion to indicate to the BoS that the C. P. & R. Commission would like to re-establish a Tri-Board Commission, and have meetings to plan for the future of the Revenue Fund, and the future funding of C. P. & R.  Mr. Fallon seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Mr. Wetjen then made a motion to recommend to the BoS that he and David Bush be the appointed representatives from C. P. & R. Mr. Mullen seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously.

Capital Projects. FY2016/17 Capital Projects that will be forwarded to the Board of Finance for consideration include: 1. Cleaning the silt from two ponds on the golf course, 2. A master plan and funding for renovations to address the needs of the Farmington Valley Greenway, and 3. Park improvements including road and parking lot repairs at Memorial Park.

Friends of Simsbury Farms – Report

Mr. Wetjen reported that:  1. The full board for the new “Friends of Simsbury Farms” (FoSF) was appointed by the BoS; 2. An organizational meeting took place; 3. The first board of directors’ meeting will be held on Monday, March 28; 3. Jeff Sunblade, retired athletic director for Avon Public Schools, agreed to assist the board by leading a committee that will review all projects funded by the Friends, and 4. A kick-off “Friends of Simsbury Farms” fund raising event / golf tournament is being planned for the July 15, 2016 weekend. Pre-event advertising will be targeted to groups and leagues which regularly use the golf course, rink, pools and tennis courts. It will be done primarily through email, social media sites, the FoSF web site, and other SF web sites. Information tables will be set up near the swimming pools and at the golf course during the event. Mr. Wetjen has raised $1,500.00 for FoSF so far.

FY2015/16 Capital Projects - Report

Mr. Toner distributed two reports. One was a 1-page spreadsheet from the Engineering Department titled, “Simsbury Farms Pool and Rink Improvement Project: Monthly Cost Control Report,” which listed the original budget, changes, increases, and expenditures as of March 3, 2016. The other report was a 1-page spreadsheet titled, “Park Improvements FY 2015/16,” which listed an original and a revised budget.

Tennis Courts. The SF Tennis Court reconstruction bid was recently awarded. Work will start in the next 3 weeks, and be finished by June 1. In contrast, work on the Tariffville Park Tennis Court will be significantly less expensive than projected. It will be a repair and patch project rather than a reconstruction.

SF Ice Rink. Mr. Toner shared the blueprints for the new outside rink warming room. The room will be positioned against the glass on the narrow side of the rink which faces the golf course. It will have a doorway on each side, three rows of seating and Wi-Fi, and be very much like the rink warming room at Westminster School. This room will also be handicap-accessible and able to hold up to 90 individuals. The job has gone out to bid, and a walk-through will be conducted next week. Construction is expected to begin this summer and end in October. The entire ice rink refrigeration system is currently being evaluated by an outside consultant.  It is expected that necessary equipment repair and replacement will take place prior to next season.

SF Pool Complex. Pool work is also going to be more extensive than originally projected. This job will go out to bid this spring. Construction is expected to start on September 1. A new diving board has been purchased and will be installed this season.

The Park Roadway Lighting Project, essentially upgrading the lighting at Simsbury Farms, will be removed from this budget and combined with the town’s more extensive streetlight plan. The remaining funds will go towards other necessary park improvements.

Old Business. None.

New Business.

Charter Revision Commission. Mr. Wetjen reported that as a result of proposed charter revisions, which will go into effect in 2017, the C. P. & R. Commission will be called the “Parks and Recreation Commission,” while the cultural piece will become part of the “Tourism Committee.” Mr. Toner gave a brief history of his department, noting that it was originally called the “Cultural and Recreation Department,” and that “Parks” wasn’t added to the title until the mid to late 1980s. The “Parks and Recreation Commission” will be required by the new charter to have a representative on the “Open Space Commission.”

SF Golf Course. Mr. Wetjen reported that the golf course opened about 2 weeks ago, making it the earliest opening ever. The new green, on the second hole, will open on Wednesday. 89 shrubs, flowering bushes and grasses have been purchased to plant behind the second green. The SF Men’s Golf Club bought and installed new tee markers. Season passes are selling well.

Adjournment

Mr. Salls made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Mullen seconded the motion. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Next Meeting
The next Regular Meeting of the C. P. & R. Commission will take place on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the main meeting room of town hall.

Respectfully submitted,

Lorrie McElligott,

Commission Clerk