Culture, Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - 10/29/2015

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

Subject to Vote of Approval – Special Meeting Minutes – October 29, 2015

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. by Chairman David Bush in the Town Hall Meeting Room #103. Commission members who were present included Gerry Wetjen, Dennis Fallon, Frank Salls, Steve Spalla, Sarah Cramer, Gerry Post and Bill Mullen. Gerry Toner, the C. P. & R. Director, was there. Melissa Gottier, a Simsbury resident, attended as a guest. She is a SCSU student majoring in “Leisure and Recreation Studies.”

Approval of Minutes

Mr. Wetjen made a motion to approve the July 23, 2015 Regular Meeting Minutes. Ms. Cramer seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed.

Mr. Wetjen made a motion to approve the September 24, 2015 Regular Meeting Minutes. The minutes will be amended as follows: The last sentence of the second paragraph in the “Summer Aquatic / Camp Reports” section will be changed from, “Marketing efforts through traditional methods and social media outlets was very successful,” to “were very successful.” Mr. Fallon seconded the motion for the amended minutes. All were in favor. The motion passed.

Eagle Scout Presentation – Justin Bush

Justin Bush distributed a 12-page report to the commission to explain his Eagle Scout project. He is proposing installing trail signs and updating blazes on seven trails—blue, orange, yellow, green, white, red, and purple—within the Ethel Walker Woods open space property. Currently, there are no trail signs, and the blazes are either faded or confusing. This project was identified by a town consultant as a way to make the trails more accessible to the public. Justin recently made a presentation to the Open Space Committee, at which his project was unanimously approved. They recommended that he consider using plastic blazing markers instead of paint. While this option would be more permanent, it would be cost prohibitive. It would also require nailing, which could cause tree damage. Instead, he is proposing using paint to blaze the trails and using a town vendor to make wood signs with trail names and direction arrows, painted in the color of each trail. He will raise funds for this project through car washes and refundable can collections. He is hoping to start before the first frost, and complete the project by next spring. Mr. Wetjen made a motion to approve Justin Bush’s Eagle Scout project. Ms. Cramer seconded the motion. Except for Mr. Bush’s abstention (as Justin’s father), all were in favor. The motion passed. Justin will make a subsequent presentation to the Board of Selectman.

Golf Course Report

Mr. Toner distributed a 1-page spreadsheet comparing 15 years of greens fees and rounds–March to December, 2000 through 2015. The numbers from 2015 were collected through the end of September.

Mr. Toner and Mr. Wetjen reported that the course is in great condition. Mike Wallace, golf course superintendent, and his staff did a phenomenal job reconstructing the second green and creating a suitable temporary second green. Even though rounds were down a bit this season, revenues have been up. Greens fee revenues this August were the highest they have ever been for the month of August in past 15 years. Groupon sales were up $5,000 from last year. During this golf season, the equipment surcharge brought in more than $34,000, and September proved to be the month with the most outings. Mr. Wetjen mentioned that the Men’s Club will finance a project to give the golf course an “Augusta Effect.” They will plant flowering shrubs along the rock wall behind the second green. Mr. Toner noted that one of the next major projects on the golf course is replacement of the 21-year-old irrigation system.  Mr. Wetjen commented that couplings and sprinklers are failing regularly. The project is included in the 6 year plan of Capital Projects. He estimates that the design portion will be funded 2 years out, with the construction portion following the year after.

Capital Projects Report

The plans for a new ice rink warming room have been reviewed by the Fire Marshal. A sprinkler system is not required. This will significantly lower the project’s cost. However, non-combustible building materials are being recommended for its spring 2016 construction. In the meantime, at least the existing warming room has been upgraded for use this season. When the new warming room is finished, this room will continue to serve as an overflow space for public use.

The tennis court reconstruction project will go out to bid in January 2016. The C. P. & R. Department hopes to have work completed by the third week of June.

All the estimates coming in for the pool renovation project are above the approved budget. The project is quite extensive. The vessels at Simsbury Farms are 45 years old and drainage is problematic. The lap pool loses water, which makes it cold, and necessitates continuous refilling and re-treating. An automatic, remotely monitored chemical control system is also needed. It would replace the frequent, manual, water sample-taking system that is now used.  Different budgeting strategies are being discussed.

Special Gift / Donation Fund – Update

The town attorney has given his approval to the amended draft document for establishing a ‘Friends of Simsbury Farms’ 501(c) 3 organization. The document will be listed as an agenda item to be approved at the next Board of Selectman meeting on Monday, November 9. Mr. Bush expressed his appreciation for the time and effort that Mr. Wetjen, Mr. Emmons, and Mr. Deming dedicated to this project.

New Business. None.

Old Business.

Simsbury Celebrates 2015. Mr. Toner reported that the fund raising goal has been met for this year’s event. Mr. Bush will be contacting commission members to volunteer for one of the three shifts at the event. He also suggested that the C. P. & R. Department recognize the three founding members of Simsbury Celebrates in some special way.

Adjournment

Mr. Wetjen made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Fallon seconded the motion. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

Next Meeting

The next regular meeting of the C. P. & R. Commission will take place on Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Main Meeting Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Lorrie McElligott,

Commission Clerk