Culture, Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes - 12/3/2015
TOWN OF SIMSBURY – CULTURE, PARKS, AND RECREATION COMMMISSION –
Subject to Vote of Approval – Regular Meeting Minutes – December 3, 2015 - 2 pages
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Chairman David Bush in the lobby of the Simsbury Farms Main Building. Commission members who were present included Gerry Wetjen, Dennis Fallon, Frank Salls, Steve Spalla, Sarah Cramer, Gerry Post, Kelly Kearney and Bill Mullen. Gerry Toner, the C. P. & R. Director, was there. Ron Patterson and Mark Deming attended as guests.
Approval of Minutes
Mr. Wetjen made a motion to approve the October 29, 2015 Special Meeting Minutes. Mr. Mullen seconded the motion. Except for Mr. Kearney, who abstained, all were in favor. The motion passed.
Golf Course Renovation - Report
Mr. Toner reported that a new cart path was recently installed to complete the 2nd green renovation. Mike Wallace, the golf course superintendent, did most of the work along with his staff. Mr. Toner indicated that the remaining funds in the capital project will be earmarked for renovating the fifth green in 2017. Upcoming renovations include dredging the irrigation ponds and irrigation system improvements. Mr. Wetjen mentioned that the SF Golf Course is recognized as an excellent course for senior citizens and the CSGA Super Seniors Championship will be held here in 2016. He also noted that the SF Men’s Club recently gave the course a new $5,000 brush system to improve topdressing the greens.
Golf Course Revenues – Summary
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 November. Mr. Toner reported that the course did very well this fall, making up for lower revenues in March and April. GroupOn and Pro Shop sales were up, outings were successful, and club participation was high. Mr. Wetjen noted that, with the maintenance surcharge figured in, it was the first year the course made over $1 million in revenue. With warm weather continuing into December, it is still active. Greens are opened when the morning frost thaws, and play will continue until several deep freezes or the first snowfall takes place. The commission agreed that all the money invested in the course is starting to pay off.
2016 Golf Course Fees - Recommendations
Mr. Toner distributed two 1-page spreadsheets. The first—“Golf Course Fees and Charges – 2015” compared the 2015 fees for Simsbury Farms Golf Course (which included the maintenance surcharge) with those of 8 other nearby golf courses. SF rates were competitive. The second—“Simsbury Farms Golf Course Annual Fee Schedule”—compared the actual categorized fees from 2013, 2014, and 2015 with the recommended fees for 2016. The 2016 recommended budget will keep the majority of rates the same as last year, but will raise rates by fifty cents to a dollar for carts, range balls, weekday non-resident specials, and senior non-resident specials. A new 10-week junior non-resident season pass will be offered in 2016 for $300.00. This addition, plus the minimal increases in the categories listed above, will be applied to the maintenance surcharge account. Commission members were pleased that most prices would be frozen, and that the raised rates would not impact resident golfers. Mr. Mullen made a motion to approve the 2016 Golf Course Fees, as recommended. Ms. Cramer seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed.
Special Gift / Donation Fund – Update
Mr. Wetjen noted that two items will be added to the bylaws: 1. The Board of Selectmen will need to approve how the funds will be spent, and 2. Per IRS requirements, a paragraph will be added that will clearly state where remaining funds will go if the organization is ever dissolved. Mr. Wetjen explained that he wanted to recommend 4 to 5 individuals as board members of this Special Gift Fund, so that he could present it for approval at the next Board of Selectmen meeting. Once approved, a ‘Friends of Simsbury Farms’ organizational meeting could take place in January, at which officers could be elected. This would keep the process moving forward, and allow the board ample time to plan for an opening event/fund raiser. Commission members discussed having a balanced and diverse board. Besides the three founding members, they will also ask individuals involved in youth hockey, women’s golf, and tennis to be board members. Mr. Kearney made a motion to recommend Mark Deming, Art Emmons, Gerry Wetjen and John Brighenti as 4 of the 7 board members necessary to form a ‘Friends of Simsbury Farms’ 501(c) 3 organization. This recommendation will be subject to approval by the Board of Selectman. Mr. Fallon seconded the motion. Except for Mr. Wetjen, who abstained, all were in favor. The motion passed.
Old Business.
Simsbury Celebrates 2015. Mr. Toner reported that this year’s event was successful. To reduce the scope of the event in the coming years, the staff has offered the following ideas: 1. Keep the firetruck parade and the fireworks, but decrease the amount of outside acts. 2. Compress the length of the event from four hours to three hours. 3. Drop the overall budget from $25,000 to about $12,000-$15,000. 4. Retain major sponsors, but limit the extensive, year-round fund raising. 5. Request support from the Town.
Park Ordinance Revision – Discussion. Mr. Toner provided a copy of Simsbury Code 115-1, Article I: Parks, Playgrounds and Other Town Property listing the most current ordinances regarding prohibited activities. He discussed excluding the Ethel Walker School open space parcel from the restrictions in Ordinance O, about riding or walking horses. The purchase and sale agreement made with EWS included the stipulation that EWS students would still be able to ride horses on certain trail sections. Now that the property is town-owned, the C. P. & R. Department is concerned about liability issues when the trails are used simultaneously by horse-riders, dog-walkers, pedestrians and cyclists. Mr. Toner asked commission members to think about the issue. It will be re-visited during the January meeting. (See the September 25, 2014 and the July 23, 2015 meeting minutes).
New Business.
Mr. Fallon made a motion to amend the agenda to include a discussion of the annual triathlon. Mr. Mullen seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed. Mr. Toner reported that a new race director, Sharon McHale, has been selected to oversee the 2016 event. He distributed a 3-page letter dated October 23, 2014 from Mary Glassman, First Selectman, to William C. Honeck, the previous race director. A change is being proposed to raise the triathlon organizing service fee from $2,000 to $2,500, in consideration of the scope of work. After a brief discussion, Mr. Wetjen made a motion to raise the fee as requested and forward the revised agreement to the Board of Selectmen for approval. Mr. Fallon seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed.
Adjournment
Mr. Wetjen made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Fallon seconded the motion. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 p.m.
Next Meeting
The next regular meeting of the C., P. & R. Commission will take place on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Main Meeting Room.
Respectfully submitted, Lorrie McElligott, Commission Clerk