Peter Sinclair

Jeanne Rebillard

Leslie Rohan

Antionette Critelli

Allison Francis

Roger Russell

Allan

Recreation Minutes

May 4th , 2004

NEXT MEETING:  TUES., JUNE 1, 7:00 AT TOWN HALL.

REC COMMISSION MTG.  WED., JUNE 2 AT 6:00 AT WEBATUCK CAMPUS, HOME AND CAREER ROOM

"Master Plan for Recreation" - Terry Horst - presentation

Can do Master Plan for Town – meet w/ Recreation groups, youth leagues, sports, each town is different, look at individual needs, where expecting growth.

Develop goals.  Do Town-wide survey

Appear at community event and get direct reaction from citizens – get people excited about Plan

Look at soil, topography

Projected growth – use formulas based upon history of subdivisions

After analysis, come up with series of recommendations, justify plan

Look at acquisition, environmental analysis, can find parcels more suitable to recreation than others.  One way to justify purchase.

Have done lots of Towns and Villages – 8 – 10 years, have done 1 or 2 a year.

This firm does municipal, schools and private

Small firm – 6 people – 2 designers, one Masters, one Bach. In Landscape Architecture.

Cost:  Depends on scope.  LaGrange was $17,000

Have done 1/4 acre pocket park, ranging to 40-acre park which would include swimming facilities, outdoor pools, spray pools.   Would id size, location, capacity, but design the actual facility.

LaGrange:  did master plan for several existing parks.

Travel:  Scheduled tightly, did 2 days in town.

With 300^th anniversary, this may be the very best time to get community reaction

Time frame:  6-12 months – mostly gathering data, scheduling meetings.

Could do survey ourselves, Horst will work with volunteers to gather data with different.

Are some frustrations currently with overuse of baseball, soccer also using

Committee Rec. Plan discussion - We need to get back to Terry w/ scope, idea of budget, and timing.

Jeanne:  Can we work off 1974 plan and expand upon it since we already own the Beekman Park.  One problem is 1974 wetlands were not regulated, now it is much more limited.  That’s why we are flagging wetlands to see what can be done today.   If we spend money on more plans, won’t have any money to improve it within near future.  Is a pool a possibility here?  Vicki:   DEC holds the key to Beekman Park – permit required.  what more can be added?

Alternate Pool/Pond Sites:  Turtle Pond – property owned by Segalla is an idea.

300^th Anniversary – Polly Pitts would like to challenge the community to lose 300 lbs.

May 15 – Nov. 15, May 15 begin w/ health fair till Nov. 15, sponsors would help raise money for food banks.  Hudson River Community Health, Fat analysis available, nutritionist, gastrointrologist could speak to community (controversial?)  Polly would like Rec. committee to endorse this activity, coordinate evening rail trail walks, use fitness ctr at school (P. Claire said it is not yet ready).  Would like to schedule informal tennis, track,  Either Dara or Polly will get a notice out in paper.  Will have booth at Health Fair.

Rec Director:  Rebillard:  Existing ballfields are important to history of Town.  Could improve parking  May need to begin not w/ plan but rather with hiring a rec director to coordinate all the events, act as a clearinghouse, coordinate publicity.  When put out calendar or newsletter, set deadline for class or activity offering.  Much is currently run through PTA if it is school facility they need.  If it is Town sponsored, 15% of fee comes to Town.  Channel 22 can be used to publicize.

Review of budget - J. Rebillard – Evaluated what we are currently spending.   Do we need to purchase new each season or can we try to get uniforms turned back in at season end.  Could charge fee if lost, don’t turn it in.  Need to find out what money might be budgeted for rec director, current fees charged by different teams.

Amenia Ball field - Art Peters needs some help spreading dirt dumped, now we need clay purchased.  That could be $1,000.   Time to nail down school.  Had volunteers spread the dirt last Saturday, May 1.  Do need clay for major league field – school will help with this and lime.  Have manpower, got tractor, need overseer (lime, seed machine). 

Soccer:  Amenia runs the program – we’re paying for lights and uniforms, and we’re paying $1,000 to program.  Webatuck Youth Soccer is getting a great deal – they get concession dollars – made $400 in sales in fours hours/week;  Pete asked Joe Mateo of soccer to help with cost of lyme and seed – let soccer give back a little,  They only pay $100 to use concession stand for season.  Can use school, manpower, use equipment for liming and seeding.   School is using our fields because theirs wasn’t built with good drainage.  Now in a position to ask favors.  Perhaps a fee needs to be set for outside groups to use fields.  Is a $100 fee currently for concession.  Need to change the locks to concession stand, access to lights. 

Lighting Charges – is a set fee of $7,000.  Can be turned on at any time.  Bill Carroll will see if there is additional fee if started earlier.  Pleasant Valley is paying per use.  Antoinette suggested we look at this program.  Julia will invite NYSEG to come and explain lighting options.  Pete will change locks for lights.

Antoinette suggested at next meeting we focus on budgetary items – track it down.  T.J. Campion, others got donated refrigerator, freezer.

Need to budget for part-time rec director.  A good one would be able to help find ways to pay own salary, could do grant writing, budgeting.  Sort out inequities.  Julia will look at agreement from cell tower – see how it is stipulated.

Respectfully submitted,