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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Recreation and Parks Committee - 06/22/2020 RECREATION AND PARKS COMMITTEE Monday, June 22, 2020 5 PM-6:30 PM Rec and Park Committee Meeting Minutes Present: Jon Pence, Mike Simoneau, Jennifer Kochman, Lauren Wedam, Katie Langrock, Glenn Sproul, Christy Pilsucki Staff: Holly Rees Absent: Rebecca Poquette Guests: None The meeting was called to order at 5:18pm by Katie. Changes or additions to the agenda None Comments from the public not related to the agenda None Approval of minutes from May 11, 2020 meeting Jennifer moves to approve, Lauren seconded it. Director’s Report - Holly Things are changing by the day. Veterans Park is as busy as ever with youth programs and an adult soft ball league. Parks took a big financial hit for the month of May, but biggest hit are camps and programs. They have cancelled all camps and programs for June cancelled. It is not only the lack of indoor space that caused cancellation, but concerned parents who cancelled and instructors who cancelled. Many camps are not financially feasible with Covid-19 restrictions. These losses will not impact general funds. SoBu Nite Out has been cancelled. Consideration of a jazz band but we are on a budget freeze so unable to even pay the deposit. Consideration given to having sponsors but they are tight right now as well. Working on a SoBu Nite In to provide business to food trucks and acknowledge that people are staying home and within their neighborhoods. More to come. Return to work plan developed, vetted through Tom Hubbard and Kevin Dorn. We will bring staff from full furlough to partial furlough on 7/6, easing them back in to work. Plan has safety checks for staff members, including questions and temperature reading. Masks will be required in office. Budget impacts of pandemic: budget freeze from March until June 30. New budget in July. Reopening playgrounds: R&P is currently working on language for signage to put up once parks can reopen. They will be installing hand sanitizer stations. Signs will provide notice that people need to sanitize before and after playground use, social distance and wear masks. Signs should be ready by Wednesday and will wait for go ahead from the Governor. Lauren: Is the plan to move forward with athletics in the Fall? Holly said that is her understanding right now – unclear if this will change with a second wave. Fall programming like yoga and wellness activities will be hard because there will not be any space. Lauren: Maintenance of fields? We have the staff to do that. Follow-up discussion on Common Roots lease agreements - Katie CR was on the CC agenda last Monday, but R&P had not had an opportunity to review and provide feedback on leases. CR uses land at Underwood, space at Wheeler and wants to build an outdoor kitchen. R&P has asked to be a part of the process and in these conversations in the past. Committee Chair (Katie) sent email to CC in Feb and re-sent it to them March, the city did not respond. We are just now able to give feedback on these leases. Underwood: 4 acres in land with a 99-year lease. The City does not do 99-year leases, so they are going to recommend a 25-year lease. Wheeler Building / Outdoor kitchen: CR wants to build a kitchen, hold events, they get 100% of profits until kitchen is paid for and then City gets 40% of profits but profits have to go to improvement of Wheeler. Motion by Mike to create a communication to the City regarding concerns about Underwood. Lauren seconded. After some discussion decision to amend motion to include similar concerns about Wheeler. Mike motioned; Christy seconded. Motion: It is premature for the R&P committee to endorse these draft leases without additional discussion and further revision. Seconded by Lauren. Motion passed. Glenn opposed. Guidance on Underwood: Shorter lease – 25 years is too long Lease is one sided, benefits to City unclear City needs to be able to terminate the lease Clarify what city receives from common roots What level is R&P in involved in participating and monitoring, terminating of lease Guidance of Wheeler: Please involve R&P in the discussions How is there accounting and monitoring of revenues? Who is going to do that? Concern about the fact that when they host events they have free use of park? The CC going to keep a list of all events that nonprofits are scheduling? Concerns about the revenue split What level is R&P in involved in participating and monitoring, terminating of lease Overlook Park Update- Holly Improvements completed by mid-July. They will be paving, can still access park by foot and bicycle. Will be taking down pine tree once shrubs are up. Some discussion of relocating circular inset that has sundial to a grassy area. Will be working out finer details. Discussion of conserving park land- Mike Conserving municipally owned land – Mike is not in agreement with this and feels that it usurps the right of the community to make future decisions that might not be anticipated today. Mike said this is a longer conversation, would like committee to think about it and can discuss at a future meeting. Plan to discuss at an upcoming meeting. Dog Park Committee Update- Mike There was a concern that the resources for dog park going to be redirected by the City due to financial losses from pandemic, but Kevin Dorn said they are committed to going forward with the dog park. Some of the money comes from dog licenses as well. Mike thinks construction could be put off until spring of next year due to need to understand wetlands in order to pursue permitting. Committee Update: Acknowledge of retiring members: discuss party plan - Holly Glenn and Rebecca’s last meeting! Parties aren’t usually held on a computer screen, but Holly did not want the acknowledgement of their contributions to get lost. Great contributions to the committee by both members! Adjourn – 6:27pm, Glenn motioned, Lauren seconded. NEXT REGULAR MEETING: July 13, 2020 5:00 P.M. Annual Re-organization meeting Respectfully submitted, Christy Pilsucki