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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-05-06 - Parks and Rec Advisory Council Meeting Minutes r MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF RYE BROOK PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL 938 KING STREET RYE BROOK,New York 10573 May 6,2015 Convene Meeting: Parks and Recreation Advisory Council Chairman Jamie Schutzer called the meeting to order at 8:33pm. The following Members of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Council were present: Advisory Council Members: Chairman Schutzer, Adam Zahl, Scott Tillison, Susan Gardner, Michael Keilman Absent Parks & Recreation Advisory Council Members: Brian Funtleyder, Kathy Bilig Recreation Department Members: Robert Bertolacci, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Cannella Swick, Sr. Office Assistant I. Minutes: a. Approve March 17,2015 Minutes: Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to accept the March 17, 2015 minutes. Council Member Zahl made the motion to accept the March 17, 2015 Minutes and Council Member Tillison seconded the motion. The minutes were accepted and approved. Council Members Gardner and Keilman abstained from approving the Minutes. b. Approve April 13,2015 Minutes: Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to accept the April 13, 2015 minutes. Council Member Zahl made the motion to accept the April 13, 2015 Minutes and Council Member Gardner seconded the motion. The minutes were accepted and approved. Council Members Tillison, Keilman and Chairman Schutzer abstained from approving the Minutes. II. Welcome New Council Members: Chairman Schutzer asked the new Council Members to introduce themselves and give a little background about why they joined the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council. Council Member Michael Keilman said he has lived in Rye Brook for 14 years. He has a 15 year old girl and 13 and 8 year old boys. I have coached various sports and am very involved in sports and that is why I joined the council. Council Member Susan Gardner said she has just moved from Manhattan about 6 months ago. She is originally from Manhattan and her husband is from London. They are expecting their 1st baby in July. She thought it would be interesting to get to know more about the Village that she resides in. 1168377.1 Chairman Schutzer welcomed the new members. Chairman Schutzer explained about the different sub-committees. There are basketball, baseball and grievance sub-committees. The sub-committees have a meeting before the monthly meeting and will report about their meeting at the regular monthly meetings. III. Public View Points: Chairman Schutzer congratulated the 6`h grade boys for winning the County Center basketball championship in March. That is back to back years that the Rye Brook 5`h and 6`h grade boys have won the division. Our 8`h grade boys made the finals but lost to Pelham. Our recreation basketball teams start with 2nd, 3rd grade, 4`h, 5`h grade, 6`h, 7`h grade brackets. An all-star team is made up of 5`h through 8`h grade players and they play at the County Center. Council Member Gardner asked how the players get to be on the County Center team. Superintendent Bertolacci said one part of the criteria is participation in his or her basketball league that has to be met. Superintendent Bertolacci said the County Center did away with the 9`h grade participation. To compensate for those kids we had a tournament with about 8 other teams in different towns. We played Cortland, Ossining, and New Castle and won the tournament. The tournament was organized by Janice and Bob Chesna from Ossining. Chairman Schutzer said there were lots of positive feedback about the Opening Day Parade of Little League. The parade started at Ridge Street School and ended at Pine Ridge Park. We had a barbeque and DJ who provided music throughout the afternoon. The players were announced at the games which was a nice touch for opening day. Council Member Tillison suggested that announcing the players on the weekend would add a nice touch to the start of the games. It's something to think about doing on the weekend games. IV. Superintendent's Report: a. Playground Update: Superintendent Bertolacci said he put up signs around Pine Ridge Park showing what the new playground would look like when completed. The equipment will arrive in Rye Brook toward the end of May. The company will start working the second week of June and finish the 3rd week of June. The park will be fenced off at the construction area for safety. Superintendent Bertolacci showed the members at the meeting a picture of what the new playground equipment will look like that will be installed at Pine Ridge Park. The price of the playground is $125,000.00, and it was approved by the Village Board. b. Spring Carnival: Superintendent Bertolacci reported the carnival is next weekend. All we need is good weather. The craft vendors pay $200 and a food vendor pays $500 for a space at the carnival. We have about 7 food vendors, Westchester Burger, Brick Oven Pizza, Kona Ice, NY Hot Dog, Arthur Avenue and 2 food trucks supplied by the carnival. We also have 9 craft vendors. The craft vendors will be selling hair bows, skin care products, toys, scarfs and hats for the summer, button making and other crafts. The dates of the carnival are May 15, 16, ad 17. Rye Brook Police will do a car seat safety check during the carnival. 1168377.1 c. Other Updates: Superintendent Bertolacci said the 33�d Birthday Celebration is on June 20th. We need volunteers to cook and serve. Superintendent Bertolacci said the dunk tank from last year is gone and never coming again. The water gets too dirty and muddy etc. This year there will be bumper cars as a new ride. V. Basketball Sub-Committee Report-Brian Funtleyder: Superintendent Bertolacci said we would have to reconstitute all the sub-committees at next month's meeting. Five past council members were on the sub-committees. There were 9 members on the Council and now there are 7 members. VI. Grievance Sub-Committee Report-Adam Zahl: Council Member Zahl said the season has been quiet. Council Member Tillison said that nobody in this town would be willing to file a grievance if one needed to be filed. I understand that they don't want to ruffle their neighbors by filing a grievance if warranted. There was more than one grievable offense over the past year. Once we had this grievance policy in place I didn't see any improvement over what happened in the basketball season verses the year before. Committee Member Tillison doesn't feel the policy is effective. Council Member Zahl said that residents are hesitant to file a grievance because it can be uncomfortable especially when you are neighbors and it's a small town. I do think that the number of incidents was down especially when the zero tolerance was put into the policy. Chairman Schutzer said what we have to do is to look at the coaches who had issues last year and discuss what issues and if they should coach the next season. Council Member Keilman said he was shocked that no grievance was filed after what happened at the end of his team's basketball game this season. Chairman Schutzer said the situation that happened was addressed but not as a filed grievance. Council Member Keilman asked what is the point of having a grievance policy if you address it differently. Superintendent Bertolacci said there was no grievance filed therefore we had to take action on a different level. VII. Baseball Sub-Committee Report-Scott Tillison: Council Member Tillison said the situation with girls' softball was changing throughout the registration sign-up. I would like to commend you for being reactive to what was said and trying to do something that was for all the good of all the girls. We started with 3 teams and after the deadline more girls signed up. Superintendent Bertolacci said 3 teams of 12 and then 3 teams of 16. Sixteen girls on a team is a lot of girls on one team. You made a better league by redrafting the girls and making 4 teams. Chairman Schutzer said the outcome was favorable for the softball girls. Council Member Tillison said the Major League teams are well distributed. Port Chester has 5 teams in the league. I think next year we should get together with Port Chester earlier in the season because maybe we can coordinate the scheduling so we can get more interleague games. Last year we played 5 or 6 games for the Major league and this year we are doing 4 interleague games. I think both towns like the interleague games. This year we started the interleague games for the Minor League. We have to look for these opportunities because we know the numbers in baseball are getting smaller because of the competition with other sports. 1168377.1 Chairman Schutzer said my son was playing a game against Rye and I was talking to one of the dad's from Rye and he said their issue is field space. Chairman Schutzer said that one of our council members reached out to the Rye baseball board and nothing ever panned out. Council Member Tillison said he went to their website and e-mailed and phoned all on the site and didn't get a return call or e-mail from anyone in Rye. Council Member Tillison said there is a lip on the edges of the infield by 2"d base on the new field a Pine Ridge Park. The field has hard packed clay with an inch of dust on it. Council Member Zahl asked how players turned out for the Scott's Pitch, Hit and Run. Superintendent Bertolacci said about 8 kids showed up and tried out and they were all different age group. The kids that tried out made it to the next level. We have to try and figure out when it may be a better time to run the Pitch, Hit and Run. VIII. Old Business: Chairman Schutzer said there is no Old Business. Hosting District 20 Games is not happening this year. Maybe the Baseball Sub-Committee can help organize it for next year. IX. New Business: Council Member Keilman said he had heard something about having an ice rink in Pine Ridge Park. The thought was to have the ice rink along with the Holiday Lighting Event on the tennis courts. The quote for the ice rink he got was $170,000. Superintendent Bertolacci said it was tabled until the next budget year. Council Member Keilman said that one was bought using Craig's List for$12,000. The rink was put up at Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck. X. Adjournment: Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Council Member Tillison made the motion to adjourn the meeting and Council Member Gardner seconded the motion. All approved and the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 pm. The next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 8:15pm. Minutes prepared by: Carmella Swick 1168377.1