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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-02-12 - Parks and Rec Advisory Council Meeting Minutes MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF RYE BROOK PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COUNCIL 938 KING STREET RYE BROOK, New York 10573 February 12, 2014 Convene Meeting: Chairman Jamie Schutzer called the meeting to order at 8:08PM. The following Members of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Council were present: Advisory Council Members: Chairman Jamie Schutzer, Frank Carbone, Adam Berman, Adam Zahl, Christopher Dutra, Brian Funtleyder, Scott Tillison, Traci Erenfryd, Jennifer Wohl Absent Parks & Recreation Advisory Council Members: Recreation Department Members: Robert Bertolacci, Parks and Recreation Superintendent Carmella Swick I. Minutes: a. Approve December 3, 2013 Minutes Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to accept the December 3, 2013 Minutes. Committee Member Berman made the motion to accept the December 3, 2013 Minutes and Committee member Zahl seconded the motion. The December 3, 2013 Minutes were approved and accepted. Committee Members Wohl and Erenfreyd abstained. b. Approve January 8, 2014 Minutes Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to accept the January 8, 2014 Minutes. Committee Member Erenfreyd made a motion to accept the January 8, 2014 Minutes and Committee Member Dutra seconded the motion. The January 8, 2014 Minutes were approved and accepted. Committee Members Wohl, Berman and Funtleyder abstained. II. Public View Points: a. 101h/111h Grade Rec Basketball Chairman Schutzer reported that Brian Grodin had a 10`h grader ask him if rec could have a 10`h/11`h grade basketball program. Committee Member Berman said one issue is the varsity basketball players coach the 81h and 9`h grade program. The varsity high school boys that coach are very fair and play everyone equally. Obviously the 9`h grade players take over the game because they are bigger and more mature. Committee Member Tillison said our goal should be to bring in as many kids possible into the basketball program. We should start 1st and 2nd grade as an instructional program after school, then have 3rd and 4`h grade work like our 2nd and 3rd grade program does now, then 5`h and 6`h, and 7th and 81h grade teams. Other municipalities have their teams in that order. Committee Member Berman suggested having pick-up games for the 10`h and 11`h grade. 5 or 6 teams more will require more gym space that we probably wouldn't have. Superintendent Bertolacci said he doesn't have a problem running the 1st and 2nd grade program but we don't have the gym space after school because the PTA uses the gym after school. Chairman Schutzer asked if there is a possibility of having a 10`h and 11`h grade basketball program. Superintendent Bertolacci said the only reservation he has is that you are going to upset the kids that are coaching the 81h and 91h grade. If you want to open the program to 10`h and 11`h grade that are not playing 1168377.1 varsity, that's fine and if there is a 12`h grader not playing varsity, they can also play with 10`h and 11`i' grade. This can be discussed with the basketball sub-committee for next year. Committee Member Zahl spoke with Frank Drazka who is very involved with the girls travel softball. He was unable to attend the meeting and asked Committee Zahl if his recommendations could be presented at the meeting. Mr. Drazka recommended that most of the girls who have played travel softball and come back to rec are hitting the heck out of the ball. He suggested that the pitchers wear a mask in the Minor and Major league. Frank is recommending that rec require the girls to wear a mask. Another issue is the girls who were in the District 20 Tournament were at a disadvantage because the tournament rules were different from the rules in Rec Little League. One example is in rec the pitcher is releasing the ball 2' from the rubber and in District 20 you can start behind the rubber but your feet must be on the rubber when the ball is released. Frank is recommending that the rules coincide. Committee Member Dutra said the rules affect the coach more than they do the kids. There are more rules that restrict how you coach in Little League and the girls' softball. Superintendent Bertolacci will speak to Frank Drazka regarding his recommendations. III.Superintendent's Report: a. Carnival Update: Superintendent Bertolacci said it is 90 to 95 percent that the carnival will be held at 900 King Street which is the same location as last year. We don't have signed contracts yet. There is an agreement out to the Arbors and managing agents of the property. The carnival dates are May 2nd 3rd and 4`h. We don't have a major sponsor for the carnival. Westchester Burger was approached to be a sponsor but is not willing to sponsor the event but will be a food vendor. Chairman Schutzer suggested we contact Lifetime Fitness to be a sponsor; they are a new company to the community and may want the exposure. The place is huge and is located where Gannett was. Chairman Schutzer volunteered to call Lifetime Fitness to see if there is an interest to be a sponsor. Committee Member Berman said he would reach out to Q Restaurant and the Kneaded Bread to see if there is an interest in sponsorship. The fee for sponsorship is $5,000.00. b. Basketball Camp Update: The basketball camp was approved by the Village Board. It's going to be the Steve Novack Basketball camp. The camp will take place the week of July 21. Committee Member Carbone said all the kids that are going to the Rye Brook camp obviously would like to go to that basketball camp, but most parents will pay for the full 6 weeks of day camp and the Teen Travel Camp. Is there a way to subsidize any of the kids that are paying for the full 6 weeks especially the Teen Travel Camp who would miss 5 trips that week of July 21? Superintendent Bertolacci suggested they sign their kids up for 5 weeks. Superintendent Bertolacci said he is getting a flat fee for the basketball camp, not a percentage of the fees that come in. Committee Member Carbone said we may get a low response from Rye Brook residents because it is during our camp season. Superintendent Bertolacci said the camp is a full 5 days of camp at the Blind Brook High School and Middle School gym. c. Other Updates: IV.Comprehensive Plan Survey: Chairman Schutzer said there will probably me one more public workshop on the Comprehensive Plan. Right now there is no date set for the workshop. 1168377.1 V. Baseball Sub-Committee Report: Committee Member Carbone said 13 kids turned out for Major League ratings. Superintendent Bertolacci said we are going to have another night for ratings after the winter break. Committee Member Dutra said that Kyle should have had more contact with the baseball sub-committee. One e-mail went out to the kids and the next thing we see is there are dates for the baseball ratings. An e-mail was sent to rec to be sent out to the residents regarding Little League and the e-mail wasn't sent. Committee Member Dutra said the paper work was sent out to Kyle regarding interleague play and he hasn't received any feedback from Kyle. Committee Member Carbone said he spoke to Travel Baseball and they didn't know anything about a discount if you play Travel Baseball and rec. Superintendent Bertolacci said he spoke to Mike Borelli about the discount and has heard nothing back, now he will speak to Teddy Sabato who is also involved with the Travel Baseball League. Committee Member Carbone said he knows a lot of 7th graders who want to play rec but the problem is they are going to try out for modified. If they make modified it would be tough for them to play rec because of the practices. Superintendent Bertolacci made a suggestion that these items be discussed at the next baseball sub-committee meeting. Committee Member Carbone set a date for Monday, February 24`h at 6:OOpm. VI.Basketball Sub-Committee Report: Committee Member Berman said the basketball program overall has been a very successful season. The 81h and 9`h grade basketball program has been very competitive. The main issue that I have heard from numerous people is the refereeing has been deplorable. I have spoken with Janice and told her that she can negatively request a referee or get another company. I asked Janice not to have that particular coach and his son for the 8`h and 91h grade playoffs because the games get very physical and you have to have control. Unfortunately, they refereed the game and they decided the game. We have to figure something out. Superintendent Bertolacci said we are working on that issue with referees. Committee Member Berman said another issue was with a coach who got a double technical. The coach asked the ref a question and the ref said technical. The coach said to the ref that I am asking you a question. A few seconds later the coach asked another question and the ref said technical. The ref wouldn't let the game go on until the coach was removed from the game. There was no grievance written up. Kyle was there at the game and defused the situation. Committee Member Berman said we need to address the referees when it comes time to go through the rules and what occurs during the games. Committee Member Berman said the other item is the County Center teams. I have sent e-mails to Kyle and Janice to try and coordinate with them as to when they will have the teams done and also the process of letting the people know. Superintendent Bertolacci said an e-mail will go out this Friday regarding the County Center Tournament Teams. VII. Grievance Sub-Committee Report: Committee Member Dutra said a grievance was reported to the grievance sub-committee. An incident occurred during a basketball practice. A coach asked a parent to come downstairs with him to continue their conversation. At that time the security person at the school told that coach per rule of the school, the parent couldn't go down to the gym. Apparently, the coach verbally abused the security person and our ref staff personnel. The school employee submitted a letter about the incident at which point we received a grievance from someone on the school Board, Jonathan Ross. The Grievance Committee discussed the incident and came up with our suggestion of what should be done and filed it with Superintendent Bertolacci. 1168377.1 Superintendent Bertolacci said this individual was to meet with Jonathan Ross and the school security person, however, Jonathan Ross was sick during that time. The individual went to the school and apologized to the rec employee and the security guard. The incident occurred January 18 at 8:OOpm. VIII. Old Business: a. Food Truck in the Park Chairman Schutzer asked if we were going to have Anthony's food truck back in the park. Superintendent Bertolacci said Anthony can reapply for a permit to operate his food truck in Pine Ridge Park. b. Men's Softball: Superintendent Bertolacci reported there was a Men's Softball meeting tonight. One of the items that we discussed was bat options, one of which is moving to the Rye bat list which are ASA bats. Another one would be to have the Rec Department supply the bats and change the bats mid-year like New Rochelle does. Superintendent Bertolacci said he would send out a survey to the captains for their input regarding the bats. We are going to use the grey dot ball. We discussed teams requesting to be in one or the other league. Certain teams don't want to play some of the better teams. The best way is to make one league and all the teams play each other once and the rivalry teams to try and play them twice. Game time was an issue last year. I asked them to write their time down on the rosters which will help give the teams the time requested. Most teams can't make the 6:30PM games because they work in the city. Committee Member Berman said Rye Brook has to pay for the lights for the softball season. If Rye Brook isn't using the field every night, we discussed sub-leasing to other leagues to recoup some of the monies. Also we discussed trying to have some Little League games under the lights once a week. Chairman Schutzer asked about the mounds at the parks. Superintendent Bertolacci said he was waiting for Travel Baseball to come with the information about portable mounds. Superintendent Bertalocci said he would set up a meeting with Andrew Rosson and Teddy Sabato to discuss portable mounds. c. CPR Class: Superintendent Bertolacci said he received information from Scott Moore for the CPR classes. The first CPR class will start on Wednesday night, February 26`h and the fee will be $40 cash payable the day of your class. The time of the class is 6:30pm to 10:30pm here at Village Hall or the Firehouse. The focus will be CPR, First Aid and AED. We have 3 scheduled dates; February 26`h, March 5th and March 19`h. An e-mail will be sent out through Community Pass with the dates and time of the CPR course. There is a limit of 10 participants for each class. As each class is filled, I will get more classes. IX.New Business: There is no New Business. X. Adjournment: Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Committee Member Berman made the motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:50pm and Committee Member Dutra seconded the motion. The next meeting of the Parks and Advisory Council will be on March 4, 2014 at 8:00pm. The meeting adjourned at 9:50pm. Minutes prepared by Carmella Swick 1168377.1