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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-08-07 - 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 August 7, 2012 Convene Meeting: Chairman Jamie Schutzer called the meeting to order at 8:30pm. The following Members of the Council were present: Advisory Council Members: Chairman Jamie Schutzer, Frank Carbone, Kevin O'Neil, Glenn Brettschneider Absent Council Members: Christopher Dutra, Brian Funtleyder, Adam Berman, Jennifer Wohl Recreation Department Members: Robert Bertolacci, Parks &Recreation Superintendent Carmella Swick, Sr. Office Assistant 1. Minutes: Chairman Schutter asked for a motion to accept the July 10, 2012 Minutes. A motion to approve the Minutes was made by Committee Member O'Neil and seconded by Committee Member Brettschneider. The Minutes were accepted and approved by all. IT. Public View Points: Committee Member Brettschneider said that one of the participants in Men's basketball on Sunday didn't understand why there is a long season of 20 weeks and a short season of 8 weeks. During the short season many of the men are going to miss 2 or 3 Sundays out of the 8 week session so they don't sign up for the shorter session. Why can't there be one long season? Superintendent Bertolacci said the weeks were cut down to 20 weeks because of the janitorial expense. The men who attended the Sunday basketball program complained so we added a shorter season of 8 weeks so they can continue playing on Sunday. If the players want the program to be longer, it can be discussed during the next budget session sometime in December. The fees are created by the Village Board and the fees are based on the number of weeks the program runs. If the season goes from 20 weeks to 28 weeks there will be an increase in the fee. Chairman Schutzer asked if there was anyway we could clean the bleachers at Pine Ridge Park, Old Field, there is bird poop all over the seats. Superintendent Bertolacci said he will discuss the issue with his Parks Foreman. Chairman Schutzer asked if the two bees nest in the shed near the bathrooms at Pine Ridge Park can be taken care of. Several residents have been stung by the bees. Superintendent Bertolacci said that the shed near the bathrooms belong to Rye Brook Travel Baseball but he will have the Parks Foreman take a look at the nest and take care of the situation. 1168377.1 Committee Member O'Neil asked if we look at these issues proactively or just when there are complaints by the residents. Superintendent Bertolacci said if we see a problem, it gets addressed by our parks crew. Chairman Schutzer reported that there was a men's softball game scheduled at the turf field this past Sunday morning. A permit was issued and mailed to the participants as requested. A police officer came over and asked the individual for a permit but the resident didn't have the permit with him. The police officer stopped the game and Dan explained to the officer that he had the permit at home. The police officer said that after the game Dan was to come to the police department with any of the information he had to show the officer that he did have a permit, which the resident did. Chairman Schutzer asked if there is any way that the police have access to who is using the turf field. Superintendent Bertolacci said the police have access on their computer in their cars. There is also a calendar given to the police department for each month indicating the activity for that day. If any changes are made or activities added to any month, a new calendar is given to the police department. iii. Superintendent's Report: a. Sumer Camp Update Superintendent Bertolacci stated the last day of camp is this Friday. The Travel Camp has peaked with well over 100 campers this year. It looks like the kids are having a great time there. The day camp has 135 kids registered. There will be a carnival on Wednesday for the day camp kids. The camp show is on Friday and there is also a barbeque on Friday. Superintendent Bertolacci said a camp survey will go out to the families who attended the camp. b. Spring Carnival Superintendent Bertolacci reported that the Spring Carnival was discussed at the Quality Task Force meeting and it will put before the Village Administrator (probably next week), and should go before the Village Board in September. There will be a lot of planning that will have to go into this event. It should be a nice event to open up the Little League season. Committee Member O'Neil said we would have to then approach who ever owns the King Street Lot and the Arbors Association with a plan or resolution if the event is to be held on that premise.. Superintendent Bertolacci said we are just laying out a plan not necessarily where the carnival would be located. Chairman Schutzer asked as Chairman if he should attend the public Village Board meeting in September when the carnival event goes before the Board. Also, should any of the Council members attend the meeting? Superintendent Bertolacci said it's always a good idea for the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council Members to attend the meeting to show support for an event. The Board already knows this council supports the idea through the resolution from last month's meeting. 1168377.1 Superintendent Bertolacci said fall registration will take place on Wednesday, September 5th at 9:30pm. Superintendent Bertolacci said Movie Night in the Park is this Friday at 8:00pm, Pine Ridge Park basketball court. The movie is Dolphin Tale. In event of inclement weather, the movie will be shown at Village Hall. IV. Old Business: a. Little League i. Survey Results Superintendent Bertolacci recommended tabling the survey results until the Little League sub- committee meets and reviews the results. Superintendent Bertolacci said over 300 kids played baseball, from Rookie League through the Major Leagues and we received 53 evaluations back. Chairman Schutzer said usually people who respond are ones that are usually complaining about the program but this survey showed a more positive feedback even though the response was on the lower side. Chairman Schutzer suggested doing a Rookie League for the kindergartners instead of a T-Ball program. Superintendent Bertolacci thinks that kindergartners are a little too young to organize them into teams. Also, there are fewer kids in the lower grades compared to the last few years. b. Rating Process Superintendent Bertolacci stated that the basketball sub-committee will discuss the rating process at their meeting. c. Coach of the Year Chairman Schutzer suggested having an award for each sport, one for the boy's coach of the year and one for the girl's coach of the year Committee Member Zahl suggested that you don't want to be political and raise a lot of questions. It's an issue that needs to be discussed and put in place before a decision is made for it to be done the right way. Committee Member Brettschneider said we should do something that would recognize all the coaches at the end of each program. This way you won't have to get a committee together, or a criteria. Superintendent Bertolacci said we need to sit down and discuss this idea as a group and make a report. Superintendent Bertolacci suggested that Chairman Schutter send out an e-mail to the council asking for their ideas and we could discuss it at the next meeting. d. New Program Superintendent Bertolacci said there are no new programs at this time. e. Legacy Projects 1168377.1 Chairman Schutzer said he spoke to Jeff Rednick, our liaison, and Jeff has spoken to the rest of the Board of Trustees regarding the recreational study being done in Rye Brook and i was told that a concession stand at Pine Ridge Park would not be involved in the study. Jeff said it wouldn't make sense for the Village to operate the stand because it would cost money to man it. One of the suggestions was to look into an established deli that may be interested in running a concession stand at Pine Ridge Park. After getting some input from the deli owners we can discuss whether it would be a good idea to go ahead with the project. Superintendent Bertolacci said he would talk to some deli owners about the problems and benefits of running a concession stand. Superintendent Bertolacci said he would go to the Belle Fair Market, Park Deli, Marini's, Rye Ridge Deli and Castle View to get some input. Committee Member Carbone suggested that Superintendent talk to his wife who is on the Board at Belle Fair. Mrs. Carbone may be able to give some insight as to the workings of the Belle Fair Market. L Village Field Usage Chairman Schutter said the Village Board of Trustees is aware that 6 or more participants on the Rye Brook turf field need a permit. The Board may consider raising the number of participants for a permit. Superintendent Bertolacci reiterated that what ever changes are made for residents, the same changes would affect non-residents. Superintendent Bertolacci suggested that because four of our members are not present at tonight's meeting the Chairman Schutter send out an e-mail for comments on the number of participants required to get a permit to use the turf field. g. Public View Point Message Chairman Schutzer suggested that when the fall brochure goes out that we make the message more prominent that our Parks and Recreation Advisory Council meetings are the 1St Tuesday of each month and that the meetings are public. V. New Business: a. Basketball Sub-Committee Selection Chairman Schutter suggested that we table the basketball sub-committee selection until the next meeting because four of the council members are not present. b. Baseball Field Improvements Chairman Schutzer said he spoke to Jeff Rednick about some of the improvements at the baseball fields. 1. The baseball mounds are never going to have a hill because they are used for softball. 2. Tarp behind the home plate. Committee Member Carbone said the umpires constantly have to chase people away from watching the game there because it interferes with pitching and the batters. if you put up a tarp, it would stop anyone from standing behind the home plate. 2. Batting Cage - The Board was concerned with noise because there would be constant batting. You could put a lock on the gate and supervise the hours of operation. 1168377.1 Committee Member Carbone said at most parks the batting cage is directly against the dugout. 3. Superintendent Bertolacci said it may cause problems because anywhere you put the cage at Pine Ridge; it's going to be close enough to houses and will negatively affect their quality of life. They are going to have to listen to the hitting of balls all day either from the games going on or from rentals that would be utilizing the batting cage. Also, keep in mind you are creating another fence, a high fence down left field line at Pine Ridge new field, where in front of the dugout you have bleachers with obstructed views. Logistically you can't see any of the games from third base line. Committee Member Carbone said you are not creating a problem but solving one because when the pitchers are warming up, they have to go outside the fence. If there is a cage they are warming up in a confined area. Superintendent Bertolacci said logistically, you may have a better chance of having a batting cage by the tennis court# 1 than by the baseball field. Chairman Schutzer said he thought the idea of the batting cage is worth exploring and that Superintendent Bertolacci had a good idea where to erect the batting cage by the tennis courts. 4. Cover for the dugouts. The issue would be drainage. Committee Member Carbone said it would be more like an awning to keep the heat from beating down on the kids. Superintendent Bertolacci said if you are going to have a solid roof with water coming off the back it has to go somewhere, so a drain line would have to be out in from the dugout to go somewhere. Chairman Schutzer said we would definitely look at the tarps for behind home base, and a batting cage next to the tennis courts at Pine Ridge Park. Superintendent Bertolacci said we would do those improvements at one park and then see how it goes after that. c. New Event—Concert in the Park Chairman Schutter asked if we could do a Concert in the Park. Superintendent Bertolacci said that Harrison and White Plains have a portable stage that they use for the Concert. Chairman Schutzer asked if we could rent a portable stage and have the concert at Crawford Park. Superintendent Bertolacci said that in the past when the Village Administrator was approached about doing special events, he like doing them in the Village parks, not the town parks. Superintendent Bertolacci said Pine Ridge Park would be the park to have the concert. We just had Shakespeare in the park this past weekend. Committee Member Brettschneider said he thought it was a great idea. Superintendent Bertolacci said people come sometimes to these events and sometimes they don't. It`s a hit or miss thing. It's a good idea and it's something to think about. Superintendent 1168377.1 said the Administrator would be interested and he would want to know, where, when and how much will it cost. For the first year we would do one concert in the park and build off of that. We get a band or two bands and have them perform and see where it goes. VI. Adjournment Chairman Schutter asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Committee Member Brettschneider made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Committee Member Zahl seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned at 9:55pm. The next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council will meet on September 11, 2012 at 8:15pm. Minutes prepared by Carmella Swick 1168377.1