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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-09-11 - 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 September 11, 2012 Convene Meeting: Chairman Jamie Schutter called the meeting to order at 8:25pm. Chairman Schutzer asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of 9/11. The following Members of the Council were present: Advisory Council Members: Chairman Jamie Schutzer, Frank Carbone, Kevin O'Neil, Brian Funtleyder, Adam Berman Glenn Brettschneider, Christopher Dutra, Jennifer Wohl, Adam Zahl Absent Council Members: Recreation Department Members: Robert Bertolacci, Parks &Recreation Superintendent Carmella Swick, Sr. Office Assistant 1. Minutes: Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to accept the August 7, 2012 Minutes. A motion to approve the Minutes was made by Committee Member O'Neil and seconded by Committee Member Carbone. The Minutes were accepted and approved. Committee Members Wohl, Berman, Funtleyder and Dutra abstained from voting. H. Public View Points: Committee Member Brettschneider said his daughter and some of her friends complained about a lot of non-residents using the basketball courts at Pine Ridge Park. There are a lot of full court games happening and some of the younger kids playing get pushed off the court. There is a lot of activity on the basketball courts and these kids feel that it should be for residential use. Also, one player brings his dog with him to the courts every day, ties it up and it barks continuously. The police have been called and have come out to the park and told the owner of the dog that he cannot tie his dog up and leave it at the basketball court. The owner of the dog apologized and said he wouldn't bring the dog to the park. Superintendent Bertolacci said there are always non-residents that come to the park to play basketball. At Garibaldi Park a good number of the basketball players are non-residents. if we make any changes to use the basketball court at one park the changes have to be made at all the parks. Superintendant Bertolacci said there isn't much you can do except maybe have a basketball attendant at the basketball court to control the usage. Committee Member Berman said where he grew up you had to show a resident park pass to get into the park. There was an attendant at the entrance to the park. Maybe the tennis attendant can straddle between the tennis courts and the basketball court. Committee Member Brettschneider said it's getting darker earlier now so maybe we can discuss the issue again in the spring. 1168377.1 III. Superintendent's Report: a. Summer Camp Update: Superintendent Bertolacci said he was waiting for the day camp and the teen camp reports from both of the Recreation Leaders. I should get their report this week and I will be able to give a report at our next meeting. Most of the feedback for both camps have been positive. b. Spring Carnival/Concert: Superintendent Bertolacci said the general consensus among the carnival companies is that bringing all the equipment for 2 days is not feasible for them because they wouldn't make any money. They would do the carnival with a minimum of 5 days. Superintendent Bertolacci is still waiting to hear from a few more companies, i.e., the company who did the Corpus Christi Carnival, and the Mamaroneck Carnival. Superintendent Bertolacci also has a call into PM Amusements. The date would be either April 6tt' or the 13tt' which hasn't been determined yet. The Village Board has all the information and we have received positive feedback from the Village. Chairman Schutzer asked about having a Concert in the Park. Superintendent Bertolacci said he hasn't worked on that project yet. This project would be a budgeted item for the new budget year. c. Fall Registration: Superintendent Bertolacci reported on fall registration: Bowling— 12 registered, Kindergarten Floor Hockey- 18, 1"grade Floor Hockey- 15, Ice Skating 5, Kinderplay 15 in the A,C, & E class and 18 in the B, D, & F class, 13 Lacrosse. Ice skating registration is low but the program doesn't start until November so we will look at the numbers just before the program starts. Committee Member Wohl asked if we could offer a program just for girls in Kindergarten and 1St grade. Superintendent Bertolacci said we can offer a basketball program just for girls and see what the numbers are. If we don't get the number of girls needed for the basketball program we will then combine the girls with the boys. Committee Member Berman said he heard tremendous positive comments from some parents about the 8t" and 9t" grade basketball program. The program is totally run by the Blind Brook High School Varsity basketball boys and has no parent involvement. Because Janice and Kyle's programs were flip flopped around, some parents wanted to know if the 8t" & 9t" grade basketball program would run the same way. Superintendent Bertolacci said the program would run the same as before. Committee Member O'Neil asked if because the number of registrations are down, is there going to be a budgetary impact. Superintendent said there is no budgetary impact. The numbers are down at this point but it doesn't mean that at the end of the day they aren't going to be where they were. The numbers are coming in slowly. IV. Old Business: a. Village Field Usage: Chairman Schutzer asked the council members for their thoughts regarding field usage. 1168377.1 Committee Member O'Neil said there is a perception that with the taxes we pay, why should i have to pay for the use of the field. If we don't charge a fee for using the field your tax base will go up and people don't understand what it takes to maintain the field and why we charge to use the field. Committee Member Brettschneider asked if we charge the fee to make money or to keep the control of the groups using the field at designated times. Superintendent Bertolacci said the fee aspect is to control the field so the resident groups can use the field at a discounted rate. Charging a fee helps to defray other people from using the field. Committee Member Berman asked if the rule for 6 or more players requiring a permit is for all the parks in Rye Brook. if 12 or more people went to Pine Ridge to play touch football, would the police tell those players they have to leave because they don't have a permit? Superintendent Bertolacci said if a resident called the police to complain, the police can tell those players to leave the field if they don't have a permit. Most towns have fees to use the fields. Committee Member Brettschneider said all fields should be open to anybody. if you want a field for a baseball game, a party etc., you get a permit for that time slot and you have the field for that time no matter who is on it. Committee Member Berman suggested that we publicize the policy that King Street Turf Field is solely a permit field and a permit is needed for 6 or more participants using the field. Is there any portion of the fees generated used for the replacement of the turf? Superintendent Bertolacci said the fees charged for the usage of the field goes into the general budget to offset your taxes. The Village puts a certain amount of revenue away each year to offset the upcoming expense to replace the turf field which is only about 4 years away. Chairman Schutter asked the members if a recommendation should be made to the Village Board to change the number of participants allowed on the turf field without a permit. Superintendent Bertolacci said the purpose of having 6 participants requiring a permit is to deter non-resident groups of more than 6 to come on the turf field and dominate the field. There was an issue with non-resident adults using the turf field to play soccer during lunch time and the issue was dealt with at that time. The school has the use of the field until 6:OOpm during the school week. Superintendent Bertolacci said that if the number for a permit is increased, it's going to become an issue because residents are not going to be able to get on the field and the groups of 10 will monopolize the field. Committee Member Berman asked it there is a way to have an on-line permit system. The permit can be printed out on a given weekend and they can bring the permit with them to the park. Committee Member O'Neil said we are talking about 3 different aspects here: permit policy and availability, communication and why we are charging fees, and the fees are going to maintenance or you can increase the tax base across the board and if you raise the number to 9 or 10 do you make the distinction between adult and child. 1168377.1 Committee Member Berman said he would like to make a recommendation to see if it's feasible to make an on-line permit process that is instantaneously. Superintendent Bertolacci said making the turf field a permit on-line is going to be an issue because technically, a permit has to be reviewed for approval by a committee, which consists of the Village Administrator, Blind Brook High School Athletic Director and I. Chairman Schutzer recommended tabling the issue until next month's meeting. Committee Member Berman suggested looking into the on-line permit. Superintendent Bertolacci said he would check with our on-line IT person to see what can be done and also find out what other municipalities charge regarding field rentals. b. Coach of the Year: Committee Member Berman said his concern is how and who is going to do the voting and what are you going to base it on. Maybe we can give more public recognition in addition to the wall plaque in the hall at the recreation office. It would be very difficult to implement one coach for the year and not have it become political. Chairman Schutzer said that Coach of the year will be too controversial; therefore he recommends that it not be pursued. c. Concession Stand at Pine Ridge Park: Superintendent Bertolacci said he didn't get in touch with any of the deli owners yet. Chairman Schutter tabled the item of a Concession Stand at Pine Ridge Park until the next meeting. d. Public View Points Message: Superintendent Bertolacci said he didn't send out a specific message saying that our Parks and Recreation Advisory Meetings are public. There is an announcement in our brochure and the Village Board did mention the Parks and Recreation Advisory Meeting are public. Superintendent Bertolacci said he doesn't know if the Board would mention our meeting every month. e. New Programs: Chairman Schutzer asked if the Recreation Department will be looking into a golf clinic for a spring program. Superintendent Bertolacci said we would be looking into a golf clinic. There are a couple of venues; Doral Arrowwood or have an instructor come in house and teach at one of our fields. There also will be a kindergarten and I"grade basketball program for the girls and a program for the boys. If there aren't enough participants in either group we will combine the girls and boys. Committee Member Wohl said some of the activities that the PTA runs are candy making, jewelry making. Would there be any reason why the rec can't run the same programs? Superintendent Bertolacci said it would definitely compete with the school programs and I don't think we want to compete with the school. 1168377.1 Committee Member Berman asked if Kyle and Janice can run another Teen Night with a 3 on 3 basketball tournament. The kids make up their own teams and it is very inexpensive to run. Chairman Schutter suggested a Men's basketball league. Superintendent Bertolacci said we have minimal basketball time at the school. During the week there is zero time for basketball usage because all the Rye Brook teams practicing in the evening until 9:OOpm. it may be possible to have a league next year in the spring, so we can look into it. Committee Member Berman suggested that the Council Members think about some new programs that can be discussed at the next meeting. L Baseball Field Improvements: Chairman Schutzer asked if there was any progress made regarding a batting cage, tarp to cover the dugout etc. Superintendent Bertolacci said we would discuss those items in January when it gets closer to the baseball season. V. New Business: Chairman Schutzer said with the basketball season ahead of us, we need new members to work on the basketball sub-committee. Committee Member Berman said he would be on the committee and be honored to chair it. Also, Committee Members Funtleyder, Brettschneider and Wohl have volunteered to be on the committee. Chairman Schutter appointed the basketball sub-committee. VI. Adjournment: Chairman Schutzer asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Committee Members Berman made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Committee Member O'Neil seconded the motion. The next Parks and Recreation Advisory Council will meet on October 2, 2012 at 8:15pm. The meeting adjourned at 9:50pm. Minutes prepared by Carmella Swick 1168377.1