HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-01 - 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
November 1, 2011
Convene Meeting:
Chairman Marc Zimmerman called the meeting to order at 8:05pm
The following Members of the Council were present:
Advisory Council Members:
Chairman Marc Zimmerman, Ken Frankel, Kevin O'Neil, Sari Jablon, Frank Carbone
Brian Funtleyder, Adam Berman, Glenn Brettschneider
Absent Council Members:
Jamie Schutzer
Parks &Recreation Advisory Council Liaison, Michael Brown
Recreation Department Member:
Robert Bertolacci, Parks &Recreation Superintendent
Carmella Swick, Sr. Office Assistant
1. Minutes:
Chairman Zimmerman asked for a motion to accept the September 13, 2011 and October 4, 2011
Minutes. Committee Member Berman made the motion to accept the September 13, 2011
Minutes and Committee Member O'Neil seconded the motion. All approved and the September
Minutes were accepted. Committee Member Berman made the motion to accept the Amended
October 4, 2011 Minutes and Committee Member O'Neil seconded the motion. All approved
and the October Minutes were accepted as amended.
II. Public View Points:
None raised.
III. Superintendent's Report
a. Fall Sports
Superintendent Bertolacci stated that the Kinderplay program finished on October 14"' and the
Kindergarten and 1St Grade Floor Hockey program has two weeks left. There are 14 men signed
up for the Men's Basketball program that started October 2na
b. 4t'and 5ffi Grade Rec Basketball
Superintendent Bertolacci stated that Janice is looking for parent coaches for the 4th and 5'
grade boys basketball program. if anyone knows of someone able to coach and who might be
interested, please call Janice. The program starts the weekend after Thanksgiving.
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Committee Member Frankel asked what happens if no parent steps up to coach. Superintendent
Bertolacci said in a situation where there are more teams than coaches, a rec staff member will
coach the team. In the past, Lauren has coached a team, and Arthur, who refs our basketball
games for the older boys, should be available.
Chairman Zimmerman suggested if necessary, perhaps a high school student would be interested
in coaching. Superintendent Bertolacci said it would be an option if we don't get parents or rec
staff coaches.
Committee Member O'Neil asked if there were any adjustments or any changes to be made on
the evaluations for our fall sports programs. Superintendent Bertolacci stated that surveys went
out for Kinderplay, but we have not received any back. Surveys for Kindergarten and 1St grade
Floor Hockey probably will go out next week.
Superintendent Bertolacci reported that there are 19 participants signed up for Ice Skating
Session One which started today. A second session for ice skating will start the second or third
week of January 2012.
Chairman Zimmerman noted that the scheduled Haunted Halloween in the Park was cancelled
due to weather and asked if there was any possibility of rescheduling. Superintendent Bertolacci
stated that the company we rented the equipment from charged us $2,100, and we do not have
the money in the budget to spend another $2,100. Committee Member Frankel said the company
should credit us for next year. Superintendent Bertolacci said he didn't get the bill yet and that
will be a conversation he will have with the company. Committee Member Jablon suggested that
as a businessman, he should charge at most half of the cost, since we did not decide to cancel on
our own, but as a result of extenuating circumstances with the weather conditions.
Chairman Zimmerman asked if there was any major storm damage in the parks. Superintendent
Bertolacci reported that a lot of limbs came down at Harkness Park, where our tennis courts are,
but there was no major damage.
Committee Member Berman asked if rec leases or rents the Harkness Tennis Courts to the
school. Superintendent Bertolacci stated that we have an IMA (Inter Municipal Agreement) with
the school and the school lets us use whatever field we need. The school charges the Village for
use of the school when a janitor has to be present in the school while our programs are going on.
IV. Old Business
a. Little League Sub-Committee
Committee Member Carbone stated the Little League survey was approved by the sub-committee
and will go out this week giving residents two weeks to respond. After the results of the survey
are gathered, the sub-committee will meet to prioritize what needs to be done and get the
literature out to the public with any changes that are made.
Chairman Zimmerman suggested sending an e-mail out saying that a baseball survey is coming
out and that it is really important to take time to fill out and return it to the Recreation
Department.
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Superintendent Bertolacci reported that the Village Board approved the sign that will be attached
to the scoreboards at the Pine Ridge Park Baseball fields, which will say "Home of Rye Brook
Little League".
Superintendent Bertolacci also reported that the website for Little League has been purchased.
Chairman Zimmerman reported that he has not heard anything back from the Travel Baseball
Board regarding any creative ways to help the Travel Baseball and Little League co-exist in the
Spring season. Chairman Zimmerman stated that he will follow up with someone with the
Travel Baseball Board before the next meeting.
b. Rec Basketball Sub-Committee
Committee Member Berman reported that the Basketball sub-committee had a telephone
conference call and reported progress to Chairman Zimmerman.
The main points discussed were:
1. 2 coaches would be the maximum for all age groups.
2. Making sure the rules are uniform wherever there are discrepancies.
3. For the County Center Teams, 5 kids will be picked by the coaches voting (coaches are
not allowed to vote for kids on their own team) and 5 kids will be picked by the rec staff.
4. implementing a procedure (whether formal or informal) to ensure that kids are not
subjected to poor treatment by coaches. If any infractions are reported, the coach will be
called before Superintendent Bertolacci to address what has transpired and what will be
done.
5. The sub-committee asked Superintendent Bertolacci to consider permitting it to review
the teams before the draft to determine if there was a big unbalance to a team -- not to
recommend specific changes but to suggest that Janice take another look at that team to
make sure it is fair. Superintendent Bertolacci took the issue under advisement, but
decided there should not be any sub-committee review before the draft.
Committee Member Jablon asked what would happen if a parent timely signed up a child for rec
basketball but forgot to go to one of the ratings. Committee Member Berman said the rec staff
knows the older players' ability so that would not be a problem. However, it is important for the
younger kids coming in to attend one of the ratings sessions because no one has seen them play.
Committee Member O'Neil asked the sub-committee to explain the sequence for the 5 coach-
picked players for the County Center tournament team. Committee Member Berman said those
5 kids get voted on the same way the coach-picked 8 kids had been voted on in previous years.
No one other than the rec employees who oversee the selection process will know which kids
were voted in and which were picked by the rec staff.
Committee Member Berman asked if there is any way to electronically post the list of
participants for the County Center Tournament. Superintendent Bertolacci said that we have
some time to decide that issue.
V. New Business
a. 2012 Openings for New Council Members
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Chairman Zimmerman stated that there will be 3 openings on the Parks and Recreation Advisory
Council in April 2012 -- the slots presently held by Sari Jablon, Kenneth Frankel, and himself.
He suggested that it would be a good idea to get the word out to the public so that anyone
interested on the council has knowledge of the openings. if interested, they should write a letter
to Mayor Feinstein and/or the Village Board.
Superintendent Bertolacci stated that any member who wishes to stay on the council for another
term has to write a letter to Mayor Feinstein or the Village Board to get reappointed.
Vi. Adjournment
Chairman Zimmerman asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Committee Member Berman
made the motion to adjourn the meeting and Committee Member O'Neil seconded the motion.
The meeting adjourned at 8:50pm.
The next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Council will be on December 6, 2011 at
8:00 P.M.
Minutes prepared by Carmella Swick
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