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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-03-02 - 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 March 2, 2010 CONVENE MEETING: Chairman Marc Zimmerman called the meeting to order at 8:35 p.m. The following members of the Council were present: Advisory Council Members: Chairman Marc Zimmerman, Ken Frankel, Richard Gutner, Debra Tempesta Kevin O'Neil, Sari Jablon, Glenn Brettschneider, Steven Schoen Absent Council Members: Jeffrey Kornblum Recreation Department Members Present: Carmella Swick, Sr. Office Assistant Rye Brook Resident: Shannon Crosby Mrs. Garceau, Shannon's Mother Chairman Zimmerman explained to Ms. Crosby the purpose of our monthly meetings is to discuss items on the Agenda and assist the Rye Brook Parks and Recreation Department to better the community. I. Minutes: Chairman Zimmerman asked for a motion to accept the February 2, 2010 Minutes. Committee Member Gutner made a motion to accept the February 2, 2010 Minutes as amended and Committee Member Brettschneider seconded the motion. Committee Member Schoen abstained from voting. The February Minutes were accepted. II. Public View Points: Shannon Crosby, a Rye Brook resident and a senior at Ursuline School in New Rochelle attended the meeting as part of a school assignment is to attend two Village of Rye Brook committee meetings. Committee Member Schoen asked Shannon how she decided to attend the Recreation meeting. Shannon said she had a question regarding usage of our fields. Chairman Zimmerman stated that we would address her question in connection with the topic of field usage on our monthly Agenda. Committee Member Schoen reported that former Committee Member Kenneth Finder was inducted into the Westchester Soccer Hall of Fame and suggested a public mention of the honor and to have it noted in our Minutes. Committee Member Tempesta suggested we also should put a notice from this committee in the Westmore News. III. Pitch, Hit and Run: Committee Member Frankel reported that he spoke with Cliff Shaw who had run the Pitch, Hit and Run event a few years ago and has all the documentation from the program except for the handbook. When he gets the handbook, we will have a meeting with Superintendent Bertolacci to go over the legal logistics, equipment needed and volunteers. The event will take place on April 25, 2010 from 1 1110277.1 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The event will run for 3 to 4 hours using both fields at Pine Ridge Park and would be open to boys and girls ages 7 to 14 at no cost. Committee Member Jablon suggested sending an e-mail to Jane Romm at the High School to put the word out for volunteer opportunities for community kids who need community service. Committee Member Frankel stated that he spoke with the Varsity Baseball Coach, John Dakers, about using the varsity players to volunteer for the event. The coach could not yet commit the boys to the event because he did not yet know the varsity schedule. IV. Superintendent's Report: a. Sponsorship Superintendent Bertolacci made a list of paid sponsors and sponsors that are committed, which was read by Superintendent Zimmerman. There are 10 paid sponsors and 12 committed sponsors. Committee Member Jablon said she will again contact the new owners at P & D again; Committee Member Tempesta said she contacted Chipotle and is waiting to hear from them; Superintendent Bertolacci will contact the Port Chester Fire Department; Committee Member Brettschneider is working on Strauss; Chairman Zimmennan stated that he would contact Rye Brook Travel Baseball; Committee Member Jablon will contact Last Licks; Committee Member Frankel dropped off the information to Family Discount and is waiting for an answer. Chairman Zimmerman said we have some paid sponsors and some committed with about two more weeks to go and we should make one more phone call to the other sponsors. Chairman Zimmerman explained to Shannon that we are trying to raise more money for Little League equipment and uniforms. The committee suggested contacting the jewelry store at Rye Ridge and also, Z-Life, Denim Lounge. Chairman Zimmerman stated that Superintendent Bertolacci would like to express his appreciation for the good sponsorship drive even with this tight economy. b. Parks Policy Chairman Zimmerman stated that the Village Board is setting a public hearing to consider the proposed amended local law Chapter 78 and 170 as follows: "No person owning, harboring or having the care, custody or control of any dog shall permit such dog to, defecate or dig, and defecate crossed out and replaced with dig." A provision was added as follows: "Dogs are permitted in parks within the Village provided they are on a leash no longer than five feet, however, dogs are prohibited from active recreation areas of the parks, including but not limited to playgrounds, ball fields, astro-turf or sport courts. Any dogs in public areas, including parks, shall be attended and on leash at all times. The fine is going to be $250.00 for each offense. Also no person shall bring or permit an animal to be in a park, except as otherwise permitted by the Code of the Village of Rye Brook." Chairman Zimmerman asked if Trustee Rosenberg can step into our meeting to clarify the proposed proposal on the parks policy. Chairman Zimmerman stated to Trustee Rosenberg that Committee Member Schoen noted that in Section C that there is a cross out of the word defecate, which seems to indicate that there is no longer a prohibition to having a dog defecate on any common thoroughfare so long as he or she is on a leash. Trustee Rosenberg said that that is a typo on the proposal. Trustee 2 1110277.1 Rosenberg stated that there is a public meeting on the issue next week. Trustee Rosenberg stated that we don't want any dogs on the infields, off leash in the parks or defecating in the parks. Chairman Zimmennan said the proposal seems consistent with the committee's recommendation, and also noted our recommendation to update the signage in the parks. Chairman Zimmerman explained for our student visitor that the committee has power based upon what the Village Board and what the Rye Brook Village Code provides, which basically is to advise and recommend to the Superintendent and to the Village Board things that would better the parks and recreation department of Rye Brook. With respect to this issue, we had some residents who raised an issue with dogs running around our parks and pooping all over the fields -- particularly on the active fields that people (especially kids) are actually using. We made a recommendation to the Village Board concerning signage and what we believed should and should not be done. e. Basketball Season Wrap-Up Chairman Zimmerman stated that we will table the basketball season wrap up because the season had not yet been completed. d. Little League Preview Chairman Zimmerman said we will table our discussion of Little League until next month. Chairman Zimmerman stated that Opening Day of Little League is April 10, 2010. We will ask Superintendent Bertolacci if he needs anything from us for the Opening Day of Little League. Chairman Zimmerman stated that the Spring/Summer brochure for the Rye Brook Recreation programs is on line and had not heard anything but good things about our programs. Committee Member Frankel stated that the boys' high school team was practicing this past Sunday while the men's basketball program was going on. Committee Member Frankel asked if a call can be made to Jim Spano and ask if the boys' could practice after 11:30 am when the men finish their program. V. Old Business a. Use of Rye Brook Fields Chairman Zimmerman stated that we discussed the walk-on use of Rye Brook fields and how certain people and organizations are using the Rye Brooks fields that are not scheduled. Specifically, with the soccer and baseball season approaching, do we want to put something in writing about requirements for field reservations. Committee Member Gutner asked how you stop someone from going on the baseball field on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon at Pine Ridge after the games have been played and say they don't belong there. Chairman Zimmerman stated that the Rec Department could send out some type of e- mail describing the process for reserving a field. Committee Member Schoen stated that the travel clubs have contracted for their time and should use it at their contracted time. Shannon said that on one occasion, when she was playing soccer with one friend on the Rye Brook Athletic Field, she was kicked off the field by the police. Shannon went to the police department to complain about the officer. Shannon believes that residents shouldn't have to pay to use a public field. 3 1110277.1 Chairman Zimmerman stated Superintendent Bertolacci would respond that the rule is not designed to prevent you from playing with a friend or two, but rather to prevent a group of people from coming on to the field and playing without a permit. Shannon stated that she heard if someone gets hurt on our field they would sue the Village, and maybe a sign should warn to use the fields at your own risk. Chairman Zimmerman suggested that Shannon write a letter regarding her experience at the Rye Brook Athletic Field and bring it to Superintendent Bertolacci at the next meeting. b. Surveys for Recreation Department Programs Chairman Zimmerman suggested surveys be sent out for our major programs, end of baseball season, end of basketball season. Committee Member Schoen said that a survey went out last year for basketball. Committee Member Tempesta suggested an evaluation should go out to the kids so that it comes from the children's perspective, without baggage from the parent's point of view. It was suggested that the survey be given out at the last game. Committee Member Gutner said that would be difficult because when the game is over, the kids often just run out of the gym. Committee Member Jablon stated that evaluations have come in the mail to the adults. She stated that while a ten year old could complete an evaluation, 2nd and 3rd graders would not be able to do so. Chairman Zimmerman stated that evaluations are very important because there are certain things that occur during the season that are positive and those which are negative, and we should give the opportunity to express those opinions to the department. Committee Member Schoen said the department has to be in a position to do something with those surveys. For example, he had worked with Janice and Bert at developing and getting the basketball evaluations back. The basketball sub-committee categorized them as to what was helpful and what wasn't helpful. From the survey feedback, the department needs to see if there is a way to act upon the comments to make the program better for the next season. Chairman Zimmerman suggested putting the item of evaluations on the Agenda for next month. VI. New Business: Committee Member Schoen reiterated that former Committee Member Kenneth Finder was inducted into the Westchester Soccer Hall of Fame in November or December 2009. We were remiss in recognizing it at an earlier meeting and want to recognize his accomplishment for all his great efforts and great work. a. First Lego League Committee Member O'Neil stated that Superintendent Bertolacci's son got a commendation in the newspaper for his First Lego activity. Other towns do this type of activity through their recreation department. We have basketball and baseball but do we want to think about other programs we should offer in rec. Committee Member O'Neil has talked with the technology teacher at the school and this is where it first came up as to whether they would compete in this type of tournament. We have basketball in the winter, but not much else. Committee Member Jablon said the elementary school has a Lego program that started last year. 4 1110277.1 Chairman Zimmerman stated that it is a good idea to include non-sports recreation programming. Looking through the book you will see adult dancing but you are not seeing anything else for the kids outside of our sports program. The school provides programs for chess, chorus and band and you may get some of these teachers who have a passion for this type of program to volunteer their time for other non-sport programs. Committee Member O'Neil stated that with these programs will come down to facility usage, budget, recourses and what people want to do etc. Chairman Zimmerman stated that we add this topic under Old Business for further discussion. Committee Member Tempesta asked if there is someplace in our brochure that we can have an announcement stating if anyone has an idea for a new program to contact the rec department. Chairman Zimmerman suggested implementing a message board so if any resident has an idea for programs, they can e-mail the recreation department. Committee Member Frankel suggested blasting an e-mail out through Community Pass. Committee Member Brettschneider asked how you would introduce an independent program to the Recreation Department. Chairman Zimmerman asked if Committee Member Brettschneider was asking about private prograins that are run under the rec umbrella like Life Time Racquet Sports or Elite Soccer. Chairman Zimmerman suggested that we speak to Superintendent to get more specifics regarding that particular item. Committee Member Frankel stated that the soccer league coaches have a pre-season game where all the kids can watch the coaches play. At last month's meeting he suggested to Superintendent Bertolacci a coaches game in basketball or baseball where the dads and the coaches get to play and the kids get to watch. We can even have a barbeque following the game if we wish to do so, that brings the community together. VII. Adjournment Chairman Zimmerman asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:55pm. Committee Member Frankel made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Committee Member Tempesta seconded the motion and all approved. The next Parks and Recreation Advisory Council meeting will be held on April 6, 2010 at 8:30pm, Village Hall. Minutes prepared by Carmella Swick. 5 1110277.1