Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting

Meeting Began At: 5:04pm

In Attendance: David Quesnel, Andy Shaw, Alan Benoit, Michael Carter, Bob Johnston, Amy Herrmann, Brian Bartlett

July 2009 Minutes Approval: Motion to approve by Andy Shaw  

Seconded by Michael Carter

Volleyball Court Lighting: Brian Bartlett, a representative of the Manchester Volleyball League, was in attendance to ask for permission to install two lights on the center light pole on the backside of the tennis courts. Brain informed the Committee that the lights are being donated through a connection at Rutland High School and an electrician has volunteered to do the installation. Any costs accrued for materials will be paid for by the Volleyball League. The Volleyball League is also willing to pay for electricity usage related to the lights. Maintenance of the lights would also fall on the Volleyball League. The Recreation Committee was in agreement and approved the lighting. Amy will draft up a letter to forward to John O’Keefe and the Selectboard acknowledging the endorsement and asking for approval.  

90 Day Calendar: A calendar of events for August, September and October was not available. Amy informed the committee that the bulk of the upcoming events in the next 90 days revolved around Applejack Field.  

Master Planning: David informed the committee that a plot plan was in progress and as soon as that is in place discussion can begin concerning the next phase. David also mentioned that he would keep in contact with Lee Krohn concerning the plot plan and the overall master plan.

Other Business: Amy informed the committee that the pool and the kiddie pool have both had serious problems this summer and have to date used almost the entire 2010 budget. The kiddie pool is failing in every way possible and without some major work, may have to be closed indefinitely.

Alan Benoit was asked to re-design Adams Park now that the building and parking spaces have been removed. He is looking at adding picnic benches and chairs, possibly made of marble to commemorate the regions deep marble history. The idea is to enhance the experience of the park, increase the functionality and make it an enjoyable place to relax. The committee gave approval to Alan to begin planning the park. Amy will draft a letter to send to John O’Keefe stating the committee’s approval.

Discussion concerning alternative revenue sources for the park was also discussed. Initially the discussion revolved around a manned ticket booth at the entrance to the park. The idea would be that residents would not pay a user fee to enter the park, while non-residents would be asked to pay a small fee, $1 or $2. Users would then have to pay for additional services, such as pool passes, tennis courts and tickets to Applejack Field. The committee felt that it may cost more to staff the gate than the revenue would support. The idea of an unmanned kiosk was also put out on the table. Conceptually, an unmanned kiosk should be beneficial, but after some discussion it was determined that an unmanned kiosk has too many loop holes and may cost more money in the long term. Amy brought up the idea of the honor system. A strong campaign would have to be developed to support the program, but if we asked everyone to donate, and provide kiosks to do so, it should provide some additional revenue for the park.

Robert Johnston recommended adding a tiered board sponsorship program at Applejack Field to help fill the gaps in advertising. His suggestion is to offer smaller spaces at smaller pricing. The current program of $1000 a year is probably too steep for a lot of small businesses in the area. If a lower cost option was available, the park may get more interest. Amy offered the idea of taking the current dimensions of a sign and dividing it by four, with each space now being $250. If a board were to be filled, it would equal $1000, and if all the spaces were filled, there would be $60,000 in advertising, which covers a UDAG payment. David agreed that we may need to consider alternative options, as revenues from advertising have decreased. Amy agreed to have a discussion with John O’Keefe concerning the idea.

Mike Lijoi announced that this would be his last meeting, as he is leaving for Johns Hopkins at the end of the month. The Committee thanked him for his dedication and wished him all the best. It was agreed that both Mike Lijoi and Colby Halligan were excellent assets to the Recreation Committee.

Motion to Adjourn: 1^st Michael Carter  2^nd Robert Johnston

Meeting Ended At: 6:28pm