Recreation & Youth Commission Meeting

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, October 27, 2015

HARWICH   RECREATION   &   YOUTH   COMMISSION   MINUTES

MEETING DATE, TIME, & PLACE:   October 27th, 2015, 5:30 PM – Room 5, 100 Oak St., Harwich, MA 02645

COMMISSION MEMBERS PRESENT: mJohn Mahan, Frank Crowley, David Nixon, David Sadoski, Vahan Khachadoorian, Lee Culver and Janet Bowers

 

RECREATION STAFF PRESENT: Eric Beebe, Lee Ames

OTHERS PRESENT:  Bob MacCready, CPC Chairman, Susan Hawley, Village Crafters.

 

GUESTS:          Susan Hawley - See Misc correspondence.

 

RECREATION AND MAINTENANCE MATTERS

  • Approval of Commission meeting minutes from 9/22/15.

A motion was made by Vahan Khachadoorian to accept the minutes from 9/22/15 as written, the motion was seconded by Lee Culver; Vote was unanimous. 6 in favor 0 against.

 

  • Director’s Report –
  • Fall Programs - We currently have 272 children enrolled in Fall programs including: K/1/2 Soccer, Youth Tennis, Fun Friday, Bowling, Flag Football, Hoops with Noop, Field Hockey, Arts and Crafts, Family Recreation Soccer, Youth Pickle Ball, Travel League Soccer, and Archery.  Last year our total Fall registration number was 270.  We still have a few more sign-ups coming in this fall for our second sessions of Fun Friday, Tennis, and Arts and Crafts.  We expect another 30-40 registrations by Fall’s end.
  • Middle School Gym Use - We have increased our use of the Harwich Middle School to 4 days a week for the Adult Pickle Ball Group.  We also have a request from Cape Tech to regularly hold basketball practices there this Winter.
  • Mutt Mitts - I have received a request from the Highway Department to, once again, split the cost of mutt mitts with them as they are now running low in the beach dispensers.  The total cost of the order is $3180; our half would be $1590.
  • Lightening Protection Systems - the Highway Department has installed lightening protection systems on the wells at Brooks Park and the Veterans Field Complex.
  • Bank Street Women’s Room - Sean Libby contacted me to see if we wanted to move forward with the renovation of the interior of the women’s room at Bank Street Beach. We did the men’s room last year and the estimated cost for the women’s room would be around $4300. 

A motion was made by Frank Crowley to take $4300 out our maintenance expense line item to upgrade ans repair the women’s restroom at Bank Street Beach; the motion was seconded by Vahan Khachadoorian. Vote was unanimous. 6 in favor 0 against.

 

  • Long Pond Boat Launching - I received an email from the Harbormaster Department asking that, starting next summer, we require a launching pass for all vehicles launching boats at the ramp.  In the past, people could launch if they had: a beach parking sticker, a daily pass, or a boat launch sticker, or any combination of those three.

A motion was made by Lee Culver to leave the Boat Launch policy the way it currently is for now for the upcoming season. Patrons may launch a boat with a Daily Sticker, a Launch Sticker or a Beach Sticker; David Sadoski seconded the motion. Vote was unanimous. 6 in favor 0 against.

 

  • Capital Outlay Committee - I will be presenting our 7 year plan to the Capital Outlay Committee on November 3rd at 5:00 pm.  Most of the focus will be on our FY17 request for funding for the Whitehouse Field fencing.
  • CPC - I will be presenting our CPC requests to the Committee on November 12th at 7:45 pm.  As requested by the CPC, we will be hosting a public meeting at 7:00 pm tonight, after the conclusion of our Commission meeting for the public to address any concerns or comments regarding the Brooks Park Improvements – Phase III Project. I publicized a public meeting on Channel 18 last week.  We are also having it posted on the Town website and put into the Cape Cod Chronicle issued on Thursday 10/22/15. 
  • FY17 Budget - The FY17 Budget will be due on November 27th this year.  We will be receiving budget instructions/message by November 3rd and will put it together from there so that the Commission can vote on the Departmental budget at the November 24th meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

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  • Property Maintenance Report - A current property maintenance report was given to Commission members.
    • Members requested to have the lock changed at WHF so no one can drive to McPhee or park in the small lot at WHF.
  •  Budget Report - A current budget report was given to Commission members.
  • Chairman’s Report - John Mahan
  • No Report

 

  • Liaison Reports 

oCommunity Preservation Committee - David Nixon

  1. David Nixon told members they hope to have the numbers from the State on November 14th but it is not a guaranteed date. There are a number of mistakes in the handout he received from them.

oFacilities Committee - Lee Culver

  1. The Halloween Boo-tique on 10/23/15 was a great success with lots of costume donations and most costumes given away to children who needed them.
  2. The Children’s Halloween Party is scheduled for this Friday at 4:30 pm. Volunteers are needed.

 

MISC CORRESPONDENCE

  • Memorial Bench request for Red River Beach - Highway has advised us that there is not any available bench space left at Red River Beach.
  • Brooks Park – Village Crafters request for use with Fee waiver.  

A motion was made by Vahan Khachadoorian to accept the change of venue from Brooks Park to Doane Park and the request for a fee waiver, the motion was seconded by Lee Culver; Vote was unanimous. 6 in favor 0 against.

 

  • Letter from Lou Urbano requesting for support from the Commission for rehabilitation of the West Harwich Schoolhouse. He would like to create a shipbuilding museum there.

 

OLD BUSINESS

  • Nauset Crew at Long Pond - Photos taken at Long Pond Beach were shown to the Commission members of all of the equipment in the parking lot and stored on the beach.  Pictured were three skull racks on the beach, a large equipment trailer and a camper in the parking lot as well as 4 motor skiffs left at the shoreline on the beach. Tere was also a sign that had been placed on the front of one of the skull racks.

 

NEW BUSINESS

  • 7:00 PM - Brooks Park Improvements, Phase III - Public Meeting
    • Bob MacCready talked of the high rate of turnover they have had on the CPC in the past few months. He is not seeing full support of the funding request for new fencing at WHF. He stated they have requests for about 1 million dollars more than they are probably going to receive from the State this year. 
    • DS gave a overview of the fact that requests for expanded parking have been being requested for a number of years already.
    • Bob MacCready spoke a little about the Library’s request for funding this year. He suggested that is is better to educate people
    • Vahan Khachadoorian asked Bob MacCready about how to connect with the new people on the CPC.
  • Next regular meeting to be posted for Tuesday November 17th, 2015 at 5:30 pm.

 

 

OPEN SESSION          

  •  Frank Crowley - Granite blocks at the dump, many uses for them at beaches and or parks.
  •  David Sadoski said he spoke with Sean Libby and we need to begin a plan to replace all of our lifeguard stands.

 

ADJOURN MEETING

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Lee Culver at 8:00 pm, David Sadoski seconded the motion; Vote was unanimous. 6 in favor 0 against.

 

Submitted by:               

Lee Ames, Executive Assistant

Harwich Recreation & Youth

Secretary to the Commission