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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023_11_14 Recreation Commission Minutes TOWN OF MAMARONECK RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES November 14, 2023 PRESENT: James Druker, Chairman Graham Gutter Darren Moss William Paonessa Susan Sigel EXCUSED: Brian Welsh ALSO PRESENT: Jill Fisher, Superintendent of Recreation Vicky Laoutaris, Assistant Superintendent of Recreation Jeffery King, Town Board Liaison Eileen Puleo, Commission Secretary CALL TO ORDER: The meeting held at the Senior Center; 1288 Boston Post Road was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chairman Druker. ACCEPTANCE OF MEETING MINUTES: On a motion by Chairman Druker, seconded by Commissioner Sigel, the Meeting Minutes of September 26, 2023, were unanimously approved as amended. PRESENTATION FROM MATT ANGST, ICE RINK GENERAL MANAGER REGARDING FREESTYLE SKATING PROGRAM AND GUEST COACHES POLICY: Matt Angst, Ice Rink General Manger presented to the Recreation Commission a few ideas to increase enrollment and participation in the Freestyle skating programs. The Freestyle participation numbers have been on the decline since 2020. Currently, we are offering two 19-week sessions at a pre-registered fee of $25.00 a session or $35.00 a session for walk-ons. Mr. Angst, has proposed 2 new ideas in an attempt to help increase enrollment: 1. Allow Guest Coaches: Our current policy only allows coaches employed by the Town to teach privates lessons at the rink. Mr. Angst suggests allowing Guest Coaches to teach at the Hommocks Ice Rink under established guidelines. Guest Coaches would be required to sign a Liability Waiver and pay a $20/class fee. They will also need to register 24 hours prior to teaching. We would limit it to 5 guest coaches per week. 2. Create a new Aspire Skating Level Program: This level would be a bridge program for those who have advanced out of our lessons but are not quite ready for the Freestyle level. Lessons would be one hour for a 5-week program for $150.00. The goal would be for Aspire level skaters to eventually advance into the Freestyle program and continue to build this program up. After further discussion, on a motion by Chairman Druker, seconded by Commissioner Sigel, the Commission has unanimously approved the new Aspire program and to allow outside coaches to teach under the established guidelines on a 1-year trial basis. Town of Mamaroneck Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes November 14, 2023 — Page 2 APPROVAL OF WINTER TENNIS FEES: Proposed 2024 Winter Indoor Tennis Lesson Fees in cooperation with Sportime Tennis at Harbor Island Park: Youth Lessons Fee Red Ball 1 — hour class $55 per week Orange Ball 1 — hour class $63 per week Green/Yellow 1 .5 — hour class $105 per week After further discussion, on a motion made by Chairman Druker, seconded by Commissioner Sigel, the Commission unanimously approved this request. REQUEST FROM HOMMOCKS SCHOOL PTA CO-PRESIDENTS NICOLE FIFTAL AND WENDY SAYLES: Nicole Fiftal and Wendy Sayles, Hommocks School PTA Co-Presidents attended the meeting to request that the Carpino-Steffens fields remain open during the winter season so that the school could use the fields for recess, lunch, and gym. Ms. Fisher explained that natural grass fields in the northeast are closed from the end of November through early April. This is necessary during the winter months to protect the fields due to the impact of playing on frost covered and wet fields during the cold months with no new growth taking place. Ms. Fiftal and Ms. Sayles stated they understand the concerns and recognizes the damage that can happen during winter use but feel it is more important that every student be able to use the fields during the winter months regardless of the impact it will create for those user groups in the spring. Chairman Druker's main concern is preserving the 2 fields that we have. Chairman Druker suggested that Ms. Fisher speak with Landtek who maintains our fields to see if this use during cold winter months could cause damage and how it will impact the fields for spring usage. Ms. Fisher will report back to the Commission on her findings. Until then, the fields will close on November 20th SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE: Ms. Fisher reported the following: 1 . The fall session of the Recreation House Hockey program has an enrollment of 95. Last year at this time we had 77 enrolled. 2. Session 1 of Skating School will conclude on November 15th with 179 participants. Session 2 of Skating School registration began on October 30th with an enrollment of 317. 3. The Wednesday Freestyle Skating program concluded on November 8th with a total of 7 registered. The Sunday program will run through January 14th with an enrollment of 10. 4. The November Recreation Newsletter is enclosed for your information. 5. The October 2023 and 2022 Rink General Admission attendance numbers were enclosed for your information. 6. The Learn to Play Hockey program is fully enrolled with 65 participants. 7. The Adult Power Volleyball program began on November 1st with 51 enrolled. 8. A Mad Science Workshop for ages 5 — 9 was held on Election Day. 9. A Pizza Bingo Fun Night was held on October 13th with 30 participants enrolled. 10.The Senior Center hosted their annual Oktoberfest Luncheon on Thursday, October 26th with 102 in attendance. Photos enclosed. 11."Breakfast with Santa" will take place at the Community Room on Saturday, December 9th. We are also accepting Letters to Santa between November 22nd — Decem ber 21 st 12.The fall session of swim lessons will conclude in early December and the winter session will begin in January. Town of Mamaroneck Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes November 14, 2023 — Page 3 SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE CONTINUED: 13.This year's Food Truck Festival was cancelled due to heavy rain and flooding. This was the second year in a row that this event was cancelled due to inclement weather. 14.A presentation on Scam Prevention for Seniors was held at the Senter Center by the Village of Larchmont Police Department. This presentation was very well received and is available on the Recreation Department's website, and LMC-TV. Additional presentations on this topic will be scheduled. 15.The Memorial Park Tennis Courts will remain open until the weather gets colder. 16.The Recreation Department's Operating Budget was presented to the Town Board on October 21 st. There were no changes as of this date. 17.Two new full-time employees have been hired for the Senior Center, Grace Duchi and Sharon Burke. We are also currently interviewing for the position of Senior Office Assistant for the Recreation Department Office to replace Michelle lannarelli, who recently retired. 18.Mr. John DeMairo, Hommocks Park Ice Rink Concessionaire, has made two months' worth of back rent payments. 19.On October 19th, contractors working for the school district were installing bollards around the new Hommocks Outdoor Play space and hit a water main. The repair of this break resulted in the water needing to be shut down to the pool and ice rink. The pool and ice rink were forced to close for the remainder of the day. Skating lessons were cancelled and ice rentals re-scheduled. 20.A donation to the Senior Center of 64 native perennials plants was made by the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Pollinator Pathway Project. We thank them for their donation and hard work helping to beautify the property. Photos enclosed. TOWN BOARD LIAISON, JEFFERY KING UPDATE: The final stages of the 2023 budget will be held on December 2nd. There have been no changes to the budget. The Comprehensive Plan will be available next month. Commissioner Moss inquired if there has been any movement in the Field for Kids project on the Carpino-Steffens Fields. Councilman King reported that the additional engineering report should be available by the beginning of the year. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Commission, on a motion by Chairman Druker, seconded by Commissioner Moss, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 P.M.