Park & Recreation Advisory board meeting
8/21/24 6:00pm
Attendees:
Barb Schoonerman
Margi Taber
Holly Bovet
Justin Miner
Joan Fisher
Chrissy Nelson
Mary Johnson
Tm Holahan
Sarah Griffin
Jarred Savory
Agenda for next meeting 8/21/24:
1. Bring revenue data, where is money going?
2. Discuss what we learned from other towns
3. Discuss inventory
4. Discuss communication methods
5. Adult aspect of recreation program, what could be investigated
*Began meeting with discussion about keeping positions for supervisors/coordinators of
sports/recreation. Margi indicates there will be a meeting held to further discuss the needs. Margi
unsure if we can keep the longevity and consistency. Unclear if Ashley will continue her desire
for current position. Margi reports she may propose filling positions for supervisor.
Tim inquires who is the hiring manager for the positions. Margi endorses Summer Johnson has
taken the lead on hiring parks and recreation staff.
*Margi suggests P&R advisory board meets with the town board for recommendations i.e.
Consistency in retaining staff who are in good standing
Barb inquiries about end of program review/evaluation for retainment
Margi- would like to highlight businesses in town and for support of the businesses
Chrissy inquires about what surveys were asking,
Jarred- suggests more transparent survey response
Tim- who is accountable for community participation/feedback. This may indicate if feedback is
helpful or if there is any barriers. Inquires who is accountable for directly managing programs.
Margi- consider P&R director position, does it make sense to change the liaison positions
yearly?
1. Revenue data:
Joan- Park reserve $20,099. Believes majority may have been spent on playground/lodge.
Joan reports that Heidi said it’s illegal to try to spend down park reserve (spend just to
spend). It should be rolled over and you can transfer money to other departments.
Holly- Illegal to have a sponsorship for town board
Joan- if equipment needs, add to item line for budget.
Margi -adds this would go to the board and be voted on
Jarred adds this is a different mentality to try to budget as needs may change.
Margi- Reports inventory report was helpful to identify needs. Margi to reach out to Kate
regarding basketball inventory.
2. Review of notes/education from other towns:
Walworth Parks and Recreation (Mary)
1. What is the structure of the town? Do you have a flow chart for organization for P&R?
-See attached
2. Do they have a dedicated P&R non-profit (401c) and how do you work with other non-
profits?
-Walworth’s P&R department is tax-funded and is a part of the towns budget. The
recreation programs however are self-funded with registration fees. Taxpayer
dollars cover the festivals/farmer’s market.
3. How does the parks and recreation ensure sustainability?
-If there is low participation for a program, they will cancel
4. Do they have a grant writer? Where do you resources come from?
-Non-applicable
5. How many programs and employees does the town have for their P&R program?
-Day camp accounts for about 40 kids
-Mini-mites/super sprouts (little kid) accounts for 500 participants
6. Do you use software for enrollment? If so, what is the number of participants?
-CivicRec is the current software for use. This software can run a daily report
which allows for transparency of revenue and participants. It handles everything
for Walworth Recreation. Of note, cost of this program will be increasing 3-5% a
year.
7. Any advice?
-Recommended to have a dedicated staff
Misc.:
-Instructor contracts
-Walworth uses Penny Lane for publication of Town Topics. Penny Lane handles the printing as
well as delivers Town Topics to the post office. This publisher will be raising their prices next
year. However, they are the cheapest publisher in the ara.
-Town Topics is designed by Kevin Weiss, and all information for the recreation programs is held
in an Excel document where it is manually put in to the Town Topics template.
Justin- Newark and Lyons
-Utilities paid through P&R budget
Penfield (Tim)
Joan (Williamson)
1. Williamson is similar to Marion. Parks is owned by the town and cannot be 501.
Recreation is supported by the town and is a contractor to the town. Contractors receive
funds through revenues, and they note it was cumbersome but effective. There is separate
boards for Parks and Recreation.
Structures: Director oversees big picture/registration. Head coaches run the programs.
Williamson board for Rec has 11 members and town provides $32,000 a year and does
not have a say as to how to spend it. Recreation cannot own a building due to a 501c due
to state laws/organize. Williamson has a parks committee which is totally funded by the
town. She reports Williamson contacted National Guard to clear out land and Williamson
only needed to pay gas for equipment. All buildings were built by BOCES carpentry.
Park has a park facilities supervisor with three employees, and they do not ask the
highway department for assistance. Park facilities manages park schedules as high school
uses fields for their baseball games. School has to pay the town for use of fields. School
changes town to use their facilities. Parks is allotted $42,000 in budget and has 11
members. There is a school board member on the park board as well as a JR and SR on
the board. Consider this for continuity.
Some funds are made by charging for signs on the baseball fields.
Regarding vandalism, this has stopped with a license plate reader.
Jarred may run the numbers for a security system similar to Williamson.
-Advice is to take 1 thing at a time and have a 5 year plan.
-Williamson does have grants
-Consider policy for insurances/volunteers
-Fundraising and no civil service is helpful. There are involved stakeholders.
Disadvantages- board is only as good as the stakeholders
Margi- Ontario
-Unable to connect as of today
Margi endorses that the town endorses the idea of a non-profit. She reports she has
access to people that can assist with grants. Dr. Lloyd had endorsed she would like
to partner and Jay may be able to assist in grant writing. Margi reports non-profits
have been easier to develop and adds Zaphire has experience with non-profits.
3. Discuss Inventory
-See attached-
Margi reports baseballs were donated by someone at American Legion.
Sarah/Justin/Holly report discussion. Justin to connect with Cathy regarding needs from
inventory list. Cathy uses an excel document for tracking.
Joan- adds that the coordinator should have a copy of inventory and should keep updated
inventory list
Sarah discussed that side of storage shed is littered with deteriorated equipment. Would
the highway staff handle this?
Chrissy reports there were some soccer goals which were donated in memoriam.
Joan- inquires regarding pest control for the shed. Is this P&R responsibility to bring this
to the attention of the town board.
Holly reports equipment has been damaged from pests
Jarred inquires about other means to store. Consider bait stations.
Tim suggests amending inventory to reflect, low/mid/high grade totes for storage.
Example: High quality tote = high quality equipment
Margi suggests that once we get needs/establish communication, create a wish
list for town residents to use
Margi inquires if cleat exchange was helpful. Sarah believes this was successful. Future
suggestions for glove exchange, etc.
4. Discuss communication methods -School is putting up community board at high
school. Sarah will work to assist to get information to this board.
-Address further t next meeting-
5. Adult aspect of recreation program/what could be investigated
-Tabled for next meeting
Misc items:
*Chrissy suggests using activity area which is in the church*
-Holly reports on Wednesdays that the county has a Christian group which meets on
Wednesdays
-Sarah inquires about P&R meeting there
-Sarah inquires about meeting with Kate Robinson and Casey Stiner for feedback
-Margi endorses she will reach out to Zapphire regarding information for non-profit formation
Next meeting 9/11 at 6:00pm- tentatively at the church
Agenda for next meeting:
-Consider advisements to suggest to the town board
-Pest control
-Continuity
-Suggestion of non-profit
-Tim suggests a town Park and Recreation board AND a non-profit model. Discuss at next meeting.
-Why is Marion lagging? Consistency?
-Budget items: communication with community and establishing 501c
-Follow up on means of communication and adult aspect of adult recreation