Parks and Recreation Commission

Parks & Recreation Commission (PRC) Thursday, September 4, 2025 Cornelius Town Hall 5:30 – 7 p.m. www.cornelius.org/pr MINUTES 1) Call to Order Chair Fouche called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. 2) Determination of Quorum A quorum was reached with seven (7) commissioners in attendance. • Commissioners Present: Chair Trey Fouche, Vice-Chair Carla Eustache, Andrew Heywood, Jeff Jones, Jon Show, Robert Reed, Steve True, and Town Commissioners Todd Sansbury and Michael Osborne • Commissioners Absent: Jana Ritter, Travis Dancy • Staff Present: Director Troy Fitzsimmons, Assistant Director Adam Abernathy, Recreation Superintendent Michael Wolf • Partners Present: John Mott – Lake Norman Outlaws, Matt Marino – Lake Norman Giants 3) Public Appearances – Citizen Concerns/Comments a) Recreation Superintendent Transition – Introducing Michael Wolf Director Fitzsimmons introduced Michael Wolf as the new Recreation Superintendent, effective the beginning of September. He succeeds Josh Handelsman, who recently resigned and returned to Illinois. 4) Approval of Minutes a) August 2025 Draft Minutes Chair Fouche made a motion to approve the minutes from the August 7, 2025, meeting as presented. Commissioner True seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. 5) Presentations a) Lake Norman Outlaws – John Mott The Lake Norman Outlaws presentation highlighted their mission to grow lacrosse by keeping it affordable, accessible, and inclusive, while showcasing steady participation growth and a new partnership with the Premier Lacrosse League to enhance local opportunities. It also covered updates on the girls’ program, facility needs, and community support through the Assist the Goal foundation. b) Lake Norman Giants – Matt Marino The Lake Norman Giants presentation outlined their mission to promote youth football and cheerleading with a focus on sportsmanship, character, and community engagement. They shared program growth, volunteer support, national competition achievements, strong local partnerships, and future goals to expand teams, clinics, and alumni involvement. Mr. Marino also shared with the Commission that the football team placed third at Nationals in Orlando this year. 6) Director’s Report a) August 2025 Director’s Report Director Fitzsimmons reviewed staff changes, summer camp, updates on special events, upcoming fall programs, and construction progress on the Bailey Road Park Court Complex. 7) Parks & Recreation Commissioner Recommendations & Reports a) Items to be placed on record b) Commissioner Reports 1) Vice-Chair Carla Eustache • Enjoyed the final Sundown Sounds of the summer with the floating stage. • Attended the Pre-Development Review Committee (PDRC) Meeting as a stand-in for Chair Fouche and felt it was extremely interesting and informative. • Went to the Farmer’s Market nighttime event and felt it was busier with more vendors and attendees present. 2) Chair Trey Fouche • Was at Davidson College and was excited to see that they were promoting the Festival of Cultures. • Announced that the Lake Norman Little League 10 – 12 Year Old Baseball Team placed third in the 2025 Little League Southeast Regional Tournament. • Encouraged partners to share more “feel-good” news with the Department so these successes can be highlighted and celebrated with the community. • Thanked Vice-Chair Eustache for attending the PDRC meeting in his place. Explained how the meetings work and that the PRC Chair and Parks Director provide input from a “park perspective.” The meetings offer a valuable learning opportunity for any commissioners who wish to attend in the future. • Reminded everyone that him and Commissioner Heywood would be rotating off the board in January 2026, so start considering new commissioners and try to be as inclusive as possible. 3) Commissioner Jeff Jones • Attended Cone with a Cop at Handel’s and thought there was good turnout. • Reminded everyone that National Night Out is rescheduled for October 7. • Went to the Farmer’s Market nighttime event. Felt there was an increase in both the number of vendors and attendees but missed the live music component. 4) Commissioner Jon Show • Reminded everyone that the Town Chat is on Thursday, September 11 at Lost Worlds Brewing. • Would like to see greater emphasis on strengthening recreational leagues to ensure they continue to grow and thrive, while balancing opportunities with travel and club programs. • Recognized that even recreational sports come with various expenses and encouraged the Department to continue offering as much accessibility as possible to our residents. • Would love to see the implementation of a nighttime farmer’s market more permanently. Believes it would set the market apart from others in the area which generally take place in the morning on the weekends. 5) Commissioner Steve True • Would like to see a marketing strategy implemented for programming when it comes to competitors. 6) Commissioner Robert Reed • Daughter is involved with Key Club at Lake Norman Charter and loved hearing that they are coordinating with the Recreation Superintendent, Michael Wolf, on leadership opportunities. • Son is playing recreational soccer over at Bailey Road Park and really enjoying the opportunity. • Noted the importance of monitoring Flag Football programming offered by other providers and emphasized his desire to keep Flag Football in-house. 7) Commissioner Andrew Heywood – No report 8) Commissioner Jana Ritter – Absent 9) Commissioner Travis Dancy – Absent c) Town Commissioner Report – Commissioners Todd Sansbury & Michael Osborne • Commissioner Sansbury reminded everyone that it is an election year and noted that election signs could be placed outside thirty (30) days before the election. • Commissioner Sansbury stated the 1% transportation sales tax referendum will be on this fall’s ballot. • Commissioner Osborne shared that it would be beneficial for the Department to boost marketing efforts for the Farmer’s Market and spread the word. 8) Old Business a) Parks & Recreation Code of Ordinances Update • Assistant Director Abernathy presented a chart that outlines current ordinances and desired outcomes for golf carts, bicycles, electric bicycles, personal conveyance vehicles, and motorbikes on roads, sidewalks/multi-use paths, and greenways, showing where each is allowed, restricted, or recommended for further regulation. • Director Fitzsimmons and Assistant Director Abernathy are collaborating with the Planning and Public Works Departments, as well as the Town Manager and Town Attorney, on updating the ordinance related to electric bikes and personal conveyance vehicles. The discussion has expanded beyond Parks & Recreation to include sidewalks and roadways. Enforcement will likely focus on reckless driving, as direct regulation may be difficult to manage. • There is a meeting with Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Department (MCPRD) at the end of the month to discuss a uniform solution for greenways. Since MCPRD manages our greenways, the Town and county need to collaborate. b) Parks & Recreation Commission Goals & Committees c) 2024 Park Bonds 9) New Business 10) Adjournment Chair Fouche adjourned the meeting at 7:32 p.m. Next PRC Meeting – Thursday, October 2, 2025 Future PRC Meetings – Thursdays, November 6 and December 4, 2025 Next Town Board Meetings – Mondays, September 15 and October 6, 2025