Recreation & Parks Advisory Board

Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks Meeting May 10th, 2023 MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF THE ADVISORY BOARD OF RECREATION AND PARKS FALLS CHURCH COMMUNITY CENTER, KENNETH R. BURNETT BUILDING, 223 LITTLE FALLS STREET, FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 22046 1 & 2. Call to Order & Roll Call Jenna Schroeder called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Members present were Liz Weatherly, Kathleen Tysse (School Board), Sharon Friedlander (Planning Commission), and City Council Liaison, Caroline Lian. Fellows Property project manager, Alvaro (Al) Astorga, and student representative, Caroline Carmody, were also in attendance. Staff members present were Danny Schlitt, Director Recreation & Parks (R&P), Jennifer Brady, Falls Church Farmers Market Manager, and Katharine Wakeley, Senior Administrative Assistant R&P. Charley O’Hara participated remotely from Bowling Green, OH due to a family emergency. 3. Receipt of Public Petitions and Board Member Petitions None. 4. Minutes for Approval Jenna Schroeder brought forth draft minutes from April 12th, 2023. Liz Weatherly moved to approve minutes, seconded by Kathleen Tysse. Minutes were approved unanimously. 5. Recreation & Parks Director’s Report A) Danny Schlitt spoke about the following: i. Staffing: Scarlett Williams left her position as Special Events Coordinator at the end of April. The Camps Coordinator and Special Events Coordinator vacancies are posted on the City’s website and interviews will be set up shortly. ii. Special Events: Memorial Day planning is in full swing. Our experienced staff are working hard to pull together and host another very fun day for the City. iii. Cherry Hill Farmhouse: welcomed 421 visitors in April, planning upcoming school field trips to the Farmhouse, summer schedule has been finalized and will include: Blast into the Past camp, Girl Scout Day, and Farm to Farmhouse (working with Market to create historic recipes for visitors to sample). iv. Senior Center: membership is now over 400. Marymount’s Aging in Literature class begins May 18th, seniors will take day trip to Maryland Casino on June 21st, Andrew Acosta will play for them on June 28th, planning for Northern Virginia Senior Olympics (occur September 9-24) continues. v. Hobby Classes: over 400 dancers in recitals this past weekend, summer class brochure is out and registration has begun. vi. ABRP’s rules and procedures will be reviewed next meeting. 6. Old Business A) Fellows Property: Al Astorga presented preliminary ideas for Fellows Property that will help decrease costs and keep the project timeline on track. Preliminary ideas include, but are not limited to, a nature preserve towards the back of the property, interactive rain garden, multipurpose platform, and nature- focused sculpture. The ABRP further discussed the timeline for incorporating community feedback once  an actual plan for the park is established, but a preliminary plan will not be ready until Fall 2023 at the earliest. 7. New Business A) Introducing our Farmers Market Manager, Jennifer Brady: she comes to us from Leesburg Farmer’s Market, as their manager. Has made a very smooth transition and is doing excellent work bolstering the Market’s social media presence, coordinating kids activities, managing our SNAP program, and making visits to our vendors’ farms. 8. Adjournment Liz Weatherly moved to adjourn; Sharon Friedlander seconded the motion. All approved, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability call (703)248-5027.