Parks & Recreation Commission

LACONIA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING April 15, 2019 Laconia Community Center- Parks & Recreation Office 7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Chair Mitch Hamel called the meeting to order at the above date and time. RECORDING SECRETARY: Secretary Liza Kelleher recorded this meeting. ROLL CALL: Commissioner Chair Mitch Hamel called the roll with the following Commissioners in attendance: Deanna Guyer and Tony Pederzani. Absent: Rodney Roy and Arthur Kirk. PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF PRESENT: Assistant Director of Recreation and Facilities Amy Lovisek and Secretary Liza Kelleher. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS: 1. Regular meeting minutes of March 18, 2019 Commissioner Tony Pederzani moved to adopt the minutes from March 18, 2019. Seconded by Commissioner Deanna Guyer. The motioned passed unanimously. I. OLD BUSINESS: A. Native American Statue-Repair Discussion. Michael Smith President of Winnipesaukee Muskrats explained that the statue will undergo a laser scan to capture the exact dimension and shape of the statue. A 3D printer will produce a new statue that can be assembled in the park and will use the existing pedestal, if possible. The company that will install the statue will also examine the existing pedestal. The work will cost around $15,000.00 and Muskrats are still raising the fund through go fund me and mentioned that the team will cover any donation shortfalls. The new statue will be made out of wood fiber filament (plastic) that will last for generation to come. He mentioned that this is the only way the Muskrats can thank the City for the support that was given to them. David Stamp said that it’s a great idea to show respect of what we have in Laconia. Commissioner suggested to document & video the process for presentation purposes and let them give the final approval for the proof once it is available. B. Weirs Action Committee- Weirs Beach Parking Lot- July 3 from 11:59pm to 1am, July 20, 27, August 3, 10,17, September 1 from 8pm to 11:00pm and September 14 2019 from 8pm to 12am for 2019 parking fundraiser. Commissioner Pederzani motioned to accept the request for parking at Weirs Beach during fireworks pending upon submission of insurance and City Council approval for fundraising in City property. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. II. FACILITY USE REQUESTS:  A. Laconia Multicultural Festival- Rotary Park- September 7, 2019, Saturday from 7:00am to 6:00pm for Laconia Multicultural Festival. Commissioner Pederzani motioned to accept the request for Multicultural event at Rotary Park. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. B. Laconia Slow Pitch Softball- Memorial Softball Field- April 15th through December 30, 2019 Monday thru Friday from 6:00pm to 11:00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8:00am to 11:00pm for Laconia Adult Softball. Amy Lovisek explained that there will be some maintenance work to be done in the baseball infield which will last for 2 months and will notify Andy when it’s going to be finished. Commissioner Pederzani motioned to accept the request pending upon payment of Non-resident users’ fee, key deposit, light fee, storage fee and submission of the certificate of insurance. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. C. Anthony Santagata- September 21, 2019 Saturday from 7:00am to 12:00am for Laconia Blues Festival. Commissioner Pederzani motioned to accept the request pending upon payment of special event fee, approval from special event committee, loudspeaker permit, vendors and alcohol permit, and City Council approval for raising money in the City property. A waiver for the use of 20lb propane tank was conditionally given if needed. Commissioner Guyer seconded. All were in favor. D. Lakes Region Community Services- Opechee Park- Saturday, June 1, 2019 from 10:00am to 2:00pm for Fishing with Families. Commissioner Pederzani motioned to accept the request for fishing with family and waived the use of 20lb. propane tank. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. III. ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS-ROTARY PARK, BEACHES, WEIRS AMPHITHEATER & PAVILION IV. NEW BUSINESS: A. NH DES Beach Program – Participation in the program. Amanda McQuaid of DES is asking if we will continue to do the water sampling in our beaches. DES is considering changing the sampling of our beaches especially at Weirs Beach at least twice a month and post advisory sign for Opechee Cove only. Sampling can be done at Bartlett Opechee Point and Bond beach if we want to. The sample will cost $30.00 each for 3 location in the beach. The cost associated with water sampling is very high and need to be considered. Commissioner Hamel suggested to talk to Scott about the matters. B. Rules & Regulations changes. Modification of Rules and regulations in regards to bouncy houses. 28. Hammocks and inflatables (bouncy houses etc.) are prohibited in any City recreation and facility. Commissioner Guyer motioned to approve the change in Laconia Parks and Recreation Rules and Regulations #28 regarding bouncy houses. Seconded by Commissioner Pederzani. All were in favor. V. ANNOUNCEMENTS: A. Resignation letter from Shannon Allain- Shannon Allain resigned as the President and Rental agent of Tardif Park as of April 15, 2019.  VI. NOMINATIONS, APPOINTMENTS & ELECTIONS: VII. PUBLIC COMMENT: VIII. COMMUNICATIONS: IX. OTHER REQUESTS REQUIRING COMMISSION ACTION: X. PARK ASSOCIATION REPORTS: A. Leavitt Park Association- No report. B. Weirs Community Park Association- No report. C. Tardif Park Association- No report XI. DEPARTMENT REPORTS: A. Asst. Directors Report submitted by Amy Lovisek Welcome to our busy season! Spring is always fun at Laconia Parks & Recreation! The maintenance crew is working very hard to get the facilities looking good. It will take a bit longer this year as we only have 2 seasonal employees as of now. This is significantly down from years prior. I have hired a Beach Supervisor for the summer. We have had a number of applicants for the Bond Beach Attendant position due to the fact that we accept 15 years old. We have had no lifeguard applicants at all! We are paying well and offering a bonus of up to $400 for their certification. I will listen if anyone has an idea how to recruit that has not been done. I have tried many different avenues. I attended a job fair at LRCC and DPW helped at another job fair and gave out our information. We are doing all we can to attract employees. As the weather changes we are opening fields and other facilities as they become safe to do so. At this point, we have opened the WOW trail, Leavitt Tennis Courts and Smith Track. All grass areas are still unusable. We are checking every day for changes in their condition. The program brochure is out and you all should have received yours in the mail. The Easter Egg Hunt is this Saturday at 3:00pm at Tardif Park. Leavitt Park Association will be helping out this year! Which I think is wonderful the associations are working together for the common good. Love this. I applied for an Outdoor Loudspeaker permit through the city as ours was expired. This permit is good for one year and is for Rotary, Opechee and Weirs Community Parks. I recently attended a meeting in regards to the State School property. The Commission has hired a consulting firm to determine whether or not the city should or could have a sports complex. They are looking at indoor and outdoor. I met with the firm and told them I would help them find regional tournament teams in the area. If you are familiar with any groups they should know about, please let me know and I will get that to them. • Bond Beach - The Bond Beach project has gone out to bid. The bid then closed as of April 25th. There is a construction walk through at the site on April 17th at 2:00pm. Native American Statue - At the March 18th Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, Assistant Director Amy Lovisek gave an update and it was recommended to take the statue down as soon as possible due to the safety concern and the fact that the frost was quickly leaving the ground. The rush was to get a crane over the track during frost to protect it. The crane company was going to use crane pads as well as plywood to protect the track as well. The crane company then said they could not do the job due to standing water near the statue. B. Foreman’s Report submitted by Tim Ford March 2019 Maintenance Activities Daily check of walkway – City buildings and park houses – shovel snow as needed, treat ice as needed Twice a week park house oil check Daily check of field status Install tennis nets at Memorial and Leavitt. Open Leavitt for season Start prepping field bathrooms for the season. Replace parts as needed. Turn well on at Robbie Mills concession stand, get bathrooms up and running City Hall – Repair chairs, mouse patrol, water sprinkler (fire suppression) test, clean up from homeless Twice a week empty trash from downtown parks (Stewart, Rotary, City Hall. River walk, Library, Opechee, Leavitt, LCC) and the downtown loop. Remove gates from Smith Track for the season, blow off track and open for the season Open WOW trail for the season Open Endicott Rock Park for the season (fishing) Repair Memorial tennis court benches Library repairs – Dripping sink faucet repair, remove old upholstered chair take to transfer station, pickup wooden chairs for repair, door repair, attend to water leak in basement Start spring clean ups – Stewart, Rotary, Library, LPD, Veterans Square, Opechee, Leavitt, LCC Prune trees – remove dead wood and pick up downed branches - Opechee Trash barrels out at athletic fields Install American flags at parks Install batting cage net at Robbie Mills XII. PRESENTATIONS XIII. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Guyer motioned to adjourn at 9:05pm. Seconded by Commissioner Pederzani. All were in favor.  Respectfully submitted, Liza Kelleher Mitch Hamel Secretary Commissioner Chair This meeting facility is ADA accessible. Any person with a disability who wishes to attend this public meeting and needs additional accommodations, please contact Cheryl Hebert, meeting ADA coordinator, at City Hall by calling (603) 527-1265 at least 72 hours in advance so that the City can make any necessary arrangements.