Parks & Recreation Commission

LACONIA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING May 20, 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, Arthur Kirk, Rodney Roy and Tony Pederzani. PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF PRESENT: Secretary Liza Kelleher. Director of Recreation & Facilities Amy Lovisek absent. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS: 1. Regular meeting minutes of April 15, 2019 Commissioner Deanna Guyer moved to adopt the minutes from April 15, 2019. Seconded by Commissioner Rodney Roy. The motioned passed unanimously. I. OLD BUSINESS: A. Native American Statue-Repair Discussion. II. FACILITY USE REQUESTS: A. New Hampshire Interscholastic Assoc., Inc. (NHIAA)- Robbie Mills- June 3 & 4, 2019 (June 5, 2019 rain date) Monday and Tuesday from 2:30pm to 9:30pm for NHIAA baseball Semifinals. Commissioner Pederzani motioned to accept the request conditioned upon the payment of lighting fee, tournament fee and submission of the certificate of insurance. Loudspeaker permit is required for using an amplified sound and a key deposit of $25.00 is required if needed. Seconded by Commissioner Kirk. All were in favor. B. Lakes Region Chamber- Opechee Park, Rotary Park & Gateway Park- October 18 and 19, 2019, Friday and Saturday for NH Pumpkin Festival. Commissioner Roy motioned to table the request due to no representation. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. C. New Horizons Musical Organization of the Lakes Region- Rotary Park- August 20, 2019, Tuesday from 7:00-9:00pm for a band concert. Commissioner Kirk motioned to table the request due to no representation. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. D. American Cancer Society- Opechee Park Parkhouse and Field- October 2-6, 2019 Wednesday to Saturday from 5:00-9:00pm and Sunday from 9:00am to 3:00pm for Making Strides against Breast Cancer walk. Commissioner Roy motioned to accept the request conditioned upon the payment of special event fee of $100.00, submission of the certificate  of insurance and final approval from the City Council for raising money in the City park land. Seconded by Commissioner Kirk. All were in favor. E. Acton Academy NH- Opechee Smith Field- Saturday, August 10, 2019 from 8:00am to 2:00pm for Children’s Fair, NH. Acton Academy group will bring their own tables and garbage bags. Commissioner Kirk motioned to accept the request and waived the special event fee conditioned upon submission of the certificate of insurance. A key deposit of $25.00 is needed if required. Seconded by Commissioner Roy. All were in favor. F. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-NH Chapter- Opechee Park Field C- Saturday, September 21, 2019 from 7:00am to 1:00pm for Lakes Region Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Location of the tent should be coordinated with Parks Office and the loudspeaker permit for the use of amplified sound. Commissioner Roy motioned to accept the request pending upon submission of special event fee and final approval from the City Council for raising money in the City park land. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. G. Laconia Middle School- Opechee Park Field- Tuesday, June 18, 2019 from 8:00am to 2:00pm for Agricultural and Environmental Education Fair. Commissioner Roy motioned to table the request due to no representation. Seconded by Commissioner Kirk. All were in favor. III. ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS-ROTARY PARK, BEACHES, WEIRS AMPHITHEATER & PAVILION The following request have been approved administratively: A. Tracy Uscinski- Rotary Park Gazebo- Sunday, September 8, 2019 from 2:00-6:00pm for a wedding ceremony. B. Ashley Drouin- Rotary Gazebo- Saturday, June 20, 2020 from 12:00pm for a wedding ceremony. IV. NEW BUSINESS: A. Approval of Laconia Blues Festival for September 21, 2019 Event – During the City Council meeting the Councilors negotiated the special event fee in consideration for missing the parking revenue from $240.00 to $500.00. Commissioner Hamel recommended to re-visit and categorize the fees for a bigger event. Commissioner Hamel wanted clarification in regards to the rules and regulation #26 the use of tobacco, vaping, electronic cigarette products that is prohibited in any City recreation area and facility to be amended and wanted the rules to be implemented. Commissioner Roy amended that the Rules and Regulation of No-smoking in the City recreation area and facility should be followed and more signs will be posted in the event. Seconded by Commissioner Guyer. All were in favor. V. ANNOUNCEMENTS: VI. NOMINATIONS, APPOINTMENTS & ELECTIONS: VII. PUBLIC COMMENT: VIII. COMMUNICATIONS: IX. OTHER REQUESTS REQUIRING COMMISSION ACTION: Commissioner Roy motioned to allow for facility use request re- consideration. Commissioner Kirk seconded. All were in favor. A. Wilkins-Smith Post 1 American Legion Baseball- Memorial Park- May 22 through August 30, 2019 weekdays from 4:30 to 10:00pm and weekends from 8:00am to 5:30pm for the baseball season practice and games. Banner should be taken down after the season. Commissioner Roy motioned to accept the request pending upon the payment for non- resident users’ fee, storage fee, concession stand fee, tournament fee and light fee and the submission of the certificate of insurance. Seconded by Commissioner Pederzani. All were in favor. B. AJL Babe Ruth League- Memorial Park Baseball Field- May 22 through July 31, 2019 for the regular season baseball games, weekdays from 5:30pm to 10:00pm and weekends from 8:00am to 5:30pm. Joe Dee mentioned about building a press box and will send the blue print to the office. Commissioners wanted to see the blue print and will review before they can start building. Commissioner Roy motioned to accept the request pending upon submission of the rosters and the payment of 2018 and 2019 non-residents users’ fee, light fees and submission of the certificate of insurance. Banners should be coordinated with the policy. Seconded by Commissioner Pederzani. All were in favor. 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. Directors Report submitted by Amy Lovisek We are getting closer to the beginning of summer and the department is still in the same boat we were last month with no lifeguard applicants, no Weirs enforcers and needing one more camp counselor. If you know anyone looking for a summer job, please send them our way. All of the parks and courts are open at this time. We have had to close fields during some rain events, but that is a normal occurrence. The only facility that is still closed is Memorial Softball and that is because we are waiting for Gilford Well to install the irrigation.  I have been asked by Bob Champlin the WOW Executive Director to hold a position on the WOW board. I have said that I would be honored and will attend those meetings. This will keep me in the know in regards to the park. I have done 2 Primex workshops in Concord. One was on Emotional Intelligence and the other was on Media Relations. The Senior/Senior Prom was last week and we had a decent turnout for the event even though it was raining!! We had almost 70 sign up and almost 60 show up. Not bad at all. The senior class was a good group and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun! Tardif Park has a new rental agent. Her name is Jen Hodge and her main responsibility is to communicate with prospective renters and schedule their events. She gives them the key and checks to be sure the facility is clean and in good working order after their event. She is not taking the money for the building. The payments come straight to the Parks & Rec. office. Scott Myers and I spoke with NHDES about the beach program and whether or not to test the beaches this year. The conclusion is that we are going to have them test at Weirs Beach only. All other beaches will be posted that we do not test and the signs will have the states website. Opechee Cove will be posted as having high bacteria throughout the summer. The state is going to cover any additional costs if the beach tests high. The city will not incur these costs. Celebrate Laconia came to me and asked about the possibility of putting some very large Christmas bulbs on the lawn behind the downtown “Welcome to Laconia” sign. I personally feel this would add to the festive feel downtown and would be a great photo opportunity. The department is looking into some options with this as well. We have lots of ideas and when they are more solid I will report back. I have attached a picture of the bulbs for you to see. Please let me know if you have any questions. The budget presentation will be held on June 10th at 6:00pm at City Hall. Your presence would be greatly appreciated.  Bond Beach Drainage Improvement: The bids have been received and reviewed. The 2 bids received were higher than expected. We are now having to reduce the scope of work to get the bid down. We are also looking to use some funds from the Beach Facilities Drainage Improvements. The 6 extra parking spaces are the majority of what we are removing from the plan.  Native American Statue: The 3D imaging has been completed and the company is currently digitally enhancing the statue to its original state. They are taking all cracks out and adding things like the feather that dropped off years ago. Once this phase is complete, the Winnipesaukee Muskrats will set up a company to do the actual printing. The color will be the original, which is different from what it is now. This may distress some as it will not look the same as it does now.  Opechee A/C Installation: The project has been completed. It has not been tested as of yet.   Memorial Park and Wyatt Park Irrigation: Director Amy Lovisek met with Gilford Well at Memorial Park on May 9th. Gilford Well cannot start the project until the first week in June. As the Parks department has work to do on the field that has to be done after irrigation is installed and before the teams can play on the field we are getting into July when the field will be ready to play. Wyatt Park irrigation I am waiting for Gilford Well to give us an approximate start date.  Perley Pond Area: The Director met twice with the Conservation Commission in regard to the area and what could and should be done. Director and Foreman toured the area looking for invasive species, the condition of the oak, the surrounding area and the drainage. Cory Keefe of the NH Forest and Lands came out to look at the oak again and suggested to trim the dead and hazardous limbs or take the tree. At this point, there is a real danger posed by the tree. The Director will contact DPW about the use of their temporary fencing to be placed around the tree on both sides to keep everyone away and safe. The Commission is also looking at the possibility of reducing the size of the pond itself with the use of a small drainage pipe. The reason behind reducing the size is to save the actual road and the neighbor’s back yard. The pond is getting close to the road and they are looking to change that situation. The Director has been asked to go back to Cory Keefe to discuss other options for the tree.  Opechee Pavilion: There are no new updates on this as the budget does not match the bids.  Riverwalk: DPW has taken point with this project. However, our department is still in charge of the finances. I have been getting help from Kevin, Luke Powell and Krista Larson on this project. The City Hall side phase is mostly complete. Fencing is the last item that needs to be complete. The Landmark Inn side is waiting for the hotel to complete their exterior work and that was supposed to be complete as of June, but with the amount of rain we have received this spring that is delayed again.  Gale Avenue Project: This project is awaiting funding. B. Foreman’s Report submitted by Tim Ford 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 Roy motioned to adjourn at 7:50pm. 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 .