Parks & Recreation Commission

LACONIA PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING Monday, October 16, 2023 Laconia Community Center 6:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER: Commissioner Mitch Hamel called the meeting to order at the above date and time. RECORDING SECRETARY: Secretary Liza Kelleher recorded this meeting. ROLL CALL: Commissioner Hamel called the roll with the following Commissioners in attendance: Rodney Roy and Arthur Kirk. Absent Deanna Guyer and Laura Ringer. PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF PRESENT: Director of Recreation and Facilities Amy Lovisek, Asst. Director of Recreation and Facilities Matt Mansur and Secretary Liza Lovisek. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS: 1. Regular meeting minutes of September 18, 2023 Commissioner Rodney Roy moved to adopt the minutes from September 18, 2023, meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Arthur Kirk. All were in favor. I. FACILITY USE REQUEST FORM: A. WOW Trail- Opechee Parkhouse, WOW trail and Smith Track parking lot- October 27 & 28, 2023 for the runaway pumpkin 10K & 5K Run/walk. Commissioner Roy motioned to accept the request with all the requirements listed in the application. Commissioner Kirk seconded the motion. All were in favor. B. Celebrate Laconia- Stewart and Rotary Park- November 25th from 9:00am to 7:00pm for the Festival and Parade and November 18th through January 7, 2024, to celebrate Laconia Lights Festival. Commissioner Kirk motioned to accept the request with all the requirements listed in the application. Commissioner Roy seconded the motion. All were in favor. C. Lou Athanas Youth Basketball- Laconia Community Center- Saturday from 8:00am to 4:00pm and Sundays from 8:00am to 12:00pm from December 16 through March 16, 2024, for LAYBL season. Commissioner Roy motioned to accept the request with all the requirements listed in the application. Commissioner Kirk seconded the motion. All were in favor. D. Lou Athanas Youth Basketball- Laconia Community Center- February 21 through February 25, 2024, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 5:00pm to 9:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 7:00am to 7:00pm for LAYBL tournament. Commissioner Kirk motioned to accept the request with all the requirements listed in the application. Commissioner Roy seconded the motion. All were in favor. II. OLD BUSINESS:  A. Robbie Mills Fencing- This item has been placed in the CIP for next year. Director Lovisek does not think it will score well. III. ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS-ROTARY PARK, BEACHES, WEIRS AMPHITHEATER & PAVILION IV. NEW BUSINESS: A. Lezama Family Happy Tails Dog Park update presented to the Commissioner. Larissa Lezama Salcedo is the new president for Happy Tails Dog Park of Lakes Region. V. ANNOUNCEMENTS: 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. Director’s Report submitted by Amy Lovisek Happy Fall Y’all! It’s the most wonderful time of the year!! The air is finally crisp, and the trees are starting to turn. It is absolutely beautiful outside. Go out and enjoy it in the parks. We have hired a new employee as of a couple of weeks ago. His name is Michael Trent and he worked with us during the summer season of ’22. We have high expectations that he will do very well here at Parks & Recreation. The applications are due as of today for the Facility Maintenance Tech position. We are hoping for a good number of applications. The Bond Beach Bath House and septic system bid came back, and we have chosen CK Landscape company to do the project. This will be completed no later than May 17, 2024. The Leavitt Park playground is also set with the contractor. We have chosen Burke Playgrounds as the manufacturer and installer. We are in the process of choosing colors at this time. We had our CIP presentation last night at the City Council Chambers. For the most part we were met with high praise for all we are looking for. There was some opposition from some regarding the keys and vehicles. I will discuss all of this with the City Manager and work out what we will get this year. Dane Anderson and I met with members of the Laconia Little League BOD. They are looking for some help with Colby field. You may or may not know that in the past we have been asked to stay off of Colby as the LLL wanted sole control over that field. The department never had any issues with this and have had to help the league when poor management practices occur for the field. The league has asked for assistance with their irrigation system, grub problem, berms in the infield and their bullpens. We are going to collaborate with them, and we will take control of the irrigation system once it is up and running for the season. We will manage the water flow so that we are comfortable knowing it is being done correctly. We will also be adding them to our turf program. This means we will aerate, slice seed, over seed, fertilize and add any amendment that is required for that field. The league will have Gilford Well do the start up as well as look into the zones on the irrigation. Some areas are missed completely in the watering cycle. They will also hire a company to fix the berms in the infield. It was a great informative meeting, and we are bridging the gap that seemed to have been there. Our department along with DPW met to discuss winter snow removals for this coming season. It was a great meeting and we are now all on the same page. I did a presentation of the department at Pleasant Street School for the 3rd graders. They are learning about government and asked me to come in to explain our role. They were a nice group of kids and asked a number of good questions. B. Assistant Director’s Report submitted by Matt Mansur Greetings! I hope everyone’s fall is going well! Besides a heartbreaking loss to Rod and his Sachems, I am doing well. Beaches We have removed all of the swim lines and have cleaned up the Lifeguard rooms. We have seen some very cool post-season interactions between our summer staff. Grey has come back from college a few times and grabbed dinner with Carson, Reid, and JP. Grey and Skip both went to their soccer game last week. When looking for more benefits to working for Parks and Rec for the season, I am hoping that we have hit on a little bit of comradarie. Community Center Programs We have yet to be bombarded with pickleballers, but the slow drip has begun. We had one non-resident express their displeasure with the new “Resident Only” days. I think this will be a bit of a shocker at the start of the season. There will be some growing pains. Basketball has been going really well. We are actually seeing more than 10 people show up for adult lunchtime basketball – which is great, but it means that some people are sitting out during the hour-long period. I hope that won’t turn into a problem.  I have purchased some curtains and some tension rods to put in our gym windows as a temporary solution until we can find the new solution…. Which has been difficult to find. We are also receiving reports of the water fountain not working. I will try to get that working before we need to buy a new one. I am hoping to save our money from basketball and pickleball so that we can buy a new set of bleachers. C. Foreman’s Report submitted by Dane Anderson COMPLETED Location Project Additional Notes Robbie Mills Sports- ALB game preps and Tournament Opechee Day camp- restroom floor water damage repairs Leavitt Concession Building Restrooms- Painting ERP Plumbing- Bathhouse- Damaged toilet replacement. Additional Leaking toilet repaired LFD Central Server Room- New A/C unit installed Complete Power Phase from pole to meter missing as well, causing additional electrical problems to facility. Utility Robbie Mills Electrical- Transient surge protector damaged. Replaced by Hutchins Elec. Company contacted and completed repair Gale Memorial Library Electrical- Lighting- Moved and updated occupancy sensor system in Family restroom. Electrical- Control of pavilion power outlets and lights separated and removed from park Was wired so that power and light to pavilion was only Weirs CP pathway lighting system. Completed by Hutchins Elec. supplied when photo cell turned pathway lights on at night. LCC Gym- Floor resurfacing project- Gym floor cleared LCC Electrical- Gym Lights - Bulb/Ballasts replacements Gym closure and Scaffolding set up required. LCC Ceiling Fan replacements (x2) and control switch Gym closure and Scaffolding set up required. Sports Fields Fall Sports Field Set Ups: Layouts, measurements, lining and painting Memorial Softball Field- 50tons of infield mix spread and graded. Opechee Softball fields- infield conditioner spread on all 4 fields Sports Fields Nor'easter Softball Tournament Sports Fields LRGS Softball Tournament WCP Vandalism- Graffiti Removal from Pavilion Gale Memorial Library Electrical- Lighting failed fixture replacements Equipment CIP Sports Field Equipment Received Wyatt Basketball- Net replacements LCC Basketball- Net replacements Leavitt Basketball- Net replacements Memorial Tennis/Pickleball- Job Box installation and lock modifications. Damaged tennis post replacements. Completed after resurfacing project. Equipment Sports Field Groundsmaster- alternator and relay replacements. Rotory Forestry- Downed Limb Removal (x2 separate events) Bond Homeless- Abandoned encampment removal 800lbs Water Dept. Plumbing- Quarterly Meter Readings Gale Memorial Library HVAC/Plumbing- Leaking heating cooling unit and improper repair located. Training Mound and batter circle construction and repairs one team member attended. Bartlett Forestry- Pruning to improve sight lines. Bartlett Door handle installation on Womens room door. Bartlett Video Surveillance signs installed Bartlett Plumbing- Toilet repairs. Bartlett Vandalism- Repaired removed damaged picnic tables, relocation for safer sight lines. Gale Memorial Library Carpentry- Restroom door closer repairs Gale Memorial Library Electrical- Replacement TV installed. Gale Memorial Library Vandalism- Graffiti removal Gale Memorial Library Grounds- Pruning Gale Memorial Library Furniture- Assembly of multiple new shelving units Gale Memorial Library Furniture- Bookshelf caster wheel replacements Gale Memorial Library New People counter installation Gale Memorial Library New exterior Trash can installation Gale Memorial Library Plumbing- Flushometer rebuilds in Family restroom and public men's room. Gale Memorial Library Electrical- Light bulb replacements Fire Safety Fire extinguisher servicing. Parking bumper inventory and repositioning. Parking Lots ERP Broken curbing repair/patching Bartlett Forestry- downed tree removal Opechee Gaga Ball Pit- padding installed on corner brackets Staffing Summer Seasonal Departures and Appreciation Event Memorial Plumbing- SB Women’s room faucet repair. LFD Central Plumbing- Multiple faucet repairs. Wyatt Carpentry- Picnic Table repairs, board replacements and painting Opechee Carpentry-Picnic Table repairs, board replacements and painting City Hall Electrical- Light bulb replacements Weirs Comm Park TP dispenser replacements (x2) Leavitt Events- 100th Carnival set up and tear down Risley Field Sports- Cross County Track set up Equipment Demo Leavitt Pruning/brush pile removal Bobotas Cut back of field surrounds and suckers encroaching on sports field Equipment Pallet jack repairs Opechee Events- City Employee Picnic set up and tear down LPD Grounds- Pruning LFD Weirs Plumbing- Toilet removal and reinstallation for waste line camera work. Robbie Mills Painting- Picnic tables Weir Comm Park Painting- Pavilion picnic tables City Hall Furniture- Picture hanging IN PROGRESS Location Project Additional Notes Mowing Seasonal mowing operations of Parks, Sports Fields, Cemetery's, Facilities, Rights of Way Sports Fields Fall Sports- Field painting and chalking, skin grooming, net repairs Horticulture Monitor new tree and plant watering needs. Beaches Sand grooming and water’s edge cleanup operations Horticulture Plant Beds- clean up, weed, fertilize, mulch Department Wide Trash- Routine trash and ground litter removal. Seasonal Restrooms Janitorial/Maintenance- Routine checks for cleanliness and repairs Department Wide Dog Bags- Checking and filling dog bag dispensers Maintenance Shop Development of 5S standards- Cleaning and Reorganization of maintenance garage to improve safety, Each staff member had been designated a and Office better utilization of space, and create a more organized and productive work space. section of maintenance garage. City Hall Botanicals- City Council Chambers- Plant replacements requested Memorial Sports Fields- Infield mix project, addition of 150 tons of infield mix. Grade and level. ERP Parking Lot- Entry gate modifications to allow ease of operation. Rotory Botanicals- Centennial Bed- Removal of summer planting and conversion to fall/winter plantings. Sports-LACS game prep Memorial Rotory Events- Clean up and prep work Irrigation Repairs and continued maintenance needs Facilities Electrical- Lighting timers’ adjustments as needed Vandalism Graffiti- continual monitoring and removal throughout parks and facilities. Leavitt Storm Water mitigation along Elm, planning and troubleshooting with DPW Memorial Electrical- Baseball scoreboard repairs. LCC Plumbing- Faucet replacements City Hall Plumbing Faucet replacements Sports Fields Fall Overseeding and Fertilization Parks Fall Overseeding and Fertilization Vets Sq Power to Irrigation/Fountains and Lights shut off due to misuse. Gordon Lawerence Cemetery Forestry- Down limb removal Trees to be removed marked and pictures Tardiff Forestry- Dead/Hazardous tree removal. taken. Equipment CIP Commercial Landscape Mower Replacement RFP Development XII. PRESENTATIONS XIII. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Roy motioned to adjourn at 6:43pm. Seconded by Commissioner Kirk. All were in favor. Respectfully submitted, Liza Kelleher Mitch Hamel Secretary Chair Commissioner