Swansboro Parks & Recreation Advisory Board

Town of Swansboro Swansboro Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Minutes April 16, 2025 I. Call to Order & Roll Call- The Swansboro Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met at the Swansboro Recreation Center for a regular board meeting on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Debra Pylypiw called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Members present were Debra Pylypiw, Matthew Prane, Ryan Swanson, Bets Love, and Jennifer Steele. Elena Messenger was absent. Anna Stanley, Sara Elliott, Mayor Bill Justice, and Town Manager Jon Barlow were present on behalf of the Town. II. Adoption of Minutes a. March 19, 2025, Meeting Minutes-The board review the meeting minutes from March 19, 2025. Jennifer S. made a motion to approve the minutes, Matthew P. seconded the motion, and the meeting minutes were unanimously passed. III. Reports a. Monthly Report-Director Stanley said the monthly March reports were in the packet with updates in red and asked if there were any questions. There were no questions. b. Upcoming Programs/Events-Sara E. reviewed upcoming programs Spring Break Camp finished today with nine campers. The Easter Egg Hunt is tomorrow and have plenty of volunteers to help make the event a success. Next week is the Touch-A-Truck event with 33 different vehicles attending. PirateFest is in May and Swansboro Parks and Recreation are partnering with Lady Swan to offer a Pirate Cruise on the day before PirateFest. The Mother’s Day Craft Night is in May as well. This year it is focused on mothers and children, not just daughters. Tiny Trekkers and Sprout Scouts continue with a focus on events that are happening. Debra P. is hosting two more theatre trips. One tip is booked, and the other is scheduled for June with some spots available. Director Stanley stated that Festival Sponsorships were closing this week. Swansboro Parks and Recreation received a sponsorship that was collected by Bets L. Director Stanley announced that $35,500 in sponsorships has been collected to date. There are several new sponsors and some returning sponsors that have been committed. The Arts by the Sea Festival will offer the Food and Wine tasting again. Tickets will go on sale soon. Deb P. stated that vendor spaces are almost full for Arts by the Sea. Sara E. explained that Arts by the Sea highlights local entertainment and the Marine Corps Band will finish the set. Deb P. added that vendor spaces for the Mullet Festival are almost filled. and food vendors are completely full. Director Stanley added that entertainment is almost set, but there is one more spot for a band available. Independence Day has everything confirmed other than the permit from Onslow County. Independence Day only has food vendors. There are no updates on the Christmas Flotilla. There were no questions about upcoming programs and events.  Town of Swansboro Swansboro Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Minutes April 16, 2025 IV. New Business V. Old Business a. Event & Festival Economic Impact- Director Stanley provided figures on PirateFest with attendance and the economic impact. The total economic impact for PirateFest last year was over $54,000. Director Stanley uses a formula from Onslow County to get the correct estimate. Director Stanley also provided the attendance for all the festivals for the past three years. The Hampton Inn tracks overnight stays with a code used at check-in for each festival. The total economic impact for festivals is $340,306. b. Swimming Pool Committee (added presentation 4/15/25)-Matthew P. provided an update on the Swimming Pool Committee and asked for feedback on the presentation that he would like to give to the Board of Commissioners. The committee was formed because of the information from the Master Plan. Matthew P. stated that a programming pool should be constructed to meet the needs of the community. There are currently three different types of pools that have been discussed which include a programming and diving pool, community/competition pool, and a warm water therapy pool. Depending on the pool type will determine the type of programs that can be offered. An aquatic facility that has a steel or come building could cost upward $13 million. Matthew P. researched another option for a community/competition pool is estimated to cost $7.4 million. The costs include restrooms, showers, changing facilities, and utility room. All these amenities are required by the state. Mr. Prane researched a less expensive option and is estimating the cost to be $200,700 in the first year. The estimated costs include the pool, concrete pad, insurance (annual quote), staff, and pool operating costs. This pool option is above ground. These costs do not include shades, chairs, utilities, fencing/decking, storage facility, and bathroom/shower facilities. Matthew P. estimated to have six guards per day for $15/hour. Other potential staff positions could include supervisors and pool operators. Matthew P. discussed the different potential revenue streams that include membership fees, swim lessons, swim meets, and kids’ triathlons for a potential of $181,860 a year. Matthew P. summarized the key takeaways that include drowning prevention, other types of programming which could include new special events, outdoor fitness classes, outdoor concerts and movies, and community centered health and wellness. Matthew P. asked board members to provide feedback on the presentation. Deb P. asked about the membership target and what type of memberships it included and asked if the number of children for a learn to swim program (96 kids/day) was reasonable. Matthew P. responded that the membership rates would need to be reviewed with more details and believes that there is enough children to fill the program. Sara E. asked if he has asked other facilities about their swim lessons programs and how many swimmers they have. Matthew P. has not asked, and Deb P. added that she has been to other facilities and has seen three or four swimmers, but it could be dependent on the time of year. Deb P. asked if the ADA access included a lift. Matthew P. responded yes, just depending on the set-up of the pool. An ADA accessible pool could include a chair lift, ramp, or zero depth entry. Matthew P. commented that North Carolina does not require lifeguards at pools and does not recommend it, but it could be something to consider limiting costs. Jennifer S. asked about the scheduled swim meets for the high school which are during the winter months. The pool is proposed to be open during the summer. Matthew P. stated that there  Town of Swansboro Swansboro Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Minutes April 16, 2025 are some options including a dome so that way more programs and swim meets can be offered year-round. Another consideration is if the current staff under Parks and Recreation oversee program registrations. Director Stanley asked for clarification of what the costs include. Matthew P. stated that there is more research that needs to be conducted, and it is dependent on what type of pool is constructed. The above ground pool that was discussed has a five-year warranty and can be bought back after or five years before. There were no more questions or comments. c. Pickleball Courts (added agenda item 4/15/25) No new updates- Director Stanley stated there are two options that are being considered for the pickleball courts. The first option is to build three dedicated pickleball courts at the skate park or build six new dedicated pickleball courts that would be regulation size next to the current tennis courts. The current storm water permit will need to be modified, and Director Stanley is consulting with professionals now. Director Stanley is gathering all the information needed for both options to create a proposal for the Town Manager and then ask the Parks and Recreation Board for a recommendation. The recommendation would then be presented to the Board of Commissioners. Once the recommendation is confirmed, Director Stanley will put the project out for bids. The current tennis courts will remain in their current use. The courts will need to be resurfaced within the next three years. There has been some miscommunication on the courts so Director Stanley will provide any updates at the Parks and Recreation Board Meeting and the Board of Commissioners Meeting. No information will be posted on GroupMe as it is not an official form of communication for the department. The board had no questions or comments. VI. Comments Mayor Justice asked that the patrons continue their patience as this money has been allocated to the pickleball courts. The project will take some time as there is still a lot that needs to be decided. A patron asked that Mayor directly if there was a specific timeline that could be set for the courts as other organizations/businesses have built courts within three months. Director Stanley commented that she is working on getting quotes but cannot force contractors to get back to her on quotes. Director Stanley stated that she is just one person that has the help of Sara E. but has other responsibilities in the department. Another patron commented that league members can ask another business for the costs, but as stated before, Director Stanley will still need to contact businesses and get specific quotes. A government entity is different from a private company and projects like this will take more time. Both options will be presented and then decided based on quotes or what the board wants. Another patron asked why the current tennis courts cannot be resurfaced since there are not as many tennis players as pickleball players. Director Stanley responded that there is still a need for tennis courts, the department needs to provide the service, and the Board of Commissioners have said that they want the tennis courts to stay. Mayor Justice commented on whether this section was for comments or discussions. Mayor Justice wanted to remind patrons not to attack Director Stanley and remember that she is working hard to get the dedicated pickleball courts. Patrons agreed that Director Stanley cannot control whether businesses respond to her request for quotes. Mayor Justice asked the patrons what they felt were a reasonable timeline for the pickleball courts and responded six months. Given that six months is not reasonable to even build the courts, steps were discussed. The first step is the storm water permit which is in motion with the consultant. Another patron asked if a pickleball court  Town of Swansboro Swansboro Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Minutes April 16, 2025 committee would be helpful, but Director Stanley stated that it would not be because she would still be the one solely responsible for the quotes and proposals. Mayor Justice commented that with the possibility of offering more tournaments, that it will help the project. A patron commented that she felt the pickleballs were being held hostage, but Director Stanley stated that the balls were tracked to better understand what the department needs to budget. Also, pickleballs have gone missing in the past. A patron asked how Matthew P. received his information about the comprehensive master plan, and he responded that it is on the Parks and Recreation website. The comprehensive master plan was completed in 2023 and if it were repeated, it would cost thousands of dollars. Mayor Justice said that the Board of Commissioners are there to help and to reach out to them about any questions or concerns. VII. Adjournment- Matthew P. made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:39 pm and Bets L. seconded the motion. All members were in favor. Next Meeting May 21, 2025, 5:30 PM