Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee

P ARKS AND R ECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE M INUTES 07/16/2026 Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026 Time: 11:30 AM Location: City Hall Annex Attendance Director Matt Skehan, Erica Miller, Nick Cloutier, Scott Beal, Beth LaFountain, Matthew Bulmer, Nate Pelsma, Nate Bernard. Strategic Plan Director Skehan opened the meeting by reviewing the committee's charge and explained that instead of creating a separate strategic planning subcommittee, those discussions would become part of the regular Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee meetings, which will now be held every other Thursday. Director Skehan introduced Nate Pelsma from Thomas College as an outside facilitator. Nate explained that his role would be to help organize ideas, ask questions, and guide the committee through developing a Strategic Plan over the next few months. The committee supported moving forward with Nate serving as the facilitator. The committee then discussed what they felt should be the main focus of the Strategic Plan. Scott Beal shared that while he became involved because of Parks and Recreation, he would like to see a long-term vision that makes Waterville a destination for families. He discussed expanding recreation opportunities, connecting the waterfront, increasing walkability, and getting more children involved in youth sports. Beth LaFountain shared that her focus is youth and adult athletics. She said Waterville has an abundance of resources but doesn't feel they are being used together effectively between the City, AYCC, and the schools. She would like to see everyone work together, maximize what is already available, and make Waterville a leader in youth sports. She also discussed creating more community pride by encouraging volunteers to help maintain fields and facilities. Matthew Bulmer discussed the decline in youth athletics over the years and said the City has the facilities but needs to change the mindset around youth sports. He would like to see a plan that supports all youth athletics. Director Skehan explained that approximately $750,000 remains in Recreation Development Bond funding and that the committee's goal is to identify the best use of those funds. The committee discussed whether the funding should focus on infrastructure improvements or programming and agreed that developing a strategy first would help guide those decisions. The committee agreed that youth participation and retention should be the top priority while also recognizing the importance of maintaining and improving recreational facilities. Discussion also included: • The decline in youth sports participation. • Competition from club sports. • Parent involvement and volunteer opportunities. • The partnership between the City and AYCC. • Community pride and making recreation more "Waterville centered." • The need to gather participation numbers, demographic data, and information from surrounding communities before the next meeting. The committee agreed to begin collecting available data and continue building the Strategic Plan at the next meeting in two weeks. Public Comment Public comment included discussion on increasing volunteer involvement, improving communication about recreation programs, evaluating the City's investment in AYCC programming, maintaining recreation facilities, charging for certain field usage, and finding ways to increase youth participation while rebuilding community pride in Waterville athletics. Adjourn