Safe, Healthy, Connected People Commission

9/15/2020 - Minutes I. Call to Order Members Present: Kim Jordan, Mary Hussmann, Courtney Blassius, Paul Rabidoux City Staff Present: Rick Hebert, Ray Coffey, John Audy, Amy Lafayette (City Council liaison) Guests Present: Lauren Chicote, Joshua Neilson, OMNES staff, Brett L, Mike Beland Call to Order by: Mary Hussmann Meeting Start Time: 6:32 PM Minutes Recorded by: Kim Jordan II. Public Comment Brett L. - Skatepark community is happy to continue planning when we are able to do so. III. Approve Previous Meeting Minutes Decision: Approved Motion by: Courtney Blassius Second: Kim Jordan IV. City and Department Updates Police Chief Hebert: 2 open positions of WPD and hiring process is ongoing. Community questionairre on WPD drafted by WSD parents and Winooski residents has been shared with Chief Hebert, and SHCP Commissioners are needed to help shape and wordsmith it. Kim Jordan and Mary Hussmann volunteer. Fire Chief Audy: Taking extra Covide safety precautions. We need to get back to some sort of normalcy so fire inspections can continue. Ray Coffey: Staffing updates: - Welcome 2 new staff members: Molly Schnieider, new Community Engagement Coordinator, and Kate Nicoletti, new Recreational Programs Manager - Nathaniel ** has been hired to be the new Library Manager. - Still hiring 3 positions and hope to be all staffed up by late October Pumpkin Festival with over 1000 carveed pumpkins (!) planning is in the works! Programs are underway and gearing up. Library programming, and other recreational fun. Shoutout to the More than a Meal Program at the Senior Center, coordinated by Barb. Amy Lafayette from City Council – special City Council meeting on September 29th that allows for all resident voting. At this October 5th meeting, the Council will take up the plans by Omnes about City parks.  are underway and gearing up. Library programming, and other recreational fun. Shoutout to the More than a Meal Program at the Senior Center, coordinated by Barb. Amy Lafayette from City Council – special City Council meeting on September 29th that allows for all resident voting. At this October 5th meeting, the Council will take up the plans by Omnes about City parks. V. Review of Draft Parks and Open Space Master Plan Omnes presentation – Laura Sinfeld, Laura Fuentes, Bonnie Donahue. Comments: Paul Rabidoux - Ideas about pickleball were heard by the Omnes team Amy Lafayette – Potentially illegal behaviors are happening at the parking lots and trailheads, and hopefully these new park ideas will addres those. Omnes : Improved lighting at trailheads shold be helpful Kim Jordan : It’s also important for us to address the root causes of these illegal behaviors Timeline: It is up to City staff on how we operationalize these amazin Omnes park plans. We can now look at grant funding, partnership development, budgeting process, strategy. What we seek to accomplish through this plan will be driven be plans with the city’s capital budget and fundraising. There is no immediaate money that is dedicated to us addressing these plans, but we want to be strategic on how we leverage those funds to achieve these park plan visions. This is a living, breathing document, and we’re in a great position for these park plans to be a roadmap. Extra thanks to Lauren Chicote, Winooski resident, who works with the Winooski Parks District. Strong request for SHCP Commissioners to attend the October 5th City Council meeting. VI. Adjourn Motion by: Paul Rabidoux Second: Kim Jordan Meeting End Time: 7:55 PM