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Dryden Recreation and Youth Commission
Town of Dryden
April 24, 2013
Members Present: Vicki Wilkins (Chair), Tracy Kurtz, Steve Meyer, Stephanie Mulinos,
Sharon Todd, JoEllen Bailey (absent)
Town Recreation Staff: Melissa Bianconi and Andrew Pierce
Town Board Liaisons: Linda Levine and Steven Stelick, Jr. (not present)
DCDS Liaison: position open
County Youth Services Representative: Kris Bennett
Guests: Steve Riester and Robert Vera (Cornell University Students), Nikki Nease and Linda
Schoffel (OURS and YOURS programs), and Kathy Gehring (Tompkins County Youth
Services Board)
Chairwoman V. Wilkins opened the meeting at 7:00 PM.
1. Reading of Commission Meeting Minutes:
A motion to approve the minutes of the last regular meeting of March 27, 2013 was
made by S. Meyer and seconded by T. Kurtz. The motion was unanimously passed.
2. Acknowledgement of guests:
V. Wilkins asked the members and guests to introduce themselves.
3. Report from the Town Board Meeting of March 18 attended by T. Kurtz and S. Meyer.
T. Kurtz reported to the Town Board that she was appearing as the representative for
the merger of the Recreation and Youth Commissions. She said how well the merger
went and how the Youth Commission had been hesitant and reluctant for the merger
but it went very smoothly.
S. Meyer spoke second and reinforced what Tracy had to say. He then gave a synopsis
of our meeting and efforts on the grant applications. He gave a very quick run-down
including the reasons why the DRYC granted or wanted to go with certain applications
and why they didn’t go with other applications. He then expressed how well the two
groups worked together during the process and that they all left feeling good about their
decisions. Regarding the established groups that have continued to be funded and the
new programs that received approval, the Town Board seemed pleased with the
choices.
V. Wilkins asked what happens next? The grant recommendations were approved.
M. Bianconi stated that everyone has received their appointment to the DRYC. As far as
the grants, next letters go out and contracts are generated (M. Perkins wants to make a
few changes to the contract – the most notable will be that the DRYC will be reimbursed
after a program or project has been implemented so it is a reimbursement rather than
being handed a check). If that doesn’t work, then we work with each organization
individually to make sure that the billing happens directly between whoever the provider
is and the Town.
Melissa said that they were making some changes to the reporting forms; they will now
be asking for media (pictures and videos) of the programs in action.
• At this point, S. Meyer recalled “Vicki was volunteered to assist MaryAnn to put together
an article for the newspaper and I assume that she will be contacting you shortly.” V.
Wilkins responded that she looked forward to the communication.
4. Program Evaluation Updates – Steve Reister and Robert Vera
Steve and Rob had a packet that they shared with the group. They started their
presentation by cautioning the group that this is not the final product. They are showing
what they have put together so far. By mid-May they should have everything finalized.
The packet page one – shows a “cleaned-up version of our logic model”. The circles are
hubs where we got the broad evaluation questions; where we are going to get our
survey questions from. The things that are circled are the main things they have
decided to evaluate.
Pages 2-4 consists of a Coaching Evaluation Checklists which will provide a separate
evaluation from that of the participants and their parents. They assume that the
checklist would be used by Recreation staff to provide another evaluation from a
different view point.
Following the Coaching checklist, Steve and Rob have provided sample surveys. They
decided to do two different surveys, one for parents and another for the kids. Another
issue that has been raised regards the students in grades K-2, they might not be able to
read and answer the questions so they are thinking that a simpler, shorter questionnaire
will be better.
The kids’ survey has 8 questions and the adult survey is longer with 15 questions. Part
of the reason the survey is a bit shorter than it could be is due to the fact that they
recommend the survey be handed out at the game or meeting and then collected or
returned to a drop box. They then plan to have a follow up survey about a week later via
internet (email) which will allow those who were not at the game the chance to respond
as well.
T. Kurtz said that she believes if the parents read the questions to the k-2 kids, the
questionnaire already developed for the participants will work fine. Steve pointed out
that they would prefer to have the kids fill out the form by themselves to avoid being
influenced.
S. Meyer commented on the safety section in the Coaching Evaluation. He thinks that
teaching safe skills should be integrated. For example: tackling technique in football
could be taught an unsafe way such as leading with your head rather than your
shoulders.
M. Bianconi asked if they had more questions, could they get together again? Melissa,
Andrew, Steve and Rob agreed that they should meet next Wednesday (the 1st of May)
at 2 PM to go over the survey in more detail. If anyone on the Commission wants more
information or explanation, they should get their questions or comments to Melissa or
Andrew.
Steve and Rob left the meeting at 7:20PM.
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5-6. OURS program and Budget Update
Nikki Nease
On Friday, Arbor day, the OURS program is having a gathering to celebrate and thank those
that have been helping with the program for the past 4 year. This year they have a lot of the
volunteers that have been working with the kids graduating and thus leaving the program. It
will be a day of thanksgiving and planting trees at 4-H acres.
March - Mid-April report – they have a lot of new participants this spring and the program is up
to 50 kids now. There are about 27 kids that come all three times a day and about 15 that
come sometimes which allows them to have all 50 signed up. S. Meyer asked about the
opportunity for those that are too old to be in program, is there a way for them to continue
participating as mentors? Nikki responded that they have a “mentor in training” aspect to the
course in which the older kids are a type of mentor for the younger ones (the older kids vie for
the opportunity to lead the younger kids - ie to share the rules). The program is available for
kids from ages 7-17.
The OURS program has been in existence between 7-10 years depending on whether you
count the private years or just the years that Cornell Co-op Extension has run it.
All of the mentors are Cornell students. Nikki thinks that the need has increased in recent
years and they have had more volunteers lately than they can use. The elected board for
OURS has been discussing different ways they can utilize the extra volunteers. The program
has been very successful.
They do check ins and check outs which allows them to see how the kids are doing – when
they come in, are they having a bad day or other issues? The kids are journaling their
activities and attitude. It will be great for since it will give them great feed back. They are
creating structure for the young folks, traditions surrounding basic events like snack. It might
be simply accepted that they will get snack at Program but they also have a structure; they
wash their hands, make snack themselves and be thankful for it. It is a way to teach the youth
while they are having fun.
Last week, the kids took a field trip to the SPCA on Hanshaw road. They made treats and toys,
played with the animals and got a tour.
They have a leadership council for the older kids (11-17), and this year voted on community
service projects they wanted to do in small groups.
Nikki said that OURS has received grant money that allowed them to give each child a soccer
ball or yoga mat and they have been able to stock the 4-H Acres with literacy material as well
as allowing the kids to pick a book of their own.
4-H Acres now has internet service which will open up new possibilities.
OURS is joining forces with Planned Parenthood and the Advocacy Center to create a girls
only group called “Girls Circle”. There are a lot of new programs being offered and the summer
will be exciting.
Annual Report from 2012, Linda Schoffel
Nikki Nease and David Hall have entered their kids and programs into the same database from
which they are able to pull information.
L. Schoffel went over the budget for the Dryden Youth Program (primarily Dave Hall and his
programs) which appears to be on target.
OURS budget is also progressing well. The OURS and YOURS participants have been
bringing in a lot of money through fund raisers and writing grants.
T. Kurtz asked what trailer parks are included in these programs? Linda and Nikki said they
service Beacon View, Hanshaw Village, and Congers Park. Jessica Poole started the
programs in her trailer park, Congers, and it took off from there.
OURS, Nikki Nease
Quick over view of the OURS programs: 61 kids came to at least one program in the past year
- 50 kids participated in multiple programs over the course of a year. 9 kids came to 13 plus
programs (a program is a semester long, and they have 3 programs each semester). The
report provides a lot of information regarding the programs and who attended.
At the back of the report, they have a section for youth employment. Last year was the first
time, the young lady was doing to mentor training program and she worked as Nikki’s assistant
last year.
Training is part of the system of Rural Youth Services (second to last page of the report) and is
usually at a staff meeting. The last part of the report is the success stories.
Dryden Youth Program, David Hall
Statistics show that he is working with about 38% of the Dryden middle school students.
Report attached.
7. DYC Annual Report Kris Bennett
(pamphlet attached)
The total youth served across the programs. The youth employment program is funded with
Dryden money. This report includes highlights from Dave (The Dryden Youth Program) and
Nikki’s (OURS) reports.
The back page is a visual about a continuum of things that are done to support youth. They are
all important but arranged financially. The bottom of the pyramid (least expensive) includes
sports teams and so forth, youth development (above the sports) and then into intervention
programs.
K. Bennett asked about who might be willing to take some of the reports, distribute them to a
variety of people including the village officials and the Town Board. Other years the Youth
Commission members have taken this opportunity to explain what is going on with the
Commission.
S. Mulinos offered to take the report to the Village of Freeville and T. Kurtz agreed to take
information to the Town Board. K. Bennett also had a paper which includes of the camps that
are available over this summer. The Village of Freeville did not respond so they are not in the
paper although Kris said it is still possible to list the camp on the website.
K. Bennett also had a pile of notices for prescription disposal that she distributed and asked
members to post.
Youth Needs Assessment –
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Towns that are receiving County money for youth services are required to conduct a Youth
Needs Assessment every three to five years to determine where the greatest need is. The last
time Dryden did an assessment was in 2009. (The report is available at
http://dryden.ny.us/DYC/2009NeedsAssessment.pdf)
K. Bennett suggested that the Commission put time on agenda next time to see who wants to
get involved and where to get started.
Last fall, the Drug Coalition did a survey of high school and middle school students in
Tompkins County as part of their grant requirement. The results are available and Kris offered
to do a presentation on Dryden youth, relationships to school, family and where their strengths
are.
8. Old Business
DCS Relations committee: S. Mulinos offered to follow up with J. Humphrey on his ideas are
for creating a draft letter to the School Board and then they will try to get some ideas out to the
other members via email. And looking at the calendar, it might benefit the DRYC to wait until
the June School Board meeting, after their budget meetings that are held in May. Delaying the
letter presentation until June will also allow the Commission to contact other groups that might
benefit from participation such as the Sertoma Club.
A. Pierce said that the Recreation Department has had issues with using the fields although
his understanding is that the fields were for school and community use.
T. Kurtz said that as Dryden staff, they were told that the only parking lot available this summer
is where the old district office used to be. What the grounds person told them, was that the
“parking lot people” want to dig it all up at once and repave all it all at once. The new grounds
person at Dryden prefers that the repairs happen section by section.
DRYC Operating Guidelines: S. Todd and V. Wilkins are going to work on some ideas. S.
Mulinos pointed out that as the Commission continues to meet, the guidelines are kind of
working themselves out. Attendance and method of cancelling are the two issues that might
need to be addressed earlier. Right now, the Commission members have a lot of things going
on so the Guidelines might wait for the fall.
The Commission agreed that they would not meet in July. The May agenda has to include a
discussion of the Dryden Lake festival. V. Wilkins wants to do the Kids Zone and this group
has been the core of the volunteers. Vicki wants to do it again this year including the tent with
quiet things (arts and crafts), a dunking booth, a bounce house, a tarp that lets folks throw wet
sponges and get soaked.
S. Meyer suggested that the DRYC has $1000.00 left that could possibly be spent for school
supplies/prizes.
2013 work plan – V. Wilkins said she will revisit the plan and ensure the schedule stays
balanced. She will get the agendas out and has asked that the members let her know what
they need.
It was noted that liaisons from the Town Board are not in attendance again. The Commission
has concerns about communication between the DRYC and the Town Board. The lack of
presence by the liaisons has led to the suggestion that maybe Nikki Nease and Dave Hall
might go to a TB meeting to share with them more about their programs. But then the group
discussed the fact that it would be much more beneficial for the Town Board if they came here.
At Town Board meetings, the representatives from the DRYC would only get a few minutes
rather than the full information that is provided at the meetings.
The OURS celebration on Friday probably won’t start on time because the kids have to
transported via multiple trips with the van. The awards are fun because every kid gets one –
the awards might be something like the “zaniest kid” award. It is also a chance for the young
folks to say goodbye to their mentors.
The Youth Football League (not really a league) doesn’t provide the requirements that the
Recreation Department feels are necessary, especially regarding the safety of the kids. There
are a lot of programs in the YFL that are not managed by a recreation department or any
department; a lot of it is volunteer based, commission based. A. Pierce thinks the group is
falling short with standards. He has made that clear, the Ithaca Youth Bureau has made that
clear, without eligibility requirements, there are maximums but no minimums. It has kind of
crossed the line where they want to have safety first but they want to make sure they have
numbers too. Andrew said he has written several letters indicating that is dangerous territory
and now he is looking for some other options. The Southern Tier Football League (STFL)
seems to have better guidelines and he is interested in talking to the Commission next meeting
to get feedback. He is concerned that the local communities are putting the existence of the
football programs over the safety of the programs by allowing lowering the standards (for
example: allowing a 10 year old 100 pound child to play against a 7 year old 60 pound child).
The “league” that Dryden Recreation football is currently involved in formerly had 6 programs
but now they have 14 making it a big league with too many coaches that are not willing to set
standards that are safety oriented (only having one adult at a game is not acceptable).
Andrew also pointed out the benefit of having the DRYC behind his decision to change
“leagues”. K. Bennett suggested adding a section to the survey that will rank aspects of
recreation such as safety and guidance. Another suggestion is to add something to the survey
letting people know that it does not mean programs are getting cut, we are looking for
information to make the programs better.
There being no further business, S. Meyer motioned to adjourn at 8:35 PM. S. Todd seconded
the motion and all agreed.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin A. Bieber
Deputy Town Clerk