Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-11-12Dryden Recreation and Youth Commission  November / December 2019 Meeting Minutes ​(DRAFT)  11 December 2019 at 7:00 PM  Southworth Library    Members present: David Peck (Chair), Rhonda Kowalski, Claudia Haferkamp-Wise, Diane Pamel,  Joanne Holland, Paula Klaben    Liaisons present: Alice Green (Dryden Town Board), Kathy Servoss (Dryden Town Board) Marty  Conger (Dryden Recreation) Janice Johnson (TCYSD), Kate Shanks-Booth (TCYSD)    Community members present: Loren Sparling (Dryden Town Councilperson-elect)    Meeting called to order at 7:03 PM.    D. Peck introduced Loren Sparling who was recently elected to the Town Board and visiting the  different commissions.     Approval of Meeting Minutes  D. Pamel made a motion that the minutes of the October 2019 meeting be approved.  P. Klaben seconded the motion.  The motion was approved unanimously.    Town Board ​(K. Servoss, A. Green)  K. Servoss reported that the 2020 budget has been approved.   A. Green reported that the Rail Trail Committee has hired an engineer for the Rt 13 bridge project. The  bridge is about two years out, but the project is progressing.  K. Servoss reported on coming construction on the George Road bridge.  D. Peck asked about the placement of the crosswalk warning lights are placed so far from the  crosswalk. A. Green noted that it is going to be addressed.    Recreation Department ​(M. Conger)  Reported on the end of fall sports and the start of basketball.  They will be having the family Valentines dance in February.  The card contest went well.  Represented DRYC/Dryden Rec at the Dryden Community Center Cafe Chili Cookoff and came in  second.  Was able to get three girls to coach the volleyball program thanks to help from R. Kowalski.  R. Kowalski has assisted in making connection with Tompkins Cortland Community College about  using the old child care facility for summer camp. She has made a proposal and is waiting for a  response. If they are able to use the facility, they will keep the camp at it current enrollment level.  Dryden Recreation will take over the Freeville summer camp this year. The email to Freeville is ready to  go but has not been sent yet.  J. Johnson explained some of the new regulations and requirements related to summer camp staff.  TCYSD is gathering more information and will have a meeting with relevant parties to offer guidance.  Will be offering a Creative Writing class for adults with two different times and locations.     Tompkins County Youth Services​ (J. Johnson)  The Pitch Program will roll out in January. Have the same amount of funds available as last year. Both  Southworth Library and Dryden Recreation received funding last year.  Training for January is Art Therapy at Work and will be offered on January 31.    Other Business  D. Peck encouraged members to do site visits to the Rural Youth Services programs.     A. Green asked a question about the summer program plan. This will be on the January agenda.     Comprehensive Plan  A. Green provided some background on the comprehensive plan process. The town's current  comprehensive plan was written in 2005. Additional plans have been added for recreation and Varna.   The steering committee is working with Environmental Design & Research from Syracuse. They sent  an initial outline for the process. they are trying to develop a list of constituencies they would talk to  and what questions to ask.   The plan at this point is for ten steering committee meetings and three public meetings. The public  meetings would be focus groups from specific stakeholder constituencies:  ●Business and economic development organizations  ●Community organizations and institutions  ●Recreation, arts, and culture organizations  ●Housing and town living  ●Public services, safety, and code enforcement  ●Transportation, infrastructure institutions and organizations  There would be some mixing of interests since there would only be three public meetings, but  recommendation from some on steering committee is to mix the stakeholder groups to better reflect  the integrated nature of our community.  The name of the study that EDR has come up with is Dryden 2045.  M. Conger expressed concern about paying a consultant to create another plan that identifies the  same needs that previous plans have identified but remain unmet.   R. Kowalski noted that there have to be next steps and actions to meet the needs. Stop analyzing;  start doing.  A. Green clarified that the plan is not only looking at recreational, cultural, and arts needs. The plan will  be critical for addressing land use and development and is required for making zoning laws. We have  an opportunity to use this process to build momentum for projects to serve our population. Having  more recent data aids in getting grants. This will be an update that builds on information we already  have.  Our job is to take some of the obstacles and discouragement about inaction and actually make things  happen.   M. Conger noted that facilities like the new turf field at the high school will be available for use but that  these facilities are not ours and their usage comes at a cost. Community members don't necessarily  understand that.  The commission spent time reviewing a list of stakeholders in the Recreation, Arts, and Culture  category provided by EDR. The commission suggested groups and organizations to add. The  commission recommended organizations to remove that did not fit the category or are not involved in  the Town of Dryden.  D. Pamel noted that we do not have a good network of business people or way to contact/disseminate  information to the businesses. There is no Chamber of Commerce or even an informal business group.  A. Green shared a few of the initial questions ideas.  D. Peck expressed that the questions sounded like good consultant speak questions. We need to get  input from people about what they are looking for that is not currently available. There are things that  we know we need or want to offer, but we are likely missing things that people are looking.  EDR intends to disseminate the community survey as widely as possible.   M. Conger noted that one of the main issues she has encountered with offering programming is  location and facilities. People want to do yoga or dance, but they don't want to do them in the fire hall  or the courtroom. They know what people want to do, but they lack the suitable, activity-friendly  spaces to do them.   It was suggested that the survey should include a question about barriers to participating in recreation  programs as well as a question about space for doing these activities.  D. Pamel noted the lack of private space for counseling, meetings, family visitations.  D. Pamel expressed thanks to those who helped with the Dryden Holiday Celebration. Results and  feedback have been mostly positive.    The meeting was adjourned at 8:39 PM.