Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-01-22Dryden Recreation and Youth Commission  January 2020 Meeting Minutes  22 January 2020 at 7:00 PM  Dryden Town Hall    Members present: ​David Peck (Chair), Rhonda Kowalski, Joanne Holland, Paula Klaben, Ron  Szymanski, Alice Green     Liaisons present:​ Loren Sparling (Dryden Town Board), Loren Sparling (Dryden Town Board), Marty  Conger (Dryden Recreation), Julieanna Quaresma (Rural Youth Services), Janice Johnson (TCYSD),  Kate Shanks-Booth (TCYSD)    Guests present: ​Christine Becraft (Ellis Hollow Community Center), Nelson Burdick (Ellis Hollow  Community Center)    Meeting called to order at 7:07 PM.    The group introduced themselves to new members and guests.    Approval of Meeting Minutes  A. Green made a motion to approve the minutes of the Nov/Dec 2019 meeting.  J. Holland seconded the motion.  The motion was approved with 5 affirmative votes. R. Szymanski abstained.    RYS Summer Programs Update ​(J. Quaresma)  Presented a proposal to expand youth programming by adding a couple of weeks. This would allow  them to maintain contact with children who participate in the OURS program who would otherwise be  without programming from May until September.  J. Johnson provided background on the OURS program and the demand for expanded programming.  Proposal would offer 2-3 days per week of after-school programming from May until the end of June  at Dryden Elementary and Middle Schools. Program would utilize the school's bus transportation to  get students home.  Program manager would recruit students for Project LEAD through the Choice Activity Period (Dave  Hall), the commission member's networks, and the Joint Youth Commission program manager.  Project LEAD would be comprised of 3 two-week sessions. There would be 4 days of programming  each week.  For ages 12-15, serving 10 students per session.  Would offer a couple of days of programming per week at the beginning of September until the OURS  program starts up.   M. Conger discussed including the summer camps again this year.  There was some discussion about potential work sites as well as the schedule for the days.  D. Peck commented positively on the proposal and the idea of bridging the gap at the beginning and  end of summer. He also commended Jeff Panek for the work he's done with the kids in the programs.     Town Board ​(L. Sparling)  There was nothing to report specifically pertaining to youth and recreation. Provided some notes  about recent town board items.  A. Green provided some notes from the Planning Board about the comprehensive plan process. The  Planning Board will be identifying groups for the stakeholder meetings but has also decided to hold a  couple of larger public meetings as well.     Recreation Department ​(M. Conger)  Recently met with the pastor of the Dryden Baptist Church about using their facilities for the Dryden  Summer Camp. She visited the church with the camp director and assistant director just prior to our  meeting. They are waiting on final approval from the church. The church has a gym, an open field,  multiple classrooms, and two large rooms. They are being very flexible and are not asking for any  money to use the facility. The summer camp program would provide their own toilet paper, paper  towels, and soap and would clean up after themselves each day.  While she did receive approval from Tompkins Cortland Community College, the price was greater  than expected and would not have included access to the pool or gym.   She is finishing up some final reports. J. Johnson expressed regret for forgetting to bring her lollipop  for being the first to submit their Pitch Project final report.  Have all the soccer balls for the next soccer season thanks to a Target Grant.  Have ordered new wrestling and basketball uniforms.  Twenty one Dryden youth lacrosse players attended a free lacrosse clinic with Cornell Lacrosse.   In 2019, we received a little over $10,000 in grants or labor donations.   Travel basketball is running smoothly.  The Shooting Stars program is being held at the high school with the Varsity and JV boys and girls  teams. There are 64 children participating (most ever), and they have received very positive feedback  from parents.   Volleyball has 15 girls participating, which is the highest number in the last few years.   Creative Writing class at the town hall is doing well. The one at Ellis Hollow did not work out, but she  will continue to work on the best time for this class. The one in Dryden has gone so well that the  instructor wants to continue that class as a group and add another class at a different time. C. Becraft  suggested maybe the class would work better in Ellis Hollow as a Spring offering.  Beginning to look at planning for summer programming. She has already received two applications for  summer camp. A 2020 application hasn't been published yet, but the person just changed the dates  from the 2019 application.   Spring programs will be starting in March. Hoping to be able to use the track this year, but that will  depend on when work begins on the turf installation.  D. Peck mentioned that with the issues related to field availability for the 2018 football season, the  district is likely being cautious about promising when facilities will be usable.    Tompkins County Youth Services​ (J. Johnson)  There are new federal regulations which will impact summer camps, such as stricter background  checks, fingerprinting, TB tests, and additional training. Summer camps will have to comply with the  new regulations in order to receive DSS summer scholarships for low income families. Last year, the  Dryden camp received $3808 from Social Services, and the Freeville camp received $1385. TCYSD is  working with the different departments to help navigate the issues for the summer camps. The state is  covering the fee for fingerprinting, but there is an effort to see if the Community Foundation can  provide some funds for the background checks ($25 per person).  There is a new Recreation Coordinator in Newfield, and a new Recreation Director in Ulysses. There  will be a meeting to get the new people connected with the other recreation   The Pitch Program is live and the applications are out. Last year, the Recreation Department,  Southworth Library, and a school program all received funding. Groups can apply for funding from  $500 to $5000 with a 50% match.  M. Conger asked about what funding can be used for. J. Johnson noted that the grant is meant for  one time expense and not for ongoing program support.  A. Green noted that the summer camp shift to a temporary location this year might present a one time  funding need that could be presented as part of the Pitch Program.  The 2019 year-end Cooperative Extension budget should be included on the agenda for February.    Rail Trail  P. Klaben made a motion that A. Green be appointed as the DRYC liaison to the Rail Trail Task Force.  J. Holland seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.    DRYC Leadership  A. Green nominated D. Peck to serve as DRYC Chair for 2020. The motion was seconded by R.  Szymanski. D. Peck indicated that he was willing to continue to serve. The motion was approved  unanimously.     Other Business  C. Becraft and N. Burdick provided information about the deteriorating tennis courts at the Ellis Hollow  Community Center. The tennis courts were installed with entirely volunteer fundraising and labor in  1974. The only work on them since then has been occasional painting. There is a sizable and  expanding crack in the surface that has reached the point that it needs to be addressed. The positive  is that fixing the courts would allow them to adapt the courts for pickleball use as well.   M. Conger asked if they knew where the water was coming from and if it would present a continuing  problem. C. Becraft responded that the drainage issue has been mitigated thanks to a previous grant  from the Town of Dryden. N. Burdick noted that they do not have water coming up out of the cracks  and the surface is not heaving.   The current quote they have received is about $23,000. A quote received four years ago from another  vendor was for $31,000.  J. Johnson asked whether they have reached out to their State senator or representative to see if there  may be funding available. C. Becraft stated that they had not and asked for guidance in doing this. J.  Johnson provided a contact in another municipality that was able to get funding from the state with  the assistance of Senator Seward.  A. Green mentioned that the Rail Trail had received grant funding from Tompkins County and  suggested looking at that possibility as well.   J. Johnson also recommended looking into grants available from the New York State Parks,  Recreation and Historic Preservation.  There was some discussion about previous funding sources, Ellis Hollow Community Center's 501C3  status and eligibility for grant funding.    A. Green brought up doing a DRYC retreat to provide orientation, review bylaws, and set goals for the  future. She offered to create a Doodle poll with potential dates.    J. Holland asked about the process for filling open seats. She has a person in mind to recruit.    D. Peck commented on the upcoming January 31 closing of the cafe part of the Dryden Community  Center Cafe. He noted that the organization will continue to exist and will be looking at what the future  holds for them. He encouraged anyone who is interested to attend the annual business meeting on  Monday, January 27.     The meeting was adjourned at 8:27 PM.