HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRYC 2025-09-24Dryden Recreation and Youth Commission (DRYC)
September 24, 2025
HybridPresent:Leslie Debo (chair), Jenelle Carr*, Julie McLean, Will Olson, James WhalleyAbsentees:David Peck (vice chair)Liaisons:Jason Leifer (Town Board)Kate Shanks-Booth (Tompkins
County Youth Services)*
“*” Denotes attendance via Zoom
The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m.
Review and Approval of Minutes from July 23, 2025
On motion made by J. McLean, seconded by W. Olson, the minutes of July 23, 2025, were approved as written. Vote; L Debo-Aye, J Carr-Aye, J McLean-, WOlson-, J Whalley-
Memberships
J. Whalley has someone interested in joining the commission, but their schedule does notmatch the meeting times.
Reports: Tompkins County Youth Services
K.Shanks-Booth is currently in the 2026 budget process. Tompkins County is facing a tough budget season. Last Thursday, we presented it to the legislature. Our department proposed some
improvements, which were previously called OTRs (over-target requests), but are now called enhancements. These included adding a position for the Coordinator of Rural Youth Services.
The OURS interviews are being conducted with a candidate who was described as "the best one we've seen so far," possessing "a lot of experience."
Reports: Recreation DepartmentM. Conger wasn’t present, but she did email the Summer and Fall Youth Sports report,andW. Olson read it out loud. The analysis reveals robust engagement
across multiple sports, with the fall season showing higher overall participation (275 individuals) than the summer season (215 individuals). There was also confirmation that the Sports
Boosters Club will manage concessions during home games, with two more home games this season.
Summer Participations Data
Soccer, Total Players: 174
Football: Total Players 61 players
Flag: 27 players
Junior Tackle: 16 players
Senior Tackle: 18 players
Cheerleading, the cheer program supports both flag and tackle football, fielding a total of 40 participants.
Junior Fire Academy, a total of 22 participants.
Summer 2026
Permissionshave been officially granted for the 2026 summer camp program to operate at two locations: Cassavant andFreeville Elementary School.
Fields Behind Town Hall Budget
The focus of discussions is on the strategic progress of the field development project, which is at a critical stage. Progress relies on obtaining cost estimates for essential engineering
and grant writing services to aid in budget planning and securing external funding. A submission must be made to the Town Board for the upcoming budget meeting on October 9th.
The entire project, estimated to cost $1.2 million, may require bonding, which could pose the risk of a public referendum. The timeline for delivering a final budget number is essential,
as is hiring a grant-writing consultant to handle complex grant cycles, which often occur during winter when construction cannot start.
Therefore, securing grant funding is a crucial parallel effort, even though it is recognized as a complex task that requires a specialized consultant due to the demanding application
processes and challenging grant cycles. A consensus exists that engineering work is a prerequisite for applying for grants. The strategy involves engaging a firm that can provide both
the required engineering specifications and grant writing expertise.The immediate next step is to obtain a "ballpark" cost estimate from the consulting firm for these services.
The process of applying for state grants is considered a significant undertaking. It involves navigating numerous, sometimes conflicting, manuals and requires a substantial organizational
effort, reinforcing the decision to hire a consultant. It was noted that a similar situation occurred when it came to hiring a consultant, with a price of around $25,000 for proposal
work, which may provide a foundation for the new engineering consultants and potentially lower their price.
J. Leifermentioned that a project of this magnitude would require the town to bond the expense. A significant risk associated with bonding is the possibility of a public referendum.
It was noted that it only takes "about 150 signatures" to force a referendum on a bond issue.
A Request for Information was previously submitted to New York State regarding the project, but a response has not yet been received.The project timeline is dictated by funding cycles
and seasonal constraints, with the physical build-out still several months away. No "in the ground" work is expected to occur until "next spring at the very earliest."The upcoming winter
season is viewed as the ideal period for completing the "office-type stuff," including the engineering reports, consultant work, and grant submissions.
Reports: Town Board
J.Leifer outlined the Town budget process. Following the budget meetings, the preliminary budget will be published. A public hearing will be held either at the end of October or on the
first Thursday of November.A vote on the final budget is scheduled for the second Thursday in November.It was observed that residents typically attend Town Board meetings only to "ask
for money or yell at us," and that no one has ever come to voicetheir support for the budget.
Dryden Center for Community
A local nonprofit organization, Dryden Center for Community (DCC), is making significant progress in its effort to acquire and convert a church building into a community center. The
group has raised $70,000, surpassing its initial goal of $50,000 needed to submit a purchase offer. This was achieved through donationson their GoFundMe. DCC plans to transform the space
for arts and community activities toinclude music lessons, tutoring, performances, dance and fine arts, gaming, and general space rentals. It was noted that TC3 has shown interest in
using the kitchen for its farm-to-table program. While the acquisition is underway, a question was raised about the long-term financial plan for covering the ongoing expenses of maintenance
and utilities. For more information, visit their website www.drydencenter.org.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Allison Kjellander-Cantu
Deputy Town Clerk