PALMER TOWNSHIP RECREATION BOARD

TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2006

The regular meeting of the Palmer Township Recreation Board was held on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. with all members in attendance. Chairman Walker opened the meeting at 7:35 p.m.

MINUTES OF NOVEMBER MEETING – On motion by Nielsen, seconded by Young, and agreed by all, the minutes of November were approved as written.

TREASURER’S REPORT – Knox distributed the year-end report. On motion by Young, seconded by Nielsen, and agreed by all, the report was approved.

PUBLIC COMMENT –

Debra Nonnemacher, from the National MS Society was present requesting the use of the bike path for a 4 – 5 mile run/walk on April 23rd. She handed out information and would like any suggestion that the Board may have. She would like to use Fairview Park as the start/finish, walk into Bethlehem Township, turn around and return to the Park. She would need the use of the pavilion, will be erecting a few tents, have dumpsters and port-a-johns delivered on Friday and they will be removed on Monday. She will ask for permission to use the parking area to the right of Redner’s building. She has checked the area and this section seems to be empty most of the time. They would like to reserve the Fairview Avenue parking lot for handicap parking. It would be easy for the scooters to access the pavilion. Young asked if these scooters were going to access the bike path since there is a grass incline. Debra said a few may and there would be volunteers to help them. Nonnemacher noted she would have liked Riverview Park because of area and more parking but knew it was not ready and didn’t know if it would be by that time. She has to get starting organizing this and needed an area. They have used Hugh Moore Park canal for the past several years but due to storm damage, can not this year. Any type of ball games don’t start until May. Nielsen started she thought this was a very good idea. Young felt the bike path at Riverview Park should be opened by now. There is no reason why it is taking so long to repair the damage. Board feels it is a great idea. On motion by Nielsen, seconded by Bellis, and agreed by all, the Board approved the request for the MS walk at Fairview Park. Nonnemacher is to contact Diane Grube and she will get her contacts for the police department for help crossing the roadways and get insurance information from her. Also, the Parks Department should turn water on by that day.

Palmer Township Athletic Association – Discussion on Activity Fee – Lori Fulmer spoke on the activity fee that they would like to incorporate. Fulmer and Barry Schaffer met with Anckaitis & Heckman and then they met with the AA general membership meeting. There is an agreement that was drawn up by the township to be signed by the AA. The Athletic Association must pay a fee of $4,000 this year and $7,000 following year for use of the community center for monthly dances they will be holding. This activity fee will help to secure volunteers for the sports and to work dances and concessions at the community center. It will also help defray costs to run the dances and snack bar at the center. Kim Snyder spoke on the activity fee. There is a committee made up of Judy Schwab, Lori Fulmer, Tom Lisinichia, Anita Fleming, Joe Olah, and Kim Snyder. The fee of $30 is per family per sport. A parent is suppose to work 3 volunteer hours during each sport. Each commissioner will supply the number of hours and the project that are needed to be worked. Dances and snack bar worker are needed. There will be workers needed for other volunteer work. After the 3 hours are worked they can request a refund or roll over the money for the next sport. They can sign off on a waiver that they do not want to work. This will require the $30 fee to be paid. This fee could also be rolled over for each sport season over and over, as long as the three hours are worked for each sport. Snack bar at the center will be worked during every game and every practice. Snyder noted they will have this money put in an escrow account, if the parent forfeits money by not working then that money is turned over to AA treasurer. Snyder will track money for one year. A member of the committee will be at each and every sign up and work with the parent if they need to pay or not. The Board, all commissioners, and coaches have already fulfilled their time with the volunteer work they do for the sport. Nielsen asked why they have to pay for the center use. They are the Palmer Township Athletic Association, why do they have to pay? They donated a large amount to the center. They were told that the center is going to be run as a business and they have to charge everyone to use it. Everyone is very surprised with this and it’s all new to them, they were not aware that this was going to happen. Walker asked how the AA was going to announce this activity fee. Snyder noted it is on the sign up sheets as well as the web and was talked about at a general membership meeting. There will be a letter given to parents at time of sign up for each sport. Walker asked if they felt there was enough work for every person to work if they don’t want to lose their money. The committee felt they probably would get some to work, but others would just want to pay the fee so yes there are enough volunteer hours to be worked. Bellis stated that he was familiar with this in Nazareth and it works. He also stated that the $7,000 charge is absolutely ridiculous. This is the consensus of the Recreation Board. Bellis felt we should let the first year go, work out the bugs, and work this out in the future if necessary. Bob Smith noted none of this every came to the Board of Supervisors. Smith does not agree with this fee for the use of the center either. Maybe with the center opening there will be more volunteers that would want to help there. He agrees with Bellis that they have to let the program run for a year and then check it out.

In this agreement that was drawn up by the Township it states that an accounting report should be forwarded to the township and to the recreation board on this fee. Fulmer stated they can put any equipment in the snack bar that they need but they have to purchase it. They also have to pay for the police officer that works the dances as well as the DJ. They must pay ¼ of the admission fee back to center. An AED machine was purchased for the center as well as retractable mats, which was share by center. Worley stated the purpose of this fee is to get volunteers, he understood that but if you can’t get volunteers will you use the activity fee to pay for help; and he felt that the parent that forfeited their money at the end of that particular sport season should be told where the money was going to be used, in particular the community center. Members of the committee responded that they would not pay for help. They would have to do with the help they have.

There was a special meeting held last week to discuss the sports programs and this committee felt that this should have come to the recreation board not the township manager and community center director. What are you going to do if a parent refuses to pay; how can a child be refused to play a township funded sport. Snyder noted they only have to work 3 hours, but if it was a hardship they will work with them. Walker noted that any type of fees that will impact the citizens of the township and pay more money then the BOS have to know. So they have to come to this Board first. Communications needs to get a lot better. Smith noted there are a lot of big issues that have to be worked out. He will bring this up at the BOS meeting next week.

Know motioned to recommend the activity fee be put in place. This was seconded by Nielsen. There was no further discussion and Walker called for a vote which was approved by all. (McBrairty was not in room at the time of the vote). Committee noted they will be starting this new fee Wednesday with baseball signups. Walker thanked the Board for taking over this endeavor. It is a large undertaking.

Smith stated that everyone knows who is on which Board and/or Committee. If you need anything, ask. Snyder felt a member from each Board should attend each other’s meeting. Years ago there was a liaison for the AA. from the Recreation Board and this liaison attended the AA meetings.

Smith noted he needed the $2,000 for the Gator that was approved last year.

Committee Reports –

Adult Recreation – Knox asked if we have received new rosters and financial reports from leagues that use our fields. There was discussion and it was determined that they would give tentative approval to use fields, give the leagues time to get their rosters and reports together for the new season but they must be turned in before they use the fields.

Baseball – sign ups start Wednesday.

Budgets – proposed budgets have been approved.

Egg Hunt – Candy has been ordered and it will be held on Friday, April 14, 2006 – rain or shine. If it rains the community center is already reserved.

Maintenance – Bellis noted he is going to get together with AA on purchasing items. The phone repairs will be discussed at that time.

Wrestling – McBrairty noted that the season is going well. Last weekend 14 of 15 placed in a tournament. Dave Sutton is doing a great job. Bellis stated he agrees with McBrairty, Sutton is doing a good job.

Cheering – McBrairty stated that everything went well this year and all uniforms have been collected.

Development – Young informed the Board of two items that are before the Planning Commission. Ross McLennan on George Court is requesting to subdivide his property had have a driveway down onto Eldridge Avenue. Board agreed that they request recreational fees if approved. Newlins Mill Road – The Norwood Co. is proposing the construction of a warehouse/mfg. company. Board agreed with recreational fees on this one also.

At this time there was discussion on new developments in the township that are being constructed and the recreation phase is not completed. Young made a motion to have the township planning director look into township ordinances that would require a developer to develop the recreation in the first phase of the development. Seconded by Knox and agreed by all.

Smith noted that developers keep coming to supervisors for extensions and Recreation Board members feel the supervisors should deny these requests. Young motioned to have the planning director contact the developer at the Starlite Estates and see when the parking improvements will be completed. This was required. Seconded by Bellis, and agreed by all.

Playground – Nielsen reported that so far three of the directors will be returning from last year. She asked if anyone knew if the play area at the Village at Mill Race will be ready for township use as she would like to have a playground session there this summer. This was discussed and Smith noted it a lot of it is ready for the developer to turn it over to the township but the economic filter system needs to be completed. Nielsen motioned that the Supervisors not extent any extensions that the developer would request for this development until these fields/play area are completed and turned over to the township. This was seconded by Worley and agreed by all. Board noted there are a lot of children in this area as well as Penn’s Grant and this would be an ideal place for a summer playground.

Soccer – Knox noted that since no one came forward for the position he is commissioner. They do have tentative sign up dates and will work with football on these sign ups.

Old Business –

Knox asked Smith if the storage area for soccer could be worked on this year. Smith reported that he spoke with Adams and it was going to be done.

Walker asked if the Parks regulations committee has a report. They have a meeting scheduled for next week and will report at the next meeting.

New business –

Request for Tracy school fields – Walker read a request to use Tracy fields for a 1 pitch softball tournament to be held on February 25^th. It will be a snowball tournament. It is supposed to be a lot of fun and they are expecting approximately 6 teams. Board had a discussion on the field remembering what happened with the soccer fields during a tournament that was played in the rain. They will have to pave port-johnnies placed as the water will not be turned in. Young noted he understood what they were doing and knows it is a lot of fun but he has a problem with the condition the fields could become, especially if it’s wet. On motion by Nielsen, seconded by Worley, and agreed by all, the Board voted to deny the request for the use of the field.

Grube reported that Bill Raven will not be using Tracy fields this year for any tournament; he is going to have all games played at Riverview.

Smith asked if anyone had any trophies for the community center cases please get them to him so they can have a nice display before the opening.

Nielsen made a motion to get the $2,000 to Bob Smith for the gator from the following accounts: $500 from Capital Equipment; $500 from Maintenance and $1,000 from Miscellaneous. This motion was seconded by Worley, and agreed by all.

Worley asked Bob Smith to check on the soda agreement that has to do with the community center. Since it is with Coca Cola will that have any impact on what they sell in the concession stands.

Slate of Officers - Will stay the same for this year. When election was taken last year it was for two years.

On motion by Nielsen, seconded by Knox, and agreed by all, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Diane Grube, Corr. Sec.