TOWN OF SOUTH HERO
Recreation Committee Meeting
Minutes
September 27, 2022 at 700 PM at the Town Beach
- Meeting opened by Phil at 7:09 PM
- Attendance — Phil Scott (acting Chair) ; Jessica Jackson ; Dylan Degree ; Dave Hobbs
(acting Scribe) ; Carol Tremble (remote – Zoom) ; Marion Palermo (remote –
Zoom) Absent — Chuck Hulse , David Lane , Rosemary Zamore
Mandy Hotchkiss has resigned but she volunteers to help out when needed
(thanks Mandy!)
III) Commission voting quorum was clarified as follows:
There are 9 voting members — Majority of those is 5 votes — that number is
necessary to pass on important activities brought up by the Commission
- IV) Activities
- Beach Task Force —
After visiting the Town Beach, this Task Force made a number of recommendations as follows:
The Commission supports the Task Force concept unanimously (9 for, 0 against) and approved of items #1, #2, #3, #4, #5. #8, #9 as well as holding off on #6 ,#7 for now.
Beach Task Force Recommendations:
- Playground equipment-plenty of room at the west end of the grassy area for a 30 x20 playground and to purchase the set Dylan has found for $2500.
- One additional swinging bench the same as we now have to be placed east of the current one with a view between two trees-$2,000.
- Volleyball area needs more sand and leveling and Dylan has researched the cost to be about $3000.
- Trim the weeds and brush around the sign and recommend moving the sign closer to the road to open up more area. Road crew to do.
- Wooden picnic table needs new boards and we suggest two more plastic tables at $500 each.6. We looked at the area for potential fire pits as suggested by Jessica and discussed cleaning out the ashes might be a task to be assigned and we recommend putting the firepits on hold for future.
- We like the suggestion of a raft but would have to have a sturdy mooring or the raft may drift in as the buoys are want to do. Recommend putting on hold.
- Trees seem to be leaning into grassy area and have dead limbs- We recommend having a forester look at them and report on their health.
- The fence is showing signs of rot and broken areas so we recommend replacing it in the near future.
**Maintenance costs including mowing (presently this is being paid to a local worker) and trash cleanup. Trash pickup is customarily handled by those who use the beach on a voluntary basis. Annual pickup currently has been facilitated by South Hero Land Trust on Green-up Day. Dylan has volunteered to present the possibility of reimbursement for regular cleanup to Selectboard.
** A motion was made and unanimously approved to spend up to $8500 for Beach improvements and maintenance**
- Town Park additions suggested and agreed to by Commission as below: Walking Trails; Basketball Court; Frisbee Golf Course
- Ski-ride program
This very popular program at Smuggler’s Notch apparently has instituted new rules restricting the minimum age of children taking advantage of their wonderful ski/board lesson program which could apply to schoolchildren in the South Hero Rec program. Crystal Nase has been active and effective in organizing for the Rec Commission and is trying to see that lower grade children at the same school grade level will not be treated differently from their older classmates.
- Tryathalon: need to order and pay for T-shirts next event
- V) Budget Question?
We would like authorities in State Law to answer: If an item is budgeted
one fiscal year but the money had not been used by the following fiscal year, can it be used that next year?
VI ) Publicity
Phil volunteered to Coordinate Public Information for the town website and the Bulletin Board at the Town Office ( thru Skip Brown or Naomi King ) and various other sources of information such as “The Islander” ,”Front Porch Forum”, recorded meetings, etc.
- VI) Meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM