Special Meeting March 5, 2009
Killingworth Park and Recreation Commission
Special Meeting March 5, 2009
1. Call to order
The Killingworth Park and Recreation Commission held a special meeting on Thursday, March 5, 2009, at 7:00 PM at the Haddam-Killingworth Middle School, Route 81, Killingworth, Connecticut.
Present: Dan Colonia
Scot Thomas
Susan Dean
Glen Johnson
Absent: John Machold
Bill Silas
Visitors: Eric Auer Chris Kelly Gina Regolo
Richard Cabral Cathy Iino John McMahon
Shelly Cumpstone Peter Cumpstone Gaylord Rockwell
Jere Adametz Robin Chasse Patricia Trapasso
Karen Johnstone Neal Lewis Joan Lewis
Doug Ewers Dave DeRita Peter DeRita
Thomas Abassi
Chairman Dan Colonia called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM.
2. Pledge of Allegiance – The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3. Wettish Property Development
Chairman Dan Colonia welcomed the visitors to the information meeting and explained that he would give an overview of the Wettish project (a copy of his slide presentation is attached to these minutes) and entertain any questions that arose. Dan presented a property overview including purchase details and property features. He went on to discuss the Park & Recreation Commission’s Master Plan Matrix and this project’s role in that matrix.
Dan then discussed the project’s funding and permitting, citing the STEAP Grant and the Town funds. Weston & Sampson’s involvement from the conceptual drawings through the final design was discussed at length. Dan detailed the design of 2 large fields and 2 small fields, with irrigation as the budget allows, ADA parking and paths, gravel access roads and 170 car parking area. Doug Ewers questioned the elevation difference between the fields and Dan explained there would be little difference and all runoff would be directed into catch basins. Dan also discussed features, such as a pavilion, that could be added to the project in the future. Karen Johnstone questioned the number of games to be played on the fields per day, and Dan cited Sheldon Field’s usage as a reference.
Dan went on to note that great attention was paid to minimized environmental impact. The preservation of 84% of the property’s stone walls and relocation of walls, where necessary, was discussed, as well as the fact that over 100 acres of trees was left untouched. Shelly Cumpstone questioned the roadside tree line. Dan explained that the trees along the road would not be touched, making the facility less visible from the street preserving its rural appeal. Robin Chasse questioned the ADA paving and Dan explained that only those specific ADA paths, 4 to 5 feet in width, would be paved. All other areas would be gravel to facilitate drainage.
Dan then discussed expected costs. The engineering estimate is $1.2M, but the Commission expects the actual cost to be significantly lower than that figure. Dan explained that initially irrigation would not be included on all of the fields, deferring some of the expense for future funding options such as grants, donations and fund raising efforts.
Robin Chasse questioned if the existing house had a well. Dan stated that the house had a very old artesian well that could not be used and went on to explain that Park & Recreation Commission had a new well drilled within the past months that yields 25-30 gal/min. Dan further explained that the bidding documents are now being reviewed for the second time and the Commission hopes to go out to bid within a couple of weeks.
John McMahon questioned the possibility of using prevailing wages for the STEAP Grant portion of the project and budget wages for the town funded portion. Dan relayed a conversation he had earlier in the day with his State of Connecticut contact. Any contractor for a project over $500K or sub-contractor over $25K must be prequalified by the State, and it is very difficult to separate expenses because when using STEAP funds, State guidelines must be followed. John then asked if construction could be separated into 2 projects and Dan agreed to further investigate that option.
Discussion then followed regarding the use of 1 access road and the number of parking spaces that would allow. Neal Lewis asked if a traffic study had been done and Dan stated that with 170 spaces a traffic study was not necessary. Shelly Cumpstone added that at the property’s location on Parker Hill Road there was 1000+ feet of open road with no curves. Dan went on to state that the access road was designed to allow buses to access the fields, but noted that the majority of the games to be held at the site were local games and therefore without busses. He noted that bus traffic would be very rare.
Thomas Abassi questioned if contractors were involved in estimating project costs and asked about hills, slopes and retaining walls on the property. Eric Auer explained that the engineer’s projected costs were very high and the project would likely cost significantly less. He also explained that the slope of the land was about 5–6% and retaining walls were not needed.
Dan discussed annual maintenance costs outlining $15–20K for grass cutting and $5-6K for fertilizing to properly maintain the fields, thereby doubling the annual Park & Recreation Commission budget. Neal Lewis questioned whether the cost to maintain Parker Hill Road would also increase.
Dan then discussed the schedule of approvals the project must receive after the bidding process and discussion followed regarding approval by Killingworth residents. Karen Johnstone questioned the Town Meeting notification procedure, stating that many Parker Hill Road residents are not notified. First Selectman Richard Cabral addressed the issue stating that all Town Meetings are advertised, in accordance with state statute, in the newspaper of record, which for Killingworth is The Hartford Courant. He further explained that Town Meetings are also advertised on Killingworthtoday.com as a courtesy because it is a source of information for town residents. Selectwoman Cathy Iino added that the Town would consider any other notification methods that were suggested. Shelly Cumpstone then commended the Commission for so well addressing the issues raised at the last informational session and serving the recreational needs of the Town.
Dan then concluded his presentation by thanking all those who have worked diligently to bring the project to this point, and assured those present that the Commission had worked very hard to preserve the rural appeal of the area. He then opened the meeting to further questions.
Neal Lewis questioned whether anyone could guarantee that the two-fold increase in the Commission’s budget would not be funded by a tax increase, and Board of Finance Chairman John McMahon assured that the funds for such an increase could come from many areas other than an increase in taxes. Cathy Iino questioned if schools use the fields, and Dan explained that schools occasionally ask to use the fields, but that schools, organizations or individuals are never charged for use of the Town’s recreational facilities. Joan Lewis questioned why out-of-town residents are not charged and detailed discussion followed. Dan explained that out-of-town groups would have neither the need nor the desire to use Killingworth’s facilities, but that STEAP Grant guidelines prohibit charging anyone for field use. Shelly Cumpstone noted that anyone wishing to reserve any of Killingworth’s fields must submit an application for approval by the Commission and Dan added that out-of-town applications are never received. Karen Johnstone questioned how the number of fields in Killingworth, with the addition of Wettish fields, will compare to nearby, similar-sized towns. Dan explained that other towns will still have more fields than Killingworth, and went on to note that prior studies have shown that Killingworth needs even more fields than this Wettish project will provide. Dan explained that currently Sheldon Field is extremely overused and therefore in very poor condition.
Peter Cumpstone asked whether the $500K STEAP Grant amount was included in the $1.2M overall figure, and Dan replied that it was and only and additional $720K was needed. Eric Auer added that in today’s economic climate the amount of money needed should be significantly less than that figure.
Joan Lewis questioned whether the use of snowmobiles would be allowed on the site, and also what the fields’ hours of use would be. Dan explained that quiet activities, such as yoga classes, could start as early as 6 AM, but games would be scheduled only from 9 AM to dusk. Dan and Richard Cabral then explained the Killingworth ordinance prohibiting use of snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles on Town property, noted that this would be posted at the fields and suggested the police be notified if this ordinance is violated. Dan offered further suggestions for police notification to ease Parker Hill residents’ concerns.
Robin Chasse asked if solar power could be used at this park and Dan agreed to investigate that option further. Further discussion centered on the issue of speeding on Parker Hill Road. Richard Cabral addressed the issue as a town-wide problem, noting that Killingworth has used “smart” machines to monitor speeding on town roads in the past, but these devices do not capture speeders’ license plates so tickets cannot be issued. He explained the Resident Trooper is constantly issuing speeding tickets on all roads in town, but the Town would entertain any suggestions from residents to better combat this problem.
7. Adjournment
*A motion was made by Glenn Johnson and seconded by Scot Thomas to adjourn the meeting at 8:16 PM. Motion passed unanimously.
Special Meeting March 5, 2009
1. Call to order
The Killingworth Park and Recreation Commission held a special meeting on Thursday, March 5, 2009, at 7:00 PM at the Haddam-Killingworth Middle School, Route 81, Killingworth, Connecticut.
Present: Dan Colonia
Scot Thomas
Susan Dean
Glen Johnson
Absent: John Machold
Bill Silas
Visitors: Eric Auer Chris Kelly Gina Regolo
Richard Cabral Cathy Iino John McMahon
Shelly Cumpstone Peter Cumpstone Gaylord Rockwell
Jere Adametz Robin Chasse Patricia Trapasso
Karen Johnstone Neal Lewis Joan Lewis
Doug Ewers Dave DeRita Peter DeRita
Thomas Abassi
Chairman Dan Colonia called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM.
2. Pledge of Allegiance – The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3. Wettish Property Development
Chairman Dan Colonia welcomed the visitors to the information meeting and explained that he would give an overview of the Wettish project (a copy of his slide presentation is attached to these minutes) and entertain any questions that arose. Dan presented a property overview including purchase details and property features. He went on to discuss the Park & Recreation Commission’s Master Plan Matrix and this project’s role in that matrix.
Dan then discussed the project’s funding and permitting, citing the STEAP Grant and the Town funds. Weston & Sampson’s involvement from the conceptual drawings through the final design was discussed at length. Dan detailed the design of 2 large fields and 2 small fields, with irrigation as the budget allows, ADA parking and paths, gravel access roads and 170 car parking area. Doug Ewers questioned the elevation difference between the fields and Dan explained there would be little difference and all runoff would be directed into catch basins. Dan also discussed features, such as a pavilion, that could be added to the project in the future. Karen Johnstone questioned the number of games to be played on the fields per day, and Dan cited Sheldon Field’s usage as a reference.
Dan went on to note that great attention was paid to minimized environmental impact. The preservation of 84% of the property’s stone walls and relocation of walls, where necessary, was discussed, as well as the fact that over 100 acres of trees was left untouched. Shelly Cumpstone questioned the roadside tree line. Dan explained that the trees along the road would not be touched, making the facility less visible from the street preserving its rural appeal. Robin Chasse questioned the ADA paving and Dan explained that only those specific ADA paths, 4 to 5 feet in width, would be paved. All other areas would be gravel to facilitate drainage.
Dan then discussed expected costs. The engineering estimate is $1.2M, but the Commission expects the actual cost to be significantly lower than that figure. Dan explained that initially irrigation would not be included on all of the fields, deferring some of the expense for future funding options such as grants, donations and fund raising efforts.
Robin Chasse questioned if the existing house had a well. Dan stated that the house had a very old artesian well that could not be used and went on to explain that Park & Recreation Commission had a new well drilled within the past months that yields 25-30 gal/min. Dan further explained that the bidding documents are now being reviewed for the second time and the Commission hopes to go out to bid within a couple of weeks.
John McMahon questioned the possibility of using prevailing wages for the STEAP Grant portion of the project and budget wages for the town funded portion. Dan relayed a conversation he had earlier in the day with his State of Connecticut contact. Any contractor for a project over $500K or sub-contractor over $25K must be prequalified by the State, and it is very difficult to separate expenses because when using STEAP funds, State guidelines must be followed. John then asked if construction could be separated into 2 projects and Dan agreed to further investigate that option.
Discussion then followed regarding the use of 1 access road and the number of parking spaces that would allow. Neal Lewis asked if a traffic study had been done and Dan stated that with 170 spaces a traffic study was not necessary. Shelly Cumpstone added that at the property’s location on Parker Hill Road there was 1000+ feet of open road with no curves. Dan went on to state that the access road was designed to allow buses to access the fields, but noted that the majority of the games to be held at the site were local games and therefore without busses. He noted that bus traffic would be very rare.
Thomas Abassi questioned if contractors were involved in estimating project costs and asked about hills, slopes and retaining walls on the property. Eric Auer explained that the engineer’s projected costs were very high and the project would likely cost significantly less. He also explained that the slope of the land was about 5–6% and retaining walls were not needed.
Dan discussed annual maintenance costs outlining $15–20K for grass cutting and $5-6K for fertilizing to properly maintain the fields, thereby doubling the annual Park & Recreation Commission budget. Neal Lewis questioned whether the cost to maintain Parker Hill Road would also increase.
Dan then discussed the schedule of approvals the project must receive after the bidding process and discussion followed regarding approval by Killingworth residents. Karen Johnstone questioned the Town Meeting notification procedure, stating that many Parker Hill Road residents are not notified. First Selectman Richard Cabral addressed the issue stating that all Town Meetings are advertised, in accordance with state statute, in the newspaper of record, which for Killingworth is The Hartford Courant. He further explained that Town Meetings are also advertised on Killingworthtoday.com as a courtesy because it is a source of information for town residents. Selectwoman Cathy Iino added that the Town would consider any other notification methods that were suggested. Shelly Cumpstone then commended the Commission for so well addressing the issues raised at the last informational session and serving the recreational needs of the Town.
Dan then concluded his presentation by thanking all those who have worked diligently to bring the project to this point, and assured those present that the Commission had worked very hard to preserve the rural appeal of the area. He then opened the meeting to further questions.
Neal Lewis questioned whether anyone could guarantee that the two-fold increase in the Commission’s budget would not be funded by a tax increase, and Board of Finance Chairman John McMahon assured that the funds for such an increase could come from many areas other than an increase in taxes. Cathy Iino questioned if schools use the fields, and Dan explained that schools occasionally ask to use the fields, but that schools, organizations or individuals are never charged for use of the Town’s recreational facilities. Joan Lewis questioned why out-of-town residents are not charged and detailed discussion followed. Dan explained that out-of-town groups would have neither the need nor the desire to use Killingworth’s facilities, but that STEAP Grant guidelines prohibit charging anyone for field use. Shelly Cumpstone noted that anyone wishing to reserve any of Killingworth’s fields must submit an application for approval by the Commission and Dan added that out-of-town applications are never received. Karen Johnstone questioned how the number of fields in Killingworth, with the addition of Wettish fields, will compare to nearby, similar-sized towns. Dan explained that other towns will still have more fields than Killingworth, and went on to note that prior studies have shown that Killingworth needs even more fields than this Wettish project will provide. Dan explained that currently Sheldon Field is extremely overused and therefore in very poor condition.
Peter Cumpstone asked whether the $500K STEAP Grant amount was included in the $1.2M overall figure, and Dan replied that it was and only and additional $720K was needed. Eric Auer added that in today’s economic climate the amount of money needed should be significantly less than that figure.
Joan Lewis questioned whether the use of snowmobiles would be allowed on the site, and also what the fields’ hours of use would be. Dan explained that quiet activities, such as yoga classes, could start as early as 6 AM, but games would be scheduled only from 9 AM to dusk. Dan and Richard Cabral then explained the Killingworth ordinance prohibiting use of snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles on Town property, noted that this would be posted at the fields and suggested the police be notified if this ordinance is violated. Dan offered further suggestions for police notification to ease Parker Hill residents’ concerns.
Robin Chasse asked if solar power could be used at this park and Dan agreed to investigate that option further. Further discussion centered on the issue of speeding on Parker Hill Road. Richard Cabral addressed the issue as a town-wide problem, noting that Killingworth has used “smart” machines to monitor speeding on town roads in the past, but these devices do not capture speeders’ license plates so tickets cannot be issued. He explained the Resident Trooper is constantly issuing speeding tickets on all roads in town, but the Town would entertain any suggestions from residents to better combat this problem.
7. Adjournment
*A motion was made by Glenn Johnson and seconded by Scot Thomas to adjourn the meeting at 8:16 PM. Motion passed unanimously.
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