RECEIVED DECEMBER 13, 2010 @ 8:30 A.M.
Michele R. Grande, Redding Town Clerk
2 pages
REDDING ATHLETIC FIELDS COMMITTEE
December 8, 2010
MEETING MINUTES
Present: Don Takacs, Liz Pelzar, Chris Hocker, Jan Dorenbosch, Paul Winstanley, Ted Auer
Absent: Paul Degener
Also present: Barry Blades (Blades & Goven), Rob Blick (Director Redding Park and Recreation Department)
Mr. Takacs called the December 8, 2010 meeting to order at 8:55 pm in the Redding Town Office Building.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: move to approve the minutes of the November 10 2010 meeting as submitted. Hocker, Pelzar. Approved. Unanimous.
SUMMARIZE FIELDS STATUS AND NEXT STEPS
The Zoning Commission held the continued Public Hearing prior to this meeting. The updated plans were reviewed and the issues raised by engineers Milone & MacBroom were addressed. The primary discussion centered on the possible need for blasting at the site and the issue of noise.
Blasting was only suggested by Mr. Blades if formidable rock removal were involved, since blasting could actually reduce the amount of noise and time required, when compared to other methods.
Mr. Blades had contacted the local Fire Marshal, who is the legal authority for blasting. On the issue of noise, a neighboring resident was concerned that an increase in field usage would result in an increase in noise with a negative impact on his quality of life. Committee members discussed the issue of noise. While the field usage will increase, it is not believed that the amount of noise will increase significantly. Mr. Winstanley noted that much of the noise is coming from games played on Field #1, since his group (soccer) played games on Field #1, not Field #2, during 2010.
The RAFC committee opted to request a 35-day extension rather than have the public hearing closed at this time. The next public hearing, followed by the RAFC meeting, will be January 12, 2010.
EVALUATE FUNDING OPTIONS
Mr. Takacs summarized the current status of funding. Approximately 10% of the $400,000 STEAP grant has been spent getting the project to this point. The Soccer Club commitment of $100,000 has been temporarily withdrawn since it is felt that adding football to the field would result in a loss of playing time for the soccer teams. Mr. Takacs reported the football group was contacted and they do not plan to make a major financial contribution to the field. Mr. Dorenbosch reported that the football group is satisfied with current facilities in Easton and Weston.
Discussion followed on the size of the field and the general feeling was to retain the current plan for a football sized field. Mr. Takacs suggested that the funding sources need to be reassessed. He suggested the group might request some level of funding from the Town, provided private funding falls short of the goal.
UPDATE STATUS OF 501(C)(3) FOR COLLECTION OF NEEDED FUNDS TO COMPLETE RCC #2
Mr. Hocker reported the IRS application for the 501(C)(3) has been submitted and official confirmation is pending.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting date is January 12, 2011 to be held immediately following the Zoning Commission Public Hearing.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:53 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Maday, Recording Secretary
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