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HR Meeting Minutes - 07.16.2024 - FINALHEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2024 HYBRID FORMAT IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIA ZOOM HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES, JULY 16, 2024 PAGE 1 | 7 1. ROLL CALL Present- Committee Members: Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman (virtual) and Committee Members Pat Nolan, Lisa Post and Kathy Ryan Staff: Recreation Director Michael Labagh, Aquatics Superintendent Kacy Carmichael, Recreation Services Superintendent Jerrica Miller, General Government Intern Arnell Wade, Aquatics Supervisor Zak Kornhauser, Recreation Services Supervisor Mike Atencio, Programs Supervisor Luke Herron and Town Manager Eric Heil Town Council: Mayor Amy Phillips Absent- Committee Members: Sonia Martinez, Courtney Walters Rawson and Committee Chairman Kevin Hyatt Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman opened the meeting at 12:05 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Committee Member Kathy Ryan made a motion to approve the agenda, Committee Member Pat Nolan seconded to approve the agenda. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman declared the agenda approved. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MAY 2024 MEETING MINUTES Committee Member Pat Nolan made a motion to approve the minutes from the May 21, 2024 meeting. Committee Member Kathy Ryan seconded the motion and Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman declared the minutes approved. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT No public comments were made, however, Kathy Ryan expressed a concern on behalf of her neighbor, John Brennan at 414 West Beaver Creek Blvd regarding accessibility in the park. Mayor Amy Phillips explained that she has received a handwritten note from John. 5. BUSINESS ITEMS 5.1 Recreation Department Update Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared attendance numbers from May and June as well as comparators to previous year’s data. He explained that even though we have seen a dip in attendance, we are still seeing a general increase in admissions through the year. He provided facility updates including new lobby furniture and the addition of a second vending machine. The goal is to have more healthy options available. The lighting upgrades are 90% complete, including the high bay and low bay lighting. The final step is to install the lights near the waterslide. Recreation Director Labagh thanked the Town’s Facilities Division team who have been rotating who supervises the afterhours project. The Committee and Attendees commented/inquired: HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2024 HYBRID FORMAT IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIA ZOOM HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES, JULY 16, 2024 PAGE 2 | 7 A. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman inquired if any pool patrons have complained about the lights being too bright. a. Aquatics Superintendent Kacy Carmichael answered that she has not received any complaints. Recreation Director Michael Labagh also answered that a few lap swimmers have made general comments, but no serious complaints. Recreation Director Michael Labagh continued the update by talking about the day camp shirts and new logo being a hit. Then Programs Supervisor Luke Herron provided a programming update including his efforts to put out a new Recreation Department Newsletter. He also spoke on the revived kickball league that has made a comeback from its last offering in 2008. B. Pat Nolan inquired what age group attends kickball? a. Program Supervisor Luke Herron replied 18 and over. C. Committee Member Kathy Ryan inquired what time the volleyball league is done at night? She then provided feedback about parties going on late at night at the volleyball court. a. Programs Supervisor Luke Herron replied that the volleyball league wraps up around 8:00 p.m., so participants playing volleyball late at night are from the public. Recreation Services Supervisor Mike Atencio shared information about the new B ody Composition measuring scale by the company InBody. A. Committee Member Kathy Ryan inquired if obese people are seeking to use this new machine? a. Recreation Services Supervisor Mike Atencio shared that when offering an assessment for the most part he sees people that are in the normal range that want to fine -tune their body mass with adding muscle or losing fat. He wants to advertise to the community to reach more people on the extremes, either overweight or underweight. B. Committee Member Pat Nolan inquired how long the program is and what is included? a. Recreation Services Supervisor Mike Atencio explained that it is 8 weeks and participants are weighed every 2 weeks. They look at what they are eating, the frequency of exercise and help them incorporate healthier habits and routines. Staff do not give an exact diet because they are not certified nutritionists. The participants in the program compete with one another, but their names are kept confidential. C. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman inquired if the program was shared in the newsletter? a. Recreation Services Supervisor said it would be included in the next Recreation Department newsletter. Recreation Director Michael Labagh explained that the department created their own newsletter since program offerings have increased. D. Committee Member Pat Nolan inquired about new days and times for Rummikub Social Club so she can include it in her newsletter. a. Programs Supervisor Luke Herron replied that he would confirm with her via email. Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared that the department is selling new items at the recreation center and now at AvonLive! concerts. A. Committee Member Kathy Ryan inquired if she could get her own Camp Avon shirt? HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2024 HYBRID FORMAT IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIA ZOOM HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES, JULY 16, 2024 PAGE 3 | 7 a. Recreation Services Superintendent Jerrica Miller said we are looking into developing shirts to sell to the public. Recreation Director Michael Labagh continued his presentation with a Fall program update including the pickleball league, Pumpkin Carving Fun Run, Babysitter’s Training, family programming, and Adult Field Trips. He asked the Committee if there are there any programs you would like to see the Town prioritize? A. Committee Member Kathy Ryan commented that her neighbor John would like to see infrastructure improvements prioritized over entertainment. He has fallen and feels the bike path around the lake is not passable on his tricycle. B. Committee Member Kathy Ryan inquired about the path between the retainer pond and the lake, is it going to remain loose gravel? She commented that the gravel seems to be scattering already and she was taken by surprise that it was not solid. She also inquired what the digging was in the grass to the north of the stage. a. Recreation Director Michael Labagh explained that the digging in that area was for the lake aeration project and that landscaping still needs to be completed. b. Town Manager Eric Heil explained that a path was never envisioned for that area, so staff were asked to add an informal path that was a little better than the dirt path that it was. It would cost about $100,000 to become a formal path, designed by an engineer and added to the C apital Improvement Plan budget. It would also require a small bridge for the water outlet. C. Committee Member Kathy Ryan said the path is great but would like to request that it is not open to bicycles. D. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman inquired about the timeline for the paved path project that is still under construction. a. Town Manager Eric Heil explained that the soil tests came back with undesirable results, so some areas needed to be dug up and replaced with new soil so the pavement can be supported. He thanked the group for their patience and understanding while all paths are completed. There are still some obstacles to building the new path between the railroad and Eagle River Water & Sanitation District building. E. Committee Member Kathy Ryan inquired about a rumor about the railroad tracks going back into use? a. Town Manager Eric Heil explained that Avon is on the periphery of this decision. b. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman added that this decision is currently sitting with the Supreme Court. F. Committee Member Pat Nolan complemented the parks, restrooms, musical instruments in the park and the beautiful flowers made a great experience for her grandchildren while visiting the park. 5.2 Nottingham Lake Operations Aquatics Supervisor Zak Kornhauser presented information about the Aquatics operations at Nottingham Lake. First, he informed the Committee about the beach swim area rope & anchor project. The buckets were removed, and new, heavier anchors were placed. He spoke about the Dunk-N-Dash race series and Open Water Swim Club programs. New this year is a Kid’s Dunk-N-Dash, which has had a few participants but also had a cancellation recently due to lightning and thunder. Beaver Creek XTERRA and USA Swimming Open Water Championships are not taking place this year, but instead the department is offering a Dunk-N-Dash Championship race on the last Monday of the program. The Championship will include medals for podium finishers. He explained that Open Water Swim Club is for avid swimmers and/or triathletes to practice open water swimming. HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2024 HYBRID FORMAT IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIA ZOOM HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES, JULY 16, 2024 PAGE 4 | 7 The Committee and Attendees commented/inquired: A. Mayor Amy Phillips inquired about how many participants were at Dunk-N-Dash. a. Aquatics Supervisor Zak Kornhauser answered 13 participants, 20 registered. Last week there were 18 participants. B. Committee Member Kathy Ryan shared that she had a U.S. Forrest Service representative check to make sure she had a personal flotation device (PFD). The person was in uniform, wearing a badge and writing tickets on Friday, July 5, 2024, around 1:30 p.m. She thinks that even a cardboard boat regatta will need to be wearing lifejackets. a. Recreation Director Michael Labagh thanked Committee Member Kathy Ryan for bringing this to our attention. Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared information about the boat docks and launch ramp. C. Committee Member Kathy Ryan inquired if there would be dead fish next spring? a. Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared that, hopefully not as many now that the lake is being aerated. b. Aquatics Supervisor Zak Kornhauser continued his presentation sharing with the Committee information on E. coli lake testing procedures. c. Town Manager Eric Heil inquired about testing for more things other than E. coli, to improve the environment for the fish. D. Committee Kathy Ryan commented that the lake is no longer “glass-like.” She understands now why, because of the aeration. E. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman shared that a pair of ospreys have been fishing at the lake, which is a good sign for the health of the environment. 5.3 Recreation Department Mission, Vision and Values Exercise Recreation Director Michael Labagh facilitated a Mission, Vision and Values exercise, the same exercise that was conducted with part-time staff at the May Recreation All-Staff meeting. He shared that today’s results will help form the department’s new mission, vision and values statements for the Recreation Department. Recreation Director Labagh asked the committee, “what do we do?” A. Kathy – create social connection B. Nancy – encourage physical activity C. Kathy – maintain physical resources like buildings, etc. D. Pat – offer a variety of opportunities, including a wide variety of programs E. Amy – service a diverse range of age groups F. Kathy – hire qualified staff G. Lisa – promote safety H. Nancy – provide a safe space for activities I. Nancy – educate people on best practices for recreating safely Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared the word cloud for this question from the Recreation Department part-time staff. The goal over the last few years has been to offer community focused recreation programs and services so he was pleased to see community as the top word in the word cloud. HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2024 HYBRID FORMAT IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIA ZOOM HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES, JULY 16, 2024 PAGE 5 | 7 Recreation Director Labagh asked the committee, “what gets in the way?” A. Amy – money B. Nancy – Space C. Kathy – people D. Kathy – facilities E. Lisa – technology F. Kathy – weather G. Pat – communication H. Eric – employee vacancies I. Amy – lack of staffing and housing for staffing J. Kathy – locals’ attitudes Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared the word cloud that had “patrons” and “facility-rules” as the largest words and that staff have improved their processes to holding users accountable for their behavior. Mayor Amy Phillips shared that there has been a noticeable decrease in civility in interactions with government staff. Recreation Director Michael Labagh mentioned that we have improved maintenance delays thanks to Recreation Services Supervisor Mike Atencio’s efficiencies. Recreation Director Michael Labagh also mentioned that parking over the winter was challenging but did solve the main issue of keeping parking available for Recreation Center patrons and staff. A. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman commented that parking is a minor convenience that people will just take some time to get used to. Recreation Director Labagh asked the committee, “what can we do better?” A. Nancy – Listen B. Pat – you do a great job C. Kathy- service vehicles need to slow down in the park D. Nancy – advertise programming E. Lisa – music technology in the rooms, television channels F. Kathy – infrastructure G. Kathy – continue with the flexibility of programming, it’s been amazing this year H. Nancy – increase community access I. Lisa – ice and snow removal, north entrance is bad J. Pat – ice on handicap parking K. Amy – handicap parking spots that were out of order, provide signage to share where the other spots L. Amy – people giving directions should not assume everyone knows North/South/East/West orientations M. Lisa – new front desk folks don’t always greet customers (not Daniel), rare, but noticeable N. Lisa – keep gym wipes stocked O. Lisa – sweep the West Studio after birthday parties, clean mid-day Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared the word cloud from Recreation Department part-time staff, which included “communication,” “Spanish” and “maintenance” were the largest words. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were identified as needing more attention and training. Recreation Director Michael Labagh explained too that we’ve added communication with part-time staff about patron conduct consequences and accountability. He feels this is going well and has turned into improved conflict resolution with patrons. HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2024 HYBRID FORMAT IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIA ZOOM HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES, JULY 16, 2024 PAGE 6 | 7 The Committee and Attendees commented/inquired: A. Committee Member Kathy Ryan inquired if Recreation Center staff are provided a ski pass? a. Recreation Director Michael Labagh explained that no, but we offer a $900 winter seasonal bonus for part- time staff in place of a ski pass. B. Committee Vice Chairman Nancy Tashman inquired about when the last Community Survey was conducted? a. Recreation Director Michael Labagh explained that the Community Survey no longer includes Recreation - specific questions, instead the Recreation Department will now have its own survey that is conducted every 3 years. The next Recreation Survey will be conducted in 2025. Recreation Director Labagh asked the committee, “what are our values?” A. Kathy- Fun B. Nancy – safety C. Pat – respect D. Lisa – equal access, affordability E. Nancy – variety F. Amy – excellence G. Lisa – welcoming H. Lisa – taco bar I. Nancy – service Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared the word cloud from Rec reation Department part-time staff that had “respect,” “integrity,” “knowledge,” “teamwork,” “honesty,” “health” and “ethics” as larger words. He then shared the Town of Avon’s Vision and culture statement. He shared that at the September meeting new statements for the department will be provided to the committee for review. 6. OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS A. Committee Member Kathy Ryan commented that diversity is part of our challenge, because there is a lot of people using the facilities that do not follow the rules. Sidewalks were blocked yesterday by a group of people. How do we preserve our culture? The aerobic ladies could not walk through. There were over 100 people, that had “religious intonations.” a. Recreation Director Michael Labagh explained that there was a group that did not obtain a special event permit for a gathering of over 50 people. They did reserve a picnic shelter, but not a special event permit. Mike Pasquarella from Special Events spoke to them. Recreation Director Michael Labagh met with the special events team this morning and will speak with this group to let them know what is permitted moving forward. B. Town Manager Eric Heil directed his comments to Committee Ryan explaining that first we must learn about the group and that it is not always a police issue. It may have been better for this group to use a concierge service but we are also short on Code Enforcement Officers. We do not want people to have a bad experience when visiting Avon. He also mentioned the repeated unsafe behavior of people diving off the stage into the lake into shallow water. Also, visitation is down a bit, so he is requesting staff build flat budgets for 202 5. We have a large budget for a small town because of the revenues from visitors. HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2024 HYBRID FORMAT IN PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIA ZOOM HEALTH AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES, JULY 16, 2024 PAGE 7 | 7 C. Mayor Amy Phillips also responded that some immediate communication from Committee Member Kathy Ryan would have helped staff to take more immediate action. As a community we must work together to preserve our culture. D. Committee Member Kathy Ryan asked what is there to stop a bus load of visitors from bringing a large group to the beach. a. Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared that it is standard practice of camps and large groups to call around and make sure it is okay to bring a large group somewhere. b. Town Manager Eric Heil also explained that the incident that Committee Member Kathy Ryan was describing is a violation of our Town code. If they were collecting money, there would be additional violations. The Police Department is not always going to respond to non -emergencies, but staff should be prepared to call them in the absence of Code Enforcement Officers. c. Recreation Director Michael Labagh shared which staff are working in the parks and encouraged the Committee to call him as well when issues arise. d. Town Manager Eric Heil shared that more security cameras are being added to the park that can be viewed from the Police Department. e. Mayor Amy Phillips encouraged the Committee to be on the lookout for large groups in the park that are causing problems and to communicate with the Recreation Director. 7. ADJOURNMENT Recreation Director Michael Labagh asked if there was a motion to adjourn the meeting, and Committee Member Pat Nolan made the motion and Committee Member Kathy Ryan seconded the motion. Recreation Director Labagh declared the meeting adjourned at 1:33 p.m. Respectfully Submitted by Kacy Carmichael Aquatics Superintendent