PR11-02-2021Min PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
LONGWOOD CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS
175 WEST WARREN AVENUE
LONGWOOD, FLORIDA
MINUTES
November 2, 2021
Present: David Putz, Chair
Amanda Sackett, Vice-Chair
Judi Coad, Member
Lori Rice, Member
Larissa Morgan, Member
Chris Capizzi, Leisure Services Director
Ryan Rinaldo, Recreation Coordinator
Donna L.Alt-Bowes, Recording Secretary
Absent: Teresa Ray, Member
Rachael Carroll, Member
1. CALL TO ORDER. Chair Putz called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.
2. PUBLIC INPUT. None.
3. ACTION ITEMS.
A. Approve Minutes from September 7, 2021
Member Rice moved to approve the minutes from September 7, 2021, as
presented. Seconded by Member Sackett and carried by a unanimous voice vote
with Member Ray and Member Carroll absent.
B. Chili Cook-Off
Mr. Capizzi advised the Board Members there are currently eleven (11)teams entered in
the Chili Cook-Off and possibly one (1) more signing up.
Discussion ensued with regard to the sponsors, volunteer positions,judges, and supplies
for the Chili Cook-Off.
4. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.
Chair Putz reported and passed out pictures from past Chili Cook-Off events. He asked staff
how often staff cleaned up after the ducks.
Mr. Rinaldo said the deck is cleaned weekly but deep cleaned every four (4) months.
P&R 11-02-2021/1
Chair Putz suggested cleaning it more often. He asked if there was a clean-up crew after the
Farmer's Market because he has been rolling over eggs and produce.
Mr. Rinaldo said yes.
Chair Putz asked about the Farmer's Market sign and when it would be removed.
Mr. Capizzi said we would be taking it down shortly. He said it was left up so people would
be advised of the change to Saturdays.
Chair Putz asked about the lights on the courts at Reiter Park and how long they are on at
night.
Discussion ensued with regard to the lights on the tennis/basketball courts and the hours of
the park.
Chair Putz advised staff of a comment from a Farmer's Market vendor regarding dogs at the
Farmer's Market at Reiter Park.
Discussion ensued with regard to dogs in Reiter Park.
Chair Putz asked if there is a capacity on Reiter Park.
Mr. Capizzi said we do not have an official capacity.
Chair Putz said he got two (2) calls about the bounce houses and said he called Mr. Capizzi
and the Chief of Police and asked about the control over the bounce houses at the Truck or
Treat event.
Mr. Capizzi said the first half-hour of the event, we had one employee over there between
two (2) bounces and the obstacle course and it was not enough. He said we were able to
get someone over there about a half-hour into the event and it was fine after that.
Discussion ensued with regard to the bounce houses and the Truck or Treat event.
Vice-Chair Sackett reported and said National Night Out was great. She asked about the
water fountains over by the tennis courts and if they would be fixed soon.
Mr. Capizzi said he was unaware they were not working and would look into it. He said all
of the fountains around the baseball fields work perfectly. He said the ones by the futsal
court and the tennis court are older fountains and they probably have not been replaced.
He said they are replacing fountains in need and he will check with the Park Supervisor to
see what the deal is with those fountains.
P&R 11-02-2021/2
Vice-Chair Sackett asked staff about the construction taking place on Longdale Avenue and
whether or not the stuff in the parking lot can be consolidated so the parking can be better
at Candyland Park.
Mr. Capizzi said that is a Public Works question but that Candyland Park will be getting a
new asphalt road out of the project.
Discussion ensued with regard to the asphalt going in at Candyland Park.
Member Rice reported and said thank you to all of the volunteers, staff, and Commissioners
that participated with National Night Out, and congratulations to the Fire Department on
another win. She said the weather was good and looks forward to staff sharing with the
entire Board the event synopsis. The new layout was good and it worked out well. She
hopes next year Gus can come and that we can request to have the Senator Mobile
Traveling Exhibit at any of our events. She said December begins the construction of the
trail connector and with that in mind, it would be a good time to pull out the cable running
alongside the park.
Mr. Capizzi said several pieces of Public Works machinery are down right now which
including the forklift. We would utilize the forklift to take the cable out. He said that is a
project we would like to do this winter in our downtime.
Discussion ensued with regard to removing the cable.
Member Rice said she was looking forward to the holiday decorations. She sees that the
amphitheater and the pavilions already have their lights. The Agenda needs to reflect the
Farmer's Market is now on Saturdays. She asked staff to give the Board an update on the
Sports in the Park arrangement and asked about updating the court rentals to include
pickleball and provided information from other cities for staff to review.
Discussion ensued with regard to the rental fees in other cities for pickleball courts.
Member Rice said she was excited for the County to have opened up its online reservation
system. At the Commission meeting last night Commissioner Morgan had an idea to have a
Holiday Lighting Contest in our City and the Mayor thought that this was something that
belonged under Leisure Services. This is why she is bringing the idea to staff. She thinks it
could be run similar to how they ran the cutest dog contest.
Discussion ensued with regard to the Holiday Lighting Contest and how it would be
managed.
Member Morgan reported she attended some of the historic events which were fun. She
was shocked at how busy Truck or Treat was and that was great. She said they did Monster
Dash and came in dead last. National Night Out was fun. It was the first time she worked it
as part of the City and she was proud of that. She talked about the event she wants to do in
June and thinks she has a dance troupe interested. She also mentioned that Hawaiian
P&R 11-02-2021/3
Airlines has a hub here in Orlando. She wants to talk to staff to come up with an email that
could be sent in hopes of having them come on board as a participant and/or sponsor.
Discussion ensued with regard to the event in June of 2022.
Member Coad reported and asked about a post she saw on the NextDoor App about Sports
at Reiter Park four (4) days a week for an hour on different age groups at$45.00 per person
and wanted to know if we were getting something out of this.
Mr. Capizzi said yes, it is an 80/20 split.
Member Coad said National Night Out was fun and she always looks forward to working
with the Board Members and the Commissioners for the event. She said it is fun, it worked
out well and every year it gets better and better.
Discussion ensued with regard to sponsors for the Chili Cook-Off.
Member Coad said it is time for Celebrate the Season.
Discussion ensued with regard to volunteers needed, bounce houses, the train,the ponies,
Santa's letters, Santa's Workshop, costume characters, food vendors, and the laser show for
Celebrate the Season.
Member Coad said Santa's Breakfast is coming up and she would like it to be a fundraiser
for this Board. We can discuss this further at the next Board meeting. She asked when all
of the decorating was going to be completed in the City.
Mr. Capizzi said Clark Sales did not give a specific time frame but they started last week as
you can tell from Reiter Park. They are probably going to have everything up by the Arts
and Crafts Festival.
Discussion continued with regard to the laser light show, food vendors, and the water bill
flyer for Celebrate the Season.
5. STAFF REPORT.
Mr. Capizzi said they did bring the banners and proceeded to show all of the banners to the
Board Members.
Discussion ensued with regard to the banners that will be purchased for 434 banner
sponsors.
Mr. Capizzi said there is no real change in the 131 Fund since it just reset. He said he
wanted to touch base on the Fit Kids Program. He explained the Fit Kids Program at Reiter
Park to the Board.
P&R 11-02-2021/4
Mr. Capizzi gave an update on pickleball and said he is waiting on the Notice of
Commencement from the state in order to begin moving forward with the pickleball
project. He said completion will be after the first of the year.
Member Coad asked if the bathrooms at Candyland Park have been fixed.
Mr. Capizzi said yes.
Member Coad asked about the work that was being done at the skate park and the pump
track.
Mr. Capizzi explained to the Board Members about the work being done on the new
obstacles at the skate park and the pump track.
Member Rice asked for clarification of the amounts on the 131 Fund reports.
Discussion ensued with regard to the 131 Fund report.
Mr. Capizzi asked Member Rice to please send him an email with her concerns and to please
copy the Finance Director,Judith Rosado, on the email.
6. ADJOURNMENT.
Chair Putz moved to adjourn. Seconded by Member Coad and carried by a
unanimous voice vote with Members Carroll and Ray absent.
Meeting adjourned at 8:06 p.m.
Minutes approved by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: 12-7-2021
44,043743)David Putz, Cha
ATTEST:
Donna Alt-Bowes, Recording Secretary
P&R 11-02-2021/5
This Page Left Blank Intentionally.
P&R 11-02-2021/6