2026-10-21 - Parks and Recreation Committee

00:00:01Thank you very much. So I'm going to be starting off the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting. I'm present today as Councilperson Pungo and council person Natalie Santos, as well as Councilperson

00:00:16Affa and Council President Napoli. I'm going to be running the meeting today. I'm councilperson Santos is remote so it should be a little bit easier. So Bill 75, bill 75 amends the 2026 Golf Fund to accommodate an upgrade of the Greenskeeper position and the maintenance mechanic.

00:00:33Three in the Golf Funds Grounds maintenance program. The Greenskeeper position currently in M6 would be upgraded to a proposed pay grade of M21 and retitled to Assistant Superintendent. The Maintenance Mechanic three position currently an M14 would be upgraded to a proposed pay grade of M20 and retitled to Golf Course Equipment Tech.

00:00:52These upgrades allow for pay structure that better reflects job duties while maintaining consistency with compensation for similar roles across the region. Thank you very much. Administration, do you have any or. Sure. I'd like to. I'll start off by saying that these.

00:01:06That. This also went through the reclassification Committee with a positive recommendation. And this is a self-sustaining enterprise fund that, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's a fund that generates user fees that pays for these

00:01:20things. I'll turn it over to our director of Parks and Recreation. Thank you. Yeah. So the one the position for the assistant superintendent proposed is currently vacant. It's been vacant for about six months. We really have a hard time trying to fill that role with someone who's going to have the certifications required.

00:01:38So that's going to be very helpful to have that higher starting pay rate for an assistant superintendent to support the existing superintendent out there. And the equipment tech is a highly specialized role as well.

00:01:51So this is compared to other golf courses in the Lehigh Valley. This brings those roles into the same alignment with roles that other municipal golf courses. And so far the golf course is operating really well.

00:02:03And I think this is one of the final pieces that's going to help I'll continue to support them in their work out there. Thank you. And I really appreciate that this again, went through the same process. I think it's a good thing to see.

00:02:15Is there any questions on the dais? Anyone any questions? I just have a statement. This is one of the finest golf courses in the Lehigh Valley.

00:02:27I don't play anymore, but I do go there and so many people that I know play. And I always ask them, how was the course? Oh my God, it was excellent. So you must have had a really good season. We didn't have much rain and, and probably be in the black again.

00:02:41We're always in the black, aren't we? Yeah. This year the projected revenues are a little bit above target, I think maybe 5% above what they projected. So it's going really well out there. They're always busy. They've are starting to use a new software that allows people to schedule ahead of time.

00:02:57And if there's openings that you can fill them in. So they're thinking they might even come ahead a little bit more than anticipated. And it was just in this Sunday's paper, the driving range was voted People's Choice best driving range in Lehigh Valley.

00:03:12So a lot of good things happening out at the golf course for sure. I always agree to keep that maintain like that because that that basically is a money maker for the city of Allentown. Yeah, they do agree to play there.

00:03:25Thank you. Thank you. Any questions from the public on Bill 75? I'll entertain a motion to proceed. I'll make a motion to forward a second.

00:03:38I'll second that. All those in favor? Aye. Is there any updates you wanted to provide from the Parks Department? Sure. I have a few quick updates. Thank you for the opportunity. I wanted to highlight the some of the events coming up in the next few weeks.

00:03:54So the Halloween walking parade is on actual Halloween this year. So if anyone's interested in attending or giving out candy, let us know. There's always space and it's a really fun event. It's from 11 to 2 on Saturday the 31st.

00:04:08And then Dia is the next day on Sunday, which will be in the arts park. We're gearing up for lights in the parkway as well, so the tickets are on sale now. And we're also looking for organizations who want to volunteer to be there to fundraise for their organizations and volunteers who are able to

00:04:27help run the event. So anybody that's interested definitely reach out to the Parks Department. Our recreation program, we are in our basketball season. So we have our winter league and our king and queen, the court programs that are currently open.

00:04:42And I also wanted to highlight just a few of our capital projects that are moving right now. Bogert's bridge is continuing and we anticipate by the end of this year pedestrians will be able to use it.

00:04:56So the project will continue into 27 with some paving leading up to the actual bridge. But we anticipate that the bridge will be open and usable for pedestrians in the park by the end of this year, which is really exciting. So that's really looking forward to that opening back up again.

00:05:14And we are doing some resurfacing at the Cedar playground, which will likely cause it to be closed for a month, either in the fall or the spring. So just making a kind of an announcement about that since this is such a popular place for families to go.

00:05:31So once we know the schedule, we'll get it out right away. But we are replacing that safety surfacing underneath the play equipment. And lastly, this Friday, the mayor's office in conjunction with the Parks Department is going to be at Fifth Street Playlot to have some community

00:05:48conversations to see what the community would like to see in that park also known as old fairgrounds. So that's this Friday afternoon. We're going to have some fire pits and s'mores and just kind of chat with the neighbors and see what people want to see and what improvements

00:06:03they'd like to see happen in Fifth Street. Playlot. See, now I'm embarrassed. She's such a better updater than me. Thank you so much. If there's nothing else, I'll adjourn this meeting.

00:06:17Thank you. Thanks.