2000-04-04
QUEENSBURY RECREATION COMMISSION
MINUTES OF MEETING
APRIL 4, 2000
Minutes of the regular meeting of the Recreation Commission of the Town of Queensbury
held Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at the Queensbury Town Office Building, Queensbury, New
York. Chairman Simmonds called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT:
Commissioners Auer, Hersh, LaBombard, Maine, Schachner and
Simmonds
ALSO
PRESENT:
Assistant Director Lovering and Director Hansen
ABSENT:
Commissioners Carusone (ex)
VISITORS:
Dan Luciano, Open Space Institute
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Commissioner Hersh made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Maine, to approve the
minutes of the March 7, 2000 meeting. There were no corrections and the motion was
unanimously approved by voice vote.
ÇOMMUNICATIONS AND REMARKS FROM VISITORS
The chairman welcomed Dan Luciano representing the Open Space Institute (OSI) and
after introductions, the Director distributed copies of the Hudson Pointe Nature Preserve
(HPNP) - Draft Conservation Easement Discussion Points. The Director explained that the
list included items that the commission, staff and the Town Counsel were concerned with.
Furthermore, he pointed out that the draft conservation easement seemed to be somewhat
inconsistent and in some areas more restrictive than the previously adopted HPNP
Management Plan.
Dan thanked the Commission for the opportunity to present OSI's viewpoint with regard to
the draft conservation easement. He proceeded' to explain that the document was not
"cast in stone' and that changes if warranted, were negotiable. Furthermore, he assured
the commission that OSI was more than receptive and would work cooperatively with the
Town to ensure that the conservation easement was a document that all parties could
work with. After reviewing and briefly discussing the "discussion points" Dan mentioned
that he saw nothing in the list that OSI would oppose. However, he requested additional
time to review the points especially paragraph items 4.2 & 4.12 (legal fees) and redraft a
revised easement. The director expressed his concerns with paragraph item 3.3 and 3.4
(canoe access, storage & picnic facilities/structure) and here again Dan indicated that OSI
would be receptive to permitting these items under the passive recreation activity
umbrella.
With regard to the management plan, Dan also suggested that the Hudson Pointe, Inc.
(HPI) group, because it no longer functioned as a viable entity, be removed as a part of
the "decision making" triumvirate, on matters concerning the nature preserve, in the
future. Dan volunteered to check on their (the HPI group) status anq if applicable, draft
on agreement removing them from the process.' The commission thanked Dan for his
willingness to listen to and to discuss the commission's concerns and invited him to stay
and share his expertise regarding the Queensbury Land Trust discussion.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Queensburv Land Trust UDdate
The director updated the commission on the progress of the formation of a Queensbury
Land Trust Agency and there were questions from the commission on the organization's
bylaws, articles of incorporation, board of director's make-up and funding. Dan Luciano
provided the commission with additional land trust data and Commissioner Schachner also
provided information on the Town of Wilton Land Conservancy. There was discussion on
the question of should the Recreation Commission and the Land Trust Agency be one and
the same and it was the consensus that this was not advisable and might in fact quite
possibly be illegal. Funding to support the agency and land donations to the land trust
were also discussed and the director explained that the Town Board would be apprised of
the status of the land trust formation at their meeting in May.
CORRESPONDENCE
The director briefly reviewed the items of correspondence included in their monthly packet.
There were comments on the soccer "T" shirt donation and the news articles detailing the
Queensbury School pool incident (video taping).
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NEW BUSINESS
Glens Falls Rotary Club Project
Chairman Simmonds advised the commission of her Rotary Club project plans (to expend
$5000. on a community project) and requested the commission's authorization to purchase
and erect a 16' diameter picnic shelter/gazebo with cookout grills at' Hudson River Park.
The commission was in favor of the project and unanimously passed a motion of support.
MONTHLY DEPARTMENT REPORT
The director advised the commission regarding the 1800 position reversal by the New York
State Legislature relative to the transfer of ownership of the DeSantis property (original 44
acres Hudson River Park property) by the town.
The Pop Warner Football proposal was briefly explained and because there was insufficient
data about the program the director was instructed to contact Mr. Michael's for additional
information.
The director reviewed some additional program/facility information including the upcoming
Eagle Scout project (Hovey Pond), the Hudson River Park (HRP) Cub Scout tree-planting
project and the results of Expo 2000.
There being no further business, the commission meeting was adjourned at 8:39 pm. The
next meeting will be held on May 2, 2000, beginning at 7:00 p.m., in the Supervisor's
Conference Room (#37), at the Queensbury Town Office Building.
Minutes prepared by Harry R. Hansen, Director
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