Board Meeting July 11, 2012

Friends of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Donald J. Trump State Parks

Minutes – Wednesday, July 11, 2012 – 7:30-9:15 PM 

Summary of Action Items:

 Present: Charles Castronvo, Jane Daniels, Judy Isecke, Dianne Press, Anwer Qureishi, Brian Strasavich

In the absence of president Peter Hoernes, Anwer Qureishi and Jane Daniels called the meeting to order at 7:40 pm

The June 13, 2012 minutes were approved.

No report on the status of the bylaws

No financial report as the treasurer Dave Rocco was absent.

Jane Daniels reported

• 62 members, an increase thanks to Pamela Wells’ efforts at a neighborhood event.
• She is starting an on-line data base which, in addition to names, phone numbers, etc, will allow us to track donations and to know something about our members. Anwer asked to see the program, which is based on Drupol.  

Manager’s Minute – Brian Strasavich

• July 4^th  - ~14k people in park and sold $6,800 tickets to pool, which closed early due to thunderstorms; no major incidents; takes 2 days to clean up the park. Service corps from YMCA Camp Combe came and cleaned the swimming pool parking lot.
• Physical plant – hazardous tree removed, getting new compactor, Eagle project (assembled 35 picnic tables and installed 3 group grills)
• New drinking fountain with one for dogs thanks to Taconic Road Runners
• Major renovation of pool complex possibilities include multiple entrances, more user friendly, ways to make pool more fun, has talked to people their suggestions include
  • Toilets near concession
  • Multiple concessions
  • Some type of spray feature
• DOT will be creating retention basins to control run off from the Taconic Parkway. They have to mitigate some of the proposed construction on Route 202.
• DEC’s assessed the trail which goes from near the drop off circle to parking lot 5 and there are ecological problems. The treadway must be sufficient to support a ‘gator and not leave muddy ruts.   

Jane Daniels asked if there would be opportunities for corporate groups to do projects to help the park, similar to an IBM group coming in August to work on the area surrounding the fishing dock. 

Events

Judy Isecke has assembled most of the contents for the plastic tub to be taken to events. She passed around a list of items to be included in the box and instruction sheets. She and John have donated a folding table and chair. All items can be easily carried.

Thinking ahead to where we will use the event table. Anwer found out it is $300 for a 10x10 spot at the Peekskill Riverfront Green event in early August. With the cost of the event so high, Jane recommended the group look at possibilities. Yorktown Street Fair is $75 if you are a 501c3 and have a certificate of insurance. No events are held in FDR on weekends during the summer. Brian mentioned that the Support Connection holds an event on October 7. Jane will find out the date of the Yorktown Street Fair.

As for T-shirts with Friends of FDR Park, Jane will collect what sizes are needed and pick out a green shirt. For now, members/volunteers will buy their shirt. There is a $25 set up fee, if we order them from Sparkles in Mahopac.

Fundraising

Judy Isecke suggested that we consider a holiday tree with animal ornaments that people “buy” to place on the tree. It would have to go outside the park office. She will report back in August.

A discussion evolved about how to involve groups that use the park to doing a service project or pay for a much needed amenity such a drinking fountain. To gain either help with a service project or making a donation, there needs to be a clear benefit to that group. Brainstorming, FoFDR came up with Disc Golfers, Soccer Players, Softball team, Yorktown Jewish Center, and geocachers. Jane will follow up with the disc golfers to find out how and where they could help.

Park History

Dianne Press concluded the meeting with information about the mental hospital that was on the property, but its exact location within the park is not known. The Mohansic Mental Hospital housed 165 "inmates" (patients) in 1911; at the time of the 1915 annual report, it housed only 64 (one female). The goal was to build a hospital that would accommodate 6,000!  It seems that three cottages were built; one was called the Strang Cottage and is where the murder in 1913 took place. The facility had a successful farm. But the ratio of physicians to patients at the time of this report was 1:64, with three male nurses/attendants during the day and only one at night. The patients therefore spent their time working on the farm, in the garden or doing housework. The dispute over the hospital polluting the Croton Reservoir led to its closing. Construction ended the following year in 1916 and the project was abandoned in 1918

Adjourned at 9:25 pm

Respectively submitted,

Jane Daniels, Secretary

Upcoming meetings – All meetings are at 7:30 pm in the FDR Park Office

Wednesday, August 8, and September 12,