Commissioners Present: Andrea Johnson (Chair), John Kissida (Vice-Chair), Rob David, Anne O’Connell, Jim Juras, Jay Paggi, and David Valcourt.
Others Present: Jay Packett (Director of Operations), Colin Walsh (Superintendent), Terry Ivester (ladies 18 Holer’s – Remote), Mike Moore (Men’s Association – Remote), Dave Whitney (Select Board Liaison – Remote)
THIS MEETING WAS VIDEO RECORDED. The meeting may be viewed at: https://reflect-brewster-ma.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/8036?site=1
Andrea Johnson read the meeting participation statement and called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Declaration of a Quorum – 7 Commissioners present which constitutes a quorum.
Public Comment: none.
Director of Operations update on financials, member enrollment, windows & doors,
Senior department assistant – Jay Packett began by noting membership revenue increased, while greens fees and cart fees decreased.The miscellaneous category saw a rise of about $100,000, mainly due to a solar payment and the sale of surplus equipment. The golf course was $66,000 ahead of last year’s performance as of the fiscal year through April. Projections showed a $661,000 surplus for retained earnings by the end of the fiscal year. Total play rounds are expected to reach around 90,000 rounds. Current membership stood at 1,002, with new memberships continually coming in. The Golf commission expected the final membership number to be slightly lower than the previous year’s 1,161 members. For the Non-Resident Wait-List there was a significant interest with over 300 people on the list. Out of the 44 non-residents contacted thus far, 11 had joined and 5 more had committed to joining.
Operating expenses were lower than projected, primarily due to conservative staffing during poor weather and the promotion of a department assistant to business manager. Expenses were expected to increase slightly in May due to the delivery of fertilizer and other purchases. April’s play totals were down compared to previous years due to unfavorable weather, but May was projected to be stronger.
The commission debated the optimal number of memberships, suggesting that 1,125 to 1,150 might be the “sweet spot.” It was discussed that non-resident’s on the wait-list should have a clear process and timeline for joining, with some flexibility for special circumstances like medical issues. The Non-Resident Members who chose not to renew without a valid reason would lose their spot and need to reapply. There was consideration to potentially shorten the decision window for those on the waiting list to expedite the process. The Golf commission planned to continue monitoring membership numbers and adjust policies to maintain a balance between members and daily fee players. They acknowledged the need to address the visibility of busy times and blocked-out tee times to better manage member expectations. Overall, Jay Packett reflected a positive financial outlook with careful consideration of membership policies and operational strategies to maintain the golf course’s performance and member satisfaction.
Request for Refund – Jay Packett – Requested a refund for a member who suffered a broken ankle. Andrea Johnson inquired about the refund amount, clarifying if it was the full amount since the member hadn’t played at all. The motion for the refund was moved, seconded, and approved unanimously.
Update on course conditions, projects, and staffing – Colin Walsh – Andrea Johnson began by noting at the town meeting, Peter Lombardi had highlighted six town employees honored during Public Service Recognition Week for their exceptional contributions, including Colin Walsh. She praised Colin for his daily dedication and passed the floor to him for his report.
Colin Walsh expressed gratitude for the recognition and emphasized the strong team dynamics in golf maintenance, highlighting the collaborative efforts between his staff and others. He provided an update on staffing, noting that they were nearly fully staffed and focusing on detailed work as more employees joined. Colin mentioned the favorable weather conditions for grass growth and explained their strategic watering practices to drive root development without overwatering.
He updated on ongoing course maintenance, such as edging traps, verticutting fairways, and clearing wood lines. Colin noted the completion of a spring fertilizer application and detailed other course improvement projects, including drainage work and equipment maintenance. He mentioned that the new well on hole number two was successfully redeveloped and would undergo testing for performance.
Colin also discussed pending capital equipment deliveries and praised the maintenance staff for their exceptional work. He shared positive feedback from long-time members about the course’s excellent condition and looked forward to hosting the upcoming superintendent’s event on June 10th, ensuring the greens would be in top shape for the occasion.
Friends of the Captains – Jay Packett provided details about the installation of a new clock. Although the clock was ready, it had not yet been plugged in. The clock was self-winding, meaning it would automatically reset itself when power was restored. Jay Packet mentioned upcoming plantings around the clock area in collaboration with the Friends of Captains and stated that Select Board approval was needed for accepting this gift, which he expected to obtain at the next meeting. Jay Packett praised the Friends of Captains for their significant contributions to enhancing the course’s aesthetics. John Kissida added that they secured excellent prices for the plants, staying under budget, and highlighted Colin’s coordination efforts to ensure proper installation and irrigation.
Signage ideas – Jay Paggi – shared suggestions from players to improve the pace of play. First, they proposed updating the chalkboard on Port 3 with the current date to ensure accurate yardage information. The chalkboard had been well-received but was sometimes outdated. Second, they suggested placing a sign on the 8th green with Freeman’s Grill phone number for players to call in their orders, reducing delays at the 10th tee. Jay Packett noted that each golf cart already had signs with the restaurant’s number. He mentioned past attempts with phones on the ninth tee box that were not very successful but was open to discussing new signage further. John Kissida suggested that starters inform large groups about ordering food ahead of time, which might be more effective than additional signage. Anne O’Connell agreed, highlighting the challenge of sign placement and noting that Freeman’s Grill had taken steps to address pace of play. Jay Packett highlighted the cooperation between the golf course and restaurant staff. He mentioned a recent staff orientation led by Pat Fannon, emphasizing expectations and procedures, including reminding players about ordering food ahead of time. New podiums were being built for starters to facilitate communication with players, and signs were placed at the first tee to inform golfers about tee recommendations based on skill level. Jay Packett also discussed measures to enforce liquor license regulations by inspecting coolers for outside alcohol. Lastly, John Kissida raised concerns about the placement of the new podiums potentially obstructing pathways, which Jay Packett acknowledged needed careful attention.
Preparation for 5/21 meeting with speaker Donna Kalinick – Jay Packett – Andrea Johnson mentioned that Donna Kalanick would attend the next meeting and suggested discussing the submission of questions to Donna. Jay Packett stated he hadn’t received any questions yet and emphasized the importance of sending them in advance to allow Donna time to prepare. He requested that questions focus on current projects, particularly the maintenance building, and possibly the initial stages of the irrigation project. Jay requested the questions be sent to him by Friday noon to compile them and send them to Donna, noting that additional questions could be sent later if necessary. Andrea agreed and acknowledged the importance of coordination with the town manager’s office.
Jay Paggi asked if it was appropriate to discuss the RFP for the source and supply for the irrigation system. Jay Packett suggested discussing it offline and considering it as a potential topic for the meeting. Jay Packett reiterated the importance of sending questions in a timely manner to ensure fairness to Donna, who was making time to meet with them.
Commissioner updates as needed – None.
Questions and Comments from Associations and Liaisons – Terry Ivester (Women’s 18-Hole Assoc.) mentioned that the spring team was performing well and was currently in third place.
Mike Moore (CCMGA)
Mike highlighted that the association’s membership was strong, although he didn’t have exact numbers. He noted one significant change was the reorganization of events to encourage members to meet and play with new people, which received positive feedback. The coordinators were scheduling alternating events for individuals and twosomes to facilitate new interactions. Mike Moore noted efforts to start workshops and lessons later in the day had been less successful, partly due to scheduling conflicts. However, overall feedback from members about the course, particularly the greens, had been very positive. Rob Harris stated there were 140 members currently, compared to 161 the previous year.
Review and Approve Minutes: (4/9/24 and 4/23/24) – Both sets of minutes approved with amendments.
Future Agenda Items and Meetings (5/21 & 6/11) – Andrea mentioned the meeting on 5/21 was scheduled due to the town election on 5/28. The main agenda item would be Donna’s presentation. She asked attendees to inform her of any additional items by the next evening. The calendar process and Chelsea points update were planned. Jay Packett mentioned interest in a possible outing in October, which he would provide more details by the next meeting. Andrea confirmed the next regular meeting would be on 6/11 and asked for any further questions or items for the next week. She had no other matters not reasonably anticipated by the chair. Jay Packett shared that he had spoken to the Brewster Men’s Club, highlighting various programs and the budget process. He felt the presentation went well and appreciated the opportunity.
Matters not anticipated by the Chair: – None.
A motion to adjourn was made – Motion was approved and the meeting was adjourned.