Commissioners Present: Andrea Johnson (Chair), John Kissida (Vice-Chair), Jim Juras, Anne O’Connell, Jay Paggi and David Valcourt.
Others Present: Jay Packett (Director of Operations), Colin Walsh (Superintendent), Bill Meehan (Finance Committee Liaison), Dave Whitney (Select Board Liaison), and Susan Olin (Women’s 9-Hole Assoc.)
THIS MEETING WAS VIDEO RECORDED. The meeting may be viewed at: https://reflect-brewster-ma.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/7721?site=1
Andrea Johnson read the meeting participation statement and called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Declaration of a Quorum – Six Commissioners present which constitutes a quorum.
Public Comment: None.
Superintendent’s Report (Colin Walsh) – Colin Walsh noted ongoing maintenance projects and upcoming tournament preparation. He provided an update on the course conditions, mentioning that the greens are healing and will be dropped in height to improve rollout. The course has been using less water due to the excessive rain, with a 12 million gallon reduction in irrigation usage so far. Colin Walsh discussed the implementation of GPS sprayers on the golf course, mentioning reductions in acreage sprayed and noticeable improvements in overspray and efficiency. He also provided updates on the rebuilding of starboard number six, which is now open for play, and mentions upcoming fall projects and cleanup.
Director of Operations Report (Jay Packett) – Jay Packett highlighted the savings from new spray rigs and fairway mowers, which are more efficient and require less maintenance. Dave Valcourt added that the new equipment provides a morale boost for staff who have been working with older equipment, and he looked forward to seeing the future benefits. Jay Packett praised Colin’s crew for hard work during challenging weather conditions. Jay Packet went onto review Captains Course revenue and play totals. Jay Packett highlighted positive trends in membership and greens fees revenue, despite a slow start to the fiscal year. Proshop revenue is significantly higher than last year, with Keith Gagnon receiving credit for his contributions. Jay Packett noted that pro shop purchases were higher in September than expected, stating that special orders and backordered items arrived in September, leading to higher sales than expected. He provided a brief financial summary. Calendar year comparison revealed a $351,000 increase in revenue, with membership revenues up $55,000 and greens fees higher by $124,000, attributed to a busy summer. For the fiscal year, membership remained similar, while greens fees increased by $53,000, largely due to a busy July and August. The bottom line showed a $93,000 increase, mainly driven by higher pro shop revenue. Weather impacted play totals in September, with 4 days significantly impacted by bad weather, resulting in the lowest number of rounds played since 2018. Nevertheless, they remained ahead of 2022 by around 220 rounds, with hopes for improved weather. Overall, it was noted that the number of rounds played was on an upward trajectory. Dave Valcourt requested specific membership numbers, such as resident and non-resident totals, to better understand the usage of the course. Jay Packett provided an update on the Business Manager position. They had reveiwed all the applications and resumes and selected five candidates for interviews, which will take place next Thursday and Friday. If a candidate impresses during the initial interview, Peter Lombardi will participate in a second interview, particularly for a high-responsibility position, to assess their suitability.
State of the Captains – Final Draft Approval (Dave Valcourt) – Dave Valcourt highlighted changes made to the document, including revised statements and edits to the verbiage. Jay Packett noted some discrepancies in initial year financials. Dave Valcourt and Jay Packett discussed the FY 2024 budget, with Dave mentioning the link to the FY 23 budget on the town’s website is not accurate and may cause confusion. Dave and Jay agreed to include the FY 2024 budget link in the SOC, with Dave Valcourt mentioning the capital planning and pro shop sections need to be updated. Dave Valcourt provided updates including the arrival of new GPS sprayers and the addition of The State of Captain’s to The Captain’s website. Anne O’Connell and Andrea Johnson identified typos and clarified some points in the transcript. John Kissida highlights the importance of explaining financial information to avoid confusion. A motion to approve was made and seconded, all were in favor.
Pump House Protection: Technical edits made to the RFP for the irrigation water source/supply study (Jay Paggi) – Jay Paggi provided an update to the document received from Jay Packett on October 5, mentioning that they had reviewed it and made three small changes. The first change was in the second bullet of the scope, which pertained to raising the elevation of wells. The second change was a spelling correction. The third change involved emphasizing the importance of the final report in the last paragraph on page two. Jay Packet also clarified that the term “pressure maintenance well” was equivalent to the “jockey pump.”
Divot/ball mark problem (Dave Valcourt) – Dave Valcourt reflected on the effort put into repairing divots and ball marks on the golf course, only to see it disrespected again soon after. Dave Valcourt emphasized the importance of golfers taking care of divots and fixing them during their round. Dave Valcourt suggested that enforcement of divot repair should come from within the golfing community, rather than from an outside authority. He cited the need for more signs and education to address the issue of poor divot repair. He noted that players disrespecting the course are leaving it in poor condition, which can negatively impact the experience for all players. Jay Packett is frustrated with individuals driving golf carts on both asphalt and grass, particularly near greens, and has sent emails on the issue. Jay Packett and Colin noted they will work together to address the problem, but there are other pressing issues for Colin’s staff, such as preparing the courses for play in the morning. Jay Packett and Dave Valcourt discussed the issue of golf carts running out of divot fill on the course, leading to frustrated customers. It was noted that there are boxes with divot mix on the course that can fill empty bottles on the carts for golfers, but it was acknowledged that some may not be aware of this option. The idea of creating educational content for golfers, such as a blurb about when to replace divots and when to use mix without seed, and how to encourage golfers to replace their divots. Options for golfer’s that walk the course were looked into as well. John Kissida noted that seed in divot mix can create problems for rough areas, and not having seed in the mix allows for more flexibility in repairing divots. Jay Packett followed up by emphasizing the importance of education and filling boxes to the best of their ability, with a focus on replacing divots. Jay Packett expressed frustration with golfers not following proper etiquette, including leaving divots and ball marks unrepaired.
Strategic Planning Updates (Commission) – John Kissida and Jay Packett discussed the upcoming daffodil planting at Captains, with John Kissida mentioning they’ve been doing it for three or four years and will meet in advance to plan.
Andrea Johnson discussed the town’s public engagement event, highlighting its success in attracting members of the public to learn about committees and commissions. Dave Whitely praised the event’s initial success, noting that 45 committee members were present to explain their roles and attract interest from the public.
Questions and Comments from Associations and Liaisons: Susan Olin (President, Women’s 9-Hole Association), provided a season wrap-up. They had 63 members, including seven new ones, and the season had excellent weather with minimal rainouts. They successfully held a charity event, “Rally for the Cure,” raising over $4,500 for the Breast Center in Hyannis. Additionally, they conducted a fundraiser for the Lower Cape Outreach, collecting $250 in cash and non-perishable food items. Susan thanked Jay Packett and his staff, especially Patrick Fannon, who managed their tournaments, as well as the course crew for their efforts. Susan Olin also expressed gratitude to the Friends for their beautiful daffodils and birdhouses, and finally, she acknowledged the Golf Commission for their dedication to the course.
Review and approve minutes (9/12) – Minutes reviewed and approved with amendments.
Future Agenda Items and Meetings (10/24 & 11/14) – Dave Valcourt asked for the calendar to be placed on the future agenda items if possible. Andrea Johnson noted she would add it to the agenda and they would attempt to get to it at the next meeting.
Matters not anticipated by the Chair: – Jay Packett noted that last Friday, the town of Brewster hosted its annual end-of-year employee cookout and appreciation day at the Bay properties. The event featured food, music, and games, providing an opportunity for town employees to come together. This year, they introduced a recognition program for employees with service milestones. Notable honorees included Keith Gagnon (one year), Lou Moreno (1 year), Jeff Hemeon (15 years), Greg MacKinnon and Eric Schwebach (20 years), and Tom Flynn (30 years). Each recipient received certificates and free Brewster beach parking stickers for the 2024 season. The event was well-received, fostering a sense of community and continuity among the town’s employees.
A motion to adjourn was made – Motion was approved and the meeting was adjourned.