Commissioners Present: Andrea Johnson (Chair), Rob David, Jim Juras, Anne O’Connell, Jay Paggi and David Valcourt.
Others Present: Jay Packett (Director of Operations), Colin Walsh (Superintendent), Peggy McEvoy (Friends of Captains – Remote) and Terry Ivester (Women’s 18-Hole Assoc.)
THIS MEETING WAS VIDEO RECORDED. The meeting may be viewed at: https://reflect-brewster-ma.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/7741?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: Peggy McEvoy – Friends of Captains – Stated she will be stepping down as President of The Friends and noted that at their recent annual meeting, they discussed various accomplishments and projects. The Friend’s are seeking volunteers for key roles, including a new President, an assistant clerk, and an at-large board member. They are organizing a daffodil planting event this Saturday and on November 11th, for Veterans Day, they’ll host a turkey shoot to support the Lower Cape Outreach Council and collect donations for the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center.
Divot Repair Article (Jim Juras) – Andrea Johnson expressed appreciation for Jim’s article on divot repair. She shared her idea of using stickers on bottles to denote seasonal divot repair guidelines. Anne suggested breaking down the article into three seasonal pieces and sending them as emails. Jay mentioned the challenge of placing stickers on bottles leased by the town and suggested exploring other options. Dave Valcourt emphasized the importance of addressing both ignorance and discipline regarding divot repair. Colin Walsh provided insights on the different approaches to divot repair and thanked those who do take care of the course. Andrea Johnson noted Colin’s suggestion about addressing practice swing divots. The committee agreed to send out the divot repair guidelines in three seasonal pieces.
Commission Calendar (Andrea Johnson) – The discussion about the calendar included a focus on its format and content. Andrea Johnson initiated the conversation by seeking input for the calendar. They discussed various formatting ideas, such as organizing it by quarter for better clarity. Anne O’Connell expressed confusion regarding whether the focus was on format ideas or comments about the existing content. Andrea Johnson clarified that both were needed. Dave Valcourt emphasized the calendar’s purpose in informing their agendas and anticipating upcoming decisions. The conversation also touched on the timing of specific calendar items, with Jay Packett emphasizing the importance of setting fees by January 1st. Anne O’Connell pointed out that some items, like the golf operating budget, needed to be finalized sooner. Rob David suggested making new rates effective on April 1st instead of January 1st to allow more time for rate setting. Jay Packett stressed the need to have daily fee rates in place by January 1st for early bookings. Andrea acknowledged the need for changes to the calendar and agreed to work on it further. Jay Packett and Anne O’Connell offered to help refine the timing of items, and the discussion was expected to continue in the future.
Getting ready for upcoming fee, rate, cap, and tee time percentage discussions (Andrea Johnson & Jay Packett) – Andrea Johnson discussed the need to begin discussions on fees, including daily fee rates and cart fees. Jay Packett explained his process for proposing rate increases, and he mentioned the importance of keeping junior rates affordable. They also touched on the golf cart lease, which is in its third year of a five-year term, and the potential need for a new Request for Proposal (RFP) in 2024.
It was agreed that Jay Packett would prepare a spreadsheet with proposed 2024 daily fee rates for the next meeting on November 14th. The possibility of discussing membership rates was also considered. They also talked about the challenges of creating the 2024 calendar, as it involves recurring events and may require adjustments. Jay Packett noted he would work on the calendar and provide updates as needed.
Strategic Planning Updates (Commission) – Andrea Johnson provided updates mentioning that John Kissida had discussed the daffodil planting locations and the maintenance building study. John Kissida also expected the final report for the maintenance building to be completed in November. Rob David brought up the need for new windows and the ongoing project for Town Hall. Jay Packett discussed plans for outreach to different companies to garner more interest and suggested that the additional funds would likely cover the project costs.
Rob David also inquired about the starter shed project and whether it could proceed as a winter project, to which Jay Packett confirmed its inclusion in the First Tee theme enhancement capital line item. The maintenance tasks for the starter shed, such as trim work and roof repairs, were being considered for the project, and Jay Packett was exploring options for the roof with potential contacts.
Questions and Comments from Associations and Liaisons: Terry Ivester of the Women’s 18-Hole Association mentioned that Colin Walsh had provided valuable information about caring for the golf course, including proper riding cart use and divot management. Terry Ivester believed this information could be beneficial to members who may not be aware of it and expressed a desire to compile this information, incorporating Colin’s notes and what was discussed during the meeting, to share with Jay Packett. Jay Packett welcomed the idea, and Terry Ivester agreed to proceed with it.
Review and approve minutes (9/26) – Minutes reviewed and approved with amendments.
Future Agenda Items and Meetings (11/14 & 11/28) – The Commission discussed future agenda items for the 14th of November. Anne O’Connell suggested identifying items that could be addressed quickly to avoid getting bogged down in discussions. Jay Packett agreed and proposed that the calendar and daily fees could be addressed early on. Membership fees would be discussed initially, with the need for information from other courses. The Commission also planned to discuss tee time percentages and non-resident caps. Dave Valcourt asked for factual estimates on operating costs, with Colin Walsh providing insights into the stability of various costs, such as fertilizer and petroleum-related products. Lastly they acknowledged the upcoming town meeting on the 13th with the Golf Commission meeting the following day.
Matters not anticipated by the Chair: – Rob David inquired about the feedback and status of a recent event. Jay Packett shared that the NEIGA Tournament went very well, particularly noting the pace of play, which was under five hours on both days, despite challenging weather conditions on Sunday. The course conditions received positive comments, and the volunteers, coaches, parents, and players were all appreciative and friendly. Jay Packett mentioned that the event had been hosted at Captains for 23 years, with this year being the second time it was held on a weekend. The number of volunteers had been slightly down, and the possibility of opening up volunteer scheduling earlier was discussed.
Rob David also inquired about the increase in participation due to the event being moved to the weekend, and Jay Packett mentioned that the numbers were close to the previous year, although a few schools had to drop out. The impressive performance of the college golfers was also noted. There was a discussion about how the change in the schedule might have affected volunteer participation.
Andrea Johnson complimented Colin Walsh and his team for the excellent course conditions and the speed of the greens, and Colin Walsh acknowledged the hard work of his staff and the volunteers who contributed to the event’s success. Jay Packett praised the dedication of the volunteers and the flexibility of the golf course staff in handling unexpected challenges, including weather-related adjustments.
A motion to adjourn was made – Motion was approved and the meeting was adjourned.