Parks and Recreation Commission — Cornelius, NC
Date: 2025-01-16

Parks & Recreation Commission (PRC)
Thursday, December 5, 2024 Cornelius Town Hall
5:30 – 7 p.m. www.cornelius.org/pr

 MINUTES
1) Call to Order
 Chair Kolkhorst called the meeting to order at 5:41 p.m.

2) Determination of Quorum
 A quorum was reached with five commissioners in attendance.
 Commissioners present: Trey Fouche, Jill Rotunda, Chair Chris Kolkhorst, Robert Reed, Andrew Heywood, and
 Town Commissioners Todd Sansbury and Michael Osborne
 Commissioners absent: Carla Eustache, Jon Show, Jana Ritter, and Travis Dancy
 Staff present: Director Troy Fitzsimmons, Assistant Director Adam Abernathy, and Executive Assistant Karen
 Ulmer

3) Public Appearances – Citizen Concerns/Comments
 None

4) Approval of Minutes (November)
 a) November 2024 Draft Minutes
 Commissioner Heywood made a motion to approve the minutes from the November 7, 2024, meeting as
 written. Commissioner Fouche seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

5) Presentations
 a) Smithville Community Coalition Events Proposal
 Director Fitzsimmons said the Town was approached by the Smithville Community Coalition (SCC), which is
 looking for ways to grow their organization. They have proposed a new event for next fall: Motown in
 Smithville. They would run it, and we would support/sponsor the event through marketing assistance and no-
 charge use of Smithville Park. The PRC supported the idea. Town Commissioner Osborne suggested SCC
 should shadow our Parks & Rec staff in planning and carrying out the Cornelius Jazz Festival in May to help
 prepare them to run the Motown event in October.

6) Director’s Report
 a) November 2024 Director’s Report
 Director Fitzsimmons shared a presentation highlighting items from his November report.

7) Parks & Recreation Commissioner Recommendations & Reports
 a) Items to be placed on record
 b) Commissioner Reports
 1) Commissioner Carla Eustache – Absent
 2) Vice-Chair Trey Fouche – No report
 3) Commissioner Jill Rotunda – No report
 4) Commissioner Jon Show – Absent
 5) Chair Chris Kolkhorst – Light Up Cornelius was great. It was amazing to have the event downtown in the
 center of everything.
 6) Commissioner Robert Reed – Lake Norman Charter (LNC) has adopted a school in Asheville, Evergreen
 Charter (ECS), that was impacted by Helene. He and his wife took part in collecting and transporting
 donations to that school. LNC students put together 500 bags with school supplies, hygiene items, etc.,
 each with handwritten notes to the ECS students. It was a great experience to be able to take part in
 that. There is still a lot of need in that area.
 7) Commissioner Andrew Heywood – No report
 8) Commissioner Jana Ritter – Absent
 9) Commissioner Travis Dancy – Absent
 c) Town Commissioner Report – Commissioner Michael Osborne – What the Parks and Recreation staff and the
 Parks and Recreation Commission did to educate the public about the recent Park Bonds was a master class.
 He also attended and enjoyed Light Up Cornelius.

8) Old Business
 a) PRC Reappointments/Openings
 Chair Kolkhorst said we need to identify someone to serve as PRC Chair, as his current term is ending and he
 is not eligible for reappointment. Commissioner Rotunda said she is planning to move from Cornelius, so she
 will not renew for a second term. Her current term ends in January 2025. Commissioner Fouche said he
 would be willing to serve as the PRC Chair. Director Fitzsimmons said that Commissioner Show let him know
 that he would be willing to serve as the Vice-Chair. A committee is reviewing applications and will conduct
 interviews to replace the seats being vacated by Chair Kolkhorst and Commissioner Rotunda.
 b) Amended FY26 Budget Goals
 Director Fitzsimmons said the Town was approached by Tonya Rivens and Rev. Rev. Kinston Jones of Torrence
 Chapel AME Zion Church to host a Martin Luther King, Jr, event. There is no existing budget this year, so a
 smaller event will be held in January 2025 with an expanded event and budget of $4,000 requested for
 January 2026. He also reviewed the budget requests already approved by the PRC last month. Commissioner
 Reed made a motion to authorize the Parks & Recreation Director to finalize and submit the revised
 operation budget goals to the Town Manager for the FY26 budget. Commissioner Heywood seconded, and
 the motion passed unanimously.
 c) Parks & Recreation Commission Goals & Committees
 Director Fitzsimmons said RFPs for tennis and pickleball operators are due December 12, so the Programs,
 Fees & Facilities committee will be convened soon thereafter to review the submitted proposals.

9) New Business
 a) Legion Park Playground Selection
 Assistant Director Abernathy shared a presentation summarizing the playground project and its timeline,
 then showed the design selected by the review committee. Chair Kolkhorst made a motion to approve the
 Legion Park playground design and allow the Parks & Recreation Director to finalize and bring the contract
 with Churchich Recreation & Design to the Town Board for approval. Commissioner Reed seconded, and the
 motion passed unanimously.

10) Adjournment
 Chair Kolkhorst adjourned the meeting at 6:51 p.m.


Next PRC Meeting – Thursday, January 9, 2025
Future PRC Meetings – Thursdays: February 6, and March 6, and April 4, 2025

Next Town Board Meetings – Mondays, December 16, 2024, and January 6, 2025