Belmont Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting - March 5, 2025
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Belmont Parks and Recreation Commission Regular Meeting - March 5, 2025
The Parks and Recreation Commission met on March 5, 2025, at 7:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting covered youth program updates, a sponsorship program revision, scholarship funding challenges, and a discussion on fostering belonging in the community. The commission elected new officers and approved routine items.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of January 22, 2025 Draft Minutes: Approved unanimously (7-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public provided comments during the community forum.
Discussion Items
- Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson: Commissioner Adar Emkin was elected Chair (7-0). A Vice-Chair was elected (7-0); the transcript refers to the nominee as "Bubby," but the voting roll includes Commissioner Whitmore.
- Youth and Teen Programs Annual Update: Voices and YAC groups presented their 2024-25 activities: Voices grew to 24 members, participated in coastal cleanup (220 lbs of trash removed), wrote 101 Santa letters, and distributed 150 grocery boxes. YAC has 21 members plus 9 at-large, hosted a policing forum, high school fair (200+ attendees), and a senior digital literacy workshop. Staff reported Camp SOAR achieved 840 signups (up from 836 last year) with 333 on the waitlist; inclusion camp sold out in 6 minutes. The Hideout after-school program saw an 18% participant increase. Commissioners praised the programs and suggested expanding senior digital literacy and mental health first aid training for counselors.
- Event Sponsorship Program: Staff proposed adding a 20% surcharge for businesses outside Belmont and requiring non-monetary donations to be valued at twice the monetary sponsorship level. Commissioners supported the changes and discussed potential corporate sponsorship tiers and using sponsorships to support scholarships.
- Belmont Parks and Recreation Scholarship Program: The scholarship fund is grant-dependent; only $290 has been raised so far in 2025 (from a youth spelling bee). In 2024, six requests went unmet. Commissioners suggested using the Belmont Community Foundation for tax-deductible donations, adding smaller donation options ($10, $25), sending reminders to past donors, and improving storytelling with video and testimonials.
- Belonging Discussion Update: The commission discussed combatting loneliness through small physical changes. Chair proposed a "chatty bench" at Twin Pines Park (painted or with a sign) and a community quad. Ideas included a buddy program for the senior center, mapping existing belonging spots, and neighborhood ambassadors. Commissioners volunteered to investigate bench designs and a buddy program pilot.
- Liaison, Park, and Committee Assignments: New commissioners were assigned to various liaisons and park oversight roles, including filling vacancies left by Commissioner Fox. Youth commissioners took on YAC and Voices liaisons. The Pros Master Plan Advisory Committee was sunset; Public Arts Selection Committee assigned to Commissioner Cunha.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the consent calendar minutes.
- Elected Adar Emkin as Chair and a Vice-Chair (both 7-0).
- Approved liaison and park assignments as presented.
- Directed staff to explore implementing a chatty bench pilot at Twin Pines Park and to research a buddy program for the senior center.
- Staff to consider commissioner suggestions on sponsorship tiers, scholarship marketing (including a $10 donation option), and promoting the scholarship fund via community foundation matching.
- Upcoming events announced: Shamrock Scavenger Hunt (March 14), Egg Aventure Hunt (April 19), Teen Wellness Retreat (with parent workshop), and youth spelling bee (March 22) to benefit scholarships.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. You can choose the court. Welcome to the March Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. A couple of housekeeping items for meeting attendance. Commission meetings, unless otherwise noted, are broadcast live to Belmont residents on Comcast Cable Channel 27. Stream live via the city's website at Belmont.gov through Zoom at HTTPS colon slash slash Belmont-govs slash meeting ID colon nine two four eight three one nine three seven five seven. I won't repeat that. Or they could attend the meeting in the council chambers, which is Belmont City Hall, second floor, which we have a full house, so thank you for that. Uh the public in the council chamber could present for public comment, could present the clerk a request to speak slip found at the table at the rear of the chamber. If participating virtually, use the raise hand feature to request to speak. For dial-in comments, call star six seven one six six nine nine hundred six eight three three, which is going way over the heads of everyone in the audience. Your phone number will appear on the live broadcast if star six seven is not dialed prior to the phone number. Enter meeting ID nine two four eight three one nine three seven five seven and press star nine to request to speak. All public comments are subject to a three-minute time limit unless otherwise determined by the chair. If you wish to submit written public comment, you may send an email to PRCOM, PRCOMM at Belmont.gov before the commission considers the item. Please indicate the agenda item topic or agenda item number you wish to comment on in your emails. Subject line. Any public comment regarding agenda items that are received from the time of publication of the agenda and three hours before the start of the meeting will be distributed to the commission prior to the meeting and made part of the meeting record. Written public comments will not be read during the commission meeting. And with that, can we do the roll call? Commissioner Cunha. Here? Commissioner Whitmore? Here. Commissioner Emkin. Here. Commissioner Lee. Here. Commissioner Lifer. Here. Commissioner Hill. Here. Chair Michaels. Here. Youth Commissioner Caprez. Here. Youth Commissioner Venkatesh. Here. Great. Can we have everyone stand for the pledge allegiance? One nation under the justice for all. Okay. Community forum. Public comments. This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the commission on any city matter within the purview of the commission, which is not on the agenda. The period for public comment at this point in the agenda is limited to a maximum of three minutes per speaker. Any slips? No slips and no hands raised. No hand raised. Okay.
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