Newington Parks Board Reorganizes, Approves Churchill Park Lighting Partnership
Parks and Recreation · Meeting of January 21, 2026
Newington's Parks and Recreation Board elected new officers and honored retiring Superintendent Bill DeMeo at its January 21 reorganization meeting. Eileen Francolino was unanimously elected chair, Phil Nolton vice chair, and Trish Feeney secretary, filling seats vacated after November's elections; former 38-year board member Don Woods called in by phone to praise DeMeo, who plans to retire April 3 after a decade leading the department and 31 prior years in New Britain. The board voted unanimously to approve four new business items, including public events at Mill Pond Park — Newington Goes Country on June 11 and the Life Being It Extravaganza from July 15 to 18 — and a public-private partnership with Spark Social Sports to use Churchill Park's sand volleyball court and install lighting, a deal DeMeo projected would generate roughly $24,000 in annual net revenue after the first year.
DeMeo told the board the summer camp program, now a $750,000 budget line serving roughly 550 children, took in nearly $50,000 in online registration in a single day.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 1,103 words
Source: the Parks and Recreation meeting of January 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
NEWINGTON — January 21, 2026 — The Newington Parks and Recreation Board opened its first meeting of the new year by electing new officers, then spent the bulk of its two-hour session honoring outgoing Superintendent Bill DeMeo and approving a slate of new business, including a public-private partnership to light the sand volleyball court at Churchill Park.
Eileen Francolino was unanimously elected chair, Phil Nolton was elected vice chair, and Trish Feeney was elected secretary — all by acclamation — filling leadership seats left open after the board reorganized following November's municipal elections. Former chair Don Woods, who served on the board for 38 years before stepping down, called in by phone to deliver an extended tribute to DeMeo, who plans to retire April 3.
The Full Story
The January 21 meeting was the first in what Recreation Supervisor Roderick Smith and acting presiding officer Smith described as a "substitution mode" period for the department, with staff departures and replacements underway simultaneously. Carol Ennis, Beto Bino, and John Patz were recorded absent. Joining remotely was Eileen Francolino, who was promptly nominated for chair moments after the roll call concluded.
The emotional centerpiece of the evening was a tribute to DeMeo, who has served as superintendent of Newington Parks and Recreation for 10 years and previously held the role for several years beginning in 1981. Woods, calling in from 82 Ivy Lane, read from prepared remarks tracing DeMeo's career, citing the Life Being It Extravaganza — which DeMeo created in 1981 at the direction of then-Town Manager Peter Curry, who challenged him to raise $30,000 for the department's Enterprise Fund — as a signature achievement. Woods noted the extravaganza now generates roughly $2 million annually to support department programs and staff salaries.
"Bill, you may be stepping away from a public part of your life, but your contributions to the town will never be forgotten." [00:08:12] — Don Woods, former Parks and Recreation Board chair
Several members of the public offered remarks. Christopher Riley of 169 Forest Drive described his involvement with DeMeo's Kindness Counts program and said he sought DeMeo's blessing before naming a section of his community Facebook page "Positively Newington" after it. Pat Mahoney of 119 Dale Drive recalled a friendship that grew out of maintaining gardens in Newington through the General Federation of Women's Club. Sharon Beretta of 15 Mill Street in New Britain — where DeMeo also served for 31 years — credited DeMeo with creating the Rose Garden Festival and building parks that she called "the jewel of our community."
"I swear that every breathing second, Bill DeMeo is thinking about the new best thing he's going to do." [00:15:35] — Sharon Beretta, former New Britain resident and colleague
DeMeo, in extended remarks of his own, credited board support for a long list of capital improvements: 11 handicap-accessible playground renovations, six to eight new basketball courts, three pickleball courts, lighting at multiple facilities, artificial turf at Clem LeMere field for roughly $750,000 to $800,000, and an $60,000 irrigation project at Emmanuel Christian School covering eight soccer fields. He said the department's summer camp program has grown from near zero to a $750,000 line item serving roughly 550 children, and that registration for the 2026 season took in close to $50,000 in a single day online. He announced he plans to leave April 3, with two conditional offers extended to rec supervisor candidates and the department's event calendar planned through September.
Under new business, the board unanimously approved four items: hosting Newington Goes Country on June 11 and Food Truck Friday on June 12, both at Mill Pond Park, along with a state liquor permit application for those events; a liquor permit application for the Life Being It Extravaganza from July 15 through July 18 at the same park; a Water Lantern Festival letter of agreement for Saturday, September 12, at Millpond Park; and a public-private partnership with Spark Social Sports allowing the organization to use the sand volleyball court at Churchill Park along with approval to install lighting there. DeMeo described a plan — developed with Smith and clerk Sam Mankie — in which permanent LED lights on utility poles, installed with help from Preferred Electric and a potential donation of three telephone poles from Rocky Mountain Wire Company, could generate roughly $24,000 in annual net revenue for the department once the first year's infrastructure costs are recovered.
The board also voted to reappoint Francolino as its representative to a full committee — the specific body was not named — after her term had lapsed.
Why It Matters
DeMeo's April 3 departure will leave a leadership void at a department the board itself described as managing some of the town's most visible public assets. Town Manager Jonathan — identified in the transcript only by first name — is expected to advertise the superintendent position and convene a professional interview panel. Two rec supervisor candidates have received conditional offers but have not yet been publicly named. Meanwhile, the Churchill Park lighting project represents a new model of public-private revenue sharing: the department projects $24,000 in annual net revenue from Spark Social Sports' use of the courts once infrastructure is in place, but the precise capital cost of permanent lighting was not finalized at the meeting. A $450,000 budget request for a handicap-accessible playground and path at Little Brook Park is pending in the capital improvement program, with a contractor estimate of $452,000 already in hand.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Election of Eileen Francolino as board chair Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Election of Phil Nolton as board vice chair Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Election of Trish Feeney as board secretary Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of November 18, 2025 meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of Newington Goes Country (June 11, 2026) and Food Truck Friday (June 12, 2026) at Mill Pond Park, including authorization for staff to apply for a state liquor permit Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of state liquor permit application for the Life Being It Extravaganza, July 15–18, 2026 Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of Water Lantern Festival letter of agreement for September 12, 2026 at Millpond Park Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Approval of Spark Social Sports use of Churchill Park sand volleyball court and authorization to install lights at the sports court Tally: Approved unanimously
- Vote: Reappointment of Eileen Francolino as board representative to the full committee Tally: Approved unanimously
Source
Newington's community access TV: Parks and Recreation Board meeting, January 21, 2026