Parks board approves $1,500 in event sponsorships

Parks and Recreation · Meeting of September 15, 2026

Newington Parks and Recreation Board approved three $500 sponsorships and nominated people and groups for awards. Pike Apartments, the Regional School Choice Office and The Flash Lady Photography each agreed to donate $500 to fund specific stations at the October 10 Halloween party and the December 4 Night of Lights event, all approved unanimously. The board also voted to nominate Luke Pappalardo, the Creative Playtime Preschool program and Candlewyck Park for Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association awards, and named Pat Mahoney, Julian Alarcon of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Sparks Social Sports and Diamond Ice as 2026 Building a Strong Community Awards recipients.

Superintendent Scott Kieras told the board pavilion rentals brought in $18,690 across 137 bookings this season and said a draft rewrite of park rental rules would require "all vendors" to be "vetted and approved by the superintendent" before any town-property rental. A caller identified only as Kathleen asked the board to consider letting community garden plots carry over year to year rather than being tilled under annually, saying "it's not really great for the soil."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,582 words

Source: the Parks and Recreation meeting of September 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.

The Full Article

Call to Order, Roll Call and Minutes

The Newington Parks and Recreation Board met Tuesday, September 15, 2026, with member Eileen Francolino calling the meeting to order at 6:16 p.m. Seven of eleven board members were present: Carol Anest, Mia Colopy, Beth DelBuono, Trish Feeney, Francolino, Tim Manke and Diana Serra. Tim Hutvagner, Austin Knowlin, Phil Knowlton and John Patz were absent, according to the minutes. Town Council members Nancy Capello and A.J. Tiniakos also attended, along with Superintendent of Parks and Recreation Scott Kieras and Recreation Supervisor Stephanie Crane. The board approved the minutes of its August 18 meeting on a motion by Diana Serra, seconded by Tim Manke, with no discussion.

Summary Reports: Pools, Camps and Special Events

Background and stakes: the department's monthly report covers routine operational updates, but this month's included the close of the Churchill and Mill Pond pool seasons, a subject tied to an ongoing town pool committee process referenced by Kieras.

The question before the body: no decision was required; the board received the report for informational purposes.

Substantive content: Kieras told the board that both town pools had closed for the summer and that pool capacity is directly tied to the department's ability to run its summer camps, Camp Recreate and Camp S'mores, at full capacity, particularly for older campers based at the Churchill site. He said the department sent a memorandum to Acting Town Manager Lauren Reins outlining options for extending the life of the pools or eventually replacing them, material he said would also feed into the town's separate pool committee process. The Creative Playtime Preschool program, run by a staff member referred to only as Jessica, is nearly at capacity for the school year and passed a recent state inspection with only minor corrective items, Kieras said. The district's half-day school Early Release Care program started the same day as the meeting with about 35 to 40 participants using both sides of the department's gymnasium.

The deliberation: Kieras also reported on the department's first "kickball cup," a special event pitting the police department against the fire department that ended in a 2-1 police win. "That's kind of unheard of, the two to one," one board member remarked. Kieras said turnout was modest but that EMS personnel and teachers have already asked to be included in future years, raising the possibility of a round-robin tournament format. He separately highlighted strong football field conditions, crediting a staff member referred to only as Eric, and described an active fall registration period, with basketball registration not yet open but afterschool and swim programs showing strong enrollment through December.

Procedural steps and outcome: no vote was taken on the summary report.

Implications and what is next: the pool committee's work and its eventual recommendation to the Town Council will determine the long-term fate of the Churchill and Mill Pond pools, which Kieras tied directly to camp capacity for the department's most active age group.

Old Business: Pavilion and Park Rental Rules Rewrite

Background and stakes: the board has been revising the department's Use of Parks and Recreation Facilities rules and regulations, a document Kieras said still contained outdated COVID-era language. The rewrite follows prior board discussion, referenced during the meeting, about the scope of pavilion rentals and whether a "full park rental" category should exist.

The question before the body: the board was asked to react to a staff-drafted revision before it goes to the town manager's office and, potentially, the Town Council.

Substantive content: the draft requires that "all vendors must be vetted and approved by the superintendent of park and recreation prior to providing services for any rental on town property," covering pavilion, baseball field and soccer field rentals alike. Food trucks and vendors would need health department certifications. Kieras cited the Father's Day weekend soccer event as a model for vendor communication on parking, irrigation and electrical safety. The draft originally included language requiring supervision at every rental activity; Kieras said that provision would be removed because requiring staff supervision at every pavilion event would be "costly" and unnecessary for small family gatherings. A member noted a prior policy already allows alcohol at park events if the renter carries insurance through the town's PERMA pool coverage.

The deliberation: Beth DelBuono raised concerns that the draft mixed indoor-facility-specific language, such as custodial requirements, with outdoor pavilion rules that would not apply to a simple family rental. "I think if we want to really clean it up there may be a good use to separate out the two," DelBuono said, suggesting one document for indoor Mortensen Community Center rentals and a separate one for pavilion and park rentals. Another member raised the unresolved question of how much adjacent park space comes with a pavilion rental, and whether a "full park rental" category, covering all three pavilions at once, should carry an added fee. Board members cited a past rental by an organization referred to as Water Mansion that used buses and the entire park grounds as the closest precedent, along with a recent lacrosse tournament inquiry a staff member referred to only as Sam had fielded, and an incident years earlier in which parks staff found animal remains at a pavilion after a rental, prompting discussion of adding surveillance cameras to help enforce compliance.

Procedural steps and outcome: no motion was made. Kieras said he would research splitting the document by indoor, outdoor and pavilion use before bringing a revised draft back to the board and, eventually, to the town manager's office.

Implications and what is next: any final rewrite will set new vendor-vetting and certification requirements for anyone renting outdoor town facilities, and could create a new fee category for groups seeking to book an entire park rather than a single pavilion. No date was set for the next draft to return to the board.

New Business: CRPA Award Nominations

Background and stakes: the Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association solicits annual award nominations from member departments; Kieras said former staff members Ed Georgia and Bill Redstone had placed strong emphasis on the awards in past years.

The question before the body: whether to endorse three department nominees for forwarding to the CRPA awards committee.

Substantive content: the board nominated Luke Pappalardo for the ABCD Award, citing his rapport with the public and consideration of moving into full-time park and recreation work; the Creative Playtime Preschool program for Program of Merit, with Kieras noting few towns run licensed preschools under a parks and recreation department; and Candlewyck Park for Park/Facility of Merit, citing its newly completed ADA-compliant playground, one of only two remaining playgrounds in town not yet ADA compliant.

Procedural steps and outcome: a motion to forward all three nominations to the CRPA awards committee was made and seconded; the minutes record it as approved, with a second board member noted as seconding.

Implications and what is next: the department will learn the CRPA committee's decisions at a later, unspecified date.

New Business: Building a Strong Community Awards

Background and stakes: this is a department-run recognition program, separate from the CRPA awards, intended to highlight community partners each year on a "wall of honor" display that staff said is being physically reconfigured because the hallway where it hangs is scheduled for repainting.

The question before the body: whether to approve four nominees as 2026 recipients.

Substantive content: the four nominees were Pat Mahoney, described as a longtime Women's Club volunteer who donated two dozen handmade blankets to the Creative Playtime Preschool; Julian Alarcon of Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, cited for sponsoring the Night of Lights drink station and partnering on the youth basketball program; Sparks Social Sports, cited for long-running field and court rentals including lighting improvements at the Churchill volleyball courts and pickleball court use at a former grocery store site; and Diamond Ice, a Southington-based ice vendor cited for stepping in on short notice for the "Extravaganza" event and for providing ice services to the Civic Center and local football games.

Procedural steps and outcome: a motion was made by Beth DelBuono and seconded by Mia Colopy to accept the four nominations as the 2026 Building a Strong Community Awards winners; the motion passed, per the minutes.

Implications and what is next: the four honorees are expected to be recognized through the department's wall-of-honor display, which staff said is being redesigned to accommodate future years' recipients.

New Business: Three $500 Event Sponsorships

Background and stakes: the department routinely solicits private sponsorships to help fund individual stations or activities at its signature seasonal events rather than relying solely on town funds.

The question before the body: whether to approve three separate public/private partnership sponsorship agreements.

Substantive content: Pike Apartments will donate $500 to sponsor the Sensory Station at the October 10 Halloween party at the Mortensen Community Center, in exchange for promotional signage and social media mention aimed at prospective residents. The Regional School Choice Office will donate $500 to sponsor the Cake Mud Cup Station at the same event. The Flash Lady Photography will donate $500 to sponsor the s'mores fire pit at the December 4 Night of Lights event on Main Street; Kieras noted the business would not be doing event photography, as that is reserved for the department's own staff that night.

The deliberation: board discussion was brief and procedural for each agreement. One member asked whether sponsorship paperwork was included with each proposal; staff confirmed it was.

Procedural steps and outcome: three separate motions were made and approved unanimously: Trish Feeney moved and Beth DelBuono seconded the Pike Apartments agreement; Mia Colopy moved and Trish Feeney seconded the Regional School Choice Office agreement; Tim Manke moved and Carol Anest seconded The Flash Lady Photography agreement.

Implications and what is next: residents attending the Halloween party and Night of Lights will see sponsor-funded stations rather than those costs falling to the town budget.

Reports: Annual Report, Pavilion Revenue and Upcoming Events

Background and stakes: the board's 2025-2026 annual report is a statutory-style deadline document that goes to the town manager's office for presentation to the Town Council.

Substantive content: pavilion rentals generated $18,690 in revenue from 137 bookings between April 1 and October 12, 2026, according to figures presented at the meeting; the minutes describe this as "close to $19,000." The Community Field Day event, discussed earlier under summary reports, is also referenced in the annual report as the kickball tournament. Kieras read a message from a Cherish Our Children Memorial representative identified only as Diana, thanking the department for tents and landscaping support during a September 13 ceremony that drew more than 130 attendees despite rain. The department is taking over administration of the Cherish Our Children memorial brick program, with a new informational pamphlet distributed at the event; Kieras said proceeds are earmarked specifically for the program and cemetery, with financial safeguards through the finance department, town manager's office and town counsel preventing the funds from being redirected. He said the brick price was recently raised to account for future cost increases while remaining affordable.

Upcoming events reported to the board: the Candlewyck Park grand opening, funded by a state grant, has been rescheduled to Wednesday, September 23, from 6 to 7 p.m., with free pizza and dignitaries expected to attend; the Halloween party is set for Saturday, October 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Mortensen Community Center, including hayrides in partnership with the department at Mill Pond Park; Night of Lights is scheduled for Friday, December 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Main Street; and the Holiday Craft Fair follows the next day, Saturday, December 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mortensen Community Center. Staff said they are coordinating vendor schedules regionally, including with the Newington chamber of commerce, to avoid conflicts with other local craft fairs.

Procedural steps and outcome: no votes were taken on these items; they were presented as informational updates.

Public Participation

A remote attendee identified only as Kathleen raised two concerns. First, she said the department posts frequently on social media but does not consistently respond to messages sent through that channel, and suggested clarifying that social media is for posting information rather than two-way communication. Second, she described frustration as a community garden plot holder whose access is hampered because many surrounding plots go unused and overgrown between mowings. She asked whether the town had considered assigning garden plots to the same gardener year to year rather than plowing all plots under annually, as she said other community gardens do to build soil health and community continuity.

"I'm used to community gardens that are really a community garden that foster community and the plots stay every year. If you want the same plot, it's yours. You know, you develop it. It's not really great for the soil to till it every year, the way that it's done." [00:54:49] — Kathleen, public commenter

Superintendent Kieras said no one had previously raised the issue, committed to asking the parks maintenance staff why plots are tilled annually, and gave Kathleen his town email address to follow up directly. No vote or formal action resulted.

Adjournment

A motion to adjourn was made by Mia Colopy and seconded by Diana Serra. The meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m., per the minutes.

WHO WAS THERE

Carol Anest, Member, present Mia Colopy, Member, present Beth DelBuono, Member, present Trish Feeney, Member, present Eileen Francolino, Member, present, called the meeting to order Tim Manke, Member, present Diana Serra, Member, present Tim Hutvagner, Member, absent Austin Knowlin, Member, absent Phil Knowlton, Member, absent John Patz, Member, absent Nancy Capello, Town Council member, present A.J. Tiniakos, Town Council member, present Scott Kieras, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, present Stephanie Crane, Recreation Supervisor, present Kathleen, public commenter (remote), raised social media and community garden concerns Lauren Reins, Acting Town Manager, referenced as recipient of a departmental memorandum; did not attend

ORGANIZATIONS AND DOCUMENTS REFERENCED

Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association (CRPA) — regional awards body; board voted to forward three nominations for its review. Pike Apartments — private sponsor; $500 agreement to fund the Sensory Station at the Halloween party. Regional School Choice Office — private/public sponsor; $500 agreement to fund the Cake Mud Cup Station at the Halloween party. The Flash Lady Photography — private sponsor; $500 agreement to fund the s'mores fire pit at Night of Lights. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse — represented by Julian Alarcon; named 2026 Building a Strong Community Awards recipient for Night of Lights and youth basketball partnership. Sparks Social Sports — named 2026 Building a Strong Community Awards recipient for ongoing facility rentals at Churchill and the former grocery-store pickleball courts. Diamond Ice — Southington-based ice vendor; named 2026 Building a Strong Community Awards recipient for stepping in to supply ice for the department's "Extravaganza" event. Cherish Our Children Memorial program — nonprofit/memorial program; department is taking over brick-order administration and cemetery-fund safeguards. PERMA — the town's municipal insurance pool; cited as the source of alcohol-service insurance policy referenced in the pavilion rental rules discussion. 2025-2026 Annual Report — department document reviewed by the board, to be forwarded to the town manager's office and Town Council. Use of Parks and Recreation Facilities Rules and Regulations — draft policy document under revision in the old business discussion on pavilion and vendor rules. August 18, 2026 meeting minutes — approved without discussion at the start of the meeting.