Parks board OKs pay scale, ice sculpture sponsorship

Parks and Recreation · Meeting of October 20, 2026

Newington's Parks and Recreation Board approved a revised seasonal pay scale and a $600 sponsorship deal for its holiday light event. Superintendent Scott Kieras said the pay scale, approved unanimously, aligns with Connecticut's minimum wage rising to $17.48 an hour effective January 1, 2027. The board also voted unanimously to accept a $600 agreement with longtime vendor Dunning Industries to sponsor an ice sculpture at the December 4 Night of Lights event on Main Street.

Members continued reviewing a draft rules and regulations overhaul for facility rentals, with board member Trish Feeney asking whether cannabis should be named explicitly alongside alcohol and vaping; Kieras is targeting January 2027 for adoption. Kieras also reported the department's first Halloween event in years netted about $1,500, and youth basketball registration reached 171 sign-ups ahead of a November 20 deadline.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,673 words

Source: the Parks and Recreation meeting of October 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.

The Full Article

Call to Order, Roll Call and Approval of Minutes

The Board of Parks and Recreation convened its regular meeting as a hybrid session, with members participating in person at the Mortensen Community Center and by Zoom. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, roll was taken; a quorum was confirmed. Members approved the minutes of the September 15, 2026 meeting on a voice vote with no discussion.

Cemetery Tree Removal and Expansion Planning

Background and stakes: this item arose from routine tree maintenance behind the Parks garage adjacent to the town cemetery, which unexpectedly intersected with longer-term planning for cemetery capacity.

The question before the board: Superintendent Scott Kieras briefed members on completed tree work and an emerging cemetery expansion concept; no vote was requested.

Kieras told the board that several dead trees were removed from behind the Parks garage, on the edge of the cemetery, after being posted for public comment with no objections received. During that work, an architect retained for a planned cemetery expansion recommended moving an earthen berm further back toward the garage to make room for additional burial sections. Kieras said the resulting project required coordination across facilities, engineering, planning and zoning, and highway departments, which supplied a bulldozer, and took about three days. Arborvitae plantings are expected to arrive this week to screen the garage and beautify the boundary.

Kieras said the expansion, once designed, could extend the cemetery's capacity by "another eight to ten years," at which point the town would face a broader policy question about whether to continue operating an active cemetery given competing land needs such as senior housing. "That'll be a discussion down the road," Kieras said, adding the matter would eventually go to the Town Council.

Implications and what is next: no formal decision is required yet; the expansion design is pending further architectural work, and the capacity question is flagged as a future Town Council-level discussion.

Old Business: Rules and Regulations Draft for Facility Use

Background and stakes: the board had previously directed Kieras to update the department's rules and regulations for renting outdoor and indoor facilities, removing outdated COVID-era language and tightening liability and conduct provisions. This was the board's second substantive review of the draft.

The question before the board: whether the draft rules and regulations, as revised, adequately cover facility rental procedures, insurance requirements, and prohibited conduct, and what changes members want before a final version is adopted.

Kieras said he based the new draft on the department's existing rules, removed COVID-related provisions, and researched comparable regulations in Wethersfield, Berlin and Rocky Hill, also running a draft through an AI tool to check for gaps. The rules are intended to function as a general cover document, with specific facility rental terms, rates and insurance requirements attached separately depending on whether a renter is using an outdoor or indoor facility. Kieras said any user bringing a food vendor must coordinate with the health department and the Parks department regarding placement around irrigation lines and electrical infrastructure.

On insurance, Kieras explained that any organization renting town facilities, from travel sports leagues to AAU basketball programs, must provide a certificate of insurance, a standard he said protects the town from liability if a participant is injured. "The whole premise is that we don't want anyone using town property" without that coverage, he said, while acknowledging it could be a barrier for smaller rental requests; pavilions are exempt from the requirement.

Board member Trish Feeney raised whether the draft should name cannabis specifically alongside alcohol, tobacco and vaping, pointing to Wethersfield's more extensive cannabis-specific section. "I just didn't know if we wanted to consider adding the word cannabis to it because we have alcohol and vaping," she said, noting cannabis is legal in Connecticut but not explicitly named in the current draft language on prohibited substances. A board member also questioned the length of the "prohibited content" section compared with Berlin's and Rocky Hill's more exhaustive lists covering items such as speed limits, ATV use and animal-carcass dumping, and asked whether such provisions should be embedded in the regulations or incorporated by reference to a separately maintained policy "we can then update as a commission."

Discussion also covered a dog-leash requirement (to protect the town from liability in the event of a bite), signage gaps at Churchill Park's overflow parking lot where overnight parking is not currently prohibited by posted signage, and an unresolved problem of illegal dumping and abandoned vehicles at a parking section of Market Square. Kieras said he met previously with the town manager, identified in the discussion as Jill Solomon, and the highway department's Chief Perry about installing surveillance cameras at the dumping site, and that police enforcement there has required special permission for officers to patrol what is town, not private, property. The board also discussed e-bike use damaging baseball fields, an issue Kieras said the department and police have been addressing with additional signage.

Procedural steps and outcome: no vote was taken. Kieras said he intends to have a town attorney review the final draft before adoption and is targeting January 2027 implementation ahead of the spring rental season. "The timeframe I would love to have would be by January so we can implement these for the upcoming season," he said.

Implications and what is next: residents and organizations renting town facilities will face updated insurance, conduct and signage requirements once the rules are finalized, expected by January 2027. Whether cannabis will be named explicitly, and whether detailed prohibited-conduct lists will be embedded or referenced separately, remain open questions pending further staff and possibly legal review.

New Business: Part-Time and Seasonal Pay Scale

Background and stakes: Connecticut's minimum wage is scheduled to rise, which required the department to update its internal pay structure for part-time and seasonal staff ahead of 2027 hiring.

The question before the board: whether to approve a revised, tiered pay scale for part-time and seasonal employees reflecting the new state minimum wage.

Kieras presented a pay scale document setting wage tiers by years of service and job responsibility, covering roles from entry-level seasonal staff such as lifeguards to specialized positions like fitness or CPR instructors, golf and tennis coaches. He said instructor-type positions are often compensated through a roughly 25-75 revenue-sharing split with the town rather than straight hourly wages. Kieras described the overall update as approximately a 25 percent increase in rates across tiers, driven by the state minimum wage increasing from $12 to $17.48 per hour, which he characterized as a 3.2 percent increase from the prior state minimum wage, effective January 1, 2027. "Even though they're all seasonal or part-time, they're worth every penny," Kieras said of newer staff such as lifeguards.

Procedural steps and outcome: a board member moved "to approve the detailed part-time seasonal pay scale as presented in accordance with the state of Connecticut minimum wage increase effective January 1st, 2027." The motion was seconded and approved unanimously with no discernible dissent in the recording.

Implications and what is next: the new scale takes effect January 1, 2027, ahead of camp and seasonal staff interviews that Kieras said typically begin that month.

New Business and Reports: Night of Lights Sponsorship (Dunning Industries) and Event Planning

Background and stakes: the department sought a formal sponsorship vote for its annual Night of Lights event and separately updated the board on event logistics for the December 4 date.

The question before the board: whether to approve a $600 sponsorship agreement with Dunning Industries, a longtime town vendor, to fund an ice sculpture display at the event.

Kieras said Dunning Industries has supplied the Parks department with topsoil and infield materials for years and was asked to sponsor the ice sculpture specifically. A board member moved "to accept a $600 public private partnership agreement on [Dunning] Industries as presented to sponsor the ice [sculpture] at the Night of Light event on Friday, December 4th, 2026." The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Kieras separately reported on broader event planning: Ruth's Chris remains the event's major sponsor; a company Kieras referred to as Diamond Ice, also nominated for the department's CRPA recognition, is expected to donate ice for the sculpture; Big Daddy's Racing will return with remote-control car demonstrations; and a sponsor identified in the discussion as Julian declined to fund a laser light show this year, judging it not worth the cost, instead directing funds toward additional holiday decorations at the Market Square gazebo island. Kieras said the department is also coordinating with the Chamber on a snowman display contest on the town green.

Procedural steps and outcome: the $600 Dunning Industries sponsorship passed by unanimous vote; other sponsorship and logistics decisions described were staff-level arrangements, not board votes.

Implications and what is next: the Night of Lights event is set for Friday, December 4, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Main Street, with the ice sculpture, Ruth's Chris sponsorship, Big Daddy's Racing cars and expanded Market Square decorations confirmed.

Reports: CRPA Awards, Candlewyck Park, Halloween Event, Youth and Adult Basketball, Craft Fair, Farmers' Market

CRPA Awards: Kieras reported the department received no winners in the 2026 Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association awards despite multiple nominations, which he attributed in part to the awarding organization's own director having previously won the award in past years. He said he plans to raise the concern with the association's director and renominate individuals, including a nominee referred to as "Bill," for next year.

Candlewyck Park Grand Opening: board members described the newly opened park, including a "zipline" feature, as well-attended and successful; no action was required.

Halloween Party at Mortensen Community Center: Kieras said this was the department's first Halloween event in roughly five to ten years, designed partly to offset lost carnival revenue. The event raised about $1,500 through sponsorships and concession sales. Staff identified improvements for next year, including resident-only early registration or pre-registration to address complaints from residents who arrived late and missed free pumpkins, an added bonfire, a possible food-truck vendor to reduce concession-stand lines, and a different event theme, potentially a "haunted house" concept, since the pumpkin-decorating activity used was difficult to clean up. A photo booth was popular but staff are seeking a vendor that can print photos on-site with event branding.

Youth Basketball Registration: as of the meeting, 171 total registrants had signed up ahead of the November 20, 2026, 11 a.m. deadline, with registration broken down by grade level; Kieras noted sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade participation remains consistently low, which may require combining Newington players with other towns' recreational leagues rather than running a standalone in-house league for those grades.

High School Recreation Basketball: Kieras said the department, working with a staff member or coach referred to as Roderick, repriced the high school recreational league closer to the standard youth recreation rate (games only, no practices) after finding the prior price point discouraged participation. He said recruiting referees and managing physicality among players remain ongoing concerns.

Men's League Basketball: Kieras said the department adjusted team pricing to keep costs reasonable per eight-player roster and is encouraging team sponsors, such as local bars, to help offset costs, aiming to grow participation without pricing out players.

Holiday Craft Fair: the Mortensen Community Center fair, set for Saturday, December 5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., had 50 of a maximum 100 vendor tables filled as of the meeting. Kieras said pricing incentives are being used to drive late sign-ups and that staff are coordinating with the town library and a Rocky Hill craft fair to avoid vendor overlap and may seek shared vendor contacts.

Farmers' Market: Kieras outlined a plan, informed by a former Cromwell market organizer referred to as Roseanne, to launch a weekly Newington farmers' market at Market Square, likely on Wednesdays over roughly 12 to 13 weeks, modeled on a similar market Kieras ran for about five years in Cromwell. He said the Cromwell market grew after switching from a nonprofit-run model (which had created insurance-certificate problems when multiple vendors tried to operate under one certificate) to a town-run model requiring individual vendor insurance. Kieras said a staff member referred to as Stephanie would take the lead on the Newington market, with plans for small-scale entertainment, local business participation, and vetting vendors to avoid the market becoming "a flea market."

New Staff Update

Kieras reported that a longtime part-time staff member referred to as Joey, a camp counselor for roughly five years, accepted a full-time position with the Ellington Parks and Recreation Department and will depart after his last day; Kieras said he mentored Joey through the interview process and congratulated him. A former seasonal employee and Springfield-program intern referred to as Andreas, who worked for the department over the summer, will be brought back into Joey's former role covering concession-stand supervision and winter basketball support.

Comments by the Board and Adjournment

One board member, addressed as Nancy, said she had nothing to add but was "excited to get going on the Christmas events." Kieras also noted the town does not currently have a new town manager and that he had briefly met the town's new town planner, whom he described as being from Simsbury, without providing her name. No members of the public raised hands during either public participation period. The board voted unanimously to adjourn.

WHO WAS THERE

Board members named at roll call: Carol Annis, Mia Colopy, Beth Delbuno, Trish Feeney, Eileen Francolino, Tim Huff-Bagner, Austin Nolan, Tim Makey, Phil Moulton, John Patz, Diana Serra. Delbuno, Feeney, Francolino, Huff-Bagner, Nolan and Makey were audibly confirmed present ("here") in the recording; attendance for Annis, Colopy, Moulton, Patz and Serra could not be confirmed from the audio. A quorum was announced. The board's chairperson was addressed as "Madam Chairperson" but not identified by name in the available sources.

Staff in attendance: Scott Kieras, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, presented nearly all agenda items. A staff member or colleague referred to only as Clay was referenced repeatedly regarding cemetery planning and department operations but did not speak on the record with an identified title. A participant addressed as "AJ" answered a procedural question about Town Council approval of the rules and regulations; role and surname unknown.

Public commenters: none; no members of the public raised hands during either public participation period.

Outside parties referenced but not present: an architect/engineer working on the cemetery expansion (unnamed); Highway Chief Perry and a town manager referred to as Jill Solomon, both referenced regarding a prior meeting about Market Square dumping and parking issues; a Dunning Industries representative (sponsorship approved by vote); a Diamond Ice contact; a sponsor referred to as Julian; a former Cromwell market organizer referred to as Roseanne; and a town employee referred to as Stephanie.

ORGANIZATIONS AND DOCUMENTS REFERENCED

Dunning Industries — longtime Parks department vendor; approved for a $600 sponsorship of an ice sculpture at the Night of Lights event.

Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association (CRPA) — statewide association whose 2026 awards process yielded no wins for Newington's nominees this year.

Town of Newington draft Rules and Regulations for Parks and Recreation Facilities — the document under revision in Old Business, targeted for January 2027 adoption.

Wethersfield, Berlin and Rocky Hill municipal park regulations — used by Kieras as comparison models for cannabis-specific language and prohibited-conduct lists.

Ellington Parks and Recreation Department — hired a Newington part-time staffer (Joey) into a full-time role, prompting a staffing change discussed under New Staff Update.

Ruth's Chris — returning major sponsor of the December 4 Night of Lights event.

Big Daddy's Racing — vendor providing remote-control car demonstrations at Night of Lights.

Diamond Ice — vendor expected to donate ice for the Night of Lights sculpture; also a CRPA award nominee referenced by Kieras.

Cromwell farmers' market model — cited by Kieras as the template for Newington's planned Market Square farmers' market.

September 15, 2026 board minutes — approved without discussion at the start of the meeting.