STILLWATER TOWNSHIP 
RECREATION COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
January 6, 2025
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mrs. Minervino, Mrs. Falotico, Mrs. Trotter, Mrs. Richardson, and Mrs. Tosti
LIASION: Mrs. Delaney and David Manser (7:40 p.m.) were in attendance
MEMBERS ABSENT: Mr. Carovillano and Mrs. DiBattista
Mrs. Tosti called the meeting to order at 7:09 p.m. with the statement that this meeting follows the Open Public Meetings Act. Regular meetings are held on the first Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m., at the Stillwater Township Municipal Building located in Middleville, New Jersey. This meeting was held at the Stillwater Township Municipal Building. The flag was saluted and roll call taken.
Reorg/Set Meeting Dates 2025:
Mrs. Minervino made a motion to renominate Tara Tosti as Chairperson of the Recreation Commission, seconded by Mrs. Falotico.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Mrs. Minervino made a motion to renominate Gina Richardson as Vice Chairperson of the Recreation Commission, seconded by Mrs. Falotico.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Mrs. Tosti made a motion to renominate Danielle Wunder as Recreation Commission Secretary, seconded by Mrs. Minervino.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Our 2025 meeting dates and zoom links were reviewed and approved by the Commission.
Mrs. Tosti approved the Recreation Commission’s 2025 meeting dates and zoom links to be posted in the newspaper, seconded by Mrs. Richardson.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Mrs. Wunder will contact the Herald immediately for public posting.
Approval of Meeting Minutes:
Mrs. Minervino made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 2, 2024, meeting, seconded by Mrs. Richardson.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Payment of Bills:
Mrs. Falotico made a motion to approve the payment of the following bills totaling $3,018.24, seconded by Mrs. Minervino.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, abstain
Tara Tosti (Reimbursement Halloween Decorating Prizes) – $92.85
Tara Tosti (Reimbursement Tree Lighting Supplies) – $146.95
Tara Tosti (Reimbursement Vendor Fair) – $85.13
Septicare (December 2024 Rentals) – $290.00
Lakeland Bus Lines (Bus Trip to NYC) – $1,600.00
Home Depot (Generator) – $623.34
Amazon (Egg Hunt Supplies) – $179.97
Mrs. Trotter’s Bill –
Mrs. Minervino made a motion to approve the reimbursement of tree lighting supplies purchased by Mrs. Trotter pending funds from our CFO in the amount of $64.81, seconded by Mrs. Richardson.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, abstain, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Correspondence:
A resolution was adopted as Mayor Lisa Chamming’s accepted Mr. Sylvester’s resignation. A thank you from the Recreation Commission will be sent to Mr. Sylvester thanking him for all his years of dedication.
Open Public Session – Agenda Items Only:
The meeting was opened to the public at 7:18 p.m.
A resident of Swartswood came to present and request a dog park for Stillwater. She must travel to Wantage to enjoy a beautiful fenced in area for her dog or to Newton which is, unfortunately, small and doesn’t offer much to keep dogs entertained. She believes a dog park in our area would be very popular amongst our residents. Mrs. Minervino mentioned she would love a place nearby to bring her very social dog. Mrs. Tosti said she would research and obtain information from surrounding towns. Mrs. Delaney mentioned that the town knows the need and it is already in progress. Funding is holding up the process, but once that is figured out it may move forward. There are grants that can possibly be utilized to help pay for the expense. The resident also mentioned she could not find where our meeting dates are listed and she does not read the paper (she overheard that it was published in the paper earlier in our meeting). Both Mrs. Tosti and Mrs. Delaney said that our website has recently been updated and is more user friendly.
The meeting was closed to the public at 7:27 p.m.
Amendments to the Agenda:
There were no amendments made to the agenda.
Old Business:
Recreation Budget 2025 –
A motion was made during our November 4, 2024 meeting to submit the 2025 budget as recommended by the Recreation Commission.
Capital Request 2025 –
The area next to the batting cages behind our pickleball courts at Swartswood Field will serve as a storage option for our newly purchased pickleball nets. We would like to preserve the nets to extend their life and need proper storage to do so. Mrs. Tosti is waiting for two quotes before submitting our request due on Saturday, January 11th.
New Business:
Discussion of Fees for 2025:
The following fees were discussed:
Summer Camp Fee – $50.00 per child per week
The Commission agreed that the fee per child per week should increase to $55.00 due to the increase in minimum wage.
Mrs. Tosti made a motion to increase the Summer Camp Fee from $50.00 to $55.00, seconded by Mrs. Richardson.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Summer Camp Late Fee – $15.00
Vendor Fee – $25.00
Garage Sale Map Fee- $5.00
Stillwater Blanket Fee – $45.00
The Commission agreed that all other fees should remain the same in 2025.
Mrs. Minervino made a motion to keep the above listed fees the same for 2025, seconded by Mrs. Falitco.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Sub-Committee Reports:
Clean Up Day – Mrs. Tosti
4/5/2025
The shedder is confirmed.
Miss Stillwater, Little Miss and Mr. Stillwater – Mrs. Minervino
It was noted that the project graduation trip is scheduled for May 18 and 19th. May 20th and 28th will not work due to conflicting events. After some discussion, May 9th will be the tentative date for Miss Stillwater. Mrs. Tosti will confirm the availability of the Community Center with our Clerk immediately. Mrs. Delaney mentioned booking May 8th (evening) as well just in case.
Stillwater Day
6/7/2025
Our February workshop meeting will be utilized. The Township Committee will be attending the Historical Society’s meeting. Mrs. Delaney mentioned that history plays a large role in the bicentennial so it is important to attend their meeting to see how the Historical Society would like to be incorporated. Mrs. Tosti would also like to be in attendance. Mrs. Falotico said that there are two confirmed food trucks. Mrs. Tosti sent a Save the Date to all vendors on our Vendor Fair list. Fireworks are set. The CFO has secured magnets, playing cards, hats, challenger coins all displaying our logo.
Garage Sale Weekend – Mrs. Wunder
5/17/2025 & 5/18/2025
The banner and application will be updated and available by March. Mrs. Wunder will contact the Township Journal by March as well. The deadline for applications is set for 5/2/2025. The map and list will be completed and sent to print by 5/5/2025 and available to the public by 5/12/2025.
Summer Camp – Mrs. Tosti
8/11/2025-8/22/2025
Our CFO confirmed a show that will be offered on turtles.
Sussex County Day
No updates.
Decorating Contests (Holiday) – Mrs. Minervino
Winners were chosen for our Christmas Decorating Contest. First place will receive a $50.00 gift card, second place will receive a $35.00 gift card, and third place will receive a $25.00 gift card. All gift cards still need to be purchased.
Mrs. Tosti made a motion to vote Jeffrey and Penny Bair as our first-place winner, Darrell VanDuzer and Christine Karabinchak as our second place winner, and Maureen Devine as our third place winner, seconded by Mrs. Richardson.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Tree Lighting – Mrs. Tosti/Mrs. Richardson
No updates.
Egg Hunt – Mrs. Falotico
Mrs. Minervino offered to assist during this event. It was suggested we eliminate the “golden egg.” An adult got it last year, which is unfair to the children. It also distracts the children from retrieving the regular eggs as they are only interested in finding the golden egg. It was suggested that a sticker be placed inside a regular egg indicating they get a prize.
Field/Pavilion Application Approvals, Scheduling – Mrs. Tosti
The application is being updated and will exclude Covid information as well as any other information that is no longer relevant.
Field Maintenance – Mr. Carovillano
Mr. Carovillano noted in our November meeting that the Swartswood Field’s mound is ready for replacement as well as home plate. Based on basic research, Mr. Carovillano found that it would cost up to $2,000 for the supplies (rebrick, clay, etc.) and labor to repair the current mound. This is on the high side. Swartswood is the only field that qualifies for the portable option, but with vandalism present at our parks this presents a concern. Some pricing was obtained, but unfortunately pricing reflects more involved work than what we need. Mr. Carovillano will reach out to Mr. Manser to find out the best way to go about getting a proper quote to align more closely with what we actually need.
Senior Wellness Program – Dawn Tighe
March or April (tentative)
The WISE (Wellness Initiative for Senior Education) Vets Wellness Program is for veterans 64 and older, spouses, and widows of veterans. It addresses veterans’ unique health challenges by providing educational tips on managing health, reducing disease risk, and improving overall well-being. Participants will benefit from interactive sessions covering the aging process, disease prevention, medication management, and strategies for a healthier lifestyle. The program also offers a platform for veterans to connect with peers, share experiences, and learn about veteran-specific resources. Free lunch, educational discussions, activities, and guest speakers are included. Participants who attend a minimum of five of the six-session program will receive a $25 gift card.
Members of the Recreation Commission do not have to attend, but please relay this information to anyone who may be interested!
Community Center Activities:
Senior Citizen Valentine’s Dance – Mrs. Richardson
2/8/2025
7:00 p.m.
Community Center
There are 14 attendees thus far. Rick Nothstine will be DJing the event. There is no set price, however, we will be paying him $200.00 for his services. An email will be sent regarding any food that may be needed, but due to this being such a popular event and the largest one that Mrs. Richardson hosts the Commission agreed catering would be preferred. Mrs. Richardson has decorations from past years, so no new decorations need to be purchased. If anyone has any items that can be donated as prize giveaways, please contact Mrs. Richardson.
Mrs. Tosti made a motion to pay $200.00 for DJ services, seconded by Mrs. Richardson.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Mrs. Tosti made a motion to approve spending up to $250.00 on catering for this event, seconded by Mrs. Falotico.
Roll Call Vote: Mrs. Minervino, yes, Mrs. Falotico, yes, Mrs. Trotter, yes, Mrs. Richardson, yes, Mrs. Tosti, yes
Educational Activities:
Bus Trip – Mrs. Tosti
12/14/2024
The trip was a success. The bus was filled and all departures went smooth. Mrs. Tosti has been in contact with the bus company regarding a March casino trip. Dates to be discussed at our next meeting.
Veteran’s Event – Mrs. Minervino
11/9/2025
Community Center
This event was previously offered as a breakfast but will be a luncheon moving forward. It was also noted that Mrs. Minervino will be hosting another First Responders Event as well to be held on 9/7/2025.
Sheriff’s Office – Mrs. Minervino
These events will resume in March 2025 and be offered every 8 weeks.
Trunk or Treat – Mrs. Trotter and Mrs. Falotico
10/26/2025
The location will be changed to Veteran’s Field. Mrs. Minervino will be unable to help with this event.
Pop Up Vendor Fair – Mrs. Tosti
No updates.
Plant Exchange – Mrs. Tosti
No updates.
Open Public Session:
The meeting was opened to the public at 8:35 p.m.
A resolution was adopted approving a per additional workshop meeting stipend for the Recreation Commission Secretary.
A refund was issued to two passengers for the bus trip due to their own cancelation (which we allowed).
Open public session was closed at 8:38 p.m.
Committee Member Comments:
Mrs. Delaney mentioned that the Recreation Commission should not feel obligated to host such a large number of events. Hosting and volunteering too many events can be tiresome and lead to burnout. Both Mrs. Delaney and Mayor Lisa Chammings are so grateful for the Recreation Commission. She suggested having a “Rec Night” at random so we have the freedom to run what we want and with who can volunteer instead of all members being overcommitted.
Our two alternate positions have been advertised.
Liaison Report – Mr. Manser
- During their December 17, 2024 meeting, our receptionist, Julie, has been appointed to Deputy Clerk – Congratulations!
- Four residents commented during their Open Public session. If anyone is interested, please review the minutes.
- NJ DEP New Sanitary Facility at Swartswood State Park
- Mr. Scott will be present at their January 6th Reorganization meeting.
- There is a grant available for the Community Center. The Community Center could also be named the “Warming Station” for example to show that it is multiuse, which may increase the chance of receiving the grant.
- An upgraded entry way to the Community Center is under discussion.
Adjournment:
Mrs. Tosti made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:53 p.m., seconded by Mrs. Richardson. A vote was taken, and all were in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Danielle Wunder, Secretary
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