The consultant team working on a proposed community center for the Eastern Delaware County Joint Recreation District will hold the first public meeting on Nov. 12 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Berkshire Township Town Hall to present preliminary findings and solicit resident input.

Daryl, who reviewed the kickoff meeting notes from the consultant, said the firm will present a market analysis, initial benchmarking of comparable facilities and a preliminary estimate of the number of people likely to be served. “They’re going to be sharing information that they’ve already been able to ascertain about the JRD area at this meeting,” Daryl said. He added the consultant expects to launch an online survey around the same time.

What the consultant will do
Board members heard that the consultant plans to deliver a market analysis and benchmarking, identify stakeholder groups and propose programming ideas. The team discussed arranging site visits for the steering committee to look at comparable facilities, including examples from nearby communities. The consultant will supply a map of the study area to clarify where Sunbury, Berkshire and Galena boundaries lie and how that area relates to potential users.

Stakeholder outreach and logistics
The board identified groups the consultant should engage: local sports organizations, schools, homeowners associations, fire district representatives and the area’s 55-plus community. Bernie and Todd, members of the steering committee, said they were encouraged by the kickoff meeting. “I thought it was a really good conversation,” Todd said, and he emphasized that “first impressions for the project are important.”

Administrative and compliance notes
Board members discussed open-meetings considerations. Mike (legal counsel) advised posting the Nov. 12 session as a special meeting to avoid questions about member attendance and participation; the board agreed to post it to ensure transparency. The board also set two additional dates: an in-person steering meeting on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. in Sunbury and a tentative Dec. 1 meeting to consider final 2026 budget matters.

Next steps
The steering committee will meet biweekly to support the consultant’s work; the consultant is expected to return to brief the full board every two to three months. Staff will circulate advance materials to the board when the consultant shares them, and the consultant will launch an online survey concurrent with the Nov. 12 meeting.