Sullivan 180 Hosts Building & Grounds Workshop

Sharing Best Practices, Tools, and Strategies to Enhance Community Spaces.

[BETHEL, NY] School Buildings & Grounds staff, Parks and Recreation crews, and municipal employees from across Sullivan County gathered to learn practical information, tips, and best practices to help maintain public spaces and work more efficiently and effectively.

Participants networked, exchanged ideas, and learned about tools and resources that can help them maintain safe, welcoming, and well-kept parks, school campuses, and public areas throughout the county. Workshop sessions were led by industry professionals from a variety of backgrounds.

Chris Sitko, Manager of Golf Facilities & Athletic Sports Turf at Cornell University, presented on turf management, offering guidance on maintaining healthy, resilient lawns and athletic fields. Josh Cunningham, Grounds Superintendent at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, led a discussion on snow removal strategies, emphasizing practices that help minimize spring cleanup and reduce the need for additional maintenance. He also shared time-saving tools that have proven effective for crews. Chris Franke of Mullally Tractor Sales in Jeffersonville introduced robotic equipment used in grounds maintenance, along with other equipment options designed to assist with day-to-day operations.

Carmela Hugel, Beautification Program Manager at Sullivan 180, discussed the benefits of public spaces for community health and shared information about the organization’s beautification resources and programs that support schools and municipalities in enhancing public spaces.

“Workshops like this not only provide practical skills and resources, but they also strengthen community pride and foster collaboration among everyone dedicated to keeping Sullivan County’s schools, parks, and public spaces safe, welcoming, and beautiful,” said Carmela. “Seeing teams share ideas and work together reminds us how much we can achieve when we combine expertise, creativity, and a commitment to our community.”

For more information about the workshop or beautification resources, contact Carmela Hugel at 845-295-254-2453 or Carmela@sullivan180.org.