Minutes
May 6, 2015
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm.
Attendance
Parks & Rec Commissioners: Joan Gorga, Sam Harding, Peter Lamb, Isaac Lombard, and Gordon Webber
Recreation Director: Celeste Lunetta
Minutes
The minutes from the April 1, 2015 meeting were approved as written.
Shea Field
Lighting Plans. The Select Board has asked the Parks and Recreation Commission to prepare a Site Plan Review for the Planning Board, although any comments or suggestions made will be strictly advisory. With Diane Chauncey’s help, an informational packet has been prepared and distributed to the Planning Board. Joan and Peter will give a short presentation and plan to field questions and listen to comments. MUSCO can provide an additional diagram showing all of the spill light.
Team Benches. ConVal has mentioned getting team benches for soccer and field hockey players. Approval was given for the benches to be stored against the West St. fence like the goals. Celeste will suggest that they get 16-foot benches with backs on them.
ConVal Agreement. Joan emailed David Martz again to ask if there has been any response to our latest draft of the agreement over the shared use of Shea Field, and there has been no response from him. However, Pete Ketchum called Celeste in March, well ahead of time, with the spring sports schedule. No double headers were scheduled, but there will be some back-to-back Antrim Rec games following GBS games. Celeste has had to remind ConVal twice about putting the field back the way it should be left. Most importantly, on the day the Shea Field fence was being repaired, and Celeste requested that GBS not use the field, GBS used it anyway. The unsupervised kids threw Frisbees where the contractors were working. There has also been some damage on the diamond during GBS use. Celeste will
suggest an inexpensive fix to mitigate the damage. We should also begin to check for damage after GBS recess.
Recreation Department
Personnel. Celeste has changed the open position to “Beach Manager,” and will most likely interview candidates for that position when she returns from vacation.
Update. The sports teams are going well.
The bike rodeo had a good turnout of about 30 kids and it went well at the police station. The cycle cross and Strider bikes were popular, as were the Police give-away bags. The kid who won the bike raffle was very pleased. The bikes were decorated with paint chips from Edmunds. The mechanics’ station was de-emphasized this year.
About 50 families came for the fishing derby. The water level was low in the Mill Pond this year. We will try to coordinate with those who control the Gregg Lake outflow next year to optimize the flow. Memorial Park was well used during the fishing derby.
CVYSA. Progress in getting the programs running has been slow. They are thinking of starting in the fall. Bob Crowley is scheduled to come speak to the Parks and Rec Commission at the June 11 meeting.
Senior Center. The idea of the Senior Center coming under the auspices of the Parks and Recreation Commission has been floated. No decisions need to be made at this time.
Gregg Lake
Beach/Boat Launch Issues. Celeste will install temporary signs at the beach until we decide on appropriate wording to go on the permanent signs. Celeste found a part to repair the dock, so it will not need to be entirely replaced. A hole is again forming in the beach parking lot. We will see if the Highway Dept. can fill it before it gets any deeper. The Highway Dept. will also remove all the old picnic tables, cut the butchered shrubs, set the new grills in place and remove the old climbing toy. Chip will rebuild the tables with aluminum frames. The septic tank needs to be pumped. It has a fine line between working well and not functioning, so the pattern has been to pump it at the beginning of each season, and then monthly for as long as the restrooms are kept open.
Installing a waterless urinal was discussed, but no decisions were made.
Town Gym
Shared Use. There have been no issues over the shared use of the gym this month.
Memorial Park
Maintenance. A lilac bush fell over during the winter. Celeste will look into getting it staked back up or removed. A sumac tree has fallen onto one of the war memorials and the flag light, which may need to be replaced. One of the war memorials has been displaced from its base. The bandstand steps need to be painted. Shrubs around the bandstand need to be replaced, and saplings growing up around the pond edge need to be pruned. Peter will look into dealing with these items, as well as getting the use of a laser grader to level the area around the bandstand and walk where water accumulates, and to level low spots in the Shea Field infield. The pickleball group has grown larger and has asked for pickleball lines to be painted on the tennis court. Celeste will use the paint
machine to put the lines on. Mulch needs to be placed under the swings.
Sign. The main Memorial Park sign needs to be replaced, along with other signs at bot Memorial Park and the Town Beach. Several options for making the permanent signs were discussed, and Peter and Celeste will follow up with further details. In addition to the large signs with detailed rules, small signs with abbreviated rules will be posted.
Community Garden. The Antrim Grange group organizing the new Community Garden chose to put two raised beds on the strip of land between Town Hall and the Mill Pond. Since this land is not under the jurisdiction of the Parks & Rec Commission, we will not need to take the responsibility of overseeing the project.
Ten-Year Plan. Since the warrant article for lights at Shea Field was passed, it will be many years before we have substantial funds to work on Memorial Park. At this point we will focus on formulating plans and doing small improvement projects. Celeste will contact Harry Payne again to try to get the fencing extended, and Joan will look into replacing some of the landscaping around the bandstand. The first step will be to contact some of those who worked on the original landscaping to find out if any particular items have special significance.
Other. The Boy Scouts will be performing a flag disposal ceremony on Flag Day.
The next regularly scheduled Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 6th at 7:00 pm at the Rec Office.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:42 pm.
-Joan Gorga, Chair and Secretary
| 
