Greenfield Parks & Recreation Committee
October 28, 2008
DRAFT Minutes
Committee Members Present: Conrad Dumas, Lisa Hall, Rhonda Cilley, Lee LeBlanc, MaryAnn Grant, Neal Brown, David Buchanan, Lori Weeks, Melissa Champagne
Absent: Dawn Costa-Gallo, Dorene Adams
Chairman Dumas called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm
1. Minutes
Lisa wants the Oct 21 minutes to include her comments pertaining to her uneasiness about the Parks & Rec Committee’s cohesion. Her comments relate to the responses she received to her questions about the Director’s time commitments during the Blueberry Jamboree. Lisa felt that there was defensiveness on the part of committee members towards her inquiries.
Rhonda asks for clarification about Molly’s 40 hour commitment to the Blueberry Jamboree and whether the Oct 21 minutes indicate that the 15 hours unpaid overtime was due to not being submitted or due to being rejected.
Neal believes that she did not submit at all.
Will check for verification.
Conrad motions to approve Oct 28 minutes if there are not any other concerns.
Discussion ensues about what is the common goal among all of us.
Lisa: we want to consider the position of the Director as an objective job description – it is not about Molly as a person and we need to keep it separate – nothing is personal
Rhonda: respect needs to exist among us all
David: disagreement is indeed necessary to reach common ground
Rhonda: but not when committee members feel that it is not always safe to express concerns about previous Director's actions
Conrad: I’m here as the result of a personnel matter between the Director and the BOS – so let’s aim to discuss the position objectively as opposed to referring to Molly by name in order to remove emotional reactions to the position
Neal: Motion to accept minutes w/ adjustments
Committee approves through voice vote
2. Consideration of Director’s “Duties”
Conrad reiterates the aim to focus on the duties of the Director for now and we’ll return to other elements later; he asks if everyone has had a chance to review the multiple drafts of job description
Neal: are we all comfortable and familiar with it?
The committee responds that they are
Conrad asks for folks to share their thoughts on how the job should be interpreted
Neal: I think for a 25 hour position it is unnecessarily complex right now with an array of parks and maintenance duties – there are so many ways can go to address this – I think maybe even call it “Facilities Director” compensated by no more than 25 hours – do include skills in the description to attract and require qualified people – include town committees in addition to the BOS as part of the hiring process
Neal foresees the following organizational structure:
· Considering major recreational functions of the job: some should involve committee operations (i.e. PTO based committee to handle all children’s activities (Winter Carnival); town committees like the GIVers doing the leg work of Blueberry Jamboree models this approach –the current Director gave the GIVers, Fire Dept, PTO, Women’s Club, etc the glue to hold them together, but I think we could handle the management operations – maybe the Blue BQ model serves as a model for this aim
· The Facilities portion of the job would concern the town’s grounds and parks and what happens there –– if you put major events in the hands of committees, you have a true Facilities Director who is then allowed to organize long term programs such as Little League Baseball with its massive amounts of phone calls and organization and delegation; swimming programs at the lake – which are not conducive to committees
· In short it is too complex a job, the Recreational Director can’t be in two places at once – let committees do what they can do. We have to keep in mind, however, that when committees work they do incur the same expenses as if the Director was managing the events. Therefore, the BOS should consider giving funds on an ad hoc basis, which could come out of the Recreational Department’s Resolving Fund
Rhonda: I have come up with very similar ideas – to add to the PTO role for example, it could even been organized under subcommittees. I also agree keeping baseball, swim lessons and lifeguarding under the Director. I am still questioning how much maintenance falls under Recreational Director and I am very concerned about the amount of hours that go into grant writing. There is money around to be given out; it is just a matter of having the time to conduct the research to find the resources
Lisa: I have a question about Little League – is that not already an organization in itself? Isn’t it just one registration night and the coaches facilitating all the parent calls, etc?
Melissa: It is not as highly organized as it should be and a person like the Director is needed; the town’s Cal Ripken rep for the town can’t do it all.
Conrad highlighted things on the list that are purely maintenance: cleaning, arranging for contract bids for tree trimming etc. that could be delegated. He advocates for taking away the maintenance elements so that the Director is able to do things like fundraising, grant writing and program organization; I don’t understand why a Director would do those maintenance tasks.
Neal: whenever there has been mitigating circumstances – those maintenance needs have gotten placed on the Director’s plate
Conrad: because the current Director had previous experience with writing bids she became the go to person for that task
Neal: we have to be careful not to ask anyone to do the impossible – if maintenance is taken way then the Director will have time to deal with other recreational needs
Conrad: in years past, a volunteer safety committee of the town was suppose to walk through facilities and grounds of the town to make a list of repair needs – I see that the role of the Director as submitting a Memo reporting emergency fixing needs. The Director does need to have a clear eye on these things considering liability issue, but someone else should actually make the repairs
MaryAnn: that’s fine if it happens – it didn’t happen last year. If these committees or volunteer groups break down or disband, the town will have important needs that pertain to maintenance and repairs. With regard to the Wage & Benefits Committee’s 2007 DRAFT of a revised Parks and Recreational Director job description, it is overwhelmingly Recreational. If the job is only 25 hours a week, then I look at it has having three parts: Recreational, Parks, and then Maintenance of Parks. Regarding the PTO’s efforts, there are some years that it wasn’t highly active; if it continues to be as effective as it is now then the town is ok, but what do we do when the volunteer groups are not highly effective? We need accountability and a go-back-to person.
Neal: if a committee ceases to exist then the function ceases – we do need something there to ensure operations.
Lisa: We need to be careful to recognize that the PTO is a school function organization – it is not responsible for ensuring activities – I see committees as specific to particular events. I see the Director as looking into these events, researching ideas, and finding money.
Conrad: going back to the example of the volunteer safety committee: in theory, they would walk through to create a report of what needed to be fixed
MaryAnn: Molly did those things because it didn’t get done; fearing liability. We need to avoid those situations, someone has to be there.
Lisa: there’s a point where the BOS is accountable
Lori: then that needs to be part of the job description
David: We need to set up a chain of command
Melissa makes a point of clarification regarding Cal Ripken Little League’s organizational structure: there is a point of contact in Little League but the Director is at top (aware of functions); there are chairmen in between The Director and the participants.
Neal: there is a need for modification to address the most critical areas that require the Director’s involvement
Rhonda points out that there is an important need to get the Oak Park concession stand open: it goes along with the grant writing idea in that there is a timing issue at hand. In order to keep it open, volunteers are needed; they have been available, there is just a need to organize them
David: I think we’re hitting on the same things we just need cohesiveness in this group to go forward – we do need to get people in charge and break down the description that it matches a 25 hour a week expectation
Lee: so far it all sounds good
Lori mentions that she is concerned that some people will interpret a removal of duties such as maintenance and the parks’ up-keep has cause for reducing the 25 hours a week currently required. She also wants language in the job description that addressed when the Director is left to their own discretion and when BOS oversight is appropriate; even when there is overlap in responsibility over town maintenance needs, reporting repairs, needs for specific attention to park grounds, etc
Rhonda: I have yet to consider how many hours go with each duty
Lisa: I don’t know if we can say whether we think it should be a 25 hour a week position; once the programs are in place then the next year’s operations may not be as time consuming; it is also possible that it could be even more hours a week
Lori: I see the job as so overloaded now, with contracting for bids to maintenance and repairs, that it is way over 25 hours; even over 40 hours. I think it is important to be realistic about how many hours we have to work with and what resources are available in this small town; I think we should be simultaneously considering the hours involved for the duties we want to keep
Rhonda: I look it as a like in a company’s consideration of the duties of a position first, and then they look at the needs to determine whether it is a full time or part time position. I’m trying to avoid decisions within a 25 hours restriction – I’m thinking of the needs of the town – totally exclusive; could be more than 25 hours
Neal: should we start from scratch or work with an established protocol? We are somewhat handcuffed by what is there – it is unrealistic to see the position as larger.
Lisa: I do not foresee a reduction in hours. I just hope for more time to focus on money making and recreational pieces – there seems to be no recreational aspect to the job right now
Question from the public in attendance as to whether there has been a review of other town’s job descriptions
Rhonda: yes; Francestown is all committee based with a 5,000 budget to operate from for activities; Bennington only has one BOS who is responsible for overseeing a very bare-boned list of activities: 3-4 big events a year – kind of like what we’re doing now- teen dances have not been done; the PTO has done Winter Carnival; Talent Show; Harvest Fair
Conrad: we need more efficiency out of the 25 hours a week – politically you will not get any more hours than that. We need an active committee to ensure more efficiency rather than coming out taxpayer dollars. A long term mission is to run activities that bring in funds. The Blue Jamboree, for example, could easily bring in lots of dollars and could be a self-sustaining activity/committee to get off the tax roll
Lisa: The BlueBQ has made money
Lori: I still want to consider oversight and accountability in the job description
Neal motions to start from scratch
Conrad: we are the legislative body representing the town – what do we want to do?
Lisa: let’s start all over
Motion to start from scratch is passed
Conrad brand new – nothing is wrong and nothing is right – let’s make a brainstorming list- you live in this town, you love this town, what do we want available to us under the Director?
Committee creates an all inclusive list:
3. Recreational Activities and Duties List
Programs
Seasonal
Dances
Various Sports
Exercise programs
Children vs. Teens vs. Adults vs. Seniors Activities – or even Family programs
Children geared craft club
Before and after-school child care is badly needed (summer program)
Trips (i.e. to Boston)
Holiday Parties
Winter Carnival
Pot Luck Dinners
Park Administration
Leasing to sports organizations such as Pop Warner
Utilize Oak Park to its maximum: including the concession stand, the track, tennis courts, sponsorship of sports leagues such as Pop Warner, Cal Ripken, etc
Language in the job description that articulates the Director as a “Delegator not a do-er”
Swimming programs – also including the overseeing of lifeguards and safety
Grant writing
Development of oversight over subcommittees
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Public Relations – money to mailings; conduct periodic surveys – periodic reports not only to inform but encourage town interaction
Liability knowledge (requirement to request annual inspections)
Oversight over Revolving Account
Recruit volunteers
Discussion on aspects of the list:
Need for regular office/phone hours – point person and articulation of communication standards: Discussion ensues about the complexities of the job makes it very hard to be available certain times of the day – can’t say when available = committee to work with Director on establishing an appropriate communication policy open to flexibility
Neal comments that there is a problem with flexibility issue: the BOS says there’s flexibility but then BOS requires that it is involved in decision-making – the cash cow is in Oak Park; bottom line is that the revolving account needs to be under the Director’s oversight
Lisa has a concern about the Director having another job that my conflict with required duties of the Director – how does 25 hours fit in each week when they are competing with another full time job?
Neal: but the nature of the job requires flexibility but she can’t sit in one place – we have to honor her use of time
Some committee members have a desire to look at the current Director’s break down of time
Lisa: I would like to know what the typical day and week looks like
Rhonda: I have a question about the approximately $1300 in the Parks & Recreation budget allocated for “Telephone.” Do we pay for a land line and a cell phone; and how does it correlate with Director’s use of time?
Lisa: it’s probably the Director’s portion of Town Administration’s overall phone bill
Conrad: I’ll find out, it may also consist of internet use
Lisa: I have asked multiple times and I still need a line-itemized budget of all the things that have been paid under Parks & Rec budget
Conrad: it’s with Catherine Shaw in Quick Books
Lisa: can I get that?
Conrad: Yes, call Catherine
MaryAnn: I am very frustrated with the lack of communication from the BOS to the Director – MaryAnn adds that accountability is being mishandled and relying on volunteerism will also jeopardize recreational functions because volunteer efforts in the town are minimal
Lisa: but volunteers have stepped up and there has been no follow through
Rhonda: there are three people sitting in this room that offered to volunteer but have been met with a lack of delegation
There is agreement from all that a permanent Parks & Recreation Committee is essential to the position’s operations – it must remain and be part of activities facilitation
There is a suggestion from the public in attendance to conduct our own survey – utilize Super Tuesday next week
Rhonda: let’s take the list to the voting line
Motion to post the list at the town hall w/ instructions for prioritizing most important activities is passed
Rhonda and Lori agree to handle making a large poster of the activities portion of the list and organizing committee members to take turns collecting citizen’s responses
Conrad asks that the poster clearly indicate that it is from the Greenfield Parks and Recreation Committee so that the message gets out that it is in existence and active. He adds that we are all very busy and it is important to avoid stress, so Rhonda and Lori can aim to get it done but if they don’t, no harm done
Motion to have Conrad to call the town moderator to ensure there’s no problem to have us there during election hours is passed
Conrad: we’ve accomplished a lot; I would like a commitment to maintain our previously established meeting times. Tonight’s list with be used by our first subcommittee of volunteers (Rhonda and Lori) to poll the voters and report back to committee on their findings. It would be great to reach a committee consensus on a vision and an agreement in order to meet with the BOS with our conclusions – so the goal is to reach a consensus at the next meeting
Neal: did [tonight’s list] exceed a 25 hour a week commitment; maybe there is a need to prune it – keep it as simple as possible to serve the most constituents as well as possible
Conrad: maybe if we just make an effort to reach an agreement
MaryAnn: let’s remember that more than 30 hours of any job requires health benefits
Neal: maybe each of us should come up with a job description sketched out
Motion for each member to draft out their ideal job description is passed
Meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
4. Upcoming MEETING DATES
Nov 11: 6-8pm
Nov 18: 6-8pm
Dec 2: 6-8pm
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