Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Present: Steve Slozak, Barry Cady, and Dave Braskie
Also Present: Timothy Pascale, Director; Jeanne Guertin, Secretary
Barry made a motion to begin the meeting at 6:05 p.m. and Steve seconded. All in favor and the motion passed.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss a memo that was received by the Commission from Gretchen Neggers. The memo was regarding the Long Range Financial Planning Committee’s (LRFPC) request to explore the possibility of combining outdoor maintenance responsibilities of the Parks and Recreation and Cemetery Departments for the purpose of saving money.
Tim said the mowers of the two departments are different sizes. To the “normal” person the mowers look the same. If the two departments are asked what equipment they need, and both departments request a dump truck, that may be what they’re trying to avoid.
Paul Lovell (Cemetery Department) has a bucket and backhoe we could use. Other than that, that’s it.
Is the LRFPC looking at employees? The Parks and Recreation Department has no “down time” in the summer. Dave said down time is after October. Tim said that different help is needed at that time, for example, gym monitors.
It was discussed that combination of outdoor maintenance could be done, but they would need more money. Steve said originally Parks & Rec did take care of the schools, but since then more school fields have been added. When the fields at Quarry Hill were added Parks & Rec stopped doing them. Steve said that the Town has been thinking of going to a DPW. He has talked to Ed (Harrison) and Kathleen (Norbut) about this. For them to do this it should go to a Town vote. What about the commissioners? Will there be six commissioners? Tim said in Ware they had tried this but they just went back to separate commissions. He doesn’t know what the problems were. Dave said you could combine certain things, like trailers. There are three trailers. Two
of these are being used, and the third one is with Steve Hutchinson, who does repairs. Dave has had some experience with sharing equipment and Steve asked if there were ever any problems. Dave said very rarely.
The two commissions would still have the same mowers. There would be extra wear and tear and maintenance on the equipment. Paul has only one bay, actually a bay and a half.
It was discussed how Paul and Tim would have a difficult time learning each other’s jobs. Steve heard that they might want to combine with the schools in the future.
Tim said we do so much more than just mow grass. Steve commented we have been trying to educate people on this.
There are 15-20 barrels in town in different locations. The trash barrels at the schools are emptied in school dumpsters. Dave asked if anyone has looked at a compactor, and that there would be a big savings. The dumpsters here are emptied every Friday. The biggest trash day is Monday. It would be good if they could move the dumpster out of the parking lot. Dave said that BFI will sit down and discuss our trash needs if we wanted.
The Water Department is self-sustaining. The Town approves what they spend, and the money comes from the water and sewer bills.
Tim passed out copies of the equipment inventory (not including rakes, shovels, etc.). Richard Guertin asked each town department to submit a list of their equipment about two years ago.
The commission discussed when their next regular meeting would be held. It was agreed that Mondays would be a good day to meet.
The next Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting will be Monday, July 30, 2007, at 5:30 p.m. Barry made a motion to end the meeting at 6:50 p.m. and Dave seconded. All in favor and the motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeanne Guertin
Secretary
Timothy J Pascale
Director/Program Coordinator
Monson Parks and Recreation
110 Main Street
Monson, MA 01057
1-413-267-4105 ( phone )
1-413-267-0327 ( fax )
| 
