Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Present: Steve Slozak, Barry Cady and Dave Braskie
Also Present: Timothy Pascale, Director; Jeanne Guertin, Secretary; Steve O’Shea
Steve Slozak called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m.
Dave made a motion to accept the minutes from the January 4 meeting. Barry seconded and all in favor.
The monthly budget expenses were reviewed. Also, each Commissioner said they received a copy of the bill and payroll signing schedule.
Tim and Steve Slozak went to the Selectmen Meeting to meet with the Selectmen and the Cemetery Commission regarding combining the grounds maintenance of both departments in order to run more efficiently. The Selectmen were very pleased and impressed with Tim’s document showing how the Parks and Recreation Department works with other departments in Town. They would like to see something similar done by the Cemetery Department.
Steve Slozak just attended a Community Preservation Act Committee meeting and updated the Commissioners on its progress. Kathy Roth, Associate Director of the MA Community Preservation Coalition, was at the meeting to go over the program with the Committee. The Housing Authority and Historical Commission have big projects, but the CPA is looking for something on a smaller scale to get the program off the ground, which could be the baseball field. Trails were also discussed, as were lights, restrooms and a concession stand. The funds from the CPA that are used by the Parks and Recreation Department need to be used solely for recreational purposes. They need to know what is needed for the baseball field and what the cost would be. Steve distributed other towns’ CPA programs to give
examples of how the program has worked. Because Monson voted to fund a 3% CPA tax, the state will match 100%. Only towns that funded 3% will receive a 100% match. The state expects to distribute $68.1 Million to 113 communities, and the money is expected to be released on October 15, 2008. The CPA Committee will review the proposed projects to see if each meets the criteria. When approved this will go on warrants and the Town votes on it. The Tax Collector’s office has commented there has been a lot of positive feedback from residents that have been in the office to pay their taxes. Monson will receive $300,000 and 10% will go to the Housing Authority, Historical Commission and Parks and Recreation. Five percent will go towards administration, and the other 65% will go into a big project. A great deal of information can be found at www.communitypreservation.org.
Baseball is the next sport season, and flyers will go out to Quarry Hill Community School and Granite Valley Middle School next week. There have been a few registrations from those who have downloaded the registration form from the Parks and Recreation Department’s website. Try out dates are March 29 and 30 for the travel teams, and the recreational teams will start after that. There is a lot of interest in coaching for the 10/12 division. There are five parties interested in coaching; however, Tim is going to wait until after the teams are selected before choosing who the coach will be, assuming that a coach will have a son on the team.
The Town’s recommended tax cuts were discussed. One of the cuts is the Parks and Recreation Department’s 30-hour position. Dave discussed the budget cuts proposed by the Town, and was wondering if suggestions could be made to the Selectmen that could help the Parks and Recreation Department and possibly save the 30-hour position. Some suggestions were feeding the fields less than they’re being fed now, and thereby, mowing the fields less. Tim said that if the 30-hour position is cut, those types of changes would what he would consider implementing when he doesn’t have that position as part of his workforce.
The budget cuts are proposed, but the Selectmen need to wait to see what the School Committee is proposing for their budget before any decisions are made. The Parks and Recreation basketball program would be affected the most, since the school requires a Parks and Rec employee be present at the school during all practices and games. To have a Parks and Rec employee at the school is still less expensive than the school hiring a custodian to do this.
The lacrosse program was discussed, which is being run by a private club. Lacrosse and spring soccer will be using the high school field. Donna Mastroianni and Pam Arbour have gotten together and worked out a practice and game schedule for lacrosse and soccer where they will be able to share a field. Tim will bring in someone with experience in lacrosse to help show him and his staff on how to line the fields.
An unsuccessful attempt was made to get group tickets for a bus trip to the Red Sox. There is a bus trip to the Yankees, which will be in August. Other possibilities for bus trips were discussed, but the Parks and Recreation Department doesn’t want to compete with other town organizations and sponsor similar bus trips that may already be taking place.
Tim had a request to sponsor a bus trip to the Pawtucket Red Sox this year. Two Paw Sox bus trips were planned last year, and both of these trips were very unsuccessful. Because of this the Commission felt they couldn’t afford taking the chance of sponsoring another trip that would have the same results, and will not sponsor another Paw Sox bus trip.
Dave brought in an ad that appeared in The Journal for a soccer camp sponsored by Gold Star Soccer Club. The ad is publicizing a Gold Star soccer camp in Monson for July 28 through August 1; however, there was no permission given to Gold Star by the Parks and Recreation Department to have such a camp. There are already two soccer clinics in Monson in the summer for two different age groups. Tim will contact Brent Dillard of Gold Star Soccer and let him know that Monson will not host a Gold Star Soccer Camp, and that the Gold Star ad and Gold Star website should be changed to reflect this.
The next Parks and Recreation meeting will be on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at 5:30 p.m. This date is subject to change since Barry will change jobs on March 3, and he will have to see what his new work schedule will be.
Steve made a motion to close the meeting at 6:26 p.m., and Barry 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 )
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