Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
June 4, 2008
Present: Steve Slozak, Barry Cady and Steve O’Shea
Also Present: Timothy Pascale, Director; Jeanne Guertin, Secretary; Erin Arbour
Steve Slozak called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
Barry made a motion to accept the minutes from the May 7 meeting. Steve O’Shea seconded and all in favor.
Erin Arbour was at the meeting to express her concern over the smoking issue at Veterans Park. She thanked the Commission for recently posting “No Dogs” signs at the Park. Regarding the “no smoking” issue, Erin talked to the Board of Health and Gretchen Neggers. Since Parks and Rec owns the field it is under the Parks and Rec’s jurisdiction.
The smoking issues are that there are cigarette butts on the ground, kids are seeing people smoking and “second hand” smoke. The main concern is the park area. People are not allowed to smoke at the JV baseball games, which are at a diamond at Veterans Field, because it is a school event. Therefore, Erin believes it makes sense to make it a general rule to not allow smoking throughout the entire park.
Erin distributed copies of an e-mail Gretchen received from D. J. Wilson, Tobacco Control Director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which outlines what can be done to ban smoking at various outdoor sites. This e-mail also lists other Massachusetts towns that have been successful in doing so. Erin also distributed copies of a model regulation of a smoke-free law which also came from D. J. Wilson. The Board of Health already has in place an indoor smoking ban for restaurants and businesses, and the Parks and Rec could add to that.
The Commission felt they had to have time to read over the documents that Erin distributed. Steve O’Shea was concerned about any legal issues that could result if they went ahead with an outdoor smoking restriction in the parks. The Commission will get back to Erin with their recommendation after they have had a chance to read the documents and consult with a lawyer. Steve Slozak made a motion that this item be tabled until the next meeting. Steve O’Shea seconded; all in favor and the motion passed.
The number of participants who have registered for the summer programs is extremely low. Flyers went out later than usual due to the uncertainty of whether the schools could be used for the camps’ location. An e-mail from the Parks and Rec office was sent out reminding people of the registration deadlines for each camp, and, hopefully, that will help boost registrations.
Monson Summer Theatre was discussed. Donations to the Summer Theatre totals $1,050, which includes the $500 from the Selectmen. Mark Pessolano called Tim recently. For the past 10 years Mark has been running a golf tournament, which recently has been benefiting the Make a Wish Foundation. Mark felt that he would like to give profits from the tournament to Monson Parks and Rec Department after learning of its financial troubles. The tournament could generate about $3,000. Hampden Country Club, where the tournament is held, may match whatever the golf tournament earns. Tim would like to split whatever is donated between the summer camps and Summer Theatre to help pay for the facility.
Tim and Jeannie created a brochure to provide Mark with something he could distribute at the tournament. The brochure describes each of the Parks and Rec’s summer programs, including Summer Theatre, and appeals to the community to help support these programs.
Publicity has gone out to the schools and newspapers for auditions for “Once Upon a Mattress”. The auditions will take place on June 17, 18 and 19.
The Yankees Bus Trip on August 17 is half full. Steve O’Shea suggested a two- to three-day trip to Camden Yards to see the Red Sox play the Orioles. There was concern over who would be able to go on the trip to run it.
The Town approved the Parks and Rec budget, including Tim’s request to move money from Expenses to Salaries. Steve had met with the Finance Committee in Tim’s absence prior to the Town Meeting and explained why Tim wanted to do this and to answer any questions they may have.
The purchase of a new shed was discussed. Given the state of the Revolving Fund, it was decided that the decision to purchase a shed will be put off until after the Summer Programs and Summer Theatre were over.
The basketball hoop at the court behind the Town Offices was discussed. The pole is starting to lean, probably due to kids trying to dunk the ball and hanging on the hoop. Steve Slozak knows someone that could repair this with a backhoe, but we would have to purchase the materials needed. There was concern that if the pole was straightened the court surface may crack.
Steve Slozak said Summerfest is putting electricity at Quarry Hill for the fireworks event. Tim asked if it will be on a separate pole that they would have to trim around. Power will be put on a pole near the driveway.
Steve O’Shea gave a letter to Tim that he drafted regarding getting lights at the 10/12 baseball field at Rogers Field/Flynt Park. This is a Granite City Electric sweepstakes in which towns can be awarded lights for a youth baseball field. Tim will look over the letter, and after finalizing will submit the letter to Granite City.
M & M Paving was called to look at the cracks in the tennis courts and they’ve been asked to send an estimate to repair the cracks. Tim talked to Gretchen about this, since the cracks are large enough to consider this a safety issue for those using the courts. Gretchen asked Tim to get an estimate, and if costs under $1,000 he wouldn’t have to get more than one estimate. In the past Tim has tried to repair the cracks himself, but the repairs did not hold up.
One of our 10/12 Tri Town B division teams has been winning games with scores such as 29-0 and 35-0. There has been comments that this team should be in the A division. If the team is moved into the A division they would have to stay there. The team should stay in the B division since only three of those players will be playing 10/12 next year, and the remainder of the team will be moving up to 12/14. Tim had a good conversation with the coach and he is trying not to run up the score; for example, kids are not stealing bases when they can so they don’t get way ahead.
There won’t be any more make-up games for pitching machine. There isn’t any room to move these games to until after July 1, and there’s a general feeling that most players will lose interest in playing by then.
Mike Arbour was at Lower Rogers Field and found the source of water that has been soaking the corner of the field by the benches. There is a spring that has been seen bubbling to the surface of the field. If nothing is done about the water source, the field could be lost. Around July or August when the spring is suspected to dry up, Tim will ask Al Papesh to see if he could redirect the water so that it doesn’t soak the field. It is possible that the funds from the Community Preservation Act could pay for that work.
Tim distributed a flyer with information regarding different evaluation guidelines for the 8/10 and 10/12 Tri-Town teams. Evaluations will take place in late August so that the players can be evaluated in a game like outdoor setting rather than inside a gymnasium as done in the past. It is felt that this would also give the teams opportunity to practice indoors during the winter as many other communities do. The Commission agreed that this would be a good idea. The flyers will be distributed to the schools by the end of the year for those in Grades 1-5.
On the Evaluation flyer there will be a registration form for the players, as well as an application form for coaches. Tim would like to select coaches before evaluations and have their input.
There was a behavioral problem with the players on one of the 9/10 recreational teams. The coach had e-mailed the players’ parents and warned them that if the players continued to misbehave on the bench he would have them sit with their parents.
Tim is proposing to take care of the school grounds. The school’s budget for Grounds Maintenance is $25,000 a year. Tim sent letters to four local landscaping companies to get estimates for mulching the school grounds. He walked the grounds with two of the companies, and the other two hadn’t called back. The school had paid $5,000 to sweep two of the schools’ parking lots. If Parks and Rec maintained the school grounds, Tim would contact the Monson Highway Department about doing this.
The next Parks and Recreation meeting will be on Wednesday, July 16, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.
Barry made a motion to close the meeting at 8:04 p.m., and Steve O’Shea 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 )
| 
