Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Thursday, July 20, 2011
Present: Michael Arbour, Steve O’Shea (Chairman) and Steve Slozak (arrived late)
Also Present: Timothy Pascale, Director; Jeannie Guertin, Secretary/Clerk; Liz Manley, Pool Director; Jo Sauriol and Lauren Smith (Pool Boosters members)
Steve O’Shea called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m.
Tim had sent a Pool Proposal to Superintendent Pat Dardenne outlining what the Parks and Rec Department can do to help keep the pool open 12 months per year. There will be a School Committee Meeting on August 3, and they want everything nailed down at that meeting. Steve O’Shea will be at that meeting and has asked Liz to be there, too.
Pat returned the Pool Proposal with a response to each item. A copy of this proposal was distributed, and the following is discussion of those responses.
- Pool cleaning and maintenance: Liz wanted to know if she needs to provide cleaning materials or will the school pay for them. If there is a problem with one of the locker rooms not being maintained who does she go to? The lifeguard and janitors would be responsible for the cleaning. How does the school want the deck cleaned? Should there be an itemized list of how it should be cleaned? What about the storage of cleaning equipment?
- Suggested idea of rooms: No comment
- Payment suggestion: Will the school come up with a specific payment plan schedule? There should be a 3-month review by the Parks and Rec Department as to the level of funds available for payment to monitor if that level is getting low.
- Sponsorship ideas: Why are banners allowed on the high school baseball diamond fence? The baseball field banners are seen only by those attending the game and not by the general public. The pool is a public place. Can the banners be hung only for a particular day of a swim event?
- Times of use: Does a monthly calendar have to be approved that includes every pool program? The current monthly calendar only has public use programs.
- Closing of pool: When they close the pool for the annual cleaning? The always wait until the last day to start the cleaning, then the cleaning continues for two more weeks. We are starting to build up the programs again, but the pool could be closed for a month. Last year the boosters paid to have the locker room and deck power washed. It doesn’t seem like the pool is the priority when they are getting the school ready. The receiver for the remote has fallen off. This happened before but hasn’t been fixed. Tim will ask about “damage” wording for pool cover.
If Liz has problems with anything in the Pool Proposal, she should go through Tim.
Tim distributed copies of a Tornado Damage List of Parks & Rec properties. This list is for the insurance company, and has been finalized with Gretchen Neggers and Debi Mahar. ShedWorks is to replace the shed that blew into the brook at Vets Field. The carpenters’ union is willing to rebuild the dugouts for free labor. They said they would build a dugout on every field. We would have to pour the footings again. Whatever the insurance company won’t cover FEMA will pay for, but it will be a long process.
The Skate Park is still being planned to be built where the tennis courts are. Tennis courts can be built with Community Preservation Act funds, and they can go where the storage shed used to be by the playground. The Skate Park is insured on its own so we will get money for that.
Cushman Field’s backstop and dugouts are gone. The only things that will be replaced is what was already there. If we want a higher backstop at Cushman, we would have to supply the additional money to do that. Tim is meeting with Leslie Duthie (Conservation Commission) regarding the trees that are down, and stumps that he would like to have removed. The drainage is all clogged up. The Highway Department is doing the guardrail, but we’ll have to regrade. If we can get the whole drainage system working properly we could fix the drainage problem in the corner.
The fence at Flynt Park on the road needs to be replaced. A “prefab” shed will be put on the slab. Tim is getting a price on a shed, and once that is approved, then he can get going. Tim is working with Leslie Duthie regarding all the trees in the upper part of the area.
Tim has been up to the top of Flynt Park several times. There is an unbelievable view from the top and Tim would like to see the trails fixed and possibly put some benches at the summit.
The Parks and Rec received one new mower to replace the walk behind that was lost in the tornado.
Soccer goal posts were run over and ruined, and it will cost $3,200 to replace them. If money is spent to replace something, FEMA will not reimburse you. Tim talks to FEMA representatives almost every day.
The soccer goals are up at Veterans Field. The waterways in town have to be cleared by 10 days from Sunday (July 24).
Mike Tassinari can rebuild the storage shed for $2,800, but we don’t know where we’re going to put it. The old building was 28’ x 24’. A footprint of 30’ x 30’ is approved, but the building doesn’t have to be square. Tim will get a design done and wait to see where it is going to be.
It could be up to two years before we may move into a new town office building. The Commission may consider renting storage space in the meantime to get the equipment out of the weather, or maybe a trailer for storage. Come September the Commission will take a more aggressive approach to protect the equipment that is presently being stored outside.
Lauren Smith appeared for Public Session. She realizes that the Parks and Rec Department is always hurting for money. She has been a gym teacher for fifteen years and feels that there are a lot of possibilities for the Department to make money (for example, Open Gym and Family Fun days). We have the facilities and there are people that are willing to work. Steve O’Shea asked that she put her ideas in an e-mail and send it to the Commission.
Regarding Accounts Receivable, the School Department owes us over $5,000 for April, May and June. Don Smith said to resend the bills, but we haven’t seen anything yet. The Parks and Rec Department doesn’t mow the school grounds anymore. S & K mowed the school grounds in order to give the School Department a cost. They are now going to take care of the School Grounds for $15,000, and will be called by the School each time to do it. B & B gave the School a cost of $30,000, and Tim gave them an estimate of $20,000 and was told it was too much.
The Mustang Basketball Clinic had to be cancelled this year due to low registration numbers. The numbers have been dropping over the years, and other towns are experiencing the same thing. Summer Fun Week is going. There were 6 registered a week before the first week of camp, and then we ended up with 25. Tim has cut down on staff which should help save money. Also, instead of renting the waterslide, the campers are going to the Quarry Hill Pool. Track & Field had to be cancelled because Jim Pennington hurt himself. He injured his knee and his wife works nights so she couldn’t help out. The Junior Soccer Clinic has 21 signed up, and we used to have over 100.
Monson Summer Theatre participants are down to about 20 participants. Some may not like the changes: more paperwork, user’s fee, etc. Also, we’ve gone to general admission, which will be easier to sell tickets. Since Erin Greene will receive a percentage of ticket sales; therefore, giving her incentive to sell them.
Fall recreational soccer numbers are down. If Veterans Field isn’t ready for soccer we need to move it to Quarry Hill.
The Red Sox bus trip was on July 10 and everyone had a good time. The Yankees bus trip is Sunday (July 24) and we have six tickets left. We have possible dates for a Celtics bus trip, but there is a lock out, so that is on hold.
Tri Town baseball tryouts will probably have to wait until spring. We’ve had them in October so that teams could practice all winter, but they didn’t. Also, because of the tornado there was not enough time to get together the try outs. Also, Tony Dismukes, who has run the tryouts, is no longer here. Perhaps we’ll have them the second week in April, and will have to wait until after basketball is over. When that happens we’ll have to keep track of who is trying out and make sure we have all the correct contact information to avoid problems that happened last year.
There has been a total of $3,000 donated to the Parks and Rec Department, mostly in response to the recent Bill Wells article in the Springfield newspaper. In addition, there was baseball equipment donated by the Marlborough Youth Baseball Association.
On August 6 there will be an Open Skate at Amelia Park, and each person will be charged $5 to skate. The ice time is being donated and the Parks and Rec will get whatever admission fees are received for the Open Skate.
On August 15 there will be an outdoor movie night at the Quarry Hill soccer field. The licensing fee is being donated to the town. The movie is “Megamind” and it is free and open to the public. Volunteers may organize to sell concessions, and see if refreshment items could be donated to sell.
Steve Slozak made a motion to accept the minutes of the June 16 meeting. Mike Arbour seconded; all in favor and the motion passed.
The next meeting will be held Wednesday, August 17, at 6:30 p.m.
Steve Slozak made a motion to adjourn at 8:50 p.m., and Mike Arbour seconded. All in favor; meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannie Guertin
Secretary/Clerk
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