Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Present: Michael Arbour, Steve O’Shea (Chairman) and Steve Slozak
Also Present: Timothy Pascale, Director; Jeannie Guertin, Secretary/Clerk; Gretchen Neggers, Town Administrator; Mortimer Smedley, FEMA Community Recovery Specialist
Steve O’Shea called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
Gretchen Neggers, Town Administrator, appeared before the Commission with Mort Smedley, FEMA Community Recovery Specialist, to discuss long term recovery for Monson from the tornado. Parks and Recreation is being heavily impacted in terms of recovery, as the damage includes fields, the skate park, tennis courts and storage building. There is a community meeting, Monson Visioning Workshop, planned for Wednesday, September 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. From 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. there will be a presentation by FEMA and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission on long-term recovery and what to expect. At 7:00 p.m. working groups will be set up of attendees to brainstorm for the purpose of setting goals and priorities for rebuilding Monson. The working sessions will be facilitated by the Pioneer
Valley Planning Commission. There are greater grant funding opportunities for Parks and Rec. They are hoping for insurance money for the skate park and fencing. Mort Smedley commented that the Parks and Rec Commission should be there and people are made aware of what the Parks and Rec Department’s goals are. Capital numbers aren’t needed; just the desired goals and vision, and what the timetable is to meet those goals. The PVPC will come back after they take the results from the Workshop, and create schematics and plans. The Commission is asked to think of the Parks and Rec Department’s goals and vision and attend the Workshop. The Commissioners and Tim will be at the Workshop, and the plan is that each of them will sit with a group during the working session as a representative of the Parks and Rec Department.
The People’s Bank has donated money for trees, and Kathy Carr and her husband have organized a golf tournament and the money generated from that will go towards trees. Monson’s streetscapes will be looked at in preparation for applying for a block grant. There is also discussion of a greenway along the Chicopee Brook. There has been vandalizing at the gazebo at Dave Grieve Park, probably due to the lack of a skate park. There will be information on grants following the workshop. Restoring what we had before the tornado will be the focus. We are getting a lot of support from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and are working with Leslie Duthie (Monson Conservation Commission).
The word needs to get out about the workshop. M-Pact (local access television) will be contacted, and Parks and Rec will put a notice on the weekly newsletter and their Facebook page.
Regarding the tornado damage update, the fences are up at Veterans Field and the one along State Street has been placed further away from the road. This will make snow removal from the road easier. There will be one gate by the river. This decision had been made prior to the tornado because of safety reasons. The gate closer to the playground had to be repaired repeatedly. Because of that and safety reasons, the Commission agreed to eliminate that gate.
On September 17, the Red Sox Foundation will be at Cushman Field with a landscaper and 25 volunteers. They will work on filling in the infield and rebuild the pitcher’s mound. The landscaper will bring his own equipment. Steve Gordon will be there to monitor the work. There is talk of using the same infield material that Fenway Park uses which is crushed red brick, and would be donated.
On September 20, Blue Cross Blue Shield will be here with 80 volunteers, and they will spread infield material for Vets fields 1, 2, and 3. There is a $5,000 budget. The clearing in the southwest corner will be finished. More picnic tables and benches are planned on being built, and an acknowledgement sign will be erected. Wheelbarrows, shovels, and rakes will be purchased for this project, and will be given to us upon completion.
The carpenters’ union from Springfield will rebuild the dugouts at Cushman and not charge for labor. After the dugouts are up it will be decided where to put the backstop. Harvey Industries, where Ed Yesu works, will help out with this project. A boys scout troup from Townsend are rebuilding the dugouts at Vets Field on September 9-11. They will camp out on the field for the weekend while they are working on them.
Tim distributed a list of materials needed for the dugouts. He has met with the Conservation Commission for permission to regrade. Cushman Field should be playable this fall. Steve Slozak make a motion that Tim be allowed to pursue increasing the size of the backstop at Cushman field to 60’ x 20’, and any additional monies needed to do this be taken from the revolving fund. Mike Arbour seconded; all in favor and the motion passed.
Regarding replacing the tennis courts, Tim would like to build four or five tennis courts. If the high school ever wanted to have a tennis team, they could then do that, with a minimum of four courts. Tim would like to see a Parks & Rec facility building built where the tennis courts used to be, including office and storage for the department.
The fence along the road at Rogers Field is 90% finished. Lower Rogers field is unplayable, and no teams will be playing there this year. The goals have been taken from that field and put on Upper Rogers field, and portable goals have been put at Lower Rogers. John Morrell has been asked to look at Lower Rogers’ drainage problem. The Conservation Commission has to be involved. Tim can contact Bob Haveles of Architectural Insights to see if he can take a look at it, and possibly Bob can bring in some college students to assist.
The corner fence at Upper Rogers field has been fixed, and the new score board that the Booster Club paid for is there. The fence behind the benches has been replaced. ShedWorks will build a new shed on the existing pad. The new home run fence is back up at the third field. The back stop isn’t fixed yet, but is on the list of things to do. Engineers need to look at the drainage for this field.
The trail to the top of the mountain has been cleared by FEMA. Tim is trying to work with the Department of Conservation and Recreation regarding clearing the land at the top for an observation area, and possibly include benches and a lookout area.
Regarding the soccer season, the boys’ rec soccer teams for all age divisions did not have enough registrations to field teams. The Wilbraham Rec Department invited all those players to join their league, which is coed. The 3rd and 4th grade girls’ rec soccer team has enough players for a team, but currently doesn’t have a coach. Pete Beaupre held a first practice for the 1st and 2nd grade coed group, and teams were split up. The teams will start practicing next week. There are 48 players signed up for the Instructional group. Since the shed was lost in the tornado, the coaches will have to keep their equipment with them, instead of storing it in the shed.
Monson Summer Theatre performance dates are September 9, 10, 16 and 17, and there are approximately 20 cast members. The rehearsals are going well. Tim will have a meeting with Erin afterwards to discuss how the season went. There have been no problems with the school.
The Outdoor Movie Night was held August 17 and about 100 people were there. Eighty dollars was made through concessions and glow items. The movie night was received very well and we should try to hold this every year. This could possibly be funded by a local business sponsorship or from the Gifts to the Town account.
The Open Skate at Amelia Park was not as successful, with 8 people coming. Comments were made that it was too far for people to travel from Monson.
Pam West wrote a letter to the Commission and Tim regarding the Skate Park. Pam should be invited to the next Parks and Rec Commission to discuss this.
Steve O’Shea attended the School Committee Meeting on August 3. The School Committee agreed to keep the pool open, and close it for the first full week in September for the annual cleaning. A $20,000 shortfall still exists within the pool operating budget. The pool boosters need to meet with Parks and Rec Commission to discuss raising money to make up for the shortfall. A final pool proposal will be sent to the school, which incorporates both the school’s recommendations and the Commission’s comments. The pool boosters should be invited the Commission’s next meeting.
Regarding Accounts Receivable items, the School Department has made the final payment to the Parks and Rec Department.
Mike Arbour made a motion to accept the minutes of the July 20 meeting. Steve O’Shea seconded; all in favor and the motion passed.
The next meeting will be held Wednesday, September 28, at 6:30 p.m.
Steve Slozak made a motion to adjourn at 9:00 p.m., and Steve O’Shea seconded. All in favor; meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannie Guertin
Secretary/Clerk
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