Minutes of the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Present: Steve O’Shea (Chairman), Steve Slozak, Michael Arbour
Also Present: Tim Pascale, Director/Program Coordinator, Jeannie Guertin, Secretary/Clerk; Peter Sauriol (School Committee liaison); Liz Manley, Pool Director; Colin Leyburn, Treasurer of Monson Dolphins Boosters; Dan Laroche, Disaster Recovery Manager; Gretchen Neggers, Town Administrator; Reed Cole; Mike Kocsmiersky, Spirit Solar
Steve O’Shea called the meeting to order at 6:38 p.m.
Tim let the Commissioners know that they’ve been asked by Gretchen Neggers to complete online emergency management training for ICS 700. He gave them a copy of the e-mail from Gretchen with this request.
Tri Town Evaluations will be March 23 and 24, and they will be run by Craig Szado. The Commission will invite Craig to attend their next meeting to discuss the evaluations. Any head coach that has signed up will also be invited to the meeting. At the Tri Town meeting it was stated that the 8/10 team has to be in the A division, and one 10/12 team has to be in the A division. Under the new rules, if you are the last place team in the A division and it’s your second year you can drop down to the B division.
Dan Laroche, Disaster Recovery Manager, told the Commission that they are in the preliminary stages of talking about the location of the replacement storage shed. They are also discussing the proposed location of the Skate Park. There is a 2 acre parcel that is deemed for the Town Office Building site, and an 8 acre parcel that is deemed for Vets Park recreational space. They would like to have the storage shed moved from where it stood on the 8 acre parcel to the 2 acre parcel, and have the Skate Park situated on the 8 acre parcel. The proposed location of the storage shed would be across the rear parking lot in the south corner of the parcel. There was concern that Parks & Recreation trucks and trailers exiting and entering the shed would interfere with possible car and/or foot
traffic of visitors to the Town Office Building. There was also discussion it may be best for the Skate Park and the basketball court to be located away from the playground area. The Commissioners felt that more thought needs to be put into this and would like to table this for discussion at the February meeting.
The Parks & Rec Commission is on the Finance Committee’s agenda for their January 28 meeting to discuss the financial status of the pool. The School Committee had voted to close the pool in February after the varsity swim season ends. The Commission would like to approach the Finance Committee to ask them to fund the pool via the town’s budget to keep the pool open this year, and to help sustain it also for following years.
Colin Leyburn had questions for Peter Sauriol regarding the data sheet which was given to him by Don Smith with the cost of running the pool in a twelve month period of 2011-2012. Colin felt the Finance Committee would have the same questions. Colin questioned who operates the pool and who is responsible for the maintenance of the pool, as well as the electricity bill for the pool. It was decided that these types of questions were more appropriate for a meeting with Don Smith, than for this discussion of preparing for the Finance Committee meeting. It was estimated that with the decrease in electric rates, the total cost of maintaining the pool for a 12-month period would be $52,000 instead of $60,000, but this is strictly an estimate.
The School Committee does not have the funds to keep the pool open. The School Committee had gone to the Finance Committee for help with a $225,000 shortfall, mostly due to special education. After this, the School Committee is still facing a variance, even after closing the pool. The Parks & Recreation Department currently owes the school $5,400 ($1,800 per month x 3 months) through February. It was estimated that $29,000 would be needed to keep the pool open until June 20, 2013, and an additional $60,000 to keep the pool open for FY 2014.
It would be ideal if any monies given to fund the pool would be put in an appropriated account to be used solely for pool purposes. Any money not used would go back to the Town.
Reed Coles introduced Mike Kocsmiersky of Spirit Solar to the Commission to discuss the possibility of solar energy to be used for electricity to run the pool. A solar system such as this being discussed would cost $1.1 million to install. Roof space could also be leased for nothing for an 18-20 year contract, and all electricity would be purchased for a fixed rate. The system would be installed for nothing under this scenario. The School Committee would have to approve this since the system would be installed on their building.
Liz asked if she should proceed with a February pool schedule. The last day of the varsity swim season is Saturday, February 16. She should book parties through February 16, but shouldn’t sell any ticket booklets, and not plan for any programs after that date.
The age requirement of baseball was discussed due to the concern in the past of kids that are too young participating in 1st/2nd grade soccer. The concern is based on safety issues, which is more relevant for soccer and basketball since these are considered contact sports. There is no real contact in baseball or softball. We will operate baseball and softball as we have in the past, which is allowing younger kids to participate in both Instructional (formerly T-Ball) and Coach Pitch. If an issue comes up, it will be addressed at that time. The age requirements for soccer and basketball will then be decided prior to each (sport) program’s registration to specifically discuss each program’s safety concerns.
There is $4,370 still owed for outstanding basketball fees. First notices were distributed to coaches to give to parents last week. This happens every year, primarily due to rec fees being paid upon registration prior to CYO/Suburban evaluations. The minimum of a rec fee is requested because final registration fees, if needed for CYO or Suburban players, are unknown until after evaluations. To avoid this for baseball, we will require Tri Town registration fees prior to evaluations.
Tim is addressing the use of the Monson Developmental Center (MDC) field, especially since Parks & Rec has acquired the lacrosse program and that field had been used by the lacrosse program for the past three years. Tim has been communicating with representative of the state to see what needs to be done to continue using this field, with the possibility of purchasing the field.
Tim is going to notify the school the sprinklers at the high school field and Moriarty field will no longer be in operation. He has spent $2,636.75 in repairs on them already, and can’t afford to pay any more this year. He will copy in Sarah Shaw and Don Smith on any correspondence he sends the school regarding this.
Tim will be on vacation February 12-27.
Peter Sauriol was asked by Don Smith to voice concern about the Monson Summer Theatre space at Granite Valley Middle School. Tim updated Peter on the clean up at Memorial Hall, and that there were shelves and racks purchased for the storage of Summer Theatre items.
An e-mail from Sara Szado, President of the Monson Athletic Boosters, was discussed in which Sara outlined her plans for securing funding for the lighting project (of fields). She needs to show the Community Preservation Committee where the resources of all funding are expected to come from. Tim will respond to Sara’s e-mail letting her know she needs to do this in order to complete paperwork for the CPC application.
Regarding a security camera at the gazebo, Steve Slozak reported that the Selectmen have put a hold on this project. The rotary would like cameras up at the gazebo, as well as the tennis courts, and they don’t want to wait for the new Town Offices to be built to go forward. Tim supports the idea of security cameras, but has no funding to contribute. There are other obstacles, such as the legality of mounting the cameras on private residences (aimed at the gazebo or tennis courts), as well as maintenance of the cameras if mounted on privately owned buildings.
Steve Slozak made a motion to accept the December 17 minutes. Mike Arbour seconded; all in favor and the motion passed.
The next meeting date is Thursday, February 28 at 6:30 p.m.
Steve Slozak made a motion to close the meeting at 9:35 p.m. Steve O’Shea seconded; all in favor and the motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannie Guertin
Secretary/Clerk
| 
