Minutes of the Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting
Monday, July 18, 2016
Present: Peter Beaupre, Jr. (Chairman), Sara Szado, Mark Bodak
Also Present: Timothy Pascale, Director/Program Coordinator; Jeannie Guertin, Administrative Assistant
Peter called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm.
Sara nominated Peter to remain Chairman of the Parks & Recreation Commission for the upcoming year; Mark seconded. All in favor and the motion passed.
Sara made a motion to accept the May minutes; Mark seconded. All in favor and the motion passed.
The Commission discussed having a no smoking policy for all town fields. This was primarily due to the burning of the new playground at Flynt Park that may have been caused by a cigarette, and a coach smoking a cigarette during a baseball game at Veterans Field. Tim discussed this with Evan Brassard, and a no smoking policy would have to go town meeting and be voted on as a town bylaw. The law itself is very involved. We may want to look into all town parks being no smoking and/or drinking. We cannot use signage if it isn’t the law. Evan would support looking to Town Counsel to see what we could do to make that happen. Peter reiterated that we should have a coaches’ meeting before each sport. We should have a Code of
Ethics for coaches to sign off on, which would include a no smoking or drinking alcohol policy.
Soccer registrations are starting to come in. Bill Lemon and Curt Szado have agreed to run our instructional program and will be invited to our next meeting.
The expansion of the playground is being installed, and Brad Medeiros will be putting woodchips down. The same company that installed the playground units also installed a multi-sport basketball hoop at Flynt Park.
The Commission has been exploring submitting an application for an outdoor skating rink to the Community Preservation Committee. After discussion, it was decided to revisit at a future date, based on the fact that we are understaffed and may not be able to provide the amount of maintenance a rink would require.
Parks & Rec is going to create a lacrosse field at Cushman Field, but has to apply through the Conservation Commission. Conservation Commissioner Leslie Duthie is being consulted to confirm what permits need to be completed. We want the field ready for lacrosse in the spring.
The Pioneer Valley organization would like to purchase a set of soccer goals for $2,200 which would be used by Pioneer Valley, as well as Parks & Rec soccer teams. The Commission agreed to give the Pioneer Valley teams a discount on the field fee because of this donation.
There was much discussion of what fields the fall soccer teams will use. Tim will measure from the fence to the clay at the upper baseball field at Flynt Park to see if there is enough room for a field for instructional soccer and our 1st and 2nd grade teams. The Pioneer Valley teams can play at Veterans Field, and Roots teams can play at Cushman Field. Quarry Hill field has to be rested in the fall.
This fall Tim is putting in applying for a Community Preservation Committee project for a sprinkler system for Upper Rogers field. Mark asked Tim if he could also get a quote for Lower Rogert field, and see what the additional cost would be.
The Hicks family donated a snack shack to the Parks & Rec Department, but some work needs to be done to it. Sara proposed she organize a group of kids to volunteer their time to clean it up and paint it. This would be a good opportunity for community service for those who need it. Once this is done she wants the Parks & Rec Department to be able to use it as a concession stand to generate money for its programs.
Ed Yesu came into the office with a nice plaque with his John L. Sullivan team’s picture on it and it personally thanks Tim, Jeannie and Steve Gordon for the Parks & Rec’s 12 years of service to the baseball program. The 12 years reflects Ed’s tenure as volunteer coach for baseball teams that have used fields that we maintain.
The high school soccer night games this year are September 15 and 16. This may be a conflict with the performance dates of the Monson Summer Theater show.
The next meeting is August 24 at 5:30 pm.
Meeting adjourned at 6:29 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannie Guertin
Administrative Assistant
Timothy J Pascale
Director/Program Coordinator
Monson Parks and Recreation
110 Main Street
Monson, MA 01057
413-267-4105 - Phone
413-267-0327 - fax
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