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March 17, 2014 Recreation Commission Minutes
NEWTON RECREATION COMMISSION
DATE: Monday, March 17, 2014
TIME: 7:00PM
LOCATION: NEWTON TOWN HALL, 2 TOWN HALL ROAD

Meeting Minutes
  • Call to Order.  Brian Theirrien, Vice Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM.
  • In Attendance: Brian Theirrien, Vice Chairman, Sue Milner, John Neveus, and Annie Collyer, Chairman and Interim Secretary by phone.
  • Introduction of Guests: None present
  • Approval of Minutes  Brian motioned to accept the minutes of February 4, 2014 as written, John seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Scheduled Business:
  • Secretary, Member Count-  The Board of Selectmen has hired Annie Collyer as interim Secretary until such time as a permanent Secretary shall be found.  Annie reported that we currently have 5 Commission members, will be seeking a Selectman Liaison as a member, and have an opening for one more member of the Commission at this time.  Following discussion, it was decided to request new Selectman Matt Burrill to serve as our Selectman Liaison for the coming year.  Annie will make the request to the Board of Selectmen.  
  • Budget Discussion- The Town Beach Swim Lesson Contract from the Regional YMCA has been reviewed by both the Town Administrator and by our Insurance representative.  The revised suggested contract is under review at the Regional YMCA.  Annie motioned, seconded by Sue, that we submit requisition # 2468 to the Board of Selectmen for an amount not to exceed $1500 out of the Special Programs line item for the lesson contract and any needed supplies for swim lessons at the Town Beach.  The motion passed unanimously.
The decision of the Commission in 2013, ratified by the Board of Selectmen was to end the lifeguard program at the Town Beach.  The cost for lifeguards would have been in excess of $20,000, plus swim suits and supplies and safety equipment for $5,000.  The Commission has recommended to the Board of Selectmen that this has become an excessive expense to the Town for a limited number of residents.  Instead this year all swimming will be "At Your Own Risk" instead of the about 1/2 of swimming hours as in past years.  Larry Foote has arranged for a loan of safety equipment for use at the Town Beach when certified swim instructors trained in use of the equipment will be giving lessons during July.
  • Warrant Article status and action plan:  The Senior Warrant Article for $4000 passed, while the $19,000 warrant article for renovations to the skate park and installation of an outdoor ice skating area did not pass.  
Sue will contact Sally Woodman and review options for a Senior Event to be held in mid to late May, perhaps theatre and dinner or lunch.  She will have information ready for our April 14 meeting.

Because the warrant article for Greenie Park did not pass, no work can be done out of operating monies or the Recreation savings account on the skate board and ice rink areas of Greenie.  However, other work at Greenie Park can be planned for and proceed.  Recreation is prioritizing infrastructure improvements, including security cameras, lighting, outdoor water fountain and water for sand play, removal of the tennis court fence, relocating the batting cage, and removal of up to 1/2 of the existing tennis court asphalt as first steps.  Annie is seeking a meeting with Ron King of Natural Playgrounds before the April 14 meeting.  It is proposed that up to $12,000 out of the Recreation operating budget for supplies as well as up to $20,000 from the long-term revolving fund and savings account accumulated for investment in Greenie Park renovations be used toward those infrastructure investments.  Annie made a motion, seconded by Brian, to send a requisition to the Board of Selectmen for no more than $600 from the Advertising line item for the purpose of advertising for bids for removal of the tennis court, moving the batting cage, removal of asphalt, installation of an electrical line, installation of an outdoor water fountain and water line for sand play,  and installation of lighting and security cameras.  The motion passed unanimously.  Annie will work on developing specifications for the work to be done for the ads to be placed, working with Newton Baseball and Softball as well as Road Agent Mike Privero.
The proceeds raised from the golf fundraiser will be allocated toward the main play hill, the biggest expense of the renovated playground , estimated at $35,000 by Natural Playgrounds, less costs of donated materials.  So far, 100 yards of clean fill are being donated by Gibbs Construction, a $900 value for which Gibbs is going to be the golf cart sponsor for the October golf tournament.  It is likely that the main hill will be a sole source installation done by Natural Playgrounds since the technology for a hill with a slide and climbing wall is specific.  Other materials donations will help to reduce the costs of the main and other hills, as well as paths and landscaping.   Cash donations and major sponsors will help as well.

One student at the High School is looking into the possibility of making  his Senior project at Greenie Park, planning and executing work on hills, paths, and landscaping.  His guidance counselor is working with him to see what is possible, with credits toward English, Math and possibly Earth Science.  There is a need to determine the ways to have his work supervised and goals set.

The Environmental Science teacher is working on a forestry unit at Greenie Park for her class, with cataloguing the trees, marking the conservation areas, and making note of trees and bushes for removal, with possible   reuse in plantings or as edges to island parking in the proposed expanded parking area at Greenie Park.  John will be meeting with her to show her the area at Greenie prior to our April 14 meeting.

  • Greenie Park Master Plan- Annie made a motion for requisition #2461 for a 5'x 7'  poster of the Greenie Park Master Pan not to exceed $300, out of the Supplies # 450310 line item.  Seconded by John, the motion passed unanimously.  Annie will go to Concord NH to pick up the poster so it can be mounted at Town Hall and used at the May Adult Dinner/Dance.  
  • Plowing at Town Beach, Insurance:  There has been unauthorized plowing at the Town Beach.  The Insurance carrier has advised us that use of the iced-over pond is a major liability for the Town.  Recreation will see about putting up a sign for next year that the Town Beach is closed from November to May.  We recommend that the Board of Selectmen ask the police to check periodically to make sure continued unauthorized use and plowing of the Town Beach lot does not continue.
2014 Projects
  • Golf Tournament Fundraiser- door knocking, mailings, approve stamps-   Brian, Sue and John are all planning on calling on up to 200 businesses for donations.  Annie will prepare a mailing to go out to 200 other businesses for fundraising and donations.  
Annie made a motion, seconded by Sue, to submit requisition # 2460 for $122.50 for 250 first class stamps for the mailing, to come out of the postage  (4520102) line item.

  • Vacation Plan for February- John reported that 60-70 attended the rescheduled February skating date.  No 50/50 raffle tickets were offered for sale.  Recreations needs to improve communication with Mary at Town Hall to keep the Recreation calendar current:  The rescheduled skate date - by the facility- was not communicated to Mary, although the word did go out through the schools and Facebook.
  • Adult Dinner/ Dance, Publicity Plan-requisitions, honorees:
The Commission discussed and decided to honor retiring Selectman Ray Thayer for his years of service, as well as State Representative Mary Allen, at the May 3 Adult Dinner/Dance.  The event will be held from 6-10, with cocktails and hors d'oevres from 6-7, dinner from 7-8:30, including presentations on the honorees, and on the plans for Greenie Park.  We will have a DJ for the event, tickets will be $39 apiece.  Recreation will be subsidizing the cost of the DJ and $2 of the ticket cost per person.  Annie made a motion to submit a requisition # 2462 for up to $400 for the DJ, seconded by Brian, to come out of Special Programs.  The motion passed unanimously.  Annie then made a motion to submit a requisition #2463 for up to $441 for ticket price subsidies, up to $200 for ticket printing, and up to $200 for a photographer, for a total not to exceed $841.  The motion was seconded by Sue and passed unanimously.  
Annie made a motion to submit requisition # 2464 for not more than $200 for plaques for the honorees and programs not to exceed $125, as amended by Brain, for a total not to exceed $325.  The motion was seconded by Brian and passed unanimously.  

John will gather from Mary, Jim Doggett, Nancy and the Library specifics and pictures of the honorees.  He will give summaries of that information to Annie so she can do publicity in the Carriage Town News and on FB, posters in town and on the town webiste, to coincide with ticket availability.  Brian will arrange for tickets and programs to be printed by King Graphics.  

  • Easter Egg Hunt:   Sue reported that she has been in touch with the Girl Scouts about doing an Easter Egg Hunt.  They are looking into doing it on April 12 with a rain date of April 19.  They will be putting it on at Memorial School, and will have insurance as well as possible custodian costs and costs of supplies.  Annie made a motion to submit  a requisition  for up to $300 out of Special Programs to sponsor this event, seconded by Brian and the motion passed unanimously.
  • April Vacation Event:  Ice Skating in Exeter.  John has arranged for this event and will offer 50/50 raffle tickets there for Greenie Park.  Annie made a motion to submit requisition # 2465 for no more than $500 for this event.  Seconded by Sue, the motion passed unanimously.
  • Halloween- Because we want to make sure we sponsor this popular event put on by the Boy Scouts, Annie made a motion, seconded by John, to submit requisition # 2466, for an amount not to exceed $400, out of the Special Programs line item.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • Memorial Day Parade .  Annie will include in her letter to the Board of Selectmen covering recommendations from tonight's meeting, that we will need them to procure a Grand Marshall for the parade.  John will meet with Mary to develop a list of all the organizations to be contacted for the parade.  John and Sue will contact those organizations.  Brian will arrange for design of the program.  At our next meeting in April, we will review the status, and order mini flags for distribution.  Annie proposed to submit requisition # 2467 for an amount not to exceed $300 to pay for programs and supplies for the parade.  The motion was seconded by John and passed unanimously.
  • Signage for Trails:   A High School student is planning on making a trail map of Greenie trails as well as trail signage for other town trails.  Annie motioned, seconded by John, to submit requisition # 2470 for an amount not to exceed $500 for supplies for the trail signage, to come out of the Supplies line item.  The motion was seconded by John and passed unanimously.  
  • Announcements:  none
  • Other Business: Greenie Park usage.  A town resident proposes a fundraiser at Greenie Park.  Annie did not have the name of the group at this time and the minutes from this meeting will be amended at the April meeting accordingly.  However John made a motion to approve the use, Brian seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
  • Correspondence: none
  • Adjournment:  John made a motion to adjourn, Annie seconded and the motion passed unanimously.  Brian adjourned the meeting at 8:10 PM.