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March 21, 2016 Recreation Commission Minutes
NEWTON RECREATION COMMISSION
DATE: Monday March 21, 2016
TIME: 7 PM
LOCATION: Town Hall Rear Meeting Room

MEETING MINUTES

  • Chairman Bob Faghan called the meeting to order at 7:04 PM.
  • Members in Attendance:  Selectman Ex-Officio Matt Burrill, Bob Faghan, Steve St. Cyr with Annie Collyer in attendance by phone
  • Guests- Angela McVey
  • Approval of Minutes of Feb 1, 2016:  Mr. St. Cyr made a motion, seconded by Selectman Burrill, to approve the minutes of February 1, 2016 as written.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • Earth Day. April 22.  Mrs. McVey would like to involve the Girl Scouts in Earth Day again this year.  Selectman Burrill will contact NBSA about their plans for Greenie Park cleanup, and will learn what  the Conservation Commission is planning this year.  Ms. Collyer will email Rick Bailey regarding the Boy Scouts plans to do the beach cleanup.  
  • Resignation of Sue Milner,  Membership.  Ms. Milner resigned her position on the Commission due to other obligations, and the Commission thanks her for her participation over the past two years.  Selectman Burrill proposed that Vanessa Burrill become an alternate member where she will help with projects and sit in as needed to vote so that there is a quorum.  Ms. Collyer made a motion, seconded by Mr. Faghan, to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that Mrs. Burrill be appointed an alternate member.  The motion passed with Mr. St, Cyr, Mr. Faghan and Ms. Collyer in favor, and Selectman Burrill abstaining.  Ms. Collyer made a motion, seconded by Mr. Faghan, that Angela McVey also be recommended to the Board as an alternate member.  The motion passed unanimously.  Ms. Collyer pointed out that once approved, both will need to be sworn in and get background checks, paid for by the Commission.  Selectman Burrill will reach out to the Sargent Woods Community to find a new member of the Commission who will specialize in arranging for the Senior events.
  • The votes failed to pass the proposed town budget and all the Recreation Warrants except the Senior Warrant article.   The Board of Selectmen needs to have proposed budget cuts of 3% from each department.  Ms. Collyer noted that the Recreation budget had contained money to buy more snowtubing discounted tickets.  Few of those bought last December have been used due to the unusually warm winter, and those will roll over to next winter.  She proposed that we reduce the Recreation budget by $500 in the Special Programs   line  4520170.  We will have to have 2-3 background checks done, so she suggested adding $50 to the Other Expenses 4520109.  She noted that the cost of the water checks (  Town Beach Water Testing 4520391) is going up by $30 this year, so the new budget for 2017 would be a total of $11,000, a reduction of $420.  Selectman Burrill made a motion, seconded by Mr. St. Cyr that Ms.Collyer send in the revised Recreation budget to the Selectman's office.  The motion passed unanimously.  Selectman Burrill made a motion that a revised amount of $380 allocated for the warrant article support cards be used to pay the invoice for the printing.  The motion was seconded by Mr. Faghan and passed unanimously.  Selectman Burrill noted that 1000 cards would have been enough, but the additional cards were inexpensive.  Most of the cost was in the set up fee.
  • Easter Egg Hunt.  Ms. Collyer said that Mrs. Milner had indicated that she intended to work with the Girl Scouts on the Easter Egg Hunt and would get the invoices to Recreation to be approved.  There have been no invoices submitted, so the Commission has no action to take to help with the Easter Egg Hunt.  Mrs. McVey stated that she has not seen any Girl Scout communication about the Easter Egg Hunt.
  • Senior Trips- Ms. Collyer proposed two trips again this year, one in the early fall and a holiday luncheon once again
  • Greenie Park-  Ms. Collyer expressed her concern about the lack of safety for the children using the playground at Greenie Park.  If a child were injured due to the 3" of sand under the play equipment, there would be insurance coverage.  But she is uncomfortable about the town providing a play space that could result in serious head injury according to National Playground Safety guidelines.  She thinks we should put the warrant forward again, warning that if it fails to pass, the play equipment will be removed at Greenie.  Mr. St. Cyr wondered why there is no plan in place for maintenance for town properties.  Selectman Burrill said that the town budgets are always very constrained and the money is just not approved by voters.  Discussion followed about usage fees for town properties.  There is no desire to charge Newton residents and organizations any fees, but the cost of use should be publicized and then waived where appropriate.  Mr. St. Cyr agreed to look into the costs to the town of Greenie, the usage, and come up with a usage fee schedule.  He will check into the fees charged by other facilities, to make sure our fees would be competitive.
  • Town Beach- The boy scouts  typically clean up the beach.  The buoys and dock will need to go in on or about June 15, and both portapotties and dumpsters will be there by then.  Ms. Collyer will email Mr. St. Cyr a list for opening the beach and Greenie Park.
  • Olde Home Day was defeated at the polls in March.  Selectman Burrill reminded the Commission, that no means no.  However,  Friends of Recreation could form, or a company such as Live Free Recovery could plan a Town Day event.  Mrs. McVey said that she would like to organize the Girls Scouts and Key Club members to work on Town Day.  She asked when we know about fall plans, and Ms.Collyer said that the Homecoming schedule does not get set until late in the summer.  Ms. Collyer suggested that Town Day be held in May 2017, with Key Club participation.  An entire year will give time to line up vendors, bands, events, who may help defray the costs.  In addition, perhaps a warrant for the town to help support free events like the play apparatus might pass next year.  
  • Newton 5K Race.  Selectman Burrill made a motion, seconded by Ms. Collyer, that the 5K Race be planned for Sept 10.  It was felt that that early in September, there would be no conflict with Homecoming.  Rec may be able to host a movie, other free events, perhaps a company like Live Free Recovery would be able to put on a Barbeque.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • Other Business:   Ms. Collyer made a motion, seconded by Mr. Faghan, that the Commission recommend approval by the Board of a permit for NBSA to use Greenie Park this Spring and Summer.  The motion passed unanimously.  Ms. Collyer also mentioned that it is time to renew the online discount tickets for Water Country and Canobie Lake Park.  She will take care of that.
  • The next meeting will be held on Monday, April 4 at 7 PM.  Selectman Burrill will not be able to attend, and Ms. Collyer will be attending by phone.  For a quorum, one of the new alternates will be needed at the meeting.
  • Adjournment   Ms. Collyer made a motion, seconded by Mr. St. Cyr, to adjourn.  Passing unanimously, Mr. Faghan adjourned the meeting at 8:05 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Annie Collyer, Secretary