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April 11, 2016 Recreation Commission Minutes
NEWTON RECREATION COMMISSION
DATE: Monday April 11, 2016
TIME: 7 PM
LOCATION: Town Hall Rear Meeting Room

MEETING MEETING

  • Call to Order:  Chairman Bob Faghan called the meeting to order at 7 PM.
  • Members in Attendance:  Bob Faghan, Chair;  Steve St. Cyr;  Annie Collyer, Vice-Chair and Secretary;  Angela McVey, Alternate
  • Guests:  Gerry Quatrale, Christine Kuzinski
  • Approval of Minutes of March 21, 2016:  Ms. Collyer made a motion, seconded by Mr. St. Cyr, to approve the minutes of March 21, 2016 as written.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • Membership:  Ms. Collyer explained the need for a member to take point on Senior Events, noting past events and how the Senior Warrant Article and Senior additional contributions work.  Mrs. Kuzinski agreed that she would like to join Recreation as a member, to take point on Senior Activities as well as to help with other Recreational activities.  Ms. Collyer made a motion, seconded by Mrs. McVey, to recommend to the Board of Selectmen to approve the nomination of Ms. Kuzinski to Commission membership, with a term to expire in 2019.   The motion passed unanimously.
  • Ms. Collyer discussed the need for a Friends of Recreation, to put on events in town.  She noted that a Friends organization can register as a NH nonprofit for $25 every five years, can have its own bank account and would be a completely separate organization from the Recreation Commission and from Newton Town government.  Mr. Quatrale asked what viewpoint the Board of Selectmen has on a Friends organization, and she replied that all indications are that they would like to have one formed.  
  • Memorial Day Parade:  The Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday May 30, with muster at 10:30 and marching at 11 AM.  Ms. Collyer distributed last year's marching order and program.  She volunteered to contact the town officials and organizations as well as State Representatives about participating in the Parade.  She will ask the Board to select a Grand Marshall as well as contact information to prepare a bio for the parade brochure.  She will prepare a brochure, seeking advice from Mike Pivero on the marching order to incorporate our lessons on the extended parade route from last year.  She will order flags and brochures for distribution.  Mr. Faghan made a motion, seconded by Mr. St. Cyr, that we authorize expenditure to be approved by the Board of Selectmen from the Special Events Line item, for $300, for Memorial Day Parade expenses.  The motion passed unanimously.
  • Greenie Park:  Ms. Collyer said that the NBSA has already done the park cleanup in preparation for baseball season.  The portapotties are being delivered on April 15 and the dumpsters are in place and will be emptied at the beginning of each month.  The security cameras are in place and active.  Mr. Pivero, Road Agent, has recently graded the parking area, only to have some vehicle(s) make donuts on it.  
  • Town Beach:  Ms. Collyer reported that Tony, the Newton Maintenance person, has already raked the town beach.  Mr. St. Cyr will put in the buoys.  Mr. St. Cyr made a motion, seconded by Mrs. McVey, that the raft be repaired and put in place.  The motion passed with Mr. St. Cyr, Ms. McVey and Ms. Collyer in favor and Mr. Fagan opposed.  Ms. Collyer will contact the dock manufacturer to repair the raft where broken, and obtain an estimate for approval at our next meeting.  The security cameras are in place and active, the dumpster is in place and the portapotties will be delivered by June 15, Ms. Collyer stated.  Mr. Faghan asked about signage for youth to be supervised, and Ms. Collyer said it is in place and the rules are posted on the town website.  Mrs. McVey said enforcement is needed and suggested that police regularly patrol the area, walk the beach and interact with the beachgoers.  Ms. Collyer will speak with Chief Streeter about regular patrols and interaction with community at the beach.
  • Earth Day:  With Earth Day falling on the day School vacation begins, the NBSA has already cleaned Greenie Park.  Conservation is planning roadside cleanup, Mr. Faghan noted.  Mr. Faghan suggested that Recreation invite residents to post Earth Day photos on the Recreation and the Newton Friends and Community FB pages.  
  • NBSA Opening Day is Saturday May 7.  Mrs. McVey will work with the Girl Scouts around their project to learn more about local farming and outlets and with their intent to blaze the Greenie Park trails with paint (since animals are eating the signs placed there!) to coordinate with the crowds expected for Opening Day.
  • Canobie and Water Country Discounts:  Ms. Collyer said that Canobie discount tickets are online at the town webpage and posted on Facebook, and that WaterCountry will be similarly available shortly.
  • Senior Activities:  Mrs. Kuzinski will investigate some Senior trip ideas for this year, and will contact the schools about plays and events open to Seniors so we can publicize them broadly.
  • 5K Race:  The 5 K Race will be held this year on Saturday September 10.  The starting time has not yet been determined.  Ms. Collyer will post, at Mr. Faghan's suggestion, the event date with information to follow.  Discussion followed about adding other activities, such as vendors and food.  Because Olde Home Day funding did not pass, there is not money to do free play apparatus and have an Olde Home Day.  Mr. Faghan's company, Live Free Recovery, is willing to make some contributions to the day.  There was some concern about past experience with the Memorial 5k, and the lack of success vendors and food suppliers had.  Mr. Quatrale and Mrs. McVey said that in all the years of Olde Home Days, last years was by far the most successful.  The free play apparatus encouraged by Mr. St. Cyr was a huge success as well as the free live bands, arranged by Selectman Burrill.  The money is not there to do this kind of event this year.
  • Other Business:  Ms. Collyer asked Mr. Quatrale what he sees as the biggest need for Newton.  He said he would like to see more pulling together as a community.  He is willing to work as part of a team in visiting police, fire and schools, to build more community spirit.  Ms. Collyer said she will help.
  • Adjournment:  Mr. St. Cyr made a motion, seconded by Mr. Faghan, to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously and Mr. Faghan adjourned the meeting at 8:25 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Annie Collyer,
Secretary