Parks and Recreation Meeting Minutes of July 19, 2010
Attendance:
Committee Members: Lauren McMullen (LM), Sergio Coviello (SC), Rita Mullin (RM), Patricia Filmore (PF)
Staff: Sheila Sturdevant (SS), Marty Tilton (MT), Lynne Clemens (LC), Maureen Stevens (MS)
Tardy: Billie Luker (BL), Mike Fitzpatrick (MF)
Absent: none
7:08pm Quorum, meeting called to order Lauren McMullen
Audience of Citizens: Greg Pearce (GP) and Lindsay Barnes-Felix (LBF)
Acceptance of Minutes: 06/28/10
(SC) Sergio Coviello made a motion to accept minutes as is for 06/28/10 meeting
(PF) Patricia Filmore seconds the motion.
Accept: 7 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 0
Motion Passed
New Business
Vote in New Members (LM)
(LM) Lauren explained to the committee members that we do not need to vote in Patricia Filmore as a new member she was appointed by the town administrator.
Scholarships (LC)
• Please reference Scholarships and Late fees for Summerscape program under old business.
Community Garden (LM)
Lauren introduced Greg Pearce and Lindsay Felix-Barnes for our Audience of citizens and explained that they are attending the meeting to go over a Community Garden concept.
(LBF) Lindsay distributed a documentation explaining her thoughts and focus for a Community Garden here in North Reading. She is asking the Committee if there is any area on the Parks property, specifically at Ipswich River Park, that the committee would be willing to allow a group of people to use for a community garden. Lindsay explained that she has approached the Food Pantry and St. Theresa’s asking if people growing produce from a community garden could donate it to the food pantry and she said both organizations would be on board with that. The concept for this is to give citizens the ability to give to the community but also have a personal fulfillment in gardening.
(GP) Greg also added that he researched community garden topic online and found that there may be opportunity for grants for a community garden project.
(LM) Lauren suggested to both Greg and Lindsay that they contact other communities that have Community gardens to research the topic more in depth. Parks & Recreation committee will review the proposal and discuss if any area is available for a community garden and they will let Lindsay and Greg know. Lauren asked for their email addresses so that they may be contacted. Lindsay Barnes-Felix: Lindsaybarnesfelix@comcast.net and Greg Pearce: Grpearce@verizon.net.
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Old Business
Pavilion (SS)
Sheila informed the committee that the PARC Grant for the Pavilion project at IRP was federal express on July 14th and was delivered on July 15th by 10:30 am to the Office of Environmental affairs in Boston.
Parks Director Updates (MT)
• Bathrooms project at IRP
Marty informed everyone that the Bathrooms have arrived at IRP and they are getting them ready for hook up and pouring the walk ways. Everything went very well and looks great.
• BBQ Series
Marty informed the committee that 7/21 is one of the dept’s biggest BBQ’s because of the road race and he is asking for the committee support and help on that day.
• Neptune Structure
Marty informed everyone that the Neptune was ordered and the cost was $18,118.00 and it will be delivered in 6 to 8 weeks.
Recreation Director Updates (LC)
• Scholarships and Late fees for Summerscape program
Lynne summarized for the committee and staff that she has been inundated for scholarship requests this year for her Summerscape program. She reported that there are about 10 children on full scholarship for the entire summer this year.
Lynne also informed the committee of a situation regarding a recipient of a scholarship (which we will refer to as child “X”) that has not adhered to policy of picking up their child by 5:30pm multiple times and Lynne has had to pay employees extra to stay with the child outside of the Middle School and or gone to the Middle School and wait with the child for the parent to show up more than a hand full of times. The parent received a verbal and written warning and Lynne informed the parent that the status of their scholarship was going to be discussed at tonight’s meeting.
(SC) Sergio made a motion to revoke Summerscape Scholarship of child “X”
(MF) Mike second the motion.
Discussion was had.
(MF) Mike suggested limiting the scholarship for child “X” to the hours of 9am to 3pm instead of a full scholarship for regular camp hours with before and after care included, and if parent is late one more time then revokes the scholarship completely.
(PF) Pat suggested having the parent sign a policy form and Lynne informed Pat that the parent has done so at the beginning of the program and the parent is still not following the policy.
(SC) Sergio made a motion to revoke the specified Summerscape scholarship for child “X” as of 5:30pm on July 20th, 2010.
(MF) Mike seconds the motion
Approved: 2 Opposed: 3 Abstained: 0
(BL) Billie made a motion to modify the scholarship of Child “X” reflecting the new scholarship schedule to be starting on July 21, 2010 the hours to be 9am to 3pm with no after care hours; with the 1st time parent is late for pick up the scholarship will be revoked in its entirety effective immediately.
(MF) Mike seconds the motion
Approved: 4 Opposed: 1 Abstained: 0
Motion passed
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(LM) Lauren will call parent of Child “X” to inform her of the committees decision and (LC) Lynne will follow up with a letter.
Operations Director Updates (MS)
• Dept Head Meeting 7/30/10
Maureen informed everyone that there is a Dept Head meeting on 7/31 at the Hillview Country club from 9-1pm and the meeting will be concentrating mostly on goal setting.
• October Town Meeting/Warrant Article
Maureen reminded everyone that Town meeting will be on 10/4/10 and any warrant articles that we would like to submit must be in by 8/16/10.
• Open Space Report
Maureen will ask Heidi Griffin about getting the open space report updated.
LUC Updates (RM)
No updates for LUC
FONRPRC, Inc Update (SS)
• Sporting Equipment Collection
Sheila updated everyone on the status of the Sports Equipment collection and its progress.
Other Business
Next Meeting date (SS)-August 23rd, 2010.
Sheila informed everyone that she will be on vacation that day and will not be attending the meeting.
Lynne also informed everyone that she will be on vacation as well and will not be attending the meeting.
Lauren stated that the meeting will remain scheduled for August 23rd.
Agenda items for next meeting date (SS)
Sheila reminded everyone that agenda items must be submitted at a reasonable time now because of the New Open Meeting laws.
Fireworks for Fourth of July (BL)
Billie is asking if FONRPRC, Inc. is interested in bringing back the fireworks of fourth of July in NR. We informed Billie that there was/is a Fourth of July Committee who always handled that. And that that kind of venue is just too large for FONRPRC, Inc. to handle right now.
Adjournment
(MF) a motion was made by Mike Fitzpatrick for the meeting to adjourn to adjourn at 8:42pm.
(SC) Sergio Coviello seconds the motion
Accepted: 5 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 0
Motion passed.
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