Parks and Recreation Meeting Minutes of December 5, 2011
Room 5, Town Hall at 7:00pm
Attendance:
Committee Members: Billie Luker (BL), Rita Mullin (RM), Sergio Coviello (SC), Mike Fitzpatrick (MF), Patricia Fillmore (PF)
Staff: Maureen Stevens (MS), Sheila Sturdevant (SS), Lynne Clemens (LC); Marty Tilton (MT)
Tardy:
Absent: Pierre Ancri (PA);
Call to order: 7:09pm; Quorum, called by Billie Luker
Audience of Citizens: Brian Douglas and Drew Verrengia-Skate Park, Janet Nicosia and Lori Bruin, Clarke Park Playground
Acceptance of Minutes: No Minutes
New Business
• Clarke Park Playground (All)
Janet Nicosia and Lori Bruin attended meeting to revisit and ask if Parks & Recreation has any monies to help with the replacement of playground equipment at Clarke Park. It was stated that P&R is limited with funds currently and restricted until July due to becoming an enterprise and has to wait for the funds to be certified. Janet mentioned trying to fundraise for the additional funds they need. The funds needed are be around $18000, they have $10000. They wanted to know if we could help out and if we support the project. Committee definitely supports the project being done, not sure if we can help out with funds right now. We will research. Committee asked Janet to come back in front of the committee in March 2012.
• Community Center-Table until another meeting
Old Business
• Skate Park at IRP (all)
Brian Douglas and Drew Verrengia attending committee meeting to express concerns over the Skate Park not being opened yet 4even though it appears to be completed with repairs. Brian travels from Peabody and Drew travels from Saugus a couple of times a week to enjoy the skate park at IRP. They understand that repairs needed to be made on the park but they seem to be complete so do not understand why the park has not been opened yet. They are very frustrated. They stated that they understand that the bikes with the pegs are the issue with doing the damage, but it is not fair to the skaters. They expressed that they have a group of about 10 people that are faithful to frequenting this park and they help out by speaking up when they see someone vandalizing the park or kids hanging around who are not
skating but causing problems. Even though they speak up, they feel that no one takes them serious because they are just young people like everyone else and what authority do they have? The committee asked Brian and Drew what they thought about starting to charge for entrance to the skate park with a locked gate that you would need a scan admittance card in order to gain entry. Also asked them if they thought having someone down at the skate park policing it would make a difference. Brian and Drew expressed that they would pay a fee is it was reasonable but they see others breaking in, or
Page 2
maybe one kid paying a fee and then letting others in free. They feel that having someone police the skate rink may help. The committee asked if they would be willing to volunteer some of their time to police the rink while they are down there skating or may be Brian and drew getting some of their friends to help out and get together a group of volunteers to help police the area. They both said they could not commit to specific hours but they would be glad to help and do anything to get the park opened again. They would help police the area but afraid no one would take them serious. And if they tried to kick someone out due to vandalizes, who would be backing them up? Who could they call? More discussion was had. The committee explained to Drew and Brian that our biggest
obstacle in opening the park is being able to maintain the repairs that were just made because we do not have funds from the town to maintain. We will take all their concerns under advisement and let them know a decision.
• Ice Skate Rink-(BL)
Billie would like to take a vote if the ice rink will be located at the front end of Ray’s Meadow at IRP. Rita wants to contact a company to research the natural gases issue that may be rising from the ground to cause the ground to not freeze. Pat does not agree to move forward until we speak with NRSA and get all the information. Marty does not feel comfortable wither moving forward with out all the information. Maureen states that there should be a “Memorandum of understanding: clearing stating each party’s involvement and responsibilities. Also a question of user fees has been brought up. Billie asked for NRSA Chair person contact information. He will contact them and bring it back to the committee.
• 2011/2012 Goals (All)
Reviewed goals and summarized previous goals. Sheila retype goals for next year. Add Baseball field to goals. Also if anyone wants to add personal goals send to Sheila and she will type up. Email 2011 Goals to have everyone revise by next meeting.
• Liaison to committee listing (All)
o Liaison questionnaire: Everyone please email Sheila all the questions you would like on a Liaison questionnaire by this coming Friday and sheila will compile them together for the next meeting.
o Policy and procedures: Maureen and Marty are encouraging a clearer procedure or policy to be put in writing for the liaisons. These procedures and policies should go out to the leagues. It was asked for everyone to compile three questions each for a policy procedure questionnaire and forward to Sheila Who will type up and send out to all for review. Will revisit at next meeting.
• Parks Director Updates (MS)
o Skate Park at IRP:
iv>
We received another email from “Gang Green”. Maureen responded to the email this time, stating the facts on the repairs of the skate rink and inviting them to a Parks & Recreation committee meeting to express their concerns.
o Camera’s at IRP: Rich Giannatassio came out to IRP and did a walk through. He thinks we will be able to run lines from the poles for surveillance. Price range will be around $10,000 for equipment and installation. He has installed a lender in the concession stand already.
Page 3
• Recreation Director Updates (LC)-No updates
• Operations Director Updates (MS)
o BBQ 2012 Dates: 4th of July is on a Wednesday will not start concerts until next week 7/11 and they will run 6 weeks with 2 rain dates incorporated.
o Financials: Distributed a handout. Summarized for all the committee and staff. Asked to review and will discuss at a future meeting.
• LUC Updates (RM)
o Eisenhauer Trails: Invited to go to the walk through at Eisenhauer trails on December 18th Sunday at 2pm at the Burnham Drive entrance.
• FONRPRC, Inc Updates-(SS)
o Black Friday Bowl: was a great success. We did great with the concession stand. Success.
o Promote Walk of Fame Bricks: Starting to promote the Walk of fame again. Received an inquiry for a bench.
Other Business
• Next Meeting date (SS)
December 19, Monday at 7pm in room 5 of Town Hall
January 4, and January 18th
• Agenda Items for next meeting (SS)
o Liaisons
o Goals
o Policy and Procedure on Skate Park
• Adjournment
(PF) Pat Fillmore made a motion to adjourn meeting at 10:41 pm.
(MF) Mike Fitzpatrick seconds the motion.
Approved: 5 Opposed: 0 Abstained: 0
No Discussion-Motion Passed
| 
