Salem Park & Recreation Commission
Salem Park & Recreation Commission
Minutes of Meeting
Date and Time: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 - 6:45 p.m.
Meeting Location: 5 Broad St.
Members Present: Vice Chair James Shea, Chris Burke, Leslie Tuttle
Members Absent: Chair Bob Callahan and Amy Everitt
Others Present: Doug Bollen, Director, Salem Park, Recreation & Community Services.
Paul Prevey, City Councilor of Ward 6
Capt. Gilligan, Salem Police Dept.
Recorder: Meghan E. Murtagh
Meeting Called to Order
The meeting is called to order by Vice Chair, James Shea at 6:45 p.m.
Approval of the May Minutes
A motion to accept the minutes of the May 15 with the removal of “Burke says that he met with the Mayor,” in the second paragraph of page 1, is made by Burke, seconded by Tuttle, passes unanimously.
Visitors:
Ellen Talkowsky, City of Salem - Discussion and vote on permission to use the Common and other Park & Recreation facilities for Heritage Days Events, August 1-12.
Ellen has given a letter to Commission describing all the different Park & Recreation, properties and facilities where Heritage Days events will be held at. All events are the same as previous years.
Burke makes a motion to accept Ellen’s request for the usage of Park & Recreation properties for Heritage Day Events, seconded by Tuttle, unanimously approved.
Scott MacDonald, Manager of Olde Salem Greens – Discussion and vote of golf for employees
Scott MacDonald proposes to the Commission a policy that allows employees of the golf course to have golf privileges. He proposes that for every shift worked, an employee would receive a free round of golf, ex. if you work three days, you would be able to play 3 rounds. No employee would be allowed to play during prime time hours and only during tee times that are not being used. This would be offered to all employees .They have to play within a week of working and could not save rounds up.
It has been decided that this request will be on a trial bases and is to be monitored by the Golf Manager, Scott MacDonald. The Commission has asked for a printed report of the employee usage for future meetings.
Burke makes a motion to accept Golf Manager, Scott MacDonalds, proposal on golf privileges for employees, seconded by Tuttle, passes unanimously.
Rosemary O Connor, Mack Park Association & Capt. Gilligan, Salem Police Department – discussion and vote for a golf tournament at Olde Salem Greens.
Rosemary, requests permission to hold a golf tournament at Olde Salem Greens to help raise funds for the creation of a K-9 Unit at the Salem Police Department. The budget for a K-9 unit is $30,000 and is something that has not been included in the Police Department budget for the past 30 years. The $30,000 would include 2 dogs, their training and the training of the Police Officers that would be a part of the unit. Rosemary shares will the Commission a picture of what the badge of the Salem K-9 Unit would look like. Rosemary then asks Capt. Gilligan to go into more depth about the program.
Capt. Gilligan states that the K-9 Unit would be a huge advantage for the City of Salem. He expresses that the city holds more special events than any other city outside of Boston, ex. Haunted Happenings. The K-9 unit would be used to find missing persons, as well as suspects in certain crimes. The city is requesting 2 dogs, 1 narcotics sniffing and the other bomb and ballistics sniffing. Currently the City is contracting out for K-9 units for events or situations that require them. Sometimes it costs the Police Department money, while other times it has been free. Officer Gilligan goes into detail on how the Sheriffs Dept. has been good to the City of Salem when dogs are needed.
Tuttle makes a motion to approve the golf tournament proposed by Rosemary O Connor at Old Salem Greens and to waive the usage fee of the course, seconded by Burke, unanimously passes.
Pam Katsiris, St. Val’s Church in Peabody – Discussion to vote of alcohol at Winter Island Park for their outing on July 7 -8.
Pam discusses the church outing at Winter Island Pavilion scheduled for July 7-8; this would be the 2nd year of its existence and approximately 500 people attend. Pam was granted a temporary liquor license from the City of Salem’s Licensing Board with the contingency that the Parks & Recreation approves the request. A police detail will be present during the duration of the event and the hired company distributing the alcohol is tip certified.
Tuttle makes a motion to approve Pam Katsiris request for the allowance of alcohol at Winter Island Park, July 7-8, seconded by Burke, unanimously passes.
Bart Hoskins, President of SPACE – Discussion and vote on adding lights at the Leslie Retreat Dog Park
Bart presents to the Commission that a member of the SPACE Board, has a family member that works for a company that would like to donate 2 light polls and 4 flood lights to the park. This would add lighting to interior of the dog park during fall and winter months for those that walk their dogs after work. Bart explains that the City’s Electrical Department would have to hook up the electricity but the Pooch Pass program would pay for any maintenance and/or additional costs caused by the new lighting. Pooch Pass sales bring in $7,000 to $8,000 each year. Bart hands the Commission members a diagram of the park and where the polls would be installed. Bart met with City of Salem’s Electrical Department and it was suggested that the polls be installed along the river side of the park.
The discussion of the polls being installed on the river side brings concern to Commissioners Burke & Tuttle and the effects it would have on the neighborhood and directs the conversation to Ward Councilor Paul Prevey. Council Prevey does feel that the additional lighting in the park is needed and is a great idea but the positioning of the lights would need to be looked into further to not disturb the neighbors.
Tuttle expresses concern with the unattractiveness of the polls in the park. Tuttle states that lots of time and effort went into the design of the park and is worried how those that participated in the beautification of the park would feel about the polls.
Burke feels that Bart should meet with the neighborhood groups and get their opinions and feelings on the new lighting.
Vice Chairman, James Shea, suggests tabling the issue until Bart meets with the neighborhood groups. Once that is taken care of the Commission will invite Bart and the neighborhood groups to a Commission meeting where the issue can be worked out and discussed further.
Finance Report
Golf Course, Witch House, Willows Meters and Winter Island – Review revenue monthly report
Bollen reports that the golf course is doing very well, and if it makes the money that it did last month he projects the course to make $633,000. Best year in last ten.
The Witch House is having its best year, projecting to make $210,000-$217,000 by the end of the month.
Due to the damage of the public float and gang way at the Willows 2-3 weeks ago by a storm, a portion of the monies collected from the Parking Meters will be used for its repair.
The numbers for Winter Island are skewed for the month of May due to a late deposit of approximately $12,000 that was made in June instead of May. Better numbers will appear in June report.
Bollen informs the Commission that he had his budget meeting with city counciland it appears to level funding for FY13.
Capital Report
Forest River small Playground is finished and the process of building a playground at Gonyea Park will start soon.
FY13
$40,000 in capital for Playgrounds. A total of 13 playgrounds have been built in the past 3 years.
$30,000 of capital will go towards to the Mack Park Garage Roof.
$30,000Capital will be used to older purchase a new infield machine.
$140,000 will be used to repair the Common Fence and a matching grant is being applied for. Phase 1 of work will begin August.
Parks & Facilities
Pool Opening
Bollen reports that the pool will be opening mid to late next week.
Palmer Cove, Re-soding of infield
Bollen states that a $20,000 Community Block Development Grant is being usedd for the re-soding of the infield at Palmer Cove.
Forest River Park, Dog Leash Problem
Bollen had a meeting with Salem Police Officer, Peter Gifford, early last week regarding the report of unleashed dogs at Forest River Park. Bollen reported that he gets many complaints about loose dogs at the Park and Police Offcier Gifford stopped by to suggest the COmmisison consider banning dogs at Forest River Park. Because the incidents with loose dogs..
Commission asks Bollen to send an e mail to the Dog Officer, expressing his concern and requesting designated times for the Dog Officer to visit Forest River Park to minimize any future issues.
Men’s Bathroom at Salem Willows
The Commission is in favor of renting out the space and states that if anyone is interested in the property to put out an RFP.
Requisitions of Proposals – update on Lighthouse and Food Trucks
The Lighthouse received one RFP that fell within the budget. After reviewing their bid, the City of Salem’s purchasing agent did not except the companies bid due to the lack of qualifications.
8-9 companies took out a bid on the Food Truck RFP and none where returned. The RFP will go out again this fall/winter.
Playgrounds
Forest River is complete; Gonyea is next and in process.
Furlong Park – improvements & ribbon cutting
The re-dedication of the park took place two weeks ago. A great event and party, Vice Chair, James Shea and Doug Bollen did attend the event.
Mayors Cup Golf Tournament
Bollen reports that due to the rain storm on June 2, the tournament has been rescheduled to Sept. 8.
Bertram Field
The City of Salem is applying for a Parc Grant for turf to be laid on Bertram Field. In order for the City of Salem to receive the grant, Bertram field must fall under the Parks & Recreation Commission. The School Committee would first have to vote to give it to Park and Recreation Department, then the Commission would have to accept. We will address this issue when and if the city does receive an approval for the grant and School Committee votes to transfer the field to us.
Paint Ball at Parks
Burke discusses the issue and danger of paintball guns in Parks, and uses Salem Woods as an example. Burke discusses that there is no law in the City that prohibits paintball guns inside parks.
The Commission discusses the danger and inappropriateness of paintballing inside parks.
Burke makes a motion to instate the following rule that states “Possession and shooting of paintball guns or devices in any Salem Park, including Highland Park, is prohibited without prior permission of the Salem Superintendent of Parks,” seconded by Tuttle, unanimously passed.
Old Business
None
New Business
None
Adjournment next meeting July 17, 2012
A motion to adjourn is made by Burke, seconded by Tuttle, unanimously passed.
The meeting ends at 8:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Meghan E. Murtagh
June 2012
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