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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-06-12 Recreation Committee Minutesti FAX: (781) 942 - 5441 Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867 -2685 RECREATION DIVISION: (781) 942 - 9075 READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES June 12, 2012 TOWN HALL — CONFERENCE ROOM Attendance: Mike DiPietro, Rec Committee Member, Nancy -Linn Swain, Rec. Committee Member, Frank Driscoll, Recreation Committee Chair, Richard Hand, Recreation Committee Member, Kate Kammer, Vice Chair, Adam Chase, Rec. Committee Member, Karen Janowski, School Committee Liaison, John Feudo, Recreation Administrator, Jenna Fiorente, Recreation Program Coordinator Guest: Dave Conroy, Red Thunder Soccer F. Driscoll called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM. N. Swain made a motion to accept the minutes from the April 2012 meeting. R. Hand seconded the motion. Motion passed in favor of accepting the minutes for April 2012 by a vote of 5 -0 -0. N. Swain made a motion to accept the minutes from the May 2012 meeting. K. Janowski seconded the motion. Motion passed in favor of accepting the minutes for May 2012 by a vote of 4 -0 -1. K. Kaminer entered the meeting at 7:11 PM. M. DiPietro entered the meeting at 7:13 PM. J. Feudo introduced Dave Conroy from Red Thunder Soccer. Dave gave a brief synopsis of why he was attending the meeting. Reading United Soccer Club recently decided to the dissolve the Red Thunder program. RUSC in past years had always secured field space for the Thunder program as they were the owners of the program. Now that Red Thunder is no longer part of RUSC, the field space they previously occupied must go back to the Rec. Committee for redistribution. Dave Conroy was before the Recreation Committee to appeal to them for field space in the fall and spring seasons. Conroy mentioned that there were three remaining Red Thunder teams. He stated that he was requesting 2/3 of field for 2 nights in the spring and a half field in the fall. The request was for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 only. J. Feudo stated that 2/3 of a field is basically one field as he would not advise the committee to split a field between organizations. Conroy felt, as a former scheduler of field space for RUSC that they have ample space already and could give up the space. READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES June 12, 2012 Con't A. Chase asked if RUSC would need the space Red Thunder was currently using. J. Feudo said he would check with both organizations that were candidates to use the space. He would ask them to justify at they planned to use the space for and would bring the information back to the committee in July. He also stated that he did not believe the fall season would present an issue and thought that could be worked out once the Fall schedule for Reading groups, including the HS season is set. J. Feudo introduced Carl McFadden, Duane Sigsbury and Jim Murphy. The trio spoke of their desire to start a flag football program in Reading. They felt there is a shift to kids and parents toward flag because of all of the concussions you are now hearing about in tradition football. Flag is being viewed as a safer alternative to tackle football. J. Murphy spoke about skill development and allowing all kids to catch, throw and run with the ball versus deciding that a player is cast into a permanent position, like big kids have to be linemen. D. Sigsbury mentioned that they picked Saturday night so it would not interfere with Pop Warner football. K. Kaminer asked if the program would be open to boys and girls. D. Sigsbury mentioned it would be. They had also planned to have a division set up for players with special needs. K. Janowski made a motion to approve Saturday Flag Football Program as proposed with date subject to review by the Recreation Administrator for conflicts of annual events and previously scheduled activities and subject to all standard contract obligations. N. Swain seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of approving Saturday Flag Football Program as proposed with date subject to review by the Recreation Administrator for conflicts of annual events and previously scheduled activities and subject to all standard contract obligations by a vote of 7 -0 -0. The Recreation Committee approved The Personalized Physique to run boot camps in Reading prior to parks opening so long as they are away from homes. K. Kaminer made a motion to waive the amplified sound fee for FORR and the Lions Club for Town Day. K. Janowski seconded the motion. The committee discussed precedence and a long discussion ensued. Motion was defeated by a vote of 2 -5 -0 N. Swain nominated Eric Hughes for Chair of the Rec Committee for FY 2013. K. Kaminer seconded the motion. Eric Hughes was appointed Chairman by a vote of 7 -0 -0. K. Kaminer nominated Nancy Swain as Vice Chair. Frank Driscoll seconded the motion. Nancy - Linn Swain was appointed Vice -Chair by a vote of 7 -0 -0. READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES June 12, 2012 Con't J. Feudo introduced Jenna Fiorente to the Recreation Committee. Jenna gave a brief introduction of herself and gave a brief program update and report. She also shared a copy of the new newsletter with the committee. Administrator's Report J. Feudo discussed the BOS decision not to accept the proposed plan for the RYB to upgrade the Tennis Court Field. J. Feudo gave a brief update regarding recreation projects around town including trees and picnic table installation at Eaton and a new picnic table at Washington Park. RYS was granted a special Sunday permit for 6/10. R. Hand gave an update and handed out information from the latest RCASA meeting. (See hand out) J. Feudo updated the committee as to the status of Sturges Park. The committee has met 3 times and had a site walk. They planned a neighborhood meeting and survey during July to help encourage neighborhood involvement. N. Swain made a motion to adjourn. R. Hand seconded the motion. Motion passed in favor of adjournment by a vote of 7 -0 -0. Meeting adjourned at 9:01 PM.