HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-17 Recreation Committee Minutes -Draftr--
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Meeting Minutes itECEIVED
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Recreation Committee 9!N OCT —9 PM 6: 12
Date: 2016-05-17 Time: 7:30 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: Monthly Meeting Session: General Session
Attendees: Members - Present:
Kate Kaminer, Emily Sisson, Frank Driscoll, Dan Foley, Mary Ellen Stolecki,
Nancy-Linn Swain, Jeanne Borawski, Rich Hand
Members - Not Present:
Adam Chase, Mike DiPietro
Others Present:
John Feudo, Genevieve Fiorente, Peter Coumounduros
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Genevieve Fiorente
Topics of Discussion:
DRAQ
K. Kaminer opens the meeting at 7:34pm. J. Feudo starts the meeting by introducing Peter
Coumounduros who works with the Friends of Reading Recreation and sits on the Board of
RUSC. J. Feudo says Peter is here to open up the conversation about permitting fields
before noon time on Sundays. J. Feudo passes out documents that outline the current policy
approved by the Board of Selectman and asks committee to reference 4.14.2.
P. Coumounduros says he has been speaking with many youth organizations about
loosening up the blue laws on Sunday Mornings. He goes on to present that it is not his
intention to change any by-laws at this time but to bring it to the committee for discussion.
He says that the interest in usage of the fields on Sundays before noon would be on non-
neighborhood impacted fields. P. Coumounduros also suggests trying it for a season and
seeing how it goes.
F. Driscoll asks why the school committee currently allows people to play earller on the
fields on Sundays. J. Feudo answers that some investigating needs to be done on that
because per the Board of Selectmen the policy is no field time on Sundays before 12:00pm.
J. Feudo also states that there has been a lot of turnover at the facility rentals department
and that someone innocently may have not known about the policy.
K. Kaminer agrees that the schools should follow the regulations set by the Board of
Selectmen. She recalls a time where the mention of loosening the blue laws had received
great backlash from the community. G. Fiorente asks J. Feudo how long he has seen a
pattern In early facility rentals by the schools. J. Feudo responds that he only recognized it
happening the past couple months.
J. Borawskl says she will bring the question to the school committee at the next meeting to
get information and feedback. She states that she will report back to the recreation
committee.
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M. Stolecki mentions her concern on the blue laws as far as people showing up even earlier
than 9:OOAM. P. Coumounduros responds that they can be Flexible on the start times. F.
Driscoll states that the committee should consider going to the Board of Selectmen to say
we need all fields before 12:00pm.
J. Borawski asks K. Kaminer about past pushback about the blue laws. K. Kaminer responds
that there were issues with the neighborhoods and with religious organizations. She says
she recalls actual organizations coming Into the meeting to express their disappointment.
M. Stoleckl mentions the possibility of renting the fields to adults as opposed to children.
She suggests that J. Feudo look Into other blue law restrictions In other towns. N. Swain
mentions the extension of time that the lights will bring.
The committee continues on with a brief discussion and everyone agrees to revisit the topic
once J. Borawski comes back with answers from the school committee.
J. Feudo presents an amplified sound permit to the committee for approval at Memorial Park
on June 91h for a small performance. F. Driscoll makes a motion to approve the amplified
sound permit. J. Borawski seconds. No discussion and all are in favor 7-0.
J. Feudo passes around the minutes to the committee. N. Swain makes a motion to approve
April 2016 minutes. R. Hand seconds. All are in favor 6-0. J. Borawski abstains.
J. Feudo briefs the committee on the parking situation down at Bancroft. He explains what
happened at the last public hearing with the Board of Selectman and the result of the past
couple weeks. He says has gone down to view the parking issues himself along with G.
Fiorente and the athletic director, Tom Zaya. He invites the committee members to attend
the second public hearing with the Board of Selectmen on the Bancroft Avenue Parking next
door at 8:30pm tonight. He says he will be presenting right after as well to go over
wayfinding solutions for the parking on the surrounding streets.
The committee has a brief conversation on the Parking down at Bancroft. At 8:20pm
committee members go next door to the Board of Selectmen public hearing and J. Feudo's
presentation about wayfinding.
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