HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-30 Recreation Committee Minutesoff.�'eTown of ReadingMeeting Minutes
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Recreation Committee
Date: 2024-09-30 Time: 6:30 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Berger Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street Session: Open Session
Purpose: General Monthly Meeting Version: Final
Attendees: Member - Present:
Eric Gaffen (M), Michael Coltman (M), Richard Hand (M), Bob Walden (M),
Laura Noonan (M), Matthew George (A), Enc Boemer (M)
Member - Not Present:
Chuck Robinson (M), Kate Kaminer (M), Melissa Pucci (M), Giuseppe Fodera
(A), Kevin Leete (A)
Other Present:
Jim Sullivan - Recreation Administrator
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Laura Noonan, Committee member
Topics of Discussion:
Call to Order:
Ede Gaffen calls the meeting to order at 6:30 PM in the Berger Room, Town Hall, Reading, MA
Ede Gaffen confirms that enough Members are present to hold the meeting.
Agenda Item: Discussion and Approval of Meeano Minutes
Eric Gaffen states that this first Order of Business will be deferred to next month as there are no
meeting minutes to approve from the last meeting because none were drafted. Enc Gaffen indicates
that the committee will be assigning members to take the meeting minutes for each meeting on a
rotating basis moving forward.
Public Comment
None.
Aaenda Item: Recreation Chair update/discussion
Eric Gaffen states that he has two items for his update. The first pertains to the meeting minutes. He
says that it makes sense to just rotate amongst the members who will take the meeting minutes each
month.
Laura Noonan volunteers to draft the meeting minutes for the present meeting. Michael Cohman
volunteers to draft the meeting minutes for the August 2024 meeting. Richard Hand volunteers to draft
the meeting minutes for the October 2024 meeting.
Jim Sullivan indicates that for the remaining months he will put together a list assigning a member to
each future meeting for the task of drafting meeting minutes and will email the list to members. He
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acknowledged that RCN is recording the meetings and that minutes can be drafted by watching back
the video.
Eric Gallen moves onto the second item of his update and indicates that the Recreation Committee
was the subject of a recent Select Board Agenda item at a recent Select Board meeting and that Laura
Noonan was recently voted to being a Full Member of the Recreation Committee. Enc Gaffen offers
congratulations to Laura Noonan and goes on to state that the prepared statement that he is about to
read does not have anything to do with her being voted to a full member.
Mr. Gafffen then reads a statement indicating that during said recent Select Board meeting certain
remarks were made by one Select Board member concerning the adaptive recreation programs being
offered through the Reading Burbank YMCA, which are being funded by ARPA funds. Mr. Gaffen
indicates that said statements were not only incorrect but were disparaging to those who have put in
many hours into making these adaptive recreation programs successful.
Jim Sullivan indicated that the next social program being offered through the YMCA in connection with
this program is being posted to the Reading Recreation website in order to make it more visible for
Reading residents.
Bob Walden acknowledged that these programs are new and therefore should not be expected to be
perfect at first.
Laura Noonan indicated that since the last Recreation Committee meeting, Mr. John Feudo, of the
YMCA reached out to her for some ideas as to how these new adaptive recreation and social
programs could be advertised to the Reading community so that word of these new programs will
reach all disabled individuals who reside in Reading that would like to participate in these programs,
but do not attend the Reading Public Schools.
Aaenda Item: Discussion and Vote for Amplified Sound Reauest
Eric Gaffen indicates that there is none.
Agenda Item: Discussion and Vote to recommend to the Select Board that oickleball courts be
allocated to the parcel of land that is currently outlined on the RECAL conceptual design at
Svmonds Wav when funding becomes available.
Disucssion:
The RECAL conceptual design for pickleball courts is shared on the tv screen in the Berger Room.
Michael Coffman expressed that the displayed design and location for the pickleball courts is the most
ideal location for pickleball courts in Reading. All members present agree.
Bob Weiden makes the motion to recommend to the Select Board that pickleball courts be allocated to
the parcel of land that is currently outlined on the RECAL conceptual design at Symonds Way when
funding becomes available.
The motion is seconded by Laura Noonan.
VOTE:
All in favor, passes 6-0.
Anenda Item: Birch Meadow Phase II/Bancroft Tennis Court updates
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Jim Sullivan reports that the resurfacing of the Tennis Court bids are due next week with the hopes of
resurfacing the courts during the fall season if time and weather permits. Birch Meadow Phase II is on
going with meetings being held with stake holders and Town staff.
Agenda Item: PmammCoordinator/Recreation Administrator
Jim Sullivan reports the following:
There was a recent intergenerational event held: Quilting for All. The event was a success with 16
families and 14 seniors present.
Ed Shambo, of the Reading Recreation Department, plans to attend an upcoming resource fair in
Danvers, MA on Thursday night for the purposes of learning about what Danvers is doing pertaining to
getting adaptive programming for individuals with disabilities and special needs up and running, and
bringing those ideas back to Reading Recreation.
There will be an early start time at Town Hall for Downtown Trick or Treating for those children and
families that need and/or desire a lower sensory, lower crowd experience.
Edo Gaffen makes a motion to adjourn at 7:15PM. Eric Boemer seconds
All in favor 6-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:15PM
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