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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-20 Recreation Committee MinutesV r i/ FAX: (781) 942 - 5441 RECREATION DIVISION: (781) 942 - 9075 READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES February 20, 2008 Senior Center -Great Room Attendance: Nancy Swain, Rec. Committee Chair, Mike DiPietro, Vice Chair, Chris Campbell, Rec. Committee Member, Mary Ann Kozlowski, School Committee Rep, John Downing, Rec. Committee Member, Frank Driscoll, Rec. Committee Member, Bernie Winne, Rec. Committee Member, Kate Kaminer, Rec. Committee Member, John Feudo, Recreation Administrator, Guest, Eric Hughes N. Swain called the meeting to order at 7:12 PM. N. Swain asked the Recreation Committee to review the minutes from the January 9t' meeting. M. DiPietro entered the meeting at 7:14 PM. B. Winne entered the meeting at 7:15 PM. J. Downing made a motion to accept the minutes for the January 9 h meeting. K. Kaminer seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of accepting the minutes by a vote of 7-0-1. Scholarship Policy The Recreation Committee had further discussion on the scholarship policy for the Recreation Division. The Recreation Administrator brought back information from the State of Massachusetts indicating how the determination of need is decided. The criteria are based on a scale that takes both household income and size of family into account. The committee discussed whether scholarship funds should be available for only Reading residents or if non-Reading residents would be eligible. The example was given of perhaps a grandparent whom is a resident that would like to enroll a grandchild that is not or someone that works with in the Town but lives elsewhere and would like to request assistance for a family member. The committee seemed open to the above situations, but was not in favor of the scholarships being provided to non-Reading residents otherwise. Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street M Reading, MA'01867-2685 R~:E,C~ ~ ~~K { A,~:1rlG, MASS. P Z. 3V F. Driscoll recommended that the policy go before Town Council before it is finalized. J. Downing recommended that the word "scholarship" be taken out and changed to "financial assistance". He felt scholarship gave the impression that money was set aside to be used. READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES February 20, 2008 Con't New Business: Strout Ave. The Recreation Committee reviewed the Strout Ave. plans for possible fields at the former location of the Water Treatment Plant. B. Winne made a motion that the recreation committee enthusiastically support the project of fields at Strout Ave and highly recommend setting up an irrigation system to help maintain the fields appropriately. F. Driscoll seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of enthusiastically supporting the project of fields at Strout Ave and highly recommending setting up an irrigation system to help maintain the fields appropriately by a vote of 8-0-0. Lego Program J. Feudo presented a new Lego program that would fall under the auspice of Summer Camp. The program would be run by three HS students with supervision from one of the Summer Camp Coordinators. The program is an intensive 5-day lego robotics program that is classroom based. The program would hold the same hours of camp and would take place at Coolidge Middle School. The program would be limited to six participants per week and would run for three weeks. The students running the program will present at the March meeting as they are away on break currently. F. Driscoll made a motion to accept the Lego Robotics program as proposed. C. Campbell seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of accepting the Lego Robotics program as proposed by a vote of 8-0-0. Administrative Report: J. Feudo gave an update for the winter/spring programs. He stated that the Itty Bitty Baseball program has approximately 80 participants already. The hope was to get 150 - 200 kids enrolled this year. That would be an increase of about 30%. The Reading Baseball February Vacation School sold out. Two of the three sections of Saturday Morning Sports are sold out. The program begins March 1St J. Feudo mentioned that they have hired a new clerk. Barbara Rose has begun her employment with the Town on February 18th. Barbara comes to the Town from the Arc of East Middlesex in Medford. Please welcome her aboard if you talk with her or stop by the office. The tennis court project on Bancroft Ave. is expected to start sometime around the 1st of March. The company decided to do all the work at once rather than demolition during the winter and leaving an unsafe site until they can comeback. The project is expected to be finalized by the end of June. The Friends of Reading Recreation are hosting a fund-raiser in conjunction with the Metco program << to raise money for the Recreation Division summer programs. The event will take place on April 10th at the RMHS Fieldhouse. They are expecting over 600 people. The company they are working with is handling cold calling for the fund raising campaign. READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES February 20, 2008 Con't The synthetic turf field at Parker Middle School is on the docket for the Conservation Commission on Feb. 20th. The town engineers believe they will receive their order of conditions and will be able to bid the project out before the end of February. Subcommittee Reports:_ RCASA N. Swain reported for Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse. She mentioned the police were sending out letters to local liquor establishments to alert them of prom season and youth would be out trying to purchase alcohol. The group continues to work on two additional staff members to support Director Erica McNamara. Aquatics Advisory Board J. Downing reported that the Executive Director of the YMCA is trying to disband the Aquatics Advisory Board. J. Downing spoke about the membership of the committee and why the board is important. He also stated that the board has had a vacancy for about two years and they have been waiting for the Board of Selectmen to replace the position. B. Winne made a motion to send a letter to the Board of Selectmen expressing concerns about the vacancy and urging the Board to fill the vacant position. F. Driscoll seconded the motion. _ _._._Motion__passes. in_favor_ of_sending-_a_letter-_ to-the-Board-of Selectrnen-expressing-concems-about-the--. vacancy and urging the Board to fill the vacant position by a vote of 8-0-0. B. Winner made a motion to adjourn. F. Driscoll seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of adjournment by a vote of 8-0-0. Meeting adjourned at 8:47 PM.