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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-01-09 Recreation Committee MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2685- ` kjN CLERK s V0 FAX: (781) 942 - 5441 RECREATION DIVISION: (781) 942 - 9075 READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES January 9, 2008 Berger Room -Town Hall Attendance: Chris Campbell, Rec. Committee Member, Mary Ellen Stolecki, Rec. Committee Member, Mary Ann Kozlowski, School Committee Rep, John Downing, Rec. Committee Member, Frank Driscoll, Rec. Committee Member Nancy Swain, Rec. Committee Member, John Feudo, Recreation Administrator, Guest, Eric Hughes N. Swain called the meeting to order at 7:09 PM. N. Swain asked the Recreation Committee to review the minutes from the previous meeting. J. Downing asked to make some corrections to help clarify some of the discussion under the title 6th grade girls travel basketball. M. Stolecki made a motion to accept the minutes of the November 14th, 2007 as amended. J. Downing seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of accepting the minutes as amended by a vote of 6-0-0. Scholarships J. Feudo brought a draft copy of a proposed new scholarship policy. Over the past four of years the Recreation Division has seen the number of scholarship and financial aid requests dramatically increase. Currently, the general guidelines only require very little personal information. The new policy would require more information and would mirror the policy for state and federal aid based on need. The new policy would also leave flexibility for unforeseen hardships. M. Stolecki recommended checking with the YMCA and other communities to see how they handle the process of awarding scholarships. F. Driscoll cautioned that when considering amounts based on family income, it may not completely show the need that is there for a family. J. Downing recommended that there be a nominal fee of $20 or 10% so that people don't request the money and either not attend the program or not follow through with signing up. The Recreation Committee seemed to think that updating the scholarship/ financial aid process was a good proactive approach. They recommended fine tuning the plan and bringing it back in February for approval by the committee. RCASA Report READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES 1/9/2008 Con't N. Swain spoke on behalf of the Reading Coalition Against Substance Abuse. She gave the Recreation Committee the healthy communities' model and the committee discussed what role they played. She discussed the healthy communities' principles. Finally, she stated that the Town has hired a full time staff member (Erica McNamara) to focus primarily on building a program and searching for and writing grants in regards to substance abuse. The Recreation Committee will invite Ms. McNamara to a future committee meeting. The committee felt it was important for her to meet the Recreation Committee and know that they can be a resource. The Recreation Committee did a Healthy Communities Activity lead by N. Swain. Administrators Report J. Feudo gave an update on programming. He mentioned that the Reading Baseball School Saturday hitting and pitching clinics were underway. Both Travel basketball and Sunday basketball were going well. He introduced some of the new programs featured in the Winter/Spring Recreation Magazine. J. Feudo mentioned that Clerk, Sandra Beninati, would be departing the Recreation Division at the end of January to begin a new career in the veterinarian field. The search for a new clerk will happen immediately. Sub-Committee Reports F. Driscoll reported that the Northern Area Greenway has made their initial report to the Board of _____Selectmen._They_have been _extended _by-the-BOS until Mid-March,--2008-to complete-th-eir--work.----- A boardwalk and fishing pier are likely to be placed at Lobs Pond off of Mill Street. J. Feudo passed out an email from Kim Honetschlager, Town GIS Coordinator, in regards to a grant that would provide partial funding for a design architect to develop multipurpose fields for the site formerly used as the Water Treatment plant. Kim is looking for support letters from various agents/ committees of the Town. C. Campbell made a motion for the Recreation Committee to send a letter to the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs indicating the Recreation Committee's support for the development of active and passive recreational areas including multi-purpose playing fields at the site formerly used as the water treatment plant. M. Kozlowski seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of sending a letter to the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs indicating the Recreation Committees support for the development of active and passive recreational areas including multi-purpose playing fields at the site formerly used as the water treatment plant by a vote of 6-0-0. - M. Kozlowski made a motion to adjourn meeting. M. Stolecki seconded the motion. READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES 1/9/2008 Con't Motion passes in favor of adjournment by a vote of 6-0-0. Meeting adjourned at 9:22 PM. V: