Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-10-10 Recreation Committee MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2685 FAX: (781) 942 - 5441 RECREATION DIVISION: (781) 942 - 9075 READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES October 10, 2007 Berger Room -Town Hall Attendance: Mary Ellen Stolecki, Rec. Committee Member, Kate Kaminer, Rec. Committee Member, Beth Claroni, Associate Member, Michael DiPietro, Vice Chairman, Jack Downing, Rec. Committee Member, Chris Campbell, Rec. Committee Member, Mary Ann Kozlowski, School Comm. Rep, Jim Sullivan, Rec. Program Coordinator and John Feudo, Recreation Administrator M. DiPietro called the meeting to order at 7:06PM and asked the committee to review the minutes of September 12th, 2007. M. Stolecki made a motion to accept minutes of the Recreation Committee meeting of September 12th, 2007. K. Kaminer seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of accept minutes of the Recreation Committee meeting of September 12th, 2007 by a vote of 6-0-0. Administrator's Report Update given by J. Feudo: J. Feudo gave an overview of the current fiscal budget. The town is switching to a new financial computer system which will allow for better accounting process. Purchase orders will automatically come out of the budget immediately and will be better able to keep track of where money is coming from and going to. Some notes regarding the budget: There will be money from the budget turned back to the General Fund. There is a $10,000 carry forward limit to this particular revolving fund beyond encumbrances. This is seed money to start new programs. The Recreation Division continues to try to cover salaries which are appropriated by the general fund. New Business: There has been an on and off issue at Longwood Field for about three years now in which an abutter on Pearl Street on the Belmont Street side has been dealing with soccer balls landing on his property. The Town has worked with Mike Sheedy of RUSC closely to help solve the prior issues. One of the solutions was trying to keep older players off of Longwood Field. RUSC has been very good about READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES October 10, 2007 Con't restricting the age group that are now currently using the field and a line of play has been designated by sign so no nets can be placed beyond a certain point near the abutters property. However, there is now a group of young adults/high school kids that are now using the field periodically. This has created the issue of how to restrict the field when an organized group is not using it. J. Feudo has met with the police and they have recommended some type of signage. C. Campbell made a motion to make Longwood Field by permit only at the discretion of the Recreation Division or designee. - B. Claroni felt that the by permit only distinction may restrict families that want to use the field for non-scheduled activities. She felt the by permit only might make people feel as if the park can't be used. A long discussion ensued. Motion to make Longwood Field by permit only at the discretion of the Recreation Division or designee fails by a vote of 0-6-0, motion does not carry. J. Downing made a motion to recommend that a sign be posted at Longwood Field that says "this field is designated for use of small kids. Please be considerate of neighborhood Property" M. Stolecki seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of a sign be posted at Longwood Field that says "this field is designated for use of small kids. Please be considerate of neighborhood Property" by a vote of 6-0-0. Conservation Preservation and Act Update given by M. Stolecki: The Board of Selectman to put the CPA on the Town Warrant for November. The state would match which ever percentage is voted on by the Town the following year. The percentage of tax increase would need to go to town meeting to be voted on in April. M. Stolecki exited the meeting at 8:20 PM. Ad Hoc Birch Meadow Planning Committee Update given by J. Feudo: A site walk of the Birch Meadow complex was completed recently. There are three handicap accessible paths that will be created due to all of facilities on the campus becoming ADA compliant. That will include paths to the new field next to the tennis courts, Morton Field and the tennis courts. They created a path that went around the central hill on the ball field side where the tennis court and ball field comes through and it will actually connect with Bancroft Ave. The path was projected to be from the bleachers straight through the bull pen area to the bench and end there. The committee has a very successful survey where over 500 surveys were retuned online on-line and 50 in the mail. These surveys provide a broad perspective of what people's interests were. The survey response displayed how many people were interested in this project. There has also been discussion about READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES October 10, 2007 Con't putting a pavilion where the current batting cage is that could have bathrooms and vending machines as well as possibly adding a 4th softball field to current layout. However, no formal recommendations have been put into place. The committee hopes to finalize their recommendations by mid-December. Friends of Reading Tennis Taskforce Update given by K. Kaminer: The tennis courts are being prepared to be bid out by the Town. The Town is still waiting for a response from the Self Help Grant application that was submitted in July. If the Town receives a substantial amount of funding from this grant, the is hope to get an extension on debt authorization at Town meeting and start construction in the winter. The original estimate that had been done for the courts was 350k. After a formal ground survey estimate was done by the town engineers, there is now a conceptual cost of 512k because they are addressing the drainage issues at Birch Meadow. When the FORT met with P. Hechenbleikner nine months ago we agreed that FORT could raise 150k in private donations corporate donations and fundraising. With the significant increase of the estimate there is no way FORT can bear the burden of that cost. It is up to the town to step forward and finish this project, if not we have to, in good conscience; consider refunding money to the people who donated it. The town is going to manage the project but the work will be contracted out so these prices are based on subcontractor cost. K. Kaminer: Motion to adjourn meeting C. Campbell: Second the motion. Motion passes in favor of adjournment by a vote of 5-0-0. -Meeting adjourned at 8-:35 PM. submitted by: F 4