Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-01-11 Recreation Committee MinutesTown of Reading 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867-2685 FAX: (781) 942 - 5441 M-4 M RECREATION DIVISION: (781) A2 - !0?X .3 READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES 1; January 11, 2006 Town Hall Conference Room C W Attendance: Nancy-Linn Swain, Rec. Committee Chair, Frank Driscoll, Rec. Committee Member, Rick Shaffer, Rec. Committee Member, Kate Kaminer, Rec. Committee Member, Jack Downing Rec. Committee Member Bernie Winne, Rec. Committee Member, Mary Ellen Stolecki, Rec. Committee Member, Chris Campbell, Associate Member, John Feudo, Recreation Administrator, James Bonazoli, Board of Selectmen N. Swain called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM The Committee was asked to review the minutes from the November 16th meeting. The Recreation Committee did not meet in December due to lack of quorum. B. Winne made a motion to accept the minutes from the November 16th Recreation Committee meeting. F. Driscoll seconded the motion. The motion passed in favor of acceptance of the minutes 5-0-0. J. Feudo mentioned that he would be starting the Field Scheduling process for spring as soon as the week of January 23rd. He was just waiting to meet with the Town Manager and Superintendent of School to find out how_the_synthetic turf fields would _be permitted.J. Feudowas also concerned_____ that there are currently two sets of field fees, one for the synthetic and one for the natural grass fields. A decision is needed on how this process would work. J. Feudo said it was his understanding that the turf field that was placed on the old practice football field would fall under the jurisdiction of the Recreation Division in a similar fashion that the others are handled. J. Feudo stated he would update the committee once he knew how things would proceed. Rick Shaffer entered the meeting at 7:25 PM. Kate Kaminer entered the meeting at 7:30 PM. Administrator's Report J. Feudo started off with an overview of the Winter/Spring 2006 brochure. He highlighted some of the new programs being offered. Athletic Evolution is a new program offer by the Recreation Division out of Woburn. The program director is Eric Kalyonides. Mr. Kalyonides is a certified personal trainer that specializes in agility and speed development. The program is designed to help participants gain confidence while getting the benefits of exercise. One of the other new programs being offered is an Introduction to Fencing. This program is being conducted by Michael Tarascio. Coach Tarascio comes to Reading with a lengthy resume in READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES JAN 11, 2006 Con't Fencing. He has participated at the Olympic level and had coached in many of the surrounding Towns. The hope is that this program could grow into team competition as well as instruction. Both Athletic Evolution and Fencing have been designed for both youth and adult programs. J. Feudo said the Recreation Division would continue to offer many of the successful programs from past years including Spring Ball Girls Basketball Clinic, Baby Sitting Course, Reading Baseball Clinics and Recreation Sports and Games. J. Feudo stated he has been serving on the expanded learning committee in conjunction with the school department. The progress has been slow by design.. Assistant Superintendent John Doherty has done a very good job facilitating the meetings and keep the large group of close to 35 members on task. The committee thus far has done site visits to some of the schools that have already adopted an extended day model. They have also developed a parent survey that will be available shortly. J. Feudo has opted off the Extended Learning Research Committee due other time commitments at home. J. Feudo has been working with Community Service Officer Jack Kyle and key members of the youth sports organizations in Reading to develop the "Good Sports Partnership Commission". The group has developed a mission statement and handbook. The goal is to have the handbook endorsed by as many town boards and organizations as possible. This uniform policy would become the standard for Reading Youth Sports. M. Stolecki asked if the Recreation Division holds the policies and procedures of each of the organizations. J. Feudo stated that through this process he had read most of the policies that exist. Some organizations do not have a policy or code of conduct. J. Feudo does not have supervision over the organizations themselves, therefore cannot mandate what the policy says or their need for one at all. The first program presented by the "Good Sports 11 Partner-ship Commission" will be on Feb 16th at the RMHS Auditorium beginning at-7: 00 PM. Bob Bigelow will be speaking on Youth Sports. The event is free to the public. David Gray from Reading Youth Baseball approached the Recreation Division about putting in storage bins at the fields (Eaton, Killam, Barrows) for the purpose of storing bases, rakes, field drying material etc. The committee did not see any issues with the storage bins provided they are in an unobtrusive location and are a blending color. J. Feudo also stated he would need a key to the bins so they could be used by the community and other organizations. J. Feudo was informed by the Board of Health that all camps and sports clinics will need a license form the Board of Health. This will standardize all of the clinics to a similar attendance, pick-up and drop off policy and health provider. The other major change will be the need to obtain immunization records and physical forms from each participant. B. Winne suggested looking into Rec Trac to see if there is a way to handle this with the current system. Board of Selectmen Member James Bonazoli entered the meeting at 8:25 PM. Mr. Bonazoli updated the Recreation Committee on the proceeding of the Substance Abuse Steering Committee. He mentioned that someone from the Recreation Committee will serve on this committee as well as the Recreation Administrator. Mr. Bonazoli also mentioned that he has made several requests to discuss the synthetic field situation and how it is being handled. He stated he would keep the Recreation Committee up to date once a meeting has been set and would like to have representation by the Recreation Committee. Finally, Mr. Bonazoli mentioned that there was discussion about READING RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES JAN 11, 2006 Con't next step for Imagination Station. The funding for that project will have to be privately developed and the hope was for the Recreation Committee to work with a group similar to the one that completed the Hunt Park Playground project. F. Driscoll made a motion to adjourn. B. Winne seconded the motion. Motion passes in favor of adjournment 7-0-0. Meeting adjourned at 8:40 PM. submitted by: