HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-02-09 Recreation Committee Minutes#i
Recreation Minutes
February 9, 1994
The meeting of the Recreation Committee came to order at 7:35pm,
Wednesday, February 9, 1994 in the Conference Room at Town Hall.
Present at the meeting were members Kate Kaminer, Lorraine Sal-
ter, Gordon Richards, Chris Campbell, John McGrath, Fred Conover
and associate member Gary Roberts. Also in attendance was staff
Ruth Cogan and guests Carl Goodale and David Borgal.
Minutes of January 12, 1994 were approved 4:0:1 on a motion by
Salter, seconded by McGrath.
The representative of EMARC has been rescheduled to the March
meeting due to the weather.
David Borgal made a presentation concerning a proposed new summer
program called Super Sports. Cogan will check to see if the
Field House would be available at no cost for inclement weather.
Conover raised the issue about guidelines for hiring staff.
Cogan will draft proposed guidelines for the next meeting. The
program was approved 6:0:0 on a motion by Campbell, seconded by
Richards. We will attempt to include it in the summer brochure.
Carl Goodale of Reading Youth Softball brought up the poor condi-
tions of the playing fields. Kaminer noted that this issue has
been brought to the attention of the Town Manager. General main-
tenance will be..,done this summer with major repairs in the fall.
Home plate at the street field will be repaired this spring.
Money is included in the Capital Improvement Program each year
for major repair of playing fields. It was suggested that maybe
DPW could, put a large pile of dirt at each playing field for
maintenance by the leagues on a continual basis.
Cogan gave the Supervisor's .report. She noted that Steve
Kajander's last day of employment was February 3 and that she
will be acting Supervisor until someone is hired. The position
will be full-time as the Town Manager feels confident that there
is sufficient surplus in the Revolving Fund to pay for the dif-
ference in salary. A copy of the memo from Cogan to
Hechenbleikner with a breakdown of expenses was distributed.
Cogan noted that Nancy McCloud, a Parker mother and ski monitor,
has offered to be responsible for the middle school ski program
for the remainder of the season. Cogan explained the process for
hiring a new Supervisor. Kaminer, Salter and Conover will review
applications. Kaminer will sit in on the interviews.
Richards discussed the presentation to the Board of.Selectmen.
He noted that there were accolades on the report and that he was
attempting to get across the "deplorable" condition of the
fields. Richards noted that he was appointed by the Selectmen as
the Recreation Committee representative to the Substance Abuse
Advisory Council. He has asked the Town Manager to make his term
on the Council consistent with his term on the Committee.
Cogan gave an update on the REAP program, distributing a copy of
the letter sent to the parents. Discussion was held that as a
result of Town Counsel's opinion, that we should not have a par-
ticular day care program in the brochure. Cogan noted that she
mistakenly, told REAP they could be included. REAP will be told
this is the last year to be included in the brochure as a Recrea-
tion sponsored program but that they could have a paid advertise-
ment.
Roberts brought up the issue of distributing the summer Recrea-
tion programs through the Suburban News. There was consensus
among the Committee members that there first choice was returning
to the distribution of booklets through the schools. The second
choice was using the Chronicle as the vehicle for distributing
the information. They felt that although the Suburban News is
distributed to every house that it was not read. They felt that
those people who receive the Chronicle are those people who are
likely to use our services. Roberts noted that both his and
Moscariello's clinics' enrollment decreased when the information
was distributed through the Suburban.
Campbell noted that he has received a comment of dissatisfaction
concerning the movement of the Girl's Basketball from the Girl's
Gym to the Field House. He also noted another comment from a
parent as he was upset that his son who is on the freshmen bas-
ketball team cannot play in the Sunday instructional program.
The consensus of the Board was that consistent with other sports,
a sudent who is on a high school team cannot play in the recrea-
tional leagues.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Ruth oga v
Acting ecreation Supervisor
2