MINUTES OF THE RAYNHAM PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION
Regular Monthly Meeting, February 8, 2011,* 6:00 p.m.
Raynham Senior Center, 2215 King Philip Street, Raynham, MA
* This meeting date was postponed from the originally scheduled Feb. 1, 2011 meeting, due to inclement weather.
In Attendance: Chairman Jim Sullivan, Commissioner Joe Doyle, Commissioner Chris Shaw, Director Elizabeth Francis, and Administrative Assistant/Recording Secretary SJ Blanchard.
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. and asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the Jan. 8, 2011 Commission meeting. Joe made a motion to accept the minutes as printed. Chris seconded the motion, and all three voted unanimously in favor of the motion.
It was reported in local newspapers that Liz was not in favor of opening the hill at Borden Colony up to sledders, due to the restrictions stated in the APR as well as safety concerns. The Selectmen did, however, ask the Highway Dept. to create a large, safe, off-road parking area for sledders’ vehicles, and the area remains very popular with many.
The following spring field-use applications were acted on:
- Over-The-Hill Soccer group requested the use of a soccer field from April 10 – June 19, with an April 3 practice date. Chris made a motion to approve the request, with a $300 fee; Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
- Raynham Youth Soccer requested the use of all soccer fields and the multi-purpose field from March 12 – June 26. Liz noted that the Burke Field will be rested this year. No schedules have been received to date, but the Grasshopper program will run on Sundays, and the 16 travel teams will hold practices on Monday – Friday evenings, with girls’ games on Saturdays and boys’ games on Sundays. Chris made a motion to approve, pending the receipt of schedules. Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
The Lions Club submitted two dates for which they are requesting one-day liquor licenses: their Feb. 27 chili fest and a cancer society fundraiser on May 21. Joe made a motion to recommend approval of these dates to the Board of Selectmen; Chris seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
Liz reported on the following:
- The Department’s preliminary budget for FY2012 was submitted last week; instructions for this first submittal were to level-fund.
- She has received a scholarship request for reduced tuition for a child currently enrolled in our kindergarten wrap-around, before-school and after-school programs. Liz will request basic income information from the single parent, and adjust the kindergarten fee in accordance with EEC’s pay scale.
- The pumpkin farmer wants to extend his lease from a year-to-year to a five-year contract, in order to make long-term field improvements. Because of the over-all dollar amount for a five-year lease, this would require putting it out to bid. Liz will check with Randy about the possibility of doing a three-year lease without going out to bid.
Joe suggested that the Commission revisit the idea of increasing the monthly rent on the 2000 King Philip Street property, and that it be set closer to current market value. Liz said that this could be discussed later in the summer.
Chris asked about the RMS gym bleacher situation. The school is adamant that these bleachers remain extended out from the wall, thereby making the hoops previously used for our instructional basketball programs inaccessible. The bleacher frames’ integrity is compromised and sags; and apparently nothing is commercially available to repair the problem. The cost of replacing them would be $30,000 per set times four sets. It has been discovered, however, that the end hoops used by the older groups can be lowered sufficiently for use by our littlest players.
Highway Supt. Roger Stolte has asked the Lions Club to take over the cans and bottles recycling at the transfer station, allowing the organization to keep the proceeds and thereby elbowing out youth sports organizations which weren’t always on top of keeping the area clean and picked up.
Jim asked for a motion to appoint Heather Nix to the vacant program coordinator position. Salary-wise, this would be a lateral move within the same union unit, and the start date is to be determined. Chris made a motion; Joe seconded it and a unanimous vote followed.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
SJ Blanchard
Admin. Assistant/Recording Secretary
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