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MINUTES OF THE RAYNHAM PARK & RECREATION COMMISSION
Regular Monthly Meeting, March 1, 2011, *5:00 p.m.
Raynham Senior Center, 2215 King Philip Street, Raynham, MA
* The meeting’s start time was moved up an hour at the request of Commissioner Chris Shaw, due to other pending obligations.
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 5:10 p.m. and asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the Feb. 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.
The following spring field-use applications were acted on:
- Raynham Industrial Park Co-Ed Softball League requested the use of Reid Field from April 18 – September on Mondays through Fridays from 5 p.m. until dark. Chris made a motion to approve this two-season request, with a $1,000 fee; Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
- Raynham Youth Lacrosse requested the use of the RMS football/soccer field, Bettencourt football field, Legion soccer field, and the Borden Colony multi-purpose field this spring. Chris made a motion to approve; Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
- Diamond Baseball (Men’s) League requested the use of the McKenney Babe Ruth Field on Sunday afternoons from April 17 – Aug. 28, 2011, for about six home games. Chris made a motion to approve with a $500 fee, pending receipt of their game schedule. Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
- RYBSA submitted a request for all days and times between March 15 and June 30, 2011 on the following: McKenney and Burke Babe Ruth fields, RMS baseball and softball fields, South School field, and Merrill baseball fields #1 – 7. Chris made a motion to approve; it was seconded by Joe and a unanimous vote followed.
- Mass. Drifters submitted their summer field-use request for the RMS (or any available) softball field, Mondays through Thursdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. between June 20 and Aug. 20, 2011. Chris made a motion to approve, with a fee of $500; Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
- Organizer Kevin Ellis submitted the following dates for 2011 Raynham Pride Day at the gazebo: Sept. 18, with a rain date of Sept. 25, 2011. Chris made a motion to approve; Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
- The First Congregational Church of Raynham requested the use of the gazebo and surrounding lawn for a Sunday school family picnic on Sunday, June 12, 2011. Chris made a motion to approve, with no fee; Joe seconded the motion and a unanimous vote followed.
Liz reported on the following:
- She has conferred with Randy Buckner about the possibility of extending the pumpkin farmer’s lease from a year-to-year to a three-year, rather than a five-year contract, and whether or not the resulting overall reduction in total rent money would still require putting it out to bid. Randy will get back to her about this.
- May 1 is opening day for RYBSA season.
- One set of large field lights on Bettencourt Field came crashing down in last week’s wind storm, damaging the fence on its descent. This presents a serious safety issue, and TMLP will be called.
- The wood carving of King Philip, as commissioned by the Raynham Cultural Council, has been completed and it stored at the Highway garage. While someplace at Borden Colony would be an ideal location for it, Liz is concerned with possible vandalism, and the Commissioners agreed. She suggested that a temporary site at Johnson’s Pond be considered until the Veterans’ Memorial is in place with fencing and lighting at Borden Colony, and then the statue could be moved nearby to its permanent home.
Joe suggested contacting the local Boy Scouts about taking on a possible project building bat houses and swallow houses to help eradicate the mosquito problem. Jim concurred.
Chris noted that he had spoken with a structural engineer about the RMS gym bleacher situation, and that the engineer’s opinion differed from that of the bleacher representative. Chris also expressed his concern with the condition of the other lights at the football field, and he stressed that they need to be inspected and assessed.
Liz stated that Heather Nix has accepted the program coordinator position. Heather’s former position of childcare coordinator has been posted in-house with a deadline of today’s date, and five resumes were received. Liz has also received a price quote to place a classified help-wanted ad in local newspapers. A relatively small ad would cost more than $1,000 to publish in The Enterprise and The Patriot Ledger, as well as on-line. Liz suggested interviewing those who meet the necessary qualifications prior to advertising further. Jim pointed out that two applicants seem the best qualified and that it would be good to hire from within, so why not start with interviewing those two. Chris added that it would be ideal to hire from among those who already know the program well. The Commissioners agreed on interviewing the two in-house candidates within the next week or so.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
SJ Blanchard
Admin. Assistant/Recording Secretary
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