Recreation Commission - Regular Meeting

Okay. You want to get going? Okay. Motion to stop.

Okay. Can I get a motion to start the meeting? Motion to start the meeting. Second. Second. Okay. Good. All in favor? All right. Let's get going. Any new public comment or comments? Did everybody have an opportunity to look at the minutes? Do you need a minute? You want? No. Okay. Um, there a motion to accept the minutes. Second. Second. All in favor? I. Good. Next. Uh,

I ask you, Bill, do you mind if we just do announce announce who we are? Oh, sure. This is recording the meeting minutes and then we put it on. No, no, go ahead. So, let's go around the room and mention who's here. All right. Solitus, Bill Manning, Mike Campo, Mike Bartlett, Bob Corning, Doug Paul, Doug Cole. All right, I forgot about that. I should have seen it there.

All right, so new business CIP update. Uh so we submitted so uh deadline was May 1st to submit CIP projects for um field facility um for recreational use here in town. So we submitted a number of those uh using you know data and information we got not only from our own research but what we've done um with with those in town that have done some of these projects. We worked with some of the leagues about what was working

what they were looking to get done for their um field and facility spaces. what was priority list. So, we tried to use that as part of what it is we were doing. Uh, taking things out that maybe those leagues or organizations were already attempting to do. Um, so that's all been submitted. We'll start doing looking at the rough draft of that with uh I believe on the 18th with uh with members of CIP as well as the town manager to kind of fine-tune that a little bit more as they continue with that process. So, it's a little different than what it's been done the past. So, probably have more updates next month on that. I have a follow-up question on the basketball courts. I noticed that everything was up except the baskets. Um, is that that was on purpose. That's what I figured. Yeah. So,

so and while there's still Yeah. I mean, so I was Yeah, that's uh So, restore the Rex update. I can just get into that. So, where they're at right now, they're having a board meeting tonight. Um, things are moving along well. Um, to the point where they should be getting uh the fence is getting put up now. Uh the shed will get moved um once uh DBW is helping us with uh they're going to hog brush the tree line to kind of clear that out u from the overgrowth. We'll get the shed moved uh into that area. Uh Finnegan's putting a fence around uh 3/4 of the perimeter. Um it'll have a double swing gate for access for our maintenance and mowing. Uh we'll also have an ADA um u acceptable um entry as well. We're going to add some additional spaces there where it's going to be on the side facing where the skate park and Nelson Field are. We're going to put a 6-in drainage pipe through the swell there, too. And then we're going to put uh uh we're going to put some asphalt as a paving path leading into the courts. Again, uh it'll be um ADA compliant so that everybody has access to get to the courts. There will also be two openings on the side uh towards the upper softball fields there. And if everybody remembers where the big boulders are, uh DBW's rented a machine to break those up and get those out of there. So those will be removed as well. So that's all happening kind of this week. That's where that is in the process. Um the lines that are on there are it's all going to be redone. That just kind of gave the parameters of where the actual court space is going to be because they're still going to do that blue and red um paint u surfacing uh and surface the whole area and then they'll put the lines in. Um and then we'll start getting into adding the nets and making it usable. Prior to the actual opening date, which they are hoping to do was June 5th.

Oh, okay. So, uh try to do about 3 hours on June 5th. They want to host kind of a mini tournament and have have food and bring attention to the courts itself. So, they look nice. Yes. Yeah. So, once I have more details on that, obviously, I want they want to extend the invite to the council too, Deb um as well as town management and uh you know, members of this commission to be there. So, that'll be that's that's tenative date. They have a meeting tonight, so I'll probably have more details later this week. I have a follow-up question. Is there going to be grass on the inside of the fence there? There will be some. Yeah, that's why they put the double swing down. There's access. Y because I had asked that before. Yes. Yeah. No, there will be access. I can never get in there.

Get in there. Yeah. Yeah. So, no, that's the plan. Um, so, yep. So, it's all coming along. You know, little hiccups here and there as any project would have, but uh it's it's moving moving along pretty well. So, they did a nice job. Yeah. No, they really are. So any questions on that? Let's uh we get the strategic plan update.

Yeah. So strategic plan that's uh that's been ongoing. I know uh myself have been the means as well as as Deb. Um they've been doing workshops um you know town manager has presented uh his rough draft of a strategic plan and uh council's been open to ask questions, allow input um and that's been that's been ongoing. So that I don't remember that was pushed off to a later date to it'll be public open to the public I believe in June. J I think it's the second meeting.

Yeah. So June. So it was supposed to be the 18th that got pushed back. Um but um you know Art and I were up there for a couple portions of that. We we tweaked a few things. I know Deb Deb sent over some of her um edits that she wanted to. So that's been presented and added to the newer draft. Um, so if you haven't checked that out, it is available to uh again to see the draft state that it is in and it'll be open to the public to to comment on uh at a future meeting and make changes. They can make they could you if you saw something that was wrong or you thought we might have missed y you could add to it.

Is anybody unfamiliar with the strategic plan and what it was? I know that some of you weren't here when they when they came to the commission to present that. It's just benchmarking what what the plan is, what we're trying to look the goals are for the different departments here in town. Um, and what those action items will be and how how do we get there? So, it's it's kind of a road map going forward looking ahead to next, you know, Sean said July for CIP. Okay. So, because I'm on CIP, when you said it, I'm like, I missed something. Yeah. No, no, we're Yeah. No, I think I think he's having all the departments get everything together and then that'll get presented from there. So, I'm sure they'll weed stuff out from from what all the projects that have been submitted. Yeah, but I'm sure we'll have more updates on strategic plan probably next meeting.

The the other thing about the strategic plan, it's supposed to feed into or make the act make actions make things actionable that are inside the master plan. So you look at the master plan, if there's a vision of a of something, this strategic plan is supposed to do it. And if it's something that affects wreck, then you know, you guys should be paying attention to what's in the master plan that could affect Wreck. That Do you know what I'm saying? Okay. Uh, next skate park update.

The um the skate park is being torn down. They started, the DPW is doing the work. Um, they took all the metal off last week. Um, I think what's holding them up now is there are two dumpsters there and they're full. They're full, partly full from something they did at the fire station and then the rest is us. So, I think that what'll happen is once it's once those are emptied out, they um it'll be short work. It'll be a day's work for them.

They bring in the big front end loader and they just um they just take it down. Um I took some pictures once they took they took the metal off so they could be recycled.

And I took some pictures and it's Basically, it was 2x4s, whatever they had, and then it was plywood and then they put the metal on. So, all of that wood was starting, some of it had already had holes in it. So, I think we're fortunate to We didn't have anything go real bad. The structure itself, the 2x4s were were okay. They were covered, but it's it was gone. So that should be that should be done probably hopefully by the end of the week. And now last time last meeting I said I answered like 80 80 emails from people. Um, and since we had the last we were at the last town council meeting, I've had maybe one, two, so it's it's just kind of calmed down. Um,

are they picking up the surface, too? Are they leaving it? No, they're leaving the the asphalt. Okay. So, and we're going to start we're going to look to evaluate what that what could be used in that space. So, we have we've reached out to members of the skatepark community, um, some of those companies that they want to work with about putting together what a project would look like to put together an assessment, but it's also been opened up to other groups that might be looking to repurpose that area for something else. So, then we will develop and look at those plans and assess what's best for for that property space, obviously, what the costs are associated with that. So, um, skate park costs are not what they were. Do we do we have an estimate of the uh town users of that place?

Uh so we didn't have a No, I mean so we did a we put out a survey which we gathered information on. Um and you know I think we had around 400 respondents about 300 said they were users of the skatepark. I don't know in my three years I haven't seen 300 users up there. So it also was something that got shared to other communities in the area too. So you know people spreading the word on Facebook. It had a lot of views. We I know there were comments from people from Kansas, California on there. So, there was a lot of input. I have to be honest, I spend more time up at that complex than anyone I know. And I hardly ever see people on there. So, I do too, right? And all times of day.

So, some of the data, it was tough because the survey we did too. We don't have the right software to to manage, you know, making sure input their residency and proof of residency. So, anybody can, you know, you ask resident, non-resident, but people can click on whatever they they want. You're right. Yeah. Exactly. We're not going to get that deep into it. So it was a template. It was but you could also see the way it was divided with the answers. You know if threearters of people felt one way, they were the threequarters that also said they use the park and it was you know 25% that don't use the park file 25% the other way. Um so it was you know you could see where the data all landed and who took the who took the survey and where it kind of so it wasn't useful in that sense unfortunately. Um, I think it was something looking at what that space could be used for and having actual um options and making people answer that way that there's there's different ways we could go about it. I think in the future, but

but not statistically reliable or anything, but the demographics of skaters have changed. When we opened that in 2000, there were a lot of young kids, eight year olds, nine year olds, even younger. Um, but now it's even a lot of guys with gray hair. Uh, it is older.

It It's an older group now. Uh, and they're very passionate about it, but I don't see the younger kids into it like they used to be here. They were great and respectful, too. I thought during that, if anybody saw that meeting, obviously you were there. Respectful group. I've never seen somebody clap after every single uh pres presenter that got up and everything, but it was even talking with them afterwards. It wasn't it wasn't anger or animosity. It was you know let's talk through the process and kind of see where we can go with it. So I thought you know very respectful group of people that we have been talking with. So um you know hopeful to get something get something done. The cost to build that was the warrant article was 75,000.

And you know to build something that size you'd add another zero. Well, concrete was going to be hundreds of thousands when they settled on wood. So, yeah. Knowing it was going to be short lifespan. So, yeah, wood and skate parks are about 15 year lifespan. So, it was 10 years past that. So, it's in tough shape. Was in tough shape. Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, hopefully hopefully they'll finish this week. um other facility stuff. We've had problems at West Road with irrigation, which is a regular, it's a yearly thing now, it seems. Oh, yeah. Every other year. Yeah.

Um Well, that's 20 25 years. Yeah. and we were losing prime and then we Kevin had helped us through it a few years back but we we ended up having to call in a company that could actually replace the pipe and we've they're going to change the um foot valve. The foot valve is bad too. We did that today. You did that today? Yeah. You did you do that or Oh, okay. So, I think it's all set. So, now we're all set. We'll know tomorrow morning.

Yeah. So, it's it's just like if you lose prime, it's like Sid calls me, "We got a big problem." And it usually is. And how big is the problem? I think I can fix it. Is it real bad? It might be real bad, but then you got to call Kevin.

Um, and hopefully it's working. We had some irrigation problems at Laugher. Um, it that only cost us about 250. Um, the water at West Road probably cost us, we haven't got the bills yet, but it's going to be about three grand. And um, what I do now when I submit the bills, I put irrigation on it because I think they may start breaking that down in the future. They had talked about that. So, we may end up, you may end up having an irrigation line. That's not the right way to put it. an irrigation item as a line item. Um, which I think would be smart because it doesn't always go, but when it goes, if it if you don't get it back right away and all of a sudden we have a hut spell, we're going to lose a field. And that's that's monumental. That's that's a that's a deal breaker, I'll tell you. But the pond is a savior because if you look into having to buy pinachuk water spends tens of thousands. The water that we get is from we call it our pond but it was continental when they had that as a gravel site. They were selling wash gravel and they had the I don't know if they dug the pond or how how it happened. I don't know. But I don't know how many is there a billion gallons of water in there or something. And even when we we had the real dry spell a few years back, we're getting Sid and I are getting a little panic. So we called Kevin. Kevin's nice for you know at best I think I think you might have said we still have 600,000 gallons.

So we're good. It's it's lot there fish in there. People go down fishing and stuff. It's it's it's kind of a nice area. It's but if we didn't have that water those fields if you if you don't have water in a field you might as well not build it unless because it's just going to be garbage. So um equipment wise we are okay. Uh nothing is broken down. Everything is working. Um to do it.

Yeah. Um, but we had it all tuned up and it's all SID takes very good care of the equipment. That's the other part of it. Um, and if there is something, we talk about maintenance, but if there's a if there's a bushing on a pulley that's going bad, he'll get it changed as opposed to waiting for it to break and then breaking the belt and breaking something else. So it's so it it's I I think it's the smart way to go and we keep our stuff is very well maintained. Um so equipment budget budget wise I will be okay even with the three grand. Um that's we'll be fine with that. So, uh, the other thing that I have is we've we've been advertising positions. Um, we didn't have anybody to cut at, um, at Nelson at Nelson Road and we got Bill out of retirement and we pulled him back in when he thought he was out to help us. And we've had somebody apply who apparently is pretty good. I don't know the person, but it's been somebody that's worked up with Lafer. He's semi-retired now, and he does all sorts of stuff up there, so I think it's a good fit. Um, I don't know if we've had anybody for Sid's job apply yet.

No, that was posted. That's posted last week. Y Who's cut West? Ralph is Oh, he is the Ralph is retired. Yeah, I knew that. So, it's Sid's been doing it. He's been working a few extra hours to get it done, but So, if you know of anybody interested, it's a full-time position, 40 hours a week, flexible hours depending on the schedule. Um, you're talking about Sid's Sid's position. Yep. So, Sid will transition out and then that position will start. It's it can start as early as July 1 if we get somebody, you know, applying an interview. I think it takes like 14 two days. It's probably 14 hours from West Road and it's usually 10 hours for two days at the ler fields. So,

and that's just for mowing. I hate I hate to be stupid. Yeah. Inside the fences, right? Inside the fence outside. We cut the outside too. All the walkways. when we opened the first four fields, three fields, um my question was, you know, how how we going to cut this because I'm not going up there with my lawn mower and doing Yeah, I know. I was just curious.

It cost us the first year to for the first year that we cut, I think it was $60,000. That that was the bid. And they didn't do a good job because they had the Dixie Choppers. They were flying up and down. They didn't sharpen the blades. And so Sid came to me and he said, "Look, I think we can do this cheaper." And he said, "If we buy a mower, a mower is going to cost, I think at the time it was like seven grand, $7,500. You give me a few extra hours." And I think since then, we've been saving the town probably about 50 grand a year, 60 grand a year by doing it ourselves. Um, I think it's always cheaper to do stuff yourself if you can. You know,

one of the original mowers, one of the diesel original diesel is still still going. So, so what are you going to pay this person? Uh, size is around just over 64,000. So, 64 to 83 range. Then they'll go to DPW and hop out in the winter, right? Is that what they'll have the sign hours? Yeah. for DPW and that will come out of DPW's budget though. So it doesn't because so anything additional. So So it's half of the year here and then half of the year there.

No, it's it's probably it's but I mean there's still recreation. So even if if we need maintenance of vehicles, equipment, they will they will be able to work on our stuff during the winter months. If there's a snowstorm is when they'll be assigned to Oh, only if it's snow emergencies. Yeah. And it it seems to make sense because we've got the person how much can he do? And they need it. So, it it works out well and it just seems to make sense because we work very well together with DPW. I should say they work very well together with us. We don't do a lot for them. They do a whole lot for us. Um so,

but Sid Mowing means he's not going to get to do a lot of other things. He was the one that did all the sprinkler heads and he's going to have to do that because the irrigation just and what I what I said to Sid I said well maybe we could get Bill to go down and mow West Road so you can have some other times. No, I'm fine. So that may if you get a call from him that's why. Okay. Yeah. Um what about all the other maintenance that you know the fertilizing the Sid did that does that I know that's the thing right? Yeah, he's all he's set with that. Okay. The only thing Sid can't do is lift. He's got a torn bicep. Um

now, you know, doing the steroids, getting into bodybuilding, now to his bicep, so he can't lift. He's been ordered by HR, you can't lift anything. So, like I either I'll go or Joey will go and help him. And it's 43 44 bags of fertilizer for Yeah, they're probably like 30 40 lbs a piece. They're 40. They're 54 bags. Are they 50? Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Yeah. And then there's 49 or 7* 7. Yeah, it's um But but what Sid does there's a whole bunch of other things that Oh, yeah. won't get included because he has his license. He has a license to apply

and what he does could be 15 20,000 to hire somebody else and so we do have that in the budget too. The budget the ability to acquire to Yes. Yeah. but he could go anywhere in town because he could do the common he could do laptop. What he did is he went out and got his licenses to to spray and he got everything. When Sid starts doing something, he doesn't like just do it this big. He's going to do the whole thing. And he did. So, he's got all of his licenses. And

the other thing he would always do is trim the gas grass along the fences in the office. Well, he's tried to stop trimming because it takes so long. I know. So, what he's done in the past is is sprayed like he goes along very methodically and it's about I don't know how he does it because I'd have it all over the place, but it's like about an inch and a half wide, you know, 3/4 or maybe two inches wide, but I think he did it last year, so it should be okay. Yeah. Um because it doesn't come right back. So,

and he get a new truck this year. And he we did we he finally got his new truck. New to him truck. Yeah. And he loves it. It's much better. It's it's Yeah. The other one was We had a truck for I don't know how many years, but it the bed was rotted. it the it was rotted like it it was it was falling apart really and it needed tires and it need it so they were kicking the truck down so we took this kick down truck which is fine yeah it looks pretty good shape

yeah it does it only has about 20,000 miles on it used to be the the old town engineers and he didn't go out much so apparently because and he uses that truck with a trailer to move the big equipment around, too. Yeah. Yeah. So, so he needs that and he likes he really he likes it. So, but he's happy. It's like his other one but nicer. So, um budget wise, we're okay. Positions to be filled more. Okay. So, I think we skipped over the restore the Rex update. So, I did that when I was talking about the basketball courts. That's where they are at.

Okay. And the reason they left the rims off is they want to wait to paint the lines. Oh, that's And then they will as soon as you put the the lines on, there's going to be somebody up there. It's happened to me before. The guy's out there shooting foul shots in the wet paint. So, good idea. Keep them off and then it'll be okay. It'll dry and it won't have any paw prints around. And did you cover the assistant director? No, I didn't do any of that. Arch me. All right. And then updates from the interns. The same thing.

Yeah. So, um, Yep. So, just spring updates for program wise, I think, since the last time. Uh, tennis has started. So, we have 27 participants in that with Raman, Coach Raman. He's been doing it for a couple years. Usually, we uh we've been partnering with USA. We're now running the program through our department again. So, um, trying that out, seeing what the difference is. So far, we're seeing higher numbers because we can allow more numbers because USA limits what we can do unless they can find an additional coach. Uh Raman fortunately has two uh his two children are both enthusiasts of the sports. So, they get volunteer hours. So, that helps back fill some additional time if we have bigger classes. But, uh that starts um grades 1 through 12 is what we have for that age range right now. So, that's expanded as well from what we've done in the past. And then as we get into the summer months, obviously the camps that take place, they'll still continue to take place. We will have a summer offering, but it'll probably be a shorter period of time just to fill the gap between June and August for those that are interested. I think last year we had an adult tennis program, too. So, we had some participants in that as well. Um, my voice, if you can tell, we have a track program going on. I just came from that, so my voice is a little raw, but we have uh the great the ages 5 to eight. I've got 42 kids in that right now. Um, so they're doing really well. We've been at the track this year, which is a lot better. In past years, we've had to kind of alternate between using uh the West Road parking lot and the track. So, um that's been really good. Again, 42 kids in that. Our Grand State track and field, which is the ages 9 to 14, we have 21 participants, which is the biggest team we've had there, which is great because the state meet, which I had mentioned was pending, is actually going to take place at Lendary High School this year on June 13th. So, um that's one that incorporates all the recreation departments that have teams in the in the state and we'll all be coming to London. Usually, it's up in Tilton, which doesn't even have a team. Um, so this will be really nice. So we're gonna have, you know, some Lendary Food Vendors. Uh, Lendary High School is going to be uh present. Um, our team will be present as well. And so that's that's a nice kind of feature for for the town and just to utilize the track. It has additional um, you know, jumping

pits, things along those lines, but ample parking, just it's a really nice location. It's nice. I don't have to drive as far. Um, same with our athletes, too. So, I think that's a draw. We're seeing more people wanting to participate in the actual meet this year. So Lendere is starting to become a bigger team um for that program which is great. Um our women's basketball 25 basketball program started last Friday. So we have uh 24 participants in that. So we split them into three teams. They play around robin uh format every week. So we're doing uh four six minutee quarters. So they started last week. You know a couple bumps and bruises here and there but all in all it's pretty good. So that's a six week program. So, we've got five more weeks of that over at Matthew Thornton with the hopes of expanding that into running it as a as an adult league for the women women's only kind of like we've done with the men's. So, um looking for referees, uh gym space and stuff into the fall. So, um so 24 was a good good feeder system for right now. Um and just looking ahead to summer, we're starting to get messages out to families just to let them know, you know, we're starting in a little over a month. our co-directors for the camp have both started on May 1st. So, they're they're doing a lot more work this year on the background. Um, putting together the calendar, the theme weeks, uh, piecing together the entertainers that are going to be there and started putting together the communication plan that's going to go down to the senior counselors as well as the other counselors. So, little different than what we've done in years past, but we're giving them a jump couple hours a week to get going on that. As we get into June, the senior counselors, I mentioned, that's also part of the hierarchy. They'll also start getting involved to assess assist the co-directors and make sure that the counselors and everybody's all the the shifts all heading in the same direction once uh June 22nd kicks off with our training week. So, um and then camp starts on the 29th for summer playground program and we have 347 total in that with a wait list of 20. Um right now the wait list won't open unless somebody drops out. So, we did open the wait list again to get to that 347 but we won't open it unless people drop out and move things along those lines.

uh Voyager Camp uh that also that so that starts actually on June 24th so the week prior with our trips that's because that's a seven-week program. We have 100 kids in that program. Uh again, there was a wait list of about 50. We're not going to be able to probably open that because I doubt people are going to drop out for that because it's field trip based. We're not expanding beyond the one bus right now. Um we have the bus and the wreck van is back up and working. So we have two vehicles to get everybody there. But I think our You want to explain the Voyager camp?

No. So, Voyager Camp, for those that don't know, is a uh it's a field trip based camp. Uh two to three field trips for we go for a total of seven weeks. We also added a field day this year, so that'll take place in either West Road or at Laffa um just for a couple hours for people to have something to do. Um but it's it's uh we go anywhere from hiking, biking, uh deep sea fishing, we go to Patriot Place, we go to uh the amusement parks in the area. So, it just that families can sign up and then choose what trips they want to go on for those programs um specifically. So, and the age is older. Yeah. Yeah. Not like little.

Ages 11 to 15. Yep. Um I have four additional staffers along as well as myself that go on those trips. Um I think this year we're averaging most of our trips are averaging 35 to 40 kids for per trip, which is the highest we've seen, too. So, it is looking like eventually we're going to have to expand probably staffing and um our buses. But again, what's nice is all those the money that comes in for registration fees is what we spend on our staffing. So, it goes back it's part of the revolving fund. So it's not an implication on the actual uh budget that we submit. So any questions on that?

Great. Because we we recreation used to be, you know, was just one and it it was the bulk of the kids were like ages 9 to 13 or 9 to 12 and they started dropping off at the top end. And when Doug came on board, he started doing this and that's kind of what we need. They didn't want to go to daily wreck. They wanted to do stuff. So that's it's been perfect for them. So they and um last year we had 400 kids at South School, right?

But there because of the kindergartens going into the elementary schools, they're going to be changing the classrooms around. So we won't have the classrooms we usually have. So, we're going to have to figure it out or he'll have to figure it out. So, it's just it's a little bump in the road, but yeah. Does that mean So, you said 3:47. Does that mean after school construction, kindergarten stuff like next summer you'll be able to go back? Yeah. Back to the basement. Okay.

And school only has I think 400 kids or they did last year. So we have almost as many last year we had as many kids come to summer wreck as they did in school go to in the school which you know so that's good

other quick summer stuff the fun run program that um Ken Lynch and Nicole Han run over at the middle school in the mornings that's that's uh being advertised now too so that's free um so that's for those middle school age u participants that are looking to continue running as they're getting ready for their season. Um, like I said, we'll have our tennis program and then the flag football clinic that's been taking place at West Road for 5 weeks. That'll all be going getting advertised in a smaller brochure um probably by the end of the month. And then only other updates that we're working on are our policies. I think we've mentioned about how some of them are in rough draft state states. Uh, but we're working on a memorandum of agreement that'll work with our leagues specifically in using those our field spaces. Um so that as well as the fee schedule have been submitted. So um some of those things is they need to be looked at by insurance company by council by or sorry legal console by council and approved. We're also uh like say we're not in the rough rough draft of the field facility request rental policy anymore. We're now in a rough draft. So that's that's getting getting ready to get implemented and looked at as well. So those are things that as as we get into next year 2027 looking at usage of our field space um everything like I said it's going to be funneled up through the recreation department. So for usage of that space

the rental the draft rental is that outside of lenary organizations. Yes it does the MOA the memorandum agreement will be for youth leagues. So that's kind of we look at recck department recck leagues are all 1A 1B. So there's no rental fees for any of those organizations. It's just putting in the agreement as to who's responsible for what and what the usage is and and really collecting the schedules specifically of how that space is going to be used. So then we know what's available if there is an outside request. But no matter what, our department will still be contacting those leagues to say is this available? Does this work for you? Because if it doesn't, then it's a it's a hard

and most always priority. And then school will be too. That's the thing. It's bring the school into the mix as well. We want to really collaborate with them. We utilize their space. that we fall under is the kind of that second sublevel. We want to make sure that policies are kind of aligned. So, you know, no matter where you go, it might just flip the order, but everybody's doing the same thing. So, we are working with the schools in that process. Um, I think they're waiting for us to kind of spearhead it, which we're doing. We're we're getting there. It's just a matter of, you know, um, making sure it's all together. So, no more gray area, more black and white. Here it is. And that's come to this group to look at once it's in a better state. Y what's the goal of renting fields to outside groups?

So if if it if it works so I always want to preface with that it's uh what we'll start doing is setting up with like we said the revolving fund there will be separate revolving fund line items that will the money that comes in fees will go specifically back to those field spaces. So as we've talked about maintenance of field spaces how do we start to do that and we look at different revenue streams so things that's that's where they would go to. So so like Millennium Running does do they still do the race in the spring? They are I've spoken I've spoken with them and they're ones that you're going to use our west fields. Okay. Well, we want some of the money for

Right. So, that's something and it would Yeah, it would come through recreation. Again, Rex's not spending on anything other than it would go to West. So, that would that example it would go to West Road. You know, something happens at Lafa complex goes back to LA. It's, you know, um that's the idea to start generating these revenue streams so that we can maintain these spaces that, you know, are are long overdue as we know. to get it done, but kind of be creative about how we can do that as well.

But like you said, you know, outside organizations, a lot of towns in the area don't allow outside organizations utilize their space at all. That's becoming more and more apparent. Uh when I talk with recreation departments, most people say it's not in their town, then they're not on the field. So that's how they're managing it, too. So that'll that'll again be decisions we go through the process um and what gets agreed upon. Can you consider a tiered system because Millennium's forprofit versus It will be tierit.

Yep. Yep. It'll be tiered. Like I said, 1 A, 1 B, schools will be two and then you start falling into that three, four range with the other groups. And yeah, we always have for-profit, resident, nonprofit, uh, resident, nonprofit, non-resident. There's so it separates into categories. It gets the fee schedule that we submitted does have that all broken down. So, and it has separate fees u for those different things. And that's not if if a resident wants to come, you know, utilize a field space to play catch. They're not they don't have to fill out the form. This is birthday parties or something like some people want to do weddings or different activities on the common for example. having those systems in place because if anybody's seen the the application for the town common it's about 13 pages long and it's a lot of it's not to date but we're going to start collecting certificates of insurance uh listen the town's additionally insurance security deposits damage fees those sort of things will all be in black and white again so the people that are filling out utilizing will know if something happens that this is this is what the bottom line cost is for that so but not breaking the bank for people that are residents that want to use use the space I think we submitted for $5 for a birthday party for 4 hours or something like that. It's not like it's it's we're not trying to make money on that sort of stuff. But

any questions on that? The only other thing that I have is um as of June 30th at 11:59 p.m. my reign of terror as rec director will be over and Doug has been approved as a new rec director starting at July 1. You don't you you don't get to leave yet. Well, I know, but you're going to be leaving June. July. August 31st. He's leaving. It's because I'm going to help out with the summer program because we've we we lost a lot of our older counselors like Don was there for 20 something years.

Years. Um, and so and so that's fine, but he's gonna Doug will be the official rec director as of July 1. I'm going to call him at like 12 midnight. I've got a question. Can I use Yeah, I won't. Yeah, that's like the first week at camp. That's usually I don't sleep anyway. So take off until the Yeah, that's right. How I got Yeah. Yeah. Right. Well, congratulations. asset to our town, I think. Thank you.

I I'm just going to bring up a footnote to the meeting in in talking about CIP programs. Lafa has in the process I think they may be done now. They've been working for a couple of weeks to change all the lights on the fields to all done as of Friday. As a Friday. Yeah. And uh so that I I think and I'm not sure, but I think PSA paid for half of that. They gave us a grant. Yeah. And we paid for the other half. Yeah. So, that was a nice accomplishment in their part getting that done. Are they cheaper than the other boat? I They're going to be a lot cheaper to pay. But yeah, because they're expensive to replace it. It is. Yeah. I I drove up before the meeting and the lights were on and you could see the difference.

Oh, it's huge. Yeah. Yeah. It's like It doesn't look like a yellow. No, it's bright. You can see it from Nelson very clearly. Yeah. So that's good. Yeah, they and it took them because I see them when I'm up there doing my stuff and they were there a long time putting that stuff up. They did a great job. Does anybody have anything else that they'd like to bring up or discuss? So the only I forgot on my little list. I know it was long. Was a fun way playground. The volunteer day took place last month. So if anybody's seen that, we had uh 26 total volunteers that helped spread the mulch. Um we had about 60 yards. So did it pretty quickly. Uh, which was great. Looks nice. Little faceelift. Um, it was it was a good day. Didn't

Dan Bushard went down with his tractor again and moved all 60 yards inside the playground and spread it out in piles so we didn't have to wheelbarrow it in. Right. But the intern or Sam, our intern actually, she organized all that. So, she did a great job. So, she was communicating um put together the plan, got got everybody there with their equipment and uh yeah, I thought it went pretty smoothly. So nice thing to do probably every other year. Who was the group that um the Blue Lions did? Yeah, they they had their kids there, which was great.

Last time we did it, we we didn't know how many kids we were going to have. I made a desperation call to the offensive line coach at the football at London area high school football and he had like 15 kids. We didn't have enough stuff for them, but football players being football players, they were kicking it in, throwing it in, you know, they had a great time and we got it done in like 45 minutes last year. I think it was 47 minutes this year because they people come and they work. They It's Yeah. So, it was good. Yep. Awesome. Okay. If nobody else has anything, we have a motion to second. Second. Okay. All in favor? I