this a few years ago and now we have 13 kids ideal. >> Hey Andrew, >> we added games to the schedule. I'm good. >> But we're going to plan to do more four game weekends playing time. You guys should come this year, right? I don't
know. Yeah, there is. And then Mother's Day is Welcome to the first meeting of 2026 of the Lakeville Parks Commission. Is there anybody besides Lake Cam recording? Hearing none, we can start with meet with the representatives from the
Freetown Lakeville Athletic Association to discuss field usage in 2026. Good evening, guys. >> Good evening. How's it going, Eddie? >> Thanks. >> Thanks for thanks for having us. Really appreciate the invite. >> Um, my name is Andy Bernapp. I'm the
current president of FLA, a coach and a resident of Lakesville. Uh, years ago, I first moved to town and I was beyond excited when I saw where my son was going to grow up playing baseball. However, with each passing season, that excitement has started to
dwindle and has nearly turned into dread anytime I see Ted Williams on our schedule. Uh the continued deterioration of the playing surfaces have become a borderline safety concern each team each time my son and my team step out on that field. I understand these are town
maintained surfaces and they never be perfect but due to neglect and the effects of mother nature. The fields are currently not suited for young players to excel. We have to deal with major lips and valleys all around the infield. uneven base base pads that fail to drain
even after minimal rain, home plates that protrude out of the ground, off-centered in improper pitching mounds, and lighting that is spotty at best. These factors impact both the quality of play and the safety of everyone on those fields. As a parent and a coach, I respectfully ask that you
make a decision today to begin reversing that trend. Let's bring back the joy, excitement, and fun that a properly maintained baseball field could bring to our community. And as the president of the FLA, I ask that you allow us to be part of that solution by allowing us to partner with the town on field cleanup
and repairs. Use us to leverage the families of our 300 plus children as volunteer manpower and rely on the experience of our board of directors to help facilitate these much needed improvements. In order to do this, however, we cannot in good conscious
accept an almost three-fold increase in our field usage fees. We are a nonprofit organization solely focused on providing a safe, nurturing environment for our players at an affordable cost. Any increase passed on to us must ultimately be passed on to our families or we risk
reducing portions of our program. So, we ask that you consider a reduction or eliminating our fees in exchange for our time and labor into makeover efforts of the baseball fields at Tech Williams Complex. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um,
thank you. I just want to start by saying that I don't think anybody in this room disagrees with the state of the that the fields are in right now. Um, I would just also like to point out that you said that the fields were maintained by the park commission, which
is not true. Like we cut the grass and we bunker rake occasionally. Um, forever the field maintenance has been league's responsibilities. Um, you guys stopped playing here when
little Fenway was built so the fields didn't get maintained as they should have. Um, not pointing fingers like we're here just to start over clean slate. How do we fix this? However, just so you know, it's that's fields maintenance has always been league
responsibilities as well as your sheds and all of your storage areas in the park. Also, their maintenance is also league responsibilities. >> Yeah, there have been time I'm Justin Vericone. I'm the vice president of
FLAA. Um there have been times where we've been um actively seeking to make updates to the field and we've been told that we're not allowed to have our equipment on the field, meaning trucks or um loaders or um skid steers, whatever. Um just said
that backwards, whatever. Yeah, that's a general idea. >> Um, so it has been difficult for us to keep the fields up and at to a level that is um >> I mean I just got to say like if you if you go to Central Park in Freetown,
>> you can you can see that it is an amazing complex. We host tournaments there annually. like we have um thousands of kids come in from all around the state and even other states play at our our um our facilities over there and we are often told it's the
best they've ever played on. That is 100% volunteer like maintained. That is our league that does that. Um so it's not a lack of willingness to to to put in work in Lakeville. Um we'd be more
than happy to. we've just feel like we've met with with um been met with obstacles and roadblocks when we've tried to do that. >> Mhm. >> One one example um for instance would be the lighting, right? Um when we wanted to change the lighting, we were told, "Well, you have
to get a truck out there to go look at the lights, see what kind of lights they are, then get the truck back out there to put them up there." But by the way, you're not allowed to have a truck out there. So I I I don't know when the onus is on us to update the field and maintain the field, how can we do that if we have restrictions like that on us,
>> right? >> Um it just to come back to the price increase. Um I feel like I'm going to try not to get like too worked up about this. These are fields I grew up playing on. I grew up playing baseball at John
Pond and then at Ted Williams camp and I can't ever remember my parents or coaches or anyone saying uh oh this field is bad because um the the town is try is charging us too much to play here. I don't even think that's how it used to work. Like I don't think the
town charged the league. Like this is this is Lakeville kids. This is Lakeville families. We have 300 kids. I about twothirds of them are are from Lakeville. The other third are from um mostly Freetown, but then a couple other surrounding towns. So, this is like what is this park for if it's not for us?
Like, I I don't understand. Like, we're treated the same as a for-profit club team that wants to use the field. Like, they're charged the same price as far as from what I understand. Like, the same price that we're that um you're coming to to us this year, >> right? The $26 a person this year for
this upcoming year. Um $25 is what all of our leagues play. Softball play it. >> Um you soccer, >> horseshoes, volleyball, everybody pays that. >> Yeah, I so I understand when it's something when it's like volleyball at horseshoes and it's an adult league. I I
can understand that. Um I my daughter recently quit softball, so you won't hear me at one of these meetings to say the same exact things about softball, but I have at the past at town meetings I have. Um it it's just frustrating to me that like we're the community. This
is the community's park. Not to mention the name on the park is like used to be synonymous with Lakeville. It used to be like where people would want to play baseball and like it was given to us by Ted Williams estate to like keep it a place to play
baseball. And like I love that there's other sports on it. That's great. like uh I don't I don't know how the condition is for the soccer teams, but um I I would just don't think that we've kept up the fields in a way that is um in line with what was originally um
thought of when the fields were given to us and what was what it was like for most of my childhood, for all of my childhood really. >> You're absolutely not wrong. >> So, >> and we don't like having to charge you$25, $26 a person, but everything costs
money. So we have to >> we get zero from the town. That's the problem, >> right? >> When you and I played here, it was a budget. The parks department got a budget from the town, >> right? That's what >> and the only money that was raised was for gear or a party or what whatever it
was, you know, that's that's the the little bit of money that we did raise. >> Um and it was a minimal fee to play, >> but that's because the park was maintained by the town. >> So what changed? Why did that change? Like, can we go back to that? >> Love to love to love to. But this the
selectman back >> in the 80s >> zeroed the budget. >> Yeah. >> And never came back. So, we've had to generate our own fees through hall rentals. And I mean, the the money we get from all the participants don't even
pay for the guy to mow the grass, >> right? Yeah. So, my my complaints obviously are with the parks that is trying to like keep running. It's the town, right? Um, but to right now you're representing the town. So, >> that's the right thing. >> And I'd like to think we represent the town, too. I mean, we are the town
baseball. Like, our our current like kids who are 11 years old um have represented the towns of Freetown and Lakeville nationally. Twice now. They've gone to the World Series to represent us twice. And it's just to think that like this is the these are the fields we we
play on. Like that's it's crazy. That's >> right. If I may. Sure. >> My name is Carlos Lopes. I am a board member for FLA, most also the town um selecting for free town. So, I'm here advocating on behalf of all our families, but also on behalf of baseball. I think what I've heard today
is we're all saying the same thing. What I think we need is clarification of what's needed. Early you said something to my surprise, I've been on the board since about 2017 that the town cuts the grass and we we're regarded with the maintenance and everything else. That has not been the case as far as what we
know at the board. We've always asked the town for dirt, sand, and things like that. So, we were told we can't do ABC. For instance, when we needed dirt for baseball field, a pile of dirt we dropped off the bathrooms, then we would get like a wheelbarrow parade from the bathrooms over. Now, volunteers are easy
to come by at times, but there are times that having someone doing manual labor for 500 yards, hauling sand and dirt, then then leveling it all out becomes a little tiresome. And not to mention people aren't built for that, you know, especially, you know, as we get older, right?
>> So, I think moving forward, I think we're all saying the same thing. At the end of the day, we want to make sure our kids are playing at Ted Williams, but how do we get there looking at financially? You're you're you have restraints. We have restraints. Any incurred cost the town brings on to the league is going to be then brought on to the families of of Lakeville and
Freetown. Already, we're already paying hundreds of dollars per child. adding incurred cost of $11 to $150 additionally per child, it gets to the point that it becomes financially unattainable for many families, right?
And I know Lakefield, Freetown, many other towns in the Commonwealth, we're all struggling to find budgets to even do this. You know, from what I heard from FLA and all our volunteers, we have the the the time frame and the the bodies from our families that want to
come out and help, right? Justin used the example of the lights. That's something we can do fairly quickly and easily because we have the lights and capability at Little Fenway in Freetown. So, I guess what we need from Lakeville moving forward is is what does the agreement look like between the town
league and the board? If you're telling us we can go ahead and maintain our own grounds, add our own dirt, um things like that, fantastic. Let us do it. Let's get that in writing. Let's get that in email. high- five agreement, what whatever the board requires, but
cutting grass is really what we need from the town, right? Most of the time, um if if you're saying that we can bring our own dirt, our own materials, if that needs something to be done with the town, say, "Hey, today we're going to do this. Here are the volunteers. Here's the companies or the volunteer base that
want to come on the field to do XYZ maintenance, we can provide that to you, right? Um, we can do whatever the talents requires for of us as a baseball and any other league that's listening or that advocating to use this facility because we want the kids to play. >> Right.
>> Right. We want kids to play, but then we have that silly thing called money that we have to in budgets that we have to make sure that it's there and we understand that. Not we're not coming here saying we shall demand this or we're pulling out. Now, it's part of the conversation like any other conversation, but we we we have a good relationship with Lakeville, right? We
don't want to go anywhere, but what we do want is Justin mentioned earlier that our free town facility gets used for tournaments. I would love to use Lakeville for tournaments. In fact, I tried a couple years ago. It didn't go well, right? Lights were out, bathrooms
weren't available, things like that. Now, if we want to talk about how do we partner up and and create the atmosphere for today, well, we looked at the fields. We had a company go out and take a look at them and it's going to cost on an average $25,000 per field to update
them to the point that Cal Ripken would allow us to host the tournaments when they come out and take a look. That's what we want. We want to be able because if not the wear and tears all in free time. So, our fields are taking the hit. They're beautiful and we have the volunteer base, but it gets tiresome, right? But if we spread it out, then we
can alternate and go back and forth and host small tournaments and also bring more revenue for Lakeville. So right now people are going to Freetown for a tournament sometimes weekend long and they're going to Fall River New Befford for hotels. Why? Because geographically it's closer. Now you have hotels here in
Lakefield and I want them to be used. Let's get them here. So the way to do it is maintain the fields. So how can we as a league provide you a list of volunteers, companies, liability insurance, whatever you need to get us to the point that our
fields are being updated. And I know it's probably not on the budget. you earlier said that in the 80s those darn select bin got in the way and and ruined it for the rest of us. I understand that. Um, but at the same time, let's let's moving forward, >> how do how do we get to help you guys
out, right? What I mean by that is I know the discussion is probably being had that you're going to put this on a budget somewhere in the future, >> right? Which is understandable, right? It can't be today, but tomorrow, let's talk about it. In the meantime, how how do we how do we help you offset some of
those costs? We can we have the volunteers, probably some of the materials as well, but we just need permission to be able to get on the fields, right? And that's that's where the the kind of the rub kind of comes in because you say, "Hey, we can do it. Let us do it. We we'd love to do it." >> Right? So, being a select person, you
also know of all the liabilities, all the you can't do this, you can't do that. Like, even I can't go up in a light and change a light bulb that high. So luckily Andrew joined us this evening. So he'll be able to tell us what you can do, what we need to get you
to do that, and if that's something that the commission would like for you to do the fields, >> noting that they can't get in much worse shape. >> Well, right now, for instance, like I remember last year minor league, right?
We have children in the outfield. But then when you look at have children in the outfield and some of them stand about 3 foot tall, right, with their cleats on. And then you go and you go from the batter's box to where they are in the outfield and there's only about a two foot difference because the the mounds are high, right? The lips are high. So a lot of the things the town
can do in our behalf is removing some of that dirt, right? Or allowing us to remove it and spreading it out to other fields. But again, we want to make sure we do it working with the town, right? We don't want to step on your toes. be on the as a town select and as a board member we want to be on the same page.
We want to make sure we do everything we we can for you to make sure this happens for the children. Do I want to go out there and push dirt around? No. Gosh no. Do I want to? But we will we have done that because it's important to us. It's important to the children. And I know I'm using the children families at to
our advantage here but it really is there. We are literally there for them. Right. >> Yeah. I don't think any of us agree disagree with you. >> Yeah. To touch on his point a little earlier when he was talking about the hotel. It's not just that too. If we maintain these fields, so I don't know if you know the trend in sports right now, it's like club teams are dominating
and recreational teams are or leagues are getting kind of pushed out. Um what what is happening is in every sport more and more club teams are are being created. But what happens then is there's a scarcity of of fields for every team. If we maintain these fields, you'll get more club teams asking to use
your fields. We get club teams asking to use the fields in Freetown and we say we can't because we're overloaded with with using them. But if these fields are maintained, you'll get more requests and more money coming in. And um I also want to say you should have food trucks down here for soccer and baseball games all
the time. But that's unrelated, >> right? So we don't Yeah, unrelated. That's a whole another discussion. Um does anybody do you want to start with what they would need to do the fields? We knew COA COI course.
>> Yeah, it's basically the CO uh COI certific certificate of liability insurance. Um, I'd like to see like a like a general delay of what you want to do maybe over the course of a year to three years. I don't know if you want to do it all at once. Um, >> a few years. >> Um, most we have potentially grant
money. We can go for town money. I don't know what kind of money you guys are looking from us to invest in. >> Right now, we're not looking for any money from you, right? We'd love to take as much as we can obviously, but I think the idea is is one for the purpose of this meeting is identify what we can do as a league to help maintain those
fields, right? So whenever it does become a part of a budget item down the road, we minimize that, right? We understand we're using the field. We've been using the field for many years, right? Um it's just we're using them less and less, especially as sports get faster and everything else, right? So the CI we don't have a problem with
that. As a league, we have our own liability insurance and everything else that can extend over to Ted Williams with some just paperwork being done. All right. So I don't believe that's going to be an issue. Um I I don't just believe it. I know it's not going to be an issue because we already have that part of our town agreement as well. I
can forward that to you so that you have that information and it's through KP Law. So, it's already approved by them for us to use it with Freetown. So, we have a little sim similar method actually now that we're talking about it. Freetown charges about a dollar a year, right? Fiveyear license or lease
with the all boards, right? Not just baseball, soccer, and everything else, right? Uh softball and such and such. So, we charge about a dollar a year. They maintain the fields, we cut the grass for them, >> and then when we need to, we'll reach out to the town and vice versa. If the
town needs to use the fields for some reason, we we we schedule it. We use it for movie nights and things like that. Wildly popular, right? So, we we we look at similar things because one, it generates revenue for the league, also revenue for the towns. Um, but at the same time, it gets the kids out there,
the families out there. So, if if CI is what you need, we can do that. As far as a plan, I think the plan right now is to get the the fields to a playing condition. I can bunk the ball from home play in certain fields and it'll trickle down back and forth in the bowl all the way to first base. It's great for
T-ball, right? It's always a first, you know, it's always a so it's good time. So, but at the same time, as they get older, especially into the minor leagues, ball's moving a lot faster, and that becomes a safety issue. So, we want to just kind of level the fields,
maintain the grass cutting by the town. That's I think that's paramount. But allow us to kind of go in there with our volunteer base and and we'll provide you a yearly or before we do any work, of course, we'll let you know, hey, we this company's coming in as a volunteer basis. We're going to be there for this
amount of time. We plan on doing XYZ to the base paths or extending the the lines or lowering whatever it is you need. We'll put that in detail for you. We just want to make sure that we're not doing it and then getting the call from you folks afterward going, "What are you guys doing here?" All right.
>> Yeah. It' probably be best to have some level of agreement where we kind of play out responsibilities. >> Okay. >> And the only thing we don't have any hotels in town, >> right? But neighboring towns. >> Yeah, I know. >> Is that true? The ones over on 44 right over there,
>> too. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All right. Does any commission member have any questions? >> Come on, Carrie. I know you do. Well, I mean, I'm on softball board, so um so recognizing the field at Ted Williams
are probably need some serious input at this point, like so you're proposing that all the like scrape down, start over, you guys are going to do in house without funding. >> For right now, I think the idea is this.
We we have a pretty good idea of how the feels are are on this in today's condition, right? >> Uh RAD, one of our companies, we have they're having them come out give us a detailed a detailed bulletized list of what's needed for each individual field. We'll provide that to you. >> Right. Once that's provided to you,
we'll come up with the plan as a board to come back to the town say, "Hey, we're going to start this project >> if approved by you >> this year." >> Okay. >> All right. This is our next year's project. Similar to what we do in free time. Every year we touch a field, right? Whether it's expanding base pads or cleaning up the dirt, whatever the
case may be, we keep it playable because then when Cal Ripken comes out, right, and they officiate or they want to say, "Hey, let's have a tournament here." Don't come out and do an assessment of the fields. What we want is get the fields back to the place that used to be, right? To where where we can then have two places we can have tournaments.
>> Yeah. >> Right. Um and then down the road, if possible, you have a concession stand. There used to be concession stand. There's a new roof. We have volunteers that can add a new roof to that area, right? Maybe open it up, maybe be able
to serve some snacks out of there, maybe add a bathroom, things that we can help with grants, help write with grants. I know Andrew mentioned grants. There's grants for different things for different and we'll help you write, maintain, provide whatever is needed to get those grants, right? If we can save money, taxpayer dollars, your taxpayers,
right, and ours as well because it's all all one great group. >> We just want again, we just want to be on the same page. Um because right at the beginning I think it was miscommunication over the years not just with this board or our board. I didn't know we can do that. That would be it
would have been fantastic. We would have started 10 years ago. >> So what's the issue with the trucks? >> Well, it's also very wet some of the fields over there. So if you have a big truck driving on the fields, it's just not going to work.
>> Agreed. But like if they had like a little tractor like a K Cabota that's not as heavy. >> They could just do it at certain times of the year. Weather permitting. Go ahead. Scott. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um I'm sorry. >> Past history, I've been around for a couple of years. I was on the baseball
board. Um and we used to do a weekend, you know, starting Friday afternoon. Those who could get out and Saturday, Sunday. The the issue with the vehicles is is the irrigation. We've had times when people just drive and they don't have a clue where they're driving and
they go across the soccer fields or they go across the baseball fields and next thing you know there's water squirting and you know now we got to repair. So it's not that you can't bring vehicles out there. Number one, as she just said, it does get wet at times. Not all the fields do. Fall is a great time to do
it. But um if someone can be out there with you, you know, who knows where the irrigation is, you know, that can alleviate problem. And in the past, they didn't have big trucks, but they had kabotas, they had small back hoes, they had, you know, pickup trucks. Um you
know, and and as a board, we've we've provided dirt when needed, you know, or or the or the uh the the turf or not the turf is um >> the the stone not the stone dust >> in field mix. >> Infield mix. Thank you. >> No problem. um you know um we usually
try to get a load a year and then if they're going to do more like the the softball guys wanted to do some work on on that field so we got another load you know and and and our employee um now we're down an employee we used to have two so we did get some things done they
tried they were working one field a year but it's been lackluster over the past couple um to do that edging because I I it's a big project >> Yes sir >> you know I mean I was involved in doing it a couple of times on the Babe Ruth field. Um, but it's not that you can't
bring vehicles out there. It's it's we just got to be careful where they're driven, >> you know. >> Um, >> and the way I looked at it when I was looking at the vehicle issue. >> So, again, outside looking in whether it's permitted or not, I think maybe as you pulling out on the driveway, you
guys created that new covert, >> new pond for the kids to play in. >> I digress. I'm sure it was needed. >> It's to ride bikes through, but that's okay. Um I just watched children playing in the other day. I was like, "Oh." So, but as you go down that pathway,
right, to exit out the park behind like as so you pull left in, I think there's enough room right there, especially if you kind of shave down a tree. When I say shave down, it's like an offshoot that kind of probably cut that off. It's only a 2 in. Most people will be okay with that, but it's your town. Do what
you must, right? Uh behind the fields. So, if we do drive any vehicles, it would be behind the field. So, that wouldn't be any ruts or anything. cuz I agree with you. Um, sometimes sometimes people have thicker tires and like to step on the gas a little bit and we don't want to create any more damage or
any damage at all because but we do have things like infield mix like like you mentioned. We have game saver that needs to be added to the field especially when it's wet and and those come in pallets and the only way to get them to the shed so that they're out of the rain in a direct site is behind the field. So
behind field two and three on the outfield >> that's where you'd have to go. >> Yeah. And I think that's that I don't know if there's any irrigation there, but if we could get a map where the irrigation is. To be honest, I didn't know there was irrigation. >> I was going to say I don't think we have a map of where the irrigation is. >> So if but if you provide us a map of
where things are utility wise, we'll be sure to make sure that's part of whoever's going to go there. Hey, this is where things are. Don't disturb this so that we understand where things are. So, I've been there for years as a soccer coach um and a baseball coach and
I have a fear a good amount a good a good idea where things are, but not all of it. And I want to make sure that I'm not doing anything that's going to violate our our partnership. All right. So, again, we're all ears. We we're will Andrew I'll provide you I'll send you
that documentation later this evening and tomorrow morning to make sure that we're on the same page. Again, KP Law approved. Um, but each town's different and I'm not trying to say do as as we do. That's not what I'm here for. Again, advocating for all children, not just baseball children. I I I love softball,
soccer, and football. I want all kids playing on that field, right? But there's also constraints, right? Most of them, you know, as we become adults, it's always flipping financial. So, let's allow our our volunteer base again
providing you with a plan to come out and and do some of this work and get them playing this year. You can probably get a field done this year or to the point that it's improved. Like you mentioned edging, what a pain in the butt edging is. It is. And field two and three is a primary example of we're
behind. We're behind on the edging part. Now they they've crept in and it's just not draining properly. It's creating more a bigger issue for you folks. Now, now you have game saver that should be people don't realize game saver stuff after raise needs to be removed after you're done with it. >> It's not supposed to stay there,
>> right? That hasn't happened. That's where the minds have grown over the years. So again, I think clarifying the agreement between town league and the town to make sure we're doing everything possible to keep those fields playable at the same time reducing the
cost to the taxpayers. We I agree we pay we pay enough in taxes, right? So, but we have the ability to do so. What that what that size and scope is, we won't know until we ask. So, over the years, we've asked and people have asked us, we've told them, no, town doesn't allow us to do that. But I think we're allowed
to do that. We just make sure we're on the same page, which is which is a great win for the town and for the league. So, we'll we'll get that cleared up. >> Yeah. I I think we can as a league we can try like over the next couple months maybe assess exactly what we think
because there's a lot that's not even been like we I think some of the pitching mounds need to be replaced. Uh the outfield on field one needs to be leveled and maybe even field two and three like it's it's bumpy out there. The ball goes in all different directions. Uh we talked about the lights maybe even eventually a
scoreboard. So like we can come up with a long-term plan and then kind of like decide what's what's priority and what's not, but we can we can assess like all the needs. >> I think the primary ones is like the lights, right? To me, the lights are pretty straightforward and I just got a
question. I know the Osprey is there and >> he can't we can't move him. >> No, no, we don't want people's mascot. Like listen, yeah, he's a mascot. Night games are great, but we do like to would like to replace the lights. That's I think that's one of the top things right away. And we again we
can get you some bill rental agreement whatever it is fall protection all that stuff right it's probably what you're looking for and that's something we're willing to provide just to change lights we'll we'll do that right or if town wants to donate the lights or have the lights they're somewhere sitting in a box
somewhere we'll take them and put them up there things like >> extra lights sorry they don't even know what lights I had to ask just in case there was a conx container somewhere um but again that I think that's more of like uh upfront priorities, right? Let's update the lights so that we can play at night.
Um get a better understanding how the bathroom works cuz I know some parents u I know the porter john's there and everything else and everyone loves a porter john in the middle of the summer. But but let's let's I think again I think communications is the first step and I think and this is the beginning of it
and I'm extremely happy to be here speaking to you folks on behalf of both the town and the leagues, right? And I think just clearing that up is the next best step. >> Then then of course fees, right? >> All right. So we everybody's done with maintenance so we can hop over fees.
Andrew, any questions? >> I'll just add like resident. My son played baseball for years through like T-ball up. He's a senior. Like I think the parents of Lakeville will really appreciate it cuz I can't tell you like at 5:00 when you just got in
from work. Like it sucks to get in the car and be like haul butt >> down to Central Park, you know? Like >> Yeah. >> There were six fields closer to us than like where I live. Six other fields closer than Central Park. And I love games there. And you're right
to your point like I mean so many towns that come and say, "Oh my god, this is amazing. my kid got to play on Little Funway, right? Like >> it's cool, >> but parents will appreciate the fact that like >> it's maybe more of a 50/50 split and you're not always going to free
>> because your leagues aren't townbased, right? They're mixed. >> It's mixed. >> Okay. >> Right. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz Lakeville would destroy Freetown. >> Just kidding. >> We'll do a rubber match. >> But no, we agree completely understand
your sentiment and I agree with it. It's like, >> but we want to have it here as well, right? >> Right. The problem is we can't have night games because >> I know, >> you know, there's it's constraint. So, we're trying to do the same thing. We're trying to create the same atmosphere in Lake in Freetown here in Lakeville, >> right? And with with the name like Ted
Williams and his spirit of leaving the the town, this field, we want to maximize that. We want to like like I said, I had a tournament a couple years ago. People were in love with the facility. Even though it was Randy, there was nothing to do, right? I told them where Baldi's was. was I told them we were at local restaurants while we
waited and added 50 lbs of game saver to have a game, right? And we try to remove as much as possible afterwards. But and that's where the issues are, right? It's time, right? People have traveled all this time to get there and they just want to go home, >> right? >> So, help us help you. That's how that's
that's how >> Yeah. And I think that's what we want to do, right? Like, and that's I've been on softball for years now and that's me and Mark have done with them, right? Not nothing's going to happen overnight and we have this big master plan of chugging away a little bit each year. But
>> yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Unless one of us won that power ball. >> Now you have a high school senior. I don't understand. >> I don't know. It goes by like that. So buckle up for you. >> Yeah. My kid Max has grown so tall like
you wouldn't even recognize him. >> Okay. Fes. So, the past at least four years, how long, Scott? You guys have had a flat fee of $3,000 per year, while our other leagues pay $25 per head
per season. So, they pay like $8,000 a year. So, you've been getting a bargain because you haven't been using the fields as much the past couple years. You've been coming back. So you unfortunat for fortunately and
unfortunately you haven't seen the little bit of increase from $22 when I started 4 years ago to $26 now. So it's coming at you guys like a bam, but we can How can we and I know it's for the kids. I absolutely 100% do. But so is
softball. So is soccer. So, how can we charge you $5,000 less per year than these other leagues? Like, that just isn't >> Yeah. I mean, I would argue we haven't been getting the bargain. They've been gouged.
>> And I see that. I do. However, when we tell people, people are like, "Oh, what's your fee?" And we're like, " $24." Cuz that's what it was. They're like, "Oh, most towns charge $30 to $35." So like we try as hard as we possibly can not to keep increasing, not
by jumping. Like we do 50 cents a year, a dollar a year. Like we try so hard, but everything is more expensive. Water is more expensive. Electricity is more expensive. Our wages are more expensive. Our buying new um lawnmowers for
$15,000. Like it's >> I can go and keep going and keep going going. It's nothing. like I've only been here 4 years. My kids played baseball. My kids played softball. Same. We We all did, right? Same deal. And it's things you don't think about. And now I'm here
going I really am sorry. But I mean, >> so so the agreement you speak of, Scott, you might have been involved in the conversation back in 2014 2015. It was between a town of a free town and town of Lakeville when both towns had their individual sports leagues, right? FYA
was free town youth athletic association is similar in Lakeville. So when the idea of combining them like we do at Grace came to mind back in 2014 and 15 the towns got together and well the town town of Lakeville I'm not sure if the border parks commission was established at the time or if they were involved in
the conversation were they I I couldn't find the the agreement or the conversation in our past emails but from being there since 2017 being fresh part of the conversation once we combined towns the proposal was let's com get the kids together just like they do at
Graves right? Similar from when we go from elementary school to elementary school and that's where the v the feebased structure came to play but there's also no termination of set free based structure I I can't find the original agreement I just don't remember
there was like hey for next 10 years it was just hey here's the town league we're gonna this is what we're going to charge you as a flat fee because numbers fluctuate up and down >> it was proposed by Freetown was it proposed by the league the amount >> oh perfect So $3,500
that that's what the affordability rate uh I I would say from 2014 2015 came to be. That hasn't really changed. The fees have have stayed pretty stagnant since then. We haven't raised them. We haven't we haven't definitely haven't lowered them, right? Uh other than providing
discounts to families with multiple kids or those having financial financial, you know, um abnormalities in their in their life. So those conditions are still in place and I understand the fairness of it all, right? I I I do um it's not fair
that one league pays this or that. It's just the way they structured back in 20145 to combine both towns. Again, there were two different leagues and we decided that it was and it it we decided and it was proven that combining both towns would produce better baseball.
>> Uh the proofs in the pudding based on all the different awards, tournaments, and everything else we've won. Like Justin has said, we've gone to World Series twice. They have gone three times if we would have kept going, right? So, we want to continue that, right? It's a great source of pride. I I look at those
kids and I see them playing and we want to see that. >> I I know we discussed um I think v email letters, if we're going to pay towards the fields, can we use that fee structure towards putting the money back
into the fields? that again we'll we can put that into an agreement show you the finances as needed per let's say if the three $25 $26 that's about $8,000 $9,000 a year per league right depending on based on 300 350 kids right can we take
that money and put it into into the baseball fields and and show you the proof of it whether that's receipts whether that's uh orders whatever you need to show you that we're we're we're as committed to this field as Lake Phillips, right? And we we we play
there. Whatever condition it is, we want the kids to go there. We want it 50/50 between both towns. It just gets tougher as >> time changes, lights change, and everything else, >> right? So, we have done things like that in the past >> for some things and then we have not
done done it for other things. So, that's something we would definitely have to discuss, but it is definitely an option. >> Right. We we've we've done it for a portion of the fee. you know, I mean, we couldn't do the whole thing only because >> we still got bills to pay, too, unfortunately. >> Yes, sir.
>> I mean, it comes right back to that, you know, and it's just been tougher. But going back to when we originally did the agreement, um, if I'm not mistaken, I think the fee was only about $15 ahead. So, it was closer in line with that number. It was a little bit of a break,
but the wishes were from, um, the baseball board. It would be easier for them just to pay a fat flat fee. And you know, I brought it back to the board and they went, "Yeah, okay." You know, it was Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It worked. >> In talking to Jack, our former president, when we discussed that is
because baseball numbers, just like softball numbers, es and flows. There are years we have 12 T- ball teams. There he is. I have six T- ball teams, right? And then those numbers translate into the older league. So, the flatbed fee was because of that, right? I I
can't guarantee neither can the league. No. or any soft soft softball, soccer, nobody can guarantee the numbers per year, right? And my fear is my concern, well, not fear, concern is, especially as a board, we say good to go $26, but then next
year we only have 100 players or the same flat fee. You you'd make all in the flat fee over the years versus the es and flows of the registration process. Again, we're just laying it out, right? Giving you the facts. This is your park. This is, you
know, the town's park, I should say, the people's park. But at the same time, you're right. There are things that we have to maintain and everything else. Same thing with free time, right? That's everywhere. Just consideration of of the situation is all we ask for in that. And we get it. We understand just we like the flat
fee. The parents like the flat fee. Let's face it, they've stayed steady as far as costs. Softball has gone up over the years, right? So has football. >> Yeah, I can say from being on that board, it's hard because to your point
about I mean these aren't ritzy towns. >> I mean, you have a range of household incomes here. And when you start talking about, oh, I got two kids, I got three kids. Yeah, you can do like a multif family discount. But when you add in all
the costs to the league, player insurance, town fees, uniforms, uniforms are not cheap anymore. >> Expensive. >> Yeah. You're like maybe breaking even with the registration fee. Or maybe actually when we did this year's for softball, we were taking a hit because
we didn't want to jack it up for >> And that's where the league will be with the new fee structure, right? Um everything is brought on volunteers. M >> the majority of the fees that we receive from registrations go right back to the uniforms >> or for baseballs themselves and at times
repairing the field the bases at Ted Williams over the years cuz overzealous get in the way and that happens no matter where we are right um >> but and that's the concern right we want them to keep playing >> but when you look at an average cost of
equipment everything else looking at the ranges of incomes you know $45 $500 per child that's where it comes out Um, >> if you're not buying a bat, >> if you're not buying a bat, right, if you're not buying a bat, that cost a ridiculous amount of money these days for a piece of aluminum. >> Yeah. >> But the the ping sound does sound
awesome and I understand that, right? again trying to keep them out there in our numbers and your numbers as well that even football soccer those we live in great towns great kids a lot of them the same faces running around doing great things and we want to maintain
that and not just for baseball for softball and everything else I think those free structures come back down advocate that on our behalf but I understand again I'm here just to on behalf of just trying to push through a conversation to make sure
that we're all in same page. >> Just out of curiosity cuz now softball's a neuter free town, right? Like how does the town give the park a budget there? How do you guys keep the rental fee to >> agreement? So you're speaking of KR. >> Yeah.
>> So KR um is a town and baseball park and a Sonet. All right. Um we charge them $1 a year. We maintain the grass cutting and we charge them dollar a year. They have electrical, they have plumbing, they have everything. They maintain it. They pay their bills. Whatever the
electricity bill is, the leap pays for, right? I think it's like $30 a month to Again, electricity is up and down. So, that's how we do it. We we tell them, "Here, here's the field. Do what you want with it, >> right? At the beginning, it's frontloaded. Give us your liability insurance. Let us know you're you're
insured up to whatever the the amount is." Then they maintain the fields. Anytime you want to pull a permit for, let's say you want to put a permanent structure down, the town will eat the the cost of the permit and then just give us the plans, right? For instance, we just added a shed to one of our fields, >> took a picture of it where it's going to
go, gave it to the build inspector. Here you go, >> right? And and working with the town. >> Again, that's our model. It doesn't mean it works everywhere, >> but it could. And also uh up until 2 years ago, every field in Freetown was leased to baseball and then baseball
kind of meed out to other sports what was needed and we voluntarily gave up KR and um Long Pond Long Pond for football um to help those other sports. So like there's a good I think there's like a good uh working relationship with all
the sports um and it's it works really well in Freetown. A couple years ago as well, like speaking of sports, like working with Mark Tisdale, right, with softball, he needed more space, right? We we told him, hey, use the field on a temporary basis while we figure this all out cuz baseball was like, hey, if we're not
using it, please use our field, right? It was a joint agreement that, hey, just because they own the lease doesn't mean that other teams couldn't come on. It just means, hey, give us a heads up of what your calendar look like. Make sure that we're not double like, you know, double using the field at the same time, >> right? >> Um, similar to Long Pond with football,
right? We was strictly baseball, but as baseball, well, as it was football, I should say, grew, they needed to replace it for their own. And instead of us using their field, it was like, hey, we'll use it for T-ball practice only. You maintain the field. Again, we cut the grass as far as the town. And the league
maintains the property and we help out as needed. If they need material, for instance, little Fenway just needed a drainage for when our fields was flooded. The town came in as part of their agreement. out any drainage issues, things like that, sewer lines and things that the town owns. The town came in and helped um with with
equipment and everything else. While the the league got volunteers to provide inter presented that to the town, the town came back with DPW helped out and again worked together as one, >> right? An egg on our face. We let all the other sports take our other fields and now we could use could use them
instead. >> But it's not impossible. I I think there's an agreement to be made somewhere along those lines. Um again, Freetown's model is not everybody's model. We can do it because that's what our set up differently. >> Correct. You're an enterprise fund, I
believe. Correct. And we're we're not um as far as our parks commission. It's a not symbolic, but one of our selecting holds the the parks commission chair position. And he he's involved as far as making sure that the fields are are getting done. In fact, we just did a town warrant to update a lot of our
fields, making sure they're up to date, right? ADA requirements, things like that. Um, something that we'd love to see table as well. As a guy in a wheelchair, I would love a little blue carpet to get me to and from, >> but my shoulders, >> the CPC does not cover those,
>> but there are grants available that we can help fill out and everything else that we've used in Freetown that could apply to Lakeville. And that's where the communication part can come into play. there are things that we see that we can share with Andrew as Debbie does it. Hey Andrew, hey, here's one we just did. Maybe Lakeville can use this as well. So
again, I think you're just clarifying our roles. I think we're more than halfway there, if not 80% there. Um, again, it was just trying to get our kids playing, >> right? >> And I know it's simple to say baseball, but >> right, >> all kids.
>> Yes. So, on the last little gouge to you guys, >> okay, this year >> from this year going forward, every registration fee that you turn in that you charge your parents for, your
players for needs to also come to us because last year we broached the fact that you had Cardinals teams playing on our field. Those are >> And I know you're going to I know and you maybe you don't know, but we did have Cardinals teams playing on our
fields >> and and the opuses was well, what part of Freetown? What part of FLAA? >> I know. I know. >> I think that's probably just coaches doing that on their own. >> Absolutely. >> And they said open field and they were grabbing it than a team. >> How would that be any different than 10
kids going down to play? We have no control over what teams outside of our scope do. The problem lies with the fact that every daylight hour is taken up by all our leagues. So, you don't need that much time for your wreck teams. Um, but
that leaves it open for only your baseball to play on it. We don't have any hours for 10 kids to come down and say, "Hey, let me go pick up play a pickup game." because there's no time left in the >> Well, >> there must be if the Cardinals are down
there practicing because that's not on our schedule, >> but they like Scott said, they come in and they say, "Oh, we're from Freetown, >> right?" But then I think what he's saying is the field is open at certain times, right? >> Yeah. So, I think there was a lot of times these fields are open.
>> Yeah. Okay. >> And a lot of that they're open because teams don't want to practice here, >> right? >> But they were open four, five, six years ago, too, when the fields were a lot better shape. >> Yeah. you know, >> and that's the same. We'll be having that same conversation with each league,
too. We're not singling you out. >> That's understandable, but we we we get that. >> Yeah. I can say as a parent, I appreciate like my kids play club sports. Club sports are expensive. Um, so the fact that the towns have created these clubike experience leagues for the
towns is really nice for parents that can't afford to go join, you know, a snazzier club. Um, but I think like from the town's perspective and it go like like she said, it goes for softball, it goes for soccer, the use is still there.
I mean, and maybe you guys aren't going to use it because you didn't know those coaches were using it, but like for softball, they're still beaten off the field. They still need to get cut. They're using the lights >> and it's just extra than what the league has paid for, you know,
>> right? They I mean the Cardinals teams do use our fields in Freetown and they schedule it with around our wreck league and all that. So we we get that. >> Yeah. So even if you just turn in that registration form and say not using Ted Williams camp, that way when the Cardinals team shows up and they say,
"Oh, but we're from Freetown Lakeville." We can say, "No, you're not using." And then >> pay like everybody else. >> Yeah. >> That's And that's the whole fair. >> That's the whole thing. you guys were paying, >> you know, soccer's paying. Why should they come down and play for nothing,
>> right? >> You know, that that that that's that was the the the grip on the whole thing. >> That's reasonable. It's a reasonable request by >> And full disclosure, Andy and I are both Cardinals coaches, you can probably tell. >> Different age groups, different age groups. >> And in an ideal world, we wouldn't be
having this conversation. You could come and play whatever you want, but unfortunately, that just >> isn't the world that we live in. Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah. No, I I understand. >> I I agree. I just Well, then that's fine that we can we can turn our
registration. We just want to be clear that the Cardinals coaches coming down here has nothing to do with us as a league and we don't condone it or give them permission to do that or anything like that. So, >> okay. And then we do have we'll have an opening next year on our um
board of commission, right, Scott? >> Yep. 18 years is enough. Will you be mandating that a representative from each league be a member? >> We only have five positions. So, >> I will say it has proven helpful at times that I'm on softball and parks, it
create it created a lot of um more collaboration and cohesion between the two. And there were other years where there seemed to be like from the softball league there was a fear almost of oh we have to go talk to parks so
>> and it shouldn't be like that. No, we're here for the the the town. We're here for the kids. We we're here for the adults. We're here for everybody. >> Scott, if you remember the days that you and I would talk to each other on the phones like, "Hey, this needs to get done here and there." Let's get back to that, right? Like, >> right. I think we're still there. I think it was just
>> I think the rules I think escaped us, right? Like as far as what we can and can't do, right? I think we just need to know what our our permissions are. >> And again, it's a different world. You can't just come down here with a Bobcat and level anything. We need a contract saying if you mess it up, then you are responsible for me fixing it. and yada
yada yada. It's just it's not like it used to be. >> Yeah. You know, other than blades of grass being bent from the bobcat. >> Yeah. Well, >> depends how many are bent. >> Right. Right. Um but you know, and again, that's where that discussion behind the baseball fields and the
outfields are. >> Are the other leagues responsible for maintaining their fields as well? Think soccer does the group reeding and all that and Yeah. >> that currently a third of the field closed right now. >> Yeah. I could see it off. Yeah. Yes. >> So, just a quick question about that. For other teams using the baseball
fields, how can we assume that our proportionate work that we're putting into it, they're doing the same thing if we're paying the same fees >> like the samurai for instance. Right. >> Right. So, as we mentioned, you have you reserve it for every daylight hour. So,
you are the only ones using your field unless we have a some special thing. Samurai has their field five and they're responsible for field five. that is not in your fees anymore. >> Gotcha. That makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Right. And and and Ken was coming down and doing work, you know, um he worked
on the the batting cages, he worked on those mounds that were over there. He rebuilt those mounds. >> Um and some of the other work was done primarily in field four, you know, new bases. Uh cut the base paths, >> you know. Um but yeah, his guys weren't playing on field two, so they weren't
going to go over to field two. But like I pushed last year softball was having a a field day. I said contact blooper ball. Get them down there. Contact who you know there there's two blooper ball leagues. Get somebody down there. I took
my wife who plays in the women's and I says we're going down. My kids don't play softball anymore. I'm down there helping these guys. >> And if you're having a field day, I'd be down here helping you. >> We do a field day, >> you know. And that and that was what we used to do. We had a big field what we called it. It was a field weekend, you
know, and you know, um, you know, they'd buy hamburgers and hot dogs and would cook them up at the the the X snack stand and um, you know, but we were there all day and people were bringing in equipment, but we knew what was coming in, >> you know, um, and,
you know, someone was designated to say this is where you got to go. Sure. you know, um, >> and just from softball perspective, like one of the things you guys might not have thought of with that and getting volunteers, um, all the kids at Aonquet need if they're in National Honor Society, they need more. So, if you're
willing to sign that off, you could probably get some baseball kids to just >> Oh, we get in the same token, if you're going to have a field day, then we contact Kenny and say, "Kenny, there's a field day going to be this day, a field weekend. Why don't you get some of your coaches down here and help out? You know, and you know what? Contact the the
the men's softball. You know, they're Yeah, they play on that field alone, but still, but everybody can be working down there at the same day, you know. Now you got less equipment coming on because you're using the same equipment, you know? It it it it just works out. But communication between the leagues was
always a big thing. >> Yeah. It's all overlap, too. Like one of the samurai coaches is a dad in our league, and then softball players are dads in our league. >> Oh, yeah. I'm sure they are. I'm sure there's a lot >> overlap and kids play soccer. >> Yeah. >> No, I agree. We don't want to do any work that's going to destroy anything
that's cost us more money down the road whether town pays for it or the league. Um >> there are ways of doing it and um it's all about care, right? And I think we have enough volunteers to be able to care for in the proper way. Again, will will there be a track here and there? Yeah, but that grows back, right? Like
do I want to sit there and rip it up? No, that's not the intent. Uh but there are times that you know some people are more heavy footed than others. There's rain, but do we need to recede it afterwards? Yeah, absolutely. We we'll absolutely that could be it and in the messaging and everything else. Again, we're not trying to create a mess. We're
just trying to >> elevated and bring it back to where we need it cuz we want to have fields there cuz let's let's face it, the wear and tear on Little Fenway, you know, some people don't see it, but there's a lot of wear and tear because it's getting used >> constantly because we can't have it over here. we want to have it over here to
give that field breaks just like so uh soccer is doing to the field. It was overused as a soccer coach sometimes we're playing in dirt >> right over the years. >> So um again uh you folks are your your heart's in the right place and and I think we're all talking the same
language. We just got to >> fine-tune it and get it off to the races and let's get these kids playing. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Andrew, anything else? >> Anybody? Anything else? Um, I'll just say the fee. I mean, I think, uh, you know, obviously we'll talk about, you know, if there's maintenance that can
help out with the cost or whatever, but, um, and sucks that it's of course after a long time, it's like a shock, you know, for for a price increase. Um, but, you know, if you're looking at a fee that was 15, you know, years back and then to now, right, it's an $11 increase
per person, you know, people are paying like $400 to $500. you know, I think that's not too bad of a sell of of an increase for for the players. Um, but that's that's my thought on it. I think when you look at it per person and then the overall fee, it it's not too too um
crazy when you look at it that way on a small scale. >> U Mr. Plunker, do you have anything to want to jump in here anywhere? >> No, you guys made great progress. I think both sides are coming to an agreement, so I don't have anything. Thank you. >> Perfect. All right. So, yeah. So, if you
guys want to put a plan together, let us know what you're thinking. >> Okay. >> Um, Peter should have the application for the leagues out to you pretty soon. >> So, for homework, Andrew, I'll send you the the KP law agreement that we have for leases for all our sports leagues in
Freetown and see how that can mirror with Lakeville. We'll send you a itemized list from probably different vendors that we use like RAD, right? They'll send us a bulletized list of what each field needs so that you have a baseline of what's needed. They can be used for future budgeting down the road, but also as a punches for us to make
sure that we show you progress of what we're trying to do. All right. And then take it from there. Is that is that what we're hear? >> Yeah. And just before anything's done, you have to let us know like that's what our agreement is with soccer%. >> Give us a week or two ahead of time so we can all touch base and discuss
>> and then go from there. >> Yeah. I think I think one of the first be first projects we want to do is tackle field two and three and we have the volunteers and I think the businesses that want to come in and volunteer their time, right? And then just obviously they fall under the umbrella of our
>> I was just going to ask that question. So if a business comes in, they're under the FLAA umbrella >> because they're volunteer cois. >> Yeah, talk about that. >> Yeah. Again, we'll we'll we'll work it out. I mean, most of the times it's the
business of a dad in our league or >> Absolutely. >> I I focused on dads earlier. I shouldn't have done that. Mom, moms and dads. >> So, >> parents. >> Yes. >> Guardians. >> Yes. We We'll send that over to you and we'll get into detail. >> Um Yeah. I think first and foremost,
thank you. Uh thank you for taking your time absolutely to speaking with us. >> Um again, I think we're all talking the same thing and it's just it's refreshing to hear that we're all on the same page. We just need to fine-tune it and get back to get back to playing baseball and soccer and football and everything else.
>> Yeah. >> And we just to let you know, we are working we are working on it. Like we have been working on it. We've got quotes for the lights. We just have to fit them into the budget. We've got quotes for this. We had a company come out and assess the fields and give us an estimate and then we working it into the
grants. So we also have been looking at it. Don't think that we are just like tossing it aside putting it all on your shoulders. >> We only have one. Well, if you want to share that with us so we can bounce it off making sure that what's needed is actually what's needed, right? Because some people they work on their
Cal Ripken rules as far as conditions and everything else, sizes and everything else. Others work in little league, >> right? So, uh I'd be interested to see those quotes as well. Um just to just again make sure we're maybe we need a new company that we didn't know about. Love to know who you're using. Um
because those companies are getting fewer and smaller themselves. So, anything we can do to help, anything vice versa, let us know. And vice versa, we'll let you know every every single thing we want. We don't want the fields. We just want to play on them and maintain them. Um, >> just cut the grass for us.
>> Well, let's talk about what it looks like giving you our our registrations as well. What like format you're talking about. >> That shouldn't be a problem. >> Just for the registration, you just want the names of people or the the names of people of kids or just the numbers? >> Numbers. >> Um, for right now, it's numbers. Two
weeks after the season starts, we expect a um full roster. >> Okay. Got it. >> Because if a kid comes on and gets hurt, we need to know that he belongs there. >> That's been part of the agreement, but we just haven't pushed for it, right? >> Yeah. >> You know, there's a lot of that going
on. So, >> you know, especially we've been doing the same thing in our league for the last few years. Try to be like this is we're supposed to be fixed as well. Um you know, and you folks as well. We want to make sure again having this meeting periodically is probably
the way to go. Once a year, once every two years, whatever you feel as though >> the second and fourth Thursday of every month. >> Well, I enjoy your enthusiasm. >> I didn't see any donuts. So, that kind of takes me out. >> There is candy somewhere. >> Candy right there.
>> Been eyeing it. >> I didn't see I didn't see the bread, though. So, being Portuguese, you spoke to me. You spoke to me. >> I really appreciate this. cuz I came in here hot being mad at you guys and I realized it's been misdirected. >> That's right. >> We don't take it personally because like
there's nothing we do the best that we can do. >> I'll just go to a town meeting. >> Absolutely. >> I mean, I've been to know I've been to a bunch, but um >> again, thank you for your time. Andrew, good seeing you. Um Scott, good seeing you as well. Nice meeting you all. And
look forward to talking to you again. Thank you guys. See you next year. Thank you. You guys are you beating feet, too? >> Uh, yeah. You don't need me for anything else, do you? >> No. Go home. >> You're good. Thank you for coming.
>> Yeah. I'll see you next week. >> Good night, Andrew. >> Have a good night. >> Good night. Thank you. >> Good night. >> Is it bedtime? >> Yes. >> Okay. No softball bunker rating raking. No >> FL AAA done. >> Any announcements, Peter?
>> Nope. >> Okay. Tree removal, in case anybody didn't notice, the tree removal starts Monday, Tuesday on the fire station. Um the delivery trucks will be parking overnight in the soccer parking lot
because when they come in from out of state overnight and they can't get into the locked gates until the head person foreman comes in in the morning so they have to park in the um soccer parking lot. >> We should let soccer know that just so that
>> Well, it's only supposed to be only for the next month or so. >> I understand. >> But we can let them know. Doesn't hurt to let them know. >> Communication. >> Yep. I cuz I specifically said we'll have to recheck in the spring because soccer takes up every parking space. So then if
it's late then that won't work. Review and vote to approve park commission minutes for December 11th, 2025. Did anybody have a chance to look it over? >> I bruised them. I didn't see anything. Yeah, >> I didn't see any either. Somebody want
to make a motion to accept? >> I'll make a motion to accept the park meeting minutes from December 11th, 2025. >> I second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> I motion passes. The minutes are
accepted. review a possible vote to approve updated 2026 application for field time. Um it is a separate application is required for each season or portion thereof was added.
The $26 fee was changed. Um, I also just added under the on the f bottom of the first page that section the registration since we're asking for uh just >> copies of them
>> just yeah separate uh applications for each registration I thought it would be good to be have a record of their registration so I added that. I think those may be the only changes. >> The $3 per player tournament was
updated. >> Well, that's from last year. So, we have to decide whether we want to keep that or not. That's coming later in the >> in the packet. >> Later in the meeting. Yes. >> Okay.
>> Okay. Does anybody want to a vote to approve this? >> I just have a question on the tournament. So, it's $3 for the visiting teams while it was >> for everybody. >> So, that's not what the out of town. There's no difference. >> No, that's just for
We changed that this year. I thought out of town used to be >> out of town leagues like our leagues pay the $3 per head. So even if you're coming from Freetown and playing a Lakeville person, >> it's still $3 a head. >> If you're coming from
>> Dyon and you bring in Dyon people like Freetown or Lakeville is not >> not your hometown. Like if Don wants to host, >> right? If they want to host a tournament here. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> That's not one of our leagues that are hosting the tournament. Yeah. Right. >> Like when soccer does the clinics, they
have two clinics that they run from themselves and then they bring the revolution in to host a clinic for everybody from everywhere. >> Y any other questions on this? Well, just that. So to Andrew's point, should this
sentence be more specific then? Cuz it's kind of makes it seem like it's $3 for all. >> There's a separate tournament application. >> Oh, they get a separate application. So at the end of it, it requires a separate application because this is going to our
leagues. So for them, the $3 a person, >> but they still have to fill out the sea separate application where it says our leagues pay $3. Right. But like if wants to sign up for a tournament, they get a whole different application because of the updated number. Okay, cool.
>> Yes, you guys. >> Yeah. >> All right. I'll make a motion that we accept the 2026 application for field court time. Second. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? I
>> I >> I swear I application is ready. Discuss and possible vote on request to practice archery at Ted Williams camp. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but have we ever done this before? I know the >> We did have an archer. >> Boy Scouts used to have archery.
>> Yeah, we hadn't. We had an archery league here one one summer, fall, spring. >> And did they use in the back where the commissioner's fields are now? They >> the turtle area. >> No, not down there. But they used the
grassy area across from the water. Across from the waterfront, >> the open field >> and shot into the woods. >> Into the woods. >> And it was a um and uh you know, we gave her a break because it was her first time and then she didn't come back. >> No. Um there were no problems.
>> No, no, no issues. >> Okay. You know, I mean, I I think, you know, it sounds like he's going to petition the area off with cones and, you know, and uh we just, you know, maybe we mark it off and say, you know, stay out. >> I don't know. >> Yeah. I think it's just one person.
It's just one person practicing for an event, >> right? >> I think it's great. >> Yeah. And it's it's not it's only now like she's not going into the spring and stuff, so she'll be gone before >> a lot of people come. >> Any motion for this? I can motion accept.
>> Second. Any discussion? All in favor? >> I I >> I >> I. So, she'll be excited. >> Does she need any insurance for that? >> Um,
she's one person, not a group, >> right? >> I would say no. How old is she? Does she have like homeowners insurance? >> There's got to be something where she can get a rider or something. Minimal cost. I mean, to make her go out get a
policy. >> Yeah. >> I mean, >> just to request a rider if possible if >> Yeah. >> from her insurance company, her homeowner's insurance or her parents home insurance, whatever. And sorry, should we request that she cone it off and put up signs or
something? >> Yeah, I think that there was there was mention there of coning it off, but I think putting some signs up and would be a good idea just to let people know that that someone's shooting arrows, you know, in the area >> um so that they don't >> go into those wooded area because I think that's that's a that's the plan,
right? Is in that grassy area. >> Yeah. Like I didn't know where you did it, but that would be the perfect area for her. >> Yeah. back towards like they were in the grassy area and they shot back towards like the fields so there was a lot of woods >> as much in the cones. So maybe we just
say bring some signs or we'll put those up. >> Yeah. Or we can put something on >> sticking in the cones. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So when we contact her, we'll just, >> you know, and I think a good thing would be, you know, maybe we put a little something at the beginning of the the trail head to say, you know, just be aware that down near the waterfront,
someone is is practicing archery. So yeah, just be aware. >> So just um you can have her call me Peter when she wants to go and I'll walk through it with her and we'll get the signs and we'll put them up. >> Okay. >> Okay. Archery
review park enterprise fund budget report yearto date. I'll be honest with you, I did not look this over. So if you want to push that till next week, we can do that. If you want to go through it right now quick, we can do that. There's nothing particularly
remarkable. It's just everything's pretty much there's nothing that stands out that's out of order. It's all within everything's >> so it looks good. Yeah, >> we're about halfway on most things. >> Right. And it's going to be a slow
period for the next as far as expenses then it's just >> Yeah. I actually talked to um Heather at Lupon Lodge and she said they have a lot of um January is looking pretty good. Like they're busy for January, which is unusual. Shower time.
>> Yeah. >> 6 months before wedding season >> for June. You're probably not wrong. Discuss and possible vote on leak fees for 2026. Okay, here's our $26.
$3 per player for in league tournaments, $12 for a player for out outside of our region for tournaments and clinics and camps. Uh that's last year's. Does anybody want to change it for this year or would you
like to keep it the same? >> I'd like to keep it the same. >> Yeah, I think we did a Didn't we do increase last year? >> We all went from 750 um $10 to $12. So, yeah, it went up $2. >> I think we keep it the same. >> Okay. Um, event per person participation
fee. I must be blanking. What is that? >> Basically, it's Trifest. >> Oh, >> they're really the only ones that >> What's that? I'm sorry. It was >> Trifest. Yeah. The event per person. >> Oh, right. >> Basically, that's just Trifest.
>> Just um a word to We keep going up. He's going to go someplace else, >> right? He said last year $8 was his max. So, yeah. >> So, yeah, I >> also down last year on registration. >> Yeah, he said that. But didn't we get
more money? >> Maybe that 50 cents a person. >> Yeah, I don't know. Maybe it was, but he said it was down. >> Co-ed volleyball usage fee for their lights. I think we should just keep the fees as we are as they are. Fertilizer usage
fee. We took soccer off because they're fertilizing their own fields. We left um women's soccer on and we just will pass that on their fertilizer on to
kids soccer. So if the cost for the irrigation for the electricity is going to change then the percentages if the library is now >> Yes. >> Yes. >> using town water. >> That's what I've been told. >> Yeah. H >> that's what I say. >> Interesting.
>> They also have that big fountain. >> Yeah. But that's just electricity with the same thing that they take care of that. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So we look a little further into that. Yeah, that's what they said. The DPW
agreed. >> Okay. Review of draft description for assistant director at Clear Pond Park. Do we need to vote these then? >> Possible discuss and vote for lean fees. Did we change anything? We didn't change anything. So, we're good.
>> But don't we have to like codify a vote that it's no change or no? >> No. But we can. Do you want to? >> No. >> Did we Did we vote to void the flat fee? >> We did last time >> at the last uh meeting.
>> Yep. >> Okay. Assistant Cliffon Park director. There's not that many changes to the director position for the um assistant director. We changed their hours from 40 to 25.
We removed the reviews payroll expenditures because we'll leave that for the director and ensure expenditures do not exceed allocated seasonal budget. All for the director.
Um, we added in coordinate schedule to be sure that either the director or assistant director is on site at all times. Basically, the director's job, but the assistant director should be aware of that. Um, we changed must possess a serve safe
certificate. We changed that to we prefer that the person possess a safe serve certificate. Well, one of them. You almost have to if if one or the other is going to be there, >> right? >> You got to have somebody there with one at all times.
>> We'll have to look into that. But I think it's the person with the serve safe is responsible for it. Okay. >> Because right now, >> that's true. He's not there all the time. >> He's not there all the time. >> Yep. You're right. >> And then working conditions is the same
25 hours per week. And then we remove the directors responsible for ensuring adequate staffing at all times. >> And the same thing goes for the lifeguard training instruction certificate. I thought that was a requirement that someone be there over the lifeguards
that had that higher certificate. >> The water safety certificate is not required. The water safety instruction. Is it the instructor one? Where are we? I Yeah, that one says recommended, but I thought
there was something that was like they had to have some extra water safety certification then higher than a lifeguard. >> They're going to be their uh >> the superior think. >> Um but no, when we promoted Ashlin to
the >> whatever the not the manager but the supervisor, she didn't have to have anything separate. It was just her license. >> Okay. >> Does the director have to have something higher >> for water safety?
>> I want to say no. >> Oh, okay. Sorry. I'm just thinking of something wrong. >> No, that's okay. >> You would think that they would. Well, it goes back to a few years ago where we didn't have qualified personnel and had to change
things, but they always did have uh those requirements. >> Yeah. So, they have the lifeguard certificate, they have the CPR >> certificate. I can check with like this was the came from the job description from human
resources for the director. So I mean I can check other towns. I don't know how. >> No, it's okay. I mean I was just going to ask anything. Yeah, it's always been like a conundrum to me because you look at Freetown that doesn't even have
lifeguards and they have beaches open, >> right? They have nobody. >> Nobody. >> They used to have they used to have lifeguards. >> Yeah. >> They used to they used to have one or two down at the Narrows and then they they used to staff them over >> pond.
Yeah. So I don't I don't really >> last page working conditions. Sorry to jump ahead. >> Nope. No, it's fine. This is 40hour work week or 25. >> So we increased the budget for next year to include the assistant director's
hours. And then my other question is if the assistant director wants to be a lifeguard extra time to get 40 hours a week, can we do that? >> I don't see why not. If they're qualified,
>> that's two more days. >> It's a different pay how you pay. >> Yeah. >> Well, this past year we split the lifeguard. All of our staff except for two people were lifeguards. So the lifeguards rotated through snack shack
and gate. So they all had different pay for when they worked as a lifeguard they made lifeguarding salary and when they worked at the gate they made that salary. >> So they're keeping track of their own hours where they work. >> They always do. >> Yeah. I think that's fine.
>> Yeah. Because I mean if you if you allow them to take a couple more shifts I mean that's two more days. That would help. >> Yeah, that's >> with not having to hire an extra person, >> you know? I mean, if you're going to hire this person for 25 hours of assistant director >> and 13 more, I mean, that's two full days, right? Cuz what's it? Six hours,
seven hours, >> you know, they don't have to hire another person or find another person, but yet this person could get 40 hours if they wanted to. >> If they weren't >> I think it's a great idea. >> I mean, they may not want it, >> right? They may not. I mean, some of the kids don't want it and and other kids want to work more than 40. So, >> right. >> You know.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. All depends on who you hire, >> right? >> Which is always a crapshoot. >> So then that working conditions could be up to 40 hours, >> right? 25 as a director. >> Yep.
>> And then a lifeguard position as well. Yep. All right. Any uh review draft position? So we'll have to fix those errors. And um Max need to go vote at it next meeting.
Discuss dates for events at Ted Williams camp. This will be fast, I promise. Lakeville Day this year. I'd like to try to add more vendors. It was hard to do it the end of May because >> everybody's busy, right? So
>> spring's a busy time. May's a busy. >> It is a busy time. Like we had the best luck when we did it in March, but our very first time. Cold. We That was our best day that we've had that day. >> Absolutely fantastic day. >> It was. But the chances of us having that again are like nil
>> because um the year next year was May 5th and it rained. It was miserable. >> Miserable. And then this year was May 18th. So, I'm proposing next year from May 17th because May 10th is Mother's Day and May 24th is the weekend holiday
weekend, Memorial Day weekend. So, is everybody okay with Sunday, May 17th for Lakeville Day? >> Sure. >> Okay, >> I'll be off.
>> Music in the pines. So, Arts Council has their music for Tuesdays in July from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. So, I have no preference if you want to do Tuesday nights or Wednesday nights for Music in
the Pines. Um, I'm waiting to see which >> launch console is something separate. >> Yeah. So, that's the library. >> It's at the pavilion at the band stand. So, they do it every Tuesday night in July. So, I was thinking if we carried that over to every Tuesday in August.
>> Oh, okay. I was like, we shouldn't conflict with them. No, >> we should not do that. So, anybody have preference Tuesday? So, for that, um, Lon Pond Lodge, we're going to open their bar and we'll bring
in food trucks. Um, we'll check in with Dudes and Foods and Schools Outce. We'll bring in um bring out the cornhole and set those all up. The playgrounds there. If the kids don't want to listen to the music, they go play on the playground. >> We go to
not music in the pines, but we go to food truck festivals all over. And it's like some of them only have two or three food trucks, but the key is the bar. >> There's always a bar. >> Mhm. >> Well, so
>> they used to have music in the pints. I know you you reminisce about that all the time. >> It was great and and I didn't care about the music. >> No, >> I came down to run around, >> right? And there's plenty of room for that. So, >> what did we vote to allow Red Hand to go to >> Christmas?
>> Oh, right. Okay. >> Yes. Yeah. So, as long as Lon Pond Lodge has the bar covered for that, they will be able to do that. Yeah. >> Um, trunk or treat, Sunday, October 18th.
Does that work for everybody? Um, Halloween is the 31st. So that's and that's a Saturday. So it's the Sunday before. >> I mean, where did we land with it? I thought we're having a problem about the detail. >> We are having a problem with the details, but we um
fingers crossed if we add vendors to Lakeville Day and we do something the food trucks for music in the pines, >> we'll have money to cover it. >> Hopefully. >> Okay. >> Unless budget. Is that the we did budget for it? Is is it because it's that parking lot is so close to the road? Is
what's why is it why the detail >> because we're closed the road for safety purposes, right? We closed the road so people are walking back and forth to Lon Pond Lodge and for trunk or treat there is like kids and families. We had 500 kids this year. It was crazy. So this
year we had to open the road because we weren't allowed to close the street and the cars were flying by and the kids were all running around. So it was literally dangerous. >> But it wasn't. >> Is there another parking lot that we use that wouldn't
>> impede the road? The soccer parking lot. >> Well, we asked to move the Christmas parade into the stocking soccer parking lot and he said we would still need a detail. Really? So, we're working because once that all came out, um, I brought up all of our
townwide functions, a townwide events, right, to the select board because the decision they made for the Christmas parade affects all of this because I said the park shouldn't have to pay for all of the events
that the town has. Like, it's a town event. Why should the park take on the full cost? >> But so when that was starting to fall apart and it was like on Lakeville helping Lakeville or one of those that it was going to fall apart and people started volunteering >> for that.
>> No, but if someone was to volunteer, can it take even though we didn't if we don't ask for it or no? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Cuz we can't solicit, >> right? I get that.
Yeah. So things could happen. The select board could come back and say, "I'll split it with you." The select board come could come back and say, "We're not giving you anything." >> Some generous person could just cover it. >> Some generous person could be like, "We want to sponsor that for you."
>> Um, we could make enough from all our vendor fees that we have enough to do it. >> Yep. >> Okay. It just seems like such a shame that you're going through all the work to get the vendor fees when we could put it to a field or lights or something. Then we have to give it to the police
station. But, you know, >> if we want to bring things to the town and we want to open Ted Williams camp up to more people than just all the sports people. >> Yeah, >> we'll have to suck it up and that's what we'll do. >> And just to FYI, I put our Christmas for all that glitters is December 4th and
5th. So, I put our Christmas event that day and I have gone crazy with Christmas clearance shopping. Like my whole porch is covered with Christmas clearance things.
>> It's not Columbus then. >> Thank you. So, any um we'll obviously talk more about these, but any other any dates that we'll have to work with um the arts council. So, if you guys are like, "Yeah, December 4th and 5th sounds
great. I'd love to work with the arts council." I'll have to contact them and see what we can do. >> Yeah. I think earlier in that month is usually better for people before they get into their madness of the holiday. >> Yeah. And they already have a base like
people already go to all the glitters. So, >> Mhm. >> All right. Perfect. >> Sounds good. >> Lazison updates. We checked a big one off today. M >> new business. I told you about the fire station, so we're good there.
Okay. Scott has made the decision not to come back. Did you say 18 years? >> Wow. >> 15 years of coaching before that. >> We'll have to have a going away party for you.
>> We didn't name a field after you. >> No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, >> no. Um, I've been trying to get together with the um frisbee golf people >> and we just we just haven't been able to,
>> you know, he's available one day, I'm out of town, I'm available, he's with family, you know, it's just we're going to get together, but >> Okay. >> I thought it was going to happen last weekend and it didn't. >> This weekend's going to be nice. So, be perfect. >> Yeah. It's just taking a walk. Just taking a walk in the park,
>> right? you know, and I want to bring my son with me only because he understands it as well, you know, and you know, cuz he he was all gungho about trying to do it back about 10 years ago. And he and I walked and he went, "Yeah, it's going to
be tough, >> you know, unless unless you utilize some of the open space out around the fields, you know, for a couple of the holes. >> I don't know. I don't know how he's gonna get 18 holes in without >> Yeah, >> I thought he was not 18.
>> Well, he wanted 18, but right, >> probably would settle for he's gonna have to settle for less because it's just not >> started nine cuz I mean we're losing a third of the woods >> to the fire station, >> right? >> You're not you're not going to be able to go anywhere over there, >> right? >> Um
is that going to impede the station that's over there? the the training, you know, the >> Yeah. >> I mean, >> I don't think so. >> Okay. No, the only reason I was saying because if it is, it would be nice if they we're going to move it that they
they would move it and drop it in the ground, you know, 100 feet up somewhere else the trail. >> Yeah. So, when the trees are down, we'll be able to know for sure, but I don't think it's in their little >> Yeah. We walked out there and it wasn't roped off yet, but I mean, I could see where in the trees there was.
>> Yeah. Yep. Yeah. So, yeah. Don't drive by next week if you don't want to see the trees coming down. >> No more cut through. Rain's going to take you longer to cut through. >> Okay.
>> My resation sooner. >> Our next meeting is what's today? The 8th. >> January 22nd. January 26. >> Same time, same place. >> Everyone's out on the field. It was pretty wild. I got
>> Anybody want to make a motion to adjurnn or do you want to stay here? >> I'd like to sleep here. I'll make a motion to adjurnn at 8:01 p.m. >> I second. >> Andrew. Perfect. Okay. 8:01 p.m. >> When did you say the next meeting?