Um, thank you, Heidi. We don't have a um we don't have pack tonight. So, >> you were just recording. >> Um, yeah. What are you doing next Tuesday?
>> Hi. Hello. >> How's it going? Good to meet you. Good. How are you? expecting a move. Nobody can read back and read it >> as it's gone because I think this is going
to be quick. Um, good evening. This is the April 22nd park commission meeting. Um we are on um we are on Zoom um and we are being recorded but we are not live so um not
going to go through all that stuff. Um those is not agenda. Nope. Nope. >> Um, so I'll just add here that um both may be taken as a result of any other discussions and not all of the items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may be brought up
for discussion to the extent permitted by open voting law. Um, Christa may be on this evening. Um, I'm hoping she may jump on, but I know she had something tonight. and Chris Ruth is um out of the office for a few days, so he is not with us. Um all right, so first agenda item.
Is there any board comments since we have no public here? No. All right. Um facilities director update um I have from Chris that the field cleanups are done um and they're working on the contract for the um beachw weed treatment. So hopefully that
will um be done soon. Um not sure a timeline on that. Um rec director. So Christ just started last sorry on the facility side. >> Yeah. >> Do you know if baseball has been in like varsity baseball or high school baseball been in
touch with Crystal regarding >> improvements there and so forth. I just I read their fund like I read they're doing a fundraiser. >> Okay. But the some of one of the posts I saw about their fundraiser involved
um the funds they're raising would include a new batter's eye, improvements to the mound, home plate cover, improved bleacher seating. >> Okay. Um I >> and I'm happy to reach out. I didn't know if >> I haven't heard anything. >> He said anything. >> I'm all in favor at this point of any
improvements we can do over there. >> I'm going to be sitting with him on Monday. Um >> send him a note. >> It doesn't matter. He's out. um if we could not send him something for the next couple of days. Um but he's back on Monday. Um >> and I'm going to see him on Monday so I can ask him as well. Um
>> it was just uh again I'm all for >> Yeah. No, but it's good to raise >> funds and if they're going to do stuff to improve the area and and that kind of deal. I don't want to knock that but I just want to make sure that we're on the same page and >> absolutely >> following proper >> Yeah. Absolutely. Thank you for that heads up. Thank you. Um, so Kayla,
Kayla, um, Christa started on Monday of last week. Um, I went in Monday and, um, >> Oh, there she is. Hold on. She's coming on. >> Hi, Christa. Let us know when you're on.
There she is. Can you hear us? >> She's muted. >> We can't hear you. So, let's see if I can unmute you. >> Okay, I got it. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> How are you >> doing? Pretty good. I'm I'm really tired, but I'm good. >> Good. So, everyone, this is Kristoff.
Um, this is Colleen Shapiro and Sullivan. Um, Marian Mascari is not with us tonight. Um, and I was just we were literally just talking about you, so your timing is impeccable. Um, so in a good way. >> Yeah, in a good way. I I did give a
brief uh facilities director update, but why don't you introduce yourself to us? Tell us what your hours are, how things have been going the past week, and about your survey and stuff, anything you might be working on, that sort of stuff. >> Yeah, of course. So, I'm Christa. Um my hours are going to be Mondays 8 to 11
and then Tuesday to Friday 8 to 12. And then those will change according like when once program starts and things like that. So, but those are generally the general hours that I think I'm going to start with just to get things going. Um, I did put out the survey and I got so
far 96 responses. So, I was very happy with that. >> Yes, it was very exciting. >> Um, >> yeah, and the results were actually really good, too. So, I had asked questions. Hold on, let me pull it up.
So, I just asked what programs they'd be interested in and they and I can send these results to you guys if you want to see them as well. Um, so we were just going through programs. One of the biggest ones that the people um really
would like to see is community events and then like fitness and wellness programs were the two highest in the '60s. >> Um, and then following it was like family events and arts and crafts programs. Great. Um, >> I will add so I don't think you've been
you have you left this morning before today's um today was the Earth Day event. >> Yeah, I just missed that. >> Yep. I saw Herin um just a little bit ago when I was coming in. She said it was very well attended, much busier than
she thought it was going to be. So, I think that people responding that they're looking for community events. I think that's that's very accurate based on the fact that today's event was held on a Wednesday afternoon of school vacation. So, um >> Right. >> Yeah. Awesome. Okay. Sorry to interrupt
you. >> No, I appreciate it. Um I asked if there's any programs the town has done that they would like to see back. Um, a lot of people talked about a bonfire, maybe some farmers market or movie
nights. Um, festivals, um, and then just some like other types of programs. Um, yoga on the beach, I know that was done one year. And, um, >> so that was kind of the gist on like
programs in the past. Then I had asked just any programs they have done like they have personally gone to that they would like to see the town do and it was kind of just like STEM programs, pickle ball was was a big one that kept coming
up. Um like a Lego summer camp, uh volleyball, swimming lessons which we do. Um, so yeah, that was kind of what they were talking about for that.
>> I'm just excited you got that many responses. You didn't post it until >> what, Tuesday or Wednesday last week. So, and I I didn't even respond to it. I I was waiting to >> um I figured I saw you I'd see you again soon that I could probably just tell you my thoughts. Um, so that's awesome that
you got those. >> Yeah. No, I was excited. I was like, "Oh, this is fabulous." So, I was really excited for the for the response. And like I said, I can send you guys the results. I don't have to there was like nine questions, but one of the questions I did ask too was um about volunteers.
If there's anybody interested in volunteering for different events, programs, things like that, and I got uh 10 yeses and then I had like 12 and then some nos. So, um I was excited for that as well. So, I took down the yeses with
their name and email address so that I have like a list that we could reach out to, but I know we don't really have any like policies yet for volunteers and how that works. So, I started looking into different forms and like things that we would need. Um,
so and then I talked to the beach director today as well, Jared, and I had mentioned he was talking about staffing. You know how sometimes it might be difficult having an adult always on and I had mentioned maybe that we could have
a volunteer do check-in and maybe they get a free pass for a day or something like that for helping out or I don't know. So I was just I didn't know what you guys were thoughts on volunteers or what have been done in the past if anything. >> So I'm one that doesn't think we should
ever say no to somebody who wants to volunteer in town. >> Volunteering is why I got here. Like I I signed I did a Corey deal and I started soccer for two age groups during COVID. >> Oh, awesome. >> And Karen said, "Hey." >> Then he just he joined on Colleen's been
around forever. >> Karen hooked you right in. >> Yeah. I wouldn't turn Yeah. I wouldn't turn away. I think I mean that was kind of the like I had a >> like when I did the soccer like I had a plan of what the activity was, what the guidelines for the plan like for the
sport were and did a Corey form and it was >> and to be honest with you I think um the commission would be at least to start with like as as you're trying to figure out how to utilize volunteers okay with you sort of coming up with some of the basic guidelines of how you think the
volunteers because you're going to be the one that's going to interact with them more than anybody else. Um I would say you probably want to check in um with Julie Bello just to double check when quaries are needed. Um because I know like for example when you volunteer at the school you have to have a Corey
on file and I know in the past when we've had youth programs here and all of our lifeguards are required to get quaried um they we've had our volunteers quaried but I'm not sure >> I I I'm not sure the ins and outs of it. So it may just be worthy of a check-in with Julie.
>> Last I knew cross over. Last I knew like between like >> recording for school, you know, it doesn't count for the town. >> No, everybody needs their own. >> You have to have it for each thing. >> So >> I can tell you the bonfire is a big topic of discussion. The 300th
anniversary >> committee. >> So there's um >> coming up in 2028. >> Yeah. So, this is also just there's a group of people working on >> like an anniversary celebration type thing. Um, that's separate from the parks commission and Chris has been the
the rep from the parks commission on that. So, I'm sure that he will um you know >> that's in the works. There's a bonfire in the works. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Awesome. That's great cuz there was a lot of response for that. >> I I'll try to fill you in on the the history of that when I see there is a
lot of history to it. It was a very well attended program. Um, you know, but as the the town facilities changed, then it sort of it went away and it's never been brought back because of safety concerns. So, but I can um I can give you some of
the history on that. Um, awesome. Is there anything that you can think of that you need from us? Um, >> um, so I just had a couple things. Let me just check. Um,
>> so for like policies and procedures and things like that, I started putting a thing together for program policies and then I put together like a contract vendor form, do you guys need to approve that before it gets like sent out or how does that part work, I guess?
>> So, I'm going to what I will say to you on that and you two can chime in if you don't agree. um is I would create whatever it is you're going to create. Um obviously let Chris Ruth look at it, although I think Chris Ruth will tell you to probably skip him and just send it over to town manager to make sure
that um it everything's covered there. As long as as long as town manager is good with it, I think that the commission um if if we need to vote on it, I think it's just going to be, yeah, this looks good to us because there's a lot of the legality pieces of it that you want to have covered that may not be
in our wheelhouse. >> Okay. Nope. Thank you for that direction. That's perfect. Um, and then for like >> I guess purchases, do is there a certain amount that has to
get approved for things or how does like the purchasing work? I guess >> so. When you're saying purchasing, give me give me an example of what you're um >> Go ahead. >> If I'm just going to run a program and I need to purchase supplies for it, is that just I can do that?
>> You have a budget. You don't have to even come to us. You just you have a budget and you can budget. You should have a the majority of it left because I'm not sure how much it was expended um before Angela um our last rec director left. So whatever is left in that budget
line um for programming you are free to use however you see fit to >> okay >> for programming. Um and you don't we don't need to approve um unless you think it's something that needs to be run by us. there's we don't have to approve programming whatever you want to
put together. Um if you need more than what's in your um what's in the revol in the um the programming line um that would most likely come from our revolving account. >> Okay. That's when usually there's a
discussion that usually gets had with Chris Ruth and um at least the chair of the commission and sometimes it will get brought like there's going to be a conversation um on the agenda tonight about um uh a dump tank for the vendor fair and you'll probably get an email
from me because to be honest I don't even know how to go about doing this and that money will not come from your um doesn't need to come from your programming line. It can come from the parks revolving account, but I don't know how to execute that. So, um >> like that will you'll just have to talk
to Chris cuz he'll be able to tell you how um how that gets expended and figured out. I don't even know how and we're literally going to vote I think we're going to vote to support it based on conversations from our last meeting. I don't even know how to go about executing a contract with the rental
company. So, I'm going to be actually instead of you looking to me for help, I'm going to be looking for you to help. um because I'm not sure how to to do all this and I don't want to screw it up. >> Okay. Yeah. No, just let me know whenever you want to meet and we can we can go over it. >> Okay. Awesome.
>> I was actually going to bring up rentals in a different aspect, but if for field rentals and everything, do I need to run those by you for new vendors and stuff or is that just get put into my wreck? And >> so new vendors or nor or like user
groups? >> Uh either or. So vendors know I mean if you're bringing somebody in for a vendor no if there's a user group coming in as long as they are um can get us their certificate of insurance and it meets
>> the thresholds um which if you look back at the the um COIs that you have now you should see where those thresholds are um you don't have to you don't have to come back to us because there's usually not time to come back to us but if you could
throw it in your updates like you if a group's reached out to you that we've never worked with before, it'd be nice if you could give us an update so we know that you know they're on board type situation. So, >> perfect. >> Yeah. Awesome. Awesome. Great.
>> Yeah. And then just one quick thing, uh, so programwise, I did talk to MA Sports and they're going to do a multisport summer program for us. I'm in the works with Kids Test Kitchen for a summer program and SNL Academy for a nature
program. Um, awesome. >> And then I personally have like three or four events that I'd like to run like one at the beach, like a pirate island adventure day. Um, a Squish Mill paint
paint party. Um, what else did I have? Did you get a hold of Best Soccer? >> Say best. >> Did you get a hold of Best Soccer? >> I have not gotten a hold of them yet, actually. They're on my email list. >> Okay. But it's not it's not like they
haven't responded to you. You just haven't reached out to them yet, >> right? >> Okay. If you reach out to them and you don't get a response, let me know and I'll send them a text and say, "Please respond to your emails." Um >> Yeah. No, they they are on it. So, >> great. Awesome. That sounds like an
awesome start. I am so appreciative of having you here. Um it's been it's been great even just the little bit that I've interacted with you. Um it's been great. So I appreciate all that you're doing um so far. >> I'm excited too. >> Awesome. Awesome. Very good. Well, thank
you. You do not have to stick around. You are welcome to >> I was say one question sportwise because it came up last year and it seemed a little contentious. Um, and I haven't seen any discussion from school committee side, but there was discussion at one point of like high
school sports teams and the AD looking at clinics or things of that nature. >> So, this might be another avenue to engage. I don't like >> potentially engage with high school teams. >> Yeah. >> From a volunteer standpoint or something
like that kind of I just in case it comes I haven't heard it come up and I know the AD is kind of it's a part-time position at the high school right now. So, >> I don't think that's high on the radar. >> Uh, but just something to have on your radar. Maybe >> remind me to give you the history of that when I I probably will stop it either tomorrow or Friday. Um, okay.
>> Remind me to give you the history on that. Um, there the we have all new athletic director over at the high school and she's wonderful. >> Yeah, I met her. >> Yeah. Oh, good. Good. So, I'm not sure if she has anything planned. Um, so, um, >> yeah, I don't I don't think it's on the right. I don't think it's on the right,
but it wouldn't surprise me if suddenly it came. That's kind of how it sort of last time. Kind of came up suddenly kind of deal and it was >> right. Okay. >> Yeah. Awesome. >> We don't want We don't want We We like >> We try not to do >> cooperation, not not
>> conflict, I guess. >> Oh, yeah. Try not to be each other's competition. >> Last time it kind of came up a little bit more conflicting and it never got off the ground anyway, but >> yeah. >> It just seemed kind of conflicting a little more than >> it should have been. >> It should have been. So, >> no, good to know. Thank you.
>> Great. Great. Thank you so much, Christa. >> Yeah, have a good >> You too. >> Thanks everyone. Thanks everyone. Thanks Christa. >> Bye. See you later. >> Journey. >> So that's the rep director update. She has been >> is great. It's awesome and she's had
some great ideas like >> I know my kids would have loved it. >> Yes. Oh my goodness. that she was talking about. Yeah. Test kitchen when um uh I the day that she had um started I was in her office just before maybe
8:30 8:45 and um Chris Ruth was there and it's the day that that email had come in from the resident about the flag um that we immediately took care of but we actually can't locate said flag. So, we think somebody might have seen it in such a state of disrepair and taken it
down between when that when the resident saw it and when >> the flag the flag was taken up. >> Yeah. He couldn't find it. Um so anyway, um he went out with Christa and gave her a tour of the properties. And when I talked to him um later in that afternoon, he was like, "She's already
talking about programming and ideas that she has." So, um very excited to have her on board. I hope that she's with us for a long time. So, it'll be great. All right. So, nothing else on that sprint because she just did that. All right. Skate park
update. I was hoping to have more. This is where we are we are at. And I know it's frustrating to the skate park people, but I have to remind them that this is just the process. So, the peer review came back. As I mentioned at the last meeting, there was nothing that stood out that was a concern. So instead
of having to have another meeting with us, we just I we talked to um Jen. The skate park folks also put together a document of what it would look like for their funding of their their their bonds and that was satisfactory to Chris Ruth,
myself and town manager. She was actually very impressed with what it said. She she was it she had a little bit more confidence in how this was going to work than she had prior. So, that was awesome that they got it in. It then went to town attorney, but it took
longer to get to him than I anticipated. Like, I gave the okay for it to go and then I think it just got lost in the shuffle of town manager budget type stuff. So, it didn't get over to him until one day last week and he was going on vacation. So, he's on vacation this
week. So as soon as he gets back, I would assume he we're on the list somewhere to execute for him to incorporate that document and that information into the right of entry agreement. So as soon as that right of entry agreement is back, then we can
have a meeting as a group vote on it and and there may have to be some back and forth again with um the skate park the same way had happened the last time. I'm hoping if there's any, it's not much, but that's so sort of where we are at on the skate park piece of it.
>> We need to meet briefly to not hold them up or whenever we I'm happy to >> do whatever 10 minutes. I mean, whatever it needs to be just so they >> Yeah. >> timing wise, that's what they need. >> Yes. >> All right. So, the next one was Marshall
Park T-ball field. Um, and the topic was discussion to wave user fees for T-ball participants and moving to no dogs in that field for spring season 2026. All right, things have changed since I put together this agenda. I spoke with um Matt Gilman u this afternoon. They had
originally um they were thinking they wanted to use that field because they had so many players sign up for T-ball this year. and Chris Ruth talked to the landscape company, got some numbers, talked to town manager, and they sort of came to the conclusion that the cost to
do this, knowing that the skate park is still moving forward, just didn't make sense. Um, so he we brought that information back to baseball and said, "But if you would like to clean it up, you're welcome to." And they came back and said, "Well, if we clean it up, can we get the fees waved?" And my, you
know, immediate instinct on that was absolutely like if you're going to do the work. So, but now I in talking with Matt today, it seems like they are going to try to get two fields over on the um over on School Street and cuz the he
said today that the T-ball field needs a lot more work than I think anybody anticipated. He would like to clean it up to use it for a um like a um during their parade they're doing some like mini tournament type thing of like with
the T-ball kids of like hitting the ball. They are going to try to clean it up to use it for that. >> Okay. But I don't know if we should skip this topic and just be like they're not going to use it or whether we should just be more proactive and be like yes if you
want to use it this season we're going to wave the fees for that and because with with my luck what will happen is next week we'll come and they'll say they can't get two fields in over at school street and now we have they want to go back to Marshall. Yeah, I don't think I mean we we don't stand anything
to lose by allowing that and waving a user fee for them to use it over there. And if they're going to if they're planning even to use it on the par like parade day for something, making it a no dogs piece for the moment I think makes sense anyway. >> So I don't know I don't know how we
would make it a no dogs thing for just >> this season then do it for the whole season. >> I would just do it for the season. So do do should we just >> which going to make sense which if and then subsequently the skate bar is going to go in there anyway like it's not going to be a good spot for a dog to be
there to begin. >> I agree. >> So do we want to make a motion that we will if the Lunberg youth baseball program decides that they would like to use um the T-ball field at Marshall Park
with them doing the um um >> maintenance >> the maintenance or getting it up. Yep. To get it up to standards for them to play um following the rules that have been put forward by um Chris Ruth um that we would wave the
>> user fee >> user fee per player for the T-ball age group only and um move that to no dogs. Move that field back to no dogs allowed. >> Yes. So move.
>> I'll second that. All in favor? I Okay. passes. Let me just >> Yeah, we're making the no dogs because we had previously said we could put dogs in that fenced in area all >> and I think people do use that fenced in area or
>> because in general our dog policy is dogs aren't on our >> correct fields but we made an exemption >> because nobody was using >> made exemption for the T-ball field. So that's why I'm kind of just making sure I'm on the getting my brain. Yeah, let me just
um be Okay. So, that's done. I will let um I'll let them know that we did that. Um and I will ask I don't think it I actually don't think it was ever updated on any page. So, I think we'll just have
to see if maybe Christa can put a laminated sign up at the at like on the gate or something that says, you know, >> no dogs. >> No dogs. >> Couple on the fence over there. park commission vote on today's date. So, they know that it's a it's been a change. Um, all right. The vendor fair
2026. Um, Josie Gilchrist and her folks are still doing tons of work on that. Um, and it the advertisement type stuff is is going to be forthcoming. So, I'll ask Christa to get some of that stuff out on the page. I did reach out to the
vendor for the dump tank. We had talked about this the last time. Um last year parks had parks and wreck had provided the dump tank and the um a petting zoo. Um and when I asked Josie which one if
we were to pick one which one she'd want us to bring back, she said the dog tank. So I reached out to the rental company and I got an actual quote. So, from 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, which is is more than enough time, through 700 p.m. on Sunday night, which would get us
through a rain date, the total cost would be $350 like 67. >> Um, yeah. So, but I have to find people to go >> put in my driveway. >> I know. Get a dunk like I thought it was going to be significantly more than that
for a few days. And that's and I had to ask her. So, the first quote I asked for like a few weeks ago, I guess it was set to expire. So, today when I clicked on it and it's like wanted me to fill out the form again. So, I just emailed her and I said, "Can I have that quote again?" So, um she sent it back to me
and yeah, it was $350. I was like, "Okay." >> So, so moved. Do we need to vote on that? >> Yes. Because I Yes. >> And that's coming out of a revolving >> Yes. So, I would I would phrase it a motion for um
for a dump tank rental for the vendor fair um >> and rain date. >> Yep. for the vendor fair May 30th and rain date May 31st um with funds coming from revolving accounts unless Chris Ruth sees
feels otherwise like it should come out of a >> should you did a great job of that Karen has no idea what that motion is >> see meeting >> yeah see meeting minutes
Okay. All in favor of that. I I for myself as well. So, I will I got to ask Chrisa how to do this. And I'm sure she's not going to know either. So, I don't understand why there's a single fair or event or festival anywhere that doesn't have a dunk tank. If that's I
guess cuz people don't want to be in it. >> Yeah. And the water looks a little crusty. >> Yeah. >> Say I stood outside it for quite some time. >> Yeah. quite some interesting things which is why I'm like >> it was a little greenish. >> Are we going to find people willing to
go in said dunk tank again? >> So >> yeah the same people come back. >> Well, one of them I'm pretty sure will not be back. Um but I will um I'll send some emails out and see if we can Do you remember what they did last year? Was it like half hour intervals, hour
intervals? I it seemed somewhat loose because it like just the people like someone it was it was a time frame but it was a little bit loose and a few bunch of people get into someone like jumped up and whatever had to >> and the kids just come by throw balls at it and call it a day.
>> Okay. All right. Well, so be it. Um Maryanne's not here for a town beach sign. She did send a whole email with a whole bunch of ideas that she had, but I think it's best for her to try to present that. She asked if there was a budget of like if she they wanted to do she wanted to do flowers and stuff like
that. Um I haven't sat with Chris yet. I don't see him until Monday. So I'll get some answers for her on that on that piece. Um so hopefully she'll have some at the next meeting. Um, I don't really have much of an update other than to say that anybody watching from home on
Tuesday the April 28th at 7 PM Adult Activity Center is going to budget and override meet and greet. So folks from various departments and boards will be there to answer questions on budgets and impacts and all that kind of
stuff. So if you have questions, that is the place to be. April 28th at 7 PM. >> Did either of you by chance have a chance to look at those really late set of minutes? >> I did before. >> You did? >> I did. Yeah. I I can't say that I
matched up the um the fees with what we had. I'm just assuming that >> they I do them and they looked they looked good to me. >> Motion to approve both. >> Yeah. >> March 4th and March 25th minutes. >> Okay. I'll second that.
Um, all right. All in favor? >> I I for myself as well. That passes. Colleen, do you have any open space stuff? Um, no. Uh, no. >> Okay. I don't think we have anything else. The only correspondence I think that we've
had is the one about the flag which was taken care of. Um, I'm assuming you guys haven't come up with any board comments um between the last uh 31 minutes. >> I have no nothing. Awesome. I >> remember that flag disappeared. I guess
I was actually I meant to write to say that I know that Monty Tech has >> uh they're they're a couple of the students at Monte were collecting the flags to >> Yeah. >> dispose of properly kind of. So, I was going to suggest that. >> Yeah. No, we had
>> Chris went down there. I had texted Chris when he was on his way there and said, "Do you want me to follow you over to take it to dispose of it properly? I would have brought it to the BFW." And he's like, "Nope, I I can take care of that." And then like 2 hours later, he calls. He goes, "Did you go down there and take it
down?" And I said, "No." He goes, "Well, then we can't find it, but there is that empty flag pole by the softball fields." And the email said the entrance to the Massav entrance. So, we weren't 100% sure that's exactly what they were talking about. So, we reached out to the
resident again. I think there was some other communications that happened with the resident's dad. Um, I think they located said pole. I just don't think the flag was there. And it was tattered enough that there could have been a um there could have been a resident in the area that saw it and was like, "No, this
should not be there." So, um, >> thank you to the resident who took care of it. Um, appreciate that if you are listening. So, yeah, that's the only correspondence that we've had. So, um, that was good. I will take a motion to adjurnn at 7:33. >> Motion to 7:33.
>> I'll second that. All in favor? We are adjourned. Thanks, folks. Shut this down.