The Raynham Channel

Park and Recreation 09/02/2025

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0:00 | 23:57

(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)

Recreation comes alive in our latest committee meeting where small-town governance meets the real work of maintaining community spaces. From the promising regrowth of the Bettencourt Field to handling unexpected fence damage from midnight joyriders, this gathering showcases the day-to-day efforts that keep our town's recreational areas safe and functional.

The meeting highlights significant progress with the after-school program, which has reached full capacity with plans to expand by 20% to meet growing community demand. Meanwhile, the rental property stands ready for new tenants, with several families expressing interest and a public lottery planned to ensure fair selection. The committee efficiently handled approvals for the Lions Club liquor license and cross-country course usage, demonstrating their commitment to supporting community events while balancing facility availability.

Beyond routine matters, the discovery of numerous open wells across town property raised important safety concerns, prompting immediate action to secure these hazards with proper steel coverings. Community partnerships shine through with an upcoming Eagle Scout project to enhance the gazebo area, and horse enthusiasts continue bringing life to the riding ring—a source of particular joy for committee members who enjoy watching the barrel races and equestrian activities. Looking ahead, fall programs are taking shape with group outings to Celtics and Bruins games, while the annual Trunk or Treat event is scheduled for October 23rd. With Triple E and West Nile virus levels at moderate risk, the committee reminds everyone enjoying outdoor activities to take proper precautions with bug spray and appropriate clothing. Join us in supporting these vital community spaces and programs that enhance our town's quality of life!

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Old Business: Vet Court Field Updates

Speaker 1

At 6.01pm. Did everyone get a chance to read the minutes of last meeting? No Motion to approve the minutes. All in favor, aye, so voted. Organizational representatives, town officials, community members we don't have any. Old business vet court field.

Speaker 2

Just to update the vet court field is coming along. The inside is along. The middle is really starting to fill in now. It's been a slow process process but it is coming along. The Giants actually used the far side of the field this weekend for one of their Mighty Mike teams. I said as long as you're not on the area to fix, you're fine, and the field will be officially open on of the 27th for the games. The first three or four games all on the road. So it gives the field a nice chance to get ready. But it is coming along nicely, nice and thick yeah, I went there over the weekend.

Speaker 1

I don't know how a seven, eight or nine row kids gonna even run in that.

Speaker 2

Yeah, it's so good, I know it has to be cut and all that.

Speaker 1

There is one gold mouth too that didn't look like it got any attention.

Speaker 2

The gold mouth towards the school board Towards the school board. I'll take a look at it. I didn't comment, but they did hit a bunch of different stuff like little areas.

Speaker 1

I'll do a double check on that one. It's just a brown patch right around the 30th, 20th, 30th. Okay, it just looked weird to me. Like everything else looked like they looked like they, you know, seeded and brought up to grade and you know it looks great. All the grass is growing really great. It's just a one-spot look for you.

Rental Property Discussion

Speaker 2

Yeah, kenny did a nice job out there and especially, you know, having that extra couple of zones put in the middle of the field is making a big difference to get the ash to the water. Yeah, the school was great. You know, I talked to the little keeper field shut down and we get through that first set of games and we're going home Very good, appreciate that.

Speaker 1

Next thing we have is the rental property.

Speaker 2

I've shown this house now to several different families. I actually have another showing tomorrow. I've reached out to the town to make sure we're good to go. I'm showing this house now to several different families. I actually have another showing tomorrow. I've reached out to the town to make sure we're good to go. I'm not getting any answers. I just think we've got to call in and get this thing done. The house is ready. Let's just get this going. I have three or four legitimate families that do have interest. I haven't heard back from Ted either. Regarding the dog issue, I think as long as they have the dogs inside with the guys that got harassed, I don't know how much we'll follow up with it, unless you guys have any. No, I don't disagree with that and yeah, no, families are excited. Actually, one family told me in July they loved it and told me they didn't want it. I met with them again last week. Now they want it back in the lottery.

Speaker 1

What do you mean?

Speaker 2

Yeah, the biggest issue where we are getting out of families, just so you know, is the smaller bit. Yeah, Just there would be no closets, but overall families can be working out and but. Yeah, sorry, but that's where we're going there, okay.

After School Program Status

Speaker 2

And we'll set up the lottery maybe for you know, you know, sometime later, on September or next meeting in October, so we can do it publicly. So there's no problems with that. Okay, Awesome. And before we ask for the program, I just want to let you know today was the first day we are full. We had some families do some last minute changes, Some spots already opened up. We better step through the first couple of days before we fill those spots. But we also are waiting on the state to come in and do measurements on the classroom. They're allowing us to do about 20% more increase in learning, which we do need because we are full and families are, especially in the morning.

Speaker 2

Mornings are ever since COVID has really flipped. They're looking for that care and so we'll turn that classroom the schools are allowing us to take into like a middle school area. I wanted the back gym, but they have so much stuff in there it just didn't work. So we'll have a classroom down the downstairs wing for us to use, so we already have a refrigerator in there. We'll have a classroom downstairs waiting for us to use, so we already have a refrigerator in there. We've got a microwave in, Just get the stuff to get it ready. So when Steve comes out and measures, we'll know where I'm at. We're estimating 26 more slots coming in.

New Business: Lions Club Liquor License

Speaker 1

Okay, awesome, Alrighty. On to new business, the Lions Club. They're looking for a liquor license.

Speaker 2

Yep. So we have two dates their annual golf tournament, which is Friday, October 3rd, and their senior Thanksgiving dinner, which is on November 23rd, Both till 4 o'clock. There is no real conflicts. Soccer does come in on Friday nights but they'll be gone by the time this starts and soccer is over the week before in November. So we have no conflicts. Recommend we just put a letter together, as we always do to the selectmen to get their one day letter motion.

Speaker 1

Second all in favor. Aye, so moved Hi. So I wanted to follow the field use permit applications.

Speaker 2

We do have one. The Bridgewater-Rainham High School cross-country team reached out over the weekend asking if they could use the cross-country course on Wednesday October 1st. I did speak today to both Rainham-New Saucer and to BP cross Cross Country to see if that would be an issue. Soccer does stop their practice at 5 o'clock on Wednesday nights. They're just going to ask their families to, you know, use more caution with the race going on that day, and BP just asked that the race could start at 4 so they could get a quick practice in. That's exactly what BR wants to use it for. So we have no issues right now with any conflicts.

Speaker 1

Motion approved. Second All in favor. Aye, so moved.

Speaker 2

Actually I do have one more thing. Oh sure, Just new business, literally. As you guys see, I took a picture this morning. We had somebody drive through the fence on the Arruda field and basically the way the tracks were, they were doing burnouts, you know, in the parking lot and they must have lost control and we went through the fence. It actually hit the other side fence and actually made it, so they didn't go through that as well.

Speaker 2

So I do have a fence company come out to give me an estimate today to fix that. We're not here that number. We are going to, caution, take that off because there is no real damage inside the field, some minor ones outside the lines that the soccer is going to be using. We can still use that field until we get it done. Unfortunately, I did speak to the police today about cameras. The cameras did not catch anything because it was facing the other direction, so we don't have any evidence of who did it. So right now in insurance, if you go through that, if it's $10,000 deductible, that's not really $10,000 worth of damage.

Speaker 1

So unfortunately we're going to take that out of our budget.

Speaker 2

Did they give you a vehicle description? They had nothing. The vehicle just came out and took off that night.

Speaker 1

Nobody knew about it until I reported it this morning. The police didn't offer a description of the vehicle, no, so they couldn't see the plate.

Speaker 2

No, they couldn't even see the camera.

Speaker 1

We're out of camera. We shouldn't say that.

Speaker 2

But overall I was hoping in the past when people hit things they would get the front license plate. They did pull some bolts off but unless they picked the license plate up they didn't take it off If they get broken lenses from the lights and stuff like that.

Speaker 1

the serial numbers inside the plastic lenses can give you a vehicle identification too.

Speaker 2

Did not notice that this morning. There's any broken parts. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it. Yeah, but they drove in over. It hit the side fence and the reason it's facing back out is because they had to drive back over the fence to get to get back out but how deep did they get?

Speaker 2

uh, the hook in there. It probably went to about, uh, it's like about a bed length. If it was a truck, yes, yeah, that's, it didn't get in any further. And then when they were backing up, they I'm not sure if they drove head first into the part that's parallel with the street, but you know, it could have been worse. The guys could still get in using the gate, because the gate was not hit, yeah, but Could have been as bad as somebody throwing a bike in a quarter party and then flipping it over. I've never heard of that one. It happened this weekend.

Speaker 1

Oh, At East Bencourt. Did it really Down that way? Yeah, oh jeez. They took all the protections off of the windows and everything. It's just a matter of time before they get to analyze again.

Speaker 2

All their speeches to their sound system are unprotected.

Speaker 1

Yep, just a matter of time before they get back.

Facilities Updates and Safety Concerns

Speaker 2

Oh, sorry, I know that. So, and just one more thing, with a permit I made a note here, I apologize Is the Merrill ECPO is looking to do like their fall festival. They wanted to do a date in October, but the Giants have games on Saturdays and Sundays and that never works because it's a pure park. I did give them a date for the end of September, which I have spoken to the Giants. That date does work. They're not sure if they want to do it yet, so I may get an email from you on September 20th being the date of the fall festival. Just to give you guys the answer.

Speaker 1

And that is it for new business. That's an annual festival?

Speaker 2

Yes, it is, and usually the Giants are on the road and ball ball doesn't come in until the afternoon. So they have like get set up around 7 in the morning and go until they get cleaned up and gone by noon, 1 o'clock. But with the Giants having the games in the morning, what about the first weekend of November? No-transcript.

Speaker 1

What about the first weekend of November? I just think three weeks is an awful short period of time to plan it and get it turned around, get the information pumped out to the parents in two weeks.

Speaker 2

I can mention that date to them, but they were hoping for October, of course. Yeah, I'll mention it to them and see what they say, because the Giants overall have basically the entire month of October locked up.

Speaker 1

You mean the first weekend?

Speaker 2

The day after Halloween was that first weekend.

Speaker 1

Yeah, are they off? Giants off by.

Speaker 2

I believe when I saw the schedule they are, I think they're on the road that day That're off by. I believe when I saw the schedule they are, I think they're on the road that day I'm not even talking about that should work. I'm talking about the PR Classic that one, because they do that game at yeah, at PR, at PR.

Speaker 1

Yeah, I think the Classic is the weekend before.

Speaker 2

Oh, is it three playoffs or something? Yeah, you know, I think they had what? Eight regular season games, if I remember correctly the last schedule. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think three at home, five at. I'm sorry, five at home, three on the road, but they're considered the home team this year. The classic game that was at.

Speaker 1

Right. Two, three, all right, six, seven, eight. Yeah, their last weekend was actually our food, and then they stuff. They don't. That's the, that's the million dollar question. Yes, all righty commissioners report.

Speaker 2

I'll just say that.

Speaker 1

I tickled pink when I drive down here on the weekends and see the horse ring being utilized. The last few times I've been down here I've taken the opportunity to sit and watch and enjoy what they do with those horses and their whole setup and program. I just think is fantastic. I know it's a lot of people from out of town, but I'm glad that we can provide them an area to conduct that type of activity, and I'm just it just tickles me to see them in there using it.

Speaker 2

I think the one thing that you know maybe I have a suggestion with that is we've got to figure out how to get a better water source right now we do have that spigot outside but it's really not big enough to help really spray down the oh, they have a.

Speaker 1

They bring a water tank. They bring a truck with a water tank on the back, with a PVC pipe with a bunch of holes drilled in it, and they drive that around.

Speaker 2

But yeah, I mean irrigation would be perfect, because right now they get it from somewhere, from Rainham Center Water District, but it does cost them a hundred or two hundred bucks to fill it up every time they go. So that's something you know. Maybe we can look at sometime later on this fall or spring, get something out there, because they did have an old fire hydrant out there. You cannot use that dangerous. Do not touch that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so, yeah, so that's where we are with that, but they're uh, you know, I've been talking a lot now with christine neil, who's there. I'm not sure if she's the president of vice president, yeah, yeah, but she does a wonderful job. Yeah, I, I think it's been. I think I love it.

Speaker 1

I sit there and watch them for an hour they do the barrel races. Yeah, those are awesome yeah, I love them, yeah, yeah they do a great job. Everybody's friendly, because I think the first time they walked up there they were down parked in the soft yes, soft grass I'm like talking to.

Speaker 1

I'm like, hey, this area was blocked off because it's wet. Luckily. We had a drought this year, yes, and it was dry. He said, yeah, I'm aware of that, but it's been dry and I checked it first. I'm like, yeah, but we knock it off for a reason you know. I had a discussion with him and he was fine. And then the next time I went down, it was very. This is where I'm looking for. The perimeter of the area was distinguishedly marked, so there couldn't be any.

Speaker 2

That's what we found on the side. Yes, and I give you know, ryan and the grounds crew all credit for that, because they're the ones that found it in there. We found one on the ground and at least one inside the woods. I don't think the camera's doing such a good job then. Yeah, the camera's not doing that. The cameras are doing such a good job, but yeah, we haven't marked it, especially now with the cooler nights, with the ground being a little wet, but and then they're really not back until I told, because community day and Also touch a truck is coming as well Over there, over here, but I don't even run Touch A Truck Not to go down low and run me out of there. So that's a nice event too. Yeah, no, that's my report.

Speaker 2

I just I love it. Did you know a girl did a music video using?

Speaker 1

that.

Speaker 2

The horse running a couple years ago. No, I didn't know that. I can't think of the girl's name. She's from Rainham and just ended up on YouTube and she was out there singing. You know, kind of make it look like the Florida Colony was the first thing, yeah, so I just can't remember her name.

Speaker 1

Anything to report. I just want to wish all the PAC and REC staff, you know.

Speaker 2

Best of luck with the new school year ahead.

Speaker 1

I know today is the first day and you guys are getting acclimated to new routine structure, but that's really all I have. Stephanie, you got anything. Bethany did a great job putting together this school program and our class closed on October 31st this year, which is Halloween, so just a reminder. We didn't end up getting anyone else, we had about six people this year, but it looked good out there, so it was a good season.

Speaker 2

You deserve a lot of credit too. You helped Bethany a lot last week. You know all the board you got to take with the boards and stuff like that, so I appreciate that. Thank you very much. With that being said, I also want to say, you know, compliment Heather, bethany and Sammy again for the summer and the staff. They did a wonderful job.

Speaker 2

It was a great, great summer, busy, good, tiring, but everything went very well. As you guys know, we fertilized all fields and complexes last week. I know that was. You know I appreciate all the leaves and everything was standing, but we made it through it. I know the Giants enjoyed their time over at RMS. I talked to Ryan a couple of times so they were happy and but the only place we did not do was RMS. And just in case you guys don't know, the reason we don't fertilize over there is because we're that close to the town's water source. So but overall, did we stop using the compost Compost? Yeah, yeah, it's been a few years. You know it actually goes back probably four-colder, because it's just a lack of help to get it down, because that takes multiple days to get it out there. But hopefully we get the more manpower back which we are. It seems like we're treading in that direction right now and I don't want to jinx anything, but hopefully we get going back from that. I don't want to let you guys know the current Triple E level, the West Nile level, is at moderate. So again a reminder to all the teens, parents, leagues, kids, just use bug spray, wear long sleeves. I know something came out in the news today somebody in Middlesex County was diagnosed with West Nile, so it is obvious. So please, everybody, be careful. We did have a small leak up at the Clark Softball Field. Well, we were catched by Jimmy from the Highway Department catching. He was out there cutting grass. We did turn it off and it was fixed today so that well is back up and good to go Awesome. It was also with Brandon Arruda today. We were walking the grounds because he's already started to clean up for fall. He wants to get everything leveled off and good to go.

Upcoming Events and Program Announcements

Speaker 2

One thing we are we do have some concerns about is the amount of open wells out there. You know years ago when the well all well holes were all over the place. Norm and I are working on getting those covered on both sides of the street. Some are manhole size covers Others, you actually need actual street plates to cover it. One actually has steps going down into the well, which is quite interesting. So we found at least eight over there. I think we counted nine or ten on this side of the road, so they're all. So if people are out there, we kind of, with the cutting we keep brushing on it to keep people from going into those areas until we get some plates down. We're looking at some companies to do it, because just the pure weight and liability issues to get these things covered and secured correctly. So that's the process we'll be doing over the next couple of weeks, months to get that solidified.

Speaker 2

So that was. I was caught off guard. How many were actually out there? Yeah, so if you're out there, just please be careful, especially where they kept all the barriers for the the tractor pulls Right. There is a big one. That's please be careful, especially where they kept all the barriers for the uh moment the tractor pulls right. There's a big one. That's the one with steps going right down.

Speaker 1

I think it was we distance think it's actually a barrier, but no, it's a wall or a set of stairs going down. So I'm curious are there any open ones on the fields being used by hostels and if so, what are they?

Speaker 2

doing. I have to look into that. I have to go, take a walk out there and ask reach out to them as well, because they get.

Speaker 1

I mean every piece of property that they lease is covered right now. Yeah, you know, with that, with the mums. So I wonder what they do, because there's got to be open wells in those fields too. I don't know if they've capped them, if they're even utilizing them.

Speaker 2

And the old covers they had were just pieces of concrete and we want to get steel plates on there and really secure them down. Yeah, it's a good box. Yeah, because right now some of the concrete ones were actually inside the wells when they were set up to stay. We'll take a look at that. Fall apart over time, right, yeah, so especially if they're cutting, if they go over them, they'll just knock those things. How about just filling? It's a possibility, but they want to try to get, you know, get some water flow going, to get the water moving around so there's no puddles much. I think that's there. The town's going over there. You know I was talking to Newark and stuff like that. Brandon has some ideas on how to displace the water as well. So we're going to be talking to him in the next couple weeks. But he says hi, I don't think that anyone is selling today. So the other thing is we have an Eagle Scout project taking place on the weekend of September 13th. We're going to come in and do some work around the gazebo, clean it up and also put some benches around the gazebo as well, inside the walls, prepare it, get people to sit, take pictures, things like that. So we're going to do a lot of things.

Speaker 2

Eagle Scouts have always been really good to us over the years. We've been very much a project, so we're glad to have them back again. I'm afraid you haven't let me back in yet. As I mentioned, after school before school is covered. If anybody's interested, just give Bethany a call. We'll get you on the wait list. Heather's finalizing programs for the fall, so we'll be coming out over the next week or two. We are doing a block of Celtics tickets. I'm waiting on hearing back from Celtics on which game we're going to have this year. We're also doing the Bruins this year too. So the Bruins game is set it's January 15th against the Seattle Kraken. Great hockey, yeah.

Speaker 1

The Kraken, you throw a squid out there on the ice. I have to bring a squid.

Speaker 2

Just so you know, I'm still waiting on the Octopus, octopus.

Speaker 1

Octopus is the red one.

Speaker 2

The red one. Oh okay, I don't understand why, but that's another story. Still waiting on the invoice for the Clark softball fence. I think it came out great. You know they do have to come back and put the fallables, but that's still on them. Tend to date for Trump or Treat is October 23rd. Is that a Thursday? Thursday night, you find Thursday is the best night to do it. We don't really want to do it back to back with Trunk or Treat one night, halloween the next.

Speaker 1

Kind of spread it out.

Speaker 2

Yeah, yeah. I wish all the students best of luck this upcoming school year and good luck to all the leagues as they start their fall seasons. And, tom, if you want me to extend an invitation to you guys around on Saturday, you'll send me a message. 830 over airport. I will be down as soon as I can.

Meeting Adjournment

Speaker 1

That is it for me, all ready, and then, um, I'll take a motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn Second. All in favor, aye.