Parks and Recreation 10/07/2025

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

A pair of “are those cameras?” Ray-Bans sparks a bigger theme: how we steward shared spaces when tech, weather, and people don’t always play nice. From there, we get practical—celebrating a polished Beton Courtfield while tackling the recurring sideline damage with simple, durable solutions. We fix a hit fence at Aruda, rest and reseed Grippus for spring, and keep the focus on playable fields that stay safe when rain and foot traffic surge.

The long-awaited town rental finally gets awarded, with a clean process—credit checks, backup candidates, and a ready home that can welcome a tenant by November 1. Our childcare updates bring oversight and momentum together: a surprise state visit at the wrong site, an expansion plan to serve more families, and a slate of after-school programs including drama, Minecraft, Lego Engineering, and Mad Science. It’s the everyday work of trust—compliance, care, and enrichment that parents feel.

Community spirit shows up everywhere. Trunk-or-Treat lands on the 23rd, focused on younger kids and spiced up by the Dairymaid Jr. food truck, a nod to a beloved local memory. We give kudos to youth soccer’s board, coaches, and volunteers; celebrate growth at the horse paddock; and coordinate quick fixes when the ball wall gets tagged—paint donated, labor volunteered, recognition planned. TMLP installs a new light pole and a Field 3 scoreboard, making late practices safer and game nights brighter. We also address a tough truth: cars parking on the Babe Ruth field perimeter need to stop, because one bad example invites many.

As winter nears, we brainstorm a better slot for the holiday tree lighting to avoid conflicts and early darkness, confirm Santa’s Calling, and roll out group tickets for both, the Celtics and the Bruins. It’s a full arc of small decisions that add up to a stronger town: better fields, clearer rules, more joyful moments for families. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a quick review—what would you tweak for the holiday schedule?

Chapters

• 0:12 New gear and smart glasses talk
• 1:27 Field upgrades and maintenance issues
• 2:14 Rental property award and process
• 4:36 After-school care review and expansion
• 5:29 Trunk-or-Treat plans and food truck
• 6:40 Permits update and youth programs kudos
• 7:34 Horse ring progress and season wrap
• 8:22 Community events, vandalism fix, and facilities updates
• 10:44 Parking issues and winter program planning
• 12:25 Holiday event timing brainstorm
• 13:25 Celtics/Bruins ticket sales and wrap-up
• 14:06 Approving meeting minutes and close

Transcript

SPEAKER_02: 0:12

I just think about the new one.

SPEAKER_00: 0:14

I somehow lost the uh the old gamble. I don't know what happened to it. Maybe they left it here and it disappeared. So Sammy did a nice job and found this for us. Alright, Sammy.

SPEAKER_01: 0:28

I like it. Gamble's gone and we got the new gamble. Um Organization representatives, town officials, community members, I don't see anyone in the audience. Do you have a camera in these glasses? I do not.

SPEAKER_02: 0:41

Oh they look, like they look just like Ray Ban's the one that makes them. Are they really? Have you seen them? No. Oh. Ray-Band made these new glasses and you wear a wristband. And the wristband feels your hand movement, and you look at a screen in there, and that's your wrist. These are getting some raid gets. Yeah, there's no mouse, it's just the movement of your hand, and that moves the cursor and you screw.

unknown: 1:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_02: 1:10

Crazy. So look, when you see somebody with Ray bands on, thick black lens um frames, look to see if there's a camera in the corners. That's scary. FYI.

SPEAKER_01: 1:22

Okay. Um alright. Old business, old business, Beton Courtfield.

SPEAKER_00: 1:30

Yep, uh, I just want to let you know all the work on Beton Courtfield is done. Looks phenomenal. Yeah, they it looks great. Everything came out as great as we could have hoped. Uh I was walking it again today. The only issue again is the never-ending battle with a sideline, and something that, you know, I think work with the Giants, maybe do some type of turf or tarp like you did before, Chris, because it's starting to get torn out for it. Yeah, just to have it there, because unfortunately walking it this morning that was just torn up. Nobody's fault.

SPEAKER_02: 2:02

It's already it's already destroyed.

SPEAKER_00: 2:03

Yeah, it's it's starting in that direction.

SPEAKER_02: 2:05

Yeah, it's just a matter of time. Especially if it gets if it's gonna get wet.

SPEAKER_00: 2:09

Yes, and it's gonna pour tomorrow and some days over the weekend. All right. Uh the Aruda field, I just want to give you an update. We did have that fence fixed that was driven into. Looks good. Yeah, no, that was quick, easy, and uh glad it's taken care of. Uh, just also speaking of the soccer fields, uh, we did have the Grippus field uh aerated and overseated because that's the field that's resting this season, just to kind of give it a head start for the the spring getting ready for this the season. Alrighty. Alright. Uh well we're finally here, guys. The rental property. Time to award. Time to award. It only took us a little over a year.

SPEAKER_01: 2:51

We're speaking of the rental property?

SPEAKER_00: 2:52

Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 2:54

Alrighty. Let's get the let's get the.

SPEAKER_00: 2:56

So I'm just gonna see where we can find you. We'll pull the name out of here. We have three candidates, and uh, we'll just see what happens.

SPEAKER_02: 3:03

Okay, alrighty. We need some we need some income. We need some we could generate some revenue with that house.

SPEAKER_00: 3:14

And the winner is Michelle Boozan. So I will contact her and uh we will do a a credit check.

unknown: 3:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 3:25

Just to make sure. Awesome. And uh once that's good, we can get her in as early as uh November 1st because the house is ready.

SPEAKER_02: 3:32

Awesome. What if the credit check is bad?

SPEAKER_00: 3:34

If the credit check is bad, we will redraw. And we do a second one just as a backup.

SPEAKER_02: 3:39

Okay as well.

SPEAKER_00: 3:40

Yeah, so that's our top, that's number one.

SPEAKER_02: 3:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 3:43

And number two.

SPEAKER_02: 3:52

Yeah. David Lenin.

unknown: 3:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 3:54

Uh Keith Hastings will be the second family if it doesn't work out. Okay. All right. Okay. Keith Hastings. Oh yeah. So, and then we have our our third, if one two doesn't work. The last one we had was uh Tim Wilbur. Okay, okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 4:14

Oh beans.

SPEAKER_00: 4:15

So I will contact uh all the parties right now, let them know where we're at, and uh we'll go from there. We'll get that house rented, and I can avoid going there as much as I have been. I did have to put some oil in today just to make sure we get through the next few weeks before somebody gets in. Awesome. So looking forward to it. Yep. And uh finally, uh fore and after school care program. Uh so far, the year's going great. The state did show up back in September.

SPEAKER_01: 4:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_00: 4:47

We went through an entire review. Unfortunately, they went to the wrong school. They were supposed to go to Liberty. They came to Merrill. I went through everything with them, and then when they were looking at the board with all our signage, you know, for advice and things like that, she told me I had the wrong signs on. So I looked at her and I said, What do you mean? She goes, I'm at liberty. No, you're a no. And it was already the end of the day, she's like, I'll have to come back and do the other site. So waiting for her to come back anytime over the next week or two, she told me, uh, to measure that other room to get the expansion going and get those daycare families that need it back in. So, but so far, so good. Okay. Alright.

SPEAKER_01: 5:27

And that is it for the business. Trunk or treat, one of my favorite events that we do here.

SPEAKER_00: 5:34

Yep. Trunk or treat is uh gonna be on the 23rd of this month. Okay. Looking forward to uh I will be there.

SPEAKER_01: 5:42

Oh, I appreciate it, really. Thank you. Maybe drag my folks at home down to the last lunch.

SPEAKER_00: 5:47

Good, good. And uh, you know, it again we kind of focus on the pre-K through second grade area. Yeah. If siblings come along, that's not a problem. And uh this year the Dairymaid Jr. is gonna be coming for a food truck.

SPEAKER_01: 6:01

You know, I ran into um Jenny Lang and she was telling me about that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 6:04

Dairymaid Jr. It's the family that used to own the Dairymaid. Yeah. Back in the day, they the daughter opened up a food truck. Oh, yeah. And she's gonna come to the site and do a reduced menu and have some, you know, sell burgers and dogs, whatever she's gonna do for a couple hours while the event's going on. If you can't just want to have dinner while they're there.

SPEAKER_01: 6:21

Yeah. So you know, that that was one staple I wish I was old enough to appreciate, because everyone I know used to talk about how much they enjoyed working there and how it was just a Iranian place everyone would go to back in the day. Yeah, it was good.

SPEAKER_00: 6:34

It was good. So and so that's what's going on there. And uh besides that, believe it or not, no fall permits came and I was gonna keep that on the agenda in case they do come to the last minute. So that is it for new business, guys.

SPEAKER_01: 6:49

Alrighty. Mr. Sharl, you get that? No. Um I got one thing. I attended the uh youth soccer opening day along with Tim. And I just want to give kudos to uh Josh Tato and all his board members and all the volunteers and coaches that make that program successful. It uh was quite busy that morning, I think. How many coaches would you say there's total? Because I'll be honest, it was larger than I originally anticipated.

SPEAKER_00: 7:18

It was spread out so much, it's hard to give a number, but I say there was at least 30 plus coaches there.

SPEAKER_01: 7:22

But um, you know, they did a great job of it, and just kudos to all those you know volunteers that you know make that happen. You know, it's a good program for our kids here. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 7:31

Yep, that was very it was a nice event. No, it was nice to be there.

SPEAKER_02: 7:34

I I guess I will add my uh observation, well, just and I I think I mentioned it before, but um the paddock, the horse ring, the paddock in that whole area. Um last week, the week, the week before?

SPEAKER_00: 7:51

Probably the last time they were there. Three weeks ago, I think. Yeah, three weeks ago last time we did.

SPEAKER_02: 7:56

Down here, and it was awesome. And I just loved I just love seeing it.

SPEAKER_00: 8:00

They only have really one more event for the season and then they're done. I was gonna say, are they finished? Yeah, it's the last weekend in October is their last show. They had to take some weeks off because we're gonna be able to do it.

SPEAKER_02: 8:09

Yeah, I just I I'm beside myself. I think it's great that they're really interested.

SPEAKER_00: 8:15

So yeah, it is a they do a nice job. The group is growing, from what I understand. That's good. Yeah. I'm happy to hear that. Sam, do you got anything?

SPEAKER_03: 8:25

Um, just that community day was a great day. We looked out with the weather again this year. It was beautiful. Um it was unrails. It was really good, and the field turned out fine because the sun was beating down those two days. Um, Tetra Truck was also great. That was back the weekend before. Um, and our community garden closes on October 31st. So anybody who has to have it cleaned by then so the highway can shut it down.

SPEAKER_01: 8:54

Shut her down. Yep. We did it on the way, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_00: 8:57

And just a few things for me. Uh I want to thank uh Mike Diantono, I hope I said that name right, and the Boy Scouts for their work on the gazebo. Uh when they were out there a few weeks ago, they put a cleaned up all the mulch, put fresh mulch down, weeded all the area, and they also put two benches in as well, so they're in the ground, concreted in so nobody can walk off of them. Nice. And so they nice job. It's a great Eagle Scout project you did. The Eagle Scouts have done some really nice things for nice. I haven't I was there that day, but I haven't looked at it since they finished the side. Yeah, so it became really nice. I just want to remind you guys that Fall Town meeting is scheduled for November 17th. Uh we don't have anything on the agenda. It's gonna be kind of a quick one this year for Sounds like they're doing time getting that quorum. Yeah. Uh I don't know if you've been out there, Chris, but I have walked uh Rainham State Forest a couple weeks ago just to see how everything's going. You know, just the trails just need to be cleaned up a little bit, no hang trees. So obviously the state comes out in the the springtime after the winter, so I'll make sure I stay on the keep that clean, but no whale makers leaning over.

SPEAKER_02: 10:03

Yeah, we don't have a uh uh we don't have a present commissioner that enjoys spending a lot of that time in. Yeah. Mr. Brown. Yeah, I want to make sure. I haven't heard any report from Mr. Brow that anything's wrong, so that's a good thing.

SPEAKER_00: 10:14

Yeah, yeah. So it's but it's a nice little walk.

SPEAKER_01: 10:16

Yeah. It really is. It's been quite a few years since they've been out there. Yeah. So we'll have to.

unknown: 10:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 10:21

Uh we did have some vandalism on the ball wall that Jay Messler donated to the town. Oh no, really? So, you know, the school let us know because it was on there, just kids writing on the wall. Jay had some leftover paint, so he donated to the town, and Mark Carterpain's uh volunteering his time is gonna be painting the wall on Friday, those areas to clean them up to get that taken care of. So thanks both of them.

SPEAKER_01: 10:42

Is there any way we could maybe do a post online recognizing, you know, that volunteer efforts? Yeah, you can do something like that. We'd get it on Facebook, there's no problem.

SPEAKER_00: 10:49

Yep. Uh TMLP put up a new light pole by field three. Uh kind of a Giants baseball combination so they could get more light for practice at night, and also put a scoreboard on field three. So TMLP came in, that's all set to go.

SPEAKER_02: 11:04

Really? Yes. I guess one message I'd like to convey to the Giants. I saw a half a dozen vehicles parked on the perimeter of that of uh the Babe Ruth field. Yes. That's something I want to talk about. Yeah, they need to they can't be lazy. They need to not be lazy. Yes. Yeah, there's no need for them to be out there. Yeah, absolutely. I'll be right back. It just it just you know it's bad because it it it sends the wrong message to other people who might want to drive out there, and it's just it's not a good look. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00: 11:40

Uh I mentioned uh after school care program. We also have after school programs going away going around with Heather right now. We have drama kids, Minecraft, Lego Engineering, and Mad Science. Uh we are going to be doing uh Sandis calling again this year, as we have in the past few years, a great event. We are looking at we've been brainstorming the office how we can kind of change up the Christmas tree lake. Because on that day we're competing with the town going around, driving around with Santa Claus, and also taunting lights on. So we're considering maybe doing like an earlier Friday evening thing. Just trying to think of something how we can kind of freshen it up. The problem is it's so dark out daily, you really we don't have a lot of options.

SPEAKER_01: 12:24

But we're well like a Sunday evening.

SPEAKER_00: 12:27

But even Sunday would be tough because once it gets to like dark out at that point, you know, really we go from 3 to 4.30. By the time you get to 4.30, it's pitch black out there. So it's something we're gonna try to put a few things together to kind of change up something. But we'll we'll work on it. We'll be close to the holiday. So right now we're doing we have it set for the seventh. Oh the sixth, excuse me.

SPEAKER_01: 12:51

So we didn't make it the 13th?

SPEAKER_00: 12:54

Possibly.

SPEAKER_01: 12:56

You know it's scheduled for the seventh?

SPEAKER_00: 12:58

Yeah, the first uh Sunday of uh sort of first Saturday, I think that's the sixth.

SPEAKER_02: 13:02

6th, yes, yes. So like maybe the the 20th? The weekend right right before.

SPEAKER_00: 13:10

We can look it up.

SPEAKER_02: 13:12

If if it if we're not doing if there's no other big events around.

SPEAKER_00: 13:17

Mm-hmm. Okay. We get some time to think about that. So just before you know it's gonna be here, God help us all. And uh finally, uh, I just want to remind you we do have a group of Celtics tickets available that we're selling this year for a game against the 76s in early March, excuse me. And we're selling uh a few tickets as well for the Bruins. And it turns out the game we selected is the night they're gonna be retiring Zade O'Char's number, which is July, uh January 15th, excuse me, against the Kraken that night. So yeah. Interested. Yeah, so love hockey. They start tomorrow night, actually. Oh nice. So and that is it for me.

SPEAKER_01: 14:01

Alrighty. Waiting for a motion, sir.

unknown: 14:06

Motion? I'm sorry to interrupt you. Did you guys vote in the minutes at the beginning of the meeting? Did I miss that? No, we did not.

SPEAKER_03: 14:13

Are we keep coming to the end of the day?

SPEAKER_02: 14:15

We can do that. We can we can do that. Yeah, make a motion to accept the meeting minutes of September's meeting? I will second that.

SPEAKER_01: 14:29

Um I'll favor. I I mean, wait for one more motion. Motion to I will second that.