Parks and Recreation 08/04/2026

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

The real work of a town parks and recreation department happens in the details, and we let you hear those details as we move through a full commission meeting. We start by reorganizing the commission leadership, then clean up the essentials: motions, seconds, abstentions, and the surprisingly tricky art of approving minutes correctly. It is local government up close, where process is the guardrail that keeps community decisions fair and trackable.

From there we shift into what most residents feel day to day: programs and facilities. We share a quick summer update, including how a rainstorm forced a fast pivot and how Phoenix Movie Theaters stepped in within 24 hours to keep kids’ programming on track. We also talk capital needs like a long-overdue tennis court renovation, plus the unglamorous problems that still demand attention, like a rental property overwhelmed by flies after brush and overgrowth work.

Fall planning brings the biggest tradeoffs. We cover child care staffing, site relicensing, playground wood chip replacement, and a scholarship renewal for a family seeking continued support. Then we work through a long slate of field use permits for soccer, cheerleading, and training programs, including conflicts, closures, parking pressure, field wear, and when it makes sense to charge fees. We close with a candid commissioner reaction to a $100,000 state funding announcement for a canoe ramp and why better communication with town leadership matters. If you care about youth sports, parks maintenance, municipal decision-making, or afterschool child care, this one connects the dots. Subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review with your take: what should a town prioritize first when everyone needs the same space?

Transcript

Reorganization And New Chair

SPEAKER_04 0:05

All right. First one we have on the agenda is reorganization of the commission. So that being said, I'd like to make a motion to vote at Emerton as our new chairman of the Archison Recreation Commission. Okay. Congratulations.

SPEAKER_02 0:28

Look at the excitement on his face.

SPEAKER_05 0:39

We're driving. Fantastic. Motion to approve minutes.

SPEAKER_04 0:46

I will second to approve the minutes for June 6th and July 7th. June 2nd, July 2nd. I have to recuse myself. Okay. I wasn't here.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

So actually, this is going to be kind of a backwards thing. Okay. So the June 2nd one, Chris O'Reilly can make a motion because Ed was not here for that one. So you guys can vote June 2nd. And then for the July one. He abstains. He can abstain and you guys can do that. So you have to do two different votes on this one.

SPEAKER_04 1:19

I make a motion to approve the June minutes. I will second that motion. Motion to approve July minutes. Aye.

SPEAKER_03 1:30

We haven't even voted on the June minutes. I'm sorry. Try again. Well, we made the motion. Our motion was seconded to approve the June minutes. Yep. Now we have to vote on it. I vote yes. Aye. Aye.

SPEAKER_04 1:49

Motion to approve the July 7th minutes. I will second that motion. You actually have to make it. Now spin my hand. I will make a motion to approve the July 7th meeting. You've got a second.

SPEAKER_05 2:09

Second, second, second. A lot of editing is going to happen. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 2:21

Should I text my wife now? Tell us going to be a long night.

SPEAKER_05 2:24

You can end it right now. It's perfectly fine. Okay. I make the most of it. Organizational representatives. Town officials, members. Yeah, standard. No? Old business.

Summer Program Update And Theater Save

SPEAKER_02 2:40

Just a couple things here, guys. I just want to give you a quick update on Summer. Summer has been extremely busy, very successful. Kids having a blast. Heather's done a wonderful job leading the team. I also want to do a special uh thank you to the Phoenix Movie Theaters, which is now at Gillette Stadium. Last week's rainstorm, they got us into a movie, canceled another movie, set something up for our program all within 24 hours. I guess they they got the place, put all new reclining seats in.

SPEAKER_03 3:13

My daughter rays of it. She says it's phenomenal. Tickets are 10 bucks to see the movie.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

The Foxboro Theater. Yeah, I remember that. They left in like November or December and they came in over the past couple of months and uh reopened it.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

Done a wonderful job.

SPEAKER_03 3:34

So greatly appreciative all the time. She said there's still like a luxe level, but she didn't she didn't go up there, so she wasn't quite sure how it worked. But she said the the regular theater is flow recline, heating seats, two bucks for a buck a box of junior mints or whatever, you know what I mean? So in the price, I think she paid ten dollars for the ticket for the movie or something. I think she went to see uh still ten dollars for a ticket, right? Two dollars of candy? Yeah. She said she got two tickets, uh a thing of popcorn, two pieces of candy, and two drinks for like 28 bucks.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Something pretty much. I haven't been that cheap since time. No.

SPEAKER_05 4:16

We went and saw it, the three of us went stuff. 100 bucks.

SPEAKER_03 4:25

Believe it.

SPEAKER_02 4:26

Go there and uh so but again, I just want to recognize that I'm greatly appreciated. They did that all in less than 24 hours for us last week's rainstorm. So good business. Yeah.

Tennis Court Quotes And November Article

SPEAKER_02 4:39

Uh also I just want to give you an update. Unfortunately, with uh everything I've been dealing with at the office, getting ready for the school year. I'm still working on getting quotes together for the tennis court. Uh we mentioned at the last meeting, Chris said one of my goals to redo that tennis court. That's on my my long-term agenda. This one. This one right out here. And get quotes and hopefully get an article in November so we can possibly do that next spring. Get that going. Because it needs it desperately. So yeah, so that's the goal, sir. Do business.

Rental House Fly Problem And Cleanup

SPEAKER_02 5:14

Alright, uh, the first thing is uh the rental property. Uh if you guys see that picture right there, the rental house outside has been inundated with flies. I've never seen so many flies in my life. That picture right there was from a bag that's less than 24 hours old. They were everywhere. Never seen anything like it. In all the time in New York. Not even close, but they came, I'm not sure if they were from that big pile of uh brush that's in the back or something a little farther out. But the highway came in, they cleared out a bunch of area for us, you know, like that big brush pile and some other overgrowth. It has reduced it, but I'm still working with Burgess to try to get rid of some of these pieces of things. So what's Burgess saying is the cost? They thought it was inside that big pile of brush, old decomposing like leaves and things over years and years that just got in there and something brought it in. So they weren't sure if there was a dead animal in there at one point, but the guys came in and cleared it out. This fall I have to, you know, reside and re-wow and put seed down, but it's much better when I've been in contact with the rent over the past few days.

SPEAKER_05 6:28

So it's also been cool and rainy.

SPEAKER_02 6:30

Yes, very true.

SPEAKER_05 6:32

These bags also help attract the flies.

SPEAKER_02 6:34

They do, they do, but she was trying to get them away from the house because literally they every every time they cooked, yeah, they just they kept coming to the house. It was incredible. I've never seen anything like it. Those can hold a couple of thousand flies at a time, and there were three or four bags out there. Those things are filling up south.

SPEAKER_05 6:54

And they smell. Yes. Those bags smell and feel for them.

SPEAKER_02 6:57

Yeah, so that's uh, you know, keeping an eye on that. I have board birds coming out again next week, and I'll be meeting with them at the time to see how things are going. But so far, so good, going in the right direction. Uh I hate guys. Oh, they're absolutely disgusting. Uh, the Bettonboard field.

Field Sideline Damage And Turf Options

SPEAKER_02 7:19

Uh the field is looking really good. We're uh getting ready for the season to start. Again, the big issue with them, with that field, I should say, is the sideline. You know, just get torn up every year no matter what we do. Uh we are looking at working with football, working with highway, you know, a couple different options. We're gonna get some working on a quilt to put the permanent carpet in that area, just see what the cost would be. If it is, the price is right, we'll work with football to make payment. Football, if nothing can be done, wants to put sod down. My opinion, it's like throwing uh, you know, put money out the bag. Yeah, you know, it's gonna be gone. Because everybody last year looked great when the season started in by the middle of uh October. It's not nobody's fault. It just wear it there in the that area. So yeah, so we're looking at maybe uh getting a carpet slash turf in that area if the price is right, but I'll keep you guys informed waiting on uh one more to come in and go from there. So I hope so.

SPEAKER_03 8:20

I mean I know we've talked about it for years.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

I know, I know. It's time to put this thing to bed because I'm tired of throwing money at it. Yeah. So all right, uh, I just want to give you an update on the child care program.

Child Care Staffing Licensing And Repairs

SPEAKER_02 8:36

Uh as you know at this time we are uh shorthanded, so I've been handling the child care issue at this time. Uh Sammy's been a massive help, and she deserves a ton of credit between paperwork, ordering the supplies, so when you're in the office and see boxes everywhere, that's all supplies for the child care for the two sites. Uh right now we're doing okay with pretty good staffing. Site coordinators are set. I could use a few more for the mornings, and I am working on getting that and do have the job posted. Uh, but you know, want to get that all squared away. And also I have to update or replace the wood chips at both sites. We're getting uh relicensed this year, so I have to have the both sites all taken care of. I'm working with UConn to come in to take a few inches off the top and put new playground holes down. That's getting delivered next week. The goal is to have Merrill done next week and then delivered the following week.

SPEAKER_04 9:36

So now are you hiring for the afternoons for the child care in the fall?

SPEAKER_02 9:40

We are. I don't need as many for the afternoon as I do the morning. Morning's a tougher one, but if anybody's interested, I haven't finished going through all the applications yet. But if they want to, send me an application, send me an email, and I will look at it. Okay. And uh we're also having uh child care painted and clean the week of uh 817 as we do over here, just to get it fresh and ready for the school here. We're ready and once again the wait list, please give a call. Alright.

Scholarship Renewal For Afterschool Care

SPEAKER_02 10:14

The next thing we have, guys, is we have a uh scholarship request for a family that's been coming to us for a few years now. Uh they're looking for a scholarship to cover the school year for the three afternoons. I did go over the paperwork, I have spoken to the family as I always have in the past. I do believe this family uh is worthy of a three afternoon scholarship. If you guys want to take a look and uh give me a thoughts, I'm sorry, Tim, did you say that they're currently on a scholarship? Yeah, currently on a scholarship from this past year, and they're looking to renew for this upcoming school year. Or make a motion to renew it.

SPEAKER_04 11:50

How was that that motion? Motion approved. You gotta say all. All, thank you.

unknown 11:58

Say all in paper? All in paper. I aw so bad. You'll get the end of it. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 12:03

Watch the video this week, you know, learn from your stage, move on. I like my mind to our other thing.

Approving Fall Permits And Field Fees

SPEAKER_02 12:14

Okay, so now we have uh field use permits. We have quite a few that came in. Uh the first one is for reigning new soccer. They're looking for their annual fall permit. Um this fall I'm gonna close Griffiths as I have in the past. So we're looking at BERP, multi-purpose, and a ruda. Uh looking for Monday through Friday and uh all day, Saturdays, and Sundays. Uh, the only conflict, and this happens every year, is the OA Hill Soccer League does use the 11v11 feel on Sunday mornings. ROIS understands that, so there really is no conflict. And we don't choose and no fee.

SPEAKER_03 12:56

Motion approve IOIS's permit for the fall, not the spring. I was like that motion. On there.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

Okay. All right, so the next one we have is for Rainheim Giants cheerleading. Uh I have spoken to them a few times. Uh they're looking at using fields one and two starting uh August 18th through November, I'm sorry, through September 10th. Uh Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, uh from 5.30 to 7.30. They originally put 5 to 7, but we do use the uh field 2 in the afternoons uh for the child care, so they agree to push it back to 5.30. Uh and no fee. And there's no giants do not use fields one and two.

SPEAKER_03 13:48

The permit application has them requesting the RMS fields.

SPEAKER_02 13:51

They did, and then they changed them down there the other to field one and two when I spoke to them. Okay. Yeah, so they would like to stick there. Stay there? Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 14:00

Motion to approve. Oh, send it to that motion.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

Uh the next one we have is also again from the Iranium Giants cheerleaders for their annual powder puff game on October 15th on the Beckon court field from 6 to 8. Uh they have worked with football. They have uh Giants have no issue with uh you know conflicts at night using the Beton court field. Uh last year we did not charge for the powder puff game. Motion approved? I was taking that motion.

SPEAKER_04 14:37

All right.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

The next one we have is for Fearless One Sports Academy. Uh we're looking at using either RMS or Reed Field for uh softball. Uh really don't have any uh conflicts on those nights uh over there at uh RMS, and that's where they normally practice. Uh no issues on my end. Uh Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, uh, and Sundays from 8 to 1. During the week would be 5 to 8. Obviously, when the sun goes down, they'll be finishing a lot earlier. But uh those are the normal nights, and we do charge uh $600 to use the field. Practice it over if they have soccer maker of five, five.

SPEAKER_03 15:56

Motion to approve at 600?

SPEAKER_04 15:58

I would say that motion. All in favor. All right.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

Uh the next one I have is for the Over the Hill Soccer League. Uh they're looking for their annual fall permit on Sunday mornings from 8 to 12, starting August 30th through November 15th. And it's going to be on the 11v11 field. I'm working with soccer right now on which field they're going to set up. I think it's going to be multi-purpose for 11v11 this fall. That's not official yet. But uh, no conflicts. And charged uh $600.

SPEAKER_05 16:43

Motion to approve. 600. I will say that motion. All in favor.

SPEAKER_02 16:51

Okay. Uh the next one is another Giants cheer for a particular, one of the particular teams, I should say. Uh who's the C team. They're looking to do a meet and greet next Thursday night from 6 to 7 for their chair team to get together, play some games together before the season starts. Uh they're asking for field five, baseball's over, football hasn't started yet, so we have no conflicts there. Just be an hour. I'll make the motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 17:30

I'm just curious why they want to use field five. They're gonna be permitted for one of the two.

SPEAKER_02 17:39

This is the C team, and I'm actually gonna get to that one next. Something else just came in less than an hour ago to me. So, and they're looking to use this team field five, but the other giants ones are using, I'm sorry, Gio's one and two. So I'm not sure why they sent two different ones in at the same time. The coaches are doing it separately.

SPEAKER_03 17:59

Sounds like, yeah. Have you talked to football about this? I mean, uh DSA.

SPEAKER_02 18:08

Not about the park, not about them practicing out. They're done, but they've done. Yeah, they're done. Uh Tanks actually the championship of the Monty, and then the season goes. Okay. Alright. It was supposed to be last night, but uh I was getting ready to go. Yeah, it was pretty nasty. Yeah.

Cheer Practice Locations Parking And Trucks

SPEAKER_02 18:24

Um I can move them off a five and have them go to three. You know, on the other side.

SPEAKER_03 18:47

Yeah, I mean that's you know, I'm just trying to reduce the amount of time that we're on those nice fields, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:55

Um I can have them. The other thing is I can put them in the Burke outfit. We don't have irrigation out there football, but actually next week is the uh jockscamp. Jocks will be like that. Shoot.

SPEAKER_03 19:10

I could move them to Yeah, jocks any, not I wouldn't permit anything down at that complex for jockscan.

SPEAKER_02 19:19

Yeah. So we could move them over to RMS inside the track. Is that or I mean even out here the gazebo area? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:42

It's not that uh is chair and football? They talk to each other or they do.

SPEAKER_02 19:47

Yeah, they're talking to each other now.

SPEAKER_03 19:50

That's what I'm just kind of curious as to why they would request that field Durmanjar's camp when in the past though, that's what some Chilees haven't practiced.

SPEAKER_02 19:59

We have approved them before on field five to working it out with football. So but they only practice outside until like around the 15th of September, with the sun going out, they move inside and go inside the gym. So they're not out there that very long. So it's a it's a quick permit for that.

SPEAKER_03 20:21

I I I I would I would make a motion to prove approve the permit, but but I would uh with the caveat that we make sure the football's on board with us because that's gonna I mean I know it gets busy down there during other times too, but typically about 110 to 120 kids. That's a lot of cars and a lot of people.

SPEAKER_02 20:46

I can just move them somewhere else if you got jocks. I wasn't even thinking about that. Good point, how it's packed on all three sides all around.

SPEAKER_03 20:53

I mean, unless they go over like on the liberty side. On that open field.

SPEAKER_02 21:00

Well, if they park on the lib side, they'd be fine, but they could also, if they parked on the metal side and just kept them up front, because they don't go on field three. But then that's also jam over there. I can just tell them they're gonna go over to uh RMS.

SPEAKER_05 21:16

The other thing, too, is how many of these girls or boys have siblings that are playing. Playing football. Yeah, that's like one of the reasons why they want to do it there, I would imagine.

SPEAKER_03 21:26

Because they want to keep the kids together. I mean, I can put them on, you know what I can just tell them?

SPEAKER_02 21:34

They can go into one or two. I'll put them on two. Because that'll still keep them a little bit farther away. Three? Yeah, and three and three's over on the other side. I can put them on three. And then they'll be fine. That's not a problem behind.

SPEAKER_03 21:49

And I'm having a brain cramp. Five is five is on is that the softball field?

SPEAKER_02 21:55

It is a softball field. Yeah. It's the one directly behind Batoncourt. So we have

SPEAKER_03 22:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:01

For some reason that was on my head was full in four is outfield.

SPEAKER_02 22:07

Yeah. Three is all the way over, you know, right at Merrill. One, two, four is uh the main field. Main field. Then five back there, and seven's over in the corner.

SPEAKER_05 22:19

Yeah. So they couldn't even be anywhere in here.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Because jocks is going to be in the Burke outfield. That's what they throw there. So there's plenty of distance in between. But they'll just tell them they have to park out on the delivery so I can keep my five.

SPEAKER_03 22:44

Yeah. Because that's not aligned for cars anymore, right?

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Oh, is that one in Merrill?

SPEAKER_03 22:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:51

Same down the wall.

SPEAKER_03 22:53

Are they aligning it?

SPEAKER_02 22:54

The one directly behind uh Merrill School?

SPEAKER_03 22:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:58

They're lining it for cars.

SPEAKER_02 22:59

Lining it for cars and also direction of driving. Because I complained quite a bit. Football has had some issues, you know, with uh, you know, during games and people parking everywhere. So they're putting some spots in with a directional, they're gonna pull in and they're gonna drive around this way and back out. Yeah. So that's actually uh they clean the parking lot today and they're gonna put lines down tomorrow. And the school's paying for that.

SPEAKER_03 23:35

Sure. Um I make a motion to approve the perimeter. And I'll just leave it up to you on where you want to. I have a second down. Oh, Katie. I'm just I just want to make sure football's on board with that. I I football much especially it's not a football thing, it's a jar scan. But I don't know how they interact with each other anymore.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

Ryan and Katie have done a good job of communicating with each other. Like they've been talking before they even come to watch to me, taking the permit. So it does take a step from like being the middleman to talk internet company saying this didn't work out for those who are. So which brings us to the next permit. This is well for the same team uh for the Randy Giants cheer. They're looking for field space during the season. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, from 4 30 to 6. You're asking for field five. I literally just got this about an hour ago. Once we get to the lights being turned on, we have the Burke field, obviously, Lfield. They're not practicing on Decknical if that's something that we have. It's gonna be tough. We are using one and two. I could slide them, you know, so they have more space, so they're not jam-packed over to RS, but then you have the point that you brought up that, you know, you know, Johnny's playing football might be the same complex.

SPEAKER_03 25:21

They can practice on the field right next to field three. The the grassy area right next to field three. It's a C team, right? Yes, C team. Yeah. So let's put them right over there. There's no need to be in the baseball and softball outfields for for practice if there's no need. I I I I don't know. I guess I'm at my wit's end with the whole thing, I'm gonna be honest with you. I mean, holy Moses. They just keep never mind.

SPEAKER_02 25:54

No, actually, that space between uh between Merrill and Field 3, there's plenty of room there. Football does not practice.

SPEAKER_03 26:00

Either that space or wait. Oh, in the packing lot, it's got a little bit of a hill over there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:08

Yeah, I don't get yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

That's what they used to practice years ago. I I don't I don't understand what happened to the area. Nothing. Nothing happened to that area. No, it's still there. It's just people don't want to use it, I guess. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

Yeah, I can give them either option to keep them off the field, so I have no problem with that. Whatever you guys decide. If you want them there, I'll put them there. You know, there's plenty of space, they can park right there.

SPEAKER_03 26:30

There's your Yeah, it's not a chair field, it's a baseball field, it's a softball field. Yeah. So I don't know. Maybe in the I don't know. Maybe it'll be in two something.

SPEAKER_04 26:45

I'm just trying to I'm trying to think about it. So it in my head, way it might.

SPEAKER_02 26:52

But again, once you get through the first few weeks, they go inside. They go to RMS, they go to Merrill, they're not outside long because they're timing. But anyway, you know, like field three, we use that for after school child care the no for the kids. I've already told football they're not getting that field this year because that's where we are. We need that and we don't need that pressuring us to get off for the kids that are paying for child care. So beside the field is fine. Or in that there's plenty, I never thought about that field first, to be honest with you. That little area up there. There's plenty of room. Yeah. I mean that's a big area of grass right there. Is on a hill, but they're off, they're not in the other road, and it's right there.

SPEAKER_03 27:39

And then you what you were saying, that grass area between the L field and field three and and the Merrill School.

SPEAKER_02 27:46

Yeah. Yeah. That's there as well. And football does not practice that.

SPEAKER_03 27:52

We need to also, uh, before the season gets going with football, a reminder sent to Ryan about driving the pickup trucks down there because they're too freaking lazy to carry the equipment from the sheds onto the fields. There's no there's no need to be filling your truck with that equipment. You have 120 kids of the program that can certainly carry it. And what I noticed last year is that there's been so much vehicular traffic through that area that it's killing the grass and it's no longer a grassy area. It's turning into an area that's going to be unusable. So we need to remind them to stay off that area.

SPEAKER_02 28:31

Yeah, when you guys approve that permit, that was put in the wording to Ryan, but I will remind him when I reach up. No, we haven't done that yet.

SPEAKER_03 28:57

No, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_04 29:07

So, uh motion to approve.

SPEAKER_03 29:14

He can he can second. Second. Alright. One abstain. You just want it moved. Because I can't. Yeah. Yeah, no, I just don't want it in one of the L fields. So if you guys are fine with it, the majority rules. But behind what are you talking about with a vehicle's driving in that area? Either that or if you have if you're in the parking lot and you're looking at field three with schools to your left. Yeah. Over to the right, where those donation boxes are, yeah, yeah. There's a grassy, small, grassy field that's got a little bit of a hill to it, but that's where the cheerleaders always used to. Well, I'm aging, I'm tired of aiming myself. They used to practice that. Years ago. And then it turned, then the mosquitoes came and drove everybody inside, and then once they went inside, they got comfortable to being inside, and now they don't want to come outside. So if they can afford to be inside, because I know they gotta pay the schools for the janites in order to use it, then that's that's whatever, that's fine.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

Actually, as a reining organization, unless it's outside the business hours, they don't charged. Like when it's if it's like let's say six o'clock, schools open, and the gym's available, reining organization, we get we don't pay and schools don't pay. But if it's like the rebels, for example, they may have to pay.

SPEAKER_03 30:42

Oh yeah. And having to pay the the jam at this. Oh, that's on the weekends they were.

SPEAKER_02 30:47

You know, but during the week, I don't believe they do.

SPEAKER_03 30:49

Really?

SPEAKER_02 30:49

Yeah, okay. So now that's between them, but they're a ranging organization, so I don't see why they can charge you all the buildings over.

SPEAKER_03 31:00

Well, my mind that they were charging at one point, but right.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

So we are approved, and do we have a particular field? I know we we have abstention. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_05 31:12

I I do like Chris's idea. I will I don't have to be.

SPEAKER_02 31:14

So the area between between Merrill and Field 3 fence. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 31:19

Cool. Keeps them separate.

SPEAKER_03 31:24

Alright.

SPEAKER_02 31:25

Okay. That's it for me.

SPEAKER_03 31:29

Or any other piece of grass that's not a ball field.

State Funding For A Canoe Ramp

SPEAKER_04 31:38

Commissioner's report. Um no, I just would like to extend my appreciation uh appreciation to Tim, Sammy, and Heather, and everyone at the um department uh for having a very successful summer program. I know summer is sticking by very fast. And you know, keep up the good work. We guys bugging along. You know, you're almost at the end of another season. So, you know, kudos to you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 32:10

Um I had uh mixed emotions when I was on social media the other day when I saw that uh uh State Representative Dennis Gallagher announced that he had secured funding for different projects in both towns of Bridgewater and Rainham. And he highlighted um, I believe it was $100,000 coming to the town of Rainham to improve on our parks and recreation programs to uh put in or redevelop the boat ramp down off of South Street East in East Ton at the Tarn Line. Um so but at the same time I get disappointed there that I had to read it on Facebook as opposed to being included in any type of conversation from our town leaders um when dealing with park and recreation issues, much like our uninvolvement or non-involvement with the attempt to try to build a public safety building on APR land. So that's my report. Just a little bit disappointed, but at the same time excited because that canoe ramp, I don't know if you guys were around when we had conversations about it, Riley. You must have been. You've been around for a bit. So remember that conversation we had about the refreshment development? So if you're heading uh towards East Taunton. Yeah. So Street West? East. East. So you get and you come down the hill and you're getting ready to go over that bridge into East Taunton. And there's a road on the right. Sandy Hill Road?

SPEAKER_04 34:01

You know, it's funny, it's some people say it's Sandy Hill, then I think it's Sandy Hill Street, then I think it's Sandy Hill, but I don't know if yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:08

So if you drive down Sandy Hill, if you look on the left-hand side, it's unless you look at a map and you can, you know, I have an idea. But I mean that land right there was owned by the town rain. There is a section of the river that peels off where you can put a canoe in it easily. Yeah. If it's approved upon, it's been many years. I thought it was talked about, but I didn't think it was like the we did we had talked about it at one point in time. I don't know if you were on the commission of it.

SPEAKER_04 34:35

I mean, I heard run once, but I don't remember talking about it. Yeah, so maybe it might have been before my time. But then we got then we got on to a dog pack. Yes. Oh, then I definitely wasn't around for that. I wasn't around for the dog pack. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:49

So quite a bit of time then. My report is uh uh a little bit of disappointment, but excited that we're uh the state's gonna give us $100,000 to put in a canoe ramp.

SPEAKER_02 35:02

That number threw me off. I was not expecting to set that number.

SPEAKER_03 35:05

For our residents to use. Alright, I'm done.

SPEAKER_05 35:17

That's me. I get nothing. Staff reports.

Staff Wins Fertilizing And Fall Events

SPEAKER_01 35:22

Um, I I do want to thank Tim on for all the health in office. It has been very, very busy. Um and somehow, I mean, like, really, he runs it. Like, we have eight hands as opposed to six. It's really unreal. Um it's just such a critical time right now that I thought that it shouldn't go unset. Um we are like full throttle, we're ahead of where we were last year, and between summer, all of the new families that we have coming in, the current families in the summer program, it is truly just unbelievable to watch what he does throughout the day. Um even at hit kind of the end of the day where the momentum stops, and we're just like, whoa, like the amount of filing and paperwork and closing for summer that we're doing, it's pretty insane. Um but he's managing it and all at the same time being patient and checking in with all of us at the same time. So um it's by no means been easy, but we're managing, and it um I don't know maybe he just took this whole summer by the horns in the school year coming up, and uh thank you for all the help because it's the momentum's picking up as the school year gets closer, and we're ahead of the game, we're ahead of where we were last year. Um, but it's been busy. It's it's nice, but it's been busy. So I'll try to report.

SPEAKER_02 36:49

Thank you, Sammy. Uh I'm gonna echo what Sammy said, but I'm gonna be thanking her and Heather. Sammy has stepped up way beyond everything she's had to do. She's done a wonderful job, especially putting up with me. You know, but doing a lot. Heather's doing, I haven't really dedicated as much time as I have in the past to helping out with summer, but Heather's taken that and done a really great job with everything. So the team has really stepped up, and I appreciate everything that Heather and Sammy have both done. We're we're lucky to have them right now with how busy we've been, you know, especially being down in the end. So, but thank you, Sammy, thank you, Heather. We deserve a lot of credit. Uh just a couple other things on my end. Uh fertilizing is tentatively scheduled for the week of uh August 24th. Uh we're looking at doing the Merrill Complex on the 24th with some other small areas, Borden on the 25th, and getting that taken care of for the annual fall, uh, late summer, early fall fertilizing. Uh summer concerts, summer concerts are done. Unfortunately, the weather was not our friend this year. Two out of our four concerts were held inside, which kills the attendance, but all good shows, every had a blast. We did try having a food truck here last week with what with the uh Forever Fab, unfortunately, it wasn't really used to being.

SPEAKER_04 38:20

They did the A Junior too.

SPEAKER_02 38:22

Yeah, they did a great job, they always do, but we only how many people will use them, so it's too bad. Doesn't hurt to try. Uh we're working on fall programming as well right now. Info will be coming out later on this month. And the tentative date for Trunk or Tree is October 22nd. And besides that, it's business as usual, and again, I want to thank uh Sandy, Heather, and the staff for really working hard this on. I know I'm tired. And that's it for me.

SPEAKER_04 38:54

All right.

Final Wrap Up And Adjourn

SPEAKER_04 38:57

Um, I'll make a motion to adjourn the meeting.