2006-06-01
City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board: Parks and Recreation Commission
Subcommittee:
Date: June 1, 2006 (7:00PM)
Place: Beverly Public Library
Board members present: Mark Casey, Bill Lowd, Jack O’Neil, Arthur Powell, Gary Lambert, Deborah
Ploszay
Board members absent: Patty Adams
Others present: Recreation Director Bruce Doig
Minutes from the May 11, 2006 meeting were reviewed and approved unanimously (6-0).
Correspondence:
None to report.
DIRECTOR’s REPORT:
Bruce distributed and discussed his report for this month. The following items were discussed –
JOSCELYN’S REPORT:
Bruce discussed several items reported by the Assistant to Director, Joscelyn Ruelle Kersker. A summary
of everything Joscelyn has been working on included
Additional Hiring – There are still about 7-8 summer positions available for park, camp, and lifeguards.
First Aid/CPR Training/Orientation for summer staff, Camp Licensing, CIT Interviews, Drug Screenings,
MRPA State Conference – Preparing 2 presentations, conference meetings
Joscelyn’s has also begun working on our Fall brochure.
RECENT EVENTS:
City Council Meetings – 5/25 – Discussed Dog Park Proposal w/ Legal Affairs Committee
Touch A Truck – 5/21 – Was another huge success. Bruce thanked the DPW, Cummings Center, Gail,
Joscelyn, and Paul Guanci for all of their help. In lieu of a cookout, it was decided that the commission
would buy sweatshirts for the DPW folks for their help over the past several years. Bruce will contact
Tracy in DPW for numbers and sizes.
Dix Park - Bruce discussed the heavy rains and damage to Dix Park caused by 3-4 feet of water.
COONEY FIELD:
New dugouts were still being installed. Work was delayed because of the heavy rains in May.
LYNCH PARK:
ROOF UPDATE: With all of the rain, not a drop came inside the carriage house.
VETERANS’ MEMORIALS at ODELL PARK/ADA COMPLIANCE:
DPW is planning to widen the walkway at Odell when they are installing curb cuts along Rantoul Street in a
few months.
BLL/HARRY BALL FIELD:
The new stands will be installed when DPW can put in the concrete pad. The exterior bathrooms will not
be built until next fall so everything will remain the same for this season. BLL is working with the building
inspector on the plans for these changes. More pavement and drainage was added around concession
stand and on roadway back to rear field press box. Charlie Benevento again donated the paving. Mark
said that he would write a thank you letter to Mr. Benevento for his generous donations.
BEVERLY YOUTH COLLABORATION:
There is still no word on the funding for the McPherson Center from the Massachusetts Supplemental
Budget The fundraising committee is still meeting to discuss strategies for raising the funds if the state
budget falls through or to supplement the $300, 000 if necessary.
Parks and Recreation Commission Minutes – June 1, 2006 (Continued)
VITALE SITE:
NEPCO has seeded the fields. Grass is growing. The plans for the concession stand are on hold pending
Conservation Commission decisions about property. ADA accessibility does not appear to be an issue with
the grading of the fields. Still no new word on the Conservation Commission’s decision to swap the Vitale
site for other city-owned properties.
FIELD COMMITTEE:
Bruce has talked with several people about moving forward with plans for a new artificial turf field in
Beverly. This group will probably begin meeting again in the fall.
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT UPDATES/ADA ISSUES:
ALL PARKS: Bruce reported that 270 yards of wood fiber today ($4500) still has not arrived. When this
is delivered to Lynch Park, the DPW folks will begin moving it to the necessary locations.
Dane Street Beach: Mike Bouchard of DPW is not sure when this project will be completed.
NOTE: It is unclear at this time when the staging area at Dane Street will be vacated and
repaired. Work on Lothrop Street will continue when weather permits.
Lynch Park: Still waiting for the hardware to repair slide. Should be delivered soon according to last call
to vendor this week.
DOG PARK PROPOSAL UPDATE:
Mark and Bruce met again with Legal Affairs Committee Tuesday night, 5/30. The committee placed the
communication on file and it will be forwarded to the full Council Monday night, 6/5.
A motion was made to dissolve the Dog Park Subcommittee created in 2004 since this group no longer
represented the work proposed by the Recreation Commission. This motion passed unanimously.
Enterprise Fund – Continues to look very good month for revenues this spring. Still waiting to receive
transfer from Community Development ($8000) and $6000 from Little League for concession stand.
City Budget – Budget hearing set up for Tuesday, 6/13. Meeting with Mayor Scanlon and John Dunn on
5/15 went well.
Gazebo @ Dane Street Beach – Chase Clements is still interested. He will get back to the commission
with status when he gets out of school, probably at our July meeting.
Miranda Gooding – Based on conversations with Councilor Gooding, the summer parks program will split
playground staff between Bartlett Gardens (M,W) and Gillis Park (T, F) this summer. Thursdays will be
special events at Lynch each week.
Dane Street Beach – Coca Cola and Ice Cream vendor. Bruce still working with new Purchasing
Director. This probably will not happen again this year.
Traffic Island Program –
Bruce reported that he met with Councilor at Large Tim Flaherty, Tina Cassidy and Nancy Ormiston to
discuss the island beautification program. It was decided that the Recreation Commission should create
an Island Beatification Committee. A motion was made and passed unanimously to create this committee.
Several people have already agreed to serve on this committee. Bruce will contact potential members
and get this committee running by this fall.
ADA ITEMS:
Bruce discussed the number of playground maintenance and ADA issues that still exist at many of the
parks. Bruce is compiling a list of all the issues to give to Mike Collins. It was discussed that we should
hire a contractor to do much of this work. Bruce will discuss this with Mike Bouchard and Mike Collins.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:00PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Bruce Doig
Beverly Recreation Department