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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-02-09-REC-min Town of Lexington Recreation Committee Sandra Shaw, Chairman Tel: (781) 862-0500 x262 Pamela Varrin, Vice Chairman Fax: (781) 863-2350 Frederick DeAngelis Donald A. Chisholm Richard L. Neumeier RECREATION COMMITTEE MINUTES February 9, 2000 Members Present: Sandra Shaw, Pam Varrin, Don Chisholm, Rick DeAngelis, Dick Neumeier Staff Present: Karen Simmons, Brian Gilbert, Matthew Casparius, Ronnie Russo AGENDA: 1. The meeting minutes of January 19, 2000 were approved. 2. Town Meeting Articles We are all set for the Capital Articles for Town Meeting. Karen needs to call Pam Varrin regarding the Old Res article. This article requests funds to build a ramp from the gate entrance and another from the bathhouse to the water. At the January meeting the idea of taking money out of the Enterprise Fund for Sutherland instead of the tax levy was discussed. Don Chisholm questioned whether the Recreation Committee still wanted to fund Sutherland through the Enterprise Fund. Dick Neumeier said we should look at the Selectmen’s recommendations and whether the Town can afford the $50,000 amount at this time. Rick DeAngelis feels that we need a stronger commitment on this project from the Board of Selectmen and that we cannot wait until 2003, which is what is currently proposed. The consensus was not to offer Sutherland as an Enterprise project. Karen met with the accountant and found that the auditors would like Recreation to have a depreciation account. Karen is going to look into this. The estimated cost to hire a firm to do this is $30,000. If we proceed, there would have to be a supplemental on a future budget. 3. Article #31 In October borings were done at Clarke and on February 2nd we received the Geo-technical Engineering Report on the Clarke Middle School Athletic Fields dated January 11, 2000. The reports recommend that McPhail Associates, Inc. be hired to do the work. Brian Gilbert feels that the scope of the work is larger than initially thought. Also, it could be a decent site for an 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE • LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420 2 inflow well like the one at Pine Meadows. A drainage blanket could be put on top of the peat to help when constructing the soccer fields. The Recreation Committee expressed its concern that the Permanent Building Committee is too busy and does not have the time for the Recreation Facility Improvement Article. Communication regarding this Article between the PBC and John Moynihan continues to be poor. The Recreation Committee discussed taking over the management of Article 31. The next step is to write up the request for proposal based on the geo-technical report and then provide recommendations and develop the specifications. It was questioned as to who would develop the RFP and who would walk through the system. If the Permanent Building Committee still oversees the project then they would draw up the RFP. If the project is turned back to Recreation we would have to hire a project manager, which would be a full time position since it would be more cost effective than piecing everything out. Don would be inclined to take the project in pieces. Karen and Brian want to meet and explore all the options before committing to anything. The Recreation Committee members are all in favor of overseeing the project and supervising the funds authorized to us under Article #31. Rick DeAngelis volunteered to be involved in finding someone to manage the project. We need to develop a strategic plan for how we plan to manage the project and explore our options. Rick will speak with Peter Kelley of the PBC about transferring the management of the project to Recreation. One of the things that Karen and Brian need to sit down and discuss is the strategic plan that the Recreation Committee would follow if it were to take over management of the project from the PBC. The following outline was suggested: 1. Hire a project manager. 2. Write specs for the project and the RFP. 3. Review of the PRF by the Recreation Committee. 4. Select designer or engineering firm. 5. Develop plans with specs. 6. Bid process. 7. Oversee the construction project. 4. Program space needs Pat Ruane, the Superintendent of Schools, has been very supportive in working with the Recreation Department for space. Since Cary Hall will not be available, our Theaterriffics program with Kidstock Creative Theater will be using rental space at the Follen Community Church during April vacation week. Recently Karen met with John Moynihan who wants to start charging Recreation overtime even if the custodians are on their regular tour of duty and not on overtime. It would essentially mean that custodians would be paid twice since they already are being paid to be at the school anyway. Karen sent an email to John Moynihan to express her disappointment with this idea and the negative impact it would have on services for customers. At this point in time, he has not responded back to her on this issue. 3 Cary Hall can no longer be used for programs beginning March 13, 2000. Asbestos was found in our basement storage area so we cannot go into that area to get our equipment. A contractor will have to clean everything and at this time we have been told that all clothing must be thrown away. Over the next two months we will have to replace some equipment that we can not get at for current programs. Once things are cleaned the equipment will be moved to the Town Hall storage basement. The NHL Hockey Rink is a dead issue, but Mike Keegan and Peter Marino of Lexington Youth Hockey still want to proceed with the project. The facility they are proposing would have an ice rink, but also an area that is community oriented. It would include programming areas for the Recreation Department to use. We need to develop a wish list of Recreation needs. Dan Busa and Mike Keegan met with Rick White before they approached Karen about the project and Karen met with Rick to discuss the feasibility. The proposed land would need to be re-zoned, but it is too late to go in front of Town Meeting this year. All the information should be turned over to an architect to determine costs. The Recreation Committee supports the project but there is some skepticism that the private committee would be able to raise $4 – 5 million, but at this point we have nothing to lose. 5. Skateboard/Inline park update Olga Guttag’s proposed skate park design has gone against some of Brian Gilbert’s recommendations for maintenance. Karen is still waiting for the requested copies of the insurance certificate and fundraising letters. 6. Pine Meadows irrigation project update The Pine Meadows irrigation project has gone out to bid. 15 copies were made and at least six of th those are out. The bids will be opened on February 17. We currently have $162,000 left in the account for the project. Bob Healy, an independent contractor who specializes in irrigation systems, was hired to write the specs for the project. 7. Recreation update The Recreation Department is still accepting applications for summer employment. Rainy day space at Bridge School has been approved for the Teddy Bear Picnic program. If Bridge agrees to host the program again in 2001, then we might not put the tent back up. 8. Parks update The Harrington plan depicts all the work outside the 100 ft. buffer. Brian has filed for determination. The hearing will be held February 29, 2000 at 8:00 p.m. All abutters will be sent notices of the hearing. Brian feels that if someone from the Recreation Committee would attend the hearing for support it would be harder for the Conservation Committee to say no to the project. Dick volunteered to go. Brian is hoping to be able to begin the project in March. The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m. 4 NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2000 7:30 P.M. ROOM 111