TOWN OF SHARON

RAC Minutes

POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF M.G.L. CHAPTER 39 SECTION 23A AS AMENDED.

Recreation Advisory Committee

LOCATION OF MEETING: Sharon Community Center

DATE & TIME: March 28 2013 

Started: 7:12PM

Present:  Gary Bluestein   Chairman, Steve Lesco, Mitch Blaustein, Laura Salomons, Steven Ferrara, Amanda Deni Levasseur - Recreation Director, Christine Kasparian – Asst Recreation Director

1. January 2013 minutes: Motion to accept. Seconded and passed 4-0

2. February 2013 minutes: Motion to accept. Seconded and passed 3-0-1 Laura Salomons abstained
3. SYBSA: Cary Nevins – President and 3 others board members present to speak on behalf of the program.

· Attendance numbers are down over last year

o 10 total LL teams for the Spring program

· 1^st weekend in May is a parade for the both softball and baseball which will start at the high school

· There will also be a carnival that same weekend which will be a fund raiser for SYBSA

· Amanda asked if the registration for all 3 season is done at one time and if it is all one fee. Response was that all 3 seasons are 3 separate registrations and fees

· Fall Ball is played on 7 Saturdays starting with the last Saturday of August

· SYBSA does have their own web site

· Deborah Samson Safety Concerns:

o Replace post and rail fencing along roadway

o Install speed bumps by the town from last year as soon as possible

· Lighting issues on field B are complete

· Lighting issues on field A are in mid repair

· Ames Street

o Plans to install additional storage trailer and paint the older storage container – which will be located next to the current storage container near the HS student parking lot

· Concussion training not an issue at this time nor is CPR training

o Though it was mentioned that there are those that are trained in CPR and have medical backgrounds

· Discussion on the MS 90’ diamond

o SYBSA expressed concern that it is not useable at this time and may not be until 2014

o Mitch expressed that the field was part of the MS renovations and was to be put back to the state at which it was found before construction started.

o Laura to follow up on this issue with the school committee and will report back to Amanda

· Father’s Day Baseball Tournament

o Fri/Sat/Sun – Fathers Day weekend

o 9-10 year old tournament

o This will be an A and B level tournament with 4-6 teams in each level

4. Pop Warner: Cary Nevins -  President  and 3 other board members present
• 165 players plus cheerleaders participated  last year
• Numbers are down slightly this year
• Registration is ongoing at this time
• Flag Football  has been very successful with 30-40 kids participating
• Middle School football under the direction of the HS football coach has allowed kids that didn’t meet the Pop Warner  playing guidelines to now play and is having a positive impact at the HS program
• Football and Lacrosse are working together to build a new snack shack

i. Working with school superintendent

ii. Sewer and electrical hook up already in place

iii. Working with Southeast Regional Voc Tech to build shack

• Concussion program that all coaches must go through
4. Christine – Asst Recreation Director
• Working on new programming and listed many of them
• Interviewing Summer Staff
• New banner to be hung in center of town, (1^st time this has been done), to promote beach tag sales.

i. Banner will still be hung along fence at beach

• Summer brochure is being distributed
• Christine is teaching music/acting/singing lessons
• Redoing forms which will be available on line after April vacation
• Face Book is catching on and are up to 40 likes with over 400 people following
5. Amanda – Recreation Director
• Basketball

i. Season went very well

ii. Sent out a survey to all parents and so far have received over 100 responses back

iii. Found the survey very helpful 

• Memorial Beach:

i. Renovations are moving forward

ii. Men’s room is painted and women’s room to be painted

iii. Electrical bids are in and are to be awarded this night or Friday morning

1. Funds were found to cover this additional expense

iv. April 8^th selling of beach tags goes live online

v. Dooty Calls barrels not in place yet. Amanda has a couple of details to work out yet.

vi. Parking at the beach is open

vii. Boat Launch Area – HS students were parking in the lot which is not allowed causing issues for anyone trying to launch a boat. Police and school officials have addressed issue and the problem at this time is resolved.

7. Sacred Heart Reuse Committee – Mitch Blaustein:
• 5 bids received to raise building with town meeting allocating $250,000.00

i. Winning bid came in at 68,277.00. everyone was pleasantly surprised

• RFP will go out for the new all purpose field
7. Building Utilization Committee – Steve Lesco: 
• Need for HVAC training of the BAS for the rec center.
• Rubber Room  which is above the COA space has caused noise issues, currently being used by the custodian until needed for programming space

i. Sound proofing methods are too costly so alternative use for this room is needed.

• Blue Truck – Rec department now has keys to vehicle, a central key secure box is being installed.
• 1^st floor office behind Maura’s office that was schedule to be used for the assistant rec director is vacant at this time. Amanda stated at this time Christine is still new and in training, she would get back to the Committee on future plans .   It was suggested in the meantime that there be a desk placed in this room so that it can be used by the part time help as well as summer help.
8. Other Business:
• Amanda  to do list:

i.  Reach out to SHS AD to set a date to meet.

ii. Reach out to the town of Brewster with regards to their new ruling with dogs on the beach.

• Gary and Amanda meet with Soccer Association and stated that their meeting went very well

i. Soccer Association asked if Rec Advisory or Rec Department could or would set a holiday schedule that would prohibit games from being played in order to take pressure off of their association.  Rec Committee discussed that it would not set dates and that each sports group should handle it.

• Geese Control at lake:

i. Possible solution would be to remove grass from beach area. Further information is needed in order to proceed with this action

• Next meeting tentatively set for April 25^th at 7:00pm Rec Center

i. Meetings should be set for every 3^rd Thursday of each month if possible except for the summer months

• Motion made to adjourn. Motion seconded and passed unanimously

Submitted by Steven Ferrara acting clerk for this meeting.