Town of Pittsfield Draft
Parks and Recreation
July 13, 2009

Members in attendance: Kathy Boudreau, Nick Abell, Lynda Vogt, and Maryellen Plante.

The minutes from the May meeting were approved as with corrections. There was no June meeting. Jesse was unable to attend the meeting, so no treasurer’s report was given.

Gazebo, Lighting, and dredging: Nick Abell’s suggestion is to put an ad in the Suncook Sun to ask for help and suggestions from local contractors to determine what needs to be done at the gazebo in Dustin Park. It was decided that an ad would be put in the paper to be run for two weeks(7/22 and 7/29) to ask for input on August 5, 2009 at 7:00. Nick will take care of getting said ad in the paper. Nick also reported that he had been in touch with Laurie Sommers from DES about the suggested dredging of the water at the recreation area. An inspector will come out to classify the area. He said hopefully that the paperwork will get started this week. Minni told the board that she has stopped allowing diving and flips from the diving board because she feels the water is not deep enough for those activities. The measurement came in between 7 ½ feet to 8 ½ feet and it should be at least 9 feet. Discussion was then held about the flood light and the electrical box which is outside the gate at the recreation area. The committee decided that those will be taken out as they serve no purpose at this time.

Recreation Area: Minni reported that because of the weather, we had gotten off to a slow start. The first session of swimming lessons has ended and the second evening session started tonight. Enrollment for swimming lessons is down. Epsom Better Buddies were taught during the first session. She reported that new buoy ropes have been put out and that she has not heard from the girl scouts about replanting the barrels.

The committee went into non-public session to discuss a complaint about one of the workers at the recreation area. Minni will address the problem with the employee. She stated that she had discussed some issues with this same employee on different occasions and she feels that the issue can be resolved. She also reported that because she will be away on July 18, there would not be a float in this year’s Old Home Day parade. Everything else at the recreation area seems to be going smoothly. She reported that DES was suppose to test the water on June 26 and she had not heard anything so the water test must have been fine. Nick suggested that we look into getting WIFI for 3 months next summer. The committee agreed that this is something to look into.

Minni had been approached by a member of Rotary to see if we were considering any projects which they might be able to help us with. Some possible suggestions for improvements would be to update the playground area and adding wood chips under the equipment and making sure that the doorway platform to the pool house is in reality handicap accessible. We also need to consider getting a load of new sand for the beach area.

Harvest Fest: Harvest Fest will be held at Dustin Park on October 17, 2009. We had decided last year that it ran a little long, so Kathy will check the times from last year and get back to the committee. We will again have the hay ride, pumpkin carving, apples, pie eating, face painting, and we will try to contact the balloon man. Minni will contact a children’s performer and Tim Riel about the hay ride. Kathy will take care of getting pumpkins and talking to Zach or Paula at PYW about using the tables and bathrooms on that day. It was determined that we would need less apples and more pumpkins this year.

The committee again went into non-public session to discuss an issue with the ski program from last winter. Nick suggested that Kathy contact Gunstock to check on the issue and to then discuss it with the Town Administrator.

Kathy brought up a possible Kinder Music program to be held at the recreation area during regular business hours. It was decided that Kathy will contact Kim LaChance and tell her that she would be able to use space at the area and tell her to see what she can do to make the program happen.

The committee decided to meet at 6:30 on September 14 at the Town Hall to try to organize the Parks and Recreation materials stored on the second floor of the Town Hall.

The next meeting will be held on August 10, 2009 at the FB Argue Recreation Area at 7:00.

Respectfully submitted,

Maryellen Plante