go around go around the room here I'm here here friend here here here and nobody else here Michael I'm online thanks Eric you're welcome here Kate's here thank you Kate and I think that is it if anybody else comes in late we'll make the Mark um so first order business is uh approval of last month's meeting minutes does anybody have any I know uh Jim out beforehand so thank you for that this late I didn't realize I was doing them go around I forgot sorry that I scared you anybody have any I wasn't here but I love the depth at which these were written so maybe uh just kidding just kidding a lot of typos in I hope okay I'll make a mo to accept minutes of the meeting Peter seconds and we'll go around roll call I'll start to my right again uh yes yes yes I don't get I don't get to what would you have said now I'm yes all right Michael Yes Kate yes all right unanimous approval of the minutes is someone taking minutes now what's that is someone nobody seems to be writing it's recorded So you'll okay go back and you he that way right okay uh it is first order of business is public comment um so see we have some folks from the public here so uh I'll open up the floor just identify yourself and then the floor is yours hi i Manning I live at Riverside Drive and I'm also an rppa board member um I just wanted to thank you all for having pickle ball on your agenda today to talk about possibilities at Simon's way um as you know the courts at Memorial Park are still nice and and rppa has raised about $120,000 so far towards courts and we have pledges upward of $30,000 pending choosing a site um and we expect that we once we have a site would be able to raise more money um I'm hoping that your discussion today can help provide some guidance to us on next steps sort of what does a timeline look like you know certainly we're looking for pickle ball course as soon as we can have them recognizing there's other stuff going on Simon's way as well um but we are looking for some guidance from you all as far as you know timeline and what are good next steps for us to help move that forward and you know I think there's General agreement in town that Simon's way is the place for courts so you know hopefully that can be solidified soon all right thank you thank you anybody else okay hearing none public comment um we have a temporary lighting request the floor is yours Mr Commodores thank you guys thank youor representing reading United Soccer around here want first thank you all for your support of us this past season worked out great have those lights down there um I think as far as the season concerns Springtime there's no feedback neighbors think we mod a lot of stuff TR want to request uh the same permit for The Fall season for the similar reasons that we'll have the uh Fields during the week midweek and with sunset being more of a channel to the fall we have the beginning of the Season 719 Sunset right through mid October at six o'clock end of season uh 539 uh season runs through November 9th and we' have all age groups playing on coolage including primarily and sixth graders we'll pick up the full charges for it and we'll work the same way we did this past spring um with the solar power lights just want to request the extension or New Rather for the fall great thank you p uh just quick question for for you Jim did we did we hear anything from from a Butters sent out letters to Butters two weeks ago I got no emails no phone calls no responses and no no complaints during the Spring correct no complaint and it definitely takes a little bit weight off my shoulders get kids out there more and opens up more fi space for other group users as well so I would highly recommend this open for discussion here I have a question you were able to get the solar were oh that's awesome yeah that's good news I remember you looking into it last time and didn't know but made it happen last minute with a couple guys our group really buckled out perfect now we know if we if we get the Perman request for Grant in the fall we'll book right from now just that's great and there was no calls ever of Lights being left on it does happen at Birch Meadows at the softball field and I don't think we got one phone call about the spring with the coolage lights on so I think they have an automatic timer that will shut them off regardless at 10 o'clock so that worked out great yeah nice any else questions comments move to approve the temporary light requests for reading soccer for the fall of 24 perfect okay did Angela second that or did pass Angela I'll make the call Angela um any further discussion seeing none we'll go around the room yes in favor yes yes Ang yes uh I just just at you yes H Kate yes and Michael yes great unanimous and you and me yes absolutely I definitely approve of this so thank you very much thank you for the big team big team this guy here especially kept this thing together seen a lot of people put it together but uh it it did support thank you a quarterback yeah the quarterback all right um next item is signage at bankra uh bankra AV Community Tennis Club thank you a quick update the signage at bankra has become somewhat old and it's starting to wear even just the basic rules and stuff um and then also I think we need to get a sign there that's for tennis use only as well too um nothing is pickle ball there are some pickle ball folks that are coming in there right now as well but there's also kids who are playing street hockey bikes on there roller blading as well too so we just want to make sure that the signage is proper there um there was also a request from one of the neighbors to get um a w finding sign for the new bathrooms um so I'd like to get a signage that has where the bathroom facilities are located with an arrow pushing that way talking about the um the hours as well and the seasonal time when they open up typically it's mid April and I think they're going to be closing early November or October depending on when facility decides that they think it's going to be cold and they need to Rin out the water so nothing freezes in there um as well um we also need some signage for the new batting cage that's over at Simon way it's going to replicate what we have currently over at Birch Meadow um just talking about the rules and priorities such as the high schools have games they get priority to it if they show up and there's kids here the high school does get to use that um if the public is there uh also some new signs for some of the athletic Playing Fields as well I know last week we mentioned some of the dog signs that went up there um I'm going to talk about that next as well um I do have some followup with talking to the assistant Town manager and town manager about it but um they recommended getting some Le law um signage up there saying leash law strictly prohibit on these athletic fields as well as the dog sign so we looking at ordering those through and Chico sign who's done like the majority of the signage around town so she called me today and I'm going to set up an appointment with her in the upcoming weeks to try to update some of our signage I'll probably check out some of the other fields as well too because I don't think it's been updated in very long time so that's what's going on with the the signage great any questions or comments about that um that doesn't include dogs or animals because obviously he'll talk about that next trust me we trust you I will pass everything by once it thank you very much I appreciate the update on the side it's important to get those keep those updated for people so yeah it looks great down there then you see some old signs or you know is got to put up their own signs for different stuff as well too um with the High School tennis too so I might be talking with them as well in the spring they do have priority early on right now it's just a laminated piece of paper that goes up there and I don't really like that fair enough all right next one all right question Oh no or is it a separate motion I don't think it's a a discussion okay no motion just discussion next item is dogs and animals on athletic FS yeah um so I think last we spoke um I've been getting a lot of calls about Dogs Unleashed on a lot of the athletic fields um there isn't a current Town bylaw that prohibits them from being in athletic fields right now they are required to be on a leash um folks aren't going to be going into an area like Hunt Park with their dogs and keeping them on a leash so I mean we do have the right to ask them to leave if their dog is not on um Al Le I reached out to Jane Wellman the assistant Town manager as well to get some feedback um on this I know other towns are struggling with it and I saw kind of what they did um I reached out to Board of Health too because it is somewhat of a health hazard with kids playing on the fields and there are some Mass general laws that the Board of Health can install um some rules and regulations based off dogs leaving feces on there if it's a risk Hazard to employees and I know one of our DPW workers has been bit twice she got bit twice at one of the fields as fall I want to it was about four or five years ago um as well so it's something that's coming down the road dogs it's a Hut topic uh the Board of Health director was looking at the cemetery bylaws in which they do have bylaws that say dogs cannot be in cemeteries and he was recommending that maybe we would go to the byw committee and we could possibly amend it to include athletic Playing Fields um and when I say athletic Playing Fields I I mean the actual Playing Fields actual Fields not the outsides of the fields Birch Meadow is a huge area um so that one might be a little trick so brought up to Matt kralis um and he's going to follow up with me probably in the next week or so and kind of give me some input um but right now they're kind of recommending you know we kind of go off the leash law with folks who are inside ball fields with dogs off leash right now we can hold them to that and then the question is um who's going to police this yeah is it animal control it the police department and other towns it's been DPW and the recck department I've been sworn as a dog officer officer and that was very boss [Laughter] there to train myself not to have that but I I honestly don't want to be that person I'm kind of out and about in the community with a lot of recreational programs and it would put me in a hard spot if I'm policing people's dogs I I love dogs myself too I know people are passionate about their dogs as well too um and I know that they're going to stick up for their dogs as well so I'd prefer not be myself policing this or anyone in my staff as well too um so that's where I am with that I think it's going to be something that's probably going to pop up on the agendas you know maybe every other month or so but I'm trying to look into find a solution um I know at town meeting this November they have the Town Forest I think is coming up in regards to dogs too so they're kind of I know that the town manager's office is kind of worn down with that right now so I'm not sure if it's something we want to put on the November town meeting or if we even go that route or we just kind of stick with the leash law and do the best we can with that so I'd love to hear some feedback or or ideas on what you think might help or what not to do uh so my my first first of all thank you for the update um my first question is so when you talk about what is within our purview is not the school fields or is it the school Fields so so because right now you know there's no dogs allowed on Turf 2 no dogs allowed inside the stadium at all right um we're on school property during school hours as well schools do have a policy yep um so does that include so does that then also include Parker as any turfield I think is an exception okay so that's an exception that they field there should be absolutely no dogs on so really this is so this is about kind of like filling that um that hole that we have with grass fields that people are are letting their dogs run free and yeah it's more so the residential one the only field that's under the perview of the schools is stadium in Turf 2 and in Turf 2 that's it not Parker and not coage no oh okay yep they love the fence in baseball fields that's where I see Park and majors are probably the top two and then you get to Sturges where it's a little more residential they'll be out there as well and then also Morton Field as well folks wouldn't the town I'm sorry the town manager be putting this in whatever he's talking about and the we already talked about the cemeteries in I think it was like a year ago maybe more than that so why he's talking about the uh would you just say uh the Town Forest why wouldn't they just add to that the baseball I mean the fields that's not extra work yeah I don't think he's saying no to it right now um I went to him I think it was about a week and a half ago and he said he was going to follow up with me yeah so there's potential yeah so I think it might be a good idea to stick with the leash laws right now and to try to keep dogs on leash um I think it would be they shouldn't be running around I remember I don't know how long it's been and since Parker went from grass to turfield but there were a lot of people at town meeting who wanted to guarantee that even if it's a Turf that their dogs would still be allowed they'd still be allowed to walk across it and there was a lot of discussion like oh you're turning all this land over the turf and I can't even walk my dog on it and people really upset and I think that if you try to make all of these feels like no dogs allowed I'm not a I don't have a dog I don't have a I don't have a bone in the game but but I think that there would be huge push back if you I mean I can kind of understand Turf might be a different thing but there was a lot of push back in turning Parker from grass into Turf many years ago people were just like yeah that was at least 10 years ago no it was a long time ago but people were like what do you mean so many more dogs no right and so but but but people were upset cuz it's like well you're taking away grass you're taking away grass where I can't even walk across it and so when that went in there was sort of a an agreement that like you can still walk with your dog on the field now nobody's supposed to be letting their dogs run around unleash we should follow the leash law but if you now go from you know no turf field at all to all you know fields it that's that's going to get a lot of blowback and I just don't think we should go there I'm not a I'm not a dog person but you know the more space that you take away where people can just you know and if you are with I mean I understand the um I hate it when people are walking their dogs and their dogs use my front lawn I mean that bothers me but sorry wait actually until St we just wait in front of your house you what no so anyway oh right I saying that but anyway um so I think that like people should be picking up after their dog anywhere so I think the I fully agree with the Lea is the easiest path because the other piece is like what is the field like at Birch Meadow like there's two baseball fields and then there's a giant field in between no fences there's no nothing and it's the only way to get from point to point be in some cases I me now there's Pathways which a little bit easier but like realistically you know shortest path between two points straight line right so and I think that goes for a lot of the feel like Washington Parks the same way it's you know from one entrance to the actual Park you don't want it to go all the way around you want to be a to walk at least along the edge and there's no real fence to what the field is there unless you have a 800 foot center field so I think that I don't think there's a mechanism to keep them fully off the fields but the leash I mean is it's pretty straightforward and it's enforceable as far as I understand it on the book so fine perspective I think the thing is you got to be consistent right you know you can't have one thing here one thing here and you know to me like the leash law is kind of broad across everything so it kind of makes sense um yeah yeah I mean essentially that would just be enforcing existing bylaws right it wouldn't wouldn't require any changes I mean you could do two you could do two things one it's enforcement of the bylaw and enforcement of existing leash laws and then if you wanted to call out specific Fields then you could um I think it's probably worthwhile um in the Town Forest thing right yeah and I think I think ridiculous I mean the Town Forest should be the one place where you should be able to bring dogs think we started well side note I think I it wasn't it's the number of number it's the number of number of dogs like people not going with like 12 dogs I think it's two dogs are allowed off leash something like that um I I look forward to a town meeting where we talk about that for two and a half hours yeah and then it get like 120 to 12 that's yeah um so any other any any comments on on this or recommendations that he that Jim could take back to discussion yes Kate Eric thank you um just to jump in on everyone else's comments when we've had this issue in the past I think we've just asked Animal Control to uh you know maybe up their uh visits on certain fields that we think are you know are being AB uh abused that sort of thing and that kind of curbs things you know just to remind people please use the leash law that type of thing and I also agree with Jim I would not recommend that Jim be in any type of role as an enforcer on this yeah and um I did speak with um the Reading Police Department I don't know if when you guys talked about this prior if they had an actual Town um employee that was the Animal control officer because when I spoke with them that service is now contracted um out and I think they're dealing more with the Rabid animal calls and not so much dogs so I think it's a conversation I go to have with them I mean if it is in the bylaw um there's got to be somebody that's holding folks accountable somebody and I would assume it's the police yeah so I can maybe ask to speak with um Chief Clark yeah back sometimes it's just walking onto a field you know it I don't know if they if people gather at 10: in the morning just walk onto the field remind people once please obey leash law and I think overall people are pretty good about it but you know maybe everyone needs a reminder and maybe signage about picking up um after themselves we were at Washington Park the other day and we found a number of drop Lings in the Outfield yeah as well too so maybe there's signage that goes along with it as well yeah most people do pick up yeah but when it's dark out at night and you don't know what your dog did you're not to go searching for it know if they were on a leash yeah right all right thank you guys that helps thank you okay um pick a ball court updates from Michael and then we'll um we're GNA open this up to a discussion um so that we can uh so everybody can kind of chime in uh on what Michael is uh going to uh inform us about thanks Eric uh so um just some some background um Carl mcfaden uh called uh my wife Judy and um expressed some concern that the ice Authority was not going to um approve lights uh at a location near the building uh I think they were still thinking about the the old temporary courts uh concept and um so we we said well that's that would be fine um would you you know would you be interested in the at the back of the parking lot and um he said he'd be interested in that and said we should meet at the parking lot and and show what we were thinking about and um so I met with Carl um when Jim Jim came invited Eric uh Tudy was there Peter was there and Mary uh Maryann was there and Ed the uh what's Ed Ed Ed the the manager of the ice ring uh we so we met and we said you know we were thinking of that at the back of the parking lot closest to the rifle range might be a better place uh and they were they were sort of you know oh yeah this is this is much less impact on our operations so this is just with caral mcfaden and Ed that's not the ice Authority so um we were asking them what sort of next steps are there and they said well you know what they really need to do is have the select board talk to the ice Authority and find out um you know sort of what things the ice Authority and the what things the select board is thinking about and what things the ice Authority might uh considered changing the lease for so that's sort of where this discussion was that we were we were GNA H ask wreck to try and talk to the select board and say you know there's lots of things on the table but um until we really find out what the select what the ice Authority um is is amable to and what conditions that they would uh take uh it's hard to assess some of these things of course you know pickleball is is uh one of one of the many options that uh that came up in the swc discussions and other things recal is primarily focused up to this point point on the the xany land but clearly they would be um a close of butter and uh would change um the campus at Simon's way so they think they want would like to have a discussion so that's really what we were what we were coming to um wreck is to say can we ask the select board to um find out what the ice Authority would be willing to do and what they're what they're interested in you have any questions about any of that I tried to make that clear but I'm not always clear yeah no thank thank thank you Michael and and I think I think it's really promising I think it's important to just keep having that dialogue with the with the ice Authority um I Know Carl is a great conduit for that um obviously given his representation of the ice authority to the select board um I'd had a um I know I've I've talked to Carl uh as well and expressed my own personal support for pickleball courts at Simon way I think it I think it's 100% the best place to to to be to to to be in in town uh my my my two cents um I know uh you know I app I appreciate your fundraising Eric yeah no it's great uh and I and I and I and I I also appreciate your comment that you know recognizing that it's important that the select board kind of like kind of Select Board needs to spearhead and speaking of which car good timing Carlo uh select board really needs to spearhead the conversations with the ice Authority um in order to kind of identify what options there are um and obviously the select board will have to consider um recal and swek uh sw's recommendations um and what if we if if there was an option of doing pick aall courts sooner rather than later um how would that impact potential future development and and Andor trying to align with these other projects so I think is there's there's it seems like a pretty simple straightforward thing but obviously gets complex once you start getting into legal documentation with the ice Authority um and and and looking at the other competing interests but um my personal thought is I fly support pickleball courts there um and if it's something that can get done that does not get in the way um or would not adversely affect future development of of spaces for swc or recal if those were chosen uh you know chosen spots for other development that that would be a that would be a good win for the community I think but open discussion and want everybody's thoughts so just to clarify the ask is toly pass the ask to the select board to open discussions with I Authority yeah so I I had uh and and I had I had mentioned to to Mike that I I would have a hard time putting a a vote here to the at the recreation committee because it'd be hard to vote on something without knowing what the context of where they they could could potentially go like um I can I certainly will express my support but it's hard to say like I I we vote to fully recommend pickle ball courts unless somewhere over there somewhere there right it would it would have to be kind of like please explore the conversation but I but I also don't think we need a vote to kind of like ask Carlo as the select board liaison to you know kindly put it on to a future agenda um to kind of have that conversation about um and and Carla maybe you can you can chime in with you know is there is there a time in the near future where the select board is going to start to have conversations about the options at Sim yeah so right now if everyone doesn't know permanent building committee has been engaged for active building sector so now they're tasked with there's going to be a recommendation from Council on Aging and from recal on their first site and our permanent building committee is going to look at those three sites and come up with their recommendation so I I think what's going to happen in the very near future is um soil testing over at sign white because that's been the red hering is we don't know how clean uh that are is that we bought not the whole complex the area that we bought from Las so that's probably going to make the process a little bit longer but fromage from the agenda to ask is putting pickle ball on the reading Ice Arena property right is that what I I read it's a it's a discussion so so we're getting so we're just we're just discussing and and and and ideally kind of trying to figure out kind of like you know what are what are the potential Solutions what what are we willing to kind to Voice or support and ideally yeah kind of you know give have you as the liais on kind of bring back to the select board and say they've had discussions we think that it's time to to to really like actually have a conversation with the ice Authority what is feasible what's not and then you can then you can take that information and really put it into the context of all of these other things that are happening at the same time if Simon's way gets chosen they are gonna reengage with Ed Sports yeah so and to see if they're willing to incorporate and aspects of a active Living Center into the building yeah so hopefully that can be determined right away but anything is years away right with the Capal s so I think pickall Community which I'm part of you know is wants to get dedicated pick of all courts because it got kicked off The bir master plan and everyone is agreed Sim's way is the place yep everyone right no denying it but if we're going to follow the process it's years and years away so I I I think I know what they're what they want to so are they asking to dust off what was already presented in the in the winter uh where there the temporary temporary I believe so Michael can comment on that because I heard that because it was temporary that limited the some of the or negated some of the the donations yeah have cont I think that that the the concept that we're really talking about is not temporary but a synergistic treatment of the site so you know the the Ed Edge um um Sports the recal center the ice Authority this is this is going to be you know a Recreation Complex most of these proposals all talk about pickleball courts so what we're trying to say is let's put them in the location now because we we can do this pretty pretty quickly and accomplish that piece of the grand scheme of things and they would be public dedicated pickleball courts that are available to anybody in town without charge that may not be edges uh business model or anybody else's business model but I think that that's really what what I think uh all the donors are really uh looking for recal I think would really see great benefit in having pickleball courts as a synergy itic you know another activity that seniors and other people in the town can use that's separate from the actual facility so recal is thinking about the actual facility that that includes a you know the building and parking and all you can't put any pickleball courts at Pleasant Street and you certainly can't put pickall Courts at Oakland Road Simon way you could put pickleball courts somewhere on the site independent of where you actually put a building depending on what what agreements you can make with the ice Authority about the use of the parking lot so we're not talking about temporary courts anymore because I really think that that um that's not a very good sales pitch for our donors and it I don't think it's a good idea longterm for the town I ask real quick car you can refresh my M if I'm wrong did Edge say that if they were to do something they wanted that entire back parking spot place and if they didn't get that they were kind of out no in in a perfect world that would be part of their project that dry flat parking lot yeah and in F world and then we saying well that's you know not farest to give you right now it's a negotiation and this and that and at the very end before couldn't F any further saying we're open when you guys are done with the feasibility study and all these things you had to do we we w't we're not saying because they were talking about you know another sheet of ice Aquatic Center and this and that and you they're trying to monetize things obviously as a business but they never said or I never heard we're not willing to work with you on the zomie prop the two and a halfish Acres if that works for us financially so once we get a site selected for the active Living Center then we'll go back to Edge and say are you interested or not and say well can we have ice arena land hopefully I get an answer we we can get an answer and the S no one you okay we're not interested uh yes we're still interested even though we can't have that so it's it's going to be a process for them how how long and then I'm then I'm coming to you Angela uh how long until we have I mean not the building and any of the that stuff but that just get to the point where we're actually asking Edge PBC has it now and if we're going to do a phase one and environmental test which is we're not going to blow any holes you just going to look what was on the land look at the history of the land the government had it and all that stuff and then determined okay it's inconclusive now we got to drill holes and do soil testing phase one is just paperwork Y and you know pictures walk site phase two is you know drilling down to see if there's any contamination so can that be done in a matter of a month or so if you hire the company yes it can permanent building no it can't do I see do I see maryan delin in the building yeah she knows phase two doesn't take a month phase one takes three weeks maybe four two take you another four weeks to send it to the lab but but even in context of I mean are we talk we're we're talking like maybe maybe we're having conversations with the edge and the ice Authority this year I hope okay that's the goal okay that that that's helpful Angel um so SW presented and I think we all saw what it was the idea that if something is chosen we would just go back to Edge and say work with us was not anything that was a recommendation of the swc it's not something that I had thought of we put out a request for information not even a request for proposal so there is no we're just going to go back and start working with Edge I I don't know where that idea came from it would be something else that if there was a proposal or if there was an idea it would have to go back out for request for proposal we had several different schemes do something easy do something larger but um you know a few of the people who are building people Heather klish and um Nancy Tumi from cpdc and the permanent building committee were the ones who are really saying we need to have a master plan over at Simon's way that it that we just can't um you know put something here especially in the middle the parking lot and just try to build around it or something especially if Mike Colman is now saying no no we want something permanent because what we heard was from Edge that flat land is the most desirable so I know that there is a there's the idea that you know that that something could be built on the original swack charge land which is sort of over the side the original Z property but from we we expanded it because it was thought well this is good land too behind the arena and it was thought that that was the best land so if somebody's going to put a building there it would probably be there there's also you know I I'm not sure what direction there will be lots of ideas about where whether or not we end up with a community center or a senior center I think that with these Financial discussions that are going on with kilum and um a senior center slash you know that maybe it will be a community center is not what gets built maybe it ends up being a senior center at half the cost um these are all things that the town has balls up in the in the air I think we've all said that Simon Way is the best place for it but I just don't see how we can as a committee go to the select board and say please open up talks right now when all of this is up in the air and the only thing that we do know that Carl has said is that unless there is a replacement of the parking it's not going to happen so it's not just figuring out pickleball it's figuring out parking it's figuring out what all of this is so you know if the select board decide to take this up on their own then they have the right to do that but as far as this committee making a recommendation or an ask for the select board to do that I'm not in favor of that at this point with too many other things and it wasn't something that swack you know H had decided we made our presentations and you know Edge Sports you know just calling them back up and saying we're ready to work from you wasn't wasn't one of them Fair good so Carlo I I know you don't want to do temporary but you want to play Pickleball now right I mean isn't that the I mean can't we call if you call or or Michael call temporary to become pernament I mean no one's going to say six years from now you can't have pickleball anymore well you know that's what that's what got us down uh a rabbit hole last year um we're way down a rabbit hole right now because what what what Carlo's suggesting is going to be you know several years out you want to and I would like to I would like to address that so so right now at Simon's way there's a kns Authority there's a baseball field and there's a soccer field and there are is's a batting cage and there's others some some space at the far end of the soccer field um it's it's probably a little like a quarter acre that you could do something with I don't know um that's all existing stuff there's least land that covers this whole parking lot the ice Authority is willing to think about other uses for that some of that parking area so long as the parking can be made up on um the eight or 10 nights of a year that they have a big event so I think you know when we talk about having a master plan for Simon's way there's already sort of a master plan for Simon's way because there's a baseball field Soccer Field parking lot and now you know we talk about the zy land that's three acres of land that that would you could put a nice facility on there it's pretty flat too I I don't know I actually walked it uh about a month ago it's mostly flat the whole thing is just a few feet above the the swamp plan that's uh that's not buildable so you know the the parking lot is flat and probably um a nice place to build build something but you can't build something very big and still have a parking lot back there and whatever you build you have to have the parking for it so when we talked about recal this Center for active living they're talking about needeing on the order of 90 parking spaces or more this is one of the big problems with Pleasant Street doesn't have enough parking so when you have that kind of parking and for big events they would need overflow parking as well so they would probably want to talk to the ice Authority and say oh when we have uh the St Patrick's Day supper lunch is it okay if some people Park in your lot I think there are a lot of things that can be done my opinion is that that once you choose a location for something like where the baseball field is or the soccer field or pickleball courts or where the ice Authority is that's not not going to be temporary you you then say Oh yeah and we we want to put in a a you know a building it's going to go here and I I think where recal cast the building is probably makes the most sense Kate did you have is on the Z land yeah thank you Eric um I think as everyone knows in the room uh temporary and Municipal world can mean a lot of things but probably for the most part temporary is pretty longterm term so we have a pickle ball Community that's active that's actively raising funds has quite a bit of money now is motivated to build we have U an organization if you will in the ice Authority that is willing to work with them um I support what Angela is saying that I don't know that we as a recreation committee should officially go to town to go to the select board and say you know we recommend this however personally I kind of feel that if those pickle ball P courts can be built towards the back end of that lot that Carl is talking about and in my mind temporary they could probably be there who knows when all this is going to get built it could be three years four six 10 you know we could not be here and the thing still not being built but my point is is if we do if those pickle ball courts are built now and they're temporary which which is a tough sell for your fundraising but you seem to be on your way already whatever is decided to go there quote permanently like say okay we're going to put the senior center there I don't think they'll take pickle ball courts down and then just that's the end of it they'll say we we have to relocate them or improve them or something like that but it's kind of like you know we know how government goes if you if you like roll the ball onto the court and if you can can build those courts in in the kind of on the boundary of of land maybe they survive any new improvements and if they don't they should be part of whatever is being improved there U Kate basically just said everything I was gonna say I think it's worth you know what you rais 120 Grand Mike I think it's worth a gamble of them be you know to get the you know if everything works out you get the courts built you you've raised 120 Grand you're not spending at some point people aren't going to donate to you if you're raising this money and it's just sitting there it's you know my experience when we point to something we fund raise and you know it gets built that just it it makes people more likely to give to you down the road you know my two cents right so so I think that you know I appreciate all this the comments and and really the the the ask today was is how do we go forward what what what path should we follow uh the the reason for asking for the select board to talk to the ice Authority is to find out what's really um what's what's really an option what's the ice Authority willing to uh to consider and if we need to call it temporary I I think that's s that's a not a really good idea but um but you're going to have to figure that out because anything other than temporary is finance got it down because it was temporary what's temporary though well I I'll agree temporary but as said is probably six years I think they said they wanted to see more skin in the game and I think there's more skin I mean the difference between you know a year and a half or so ago and now is that you know the pickleball Community has followed through with their commitment to raise us and it it it makes to to Bob's point it makes a more convincing case to like you know maybe maybe you do explore it um and I and I think one one one element here is you know no no no committee is uh is is all powerful um it's not like the board and and the and and pickle ball is waiting for reading Recreation waiting for recreation blessing to go have conversations um you know I mean the select board is already and we talk about select board is already on the path to having conversations so either we recommend it or not like those conversations are gonna happen yeah we need to know we can talk to blue in the face yeah and they can say the only way we're going to do anything in this link is work with the pickall people Ed can go p sand anyone else comes to us no we were committed to this honoring n Burn Bank about Recreation we're willing to do this and this only that's what we need to find out yeah if they say we'll do this and top The Edge then I don't have that answer you know it's a conversation that we need to we don't know what we don't know so the fact that they're working with Carl and isy we will talk we'll put our agenda talk about it what what is what are you think amending the leas means yeah is it is it open for everything and a building or is it just for pickle ball right and there's also the element of once once that conversation happens if they did say it you know we'd like to see pick we would we would be okay with pickall course but then it comes back to then it comes to the town and we say it's still our land right and do you know who's going to run it and I think the agreement would be would have to be that town is running that specific part of the or I would think so right I so easier with more courts as well yeah so think that's consistent with what yeah the coners the conversation with the ace Authority is that's key is the first is the first St for because I was going to say I think the same was G to say that we can't really say anything because we could say yeah we do it but the Isis Authority kind of controls that land it's in the lease and they have to they have to kind of say yeah we're will to talk and here is yeah what we're thinking I ultimately this is why I said I don't why we're not taking a vote right right we're having a discussion because it's it's it's good it's good to have the a conversation and understand what the parameters are yeah and what's what's happening and select board what's happening with the ice Authority yes um but yeah we I I I would not take a vote right now because I you don't know I don't know what ice Authority wants to do you're right you're abut say right so can I just just logistically and I think to this might cover your concerns but also Mike's you're Carla you're gonna give a leaon report back to the select board yes this all just comes into play you're probably going to say let's talk to the I Authority right like at the end of the day what's happening anyway future agenda yeah and then it gets put on at some point so do to talk to us so I think we're we're in a place where we don't have to make any decisions or recommendations at this point if I'm understanding the th Logistics correctly because just by Carlo being here and being able to bring this back where the conversation is being brought back as opposed to any recommendations well then then it should say that we passed it back to the select board and it's their decision because I yeah I mean I don't think that we're making any recommendation but I don't I don't think you should let recal or swack or anyone else slow you down the pickle ball the it should be a negotiation between the reading ice Authority and the select board if it's in their within their borders right that the idea yeah not not any don't have them all weigh in because it's just going to slow it down and the pickle ball Community is waiting to play pickle that's the angle there's 20 years left in this we have pretend they have an option for another 10 so they're there for 20 years yeah Min so then what was the point of swc meeting for a year and a half to make recommendations for this land but it's the it's the land outside the it's it's the entire thing it's it's part of this this was the the recommendation expanded the charge when I run from the map it looked like it was everything like everything that was recommended as three as theide lot our perview was all of this including what is back there so all of our recommendations We examined all of this land and spent a year and a half to make recommendations to the select board only to be back where we were a year ago no you made you made your recommendation no the rec that's just keeping them on separate tracks right held all the cars always yeah with Edge and with pickle ball so it's up to the iceing the not you guys or me to tell us what they're willing to do yeah regardless of SWAT regardless of this committee it's the ice is going to say yes no this or that and then you have another conversation about what that means and and what they're willing to agree to to amend the lease has to be agreeable to both parties yeah not just us has to be agreeable to them that's what an amendment is so no one's forcing anything you have a conversation and you see where it goes and like Chuck said it it it's ice this land for 20 years no matter what you look at it that's it and if they will if they will to talk about pickleball and the men the lease and the select board agrees then that's what happens I can't I don't know the future but right that's what these guys are talking about if you're on this if you're a member of the select board in this conversation starts wouldn't the natural question be well what do the recreation committee think so that's why I think so should we talk tonight about you know a there's an option to have a formal vote there's an option for a informal recommendation or but just to try and save the whole pickle ball thing some you know they seem to be they get so far and then it's like oh go talk to this one then oh yeah go talk to that one so can we help them as a committee to you know kind of form some opinion to offer to the select board so that they don't have to take another month plus to come back to us for us to have this discussion again and have a vote it's right you guys are gonna come up yeah we can't vote it's not posted as a vote but we yeah we can't vote today for sure um and I I don't know again I don't know what we'd be voting on um uh other than other than kind of saying giving like our spirit is yes you would like pick aall Court somewhere at Simon's way but we reserve the right to pull that vote back if we don't like the context of the ice authorities demands or where they want to put it or how it affects I we we we all we we have we do have swack which this the swack recommendations is something that could significantly benefit the entire town and you know so I I again I would hesitate to say like yeah put pick aall courts anywhere um without having some context of like where we think the other recommendations might be what the rest of the layout is right like that's kind of I mean there's we we own potentially buildable land those tests you know we're going to test the land we're going to get to soil testing we'll get better context of like what's possible there um and then um you know if if that is land that can be used for recreation Fields a building of some sort um awesome great and then you know we could we could potentially do whatever whatever it was is a little bit or a little bit more I mean all the different right things you know you could you can then say all right this is what we have to work with regardless of what the ice Authority says right we have space to work with yeah it just but I mean the overarching yeah idea was come up with a plan instead of just peace meal yeah yeah yep um okay anything else anything new on this just one separate item that's uh not really related to this but um I was actually wondering whether maybe next year we'd get the bathrooms at Memorial Park we had them a few years ago um they are no longer there um in the summertime but where were they located you were they by the corner they were actually down the hill um towards the main part of the park where the parking lot it's just one Port the potty but but how that why just why don't you guys talk about that offline that's like an operational thing you guys can I'll try to find more information about it there is a need there has been a need all right cool thank you everybody for uh for the conversation that was but just just one one final thing you know to to to come up with this master plan for for what we're going to do you know where to put anything on Simon's way you you really need to talk to the ice Authority and find out what they're what their game is and U so that that was what I was encouraging but but to that end having a more definitive answer about what could possibly go there rather than just the first thing they're asking about that you know to say would the town want to ask them to put something else there and put pickle ball here you know so it's not just that was the point of swack it's not just first guy of the spot that was the point of it right and and um you know pickle ball did come up high in the in the uh the things and it was included in the all the swc plans uh so somewhere on Simon's way I think it's the right place um you know pickle ball is 410 of an acre um the the zany land is um 2.7 Acres the soccer field and the baseball field are five or six acres you know a soak you know another playing field is is is not going to fit anywhere so but that's I was just asking you know saying we really need to find out what the isce authority is willing to entertain thank you um all right next is update and potential discussion on ad hoc Community preservation act study um so as you know um I think couple meetings ago I was um appointed to be part of the uh ad hoc belong folks have a good night um the ad hoc uh the community preservation act um group and I just wanted to give a quick update um first of all people broadly know what CPA is so I'm I'm a little more familiar with now I large BD so so essentially um it it it'll it's say um search charge on your property tax um so not your total assessment of your house it's just the property tax um that ranges from you know 1 to 3% that the town would Levy and take those funds put it into an account that that would then potentially get a match from the state of a certain percentage um that can be put towards various projects in preservation uh and in housing in specifically Recreation right so there's a lot of great Recreation opportunities here so um it's a it's a way to if we are already going to want to spend money and the way I think about is if we're already going to want to like build a new field or or build pickleball courts or do uh or build a dog park um then it's a way to take uh is to have money that we are going to get allocated we're going to find a way to get allocated one way and then have the state give us some matching funds net percentage can range it can be it's been as high as 100% when the program first started because more and more towns have are now participating that number goes lower um as more and more towns uh are there so it's been about 22 to uh it's been about 22% uh The Last Five Years on average I think I put it in my notes here somewhere um and the the really The Conversation Piece I mean one feel free to ask me any questions about our our we've had a couple meetings out pictures of pounds that are yeah it's like two it's it's a significant number of communities so it's about 200 communities that that are participating uh uh and one of the conversation one of the one of the discussion points that I think is important to sorry that one of the conversation points that I I'd like to get from you from from this committee is what could we use this for in the recreation committee what could we have used it for right so think about Birch Meadow master plan if we had if we had done the this CPA years ago we could have had acre we could have been acre matching funds from the state and Birch Meadow master plan you know phase one phase two cost a little bit less to our to our TA taxpayers or allowed us to do more right um so it's not when we go to when the CPA makes a when this ad hoc committee makes a recommendation of how to proceed how to present it to the Town how to present it to town meeting how to get the town to um ideally putting it on a ballot so that they are so that the town is voting on this because it's a it's obviously it's an additional um charge and we want to be very conscious of what people are going to be spending on coming up um but what could we have done if we had adopted this 10 years ago how many hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars have we lost out on because we didn't do it years ago um and then what's the what's the opportunity cost that we lose if we don't do it now so those are a few broad questions but just want people's thoughts on CPA and in general uh Kev first where are the overlaps of what we're already looking at in the foreseeable future so certainly the Birch meta I mean I I I I had the Birch Birch metal master plan is certainly one thing that would have we would you rehab the Pleasant Street facility yes it could actually actually be uses uh one it could be used from a recreation perspective but also it's it's a historic building I believe so yeah it fall it falls under historic reservation as well so there's a couple different ways to kind of use CPA to get CPA matching funds for that what is the makeup of the people who um make the allocations and how is money allocated money is allocated through a formula um um based uh and and I'm don't want to go through the math but it's on the website uh definitely invite all of you to go no I don't mean from the state I mean if this were adopted Oh How would how is the money allocated so we this this commit the ad hoc committee is to make a recommendation if it if it is passed then a committee would be formed which would be part would would would be advising on how to disperse the money right and all so it'd be it' be um I think it's up to uh us to determine kind of like the makeup or there's there are recommendations I think from the last meeting it was either s Bo the town meeting or both last meeting we had no I think that that there's a very specific yeah specific oh I mean it's there there yeah there's it it would be similar like members of the different communities of the different committees right okay so my point is though that if it were adopted there are many other uses for CPA money oh yes and Recreation was just added a little bit of it not yeah Recreation actually was just added as one of the uses more recently it's been it was always like historic preservation and town and those things and it's only recently that Recreation um I don't think so Angela I I think it's always been but to your point it's always been primarily historic preservation conservation that sort of stuff but I think Recreation has always been a component I don't think it was I think it was added it was it's been added more recently because when we tried to pass it a long time ago went down in flames it went down in flames it did it it did did years and and and Eric's right it was just such a lost out here we are 10 plus years out yeah it's it was a lost opportunity on the on our part yes yeah no I was gonna say you I think like lights would have been a good thing that they use it for you know you're looking for suggestions I mean I think like lights can I pleas is something that you know from a town standpoint in the Birch metal that you know was something you know from a field standpoint everything that whole area so you think about makes the fields more usable resurfacing whether it's bankrupt tennis courts Memorial done but actually barrows is coming bars is coming a lot that I dog consider Recreation know yeah I don't know either but I mean that's dog your people too Carlo yeah that's to me and like resurfacing it to me is is a big thing you know it's a quick hit because when we you know OB you obviously you know this these type of things need to have some um you you have to make the justification uh and so I think I think a big piece of that justification is going to be what could we have done with it what do we want to do with it in the future how could we have saved money how will we save money did anybody do the retroactive math so that's gonna that so that's going to be the followup once we one one the for the next for the next um meeting where we are going to everybody went to their respective committees gather up some ideas and then as a grp as a as a committee we're going to say all right how can we do this retroactive math how can we kind of figure out what we could potentially have gotten more time count excuse me and say what do we spend what have we spent on the on these things over the years well no I meant more how much money how much would we have gotten yeah yeah yeah no it's like irrespective of what the keeps aren't changing that's the problem okay it's a lot less we but we can go there's there's you know there's a history of the last 20 years so we can we can go back and you know be we could be conservative and say look just over the last five years you know this is what the match this is this is what the match would have been and this is how much we would have saved on projects like and then you list out the projects okay and but your taxes have gone up you're I think so honestly I CPA right now with killum and big with with kilum and um a senior center it's a really big ask a CPA is be interested to know what didn't we get to do because we didn't have a CPA nothing nothing could have thought good point we we we have we've always the community is always come forward and could have could have more tur Fields it could have more lights where are we going to put we have we only have one field that we that we can't have turf we don't have turf on now and that's behind coolage it it is an effect an override yeah um it's and yes Target it but yeah no it's it's tax um so there are some there are some there are some there are some numbers the one thing that I would say about this is that it is a tax that has gets an immediate return and it's a match right so either it's 22% or 26% or 17 or 33 you're getting you know what the money that you put in you get some money back right so it's it's a right so it's a little different from you know we need we we have uh you know we need $100 million for killing or we need 50 million for recal or whatever it is you know the the numbers are much much lower right so I think it it it from a from a selling perspective and kind of like a convincing perspective um it's a little it gets your projects at% off yeah I mean you know so you put a little bit money in and you get your yeah you get your projects for 20% off I mean it's it's it's an investment for but you see return on it um you know you're you're gonna spend a lot of money on killing you're gonna spend a lot of money on new Senior Center and yes we as a we as a Ben as a community will benefit um but we will benefit years down the road this can impact now and you know and again it's relatively small dollars there are some there's some levers that you can pull to um to lower it um to reduce the impact on um lower income um it's like 100,00 up to 100,000 can up to 100,000 of your property value can be exempt from the property tax that it considers so what is it one up from 1 to 3% 1 to 3% that's five oh yeah can't you can it dial it back but every time you change the percentage you have to go to town meeting and it's once you've done it it can't doesn't come up again no so that's what car Carl was saying is that we and and he's raised the point before that it's really important that when we do make the ask um we do make a recommendation that we we get as close to right as possible obviously you can never predict the uh fully predict the whims of Voters um but you know if you if you go for 1% and then you realize that was too much or too little you would have to go back to the voters to make a change so if it gets accepted at 1% and then everybody's like well this is great we should have done 3% we would have gotten more money right because the state gives you additional funds the more you put in I don't think anyone saying that but you mean I know you mean I know you mean but but regardless of what we regardless of what we choose to change it it would require get as close if we can we want to be we want to make this a reasonable ask um I personally don't think we'll be anywhere near the 3% um I think people would really hesitate but I think there's I think I think there's good and it has to go through town meeting and then a referendum right we because we got delayed the the the CPA people said that the success rate is higher when you have in a presidential year so the goal was to have started this maybe two or three months ago had two meetings yeah committee didn't form early enough yeah so circumstances but we didn't start it we wanted to if if we can grind it out we have to still be done by summer but doesn't it have to but doesn't it have to go to town meeting before you can have it on a ballot no no just a ballot oh that's how we did it last time we voted on a town meeting meeting before town meeting what the election no we had we voted on it be approved by town has to be approved to be go on a ballot it's just like an override same thing the override is just select you have to get in November town it's not going to make November ballot because town meeting you can call a special town meeting yeah Karen was advocating for CPA and she said if we get a November ballot the success rate is typically higher it's like 80% 80% success rate versus 50% right it have to be a special town meeting right a special town meeting to one night basically to put it on to put to put it on to the November special time have to be August yeah and it's June but it's not that I I hear what you're saying Eric but I guarantee you that's a five hour discussion to put it it's not going to be oh we're just putting in me again so so so each so each of our meetings you know we we are we we will be discussing in depth kind of like what is the best path forward the timing the timing is has got to be part of all of our conversations um and you know I think we agree it it it's the goal of the whole committee is to have a recommendation like to get and to get it onto the November town the November ballot however because the committee formed so late the original charge is still there but it's just more implausible because the timing is not good we don't want to rush it so we yeah we wouldn't rush it just just to get it on there we'd rather do it right and have it have have kind of like our talking points and have our presentation and be ready so even if we want excuse me even if we want in the spring election we have to have a special town meeting because the spring election is before you have it on November you could put it on the November meeting and then yeah do it for the spring if if the timing works out correct yeah the first thing you can do is try and jam it through that's just GNA a interrogate a lot of people we have to make the best best presentation possible wrong word I'm feeling like things are things are kind of flipping because I was on the historical commission and I advocated for it and now I don't support it for a lot of reasons and I'm seeing an audience that probably didn't vote for it before and I'm yeah so so that's that's that's the update um and if you uh yeah I mean that the idea you I'll myself or Carlo will will when we're here in meetings we'll have to we we'll give you updates as to where we're at just to keep I I think your key marketing is what what what didn't I get y because we didn't have this and I haven't heard anything yet no not didn't get think someone brought up a good point at the financial Forum that like for me I think it was actually Michael that said it was and Peter referenced like 20% off it's we get money towards a project and that leaves us more money for something else in the budget yeah right that's so all these four buckets that we can apply the money to so right our our taxes go up and and and for each house home family is going to be a different amount based on their taxes but and that's going to be the sell we have to sell this as a benefit I know what you're saying Chuck but it's our free cash is going down right the budget keeps on going up our pay everything is going up even without Co CO's made it much more diverse BW and equipment we have to buy fire trucks everything is 20 30 40% more so hopefully that will break at some point get back to whatever the normal is again and it just frees up more money basically the way I look at it the benefit frees up more money to put like so we barrels on what 26 27 barrels down the road we started doing small improvements but so let's say barrels could be done it say it's going to be to 28 we can do it in 26 because we have money Parker needs new Turf whatever whatever that money can be utilized towards that project and then frees up money for other projects that aren't related to the CPA right CPA Mone is for four different buckets yeah there's also um the one other element of it that is is a good convincing talking point is that many towns have used CPA funds to to go after grants and other like funds from the state in other ways so they'll take their $30,000 or their $50,000 and kind of do a feasibility study for a project and then the the state matches it up to like 10 TW 12 times and all of a sudden you get a multiplier out of your CPA money so um and a lot of towns have had success doing that so again we'll we'll we'll you know compile these examples and and and different things and um we're very early stage here so more to come can I ask about the elephant in the not in the room town where the MBTA communities potentially affect C CPA trying to do too many too many things that how that affect how like the fact that this is totally Sear yeah a basketball game I know I was to that's it people are being yeah committees are full yeah um all right uh recre Recreation administrator and program coordinator reports and then I said we keep it short I'm not doing photos interest of time yeah we just been gearing up for the summer um our first of many summer program started today with the football Clinic kind of discussed it earlier uh with VAR street football coach and his staff um we have our summer counselor orientation tomorrow night vacation starts next week from the 24th um next week is really our first Full Slate of summer programs we have about 350 kids signed up for that we across everything we're offering so pretty happy with those numbers um kind of light for the Fourth of July week and then we pick right back up for the full vote again for the rest of the summer through July and August um I've been already starting the planning for fall programs reserving space through facilities and just getting things organized there so I just wanted to mention I know we've had a couple of ideas come you know for programs in this room so I'm just working on those things now so you know if you hear anything like always if you have ideas just let me know I'm always happy to explore things and it's better to do it now then you know in September I wanting to start in a few weeks so just wanted to put that up awesome good job and I was running the numbers from last year we are already up um as far as what we brought in last year we're up uh I set a goal of you know making 25 more brand this season than we last year we've already surpassed that so a lot of that is coming through programming so big to to Ed for helping out he's not even a year in and I think he's had a huge impact uh to date so happy right now so keep going up all right for me um the Baton cage at Simon's way complete it's all set there's little Landscaping they're hoping to get done they did ask me to ask DPW if they could help um in a little bit but the batting cage looks great um the turf is down they put sand in it um like conservation had asked so that's all set um to be used the repairs over at the Birch Meadow batting cage over by Morton moscarello park that has been finished up as well it kind of got damaged when we had that fence up during phase one of the Birch metal project kids were jumping over it and the whoever installed the fence they didn't use a heavy gauge fence and didn't use aluminum poles so um Peter seabold came in he took care of that I think he finished it up a week and a half ago so that looks nice as well so that whole area is coming together some of the grass is starting to come in as well um it's probably going to die over the next few days but it'll come back again at some point um and then the Challenger baseball game that we approve the Amplified sound I did see photos I don't know if you were there b it was a massive success it was a tremendous turnout and the weather was not great like you know rain was threaten you know threaten the whole morning and it held off luckily until the end and then everybody scattered but it was a great turnout great hopefully they can do it again and then uh lastly the friends of reading Recreation fireworks this past Saturday night it was packed I don't know if anyone got to go there um lost your child there but you found her technically two of them like but I want to say there was close to I mean 800 to a th000 people those fields were absolutely packed and I think it's the best show I've seen probably seven or eight of them I think it was the best to date the music that they had it just matched with the fireworks it was a good show weather was perfect wasn't windy didn't have anything burn or any shrapnel blow on any of the CH Fields DPW was out there right away on Sunday they brought their sweeper on Morton Field Ed and I walked it today we maybe had a small little handful of just Little cardboard shells um so I just want to thank DPW for they were there the entire day they went out on Sunday they cleaned everything up up got rid of the trash the ring fire um I think they had three trucks there and they had about five STP and the reading PD as well was there making sure it was all good it was interesting with the Pavilion the middle school kids definitely hung around a lot longer and they all gravitated towards the Pavilion because it's a lighted area um but there was I didn't hear any reports of any trouble or anything being damaged so I think it was a a great event usually don't have to worry about the lighted area with teen it's the dark areas that you get worried about but no I heard nothing but good things from there so thank you Jim you know you there on I get to hang out it's you know on a Saturday so that was that was good nice thank you for doing that no worries at all that's all I got all right good good make a motion to journ Second all right we'll go around the room yes yes yes yeah we'll get there Kate yes thought Peter yes and yes we are Jed thank you everyone e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e for