Park & Recreation Commission

CITY OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS JEAN A. LEVESQUE COMMUNITY LIFE CENTER 401 Bridge Street, Salem MA 01970 Tel. (978) 744-0180/(978) 744-0924 Dominick Pangallo Fax (978) 219-1665 MAYOR Trish O’Brien Superintendent MINUTES OF THE SALEM PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION July 18, 2023 A meeting of the Salem Parks and Recreation Commission was held on July 18, 2023, at 6:45 p.m., in person at 401 Bridge Street and via remote participation in accordance with Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023. Present were members: Deborah Amaral, Bob Callahan, Johnel Roberts and James Shea; Trish O’Brien, Superintendent and Commission Clerk Joanne Roomey. Absent was Amy Everitt. Ms. Amaral called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m. 1. Approval of Park and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes of June 21, 2023 Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the Park and Recreation Commission Minutes meeting of June 21, 2023. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 2. Visitors and Requests: a. Milo Martinez, from the Salem Common Neighborhood Association, appeared and wants to hold their SCNA 5th Annual Vintage Lawn Party at the Common on September 16, 2023 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. They will have dance lessons on a 16 x 16 dance floor at the Gazebo. There will be approximately ten vendors that will line up on the sidewalk east to west. He estimates 300 participants. Mr. Martinez is aware that he needs to go through the Licensing Board and the Building Department for a beer tent. Everything is the same as last year. Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the use of the Common to have the SCNA 5th Annual Vintage Lawn Party on September 16, 2023. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. b. Ellen Talkowsky appeared from the City of Salem for approval to use the Salem Common for the following:  Heritage Days, August 7 - 13, 2023. They will have two events on the Common. The annual Ice Scream Bowl organized by Salem Main Streets followed by a movie run by the Salem Common Neighborhood Association. • Palmer Cove Playground to be used by the Police and Fire Departments for a Public Safety Day cookout on August 8, 2023 1  • Willows Soccer Field for Tour-A-Truck event on August 12 from 10 a.m. until noon • Willows Shell for the Annual SCENE’s Sunset Hang event, August 13, 2023  Haunted Happenings, September 30 - October 31, 2023 • Food Truck Festival, September 23 - 24, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. • The Grand Opening Parade, October 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. • Biz Baz, October 7 & 8, Salem Chamber of Commerce • Haunted Marketplace, September 30 & October 1, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, 30, 31 • Fiesta Food Court, September 29 – October 31 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Fri. & Sat) • SCNA Family Fun Days, October 22, 23 and 29, 30 • Salem Wiches Magic Circle, October 31 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Portable toilets will be placed on the Common in two locations for the months of September and October. There will be approximately ten+ units with at least one accessible toilet and the units will be cleaned three times a week and twice on Saturdays and Sundays. The Park and Recreation crew together with DPS will be helping with other clean-up. Susie Moulton from Friends of Salem Common, together with Liz Aberg had some concerns about the impact on the newly planted trees at the front entrance of the Salem Common. They were grateful that new trees were planted last year, but wanted to make sure they did not get damaged during the set up for all these events. Ms. Talkowsky assured them that she redesigned the plans to make sure they are not interfering with any of the trees. She is not setting up anything on the southside so they will be away from the trees. Mr. Shea suggested making some kind of 3’ buffer around the trees. Ellen Talkowsky will speak with Fiesta regarding protecting the trees. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the use of the Salem Common for Heritage Days and Haunted Happenings events. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. c. Antonio Tavares, Calvary Christian Church, Church Event/concert, Willows Shell July 29, 2023, 2:30 pm-5:30pm Did not appear. d. Annie Cruise appeared on behalf of Laura Assade, City of Salem Public Schools for the 2nd Back to School Fair at Palmer Cove Park on August 23, 2023, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with a rain date of August 24, 2023. They anticipate over 100 participants. They collaborated last year with the Teacher’s Union and Salem Police Department. There were backpacks, school supplies, books and other school items that were donated. They will have food and activities, such as games 2  and arts and crafts. School district staff will also be available to answer any questions that students or parents might have for the start of the school year. Judith Reilly said she was at the Back to School Fair last year and they ran out of backpacks. Ms. Cruise explained to her that it is “first come, first serve”. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the use of Palmer Cove Park for the 2nd Back to School Fair on August 23, 2023, from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. e. Robert Fondi appeared from Lebialem Foundation to use McGrath Field on August 5, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for a Family Fun Day that he has done in the past. He is requesting amplified sound just for announcements. There will be approximately 50 to 60 children and parents. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the use of McGrath Field on August 5, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a Family Fun Day. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. f. Laura Tavares appeared to have a Family Reunion at Collin’s Cove Park at the baseball field area, near the grass on August 5, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. She estimates 100 attendees. She would like amplified sound for her Spotify playlist. She will only have one speaker, nothing big. She is aware that the sound may not exceed 70 decibels. Ms. Tavares will carry out any trash that she carried in. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the use of Collin’s Cove Park on August 5, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Mr. Callahan seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 3. Old Business: Judith Reilly wanted to know when the policy for naming memorial plaques on the park property would be completed. Ms. O’Brien said we are still in the process of reviewing it and need to have a full commission to vote on it. 4. New Business: There was a discussion regarding who gets the money from the parking meters at the Willows and Forest River Park. Ms. O’Brien will get the information clarifying where and who gets the money for parking meters and parking stickers. Mr. Shea said he has received complaints regarding why do folks have to pay a meter if they are watching their son or daughter’s baseball game at Forrest River Park? Does not seem right. Ms. O’Brien explained, if they have a sticker for the parks, then they do not have to pay for parking. 3  Doreen Wade from Salem United, Inc., wanted to understand what the process is going to be for putting this policy into place. Ms. Amaral said, as explained in the last meeting, as far as the Naming and Memorial Plaque request on Park Property Policy is concerned, it would not be this meeting because we wanted to have all commission members present and we have at least one meeting off in the summer. The commission expects to have the policy in place by September or October. 5. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the Salem Park and Recreation Commission this evening, Mr. Shea moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Mr. Roberts. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Joanne M. Roomey Commission Clerk Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A §18-25 and City Ordinance Sections 2-2028 through 2-2033 4