Open Space & Recreation Committee Meeting Minutes 02/13/24

Meeting date: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Date: 2/13/24

Members present: Margy Abbott, Susan Cooper, Gerry Clarin, Dennis Lynch, Mark Andrews, Rob Hoogs

Members Absent: Jim Hunt, Melissa Noe

Others Present: Seth Jenkins, BRPC; Doug Brown, Berkshire Natural Resources Council, Jim Debrowski

Agenda:

  • Discussion of the preliminary survey results.
  • Calendar/schedule of remaining work to be completed.
  • Public Forum to review results of survey- April date?
  • Assign editorial role to one person on committee.
  • Stakeholder interviews TBD
  • Approve minutes from 1/9/24
  • Unanticipated business

The meeting was opened at 3:06 pm

  • Seth provided a brief preliminary overview of the 161 survey responses.  The Committee examined the time trends for responses to craft a strategy to try to reach the goal of 200 responses.  Mark will post again on the Google group, and Margy will work with the TA to send our an email blast on the town news email.
  • Tasks remaining:
    1. Get data back
    2. Make conclusions, draft goals and objectives
    3. Present at public forum by mid May
    4. Incorporate feedback into plan
    5. Post plan on town website by mid-May for 30 day public comment period
    6. Get letters of endorsement from town bodies, eg. Planning Board, Select Board, Conservation Commission, Parks Commission, etc.
    7. Submit plan to state
  • Proposed meeting schedule:
    1. 3/12 to review survey results and begin goals
    2. 4/9 to finalize presentation for open forum
    3. Public forum proposed dates 4/27, 10 am, 4/28 10 am, or 4/24 7 pm.  Susan will reach out to the Library Director regarding availability and reservation of space.
    4. 5/7 to incorporate public forum results
  • Margy will work with Seth as co-editor of final document.
  • Seth noted that the final document will be similar to the one produced but never finalized in 2003/4, and will follow the format outlined in the OSRP workbook.
  • Stakeholder interviews were discussed.  It was agreed that most of these have already occurred.  Mark will discuss the possibility of both a trail network and exercise equipment at the Community Center with the Monterey Community Center Committee.
  • Margy briefed the committee on the Planning Board’s meeting with Nicholas Russo from BRPC regarding the Complete Streets program and monies available.  The Planning Board will likely be pursuing this in some form.  The first step would be to assign a point person, usually a member of the Highway or Public Works Department, to attend a training.  The Town can then apply for grant monies to hire a consultant to create a tailored plan and prioritize options ($30-50K).  The town could then apply for additional monies to implement those options.
  • Rob moved to approve the minutes of 1/9/24, Gerry seconded.  The minutes were unanimously approved.

Meeting was adjourned at 4:01 pm.