F-T Recreation Chief Returns to Table
The Barrington Parks and Recreation Commission is expected to present its model for a full-time director at tonight's meeting in the library.
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A proposal for a full-time recreation director in Barrington returns to the agenda for tonight's meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Members of the board also will be brought up to speed on projects in Barrington that have a parks and recreation orientation by Town Planner Phil Hervey.
The meeting starts at 7 pm in the Barrington library meeting room on the second floor.
The recreation director proposal is expected to be the same one to be presented to the Barrington Town Council, said President June Speakman, the liaison to the parks and recreation board.
She suggested more than a year ago, when discussion started on this issue, that the board come up with a model and a concept for a full-time director. In the meantime, Town Manager Peter DeAngelis Jr. hired a new part-time director with a charge to take recreation in Barrington in a new direction -- toward leisure services as well as recreation.
Michelle G. Geremia is Barrington's director of recreation and leisure services. She is a part-time employee except during the summer months. Her position is budgeted for 20 hours a week year-round at a cost of about $25,000 a year for salary and benefits.
Here is the complete agenda for tonight's meeting:
Barrington Park & Recreation Commission
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Barrington Public Library 7 pm
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes
3. Phil Hervey – Discussion of Park & Recreation oriented projects
4. Update from Director of Recreation and Leisure Services
5. Items for Discussion and Action
a. Full Time Recreation Director
b. Current and future programs
c. Review of Recreation Department Handbook
d. Tennis Court Signs
e. Requirements for memorial benches
6. Adjourn
Manifold Witness
11:50 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
The clock is running on the budget cycle and we’re getting mixed signals. So we have a few questions.
1. What about that "gorilla" (the school budget)? The current contract expires when? August 31, 2013? But the folks who do the budgeting need to "build a fiscal year" budget by …when? Soon. So it can be reviewed and approved in time for the Financial Town Meeting, right? Don't want to wait until the last minute on such big numbers.
2. A few years back the police department wanted to go from about 16 staff to about 20. They said it would reduce about $220,000 in overtime. How's that working out? Is there still overtime? The proposed Municipal Court is supposed to cut down on OT, but that court won't necessarily be in Barrington (see the ordinance).
3. Why does this little town need a full time Recreation Director? Or even a paid half time?
4. Why does this little built-out town need a full time Planner (paid by the taxpayers) to file CDBG grant applications & reports, so the money can benefit developers & other municipalities? Let the developers do their own paperwork directly to the state if they want grants. (That’s what other municipalities do.)
5. Any actual financial projections for any of this? June says we should wait for the ad hoc budgeting forecast committee to start work - next year. After the full time Rec Director’s been hired and the teachers’ contract is in place. That's too late.
This is not how the budgeting process should work.
In the moment
1:01 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Thank you, MW, for being the voice of reason here. Please, please, please public officials....publish something about how you are really cutting costs, helping residents stay in town longer than kids getting thru high school, buying available real estate for green space instead of overdeveloping our little town.
Meg Jones
4:18 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
We have a YMCA, youth soccer, youth basketball, cyo, scouting, a library, tennis courts, basketball courts, playing fields, a playground and little league. Parents may bring their children out and make use of all these wonderful areas that the town has provided. We are a town rich in activities school sponsored and private business sponsored. I own a pottery studio in town and there is another business offering classes to learn to sew as we'll as dance, voice and acting. There is a music school and Karate studio in my plaza, as well as two other dance schools in town. It seems we have programs in recreation which are already running successfully without town management or funding. It would be fiscally frivolous to even consider funding a part time rec director and reckless to consider funding a full time position.