BOS meeting 3/24/14

My musings from the Board of Selectmen meeting.  
First geese. Now dog houses and chicken coops!  I have to say it’s kind of nice to live in a town where these are issues actually brought up at meetings.   But are we focusing on the small stuff and running a-fowl?  (See what I did there? See it???)    The bigger actual issue is that time and resources were being wasted.  Lesson learned from this one?  When you see waste or something that can be done better, speak up.  Curious about what I’m talking about?  Not everything at a meeting is boring.
The public audience was about 6 people.  There were 9 but 3 left when they realized the rowing club was rescheduled until April.   Rowing is a growing sport with a deep history and is great for all age groups.   If you’re interested, please come to the April meeting to hear what the rowing club would like to achieve.
Next, onto Liaison assignments. Each committee in town has a Selectmen assigned as a liaison.  The Board went through the assignments – not much excitement there.  Cemetery Trustees and the Recreation Commission seemed to be the dogs in the group.   Is that because of the issues regarding the playing fields?  Or are they just perceived as boring?  
I’ve never seen a selectmen at a Recreation Commission meeting, but I can understand that. They already devote so much time as selectmen.   Perhaps the system should be reversed and each committee should appoint a member to attend each Board of Selectmen meeting instead?   
Did you know the town has a goal for 20% open space by 2040?  I didn’t.  We’re at about 12.5% now.    There was much discussion about how the funding for purchasing the open space land works.  I’m more interested in how they are going to find the land?  Maybe conservation is an easier sell to land owners than recreation space. This also made me wonder if there are grants available for recreation fields use?  Mrs. Obama has the lets move initiative and recreation fights childhood obesity. I'm going to look into that. 
The transfer station is up next.   Should the transfer station employees help residents with large or awkward pieces? The policy is currently not to help.    Bruce Berry said it very well in my opinion, “if it took two people to load it in the truck, the two people should come to the dump to unload it”.   This is  common sense.   I’ve been to the transfer station and both given and received help from other citizens.   We’re all in this together people.  Help out your fellow transfer station visitor.   More importantly, if you need help ask for help.  
Committee appointments.   Often we don’t have enough people to fill all vacancies.  If you’re already on a committee think about writing about it.   Why do you do it?   What do you like about it?   If you know someone who would do a good job, suggest they apply.  Sometimes people just need a little nudge.
Up next, the sledding hill.   We discussed if it’s appropriate to close the hill when the conditions result in ice or just post a sign that conditions are icy and keep the hill open.   I personally believe it shouldn’t be closed. It’s an open recreation space and people need to use common sense. 
We need to find a new home for the playground.  A few suggestions are:Alice Town Lot across from Wilkins School – traffic is an issue.The Ice Rink Lot – the goal would be to still maintain the rink in the winter (or could that be relocated within the village?)The School District property on Baboosic Lake Road – the cost to construct parking and an area for the playground would be expensive but not impossible.If you have any other suggestions please speak up. Wendy Rannenberg has done a lot of work on this already and would be a good person to contact with ideas.  
Jim O’Mara suggested opening a dialogue with the Cemetery Trustees to discuss any of the existing improvements at the cemetery field property the Trustees would like to remain. From a monetary point of view, if there are improvements at the fields the cemetery could use, then it makes sense to share.   Sharing is good.   So is talking.
Reminders: Cemetery Finance Subcommittee – letters of interest are due by 4/11/14. Committee Appointments – letters of interest are due by 4/4/14.Recreation Commission meeting – 3/25/14 at 6pm.  Cross St. Recreation office.
And lastly, a disclaimer I didn't think was necessary but apparently is. This post is based on my own personal observations and beliefs and are not endorsed by anyone, except me.  If you don't like something I've written, think I'm brilliant, or want to talk about anything, I'm always up for a coffee date!