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Park Rec Minutes 4-16-241 Dominick Pangallo MAYOR Trish O’Brien Superintendent CITY OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS JEAN A. LEVESQUE COMMUNITY LIFE CENTER 401 Bridge Street, Salem MA 01970 Tel. (978) 744-0180/(978) 744-0924 Fax (978) 219-1665 MINUTES OF THE SALEM PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION APRIL 16, 2024 A meeting of the Salem Parks and Recreation Commission was held on April 16, 2024, 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 Johnel Roberts, Chair; members: Deborah Amaral, Bob Callahan, Amy Everitt, and James Shea; Trish O’Brien, Superintendent and Commission Clerk Joanne Roomey. Mr. Roberts called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m. 1. Approval of Park and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes of March 19, 2024 Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the Park and Recreation Commission Minutes meeting of March 19, 2024. Mr. Shea seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 2. Visitors and Requests: a. Brandon Mustofaraj appeared from Mental Makeover to get approval for the use of the Salem Common on July 28, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with amplification, for their 3rd annual 5K walk to spread awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. They will get the vendors list to Joe Candelaria and the description of what they are selling. They will have a food truck and an ice cream truck. They are estimating approximately 15 vendors. The cutoff date for vendors is May 26, 2024. Everything is the same as last year and there were no issues. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the use of the Salem Common for a 5K Walk. Ms. Everitt seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. b. Milo Martinez from SCNA appeared to get approval for the use of the Salem Common on September 7, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with amplification, for their 6th annual Vintage Lawn Party. They will have six vendors and will be selling vintage items. They will also have 10 vintage cars. Everything is the same as in the past and there were no issues. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the use of the Salem Common for a Vintage Lawn Party. Ms. Everitt seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 2 c. Brandy Dion from B+S Fitness appeared to get approval for the use of the Willows Field on October 19, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to11:00 a.m., with Amplification, for their 15th annual Devils Chase/Creepy Clown Road Race Event. There will be 600 to 700 runners. They are having a beer tent that Notch will be hosting as in the past. Registration will start at 6:00 a.m. and the race starts at 8:00 a.m. Everything is the same as in the past and there were no issues. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the use of Willows Field for a Devils Chase/Creepy Clown Road Race Event. Ms. Amaral seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. d. Brandy Dion also appeared and wanted to get approval for the use of Collins Cove on August 18, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with amplification, for their Wild Fish Swim. They are working with Capt. Bill McHugh, the city’s Harbormaster to make sure they follow all of the regulations. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Ms. Everitt made a motion to approve the use of Collins Cove for a Wild Fish Swim. Ms. Amaral seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. e. Jeremy Fiske appeared, Special Events Coordinator for the City of Salem to get approval for Heritage Days Events from August 3 – 11, 2024: August 4 - from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Willows Field and Beach Parking area. The children get to “Touch a Truck” and have activities. They anticipate 50 attendees. They are requesting two tents, 10’ x 10’. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the use of Willows Field and Beach Parking area for Heritage Days Events. Ms. Amaral seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. August 7 – from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Common Bandstand for the Salem Main Streets Ice cream Bowl and Bands (Amplification 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.). There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the use of the Common Bandstand for Salem Main Streets, Ice cream Bowl and Bands. Ms. Amaral seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. August 11 - Scott Buchanan appeared to have an Electronic Music Concert at the Willows shell/Pavilion from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with Amplification for their 14th annual concert with local DJ’s they will not have any must after 8:30 p.m. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the use of the Willows Shell/Pavilion for an electronic music concert. Ms. Amaral seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. August 12 – from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Common Bandstand for the Bacon Fest (Amplification 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.). 3 Kylie Sullivan from Salem Main Streets is teaming up with Brandy Dion from B&S Fitness Companies LLC. Brandy said they do not have to fence the area off for the Bacon Fest or restrict them, she will do that. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the use of the Common Bandstand for The Bacon Fest. Ms. Amaral seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. f. Ray Jodoin appeared, the Director of DPW together with Katie Nieman, General Foreperson Park and Open Space for the City of Salem. Ms. Nieman gave a presentation regarding the Forest River Tree Planting plan. The main points were: • Emerald ash Borer hit the reign in 2019 and decimated the ash tree population • They will be restoring the tree canopy and preserve this treasured coastal park back into a woodland recreational site by planting a variety of native tree species to avoid mono cauterization • The City has recognized this since 2019 and have been working through/with stakeholders, Conservation Commission, Park and Recreation Commission, Chris Burke (former Park Commissioner), various City staff and the Mayor • 2021 Tree assessment • Feb. 2023 GIS cataloging of hazard trees • Sept. 2023 RDA filing with Con Com / Park and Recreation Commission meeting informing public of hazard tree removal plan and implementation (new planting plan commenced) • 2023 Mayor secured ARPA funding for this project • September 29, 2023 40 hazardous trees were removed • Jan. 2024 IFB was issued • Proposed May 1, 2024 start date, for the replanting of 78 trees at Forest River Park There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the Forest River Tree Planting Plan. Ms. Everett seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. g. Connor Morgan appeared, General Foreperson Cemetery and Shade Tree and City’s Arborist regarding the Memorial Park Tree Planting Plan. Mr. Morgan discussed the following: 1. Two areas to plant: (a) 2 at the Early Childhood Center Play Yard at Bently School and (b) Row of Quercus alba, white oaks within Memorial Park parallel to Memorial Drive. 2. Letters of Support from Chris Burke of Salem Native Nursery and Naomi Cottrell and Kirt Rieder, Board Members of the Tree Commission. 4 3. Photos of the tree locations and accommodations to underground electrical conduit crosses the gas pipeline at right angles and proceeds into the baseball diamond, parallel to the first base line. Oaks are 30’ apart. Electrical conduit passes between the oaks at the halfway point. Mr. Morgan also spoke about planting shade trees at the Bently School for Arbor and Earth Day. He discussed the Do’s and Don’ts of caring for a new tree. He showed soil testing near the school. Ms. O’Brien to do soil testing. The request came from a See Click fix for shade at the playground. James Shea said he had concerns about soil contamination with the Berms and was hesitant to open a “can of worms” and have the Park shut down (referencing current Gallows Hill Park Issues). There was a discussion regarding Catalpa Tree #1 and #2 locations not being a good spot based on the field stands and view and potential shed moving from the school. Ms. O’Brien had met with school officials and they preferred a shade structure at the playground and applied for CPA Funding. Ms. O’Brien had the same concerns about contamination/berm and allowing access to maintenance vehicles for the baseball/soccer/lacrosse fields. For the number of Oak trees along the fence line, DPW had concerns about tree root expansion and needing access to the large storm water drain in case something needed work – They didn’t want to have to dig up a tree in that case. These were discussed with the Tree Warden in advance of the meeting. Superintendent O’Brien had asked for the planting plan to change and adjust for these requests. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Callahan made a motion to approve the Memorial Park Tree Planting Plan in accordance with the final decision by both the Superintendent of Parks and the Director of DPW. Ms. Amaral seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. h. Yinette Guzman appeared on behalf of North Shore CDC (NSCDC) and gave a presentation to have Faceless dolls exhibited at Palmer Cove Park. The Faceless Doll was created by Liliana Mera Lime, a pottery worker in the town of Moca in the Dominican Republic in 1981. NSCDC partnered with landscape architects Crowley Cottrell LLC to elaborate on the future artwork displayed at Palmer Cove Park. The doll sculptures will be at the boardwalk between Palmer Cove and Pioneer Terrace to beautify the property, encourage walkability and foster a strong sense of belonging for residents at Pioneer Terrace, South Salem, Saltonstall students/faculty and the Point Neighborhood. There will be four sculptures at Palmer Cove Park and three sculptures at Pioneer Terrace. They are made of fiberglass, high-density foam, steel internal structure dolls to attach via threaded rod to concrete pads installed in the park during construction. PUAM will choose six other artists through a Call for Art Program in Spring 2024. Artists will paint the sculptures in the Spring of 2025. They anticipate the sculptures being there for 10+ years if they continue to get funding. The NSCDC will be responsible for maintaining the sculptures. 5 One of the locations in the front will need to be further investigated internally by City Staff as the Palmer Cove Park sign needs to go in that location as well. There being no further questions or comments regarding this matter, Mr. Shea made a motion to approve the use of Palmer Cove Park for a Faceless Dolls Exhibit with final approval of one location in the front to be discussed and decided by Ms. O’Brien. Ms. Everitt seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. 3. Old Business: Ms. O’Brien said the golf carts got approved for 26 gas carts to lease for two months. They are waiting to hear back from National Grid regarding the electric golf carts. Mr. Callahan said the meter revenue is up and it includes all meters and the money that comes from the parking lot goes into the Willows. Mr. Shea said the new pier needs a ramp for boaters. Ms. O’Brien will follow up and check the plan with Harbor Master. 4. New Business: Some residents were concerned about not having enough trash barrels at the Willows. Mr. Jodoin assured them there will be 21 barrels around the Willows and there are no technical “carry in/carry out” rules. Just wanting people to utilize the barrels towards the Parking area on their way out to minimize vehicles driving through the Park. 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 Ms. Amaral The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 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