I'd like to call this meeting, the park board to order. Today's Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025. The meeting is being held in the council hearing room beginning about 5:35. Um, before we get started, pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any media.
0:21Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. The city charter mandates that multiple member bodies develop and adopt rules or public or policy for public comment. We have adopted such a policy and will provide for citizens input the start of the meeting. There's a signup sheet in
0:46the back of the room.
0:50We'll start with roll call.
0:54Defin BJ McDonald. We're uh not here.
0:58Commissioner Amber Burns and Commissioner Nick Cecilio. Citizens input. Do we have anyone not on the agenda that No one signed up? No one signed up. Um I'll I'll take a motion to accept the minutes from the March 5th. I'll make a motion to accept the minutes. All in favor? I. Motion carries. New business. Item A is a letter from the mayor's office regarding the use of the Veterans Memorial
1:30Bsentennial Park for its third annual Cops and Bobbers Family Fishing Clinic.
1:35The event is to take place on Thursday, September 18th, 2025 from 4 to 6 with the setup time between 3 and 4. Anyone questions? comments on that.
1:48Have an annual event? Yeah, I think last year I think last year they had a couple they had some issues with the weather and I think they rescheduled it a few times but um they did it last year too.
1:58I remember I'll make a motion. Make a move. Second motion to approve by Commissioner Ferris. Second by Commissioner Rigo. All in favor? I.
2:09Motion carries.
2:12Item B is a letter from John Sylvia.
2:15He's requesting permission to plant trees at the Bowmanville Green on Dery Street and to take place in the spring.
2:23Okay, cool. I'm going to just I only made one copy here, but this is where we want to plant the trees for the right here. Um, yeah, I'm sorry. Uh, from the tree planting, uh, committee and fall.
2:34No problem. Could you just state your name and address, please, just so we have it on? Sure. No problem. Sure.
2:38Thank Uh name is John Sylvia. Address is 51 Ada Street and I'm with the forest street tree planning program. Uh part of the Arbor Day celebration that the city's putting together. Um one of our members uh suggested maybe that we uh plant a tree which we've done in the past uh during that period. So um we're trying to request uh to put a tree. It's on Bowman Circle which is around Turner
3:04Dery Street right near the um MBTA tracks. Um, and there's an X there.
3:10Sorry. Um, that's where we wanted to put the tree. Um, and we're going to be working with the, uh, city with Chris Martin, working with him, and we're also working with Mariah Day, who is the contracted arborist to find the right tree for that right place. And we'll be buying it from, uh, Silven Nursery in Westport. Um, so we don't have a specific date, but we wanted to get permission ahead of time.
3:33You guys have anything?
3:36No. Okay. I guess I would just as long as you're working with, you know, Chris and uh his his team. I know that with other trees, the the board the considerations were just like say what kind of mess does it make? You know, is it a fruit tree where there's going to be stuff that, you know, kids can whip around or whatever. So, we'll trust, you know, your judgment and the arbor's
3:55judgment um in in that regard as they're the experts. But I know that in the past that's kind of really the one thing that the park uh gets concerned with. Yeah. I don't I mean there's not a lot of traffic at this park. Um, one of our members, Mary, um, was looking at the area, um, with the arborist and, um, they kind of looked at the top of the park. There's a sign there. There's a
4:17couple billboard signs. So, they didn't want it there because they figured eventually it's going to grow and it's going to block the signs and they don't want it to get cut down. So, we're working on it to make it the right tree for the right place. Perfect. I guess um I would entertain the motion to approve it, but maybe once you know what you're going to plant, you can just let us
4:35know. You don't have to come back to us, but just hey, this is what we decided on. We'll have u this, you know, your picture here. We'll put that into the record for tonight so that it's gets scanned in. Um and then yeah, if you just give us a heads up as far as what you guys are going to do. I can do that.
4:51Definitely. Not a problem. Cool. Motion to approve. Second it. Motion to approve made by Commissioner Riggo, second by Commissioner Faras. All in favor? Okay.
5:01Thank you. Thank you.
5:08Item C is a letter from the Fall River Young Marines regarding the use of Kennedy Park, including the use of the pickle ball court for the Fall River Young Marines embracing and energizing Fall River. The event is to take place on Saturday, October 18th from 9 to 4 with the rain date as October 19th.
5:31How are you? I'm well, thank you. I'm Kim Broer from uh Paul of the Young Marines. I'm the unit commander. I have some information here for you, please.
5:38Yes absolutely.
5:40Please copies that.
5:43Yes for sure. Hey, how are you?
5:48Thank you. Thank
6:01you. Good evening everybody. Again, my name is Kim Bro, unit commander for the Fall River Young Marines. This is going to be our first energizing and embracing Fall River 2025.
6:14It is is going to be our uh main fundraiser of Fort Marian Marines is a nonprofit youth organization been around for a long time. Ordinarily uh how our main fundraiser in the past up until COVID came everything to a screeching halt. We would have a bike run and uh again things have changed a lot has changed but what hasn't changed is there's truly a need uh for in order for
6:36our unit to stay afloat. We do not get funding. It is a national organization but each unit has to come up with their their own money basically. there's truly a need for these youngsters who come to our to our uh unit. Uh again, what we do is there's, you know, we keep them off the streets basically is what we're trying to do. Just for leaders, it's teamwork, discipline, and uh some leadership is what we're trying to
6:58instill in them. But in order for us to do that, again, everything's so expensive. Uh uniforms alone, um they're changing them this year for the first time since 1965. We we drill on the USS Massachusetts. We have dozens if not hundreds of but their woodland camouflage now they're changing it as of September that we need need the digital so the cost is just through the roof so in order for us to do this we need to
7:23fund raise so how we are proposing to do that is with this fundraiser we're calling it energizing and embracing fall river and basically our mission statement is to empower our community by promoting a drugrevention awareness supporting local businesses and fostering unity through collaboration through education engagement and advocacy We strive to create a safer, healthier, and more connected city by
7:44bringing together residents, businesses, and organizations. We aim to inspire positive change and build a brighter future for all. So, we're proposing to use uh Kennedy Park for a very festive celebration type funday is what we're looking to do. We're hoping to kick the day off with a 5K where we call it DDR dash. There it's done right across the country. There are more than 200 units
8:10totaling 10,000 uh youngsters uh young Marines and adult volunteers on October 18th right across the country. Uh they often have these DDR dashes and it's for drug prevention. You may have recalled last year we we the government center here was lit up red for red ribbon week.
8:30So, we would kick off our red ribbon week with the DDR dash in our uh fundraiser uh embrace and uh energizing Fall River on that Saturday. So, again, we're hoping to get I have to get this done first, then I get to go to the city and the police department, which which I've already spoken to, but little backwards here, but our hope our hope is to start the day off with a 5K that'll
8:53start at the waterfront somewhere, whether by Centennial Park uh and get through the city. and we're going to end at Kennedy Park. Once we end that 5K, then the rest of the fund will be will uh will then commence. We're um hoping to have um vendors, lots of community partners involved. We're hoping we're going to have a DJ, uh some food trucks, some giant yard games, and also we're
9:20going to we're hoping to add in a pickle ball tournament. I've been in contact with uh Tyler Anderson from the Fall River uh pickle ball club and he's on board. We're going to do something really fun down there with that. That's going to be just one more part of our event. Uh the other thing that we're asking to do at the Kennedy Park is we're going to have a little a fun run
9:40we're calling it. Again, it's going to be uh DDR, which is a drug demand reduction dash, but for little kids and for uh young people that perhaps can't run, maybe they're um you know in a wheelchair or they have or just younger or just we want to include everybody is our point or maybe they're older and they want to. So, we're going to we're hoping to use that round skating area to
10:03have something a little fun, another another race of sorts. Again, all promoting drug prevention.
10:11You have to know make got to make sure that all your vendors are insured. Yes.
10:15Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Got to have insurance. Yes. Yes. And then you'll have to provide insurance too for you know the day of the event. Yes, sir. Um and then with the bathrooms and stuff I think you work with is it through the health department and stuff they have to sign off on that stuff. So food trucks got to have their their insurance in the food trucks. Yeah. is that and and I
10:36guess the other thing is you're looking kind of the whole park top to bottom.
10:40You guys want what what we what we primarily um are we're hoping to to use is not the very top unless that ends up that the city says that that's best for us to have our finish line. That would be the only reason that we would use the the very top there where South Main Street is. What we're primarily looking for is from Broadway down.
11:02Okay. So again, I I included that only because I again I don't know what the Fall River Police Department. So Broadway down. So yeah, basically where the circle is. Yes. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. And then we would use the pavilion and we would use the bathrooms there. And then the very far end would be primarily for the pickle ball tournament. Again, but again, I only included that top part because if the
11:25police department says that's where we need to have our finish line because if they do come down south, that would be the only reason that we would we would do that. we utilize that that particular space. Yeah. So, I think like some of I mean most of the stuff is pretty standard. Um I know the food trucks there's always questions as far as what the best place to put park them is, you
11:46know, so depending on where you're expecting the most people. I think probably I might lean on the police department for their advice there too to make sure people are safe and they don't have to go into the street. Right.
11:57Right. So I included that in one of my um uh graphs that I had given you. I am I am um mimicking what uh your the Junth that event that we had in June at the Bristol Black Coalition had done. I I I stole I basically I used I used their props there. That's right. That exactly where I was going with that. So that that is what I follow. But again, if the
12:25police department um if the police department deems it to be better in a different place, of course, that's that's what we would do. So, yes. So, I I I'm sorry. Um you had said for basically food trucks, vendors, insurance, we'll have our own insurance.
12:41Um anything else? Does the DJ need insurance? Yes. Anybody else that's there? Basically, I have insurance.
12:47Okay. Okay. And there's there's a checklist, too, like as far as going to the different departments. Yes, I have that, sir. Correct. Yes, I have. Yes, I have that. Yes. Work your way through that. Correct. Yep. I have that right there. Based on what you're doing, you know, with the vendors and Yes, sir. and whatnot. So, yes, sir.
13:07Questions.
13:10Ellen you could move to approve. Second it. Motion to approve by Commissioner Rico, second by Commissioner Ferris. All in favor? I.
13:20Motion carries. Good luck. Thank you very much.
13:28Okay, youth soccer. So that was item C. Item D is a letter from for youth soccer requesting the use of Britain Park for their spring and summer season 2025. So they sent us um their schedule. We don't have Is there anyone here? Yeah, right there. Perfect. Come on down. I think you guys kind of know the deal anyways, right? Been here before. Yeah.
14:00Insurance letter of solicitation.
14:02Awesome. I'll just We'll get it to Al.
14:07I did send it. Okay. We're working through some of that.
14:20So I think I know that uh I don't have any issues. I don't know.
14:26Do we have Al, do you know off hand? Do have we approved anything at Britlin for the weekends already on the dates that they're looking we have an active calendar. If there was any concerns with that, we would we would highlight that.
14:39So that's the only thing we might have to work through is if something's already been approved and we've already given it to somebody else, we might just have to work through some of those logistics as far as when they're going to come in. Nobody else, I believe, has requested like a full day, right? So if there's another if there's a game we that's already scheduled, we you may
14:58need to just work with within the parks department to finagle it so that everyone can use it. Um but otherwise, I mean, I don't have any issues. I'll give you this stuff to put it absolutely on file. Um, do you guys have questions for us or anything? Uh, two questions and we'll have to update it. So, there's a couple of uh weekday games, just individual games like on a Monday night
15:22and a Tuesday night later in the season so we can send over those dates to see if there's any conflicts. Yeah, because we're getting more requests for that field. The charter schools want to use it. Diamond doesn't have a field. So, there's we just got to try to make sure we're as fair as we can um in giving it out. Yeah, we've done that with Nancy in the past. So, if there's even, you know,
15:39if we have a full day, but then there's a time slot that's not being used and someone needs it, you know, we work with the other organizations. Uh there are two two points of reference for the field itself. Um as usual, uh there needs repair on both sides. Um so the PK spots on both the I guess east and west side of the of the 11 v11 field. Um they
16:02both need to they both need turf. It's just a hole. Okay. Um, so it's been repaired before, but now whoever's using it is just making a hole on the other side. So, and is that when they repaired it in the past, they cut out that piece?
16:12Yeah, they cut a little square and then they they glue the new new piece in. And we have a picture of I took some pictures so you can see what it looks like. Um, so it's literally a a mirrored mirrored picture, a mirrored hole on the opposite side. Sure. Yeah. Uh, and then the we replaced one net last replaced one net in the fall like the actual coal and uh the other side needs to be
16:33replaced with repair and this was the new okay and that's that's the net of one net and I replaced the other one last fall and this is the other PK area where that one was the patch and this is the new old okay so they fixed that one and now there's a new one yeah okay unfortunately um the other thing too that I just just to let the board know that we've done
16:57last year with with NY's approval. Um, being that the field is well over 10 years old and a lot of the lines are fading, so you can't see a lot of the white lines when you're playing. So, we we did paint over those white lines last year. Um, so as long as you guys are okay for us to do the touchup, at least touch up those lines so we can see it
17:17needs to be basically cut in new lines at some point. What type of the whole field needs to be redone? We use we use an athletic paint that we use for uh far grass fields.
17:26Okay. So, they may not be the right the right paint, but Right. Uh I think the one we bought last year would would stick to turf. Yeah. Okay. And again, it's just it's really just the white the yellow like the 99 field looks good. You know, you could see the lines pretty well, but the outside 111, there's definitely some areas where you can't even see it at all. I would just defer
17:44to Al's office and, you know, and Charlie, I think, is going to be involved, too. So, it as far as like the paint and stuff goes, I don't have an issue with that. I think the field should be, you know, look up to par. You know, we have people coming in. and it's a travel league that's coming from out of town. It should look nice. Um, and we appreciate you guys the effort, you
18:03know, maintaining it and helping with with that stuff. So, yeah, we have two I think we have M's vineyard actually coming in this weekend. Yeah. In Nucket.
18:12All right. So, they're coming in this weekend. So, you got to you want to paint it like tomorrow. Yeah. So, we're going to try to to try to replace the net. I think we have one net. I think I have one net left in our in our container. Um, and I have we do have white paint. Yeah. So, we'll touch it up. We can touch up. So Al, do you want
18:26to check on that before? Just looking at the weather the weather for the obviously. Is it going to be dry? It's going to be dry for us to do it. It's going to be I think Friday is probably when we'll get lucky doing it on Friday cuz I'm there. I think we have a game at 10:00 in the morning on Saturday and then I have the second game with Martha's Vineyard at uh 12 12. Okay.
18:48Yeah. I mean I don't I don't have issue with the paint. I don't know if you guys what what you guys think, but um yeah, that's a maintenance issue. We'll Yeah, that's more like just make sure that it's the right paint and they have them, you know, just give it a thumbs up before you do it. Uh and then lights for any night games, so we don't really have a whole lot, but
19:08I do have two 6 pm games. I think we'll be okay without lights, but I didn't know who to check in with to if we needed lights. Are those games on here?
19:15No, I I just I literally just reschedled them uh before coming. So, we'll send them off. I'm all for the night games.
19:21So, um I know that print I forgot to print the schedule, but it is in the email. Okay, I got that one. So, I'll give you the the the I think it's just two games. I'll just I'll send them if if if Yeah, as long as nobody else is using it, then you know, I don't have an issue with that. And all you have updates with the as far as like the
19:38lights and I don't know, are those on a timer every night or are those just specific? I'll have to check to see what the status is on those lights.
19:46Typically, it's because we use it on Friday nights during the fall. Nancy has a timer on Friday nights, say 5:30 to 9:30, she would have them come on automatically. Okay. So, yeah, like to your point, the field needs to be redone. So, the lights like they the same lights, I think, there since my dad was I've been saying that for a while.
20:03And but there's an osprey nest in one of the lights. Yeah.
20:09Just every light every light right now in this stadium has an offspray. Yeah.
20:13The other every just about every stadium. The other consideration is, you know, obviously it's always where does the money come from to pay for the field, but um I'm on the CPC committee too. Yep. The community preservation and open space is one of the categories. And so if you have some people that can put together an application, I can get you some information on it. The CPC just
20:36paid for the softball lights at Father Kelly. Yeah, I saw that. Um Yeah. Put metal poles, right? Yeah. Brand new lights. But I would I would encourage you to look into the CPC process. Okay.
20:49And maybe you know for view Soccer could be the nonprofit that putting the request in. Right. Right. Because it has if nobody asks for it then the money's the money may or may not be there. But if the money is there and nobody asks for it then the committee can't do anything with it. So, if it's something um you guys want to do and kind of see it help see it through um I think that
21:16that might be worthwhile to it would benefit not just our league but all the other leagues that play there as well.
21:21Right. So, Right. Right. Okay. So, I'll I'll get you some of that information on on the CPC process because their application process will start again for for next year. Like they award the funding at the start of the new year.
21:36So, it'll start like towards the end of your season. There's a there's an application you can fill out. What do you need? What do you want to do? Fill it all out. And then it goes through the vetting process within the CPC and then they vote on, you know, which projects and how much money is in the pool to be able to divvy it out. Right. Right.
21:57Anything else?
21:59And sorry, we understand that we may not be able to get the the, you know, permit or Yes. I'm just hoping that we were able to get at least a temporary one for this Saturday and next Saturday at least. I think what what the approval will probably say for the record is we'll approve this just but then we're just going to have the girls in the office cross-check it and make sure we
22:19haven't already given out a date and then if there is they can just be in contact with you and say hey we're double booked on this day can we be a little flexible and move some specifically for Saturday because obviously the weather's getting nicer so you got a lot of neighborhood kids that show up in the field so we generally don't kick anybody off unless we have a permit to use that field so if there's a
22:37document that I can use cuz I'll be here if there's I'll I'll can get you that.
22:42So, we'll approve this tonight and then so that you have it for the weekend and then um we'll have the girls just cross check it in the office and make sure there's no other dates. Yeah, Alan, let me know or through we need to pick it up after the Okay, cool. So, I make a motion for grant them permission to play. Second. All in favor? I motion carries. Thank you very much. Thank you
23:05guys. Appreciate it. Thank you.
23:13Um the next is item E. It's a letter from Bobby Bailey regarding the use of Bsentennial Park for the third annual uh Diamonds Boys and Girls Tennis Program.
23:25It's actually started I think this week they started practicing so I think they've already been down there. Um but they still don't have courts so they need a place to play.
23:40Okay. I'll um I'll make a motion that they can uh motion to approve. Motion to approve the mot to approve made by Commissioner Faras. Second by Commissioner Rigo. All in favor? I uh item F is a letter from Gloria Sadler requesting a comprehensive community garden in Father Chvasos Park. Hi. Hi.
24:02How are you? I'm good. I'm Dr. Gloria Sadler, thank you for hearing my letter, my request. Thank you for being here.
24:13Do I need to start? Are you going to be asking me specific questions? Why don't you give us a the Reader's Digest version of your of your letter and then if we have questions, we'll go from there. Readers Digest. I am currently working with the Office of Community Development. I am the person overseeing revitalization for the Flint community. So along with the funding that the state delegate the municipal
24:42delegation has secured funding for the total outlook is to provide residents with an opportunity to provide input.
24:53after going out into the community, the input from residents and nonprofits within the community was they wanted a community garden. So, what I did is I went out with the assistant city planner. We identified some available location within the father to borrowers park. I think I did send this over, but just in case I didn't, I had him print out another one for your viewing. So, what
25:23we're asking for is space. We'd like 20 4x8 boxes. These are going to be boxes.
25:32We're not actually going to till the soil because this is a former mill town, a former me mill area. We did not want to get into the logistics of soil testing. So, we thought if we were going to go come before the park board, we were going to ask for the space, the use of the space. But what we are going to do is we're going to have the young
25:55Marines, as I stated in my letter, we're going to have the Young Marines take the lead and building the um boxes. We are actually going to have the and I've already gotten the Fall River Police on board. They want to assist the Young Marines. They're actually going to make it a fun initiative where neighborhood youth can come in and assist. and it's going to be a competition with getting
26:19those garden boxes built between the Young Marines and the Fall River Police.
26:24So, we're super excited if given approval about that. But we also want to make it an ADA compliant. We do have the two 55 and older mills. So what we're looking to do is build the table height where wheelchairs can glide underneath tables so that the senior citizens disabled from within the neighborhood and the two mill complex apartment buildings so that they can um participate in the community gardens.
26:52But not only that, we thought about the toty Assad tot lot. So, if you go back and review my letter over at the Kathy Assad Tot, I also visited that location.
27:02It's a fun location for smaller, younger children in the summertime. What we propose to do over there is just add some maybe table hot size just so they can watch vegetables grow. The adults will manage that, vegetables grow and flowers grow and just have some sand.
27:19maybe just for any child that has a sensory need that attends um visitations of that particular part. Does that make sense? Do you have any specific questions for me now? It does make sense, but what happened with this when it is it's all he at the beginning and then it just dies out and the pop and the the project there just dies out.
27:45People just don't they lose interest.
27:47Tell me more about that, ma'am. Right.
27:49and they lose interest. I can tell you this. My address is at 318 Jinx Street.
27:54I've owned my house for 11 years. My son's a Fall River police. His children were born and raised in my house. At least three of them were. My granddaughter owns a home on Quicoanam Street. We don't see this as growing out. We are part of those residents that reside within the community. They're going to be taking the lead. So, not only do I work for the city and I'm doing my part for my particular
28:19position, but I'm also a resident. I'm not going to see it fizzle out. In addition to that, I've had an opportunity to chat with Andrew Raposo, the Espirto Santos School that is going to be a part of their regular ability to earn their service learning minutes, points, whatever Andrew does over there.
28:40So, this is going to be an ongoing thing. In addition to that, the Cambodian population under Ricky Tith, they have taken on a wanting to take on a lead to make sure that this is upkept.
28:53So, we're not concerned about dollars and cents are going to flow and disappear from the Flint based on the Office of Community Development, based on Jake Aenclauss or Carol can't secure any more fundings. We, the residents of that community are invested. So you guys are raising the money to build this stuff with the help of the young Marines. And correct. We are taking that responsibility. And if you go back and
29:18take a look at my letter, the first thing we say is we the residents. I didn't say I Gloria Sadler from the office of community development. I said we the residents. Sometimes I feel a little bit confused and conflicted when I come in here cuz sometimes I come as a city worker, but then I have to step back and say, "Hey, I'm a I'm resident of the city, but more importantly, I'm a
29:42resident of the Flint. I'm not just a resident. I'm a homeowner. So, I'm really invested." So, I think my if I'm interpreting, so I understand her concerns. Yeah. And I think what her concern is more so too like does it create um an additional burden on the staff and the people that maintain the parks and those types of things, right?
30:02I think that's maybe Al could in all fairness to what Mr. Riggo just mentioned when you start these type of projects in a school environment, right?
30:11You do that for the students to learn it grows. Come summertime, that's when it's growing. That's when it dies. That's when the tomatoes go flying all over the place. This is a different story because the stu it's no longer students. This is an act of community. So there's there's a little difference, but there's I can understand. I most certainly understand and respect her concerns because if I
30:35were not a resident, I would say, "Oops, I didn't think of that." But I had already thought of that. That school children will go away. But the hope is they'll want to continue coming to visit the park to see the fruits of their labor. In fact, just today I met with a grant writer. We are looking to see if perhaps we can write a grant to have that area fenced in so that we know that
30:58we can monitor. In addition to that, I don't want this to be a burden on the city. And I did write that within my letter with saying, can we have water?
31:07Can we have electricity? My goal is to purchase rain barrels so that each four corners will have a rain barrel. That is your supply of water. And if it means that I have to will one of those barrels across the street to my home and fill it up, I'm willing to do that. That was going to be my next question. I'm willing to do that. My daughter's willing to do that. My son is willing to
31:32do that. Now, I know that there's um like throughout the country, these community gardens are they have been super successful in a lot of urban communities. Like there's no denying that. I just don't know and I'm a little naive to it as far as like securing it and those like vandalism, those types of concerns in that area at nighttime. Um do what is how does that play out? Like
31:58is it are is it not a fenced in area, right? It's at the moment it is not fenced in. Again, today I met with a grant writer. We want to prepare and go ahead and kind of do a trial run with some of the garden bed boxes. But as we continue to proceed and move forward, we know that we should at least because there's already the the fence up there that divides the state property from the
32:23cities. We know that we eventually will require fencing in those three dimensions that are currently unfenced just so that we can secure the area. But for now, we're going to start small with those garden boxes. In fact, we're requesting 20, but we may start with a a lower amount just so we can get started.
32:45How close is this going to be to the mini wheels?
32:50So ma'am, if you take a look at this white spot here, that is the hockey rink. You know the hockey rink that's over there. So you know that the knitting mills are off over here. Let me kind of explain a little bit clearer where we are on this schematic. So where we have the area that we'd like to use, this is the hockey rink. This is the entrance to Father Tobaso
33:21Park. The first knitting mill is over off to the entrance. The second mill, which is what is that? The um That's the loft. Yes, the loft. They're on the opposite side, but people can kind of walk through. Yeah. It's far enough out of the way that when I visited the father Tarso Park to scope out an area with the city, the assistant city planner, we decided this was going to be
33:49the best place. So that if you had a senior citizen who may have been able to have enough wind to just get out there, they don't have very far to go. That's what we took into consideration. We didn't want to make people trample behind the field or more up towards the school. We wanted people to feel comfortable enough to come out of those mills and know that they made it. We're
34:12also going to include some benches and that I have some grant funds to do that right away. So once people get down there, if they just want to sit and just observe what's going on, they'll have the ability to do that. I know that there's seating over there, but I also know because this father to Barcel Park is near my house, most of the time the seating is taken up and people bring in
34:35their own chairs during the summer months. So, we are going to I have funding available to provide bench seating over there in the area.
34:47Sounds good to me. I mean I I I'll u make a motion that we uh go on with it. A motion to approve as is. You have any hesitation or I just hope it I just hope it works out.
35:06Now you you mentioned that it's it's going to be ADA compliant. Yes. So there's going to be a walkway into that.
35:12So, what we're going to do with regards to the ADA component for now, I just want to put that down because that's making my arm tired. This is not very far off. What I'm going to do is I'm going to secure funding because I do have the requirements for the ADA compliant, what they require to walk on the grass. What what I'm doing is I'm going to be applying for funding, a grant funding. There's a USDA
35:39and I could share that with you, El. I can send that to your office. Too bad I didn't bring my We apply for that annually as well. Yeah. Yeah. They have where you can do the community um gardening grant request. That's what I'm going to be applying for. In fact, I met with a person today. We're going to She asked me to secure a list what my costs were going to be so we can include that
36:00and explain what we're doing. So, yes, ADA compliant.
36:05So, that's And you don't need water.
36:06you're going to get we're going to cuz I don't there's probably no spot or anything over there, right? We know that there is that house here, but again in my letter I state I don't want to become a problem to the city with our ass. We know that there's a building that probably controls the water and the electricity. So if we ask Charlie or Al for the first get us started, let us
36:30fill up our containers, we should be able to take it from there. Okay. We should take it again. If I have to get my cart, I have a card and I live across the street. If I have to fill up a container and take it to my house and fill it up, I don't mind. I don't mind.
36:45I'm a member of the community and for me, it's important that we take on some level of self advocacy and sustainability to maintain this.
36:57I think it's great. I think the more we can get use out of the parks, the better. different uses. You know, there's uh I I think it's great. So, we'll entertain Mr. Far's motion to approve. Do I have a second? Second.
37:10Second by Commissioner Rigo. All in favor? I I Thank you. Thank you very much. Good luck. Yes. Thank you. And hopefully you'll come out and pay us a visit. Get some tomatoes this summer. I can't promise you this summer's tomatoes. Maybe the fall. Maybe the fall.
37:30plantings, but thank you so much.
37:35Item G is a letter from Lin Maderas requesting a tree located outside of 342 Pier Street to be removed because it's causing damage to the property. Um, someone looked at this tree already. Al, has someone gone to look at this? Chris, Chris here? Yeah. Oh, I didn't see him back there.
37:59I know Chris and I have hit a few trees.
38:01I'm not sure. I think there's a couple trees in a row, Chris. So, maybe we'll just have you uh give us your thoughts on these couple.
38:08Did we look at that one? Pierce, you and I. You didn't. Okay.
38:16I always think we should defer to you for the most part on these. Um, so this one at 342 Pier Street, right? Um, so the the issue with that one is it's right on the corner of their driveway. The whole thing's heaved up right into his driveway and the sidewalk is like probably 6 in up. Um, there's really no way to work around it to repair it. Um, so that's why they're requesting
38:49to remove that tree. Um, she did send a bunch of pictures and stuff. I don't know if you guys got them. Um, so if you look at the pictures of where that tree is. Um, it's it's heaved up really re and it's like so it's a super trip hazard like cuz it's the driveway opening and it's like right there on the corner. Chris, is that damaging that wall too?
39:18I think it might have affected it a bit, but at this point it's not anything that they were concerned about. What is that?
39:27The corner of Pierce and what? It's the corner. No, it's just his the house is probably two houses up from the next street down, which is maybe Rock. Okay.
39:42Um, however, it's like like I said, it's right at the opening of his driveway to go in and it's lifted up. So, um, there's that and probably six panels down from that.
39:56There's a tree that was removed, I guess a few years back, there was some type of uh, water line issue and it had to be removed so they could fix that. That stump is was still there. I guess the contractor, whoever did the water line going into the property, never took care of that, but it is a city tree stump that's left. So, if we're down there doing that tree and that stump, we're
40:24going to take care of that one. DCM's going to repair all that sidewalk over there.
40:30I mean, I think if you think it should come down based on the pictures and the trip hazard, then, you know, it should probably come down. I guess the only other thing though, like I know uh you guys took one down on my street and then it got paved over. It looks great, but are there ever plans like I guess bigger picture? We always get the requests for them to come down. Do they ever go back
40:53up? Because it does look nice when you have them. Um so I don't know how that works. We do if the person like sometimes the people if it's right in front of their house or it's just in a bad spot sometimes they put the driveway in the tree was already there they put a driveway in um and it ends up affecting the driveway over time. So people tend
41:17not to want to put one back there. But I will ask or we will ask um would you mind having another tree over here? And I did ask that person and they weren't too keen about it because that tree is affecting his driveway. The next one down at the corner of the next house, that one affected their water line going into their house. So, they weren't too fond about hearing about replacing. But
41:47a lot of times when we do a big section and you know there's multiple trees that have to be removed because of street issues, sidewalk or not ADA compliant, so they can't get wheelchairs and whatnot through. Um if there is the ability to put them back, we do like to put them back. So when they repaw that, we leave tree boxes to to replant trees there.
42:14But we do we do have a policy that whenever trees do get removed depending on the size and the thickness that we have either a ratio between one to two or one to three 1 to four depending on the size of the tree to make sure that we do have active trees in in bloom.
42:31Yeah. I just think that that's important like we get these requests for them to come down all the time. Correct. And I don't have issues with them coming down if they're a nuisance and they're you know trip hazards and everything else.
42:40Right. I just on the flip side, if we're taking four down, let's put up in one or two in another in the same spot or another spot. Right. And normally that's what we do. We go out there, we assess it. I'll go out there with the the cement crew and we'll look at it and see is it possible to work around it, right, to save the tree. And this might be a
43:02bad example cuz it's driveway cuz it's literally right on the corner. So, it's got the driveway, the entrance to the driveway lifted and the sidewalk lifted at the same time. So, we did look at it and we but there's just that that one there's no possibility of of making that work just because of the spot it's in.
43:25If it was maybe down one more tile, it it would have probably been fine. Yeah.
43:30But because of where it is right on that corner of the driveway, it's it's an issue, you know. Yeah. And the other thing we have to be cognizant about is making sure that what whatever we do we need to make sure that it becomes ADA accessible after the fact. Right now it's not right. So that's the that's the focus that we have to make sure I don't have an issue. Anybody
43:52take a motion to approve you before the after this meeting entertain a motion to approve. Motion to approve. Motion to approve by Commissioner Ego. Second. Second by Commissioner Fris. All in favor? I I motion carries. And then Chris, before you go, it's item H is a letter from Cheryl Wilding requesting the tree located outside of 51 Bailey Street be removed. It's causing damage to her
44:20property. So, uh, I spoke to Cheryl about the tree situation.
44:28I went and looked at it one time, took a peek at it, took a peek at the driveway, took some pictures of it, then I reached out to Al Aloe Vera. We spoke about it, and then Al wanted to go down and look at it also. There is some cracks in the driveway. the tree is closer to the driveway, but I'm not personally I'm not convinced that the tree is doing that to
44:58the driveway because at the bottom of the driveway where the driveway comes to the street, there is a sink there. The I guess there's a manhole there. There's a little div, you know, divot there where there's it's sinking a little bit. So, I don't know if there's another issue there with that driveway.
45:20Maybe it's getting undermined a little bit or something. The tree they're talking about is not it's small and it's young. Okay. Cuz from the picture, it doesn't look anything like the other one, right? I don't think that it in my opinion, I don't think that that would be heaving the driveway because it doesn't seem like it's lifted.
45:41There are some cracks, but there are cracks throughout the driveway going up.
45:49Um, and it doesn't look like the roots would even make it up. I not in the tray. I don't believe and so I what I told Mrs. Wilding was if you have some documentation or a company that came out and was going to repair the driveway or something like that and they did some removal of some of that driveway and seen that. Okay, this is or or said this is stating this is what is
46:25affecting your driveway. some type of a documentation like that. I said that would be helpful if you had something like that to send in, right? Um for us to go by because I told her, you know, it's a young tree.
46:40It's it's a live healthy tree and we don't normally based on our all the conversations we don't normally take those trees down and that uh that culde-sac that's in there off of Bailey Street is well I don't know I it's not that old 10 years maybe younger than that. So those trees were planted when they that was the agreement when they did that was to put a certain amount of trees in that area. So is that
47:16the tree right there? Yeah. Yeah. I have nothing to do with driving. Yeah, it doesn't look like it from those. So I think what we should probably do the tree down. Yeah, I think we should probably uh not, you know, deny that request for the tree to come down. No, you know, based on motion to deny. Okay.
47:37So, the motion to uh deny for the tree from coming down on um Bailey Street was made by Commissioner Rigo, second by Commissioner Barius. All in favor? I.
47:50Motion carries. Thanks, Chris. So, I guess somebody will have to just let her know that unless she can show us something from a professional that says the tree is causing that, then we can revisit it. But for now, from these pictures, from you going out there, from Al going out there and looking at it, right, the board agrees with your assessment in that it doesn't look like the tree is the issue with the the crack
48:15in the driveway. I I will I will give her a call and and tell her, you know, what you guys said and she can take it from there at that point. Um if she can get some kind of some professional company to go down there and which I I kind of told her that she should probably do that because normally if it's a live healthy tree, we don't remove them, right? Um, so, um, I will
48:43let her know that and we can she can take it from there. Thanks, Chris. Thank you. Thank you.
48:52Item I is a letter from Jamal McConnell.
48:55It's regarding the use of Chup Park for family reunion on July 12th, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
49:03Hi, Jamal. How you doing? Could you just uh name and address, please, just for the record? Um Jamal McConnell, 913 Slate Street, Long River, Massachusetts.
49:11Thank you. Uh so I'm having family come from Chicago, Cleveland, Alabama. Um every couple years we host.
49:20Last two years ago we did it in Boston.
49:23This year we're doing it at my house right across the street from True Park.
49:27It's it's not really used on the weekends. I know they do the baseball during the week. So, we just wanted to have family activities, kickball, sack races. Uh, I wanted to see if I could get permission to have Porter John's there. There's already one there that the baseball team uses, but to add a couple How many people? How big is your family? About 50 people, 60 people.
49:52Can't have no uh Oh, yeah. No grills. Nope. I live across the street. I have a backyard driveway for that. No grills.
50:00Um and and you're talking about not the softball field, the baseball field side.
50:05Yeah. Park, right? Tupac. The Chew Park.
50:08So the there's another park on the side of Globe Street. I was thinking Father Kelly, not Father Kelly. The Chewac is the baseball side. Yeah. Between Slate and Globe. I was just kind of think of Chewac together as one, but the softball and Father Kelly. Yeah. Yeah. The fire station is right there. You'll have to get insurance though in the city. Okay.
50:27Um, how do I go about that process? We can we can have someone send you some stuff on it and there's like, you know, there's one day policies that you can buy, you know, not a problem.
50:38I think he goes to the uh city council, city clerk, the city clerk or I I can give Al some information too that we could share with you just, you know, give you a couple options to get a couple different quotes. But there's uh that's that's standard for any you know like the the leaks and stuff they all have understandable I have no problem with it. Yeah. Neither way to approve the the
51:03only thing I guess before we approve it is just the the portagons. I don't have an issue with those. I think it has to go through the health department. Yeah.
51:11You got to have a checklist. Yep. So there's you know this there's a checklist here. you'll have to go and the health department can get the porta, you know, facilitate the porta johns.
51:20Okay. The only thing we've run into in the past with the portag johns is sometimes they get delivered and they don't schedule them to get picked up.
51:27So, we just make sure that they're just there that day. You know, pick them up in the morning and you know, one day, but they probably charge you by the day I would assume. So, are you planning to have tents up there or uh Yes. I'll say yes. You mean the canopies? Yes. Canopies? Just the canopies are fine. If they're above a certain size, then you got to get the fire department involving.
51:50Anything above 10 x 10, fire department approval? Yeah. Okay. It won't be nothing that big. Those little like pop-up tents you take like tailgating and stuff like that. Those are those are fine. It's bigger than 12 x 12. You have to have to find a 12 x 12. Okay. Potty ones like the potty. You have have to find the real large ones. If you were going to rent a tent or something like
52:10those big ones. No, we're not going to have nothing that big. Okay.
52:15Other than that, they approve it. Motion to approve by Commissioner Rigo, second by Commissioner Ferris. All in favor?
52:22Motion carries. Thank you. Have fun.
52:24We'll get you some information on the um You mail it to me or should I come down to city? Um do you have email? Yes, I I believe it's on there. I think. Uh nope.
52:35I have a telephone. We can have someone give you a call, get your email address and send you some or I could just come down tomorrow too after work. Okay. And just come to uh room 508a.
52:49Okay. Yep. Yep. I'll see you tomorrow.
52:50Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Have a good night. You guys have a good evening. You too.
52:59Amy Raosa. Item J is a letter from Amy Raposa uh requesting Highland Pediatrics 4th annual summer stroll resource fair. It's on Wednesday, June 11th with a rain date of June 18th from 5 to 8.
53:17Questions, concerns. 4th annual. Yep. I think they had it last year. Yes, they did. I took my kids. I live right across the street to approve. Second it. Motion to approve by Commissioner Riggo. Second by Commissioner Fries. All in favor? I I motion
53:37carries. Item K is a letter from the Fall River Federal Little League regarding a request for the 2025 baseball season requesting CIO Field, the small field at Kennedy Park, the big field at Abbott Court in Hudner Field.
53:52Games are at Kennedy Monday to Friday at 5:30. Practice sessions will take place on weekdays from 5 to 6:30 and on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. I think he sent us everything right. Motion to approve on this one here. Second it. Motion to approve by Commissioner Rigo, second by Commissioner Paris. All in favor? I I.
54:12Motion carries.
54:17Uh item L is a letter from Robert Barcelos. It's a request for an Easter egg hunt at Kennedy Park to take place on April 12th from 12 to 3. Are you Robert? Yes. Could you just state your name and address, please? My name is Robert Parcelos, 158 Buffington Street, Fall River. Thank you, Robert. Um, I know that you guys had originally asked for up at Davis Park. So, I just Yeah, I
54:41was told that it's just not going to work out for that particular park. Yeah, that park, we can't permit that out.
54:46There was some questions about that last year. We had EMS go out there. They can't get emergency vehicles back there.
54:54So, they suggested not to. In all honesty, it's kind of a blessing because this particular year we're going to have uh handicapped children, children that are on the spectrum and that walk from the street all the way up that pathway to get to the park could be a little taxing for the children. Sure. So, Kennedy Park would be much easier to park, get out, and they're right there.
55:15Totally agree. So, I'm glad we're in agreement there cuz when I saw the first thing come in with I saw this on Facebook. Yeah. Yeah. It was So, it's just um that Davis Park is a little bit the neighborhood's tight. The parking like to your point is tough on Meridian Street. So, and I understand you I've done it actually the last three years and that you know the the the neighbors
55:37on the corner of the park there. I called the gatekeepers and they and there's a lot of history there too. I believe it was a family. They're nice people but you know was the the family's land if I understand the history behind it that was donated to the city and so it's um I'm happy it's at Kennedy Park. Uh I know that I think Sam from the mayor's office has been in touch with you too.
56:00Yes. Yeah. She she's actually the one that got a hold of me cuz I I really didn't know I needed a permit for any of it. So this is like I said the third year and she kind of said you know you got to get it should be three months in advance blah blah blah blah. So, no, no, the 12th. There's no So, next Saturday.
56:18Yeah, it's on the It's on here. It's on the agenda item. How now that I know all the all the details of it, my next year I'll be more I'll have my ducks in a row.
56:29Oh, okay. Because on Facebook it says the date over here. It doesn't say the date. Yeah, it says it on here. It's April 12 from 12 to 3. Yeah. Um, and we're not going to have food vendors or anything like that. It's just going to be Easter eggs, Easter bunny pictures. Is it going to be um the bean bag games that you play, cornhole, stuff like that? Are these I
56:54feel like some of these too, as far as like the insurance goes, he's an individual. I don't know what how historically that's uh been handled.
57:03Dude, I think they would have to have insurance, right? So probably similar to the gentleman who was just up for the family reunion have to get an insurance policy. So short money you can get one for the day. Yeah. Which just covers you know you in in the city if somebody gets hurt during your your Easter egg hunt.
57:22So pending you know um that Mr. Barcels gets you the insurance and everything else. I don't have any issue with it. I don't know you guys want to make a motion to approve.
57:34I might give you a call. I think I can help you out with something. Okay. Okay.
57:40Motion to approve by Commissioner Rigo, second by Commissioner Fious. All in favor? I. Thank you. All right. So, do I get information sent to me or what do I got? Yeah. Well, you'll get a followup tomorrow probably from either Nina or Sam, I would think, um, upstairs and they can get you through the next steps of just making sure that the paperwork is is all aligned and then they'll they
58:00can physically hand you the permit once you get the insurance. Sounds good. And then you'll have the permit in hand if there's any questions. Sounds good. We do suggest having it on you when you go.
58:12So, police or any questions as it's right here. Yeah. Gotcha. Well, thank you very much, guys. Thank you. Thank you.
58:24That was Lack. Last one here is item M is a letter from Jack Hackett regarding the request for the use of Father Kelly softball park for adult slow pitch softball May 5th through November 7th new lights I think they're probably excited to get out and play. I don't have any issues questions. Motion to approve.
58:47Second it. Motion to approve by Commissioner Rigo. Second by Commissioner Harris. All in favor? I. I.
58:52Motion carries. Two items in all business. Um, we have the letter from Britney Maderas regarding the use of Kennedy Park for the local community children's event. It's going to be Saturday August 30th, 2025. Um, do you want to come down?
59:19Sure. Okay. So, I had resubmitted the letter taking away the um I don't even remember the bouncy house, the kitty pools, all the items that we had discussed um nyxing it. And I still am asking for the day just to set up and I will have small tents and I just want to make sure that I have time for every like the fire department to come if there's needed, the health
59:45department, so on and so forth. Um but the event will be from 2 to 8.
59:51And then Amber was saying last time, was there an issue with the date like with the it's the day of the cleanup from the feast, right? From the feast. So that's why I moved the event itself to the afternoon. Okay. Giving time, I'm assuming by the morning they should be.
1:00:09Okay. But the area that I'm looking at is actually right literally around the um the basketball courts. Um we sized down our event drastically. the the Holy Ghost, but the Holy Ghost is up the top.
1:00:24So, that really won't be affect. Yeah, that's why. Yeah. So, but I know like she you guys had mentioned like they move the items down through the pathway.
1:00:34So, when they're getting stuff out of there. Yeah. But it still won't affect Oh, it won't. Okay. Because they'll be going by where the old bathrooms are.
1:00:42The little path there, that's how they go in and out. Oh, okay. Okay. So, it's not going anywhere near baseball field there. Oh, if you go Okay. near the baseball field. Right on. Yeah. It's the basketball court without the uh without the fencing around it. Right. Exactly.
1:01:00That's where Yeah, we we size down the what we're going to It'll be just like basic games that we're going to have for free for the community. Um and then the petting zoo I know was up in the air. I I didn't know if there was permitting for that. Well, you better come into the city. You got to go upstairs to the uh city hall. You got to get in trouble.
1:01:23Okay. I can get like it's the same as the others. The health department. If they're going to have petting zoom, you have I think I go to the health department. Okay. I have to go to them anyways because I wanted to use their vetted food trucks. Yeah. Um I'm trying to keep this as streamlined as possible.
1:01:39Um Yeah. So for for us for it's really just the insurance and you know we can approve this pending the insurance so that you can start marketing it and putting it all together and then you know get you won't have the permit in hand until you give the insurance and you know the girls upstairs can check all the boxes for you. That's okay. Um but to Helen's point as far as like
1:02:00health department and then if you have tents and stuff the fire department.
1:02:03Yeah. I won't have big tents. They'll be the 12 by 12s and smaller. Um, I I'm trying to, like I said, I'm trying to keep this as simple and basic as possible. And then same thing with the food trucks. Probably want to just double check with the police department if they have to make sure that they they're insured, too. Yes. And then they go through the health department. Yeah.
1:02:24Yeah.
1:02:26Other than that, motion to approve. Second it. Motion to approve by Commissioner Riggo, second by Commissioner Paris. All in favor? I. All right. Thank you. Good luck. Thank you.
1:02:38Did we do this one?
1:02:41No, that's going to be at the end. The last two. Okay, we got one more and then we got those those last two that were added. Uh item B under old business. We haven't got an update. This is a letter from Bobby Bailey regarding the use of Dumont Park for his softball season. I haven't heard from Bobby from that original request. So, I know that they don't have a field and I know that
1:03:07the girls softball league has high demand for that field, but I told Bobby if he sent us the dates that we could work with um you know Tim at the softball league to see if we could work something out. But he he in his original letter, I think he said there was like six or eight dates that he was looking for. But I we don't have those dates, so we can't really do anything. So I think
1:03:31the the motion would just be to table it um table it until he gets us that information. Yeah.
1:03:39And you know the sooner you get our next meeting is going to be May. So the high school softball season is be over by by then. Yeah. Well I mean we don't have anything right now. Yeah. So I just make the motion to table it. Motion to table.
1:03:52Second that motion to table it. Motion to table by Commissioner Rigo. Second by Commissioner Pris. All in favor? Hi. Hi.
1:04:00Excuse me. The last two items um that are not on the agenda, but just for discussion purposes, I don't think there's really any action to take. There isn't. We we received a request. Um there's a um a me uh a veteran's wife would like to uh purchase and install and have installed a uh bench at Bsentennial Park. Um she's just looking for um some information and we'll get her some information
1:04:35pertaining to this. Uh but I don't um I just want to make sure that we bring it to the to the uh team here that um next meeting we'll probably have this as an item to to uh to vote on. She'll apply for all the she's going to pay for everything. We don't nothing to do with the pot. We just wants permission to do it and if we can find a spot for the for
1:04:56the bench. We may have to work with the veterans though, you know, the wall committee too depending on where she wants to go down by too. So there's probably contact one of the para is in contact with her if you want to call her.
1:05:08Yeah. And I'm sure if you got her some info al we we'll have more information at the next meeting but it is something that's coming.
1:05:17And then do you want to just touch on your uh so the other one the other one is um and we have uh Mr. Santos in you.
1:05:24Do you want to give us a quick little synopsis on this?
1:05:28Seeing you in the house and you waited all this time. Yeah, I was told it was going to be on your I was by the time we got it just too late for that. So, my name's Ton Santos.
1:05:42I reside at I reside at 35 Sven something some something else. Wave the rules. Motion to wave the rules.
1:05:51Myself, Victor Farius, and Mario Dart. A couple years ago, we resurrected and reclaimed renamed the local Portuguese American Veterans Chapter as the Portuguese American Veterans of Bristol County. Our first project in the city, I worked with Charlie and his department hand in hand. We totally redid Santos Square on Columbia and Broadway.
1:06:20I mean, totally. We took everything out in the back. Tore down the old fence, the old took out the old fence, took out the old flag poles. I fundraised, we fun, I should say, we fundraised over $15,000. All new fencing, three brand new flag poles. All the landscape was done by us. We go back periodically. We weed it out.
1:06:45It's probably one of the better looking corners in the city. It's a main road into the city. If you're on Broadway, it takes you from Paul River straight up into Tividan. Same way, same way down to get on 195. The other project we looked at we talked about was the city's World War II monument which is located the top of Kennedy Park across from Alistair Funeral Home was dedicated in 1951.
1:07:15I looked at it and the guys and I was like, "Okay, this need this needs some love. It's surrounded by concrete at the base and the and the concrete's all cracked and it's up. It's upheaving. It's a safety hazard." And doing a little research into the monument, I found the picture from the 50s before Russ Gibson way was there. That's all grass going out to Brford. There were park benches there. I
1:07:43said, "You know what? This is This is ideal. Let's let's let's work on this one. While I'm there, let's look at the Civil War. Does it make sense to take care of one and leave the other? So, this is this is a drawing I had done by my architect before he passed away.
1:08:01Basically, what we want to do is te tear up the concrete walkway into both monuments. Make them handicap accessible to a wheelchair. Cobblestone around the ends.
1:08:13We want to match the match the mulch and match the match the flowering across the top of South Main Street. So it it looks the same as the the uh career in Viet Vietnam as well as the fire department's monument on the other corner.
1:08:34And then throw in a couple throw a couple of benches so it kind of resembles what it was like back in the day.
1:08:44I don't have any issue with it. Um I think like logistically it based on the timing and it didn't get on the agenda.
1:08:51I don't think we can vote and approve it today. Um I won't speak for anyone else on the board, but these are the type of things that we never want to get in the way of people wanting to clean things up and um but my only concern is always with Kennedy Park and is an Mstead Park.
1:09:10So, I know that this is pre-existing.
1:09:13Um, but to your point, as far as how it used to look, I know like the historical commission and sometimes they uh just want to be kept in the loop of things that are changing. So, that might be the suggestion too between now and then.
1:09:28Just let them know what you guys are doing just so that they can I'm not changing. I'm not change I'm not changing anything in particular. I'm actually if you put if we do put the benches back, you're actually putting the benches back in place like it like it was. This is more of a maintenance issue. The concrete is really in in horrific condition. Yeah. Um the skirt around the actual monument, you you
1:09:50really can't walk around that. It's just deplorable at this point. So, um what what we'll do is we'll we'll work with with Mr. Santos and his group to start doing the logistics to prep for that in hopes that we can get this board to to improve and and because it's like being privately funded by his group, the procurement laws as far as three bids and all that, he can use whatever he
1:10:14wants to fix that as long as we so uh but we are we are looking at the city um assisting in certain parts of that um of that concrete. Okay. Yeah. It's very minimal. Um, so we land too.
1:10:31But again, so by doing that this there's no issue. I just don't want to delay them further. They didn't get on the agenda today. I don't want to have to kick it down, keep kicking the can down the road. If they're ready to go, I think they should go. And if um, you know, we can we can approve it officially at the next meeting. Um, but if the three of us are in agreement
1:10:50today that it should be approved, we got a three to two win if the other two don't want to do it anyways, right? So, I got to stay. Okay. So, two, I think we'll have two anyways. I think we can probably convince more. If you read the if you read the letter also, it's at some point we'd like to put a couple of flag pulls up in that in that spot also.
1:11:12And that's it's in it's in the letter of the request. Yeah. That might be something too to just run by the historical commission. I'm all for it. I just don't know how the historical stuff there's a lot of rules and stuff with that.
1:11:27Thank you. No, thank you.
1:11:33Thank you.
1:11:36Yeah, just I know that when I've mentioned other stuff that it comes up and it's an oldstead park and you can't do that and you can't do this. So, it's just I want to make sure that where is this? Right. You you know where the fountain is at the top of Oh, yeah.
1:11:51Right. I caught a middle and yes, I I know. Okay. That's the motion to adjurnn. Motion to table. Uh yeah, there's nothing in the table. wasn't on the agenda, so it'll go on the agenda next month, but in the meantime, they can keep working behind the scenes.
1:12:07Motion to adjurnn. Second to second.
1:12:09Motion to adjurnn, made by Commissioner Rigo, second by Commissioner Farrius.
1:12:13All in favor? I. Thank you.