2.4.2026 Park Board

Regular meeting of the park board of commissioners. Today's Wednesday, February 4th. Uh this meeting is being held in the council hearing room beginning at 5:30. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being

made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Roll call.

Commissioner Favius, Amber Burns, Helen Rigo, BJ McDonald.

Um, do you have citizens input? Is anyone here for a citizens input? No.

Item A is a request from uh Karen D.

Martin, the project manager from the Far Redevelopment Authority to install a water line from the parks building at Travasos Park to the community garden that was added to Travasos Park last year.

So they need water for the garden. Makes sense.

So So the plan is remember I walked the property with her. All that line is going to be paid fully by RDA.

They're going to trench underneath the walkway to the community garden and that'll happen when um the thaw comes whenever that is. So 10 years from I mean I I think it makes sense. I know Darren's been out there. Um, I think so. I mean, the parks, it's going to be in the park. It's still going to be controlled by us at the end of the day, but the estimated it's around $10,000 and they're absorbing all

the costs.

Any any additional costs moving forward to use just water?

Just be water.

Whatever the water is very minimal.

Yeah.

Okay.

And we're going to pay for that. I'm assuming it's added on to the splash pad which no it's redevelopment authority RDA from that department.

Okay.

Yeah. Make a motion to approve.

Second that motion.

Motion to approve by Commissioner Burns.

Second by Commissioner Faras. All in favor?

I I opposed. Motion carries.

Item B is a letter from Jeff Massud uh to metal detect. I don't know if I said your name right. I apologize for that. But uh to metal detect in the city park grounds. So if you want to come down. Jeff, are you are you Jeff?

Yeah.

Yeah. If you want to just come down and introduce yourself. I know I had um I talked to Darren. Yes.

78. Differy.

That's my father.

Oh, you look really good. Pretty good man.

That's my dad.

Wow.

Um, that's wild.

So, I know Darren and Jeff have spoke and Jeff, correct me if I'm wrong, but the understanding is he's Jeff's been metal detecting in the parks for a long time.

There's never been any issues. He's never created any problems, but it just kind of came to light that it should be, you know, the board should be aware that he's out there doing it and uh Darren asked me about it. So, I just wanted to only restriction I have is not to do it in the ball fields.

100%. Sure.

So, as long as we're clear on that, I don't have a problem with it.

That was my only concern. Absolutely.

And I agreed with that, but I just wanted to make sure because I it it is technically a rule that you're not supposed to metal detect in the parks. Um, and I think the reason is because they don't want people digging, but um, leaving holes, right? Right. So, Jeff's been doing it for a long time, so we just wanted to, uh, make the board aware. And if anybody has questions or anything for Jeff, we

asked him just to be here just to Have you found any coins?

Uh, almost $2,000 coin once.

Really?

I think that was mine. Um, did you live in a cushion?

That's where it was. Yeah.

Fall River. Uh, the best thing I found in Fall River, it's a religious medallion that I got it on my neck here.

I found a crucifixion medal in Kennedy Park on Good Friday 2004.

Oh, wow.

So, I had it tattooed on my arm just in case I ever lost it.

For me, that was the best thing I ever found.

So, since 2004, probably prior to that, you I've been doing the park since 93.

Wow.

30 33 years almost.

I've talked to, you know, police. I've talked to park workers right in the parks. I never said anything. So, I never knew there was an ordinance until Yeah. And I think that's like sometimes the gray area, too, like cuz I don't think it's technically a city ordinance.

I think it's a park rule and I think this board kind of has jurisdiction over those rules. So, we just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page and and nobody had any issues with that. So, as long as nobody has any Is it going to be in every park or just Kennedy?

Like I've done all the parks. I just retired so it's my hobby. So, it's just kind of what I do. But, I'll stay out of every field in every park cuz like I was just the perimeter.

So like Travasos if you ever been back there.

Um I'm just just for information that open field has irrigation in it.

Gotcha.

That not many people know that.

Where is I'm not even sure.

Behind Spro Santo.

Oh no no no tracks.

No no buggles.

Yeah. As long as long as you stay out the fields I don't have a problem.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Awesome.

Okay.

To approve it.

Yeah. We can just approve his uh I make a motion to approve.

Second.

We'll approve uh motion to approve by Mr. Burns. Second by Commissioner Fious.

All in favor?

I I Any opposed?

Motion carries.

Great.

Thank you.

Please relay the message to Jeff Masser from 78.

I will I don't know.

Thought it was Take care. You look good.

Thank you.

Uh item C is a request by Asperto Santo FC for the use of Travaso's Field uh Monday to Sunday from March 6th through November 30th. So all the paperwork in Yeah. But is this the one where they wanted the the bleachers and all that stuff, Darren, or no?

Uh yes. So he he didn't So the way the schools work is they don't submit like liability because they fall under the school liability.

Mhm.

That's that's what I was told what past practice was.

So this is Esperos Santos school.

Yes.

Soccer team. It's kids.

Their program. Yes.

Okay. Because originally I think when it came in I was a little confused about who he was and I have not I didn't well I wasn't here for permits last year so I I didn't have any runs with him but he did um tell me just like the process of he had to split time with um at Britlin and this and that. So I guess this year he's just going to use that

field. He made a couple requests was you saw the email which was bleachers and then he asked which we can't accommodate. we can't accommodate. And then he asked for the gate to be opened between the school and the park. I don't have a key to that gate. I don't maintain that gate.

So if the school wants to open, it has nothing do I wouldn't want it to be opened. That would be my thing as box.

Yeah.

Because then if it's left open, then everybody's in and out of there on that because there is an entrance. You can come drive in, right?

Versus So you mean they'd have to just go around? Yeah. Yeah.

But that's that's up to the school, you know. It's there because it's their fence at the end of the day.

Yeah. Because we could always put a Well, we could always put another one on the other side if we had to if we didn't.

Yeah, cuz there's one gate there to walk through and then there's another gate you could drive cars through. That gate I do not want to open the car gate.

The car gate.

So, well, and um councelor Raposo is the principal over there, right? So, I'm sure we could work something out with them if they need to open the gate and make sure the school knows that maybe they open it and they're responsible for locking it back up when they leave.

I'm sure I'm sure it won't be a problem with him.

Sure.

Well, someone should from this this should have been here tonight to discuss this.

So, maybe we should table this for the next meeting and have somebody come and talk to us.

Um, the only concern I have with that is do we have we don't have other permits out for Travassos, right? We don't have the request, I don't think.

This I was going to say, yeah, that's a basically every day of the week for Yeah. six months.

Yeah.

So, and his opening day is April 2nd. We could push it to March and just table because I could I could have him be more specific on times because I don't really want to have because he didn't give me times and he didn't get back to me on time. So, I don't want the field to be locked up every single day of the week from after school till Yeah. If he's not using it every single

day, then we don't want a permit to him every single day because there are teams that Well, I know Diamond is one because they do some maintenance over there that they do practice there at from time to time up until their fields are done, which is in the fall.

So, I'll make a motion to table it for our next meeting.

Motion motion to table by Commissioner Fis. So, just as a heads up, so our next meeting is March 4th and they want to start using it on the 6th. So, that only gives them two days. I don't know if that makes a difference.

No, I think he said So, on here it says March 6th.

So, maybe their opening season starts April 1st.

I don't know if maybe it's practice.

Yeah.

So, because it says opening day is April 2nd.

Gotcha.

So, March 4th is the next March. Yeah, March 4th is the next.

Okay. So, and and maybe in the meantime, we could just tell them, hey, we we don't want to issue like a blanket permit, but if you're going to have practice through, you know, March, you can use the field for practice. We're not permitting it out right now.

Because then when you get to summertime, you basically it's uh dawn to dusk is what he's asking for.

Yeah. Then also, why do they need it during the summer?

I don't know.

Because I would assume it would be just like the school year. So, yeah, I'm sorry. I I agree the two like I just didn't know like what because it says March 6. So I wouldn't want them to like not be able to Yeah. So maybe we can just relay that message to him afterwards like hey if you guys are practicing for the month of March tryyous whatever you're doing and

if the season starts and you're going to start playing games in April just come back before us you know at the March meeting and we can figure out you know what specifically needs to be permanent. We can ask him to bring his schedule, what days they're going to practice, what days they're going to even if he wants to give it to you before the meeting. So then he doesn't even need to come and we literally have

all of the things that we need.

Yeah.

Cuz right now we don't have really just paints.

Yeah. And you don't want to permit it out seven days for six or seven months.

That's Yeah. That's a lot.

So So motion to table was made by Commissioner Faras and seconded by Commissioner Rigo. All in favor? I I motion carries.

Item D is a request from For Youth Soccer for Britain Park on Saturdays from March 21st through June 13th from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Um, I think we've asked them for schedules in the past too to try to, you know, not provide blanket permits. Um, give them a little buffer before and after the games, but if they don't need it for the full eight hours. So, so she she had told me on the phone she

was going to send somebody tonight.

Okay.

But she Yeah.

So, the thing is with her, so her schedule does not um it's not done yet.

Well, it it's it's these dates and these times on the through those through those two date corresponding dates. But hers does not co does not uh clash with Argusy cuz he's his dates. I checked them all and nobody else has asked for Britlin on Saturdays in the spring.

No, not as of yet.

Do we usually get anybody else that wants it besides we have Argusy on here?

Uh they BCC is they're in the fall though, I think.

Right.

They are and and uh Diamond, but Diamond's but this would end. This is just through June. So it's just March, April, May, June. And but I I don't know if she puts another permit in because last year we ran into She does fall. She does. Okay.

Yeah. So they're going to take a break for the summer and then she'll come back for the fall with their fall schedule.

So we might just want to iron out after the meeting um once she has her schedule, you know, permit off x amount of hours per game and try to not give it for the 12 hours full day. Um, yeah.

So that other people can use it. So we approve it.

I make a motion to approve and then just have Darren work out the schedule so that we don't permit it longer than we need to.

I'll second that motion.

So motion to approve pending the schedule was made by Commissioner Burns, second by Commissioner Faras. All in favor? I I motion carries.

the same thing, right?

Yep. So, this one is item E is a request from Argusy Collegiate Charter School for the use of Britain Park for soccer games on the following dates. April 8th, April 14th, April 28th, May 5th, May 12th, May 20th, and May 27th from 4:30 to 7:30.

Those are mostly Wednesdays.

Yeah.

And there there hasn't been nobody else's has asked. So So Wednesdays is good.

Wednesdays is good for them to play I think. Are they playing soccer or flag football?

Soccer.

Soccer.

Um it does say something about um a bathroom usage.

So So in the conversation he asked if he could put a porter john there, but all these other leagues have asked the same thing. I don't want three porter johns there.

Um the status on the bathrooms I don't know yet. They're still under construction to be finished. That's a whole other thing I haven't tackled.

They put the port they don't lock it up.

They do. They are going to lock it. So, one of my uh my concerns is I says I have other leagues there. Maybe you split the cost with them and share it.

So, I don't have Yeah. They can share the key so that when they're there, they can open it and Yeah. because I don't want to have like three porter because there might be another league that comes in. I don't want to have all these porter johns there.

Yeah. So, maybe we can just connect him with Naomi from Florida youth.

Second motion to approve by Commissioner Burns, second by Commissioner Fus. All in favor?

Motion carries. So, I guess the only thing is though, how how far along is that redoing of those bathrooms? Like, are those So, they're pretty much all set. The only thing that I have to work out on my end is the key situation because they're locked.

So my thing is is if I hand out keys and they have control of the bathrooms just for in-n-out use, locked after use versus I can't put a guy there on overtime, right? I can't do that. So it's for me handing out keys to city buildings to the, you know, the presidents of these leagues. I don't know if that's a good idea.

Yeah, but think we had problems with that before. But the bathrooms should be used cuz they're there. Cuz my concern are they also are they running and everything those bathrooms?

I know one side is I haven't been in the other side. So like my only concern was with some of the homeless in that park to leave that bathroom open was like uh Naomi's division, the young girls like for them to go in there on their own and it's left open just if somebody's in there. I don't want to have that happen.

Yeah.

No, I I think I just saw online too they I think the police station right there.

They just closed they closed their public bathroom right in front cuz they were having all kinds of problems too.

So So if it can be policed on their end, I don't have a problem with it. I think maybe if we do do that, maybe there has to be some kind of liability fall on them if something gets damaged or gets left open after the fact because I don't have because what Naomi does is they bring the girls over to Burger King, which is, you know, it's kind of a hassle. And then Burger King, you know,

gives them a hard time.

Gives them a hard time. So, I mean, I I want to get it open. I just got to come up with a plan that is safe, it works, and that I can sustain it without any those bathrooms being damaged.

Maybe maybe you have a parent while that was that somebody who can, you know, who's not managing the game or managing the plays can attend to the back and forth.

What about the locks? Like if there was like a code on it.

Yeah, I don't know how those work, but I can bring it up to Al tomorrow. I have a meeting with him tomorrow cuz he his uh department actually redid those bathrooms.

So, I mean, if they redid them, it'd be nice to be able to use them when we're permitting it out. Like, if you spend the money to do them, the codes the code lock is pretty good.

But then, you know, if you gave the code to Naomi and you gave the code to the um the guy from Argusy, uh Jonathan Murray, if they had the code and the door was always locked, unless you had the code, right?

You know, maybe that's kind of the It would be good too to be able to give them two separate code. Like, I don't know. Like I feel like that's a bigger thing. But if you gave them two separate codes and then you can tell, well, the bathroom got damaged while this code was used and this code is tied to Fall River Youth Soccer, then you know, like, hey, we got a problem. Cuz the only thing

like I like I like that idea, but then like you go to the keys that those the keys to those bathroom are special keys.

Only certain people can make those copies cuz when you bring those keys in to the key place, they're marked security. Yeah.

So, nobody will make a copy of them.

They're a special key. You have to be on the list to make them. So, with a code, I could just I could give it to somebody. Hey, I'm going to take a walk at at Britlin. Give me the code. I'll use the bathroom.

Yeah.

You know, stuff like that with a with that key and it's specific to that key.

It's different.

I only have Can we just make sure that is there a way to set it so that you need the key every time you want to go in?

That was another thing I was thinking about. where whatever you shut it.

You want to go in, you got to use the key and then you get to sign and then it's automatically always locked unless somebody I'll get that information tomorrow. I've been I talked to this Naomi about this late last year cuz I wanted that to work out because I don't I really don't want Porter Porter John.

No. Yeah, agreed.

Because they do get broken into, right? And if we just spent the money to redo them, we should figure out a way to utilize them. And that's also I've been uh kind of screaming from the rooftops that the that turf needs to get done. So bigger conversation and something I wanted everyone to know about is there are like with there's the um capital improvement plan. They're having a public meeting on that. And then the

open space and wreck plan. They just finished that. And so I've been advocating that the Britain soccer field should be redone. it should be in those conversations to be redone and they should also consider and I don't know if it's big enough but lining it for football too and putting up goalposts.

So I I don't know if any of that stuff is feasible but I've been saying in for the last couple of months that as they're uh you know coming up with these plans they just finished the open space and wreck plan and then the they're rolling out the capital improvement plan. I think part of that is that turf really needs to be redone. It's 15 plus years old.

And I think something should be done on the entrances there because I don't, you know, turfing is expensive. The problem I have is the policing of it. Not so much is is the vehicles that get put on there.

The bikes, the motorized scooters.

That's what I have a problem with. Yeah.

Because that's what will destroy new turf. Right.

I don't know if that, you know, I think I put it in the open space plan. I gave it to Dan. I added that that and the lights.

Yeah. Because And I think you had something with the parking there, too.

redo the parking lot red because I think that Dan I think that um Dan's been an ally too like to the parks like he's he's wants to work with us wants our input as far as like the different projects that they have that they're working on. Um but the parking probably goes handinhand with it because I think that I I haven't been to a full review soccer game but I think the parking gets a little hairy

down there too. Mhm.

So, I don't know if there's space to for more spots or there should be.

Yeah, my granddaughter plays there, so I And they Yeah, they park all along the entryway on the way in and stuff. So, you know, there's more to discuss there, but I guess for now, the the permits are approved. We should um figure out the bathrooms.

Yeah.

And then bigger picture, what else can be done over there? So, I'm I'm going to meet with him tomorrow.

I'm going to bring up those concerns cuz I'd like to get these online. They've been, you know, probably late last year they were done and not being used. You know, I even winterized them. So, I paid to do that.

So, yeah. So, we got to get them. We got to figure out how to get them up in.

All right. Item F is a request from Gloria Sadler to install a fence around the community garden at Father Travaso's Park.

Um, how are you, Gloria? I'm doing well.

How are you?

Good, thank you.

Good.

So, just a backstory. I walked with Gloria for this spot and I know I've talked with her in the past about putting a fence up. Now, she's actually got a good price to do it versus last time. So, um so I'm okay with with the project, but she could probably explain it better than me. You guys have questions? You want to give us your rundown on the fence?

So, I was able to secure funding from Massachusetts Agricultural, the state, um, for a fence and for my additional raised garden beds. I don't want to install my additional raised garden beds because what we found is when the police um unfortunately had to remove the unhoused from the Britlin Quican Rail Trail, what happened was they all kind of flooded over to where our garden is, which makes it a real

safety concern because we don't need any vegetables or fruits injected with anything dumped because the police were arriving. So what what I did is I secured funding and I have a schlamatic.

I think I provided you guys with one.

I'm not sure if you have copy of you can copy how we'd like to enclose and these are the dimensions. I only have one so you guys thank you can share it. Um those are the dimensions and that water line is going to be in case the water line also was going to be of concern but I work upstairs for um Mike Dion. My job is community revitalization. So I'm kind of here on

two rows. Um I work with Karen and Sarah Paige from redevelopment authority. They were aware that we were requesting the fence enclosure, which really works out well with that water line because we will be able to secure that water line.

And I work even further with Darren to see how we can really enclose it so it becomes invisible. Maybe a tool shed or something just to kind of keep people's thoughts away from we'll just get the water and turn it on.

Um, what else do you need from me? What do you need to know? What a time frame?

Uh time frame. We're looking for when the ground thaws.

Mhm.

A lot of the fencing is going to require at least the concrete pour for the post.

So we're going to look for maybe spring sometime April May depending on when there's a good thaw.

And I will be using Don't know if you need this. Mrs. Who will be doing the work for me.

Okay, perfect. Superior fence. We'll enter these into the records. And the So the the fence is paid for by CDA funding.

No.

Okay.

I was able to secure from the state from the state.

That's right. And the redevelopment authorities paying for the line, the water line.

Um redevelopment is paying for the line.

Yes.

How did you guys make out last year?

That was the first year of it, right?

Oh my gosh. Amazing. If you go to the CDA website, I'm just now beginning to upload some of the photos. Look under um what happened with Love Your Block for 2025. I just added photos. It's the bottom link. And then I'm getting ready to prepare for what's going on in 2026.

Great.

So, you'll be able to see a lot of what we were able to accomplish. Um more photos are going to be added.

I had to pick and choose which photos because there are so many. We had an opportunity to bring the seniors who reside in the curtain and the knitting loft. They have their senior citizens um building um I think it's a activities room or something, but there's nothing like fresh air being outside. And they these seniors own the garden. They would come out and they would weed it and they

would make sure if there wasn't enough water. Um, I had my daughter who also owns a home in the Flint. My daughter has two minivans. She would load them up and bring in water. We had the Cambodian community come in. They would load up water. So, we really kept this garden going all the way until late fall.

Um, we also had an opportunity for the youth within the Flint community to come out and understand that cucumbers don't come from Walmart, they come from here.

So there was some teaching moments for that. Um we were a also able to include a little library which was really a plus because with that we noticed that the unhoused instead of destroying what they do is they come and take a book and sit under the tree. So that Flint Community Garden has really become a communal location for us in the Flint community because my home happens to be over

there. I'm not sure if I said that the last time I was here. My home is over on Jinx Street at the corner of Jinx and Alden. I'm about three houses in at 318 Jinx Street. And so I'm really invested in the community, not because I work for the city, not because I'm interested in gardening. My role in the city as just a resident is to help revitalize and how can we bring in community so people

don't feel disconnected.

How many beds did you add?

We started with five and they're very large and we had the Fall River uh youth Marines who are formerly the Fall River Young Marines had a competition with the Fall River Police. If you go over there you'll see these huge garden bed boxes.

So we want to scale down so we can have more people participate because a lot of people they were fearful that they shouldn't touch the boxes. So we just want more community involved. So we're going to bring in 20 more. I've already purchased them. They were also covered in my expense from the mass agriculture.

Um we really have done a lot with this community garden.

made it a very very handson community activity.

So I I like the idea only because that area in the summertime has had some homeless living in that area and now there's a walk through there. The new rail trail has opened up.

So the foot traffic through there now.

Yes.

I think it's a good idea because So I guess to that point, is it locked and like who has the key where you were talking about the bathroom? What we're going to have is the senior building that's nearest the garden. Those individuals are the most committed. So, we're going to have one of those have the keys. My daughter who's in charge of Bristol Black Collective, she's going to have a key. We have another nonprofit

organization, the Cambodian Community of Fall River, they will have a key. Darren will have a key. And in the event of an emergency, somewhere upstairs, maybe in my office, which is with Mike Dion, there'll be an additional key just in case something happens and you just you don't want to break the lock. You just want a key. At least we'll be able to say Mike Dion has a key.

Darren will have a key.

More keys.

All the keys.

Yeah. No, I think this is great. It's amazing.

Anything else? Do we have a motion to approve the fence? Uh, make a motion to approve.

Second.

Motion to approve by Commissioner Burns, second by Commissioner Rigo. All in favor?

I. The motion carries.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Do you want to pull old?

Yeah, I think technically we probably supposed to need a motion to lift this from the table. Um, this old business letter from Steven Maher on these ripple fiber and the the broadband boxes.

Do we have an update on Is that okay?

Um, I make a motion to lift um item A from old business from the table.

Second.

Motion to lift from the table made by Commissioner Burn, second by Commissioner Faras. All in favor?

I. Motion carries. Uh, so since the last meeting, I actually don't even think we tabled it. So, I don't know procedurally if this is even the right thing to do. But this request, the last meeting, the board decided to kick this to the the council as far as what the cost associated with putting these boxes would be and how that would play out.

So, I had a conversation with council president Ponty about it and uh corporation council Rumsy and the city council has within the last year proactively adopted the rates for broadband coming into the city. So, there's a cost per foot of wire. There's a cost per square foot of footprint. There's a whole laundry list that I I should have brought for everyone, but I can send it afterwards that they adopted that says

this is the cost associated with any broadband company coming in to the city.

So, they kind of kicked it back and they're like, there's nothing really for us to do with this. They've already adopted what that looks like. talking to Darren, thinking this through from the last meeting. My concern with it is there's no financial benefit to the parks department based on the cost because that money is just going to go into the general fund or wherever it goes. It's not going to be funneled. As

far as I know, it doesn't seem like it would go to the parks department directly. So, to me, it doesn't make a ton of sense because the whole outline of the the fees, they're all city fees because these boxes can't operate in a silo in the park, right? They all have to be connected all throughout the city.

So, the fee structure is one in which it goes by the linear feet of broadband that's going to be extended throughout the city. within that if they put them in the park, there's a cost associated with putting these things in the park, but it's not like the money that's being generated from the box that's in the park is going to be extracted from that contract. Does that make sense?

It does. Is there a way to like negotiate that? So, if like let's say they say per box, well, very general.

I don't So, the calcul So, there's one box for Kennedy. You So, you everybody's familiar with Kennedy. um the f the field on the corner.

Mhm.

There's a structure there. They were going to put it inside so you wouldn't see it.

So you wouldn't see it.

That cost was like 2500 a year.

Um Chew Park was another one. 2500 a year just cuz it's the same structure.

Columbus Park would be an outside structure.

Mhm.

That was the same 2500. That was the cost. So it's like 7500 per year. And like in talking to BJ, like he said, my assumption it could just that money would just go into the general fund. The parks would not see that which but couldn't we negotiate that? So like let's say that they decided they wanted to put it on the side of a road then yes it or on a sidewalk it makes sense that

it goes to the city but because it's in the park couldn't we say hey the 7500 a year we should be it could be a 7030 split or 6040 or 5050 like could we go back to the city and say I understand that this is your fee structure but what's in it for us if we decide to do this because obviously they're going to get a kickback regardless but like what

do we get out of it? Yeah, right now we don't get anything. And it's my understanding like from the email thread that I I had and the conversations that I had, I don't know if this board has the authority to like charge fees like it's like the fees get approved by the city council.

Yeah. Um I don't know cuz it was ordinance, correct?

It was an ordinance.

I feel like there's no harm in asking.

That's the thing. I feel like we shouldn't do it if there's no there's nothing. And the other thing, the other thing too is originally when he was here, it was like, okay, we're not opposed to having additional broadband options.

So, I don't want to derail the project, but it sounds like this is just path of least resistance to put them in the park. It sounds like if we say no, they can go back to the drawing board and figure out other places to put these things, right?

I tend to be thinking that I don't really even if they're hidden, if there's no real benefit to the park, they still have to be maintained.

They're still going to have to if it's in the building, Darren's going to have to let those guys in. I would assume throughout the year, they're going to have to do things to these boxes. To me, I think we should I I'm not oppo I'm opposed to putting them in the park at this point. I think that they should try to figure out another spot to put them.

Yeah.

Um, and I mean, if we want to have a conversation with the the council about like if you're going to put them in the park, we want there to be some revenue that goes into the parks department, then that's fine, too. But and the other thing too that was brought up was like if these are in parks, why not? What's what besides revenue can you offer? Can you offer free Wi-Fi for the park? M

that stuff was thrown around but then it it when before there was a free fee structure those conversations were having we had originally thought fee structure like okay you're going to stick this thing in the park it's going to be x amount a year and then that money would go into the park department budget and that would be part of the revenue generated from the park.

It doesn't seem like that, which also makes sense because it's tied into everything else and it's tied into the fee structure with the city that they're being charged to bring the broadband into the city.

But like you said, it's going to be on the parks department, correct, to be able to help them maintain and manage it. So that's at that point it's basically just sitting there doing nothing and still getting something which I feel like if we were to go back and say hey we're totally fine with doing this but there needs to be in it something in it for the parks department what can you do

and like push that back on the city cuz like I said an ordinance can be updated it doesn't it's not like set in stone like that can be but this one this particular fee structure it was like within the last year they adopted this because I think it sounded like there are other broadband companies that are trying to come into the city.

And so in an effort to get ahead of it, whenever somebody wants to bring broadband into the city, okay, if you want to come in, here's our fee structure.

And I I so I I agree that they could change it, but I think their point was also like we we just kind of did this and just adopted it. So now the curveball is the fact that they want to put them in the park. So if they're going to be in the park, what benefit is it to the parks department? As it stands right now, there really isn't.

Yeah. But didn't he say if he if we didn't allow him to put in the park that he would try to find some other spots?

Exactly.

That's what he did. He he found one other spot. He went to housing cuz originally there was four. He's not going to go to North Park.

He he had contacted uh Tim McCoy about putting out housing property.

But even at the same time, the housing department wouldn't be getting a kickback. It would technically be going back to the city, right?

I don't know. I don't know. I would assume it's I would assume it's the same idea. I I don't know how the housing authority would work because at the end of the day, we're not signing a contract with him.

I don't think the housing authority could even do that cuz that's state.

It is owned. So, I don't even think they could do that.

Yeah. I don't know.

Do I don't love the idea of him in the park?

Do we want to bring this guy back down?

No.

No.

Um I would rather have our ducks in a row before we basically waste his time.

Um if we do anything, I feel like we should If we decide you want to do them in the park, I'm agreement with you. It has to have something. It needs to benefit the parks.

Yeah. Even if it's not even if it's not well, even if it's not revenue generating for the park, but it's revenue generating for the city. But if they're committed to free Wi-Fi in the parks that it's in, then maybe there's, you know, maybe that's worth it. I I don't know. Um, but I also think that there is some cost to the park for putting it in there, even if it's in a shed that nobody can see,

cuz he's still going to have to let somebody in if they need to get in there. Like, you're still Yeah.

So, one of the things they did say they've done in other communities um is they would sponsor like sporting events, things like that within these parks. I think if he wants to if they want to pay for some new turf at Britland, maybe we can put a bunch of boxes at Britain.

I don't know.

I mean, it's almost if we if we made requests of just say Wi-Fi for example, like how would that be enforced or is it sounds like a contract is next to the park just going to get free Wi-Fi off of that and then ends up being like a I don't know.

you can go down there and just hook up.

How about I get an answer from administration about where the money is going to go?

Yeah. Yeah, definitely.

I think they're going to tell us that it's there's going to be no way. The contract is between Ripple Fiber and the city and but the fee structure outlines, you know, cost per square foot. Like there's all different items that it cost. So they're gonna tally it all up and they're going to say, "Okay, Ripple Fiber, you owe the city this much every year." And that's going to go wherever it goes.

It's not there isn't I'm telling you that there is a sub like so if I have a contract with someone, but I want to put it at your house, you're not going to get anything out of it. That's that's the part where when you think of it, you just take it down to like brass tax like just very simple. If we are going to house these things, there needs to be something in it for us. If

there isn't, then we're out. And I think that should just be the that should just be it.

Yes, I I agree. But I just don't know or think that there is going to be a way for them to take that fee structure and say, "Okay, well, there's three boxes."

Because when you look at the fee structure, it also doesn't make a ton of sense from a revenue standpoint for the for the parks department because like Darren said, I think it's $2,500 a box per year.

So if there's three boxes, that's $7,500 a year. What are we even arguing about?

Like we can't like what are we going to do with what's he going to do with $7,500 a year? Like, but the fee structure is tied to the cost per square foot. And there's a whole thing that they adopted so that it's not $7,500 a year. Like, it's significantly more, but it's you can't pull out the boxes and say, "Okay, here you can have that." And even if they could, the way it's

structured now, I think it would be 7,500 bucks.

So, I can I can share the um what they adopted as far as the fee structure because I have it in an email from council president. Uh but so I think when Allen Allen drew that up, he said that's comparable to other cities and towns what they charge. It was a comparable rate.

So $7,500 a year.

If if you look at it's like $2,500 per box, but it's per but then there's a cost per square foot.

every foot of so broadband that's being put throughout the city.

So just the boxes of 7500 plus whatever the correct no so they're saying every foot from so take Kennedy Park for example there's a pole on park drive right that they have to go out and in with the lines so from that pole in the park to the box it's x amount of money per foot in addition to the 2500.

So even if we just got the payment per box, it's still so this is it and we can I can send it to everyone after. But that's the fee structure and that's why even if there's three boxes that are being put in the park.

I don't think they're charged poleto pole because they have to make that deal with National Grid and Verizon because they own the polls and they have their throughout the city. So their probably fee schedule will be with them on that. I think when they talk about linear foot, it's from the pole through the part to the box to the structure.

And I think what is it? 100 a foot, something like that. What does it say?

There's a whole bunch of different fees associated with it.

So that 2500 at Kennedy from that pole to that box is probably 100 feet. So that's an addition to you know how much is that?

I think I'm only seeing like annual fees. I'm not saying like per linear.

Oh, wait. Right here. per linear, but it says 50 cents. So, I don't know what that 50 cents a foot.

Yeah, per linear foot of cable or wire.

50 cents.

Is it really?

Yeah, that's what it says right here.

Not much at all.

I thought it was more than that.

I thought it was more than that, too.

Um, and then there's these up here and it's like a maximum of 15 cubic feet.

Yeah. So, you have to get a permit. You know, there's different recording fees, the pole authorization fee, the annual fee, and then the annual occupancy rate.

It says a cabinet, box, hub, enclosure more than 15 cubic feet, which is what this would be because it's 5x5, is $2,000. And then the cable, wire/fiber per linear foot, which is I think what you're talking about. So from the post to the box is $1.75 per linear foot.

Okay. Per linear foot.

Yeah. That's So my point is we can't say it's $2,000 to put the box in the park, but their bill is whatever 50,000.

Carve out the two grand and put it it doesn't that's not enough money and you can't do it. Yeah.

So to me I think with negotiations I think They should go back to the drawing board and find another place to put them.

Yeah, but then it just be the city's prompt.

I was going to say headache, but yeah, but it's the will whatever you guys think.

No, I don't think that's worth it at all. I feel like anything under 20 grand a year is not worth it for us because one because we can actually do something with 20 grand. Like obviously we could do something with 7500 too but for how much extra work it's going to cause Darren and his team I don't know to the point where that might not be worth it especially if like overtime like if

something happens at night and you need to get somebody out there to let them in and that then you bring overtime into it and then that $75 or 7500 is that going to even afford an extra person.

Oh yeah. No, no, serious.

That's for a year.

That's not even a year. You know, it's not probably just about cover overtime for one person.

For one person.

And just to be clear, that's not the whole contract, right? Like they're they have to pay per linear foot and all of that with the the to the city. And my point is I don't think that there's a way for anyone to pull out just so that their service on each installation. They they estimate service to 25,000 people per installation and their rates go anywhere from $60 a month to $90 a month.

Yeah, we're good. I remember seeing that. I was like, this is actually pretty good.

But I think the key is is even if we if we say no to this, it doesn't kill it.

It just makes them find somewhere else.

So, I think we can, it sounds like nobody really wants it at this point. I think we shoot it down and say, you know, if you want to come back, if you can't find something else in 3, four months, they just work with Mike Dion to find somewhere else to Dan Aguar has been working with him.

Okay.

Right. Dan's been working on this project. The only other option would be within city layout of sidewalks with easements, a sidewalk that can accommodate a box.

That's the thing, right?

That's their only other option because I I think what I was told is the polls that are out there now can accommodate like additional because of their size, the actual wires because not only are they in the running, they're just the first of the table. there's other companies trying to come into the city and the other question was like talking to BJ was if we let them in there in the

parks does that open the door to everybody else of course well I mean at that point I feel like it's first come first serve because you can't I don't think we can't put these boxes like one box per person like four box but the other thing is how do we know I don't know anything about broadband companies how do you know ripple fiber is the best broadband company and the one that you want in the park

you like if if the next one that comes is better or it has better rates and then you say well we can't put another one there cuz they already got one there like that's why I think you know we stay out of it.

I was like I can't remember who I was talking to but they were basically saying like Verizon FiOS is the same thing. There's a reason why they haven't come here because it's not worth it for them.

Yeah. So that's the part where like maybe a mom and pop it is worth it for them, but at the same time like how if like this big corporation has more than enough money to dispense to put this here and even they say it's not worth it. So it's like Yeah. because they're starting from scratch basically.

Yeah.

To line every pole, you know, and Xfinity is got a a hold on the city. They they own, right? Which again, I'm all for the competition, but I just think that they should find a different spot with these things.

I think I think they should.

I think we make a motion to deny.

Yeah.

So, is that you make that motion to deny was made by Commissioner Rigo? Do I have a second?

No second.

I just It's not that I I feel like we should deny it, but I also feel like if they came back with more money, I would approve it. So it's like but and I understand we're using their fee structure but like I don't know how they I understand that they said this is comparable to what other people have but like at some point like we need to we need more money in the city. That's not

enough. Like even if somebody else came and they gave that to them and they said yes, that's still not enough money for the city for what they want to do. So obviously that's just like my finance brain like looking at it and being like this is not enough. So I'm down to second it. But if they were to if the city was to update that and then tell us, hey, you could get a kickback, then

I feel like I think kickbacks are illegal. So, I think we should use that.

I know that's not You can get if the money were allocated to the you get a percentage for the usage of the park. If it were to go into the park, if it were to go into the park budget, you know, I think maybe they submit a better plan because if the fee structures didn't exist, that would be a whole not offering anything. So they they if they had to come in the parks, they'd

have to adhere to that fee structure.

But correct.

Just say the fee structure didn't exist.

So we can make it up on our own.

What's in it for us? Really? I mean, yeah. Okay, we get the competitive broadband, but now 6 months from now, there's another broadband company and they say, "Hey, we needed boxes and, you know, these parks and we're we're you know, less expensive than Ripple Fiber is.

They're charging you $100 a month. We can do it for 75, but we need a box right next to theirs. And at that point, we already have it, so we can't like if if it's just $10,000 a box, let's do it to the parks budget.

Right. So, for now, we'll we'll Commissioner Eagle made the motion to deny. Do we want to amend it and say, you know, go back to the drawing board type of thing, like come back with a better proposal and we can reconsider.

Sure. But but at that point, let's say he comes back and says, "Okay, I'll give you 10 grand a box."

We have to figure out with the city. And so in the meantime, because they have that ordinance, that ordinance would need to be updated.

I think you're the finance person. I think you should run with this between now and the next meeting. Have the conversation with council president Ponty about what we've talked about tonight and say, "We understand that you have a fee structure, but there's nothing in it for the park. So, for now, we're, you know, Mhm.

tableabling it again or denying it.

Well, the motion was made to deny. So, is there there's no second restructuring?

Yeah. No, I feel like we should table it again and then I can see what I can come up with with the next month.

All right. I don't know all my law my rules if you're allowed to retable something. I don't think you are.

Okay. Okay. So, we could do that and then I could still work on it and then at that point if we come up with something we can contact Yeah.

this person. All right.

And and in the meantime, they might say, "Well, we can put them in other spots in the city."

Yeah. And then they can get the $7,500.

So, got it.

So, the motion motion was made by Commissioner Rigo and and seconded by Commissioner Burns. All in favor?

I I Any opposed?

Motion carries. So, well, Darren, you'll be in touch with them. Let them know like that as it stands, we we're we're shooting it down for now.

Um, does anyone have any commissioner inquiries?

No.

Anybody have anything?

Oh, Darren, how's the parks? How's everything going post snowtorm?

You're the only one.

Are you breathing?

Oh, everybody has that.

That's the part of the Fall River Youth.

Yeah, that was Fall River Youth.

She just asked me the same thing.

Yeah.

Well, besides not being able to see the grass, it's everything's fine.

It's good though, right?

Yeah. Everything's fine. The both rinks are full. I guess kids have been throwing things at them and shopping cord.

Well, a couple things though. I think Darren deserves a lot of credit and kudos for the um you know the the snowstorm and helping out DCM and you know his guys park guys helping DCM right I mean there was a lot of those a lot of the park staff um helped a lot throughout that snowstorm so I don't think that that should go unnoticed and then you know his his team also then

shoveled out um plowed out was it Lafayette at what park did they use during the parking ban that came up like a a day or two after was that a so it was Kennedy they used for parking uh Maplewood is open um oh Lafayette pool um parking yeah that was the one I was thinking the DCR lot that's open now for well they were prepping for last weekend storm that didn't happen

so I think that it's good that you know and maybe a little bit proactively next time but the park guys didn't have to spend so much time with DCM, maybe they could have gotten those lots done ahead of time.

Well, thank God they canceled school two days in a row cuz we weren't ready for Tuesday.

Yeah, just let us know.

Um and then the other thing everyone should be aware of there two things. Uh Darren put forth the CPC um item to resurface all the courts. So that voting got delayed because of the snowstorm. So that meeting is Monday to vote on those projects. I think that we have a good shot at getting that funded to resurface all of the courts. So that's good and encouraging. And then the other thing is the

it's on February 24th. It's the capital improvement plan. So, they're going to talk about it at the city council. It's a public hearing. So, I can share the link. It's on the city website, but everyone should probably take a look to at the park projects that are on there for the capital improvement plan that Darren submitted um for the different things. And if anybody has input or things that they think should take

priority should let you know me and Darren know we can I don't know if I can make that meeting but or go to that meeting and let them know which ones should take priority.

Um I think one of the main like just for parks news. So one of the main things going on now is Lafayette. So the skate park that's completion is supposed to be by May and then there is some money left over in Arper to redo the sidewalks in there.

Well, the the the money was already funded for the skate park. Correct.

Yes. But it came under under budget. But it doesn't make sense to leave the sidewalks all beat up.

So that was part of uh you know to finish off the improvements in that park, not just to do and then part of that resurfacing includes those other courts there as well. Yeah. So there probably be almost like a complete go through of that park like an update because it does need it.

Are there any updates to any of like the baseball parks any?

As of right now, no. um the Father Kelly um the project down there with that Dan Aggie are submitted to CPC too. I think even if that's not fully funded by CPC um I think that that project will probably move forward in conjunction with the reconfiguration of Globe Four Corners down there. So Dan came down and told us about the parking lot that they were going to put in. So, I'm sure

probably within the next couple months, he'll be back to finalize that once they have a firm budget and they know how much might be allocated from CPC, how much might be allocated from this capital improvement plan and and where all that's going to shake out. So, that one will will impact us, too.

And he was open to the board cuz he said those are pretty much finalized plans, but he still has room to add more spots, maybe rearrange some things that were in the plan. and he wanted park and park board, you know, conversation on it once, you know, if it does get passed somewhat and moves forward, right?

That there's still like room to move like for ideas like to improve it, maybe expand it a little bit.

And and same thing with the the sensory park um that they're building that they're fundraising, actively fundraising for, they came in front of the CPC board, too. Mike Dion um and and his team that are spearheading those efforts. So there that's like that's in that's a pretty cool project too because it's a public private partnership like they're they're privately raising some money but then CDA has some funds

available. They've gone to CPC for some money. They're applying for grants to and I did apply for a block grant for 350,000 through CDA. It's usually done every year, but I it was uh I think more so I think I don't know if last year it was 200 or 250, but I asked for 350 this year.

Anybody else? Good. Y have a motion to adjurnn.

Motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn has been made and been seconded. All in favor? Motion carries.

Thank you.