Town receives unexpected $94,677

Nov. 7, 2018 | Payton North
payton@thereminder.com

LONGMEADOW – On Nov. 5 the Longmeadow Select Board met to discuss extra funding received, early voters, the Charlie Mike run, a proposed project that would benefit soccer, lacrosse and field hockey athletes, as well as the opportunity to raise funds for the new Senior Center.

In a brief announcement, Town Manager Stephen Crane shared that the town will be receiving an extra $94,677 in Chapter 90 funds due to the favorable revenue climate in the Commonwealth.

Early voting took place in towns and cities across the state, and Crane stated at the Select Board meeting that Longmeadow had 2,700 early voters. This is a 25 percent voter turnout prior to Election Day, and he expected that Town Clerk Kathy Ingram would be quite busy on Election Day. Crane commended the civic engagement in the community.

The annual Longmeadow Veterans Charlie Mike 5K run took place on Nov. 3, and Crane reported that there were roughly 100 to 120 participants. Proceeds from this year’s race go to benefit Vet Air, Project New Hope, and the Holyoke Soldiers Home. Vet Air is a non–profit organization that gives veterans the necessary travel solutions to and from their medical care appointments free of charge. Project New Hope is another non–profit organization founded in 2011 which works to help veterans transition to civilian life and to create a mutual support network among wounded warriors, veterans and their families.

“Charlie Mike means continuing mission, it’s for us to help our troops when they come back here,” Select Board Vice Chair Marie Angelides said.

During the resident comments portion of the meeting, resident Richard Joseph and lacrosse coach Steve Dudack came before the Board with a proposed project that they’d like to donate to the town. The project is a freestanding concrete wall with grass or turf on either side to be located on Russell field. The purpose of this is for lacrosse, soccer and field hockey athletes to be able to use the wall to practice against without having a partner to play with. The wall is proposed to be 40 feet wide and 15 feet high with grass or turf extending 25 feet on each side.

“This type of practice wall has become very popular,” Joseph stated.

The two shared that they expect maintenance costs to be minimal, and they have confirmed this with eastern Massachusetts towns who have similar walls. They have met with the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department Bari Jarvis, Director of Athletics Michael Capotosto, the School Committee, the Town Manager and the Building Inspector. Joseph stated that they have obtained three quotes for the project, and while they have explored other options for locations in the town including having the wall be located at Wolf Swamp, but they did not think that the wall would receive its intended use there.

While grass and turf are both options to have next to the wall, Joseph stated that he feels a turf subsurface is preferable. They looked at a rubber material as well, however it would not be durable if the kids using the wall wore cleats. In addition, they will be putting an anti–graffiti material on the wall so if there was an incident it would be much easier to remove the material off of it.

“With respect to the budget we’d expect $1,000 a year as maintenance cost and touch up work and with the labor that would be associated,” Joseph added.

The overall cost of the wall would be between $50,000 and $70,000 with the structure and turf product on both sides. Joseph reiterated that they feel with this tool it would take the students games to the next level, allowing them to practice themselves and to compete with the teams of the eastern part of the state.

Select Board member Thomas Lachiusa asked whether or not the wall would be properly lit, to which Joseph stated lighting is something that they could do but would need to get quotes on it. He predicts this cost would range form $15,000 to $18,000 for the appropriate lighting.

Angelides confirmed that donors would be paying for the installation of the wall, and then the town would be responsible for the maintenance each year. She then questioned how long the life expectancy for a turf field is, to which Joseph responded they’ve heard between 15 and 18 years until it would need replacement.

Angelides then recommended that they put this on the agenda for the Nov. 19 meeting so they could discuss the project and move forward to accept the donation.

Mary Beth Bergeron came before the Select Board to discuss fundraising opportunities for the new Adult Center, stating that members of the community recognize that with the building of the new center there would possibly be a shortfall for some of the centers needs, including furniture, fixtures, equipment and programming. Bergeron stated that they’ve created a 501C3 to be able to raise funds to supplement the approved money by the Town at the spring Town Meeting.

With that said, Bergeron provided the Select Board with a list of naming opportunities for different areas of the building for rooms, fixtures, equipment and more.

Currently, the Select Board would be the governing body that could approve or disprove the naming of a room, fixture or equipment. The Board expressed that this could become clunky if there were several spaces and items that would need to be named.

Select Board member Richard Foster stated that this should be put on the agenda for the next meeting so that there could be further discussion, as Select Board Chair Mark Gold and Select Board Clerk William Low were not in attendance.

“This is a sensitive issue and I think we need a full board to weigh in on this,” Foster said.

The Board agreed that this would be on the Nov. 19 meeting agenda.

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