Dunbarton
Recreation Committee meeting minuts
Members present absent
Jean Leo Sue Nichols
Karen Lessard Terri Francouer
Annie Carnie
Kim Vallanecourt
Jacques Belanger
Meeting called at 7:15
Basketball program:
The current task of the commission is to establish a set of bylaws for the rec league basketball program. Jean Leo has prepared a letter to send through the program, and community asking for input for the bylaws. The intention would be to take info from programs in other towns as a guide to establish Dunbartons. It was agreed to that January 31/03 would be the deadline for any response. The letter would also be entered as a letter to the editor through the Bow Times. The intention would be to start to review the information at the February meeting.
Bylaws to include:
Rules and regulations for the program
Conduct and a code of ethics for players, coaches, refs, and all
Parties involved with the program including visitors.
Team selection
Practice times
Registration procedures. (Linda Morse suggested a self
addressed mailer for the players to fill out at the end of the
season).
Basketball Committee: Currently 5 members of the public that have “stepped up” to run the program. Currently: Michaela Blanchette-Kitchen and Concessions
Bill Brennan - attends the meetings
Vicky Kelly – Schedules coaching and refs
Jean Leo – Schedules practice times
Karen Lessard – keeps the financial records
It was suggested that in helping to decide on coaches that there should be an evaluation process that could be done by a form included with the bylaws (which would be handed out during the registration process) and could be turned into the committee any time during the season if there were any issues.
Linda Morse, who acted as a representative for a group of concerned parents, suggested having a parent video tape the games. This could be used as a tool for the coaches to
Verify playing times, conduct, etc.
Kim Valencourt suggested a coaching clinic by an outside person of the basketball community, and will follow up looking to schedule in the fall 2004.
Linda Morse suggested a mediator from the public and open meeting when the committee starts to compile the info for the bylaws. She mentioned that there have been people unhappy with the program for a while. When asked if there were any specific issues, she brought up that Mike Shearin was asked he could coach (by Jacques), after it was decided that no one involved with the program (7/8 grade) could be a coach this season. Jean Leo
Had later asked Mike if he had signed a previous petition or letter that had been circulated by concerned parents of th7/8 grade boys. He had, Jacques didn’t know he had. Jacques also brought up the fact that this happened about 2 weeks into the search for a volunteer to run the 2nd 7/8 grade boys team. Linda also brought up that the seniority method of choosing coach’s does hold up. The coaching team of Larry Board and Bill Morse have more coaching time in that others chosen, and there is a problem where assistant’s time isn’t taken into account. (Larry has often been an assistant because of his work schedule).
One call to Jacques from Beth Bogard concerning the assistant coach for the 7/8 grade boys, may not have the experience coaching that this age may need. I told Beth that it was the head coach’s decision on an assistant and he is aware that he can draw from the parents to help if he needs it.
There is some confusion about issues brought up at a previous meeting concerning the issue of coaching, and both Beth B and Jacques Belanger called Selectman Steve Kennedy to try to clarify the question of if an assistant coach could be drawn from previously involved people of the 7/8 grade level. He told us that no one previously involved could be involved this year. Linda Morse didn’t remember it that way, and there are no minutes available for the meeting.
Parents are welcome to attend the next meeting in January if there are any concerns.
Minutes are to be in writing and available.
Parents can contact the committee (Jacques as the chair) if they want to formally be on an agenda at a meeting, but the committee is willing to talk to any one, but cannot answer questions or opinions with out the input from the rest of the committee.
Bus Trip to
Bus was filled and the trip was successful, possibly schedule one to the flower show in the spring.
Halloween: Good turn out, positive feedback, over budget by $400.00 (still buying props
and decorations). Haunted house with the girl scouts positive and good involvement.
Worked on Budget: keep similar to last years.
The committee has extra money in the budget at this time. Kim Valencourt will investigate looking into a storage shed. Storage of the committee’s supplies and equipment is hard to access and spread out in different places, this will give one central place that we can get too.
Letter from
Selectman:
A letter was sent to Larry Bogard regarding accusations made during a meeting with the selectman, concerned parents and two members of the rec. committee, concerning issues of racism by a coach. The intention of the letter was to offer to have these comments withdrawn or if they stand. To date, no one knows if Larry has responded.
Meeting ended at
Minutes are a Draft and subject to approval by the Rec Committee