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Commission seeks stronger code of conduct after staff report of abusive behavior toward park ranger and overflowing trash
Summary
Commissioners said they will add a code of conduct to the field manual and pursue education for coaches after staff reported incidents of abusive language toward a park ranger and repeatedly overflowing trash at several fields.
Commissioners said staff and seasonal maintenance workers have faced harassment and abusive language from some visitors at town fields, and that park-ranger interactions and police involvement have increased. Several commissioners described recent incidents in which staff asked permit-holders or spectators to clean up or comply with rules and were met with hostility. Town staff said they have involved the school resource officer and school officials when youth were involved.
Commissioners directed staff to move a code-of-conduct section to the front of the field manual and to develop outreach language for coaches and league organizers explaining expected behavior, trash removal and respect for grounds staff. Mulroy said staff will draft language and suggested sending a reminder to coaches about staff roles and proper conduct; one commissioner said she would help draft suggested language for distribution.
The commission also discussed overflowing trash at Memorial Park and DeFazio on busy weekends and the need for users to help manage waste; staff noted the town does not have enough daytime custodial staffing in the complex and that additional custodial requests for weekend events must be scheduled and paid for during permitting.
