Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parks and Recreation seeks RecDesk subscription, staff pay increases and outlines summer-camp options
Summary
Parks and Recreation presented a budget that includes a new RecDesk subscription for online signups, higher part-time wages for swim staff and discussion of expanding summer camp options based on a participant survey; board asked for more detail on staffing and costs.
Jeremy Phillips, presenting the Parks and Recreation budget, told the Select Board the department plans to subscribe to RecDesk, an online registration and program-management service, which is reflected in higher dues and subscriptions in the proposed budget.
Phillips said RecDesk will store participant information, generate rosters and reports, and optionally accept online payments; he described the change as time-saving compared with the current use of Google Forms and manual spreadsheets.
The proposed budget also includes higher hourly wages for certified lifeguards/swim instructors (one position budgeted at $35 per hour, another at $30 per hour) and a proposed staffing structure that would include a coordinator plus five part-time staff for camp and trips. Phillips said lower-than-budgeted wage expenditures in 2024 reflected unfilled hours rather than over-budgeting.
Phillips reported results from an email survey sent to about 85 families who participated in rec programs: 31 responses showed mixed interest in extended 5-to-8-week camp options; about 42% of respondents said they would sign up for 5 to 8 weeks, while 58% indicated they would sign up for four weeks or less. Phillips said swim lessons are likely to remain separate from any expanded camp offering and that other nearby camps supply some longer-week programming in the area.
Other planned costs noted by Phillips included bus leases shared among program lines, a placeholder increase for Fourth of July fireworks (anticipating higher costs during the townsesquicentennial), and continued use of donor contributions for some festivities. Board members encouraged Phillips to consider token stipends to attract volunteer coaches and to provide clearer staff-hour estimates for the next review.
The Select Board did not take a final vote on the parks budget at the meeting; members asked Phillips to return with refined staffing numbers and contract details.
