Brentwood recreation commissioners authorize up to $4,000 for equipment, agree to seek $500 bonus for staff

Brentwood Recreation Commission members voted to allow up to $4,000 to be spent on sports equipment and cushions and agreed to pursue Select Board approval of a one-time $500 bonus for a staff member.

Commissioners discussed several ways to use unspent budget lines and debated whether salary savings should return to the town or be reallocated for department needs. A roughly $29,000 irrigation quote was read but flagged as requiring a formal bid because town policy mandates bids for projects above $10,000, so commissioners shifted focus to lower-cost, recurring needs such as balls, nets and cushions.

Speaker 2 proposed a one-time $500 bonus for Jason to recognize extra hours worked while the department lacked a full-time director and suggested using the revolving account; administrative staff cautioned payroll and tax implications and said the Select Board would likely need to authorize any payroll bonus. Commissioners voted to take the proposal to the Select Board for final approval.

Later in the meeting Speaker 4 moved to authorize up to $4,000 from the budget to be used specifically for sports equipment and cushions; Speaker 3 seconded the motion. With a roll-call-style voice vote the motion passed (voice vote recorded as unanimous). The board also approved a procedural motion allowing Jody to vote in place of Jim, who had left the meeting before the final motion.

The action delegates purchasing discretion to staff with an upper limit and asks that purchases prioritize wear-and-tear items (balls, nets, folding tables, and cushions) and any items requiring an invoice be coordinated with administration.

Next steps: staff will compile specific purchase items and invoices and proceed within the $4,000 cap; the $500 bonus will be sent to the Select Board for consideration and any payroll/tax treatment will be determined there.