Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting: November 5, 2025

Attendance

• Members
  • Present: Deb Faucher (Chair), Ed Harley (Clerk), Sherry Horeanopolous, Martin Sterman, Addison Barwise (arrived at 8:17, start of fields discussion)
  • Absent: Andrea Surabian (Alternate)
• Non-Members
  • Present: Walter Zawacki (Advisory Committee liaison to P&R), Dot Odgren
• Unfilled Positions: second alternate seat

Call to Order

Deb called meeting to order at 7:32 PM

Approve Minutes

Deb made a motion to approve the minutes from October 8, 2025.  Martin seconded.  Deb, Sherry, Ed, Martin in favor.  No one opposed.

Director’s Position – next steps

No changes or updates since the last meeting.

Public Comments

• Dot Odgren is the co-coordinator of Lisa’s Butterfly Garden at TPS which was recently relocated to the old kindergarten playground area next to the school building. She requested that Parks and Recreation sponsor a garden club as one of our after school programs.  Sherry made a motion to support this new program.  Deb seconded.  Deb, Sherry, Ed, Martin in favor.  No one opposed.
• Deb requested that Dot send information about the program, dates, frequency of meetings, school resources needed, etc. so that we can start to put together announcements and coordinating with the school.

Updates/Discussion Items

Financial (not including donation funds)

Yearly Funds Available: Starting (7/1): $21,819, Previous (10/1): $9,615, Current (11/3): $7,689

Revolving Funds Available: Starting (7/1): $14,824, Previous (10/1): $19,836, Current (11/3): $20,035

Note:

• Latest expenses for Field fertilizing and lime; irrigation system winterizing.

Events/Programs

Scarecrow Alley / Trunk or Treat / Spooky Walk (in Goodnow Park) – Deb/Sherry

• Just finished these activities, and they were very successful. There were 350 to 400 participants, overall.
• The spooky walk was modified as walk-in/walk-out on the flat part due to the wet conditions. The spooky walk was mostly younger kids with their parents.
  • We may consider allowing people to hand out candy up there next year.
• Deb will check tomorrow to make sure all scarecrows have been removed.
• Sherry proposed we might shorten the time since it gets dark and cold. Ending around 5:00 would probably be appropriate and sufficient.

Ski Program Update – Deb

• Laura and Deb are starting to put together the ski program this year.

Boxwood Class and Cookie Swap – Deb/Sherry

• Boxwood/Balsam may be too expensive to make this work. Perhaps have participants bring their own greenery and make a kissing ball.  P&R would provide the hooks, ribbon, etc.
• Deb and Sherry like the idea of doing the cookie swap at Mountainside café. They have a very busy schedule,

Basketball – Ed

• Tuesday night continues strong with 15 to 20 players each night. Fees collected so far total over $630.
• Thursday night “Slow Pace” basketball is off to a very slow start. Only Ed and one other person have been attending.  We will keep it up a bit longer and push more advertising after the new year.

Sponsoring Art Association – Sherry

• Burt Lancaster’s daughter lives in Princeton, and she has an incredibly interesting program about the history of his films. She also has info about his brother who was involved in the Bad New’s Bears movie.
• The Princeton Arts Society would like to sponsor some events with P&R. They are an organization in town, but not an official Town committee.
• Sherry will propose that someone for PAS come to our next meeting to discuss.

Fields/Parks

Krashes – Martin

• The Field 2 fertilization and lime was completed and the irrigation system has been winterized.   Ben at highway dept has been doing a good job of maintaining the grass.
• Martin had a brief discussion with Ben in September about moving the parking area and asphalt maintenance to his budget next year. Ben didn’t object. Deb will send an email to Sherry Patch and Ben to open the topic officially.
• The COA is using the pickle ball court until the end of November. We can remove the porta-potty after November, and we should also put away the pickle ball equipment then also.
• Ed will arrange to have the TPS and Krashes porta-potties removed before the next billing cycle after November.
• Ed Carlson offered to meet with any or all committee members to go over the original plans/designs/drainage for the fields.

Baseball Diamond at TPS

• The new president of Gibbs Little League and Jay requested a meet and greet with Deb and other committee members. Jay may also want to discuss fixing or replacing the broken shed.

Playgrounds

Sawyer – Addie

• Addie met with Ed Sweeney at Sawyer, and he identified a lot of challenges with having the ice rink there. The benefit of having people close to the rink may be overshadowed by the challenges and demands of maintaining the rink.  Addie agrees that this rules out Sawyer as a good option.
• Ed Sweeney just retired, and he has volunteered to help with setup and maintenance again this year.
• It is a lot of work (and not fun work) and a level of commitment, so we need to get committed volunteers to help if it is going to work.
  • Addie will work with Ed to coordinate a time to get the annex and set up a meeting to solicit volunteers
  • Martin suggested hiring Scenic Scapes for winter ice rink maintenance
• Larry Pistrang has offered to potentially convert the defunct “Friends of Mechanics Hall” to a new organization to support East Princeton/Sawyer Field. This would be an easy way to fundraise for projects.  Addie will set up a meeting with him to get further details.

Other Business

• None

Director’s Update

• N/A – since the position is currently vacant.
• The position was posted in September

Next Meeting

Dec 3, 2025

Adjournment

8:48 PM  Deb adjourned the meeting.