Minutes for FoDDP meeting on January 10, 2023
Location: The Natural Dog at 29 Elm St in Danvers
Next meeting scheduled for Feb 7th at 5:45, also at The Natural Dog in Danvers (Thank you The Natural Dog for letting use your space!)
Financial Update:
- Deposited $122 from Texas Roadhouse event ($77) and park donation box ($45)
- $250 donation from dog park member
Brick Project Update:
- Will continue to sell at Spring Events and post on FB pages until April 2nd. We will then order for installation and start selling again for 2024. Hope to have new bricks installed by the end of June.
- If you want to order a brick to be installed this year and help raise funds for the park, please click here: https://donationbricks.com/danversdogpark. $100 gets you a customized brick to be installed in one of the bullpens.
Upcoming Events and Volunteers needed:
- We are looking at a tentative Spring Clean up day of April 15th. Will need volunteers to help rake leaves, pick up debris, and give the park a fresh spring cleaning!
- Easter Bunny pictures with your dog tentatively scheduled for April 1st, rain date April 2nd. Along with the Easter Bunny we will have an informational table set up and again, could use volunteers to sit at the table. Times to be announced closer to the date.
FoDDP Minutes 12/6/22
Present: John Pumphrey, Carla King, Pam Crum, Dawn Price, Maryann Madden, Jen griffin, Christine Taylor, Cindy Scholler
There were several new members so we did brief introductions and how the FoDDP came to be.
1. Financial update: Deposit of $228 from Halloween event.
2. Brick project update: Project update- We need to get a push out again for spring installation.
3. What do we want to do for park? It was agreed by the group that we would work with the down on expanding the small side back. Carla has been working with Chris on pricing for stairs and fencing. We agreed to commit to fundraising for this.
Benches have come to fruition.
We continued the conversation about having a dog behaviorist and /or ACO at the park for education. Carla will look into this again.
4. Facebook page- Carla explained that we as a group decided not to allow advertisements or adoption posts as they bog the page down and important information is not seen. We do allow local lost dogs and park goers posts for meet-ups etc. This has been going well. Carla explained that we have toyed with the idea of letting people advertise for a fee to go to FoDDP.
5. Events at the park- The next events up will be Easter Bunny Photos and the Spring Clean-up.
6. Fundraising. We have partnered with the Natural Dog. They allow our meetings in their space. They have also organized a fundraiser at Texas Road House. They will put donation jars on their counters. We talked about what other events might be good to do. Ideas were a lemonade stand, silent auction, 5k walk, recommitting to Amazon Smile and raffles. We have had good partnerships with Spoiled Rotten Doggie Daycare and now the Natural Dog as well so we will look to include them.
Maryann and Christine will work the TRH event table from 3-5, Carla will set up and come back to work the table as will John and Dawn.
FoDDP Agenda- 11/8/22 - 8pm on Zoom
1. Financial update:
2. Brick project update:
3. What do we want to do for the park?
a. Benches-
b. Dog Behaviorist/training –
c. Discussion of small side expansion
4. Facebook Page –
5. Events at the park
6. Fundraising -
7. For discussion next meeting:
8. New business/other discussion
FoDDP notes for 9/20/2022
Present: Carla, John and Pam
Financial update: We collected $109 in donations at the birthday party and Pam collected $20 from the donation box. We also sold several t-shirts.
Small Park shade etc. update: The FoDDP have agreed to split the cost of purchasing and installing a gazebo with the town. This will be ordered soon but like most things will take some time to come in. The shade has become such an issue that it’s an amenity and needs to be handicap accessible by law; once we have shade that is accessible, we can look at expanding the small dog side to potentially recapture some of the space lost during the 2021 park renovation. The cost to do so would be the construction of stairs plus the moving of the fence. FoDDP would need to plan fundraising to cover these costs.
Wasp Nest: The nest was removed today (9/20). Thank you to park patrons for reporting the nest and to park staff for executing the removal.
Brick project update: One brick was sold at the birthday party. We will sell bricks through the end of year and then place an order so they can be installed right after the spring thaw. We are hoping to sell quite a few, as this could be a good fundraiser for the expansion.
What do we want to do for the park?
Facebook Page: Overall things have gone well. We have decided to “pilot” an advertising fee. From now until the end of the year, a dog-related business can post an advertisement for $20. We want to see how this might work.
Events at the park:
Fundraising: No large specific events on the calendar at this time. We will need to look at one in the spring to do more renovations as noted above. Smaller events have been noted above. We also talked about needing more volunteers. As a small group with busy lives ourselves we need more people to help with events; if unable to help in person, maybe people can help with facebook posts etc. We did ask for help with informational tables and one park goer came forward but without more help we were not able to get that project up and running.
New business/other discussion: None
Next meeting: TBA
FoDDP Minutes August 4th 2022
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky, Chelsea, Chris Sanborn via zoom
NEXT MEETING: September 20, 6:30pm, Carriage House at Endicott Park
6/5/22
Present: Carla, John, Elaine Glass
Financial update: Taxes for 2021 fiscal year have been filed.
Brick project update: We had some sales after the Mother’s Day event.
What do we want to do for the park?.
Facebook Page – Everything seems to be going well, no big issues; a few posts were deleted but the content has been staying mostly on topic, namely the dog park.
Events at the park - DCF approached Carla about doing an event; more info to follow. At the next meeting we will start planning for fall events like the night event and the Halloween event.
Fundraising – Bricks are the current focus.
Dog Park Committee - A meeting with the town May 24th attended by Carla, John, Dave M, Chris S and Frank..
T-shirts - A new supply of FoDDP shirts has come in and are ready for sale! $20 each.
Tabling at the park – Carla will ask for volunteers.
New Business - Elaine states she worked in horticulture and feels that the erosion in the rock wall is because there was nothing behind it when installed. She shared some ideas to make it better, which Carla will explore with the town. Elaine also asked if the fence could be moved to give the dogs more space up top. With the wall there, it didn’t seem like it was possible but maybe steps up could be explored. She also asked about donations being given for a certain purpose, and would that obligate FoDDP to have to spend the money on that particular item. Carla noted she thinks so but will look into - it was Carla’s thought that if given for a certain reason it would need to be spent on that or not spent at all.
NEXT MEETING: ??? The next Sunday falls on the holiday weekend. New meeting time or move to August will be discussed and posted
5/1/22
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Emeline
Agenda
Financial update: Taxes for 2021 fiscal year still in process. We have a donor who has committed to a monthly recurring donation which is great!
Brick project update: no new sales. Brick sales will continue at upcoming events.
Spring improvements
What do we want to do for the park?
Facebook Page – going well no issues – a few posts deleted but has been staying mostly on topic of Dog Park
Events at the park
Fundraising - Calendar raffle is tabled for now and will discuss at a future meeting. Since we have a donor who makes a monthly donation, we will now publicize this as an option. Donors can make a recurring monthly donation set up via PayPal. We will have a free gift for sustaining members, to discuss at next meeting. Also, Friends of Danvers Dog Park can be selected as the charity to benefit from purchases made at smile.amazon.com with no additional cost to the buyer.
Dog Park Committee- Meeting was set up for April but had to be postponed. Items on the agenda are :
NEXT MEETING: June 5, 9am at the Dog Park- bring a chair
FoDDP Minutes 4/3/22 @ 7 PM
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken via Zoom
Financial update: Easter Bunny event $407 in donations. Taxes for 2021 fiscal year still in process.
Brick project update: no new sales. Brick sales will continue at upcoming events.
What do we want to do for the park?
Facebook Page – continues to be going well. A few adoption posts and “joke” have been deleted in trying to keep with FoDDP business.
Events at the park
Fundraising - Calendar raffle: tabled for now and will discuss at a future meeting
Dog Park Committee- Carla sent an email to Dave after our last meeting and hasn’t heard back so sent another today.
For discussion next meeting:
NEXT MEETING: May 1st we will go back to mornings (8 or 9) and will look at the weather- if we can do outside we will go to in person meeting at the park.
FoDDP Minutes 3/6/22 @ 7 PM
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken, Rebekah, Emeline via Zoom
Agenda
1. Financial update: nothing to report, nothing new in or out. Taxes for 2021 fiscal year still in process.
2. Brick project update: no new sales. Brick sales will continue at upcoming events.
3. What do we want to do for the park?
5. Events at the park
NEXT MEETING: April 3rd @ 7 PM via ZOOM. Potential to attract new attendees via the Easter event earlier that day.
FoDDP Minutes 2/6/22
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken via Zoom
1. Financial update: We had a donation from Marmadukes, they had paid for a vendor table but could not attend, we sent the check back and they sent back as a donation. We need to file taxes for 2021. A motion was made by Becky to contact and hire Janice Corbett to do our taxes.
2. Brick project update: Still selling. We can push again when spring comes
3. What do we want to do for the park?
7. Complaints: Same as above
8. Events at the park:
10. CPA (Community Preservation Act) - Carla brought up CPA and that there is a group (that she is on) supporting the CPA. Several boards in town have voted to accept it and Carla wanted the FoDDP to accept it as well. Carla shared info on the CPA. Motion made by John to support the CPA as a group – consensus agreed.
NEXT MEETING : March 6th NOTE change of time- it will be 7PM on ZOOM
FoDDP Minutes 12/5/21
Present:
FoDDP Minutes 11/7/21
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken via Zoom
1. Financial update: Deposit from Halloween event from hotdog sales and entrance fees was $362.
2. Brick project update: The brick sale (round 2) has started strong. Also noted is that the memorial bricks for Cheryl Purinton and Dave Reardon have been installed and look great. Carla called the families of both to make sure that they knew the bricks have been installed.
3. What do we want to do for the park?
· Benches - Carla gave approval to Dave Mountain for funding of the benches. Dave thinks they won't be In until Spring.
· Dog Behaviorist? Carla will inquire about having one come to the park for a class or presentation.
· Mud in the back? Carla will ask the town what can be done to mitigate this issue.
4. T-shirt sale: Only a few left now!
5. Project update : All planned work is complete and the park is fully open. The grass failed to grow but the park still looks great. The feedback Carla has heard has mostly been positive; we have had a few people complain that the small dog side is smaller, and one resident called us “dum dums”, but overall the feedback has been great. We understand that the small dog side being smaller may be upsetting for some but so far once people go they like it. It needed to happen to help with the loss of the rocks and for accessibility.
6. Facebook Page: Should we be allowing business promotions and the sharing of "this dog is looking for a home" postings? Carla believes they could belong here, but the purpose of the FoDDP page is to keep folks up to date on what is happening in the park (events, park closures, etc). Too much other content risks drowning out the true FoDDP content. Also of note is the group members who seem to not participate in any way except to pop in when there is an issue of concern to say “that is why I don’t take my dog there”. Those comments by themselves do not help solve the problems. If that is their role in FoDDP, should they be removed from the Facebook Group? Carla removed one person last night, feeling that removing someone should be an extreme measure but may need to happen. Pam suggested we consider changing the structure of the Facebook page/group to be more a page that shares information and less a group where all the members can post, comment, etc. This is what most area dog parks have based on a quick search of Gloucester, Peabody, Salem, Beverly, etc. There are pros and cons to each approach, and Becky pointed out that Facebook is changing how it treats group membership and privileges starting this week. This topic will be a discussion at our next meeting.
7. Complaints: There have been a number of complaints around aggressive or mounting dogs at the park. Having a behaviorist come to the park might be one response FoDDP could take. Do we want to pay for this? Also Carla contacted the town to see what the current ACO (Animal Control Officer) situation is, but has not gotten a clear answer. She also emailed the BOH (Board of Health) on Thursday and has not heard back yet.
8. Events at the park- .
· Halloween event – Was a great success. Went well! Lots of dogs in the parade! Thank you to our sponsor Pawsitive Attention.
· November 19 – A Dog’s Night Out, 5-8pm. This is being done in partnership with the town which is nice. There will be hot cocoa, coffee and lights. Spoiled Rotten Doggie Day Care will sponsor dog treats and will bring water.
9. Water has been turned off at the park for the winter.
NEXT MEETING : Dec 5th 8:30
FoDDP Minutes 10/3/21
Carla, John, Pam & Ken (via Zoom)
1. Financial update: Pam paid the invoice for the bricks that had to be re-ordered.
2. Brick project update: We will move forward with sales of new bricks. Pam will update flyer and John will get the new sale going with the company.
3. What do we want to do for park? The park Is in need of more benches. Carla talked to Dave about ordering more and Dave provided price estimates for two versions: backless or benches with backs. Carla and Pam liked the idea of having backs. FoDDP approved sharing the cost of purchasing more benches with the town. Carla will send pictures etc.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky still has t-shirts for sale, they are almost gone. We sold a good amount at the birthday event and will have what’s left at the Oct 23 event.
8. Project update : The park is now open with the exception of the back part of the large dog side where there is grass seed planted.
9. Events at the park-
The Grand Re-opening and birthday went great with a ribbon cutting, and birthday cake and treats provided by Lusita Pumphrey and Prestige Realty. The crowd was great! The cake was amazing! And the dogs had a great time! There was a lot of positive feedback about the new design and everyone was happy to be back.
· Halloween event – Approved by town set for Oct 23rd
· Nightime event ? if so, name of event ?- Carla will follow up to Erikka at Park.
· Singles night – on hold at the moment. Becky felt finding a location was impossible and to do on site will be a liability issue.
Next meeting: November 7 at 8:30am
FoDDP Minutes 9/12/21
Carla, John, Pam, Becky, Ken & Rebecca via Zoom
1. Financial update:
Tax filing - Janice Corbett volunteered her time to complete FoDDP’s federal taxes for 2018, 2019 and 2020 to comply with the state’s requirement of form 990EZ rather than the 990-N e-postcard. Pam provided the information needed. Carla has signed and mailed the returns. FoDDP paid Janice for the software expenses.
Sales tax - Sales tax was paid on the umbrellas and blank bricks but Carla will seek refunds on those items using FoDDPs tax-exempt status as a 501c3 charity.
2. Brick project update:
The bricks are due to be installed this week.
Should we sell more? Requests have been coming in for additional engraved bricks, and it was agreed that we should sell more. FoDDP will look into the best way of doing so, either using blank bricks and having them engraved locally or ordering from the same company. The idea of a dedicated email to accept orders was discussed.
Additional blank bricks were needed due to a misunderstanding, as well as extras to allow for making cuts, etc. The town indicated a possible willingness to pay for the bricks needed for the cuts.
8/8/21 FoDDP Meeting
Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken at (outside) the dog park
1. Financial update: No change.
2. Brick project update: The blank bricks are in and can be picked up any day after 7:15am. Cost is $710 without tax ($755 with tax). We want to deliver them to the park and double check for the bricks that are to be installed together. Carla is still trying to finalize plans for the memorial bricks for Cheryl, having left a voicemail for Irene and messaged Lois via Facebook. She will keep trying.
3. What do we want to do for the park? Table this for today, keep on agenda.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky still has FoDDP t-shirts for sale.
5. Dog Tags: This is ongoing through the We Are Danvers app with FoDDP receiving a portion of the proceeds.
6. Magnets: $8 FoDDP magnets suitable for putting on a car are available.
7. Kiosk: Park closure and “for more info” notices have been posted.
8. Project update:
Shade - Carla purchased four large shade umbrellas on clearance from Home Depot for possible use for shade if needed.
Timeline - the plan for completing the renovation was shared with Carla via email on 8/4. The grading with rice & pea stones plus installing the concrete pads and walkways will occur between 8/9 and 8/20. Fencing will be installed the week of 8/30, with finish work after Labor Day.
9. Events at the park:
Grand re-opening - FoDDP hopes to hold an event billed as both a birthday party and grand re-opening of the dog park on September 18th (rain date: 19th). Vendor tables, an FoDDP table, etc would be part of the plan.
Halloween event - being planned by Julie of Pawsitive Attention along with Becky. Possible date of November 19th with the full moon?
Nighttime event? This has been floated in partnership with the town (Erica) : a nighttime event in the park, setting up lights and serving hot chocolate and coffee. Specifics have not been worked out.
10. New Business: Pam expressed a need for assistance with the tax filing, as the state of MA was not satisfied with the 990-N filed federally for 2018, 2019 and 2020. Carla suggested Janice Corbett (a CPA) might be willing to help; she will reach out to Janice.
Next meeting: September 12 at 8:30am.
FoDDP Meeting Minutes 7/11/21
Present : Carla, Becky, John, and Ken
1. Financial update: only expense was Weebly website yearly charge
2. Brick project update: Bricks are in and at John’s house. John will order tomorrow. We were only able to find one place, Spaulding brick.
VOTED: to see if we can get bricks from FoEP to purchase in memory of bricks for Cheryl and Mr Reardon as they were both instrumental in the FoDDP and the project.
3. What do we want to do for park? Table for today, keep on agenda.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky still has t-shirts for sale.
5. Dog Tags – this is ongoing through the We Are Danvers app with FoDDP receiving a portion of the proceeds.
6. Magnets – $8 magnets FoDDP suitable for putting on a car are available. Carla still needs to post about these on FB.
7. Kiosk: John added closure and Pam will add contact info today.
8. Project update :
Park will be closed July 12th until completion. It is hoped to be open in a month but as with any project there could be delays. Carla will update openings on the Facebook page
Work in park 7-4 every day
Chris noted latching issues on gates.
The placement of benches was discussed. Small park one will be moved.
Pea stone. Carla noted what we looked at last time is not what we got. Steve will look at samples and understands the concerns with larger pea stone and/or sharpe edges.
Carla asked about shade trees. They will be planted Sept. They will be looking for taller shade trees. They know we need shade. Carla brought this concern prior and Dave M noted that we can figure it out, outside of the project. This will remain a priority for FoDDP.
There will be new drinking fountains. The current ones didn’t work from the beginning
With all the complaints we had recently all Carla has heard at the park was the excitement of the project, the sadness it will be closed as most people talked to said we have the best dog park around.
9. Events at the park- Tabled until we have an end date for construction – Will be having a grand-reopening and a night at the park.
10. New Business- none
FoDDP Meeting Minutes 6/6/21
Thank you, Melanie Skane, for the use your Zoom account 😊
Present : Carla, Becky, Pam, John, Ken and new attendees: Rebekah, Andrew and Karen
1. Financial update: only expense was for taxes $35 filing fee with state. Thank you to Pam for filing tax paperwork for us!
2. Brick project update: John will order the engraved bricks - they will go to his house and we will bring to park when needed. We will look at blanks and order with Friends of Endicott (sharing in shipping cost) or find locally but that can be figured out later. A couple of people have asked that their multiple bricks be installed together in the park; one strategy is for us to bundle them with tape and a note for when they are delivered to site.
3. What do we want to do for park? Carla found some items in a pool supply place that could be used to hold leashes in the short term – Carla will pick up. Longer term we will consider investing in something nicer.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky has sold a few and will get that out on FB.
5. Water at Park: This has continued to be an issue. Chris has informed us that due to the construction there isn’t a way to have water to some outlets and not others so this will have to wait for construction. Park patrons should bring water for their dogs and are asked to bring all trash with them.
6. Dog Tags:– this is ongoing through the We Are Danvers app with FoDDP receiving a portion of the proceeds.
7. Magnets: $8 magnets FoDDP suitable for putting on a car are available. Carla still needs to post about these on FB.
8. Issues at the park: There have been a few complaints about aggressive dogs that Carla has received. The FoDDP can’t address these issues themselves but did contact park ranger Chris Sanborn. Chris noted it’s important to take note of the person’s license plate and report. It is not advised to deal with yourself. The town can send notices to the owner. Question was who is best contact for this. Carla will get the correct info and share.
9. Kiosk: hasn’t been updated since April. Need to be updated. Should have:
10. Project update: Project plans were presented to FoDDP in November and presented with plans needing to be approved immediately (by noon) or project would not go forward. The plans presented by Martha seemed reasonable, and she had put a great deal of thought into the plan. Emergency meeting took place and went over plans and approved $10,000 donation to town. Carla was under the impression that there would be additional meeting with town to discuss and provide feedback. There were more things that needed to happen like grant approval by Stanton, town meeting approval in budget etc.
The plans were to be presented to anyone interested at our next meeting, which was placed on kiosk, noted on FB page, emailed out and on the We are Danvers app. The project update was on our agenda every month.
Members of the group have spoken with users of the park and noted concerns.
Carla emailed the town stating that time was getting short and asking when a meeting would happen. The response to Carla was “why do we need a meeting?” Carla noted users concerns with changes, and was told that everything had been approved to go forward and could not be stopped now. I do not believe there is any denial that there was supposed to be a meeting as it was initially stated by town.
Rebekah stated that she was at the park and saw the surveying and it doesn’t look like the park is as much smaller as others may have led everyone to believe. She asked if a tarp could be put up for shade. Carla will inquire.
There was discussion of mixing the small and large dogs and noted that owners need to watch their dogs and remove their dog if there is an issue.
Rebekah asked if we know dates the park will be closed. Carla stated that updates will be posted on the Facebook page as she gets the info.
Andrew noted that we see the plans from an aerial level and wondered if from the front view is it like the small dog park side is lower and upper is large dog park. Might help if that is the case, and to help others understand its multi-level. Carla will get answer.
Karen noted a lot of people were surprised they missed this but will need to try the new park and see.
IS there a plan for the puddle area in the big dog park? Carla will ask.
11. Events at the park: Erika Moretti (in charge of programs at Endicott Park) approached the group in May to do some events together like “the Dog Park After Dark” and some educational events. Erika was not aware of the closures at the time and so this is now on hold, but FoDDP would love to work with town on these events.
12. New Business: none
Due to the July 4th holiday the next meeting will be July 11 at 8:30 am. We will try to go back to an in-person meeting so will let everyone know when we find a place. We could meet at park if it is a nice day, but this park may be closed for construction on this date.
POST-MEETING FOLLOWUP - Below is response from town to our questions. Carla has re-asked what will be done about shade and seating
There are a few questions, some you may not have had a chance to answer, some that are new.
What is the plan for shade? Is it little trees that will not provide shade for a few years? If so what can be done to mitigate that with this new plan. Can a tarp be put up? (not an ugly one). The FoDDP are happy to help with any solutions.
Shade will be provided by the existing tree canopy and the proposed trees to be installed in the Fall. The plant species & locations will be coordinated with the Town Forestry Division and Conservation Agent, which was conditioned as part of the approval with the Conservation Commission.
Looking at the new plan – its an aerial view in a sense. Looking at it from front will the park be tiered ? like small dog park side on bottom, large more on top?
Yes, this is accurate. The purpose of the design change is to have a low park and high park. By being mindful of the existing grades, each park can have a slope of 3% (its currently >5%) we are able to reduce the migration of pea stone during dog play and storm events. This will keep the larger stone subbase from creeping to the top. If dogs get into digging, larger stones will make it to the surface, but the rate and quantity of this occurrence will be less frequent.
What is being done about mud/puddles in large dog side?
The focus of the design change was on the sloped areas with pea stone cover. It is possible in future to have additional stone material placed in the southern portion of the park to reduce mud.
A side benefit of the concrete pad and walkway is that they will be at the entrance of the park. So after the dogs play, they will not have to walk through an additional mud pit to exit the park.
Is there anything being done for wheelchair access from parking lot to entrance? • The proposal is to install stabilized stone dust from the parking lot to both dog park entrances. The stabilized stone dust is considered ADA compliant for walkways and nature paths.
Is there anyway to keep the small dog side but tier each side ? (this was an original plan) . I know there would be a cost and aggravation but im asking if its POSSIBLE.
Unfortunately the answer is no. A substantial change as suggested would require resubmitting a new design plan to the Stanton Foundation, replying/modifying our Order of Conditions with the Conservation Commission, rejecting all cost proposal/quotes and rebidding the project under the MGL Chapter 30 bidding laws. All of the aforementioned, would significantly pose a risk to the Town, to make any improvements to the dog park with our current appropriation and funding sources.
May 2021 FoDDP meeting was cancelled as there weren't any updates from town to share.
FoDDP
4/11/21 Meeting Minutes
Present: Carla, John, Pam & Ken via Zoom
1. Financial update: Carla deposited the $ from the paint night.
2. Project update: Town will have a meeting soon, Carla waiting for word on that
3. Brick update: We are not hearing back from Endicott Park on this and we really need to order. We will reach out to Chris Sanborn for advice. If we order blank bricks from the GiftBricks company we will pay $518 for shipping. If we purchase the blank bricks locally, we have more time and will not pay shipping, but we may end up with more than we need because of minimums. The smallest permissible order is a cube of 470 bricks; after that, increments of 96 can be added.
4. What do we want to do for the park? - Carla shared a catalog. We can discuss later but wanted to get thoughts going on what else we can do for the park. The idea of a leash holder has been discussed.
5. FoDDP Merchandise Sale: Ben Franklin is hosting an online store for long sleeve shirts, hoodies, stickers and car magnets. The store is up and running through April 30: https://ben-franklin-printco.printavo.com/merch/danvers-dog-park-merch-store. Becky to start t-shirt sale with "in stock" t-shirts at $15
6. Water at Park: The water will remain turned off until construction. This is a concern not only for dogs to have water, but the mess that is left behind if people bring containers of water in.
7. Dog Tags: available through the We Are Danvers app and a portion of the proceeds benefit FoDDP.
8. Donation Incentives: Carla will post “free car magnet with $20 donation, t-shirt AND magnet for $50“
9. Paint Night: thank you to those who participated! It was fun for all and FoDDP received a portion of the proceeds
10. Kiosk: Carla and Pam updated with new information about the park cleanup and merchandise store.
11. Clean up day: This was a huge success; thank you to the volunteers that came that day and to the town for staffing, equipment, donuts and coffee.
12. Classes at park: Someone approached us about having a class at the dog park. Initially we decided not to sponsor this, but are willing to look at it again if they have the right credentials etc. It would be a free service, not a paid service that we would look at.
Next Meeting: May 2 8:30 am
FoDDP
Meeting notes 3/7/21 (italics from meeting 3/13/21)
1. Financial update: Pam deposited the last of the brick money from Paypal as well as a general donation.
2. Brick project update: John can have bricks delivered to his home, but will need assistance unloading. Carla to follow up with the town, and Pam with Friends of Endicott Park, to help advise on the open questions:
a. How many do we need?
b. Do we buy blanks from the brick place or local?
c. Quality and/or color matching - are they standard?
d. Cost, including shipping?
Update 3/13- John secured amount of bricks we need, has matched to Friends of Endicott Park bricks and order is in process. John is just seeing best option for blank filler bricks.
3. T-shirt sale: $20 each. Moving forward with current sale:
a. Long sleeves or hoodies as an option?
b. Personalizable, pricing? Pam suggested people place orders rather than incurring the cost of inventory we may or may not sell.
c. Becky to start sale online with photos.
Update 3/13- Becky will sell t-shirts we have on hand, Ben Franklin will set up online store for long sleeve shirts and hoodies
4. Easter Bunny Pictures with Dogs:
a. Julie of Pawsitive Attention has offered to play the bunny.
b. Volunteers will be needed to collect money and organize at the event.
c. Minimum $5 donation, and T-shirts will also be for sale.
d. Pam to set up the Signup Genius link. Scheduled appointments in 10 min intervals, walk-ins on first come/first serve basis in between.
e. Tentative dates: 11:30AM - 2PM 3/21 with rain date 3/27 (3/28?)
Update 3/13 Carla checked with the town. Due to Covid restrictions and only 25 allowed at outdoor event, we are unable to do at this time. Town probably would have approved but with limit of 25 we didn’t want to kick people out of the dog park in order to have the event. Even though we would have been in field it is deemed the same area.
5. Dog Tags - We are Danvers is still selling and providing a portion of the proceeds to FoDDP. $10 was received this week.
6. QR code sticker is on the donation box in 2 places - people can now donate.
7. Paint Night has been posted for March 25th. Provide your pet’s picture and you will get a paint by number of your dog. Will also be a facebook event but you do not need to join to participate. Deadline to order is March 12th - 20% of proceeds go to FoDDP.
8. Car magnets/stickers: Carla has not priced yet, but will this week and order if feasible. Both words and logo to be on them.
Update 3/13- Carla will order magnets. They will be offered as a gift for anyone who donates $25 to the FoDDP
9. Kiosk: town was concerned it would become a free-for-all with posts. Keeping it locked for FoDDP use only was less than effective - Carla policed the stuff being taped up. There is now an advisory notice to contact FoDDP for requests and to not post on the kiosk otherwise. Need to post notice of the next meeting, and upcoming events(tags/easter bunny/t-shirt sales/paint night).
10. Project update: The town is waiting on the Stanton foundation, and a site visit.
Update 3/13- The town has been awarded the grant, and money received by the town.
11. Clean up day TBD: Carla will coordinate with the town and then post for volunteers.
Update 3/13- Carla has confirmed a day with the town. We hope to get as many volunteers as possible out to the park on April 10thto clean up.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
2/7/2021
Present: Carla, John & Pam via Zoom
1) Financial update- Carla transferred $390 from Paypal to dog park account this AM. Carla suggested buying a brick from the Friends of Endicott Park to support them. All in favor. Carla will buy the brick today.
2) We are Danvers – dog tags are for sale and We are Danvers will donate to a portion of the sales to the FoDDP.
3) Brick Project- The sales are done and we are ready to order bricks. John will place our order. John will look into the blank ones needed. John will also check on shipping costs.
4) T-shirt sales- Table until next meeting.
5) Project update- The town asked for a letter of support so that they could submit with request for funds from Stanton Foundation. Carla sent the letter. Check to town has been cashed.
6) QR Code- Becky absent today, not sure if QR code was put on Donation Box. Carla put on FoDDP Facebook page.
NEXT MEETING March 7th at 8:30 am via Zoom
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
Minutes 1/3/2020
Present: Carla, John, Becky, Ken & Pam – via Zoom
Financial update:
Brick Project:– Sold 5 more this month. We will do a final push all over. Carla will try and see if she can add a countdown clicker, to hopefully get more interest, and to let folks know that after several years this is really our final deadline!
Email group switch complete. Carla has switched over everyone on the Yahoo group to the Google Group, as Yahoo groups no longer exists as of December 15th. FoDDP moving forward will be using the google group for emails.
Project update: here is the Salem News story with some updates: Improvements slated for Danvers Dog Park | Local News | salemnews.com
New business: None
Old business: Tasks to complete
Next Meeting: February 7th 8:30 AM Via Zoom.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
Minutes of December 5, 2020 meeting
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 7, 19 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Becky, Ken, John P, Carla & Pam)
Dog Park Anniversary Celebration The dog park will celebrate its third birthday on Monday, September 16! FoDDP will have a “party” at the dog park from 4 to 7pm, complete with biscuits and perhaps even a celebratory beverage (for the dogs). Becky will obtain balloons and the beverage; Carla will see if any vendors would like to participate by attending or sponsoring biscuits. Engraved bricks will be available to order, as well as advanced-sale Topsfield Fair tickets. Come join us on the 16th!
Cash Donations Carla recently received and deposited a check from ITW Polymers, representing a generous donation match of the generous recent donation to FoDDP by Matt Faino. Thank you, Matt, and thank you ITW! Pam also reported recent collections from the donation box at the dog park to be slow but steady; park attendees are encouraged to support Friends of Danvers Dog Park with voluntary contributions on a regular basis.
Wine Barrel Planters Chris Sanborn contacted Carla about dressing up the entrance area with a couple of wine barrel planters and plants near the kiosk. He would do the purchasing and install at a cost to FoDDP of approximately $250. The board took a vote on this proposal and approved the project. Thank you to Chris for his continued commitment to maintaining the dog park (and all of Endicott Park) as a beautiful place for people to visit with their dogs.
Kiosk Signage Pam updated the kiosk with some flyers to educate visitors about FoDDP meetings, how to stay in the loop with information, the Amazon Smile* program and the donation box. Improvements to this display will be made via printings on colored paper and/or with colored ink to be more eye-catching. FoDDP approved the purchase of colored ink cartridges for this purpose; Carla and Becky both have colored paper to donate to the effort as well.
Amazon Smile As a 501c3 organization, FoDDP is eligible to register as a charity with Amazon so that a (small) percentage of purchases will come to the FoDDP bank account at no additional cost to the consumer. Shoppers should visit smile.amazon.com (it is still Amazon, but indicates interest in supporting a charity while shopping) and select Friends of Danvers Dog Park as their charity of choice. Add items and check out as usual, and the dog park will benefit! The only trick is to remember to start your online “errands” at smile.amazon.com every time. Thank you to all park supporters for taking this small step – it can/will add up!
Calendar Raffle Back by popular demand! FoDDP will hold another calendar raffle going into the holiday season, with calendars sold during November/December and prizes drawn in January. Items to offer as prizes are needed; Becky will largely coordinate the fundraiser, with Carla posting on Facebook soon seeking items.
Other Fundraising/Events
Bricks/Circle/Improvements Since the July meeting with the town, there has been a pause while the town engineer works to develop a specific plan. There have been assurances via email that the town is still eligible for the full funding commitment for improvements from the Stanton Foundation, though FoDDP remains anxious about moving forward before that opportunity expiring in 2021 as the timeframe keeps slipping.
In the meantime, Chris Sanborn made a good case for installing the engraved bricks FoDDP sold in the bullpen entrances to the dog park: It could be completed immediately and is not dependent on the other work within the park; it would make for a nicer, formal entrance; it would require less filler bricks because the space is smaller; it would be less susceptible to dog urine, feces, scratching because it would only get the foot traffic from visitor’s entering; and it’s an area that’s hard to maintain stone dust in now because of the foot traffic and erosion. Bricks would minimize this.
It has previously been noted that the Circle of Friends as originally envisioned will not work with the slope and ledge present on the dog park site, and FoDDP has been exploring different ways to incorporate the bricks into a park improvement consistent with the spirit under which they were offered to park supporters. Given the arguments above and the visibility of the recognition to the donors, FoDDP feels this is a reasonable way forward. Carla will communicate the approval to Chris and clarify steps forward in terms of timeframe and how the installation will be handled. Pam will research the terms with the gift brick company about production and delivery. And a final push for orders will take place to make sure all potential buyers have been reached before construction begins.
Next meeting: 8:30am Saturday, October 12 at the Danvers Housing Authority, 14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 29, 2019 Meeting Minutes
(Present: John P, Carla & Pam)
The June FoDDP meeting was canceled since there were no additional updates to share.
Meeting with the TownThe town’s Dog Park Subcommittee met July 12, giving FoDDP the opportunity to participate in discussions regarding improvements to the dog park for the first time since the last meeting in September 2018. The meeting agenda was quite broad and included a lengthy (45min) discussion of dog waste around town at the outset. While FoDDP agrees this is an issue and is happy to collaborate with department staff on how to address it, it is not a “dog park” problem per se, and therefore a separate meeting would be appreciated out of respect for everybody’s time during business hours.
Carla and John attended the meeting on behalf of FoDDP and shared the highlights for discussion:
Next meeting: 8:30am Saturday, September 7 at the Danvers Housing Authority, 14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 7, 2019 Meeting Minutes
(Present: John P, Carla & Pam)
Donation Box The donation box purchased by the Friends of Danvers Dog Park was installed by the town today. Thank you to Chris Sanborn and/or DPW for their effort and expertise with this task! A sticker will be obtained to change “Pay Here” to “Donations Accepted” or the like. The FoDDP officers will empty the donation box frequently and ALL proceeds will benefit the dog park. Park visitors are encouraged to use this additional tool for supporting the park; credit card donations via PayPal (there is a Donate button on the website www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com) and checks mailed to FoDDP c/o Carla King, 147 Maple St, Danvers, MA 01923 are still welcome.
Meeting with the Town The meeting that was to happen in January has not yet been scheduled; Carla has inquired several times. This meeting was to follow up with FoDDP and get additional feedback on improvements planned by the town in consultation with Scott Cameron. There is at least one dog park-related warrant article on the agenda for Town Meeting but the amount of funding being requested is greatly reduced from what Carla understood to be the cost of the retaining wall and accessibility paths under consideration. The plan for what is being proposed and how/when it can be implemented is unclear to FoDDP at this time.
Yard Sale This FoDDP fundraiser will take place the weekend of June 1 & 2 at 147 Maple St. Donations have been piling up and there are some treasures to be had! Thank you to Mel for her help in retrieving larger items in her truck. Volunteers to work the yard sale are needed, particularly with setting up early on the morning of June 1.
Park Cleanup A spring cleaning of the park was held on April 28thfrom 2-4pm. The turnout of volunteers to participate in this effort was disappointing, but those present worked hard and the park looked great when it was finished. Thank you to Tim Gray and Tina Moody for your time and energy, along with board members Pam, John and Carla. Thank you also to the town who had both staff and equipment on hand to reposition the stone and dispose of debris (poop, sticks, leaves, etc). The results of the (leaf) blower on clearing the stone dust of crushed stone were particularly impressive; the park would likely benefit from this being done more frequently.
Water There is a known issue with the water fountains, and the town is working to fix it.
Next meeting: 7:00pm Tuesday, June 4 at the Danvers Housing Authority, 14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
March 2019 Minutes
The Friends of Danvers Dog Park met on Thursday March 14, 2019 at 7:00p.m.
In attendance were Carla King, Pamela Crum, Rebecca Matthias, John Pumphrey, Ken Ankiewicz and Luisita Pumphrey and Keith.
Meeting with the town:
Carla reported that unfortunately she has not been contacted by the town regarding the meeting. Dave M submitted a warrant article an is waiting for that to move forward.
Fundraising
Comedy Night Saturday March 23, 2019. Tickets are still available for purchase $20 per ticket until Sunday March 17th after that tickets will be $25. Thank you to our sponsors Dr. Meyers and Complete property solutions. Volunteers needed to work the comedy show, John Pumphr ey has volunteered to work the dog park table, Carla on the front table.
Yard Sale to benefit Friends of Danvers Dog Park Saturday June 1, 2019. Donations can be dropped at Carla’s house 147 Maple St. starting April 1, 2019.
Discussion was had regarding a fundraiser night at Texas Road House.
John offered to contact North Shore eats regarding posting comedy night on their page
Pam brought up pursuing using our 501C3 regarding registering to accept donations via Facebook, Amazon Smile, iGive.org and Patronicity. “Donate” buttons are only possible on a Facebook page; right now FoDDP only has a Facebook group.
Taxes need to be done and there will be no fee for federal and a $100 fee to register plus $35 to file with the state.
Spring Clean-up day tentatively set for Saturday April 20,2019 9:00am pending town approval.
The April meeting will be held April 14, 2019 @ 8:00a.m.
February 2019 minutes
The Officers of FODDP met on Sunday Morning February 3, 2019 at 8:00am at the Danvers Housing Authority.
Present were Pam Crum Treasurer, Becky Matthias Secretary, Carla King President and John Pumphrey Vice President, Kenny Ankiewicz and Luisita Pumphrey.
Topics of Discussion
Comedy Night: Carla had not yet reached Breakaway to confirm a time night for the already agreed upon Comedy night.
Yard Sale: The Annual Yard Sale will be taking place with a date TBD. Donations can be dropped off at Carla’s starting April 1, 2019
North Shore Dog Event: North Shore Dog is hosting an open playtime event on Saturday February 23rd9:30am-11:30am. John Pumphrey and Becky Matthias will be there to sell brick an d t-shirts and answer any questions regarding the dog park.
Park Improvements: We are still anxiously awaiting a meeting with the town regarding improvements to the park. Dave Mountain committed to a meeting in January. We are now in February eagerly awaiting a response, the members are greatly concerned. Carla has emailed numerous times requesting a meeting.
Donation Box: The donation box has arrived and will be installed in the spring.
Next Meeting: The March meeting will be held on Thursday Night March 14, 2019 @ 7:00p.m. at the Danvers housing authority.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 5, 2019 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Becky, Ken, John P, Carla & Pam)
FoDDP Officer Changes Carla announced that Cheryl and Matt are stepping down from their respective roles as Treasurer and Vice President of Friends of Danvers Dog Park. The tremendous work they have both done over the years is VERY much appreciated, and their dedicated, skillful contributions will be missed. Thank you, Matt and Cheryl!
The members present have been consistent participants for some months now and it was decided that a new slate of officers should be elected. The nominations were for Carla to remain President, John to become Vice President, Pam to move to Treasurer and Becky to become Secretary. All officers were unanimously so elected. Welcome John and Becky!
Calendar Raffle This fundraiser was very successful, raising an impressive $720. Thank you to Becky for initiating this effort and to everyone who worked so hard soliciting prizes as well as selling calendars, and the MANY local businesses that supported the dog park by donating prizes. Becky is announcing the winners via the FoDDP Facebook group. This fundraiser will likely be repeated next year with more lead time to increase the number/variety of prizes and sell the calendars through November as well as December.
Other Fundraisers
Account Balance The bank statement shows a balance of $6,904.10 held by FoDDP.
Park Improvements Dave Mountain had indicated in the fall that he and Chris Sanborn would be meeting with Scott Cameron to further evaluate the ideas proposed for improving the park’s accessibility and durability with a possible retaining wall, additional seating, etc. The plan was that he/they would then meet with FoDDP to get additional feedback as a plan is solidified.
Carla checked in with Dave over the last couple of weeks and there were no substantive updates to report; Dave has now committed to the meeting(s) happening this month.
Rule Enforcement Becky reported that there continue to be issues with rule enforcement in the dog park, especially but not limited to the issue of young children inside. A discussion followed. How do other parks enforce rules? (Answers: Consistent staffing; a registration process that increases accountability; spot checks at the park by someone with authority.) What can realistically be done in Danvers? (Answer: Random spot checks by the town Animal Control Officer; education and polite confrontation by FoDDP volunteers wearing a shirt/jacket designating them as such; self-policing by attendees as is already in place.)
Next meeting: 8:00am on Sunday, February 3 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 4, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Becky, Ken, John P, Luisita, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Dogtoberfest Canceled The Dogtoberfest event, orginally scheduled for October 28 and then rescheduled to November 3, was ultimately canceled due to rain. Thank you to the vendors who planned to attend as well as key organizer/sponsor Julie of Pawsitive Attention, and North Shore Dog who offered to hold the event indoors at their facility. FoDDP will try again next year!
Park Improvements After the October FoDDP meeting, feedback was given to the town regarding the proposal to construct one “dual role” accessible pathway along the fence on the large dog side with a second bullpen installed to allow for passage onto the small dog side. There was concern that forcing someone with a disability who has a small dog to pass through the large dog side would potentially defeat the purpose of separating the two areas in the first place (if they were met by a group of large dogs that their dog wasn’t comfortable with). And the second bullpen could detract from the park aesthetically, and have a significant expense associated with it.
Chris Sanborn replied via email about his belief that the park as is complies with accessibility law, but that improving access needs to be balanced for the small as well as large dog side. There is a cost associated with not only installing the stone dust pathways but also maintaining them, which was the main argument in favor of the dual use path. He said our comments would be forwarded to the consultant for additional consideration.
Further discussion ensued. Becky pointed out that the ADA accessibility appears based on her observation to be more of an issue on the small dog side, as owners with disabilities tend to choose smaller animals because of the work involved in caring for and managing them. Carla pointed out that any person in a wheelchair would really need to be accompanied by a second person anyway, to ensure that other dog park tasks (picking up waste, controlling the dog and/or intervening in the event of dogs fighting) are covered. And funding to build/maintain paths on both sides may in fact be available; a budget for the project is unknown. Unequal improvements on the two sides (large dog vs. small dog) could spark outrage, even if accessibility is being met for each.
Brick Fundraising This effort continues! Please consider buying a brick to honor your pet or human loved one. And FoDDP is a 501c3 organization, so your $100 purchase is tax deductible. The flyer can be found at http://www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com/fundraising-events.html. A deadline on brick purchases will be set for the end of January.
Other Fundraising In order to give more flexibility with park improvements, other fundraising efforts will be forthcoming:
Donation Box Carla will follow up on this.
Next meeting: 8:00am on Sunday, November 25 at the Danvers Housing Authority*. There will be no December meeting.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 7, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Cheryl, Becky, Ken, John P, Luisita, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Improvement Planning Meeting with Town Carla and Matt attended a meeting in September with town representatives to discuss dog park improvement goals. FoDDP has been working for a while on making the Circle of Friends – part of the original park design but left out of the initial construction due to cost constraints – a reality. The Circle would be a place for owners to gather while still keeping an eye on their dogs, providing additional seating as well as improved access to the park on the large dog side. Engraved bricks have been offered for sale since August 2017 as an initial effort to raise the needed funds. Meanwhile, the town has been exploring other improvement ideas that could be achieved using money available through the Stanton Foundation which funded 90% of the initial construction costs. It makes sense that these two efforts should be working collaboratively.
The meeting was productive and there was a genuine sharing of suggestions and opinions about how to proceed. The town envisions a retaining wall that could work to reduce the migration of pea stone, particularly during heavy rain storms. Stone dust pathways leading from the entrance(s) would improve access. A preliminary design was shared (see Park Location & Design) and it makes clear that a retaining wall would require rethinking about the Circle installation. A few adjustments were discussed: the Circle could be located further to the right inside the park with a longer path leading to it, though the likelihood of ledge in the center of the stone play area could be problematic; the Circle could be reimagined as a (sitting) Wall of Friends with the engraved bricks installed in front of the wall; additional benches with bricks installed around them could be placed in the park.
The wall and stone dust pathways are likely to deplete the Stanton Foundation money available. To save money and reduce maintenance, the idea of a second bull pen connecting the small and large dog sides was proposed so that an owner could access the small dog side by using the path on the large dog side first. There was concern with this idea because it would force an owner to bring the small dog into an area it might not feel comfortable (safe) in. The town did indicate that the parking area and path to the park entrance could be improved by DPW working in collaboration with Endicott Park and the Recreation Department to install stone dust surfacing.
FoDDP was asked if the bricks will (or can) have a protective coating applied. Pam will look into that.
Brick Fundraising This effort continues! Please consider buying a brick to honor your pet or human loved one. And FoDDP is a 501c3 organization, so your $100 purchase is tax deductible. The flyer can be found at http://www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com/fundraising-events.html. A deadline on brick purchases will be set for the end of January. John and Luisita offered to spread the word by distributing flyers to local businesses and taking to park patrons.
Burlington Dog Park The Burlington Dog Park is another Stanton-funded property and they are hosting their 3rdannual Burlington Goes to the Dogs fundraiser this Sunday, October 14. Check it out at www.burlingtondogpark.com. FoDDP finds it useful to share information with other dog parks. In particular, the Burlington park is going to give fake “dog grass” a try, and it will be good to see how it works for them. Coincidentally, Becky and Ken are installing this product in a dog area at home and will also be able to share their experience with it.
Donation BoxThe search is still on for a suitable black donation box. Dave Mountain will be attending a conference soon, and he will seek out options.
Save the Date! FoDDP will host DOGTOBERFEST on Sunday, October 28 from 11am-3pm. Carla has been working with Julie Annese to arrange food sales, vendors, raffle items, a costume contest with prizes provided by Pawsitive Attention, etc. FoDDP will staff a table with t-shirts and engraved bricks for sale. Dog-related vendors are still welcome!
Next meeting: 8:00am on Sunday, November 4 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
August 8, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Cheryl, Andrea, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
T-Shirts Back by popular demand! A fresh batch of FoDDP t-shirts was ordered and is available for purchase. Cost is $20, cash or check payable to the Friends of Danvers Dog Park, with proceeds going to support future improvements to the park. The shirts are available at FoDDP events such as the monthly meetings, tabling at the dog park on 8/26 (see below) and the larger fundraising event planned for September/October (see farther again!), or by contacting Carla at Carla.king@comcast.net.
Tabling Opportunities FoDDP plans to host tabling events to provide educational information about the dog park, sell the engraved bricks for the Circle of Friends and also sell the FoDDP t-shirts.
Donation Box The town has approved the concept of the donation box but wants it to be black to coordinate with the other permanent installations (poop bag dispensers/receptacles, fencing and water fountains). The specific item FoDDP had proposed does not come in black so a comparable alternative is being sought.
Dog Park Subcommittee meeting The Dog Park Subcommittee met on July 20. It had been decided in the days leading up to that meeting that the topic of the Circle of Friends and other improvements under consideration should be discussed in a separate forum. [Note: Subsequent to the FoDDP meeting, the date of this focused discussion was set for Sept 6.]
As noted at the July meeting, detailed information regarding the Circle design and how it would be impacted by projects the town has in mind is needed ASAP, as FoDDP has been working toward Circle construction for over a year. The town has indicated they have plans for the three post-award grants available through the Stanton Foundation, with improving accessibility and surfacing as the primary goals. FoDDP feels the park patrons should have a voice in this conversation.
Dog waste, both bagged and unbagged, continues to be of great concern throughout the town but especially on the Rail Trail and John George Park. A signage campaign will be launched to prod dog owners to do the right thing: PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG, EVERYWHERE YOU GO! That means bags of poop need to be disposed of into a proper trash receptacle, even if that receptacle is at home.
Water The drains in the dog bowls of the water fountains have been repaired; the town was very responsive to fixing the drainage issue as soon as it was identified. If additional problems arise, please let FoDDP know. As a reminder, tampering with the fountains is not permitted!
Jiffy John request? At least one park patron requested a discussion of installing a portable restroom at or near the dog park, as the carriage house facilities are a significant walking distance away. The consensus was that such an addition was extremely unlikely to be approved, chiefly because the dog park is located within the town’s historic district and the standard for permissible installations is quite high. Cost (both initial and for ongoing maintenance) was another concern. If traveling some distance to visit the dog park, a stop at the carriage house facilities on the way in and/or on the way out is probably the best strategy.
Single Door Lock The single door into the large dog side (at the end closer to the playground) serves as an emergency exit and therefore cannot be locked. A small “emergency exit only” sign will be added to the exterior of the door to discourage people from using it. All routine traffic should use the double-gate entrances.
Brick Sale Promotion Bricks to be installed during the construction of the Circle of Friends can be purchased online at www.DanversDogPark.donationbricks.comor by mailing the form found at www.FriendsofDanversDogPark.com/fundraising-events.html. Pam will contact Ethan Forman of the Salem News.
Fall Fundraiser Carla has proposed an event with vendors, demonstrations and the like hosted at the dog park. September 30, October 6/7 and October 28 (Howl-o-ween?) were all discussed as options. Carla will explore which dates are available at Endicott Park.
Danvers App The We Are Danvers app has added a dog park page under Danvers Recreation. The information posted here is generated by the town and has no direct affiliation with FoDDP, but it is a great resource that folks should be aware of.
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, September 11 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 10, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt A, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Circle of Friends With Essex Tech on summer break, collaboration regarding their participation in the Circle construction has been put on hold – Matt F attempted a follow-up communication but didn’t hear back from them. With the goal of completing this improvement this fall, it is imperative that the details of the Circle (specs in terms of size, materials, grade, location, etc) be in place by September. Soliciting this information from the town/Scott Cameron is a top priority for the July 20thDog Park Subcommittee meeting.During the last two meetings there has been some discussion of this topic but input and concerns have been too general; the Circle was part of the original design so should be part of the plans that were put out to bid in 2016, and it was reported at the November 2017 Dog Park Subcommittee meeting that Scott Cameron was working on plans for park modifications. More specific guidance regarding this project will inform the setting of a budget and conversations with Essex Tech.
Fundraising for this project is another hurdle that must be cleared in the next couple of months. The focus has and will continue to be the engraved brick sale. Bricks can be purchased online at www.DanversDogPark.donationbricks.comor by mailing the form found at www.FriendsofDanversDogPark.com/fundraising-events.html. Carla will post on Facebook, Pam will email the Yahoo Group and Ethan Foreman of the Salem News will be contacted. With a more solid budget in place, FoDDP will be able to determine if additional fundraising is needed.
Of concern is the fact that there is significant money available through the Stanton Foundation grant, providing funding for improvements which can be accessed three times in the first five years of the park being open. In September the park will have been open two years, so there is some time-sensitivity for getting the first “improvement” started. The town has expressed a desire to use the first opportunity for other priorities (for example, a retaining wall which would address the runoff of the stone play surface). The hope is that a first phase can move forward in the very near future so that other projects can also be funded through the grant.
Donation Box Carla will compile information with the details (color, installation plan, etc) requested by the town and bring it to the Dog Park Subcommittee meeting. Matt A suggested a method of installation involving a five-gallon bucket with concrete buried in the ground; the box may come with instructions so an appropriate method will be identified.
Shirts Cheryl was not able to attend but she is working on ordering an updated version of the FoDDP shirts.
Water The drains in the dog bowls of the water fountains have been repaired so they do not drain immediately, allowing the dogs a chance to drink before the water disappears. Thank you to the town; the dogs and their owners are most grateful!
Chewy.com Donation After the June meeting, Brian solicited a donation of goods from Chewy.com. They sent a box with four stainless steel water dishes and several boxes of poop bags. Matt A took the bowls to label them as dog park property and then deliver them to the dog park. Since the poop bags won’t fit in the dispensers, for now the bags are being held and could be distributed to patrons during a future tabling event to help educate owners to bring their own bags to the park. Thank you Brian, and thank you Chewy.com!
Small dog problems? FoDDP received a report of a small dog on the large dog side that was behaving inappropriately toward a couple of the large dogs. The owner of the large dogs was looking for some guidance about the rules and how this should be addressed. Carla clarified that small dogs ARE allowed on the large dog side (just not the other way around), but of course aggressive behavior is not permitted. The dog park is self-policing so ideally the owners can handle issues between themselves. In extreme circumstances the police can be called. To date this is the only incident that has been reported despite the fact that the small dog is apparently a regular at the park. If more reports of problems with the same dog were to come in, additional conversations can/should take place.
Moving Boulders Matt A inquired as to whether the subject of relocating the boulders on the large dog side could be revisited. The boulders are scattered about on the dirt area and are deemed a crashing hazard by some as the dogs barrel around in a pack while playing. Matt A has proposed moving them into a semi-circular arrangement around a cluster of trees near one end of the wall so they could still provide seating. Carla offered to set up a meeting with Chris Sanborn to talk it through.
Single Door Lock Matt A has observed people entering the park through the single door into the large dog side (at the end closer to the playground). This presents a risk of dogs escaping. Can this be locked?
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, August 7 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 5, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Terri, Brian, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Spring CleanUp The spring cleanup of the park on May 12 was a success! Thank you to the Endicott Park staff who supported this effort by using big machinery to redistribute the stone play surface, providing tools and barrels on site, filling the “wet” area behind the wall with stone, and mulching the planting beds. Thank you also to the many volunteers who showed up to give their time and energy weeding, picking up debris and raking. The park is more beautiful for your efforts!
Fundraising Table FoDDP also had a table at the Sweet Williams Craft Fair on May 12 where dog treats (baked by Karen Ranieri – thank you Karen!) and raffle tickets were sold, educational pamphlets were available and donations were accepted. Raffle prizes included a dog massage from Spry Dog Massage and a PetCo gift card. The table was staffed by Terri and Carla, and it was successful; proceeds were combined with those collected at the Girl Scout Event (see below).
Girl Scout Event at Dog Park Girl scouts working on their Bronze Award held an educational event at the dog park on June 2. They created a flyer with information about why young kids should not be in the park, the importance of cleaning up dog waste and some guidelines around exercise for canines. They offered goodie bags with dog treats/toys and “raffled off” (for free) a basket of larger dog items. Cash donations to FoDDP were accepted, and the raffle from the Craft Fair was extended as well. The park patrons were very supportive of this event. Thank you to Samantha and Abby for their hard work to make a positive difference at the dog park and in the community.
Raffle Winners Congratulations to raffle winners Marci Tucker (grooming), Matt Aquaro (PetCo gift card) and Sue Duncan (massage). Thank you to all who supported the dog park with the purchase of raffle tickets!
Electronic Payments Several patrons have asked if FoDDP can accept Venmo payments for donations. An initial search indicated that Venmo is currently only for payments between individuals and it does not serve organizations. The situation will be monitored in case this policy changes. Carla continues to work on troubleshooting the issues verifying the new FoDDP PayPal account.
Circle of Friends Brian expressed a willingness to approach local businesses regarding partnerships on this (the Circle) and future improvement projects, but he would need a specific list of materials and tasks as well as the FoDDP tax-exempt information. Since Essex Tech has agreed in principle to assist with the Circle construction, their landscape architects could identify the specs – but it is also likely that Scott Cameron has the information needed as part of the original design or through the planning of the first phase of grant-funded improvements (i.e. a retaining wall) sought by the town. Guidance regarding slope as it relates to water flow and accessibility will be needed. Seeking this information will be a top priority for the next quarterly meeting of the Dog Park Subcommittee on July 20.
Donation Box Carla will compile information with those details and submit it to Chris Sanborn for approval.
Financials & Shirts Cheryl was not able to attend but reported via Carla that the account has a balance of $2,950.60. She is also pricing an updated version of the FoDDP shirts which can be sold to raise money and build community among the park patrons.
Water Carla reported learning of park patrons using their own tools to adjust the water controls in the dog park, leaving the water running into the dog dish or turning on the spigots intended only for flushing of the stone play surface. Brian had knowledge of the water fountain adjustments and indicated it was a solution to the problem of the water draining from the bowl too quickly - which then required a human to be pressing the button continuously for the thirsty canines. He had no knowledge of people turning on the irrigation spigots.
Since unauthorized meddling with the plumbing is NOT permitted, the group discussed other possible solutions to the problem going forward: a bowl could be placed in the receptacle over the drain to collect water for drinking; a flap to slow the drainage could be added and then removed by those who feel this is an issue; a silicone o-ring could be permanently installed in the drain to slow it down. Carla will bring this up with the town to see if a permanent solution is possible.
Ads on Facebook Group Dog-related local businesses understandably wish to reach their target audience by promoting their wares/services to FoDDP. Should there be a policy limiting such advertisements on the Facebook group? This will be discussed further at the July meeting.
Peabody Dog Park It was recently reported in the newspaper that Peabody has broken ground on the construction of their dog park. Congratulations!
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, July 10 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 2, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Mary, Carol K, Abby & Janice R, Samantha & Jamie B, Ken, Becky, Karen, Brian C (via phone), Carla & Pam)
Spring CleanUpThe dog park will be closed for two hours (9-11am) on Saturday, May 12 in order to complete a Spring Cleanup. Eileen (via Facebook) as well as Pam, Carla, Karen, Becky and Ken agreed to attend; additional hands are needed to spruce things up, and all are welcome (except no dogs, please!). Weeding, raking, etc are on the agenda so people are encouraged to bring rakes and gloves. The town will also support this effort. A sign will be placed on the kiosk alerting visitors to the upcoming closure/event.
Fundraising TableFoDDP will have a table at the Sweet Williams Craft Fair (141 Pine St, May 12, 10am-3pm) – note, this is a new date as a wind storm required postponement from the original. This will be an opportunity for selling engraved bricks as well as other items to raise money – a shirt to be raffled will be donated by Spry Dog Massage, and Karen made pizza- and peanut butter-flavored dog biscuits to sell. Carla has a tent and table that will be used.
Girl Scout Event at Dog ParkSamantha and Abby are girl scouts working on their Bronze Award, and their project will be to hold an educational event at the dog park. They have created a flyer with information about why young kids should not be in the park, the importance of cleaning up dog waste and some guidelines around exercise for canines. In addition they will distribute goodie bags with dog treats and waste bags, and raffle off a basket of larger treats/toys. Cash donations to FoDDP will also be accepted. The event will be 1:30-3:30 on Saturday, May 19; Pam will be present as a representative of FoDDP.
501c3 Application StatusFoDDP was approved! All donations are now tax-deductible. THANK YOU TO CARLA FOR HER HARD WORK IN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION. A PayPal account dedicated to FoDDP has been opened, verified as a nonprofit account and linked to the bank account opened in the fall. What remains is troubleshooting the issue linking the gift brick company to the new PayPal account. Karen recommended using PayPal’s live chat feature as issues are shifted up the chain for resolution more quickly.
Circle of Friends Matt F was not able to attend but provided an update via email indicating that he had received a favorable response from Essex Tech regarding the request for their participation in the installation of the Circle of Friends project. The goal is for construction to occur in the fall when the new school year begins. Fundraising via brick sales and other events as needed shall take place over the summer.
Donation BoxThere appears to be support for the installation of a secure donation box at the dog park, provided it is aesthetically appropriate (black) and secure, and that FoDDP both identifies the purpose of collected funds and agrees to empty the box regularly. Carla will compile information with those details and submit it to Chris Sanborn for approval.
Visitor Pass/Registration Becky asked about instituting a requirement for park patrons to purchase a $25 annual pass to use the park, where the registration would require proof of vaccination. She had spoken with a health official who indicated that such a process would save time and money in the long run since chasing that information down after an incident or inquiry was more difficult. Carla relayed the town’s position that such a pass would incur some liability on the town, but she agreed it could be revisited for further clarification.
Benches/Kids/Corporate PartnersBrian and Karen offered a number of suggestions for improving the park:
FinancialsCheryl was not able to attend but the financial status remains unchanged.
SubCommittee???Last month Carla suggested the idea to create a subcommittee to look at dog waste throughout the town and whether or not a full-time animal control officer would be beneficial to address this issue as well as incidents at the dog park. She posted the suggestion on Facebook and it didn’t get any responses. Becky expressed interest in exploring this topic so Carla will follow up with her. The perception is that there is concern about the financial implications of making this a benefited position but overall there is significant support.
Recent Incident at the ParkCarol attended the meeting to describe a troubling encounter she had with her carefully socialized 8-month-old german shepherd puppy. When she arrived there was the kind of fence-crowding and charging that have been described in the past as a new dog enters. One dog in particular behaved aggressively toward another dog, pinning it to the ground while it screamed. The owner put the aggressive dog on a leash insidethe park while the pinned dog left. Then the aggressive dog was taken back off its leash and it went after Carol’s puppy, grabbing it by the face and pinning it to the ground. When the owner finally intervened, there was fur in his dog’s mouth. The verbal exchange that followed between Carol and the owner was decidedly unpleasant.
Carol called the police who came and spoke to the owner of the aggressive dog. She was deeply concerned that the owner said he would be returning to the park with this dog that was clearly not well-socialized, and she came to the FoDDP meeting to advocate for changes to make the dog park a safer place. She had printed out some information that included:
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, June 5 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 4, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Cheryl, Mary, Matt F., Carla & Pam)
Eagle Scout CeremonyCarla will attend the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Michael Guay, who built the dog park kiosk as his culminating project. It takes place on April 8 at 2pm. Congratulations and thank you, Michael!
501c3 Application StatusCarla submitted the additional paperwork requested by the IRS by the stated deadline, via fax (with receipt). Now it is a waiting game, but it is hoped that an approval will come shortly.
Spring CleanUpA spring cleanup of the dog park has been scheduled for Saturday, May 12, 9-11am. Eileen (via Facebook) as well as all the members present committed to attend; additional hands are needed to spruce things up, so Carla will put out a request for volunteers. Weeding, raking, etc are on the agenda so people are encouraged to bring rakes and gloves. The town will also support this effort.
Fundraising TableFoDDP has been given a table at the Sweet Williams Craft Fair (141 Pine St, May 5, 9am-3pm). This will be an opportunity for selling engraved bricks as well as other items to raise money – a shirt to be raffled will be donated by Spry Dog Massage, and another member will make dog biscuits to sell. The table is staffed with a volunteer 9am-noon but additional help is needed so Carla will solicit folks to sign up. Carla has a tent and table that will be used.
Educational EffortsThere are a couple of efforts being discussed to promote education at the dog park, via an event organized by some girl scouts as well as FoDDP hosting an information/welcome table on weekends. Finalizing these plans will be on the agenda for the May meeting.
Circle of Friends Dave M was not able to attend the meeting but Matt F provided an update. Matt submitted a form to the contact person at Essex Tech indicating interest in partnering with their masonry students on the installation of the Circle of Friends. He received an email acknowledging the submission, and Dave M. will be at Essex Tech on April 5 and should have an opportunity to discuss it further with the appropriate person/people. There seems to be broad support for the idea on both sides so Matt is feeling hopeful that it can work out.
Dog Park SubcommitteeThe quarterly meeting was held on March 23rdand Carla/Matt provided a summary of what was discussed:
FinancialsThe balance in the account is $1,950.60. Additional fundraisers may be needed in the future but for now the focus will be on the brick sales.
Next meeting: 6:30pm Wednesday, May 2 at Danvers Housing Authority.
With sadness and gratitude, FoDDP would like to acknowledge the passing of one of its founding members, David Reardon (Sr). Dave and his wife Judy were instrumental in building the movement in Danvers that eventually became the Danvers Dog Park. They attended countless meetings over the years, supported the fundraising efforts and recruited others to the cause (this secretary/clerk among them). The Reardons did visit the park at least a few times with their beloved dog Romeo. Thank you, Dave, for all you did to bring about this happy place for dogs and their owners…one part of a great legacy.
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Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 20, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt F., Carla & Pam)
The March FoDDP meeting was held at the Danvers Housing Authority (14 Stone St). With ample seating and “always available” status – thus saving time with reserving space and issues associated with occasionally needing to reschedule meetings - it was decided that this should be FoDDP’s new permanent home.
Eagle Scout Ceremony Carla received an invitation to attend the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Michael Guay, who built the dog park kiosk as his culminating project. It takes place on April 8 at 2pm and Carla will represent FoDDP to express gratitude for his great contribution to the park.
501c3 Application Status Carla received notice from the IRS regarding the application submitted in September. They required some additional information in order to complete their review: the date that the FoDDP bylaws were adopted (4/11/17), the verified adoption of an Acceptable Purpose Clause*, and a signature by a board member attesting that the information provided was true and complete. The forms were signed and Carla will both fax and mail them to the IRS within 24 hours so they are received by the stated deadline of 3/23/18.
*Carla presented a draft of the Acceptable Purpose Clause: “The Friends of Danvers Dog Park is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations described under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.” Matt made a motion to adopt it as written, Pam seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The packet of materials originally submitted to the IRS will have this added and it shall be retained by the executive board members so it is available as needed in the future.
Circle of Friends Dave M was not able to attend the meeting but Matt F conveyed that Dave had spoken with his contact (Steve Collins?) at Essex Tech and there is strong interest in a partnership with their masonry department to have students build the Circle of Friends. The process involves filling out an online application, which Matt F agreed to do. If this proves viable then the only cost to FoDDP would be for the materials and that seems achievable via gift brick sales, other cash donations and the possibility of a contribution by Home Depot if Karen is successful.
Cheryl has a sample brick and she texted a photo of it so it could be discussed at the meeting. Giftbricks.com has a wide selection of colors and materials to choose from, but the expectation is that the Circle bricks will be consistent with those used at the Nature Center/barn.
Matt asked if scheduling an onsite walkthrough with Chris Sanborn would be a good idea at this point. Carla will raise the topic at the Dog Park Subcommittee meeting on Friday (3/23), making sure in advance that this on the agenda. Pam pointed out that at the last quarterly meeting, it was stated that Scott Cameron was working on plan modifications that would include not only the Circle but also other items that are a priority with the town using the first round of grant funding available for improvements (i.e. a retaining wall). To date he has not reached out to FoDDP regarding the modifications but hopefully there will be an update on this front at Friday’s meeting.
Girl Scouts The girl scouts with the idea of a spring educational event at the dog park were not in attendance.
Dog Park Subcommittee items In addition to the Circle of Friends in general, Carla will seek approval of the donation box presented at the February meeting as well as bench options (wood benches made by Dave M, granite slabs, etc).
Next meeting: 6:30pm Wednesday, April 4 at Danvers Housing Authority.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 12, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barb, Dave & Susan M., Karen, Mary, Matt F., Cheryl via phone, Carla & Pam)
Several new faces attended this month’s meeting, and they were welcomed enthusiastically as new ideas and fresh perspectives are highly valued. A quick round of introductions took place before settling down to business.
501c3 Application Status There has still been no further communication from the IRS regarding the application FoDDP submitted in September. After the December meeting, Crystal was able to confirm through her employer (a law firm) that the application had been received and the review was pending.
Dave is active on a number of boards and asked why we applied to be classified as a 501c3 as opposed to a 501c7 as his experience was that the 501c7 was appropriate for recreational clubs such as boating. But FoDDP followed the example of Friends of Danvers Recreation and Friends of Endicott Park, both of which have 501c3 status.
Carla reported that she had received a 1099 from Paypal for the funds collected as donations/Gift Brick purchases. Research will need to be done regarding the tax implications and how this should be handled going forward.
Circle of Friends…and Benches An overview of this effort was presented for the benefit of the new attendees. Dave had many suggestions for making this a reality on a smaller budget. Among them:
Fundraising
Girl Scouts There are a couple of girl scouts who are planning an education campaign to explain the importance of the “No Children Under 12” rule as well as why dogs benefit from exercise and why you should always pick up after your dog. It will be structured as a spring Open House with doggy gift bags. Barb suggested the girl scouts could also participate in a spring cleanup of the park.
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, March 13* at DCAT conference room**.
*Note the date change from what was previously announced.
**Carla will check on availability and an alternate location will be found if necessary.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
December 5, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Mary, Matt A., Matt F., Keith, Cheryl, Crystal, Carla & Pam)
Dog Park Subcommittee After a brief round of introductions to welcome new and/or returning faces, Carla began with a recap of the quarterly meeting held November 17:
Bricks The sale of bricks to raise funds for the Circle of Friends continues. Cheryl submitted press releases to Patch and the Danvers Herald – the Salem News has already included publicity about this fundraiser. We will continue to promote the effort on the Facebook page and by posting the fliers around town. People in attendance were invited to help get the fliers out to local businesses and town buildings (library, senior center, town hall, etc).
Play Surface Carla reported that she had heard from Manny and he continues to brainstorm ideas for improving the play surface of the park. The two ideas he proposed were stone dust or a fine bark mulch.
501c3 There has been no additional communication from the IRS on the status of our application, which was submitted in September. The check was cashed and Carla received a letter confirming receipt, but nothing in the months since then. Crystal offered to see if she could determine the status of our application through the law office where she worked.
Next meetings: 6:30pm Monday, February 12 and Wednesday, March 14 at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 7, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt A., Matt F., Carla & Pam)
Quarterly Meeting Postponed The quarterly meeting of the town’s Dog Park Subcommittee was scheduled for October 20th but postponed. The new date is November 17th. As a result, Carla was not able to share updates on items discussed at previous FoDDP meetings.
501c3 There has been no additional communication from the IRS on the status of our application.
Kiosk Photos of scout Michael Guay in uniform were taken alongside the kiosk which was built as part of his Eagle Scout project. The pictures were posted to the Danvers, MA and FoDDP Facebook groups.
Girl Scouts’ Proposal Due to the postponement of the Quarterly Meeting (above), there is no update on a proposal from two girl scouts to add agility equipment to the dog park as well as coordinate an educational event around the rule prohibiting young children.
Boulders, Trees and Water Matt A. brought Matt F. (FoDDP’s veteran design/construction representative) up to speed on his suggestion last month to address the potential hazard to dogs running in a pack around the wall on the large dog side. Carla will bring it up at the Subcommittee Meeting. He also offered an idea to help with the mud puddle that forms behind the wall after a rain or thaw: a dry well installed that would drain to a pool for the dogs on the lower half. Matt A. has also taken initiative to keep the park clean with raking and stick removal after the recent storm, and his efforts are appreciated!
Facebook Group For now the process of posts being approved by an administrator seems to be working to keep the flow of information going in a productive direction. Most submissions have been approved. Promotional posts (for dog-related businesses and the like) are permitted the first time but FoDDP does not seek to be a commercially-focused group.
Brick Fundraiser: The effort to raise money for park improvements, specifically the Circle of Friends, continues! In the coming weeks we will continue to promote the brick sale through press releases and distribution of flyers around the north shore. Matt A. volunteered to help get them out to local businesses (Essex County Coop, PetCo, etc) and Cherl has been asked to do some press releases.
Matt A. said he had talked to people in the park with questions about the cost of the bricks ($100) relative to the estimated cost of the improvement project. The Circle was part of the bidding process during the initial phase of construction, identified as Alternate 1 which would have been completed if funding allowed. The bids on this option ranged from $15,600 to $19,000 at that time, and estimates for the same work as a standalone project might be higher. Benches for the Circle could cost an additional $7,900 to $15,000, according to the same bidding process for Alternates 4/5. Matt F. continues to work on pricing/bids and leads to have some portions of the project donated, as previously discussed. Matt A. suggested that Essex Tech students could be a resource for donated labor, and his employer Bentley & Warren might have some remnant granite blocks that could serve as seating as well.
Stone Carla will look into the surfaces at the entrances to the park - they had been stone dust but have become covered over (accidentally, or maybe on purpose?) with pea stones.
Next meeting: 6:30pm December 5th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 10, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt A., Mary, Karen, Art, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
Boulders and Trees Matt A. expressed concern over the potential hazard presented by the large boulders, two large trees and five smaller trees on the large dog side, located near the left opening in the rock wall. Dogs will frequently run at high speed in packs around that corner from the back side of the wall to the front, and he has witnessed multiple incidents of the dogs crashing into these objects – so there is significant risk of injury. He suggested that the boulders could be moved into a semicircular arrangement around the two larger trees, opening up the space overall and giving dog owners a place to sit and watch their dogs facing out into the park. The smaller trees could be considered for removal – they are not mature so the amount of shade they provide is not large, but as a cluster they do serve as a formidable obstacle to the fast-paced play.
Kids in the Park The issue of kids in the park was discussed again at some length. Matt A. has looked at the park with an eye to where a kid-friendly area could be created, fencing off a space inside or adjacent to the park where kids could safely remain, so they are separated from the dogs but still visible to be supervised by their parents.
Art’s perspective was that enforcement by people with some authority was needed in order for the rule to be followed. Ticketing people with a monetary fine could help curb the behavior. Relying on park patrons to educate other people has not been overly effective, as the reaction is defensive if not rude. The proper way to approach people was discussed (even children who are comfortable with dogs are at risk as unfamiliar dogs may not be comfortable around children, a dog may become protective of their “own” children, dog play is inherently rough, etc, etc, etc) as well as how to contact park personnel if needed.
501c3 The application has been submitted so we are waiting for news on its approval status.
Kiosk The bulletin board was installed on the kiosk and FoDDP will be able to post notices, etc there going forward. Thank you again to Michael Guay, the Eagle Scout candidate who built the kiosk for his project. The cost in materials was approximately $400, and Carla is working to obtain a photo of Michael in his scouting uniform alongside the kiosk, for additional recognition. Pam will post the date of the November FoDDP meeting on the kiosk board.
Board Members Added FoDDP would like to increase the size of its voting membership, adding voices and perspectives to ongoing discussions of how the group should address concerns, set priorities and take action. Mary, Karen and Matt A. were asked if they were interested in such a role going forward; all replied in the affirmative, at least as their schedules would allow for the monthly meetings. Cheryl made a motion to make them board members, and all present voted in favor of the motion. Mary then in turn made a motion to renew the slate of officers (Carla, Cheryl, Matt F. and Pam), and the motion passed unanimously.
Girl Scouts, too Carla was approached by a couple of girl scouts who would like to make the dog park the focus of their Bronze Award project – their ideas include building ramps or other dog play structures to be installed inside the park, and developing materials to educate park patrons on why children are not allowed in the dog park. The education piece could occur during an event to present the ramps. This idea was greeted favorably, so Carla will bring it up at the next meeting with the town.
Facebook Group The ability to post to the FoDDP group on Facebook was “frozen” several weeks ago so that, at least for now, an administrator has to approve posts before they are published. The tone of the exchanges was becoming increasingly negative and not a good representation of the park’s overall success and popularity. FoDDP will continue to monitor the situation going forward, and look at what options exist for sharing information and feedback. One possible solution would be to structure it as a “page” rather than a “group” – but more information is needed about what the advantages and drawbacks of each choice would be.
Brick Fundraiser: The effort to raise money for park improvements, specifically the Circle of Friends, continues! A flyer was mailed to all Danvers Electric customers in August and also posted on the kiosk bulletin board, and orders have been coming in. Additional promotion is needed: posting the flyers around town, press releases in the newspapers, posts on social media. Any help promoting this effort is appreciated! The flyer is attached below.
In addition, Chris Sanborn contacted Carla about a matching program run through Patronicity – this option to double our revenue is definitely worth exploring once we have achieved the status as a 501c3.
Recent Incident Carla asked for to see the police report regarding an incident in the park over Labor Day weekend. The report could not be immediately located, perhaps because the dog park doesn’t have an official address? Carla will continue to make efforts to monitor any official filings regarding the dog park.
Next meeting: 6:30pm November 7th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 5, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DANVERS DOG PARK!
(Our grand opening was September 17, 2016.)
Note: Our September meeting was held at our new permanent location, the DCAT conference room at 87 Elm St in Danvers.
FoDDP Bylaws Carla presented for approval a six-page document representing an amended version of FoDDP bylaws. The original bylaws were drafted and approved at the April meeting, but this version provides more detail regarding membership, Board Member selection/roles, committees and a conflict of interest policy. Cheryl made a motion to approve the amended bylaws, Matt seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous in favor of approval.
501c3 The bylaws were the final piece of the 501c3 application, so with those approved Carla can submit the application on September 6. FoDDP opened an account at Salem Five with Carla, Cheryl and Pam as signers. Matt felt that three signers were sufficient and declined to be added to the account. At present there are outstanding reimbursements for various expenses: approximately $1,300 in printing, $450 for kiosk materials and $70 for the website, in addition to $400 anticipated for the 501c3 application. Carla will submit these to the Friends of Danvers Recreation so as to claim the balance of funds (over $1,800) being held for FoDDP. Going forward, funds raised for dog park improvements will be deposited into the new account.
Kiosk The kiosk was built by Eagle Scout candidate Michael Guay (in consultation with Chris Sanborn) and installed over Labor Day weekend. The bulletin board portion arrived damaged and a new one is on order; it will be installed as soon as possible. The bulletin board will be inside a locked plexi-glass case and the two keys will be held by FoDDP (Carla) and Chris Sanborn.
Parking Violations The Dean Street lot has limited parking available close to the dog park; when those spots are full, visitors should park at St. Richard’s, on Forest St or in one of the other Endicott Park lots. Parking along the sides of Dean St is not permitted, and signage is clear on this point. This is for the safe passage of vehicles, (human) pedestrians and dogs alike, and FoDDP agrees that this is an important safety consideration. Please Note: Parking violations (tickets) will be given to those who park illegally on Dean St!
Brick Fundraiser: In August FoDDP launched a fundraiser to make the long-awaited Circle of Friends a reality! For $100, dog park patrons can show their support while honoring a pet or other loved one (or just write “I love this dog park!”). The flyer is attached and help is needed to continue spreading the word to make this a great success. Talk to friends and family and neighbors, give a brick as a gift, share your enthusiasm on social media! All Danvers residents should have received a flyer inserted with their August bills from Danvers Electric.
Circle of Friends Matt agreed to take the lead on the Circle of Friends project. Several items were discussed:
Nominating Committee Pam and Cheryl will serve as the Nominating Committee leading up to the October Annual Meeting of FoDDP.
Contact Info There have been requests on the Facebook page for a phone number people can call to reach the Endicott Park staff. That number can probably be provided, but visitors must realize that the staff is VERY BUSY with the entirety of their responsibilities and can’t run over to the dog park with much frequency.
Recent Incident FoDDP was notified that there was an incident with an aggressive dog in the large dog side over Labor Day weekend. Danvers Police were called and a report was filed. Carla will request the police report and look into the incident.
Next meeting: ANNUAL MEETING 6:30pm October 10th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 11, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
Note: Meeting locations will be announced monthly as we look for a new permanent location. The July meeting was held at the DCAT conference room on Elm St.
The quarterly meeting of the town Dog Park Subcommittee was held in June and both Carla and Matt were in attendance. They reported back on what was discussed:
Rules There has been concern that some of the dog park rules are being broken, with particular attention to the one prohibiting children under 12 from entering the park. The signs that list all sixteen rules are hung to the side as you enter the gates, but it is clear some patrons aren’t reading them while others are choosing to ignore them. The town believes this sign placement is appropriate and was resistant to additional signage that would make any single rule more prominent out of concern that the other rules would be viewed as less critical.
[Update: Since the meeting, the town agreed to add an additional placard to each gate (large and small dog sides) emphasizing the rule regarding children. The initial signage would be temporary while more permanent versions were on order. FoDDP is very appreciative of this effort to ensure kids are safe AND that dogs have a place where they can play appropriately and freely with other dogs.]
Stone This topic continues to be evaluated and discussed. When installed, a layer of fabric was placed between the earth and the first layer of larger crushed stone, and the pea stone was installed above that. A significant amount of the crushed stone has emerged to the surface, intermingling with the pea stone and altering the overall play surface. The town contends this was the correct installation and that similar issues would have occurred even if fabric had been placed between the two rock layers – the larger stones would have brought the fabric along with them to the surface and/or torn the fabric creating more of a hazard. Additional pea stone was added to the park this spring to fortify the “smaller stone” portion and the hope is that continued effort in this direction will achieve an equilibrium in the overall surface.
At this point FoDDP does not have a better approach to firmly advocate. Every surface (rice stone, wood chips, stone dust, sand, grass, etc) will have pros and cons – cost, drainage, maintenance, compatibility with irrigation, etc – meaning a good deal of money and effort could result in trading one set of issues for another. Stanton is currently working on two new parks (in Burlington and Billerica) and both will use pea stone as a play surface. For now we will continue to monitor the situation and welcome input from park patrons.
Poop Bags at the Park As noted in previous discussions/notes, the cost of the bags provided in the dog park (and Endicott Park in general) dispensers is high. FoDDP is not in a position to raise funds to support this expense in perpetuity but believes it should be its own line item in the town budget rather than be absorbed by that of Endicott Park.
Dog Poop Elsewhere Dog waste continues to be a big concern around the Endicott Park grounds and in general around town. While the dog park has led to an increase in dog-related-attendance at Endicott Park, it is not specifically a dog park issue…but one park staff and town officials are struggling to address overall.
FoDDP encourages ALL dog owners to be responsible and pick up after your dogs, whether in the dog park or elsewhere.
Kiosk This project is underway under the leadership of an Eagle Scout candidate working in conjunction with Chris Sanborn. It will resemble the kiosk currently installed near the children’s playground with half of it showing a map of Endicott Park and half of it dedicated to the needs of the dog park. Carla will check in on how construction is progressing.
Main Entrance Sign A new sign identifying the entrance to Danvers Dog Park is to be installed soon. It will match the other Endicott Park signs in overall design. FoDDP appreciates the effort to remain true to our brand/name.
Stone Dust Paths The stone dust paths behind the rock wall that were installed during initial construction have largely washed away. The water and dirt have overtaken the area and the path has been deemed “un-maintainable”.
In other business:
Handicap Access Susan Fletcher of the Danvers Diversity Committee reported to Carla that the dog park in its entirety (parking, entry path, dog play area) is compliant. Additionally, engineers had been consulted and any effort to extend the interior access path would require multiple switchbacks due to the elevation change. As a result, the path would take up most of the park. If/when we are able to construct the Circle of Friends, it will increase handicap accessibility within the large dog play area.
501c3 status Carla continues to work on the 501c3 application on behalf of FoDDP. It is a somewhat complicated and time-consuming process and she apologized for not getting it done despite having brought the documents with her when traveling.
Next meeting: 6:30pm August 9th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 11, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl, Pam, Keith & Barbara)
Note: Meeting locations will be announced monthly as we look for a new permanent location. The April meeting was held at the Danvers Fire Department conference room on High St.
501c3 status Carla is actively working on the 501c3 application on behalf of FoDDP. A discussion to capture the by-laws under which we operate was held, clarifying issues such as the number of board members (four), the frequency and nature of meetings (monthly and open to the public), what constitutes a quorum (three of four board members present) and a conflict-of-interest policy. Carla will search for a conflict-of-interest policy template that could be adapted to FoDDP.
Brochure The town created a Danvers Dog Park brochure which would be available to interested parties at town hall, alongside brochures for other town amenities such as Endicott Park at-large. Overall FoDDP approved of the brochure design with the exception of recommending that the FoDDP logo be moved to the front page for aesthetic reasons.
FoDDP Mission With the park up and running, Carla raised the question of what our mission going forward should be. The consensus was that FoDDP should incorporate (hence the 501c3 application) and continue to serve as a liaison to the town and advocate for the Danvers Dog Park. With regard to financial support for the park and its operations, FoDDP intends to continue the focus on making the Circle of Friends a reality, but is not in a position to “underwrite” the supply of poop bags stocked in the park’s dispensers (see below).
Poop Bags It has been noted in previous meetings that the demand/use of the poop bags at the park has exceeded expectations and that the current level of use is putting a strain on the Endicott Park budget. FoDDP cannot afford to provide sustaining support for this expense, but a variety of strategies were suggested:
Stones The “success” of the stone place surface in the park was discussed extensively in March, and the topic was raised again with the same concerns. FoDDP would be interested in Stanton’s input on the situation as fixing this problem seems to be a significant priority – would it be achievable through the grant with the money allocated for improvements in the first five years? Carla and Matt can raise this question at the next quarterly meeting of the Dog Park Committee.
Clean Up Day/Spring Re-Opening Saturday, May 13 (9-11am, with May 20 as a rain date) was selected as a time to invite volunteers to spruce up the park and re-launch it for the warm season. Chuck Farrell may have suggestions for jobs to be tackled, and park patrons are invited to make suggestions as well. Chuck will be consulted for approval before work is done. Ideas discussed included raking, mulching, hole-filling, poison ivy removal, etc. FoDDP could also staff a table to answer any questions.
Next meeting: May 2 at location TBD.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 7, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl, Pam, & Barbara)
Note: The January and February FoDDP meetings were canceled due to the loss of the PUB Community Room as a meeting space and the lack of new information to be reported.
Carla and Matt attended the quarterly meeting with the Dog Park Subcommittee, where many topics were addressed.
Permanent Park Signage A permanent sign for the Forest St entrance to the dog park parking lot will be ordered, identifying it as Danvers Dog Park at Endicott Park in a style matching the other signage in Endicott Park. It will not have the FoDDP logo on it as previously hoped, but this is a reasonable compromise.
Donor signage As noted in the December minutes, a design for signage acknowledging our most significant sponsors was submitted to the Stanton Foundation for approval and then ordered without FoDDP’s knowledge, despite the expectation that we would pay the cost of the sign out of our remaining funds. Ultimately the group voted 3-1 (Carla abstained) to agree to pay for the donor sign, but we contend this is an example of a larger pattern of spending our resources without express approval to do so.
Accessibility There have been inquiries regarding progress to make the park more accessible to patrons with disabilities. Right now the park is legally compliant with stone dust surfaces at the entrances of the small and large dog areas providing access. The Circle of Friends - a planned addition with fundraising and donated services - will improve that further on the large dog side. Going forward the FoDDP will ask the town’s Disability Committee to visit the site and make suggestions for other steps to be considered.
Spring Cleanup and Info-Sharing As the weather warms and park use increases again, a spring cleanup of the park will be planned to make it fresh and welcoming to visitors. This event will invite patrons to take responsibility for and pride in keeping this beautiful resource nice for years to come. Additionally FoDDP would look to host an info table periodically to educate visitors about the rules, discuss future improvements and encourage others to join in the effort.
Contractor Fees/Fines Dave Mountain reported that as of 2/8/17, there was a balance of $3,165.68 in the dog park construction account, and that this money represented the fines held back from the contractor due to the significant delays last summer – over two months’ worth. Carla expressed that this seems like a small amount given the cost of the project ($225K) and the extent of the delays. Of that money, approximately $900 has been spent (possibly on dog poop bag stations?) and approximately $2,100 will go to the permanent sign previously discussed. Since we have been asking for months about this money and how decisions about its use would be decided, it serves as another example of FoDDP being left out of the conversation until after the fact. FoDDP provided 10% of the construction money, in addition to unforeseen design cost expenses, so we have a valid stake in this matter. If any balance remains, even $100, we request it be applied to the expense of the donor sign.
Kiosk This continues to be a work in progress. We have a lead on an Eagle Scout interested in doing this as a project, and Carla will follow up on it.
Circle of Friends Cheryl brought a sample brick from the company and they seem very easy to work with – we can set up a web-based store where people can make their purchases online. Cheryl will look into adding an insert to the electric bills (as similarly done by the Friends of Endicott Park) so that we can reach all of the Danvers residents rather than just the dog owners. As Cheryl noted, even those currently without dogs may want to honor a deceased pet. Eileen was to help Cheryl with this effort but our Tuesday meetings don’t work for her at this time.
Rule Following Danvers Dog Park has become the most utilized park in town with attendance exceeding what had been expected. This is a good thing! Most visitors are following the rules and enjoying the park appropriately. The two biggest issues are children under 12 in the park, and dog toys.
For the children in particular, a child in the park puts the child AND THE DOGS at risk, because if a dog is frightened and bites a child then the liability falls strictly on the dog owner even though the child shouldn’t have been inside the dog park in the first place.
The rangers continue to educate owners about the rules and the reasons behind them, and park patrons are encouraged to do the same by talking to each other. The spike in dog park visits has also created an influx of dogs at Endicott Park in general. Owners are reminded to pick up after their dogs throughout Endicott Park, and to keep dogs ON leash when not inside the dog park.
Poop, Poop and More Poop
Pick it Up, Please It is important that visitors to the park pick up after their dogs, in order to keep the park a clean, safe place for all. All dogs do it, so keep an eye out and be responsible! It is unpleasant, but part of owning a dog and part of using the dog park. We have reports of some good Samaritans picking up after others, as many as ten extras in a single visit. This is a problem that needs to be addressed, and could restrict access to the park if it needs to be closed periodically for maintenance.
Bags The bags for the dispensers are disappearing at a very fast rate, approximately 2000 bags per month at $384/order or more than $4,000 per year. Right now that is coming out of the Endicott Park budget, but that is not sustainable in its current configuration. The town is looking for help in solving this issue. FoDDP tossed around some initial ideas (shift town resources to this most-utilized park, increase dog license fee, have on-going fundraisers, encourage people to bring their own and use dispensers as a backup plan only) but ultimately decided to table the discussion to next month as it is part of a larger question: what is the mission of FoDDP going forward?
Poop Disposal Alternative Chuck Farrell suggested we look into an in-ground composter as another option for disposal of poop.
Stone The anecdotal evidence is that the stone play surface needs addressing. Many (not all) of the dogs seem to play only on the stone dust and dirt surfaces, and avoid the stone area as much as possible. This means that a large percentage of the park is underutilized. The issue is two-fold: the apparent absence of a liner between the larger base stone layer and the smaller pea stone top surface has allowed for a mixing of the two with many larger stones on the surface; and the pea stone installed was not as small and rounded as it perhaps needed to be, due to pricing and limited availability.
Matt addressed the question of the liner as having been raised by Manny as a potential issue before/during construction, but ultimately we relied on the expertise of the contractor, DPW, Scott Cameron and the Stanton Foundation.
It is not clear how this can be improved since it would likely take significant resources to remove what is currently in place. A first step is to find out why it was done the way it was (should a barrier have been in place between the stone layers?). There are additional grant funds available over the next five years and this issue seems to be at the top of the priority list.
Stone Dust in Parking Area Manny reported (through Carla) that the parking area does not have a stone dust surface. Was this in the plans?
501c3 status Carla continues to look at applying for 501c3 status on behalf of FoDDP. She is told there is an application fee and asked for approval of that expense, estimated at $500. Approval was granted unanimously.
Fire Hydrant An old fire hydrant has been offered which we can use for decorative purposes at the dog park. The cost to install it would be $150-200. The members present unanimously approved that expense.
Next meeting: April 4th (Tuesday) at 6:30pm, location TBD. Agenda: FoDDP mission going forward, spring cleanup, 501c3, poop bags, stones, Circle of Friends.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
December 6, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl, Pam, Art & Barbara)
Carla and Matt attended a meeting with the Dog Park Subcommittee, where many topics were addressed. Note that going forward, issues and questions we have will be discussed at this subcommittee’s meetings, which are to be held every three months and to which FoDDP can send representatives (typically Carla and Matt).
Donor signage The town had been waiting for Stanton to provide a sign template that we could (as promised) use to thank our major, pre-grant donors. When the design arrived, the town ordered the signs without approval from FoDDP. The cost is approximately $300 and FoDDP will be billed for this expense; the feeling was that we should have been consulted before the signs were ordered, and that we shouldn’t pay for the signs without seeing them first. Carla stated that Dave M sent something about what the sign would look like, but Carla expected this to be approved by the Stanton Foundation and didn’t expect it to be ordered or billed to FoDDP without letting us know it was indeed approved by Stanton. The FoDDP were waiting to see how to move forward.
Contractor Fees/Fines There continues to be no definitive answer on how the fines charged to the contractor for excessive construction delays were (or will be) handled.
Benches The backless benches have in fact been in the project specifications since the beginning, as shown on the detailed plans reviewed at the subcommittee meeting. In verbal descriptions they were “the ones you see around town” and so FoDDP had perhaps formed a mental picture of benches by the library or downtown and didn’t identify the discrepancy in the specs.
Kiosk The town is fine with the installation of a kiosk for the purpose of posting notices, etc. Carla will post on FB and otherwise get the word out to see if there is interest in this project as an eagle scout project or other kind of donation, to work with (or under the direction of) Chris Sanborn.
Circle of Friends Cheryl has consulted with the Friends of Endicott Park about their gift brick program and they were very happy with a vendor out of Wisconsin that facilitated online ordering and had reasonable shipping policies. The idea is that we can sell the gift bricks to raise some funds and perhaps leverage a previous offer for involvement from Lowes to assist with the installation.
Poop Bags The town has reported going through an initial supply of 1600 bags in the first 1.5 months of operation. At a cost of $384, the bags have been replenished but the expense is not sustainable so people are encouraged to bring their own bags to the park and use those in the dispensers as a back up plan. Matt did a quick calculation and pointed out that if the bags were over a 50 day period, it would amount to 32 bags per day – which doesn’t seem excessive given the number of park users we are seeing. Barbara noted that the bags seem to be rather “high end” and suggested that less expensive options might be identified, but the bags need to be compatible with the dispensers. In fact, additional dispensers will be added throughout Endicott Park as the rangers have noticed an increase in dog poop in the fields and along trails. Bottom line: THE BAG SUPPLY IS LIMITED AND MIGHT RUN OUT SOONER THAN WE WOULD LIKE. PARK USERS SHOULD BRING BAGS WITH THEM AND USE THOSE IN THE DISPENSERS SPARINGLY.
Winter The park will be open during the winter, although it will not be plowed or cleared in any way. Matt asked if that included the parking area, given that the surface is similar to the “circle” in Endicott Park, which is plowed. That isn’t clear so we will wait and see with winter coming and address the issue if a problem arises.
Off-Leash Dogs OUTside the Park In addition to more dog poop throughout Endicott Park, rangers are observing more dogs off-leash at Endicott Park (but outside the dog park fences). They are working to educate owners and FoDDP patrons are encouraged to politely do the same.
Leaf Removal The park will be closed from 10am-1pm on Wednesday (12/7) for the purpose of leaf removal inside the dog park.
Sign/Name The sign at the entrance to the dog park remains “Endicott Park Dog Park.” FoDDP is told that this sign is temporary but the plan to replace it (when and with what?) remains unclear. We have communicated our desire to have the FoDDP logo and “Danvers Dog Park” on the sign but to date there is no official response to this request.
In addition, we discussed:
501c3 status Carla will begin the application process in the coming days.
Next meeting: January 3rd (Tuesday) at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 9, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Pam, Art & Barbara)
A number of questions and concerns came out of the FoDDP October meeting and tonight Carla reported on responses she had received from the town:
Contractor Fees/Fines There was no definitive answer on how the fines charged to the contractor for excessive construction delays were handled. Reportedly there was to be a meeting on November 1 where this was to be clarified but Carla has not received any further update.
Benches Dave Mountain’s recollection was that the design change to backless benches was discussed at a meeting with all stakeholders and no objections were raised. He wasn’t certain of the timing but it was before the first round of bidding.
Matt suggested that confusion may have arisen out of the conversation in question where the seating around the Circle of Friends was discussed as a reasonable place for backless seating (i.e. the granite boulders that would be available for little or no cost) as people could face in multiple directions to talk and/or keep an eye on their dogs. The benches, however, are installed around the perimeter of the park and sitting faced to the fence doesn’t make any sense.
Art expressed that the prevailing concern is a loss of control over decisions being made by the town administering park construction, and Carla agreed that FoDDP wants to be consulted on these matters.
Handicap Access There has be a prompt and seemingly adequate response by the town on this front with the installation of stone dust over a relatively large area inside the entrance of both the small and large sides of the park. Chuck Farrell was cited as largely responsible for acknowledging and remedying the issue after seeing posts on the FoDDP Facebook page.
Concern was expressed about how this was missed at the outset but there had been discussion and the understanding had been to focus on access as it related to parking and the path to the park entrance, with the knowledge that the Circle of Friends would augment access in the near future. Once the park was opened and feedback was coming in, they met again with the engineer as well as a member of the Disability Committee to arrive at the current solution. The stone dust will continue to compact with time and is the same surface used on the rail trail.
Rules People at tonight’s meeting have had different experiences with whether or not people are following rules, specifically the one about children under 12 in the park. The suggested strategy continues to be to educate park users with friendly conversations when children are brought to the park, as well as posts on social media (specifically the FoDDP Facebook group.)
Sign/Name The sign at the entrance to the Dean St parking area still reads “Endicott Park Dog Park” and there are no plans to change this in response to FoDDP’s expectation from the beginning that the logo and brand we had developed would be used in signage. There was acknowledgement within the group that Endicott Park also has a “brand” and that the dog park’s placement within Endicott Park could mean that FoDDP will need to sacrifice its identity as a separate entity.
But the larger issue is the procedural argument: the plan was for the signage to identify the park as Danvers Dog Park with our logo, and the plan was changed without our consultation or input. FoDDP worked hard to make this park a reality and deserve to participate in decisions that impact the dog park. This type of thing may not be enormous on its own but it begs the question: What other things are going to be done or changed without talking to FoDDP first?
Donor signage This issue has not been resolved. The town is waiting on Stanton to provide a sign template of some kind and is to update us when information becomes available.
Kiosk The town has asked for samples of a kiosk design and what would go/be posted on it. Many suggestions were recycled: FoDDP meeting schedules, fundraiser/event announcements, rule explanations, lost & found hook/bin. It would give us a place to have the logo displayed (see Sign/Name above) and perhaps temporarily thank donors (see Donor Signage above.)
Hydrant This is possible but not a priority. Questions were raised about who would pay for it and install it.
Brochure There is not an official town brochure about the dog park being created at this time.
In addition we discussed a few other matters:
Circle of Friends Eileen and Cheryl were not able to attend the meeting to provide as status update.
Stone The reports of paw discomfort with the stone play surface have subsided but concern remains on several fronts. Anecdotally some dogs seem not to mind it while others clearly avoid it, even after many trips to the park (so not “adjusting” or getting used to its unfamiliarity?) For those dogs there is plenty of dirt to play on as well as the new stone dust surface near the gates. However, there is still concern that the stone isn’t as small or round as it should be for the intended purpose and there are many places were larger (1”+ stones) are present in large numbers. Those larger stones may be working their way up from the bottom layer, but at least some were present on the surface on Day 1.
Manny told Matt that a layer of fabric was to have been laid between the layers of large and small stones, and that would have prevented the smaller stones being “contaminated” by the larger ones. Did that happen?
Going forward, can this situation be improved? Perhaps the best approach will be to address it with the Stanton improvement grants available three times in the first five years post-construction. Digging out and replacing stone would likely be prohibitive but adding smaller, rounder stones to the current “small” – which will likely need to be replenished anyway over time – can improve the overall composition.
Winter Barbara reported that park visitors were asking about access during the winter months; FoDDP believes the dog park will be open 9:00am-dusk year round, though obviously dusk will be earlier in the winter than in the summer.
Donations Barbara also received a suggestion from a park visitor that another dog park maintains a (locked) donation box. There was concern about vandals and theft but Carla will look at adding a donation button to the FoDDP Facebook page.
501c3 status Carla has consulted with an attorney friend about applying for 501c3 status for FoDDP as its own non-profit organization. She has the information and will look at it (and report back) as time allows over the coming months.
Next meeting: December 6th (Tuesday) at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 5, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Keith, Carla, Pam, Mary M, Cheryl, Sid S, Carol M, Janine D, Eileen L & AnnMarie R)
FoDDP was thrilled to welcome some new members to our October meeting! Fresh ideas, perspectives and energy are essential to moving forward with making the Danvers Dog Park as great as it can be. We hope they will return and that others will get involved going forward.
After introductions around the room and a brief history of the Danvers Dog Park, the group discussed the many, many important items on the meeting agenda:
Grand Opening The Grand Opening took place on September 17th and was a resounding success! The weather was perfect, the crowd of dogs and owners was both substantial and patient, and the canines had LOTS of fun once off-leash and inside the fence. Dave Mountain, Steve Bartha and David Mills offered words of welcome in their capacities as town officials, and FoDDP extended thanks to the many donors and key participants who made the park possible. A statement from the Stanton Foundation (responsible for funding 90% of the construction costs) was read, and then the ribbons were cut!
Carla reported $417 in donations from the Grand Opening, as well as the fees from the two vendors who set up tables and $60 in pre-Grand Opening cash donations. Cheryl indicated that there is a balance of approximately $3,000 in the FoDDP account held by the Friends of Danvers Recreation, and there was some discussion of how to manage that money going forward. One avenue is to explore becoming a 501c3 organization in our own right; Carla and AnnMarie both offered to consult with lawyers they knew and report back about the process at our next meeting.
The cost of mailing Grand Opening invitations to all registered dog owners was approximately $1,100, still to be covered out of FoDDP funds. It was agreed that this was extremely successful at getting the word out and generating enthusiasm for the event. People loved that the invitations arrived addressed to the dogs – so while expensive, the group agreed it was money well spent.
Stone There were some reports via the FoDDP Facebook group that the stone play surface was irritating some dogs’ paws, making them inflamed and tender. Other owners indicated that their dogs were largely avoiding the stone surface and instead spending their time on the dirt closer to the wooded area. Those present at the meeting had not perceived it to be a big problem, and Eileen even spoke of having a similar product installed in her yard for her dogs. She reported that after 10 years the stones had become smoother/rounder and that it was great for maintenance as a quick spray with the hose was all it needed to clean it off. Sid and others suggested that the dogs aren’t used to the way it feels and that their paws might need to “toughen up” akin to a dog walking on pavement. AnnMarie thought owners might check with their vets about options like gradual exposure to the surface or applying a product to treat/protect the pad. One question was whether the reports were weighted more toward small or large dogs since the same surface is present throughout.
Carla and Matt shared that the stones had been selected after considering a variety of other options, including bark mulch, rubber mulch, grass, etc, and that this type of surface is what has been used successfully in other dog parks (i.e. Arlington.) While true that the stone is not quite as small and smooth as FoDDP would have liked, it does meet the design specifications of the park. It is clean in the sense that dog poops are easier to pick up and the site would likely be a mud pit if left in its natural state over the spring. The consensus was to keep an eye on this issue and see if things settle down and improve with time.
Handicap Access Another issue raised via the Facebook group is access to the inside of the park for those with wheelchairs, walkers, etc. While the parking and walkway provide access as far as the gate, at least two patrons have reported difficulty entering the park due to the deep stone play surface. Carla pointed out that the Circle of Friends (a path and patio of pavers from the entrance into the park with additional seating) is to be the first “improvement” that FoDDP plans to address, and that this would solve the access problem on the large dog side of the park. Since small dogs are allowed into the large dog side, this could be sufficient for the park in general.
Matt explained that at one point during the design/construction phase there had been talk of a concrete pad inside the gate on each side to address this concern. Those obviously didn’t happen. Cheryl also noted that gaining entry to the park is important but that a person with those limitations would need a second person to assist with their dog (picking up poop, controlling the dog if play got too rough, etc) as the most of the large play space would remain inaccessible.
Circle of Friends As described above, this is to be the primary focus of FoDDP’s efforts going forward. The design specifications for this project already exist, and so what remains is to determine the best way to get it done. Lowes Home Improvement has approached FoDDP about getting involved with the park construction in some way, there are several eagle scout candidates who might be interested in targeting the dog park with their projects, the Stanton Foundation has additional grant funding available for improvements in the first five years of operation, and engraved (memorial) bricks could be sold to raise the necessary funds. Eileen and Cheryl agreed to take the lead on this project and will report back to the group next month.
Contractor Fees/Fines The contractor ran significantly behind schedule during construction and, as per the contract with the town, was fined an amount per day after a certain point. Carla has gotten mixed messages from the town about what happens with those funds: Will the money be returned to Stanton/FoDDP? If it is retained by the town, does FoDDP get to participate in deciding how the money will be spent (for example, for more benches or in the construction of the Circle of Friends)? She has asked for clarification on this issue and to date has not received a response.
Benches FoDDP was dismayed to see that the benches installed throughout the park are different from those specified in the design plan, as this change was not discussed with our group. The new benches are of good quality but are rounded humps with no backs, and this can be problematic for those with muscular issues or other physical impairments where back support is necessary. Most of the benches are around the perimeter of the park where the ability to sit and face in multiple directions is not an advantage. The current benches do not appear to be adaptable, and the group is very concerned that the change was made with no consultation whatsoever.
Sign/Name The sign at the entrance to the Dean St parking area as well as the town website currently refer to the park as the “Endicott Park Dog Park.” FoDDP had been told the sign/designation was temporary for the Grand Opening, with the expectation that the permanent sign would properly reference the Danvers Dog Park. A lot of work went into the logo design and “branding” of the effort to bring this park about.
Donor signage Before the grant funding became available, FoDDP had solicited donations from local businesses and had promised signage giving credit to those who met a threshold amount of $2,500. This funding was critical in our ability to meet the 10% requirement of the grant. The Stanton Foundation has indicated that they do not want any permanent donor signage on the park; in the unlikely event that the park falls into disrepair, it is unfair to the donors to have their names associated with it in perpetuity. This leaves FoDDP uncertain about how to best honor our commitment to Align Credit Union and Peoples United Bank. Options include a temporary banner in the spring, or some designation on a kiosk that could be removed after a time. Any course of action would have to be discussed with the donors in advance, but Cheryl (who had forged those contacts several years ago) indicated that they don’t seem immediately concerned with the recognition. And they have been noted on the website, the invitations, the grand opening program, etc.
Kiosk The plan had always been for a kiosk where information could be shared with the patrons of the park. The cost would be zero as construction would be handled by the Endicott Park staff (or originally, Dutch Norden.) In the end it was tabled as the timeframe before the Grand Opening was tight and there was doubt raised about the necessity of the kiosk. The group consensus at the meeting was that it would be nice to have – another place to post the rules, a way to advertise our meetings and other dog-related events, a place to put lost items like a mitten or a dog tag found in the park. The kiosk would be locked (plexi-glass) so notices would have to go through FoDDP to be posted.
Rules There has been some pushback (again, largely brought to light on the Facebook page) about the rules. The big ones of concern seem to be about children (under 12) in the park, treats/toys in the park and the number of dogs allowed by a single handler. There has been an effort by Chris Sanborn (Endicott Park ranger) as well as park patrons to educate others about the rules, and it has been met with varying levels of success. The effort needs to continue. One important positive step is that the rules sign has been moved from the fence facing the parking lot to the interiors of both gate areas.
Kids are the biggest issue/concern, both for their safety and for the protection of the dogs and their owners. Liability aside (there was some discussion about who would be at fault if there was a bite or other incident involving a child in the park), the park is for dogs. Some dogs aren’t comfortable around children and an owner whose dog hurt a child shouldn’t have to live with the weight of that happening when the child shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
The group agreed that while as individuals we might not like every rule, they were made with a lot of input and consultation into best practices with the goal of removing triggers and striking a balance to maximize overall safety and enjoyment. All patrons have the responsibility of educating other owners in a friendly way, and the rules can be revisited at a future date if warranted.
Misc A few other small items were discussed:
Next meeting: November 2nd (note this is a Wednesday!) at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 6, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Pam, Carla & Matt)
FoDDP did not meet in July or August.
Construction of the dog park almost complete! People have been dropping by and posting pictures on Facebook, so the word is out that the water fountains and benches have been installed, the stone surface has been spread and there are new plantings around the outside of the fence. There were even goats brought in for a couple of days to eat & remove poison ivy and other weedy nuisances. The town is overseeing the finishing touches which consist of signage and the parking area on Dean Street.
Carla will contact the town with a few questions this week:
The GRAND OPENING will be held on Saturday, September 17th from noon until 3:00, with the ribbon cutting to occur at noon. Parking will be available at St. Richard’s Church and along Forest St as the Dean Street area will be used for booths and tables for pet vendors. FoDDP will set up a table where we will sell our t-shirts and have a copy of the park design available for people to see. North Shore Pet Pantry has asked to collect for their pet food pantry whose mission is to help feed the pets of people experiencing financial struggles. It was agreed that they could solicit/accept donations of cat/dog food. After the ribbon cutting, the dog park will officially be open to the public for happy dogs and their owners to use.
Carla ordered postcards to be sent to all owners of dogs registered in Danvers, inviting them to the Grand Opening. Those will arrive 9/8 so we will gather on 9/11 to address them with labels created using an updated list from the town.
Looking ahead, there are items on the park design that were not included in the initial phase of construction due to financial constraints during the bidding process. At the top of the list for a future improvement is the Circle of Friends, envisioned as a brick-paved portion of the big dog area for owners to gather while the dogs play and explore. There are various ways such an improvement could be funded:
Next meeting: October 4th at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 7, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Matt, Manny, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
FoDDP did not meet in May.
Carla reported that the Dog Park Committee met recently to review the rules and regulations one last time; this version is considered “final” and will be put on signage at the park:
The Park is open 9am to Sunset
1)Dogs must be properly licensed and have proof of current vaccinations as evidenced by dog tags, and dog cannot be in heat.
2)For their own safety, children must be under adult (18+) supervision at all times while inside the dog park. No children under 12 are permitted in the dog park for safety reasons.
3)No more than two (2) dogs allowed, per guardian, at one time.
4)You must remain in the park with your dog(s) at all times.
5)You must have control of your dogs at all times and are responsible and liable for the actions of your dogs while at the park. Dogs must be leashed when outside the fenced area.
6)You must immediately clear and properly dispose of all dog waste. All other trash items must be removed from the park (Carry in: Carry out).
7)IMMEDIATELY remove your problem dog (displaying aggressive behavior, mounting, excessive barking, etc) from the park WITHOUT DEBATE. Aggressive dogs may be banned from the dog park.
8)Holes dug by your dogs must be filled in by you before leaving the park.
9)Smoking, food, and glass are prohibited within the park.
10)No dog food treats or toys are allowed in the park.
11)No large dogs (greater than 25 lbs) shall be allowed in the small dog enclosure.
12)The dog park is closed when the Park Staff is conducting maintenance or town sponsored programs.
13)Violators are subject to removal and/or exclusion from the dog park.
14)In case of emergency, dial 911. For all other questions/concerns, call (978)774-1213, Ext. 0 and leave a message.
All residents and visitors please enjoy the Park. While you are here, please help us keep it clean and safe.
The Park is made available in accordance with laws governing recreational use (M.G.L. Chapter 21 Sections 17c)
The Town of Danvers does not assume responsibility for injuries or damage to personal property.
At this point the town is pointing to July 4 as a completion date for the park, and any delays could result in fines for the contractor.
Carla has reminded the town several times that FoDDP would like to view a sample of the pea stone which is to be the play surface for the dogs BEFORE it is purchased and installed. While cost was the primary reason cited for moving away from the rice stone originally suggested, we want to make sure the stones chosen are small and rounded enough for safe, comfortable play. Carla has been assured repeatedly that we will be consulted on this material selection.
Chris Sanborn (the ranger at Endicott Park) was approached by Lowes as they would like to contribute to an aspect of the park once it is up and running. There has been some discussion that the paved “Circle of Friends” in the original park design (not included in the project during the third and final round of bidding) could be a project for Lowes to tackle. FoDDP is excited about Lowes’ generous offer, and the Circle of Friends has remained a goal to be added to the dog park at some future date. Going forward with this or any other such initiative, however, FoDDP would ask to be included in the conversation and decision-making. There might be goals, plans or ideas from our members that have merit and should be considered before any action is taken.
Carla reported that with regard to the kiosk, it was something that the town planned to build/provide but the change in staffing at Endicott Park resulted in a loss of the construction equipment needed to do the job. Replacement equipment could possibly be purchased after the start of the new fiscal year but it isn’t certain when or if that will happen. Dutch Norden was asked as well but his schedule doesn’t allow him to take this on right now. Therefore, if any interested individual or company would like to take this project on, please let us know! An image of the envisioned design is available upon request. Keith also asked if the water department was still planning to donate a “blank” fire hydrant for the dogs to use.
Manny made the suggestion that the signage for the two major donors (prior to the grant) could be made more substantial, engraved/inset on a stone, for example. There were concerns raised about cost, positioning of such a stone (where dogs might urinate on it, thus compromising it as a symbol of honor/gratitude), etc.
While a soft opening will happen as soon as construction is complete, FoDDP will hold a Grand Opening complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony, recognition of some key people who made the park possible, dog-related vendors and the like. Danvers Animal Hospital wants to be involved and we want to invite all Danvers dog owners using the license mailing list, similar to the way we did the donation solicitation letters some years ago. The dates under consideration are July 16 and July 30, both Saturday mornings, from approximately 9-noon. The preference would be for July 16 if the park completion remains on schedule; Carla will get an update from the town in the coming weeks so we can finalize the date. In the meantime she is working to spread the word to potential vendors, etc.
Finally, there was more general talk around future improvements. There is a balance of approximately $3,000 that remains in the Dog Park fund – it is currently overseen by the 501c(3) group Friends of Danvers Recreation, but they would like to be finished with this role once the dog park is constructed. Therefore it would make sense to move the funds to another account where it would be available for future FoDDP efforts. Ideally we could identify another 501c(3) organization willing to take us on. In addition, Manny suggested that more marketing of specific improvement ideas could inspire fundraising or sponsorship to make them a reality. Some items he mentioned included a trellis at the entrance similar to what is seen in Gloucester, a memory wall, and sculptures.
Next meeting: July 5th, 6:30pm.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 5, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Cheryl, Pam, Keith, Carla & Matt)
FoDDP did not meet in March.
Construction of the dog park is underway! The contractor has placed barriers around the site at Endicott Park and begun selective tree removal, etc. It is very exciting to the members of FoDDP to at long last see visible progress. Hooray! Estimates from the town put the construction phase at 75 days so hope is for the park to be operational by the end of June – barring delays caused by weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Dave Lane is in charge of supervising the progress of the construction so he will be providing the updates through Dave Mountain.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee is planning to meet to finalize the park rules, etc. Cheryl reminded everyone that two large donors (People’s United Bank and Align Credit Union) were promised recognition on park signage, so Carla will bring that up with the Subcommittee.
In the FoDDP Facebook group a member asked about the policy regarding service dogs on leash in the park, and linked to a recent article about a veteran being asked to leave a Florida dog park because he wanted to leave his service dog on leash. The group discussed the question: Is the dog at the park to be working or playing? The purpose of the dog park is recreation for the dogs – and their owners – and as such the group felt that even service dogs should be off leash. There were other concerns about aggression by or toward an on-leash dog, and potential injury caused by a leash getting caught or tangled on something/one. Overall, there are likely to be questions such as this one that might not be considered in advance of the dog park opening…some will have to be addressed as they arise.
Cheryl reported that the dog park account being held by Friends of Danvers Recreation has a balance of approximately $3,000.
There has been no additional discussion with the town regarding the selling of benches.
It will soon be time to reconvene the Grand Opening subcommittee to plan some festivities. Carla & Cheryl will both be involved with the planning and Carla will begin collecting the names of vendors interested in participating. The idea of having kid-related activities was discussed and largely rejected out of concern that it would create an atmosphere that was too “hyped-up” for kids and dogs alike.
Next meeting: May 2nd, 6:30. Note this is a MONDAY which is different from the typical schedule. A site visit to Endicott Park was suggested as part of the meeting agenda.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 10, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Cheryl, Pam, Carla & Matt)
Carla arrived late due to a work commitment so Matt provided the initial update:
The bid opening on January 14 resulted in a viable bid from Dayco Construction, so the town initiated their standard procedures of checking references, etc. Everything was positive so the details of a contract award have been the subject of numerous conversations and emails over the last few weeks. FoDDP was initially surprised to learn that the town proposed doing the Base Bid along with Alternate #1 Tree Area for a total price of $224,100 – excluding all of the other alternates. Since the Stanton grant allows for 90% of hard construction costs up to a maximum of $225,000 (allowing for a total construction cap of $250,000,) it had seemed to us that Alternate #2 Plastic Benches and even Alternate #3 Granite Benches could also be included, bringing the total construction costs by Dayco to $237,000 and $250,100, respectively. Dave Lane provided some clarification regarding the need to keep a 5% cushion in reserve to cover unanticipated expenses. Ultimately it was decided to move ahead with Base Bid plus Alternates 1 and 2. It not only preserves the needed 5% but the town also believes there are lower cost options to provide more durable granite benches.
With that decision made, FoDDP was asked to gift additional funds to the town in order to meet the requirement that we fund 10% of the construction costs. For a project totaling $237,000 we would need to cover $23,700. Of the $16,700 we gifted for this purpose in 2014, a balance of $11,338 remains due to increased design costs over the three rounds of bidding. We therefore need to gift an additional $12,362. FoDDP had voted to allow for increases in the gifted amount as construction costs increased, so the board authorized this payment.
Construction can begin as weather permits in Spring 2016.
With Carla’s arrival came another issue to discuss:
The town has suggested selling the plastic benches from Alternate #2 for $3,000 each to corporate or residential sponsors who might wish to dedicate a bench. With seven plastic benches specified in Alternate #2, this represents a potentially significant amount of revenue. A lengthy discussion ensued, with the following questions put out as requiring clarification:
Carla agreed to take our concerns to Dave Mountain. Other options for future fundraising were discussed to bring about additional improvements after the park is up and running: engraved bricks, plaques on a “donor wall,” a donation box at the park entrance, and the ability to make donations through the FoDDP website.
Lastly, Matt asked if our previous discussion of the play surface stones had been brought to the town’s attention. He had with him samples of three products: the original rice stone found in the Arlington park which had been deemed too expensive, some Bentley Warren ½” pea stone and some Bentley Warren 3/8” pea stone. We believe the cost of the two Bentley Warren products are similar and very much prefer the 3/8” version which seemed like it would be gentler on the paws of running dogs.
Next meeting: TBD
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 18, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Keith, Pam, Carla & Matt)
Carla attended the bid opening at town hall on January 14 and she was happy to report that of the eight bids that were submitted, two were promising for moving forward because the prices assigned would allow construction of the “base” park along with Alternate #1: the Tree Area. In one case Alternates #2: Plastic Benches and #3: Granite Benches were also within our budget; in the other case only Alternate #2 would be feasible with current funding. The next step is for Dave Mountain to check the references provided by each contractor before the project is awarded.
After the bids were opened, there was a discussion between Carla and Dave Mountain regarding the $18,000 that was gifted to the town in March 2014. These funds were necessary to move forward at the time with the stated purpose of:
There has been concern on the part of FoDDP that three rounds of bidding with updates to the documents could be increasing the expenses associated with design. The Stanton Foundation provided $16,870* toward this cost, but repeated requests for clarification on how overages would be handled were not addressed. On Thursday Carla was seeking to determine the specific balance remaining of our gifted funds and expressed that if more money was needed for design then the town should have consulted FoDDP. Dave’s response was that the gifted money could be used at the town’s discretion as long as it was to benefit the dog park. (*This is a question we would like to pursue further. Was this amount also figured as 10% of the (then) estimated hard construction costs? If so, is there any room with Stanton to increase their allocation toward design, since both construction and design costs have been higher than anticipated?)
A followup communication from Dave Mountain puts the balance of the gifted funds at $11,338.05.
This means that more than $5,500 of FoDDP funds that were intended to meet the 10% construction cost contribution requirement are no longer available for this purpose. Our treasurer Cheryl Purington reports that we still have $15,342.28 in funds being held by Friends of Danvers Recreation, so we will be able to satisfy the 10% requirement. However, we feel strongly that FoDDP should have been consulted about the spending of this money so that we might have resumed fundraising efforts over the last year in the event another alternate item might have been feasible, some unforeseen cost overrun occurs, or in anticipation of our Grand Opening.
The point was also raised that at one time the town was willing to “donate” $10,000 in in-kind services toward the construction of the park. Carla indicated that this had been in the town budget at one time but that it had been removed. This, and the exclusion of the parking area as one of the alternate items in round three of bidding (see December 2015 FoDDP meeting minutes), have also contributed to our inability to make more of the approved park design a reality.
Next meeting: TBD.
(Unless there is a substantial update to report we will not meet as scheduled in February.)
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
December 1, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Pam, Carla & Matt)
To recap: a meeting of all stakeholders was held on 10/6/15 for the purpose of providing input regarding the documents for the next round of bidding. Carla was out of the country but it was asserted that the timing was essential to moving the process forward, so Matt attended the meeting as representative of FoDDP. See October 16 FoDDP meeting minutes for a summary of this as well as the FoDDP discussion of pertinent points.
Carla met with the town on November 3 to raise the questions that came out of the FoDDP meeting. The idea of putting the parking area as the second alternate item (behind the wooded area) was rejected, and in general any changes to the documents would necessitate further meetings and result in delaying the bidding process. At this point the project will remain as it was put forth in the October 6 meeting to remain on target for a spring/summer 2016 opening.
Bid schedule:
Into Central Register: 12/1/15
Advertised: 12/9/15
Bid Date: after the holidays***
Next meeting: January 5***
***It was later announced that the bid opening would occur on January 14 so the January 5 meeting was rescheduled to January 18 at 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 16, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barb, Cheryl, Pam, Carla & Matt)
A meeting of all stakeholders was held on 10/6/15 for the purpose of providing input regarding the documents for the next round of bidding. Carla was out of the country so Matt attended the meeting as representative of FoDDP.
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Summary of meeting with Scott Cameron, Mike Grandmaison, David Lane, Bob Lee, Dave Mountain, Karen Nelson and Sue Nickerson:
Scott Cameron worked hard to arrive at price estimates for the various elements of the construction project. Those estimates were based in large part using averages of prices cited in bids from rounds 1 and 2, so they are good indicators of what we can expect for round 3. The price for the entire project with everything beginning to end exceeds our budget – which is why rounds 1 and 2 were unsuccessful, even with several items identified as “alternates” in the second round where a Base Project included the bulk of work and materials to get the park open and other aspects were priced separately so they could be exercised or not depending on what our funding would allow.
Everyone present wants round 3 to be successful, so the discussion focused on what else could be done to reduce costs. There are several steps advocated to achieve this goal:
Adding these changes, together with previously described “alternates” from round 2 (benches, plantings, pavers, etc), is expected to bring the overall cost of the Base Project within our budget and allow for construction in the spring.
However, some people were advocating an even more conservative approach, to guard against the outside chance that bids could still come in too high. It is suspected that the clearing of the wooded area near of the top of the park design is driving the cost up as contractors are uncertain about what issues they may encounter while clearing and prepping that ground for safe passage. In order to flush that cost out, they have suggested that the Base Document only include the area below the tree line where no tree/stump removal is necessary. The wooded area would be included as Alternate #1.
Important Note: Matt learned that when Alternates are included as part of the bidding process, they must be exercised, if at all, IN ORDER. In other words, Alternate 4 cannot be exercised without also accepting Alternates 1, 2 and 3.
Therefore, identifying the wooded area as Alternate 1 means it would be the first option added into the park provided that funds allow.
Matt was at first resistant to this idea, because FoDDP has expressed repeatedly that they do not want a smaller park, and removing the wooded area from the design would not be balanced with the addition of an equal area of open space. There is room to bump out a bit but the parking lane in that field is to be preserved so there is no question that a smaller dog park would result from removing the wooded area. He asked about enclosing the wooded area within the fence but leaving it unfinished; town officials were concerned about liability around tripping hazards with people walking over rough terrain. He also asked about previous commitments that DPW would take on some construction elements – namely the parking area. He was told that it was advisable to make the contractor responsible for returning the space to a certain condition, and at that point having the contractor also finish it off would represent minimal cost. In the end Matt felt like the town people were very confident we would get the wooded area included in the end (i.e. that we would have enough funds to exercise Alternate 1) and that this approach was intended to flush out this disproportionate cost.
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A long discussion ensued. The members of FoDDP feel strongly that we should not have a smaller park than what has been set aside and designed. Using this approach for round 3 was ultimately considered to be OK but the end result of a smaller park was not considered OK. Carla was to clarify the bidding/award process under this approach with Dave Mountain. Specifically, if the Base Document (without the wooded area) is within budget but Alternate 1 is too expensive, can the bid be rejected? Or is there some legal or other obligation to accept? Who decides?
FoDDP also resisted the argument for the parking area being part of the Base Document. With $250K in privately raised funds providing a valuable asset to the town, it seems reasonable that the town could take on building the infrastructure necessary to access that asset. Matt suggested an approach could be making the parking area Alternate 2 – behind the wooded area on the list of optional expenses. Carla was to ask Dave about this as well.
Lastly, Matt made two other recommendations based on his role on the FoDDP Construction Committee: he suggested that increasing the stone depth be prioritized over the granite benches, and he suggested switching the positions of two other alternates…prioritizing the plantings between the large and small dog areas over the plantings in the center of the large dog area. Everyone agreed to trust Matt’s judgement on those items.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 7, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam, Carla, Matt, Keith, Julie, Dave & Judy)
Carla and Matt met again with various town officials on June 24th to continue the discussion of how to proceed after the first two rounds of bidding did not result in a contract award. They conveyed the content of the “special” FoDDP meeting in June – specifically that we are opposed to reducing the size of the park in an effort to rein in costs associated with partially clearing and grading the wooded area. There are many park features that could be added at a later date but the boundaries as put forth in the current design maximize use of the area allotted to the project and the long-term benefits of sticking with this footprint are viewed as outweighing the short-term savings.
After the meeting, Matt assembled a document that captures the approach that FoDDP would like to see used going forward:
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FoDDP Proposed Approach
A Maintain all fence boundaries as originally designed.
B Clarify all items DPW willing to address. Remove them from Bid Docs. Determine the estimated cost savings. [Parking area, headwall/culvert repair, walking path from parking area to dog park entrance gates, traffic signage, gate at upper end of parking area, bollards, possibly run water line to the park.]
C Endicott Park Staff willing to oversee kiosk construction. Remove item from Bid Docs. Determine the estimated cost savings.
D I believe the Town knows of a "Water Guy" willing to run the interior water lines to sprinkler system pro bono. If true, remove item from Bid Docs. Determine the estimated cost savings.
Remove all of the following items from the base project bid/plans. Then decide which to include as Alternate Items. Determine the estimated cost for each.
E Granite Benches (6)
F Plastic Benches (4)
G Plantings at raised berm in center of large dog area.
H Plantings along fence that divides small and large dog sides.
I All plantings along interior of dog park perimeter fence.
J Pavers (for Circle of Friends)
K Reduce the depth of rice stone in the base plan to 4". Obtain as an Alternate Item the cost to then increase the depth to 6".
For Consideration
L Determine estimated cost decrease if upper fence is moved down to tree line. Determine square footage reduction.
M Determine estimated cost decrease if upper fence is moved down to stone wall. Determine square footage reduction.
N Determine estimated cost increase if a portion of the lower fence is moved down into the field an additional 40-45'. Determine square footage gain.
O Consider whether wording on Bid Docs/Plans could be adjusted to call for less severe working of the wooded area regarding grading / contours / trip hazards except for the walking path itself. Possibly with signage to "use caution when walking off trail". Determine the estimated cost savings that would result.
P Seek to locate a tree company willing to donate their services for removal of the trees and stump grinding within the wooded area. Work would need to occur before the next round of bidding, which is expected to be in the October to January range. This portion could then be removed from the Bid Docs, resulting in a lower cost. Determine estimated cost savings that would result.
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The plan coming out of the meeting was that Scott Cameron would be asked to put dollar figures with each of the items under consideration to reduce costs, and that DPW would be consulted further about the items they are able and willing to take on as “in kind services” toward the construction of the dog park. Carla did express frustration with the fact that DPW has not been present at these “stakeholder” meetings; instead a separate conversation takes place with reporting to and fro. It is felt that meetings that include DPW representation would be much more efficient.
There is also some concern about design costs and what (if any) financial contribution by FoDDP may be required if the grant allocation for this work is exceeded. Carla expects this to be clarified soon.
A recent Salem News article provided some correct information about the status of the dog park but did not achieve the goal of answering the question “why not just put up a fence and be done with it?” that continues to be asked by the public.
A brief discussion ensued about Endicott Park (shaded, few neighbors, walkable, lots of site prep required) vs Preston Park (open/flat, multiple neighbors, not as accessible) as a location for this project, but everyone agreed things were too far along to consider changing course!
Next meeting: August 4, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 17, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barb, Cheryl, Pam, Carla, Matt, Keith, Sid)
Carla and Matt met with various town officials on June 10th to gather input regarding the next step in the construction bidding process. The following notes are the product of this meeting.
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Summary of meeting with Bob Lee, David Mountain, Judy Smith, Chris Sanborn, Karen Nelson:
· We all agree that delaying the re-bid until November or December with a project start date of April would be in our best interest.
· Propose relocating the fence at the back side (ENE) of the dog park to along the existing tree line. This will likely reduce costs for tree removal and stump grinding, as well as minimize fence line costs and silt curtain installation. Consider this Phase 2 of the project.
· Propose bumping out the NE section of fence line approx. 20-25’.
DPW assists:
· handle re-surfacing of Dean’s Lane to include the parking area
· DPW and Endicott Park staff would handle traffic signage
· DPW would handle replacement of the stone headwall and culvert under Dean’s Lane
· DPW to relocate at least 2-3 of the granite benches from the Hobart St parking lot to around the “circle of friends” in the large dog area
· DPW will consider and get back to us if they will install the water line from Forest St. to an irrigation pit on Dean’s Lane. Contractor will install from irrigation pit to bubblers and Friends of Dog Park will ask for volunteer assistance from “The Water Guy” to install lines from there to individual spigots.
· Eliminate all plantings inside the fenced area with the exception of the island in the middle.
· Only install tree protectors around remaining trees in island.
· Extend rice stone to the proposed relocated back fence line.
· Reduce the number of recycled plastic benches from 7 to 4. Relocate the 2 of the 4 in the large dog area to along the NE fence.
· Kiosk will be constructed in-house by Endicott Park staff over the winter. Lumber is already available.
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FoDDP reviewed and discussed each element of these notes:
We all agree that delaying the re-bid until November or December with a project start date of April would be in our best interest. The reasoning behind this strategy is that we are in the midst of the busy season in terms of outdoor construction so contractors are busy and prices are higher. Waiting until mid-late fall should bring prices down as bidders will have more time to spend on a proposal and more motivation to win the work. Matt observed that it would appear to be to our advantage if Mscisz could get bonded as their price was the best in round one; similarly he would like to see bids from Target and Dayco as they were closest, relatively speaking.
Propose relocating the fence at the back side (ENE) of the dog park to along the existing tree line. This will likely reduce costs for tree removal and stump grinding, as well as minimize fence line costs and silt curtain installation. Consider this Phase 2 of the project. There was strong opposition to this suggestion. We think the size of the park is appropriate as is and the cover afforded by the wooded area as currently designed will provide much needed protection from the sun in summer months as well as other elements during the colder parts of the year. Moreover, once the fence is up the idea of moving the boundary at a later date seems impractical – there are other items (benches, plantings) that are better candidates for a Phase 2 as they can be more easily added in terms of logistics. Barb asked if sliding the entire park down into the open space was possible to preserve the size but the answer is “no” due to the surrounding wetlands, the sloping grade of the site and the need to preserve driving access to the adjacent open field.
Propose bumping out the NE section of fence line approx. 20-25’. It is not obvious that a great deal of money would be saved with this proposal as material costs, i.e. rice stone, would increase. Other boundaries might be impacted as well (for example, the boundary between large and small dog spaces, since a good deal of the space eliminated in the area discussed above would be from the small dog area.) And the space added with this “bumping out” would be significantly less than that eliminated behind the existing wall, resulting in an unreasonably smaller park overall.
FoDDP was pleased to learn that DPW would assist with some aspects of construction, allowing said aspects to be removed (or listed as alternates) in the next round of bidding and thus reducing the overall costs.
Eliminate all plantings inside the fenced area with the exception of the island in the middle. There was no opposition to this proposal, and even the island in the middle could be made an alternate as well. It was noted that the interior plantings were more of a priority with other stakeholders in the project than with the members of FoDDP, and that plantings could be added in the future once the park is operational.
Only install tree protectors around remaining trees in island. There was some confusion around what tree protectors were and if they were necessary. FoDDP would defer on this matter.
Extend rice stone to the proposed relocated back fence line. Again, this seems to eat into the idea of cost savings and the reasons for opposing the fence line relocation were previously noted.
Reduce the number of recycled plastic benches from 7 to 4. Relocate the 2 of the 4 in the large dog area to along the NE fence. Our understanding was that all benches were made alternate items in round two of bidding, anyway. But reducing the number at the beginning was considered acceptable as adding more later felt attainable from both fundraising and logistical perspectives.
Kiosk will be constructed in-house by Endicott Park staff over the winter. Lumber is already available. This sounded fine, though Carla did note that Lowes had been in touch looking for a project to help with and they might be a good resource for this item or something to do with pavers.
After the discussion, Cheryl made a motion to accept these responses as consensus to be presented at the next meeting with the town officials. Sid seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
A further discussion of the rules took place, mainly the one limiting the number of dogs per handler and the one prohibiting all toys. Sid occasionally has 3-4 dogs with him and felt the rule was too restrictive. Carla explained that the rules were made with the safety of all people/dogs in mind, and with input from multiple committees, trainers, vets, lawyers, our grantor, etc. Similarly Carla had visited a park recently with dogs having great fun chasing balls, Frisbees, etc – with no aggression problems. Should we push to have such fetch toys allowed? The group agreed that fetch toys are fine and harmless, but at this stage it is probably OK to let the rule stand and see how things go.
Lastly, the Grand Opening party planning is on hold for now.
Next meeting: July 7, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 8, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Julie, Cheryl, Pam, Carla, Matt, Keith)
Our monthly meeting was postponed six days because the second round of bids were to be opened on June 4 and Carla wanted to be able to share the results with FoDDP (see below.)
Rules The (town) Dog Park Subcommittee met to finalize rules for the park, working off of a draft that began with FoDDP and was last discussed by the Dog Park Subcommittee in February 2013. The “final” version looks like this:
Danvers Dog Park Rules and Regulations
(approved by FoDDP 6/8 and Sub Committee 6/2)
The Park is open 9am to Sunset- or Dusk???
1) Dogs must be properly licensed and have proof of current vaccinations as evidenced by dog tags, and not be in heat.
2) For their own safety, children must be under adult (18+) supervision at all times while inside the dog park. No children under 12 are permitted in the dog park for safety reasons.
3) No more than two (2) dogs allowed, per guardian, at one time.
4) You must remain in the park with your dog(s) at all times.
5) You must have control of your dog(s) at all times and are responsible and liable for the actions of your dogs while at the park. Dog(s) must be leashed when outside the fenced area.
6) You must immediately clear and properly dispose of all dog waste. All other trash items must be removed from the park (carry in, carry out).
7) Immediately remove a problem dog (displaying aggressive behavior, mounting, excessive barking, etc.) from park without debate. Aggressive dogs may be banned from the dog park.
8) Holes dug by your dogs must be filled in by you before leaving the park.
9) Smoking, food and glass are prohibited within the park.
10) No dog food, treats or toys are allowed in the park.
11) No large dogs (greater than 25 lbs) shall be allowed in the small dog enclosures.
12) The dog park is closed when the Park Staff is conducting maintenance or town sponsored programs.
13) Violators are subject to removal and/or exclusion from the dog park.
14) In case of emergency, dial 911. For all other questions/concerns call 978-774-1213 Ext. (8) and leave message.
All residents and visitors please enjoy the Park; while you are here, help us to keep it clean and safe. The park is made available in accordance with laws governing recreational use (M.G.L. Chapter 21 Sections 17c). The Town of Danvers does not assume responsibility for injuries or damage to personal property.
During our discussion a few items were noted:
Dr. Meyers of Danvers Animal Hospital was consulted and regarding 1), he did note that while socialization is very important there are health concerns for puppies who are not fully immunized – particularly with the most recent flu epidemic. For that reason his office would discourage young puppies from using the park until they are fully protected. He also explained that the age at which to spay/neuter is under great debate within the veterinary community as delaying surgery beyond the traditional 6-month age can be protective against cancer or other illness. Therefore there will likely be more “intact” dogs over 6 months and he suggested the possibility of a Canine Good Citizen certification if there is concern about aggression in an unneutered male dog.
Carla also clarified 12), explaining that “town sponsored programs” refers to events within the dog park, such as a training session where treats would be allowed.
Cheryl made a motion to approve the rules as written, Keith seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.
Bid Opening
Carla was present at the bid opening for the dog park project on June 4 and the news is not what we had been hoping for.
***Note: With the grant money that we have secured, the hard cap on construction spending is $250,000.***
There have actually been two rounds of bids, the second being required because the first round yielded no viable contractors – all either were not bonded as is required or submitted a bid that was over budget:
First Round Bid Results
Bidder Bonded? (“Yes” required) Total Lump Sum Price
J.P. Cardillo Yes $580,990
ND Landscape No $311,880
AT Mscisz & Sons No $217,500
JJ Phelan & Son Yes $406,000
Sum Co Yes $374,000
Target Construction Yes $269,000
Dayco Construction Yes $296,450
Second Round Bid Results
Bidder Bonded? (“Yes” required) Total Lump Sum Price
R. Bates & Son Yes $410,300
Dayco Construction Yes $322,100
JJ Phelan Yes $395,500
Unicorn, Inc Yes $338,400
Carla (and possibly Matt) will attend a meeting on Wednesday (June 10) with the various town departments to discuss where we go from here. FoDDP brainstormed ideas, which included:
· Tweak the plans (again) and rebid the project in the fall when contractors are not as busy – and have more time/motivation to give us a good price.
· Explore breaking the construction into phases so we have something functional sooner rather than later. We do not know if the grantor would be agreeable to this plan, however, and generally FoDDP was in favor of keeping it as a single phase.
· Ask the town if DPW can reclaim some aspects of construction that they had previously agreed to complete (for example, the parking area.)
· Reduce or eliminate interior plantings.
Next meeting: July 7, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 5, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Art, Cheryl, Julie, Barbara, Carla, Kim, Keith, Matt and Pam)
Carla provided an update on the contract award process. Town officials consulted with the Attorney General’s office and were told that the project needs to be rebid in its entirety after all bids in the last cycle came in over budget. The documents were modified by the project engineer in order to lower the cost of construction. The changes included redesigning a water valve outside the park and identifying items as “additives” whereby they would be included in the project if the price is right. Those optional items included granite benches, recycled benches and concrete pavers within the confines of the park. The rationale was that these items were relatively easy to add after the initial construction phase was complete, and they also lend themselves to fundraising efforts (i.e., FoDDP could sell sponsorship of benches or engraved memorial pavers.) Matt noted that the number of granite benches appears to have been inadvertently doubled in the bid documents, citing 12 needed when the ideal number discussed had been six. So, maybe we aren’t as bad off as it appears?
The new documents are expected to be entered into the central registry on May 6. We do not have a revised timeline but expect the bid opening would happen in mid-June based on past experience.
Lowes contacted Carla looking to do a project in town…something along the lines of the Rail Trail. Perhaps they can donate pavers and/or their installation if that component is not included in the initial construction.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee did not meet in April as hoped, to finalize park rules, etc. Carla has repeatedly requested that a meeting be scheduled but has not received a response to that request.
Next meeting: June 2, 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 7, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Art, Keith, Cheryl, Barbara, Dave, Judy, Carla, Kim, Matt and Pam…plus two youthful observers of a town committee in action)
Carla provided an update on the bidding process: In all papers were pulled 47 times but only 7 bids were submitted. The bid opening was delayed a week and Carla was invited to be present…but due to scheduling conflicts in the end it took place without her. Each of the bids came in over the budgeted amount, taking into account both grant and FoDDP/town-provided funds. There is therefore a conversation ongoing about how to proceed.
The suggestion on the table is that the company with the lowest bid be approached to see if costs can be trimmed by selectively reducing the scope of the work. Certain items are not negotiable, for instance the size of the park or the irrigation which was added not only for the plantings but also to address concerns about odor during the warmer months. As a group we discussed some of the possibilities:
· the Circle of Friends paved area with walkway could be built at a later date with additional fundraising (i.e. selling engraved bricks)
· the number of water fountains could be reduced to one located in the bullpen or outside the park gates
· the center planting bed could be reduced in size
· the inner lining of plantings could be eliminated
· the density of plantings could be reduced
· the more expensive benches throughout the park could be added with additional fundraising (i.e. sponsorship or memorial dedication.)
The consensus among those present was that reducing the areas and/or density of the plantings was most preferable as those can most easily be added at a later date, as an improvement. Additional benches can also be added later as funds allow. Everyone agreed that having two water fountains was very important. Pam argued that the Circle of Friends represented the spirit of bringing the (dog-loving) community together.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee did not meet in March as hoped to finalize park rules, etc. Carla has repeatedly requested that a meeting be scheduled but has not received a response to that request.
Carla will take this feedback to the town and keep the group informed about significant developments. We are hopeful that construction can remain “on track” for a park opening in late June or early July – we still need the snow to melt!
Matt reported that he had received notice from Weebly that our website membership was due to be renewed at the end of July. The cost to keep it going is $40 for one year or $68 for two years. The group voted to renew for two years.
Next meeting: May 5, 6:30.
Agenda: Updates, finalization of rules and planning of Grand Opening festivities.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 3, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Art, Keith, Cheryl, Barbara, Dave, Judy, Carla, Matt and Pam)
Carla provided an update on what has and has not been happening over the last month. The project was entered into the central registry on February 25 (we saw it in the Herald!) and beginning March 5 the bid documents will be available upon request. The bid opening will occur at the end of the month; Carla has asked to be part of that process but has not received a response to this request. At this point we are still targeting late June to have the park up and running…but the snow may unavoidably slow things down.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee did not meet in February as hoped to finalize park rules, etc. Carla has requested that a meeting be scheduled but to date that has not happened.
The idea of coordinating with Strays in Need to hold their Family Festival event in the newly constructed dog park has been shelved. Carla never connected with their contact person, and we don’t want winter-related construction delays to impact them negatively. Pam reported that Danvers Animal Hospital remains an enthusiastic supporter of the dog park and they have asked to be included in the grand opening festivities.
The group briefly discussed the idea of naming the park – but ultimately the consensus was that “Danvers Dog Park” is sufficient.
Next meeting: April 7, 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 3, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Carla, Matt and Pam)
Carla provided an update on what has and has not been happening over the last month. Diane Norris (Assistant Town Manager) reported to Carla that the contract for the landscape design was amended, to “tighten up the specifications,” and as a result there has been a delay in entering/publicizing the project in the central registry. She remains hopeful that construction will remain on track; Carla requested an updated timeline and as of Tuesday there had been no response to this request. The town Dog Park Subcommittee also did not meet as planned during January to discuss the rules for the dog park.
Carla has thus far been unsuccessful connecting with a representative of Strays in Need to discuss hosting their Family Festival event at the new dog park in June. Pam offered to contact Amy Cyr at Danvers Animal Hospital, to inquire about the best contact information for the event coordinator(s).
Lastly, Giovanni’s restaurant on Maple St. offered to send pizza to the Tuesday meeting to be enjoyed by the attendees, but Carla declined (with thanks) citing the weather and the likelihood of a low turnout. The offer is very much appreciated and one we would perhaps like to enjoy on some future occasion.
Next meeting: March 3, 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 6, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Carla, Cheryl, Julie Annese, Manny, Matt, Pam C)
Carla provided a brief synopsis to bring everyone up to speed. With the grant finally approved and publicly announced at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on December 2, things will start moving quickly. The timeline proposed is as follows: the project will be entered and publicized in the Central Registry by mid-January and bidding will close mid-February. The contract award will take place after March 1 and construction can begin as soon as weather permits, with construction to be complete by 6/21/15.
It has been proposed that a “grand opening” could be held in conjunction with Children’s Day at Endicott Park (part of Family Festival) but the committee felt that it would be chaotic with too much going on - it might not be the best environment to have as everyone’s first experience/impression (dogs and families alike,) and the dog park would be better served with a separate event. As Carla put it, “every dog should have its day.” FoDDP will explore hosting the Strays in Need Family Festival event as part of a grand opening, or choosing a weekend day in late June/early July when Endicott Park is otherwise quiet.
The Dog Park subcommittee will convene soon to go over the proposed rules for the dog park so the FoDDP discussed the rules as they exist in their draft form. Carla will take our feedback and requests for clarification to the subcommittee meeting. Julie inquired about donating bags for waste disposal and other opportunities for the community to give of their time, resources or expertise to make the park as great as it can be. Volunteers, anyone?
Lastly, the group discussed the possibility of a future improvement to the dog park. Manny envisions a sculpture that could welcome visitors and invite them to linger during their visit to the park. The sculpture could be donated, rotated on loan or purchased with funds - either surplus after construction is complete, or money raised by selling engraved bricks to create a “patio” which would then house the sculpture. It was agreed that this great idea can be explored further once the park in its current design is being enjoyed by dogs and their guardians.
Next meeting: Feb 3, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 5, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam, Carla, Keith, Barbara, Art.)
President’s Report
Carla provided the group with an update on the status of our grant application. At this point things are looking very promising and the process is moving forward along the proper channels. There has been no official announcement to date but any such news will be shared as it becomes available.
The group decided that there was no need to continue our monthly meetings until the outcome of our grant application is finalized. A notice will be sent out to all of our members announcing the date of our next FoDDP meeting.
Next meeting: TBD – watch for email/Facebook notification
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 1, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam, Carla, Cheryl, Barbara, Art, Dave & Judy Reardon and Robert Negron.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl provided a verbal update on the account balance, which is currently at $32,789. This includes recent deposits after Oldies Night ($285) and a donation check forwarded to us by David Mountain.
Committee Reports:
1. Corporate Fundraising Committee
After a lot of hard work to gather quotes and other supporting materials, the grant application packet has been submitted to the Stanton Foundation. We are awaiting news regarding their willingness to provide financial support for our project. Stay tuned!
2. Fundraising Events Committee
Oldies Night was a great event in the square which had been rescheduled due to rain in June. We raised $285, largely due to the hard work and skill of Connie Eldridge who tirelessly made balloon animals for enthusiastic customers all evening. The FoDDP table was staffed by Heather, Bob, Terri, Dave, Cindy and Missy – thank you so much to everyone involved for making this a successful endeavor!
Timothy’s Vendor Fair will be held on Saturday, October 5 from 9-4pm. The Friends of Danvers Dog Park is the beneficiary of this event and will receive the proceeds from the table fees. We will staff a table to educate patrons about our efforts. Barbara and Cheryl offered to help out.
Howl-o-ween by German Shepherd Rescue and Resource Center will be held on Sunday, October 13 from 10-3pm at Endicott Park. We will staff a table to educate attendees about our efforts.
6. Other Business
Robert inquired about the brick fundraiser and when he could place his order…we will wait until we have more definitive news from the Stanton Foundation about how to proceed with fundraising, etc, in general. It is hoped that Rene, who collected the information regarding the bricks, can attend our next meeting to assist in the discussion.
Next meeting: Tuesday, November 5, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 4, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Manny, Carla, Cheryl, Rene, Barbara, Ben, Art, Keith, Dutch, Matt and (briefly) David Mills.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl presented a report which reflected the proceeds from the Cakes for Occasions fundraiser ($430) and Maple Street Tavern Fundraiser ($528 deposited with additional money reserved for petty cash) as well as donations that have come in online. Our current balance is nearly $32,100.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
Our proposed rules were reviewed by the Dog Park Subcommittee and some modifications were made. The substance of the changes is as follows:
· The rule regarding children in the park will be modified to read that, for their own safety, children under the age of 17 must be under adult supervision while in the dog park.
· The rule stating that guardians are responsible and liable for the actions of their dogs while at the park will add a stipulation that guardians be in control of their dogs at all times.
· The rule stating that all dogs should be spayed or neutered will be strengthened from “should” to “must” and have an age component added (i.e. all dogs over age six months)
· The rule prohibiting cigarette smoking will also prohibit food.
· A rule prohibits large dogs from entering the small dog area; the Dog Park Subcommittee will discuss further what the definition of a large dog should be.
David Mills suggested we look at the Bark Park in Provincetown, which is recognized nationally as a model dog park. They likely have a website to include rules.
2. Signs Committee
Ben called four sign companies and spoke with Paul at Creative Sign. He sketched out two designs with our logo and “Danvers Dog Park,” and pricing ranged from $900 to $2000 depending on materials used. Dutch reiterated that he will make a kiosk and the sign can hang between the posts of that. Carla has a salvaged case that he may be able to incorporate into the kiosk. We discussed the need for a sign on Forest Street directing people to the dog park, but perhaps a plain, utilitarian metal sign obtained from the town would suffice for that. Ben and Rene (and anyone else interested in being involved) will research options and present at the next meeting.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
We did table at PetCo two Sunday afternoons since the last meeting. The time was chosen to maximize our exposure, as a vaccination clinic is hosted at the Peabody store each week from 2-4pm. Funds raised were minimal, but many brochures were distributed and awareness of our efforts was therefore raised. Thank you to Julie & Barbara, and Manny & Rene, for giving their time. This collaboration with a local PetCo store will strengthen our grant application with the PetCo Foundation.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Cakes for Occasions delivered a check for $430, the proceeds from selling the dog-related cupcakes in April.
Dog Park Night at Maple Street Tavern raised over $600. We got a percentage of the food sales that night, plus proceeds from raffle items and the auctioning of a pair of playoff Bruins tickets. Thank you to Maple Street Tavern for hosting the event and providing the Bruins tickets. Additional thanks to Kappy’s for donating some high end craft beer to our raffle table.
Oldies Night is on June 26 from 6-9pm. Connie Eldridge will make balloon animals, and we will offer McKinnons’ smoked dog bones and patriotic bandanas for sale.
Endicott Park Day is on June 29 from 11am to 3pm. We will share a table with the Cape Ann Time Bank and offer the smoked dog bones and patriotic bandanas at this event as well.
Engraved Bricks is another fundraising idea we will try to roll out in the next couple of weeks. These can be incorporated into the design of the park with the walkway and will be a great way for people to honor a beloved pet or family member while supporting the park. Rene, Manny and Pam will research this effort further and bring a proposal to the next meeting.
6. Construction Committee
Hancock Engineering has worked with Manny and Dutch to resolve the issue that was raised regarding wetlands near the park site in Endicott Park. Regulations require we be 25ft back from designated areas, and so Manny modified the design to shave off the portions that infringed on that setback requirement. The area lost was minimized, and Hancock submitted an application to the Conservation Commission for consideration at their June 13 meeting. John Dicks from Hancock along with Matt, Dutch and Manny will attend this meeting. If the application is not approved then we would be given specific directions about what needed to be remedied and the Conservation Committee would reconsider at their June 27 meeting. Once the application is approved, we can begin taking steps to create a timeline for construction. Tremendous thanks to Hancock Engineering for donating their services, the value of which is estimated to be many thousands of dollars.
Matt distributed the latest budget for construction costs; some items, such as signs, are listed as TBD, but the grand total is currently $21,500. This does not include the installation of an alternative surface inside the park. The consensus is that grass will not hold up well over time, and that excavation would best be done before fencing is installed. An alternative such as rice stone would be cleaner and more user-friendly, but the only estimate we have put the cost at approximately $17,000, which is not currently affordable. The construction committee will solicit additional bids in search of a better price, and Ben made note of the specs (14,400 sq ft to be excavated 8” and replaced with material?) because he may have a connection we can use.
We discussed the issue of the fence height again; Manny felt that if the Dog Park Subcommittee members could visit the new Gloucester park, they would appreciate our desire for a 5ft fence. However, Carla has had numerous conversations with the subcommittee members on this question and they are quite adamant about requiring 6ft. As a group we decided to leave it alone.
Barbara asked about the plans for the mulch created as trees are ground up during clearing; that will be resolved with Mayer Tree Service at a later date. The recommendation is that they be hauled away, but if we want wood chips then Mayer can deliver the product of a future job when we are ready. They can perhaps be used for the 5ft perimeter outside the fence, where future plantings will go.
And breaking news! It seems that we will be able to build our own benches, like the Rail Trail has done recently, if we desire seating in addition to the granite blocks.
Next meeting: Wednesday, June 19, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 7, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Manny, Carla, Cheryl, Julie T, Richard Parker and Rene Desjardins.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl presented a report which reflected the proceeds from the Artful Dogger and the Dog Wash as well as donations that have been mailed in. Our current balance is over $29,000.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
Our proposed rules have been submitted to the Dog Park Subcommittee for review. That committee has met three times since being reconvened but other issues have taken priority and the rules have not yet been addressed. There will be another Dog Park Subcommittee meeting next week.
2. Signs Committee
No update was available.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Carla continues to dream big dreams about the Grand Opening – a combination fundraiser and celebration with vendors, a bouncy house, etc. Recent developments have forced a delay in the site preparation and so we hope to get this committee formed and focused at the June meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
Cheryl raised the question of doing another, more targeted mailing to Danvers businesses in light of our recent coverage in the press. She will look back at her records about what was spent last time and we can discuss at the June meeting.
Rene asked about Petsmart and everyone agreed that our efforts talking to the manager of the local store have not been promising. We will resubmit a grant application to the PetCo Foundation after we hold some tabling events at the Peabody store (see below.)
5. Fundraising Events Committee
The Artful Dogger raised $1300. Thank you to the Danvers Art Association for hosting, New England Dog Biscuit for helping collect items, Tony Vatousios for his piano skills, Laura Soper for the delicious food and the artists for their creative work!
Cakes for Occasions extended the cupcake fundraiser for an additional week due to the marathon bombings, so no tally for this event was available.
Dog Park Night at Maple Street Tavern will be held on Friday, May 24th beginning at 5pm. A percentage of the food sales will go to the dog park fund, and we will have some special raffle items (scratch ticket tree, beer basket, etc is the plan.)
Tabling at PetCo will be done May 19 and June 2 from 2-4pm. Manny spoke with the manager of the Peabody store and she is welcoming us to come as often as we would like. We will target Sunday afternoons since there is a weekly vaccination clinic that seems to attract a large crowd of dog-owners.
Oldies Night is on June 26 from 6-9pm. We will set up a table, use the dog costume and ask Connie Eldridge to make her popular balloon animals again.
Endicott Park Day is on June 29 from 11am to 3pm. We are exploring sharing a table with the Cape Ann Time Bank since there is a charge for non-profits to be at that event.
6. Construction Committee
In April the Dog Park Subcommittee was reconvened to discuss the rules, the height of the fence and what assistance the town departments might provide in constructing the dog park. The issue of wetlands/conservation land at Endicott Park was also raised, and it was decided that an environmental scientist, engineer and surveyor needed to be hired to address this. We secured the services of Hancock Engineers who have donated their time to prepare the application for approval by the conservation committee. Manny has been in contact with John (their engineer) and has modified the park design to ensure we are 25’ back from the wetlands at either end of the dog park. The resulting park will be a little smaller but will retain the feel and features of the original design. The conservation commission meets every two weeks so we are working as quickly as possible to get the application in for the current “cycle.”
Next meeting: June 4, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 2, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Pam C, Manny, Dave & Judy, Carla, Barbara, Dutch, Matt, Erin, Julie Torode, Mike & Patty Billings, Ben & Briana Polan.)
Introductions
We were thrilled to have some new members at this meeting, so we began with introductions so that different roles on the committee were identified.
President’s Report
Carla opened the meeting with news of several events with town officials since the March meeting. The question of a warrant article for the dog park was on the agenda at a Selectman’s meeting March 19th; Carla, Matt, Pam and Judy attended. There was some support from a couple of Board members and we advocated for some town assistance given that we have achieved the fundraising goal set in 2011 but estimates we are getting are much higher. Ultimately it was decided that instead of money, the town could provide some “in kind” assistance with labor from the various departments (DPW, water department, etc.) We were advised to reconvene the Dog Park Subcommittee.
That Subcommittee met on April 2 and a lot of progress was made: the town will now assume responsibility for grading the path from the parking lot for handicap accessibility; they will run the water line from the children’s playground to the dog park, if we purchase a water fountain; they will allow large granite blocks to serve as benches – which represents a significant cost savings – and will provide two at no cost. Additionally, Mayer Tree Service has agreed to remove the trees, brush and stumps at no charge. Between the town departments and Mayer Tree Service, an estimated $24,000 is being saved. This obviously puts us much closer to our goal.
A 6 ft high fence is still required; our research did not yield a strong argument against their liability concerns. An estimate from Durabilt will be obtained. They would like a rendition of the park construction as a two phase project, separating out items that will be added once additional funds are raised (for example, landscaping, additional benches, and the paved area.) A follow-up meeting with the Subcommittee will be held on April 10 to discuss the width of the gates, the park rules and surface materials.
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl was not present but sent a report. The balance in the account is currently $26,940. We have money to be deposited from some matching grants and the dog wash, which will bring the total to approximately $30,000. Art will be asked back to paint the bone thermometer with more red paint.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
These will be discussed with the Dog Park Subcommittee.
2. Signs Committee
Ben offered to research sign designs and associated costs. The main sign will likely be about four ft long with the FoDDP logo as well as plaques acknowledging our big donors (People’s United Bank, NMTW Credit Union, Mayer Tree Service, etc.) The other signs will be heavy plastic with the rules, posted on the gates to the small and large dog areas, and a “kiosk” with a place to post notices, business cards, etc.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Carla has lots of ideas for how this can also be a fundraiser.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
Pam reported that we are eligible to reapply for support from the PetCo Foundation, since (more than) three months have elapsed since their last refusal. The two areas of weakness cited in our previous application were that the budget was unclear and that we didn’t have a longstanding relationship with a local PetCo affiliate. The budget is in much better shape; we will look at tabling at the Peabody store as a way to collaborate going forward.
Ben suggested we contact Pet Edge in Beverly, which provides items to a lot of the local pet stores.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Dog Wash at North Shore Dog was a lot of fun, and quite successful. We washed 30 dogs and raised over $900. Thank you to our FoDDP volunteers working the bake sale, selling t-shirts and drying dogs! And thank you to North Shore Dog for hosting the event – their staff was amazing.
Art Show/Auction will be held April 11th from 7-9pm at the Danvers Art Association. A call for work went out to numerous organizations and individuals, and the deadline was extended to try to maximize the success of this event. We have a musician donating his time playing the keyboard and a caterer preparing some delicious appetizers.
Cakes for Occasions will donate $1 for every dog-themed cupcake sold during an upcoming month-long period, dates to be determined. We will get the word out once the details are finalized.
Maple Street Tavern wants to host a fundraising night to benefit FoDDP. Pam will contact the owner.
6. Construction Committee
Dutch presented a report from the Construction Committee which opened some new questions for discussion. Do we want to leave the surface as grass initially, or explore an alternative such as rice stone? The cost of installing an alternative will be greater if it is done after the fencing is in place. Portions of the stone wall will need to be moved, and that cost is not reflected in the current budget. Three estimates will be obtained. Manny, Matt and Dutch will coordinate a meeting with Dave Townley to confirm the placement of the boundary stakes. All new figures need to be to Carla by Monday so they can be sent to the Subcommittee in preparation for their Wednesday meeting.
Old Business
None.
New Business
None.
Next meeting: May 7, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 5, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Terri, Keith, Cheryl, Pam C, Art, Manny, Dave & Judy, Carla, Barbara.)
Treasurer’s Report
Carla opened by reporting that the comedy night did very well, with over $1700 in net profit. Well done, everyone! She also received a check for $43.17 from Modell’s Sporting Goods store for the December fundraiser. Cheryl did not have an official “report” with her but with these additions the balance in the account will approach $28,000. A photo of Art painting the bone thermometer was taken and submitted to Danvers Patch, the Danvers Herald and the Salem News.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
A draft of the dog park rules was sent to the town for their input and approval. They compared it with the items specified by the dog park subcommittee of the Recreation Committee, and it was decided the subcommittee should reconvene. Dave Townley will participate in his role as ranger of Endicott Park, and they will reconsider the question of a 5ft vs 6ft fence. This is at our request since there is a significant cost and aesthetic difference between the two, and we feel the 5ft fence is adequate. See Appendix A for the current draft of the park rules.
2. Signs Committee
A request was made for a volunteer to research and get pricing on the signs we will need.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
An application for a warrant article with the town has been submitted. It will be discussed at a future Selectman’s meeting.
Opportunities still exist to seek out corporate money through grant applications and the like. Pam offered to pursue reapplying with the PetCo Foundation in addition to new efforts with some promising leads.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Comedy Night at Timothy’s raised over $1700. We had a good crowd and the comedians were high quality (and therefore more expensive.) The lottery ticket tree raffle made $560 and the 50/50 raffle made $500 since the winner donated her share back to the dog park.
Dog Wash at North Shore Dog will be held on March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) from 11am-3pm. $20/dog is the suggested donation. North Shore Dog will provide the supplies and the staff to do the washing; FoDDP will provide the volunteers to help with registration, entertaining the waiting dogs and selling bake sale items. We have been collecting towels for use in drying. The plan is to tie in with the holiday by giving out green dog bandanas.
Art Show/Auction will be held April 11th from 7-9+pm at the Danvers Art Association. A call for work has gone out to numerous organizations and individuals, and items will be collected at New England Dog Biscuit between March 18 and April 1. We are exploring options for refreshments, musical entertainment and door prizes.
Cakes for Occasions will donate $1 for every dog-themed cupcake sold during the month of April. Carla offered (threatened?) to bring a dozen of them to the next meeting to sell.
6. Construction Committee
Manny presented a final design of the park, which has all of the approvals needed by the town. The design may be viewed on our website, www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com. We have some preliminary estimates on the costs associated with each item, but would like to seek bids from local businesses who may be able to give us a better price. At this time the cost of the first phase of construction (tree removal, grading, fence installation, handicap accessibility, benches, signage, water) is upwards of $55,000. We can delay some items (water?) if necessary.
Old Business
None.
New Business
We are seeking people to help take the next steps. Keith volunteered to research the issue of fence height by collecting data regarding what other parks have and why, so we can present that information to the dog park subcommittee. We need a person to look at the issue of the benches, and coordinate additional quotes for fencing and grading.
Next meeting: April 2, 6:30pm
Appendix A
Dog Park (Proposed) Rules and Regulations
(as of 2/26/13 – slightly modified as noted with italics at March FoDDP meeting)
1. Dogs must be properly licensed and have proof of current vaccinations as evident by current dog tags.
2. For their own safety, children under the age of 10 years of age are not recommended to enter the dog park. Children ages 10-17 must be under adult (18+) supervision at all times while inside the Dog Park.
3. No more than two (2) dogs allowed, per guardian, at one time.
4. Guardian must remain in the park with their dog(s) at all times.
5. Guardians are responsible and liable for the actions of their dogs while at the park.
6. Guardians must immediately clear and properly dispose of all waste and trash.
7. All dogs should be either spayed or neutered.
8. Guardians MUST IMMEDIATELY remove a problem dog (displaying aggressive behavior, persistant mounting, excessive barking, etc) from park WITHOUT DEBATE. Aggressive dogs may be banned from the dog park.
9. Cigarette smoking is prohibited within the park.
10. No large dogs shall be allowed in the small dog enclosures. A large dog is any dog greater than 25 pounds.
11. In case of emergency, call Animal Control at (978)774-1213 or dial 911.
All residents and visitors please enjoy the Park; while you are here, please help us to keep it clean and safe.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 5, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Dutch, Matt, Pam C, Art, Manny, Dave & Judy, Mike Grandmaison, Carla, Erin, Barbara.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl was not present due to illness, but Carla delivered an update. The balance in the account is $22,745.19. There was an additional analysis presented of the two bulk mailings that were done: the business solicitation went out to over 1600 recipients, at a cost of $1100; the returns totaled $6550 for a net yield of $5450. The dog owner solicitation went out to 1880 recipients, at a cost of $846; the returns totaled $3062 for a net yield of $2216.
It was noted that the “bone thermometer” can be painted up to the $25,000 mark very soon, and a photo of Art doing the honors is requested for promotional purposes.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
2. Signs Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
Carla met with the Danvers Rotary on February 4. This was an opportunity for the Rotary members to ask questions and learn more about the park before they decide on any level of funding support.
Carla has also spoken with town officials about the process for filing a warrant article. It can be done through a citizen’s petition but will require a firm plan and budget.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Ice Cream for Breakfast at Cherry Farm Creamery raised $2179.74. Thank you to Steve Jones for inviting us to partner in this event!
Comedy Night at Timothy’s will be held on March 2nd. The comedians are fantastic (headliner is Patty Ross) and hopefully the Saturday event will draw even more people. Tickets will be $20 if purchased before February 28th.
Dog Wash at North Shore Dog will be held on March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) from 11am-3pm. $20/dog is the suggested donation. North Shore Dog will provide the supplies and the staff to do the washing; FoDDP must provide 6 volunteers to help with registration, playing with dogs in the queue and drying them off. We are also to collect towels for use in drying. The plan is to tie in with the holiday by giving out green dog bandanas.
Art Show/Auction will be held April 11th from 7-9+pm at the Danvers Art Association. We are drafting a call for work and exploring options for refreshments, musical entertainment and door prizes.
Cranney Home Services gives $1000 to a non-profit in a random drawing each month. Matt will rally our mailing list members to submit entries via the Cranney website.
6. Construction Committee
There was a long and complex, but ultimately productive, discussion surrounding the issues faced by the construction committee. Manny put together a more visually appealing design for the park, advocating for the park to be an inviting public space so it will get more use and be a true asset to the town. The initial drawings did make use of land outside the existing boundaries, however, in part to address the issue of handicap accessibility. Unless the town officials change their position on accessibility compliance, this will not be acceptable going forward. So with input from the other committee members as well as Mike Grandmaison in his capacity as a Friend of Danvers Recreation and a member of the Recreation Committee, Manny will make another attempt at a design that repositions the main gate and shaves back the portion the curves below the staked area.
This new design will feature two options: option A will remain in the open space as designated by the current boundaries, while option B will include the area behind the rock wall as well. This wooded area behind the wall may increase the cost significantly with tree removal and the repositioning of some wall rocks. It would also significantly increase the square footage of the overall park, however, and the town is agreeable to us using this space. Carla will arrange for a meeting with Manny, Dutch and the town officials (target: Feb 14) to present options A and B. Then Dutch will compile estimates for what each of the two options would cost, which Carla can use in preparation for the warrant article process. Either option could be done in phases, with site preparation and fence installation being sufficient to get the park open and running.
Additional comments: Mike Grandmaison suggested a visual that would show the dog park and its placement in the larger space, so it would be clear how close the perimeter would be to the street, etc. Dave Reardon expressed concern that too many trees, shrubs and benches would take away space for the dogs to run. Barbara advocated for the small dogs, asking that their space not be too small. The roll of the building inspector and the town engineer in issues of accessibility and water drainage, respectively, remain unclear.
Further discussion took place around fence height (we would advocate for 5ft, which is typical), accessibility requirements (can only rise 1” in 12”), surface materials (grass vs wood chips vs rice stone) also took place.
Next meeting: March 5, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 8, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Matt, Pam C, Lisa, Cheryl, Maureen, Art, Manny,
Dave & Judy, Terri, Carla, Erin.)
Informal discussion re: Warrant Article
Keith and Maureen were at an unrelated event recently and spoke with
two of the town selectmen. We were advised that there is town
money set aside specifically for projects that will improve Danvers, and our
project would be an ideal candidate for matching funds.
They are solidly in our corner.
It was proposed that the warrant article should be filed with the town
clerk soon, either by Dave Mountain or a committee member.
This award would be voted on at Town Meeting in May, with money
distributed in July. The topic was
resumed during the Construction Subcommittee
report.
Treasurer’s Report
Current balance in account will be just over $22,000 with funds collected
at tonight’s meeting. Cheryl
continues to maintain a list of donors so that everyone might be thanked at the
end of our campaign.
Committee
Reports:
1. Fundraising Events Committee
Team Weeks at Modell’s raised
$43. Thank you to Judy Reardon for
initiating this effort.
Pet Photos with Santa at Pet
Life raised $300-400. Thank you to
Matt for initiating this effort, and to the volunteer Santas and photographers
for making it happen.
Art Show/Auction is in the
works to be held at the Danvers Art Association. We have submitted potential dates to
John Archer to determine availability.
Margaurita Spear will help with the call for art work,
etc.
Comedy Night will be held
again in February or March, with the exact date chosen to not be too close to
the Art event.
Cranney Home Services gives
$1000 to a non-profit in a random drawing each month.
Matt will rally our mailing list members to submit entries via the
Cranney website.
2. Construction Committee
Dutch was not present to give an update, so we are still waiting for
firm numbers in a budget. Manny
spoke of the need to have a thoughtful design for the park, and cautioned that a
rectangular, entirely-utilitarian structure may be less satisfactory in the long
term. As a landscape architect by
trade, Manny offered to design a park that would “fit” with the location, taking
into account grade, drainage, accessibility – he held the design of the new dog
park in Gloucester up as a model.
The costs and benefits of any design change would need to be weighed, and
this is best done by the subcommittee.
Carla asked that Manny and Dutch try to meet and come to a consensus
before our February meeting. We
will hold off presenting anything to the Historic Commission until some of these
issues have been resolved.
A more elaborate design would also be more costly.
The subject of the warrant article was revisited.
Carla will ask Wayne Marquis (town manager) how the process works, then
reach out to Dave Mountain to see if this is something he would pursue on our
behalf or if we would be on our own.
Another subcommittee was formed to follow up.
The Warrant Article Subcommittee will include Maureen, Keith, Carla and
Manny.
3. Sign Committee
No official update. We
will take photos of the signs already present at Endicott Park, and consider a
design which would allow the posting of notices as well as sponsor names,
etc. It was mentioned that the
rules should be put on the gate so they are visible to all who
enter.
4. Rules Committee
Maureen and Carla presented a list of rules to be discussed by the group
at large. The list was gathered by
researching the rules used at other parks. The members present discussed them one
by one and voted to come to a preliminary consensus.
Carla noted that the final rules will require approval through the town
authorities, so nothing established on this date is final.
Terri requested to be added to the membership of this committee. A brief synopsis of the what was agreed
upon: Enter at own risk; dogs
must be licensed, vaccinated and spayed/neutered; children under 10 are not
recommended in the dog park, all under 18 must have adult supervision; no more
than 2 dogs per guardian; guardian must remain and be in control at all times;
waste must be cleared and disposed of properly; problem dogs must be immediately
removed; no smoking; no dog over 25lbs in the small dog
area.
New Business
Carla is optimistic for a 2013 opening, and wants to start planning
the celebration. A subcommittee
was formed to include Cheryl, Carla and Lisa.
Lisa handed out flyers for her pet care
business.
Matt will continue booking the bank’s community room for our
meetings. The first Tuesday in
July is the 2nd, so we opted to move that meeting to the
9th.
All others through 2013 will be held the first
Tuesday of the month, at 6:30pm.
Next meeting: Feb 5, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 6, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Carla, Maureen, Keith & Jackie, Terri, Tom
Dragosits of North Shore Dog, Barbara, Pam C, Michael Grandmaison, Art, Matt,
Dave & Judy.)
Introductions
Approval of October minutes
Treasurer’s Report
Current balance in account is just over $17,000.
Recent deposits have included a $120 check from Texas Roadhouse for our
fundraiser there and some donations made by Danvers dog owners in response to a
recent solicitation letter.
Thanks to Barbara for her role in getting 1876 letters printed and
stuffed, and over 1700 of them labeled for mailing.
Beth at Friends of Danvers Recreation is very helpful making sure the dog
park is being credited appropriately for
donations.
Committee Reports:
1. Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
There are 110 Danvers businesses still to be solicited via
mailing. Cakes for Occasions is
willing to do a fundraiser for us where they have a theme and promote a
percentage going toward the dog park; Cheryl will talk to them about doing that
in January. Cranney Home Services
also gives $1000 each month; we need to pick a month to do a concentrated blast
of entries, since more entries does increase our chances of
winning.
2. Fundraising Events Subcommittee
Comedy Night coming up
November 15that Village Green.
Tickets sales are going well; Carla will pay the comedians $1200 that
night out of funds collected via ticket sales. Cheryl will help
make signs for the raffle items.
Howl-o-ween was a success in
terms of visibility and making contacts with the other vendors present. We only raised $35 or
so.
Pet Photos with Santa will
happen in December at the Pet Life stores in Danvers and Stoneham.
Volunteers for Santa and a helper will be
recruited.
Art Show/Auction is still in
the works for early March; will be held at Danvers Art Association, details to
follow.
Vendor Fair was suggested if
we could find a venue; suggestions included Holy Trinity Church, Putnamville
School and the Carriage House at Endicott Park. But there was not a strong commitment
that we could put this together before the
holidays.
3. Construction Committee
Dutch wasn’t present to give an update, but he sent some information
along with Matt and Carla. Another
site visit has occurred with markings laid out by the town, but Dutch estimates
the park as presented will be significantly smaller than the 1 acre approved by
the town selectmen. There seems to
be a disconnect with the information coming to and from the different entities
involved; was the approval specific in its description, or was it only approval
of the concept of a dog park?
Michael Grandmaison offered to speak to Dave Mountain and Dave Lane to
clarify how to move this process forward.
Matt presented various estimates for tree/brush clearing and fencing, but
without Dutch present it was hard to know what park design the estimates
specifically addressed.
Clarification is needed.
4. Registration Committee
The email list has been cross-checked with the new Yahoo group. People can now sign themselves up to
receive communication and alternatively, remove themselves from the group. Only moderators can send emails. It is set up to automatically send
reminders about the meetings.
Carla also shared some business cards people can use to spread the word
if you encounter a potential member while out and
about.
5. Rules and Regulations
Maureen volunteered the lead this effort and will look at what other
parks/programs have used to address issues of registration, fees, usage rules,
etc. Michael Grandmaison suggested
that a dog park fee could be added to the dog licensing process already in
place.
6. Sign Committee
Carla, Cheryl and Pam agreed to serve on the sign committee and will meet
to discuss options and then present them before the Historic Commission to get a
sense of what they will approve.
Michael Grandmaison indicated there is a sign bylaw in town that may
provide guidance.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 6, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Pam M, Art, Judy, Dave Carla, Maureen, Erin, Dutch, Matt, Lisa)
Treasurer’s Report
Given by Carla in Cheryl’s absence. Current balance in the account is $11,530.51 with another $3600 awaiting deposit. Feedback has been positive on the spreadsheet format of the report, but final approval from Friends of Danvers Recreation is still pending. A reminder that all donation checks need to be made payable to Friends of Danvers Recreation, Inc. The brochure has been updated to reflect this.
Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
The solicitation letters have been updated and approved by FoDR so they can go out to the remaining businesses on our list. Carla contacted town hall to see if the list of town residents with registered dogs can be provided electronically to simplify the printing of labels for another solicitation campaign. The software contractor gave a price of $385 for this service, which was deemed too expensive. We will do the work by hand if necessary.
Also, it was reported that the PETCO Foundation grant application has been submitted. We asked for $15,000, which is the estimated cost of the fencing materials; it takes 12-16 weeks to get a response.
Fundraising Events Subcommittee
The yard sale will be held Sept 8 & 9 at 147 Maple St. Advertising was done on Craigslist and Danvers Patch, and Cheryl put out a press release to the Salem News and the Danvers Herald. We also purchased an ad in the Salem News. Signs are needed to post in the vicinity of the sale. We will sell tshirts and have brochures, and also distribute flyers for the upcoming event at Texas Roadhouse. Some children have offered to sell lemonade and popcorn, with proceeds to be split between the dog park and a cystic fibrosis charitable organization.
On September 20 from 4-10pm, we will sponsor an event at Texas Roadhouse where all patrons who turn in a flyer will have 10% of their check donated to the dog park. Flyers will be available at the yard sale and will be promoted through Facebook, email, Danvers Patch, etc. We will have a table from 5-9pm with tshirts for sale, brochures and some raffle items. Texas Roadhouse will provide a basket for the raffle; folks volunteered to solicit New England Dog Biscuit, Daily Harvest, Supinos, Maple St Tavern, etc.
We will have a table at the Howl-o-ween event in Endicott Park on October 14. We are looking for ideas to add to our efforts selling tshirts and handing out brochures.
The art show fundraiser proposed at the last meeting will be postponed until February, so it can be held at the Danvers Art Association. We are coordinating with Margaurita Spear and John Archer to finalize a date.
Since the art show will be a winter event, we will explore a comedy show for November. Carla will look into holding it at the Village Green, so we can hold a bigger crowd (200+).
Lastly, we hope to have a recurring (dog) nail cutting fundraiser. We are coordinating with a veterinary technician who proposed the idea, and the owner of New England Dog Biscuit who has offered to host the event(s).
Construction Subcomittee
Site visit on Aug 18; trees that need to stay were tagged but the stakes had not been moved to reflect move away from the stone wall. Dutch and Dave have discussed the possibility of the park being located in the lower half of the field, closer to Forest St. This would save significantly on the cost, as fewer trees and stumps would need to be removed. It also alleviates accessibility (seniors) and parking concerns (what if the church bans dog park patrons from parking there, and Forest St is dangerously busy); the area is more level and a small parking area could be included immediately adjacent to the park. The entrance to this parking already exists, as it is something the town has considered in the past. It was agreed that Dave Mountain would be contacted to discuss this alternative.
Other/General Business
· The “thermometer” sign will be updated to reflect the new account balance, and it will be moved from Carla’s house to Pam McMasters’ house after the yard sale.
· Cheryl communicated with Cakes for Occasions about involving them in fundraising.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
August 8, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Maureen, Carla, Ann, Steve, Keith, Dave, Judy, Cheryl, Art, Matt)
Election of Officers
It was determined that the election of officers was needed, to formalize responsibilities and facilitate communication within and by the group to outside entities. Four posts were created: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Clerk. The duties outlined for each are:
Chair: set meeting dates and agendas, collect reports from subcommittees, act as spokesperson for the group.
Vice Chair: assist and fill in for the chair in the event such need arises.
Treasurer: execution and accounting of all financial transactions, with reports provided to group and Friends of Danvers Recreation.
Clerk: keeping and posting of meeting minutes.
The posts were filled by Carla King (Chair), Matt Faino (Vice Chair), Cheryl French (Treasurer) and Pam Crum (Clerk.)
Update on meetings with town
A meeting was held in July with Friends of Danvers Recreation to address their concerns in regard to recent actions taken by Friends of Danvers Dog Park; Carla and Matt acted as representatives for the group. The concerns expressed had to do with the wording in a solicitation letter sent out to local businesses, the wording in our brochure distributed to the public, the desire for a single contact person to interface with town officials, and the establishment of an accurate accounting of the funds we are collecting. It was felt the meeting was positive and productive, and the relationship is on solid ground going forward.
In addition, a site visit at Endicott Park was held with town officials, to stake out the park location and address concerns/questions; Carla, Dutch, Judy and Dave represented FoDDP. The area mapped out was more wooded than previously set forth, and it included a portion of a historically significant rock wall. FoDDP expressed their dissatisfaction, concerned that the wall was a dangerous impediment, the clearing of too many trees would be cost prohibitive and the installation of fencing around established trees could be problematic if the fence required any depth below ground level. The town has since agreed to shift the area 15 feet out, so that the wall will be outside the fence. Some wooded area will remain. Another site visit will be scheduled for August 18 at 9am.
Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
· Letter has secured some significant donations from local businesses: People’s United Bank ($2500), NMTW Credit Union ($2500), ITW ($750), The Canine Comp. ($250), Herb Chambers ($200), Danvers Animal Hospital ($100), Phil Richard Insurance ($100).
· The remaining 140 business solicitation letters will be held until wording can be approved by Friends of Danvers Recreation. Dog owners will also be solicited; Cheryl and Carla will work on getting information electronically from town hall. This letter will also require approval, and we will target Sept/Oct mailing.
· Two new contacts were introduced: Art spoke with Dennis F., the owner of the new store New England Dog Biscuit, who would like to get involved; and Carla spoke with Rob at Pet Express in the Liberty Tree Mall who expressed similar sentiments. We will think of ways to make use of these contacts for future events and/or solicit them for donations.
· Carla will explore signage issue again, so we have a tangible way to acknowledge bigger donors at the park. Will get prices and approval through Dave Mountain, and the possibility of plaques on benches was discussed.
Fundraising Events Subcommittee
· Yard sale to be held Sept 8/9th at 147 Maple St, donations are being accepted and can be left in garage at end of driveway as convenient. We will advertise in newspaper, Facebook, Patch, Craigslist, etc.
· We will have table at Howl-o-ween event in Endicott Park on Oct 14, selling t-shirts, etc. Looking for another “add-on” to draw people and donations.
· We are exploring two other ideas: an art show/raffle for November where artists are asked to donate a piece of art, and people vie for a chance to take home an item of their choosing. Maureen has connections at Danvers Art Association as a possible venue, and at Merchants to see if wine can be donated. A second idea is for a nail-cutting service to be held monthly, with proceeds benefiting the dog park fund. We are investigating different venues.
· Restaurant fundraising nights will be arranged for a night following each of these bigger events so that coupons/flyers can be distributed.
· A repeat of the successful Comedy Night will be planned for early 2013, with Carla leading that effort.
Construction Subcomittee
· See notes on meetings with town officials, re: site visit that was held in July. Another site visit will be held August 18th at 9am. We are confident that compromises can be made so every party involved is satisfied with the end result.
Other/General Business
· The “thermometer” sign will be moved from Town Hall to in front of Carla’s house until after the yard sale.
· Cheryl will update the brochure again to reflect changes required by Friends of Danvers Recreation.
· The creation of a Yahoo group to distribute information was proposed and will be explored.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 5, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Dutch, Steve, Pam M, Keith, Cheryl, Art, Pam C, Dave, Judy, Erin, Matt)
Matt suggested the July meeting be held on the 10th rather than the typical “second Tuesday of the month” to avoid the holiday. He will book the PUB community room for that date.
Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
· Letter has been drafted identifying different levels of corporate giving and how such a donation will be recognized. Need to ask Carla to update website to match these giving levels.
· Obtained list of 2100 Danvers businesses from the town, trimmed it to 1600 when duplicates and closed businesses were eliminated. Will be solicited in groups of 500 or so, the 1st 500 have gone out.
· Got our first corporate gift as a result of mailing, $25 from Jack’s Sub Shop on Liberty St. Cheryl will create spreadsheet of donors to track and thank.
· Right now we are paying full price for postage, etc. Pam M suggested contacting Brenda Martin, postmaster in Danvers, to see about bulk mailing. One town department has permit for mailing at reduced cost but it is not available to us. Also suggested pre-stamped envelopes.
· Town gave us hard copy of registered dog owners in town for another targeted mailing. 1500 on the list but some multi-dog families so needs to be trimmed. Hoping for electronic copy or for town to print mailing labels to save on labor of entering data.
· Subcommittee will separately target potential larger donors: banks, large chain pet stores, etc. Anyone with a connection at such an institution should share that information with Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee. Pam M will explore connection at Beverly Hospital at Danvers.
Fundraising Events Subcommittee
· Car wash this Saturday, June 9, 9am-2pm at Firestone. Committee set with materials (hoses, buckets, soap, sponges, towels, signs) but we still need volunteers. Sheet passed around to help fill open slots. Dog costume in lieu of live dogs to attract customers. T-shirts will be sold, flyers distributed.
· 50/50 raffle to be sold for months of June and July. Will sell at multiple locations and times through the months, post updated prize tally on website/FB, pull winning ticket at August FoDDP meeting. June selling events at car wash (6/9), Merchants (6/16), McKinnons (6/11), Daily Harvest Café (6/21). July events will be at Post Office, New England Dog Biscuit and perhaps PetLife.
· Will seek permission to have table with tshirts, donation jar and brochures at Oldies Night and Endicott Park Day. Will ask about selling 50/50 raffle tickets but expectation is that it will not be allowed. Dog costume would be a welcome addition here.
· At each of these events, we should have table with banner, email signup list, brochures and map of dog park location and layout.
· Other ideas: Whisker Walk, table at parks/ball fields
Construction Subcomittee
· Walked the site but need to do so with town officials so exact location of fence posts can be determined. Contacted David Mountain but told meeting will require coordination with tree department, native species expert, etc. It could be a while. Concern is that without hard numbers, it is impossible to approach fencing companies about prices on materials. Dutch has access to team to do installation.
· Dutch talked to manager of Home Depot, secured donation of wooden stakes and surveyor’s tape. Spoke of future donation in form of piping, etc to extend water to site.
· Survey team looked at site and raised concern about installing handicap accessible ramp. Height of park is 100” which would require 100’ ramp at the correct grade. With necessary excavation (4 ft) the cost would be prohibitive at $35K. Discussion followed about need for ramp and whose responsibility it would be to install. This is on the list of questions for the town.
Other/General Business
· Dutch suggested an artist’s rendering of the finished dog park would be good for public relations. His daughter can do it.
· Cheryl will redo our brochure. Changes will include reprioritizing ways that people can help, and specifying that donations by check should be made payable to Friends of Danvers Dog Park.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 1, 2012 Meeting Minutes
·
A canister with logo is
available for placement in business or the like to collect cash donations. Suggestion
was made for town hall, so Art is going to see if it will be
allowed.
·
Gail reported that the
Historic Commission approved the use of black vinyl-coated chain link for the
dog park fencing.
There was some discussion
about the required height, but that will be determined with input from the
Recreation Committee.
·
The agenda of the
meeting was to form subcommittees to focus on specific tasks, to improve
efficiency of the group overall.
The committees proposed were Construction, Corporate Fund Raising, Park
Rules & Regulations, Fundraising Events and New Members.
An additional subcommittee
was suggested and adopted to handle Public Relations, i.e. Facebook, newspaper
announcements, promotional materials like t-shirts, etc.
·
Dutch Norden offered
his services as a local builder with knowledge relevant to construction and
plumbing, plus access to various equipment. He
was enthusiastically placed on the Construction
subcommittee.
·
Various subjects were
also discussed more informally: signage to honor sponsors, benches which cost
$3000 including installation by the town, switching the email list to a Yahoo
group, a dog park blog on Patch, liability issues and ideas for our next
fundraiser. These topics will be discussed further by the
appropriate subcommittees.
·
It was reported that
the Comedy Night in March raised approximately $2300 and our funds currently
total $6500. The dog bone thermometer outside town hall will be updated to reflect
this amount.
Location: The Natural Dog at 29 Elm St in Danvers
Next meeting scheduled for Feb 7th at 5:45, also at The Natural Dog in Danvers (Thank you The Natural Dog for letting use your space!)
Financial Update:
- Deposited $122 from Texas Roadhouse event ($77) and park donation box ($45)
- $250 donation from dog park member
Brick Project Update:
- Will continue to sell at Spring Events and post on FB pages until April 2nd. We will then order for installation and start selling again for 2024. Hope to have new bricks installed by the end of June.
- If you want to order a brick to be installed this year and help raise funds for the park, please click here: https://donationbricks.com/danversdogpark. $100 gets you a customized brick to be installed in one of the bullpens.
Upcoming Events and Volunteers needed:
- We are looking at a tentative Spring Clean up day of April 15th. Will need volunteers to help rake leaves, pick up debris, and give the park a fresh spring cleaning!
- Easter Bunny pictures with your dog tentatively scheduled for April 1st, rain date April 2nd. Along with the Easter Bunny we will have an informational table set up and again, could use volunteers to sit at the table. Times to be announced closer to the date.
FoDDP Minutes 12/6/22
Present: John Pumphrey, Carla King, Pam Crum, Dawn Price, Maryann Madden, Jen griffin, Christine Taylor, Cindy Scholler
There were several new members so we did brief introductions and how the FoDDP came to be.
1. Financial update: Deposit of $228 from Halloween event.
2. Brick project update: Project update- We need to get a push out again for spring installation.
3. What do we want to do for park? It was agreed by the group that we would work with the down on expanding the small side back. Carla has been working with Chris on pricing for stairs and fencing. We agreed to commit to fundraising for this.
Benches have come to fruition.
We continued the conversation about having a dog behaviorist and /or ACO at the park for education. Carla will look into this again.
4. Facebook page- Carla explained that we as a group decided not to allow advertisements or adoption posts as they bog the page down and important information is not seen. We do allow local lost dogs and park goers posts for meet-ups etc. This has been going well. Carla explained that we have toyed with the idea of letting people advertise for a fee to go to FoDDP.
5. Events at the park- The next events up will be Easter Bunny Photos and the Spring Clean-up.
6. Fundraising. We have partnered with the Natural Dog. They allow our meetings in their space. They have also organized a fundraiser at Texas Road House. They will put donation jars on their counters. We talked about what other events might be good to do. Ideas were a lemonade stand, silent auction, 5k walk, recommitting to Amazon Smile and raffles. We have had good partnerships with Spoiled Rotten Doggie Daycare and now the Natural Dog as well so we will look to include them.
Maryann and Christine will work the TRH event table from 3-5, Carla will set up and come back to work the table as will John and Dawn.
FoDDP Agenda- 11/8/22 - 8pm on Zoom
1. Financial update:
2. Brick project update:
3. What do we want to do for the park?
a. Benches-
b. Dog Behaviorist/training –
c. Discussion of small side expansion
4. Facebook Page –
5. Events at the park
6. Fundraising -
7. For discussion next meeting:
8. New business/other discussion
FoDDP notes for 9/20/2022
Present: Carla, John and Pam
Financial update: We collected $109 in donations at the birthday party and Pam collected $20 from the donation box. We also sold several t-shirts.
Small Park shade etc. update: The FoDDP have agreed to split the cost of purchasing and installing a gazebo with the town. This will be ordered soon but like most things will take some time to come in. The shade has become such an issue that it’s an amenity and needs to be handicap accessible by law; once we have shade that is accessible, we can look at expanding the small dog side to potentially recapture some of the space lost during the 2021 park renovation. The cost to do so would be the construction of stairs plus the moving of the fence. FoDDP would need to plan fundraising to cover these costs.
Wasp Nest: The nest was removed today (9/20). Thank you to park patrons for reporting the nest and to park staff for executing the removal.
Brick project update: One brick was sold at the birthday party. We will sell bricks through the end of year and then place an order so they can be installed right after the spring thaw. We are hoping to sell quite a few, as this could be a good fundraiser for the expansion.
What do we want to do for the park?
- Benches – at the meeting, we discussed that we have not received a status update - but since the meeting, we have been notified that they are in! The benches need to be assembled and decisions about where to put them need to be made. The town will seek FoDDP’s input. (If anyone has any input to share please contact Carla so this can be taken into consideration.)
- Dog Behaviorist/training – the FoDDP is looking for expertise to help with issues at the park. We envision possible workshops but also someone to spend time at the park helping dog owners understand appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
Facebook Page: Overall things have gone well. We have decided to “pilot” an advertising fee. From now until the end of the year, a dog-related business can post an advertisement for $20. We want to see how this might work.
Events at the park:
- Birthday - Our 6th birthday party went well! Lusita Pumphrey sponsored cupcakes and a professional photographer for fun fall pictures of our amazing dogs!
- Halloween - Our Annual event “Treats and Tail Wags” will happen Oct 29th with a rain date of the 30th. We are looking for dog-related vendors to have tables and there will be a costume parade and contest. We are looking for sponsors for prizes etc. Entry fee for the contest is $10 ahead of the event or $15 the day of.
- Night at the Park - Last year the town partnered with us to do a night at the park where they brought in lights, coffee and hot cocoa. We will look to do this again and are waiting to confirm a date with the town.
- Christmas - We will look to do holiday dog photographs. Time and date will be announced later.
Fundraising: No large specific events on the calendar at this time. We will need to look at one in the spring to do more renovations as noted above. Smaller events have been noted above. We also talked about needing more volunteers. As a small group with busy lives ourselves we need more people to help with events; if unable to help in person, maybe people can help with facebook posts etc. We did ask for help with informational tables and one park goer came forward but without more help we were not able to get that project up and running.
New business/other discussion: None
Next meeting: TBA
FoDDP Minutes August 4th 2022
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky, Chelsea, Chris Sanborn via zoom
- Video chat w/Chris Sanborn concerning shade at the park. The shade cover currently in place is a temporary fix. Chris is exploring options for a more permanent solution. He is investigating the cost of a high quality Gazebo, and whether it will satisfy the need for shade and potentially open up the ability to move fence to access the back of the park on the small side.
- Financial update – no activity this month other than the monthly contributions on paypal. Carla has the PayPal QR code on stickers for the kiosk, donation box as well as a corded card for events. The unused shade umbrellas have been sold to recoup the cost.
- Brick Project update – should there be more brick sales and when? Tabled for later discussion but will sell at fall events and get them ordered for spring.
- Benches – on order, awaiting arrival date confirmation
- Dog behaviorist – opportunity to come and observe at the park. Carla to follow up.
- Events at the Park –
- Dog Park Birthday Party – Sunday September 18th, 11-1 PM
- After Dark Event – November 11th
- Halloween event – date TBD
NEXT MEETING: September 20, 6:30pm, Carriage House at Endicott Park
6/5/22
Present: Carla, John, Elaine Glass
Financial update: Taxes for 2021 fiscal year have been filed.
Brick project update: We had some sales after the Mother’s Day event.
What do we want to do for the park?.
- Benches – see notes below regarding meeting with the town.
- Dog Behaviorist/training – K9 Edge has offered to help; we are still working out the details. The Stanton Foundation could potentially fund Dog Park staffing but what that may entail has not been defined/clarified yet.
- Mud pit problem - see notes below regarding meeting with the town.
- Shade - During the time for our meeting (9am), there was shade over the benches to the left and a large amount of shade to the right. We hope to get more feedback about whether or not this is an issue. The new benches should be placed in the path of the shade. The FoDDP purchased large umbrellas to have as needed but the town will not allow them to be used. We will continue to monitor the situation and see what can be done. Elaine noted a large Maple Tree in the middle of the small dog park would help a lot. Carla will discuss with the town.
Facebook Page – Everything seems to be going well, no big issues; a few posts were deleted but the content has been staying mostly on topic, namely the dog park.
Events at the park - DCF approached Carla about doing an event; more info to follow. At the next meeting we will start planning for fall events like the night event and the Halloween event.
Fundraising – Bricks are the current focus.
Dog Park Committee - A meeting with the town May 24th attended by Carla, John, Dave M, Chris S and Frank..
- Park renovation project - this is ongoing. As previously discussed, they have planted shrubbery to protect the shade trees from erosion, which they have already seen in the small dog park. The junipers were planted and once rooted the fencing will come down. These are tough plants and hard to kill.
- Endicott Park Staff update - They have had a new ranger for about a year. Tyler and Erika are usually the “go to” folks. They are hiring another full-time ranger for July 1. The Disc Golf facility at Endicott Park has opened.
- Shade - Carla reported there had been no complaints. We asked park goer’s to take pics and share and will continue to monitor the situation.
- Benches – Dave ordered these and they were to take 17-20 weeks to arrive.
- ACO at the park or what can we do - Dave M will look more into this.
- Mud in the back - There is no solution to date. It has been looked into but because of the topography and the dense roots, it’s not an easy fix. The conservation commission will not allow regrading or changing the path of the water flow.
- Planters- Chris will take another look at doing these. It was a plan but then set aside. The FoDDP are committed to paying the $250 we had previously agreed upon and will talk about more funding if needed.
T-shirts - A new supply of FoDDP shirts has come in and are ready for sale! $20 each.
Tabling at the park – Carla will ask for volunteers.
New Business - Elaine states she worked in horticulture and feels that the erosion in the rock wall is because there was nothing behind it when installed. She shared some ideas to make it better, which Carla will explore with the town. Elaine also asked if the fence could be moved to give the dogs more space up top. With the wall there, it didn’t seem like it was possible but maybe steps up could be explored. She also asked about donations being given for a certain purpose, and would that obligate FoDDP to have to spend the money on that particular item. Carla noted she thinks so but will look into - it was Carla’s thought that if given for a certain reason it would need to be spent on that or not spent at all.
NEXT MEETING: ??? The next Sunday falls on the holiday weekend. New meeting time or move to August will be discussed and posted
5/1/22
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Emeline
Agenda
Financial update: Taxes for 2021 fiscal year still in process. We have a donor who has committed to a monthly recurring donation which is great!
Brick project update: no new sales. Brick sales will continue at upcoming events.
Spring improvements
- Plantings- Greens being planted for spring – Chris at Endicott Park sent Carla a photo of creeping junipers. He researched to make sure they were safe for dogs. These will go along the inside of the fence that separates the two sides, primarily to prevent erosion.
- Flowers- we agreed to pay for barrels with flowers- Carla is checking on this
- Benches- waiting on update. We agreed to pay for half up to certain amount ($1700) Dave from town was ordering
- Clean-up- Went great!
What do we want to do for the park?
- Benches – see above.
- Dog Behaviorist/training – K9 Edge is a trainer, not behaviorist. The owner, Stephanie, is working on a presentation for us to review. Stanton Foundation potentially to fund Dog Park staffing; what that may entail has not been defined/clarified yet. With Spring here hopefully we can get moving.
- Mud pit problem on the large dog side of park – Steve from town contacted Carla and was going to check the area out to be able to discuss. This is on the agenda for meeting with the town.
Facebook Page – going well no issues – a few posts deleted but has been staying mostly on topic of Dog Park
Events at the park
- Spring Clean Up – went well – Pam, John and Emeline attended. There were some AMAZING volunteers shoveling and raking rocks and making the park look great! Thank you to Endicott Park staff for their hard work as well.
- Mother’s Day Event - Spoiled Rotten Doggie Daycare asked to partner with us again for a Mother’s Day event: May 7th 11-3. Event will include treats, and possible photo booth. FoDDP will provide flowers. Pam and John will set up and Carla will come at noon. Need volunteer at table from 12-2.
Fundraising - Calendar raffle is tabled for now and will discuss at a future meeting. Since we have a donor who makes a monthly donation, we will now publicize this as an option. Donors can make a recurring monthly donation set up via PayPal. We will have a free gift for sustaining members, to discuss at next meeting. Also, Friends of Danvers Dog Park can be selected as the charity to benefit from purchases made at smile.amazon.com with no additional cost to the buyer.
Dog Park Committee- Meeting was set up for April but had to be postponed. Items on the agenda are :
- Shade in small dog side - check in
- Benches - check in
- ACO at park? Or some staff?
- Mud in back of park (I know Steve is working on this )
- Issues at the park – just discussion of best ways to handle.
- Planters that we agreed to pay for- is this still on?
- T-shirts- Carla will look into pricing so we can have t-shirts on hand for sale
- We will post and see if people would like to man an informational table at the park. If we set up a table with info, brick sale information, t-shirts and information we hope to get the word out about what we do to more people.
NEXT MEETING: June 5, 9am at the Dog Park- bring a chair
FoDDP Minutes 4/3/22 @ 7 PM
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken via Zoom
Financial update: Easter Bunny event $407 in donations. Taxes for 2021 fiscal year still in process.
Brick project update: no new sales. Brick sales will continue at upcoming events.
What do we want to do for the park?
- Benches – Carla talked to Dave M and he stated they were going to be ordered. Carla sent emails in regards to what we committed to.
- Dog Behaviorist/training – K9 Edge is a trainer, not behaviorist. Stanton Foundation potentially to fund Dog Park Staffing; what that may entail has not been defined/clarified yet. With Spring here hopefully we can get moving.
- Mud pit problem on the large dog side of park – Steve from town contacted Carla and was going to check the area out to be able to discuss.
Facebook Page – continues to be going well. A few adoption posts and “joke” have been deleted in trying to keep with FoDDP business.
Events at the park
- Spring Clean Up – Moved to April 23rd to coincide with town-wide clean up
- Easter Bunny Pictures- Went great! Fun was had by all!
- Mother’s Day Event - Spoiled Rotten Doggie Daycare asked to partner with us again for a Mother’s Day event. Event will include treats, and possible photo booth. May 7th 11-3.
Fundraising - Calendar raffle: tabled for now and will discuss at a future meeting
Dog Park Committee- Carla sent an email to Dave after our last meeting and hasn’t heard back so sent another today.
For discussion next meeting:
- Do we want to order more t-shirts?
- We need volunteers to table a few hours each weekend at the park.
- Discuss calendar raffle and what prizes we have for it.
NEXT MEETING: May 1st we will go back to mornings (8 or 9) and will look at the weather- if we can do outside we will go to in person meeting at the park.
FoDDP Minutes 3/6/22 @ 7 PM
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken, Rebekah, Emeline via Zoom
Agenda
1. Financial update: nothing to report, nothing new in or out. Taxes for 2021 fiscal year still in process.
2. Brick project update: no new sales. Brick sales will continue at upcoming events.
3. What do we want to do for the park?
- Benches - Carla reports that they have not been ordered yet. Dave is waiting on a quote for six benches and will ask the FoDDP to split the purchase. We had previously approved $ 1700 per bench; will put back to the group if current/updated quote is different.
- Dog Behaviorist/training – K9 Edge is a trainer, not behaviorist. Stanton Foundation potentially to fund Dog Park Staffing; what that may entail has not been defined/clarified yet.
- Mud pit problem on the large dog side of park - Carla contacted Steve and Dave from town and waiting to hear what might work.
5. Events at the park
- Spring Clean Up – March 26th with March 27th rain date.
- Easter Bunny Pictures- Julie with Pawsitive Attention will partner with us to do Easter Bunny Pictures on April 3rd 1-3 and rain date/possible second date April 9th 1-3. Suggested donation to the dog park $5 – Emeline suggested her father for semi-professional photography.
- Mother’s Day Event - Spoiled Rotten Doggie Daycare asked to partner with us again for a Mother’s Day event. Event will include treats, and possible photo booth. May 7th 11-3.
NEXT MEETING: April 3rd @ 7 PM via ZOOM. Potential to attract new attendees via the Easter event earlier that day.
FoDDP Minutes 2/6/22
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken via Zoom
1. Financial update: We had a donation from Marmadukes, they had paid for a vendor table but could not attend, we sent the check back and they sent back as a donation. We need to file taxes for 2021. A motion was made by Becky to contact and hire Janice Corbett to do our taxes.
2. Brick project update: Still selling. We can push again when spring comes
3. What do we want to do for the park?
- Benches - Carla will follow up with Dave
- Dog Behaviorist - She had some personal things going on but will still help and will get back to me.
- Mud in the back - will need to wait for guidance from town – Carla will ask for a meeting
7. Complaints: Same as above
8. Events at the park:
- TBA- Spring Clean-up in April, date to be chosen at March meeting after talking with the town.
- Easter Bunny pics the weekend of April 9th and 10th.
- Becky suggested we do something for spring equinox to welcome spring on March 20th.
- Carla will contact Erika with the town to see what we can do as team.
10. CPA (Community Preservation Act) - Carla brought up CPA and that there is a group (that she is on) supporting the CPA. Several boards in town have voted to accept it and Carla wanted the FoDDP to accept it as well. Carla shared info on the CPA. Motion made by John to support the CPA as a group – consensus agreed.
NEXT MEETING : March 6th NOTE change of time- it will be 7PM on ZOOM
FoDDP Minutes 12/5/21
Present:
FoDDP Minutes 11/7/21
Present: Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken via Zoom
1. Financial update: Deposit from Halloween event from hotdog sales and entrance fees was $362.
2. Brick project update: The brick sale (round 2) has started strong. Also noted is that the memorial bricks for Cheryl Purinton and Dave Reardon have been installed and look great. Carla called the families of both to make sure that they knew the bricks have been installed.
3. What do we want to do for the park?
· Benches - Carla gave approval to Dave Mountain for funding of the benches. Dave thinks they won't be In until Spring.
· Dog Behaviorist? Carla will inquire about having one come to the park for a class or presentation.
· Mud in the back? Carla will ask the town what can be done to mitigate this issue.
4. T-shirt sale: Only a few left now!
5. Project update : All planned work is complete and the park is fully open. The grass failed to grow but the park still looks great. The feedback Carla has heard has mostly been positive; we have had a few people complain that the small dog side is smaller, and one resident called us “dum dums”, but overall the feedback has been great. We understand that the small dog side being smaller may be upsetting for some but so far once people go they like it. It needed to happen to help with the loss of the rocks and for accessibility.
6. Facebook Page: Should we be allowing business promotions and the sharing of "this dog is looking for a home" postings? Carla believes they could belong here, but the purpose of the FoDDP page is to keep folks up to date on what is happening in the park (events, park closures, etc). Too much other content risks drowning out the true FoDDP content. Also of note is the group members who seem to not participate in any way except to pop in when there is an issue of concern to say “that is why I don’t take my dog there”. Those comments by themselves do not help solve the problems. If that is their role in FoDDP, should they be removed from the Facebook Group? Carla removed one person last night, feeling that removing someone should be an extreme measure but may need to happen. Pam suggested we consider changing the structure of the Facebook page/group to be more a page that shares information and less a group where all the members can post, comment, etc. This is what most area dog parks have based on a quick search of Gloucester, Peabody, Salem, Beverly, etc. There are pros and cons to each approach, and Becky pointed out that Facebook is changing how it treats group membership and privileges starting this week. This topic will be a discussion at our next meeting.
7. Complaints: There have been a number of complaints around aggressive or mounting dogs at the park. Having a behaviorist come to the park might be one response FoDDP could take. Do we want to pay for this? Also Carla contacted the town to see what the current ACO (Animal Control Officer) situation is, but has not gotten a clear answer. She also emailed the BOH (Board of Health) on Thursday and has not heard back yet.
8. Events at the park- .
· Halloween event – Was a great success. Went well! Lots of dogs in the parade! Thank you to our sponsor Pawsitive Attention.
· November 19 – A Dog’s Night Out, 5-8pm. This is being done in partnership with the town which is nice. There will be hot cocoa, coffee and lights. Spoiled Rotten Doggie Day Care will sponsor dog treats and will bring water.
9. Water has been turned off at the park for the winter.
NEXT MEETING : Dec 5th 8:30
FoDDP Minutes 10/3/21
Carla, John, Pam & Ken (via Zoom)
1. Financial update: Pam paid the invoice for the bricks that had to be re-ordered.
2. Brick project update: We will move forward with sales of new bricks. Pam will update flyer and John will get the new sale going with the company.
3. What do we want to do for park? The park Is in need of more benches. Carla talked to Dave about ordering more and Dave provided price estimates for two versions: backless or benches with backs. Carla and Pam liked the idea of having backs. FoDDP approved sharing the cost of purchasing more benches with the town. Carla will send pictures etc.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky still has t-shirts for sale, they are almost gone. We sold a good amount at the birthday event and will have what’s left at the Oct 23 event.
8. Project update : The park is now open with the exception of the back part of the large dog side where there is grass seed planted.
9. Events at the park-
The Grand Re-opening and birthday went great with a ribbon cutting, and birthday cake and treats provided by Lusita Pumphrey and Prestige Realty. The crowd was great! The cake was amazing! And the dogs had a great time! There was a lot of positive feedback about the new design and everyone was happy to be back.
· Halloween event – Approved by town set for Oct 23rd
· Nightime event ? if so, name of event ?- Carla will follow up to Erikka at Park.
· Singles night – on hold at the moment. Becky felt finding a location was impossible and to do on site will be a liability issue.
Next meeting: November 7 at 8:30am
FoDDP Minutes 9/12/21
Carla, John, Pam, Becky, Ken & Rebecca via Zoom
1. Financial update:
Tax filing - Janice Corbett volunteered her time to complete FoDDP’s federal taxes for 2018, 2019 and 2020 to comply with the state’s requirement of form 990EZ rather than the 990-N e-postcard. Pam provided the information needed. Carla has signed and mailed the returns. FoDDP paid Janice for the software expenses.
Sales tax - Sales tax was paid on the umbrellas and blank bricks but Carla will seek refunds on those items using FoDDPs tax-exempt status as a 501c3 charity.
2. Brick project update:
The bricks are due to be installed this week.
Should we sell more? Requests have been coming in for additional engraved bricks, and it was agreed that we should sell more. FoDDP will look into the best way of doing so, either using blank bricks and having them engraved locally or ordering from the same company. The idea of a dedicated email to accept orders was discussed.
Additional blank bricks were needed due to a misunderstanding, as well as extras to allow for making cuts, etc. The town indicated a possible willingness to pay for the bricks needed for the cuts.
8/8/21 FoDDP Meeting
Carla, John, Pam, Becky & Ken at (outside) the dog park
1. Financial update: No change.
2. Brick project update: The blank bricks are in and can be picked up any day after 7:15am. Cost is $710 without tax ($755 with tax). We want to deliver them to the park and double check for the bricks that are to be installed together. Carla is still trying to finalize plans for the memorial bricks for Cheryl, having left a voicemail for Irene and messaged Lois via Facebook. She will keep trying.
3. What do we want to do for the park? Table this for today, keep on agenda.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky still has FoDDP t-shirts for sale.
5. Dog Tags: This is ongoing through the We Are Danvers app with FoDDP receiving a portion of the proceeds.
6. Magnets: $8 FoDDP magnets suitable for putting on a car are available.
7. Kiosk: Park closure and “for more info” notices have been posted.
8. Project update:
Shade - Carla purchased four large shade umbrellas on clearance from Home Depot for possible use for shade if needed.
Timeline - the plan for completing the renovation was shared with Carla via email on 8/4. The grading with rice & pea stones plus installing the concrete pads and walkways will occur between 8/9 and 8/20. Fencing will be installed the week of 8/30, with finish work after Labor Day.
9. Events at the park:
Grand re-opening - FoDDP hopes to hold an event billed as both a birthday party and grand re-opening of the dog park on September 18th (rain date: 19th). Vendor tables, an FoDDP table, etc would be part of the plan.
Halloween event - being planned by Julie of Pawsitive Attention along with Becky. Possible date of November 19th with the full moon?
Nighttime event? This has been floated in partnership with the town (Erica) : a nighttime event in the park, setting up lights and serving hot chocolate and coffee. Specifics have not been worked out.
10. New Business: Pam expressed a need for assistance with the tax filing, as the state of MA was not satisfied with the 990-N filed federally for 2018, 2019 and 2020. Carla suggested Janice Corbett (a CPA) might be willing to help; she will reach out to Janice.
Next meeting: September 12 at 8:30am.
FoDDP Meeting Minutes 7/11/21
Present : Carla, Becky, John, and Ken
1. Financial update: only expense was Weebly website yearly charge
2. Brick project update: Bricks are in and at John’s house. John will order tomorrow. We were only able to find one place, Spaulding brick.
VOTED: to see if we can get bricks from FoEP to purchase in memory of bricks for Cheryl and Mr Reardon as they were both instrumental in the FoDDP and the project.
3. What do we want to do for park? Table for today, keep on agenda.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky still has t-shirts for sale.
5. Dog Tags – this is ongoing through the We Are Danvers app with FoDDP receiving a portion of the proceeds.
6. Magnets – $8 magnets FoDDP suitable for putting on a car are available. Carla still needs to post about these on FB.
7. Kiosk: John added closure and Pam will add contact info today.
8. Project update :
Park will be closed July 12th until completion. It is hoped to be open in a month but as with any project there could be delays. Carla will update openings on the Facebook page
Work in park 7-4 every day
Chris noted latching issues on gates.
The placement of benches was discussed. Small park one will be moved.
Pea stone. Carla noted what we looked at last time is not what we got. Steve will look at samples and understands the concerns with larger pea stone and/or sharpe edges.
Carla asked about shade trees. They will be planted Sept. They will be looking for taller shade trees. They know we need shade. Carla brought this concern prior and Dave M noted that we can figure it out, outside of the project. This will remain a priority for FoDDP.
There will be new drinking fountains. The current ones didn’t work from the beginning
With all the complaints we had recently all Carla has heard at the park was the excitement of the project, the sadness it will be closed as most people talked to said we have the best dog park around.
9. Events at the park- Tabled until we have an end date for construction – Will be having a grand-reopening and a night at the park.
10. New Business- none
FoDDP Meeting Minutes 6/6/21
Thank you, Melanie Skane, for the use your Zoom account 😊
Present : Carla, Becky, Pam, John, Ken and new attendees: Rebekah, Andrew and Karen
1. Financial update: only expense was for taxes $35 filing fee with state. Thank you to Pam for filing tax paperwork for us!
2. Brick project update: John will order the engraved bricks - they will go to his house and we will bring to park when needed. We will look at blanks and order with Friends of Endicott (sharing in shipping cost) or find locally but that can be figured out later. A couple of people have asked that their multiple bricks be installed together in the park; one strategy is for us to bundle them with tape and a note for when they are delivered to site.
3. What do we want to do for park? Carla found some items in a pool supply place that could be used to hold leashes in the short term – Carla will pick up. Longer term we will consider investing in something nicer.
4. T-shirt sale: Becky has sold a few and will get that out on FB.
5. Water at Park: This has continued to be an issue. Chris has informed us that due to the construction there isn’t a way to have water to some outlets and not others so this will have to wait for construction. Park patrons should bring water for their dogs and are asked to bring all trash with them.
6. Dog Tags:– this is ongoing through the We Are Danvers app with FoDDP receiving a portion of the proceeds.
7. Magnets: $8 magnets FoDDP suitable for putting on a car are available. Carla still needs to post about these on FB.
8. Issues at the park: There have been a few complaints about aggressive dogs that Carla has received. The FoDDP can’t address these issues themselves but did contact park ranger Chris Sanborn. Chris noted it’s important to take note of the person’s license plate and report. It is not advised to deal with yourself. The town can send notices to the owner. Question was who is best contact for this. Carla will get the correct info and share.
9. Kiosk: hasn’t been updated since April. Need to be updated. Should have:
- Contact info for FoDDP
- Invite to Facebook page
- Monthly meetings take place first Sunday of each month 8:30 am
10. Project update: Project plans were presented to FoDDP in November and presented with plans needing to be approved immediately (by noon) or project would not go forward. The plans presented by Martha seemed reasonable, and she had put a great deal of thought into the plan. Emergency meeting took place and went over plans and approved $10,000 donation to town. Carla was under the impression that there would be additional meeting with town to discuss and provide feedback. There were more things that needed to happen like grant approval by Stanton, town meeting approval in budget etc.
The plans were to be presented to anyone interested at our next meeting, which was placed on kiosk, noted on FB page, emailed out and on the We are Danvers app. The project update was on our agenda every month.
Members of the group have spoken with users of the park and noted concerns.
Carla emailed the town stating that time was getting short and asking when a meeting would happen. The response to Carla was “why do we need a meeting?” Carla noted users concerns with changes, and was told that everything had been approved to go forward and could not be stopped now. I do not believe there is any denial that there was supposed to be a meeting as it was initially stated by town.
Rebekah stated that she was at the park and saw the surveying and it doesn’t look like the park is as much smaller as others may have led everyone to believe. She asked if a tarp could be put up for shade. Carla will inquire.
There was discussion of mixing the small and large dogs and noted that owners need to watch their dogs and remove their dog if there is an issue.
Rebekah asked if we know dates the park will be closed. Carla stated that updates will be posted on the Facebook page as she gets the info.
Andrew noted that we see the plans from an aerial level and wondered if from the front view is it like the small dog park side is lower and upper is large dog park. Might help if that is the case, and to help others understand its multi-level. Carla will get answer.
Karen noted a lot of people were surprised they missed this but will need to try the new park and see.
IS there a plan for the puddle area in the big dog park? Carla will ask.
11. Events at the park: Erika Moretti (in charge of programs at Endicott Park) approached the group in May to do some events together like “the Dog Park After Dark” and some educational events. Erika was not aware of the closures at the time and so this is now on hold, but FoDDP would love to work with town on these events.
12. New Business: none
Due to the July 4th holiday the next meeting will be July 11 at 8:30 am. We will try to go back to an in-person meeting so will let everyone know when we find a place. We could meet at park if it is a nice day, but this park may be closed for construction on this date.
POST-MEETING FOLLOWUP - Below is response from town to our questions. Carla has re-asked what will be done about shade and seating
There are a few questions, some you may not have had a chance to answer, some that are new.
What is the plan for shade? Is it little trees that will not provide shade for a few years? If so what can be done to mitigate that with this new plan. Can a tarp be put up? (not an ugly one). The FoDDP are happy to help with any solutions.
Shade will be provided by the existing tree canopy and the proposed trees to be installed in the Fall. The plant species & locations will be coordinated with the Town Forestry Division and Conservation Agent, which was conditioned as part of the approval with the Conservation Commission.
Looking at the new plan – its an aerial view in a sense. Looking at it from front will the park be tiered ? like small dog park side on bottom, large more on top?
Yes, this is accurate. The purpose of the design change is to have a low park and high park. By being mindful of the existing grades, each park can have a slope of 3% (its currently >5%) we are able to reduce the migration of pea stone during dog play and storm events. This will keep the larger stone subbase from creeping to the top. If dogs get into digging, larger stones will make it to the surface, but the rate and quantity of this occurrence will be less frequent.
What is being done about mud/puddles in large dog side?
The focus of the design change was on the sloped areas with pea stone cover. It is possible in future to have additional stone material placed in the southern portion of the park to reduce mud.
A side benefit of the concrete pad and walkway is that they will be at the entrance of the park. So after the dogs play, they will not have to walk through an additional mud pit to exit the park.
Is there anything being done for wheelchair access from parking lot to entrance? • The proposal is to install stabilized stone dust from the parking lot to both dog park entrances. The stabilized stone dust is considered ADA compliant for walkways and nature paths.
Is there anyway to keep the small dog side but tier each side ? (this was an original plan) . I know there would be a cost and aggravation but im asking if its POSSIBLE.
Unfortunately the answer is no. A substantial change as suggested would require resubmitting a new design plan to the Stanton Foundation, replying/modifying our Order of Conditions with the Conservation Commission, rejecting all cost proposal/quotes and rebidding the project under the MGL Chapter 30 bidding laws. All of the aforementioned, would significantly pose a risk to the Town, to make any improvements to the dog park with our current appropriation and funding sources.
May 2021 FoDDP meeting was cancelled as there weren't any updates from town to share.
FoDDP
4/11/21 Meeting Minutes
Present: Carla, John, Pam & Ken via Zoom
1. Financial update: Carla deposited the $ from the paint night.
2. Project update: Town will have a meeting soon, Carla waiting for word on that
3. Brick update: We are not hearing back from Endicott Park on this and we really need to order. We will reach out to Chris Sanborn for advice. If we order blank bricks from the GiftBricks company we will pay $518 for shipping. If we purchase the blank bricks locally, we have more time and will not pay shipping, but we may end up with more than we need because of minimums. The smallest permissible order is a cube of 470 bricks; after that, increments of 96 can be added.
4. What do we want to do for the park? - Carla shared a catalog. We can discuss later but wanted to get thoughts going on what else we can do for the park. The idea of a leash holder has been discussed.
5. FoDDP Merchandise Sale: Ben Franklin is hosting an online store for long sleeve shirts, hoodies, stickers and car magnets. The store is up and running through April 30: https://ben-franklin-printco.printavo.com/merch/danvers-dog-park-merch-store. Becky to start t-shirt sale with "in stock" t-shirts at $15
6. Water at Park: The water will remain turned off until construction. This is a concern not only for dogs to have water, but the mess that is left behind if people bring containers of water in.
7. Dog Tags: available through the We Are Danvers app and a portion of the proceeds benefit FoDDP.
8. Donation Incentives: Carla will post “free car magnet with $20 donation, t-shirt AND magnet for $50“
9. Paint Night: thank you to those who participated! It was fun for all and FoDDP received a portion of the proceeds
10. Kiosk: Carla and Pam updated with new information about the park cleanup and merchandise store.
11. Clean up day: This was a huge success; thank you to the volunteers that came that day and to the town for staffing, equipment, donuts and coffee.
12. Classes at park: Someone approached us about having a class at the dog park. Initially we decided not to sponsor this, but are willing to look at it again if they have the right credentials etc. It would be a free service, not a paid service that we would look at.
Next Meeting: May 2 8:30 am
FoDDP
Meeting notes 3/7/21 (italics from meeting 3/13/21)
1. Financial update: Pam deposited the last of the brick money from Paypal as well as a general donation.
2. Brick project update: John can have bricks delivered to his home, but will need assistance unloading. Carla to follow up with the town, and Pam with Friends of Endicott Park, to help advise on the open questions:
a. How many do we need?
b. Do we buy blanks from the brick place or local?
c. Quality and/or color matching - are they standard?
d. Cost, including shipping?
Update 3/13- John secured amount of bricks we need, has matched to Friends of Endicott Park bricks and order is in process. John is just seeing best option for blank filler bricks.
3. T-shirt sale: $20 each. Moving forward with current sale:
a. Long sleeves or hoodies as an option?
b. Personalizable, pricing? Pam suggested people place orders rather than incurring the cost of inventory we may or may not sell.
c. Becky to start sale online with photos.
Update 3/13- Becky will sell t-shirts we have on hand, Ben Franklin will set up online store for long sleeve shirts and hoodies
4. Easter Bunny Pictures with Dogs:
a. Julie of Pawsitive Attention has offered to play the bunny.
b. Volunteers will be needed to collect money and organize at the event.
c. Minimum $5 donation, and T-shirts will also be for sale.
d. Pam to set up the Signup Genius link. Scheduled appointments in 10 min intervals, walk-ins on first come/first serve basis in between.
e. Tentative dates: 11:30AM - 2PM 3/21 with rain date 3/27 (3/28?)
Update 3/13 Carla checked with the town. Due to Covid restrictions and only 25 allowed at outdoor event, we are unable to do at this time. Town probably would have approved but with limit of 25 we didn’t want to kick people out of the dog park in order to have the event. Even though we would have been in field it is deemed the same area.
5. Dog Tags - We are Danvers is still selling and providing a portion of the proceeds to FoDDP. $10 was received this week.
6. QR code sticker is on the donation box in 2 places - people can now donate.
7. Paint Night has been posted for March 25th. Provide your pet’s picture and you will get a paint by number of your dog. Will also be a facebook event but you do not need to join to participate. Deadline to order is March 12th - 20% of proceeds go to FoDDP.
8. Car magnets/stickers: Carla has not priced yet, but will this week and order if feasible. Both words and logo to be on them.
Update 3/13- Carla will order magnets. They will be offered as a gift for anyone who donates $25 to the FoDDP
9. Kiosk: town was concerned it would become a free-for-all with posts. Keeping it locked for FoDDP use only was less than effective - Carla policed the stuff being taped up. There is now an advisory notice to contact FoDDP for requests and to not post on the kiosk otherwise. Need to post notice of the next meeting, and upcoming events(tags/easter bunny/t-shirt sales/paint night).
10. Project update: The town is waiting on the Stanton foundation, and a site visit.
Update 3/13- The town has been awarded the grant, and money received by the town.
11. Clean up day TBD: Carla will coordinate with the town and then post for volunteers.
Update 3/13- Carla has confirmed a day with the town. We hope to get as many volunteers as possible out to the park on April 10thto clean up.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
2/7/2021
Present: Carla, John & Pam via Zoom
1) Financial update- Carla transferred $390 from Paypal to dog park account this AM. Carla suggested buying a brick from the Friends of Endicott Park to support them. All in favor. Carla will buy the brick today.
2) We are Danvers – dog tags are for sale and We are Danvers will donate to a portion of the sales to the FoDDP.
3) Brick Project- The sales are done and we are ready to order bricks. John will place our order. John will look into the blank ones needed. John will also check on shipping costs.
4) T-shirt sales- Table until next meeting.
5) Project update- The town asked for a letter of support so that they could submit with request for funds from Stanton Foundation. Carla sent the letter. Check to town has been cashed.
6) QR Code- Becky absent today, not sure if QR code was put on Donation Box. Carla put on FoDDP Facebook page.
NEXT MEETING March 7th at 8:30 am via Zoom
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
Minutes 1/3/2020
Present: Carla, John, Becky, Ken & Pam – via Zoom
Financial update:
- The check made to the town, and accepted by Selectman on December 15th, has not been cashed. It was made clear to Carla to get the check in prior to the meeting, and that it must be in the town accounts before the remaining grant money from Stanton can be applied for, but it has not been cashed.
- Carla transferred the $204.18 balance on PayPal to the FoDDP account this AM.
- In 2020 there were two transactions for $100, and as we spoke a new one this AM for $100. All of these are for bricks.
- Pam picked up cash from the donation box that totaled $65. She also has two $100 cash/check brick payments that will be deposited this week.
- Becky has not had a chance to get the QR sticker to the donation box; she will complete that this week.
- Becky has not been able to sell t-shirts as Carla did not get them to her; Carla will do that soon. Selectman’s meeting – Due to virtual meeting, we did not have to present the check. Sadly, we could not even be part of the meeting, which in general is concerning due to it being an Open Meeting, but it was not really needed for us to go. Carla reported receiving a nice letter from the Town Manager, but it stated that the $10k given to the town was raised by a brick fundraiser, so sadly the Town Manager was mis-informed, and had a representative from the FoDDP been there, that could have been clarified.
Brick Project:– Sold 5 more this month. We will do a final push all over. Carla will try and see if she can add a countdown clicker, to hopefully get more interest, and to let folks know that after several years this is really our final deadline!
Email group switch complete. Carla has switched over everyone on the Yahoo group to the Google Group, as Yahoo groups no longer exists as of December 15th. FoDDP moving forward will be using the google group for emails.
Project update: here is the Salem News story with some updates: Improvements slated for Danvers Dog Park | Local News | salemnews.com
New business: None
Old business: Tasks to complete
- Carla to get t-shirts to Becky
- Becky to get sticker to Dog park donation box
- John to order bricks after our next meeting
Next Meeting: February 7th 8:30 AM Via Zoom.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
Minutes of December 5, 2020 meeting
- Group re-affirmed vote to give town $ 10k from FoDDP funds for dog park improvement project.
- Met with town – Martha V came up with a better plan. The plan includes more seating, handicap accessibility and grading to help the run off of the pea stone. Carla reported that the configuration of the park will be changed as well in order to be able to complete the accessibility.
- The group will do a final push for the brick sales as we will finally be able to bring this to fruition. Carla will contact the Salem News so hopefully they can do an update with the information about the new plans.
- Carla will finish transferring the group to Google Groups since Yahoo groups is closing down December 15.
- The selectmen are meeting December 15th and the FoDDP will need to present check that evening for them to accept for this project.
- Tentative June 5th start date – will last approximately 6 weeks.
- Final deadline for bricks February 1st.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 7, 19 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Becky, Ken, John P, Carla & Pam)
Dog Park Anniversary Celebration The dog park will celebrate its third birthday on Monday, September 16! FoDDP will have a “party” at the dog park from 4 to 7pm, complete with biscuits and perhaps even a celebratory beverage (for the dogs). Becky will obtain balloons and the beverage; Carla will see if any vendors would like to participate by attending or sponsoring biscuits. Engraved bricks will be available to order, as well as advanced-sale Topsfield Fair tickets. Come join us on the 16th!
Cash Donations Carla recently received and deposited a check from ITW Polymers, representing a generous donation match of the generous recent donation to FoDDP by Matt Faino. Thank you, Matt, and thank you ITW! Pam also reported recent collections from the donation box at the dog park to be slow but steady; park attendees are encouraged to support Friends of Danvers Dog Park with voluntary contributions on a regular basis.
Wine Barrel Planters Chris Sanborn contacted Carla about dressing up the entrance area with a couple of wine barrel planters and plants near the kiosk. He would do the purchasing and install at a cost to FoDDP of approximately $250. The board took a vote on this proposal and approved the project. Thank you to Chris for his continued commitment to maintaining the dog park (and all of Endicott Park) as a beautiful place for people to visit with their dogs.
Kiosk Signage Pam updated the kiosk with some flyers to educate visitors about FoDDP meetings, how to stay in the loop with information, the Amazon Smile* program and the donation box. Improvements to this display will be made via printings on colored paper and/or with colored ink to be more eye-catching. FoDDP approved the purchase of colored ink cartridges for this purpose; Carla and Becky both have colored paper to donate to the effort as well.
Amazon Smile As a 501c3 organization, FoDDP is eligible to register as a charity with Amazon so that a (small) percentage of purchases will come to the FoDDP bank account at no additional cost to the consumer. Shoppers should visit smile.amazon.com (it is still Amazon, but indicates interest in supporting a charity while shopping) and select Friends of Danvers Dog Park as their charity of choice. Add items and check out as usual, and the dog park will benefit! The only trick is to remember to start your online “errands” at smile.amazon.com every time. Thank you to all park supporters for taking this small step – it can/will add up!
Calendar Raffle Back by popular demand! FoDDP will hold another calendar raffle going into the holiday season, with calendars sold during November/December and prizes drawn in January. Items to offer as prizes are needed; Becky will largely coordinate the fundraiser, with Carla posting on Facebook soon seeking items.
Other Fundraising/Events
- A fall 2018 vendor Barktoberfest was canceled due to weather; it is now feeling late to pull a similar event together for 2019, but this will be tabled and revisited for 2020.
- What type of event would dog park VISITORS like to attend to support the park? Pam, Becky and John will attempt to solicit ideas from the patrons they encounter, but suggestions can also be sent via email/Facebook.
- Becky said Marini Farm is having a “dog day” at their corn maze where a donation of some of the proceeds is being made to a dog-related cause. Perhaps Connor Farm would be willing to do something similar for the Danvers Dog Park in 2020?
- Other ideas discussed included a Caberet Night and a Halloween Party for kids - neither to be held AT the dog park.
Bricks/Circle/Improvements Since the July meeting with the town, there has been a pause while the town engineer works to develop a specific plan. There have been assurances via email that the town is still eligible for the full funding commitment for improvements from the Stanton Foundation, though FoDDP remains anxious about moving forward before that opportunity expiring in 2021 as the timeframe keeps slipping.
In the meantime, Chris Sanborn made a good case for installing the engraved bricks FoDDP sold in the bullpen entrances to the dog park: It could be completed immediately and is not dependent on the other work within the park; it would make for a nicer, formal entrance; it would require less filler bricks because the space is smaller; it would be less susceptible to dog urine, feces, scratching because it would only get the foot traffic from visitor’s entering; and it’s an area that’s hard to maintain stone dust in now because of the foot traffic and erosion. Bricks would minimize this.
It has previously been noted that the Circle of Friends as originally envisioned will not work with the slope and ledge present on the dog park site, and FoDDP has been exploring different ways to incorporate the bricks into a park improvement consistent with the spirit under which they were offered to park supporters. Given the arguments above and the visibility of the recognition to the donors, FoDDP feels this is a reasonable way forward. Carla will communicate the approval to Chris and clarify steps forward in terms of timeframe and how the installation will be handled. Pam will research the terms with the gift brick company about production and delivery. And a final push for orders will take place to make sure all potential buyers have been reached before construction begins.
Next meeting: 8:30am Saturday, October 12 at the Danvers Housing Authority, 14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 29, 2019 Meeting Minutes
(Present: John P, Carla & Pam)
The June FoDDP meeting was canceled since there were no additional updates to share.
Meeting with the TownThe town’s Dog Park Subcommittee met July 12, giving FoDDP the opportunity to participate in discussions regarding improvements to the dog park for the first time since the last meeting in September 2018. The meeting agenda was quite broad and included a lengthy (45min) discussion of dog waste around town at the outset. While FoDDP agrees this is an issue and is happy to collaborate with department staff on how to address it, it is not a “dog park” problem per se, and therefore a separate meeting would be appreciated out of respect for everybody’s time during business hours.
Carla and John attended the meeting on behalf of FoDDP and shared the highlights for discussion:
- The warrant article for parks that passed in May included $15,000 for the dog park. This funding will expire at the end of June 2020 and is insufficient on its own to cover the improvements identified as needed by the town, including installing a retaining wall to reduce migration of the stone, improving accessibility and add more small, rounded pea stone. The cost for these three items was estimated at $85,000 by Scott Cameron.
- Additional funding could come from the Stanton Foundation, which provided the initial construction grant. Three improvement opportunities are available in the first five years of the park’s operation. Since the park will celebrate its third anniversary in September, there is serious risk that at least one of those opportunities will be lost due to inaction. FoDDP is disappointed and frustrated at this possibility.
- FoDDP is also a potential source of funding or donated labor/material. There has been a concerted effort at fundraising with a brick sale, a comedy night and a yard sale, so a portion of the project could be completed using those funds. The original intention was for the bricks to be used in constructing a Circle of Friends, but the grading of the site is essentially prohibitive. Therefore it is proposed that FoDDP could collaborate with the town by assisting with the wall (a Wall of Friends?) and the bricks could be installed in/near the wall or in the bullpen area(s). If available, pavers could be substituted for bricks as they are larger and less expensive for the area they would cover. Note: a project under $10K we can bid and do; $10K-$50K would require three bids; over $50K would require three blind bids.
- Chris Sanborn and project engineer Eric Richard are working to modify Scott’s plan such that much can be achieved with collaboration of the above plus some work by DPW. It is hoped that can happen quickly, “within a couple of weeks”. A plan with budget needs to be submitted to Stanton for their grant funding, and FoDDP would also need to better understand the scope of their portion of the project. Time is of the essence, therefore, and plans are needed as soon as possible.
- The height of the retaining wall needed to achieve the desired grading might be great enough to require a fence or other barrier to prevent injury due to falling. Town engineer Steve King suggested a terrace system could work, which FoDDP would strongly prefer.
- The water repair on the large dog side will be addressed.
- Parking has been at capacity so the town is looking to add additional spots.
- A Do Not Enter sign will be added to the gate closest to the playground, as all patrons should enter/exit through the bullpens.
- The dog park is either the first or second most used park in Danvers. The Endicott Park rangers are doing a good job with fielding calls, and people are enjoying this beautiful facility with their canine companions. The town and FoDDP should be very proud!
- A return to the quarterly meeting schedule for this Subcommittee is planned. The next date was selected as November 15th.
Next meeting: 8:30am Saturday, September 7 at the Danvers Housing Authority, 14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 7, 2019 Meeting Minutes
(Present: John P, Carla & Pam)
Donation Box The donation box purchased by the Friends of Danvers Dog Park was installed by the town today. Thank you to Chris Sanborn and/or DPW for their effort and expertise with this task! A sticker will be obtained to change “Pay Here” to “Donations Accepted” or the like. The FoDDP officers will empty the donation box frequently and ALL proceeds will benefit the dog park. Park visitors are encouraged to use this additional tool for supporting the park; credit card donations via PayPal (there is a Donate button on the website www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com) and checks mailed to FoDDP c/o Carla King, 147 Maple St, Danvers, MA 01923 are still welcome.
Meeting with the Town The meeting that was to happen in January has not yet been scheduled; Carla has inquired several times. This meeting was to follow up with FoDDP and get additional feedback on improvements planned by the town in consultation with Scott Cameron. There is at least one dog park-related warrant article on the agenda for Town Meeting but the amount of funding being requested is greatly reduced from what Carla understood to be the cost of the retaining wall and accessibility paths under consideration. The plan for what is being proposed and how/when it can be implemented is unclear to FoDDP at this time.
Yard Sale This FoDDP fundraiser will take place the weekend of June 1 & 2 at 147 Maple St. Donations have been piling up and there are some treasures to be had! Thank you to Mel for her help in retrieving larger items in her truck. Volunteers to work the yard sale are needed, particularly with setting up early on the morning of June 1.
Park Cleanup A spring cleaning of the park was held on April 28thfrom 2-4pm. The turnout of volunteers to participate in this effort was disappointing, but those present worked hard and the park looked great when it was finished. Thank you to Tim Gray and Tina Moody for your time and energy, along with board members Pam, John and Carla. Thank you also to the town who had both staff and equipment on hand to reposition the stone and dispose of debris (poop, sticks, leaves, etc). The results of the (leaf) blower on clearing the stone dust of crushed stone were particularly impressive; the park would likely benefit from this being done more frequently.
Water There is a known issue with the water fountains, and the town is working to fix it.
Next meeting: 7:00pm Tuesday, June 4 at the Danvers Housing Authority, 14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
March 2019 Minutes
The Friends of Danvers Dog Park met on Thursday March 14, 2019 at 7:00p.m.
In attendance were Carla King, Pamela Crum, Rebecca Matthias, John Pumphrey, Ken Ankiewicz and Luisita Pumphrey and Keith.
Meeting with the town:
Carla reported that unfortunately she has not been contacted by the town regarding the meeting. Dave M submitted a warrant article an is waiting for that to move forward.
Fundraising
Comedy Night Saturday March 23, 2019. Tickets are still available for purchase $20 per ticket until Sunday March 17th after that tickets will be $25. Thank you to our sponsors Dr. Meyers and Complete property solutions. Volunteers needed to work the comedy show, John Pumphr ey has volunteered to work the dog park table, Carla on the front table.
Yard Sale to benefit Friends of Danvers Dog Park Saturday June 1, 2019. Donations can be dropped at Carla’s house 147 Maple St. starting April 1, 2019.
Discussion was had regarding a fundraiser night at Texas Road House.
John offered to contact North Shore eats regarding posting comedy night on their page
Pam brought up pursuing using our 501C3 regarding registering to accept donations via Facebook, Amazon Smile, iGive.org and Patronicity. “Donate” buttons are only possible on a Facebook page; right now FoDDP only has a Facebook group.
Taxes need to be done and there will be no fee for federal and a $100 fee to register plus $35 to file with the state.
Spring Clean-up day tentatively set for Saturday April 20,2019 9:00am pending town approval.
The April meeting will be held April 14, 2019 @ 8:00a.m.
February 2019 minutes
The Officers of FODDP met on Sunday Morning February 3, 2019 at 8:00am at the Danvers Housing Authority.
Present were Pam Crum Treasurer, Becky Matthias Secretary, Carla King President and John Pumphrey Vice President, Kenny Ankiewicz and Luisita Pumphrey.
Topics of Discussion
Comedy Night: Carla had not yet reached Breakaway to confirm a time night for the already agreed upon Comedy night.
Yard Sale: The Annual Yard Sale will be taking place with a date TBD. Donations can be dropped off at Carla’s starting April 1, 2019
North Shore Dog Event: North Shore Dog is hosting an open playtime event on Saturday February 23rd9:30am-11:30am. John Pumphrey and Becky Matthias will be there to sell brick an d t-shirts and answer any questions regarding the dog park.
Park Improvements: We are still anxiously awaiting a meeting with the town regarding improvements to the park. Dave Mountain committed to a meeting in January. We are now in February eagerly awaiting a response, the members are greatly concerned. Carla has emailed numerous times requesting a meeting.
Donation Box: The donation box has arrived and will be installed in the spring.
Next Meeting: The March meeting will be held on Thursday Night March 14, 2019 @ 7:00p.m. at the Danvers housing authority.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 5, 2019 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Becky, Ken, John P, Carla & Pam)
FoDDP Officer Changes Carla announced that Cheryl and Matt are stepping down from their respective roles as Treasurer and Vice President of Friends of Danvers Dog Park. The tremendous work they have both done over the years is VERY much appreciated, and their dedicated, skillful contributions will be missed. Thank you, Matt and Cheryl!
The members present have been consistent participants for some months now and it was decided that a new slate of officers should be elected. The nominations were for Carla to remain President, John to become Vice President, Pam to move to Treasurer and Becky to become Secretary. All officers were unanimously so elected. Welcome John and Becky!
Calendar Raffle This fundraiser was very successful, raising an impressive $720. Thank you to Becky for initiating this effort and to everyone who worked so hard soliciting prizes as well as selling calendars, and the MANY local businesses that supported the dog park by donating prizes. Becky is announcing the winners via the FoDDP Facebook group. This fundraiser will likely be repeated next year with more lead time to increase the number/variety of prizes and sell the calendars through November as well as December.
Other Fundraisers
- Engraved bricks are still available for $100 tax-deductible donation to FoDDP at http://www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com/fundraising-events.html. Several orders came in as people closed out their charitable giving for 2018.
- A comedy night is in the works, perhaps now for late February or into March. Carla is communicating with the comedians.
- A yard sale will be held in the spring at Carla’s house.
- A secure donation box has been ordered and will be installed at the park when the ground thaws in the spring. The box cost $714.54 and will be emptied of donations twice per week by FoDDP board members.
Account Balance The bank statement shows a balance of $6,904.10 held by FoDDP.
Park Improvements Dave Mountain had indicated in the fall that he and Chris Sanborn would be meeting with Scott Cameron to further evaluate the ideas proposed for improving the park’s accessibility and durability with a possible retaining wall, additional seating, etc. The plan was that he/they would then meet with FoDDP to get additional feedback as a plan is solidified.
Carla checked in with Dave over the last couple of weeks and there were no substantive updates to report; Dave has now committed to the meeting(s) happening this month.
Rule Enforcement Becky reported that there continue to be issues with rule enforcement in the dog park, especially but not limited to the issue of young children inside. A discussion followed. How do other parks enforce rules? (Answers: Consistent staffing; a registration process that increases accountability; spot checks at the park by someone with authority.) What can realistically be done in Danvers? (Answer: Random spot checks by the town Animal Control Officer; education and polite confrontation by FoDDP volunteers wearing a shirt/jacket designating them as such; self-policing by attendees as is already in place.)
Next meeting: 8:00am on Sunday, February 3 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 4, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Becky, Ken, John P, Luisita, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Dogtoberfest Canceled The Dogtoberfest event, orginally scheduled for October 28 and then rescheduled to November 3, was ultimately canceled due to rain. Thank you to the vendors who planned to attend as well as key organizer/sponsor Julie of Pawsitive Attention, and North Shore Dog who offered to hold the event indoors at their facility. FoDDP will try again next year!
Park Improvements After the October FoDDP meeting, feedback was given to the town regarding the proposal to construct one “dual role” accessible pathway along the fence on the large dog side with a second bullpen installed to allow for passage onto the small dog side. There was concern that forcing someone with a disability who has a small dog to pass through the large dog side would potentially defeat the purpose of separating the two areas in the first place (if they were met by a group of large dogs that their dog wasn’t comfortable with). And the second bullpen could detract from the park aesthetically, and have a significant expense associated with it.
Chris Sanborn replied via email about his belief that the park as is complies with accessibility law, but that improving access needs to be balanced for the small as well as large dog side. There is a cost associated with not only installing the stone dust pathways but also maintaining them, which was the main argument in favor of the dual use path. He said our comments would be forwarded to the consultant for additional consideration.
Further discussion ensued. Becky pointed out that the ADA accessibility appears based on her observation to be more of an issue on the small dog side, as owners with disabilities tend to choose smaller animals because of the work involved in caring for and managing them. Carla pointed out that any person in a wheelchair would really need to be accompanied by a second person anyway, to ensure that other dog park tasks (picking up waste, controlling the dog and/or intervening in the event of dogs fighting) are covered. And funding to build/maintain paths on both sides may in fact be available; a budget for the project is unknown. Unequal improvements on the two sides (large dog vs. small dog) could spark outrage, even if accessibility is being met for each.
Brick Fundraising This effort continues! Please consider buying a brick to honor your pet or human loved one. And FoDDP is a 501c3 organization, so your $100 purchase is tax deductible. The flyer can be found at http://www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com/fundraising-events.html. A deadline on brick purchases will be set for the end of January.
Other Fundraising In order to give more flexibility with park improvements, other fundraising efforts will be forthcoming:
- CALENDAR RAFFLE. Becky will chair this effort where calendars are sold during the month of December with prizes awarded each day in the month of January. Cost will be $5.
- COMEDY NIGHT. Carla will look to plan a comedy night for January or February. In the past these have been successful, held at either Oniontown Grille or Breakaway.
- YARD SALE. Another FoDDP favorite! Hosted at Carla’s house where items donated during the month of April are sold at a yard sale in May. The dates penciled in were May 4-5 with May 18-19 as rain dates.
- DOG WASH? North Shore Dog is eager to partner with FoDDP and the dog wash hosted there several years ago was well received. This is a good spring event.
Donation Box Carla will follow up on this.
Next meeting: 8:00am on Sunday, November 25 at the Danvers Housing Authority*. There will be no December meeting.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 7, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Cheryl, Becky, Ken, John P, Luisita, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Improvement Planning Meeting with Town Carla and Matt attended a meeting in September with town representatives to discuss dog park improvement goals. FoDDP has been working for a while on making the Circle of Friends – part of the original park design but left out of the initial construction due to cost constraints – a reality. The Circle would be a place for owners to gather while still keeping an eye on their dogs, providing additional seating as well as improved access to the park on the large dog side. Engraved bricks have been offered for sale since August 2017 as an initial effort to raise the needed funds. Meanwhile, the town has been exploring other improvement ideas that could be achieved using money available through the Stanton Foundation which funded 90% of the initial construction costs. It makes sense that these two efforts should be working collaboratively.
The meeting was productive and there was a genuine sharing of suggestions and opinions about how to proceed. The town envisions a retaining wall that could work to reduce the migration of pea stone, particularly during heavy rain storms. Stone dust pathways leading from the entrance(s) would improve access. A preliminary design was shared (see Park Location & Design) and it makes clear that a retaining wall would require rethinking about the Circle installation. A few adjustments were discussed: the Circle could be located further to the right inside the park with a longer path leading to it, though the likelihood of ledge in the center of the stone play area could be problematic; the Circle could be reimagined as a (sitting) Wall of Friends with the engraved bricks installed in front of the wall; additional benches with bricks installed around them could be placed in the park.
The wall and stone dust pathways are likely to deplete the Stanton Foundation money available. To save money and reduce maintenance, the idea of a second bull pen connecting the small and large dog sides was proposed so that an owner could access the small dog side by using the path on the large dog side first. There was concern with this idea because it would force an owner to bring the small dog into an area it might not feel comfortable (safe) in. The town did indicate that the parking area and path to the park entrance could be improved by DPW working in collaboration with Endicott Park and the Recreation Department to install stone dust surfacing.
FoDDP was asked if the bricks will (or can) have a protective coating applied. Pam will look into that.
Brick Fundraising This effort continues! Please consider buying a brick to honor your pet or human loved one. And FoDDP is a 501c3 organization, so your $100 purchase is tax deductible. The flyer can be found at http://www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com/fundraising-events.html. A deadline on brick purchases will be set for the end of January. John and Luisita offered to spread the word by distributing flyers to local businesses and taking to park patrons.
Burlington Dog Park The Burlington Dog Park is another Stanton-funded property and they are hosting their 3rdannual Burlington Goes to the Dogs fundraiser this Sunday, October 14. Check it out at www.burlingtondogpark.com. FoDDP finds it useful to share information with other dog parks. In particular, the Burlington park is going to give fake “dog grass” a try, and it will be good to see how it works for them. Coincidentally, Becky and Ken are installing this product in a dog area at home and will also be able to share their experience with it.
Donation BoxThe search is still on for a suitable black donation box. Dave Mountain will be attending a conference soon, and he will seek out options.
Save the Date! FoDDP will host DOGTOBERFEST on Sunday, October 28 from 11am-3pm. Carla has been working with Julie Annese to arrange food sales, vendors, raffle items, a costume contest with prizes provided by Pawsitive Attention, etc. FoDDP will staff a table with t-shirts and engraved bricks for sale. Dog-related vendors are still welcome!
Next meeting: 8:00am on Sunday, November 4 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
August 8, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Cheryl, Andrea, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
T-Shirts Back by popular demand! A fresh batch of FoDDP t-shirts was ordered and is available for purchase. Cost is $20, cash or check payable to the Friends of Danvers Dog Park, with proceeds going to support future improvements to the park. The shirts are available at FoDDP events such as the monthly meetings, tabling at the dog park on 8/26 (see below) and the larger fundraising event planned for September/October (see farther again!), or by contacting Carla at Carla.king@comcast.net.
Tabling Opportunities FoDDP plans to host tabling events to provide educational information about the dog park, sell the engraved bricks for the Circle of Friends and also sell the FoDDP t-shirts.
- August 26 is National Dog Day so a table will be hosted at the dog park entrance for most of that day, pending volunteers. Andrea and Matt both indicated they were available for shifts, and Cheryl will help Carla with set up early in the day.
- A table at the Danvers Farmers Market for some upcoming Wednesday has been offered, 4-7pm.
Donation Box The town has approved the concept of the donation box but wants it to be black to coordinate with the other permanent installations (poop bag dispensers/receptacles, fencing and water fountains). The specific item FoDDP had proposed does not come in black so a comparable alternative is being sought.
Dog Park Subcommittee meeting The Dog Park Subcommittee met on July 20. It had been decided in the days leading up to that meeting that the topic of the Circle of Friends and other improvements under consideration should be discussed in a separate forum. [Note: Subsequent to the FoDDP meeting, the date of this focused discussion was set for Sept 6.]
As noted at the July meeting, detailed information regarding the Circle design and how it would be impacted by projects the town has in mind is needed ASAP, as FoDDP has been working toward Circle construction for over a year. The town has indicated they have plans for the three post-award grants available through the Stanton Foundation, with improving accessibility and surfacing as the primary goals. FoDDP feels the park patrons should have a voice in this conversation.
Dog waste, both bagged and unbagged, continues to be of great concern throughout the town but especially on the Rail Trail and John George Park. A signage campaign will be launched to prod dog owners to do the right thing: PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG, EVERYWHERE YOU GO! That means bags of poop need to be disposed of into a proper trash receptacle, even if that receptacle is at home.
Water The drains in the dog bowls of the water fountains have been repaired; the town was very responsive to fixing the drainage issue as soon as it was identified. If additional problems arise, please let FoDDP know. As a reminder, tampering with the fountains is not permitted!
Jiffy John request? At least one park patron requested a discussion of installing a portable restroom at or near the dog park, as the carriage house facilities are a significant walking distance away. The consensus was that such an addition was extremely unlikely to be approved, chiefly because the dog park is located within the town’s historic district and the standard for permissible installations is quite high. Cost (both initial and for ongoing maintenance) was another concern. If traveling some distance to visit the dog park, a stop at the carriage house facilities on the way in and/or on the way out is probably the best strategy.
Single Door Lock The single door into the large dog side (at the end closer to the playground) serves as an emergency exit and therefore cannot be locked. A small “emergency exit only” sign will be added to the exterior of the door to discourage people from using it. All routine traffic should use the double-gate entrances.
Brick Sale Promotion Bricks to be installed during the construction of the Circle of Friends can be purchased online at www.DanversDogPark.donationbricks.comor by mailing the form found at www.FriendsofDanversDogPark.com/fundraising-events.html. Pam will contact Ethan Forman of the Salem News.
Fall Fundraiser Carla has proposed an event with vendors, demonstrations and the like hosted at the dog park. September 30, October 6/7 and October 28 (Howl-o-ween?) were all discussed as options. Carla will explore which dates are available at Endicott Park.
Danvers App The We Are Danvers app has added a dog park page under Danvers Recreation. The information posted here is generated by the town and has no direct affiliation with FoDDP, but it is a great resource that folks should be aware of.
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, September 11 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 10, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt A, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Circle of Friends With Essex Tech on summer break, collaboration regarding their participation in the Circle construction has been put on hold – Matt F attempted a follow-up communication but didn’t hear back from them. With the goal of completing this improvement this fall, it is imperative that the details of the Circle (specs in terms of size, materials, grade, location, etc) be in place by September. Soliciting this information from the town/Scott Cameron is a top priority for the July 20thDog Park Subcommittee meeting.During the last two meetings there has been some discussion of this topic but input and concerns have been too general; the Circle was part of the original design so should be part of the plans that were put out to bid in 2016, and it was reported at the November 2017 Dog Park Subcommittee meeting that Scott Cameron was working on plans for park modifications. More specific guidance regarding this project will inform the setting of a budget and conversations with Essex Tech.
Fundraising for this project is another hurdle that must be cleared in the next couple of months. The focus has and will continue to be the engraved brick sale. Bricks can be purchased online at www.DanversDogPark.donationbricks.comor by mailing the form found at www.FriendsofDanversDogPark.com/fundraising-events.html. Carla will post on Facebook, Pam will email the Yahoo Group and Ethan Foreman of the Salem News will be contacted. With a more solid budget in place, FoDDP will be able to determine if additional fundraising is needed.
Of concern is the fact that there is significant money available through the Stanton Foundation grant, providing funding for improvements which can be accessed three times in the first five years of the park being open. In September the park will have been open two years, so there is some time-sensitivity for getting the first “improvement” started. The town has expressed a desire to use the first opportunity for other priorities (for example, a retaining wall which would address the runoff of the stone play surface). The hope is that a first phase can move forward in the very near future so that other projects can also be funded through the grant.
Donation Box Carla will compile information with the details (color, installation plan, etc) requested by the town and bring it to the Dog Park Subcommittee meeting. Matt A suggested a method of installation involving a five-gallon bucket with concrete buried in the ground; the box may come with instructions so an appropriate method will be identified.
Shirts Cheryl was not able to attend but she is working on ordering an updated version of the FoDDP shirts.
Water The drains in the dog bowls of the water fountains have been repaired so they do not drain immediately, allowing the dogs a chance to drink before the water disappears. Thank you to the town; the dogs and their owners are most grateful!
Chewy.com Donation After the June meeting, Brian solicited a donation of goods from Chewy.com. They sent a box with four stainless steel water dishes and several boxes of poop bags. Matt A took the bowls to label them as dog park property and then deliver them to the dog park. Since the poop bags won’t fit in the dispensers, for now the bags are being held and could be distributed to patrons during a future tabling event to help educate owners to bring their own bags to the park. Thank you Brian, and thank you Chewy.com!
Small dog problems? FoDDP received a report of a small dog on the large dog side that was behaving inappropriately toward a couple of the large dogs. The owner of the large dogs was looking for some guidance about the rules and how this should be addressed. Carla clarified that small dogs ARE allowed on the large dog side (just not the other way around), but of course aggressive behavior is not permitted. The dog park is self-policing so ideally the owners can handle issues between themselves. In extreme circumstances the police can be called. To date this is the only incident that has been reported despite the fact that the small dog is apparently a regular at the park. If more reports of problems with the same dog were to come in, additional conversations can/should take place.
Moving Boulders Matt A inquired as to whether the subject of relocating the boulders on the large dog side could be revisited. The boulders are scattered about on the dirt area and are deemed a crashing hazard by some as the dogs barrel around in a pack while playing. Matt A has proposed moving them into a semi-circular arrangement around a cluster of trees near one end of the wall so they could still provide seating. Carla offered to set up a meeting with Chris Sanborn to talk it through.
Single Door Lock Matt A has observed people entering the park through the single door into the large dog side (at the end closer to the playground). This presents a risk of dogs escaping. Can this be locked?
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, August 7 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 5, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Terri, Brian, Matt F, Carla & Pam)
Spring CleanUp The spring cleanup of the park on May 12 was a success! Thank you to the Endicott Park staff who supported this effort by using big machinery to redistribute the stone play surface, providing tools and barrels on site, filling the “wet” area behind the wall with stone, and mulching the planting beds. Thank you also to the many volunteers who showed up to give their time and energy weeding, picking up debris and raking. The park is more beautiful for your efforts!
Fundraising Table FoDDP also had a table at the Sweet Williams Craft Fair on May 12 where dog treats (baked by Karen Ranieri – thank you Karen!) and raffle tickets were sold, educational pamphlets were available and donations were accepted. Raffle prizes included a dog massage from Spry Dog Massage and a PetCo gift card. The table was staffed by Terri and Carla, and it was successful; proceeds were combined with those collected at the Girl Scout Event (see below).
Girl Scout Event at Dog Park Girl scouts working on their Bronze Award held an educational event at the dog park on June 2. They created a flyer with information about why young kids should not be in the park, the importance of cleaning up dog waste and some guidelines around exercise for canines. They offered goodie bags with dog treats/toys and “raffled off” (for free) a basket of larger dog items. Cash donations to FoDDP were accepted, and the raffle from the Craft Fair was extended as well. The park patrons were very supportive of this event. Thank you to Samantha and Abby for their hard work to make a positive difference at the dog park and in the community.
Raffle Winners Congratulations to raffle winners Marci Tucker (grooming), Matt Aquaro (PetCo gift card) and Sue Duncan (massage). Thank you to all who supported the dog park with the purchase of raffle tickets!
Electronic Payments Several patrons have asked if FoDDP can accept Venmo payments for donations. An initial search indicated that Venmo is currently only for payments between individuals and it does not serve organizations. The situation will be monitored in case this policy changes. Carla continues to work on troubleshooting the issues verifying the new FoDDP PayPal account.
Circle of Friends Brian expressed a willingness to approach local businesses regarding partnerships on this (the Circle) and future improvement projects, but he would need a specific list of materials and tasks as well as the FoDDP tax-exempt information. Since Essex Tech has agreed in principle to assist with the Circle construction, their landscape architects could identify the specs – but it is also likely that Scott Cameron has the information needed as part of the original design or through the planning of the first phase of grant-funded improvements (i.e. a retaining wall) sought by the town. Guidance regarding slope as it relates to water flow and accessibility will be needed. Seeking this information will be a top priority for the next quarterly meeting of the Dog Park Subcommittee on July 20.
Donation Box Carla will compile information with those details and submit it to Chris Sanborn for approval.
Financials & Shirts Cheryl was not able to attend but reported via Carla that the account has a balance of $2,950.60. She is also pricing an updated version of the FoDDP shirts which can be sold to raise money and build community among the park patrons.
Water Carla reported learning of park patrons using their own tools to adjust the water controls in the dog park, leaving the water running into the dog dish or turning on the spigots intended only for flushing of the stone play surface. Brian had knowledge of the water fountain adjustments and indicated it was a solution to the problem of the water draining from the bowl too quickly - which then required a human to be pressing the button continuously for the thirsty canines. He had no knowledge of people turning on the irrigation spigots.
Since unauthorized meddling with the plumbing is NOT permitted, the group discussed other possible solutions to the problem going forward: a bowl could be placed in the receptacle over the drain to collect water for drinking; a flap to slow the drainage could be added and then removed by those who feel this is an issue; a silicone o-ring could be permanently installed in the drain to slow it down. Carla will bring this up with the town to see if a permanent solution is possible.
Ads on Facebook Group Dog-related local businesses understandably wish to reach their target audience by promoting their wares/services to FoDDP. Should there be a policy limiting such advertisements on the Facebook group? This will be discussed further at the July meeting.
Peabody Dog Park It was recently reported in the newspaper that Peabody has broken ground on the construction of their dog park. Congratulations!
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, July 10 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 2, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Mary, Carol K, Abby & Janice R, Samantha & Jamie B, Ken, Becky, Karen, Brian C (via phone), Carla & Pam)
Spring CleanUpThe dog park will be closed for two hours (9-11am) on Saturday, May 12 in order to complete a Spring Cleanup. Eileen (via Facebook) as well as Pam, Carla, Karen, Becky and Ken agreed to attend; additional hands are needed to spruce things up, and all are welcome (except no dogs, please!). Weeding, raking, etc are on the agenda so people are encouraged to bring rakes and gloves. The town will also support this effort. A sign will be placed on the kiosk alerting visitors to the upcoming closure/event.
Fundraising TableFoDDP will have a table at the Sweet Williams Craft Fair (141 Pine St, May 12, 10am-3pm) – note, this is a new date as a wind storm required postponement from the original. This will be an opportunity for selling engraved bricks as well as other items to raise money – a shirt to be raffled will be donated by Spry Dog Massage, and Karen made pizza- and peanut butter-flavored dog biscuits to sell. Carla has a tent and table that will be used.
Girl Scout Event at Dog ParkSamantha and Abby are girl scouts working on their Bronze Award, and their project will be to hold an educational event at the dog park. They have created a flyer with information about why young kids should not be in the park, the importance of cleaning up dog waste and some guidelines around exercise for canines. In addition they will distribute goodie bags with dog treats and waste bags, and raffle off a basket of larger treats/toys. Cash donations to FoDDP will also be accepted. The event will be 1:30-3:30 on Saturday, May 19; Pam will be present as a representative of FoDDP.
501c3 Application StatusFoDDP was approved! All donations are now tax-deductible. THANK YOU TO CARLA FOR HER HARD WORK IN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION. A PayPal account dedicated to FoDDP has been opened, verified as a nonprofit account and linked to the bank account opened in the fall. What remains is troubleshooting the issue linking the gift brick company to the new PayPal account. Karen recommended using PayPal’s live chat feature as issues are shifted up the chain for resolution more quickly.
Circle of Friends Matt F was not able to attend but provided an update via email indicating that he had received a favorable response from Essex Tech regarding the request for their participation in the installation of the Circle of Friends project. The goal is for construction to occur in the fall when the new school year begins. Fundraising via brick sales and other events as needed shall take place over the summer.
Donation BoxThere appears to be support for the installation of a secure donation box at the dog park, provided it is aesthetically appropriate (black) and secure, and that FoDDP both identifies the purpose of collected funds and agrees to empty the box regularly. Carla will compile information with those details and submit it to Chris Sanborn for approval.
Visitor Pass/Registration Becky asked about instituting a requirement for park patrons to purchase a $25 annual pass to use the park, where the registration would require proof of vaccination. She had spoken with a health official who indicated that such a process would save time and money in the long run since chasing that information down after an incident or inquiry was more difficult. Carla relayed the town’s position that such a pass would incur some liability on the town, but she agreed it could be revisited for further clarification.
Benches/Kids/Corporate PartnersBrian and Karen offered a number of suggestions for improving the park:
- Perhaps a bench outside the park along the fence where some trees/shrubs are planted could be a good place for children to sit and view the park without violating the rule against children under 12 inside the fenced area.
- Raising benches somewhat would make them less susceptible to being targets for canine urination.
- On the large dog side, the bench behind the wall in the swampy area could be moved (but kept in shade) for better seating options.
- Lowes and Home Depot are likely to donate plantings, labor and the like in exchange for recognition and/or a tax write-off. Brian expressed interest in facilitating those relationships.
FinancialsCheryl was not able to attend but the financial status remains unchanged.
SubCommittee???Last month Carla suggested the idea to create a subcommittee to look at dog waste throughout the town and whether or not a full-time animal control officer would be beneficial to address this issue as well as incidents at the dog park. She posted the suggestion on Facebook and it didn’t get any responses. Becky expressed interest in exploring this topic so Carla will follow up with her. The perception is that there is concern about the financial implications of making this a benefited position but overall there is significant support.
Recent Incident at the ParkCarol attended the meeting to describe a troubling encounter she had with her carefully socialized 8-month-old german shepherd puppy. When she arrived there was the kind of fence-crowding and charging that have been described in the past as a new dog enters. One dog in particular behaved aggressively toward another dog, pinning it to the ground while it screamed. The owner put the aggressive dog on a leash insidethe park while the pinned dog left. Then the aggressive dog was taken back off its leash and it went after Carol’s puppy, grabbing it by the face and pinning it to the ground. When the owner finally intervened, there was fur in his dog’s mouth. The verbal exchange that followed between Carol and the owner was decidedly unpleasant.
Carol called the police who came and spoke to the owner of the aggressive dog. She was deeply concerned that the owner said he would be returning to the park with this dog that was clearly not well-socialized, and she came to the FoDDP meeting to advocate for changes to make the dog park a safer place. She had printed out some information that included:
- Supervision – all owners should be watching their dog’s behavior at all times, and intervening as appropriate.
- Energy level – Dogs that have been cooped up can be particularly excitable. Sometimes taking a walk beforeentering the park can be beneficial in taking the edge off.
- If a dog isn’t well socialized, they should be introduced to a dog park environment gradually. This can be achieved with a separate play area as seen in the Gloucester park, and/or a “time out” place to cool off before behavior escalates.
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, June 5 at the Danvers Housing Authority*.
*14 Stone St. Please note that parking is available in the small parking lot BEHIND the building, or in the larger lot by the senior center. Parking in numbered spots adjacent to the Housing Authority is for residents of those buildings.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 4, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Cheryl, Mary, Matt F., Carla & Pam)
Eagle Scout CeremonyCarla will attend the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Michael Guay, who built the dog park kiosk as his culminating project. It takes place on April 8 at 2pm. Congratulations and thank you, Michael!
501c3 Application StatusCarla submitted the additional paperwork requested by the IRS by the stated deadline, via fax (with receipt). Now it is a waiting game, but it is hoped that an approval will come shortly.
Spring CleanUpA spring cleanup of the dog park has been scheduled for Saturday, May 12, 9-11am. Eileen (via Facebook) as well as all the members present committed to attend; additional hands are needed to spruce things up, so Carla will put out a request for volunteers. Weeding, raking, etc are on the agenda so people are encouraged to bring rakes and gloves. The town will also support this effort.
Fundraising TableFoDDP has been given a table at the Sweet Williams Craft Fair (141 Pine St, May 5, 9am-3pm). This will be an opportunity for selling engraved bricks as well as other items to raise money – a shirt to be raffled will be donated by Spry Dog Massage, and another member will make dog biscuits to sell. The table is staffed with a volunteer 9am-noon but additional help is needed so Carla will solicit folks to sign up. Carla has a tent and table that will be used.
Educational EffortsThere are a couple of efforts being discussed to promote education at the dog park, via an event organized by some girl scouts as well as FoDDP hosting an information/welcome table on weekends. Finalizing these plans will be on the agenda for the May meeting.
Circle of Friends Dave M was not able to attend the meeting but Matt F provided an update. Matt submitted a form to the contact person at Essex Tech indicating interest in partnering with their masonry students on the installation of the Circle of Friends. He received an email acknowledging the submission, and Dave M. will be at Essex Tech on April 5 and should have an opportunity to discuss it further with the appropriate person/people. There seems to be broad support for the idea on both sides so Matt is feeling hopeful that it can work out.
Dog Park SubcommitteeThe quarterly meeting was held on March 23rdand Carla/Matt provided a summary of what was discussed:
- Stanton GrantThe town is working on their plans for the first of three “improvement grants” available from the Stanton Foundation in the first five years of operation. Their focus is on surfacing and accessibility, which was interpreted to mean improving the main walkway to the gate from the parking area and installing a retaining wall to prevent runoff of the pea stone. The Circle of Friends will not be part of this funding; sole responsibility for this improvement lies with FoDDP. There was some discussion regarding thoughts on the Circle communicated on behalf of Scott Cameron…namely about it having runoff capability while still being “level” across the walkway for access, the permissible grade, etc. Carla raised the question that has been asked multiple times around this topic: The Circle was part of the original bidding process and eliminated due to funding limitations, so don’t the specifications already exist as part of the design fees that were paid pre-construction? FoDDP doesn’t participate with the town’s meetings with Scott Cameron so the details of where things stand with regard to the Circle design are unclear. Pam expressed some concern over the clock ticking with the Stanton money and when things get set in motion so all three improvement grants are accessible.
- Brick Purchasing & InstallationThere were no concerns raised regarding the proposed partnership with Essex Tech, and Travis of DPW recommended Northeast Nursery as a source for blank bricks/pavers with better quality and comparable price (after discount) to the big box stores. Dave Mountain also shared that Danvers National Little League bought a brick engraver and they might be able to work with us to provide engraved bricks at a lower cost. Carla has since put Pam in touch with a DNLL contact person so the possibility can be explored further.
- ParkingPark patrons are still parking illegally, along the sides of Dean St. Tickets will be issued.
- BenchesThe wood benches proposed by Dave M at our February meeting are thought to be too unstable for use in the dog park. This was disappointing news as the benches are in use elsewhere in Endicott Park, and they represented a cost-effective solution to the limited seating on the large dog side, especially. The town has also decided they are unable to provide the granite blocks that had previously been offered. Benches like the ones currently in place cost $2,000 including the base and installation, and Dave Mountain has a couple of granite alternatives that he will be sharing as well. In the short term there is discussion of moving the existing benches around to better serve the park attendees.
- BagsThe poop bags at the park are expensive and quickly depleted. They are costing $5,000-$6,000…Pam thought it had been worked into the budgeting process last fall but town officials continue to express concern. FoDDP is sympathetic and will keep brainstorming ideas to address the issue.
- Donation BoxDave Mountain requested that a clear concise description of this idea be sent to Chris Sanborn. (Carla will do that.) They also requested wording to the effect that “funds would go toward dog park maintenance and improvements.”
- Formation of a Pet Waste SubCommittee?Pet waste all around Danvers is a problem, and some focus is needed in determining how it should be addressed. Right now the town has a part time animal control officer and pays a different person fees to dispose of roadkill. Peter Mirandi raised the question about whether a full time animal control officer would be beneficial…or whether an intense educational/awareness campaign would be sufficient. Carla posted a document detailing such a campaign to the Facebook group this week. Individuals interested in getting involved should contact Carla. This is a town problem, not specifically a dog park problem, but it unfortunately casts a negative light on ALL dog owners.
FinancialsThe balance in the account is $1,950.60. Additional fundraisers may be needed in the future but for now the focus will be on the brick sales.
Next meeting: 6:30pm Wednesday, May 2 at Danvers Housing Authority.
With sadness and gratitude, FoDDP would like to acknowledge the passing of one of its founding members, David Reardon (Sr). Dave and his wife Judy were instrumental in building the movement in Danvers that eventually became the Danvers Dog Park. They attended countless meetings over the years, supported the fundraising efforts and recruited others to the cause (this secretary/clerk among them). The Reardons did visit the park at least a few times with their beloved dog Romeo. Thank you, Dave, for all you did to bring about this happy place for dogs and their owners…one part of a great legacy.
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Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 20, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt F., Carla & Pam)
The March FoDDP meeting was held at the Danvers Housing Authority (14 Stone St). With ample seating and “always available” status – thus saving time with reserving space and issues associated with occasionally needing to reschedule meetings - it was decided that this should be FoDDP’s new permanent home.
Eagle Scout Ceremony Carla received an invitation to attend the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Michael Guay, who built the dog park kiosk as his culminating project. It takes place on April 8 at 2pm and Carla will represent FoDDP to express gratitude for his great contribution to the park.
501c3 Application Status Carla received notice from the IRS regarding the application submitted in September. They required some additional information in order to complete their review: the date that the FoDDP bylaws were adopted (4/11/17), the verified adoption of an Acceptable Purpose Clause*, and a signature by a board member attesting that the information provided was true and complete. The forms were signed and Carla will both fax and mail them to the IRS within 24 hours so they are received by the stated deadline of 3/23/18.
*Carla presented a draft of the Acceptable Purpose Clause: “The Friends of Danvers Dog Park is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations described under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.” Matt made a motion to adopt it as written, Pam seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The packet of materials originally submitted to the IRS will have this added and it shall be retained by the executive board members so it is available as needed in the future.
Circle of Friends Dave M was not able to attend the meeting but Matt F conveyed that Dave had spoken with his contact (Steve Collins?) at Essex Tech and there is strong interest in a partnership with their masonry department to have students build the Circle of Friends. The process involves filling out an online application, which Matt F agreed to do. If this proves viable then the only cost to FoDDP would be for the materials and that seems achievable via gift brick sales, other cash donations and the possibility of a contribution by Home Depot if Karen is successful.
Cheryl has a sample brick and she texted a photo of it so it could be discussed at the meeting. Giftbricks.com has a wide selection of colors and materials to choose from, but the expectation is that the Circle bricks will be consistent with those used at the Nature Center/barn.
Matt asked if scheduling an onsite walkthrough with Chris Sanborn would be a good idea at this point. Carla will raise the topic at the Dog Park Subcommittee meeting on Friday (3/23), making sure in advance that this on the agenda. Pam pointed out that at the last quarterly meeting, it was stated that Scott Cameron was working on plan modifications that would include not only the Circle but also other items that are a priority with the town using the first round of grant funding available for improvements (i.e. a retaining wall). To date he has not reached out to FoDDP regarding the modifications but hopefully there will be an update on this front at Friday’s meeting.
Girl Scouts The girl scouts with the idea of a spring educational event at the dog park were not in attendance.
Dog Park Subcommittee items In addition to the Circle of Friends in general, Carla will seek approval of the donation box presented at the February meeting as well as bench options (wood benches made by Dave M, granite slabs, etc).
Next meeting: 6:30pm Wednesday, April 4 at Danvers Housing Authority.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 12, 2018 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barb, Dave & Susan M., Karen, Mary, Matt F., Cheryl via phone, Carla & Pam)
Several new faces attended this month’s meeting, and they were welcomed enthusiastically as new ideas and fresh perspectives are highly valued. A quick round of introductions took place before settling down to business.
501c3 Application Status There has still been no further communication from the IRS regarding the application FoDDP submitted in September. After the December meeting, Crystal was able to confirm through her employer (a law firm) that the application had been received and the review was pending.
Dave is active on a number of boards and asked why we applied to be classified as a 501c3 as opposed to a 501c7 as his experience was that the 501c7 was appropriate for recreational clubs such as boating. But FoDDP followed the example of Friends of Danvers Recreation and Friends of Endicott Park, both of which have 501c3 status.
Carla reported that she had received a 1099 from Paypal for the funds collected as donations/Gift Brick purchases. Research will need to be done regarding the tax implications and how this should be handled going forward.
Circle of Friends…and Benches An overview of this effort was presented for the benefit of the new attendees. Dave had many suggestions for making this a reality on a smaller budget. Among them:
- Dave works for the Forestry Division in town and constructs benches out of trees he has taken down. Several are installed in Endicott Park already…alongside a new table for the Nature Center that will house a bee hive, and by the hollow log between the carriage house and large paddock. He offered to create benches for the dog park as well, at no charge. Carla will bring this up at the next quarterly meeting of the Dog Park Subcommittee.
- Dave is an advisor at Essex Tech and knows the staff well. He believes the Circle would be a great project for the masonry/hardscaping students, and will talk to Steve Collins (head of masonry) about this collaboration which would greatly reduce labor costs.
- The town receives a discount on materials from Northeast Nursery and Corliss, so wholesale pricing could be available for hardscaping materials.
Fundraising
- The sale of bricks to raise funds for the Circle of Friends continues. Promotion will continue as we move into spring and focus on the park is reenergized with the warmer weather.
- Matt has sent multiple emails to contacts at Lowes, trying to follow up on an offer to “do something for the park” that had been made previously through Chris Sanborn. So far he has not been successful, and it was suggested that a personal visit to the Danvers store might be needed.
- Karen was very knowledgeable about the grant program available through Home Depot as she had successfully obtained support for a garden at Riverside through the Danvers store. The person managing the grant program is local (Sara Thistle?) and the contribution consisted of both materials and labor. Karen offered to look into options through Lowes and Home Depot and will coordinate with Matt on that effort.
- Barb had previously introduced the idea of a donation box at the park based on one she had seen at a dog park in Wolfboro, NH. Pam contacted the president of the dog park group in Wolfboro for more information, and was told which one they had purchased after MUCH research (the “Heavy Duty Outdoor Campground Fee Collection Post” on RVParkSupplies.com), the amount they have collected in donations to date (over $1,300) and the impact it has had on raising awareness that the park relies on donations for improvements. FoDDP believes the Danvers Dog Park would benefit from soliciting support from the park patrons, many of whom live outside of Danvers and have expressed conversationally a willingness to contribute. Carla will raise the issue at the next Dog Park Subcommittee meeting.
Girl Scouts There are a couple of girl scouts who are planning an education campaign to explain the importance of the “No Children Under 12” rule as well as why dogs benefit from exercise and why you should always pick up after your dog. It will be structured as a spring Open House with doggy gift bags. Barb suggested the girl scouts could also participate in a spring cleanup of the park.
Next meeting: 6:30pm Tuesday, March 13* at DCAT conference room**.
*Note the date change from what was previously announced.
**Carla will check on availability and an alternate location will be found if necessary.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
December 5, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Mary, Matt A., Matt F., Keith, Cheryl, Crystal, Carla & Pam)
Dog Park Subcommittee After a brief round of introductions to welcome new and/or returning faces, Carla began with a recap of the quarterly meeting held November 17:
- Usage of the dog park is up, which is a good thing!
- Parking is an concern, as cars are not allowed along either side of Dean St. There is signage, and warnings were posted on the FoDDP Facebook page…and now tickets are being issued. As a reminder, parking is permitted in the lot across the street at St. Richard’s, along Forest St and in the other Endicott Park lots.
- Dog waste is a concern as there is more of it around Endicott Park in general. The dog park is going through poop bags at a rapid pace, currently 2400 per month. Dave Mountain is requesting $5,000 in additional funding to help cover this expense; park patrons are also encouraged to use the bag dispensers as a backup plan for picking up after their dog(s). As a rule, it is better if people bring and use their own bags whenever possible.
- The dog park was closed for cleaning on Friday and Monday (Dec 1 & 4). [Pam reported that as of the weekend there was a tremendous improvement on the large dog side, which had obviously been raked and tidied with regards to holes that had been filled with large rocks from the wall. The assumption was that Friday had been used for the large dog side and Monday was likely dedicated to the small dog side.] The clean up is certainly appreciated!
- The water fountains in the park have been winterized.
- Carla presented Matt A.’s suggestion for making the dog park safer for packs of dogs running around the wall on the large dog side, by relocating some of the large boulders and removing the cluster of smaller trees. The tree removal idea met with some resistance as a good deal of thought had gone into the selective thinning pre-construction and preserving tree cover for shade as well as aesthetics continues to be a priority. [Matt suggested that perhaps a compromise would be to plant other trees in a different location to offset the removal proposed.] Moving the boulders was less controversial. Any transformation would not happen before spring so the discussion can be resumed at the next subcommittee meeting.
- Scott Cameron is working on plans for modifications to the park which could be funded (at least in part) with the first of three improvement grants available through the Stanton Foundation. Possible items include a retaining wall to address migrating pea stone, how the Circle of Friends would best be incorporated and improvements to the walkway from the parking lot. Once a plan is sketched out, FoDDP will be included in the conversation about how to proceed.
- FoDDP had previously suggested a fire hydrant installed in the park would give it some character, and Dave Mountain had not raised objections. However, it could be an issue for the Historic Commission and Chris Sanborn is not a big proponent of the idea. [As a result, FoDDP decided it wasn’t worth pursuing at this time.]
- The town will add the dog park to its web site and feature it in an upcoming newsletter.
- The project proposed by a couple of girl scouts to build some play/agility equipment for the dog park was deemed not workable as Historic Commission approval is very unlikely. [Carla will communicate with the girl scouts; their willingness to improve the park is appreciated and an educational program around rules of the park is still considered an excellent idea.]
Bricks The sale of bricks to raise funds for the Circle of Friends continues. Cheryl submitted press releases to Patch and the Danvers Herald – the Salem News has already included publicity about this fundraiser. We will continue to promote the effort on the Facebook page and by posting the fliers around town. People in attendance were invited to help get the fliers out to local businesses and town buildings (library, senior center, town hall, etc).
Play Surface Carla reported that she had heard from Manny and he continues to brainstorm ideas for improving the play surface of the park. The two ideas he proposed were stone dust or a fine bark mulch.
501c3 There has been no additional communication from the IRS on the status of our application, which was submitted in September. The check was cashed and Carla received a letter confirming receipt, but nothing in the months since then. Crystal offered to see if she could determine the status of our application through the law office where she worked.
Next meetings: 6:30pm Monday, February 12 and Wednesday, March 14 at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 7, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt A., Matt F., Carla & Pam)
Quarterly Meeting Postponed The quarterly meeting of the town’s Dog Park Subcommittee was scheduled for October 20th but postponed. The new date is November 17th. As a result, Carla was not able to share updates on items discussed at previous FoDDP meetings.
501c3 There has been no additional communication from the IRS on the status of our application.
Kiosk Photos of scout Michael Guay in uniform were taken alongside the kiosk which was built as part of his Eagle Scout project. The pictures were posted to the Danvers, MA and FoDDP Facebook groups.
Girl Scouts’ Proposal Due to the postponement of the Quarterly Meeting (above), there is no update on a proposal from two girl scouts to add agility equipment to the dog park as well as coordinate an educational event around the rule prohibiting young children.
Boulders, Trees and Water Matt A. brought Matt F. (FoDDP’s veteran design/construction representative) up to speed on his suggestion last month to address the potential hazard to dogs running in a pack around the wall on the large dog side. Carla will bring it up at the Subcommittee Meeting. He also offered an idea to help with the mud puddle that forms behind the wall after a rain or thaw: a dry well installed that would drain to a pool for the dogs on the lower half. Matt A. has also taken initiative to keep the park clean with raking and stick removal after the recent storm, and his efforts are appreciated!
Facebook Group For now the process of posts being approved by an administrator seems to be working to keep the flow of information going in a productive direction. Most submissions have been approved. Promotional posts (for dog-related businesses and the like) are permitted the first time but FoDDP does not seek to be a commercially-focused group.
Brick Fundraiser: The effort to raise money for park improvements, specifically the Circle of Friends, continues! In the coming weeks we will continue to promote the brick sale through press releases and distribution of flyers around the north shore. Matt A. volunteered to help get them out to local businesses (Essex County Coop, PetCo, etc) and Cherl has been asked to do some press releases.
Matt A. said he had talked to people in the park with questions about the cost of the bricks ($100) relative to the estimated cost of the improvement project. The Circle was part of the bidding process during the initial phase of construction, identified as Alternate 1 which would have been completed if funding allowed. The bids on this option ranged from $15,600 to $19,000 at that time, and estimates for the same work as a standalone project might be higher. Benches for the Circle could cost an additional $7,900 to $15,000, according to the same bidding process for Alternates 4/5. Matt F. continues to work on pricing/bids and leads to have some portions of the project donated, as previously discussed. Matt A. suggested that Essex Tech students could be a resource for donated labor, and his employer Bentley & Warren might have some remnant granite blocks that could serve as seating as well.
Stone Carla will look into the surfaces at the entrances to the park - they had been stone dust but have become covered over (accidentally, or maybe on purpose?) with pea stones.
Next meeting: 6:30pm December 5th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 10, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt A., Mary, Karen, Art, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
- The DCAT conference room on Elm St has been working out well and will be the permanent location of the FoDDP monthly meetings going forward.
- FoDDP was thrilled to welcome three new faces at the October meeting. New perspectives and suggestions are always needed!
Boulders and Trees Matt A. expressed concern over the potential hazard presented by the large boulders, two large trees and five smaller trees on the large dog side, located near the left opening in the rock wall. Dogs will frequently run at high speed in packs around that corner from the back side of the wall to the front, and he has witnessed multiple incidents of the dogs crashing into these objects – so there is significant risk of injury. He suggested that the boulders could be moved into a semicircular arrangement around the two larger trees, opening up the space overall and giving dog owners a place to sit and watch their dogs facing out into the park. The smaller trees could be considered for removal – they are not mature so the amount of shade they provide is not large, but as a cluster they do serve as a formidable obstacle to the fast-paced play.
Kids in the Park The issue of kids in the park was discussed again at some length. Matt A. has looked at the park with an eye to where a kid-friendly area could be created, fencing off a space inside or adjacent to the park where kids could safely remain, so they are separated from the dogs but still visible to be supervised by their parents.
Art’s perspective was that enforcement by people with some authority was needed in order for the rule to be followed. Ticketing people with a monetary fine could help curb the behavior. Relying on park patrons to educate other people has not been overly effective, as the reaction is defensive if not rude. The proper way to approach people was discussed (even children who are comfortable with dogs are at risk as unfamiliar dogs may not be comfortable around children, a dog may become protective of their “own” children, dog play is inherently rough, etc, etc, etc) as well as how to contact park personnel if needed.
501c3 The application has been submitted so we are waiting for news on its approval status.
Kiosk The bulletin board was installed on the kiosk and FoDDP will be able to post notices, etc there going forward. Thank you again to Michael Guay, the Eagle Scout candidate who built the kiosk for his project. The cost in materials was approximately $400, and Carla is working to obtain a photo of Michael in his scouting uniform alongside the kiosk, for additional recognition. Pam will post the date of the November FoDDP meeting on the kiosk board.
Board Members Added FoDDP would like to increase the size of its voting membership, adding voices and perspectives to ongoing discussions of how the group should address concerns, set priorities and take action. Mary, Karen and Matt A. were asked if they were interested in such a role going forward; all replied in the affirmative, at least as their schedules would allow for the monthly meetings. Cheryl made a motion to make them board members, and all present voted in favor of the motion. Mary then in turn made a motion to renew the slate of officers (Carla, Cheryl, Matt F. and Pam), and the motion passed unanimously.
Girl Scouts, too Carla was approached by a couple of girl scouts who would like to make the dog park the focus of their Bronze Award project – their ideas include building ramps or other dog play structures to be installed inside the park, and developing materials to educate park patrons on why children are not allowed in the dog park. The education piece could occur during an event to present the ramps. This idea was greeted favorably, so Carla will bring it up at the next meeting with the town.
Facebook Group The ability to post to the FoDDP group on Facebook was “frozen” several weeks ago so that, at least for now, an administrator has to approve posts before they are published. The tone of the exchanges was becoming increasingly negative and not a good representation of the park’s overall success and popularity. FoDDP will continue to monitor the situation going forward, and look at what options exist for sharing information and feedback. One possible solution would be to structure it as a “page” rather than a “group” – but more information is needed about what the advantages and drawbacks of each choice would be.
Brick Fundraiser: The effort to raise money for park improvements, specifically the Circle of Friends, continues! A flyer was mailed to all Danvers Electric customers in August and also posted on the kiosk bulletin board, and orders have been coming in. Additional promotion is needed: posting the flyers around town, press releases in the newspapers, posts on social media. Any help promoting this effort is appreciated! The flyer is attached below.
In addition, Chris Sanborn contacted Carla about a matching program run through Patronicity – this option to double our revenue is definitely worth exploring once we have achieved the status as a 501c3.
Recent Incident Carla asked for to see the police report regarding an incident in the park over Labor Day weekend. The report could not be immediately located, perhaps because the dog park doesn’t have an official address? Carla will continue to make efforts to monitor any official filings regarding the dog park.
Next meeting: 6:30pm November 7th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 5, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, DANVERS DOG PARK!
(Our grand opening was September 17, 2016.)
Note: Our September meeting was held at our new permanent location, the DCAT conference room at 87 Elm St in Danvers.
FoDDP Bylaws Carla presented for approval a six-page document representing an amended version of FoDDP bylaws. The original bylaws were drafted and approved at the April meeting, but this version provides more detail regarding membership, Board Member selection/roles, committees and a conflict of interest policy. Cheryl made a motion to approve the amended bylaws, Matt seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous in favor of approval.
501c3 The bylaws were the final piece of the 501c3 application, so with those approved Carla can submit the application on September 6. FoDDP opened an account at Salem Five with Carla, Cheryl and Pam as signers. Matt felt that three signers were sufficient and declined to be added to the account. At present there are outstanding reimbursements for various expenses: approximately $1,300 in printing, $450 for kiosk materials and $70 for the website, in addition to $400 anticipated for the 501c3 application. Carla will submit these to the Friends of Danvers Recreation so as to claim the balance of funds (over $1,800) being held for FoDDP. Going forward, funds raised for dog park improvements will be deposited into the new account.
Kiosk The kiosk was built by Eagle Scout candidate Michael Guay (in consultation with Chris Sanborn) and installed over Labor Day weekend. The bulletin board portion arrived damaged and a new one is on order; it will be installed as soon as possible. The bulletin board will be inside a locked plexi-glass case and the two keys will be held by FoDDP (Carla) and Chris Sanborn.
Parking Violations The Dean Street lot has limited parking available close to the dog park; when those spots are full, visitors should park at St. Richard’s, on Forest St or in one of the other Endicott Park lots. Parking along the sides of Dean St is not permitted, and signage is clear on this point. This is for the safe passage of vehicles, (human) pedestrians and dogs alike, and FoDDP agrees that this is an important safety consideration. Please Note: Parking violations (tickets) will be given to those who park illegally on Dean St!
Brick Fundraiser: In August FoDDP launched a fundraiser to make the long-awaited Circle of Friends a reality! For $100, dog park patrons can show their support while honoring a pet or other loved one (or just write “I love this dog park!”). The flyer is attached and help is needed to continue spreading the word to make this a great success. Talk to friends and family and neighbors, give a brick as a gift, share your enthusiasm on social media! All Danvers residents should have received a flyer inserted with their August bills from Danvers Electric.
Circle of Friends Matt agreed to take the lead on the Circle of Friends project. Several items were discussed:
- If the money is not going through the town coffers, it might be possible to avoid the bidding process that was used for the initial construction phase.
- HOWEVER, Stanton provides up to three Capital Improvement Grants within the first five years of a park’s operation, each equivalent to 5% of the construction costs. The Danvers Dog Park would be eligible for these additional funds after being open 12 months, 18 months and 24 months, respectively. The wording specifically states that the money would be for improvements to the park, not routine maintenance, and it would seem the Circle of Friends would be an ideal use of this money.
- Carla and Matt are invited to attend the Recreation meeting on September 21 to discuss the Circle plans with them.
- Originally the plan was to have the town provide granite slabs to be used as benches around the Circle, primarily to save cost. Dave Mountain has told Carla that FoDDP should no longer count on that, and should instead consider purchasing benches similar to those installed at the Holten Richmond Middle School. Obviously, additional fundraising would therefore be needed - Carla will find out about the pricing of these benches. This news was disappointing as the Circle costs are likely to be high already. The seating that the Circle will provide is much needed on the large-dog side of the park.
- The placement of the Circle of Friends will likely need to be modified to keep the grade moderate and preserve access. This will likely mean placing it closer to the fence near the “bottom” (gate-side) of the park.
- Contacts for donated materials and/or labor were discussed, with Lowes being a good option as they have contacted FoDDP with offers of assistance in the past.
- The specifications of the Circle were not readily visible on the plan documents used during the initial bidding process. Given the detail of EVERY item on that design, it is likely that the information exists within the plans, or with Dave Mountain or Scott Cameron. Carla will inquire.
Nominating Committee Pam and Cheryl will serve as the Nominating Committee leading up to the October Annual Meeting of FoDDP.
Contact Info There have been requests on the Facebook page for a phone number people can call to reach the Endicott Park staff. That number can probably be provided, but visitors must realize that the staff is VERY BUSY with the entirety of their responsibilities and can’t run over to the dog park with much frequency.
Recent Incident FoDDP was notified that there was an incident with an aggressive dog in the large dog side over Labor Day weekend. Danvers Police were called and a report was filed. Carla will request the police report and look into the incident.
Next meeting: ANNUAL MEETING 6:30pm October 10th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 11, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
Note: Meeting locations will be announced monthly as we look for a new permanent location. The July meeting was held at the DCAT conference room on Elm St.
The quarterly meeting of the town Dog Park Subcommittee was held in June and both Carla and Matt were in attendance. They reported back on what was discussed:
Rules There has been concern that some of the dog park rules are being broken, with particular attention to the one prohibiting children under 12 from entering the park. The signs that list all sixteen rules are hung to the side as you enter the gates, but it is clear some patrons aren’t reading them while others are choosing to ignore them. The town believes this sign placement is appropriate and was resistant to additional signage that would make any single rule more prominent out of concern that the other rules would be viewed as less critical.
[Update: Since the meeting, the town agreed to add an additional placard to each gate (large and small dog sides) emphasizing the rule regarding children. The initial signage would be temporary while more permanent versions were on order. FoDDP is very appreciative of this effort to ensure kids are safe AND that dogs have a place where they can play appropriately and freely with other dogs.]
Stone This topic continues to be evaluated and discussed. When installed, a layer of fabric was placed between the earth and the first layer of larger crushed stone, and the pea stone was installed above that. A significant amount of the crushed stone has emerged to the surface, intermingling with the pea stone and altering the overall play surface. The town contends this was the correct installation and that similar issues would have occurred even if fabric had been placed between the two rock layers – the larger stones would have brought the fabric along with them to the surface and/or torn the fabric creating more of a hazard. Additional pea stone was added to the park this spring to fortify the “smaller stone” portion and the hope is that continued effort in this direction will achieve an equilibrium in the overall surface.
At this point FoDDP does not have a better approach to firmly advocate. Every surface (rice stone, wood chips, stone dust, sand, grass, etc) will have pros and cons – cost, drainage, maintenance, compatibility with irrigation, etc – meaning a good deal of money and effort could result in trading one set of issues for another. Stanton is currently working on two new parks (in Burlington and Billerica) and both will use pea stone as a play surface. For now we will continue to monitor the situation and welcome input from park patrons.
Poop Bags at the Park As noted in previous discussions/notes, the cost of the bags provided in the dog park (and Endicott Park in general) dispensers is high. FoDDP is not in a position to raise funds to support this expense in perpetuity but believes it should be its own line item in the town budget rather than be absorbed by that of Endicott Park.
Dog Poop Elsewhere Dog waste continues to be a big concern around the Endicott Park grounds and in general around town. While the dog park has led to an increase in dog-related-attendance at Endicott Park, it is not specifically a dog park issue…but one park staff and town officials are struggling to address overall.
FoDDP encourages ALL dog owners to be responsible and pick up after your dogs, whether in the dog park or elsewhere.
Kiosk This project is underway under the leadership of an Eagle Scout candidate working in conjunction with Chris Sanborn. It will resemble the kiosk currently installed near the children’s playground with half of it showing a map of Endicott Park and half of it dedicated to the needs of the dog park. Carla will check in on how construction is progressing.
Main Entrance Sign A new sign identifying the entrance to Danvers Dog Park is to be installed soon. It will match the other Endicott Park signs in overall design. FoDDP appreciates the effort to remain true to our brand/name.
Stone Dust Paths The stone dust paths behind the rock wall that were installed during initial construction have largely washed away. The water and dirt have overtaken the area and the path has been deemed “un-maintainable”.
In other business:
Handicap Access Susan Fletcher of the Danvers Diversity Committee reported to Carla that the dog park in its entirety (parking, entry path, dog play area) is compliant. Additionally, engineers had been consulted and any effort to extend the interior access path would require multiple switchbacks due to the elevation change. As a result, the path would take up most of the park. If/when we are able to construct the Circle of Friends, it will increase handicap accessibility within the large dog play area.
501c3 status Carla continues to work on the 501c3 application on behalf of FoDDP. It is a somewhat complicated and time-consuming process and she apologized for not getting it done despite having brought the documents with her when traveling.
Next meeting: 6:30pm August 9th at DCAT conference room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 11, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl, Pam, Keith & Barbara)
Note: Meeting locations will be announced monthly as we look for a new permanent location. The April meeting was held at the Danvers Fire Department conference room on High St.
501c3 status Carla is actively working on the 501c3 application on behalf of FoDDP. A discussion to capture the by-laws under which we operate was held, clarifying issues such as the number of board members (four), the frequency and nature of meetings (monthly and open to the public), what constitutes a quorum (three of four board members present) and a conflict-of-interest policy. Carla will search for a conflict-of-interest policy template that could be adapted to FoDDP.
Brochure The town created a Danvers Dog Park brochure which would be available to interested parties at town hall, alongside brochures for other town amenities such as Endicott Park at-large. Overall FoDDP approved of the brochure design with the exception of recommending that the FoDDP logo be moved to the front page for aesthetic reasons.
FoDDP Mission With the park up and running, Carla raised the question of what our mission going forward should be. The consensus was that FoDDP should incorporate (hence the 501c3 application) and continue to serve as a liaison to the town and advocate for the Danvers Dog Park. With regard to financial support for the park and its operations, FoDDP intends to continue the focus on making the Circle of Friends a reality, but is not in a position to “underwrite” the supply of poop bags stocked in the park’s dispensers (see below).
Poop Bags It has been noted in previous meetings that the demand/use of the poop bags at the park has exceeded expectations and that the current level of use is putting a strain on the Endicott Park budget. FoDDP cannot afford to provide sustaining support for this expense, but a variety of strategies were suggested:
- PetCo offers grant money for various causes, and applying for one could yield some funding. This was looked into as a revenue source prior to construction but abandoned when the Stanton Foundation entered the picture.
- The bag use is a reflection of the immense popularity of the Danvers Dog Park and as an important town amenity it is deserving of an allocation in the town budget, on its own or as an increase in the Endicott Park budget.
- The town’s licensing fee could be increased by $1-5, perhaps as an opt-in or opt-out line on the application, with those funds earmarked for dog park supplies. There are over 1000 dogs licensed in town so this has potential to generate significant revenue.
Stones The “success” of the stone place surface in the park was discussed extensively in March, and the topic was raised again with the same concerns. FoDDP would be interested in Stanton’s input on the situation as fixing this problem seems to be a significant priority – would it be achievable through the grant with the money allocated for improvements in the first five years? Carla and Matt can raise this question at the next quarterly meeting of the Dog Park Committee.
Clean Up Day/Spring Re-Opening Saturday, May 13 (9-11am, with May 20 as a rain date) was selected as a time to invite volunteers to spruce up the park and re-launch it for the warm season. Chuck Farrell may have suggestions for jobs to be tackled, and park patrons are invited to make suggestions as well. Chuck will be consulted for approval before work is done. Ideas discussed included raking, mulching, hole-filling, poison ivy removal, etc. FoDDP could also staff a table to answer any questions.
Next meeting: May 2 at location TBD.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 7, 2017 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl, Pam, & Barbara)
Note: The January and February FoDDP meetings were canceled due to the loss of the PUB Community Room as a meeting space and the lack of new information to be reported.
Carla and Matt attended the quarterly meeting with the Dog Park Subcommittee, where many topics were addressed.
Permanent Park Signage A permanent sign for the Forest St entrance to the dog park parking lot will be ordered, identifying it as Danvers Dog Park at Endicott Park in a style matching the other signage in Endicott Park. It will not have the FoDDP logo on it as previously hoped, but this is a reasonable compromise.
Donor signage As noted in the December minutes, a design for signage acknowledging our most significant sponsors was submitted to the Stanton Foundation for approval and then ordered without FoDDP’s knowledge, despite the expectation that we would pay the cost of the sign out of our remaining funds. Ultimately the group voted 3-1 (Carla abstained) to agree to pay for the donor sign, but we contend this is an example of a larger pattern of spending our resources without express approval to do so.
Accessibility There have been inquiries regarding progress to make the park more accessible to patrons with disabilities. Right now the park is legally compliant with stone dust surfaces at the entrances of the small and large dog areas providing access. The Circle of Friends - a planned addition with fundraising and donated services - will improve that further on the large dog side. Going forward the FoDDP will ask the town’s Disability Committee to visit the site and make suggestions for other steps to be considered.
Spring Cleanup and Info-Sharing As the weather warms and park use increases again, a spring cleanup of the park will be planned to make it fresh and welcoming to visitors. This event will invite patrons to take responsibility for and pride in keeping this beautiful resource nice for years to come. Additionally FoDDP would look to host an info table periodically to educate visitors about the rules, discuss future improvements and encourage others to join in the effort.
Contractor Fees/Fines Dave Mountain reported that as of 2/8/17, there was a balance of $3,165.68 in the dog park construction account, and that this money represented the fines held back from the contractor due to the significant delays last summer – over two months’ worth. Carla expressed that this seems like a small amount given the cost of the project ($225K) and the extent of the delays. Of that money, approximately $900 has been spent (possibly on dog poop bag stations?) and approximately $2,100 will go to the permanent sign previously discussed. Since we have been asking for months about this money and how decisions about its use would be decided, it serves as another example of FoDDP being left out of the conversation until after the fact. FoDDP provided 10% of the construction money, in addition to unforeseen design cost expenses, so we have a valid stake in this matter. If any balance remains, even $100, we request it be applied to the expense of the donor sign.
Kiosk This continues to be a work in progress. We have a lead on an Eagle Scout interested in doing this as a project, and Carla will follow up on it.
Circle of Friends Cheryl brought a sample brick from the company and they seem very easy to work with – we can set up a web-based store where people can make their purchases online. Cheryl will look into adding an insert to the electric bills (as similarly done by the Friends of Endicott Park) so that we can reach all of the Danvers residents rather than just the dog owners. As Cheryl noted, even those currently without dogs may want to honor a deceased pet. Eileen was to help Cheryl with this effort but our Tuesday meetings don’t work for her at this time.
Rule Following Danvers Dog Park has become the most utilized park in town with attendance exceeding what had been expected. This is a good thing! Most visitors are following the rules and enjoying the park appropriately. The two biggest issues are children under 12 in the park, and dog toys.
For the children in particular, a child in the park puts the child AND THE DOGS at risk, because if a dog is frightened and bites a child then the liability falls strictly on the dog owner even though the child shouldn’t have been inside the dog park in the first place.
The rangers continue to educate owners about the rules and the reasons behind them, and park patrons are encouraged to do the same by talking to each other. The spike in dog park visits has also created an influx of dogs at Endicott Park in general. Owners are reminded to pick up after their dogs throughout Endicott Park, and to keep dogs ON leash when not inside the dog park.
Poop, Poop and More Poop
Pick it Up, Please It is important that visitors to the park pick up after their dogs, in order to keep the park a clean, safe place for all. All dogs do it, so keep an eye out and be responsible! It is unpleasant, but part of owning a dog and part of using the dog park. We have reports of some good Samaritans picking up after others, as many as ten extras in a single visit. This is a problem that needs to be addressed, and could restrict access to the park if it needs to be closed periodically for maintenance.
Bags The bags for the dispensers are disappearing at a very fast rate, approximately 2000 bags per month at $384/order or more than $4,000 per year. Right now that is coming out of the Endicott Park budget, but that is not sustainable in its current configuration. The town is looking for help in solving this issue. FoDDP tossed around some initial ideas (shift town resources to this most-utilized park, increase dog license fee, have on-going fundraisers, encourage people to bring their own and use dispensers as a backup plan only) but ultimately decided to table the discussion to next month as it is part of a larger question: what is the mission of FoDDP going forward?
Poop Disposal Alternative Chuck Farrell suggested we look into an in-ground composter as another option for disposal of poop.
Stone The anecdotal evidence is that the stone play surface needs addressing. Many (not all) of the dogs seem to play only on the stone dust and dirt surfaces, and avoid the stone area as much as possible. This means that a large percentage of the park is underutilized. The issue is two-fold: the apparent absence of a liner between the larger base stone layer and the smaller pea stone top surface has allowed for a mixing of the two with many larger stones on the surface; and the pea stone installed was not as small and rounded as it perhaps needed to be, due to pricing and limited availability.
Matt addressed the question of the liner as having been raised by Manny as a potential issue before/during construction, but ultimately we relied on the expertise of the contractor, DPW, Scott Cameron and the Stanton Foundation.
It is not clear how this can be improved since it would likely take significant resources to remove what is currently in place. A first step is to find out why it was done the way it was (should a barrier have been in place between the stone layers?). There are additional grant funds available over the next five years and this issue seems to be at the top of the priority list.
Stone Dust in Parking Area Manny reported (through Carla) that the parking area does not have a stone dust surface. Was this in the plans?
501c3 status Carla continues to look at applying for 501c3 status on behalf of FoDDP. She is told there is an application fee and asked for approval of that expense, estimated at $500. Approval was granted unanimously.
Fire Hydrant An old fire hydrant has been offered which we can use for decorative purposes at the dog park. The cost to install it would be $150-200. The members present unanimously approved that expense.
Next meeting: April 4th (Tuesday) at 6:30pm, location TBD. Agenda: FoDDP mission going forward, spring cleanup, 501c3, poop bags, stones, Circle of Friends.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
December 6, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Cheryl, Pam, Art & Barbara)
Carla and Matt attended a meeting with the Dog Park Subcommittee, where many topics were addressed. Note that going forward, issues and questions we have will be discussed at this subcommittee’s meetings, which are to be held every three months and to which FoDDP can send representatives (typically Carla and Matt).
Donor signage The town had been waiting for Stanton to provide a sign template that we could (as promised) use to thank our major, pre-grant donors. When the design arrived, the town ordered the signs without approval from FoDDP. The cost is approximately $300 and FoDDP will be billed for this expense; the feeling was that we should have been consulted before the signs were ordered, and that we shouldn’t pay for the signs without seeing them first. Carla stated that Dave M sent something about what the sign would look like, but Carla expected this to be approved by the Stanton Foundation and didn’t expect it to be ordered or billed to FoDDP without letting us know it was indeed approved by Stanton. The FoDDP were waiting to see how to move forward.
Contractor Fees/Fines There continues to be no definitive answer on how the fines charged to the contractor for excessive construction delays were (or will be) handled.
Benches The backless benches have in fact been in the project specifications since the beginning, as shown on the detailed plans reviewed at the subcommittee meeting. In verbal descriptions they were “the ones you see around town” and so FoDDP had perhaps formed a mental picture of benches by the library or downtown and didn’t identify the discrepancy in the specs.
Kiosk The town is fine with the installation of a kiosk for the purpose of posting notices, etc. Carla will post on FB and otherwise get the word out to see if there is interest in this project as an eagle scout project or other kind of donation, to work with (or under the direction of) Chris Sanborn.
Circle of Friends Cheryl has consulted with the Friends of Endicott Park about their gift brick program and they were very happy with a vendor out of Wisconsin that facilitated online ordering and had reasonable shipping policies. The idea is that we can sell the gift bricks to raise some funds and perhaps leverage a previous offer for involvement from Lowes to assist with the installation.
Poop Bags The town has reported going through an initial supply of 1600 bags in the first 1.5 months of operation. At a cost of $384, the bags have been replenished but the expense is not sustainable so people are encouraged to bring their own bags to the park and use those in the dispensers as a back up plan. Matt did a quick calculation and pointed out that if the bags were over a 50 day period, it would amount to 32 bags per day – which doesn’t seem excessive given the number of park users we are seeing. Barbara noted that the bags seem to be rather “high end” and suggested that less expensive options might be identified, but the bags need to be compatible with the dispensers. In fact, additional dispensers will be added throughout Endicott Park as the rangers have noticed an increase in dog poop in the fields and along trails. Bottom line: THE BAG SUPPLY IS LIMITED AND MIGHT RUN OUT SOONER THAN WE WOULD LIKE. PARK USERS SHOULD BRING BAGS WITH THEM AND USE THOSE IN THE DISPENSERS SPARINGLY.
Winter The park will be open during the winter, although it will not be plowed or cleared in any way. Matt asked if that included the parking area, given that the surface is similar to the “circle” in Endicott Park, which is plowed. That isn’t clear so we will wait and see with winter coming and address the issue if a problem arises.
Off-Leash Dogs OUTside the Park In addition to more dog poop throughout Endicott Park, rangers are observing more dogs off-leash at Endicott Park (but outside the dog park fences). They are working to educate owners and FoDDP patrons are encouraged to politely do the same.
Leaf Removal The park will be closed from 10am-1pm on Wednesday (12/7) for the purpose of leaf removal inside the dog park.
Sign/Name The sign at the entrance to the dog park remains “Endicott Park Dog Park.” FoDDP is told that this sign is temporary but the plan to replace it (when and with what?) remains unclear. We have communicated our desire to have the FoDDP logo and “Danvers Dog Park” on the sign but to date there is no official response to this request.
In addition, we discussed:
501c3 status Carla will begin the application process in the coming days.
Next meeting: January 3rd (Tuesday) at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 9, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Carla, Pam, Art & Barbara)
A number of questions and concerns came out of the FoDDP October meeting and tonight Carla reported on responses she had received from the town:
Contractor Fees/Fines There was no definitive answer on how the fines charged to the contractor for excessive construction delays were handled. Reportedly there was to be a meeting on November 1 where this was to be clarified but Carla has not received any further update.
Benches Dave Mountain’s recollection was that the design change to backless benches was discussed at a meeting with all stakeholders and no objections were raised. He wasn’t certain of the timing but it was before the first round of bidding.
Matt suggested that confusion may have arisen out of the conversation in question where the seating around the Circle of Friends was discussed as a reasonable place for backless seating (i.e. the granite boulders that would be available for little or no cost) as people could face in multiple directions to talk and/or keep an eye on their dogs. The benches, however, are installed around the perimeter of the park and sitting faced to the fence doesn’t make any sense.
Art expressed that the prevailing concern is a loss of control over decisions being made by the town administering park construction, and Carla agreed that FoDDP wants to be consulted on these matters.
Handicap Access There has be a prompt and seemingly adequate response by the town on this front with the installation of stone dust over a relatively large area inside the entrance of both the small and large sides of the park. Chuck Farrell was cited as largely responsible for acknowledging and remedying the issue after seeing posts on the FoDDP Facebook page.
Concern was expressed about how this was missed at the outset but there had been discussion and the understanding had been to focus on access as it related to parking and the path to the park entrance, with the knowledge that the Circle of Friends would augment access in the near future. Once the park was opened and feedback was coming in, they met again with the engineer as well as a member of the Disability Committee to arrive at the current solution. The stone dust will continue to compact with time and is the same surface used on the rail trail.
Rules People at tonight’s meeting have had different experiences with whether or not people are following rules, specifically the one about children under 12 in the park. The suggested strategy continues to be to educate park users with friendly conversations when children are brought to the park, as well as posts on social media (specifically the FoDDP Facebook group.)
Sign/Name The sign at the entrance to the Dean St parking area still reads “Endicott Park Dog Park” and there are no plans to change this in response to FoDDP’s expectation from the beginning that the logo and brand we had developed would be used in signage. There was acknowledgement within the group that Endicott Park also has a “brand” and that the dog park’s placement within Endicott Park could mean that FoDDP will need to sacrifice its identity as a separate entity.
But the larger issue is the procedural argument: the plan was for the signage to identify the park as Danvers Dog Park with our logo, and the plan was changed without our consultation or input. FoDDP worked hard to make this park a reality and deserve to participate in decisions that impact the dog park. This type of thing may not be enormous on its own but it begs the question: What other things are going to be done or changed without talking to FoDDP first?
Donor signage This issue has not been resolved. The town is waiting on Stanton to provide a sign template of some kind and is to update us when information becomes available.
Kiosk The town has asked for samples of a kiosk design and what would go/be posted on it. Many suggestions were recycled: FoDDP meeting schedules, fundraiser/event announcements, rule explanations, lost & found hook/bin. It would give us a place to have the logo displayed (see Sign/Name above) and perhaps temporarily thank donors (see Donor Signage above.)
Hydrant This is possible but not a priority. Questions were raised about who would pay for it and install it.
Brochure There is not an official town brochure about the dog park being created at this time.
In addition we discussed a few other matters:
Circle of Friends Eileen and Cheryl were not able to attend the meeting to provide as status update.
Stone The reports of paw discomfort with the stone play surface have subsided but concern remains on several fronts. Anecdotally some dogs seem not to mind it while others clearly avoid it, even after many trips to the park (so not “adjusting” or getting used to its unfamiliarity?) For those dogs there is plenty of dirt to play on as well as the new stone dust surface near the gates. However, there is still concern that the stone isn’t as small or round as it should be for the intended purpose and there are many places were larger (1”+ stones) are present in large numbers. Those larger stones may be working their way up from the bottom layer, but at least some were present on the surface on Day 1.
Manny told Matt that a layer of fabric was to have been laid between the layers of large and small stones, and that would have prevented the smaller stones being “contaminated” by the larger ones. Did that happen?
Going forward, can this situation be improved? Perhaps the best approach will be to address it with the Stanton improvement grants available three times in the first five years post-construction. Digging out and replacing stone would likely be prohibitive but adding smaller, rounder stones to the current “small” – which will likely need to be replenished anyway over time – can improve the overall composition.
Winter Barbara reported that park visitors were asking about access during the winter months; FoDDP believes the dog park will be open 9:00am-dusk year round, though obviously dusk will be earlier in the winter than in the summer.
Donations Barbara also received a suggestion from a park visitor that another dog park maintains a (locked) donation box. There was concern about vandals and theft but Carla will look at adding a donation button to the FoDDP Facebook page.
501c3 status Carla has consulted with an attorney friend about applying for 501c3 status for FoDDP as its own non-profit organization. She has the information and will look at it (and report back) as time allows over the coming months.
Next meeting: December 6th (Tuesday) at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 5, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Matt, Keith, Carla, Pam, Mary M, Cheryl, Sid S, Carol M, Janine D, Eileen L & AnnMarie R)
FoDDP was thrilled to welcome some new members to our October meeting! Fresh ideas, perspectives and energy are essential to moving forward with making the Danvers Dog Park as great as it can be. We hope they will return and that others will get involved going forward.
After introductions around the room and a brief history of the Danvers Dog Park, the group discussed the many, many important items on the meeting agenda:
Grand Opening The Grand Opening took place on September 17th and was a resounding success! The weather was perfect, the crowd of dogs and owners was both substantial and patient, and the canines had LOTS of fun once off-leash and inside the fence. Dave Mountain, Steve Bartha and David Mills offered words of welcome in their capacities as town officials, and FoDDP extended thanks to the many donors and key participants who made the park possible. A statement from the Stanton Foundation (responsible for funding 90% of the construction costs) was read, and then the ribbons were cut!
Carla reported $417 in donations from the Grand Opening, as well as the fees from the two vendors who set up tables and $60 in pre-Grand Opening cash donations. Cheryl indicated that there is a balance of approximately $3,000 in the FoDDP account held by the Friends of Danvers Recreation, and there was some discussion of how to manage that money going forward. One avenue is to explore becoming a 501c3 organization in our own right; Carla and AnnMarie both offered to consult with lawyers they knew and report back about the process at our next meeting.
The cost of mailing Grand Opening invitations to all registered dog owners was approximately $1,100, still to be covered out of FoDDP funds. It was agreed that this was extremely successful at getting the word out and generating enthusiasm for the event. People loved that the invitations arrived addressed to the dogs – so while expensive, the group agreed it was money well spent.
Stone There were some reports via the FoDDP Facebook group that the stone play surface was irritating some dogs’ paws, making them inflamed and tender. Other owners indicated that their dogs were largely avoiding the stone surface and instead spending their time on the dirt closer to the wooded area. Those present at the meeting had not perceived it to be a big problem, and Eileen even spoke of having a similar product installed in her yard for her dogs. She reported that after 10 years the stones had become smoother/rounder and that it was great for maintenance as a quick spray with the hose was all it needed to clean it off. Sid and others suggested that the dogs aren’t used to the way it feels and that their paws might need to “toughen up” akin to a dog walking on pavement. AnnMarie thought owners might check with their vets about options like gradual exposure to the surface or applying a product to treat/protect the pad. One question was whether the reports were weighted more toward small or large dogs since the same surface is present throughout.
Carla and Matt shared that the stones had been selected after considering a variety of other options, including bark mulch, rubber mulch, grass, etc, and that this type of surface is what has been used successfully in other dog parks (i.e. Arlington.) While true that the stone is not quite as small and smooth as FoDDP would have liked, it does meet the design specifications of the park. It is clean in the sense that dog poops are easier to pick up and the site would likely be a mud pit if left in its natural state over the spring. The consensus was to keep an eye on this issue and see if things settle down and improve with time.
Handicap Access Another issue raised via the Facebook group is access to the inside of the park for those with wheelchairs, walkers, etc. While the parking and walkway provide access as far as the gate, at least two patrons have reported difficulty entering the park due to the deep stone play surface. Carla pointed out that the Circle of Friends (a path and patio of pavers from the entrance into the park with additional seating) is to be the first “improvement” that FoDDP plans to address, and that this would solve the access problem on the large dog side of the park. Since small dogs are allowed into the large dog side, this could be sufficient for the park in general.
Matt explained that at one point during the design/construction phase there had been talk of a concrete pad inside the gate on each side to address this concern. Those obviously didn’t happen. Cheryl also noted that gaining entry to the park is important but that a person with those limitations would need a second person to assist with their dog (picking up poop, controlling the dog if play got too rough, etc) as the most of the large play space would remain inaccessible.
Circle of Friends As described above, this is to be the primary focus of FoDDP’s efforts going forward. The design specifications for this project already exist, and so what remains is to determine the best way to get it done. Lowes Home Improvement has approached FoDDP about getting involved with the park construction in some way, there are several eagle scout candidates who might be interested in targeting the dog park with their projects, the Stanton Foundation has additional grant funding available for improvements in the first five years of operation, and engraved (memorial) bricks could be sold to raise the necessary funds. Eileen and Cheryl agreed to take the lead on this project and will report back to the group next month.
Contractor Fees/Fines The contractor ran significantly behind schedule during construction and, as per the contract with the town, was fined an amount per day after a certain point. Carla has gotten mixed messages from the town about what happens with those funds: Will the money be returned to Stanton/FoDDP? If it is retained by the town, does FoDDP get to participate in deciding how the money will be spent (for example, for more benches or in the construction of the Circle of Friends)? She has asked for clarification on this issue and to date has not received a response.
Benches FoDDP was dismayed to see that the benches installed throughout the park are different from those specified in the design plan, as this change was not discussed with our group. The new benches are of good quality but are rounded humps with no backs, and this can be problematic for those with muscular issues or other physical impairments where back support is necessary. Most of the benches are around the perimeter of the park where the ability to sit and face in multiple directions is not an advantage. The current benches do not appear to be adaptable, and the group is very concerned that the change was made with no consultation whatsoever.
Sign/Name The sign at the entrance to the Dean St parking area as well as the town website currently refer to the park as the “Endicott Park Dog Park.” FoDDP had been told the sign/designation was temporary for the Grand Opening, with the expectation that the permanent sign would properly reference the Danvers Dog Park. A lot of work went into the logo design and “branding” of the effort to bring this park about.
Donor signage Before the grant funding became available, FoDDP had solicited donations from local businesses and had promised signage giving credit to those who met a threshold amount of $2,500. This funding was critical in our ability to meet the 10% requirement of the grant. The Stanton Foundation has indicated that they do not want any permanent donor signage on the park; in the unlikely event that the park falls into disrepair, it is unfair to the donors to have their names associated with it in perpetuity. This leaves FoDDP uncertain about how to best honor our commitment to Align Credit Union and Peoples United Bank. Options include a temporary banner in the spring, or some designation on a kiosk that could be removed after a time. Any course of action would have to be discussed with the donors in advance, but Cheryl (who had forged those contacts several years ago) indicated that they don’t seem immediately concerned with the recognition. And they have been noted on the website, the invitations, the grand opening program, etc.
Kiosk The plan had always been for a kiosk where information could be shared with the patrons of the park. The cost would be zero as construction would be handled by the Endicott Park staff (or originally, Dutch Norden.) In the end it was tabled as the timeframe before the Grand Opening was tight and there was doubt raised about the necessity of the kiosk. The group consensus at the meeting was that it would be nice to have – another place to post the rules, a way to advertise our meetings and other dog-related events, a place to put lost items like a mitten or a dog tag found in the park. The kiosk would be locked (plexi-glass) so notices would have to go through FoDDP to be posted.
Rules There has been some pushback (again, largely brought to light on the Facebook page) about the rules. The big ones of concern seem to be about children (under 12) in the park, treats/toys in the park and the number of dogs allowed by a single handler. There has been an effort by Chris Sanborn (Endicott Park ranger) as well as park patrons to educate others about the rules, and it has been met with varying levels of success. The effort needs to continue. One important positive step is that the rules sign has been moved from the fence facing the parking lot to the interiors of both gate areas.
Kids are the biggest issue/concern, both for their safety and for the protection of the dogs and their owners. Liability aside (there was some discussion about who would be at fault if there was a bite or other incident involving a child in the park), the park is for dogs. Some dogs aren’t comfortable around children and an owner whose dog hurt a child shouldn’t have to live with the weight of that happening when the child shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
The group agreed that while as individuals we might not like every rule, they were made with a lot of input and consultation into best practices with the goal of removing triggers and striking a balance to maximize overall safety and enjoyment. All patrons have the responsibility of educating other owners in a friendly way, and the rules can be revisited at a future date if warranted.
Misc A few other small items were discussed:
- There might be some poison ivy remaining in the park. If so, maybe the goats can be brought back periodically to deal with it?
- Can we get some old fire hydrants for fun/decoration?
- Owners should talk to their vets about kennel cough vaccinations, explaining that their dog plays with other dogs in the park.
- The water spigots intended for spraying down the stone will be locked except for that purpose.
- The town is in the process of making a tri-fold brochure about the dog park.
- Should we look into more FoDDP t-shirts, with perhaps a different style?
- Do we want to staff a table at the park for a couple of hours one or two weekend days a month, to explain rules etc?
Next meeting: November 2nd (note this is a Wednesday!) at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 6, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Pam, Carla & Matt)
FoDDP did not meet in July or August.
Construction of the dog park almost complete! People have been dropping by and posting pictures on Facebook, so the word is out that the water fountains and benches have been installed, the stone surface has been spread and there are new plantings around the outside of the fence. There were even goats brought in for a couple of days to eat & remove poison ivy and other weedy nuisances. The town is overseeing the finishing touches which consist of signage and the parking area on Dean Street.
Carla will contact the town with a few questions this week:
- Signage will state park rules and acknowledge our larger donors, specifically Peoples United Bank and Align Credit Union. What recognition will/should the Stanton Foundation receive? Omitting Stanton gives the erroneous impression that PUB and AC were major sponsors, when in reality their important contributions amounted to <2% of the construction costs. Matt suggested wording along the lines of “This park was made possible primarily through the generosity of the Stanton Foundation, with additional financial support given by Peoples United Bank, Align Credit Union, and many of the businesses and residents of Danvers.” Manny Tavares also deserves credit for his park design on the permanent signage.
- We have been told that the contractor was to be fined for the construction delays that prevented the park opening in July as planned. Where does this money go and who decides how it is spent?
- The benches installed in the park do not have backs on them, but are rather “humps” in terms of design. This was surprising given that benches with backs were part of the design specs. What was the thought process with this change?
The GRAND OPENING will be held on Saturday, September 17th from noon until 3:00, with the ribbon cutting to occur at noon. Parking will be available at St. Richard’s Church and along Forest St as the Dean Street area will be used for booths and tables for pet vendors. FoDDP will set up a table where we will sell our t-shirts and have a copy of the park design available for people to see. North Shore Pet Pantry has asked to collect for their pet food pantry whose mission is to help feed the pets of people experiencing financial struggles. It was agreed that they could solicit/accept donations of cat/dog food. After the ribbon cutting, the dog park will officially be open to the public for happy dogs and their owners to use.
Carla ordered postcards to be sent to all owners of dogs registered in Danvers, inviting them to the Grand Opening. Those will arrive 9/8 so we will gather on 9/11 to address them with labels created using an updated list from the town.
Looking ahead, there are items on the park design that were not included in the initial phase of construction due to financial constraints during the bidding process. At the top of the list for a future improvement is the Circle of Friends, envisioned as a brick-paved portion of the big dog area for owners to gather while the dogs play and explore. There are various ways such an improvement could be funded:
- Selling engraved memorial bricks to be permanently placed in the Circle of Friends
- Lowes Home Improvement has approached FoDDP about donating some goods and/or services to the park construction
- The Stanton Foundation grant program includes a component for up three capital improvement grants, each equal to 5% of the hard construction costs. In the case of the Danvers Dog Park, this amounts to three $10,000 grants we can apply for.
- Other fundraising (more comedy nights, yard sales, etc.)
Next meeting: October 4th at 6:30pm, Peoples United Bank community room.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 7, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Matt, Manny, Carla, Cheryl & Pam)
FoDDP did not meet in May.
Carla reported that the Dog Park Committee met recently to review the rules and regulations one last time; this version is considered “final” and will be put on signage at the park:
The Park is open 9am to Sunset
1)Dogs must be properly licensed and have proof of current vaccinations as evidenced by dog tags, and dog cannot be in heat.
2)For their own safety, children must be under adult (18+) supervision at all times while inside the dog park. No children under 12 are permitted in the dog park for safety reasons.
3)No more than two (2) dogs allowed, per guardian, at one time.
4)You must remain in the park with your dog(s) at all times.
5)You must have control of your dogs at all times and are responsible and liable for the actions of your dogs while at the park. Dogs must be leashed when outside the fenced area.
6)You must immediately clear and properly dispose of all dog waste. All other trash items must be removed from the park (Carry in: Carry out).
7)IMMEDIATELY remove your problem dog (displaying aggressive behavior, mounting, excessive barking, etc) from the park WITHOUT DEBATE. Aggressive dogs may be banned from the dog park.
8)Holes dug by your dogs must be filled in by you before leaving the park.
9)Smoking, food, and glass are prohibited within the park.
10)No dog food treats or toys are allowed in the park.
11)No large dogs (greater than 25 lbs) shall be allowed in the small dog enclosure.
12)The dog park is closed when the Park Staff is conducting maintenance or town sponsored programs.
13)Violators are subject to removal and/or exclusion from the dog park.
14)In case of emergency, dial 911. For all other questions/concerns, call (978)774-1213, Ext. 0 and leave a message.
All residents and visitors please enjoy the Park. While you are here, please help us keep it clean and safe.
The Park is made available in accordance with laws governing recreational use (M.G.L. Chapter 21 Sections 17c)
The Town of Danvers does not assume responsibility for injuries or damage to personal property.
At this point the town is pointing to July 4 as a completion date for the park, and any delays could result in fines for the contractor.
Carla has reminded the town several times that FoDDP would like to view a sample of the pea stone which is to be the play surface for the dogs BEFORE it is purchased and installed. While cost was the primary reason cited for moving away from the rice stone originally suggested, we want to make sure the stones chosen are small and rounded enough for safe, comfortable play. Carla has been assured repeatedly that we will be consulted on this material selection.
Chris Sanborn (the ranger at Endicott Park) was approached by Lowes as they would like to contribute to an aspect of the park once it is up and running. There has been some discussion that the paved “Circle of Friends” in the original park design (not included in the project during the third and final round of bidding) could be a project for Lowes to tackle. FoDDP is excited about Lowes’ generous offer, and the Circle of Friends has remained a goal to be added to the dog park at some future date. Going forward with this or any other such initiative, however, FoDDP would ask to be included in the conversation and decision-making. There might be goals, plans or ideas from our members that have merit and should be considered before any action is taken.
Carla reported that with regard to the kiosk, it was something that the town planned to build/provide but the change in staffing at Endicott Park resulted in a loss of the construction equipment needed to do the job. Replacement equipment could possibly be purchased after the start of the new fiscal year but it isn’t certain when or if that will happen. Dutch Norden was asked as well but his schedule doesn’t allow him to take this on right now. Therefore, if any interested individual or company would like to take this project on, please let us know! An image of the envisioned design is available upon request. Keith also asked if the water department was still planning to donate a “blank” fire hydrant for the dogs to use.
Manny made the suggestion that the signage for the two major donors (prior to the grant) could be made more substantial, engraved/inset on a stone, for example. There were concerns raised about cost, positioning of such a stone (where dogs might urinate on it, thus compromising it as a symbol of honor/gratitude), etc.
While a soft opening will happen as soon as construction is complete, FoDDP will hold a Grand Opening complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony, recognition of some key people who made the park possible, dog-related vendors and the like. Danvers Animal Hospital wants to be involved and we want to invite all Danvers dog owners using the license mailing list, similar to the way we did the donation solicitation letters some years ago. The dates under consideration are July 16 and July 30, both Saturday mornings, from approximately 9-noon. The preference would be for July 16 if the park completion remains on schedule; Carla will get an update from the town in the coming weeks so we can finalize the date. In the meantime she is working to spread the word to potential vendors, etc.
Finally, there was more general talk around future improvements. There is a balance of approximately $3,000 that remains in the Dog Park fund – it is currently overseen by the 501c(3) group Friends of Danvers Recreation, but they would like to be finished with this role once the dog park is constructed. Therefore it would make sense to move the funds to another account where it would be available for future FoDDP efforts. Ideally we could identify another 501c(3) organization willing to take us on. In addition, Manny suggested that more marketing of specific improvement ideas could inspire fundraising or sponsorship to make them a reality. Some items he mentioned included a trellis at the entrance similar to what is seen in Gloucester, a memory wall, and sculptures.
Next meeting: July 5th, 6:30pm.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 5, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Cheryl, Pam, Keith, Carla & Matt)
FoDDP did not meet in March.
Construction of the dog park is underway! The contractor has placed barriers around the site at Endicott Park and begun selective tree removal, etc. It is very exciting to the members of FoDDP to at long last see visible progress. Hooray! Estimates from the town put the construction phase at 75 days so hope is for the park to be operational by the end of June – barring delays caused by weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Dave Lane is in charge of supervising the progress of the construction so he will be providing the updates through Dave Mountain.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee is planning to meet to finalize the park rules, etc. Cheryl reminded everyone that two large donors (People’s United Bank and Align Credit Union) were promised recognition on park signage, so Carla will bring that up with the Subcommittee.
In the FoDDP Facebook group a member asked about the policy regarding service dogs on leash in the park, and linked to a recent article about a veteran being asked to leave a Florida dog park because he wanted to leave his service dog on leash. The group discussed the question: Is the dog at the park to be working or playing? The purpose of the dog park is recreation for the dogs – and their owners – and as such the group felt that even service dogs should be off leash. There were other concerns about aggression by or toward an on-leash dog, and potential injury caused by a leash getting caught or tangled on something/one. Overall, there are likely to be questions such as this one that might not be considered in advance of the dog park opening…some will have to be addressed as they arise.
Cheryl reported that the dog park account being held by Friends of Danvers Recreation has a balance of approximately $3,000.
There has been no additional discussion with the town regarding the selling of benches.
It will soon be time to reconvene the Grand Opening subcommittee to plan some festivities. Carla & Cheryl will both be involved with the planning and Carla will begin collecting the names of vendors interested in participating. The idea of having kid-related activities was discussed and largely rejected out of concern that it would create an atmosphere that was too “hyped-up” for kids and dogs alike.
Next meeting: May 2nd, 6:30. Note this is a MONDAY which is different from the typical schedule. A site visit to Endicott Park was suggested as part of the meeting agenda.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 10, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Cheryl, Pam, Carla & Matt)
Carla arrived late due to a work commitment so Matt provided the initial update:
The bid opening on January 14 resulted in a viable bid from Dayco Construction, so the town initiated their standard procedures of checking references, etc. Everything was positive so the details of a contract award have been the subject of numerous conversations and emails over the last few weeks. FoDDP was initially surprised to learn that the town proposed doing the Base Bid along with Alternate #1 Tree Area for a total price of $224,100 – excluding all of the other alternates. Since the Stanton grant allows for 90% of hard construction costs up to a maximum of $225,000 (allowing for a total construction cap of $250,000,) it had seemed to us that Alternate #2 Plastic Benches and even Alternate #3 Granite Benches could also be included, bringing the total construction costs by Dayco to $237,000 and $250,100, respectively. Dave Lane provided some clarification regarding the need to keep a 5% cushion in reserve to cover unanticipated expenses. Ultimately it was decided to move ahead with Base Bid plus Alternates 1 and 2. It not only preserves the needed 5% but the town also believes there are lower cost options to provide more durable granite benches.
With that decision made, FoDDP was asked to gift additional funds to the town in order to meet the requirement that we fund 10% of the construction costs. For a project totaling $237,000 we would need to cover $23,700. Of the $16,700 we gifted for this purpose in 2014, a balance of $11,338 remains due to increased design costs over the three rounds of bidding. We therefore need to gift an additional $12,362. FoDDP had voted to allow for increases in the gifted amount as construction costs increased, so the board authorized this payment.
Construction can begin as weather permits in Spring 2016.
With Carla’s arrival came another issue to discuss:
The town has suggested selling the plastic benches from Alternate #2 for $3,000 each to corporate or residential sponsors who might wish to dedicate a bench. With seven plastic benches specified in Alternate #2, this represents a potentially significant amount of revenue. A lengthy discussion ensued, with the following questions put out as requiring clarification:
- Is Stanton OK with us selling benches that they have paid for as part of the contract award? It isn’t obvious to us that this would make sense to them.
- What is the money raised to be used for? Is there a specific goal in mind that will directly benefit the dog park (i.e. the ability to include another alternate during the initial phase of construction with Dayco)?
- Is this a time-sensitive endeavor? In other words, do we need to do it NOW in order to be able to do a change order with Dayco and add additional items?
- The cost of $3,000 per bench seemed too high given that what we are basically selling is a “naming right” for each bench. FoDDP already promised donors signage in exchange for lesser contributions during our fundraising days.
- What happens if all seven benches do not “sell?”
Carla agreed to take our concerns to Dave Mountain. Other options for future fundraising were discussed to bring about additional improvements after the park is up and running: engraved bricks, plaques on a “donor wall,” a donation box at the park entrance, and the ability to make donations through the FoDDP website.
Lastly, Matt asked if our previous discussion of the play surface stones had been brought to the town’s attention. He had with him samples of three products: the original rice stone found in the Arlington park which had been deemed too expensive, some Bentley Warren ½” pea stone and some Bentley Warren 3/8” pea stone. We believe the cost of the two Bentley Warren products are similar and very much prefer the 3/8” version which seemed like it would be gentler on the paws of running dogs.
Next meeting: TBD
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 18, 2016 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barbara, Keith, Pam, Carla & Matt)
Carla attended the bid opening at town hall on January 14 and she was happy to report that of the eight bids that were submitted, two were promising for moving forward because the prices assigned would allow construction of the “base” park along with Alternate #1: the Tree Area. In one case Alternates #2: Plastic Benches and #3: Granite Benches were also within our budget; in the other case only Alternate #2 would be feasible with current funding. The next step is for Dave Mountain to check the references provided by each contractor before the project is awarded.
After the bids were opened, there was a discussion between Carla and Dave Mountain regarding the $18,000 that was gifted to the town in March 2014. These funds were necessary to move forward at the time with the stated purpose of:
- $1,130 to enter into an engineering agreement with Morin Cameron, and
- $16,870 representing 10% of the (then) estimated hard construction costs, as required per the agreement with the Stanton Foundation.
There has been concern on the part of FoDDP that three rounds of bidding with updates to the documents could be increasing the expenses associated with design. The Stanton Foundation provided $16,870* toward this cost, but repeated requests for clarification on how overages would be handled were not addressed. On Thursday Carla was seeking to determine the specific balance remaining of our gifted funds and expressed that if more money was needed for design then the town should have consulted FoDDP. Dave’s response was that the gifted money could be used at the town’s discretion as long as it was to benefit the dog park. (*This is a question we would like to pursue further. Was this amount also figured as 10% of the (then) estimated hard construction costs? If so, is there any room with Stanton to increase their allocation toward design, since both construction and design costs have been higher than anticipated?)
A followup communication from Dave Mountain puts the balance of the gifted funds at $11,338.05.
This means that more than $5,500 of FoDDP funds that were intended to meet the 10% construction cost contribution requirement are no longer available for this purpose. Our treasurer Cheryl Purington reports that we still have $15,342.28 in funds being held by Friends of Danvers Recreation, so we will be able to satisfy the 10% requirement. However, we feel strongly that FoDDP should have been consulted about the spending of this money so that we might have resumed fundraising efforts over the last year in the event another alternate item might have been feasible, some unforeseen cost overrun occurs, or in anticipation of our Grand Opening.
The point was also raised that at one time the town was willing to “donate” $10,000 in in-kind services toward the construction of the park. Carla indicated that this had been in the town budget at one time but that it had been removed. This, and the exclusion of the parking area as one of the alternate items in round three of bidding (see December 2015 FoDDP meeting minutes), have also contributed to our inability to make more of the approved park design a reality.
Next meeting: TBD.
(Unless there is a substantial update to report we will not meet as scheduled in February.)
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
December 1, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Pam, Carla & Matt)
To recap: a meeting of all stakeholders was held on 10/6/15 for the purpose of providing input regarding the documents for the next round of bidding. Carla was out of the country but it was asserted that the timing was essential to moving the process forward, so Matt attended the meeting as representative of FoDDP. See October 16 FoDDP meeting minutes for a summary of this as well as the FoDDP discussion of pertinent points.
Carla met with the town on November 3 to raise the questions that came out of the FoDDP meeting. The idea of putting the parking area as the second alternate item (behind the wooded area) was rejected, and in general any changes to the documents would necessitate further meetings and result in delaying the bidding process. At this point the project will remain as it was put forth in the October 6 meeting to remain on target for a spring/summer 2016 opening.
Bid schedule:
Into Central Register: 12/1/15
Advertised: 12/9/15
Bid Date: after the holidays***
Next meeting: January 5***
***It was later announced that the bid opening would occur on January 14 so the January 5 meeting was rescheduled to January 18 at 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 16, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barb, Cheryl, Pam, Carla & Matt)
A meeting of all stakeholders was held on 10/6/15 for the purpose of providing input regarding the documents for the next round of bidding. Carla was out of the country so Matt attended the meeting as representative of FoDDP.
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Summary of meeting with Scott Cameron, Mike Grandmaison, David Lane, Bob Lee, Dave Mountain, Karen Nelson and Sue Nickerson:
Scott Cameron worked hard to arrive at price estimates for the various elements of the construction project. Those estimates were based in large part using averages of prices cited in bids from rounds 1 and 2, so they are good indicators of what we can expect for round 3. The price for the entire project with everything beginning to end exceeds our budget – which is why rounds 1 and 2 were unsuccessful, even with several items identified as “alternates” in the second round where a Base Project included the bulk of work and materials to get the park open and other aspects were priced separately so they could be exercised or not depending on what our funding would allow.
Everyone present wants round 3 to be successful, so the discussion focused on what else could be done to reduce costs. There are several steps advocated to achieve this goal:
- Reduce the depth of the stone that will serve as the play surface for the dogs from 6” to 4” and select a different but comparable type of stone that is more readily available and less expensive. Matt supported this change at the meeting and said samples of both options can be seen for comparison. Going with the original 6” depth can be one of the “alternate” items.
- Further eliminate/thin/substitute plantings, particularly on the interior perimeter of the park. Exterior plantings which are there to shield the fence from view will be present, especially the larger bushes, trees and shrubs. Matt was in favor of this change at the meeting.
- Endicott Park will construct and donate the kiosk for posting of notices, etc.
Adding these changes, together with previously described “alternates” from round 2 (benches, plantings, pavers, etc), is expected to bring the overall cost of the Base Project within our budget and allow for construction in the spring.
However, some people were advocating an even more conservative approach, to guard against the outside chance that bids could still come in too high. It is suspected that the clearing of the wooded area near of the top of the park design is driving the cost up as contractors are uncertain about what issues they may encounter while clearing and prepping that ground for safe passage. In order to flush that cost out, they have suggested that the Base Document only include the area below the tree line where no tree/stump removal is necessary. The wooded area would be included as Alternate #1.
Important Note: Matt learned that when Alternates are included as part of the bidding process, they must be exercised, if at all, IN ORDER. In other words, Alternate 4 cannot be exercised without also accepting Alternates 1, 2 and 3.
Therefore, identifying the wooded area as Alternate 1 means it would be the first option added into the park provided that funds allow.
Matt was at first resistant to this idea, because FoDDP has expressed repeatedly that they do not want a smaller park, and removing the wooded area from the design would not be balanced with the addition of an equal area of open space. There is room to bump out a bit but the parking lane in that field is to be preserved so there is no question that a smaller dog park would result from removing the wooded area. He asked about enclosing the wooded area within the fence but leaving it unfinished; town officials were concerned about liability around tripping hazards with people walking over rough terrain. He also asked about previous commitments that DPW would take on some construction elements – namely the parking area. He was told that it was advisable to make the contractor responsible for returning the space to a certain condition, and at that point having the contractor also finish it off would represent minimal cost. In the end Matt felt like the town people were very confident we would get the wooded area included in the end (i.e. that we would have enough funds to exercise Alternate 1) and that this approach was intended to flush out this disproportionate cost.
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A long discussion ensued. The members of FoDDP feel strongly that we should not have a smaller park than what has been set aside and designed. Using this approach for round 3 was ultimately considered to be OK but the end result of a smaller park was not considered OK. Carla was to clarify the bidding/award process under this approach with Dave Mountain. Specifically, if the Base Document (without the wooded area) is within budget but Alternate 1 is too expensive, can the bid be rejected? Or is there some legal or other obligation to accept? Who decides?
FoDDP also resisted the argument for the parking area being part of the Base Document. With $250K in privately raised funds providing a valuable asset to the town, it seems reasonable that the town could take on building the infrastructure necessary to access that asset. Matt suggested an approach could be making the parking area Alternate 2 – behind the wooded area on the list of optional expenses. Carla was to ask Dave about this as well.
Lastly, Matt made two other recommendations based on his role on the FoDDP Construction Committee: he suggested that increasing the stone depth be prioritized over the granite benches, and he suggested switching the positions of two other alternates…prioritizing the plantings between the large and small dog areas over the plantings in the center of the large dog area. Everyone agreed to trust Matt’s judgement on those items.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
July 7, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam, Carla, Matt, Keith, Julie, Dave & Judy)
Carla and Matt met again with various town officials on June 24th to continue the discussion of how to proceed after the first two rounds of bidding did not result in a contract award. They conveyed the content of the “special” FoDDP meeting in June – specifically that we are opposed to reducing the size of the park in an effort to rein in costs associated with partially clearing and grading the wooded area. There are many park features that could be added at a later date but the boundaries as put forth in the current design maximize use of the area allotted to the project and the long-term benefits of sticking with this footprint are viewed as outweighing the short-term savings.
After the meeting, Matt assembled a document that captures the approach that FoDDP would like to see used going forward:
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FoDDP Proposed Approach
A Maintain all fence boundaries as originally designed.
B Clarify all items DPW willing to address. Remove them from Bid Docs. Determine the estimated cost savings. [Parking area, headwall/culvert repair, walking path from parking area to dog park entrance gates, traffic signage, gate at upper end of parking area, bollards, possibly run water line to the park.]
C Endicott Park Staff willing to oversee kiosk construction. Remove item from Bid Docs. Determine the estimated cost savings.
D I believe the Town knows of a "Water Guy" willing to run the interior water lines to sprinkler system pro bono. If true, remove item from Bid Docs. Determine the estimated cost savings.
Remove all of the following items from the base project bid/plans. Then decide which to include as Alternate Items. Determine the estimated cost for each.
E Granite Benches (6)
F Plastic Benches (4)
G Plantings at raised berm in center of large dog area.
H Plantings along fence that divides small and large dog sides.
I All plantings along interior of dog park perimeter fence.
J Pavers (for Circle of Friends)
K Reduce the depth of rice stone in the base plan to 4". Obtain as an Alternate Item the cost to then increase the depth to 6".
For Consideration
L Determine estimated cost decrease if upper fence is moved down to tree line. Determine square footage reduction.
M Determine estimated cost decrease if upper fence is moved down to stone wall. Determine square footage reduction.
N Determine estimated cost increase if a portion of the lower fence is moved down into the field an additional 40-45'. Determine square footage gain.
O Consider whether wording on Bid Docs/Plans could be adjusted to call for less severe working of the wooded area regarding grading / contours / trip hazards except for the walking path itself. Possibly with signage to "use caution when walking off trail". Determine the estimated cost savings that would result.
P Seek to locate a tree company willing to donate their services for removal of the trees and stump grinding within the wooded area. Work would need to occur before the next round of bidding, which is expected to be in the October to January range. This portion could then be removed from the Bid Docs, resulting in a lower cost. Determine estimated cost savings that would result.
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The plan coming out of the meeting was that Scott Cameron would be asked to put dollar figures with each of the items under consideration to reduce costs, and that DPW would be consulted further about the items they are able and willing to take on as “in kind services” toward the construction of the dog park. Carla did express frustration with the fact that DPW has not been present at these “stakeholder” meetings; instead a separate conversation takes place with reporting to and fro. It is felt that meetings that include DPW representation would be much more efficient.
There is also some concern about design costs and what (if any) financial contribution by FoDDP may be required if the grant allocation for this work is exceeded. Carla expects this to be clarified soon.
A recent Salem News article provided some correct information about the status of the dog park but did not achieve the goal of answering the question “why not just put up a fence and be done with it?” that continues to be asked by the public.
A brief discussion ensued about Endicott Park (shaded, few neighbors, walkable, lots of site prep required) vs Preston Park (open/flat, multiple neighbors, not as accessible) as a location for this project, but everyone agreed things were too far along to consider changing course!
Next meeting: August 4, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 17, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Barb, Cheryl, Pam, Carla, Matt, Keith, Sid)
Carla and Matt met with various town officials on June 10th to gather input regarding the next step in the construction bidding process. The following notes are the product of this meeting.
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Summary of meeting with Bob Lee, David Mountain, Judy Smith, Chris Sanborn, Karen Nelson:
· We all agree that delaying the re-bid until November or December with a project start date of April would be in our best interest.
· Propose relocating the fence at the back side (ENE) of the dog park to along the existing tree line. This will likely reduce costs for tree removal and stump grinding, as well as minimize fence line costs and silt curtain installation. Consider this Phase 2 of the project.
· Propose bumping out the NE section of fence line approx. 20-25’.
DPW assists:
· handle re-surfacing of Dean’s Lane to include the parking area
· DPW and Endicott Park staff would handle traffic signage
· DPW would handle replacement of the stone headwall and culvert under Dean’s Lane
· DPW to relocate at least 2-3 of the granite benches from the Hobart St parking lot to around the “circle of friends” in the large dog area
· DPW will consider and get back to us if they will install the water line from Forest St. to an irrigation pit on Dean’s Lane. Contractor will install from irrigation pit to bubblers and Friends of Dog Park will ask for volunteer assistance from “The Water Guy” to install lines from there to individual spigots.
· Eliminate all plantings inside the fenced area with the exception of the island in the middle.
· Only install tree protectors around remaining trees in island.
· Extend rice stone to the proposed relocated back fence line.
· Reduce the number of recycled plastic benches from 7 to 4. Relocate the 2 of the 4 in the large dog area to along the NE fence.
· Kiosk will be constructed in-house by Endicott Park staff over the winter. Lumber is already available.
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FoDDP reviewed and discussed each element of these notes:
We all agree that delaying the re-bid until November or December with a project start date of April would be in our best interest. The reasoning behind this strategy is that we are in the midst of the busy season in terms of outdoor construction so contractors are busy and prices are higher. Waiting until mid-late fall should bring prices down as bidders will have more time to spend on a proposal and more motivation to win the work. Matt observed that it would appear to be to our advantage if Mscisz could get bonded as their price was the best in round one; similarly he would like to see bids from Target and Dayco as they were closest, relatively speaking.
Propose relocating the fence at the back side (ENE) of the dog park to along the existing tree line. This will likely reduce costs for tree removal and stump grinding, as well as minimize fence line costs and silt curtain installation. Consider this Phase 2 of the project. There was strong opposition to this suggestion. We think the size of the park is appropriate as is and the cover afforded by the wooded area as currently designed will provide much needed protection from the sun in summer months as well as other elements during the colder parts of the year. Moreover, once the fence is up the idea of moving the boundary at a later date seems impractical – there are other items (benches, plantings) that are better candidates for a Phase 2 as they can be more easily added in terms of logistics. Barb asked if sliding the entire park down into the open space was possible to preserve the size but the answer is “no” due to the surrounding wetlands, the sloping grade of the site and the need to preserve driving access to the adjacent open field.
Propose bumping out the NE section of fence line approx. 20-25’. It is not obvious that a great deal of money would be saved with this proposal as material costs, i.e. rice stone, would increase. Other boundaries might be impacted as well (for example, the boundary between large and small dog spaces, since a good deal of the space eliminated in the area discussed above would be from the small dog area.) And the space added with this “bumping out” would be significantly less than that eliminated behind the existing wall, resulting in an unreasonably smaller park overall.
FoDDP was pleased to learn that DPW would assist with some aspects of construction, allowing said aspects to be removed (or listed as alternates) in the next round of bidding and thus reducing the overall costs.
Eliminate all plantings inside the fenced area with the exception of the island in the middle. There was no opposition to this proposal, and even the island in the middle could be made an alternate as well. It was noted that the interior plantings were more of a priority with other stakeholders in the project than with the members of FoDDP, and that plantings could be added in the future once the park is operational.
Only install tree protectors around remaining trees in island. There was some confusion around what tree protectors were and if they were necessary. FoDDP would defer on this matter.
Extend rice stone to the proposed relocated back fence line. Again, this seems to eat into the idea of cost savings and the reasons for opposing the fence line relocation were previously noted.
Reduce the number of recycled plastic benches from 7 to 4. Relocate the 2 of the 4 in the large dog area to along the NE fence. Our understanding was that all benches were made alternate items in round two of bidding, anyway. But reducing the number at the beginning was considered acceptable as adding more later felt attainable from both fundraising and logistical perspectives.
Kiosk will be constructed in-house by Endicott Park staff over the winter. Lumber is already available. This sounded fine, though Carla did note that Lowes had been in touch looking for a project to help with and they might be a good resource for this item or something to do with pavers.
After the discussion, Cheryl made a motion to accept these responses as consensus to be presented at the next meeting with the town officials. Sid seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
A further discussion of the rules took place, mainly the one limiting the number of dogs per handler and the one prohibiting all toys. Sid occasionally has 3-4 dogs with him and felt the rule was too restrictive. Carla explained that the rules were made with the safety of all people/dogs in mind, and with input from multiple committees, trainers, vets, lawyers, our grantor, etc. Similarly Carla had visited a park recently with dogs having great fun chasing balls, Frisbees, etc – with no aggression problems. Should we push to have such fetch toys allowed? The group agreed that fetch toys are fine and harmless, but at this stage it is probably OK to let the rule stand and see how things go.
Lastly, the Grand Opening party planning is on hold for now.
Next meeting: July 7, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 8, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Julie, Cheryl, Pam, Carla, Matt, Keith)
Our monthly meeting was postponed six days because the second round of bids were to be opened on June 4 and Carla wanted to be able to share the results with FoDDP (see below.)
Rules The (town) Dog Park Subcommittee met to finalize rules for the park, working off of a draft that began with FoDDP and was last discussed by the Dog Park Subcommittee in February 2013. The “final” version looks like this:
Danvers Dog Park Rules and Regulations
(approved by FoDDP 6/8 and Sub Committee 6/2)
The Park is open 9am to Sunset- or Dusk???
1) Dogs must be properly licensed and have proof of current vaccinations as evidenced by dog tags, and not be in heat.
2) For their own safety, children must be under adult (18+) supervision at all times while inside the dog park. No children under 12 are permitted in the dog park for safety reasons.
3) No more than two (2) dogs allowed, per guardian, at one time.
4) You must remain in the park with your dog(s) at all times.
5) You must have control of your dog(s) at all times and are responsible and liable for the actions of your dogs while at the park. Dog(s) must be leashed when outside the fenced area.
6) You must immediately clear and properly dispose of all dog waste. All other trash items must be removed from the park (carry in, carry out).
7) Immediately remove a problem dog (displaying aggressive behavior, mounting, excessive barking, etc.) from park without debate. Aggressive dogs may be banned from the dog park.
8) Holes dug by your dogs must be filled in by you before leaving the park.
9) Smoking, food and glass are prohibited within the park.
10) No dog food, treats or toys are allowed in the park.
11) No large dogs (greater than 25 lbs) shall be allowed in the small dog enclosures.
12) The dog park is closed when the Park Staff is conducting maintenance or town sponsored programs.
13) Violators are subject to removal and/or exclusion from the dog park.
14) In case of emergency, dial 911. For all other questions/concerns call 978-774-1213 Ext. (8) and leave message.
All residents and visitors please enjoy the Park; while you are here, help us to keep it clean and safe. The park is made available in accordance with laws governing recreational use (M.G.L. Chapter 21 Sections 17c). The Town of Danvers does not assume responsibility for injuries or damage to personal property.
During our discussion a few items were noted:
Dr. Meyers of Danvers Animal Hospital was consulted and regarding 1), he did note that while socialization is very important there are health concerns for puppies who are not fully immunized – particularly with the most recent flu epidemic. For that reason his office would discourage young puppies from using the park until they are fully protected. He also explained that the age at which to spay/neuter is under great debate within the veterinary community as delaying surgery beyond the traditional 6-month age can be protective against cancer or other illness. Therefore there will likely be more “intact” dogs over 6 months and he suggested the possibility of a Canine Good Citizen certification if there is concern about aggression in an unneutered male dog.
Carla also clarified 12), explaining that “town sponsored programs” refers to events within the dog park, such as a training session where treats would be allowed.
Cheryl made a motion to approve the rules as written, Keith seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.
Bid Opening
Carla was present at the bid opening for the dog park project on June 4 and the news is not what we had been hoping for.
***Note: With the grant money that we have secured, the hard cap on construction spending is $250,000.***
There have actually been two rounds of bids, the second being required because the first round yielded no viable contractors – all either were not bonded as is required or submitted a bid that was over budget:
First Round Bid Results
Bidder Bonded? (“Yes” required) Total Lump Sum Price
J.P. Cardillo Yes $580,990
ND Landscape No $311,880
AT Mscisz & Sons No $217,500
JJ Phelan & Son Yes $406,000
Sum Co Yes $374,000
Target Construction Yes $269,000
Dayco Construction Yes $296,450
Second Round Bid Results
Bidder Bonded? (“Yes” required) Total Lump Sum Price
R. Bates & Son Yes $410,300
Dayco Construction Yes $322,100
JJ Phelan Yes $395,500
Unicorn, Inc Yes $338,400
Carla (and possibly Matt) will attend a meeting on Wednesday (June 10) with the various town departments to discuss where we go from here. FoDDP brainstormed ideas, which included:
· Tweak the plans (again) and rebid the project in the fall when contractors are not as busy – and have more time/motivation to give us a good price.
· Explore breaking the construction into phases so we have something functional sooner rather than later. We do not know if the grantor would be agreeable to this plan, however, and generally FoDDP was in favor of keeping it as a single phase.
· Ask the town if DPW can reclaim some aspects of construction that they had previously agreed to complete (for example, the parking area.)
· Reduce or eliminate interior plantings.
Next meeting: July 7, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 5, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Art, Cheryl, Julie, Barbara, Carla, Kim, Keith, Matt and Pam)
Carla provided an update on the contract award process. Town officials consulted with the Attorney General’s office and were told that the project needs to be rebid in its entirety after all bids in the last cycle came in over budget. The documents were modified by the project engineer in order to lower the cost of construction. The changes included redesigning a water valve outside the park and identifying items as “additives” whereby they would be included in the project if the price is right. Those optional items included granite benches, recycled benches and concrete pavers within the confines of the park. The rationale was that these items were relatively easy to add after the initial construction phase was complete, and they also lend themselves to fundraising efforts (i.e., FoDDP could sell sponsorship of benches or engraved memorial pavers.) Matt noted that the number of granite benches appears to have been inadvertently doubled in the bid documents, citing 12 needed when the ideal number discussed had been six. So, maybe we aren’t as bad off as it appears?
The new documents are expected to be entered into the central registry on May 6. We do not have a revised timeline but expect the bid opening would happen in mid-June based on past experience.
Lowes contacted Carla looking to do a project in town…something along the lines of the Rail Trail. Perhaps they can donate pavers and/or their installation if that component is not included in the initial construction.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee did not meet in April as hoped, to finalize park rules, etc. Carla has repeatedly requested that a meeting be scheduled but has not received a response to that request.
Next meeting: June 2, 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 7, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Art, Keith, Cheryl, Barbara, Dave, Judy, Carla, Kim, Matt and Pam…plus two youthful observers of a town committee in action)
Carla provided an update on the bidding process: In all papers were pulled 47 times but only 7 bids were submitted. The bid opening was delayed a week and Carla was invited to be present…but due to scheduling conflicts in the end it took place without her. Each of the bids came in over the budgeted amount, taking into account both grant and FoDDP/town-provided funds. There is therefore a conversation ongoing about how to proceed.
The suggestion on the table is that the company with the lowest bid be approached to see if costs can be trimmed by selectively reducing the scope of the work. Certain items are not negotiable, for instance the size of the park or the irrigation which was added not only for the plantings but also to address concerns about odor during the warmer months. As a group we discussed some of the possibilities:
· the Circle of Friends paved area with walkway could be built at a later date with additional fundraising (i.e. selling engraved bricks)
· the number of water fountains could be reduced to one located in the bullpen or outside the park gates
· the center planting bed could be reduced in size
· the inner lining of plantings could be eliminated
· the density of plantings could be reduced
· the more expensive benches throughout the park could be added with additional fundraising (i.e. sponsorship or memorial dedication.)
The consensus among those present was that reducing the areas and/or density of the plantings was most preferable as those can most easily be added at a later date, as an improvement. Additional benches can also be added later as funds allow. Everyone agreed that having two water fountains was very important. Pam argued that the Circle of Friends represented the spirit of bringing the (dog-loving) community together.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee did not meet in March as hoped to finalize park rules, etc. Carla has repeatedly requested that a meeting be scheduled but has not received a response to that request.
Carla will take this feedback to the town and keep the group informed about significant developments. We are hopeful that construction can remain “on track” for a park opening in late June or early July – we still need the snow to melt!
Matt reported that he had received notice from Weebly that our website membership was due to be renewed at the end of July. The cost to keep it going is $40 for one year or $68 for two years. The group voted to renew for two years.
Next meeting: May 5, 6:30.
Agenda: Updates, finalization of rules and planning of Grand Opening festivities.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 3, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Art, Keith, Cheryl, Barbara, Dave, Judy, Carla, Matt and Pam)
Carla provided an update on what has and has not been happening over the last month. The project was entered into the central registry on February 25 (we saw it in the Herald!) and beginning March 5 the bid documents will be available upon request. The bid opening will occur at the end of the month; Carla has asked to be part of that process but has not received a response to this request. At this point we are still targeting late June to have the park up and running…but the snow may unavoidably slow things down.
The town’s Dog Park Subcommittee did not meet in February as hoped to finalize park rules, etc. Carla has requested that a meeting be scheduled but to date that has not happened.
The idea of coordinating with Strays in Need to hold their Family Festival event in the newly constructed dog park has been shelved. Carla never connected with their contact person, and we don’t want winter-related construction delays to impact them negatively. Pam reported that Danvers Animal Hospital remains an enthusiastic supporter of the dog park and they have asked to be included in the grand opening festivities.
The group briefly discussed the idea of naming the park – but ultimately the consensus was that “Danvers Dog Park” is sufficient.
Next meeting: April 7, 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 3, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Carla, Matt and Pam)
Carla provided an update on what has and has not been happening over the last month. Diane Norris (Assistant Town Manager) reported to Carla that the contract for the landscape design was amended, to “tighten up the specifications,” and as a result there has been a delay in entering/publicizing the project in the central registry. She remains hopeful that construction will remain on track; Carla requested an updated timeline and as of Tuesday there had been no response to this request. The town Dog Park Subcommittee also did not meet as planned during January to discuss the rules for the dog park.
Carla has thus far been unsuccessful connecting with a representative of Strays in Need to discuss hosting their Family Festival event at the new dog park in June. Pam offered to contact Amy Cyr at Danvers Animal Hospital, to inquire about the best contact information for the event coordinator(s).
Lastly, Giovanni’s restaurant on Maple St. offered to send pizza to the Tuesday meeting to be enjoyed by the attendees, but Carla declined (with thanks) citing the weather and the likelihood of a low turnout. The offer is very much appreciated and one we would perhaps like to enjoy on some future occasion.
Next meeting: March 3, 6:30.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 6, 2015 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Carla, Cheryl, Julie Annese, Manny, Matt, Pam C)
Carla provided a brief synopsis to bring everyone up to speed. With the grant finally approved and publicly announced at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on December 2, things will start moving quickly. The timeline proposed is as follows: the project will be entered and publicized in the Central Registry by mid-January and bidding will close mid-February. The contract award will take place after March 1 and construction can begin as soon as weather permits, with construction to be complete by 6/21/15.
It has been proposed that a “grand opening” could be held in conjunction with Children’s Day at Endicott Park (part of Family Festival) but the committee felt that it would be chaotic with too much going on - it might not be the best environment to have as everyone’s first experience/impression (dogs and families alike,) and the dog park would be better served with a separate event. As Carla put it, “every dog should have its day.” FoDDP will explore hosting the Strays in Need Family Festival event as part of a grand opening, or choosing a weekend day in late June/early July when Endicott Park is otherwise quiet.
The Dog Park subcommittee will convene soon to go over the proposed rules for the dog park so the FoDDP discussed the rules as they exist in their draft form. Carla will take our feedback and requests for clarification to the subcommittee meeting. Julie inquired about donating bags for waste disposal and other opportunities for the community to give of their time, resources or expertise to make the park as great as it can be. Volunteers, anyone?
Lastly, the group discussed the possibility of a future improvement to the dog park. Manny envisions a sculpture that could welcome visitors and invite them to linger during their visit to the park. The sculpture could be donated, rotated on loan or purchased with funds - either surplus after construction is complete, or money raised by selling engraved bricks to create a “patio” which would then house the sculpture. It was agreed that this great idea can be explored further once the park in its current design is being enjoyed by dogs and their guardians.
Next meeting: Feb 3, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 5, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam, Carla, Keith, Barbara, Art.)
President’s Report
Carla provided the group with an update on the status of our grant application. At this point things are looking very promising and the process is moving forward along the proper channels. There has been no official announcement to date but any such news will be shared as it becomes available.
The group decided that there was no need to continue our monthly meetings until the outcome of our grant application is finalized. A notice will be sent out to all of our members announcing the date of our next FoDDP meeting.
Next meeting: TBD – watch for email/Facebook notification
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
October 1, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam, Carla, Cheryl, Barbara, Art, Dave & Judy Reardon and Robert Negron.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl provided a verbal update on the account balance, which is currently at $32,789. This includes recent deposits after Oldies Night ($285) and a donation check forwarded to us by David Mountain.
Committee Reports:
1. Corporate Fundraising Committee
After a lot of hard work to gather quotes and other supporting materials, the grant application packet has been submitted to the Stanton Foundation. We are awaiting news regarding their willingness to provide financial support for our project. Stay tuned!
2. Fundraising Events Committee
Oldies Night was a great event in the square which had been rescheduled due to rain in June. We raised $285, largely due to the hard work and skill of Connie Eldridge who tirelessly made balloon animals for enthusiastic customers all evening. The FoDDP table was staffed by Heather, Bob, Terri, Dave, Cindy and Missy – thank you so much to everyone involved for making this a successful endeavor!
Timothy’s Vendor Fair will be held on Saturday, October 5 from 9-4pm. The Friends of Danvers Dog Park is the beneficiary of this event and will receive the proceeds from the table fees. We will staff a table to educate patrons about our efforts. Barbara and Cheryl offered to help out.
Howl-o-ween by German Shepherd Rescue and Resource Center will be held on Sunday, October 13 from 10-3pm at Endicott Park. We will staff a table to educate attendees about our efforts.
6. Other Business
Robert inquired about the brick fundraiser and when he could place his order…we will wait until we have more definitive news from the Stanton Foundation about how to proceed with fundraising, etc, in general. It is hoped that Rene, who collected the information regarding the bricks, can attend our next meeting to assist in the discussion.
Next meeting: Tuesday, November 5, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 4, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Manny, Carla, Cheryl, Rene, Barbara, Ben, Art, Keith, Dutch, Matt and (briefly) David Mills.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl presented a report which reflected the proceeds from the Cakes for Occasions fundraiser ($430) and Maple Street Tavern Fundraiser ($528 deposited with additional money reserved for petty cash) as well as donations that have come in online. Our current balance is nearly $32,100.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
Our proposed rules were reviewed by the Dog Park Subcommittee and some modifications were made. The substance of the changes is as follows:
· The rule regarding children in the park will be modified to read that, for their own safety, children under the age of 17 must be under adult supervision while in the dog park.
· The rule stating that guardians are responsible and liable for the actions of their dogs while at the park will add a stipulation that guardians be in control of their dogs at all times.
· The rule stating that all dogs should be spayed or neutered will be strengthened from “should” to “must” and have an age component added (i.e. all dogs over age six months)
· The rule prohibiting cigarette smoking will also prohibit food.
· A rule prohibits large dogs from entering the small dog area; the Dog Park Subcommittee will discuss further what the definition of a large dog should be.
David Mills suggested we look at the Bark Park in Provincetown, which is recognized nationally as a model dog park. They likely have a website to include rules.
2. Signs Committee
Ben called four sign companies and spoke with Paul at Creative Sign. He sketched out two designs with our logo and “Danvers Dog Park,” and pricing ranged from $900 to $2000 depending on materials used. Dutch reiterated that he will make a kiosk and the sign can hang between the posts of that. Carla has a salvaged case that he may be able to incorporate into the kiosk. We discussed the need for a sign on Forest Street directing people to the dog park, but perhaps a plain, utilitarian metal sign obtained from the town would suffice for that. Ben and Rene (and anyone else interested in being involved) will research options and present at the next meeting.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
We did table at PetCo two Sunday afternoons since the last meeting. The time was chosen to maximize our exposure, as a vaccination clinic is hosted at the Peabody store each week from 2-4pm. Funds raised were minimal, but many brochures were distributed and awareness of our efforts was therefore raised. Thank you to Julie & Barbara, and Manny & Rene, for giving their time. This collaboration with a local PetCo store will strengthen our grant application with the PetCo Foundation.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Cakes for Occasions delivered a check for $430, the proceeds from selling the dog-related cupcakes in April.
Dog Park Night at Maple Street Tavern raised over $600. We got a percentage of the food sales that night, plus proceeds from raffle items and the auctioning of a pair of playoff Bruins tickets. Thank you to Maple Street Tavern for hosting the event and providing the Bruins tickets. Additional thanks to Kappy’s for donating some high end craft beer to our raffle table.
Oldies Night is on June 26 from 6-9pm. Connie Eldridge will make balloon animals, and we will offer McKinnons’ smoked dog bones and patriotic bandanas for sale.
Endicott Park Day is on June 29 from 11am to 3pm. We will share a table with the Cape Ann Time Bank and offer the smoked dog bones and patriotic bandanas at this event as well.
Engraved Bricks is another fundraising idea we will try to roll out in the next couple of weeks. These can be incorporated into the design of the park with the walkway and will be a great way for people to honor a beloved pet or family member while supporting the park. Rene, Manny and Pam will research this effort further and bring a proposal to the next meeting.
6. Construction Committee
Hancock Engineering has worked with Manny and Dutch to resolve the issue that was raised regarding wetlands near the park site in Endicott Park. Regulations require we be 25ft back from designated areas, and so Manny modified the design to shave off the portions that infringed on that setback requirement. The area lost was minimized, and Hancock submitted an application to the Conservation Commission for consideration at their June 13 meeting. John Dicks from Hancock along with Matt, Dutch and Manny will attend this meeting. If the application is not approved then we would be given specific directions about what needed to be remedied and the Conservation Committee would reconsider at their June 27 meeting. Once the application is approved, we can begin taking steps to create a timeline for construction. Tremendous thanks to Hancock Engineering for donating their services, the value of which is estimated to be many thousands of dollars.
Matt distributed the latest budget for construction costs; some items, such as signs, are listed as TBD, but the grand total is currently $21,500. This does not include the installation of an alternative surface inside the park. The consensus is that grass will not hold up well over time, and that excavation would best be done before fencing is installed. An alternative such as rice stone would be cleaner and more user-friendly, but the only estimate we have put the cost at approximately $17,000, which is not currently affordable. The construction committee will solicit additional bids in search of a better price, and Ben made note of the specs (14,400 sq ft to be excavated 8” and replaced with material?) because he may have a connection we can use.
We discussed the issue of the fence height again; Manny felt that if the Dog Park Subcommittee members could visit the new Gloucester park, they would appreciate our desire for a 5ft fence. However, Carla has had numerous conversations with the subcommittee members on this question and they are quite adamant about requiring 6ft. As a group we decided to leave it alone.
Barbara asked about the plans for the mulch created as trees are ground up during clearing; that will be resolved with Mayer Tree Service at a later date. The recommendation is that they be hauled away, but if we want wood chips then Mayer can deliver the product of a future job when we are ready. They can perhaps be used for the 5ft perimeter outside the fence, where future plantings will go.
And breaking news! It seems that we will be able to build our own benches, like the Rail Trail has done recently, if we desire seating in addition to the granite blocks.
Next meeting: Wednesday, June 19, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 7, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Manny, Carla, Cheryl, Julie T, Richard Parker and Rene Desjardins.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl presented a report which reflected the proceeds from the Artful Dogger and the Dog Wash as well as donations that have been mailed in. Our current balance is over $29,000.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
Our proposed rules have been submitted to the Dog Park Subcommittee for review. That committee has met three times since being reconvened but other issues have taken priority and the rules have not yet been addressed. There will be another Dog Park Subcommittee meeting next week.
2. Signs Committee
No update was available.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Carla continues to dream big dreams about the Grand Opening – a combination fundraiser and celebration with vendors, a bouncy house, etc. Recent developments have forced a delay in the site preparation and so we hope to get this committee formed and focused at the June meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
Cheryl raised the question of doing another, more targeted mailing to Danvers businesses in light of our recent coverage in the press. She will look back at her records about what was spent last time and we can discuss at the June meeting.
Rene asked about Petsmart and everyone agreed that our efforts talking to the manager of the local store have not been promising. We will resubmit a grant application to the PetCo Foundation after we hold some tabling events at the Peabody store (see below.)
5. Fundraising Events Committee
The Artful Dogger raised $1300. Thank you to the Danvers Art Association for hosting, New England Dog Biscuit for helping collect items, Tony Vatousios for his piano skills, Laura Soper for the delicious food and the artists for their creative work!
Cakes for Occasions extended the cupcake fundraiser for an additional week due to the marathon bombings, so no tally for this event was available.
Dog Park Night at Maple Street Tavern will be held on Friday, May 24th beginning at 5pm. A percentage of the food sales will go to the dog park fund, and we will have some special raffle items (scratch ticket tree, beer basket, etc is the plan.)
Tabling at PetCo will be done May 19 and June 2 from 2-4pm. Manny spoke with the manager of the Peabody store and she is welcoming us to come as often as we would like. We will target Sunday afternoons since there is a weekly vaccination clinic that seems to attract a large crowd of dog-owners.
Oldies Night is on June 26 from 6-9pm. We will set up a table, use the dog costume and ask Connie Eldridge to make her popular balloon animals again.
Endicott Park Day is on June 29 from 11am to 3pm. We are exploring sharing a table with the Cape Ann Time Bank since there is a charge for non-profits to be at that event.
6. Construction Committee
In April the Dog Park Subcommittee was reconvened to discuss the rules, the height of the fence and what assistance the town departments might provide in constructing the dog park. The issue of wetlands/conservation land at Endicott Park was also raised, and it was decided that an environmental scientist, engineer and surveyor needed to be hired to address this. We secured the services of Hancock Engineers who have donated their time to prepare the application for approval by the conservation committee. Manny has been in contact with John (their engineer) and has modified the park design to ensure we are 25’ back from the wetlands at either end of the dog park. The resulting park will be a little smaller but will retain the feel and features of the original design. The conservation commission meets every two weeks so we are working as quickly as possible to get the application in for the current “cycle.”
Next meeting: June 4, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
April 2, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Pam C, Manny, Dave & Judy, Carla, Barbara, Dutch, Matt, Erin, Julie Torode, Mike & Patty Billings, Ben & Briana Polan.)
Introductions
We were thrilled to have some new members at this meeting, so we began with introductions so that different roles on the committee were identified.
President’s Report
Carla opened the meeting with news of several events with town officials since the March meeting. The question of a warrant article for the dog park was on the agenda at a Selectman’s meeting March 19th; Carla, Matt, Pam and Judy attended. There was some support from a couple of Board members and we advocated for some town assistance given that we have achieved the fundraising goal set in 2011 but estimates we are getting are much higher. Ultimately it was decided that instead of money, the town could provide some “in kind” assistance with labor from the various departments (DPW, water department, etc.) We were advised to reconvene the Dog Park Subcommittee.
That Subcommittee met on April 2 and a lot of progress was made: the town will now assume responsibility for grading the path from the parking lot for handicap accessibility; they will run the water line from the children’s playground to the dog park, if we purchase a water fountain; they will allow large granite blocks to serve as benches – which represents a significant cost savings – and will provide two at no cost. Additionally, Mayer Tree Service has agreed to remove the trees, brush and stumps at no charge. Between the town departments and Mayer Tree Service, an estimated $24,000 is being saved. This obviously puts us much closer to our goal.
A 6 ft high fence is still required; our research did not yield a strong argument against their liability concerns. An estimate from Durabilt will be obtained. They would like a rendition of the park construction as a two phase project, separating out items that will be added once additional funds are raised (for example, landscaping, additional benches, and the paved area.) A follow-up meeting with the Subcommittee will be held on April 10 to discuss the width of the gates, the park rules and surface materials.
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl was not present but sent a report. The balance in the account is currently $26,940. We have money to be deposited from some matching grants and the dog wash, which will bring the total to approximately $30,000. Art will be asked back to paint the bone thermometer with more red paint.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
These will be discussed with the Dog Park Subcommittee.
2. Signs Committee
Ben offered to research sign designs and associated costs. The main sign will likely be about four ft long with the FoDDP logo as well as plaques acknowledging our big donors (People’s United Bank, NMTW Credit Union, Mayer Tree Service, etc.) The other signs will be heavy plastic with the rules, posted on the gates to the small and large dog areas, and a “kiosk” with a place to post notices, business cards, etc.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Carla has lots of ideas for how this can also be a fundraiser.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
Pam reported that we are eligible to reapply for support from the PetCo Foundation, since (more than) three months have elapsed since their last refusal. The two areas of weakness cited in our previous application were that the budget was unclear and that we didn’t have a longstanding relationship with a local PetCo affiliate. The budget is in much better shape; we will look at tabling at the Peabody store as a way to collaborate going forward.
Ben suggested we contact Pet Edge in Beverly, which provides items to a lot of the local pet stores.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Dog Wash at North Shore Dog was a lot of fun, and quite successful. We washed 30 dogs and raised over $900. Thank you to our FoDDP volunteers working the bake sale, selling t-shirts and drying dogs! And thank you to North Shore Dog for hosting the event – their staff was amazing.
Art Show/Auction will be held April 11th from 7-9pm at the Danvers Art Association. A call for work went out to numerous organizations and individuals, and the deadline was extended to try to maximize the success of this event. We have a musician donating his time playing the keyboard and a caterer preparing some delicious appetizers.
Cakes for Occasions will donate $1 for every dog-themed cupcake sold during an upcoming month-long period, dates to be determined. We will get the word out once the details are finalized.
Maple Street Tavern wants to host a fundraising night to benefit FoDDP. Pam will contact the owner.
6. Construction Committee
Dutch presented a report from the Construction Committee which opened some new questions for discussion. Do we want to leave the surface as grass initially, or explore an alternative such as rice stone? The cost of installing an alternative will be greater if it is done after the fencing is in place. Portions of the stone wall will need to be moved, and that cost is not reflected in the current budget. Three estimates will be obtained. Manny, Matt and Dutch will coordinate a meeting with Dave Townley to confirm the placement of the boundary stakes. All new figures need to be to Carla by Monday so they can be sent to the Subcommittee in preparation for their Wednesday meeting.
Old Business
None.
New Business
None.
Next meeting: May 7, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
March 5, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Terri, Keith, Cheryl, Pam C, Art, Manny, Dave & Judy, Carla, Barbara.)
Treasurer’s Report
Carla opened by reporting that the comedy night did very well, with over $1700 in net profit. Well done, everyone! She also received a check for $43.17 from Modell’s Sporting Goods store for the December fundraiser. Cheryl did not have an official “report” with her but with these additions the balance in the account will approach $28,000. A photo of Art painting the bone thermometer was taken and submitted to Danvers Patch, the Danvers Herald and the Salem News.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
A draft of the dog park rules was sent to the town for their input and approval. They compared it with the items specified by the dog park subcommittee of the Recreation Committee, and it was decided the subcommittee should reconvene. Dave Townley will participate in his role as ranger of Endicott Park, and they will reconsider the question of a 5ft vs 6ft fence. This is at our request since there is a significant cost and aesthetic difference between the two, and we feel the 5ft fence is adequate. See Appendix A for the current draft of the park rules.
2. Signs Committee
A request was made for a volunteer to research and get pricing on the signs we will need.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
An application for a warrant article with the town has been submitted. It will be discussed at a future Selectman’s meeting.
Opportunities still exist to seek out corporate money through grant applications and the like. Pam offered to pursue reapplying with the PetCo Foundation in addition to new efforts with some promising leads.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Comedy Night at Timothy’s raised over $1700. We had a good crowd and the comedians were high quality (and therefore more expensive.) The lottery ticket tree raffle made $560 and the 50/50 raffle made $500 since the winner donated her share back to the dog park.
Dog Wash at North Shore Dog will be held on March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) from 11am-3pm. $20/dog is the suggested donation. North Shore Dog will provide the supplies and the staff to do the washing; FoDDP will provide the volunteers to help with registration, entertaining the waiting dogs and selling bake sale items. We have been collecting towels for use in drying. The plan is to tie in with the holiday by giving out green dog bandanas.
Art Show/Auction will be held April 11th from 7-9+pm at the Danvers Art Association. A call for work has gone out to numerous organizations and individuals, and items will be collected at New England Dog Biscuit between March 18 and April 1. We are exploring options for refreshments, musical entertainment and door prizes.
Cakes for Occasions will donate $1 for every dog-themed cupcake sold during the month of April. Carla offered (threatened?) to bring a dozen of them to the next meeting to sell.
6. Construction Committee
Manny presented a final design of the park, which has all of the approvals needed by the town. The design may be viewed on our website, www.friendsofdanversdogpark.com. We have some preliminary estimates on the costs associated with each item, but would like to seek bids from local businesses who may be able to give us a better price. At this time the cost of the first phase of construction (tree removal, grading, fence installation, handicap accessibility, benches, signage, water) is upwards of $55,000. We can delay some items (water?) if necessary.
Old Business
None.
New Business
We are seeking people to help take the next steps. Keith volunteered to research the issue of fence height by collecting data regarding what other parks have and why, so we can present that information to the dog park subcommittee. We need a person to look at the issue of the benches, and coordinate additional quotes for fencing and grading.
Next meeting: April 2, 6:30pm
Appendix A
Dog Park (Proposed) Rules and Regulations
(as of 2/26/13 – slightly modified as noted with italics at March FoDDP meeting)
1. Dogs must be properly licensed and have proof of current vaccinations as evident by current dog tags.
2. For their own safety, children under the age of 10 years of age are not recommended to enter the dog park. Children ages 10-17 must be under adult (18+) supervision at all times while inside the Dog Park.
3. No more than two (2) dogs allowed, per guardian, at one time.
4. Guardian must remain in the park with their dog(s) at all times.
5. Guardians are responsible and liable for the actions of their dogs while at the park.
6. Guardians must immediately clear and properly dispose of all waste and trash.
7. All dogs should be either spayed or neutered.
8. Guardians MUST IMMEDIATELY remove a problem dog (displaying aggressive behavior, persistant mounting, excessive barking, etc) from park WITHOUT DEBATE. Aggressive dogs may be banned from the dog park.
9. Cigarette smoking is prohibited within the park.
10. No large dogs shall be allowed in the small dog enclosures. A large dog is any dog greater than 25 pounds.
11. In case of emergency, call Animal Control at (978)774-1213 or dial 911.
All residents and visitors please enjoy the Park; while you are here, please help us to keep it clean and safe.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
February 5, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Dutch, Matt, Pam C, Art, Manny, Dave & Judy, Mike Grandmaison, Carla, Erin, Barbara.)
Treasurer’s Report
Cheryl was not present due to illness, but Carla delivered an update. The balance in the account is $22,745.19. There was an additional analysis presented of the two bulk mailings that were done: the business solicitation went out to over 1600 recipients, at a cost of $1100; the returns totaled $6550 for a net yield of $5450. The dog owner solicitation went out to 1880 recipients, at a cost of $846; the returns totaled $3062 for a net yield of $2216.
It was noted that the “bone thermometer” can be painted up to the $25,000 mark very soon, and a photo of Art doing the honors is requested for promotional purposes.
Committee Reports:
1. Rules Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
2. Signs Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
3. Grand Opening Committee
Tabled until the next meeting.
4. Corporate Fundraising Committee
Carla met with the Danvers Rotary on February 4. This was an opportunity for the Rotary members to ask questions and learn more about the park before they decide on any level of funding support.
Carla has also spoken with town officials about the process for filing a warrant article. It can be done through a citizen’s petition but will require a firm plan and budget.
5. Fundraising Events Committee
Ice Cream for Breakfast at Cherry Farm Creamery raised $2179.74. Thank you to Steve Jones for inviting us to partner in this event!
Comedy Night at Timothy’s will be held on March 2nd. The comedians are fantastic (headliner is Patty Ross) and hopefully the Saturday event will draw even more people. Tickets will be $20 if purchased before February 28th.
Dog Wash at North Shore Dog will be held on March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) from 11am-3pm. $20/dog is the suggested donation. North Shore Dog will provide the supplies and the staff to do the washing; FoDDP must provide 6 volunteers to help with registration, playing with dogs in the queue and drying them off. We are also to collect towels for use in drying. The plan is to tie in with the holiday by giving out green dog bandanas.
Art Show/Auction will be held April 11th from 7-9+pm at the Danvers Art Association. We are drafting a call for work and exploring options for refreshments, musical entertainment and door prizes.
Cranney Home Services gives $1000 to a non-profit in a random drawing each month. Matt will rally our mailing list members to submit entries via the Cranney website.
6. Construction Committee
There was a long and complex, but ultimately productive, discussion surrounding the issues faced by the construction committee. Manny put together a more visually appealing design for the park, advocating for the park to be an inviting public space so it will get more use and be a true asset to the town. The initial drawings did make use of land outside the existing boundaries, however, in part to address the issue of handicap accessibility. Unless the town officials change their position on accessibility compliance, this will not be acceptable going forward. So with input from the other committee members as well as Mike Grandmaison in his capacity as a Friend of Danvers Recreation and a member of the Recreation Committee, Manny will make another attempt at a design that repositions the main gate and shaves back the portion the curves below the staked area.
This new design will feature two options: option A will remain in the open space as designated by the current boundaries, while option B will include the area behind the rock wall as well. This wooded area behind the wall may increase the cost significantly with tree removal and the repositioning of some wall rocks. It would also significantly increase the square footage of the overall park, however, and the town is agreeable to us using this space. Carla will arrange for a meeting with Manny, Dutch and the town officials (target: Feb 14) to present options A and B. Then Dutch will compile estimates for what each of the two options would cost, which Carla can use in preparation for the warrant article process. Either option could be done in phases, with site preparation and fence installation being sufficient to get the park open and running.
Additional comments: Mike Grandmaison suggested a visual that would show the dog park and its placement in the larger space, so it would be clear how close the perimeter would be to the street, etc. Dave Reardon expressed concern that too many trees, shrubs and benches would take away space for the dogs to run. Barbara advocated for the small dogs, asking that their space not be too small. The roll of the building inspector and the town engineer in issues of accessibility and water drainage, respectively, remain unclear.
Further discussion took place around fence height (we would advocate for 5ft, which is typical), accessibility requirements (can only rise 1” in 12”), surface materials (grass vs wood chips vs rice stone) also took place.
Next meeting: March 5, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
January 8, 2013 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Keith, Matt, Pam C, Lisa, Cheryl, Maureen, Art, Manny,
Dave & Judy, Terri, Carla, Erin.)
Informal discussion re: Warrant Article
Keith and Maureen were at an unrelated event recently and spoke with
two of the town selectmen. We were advised that there is town
money set aside specifically for projects that will improve Danvers, and our
project would be an ideal candidate for matching funds.
They are solidly in our corner.
It was proposed that the warrant article should be filed with the town
clerk soon, either by Dave Mountain or a committee member.
This award would be voted on at Town Meeting in May, with money
distributed in July. The topic was
resumed during the Construction Subcommittee
report.
Treasurer’s Report
Current balance in account will be just over $22,000 with funds collected
at tonight’s meeting. Cheryl
continues to maintain a list of donors so that everyone might be thanked at the
end of our campaign.
Committee
Reports:
1. Fundraising Events Committee
Team Weeks at Modell’s raised
$43. Thank you to Judy Reardon for
initiating this effort.
Pet Photos with Santa at Pet
Life raised $300-400. Thank you to
Matt for initiating this effort, and to the volunteer Santas and photographers
for making it happen.
Art Show/Auction is in the
works to be held at the Danvers Art Association. We have submitted potential dates to
John Archer to determine availability.
Margaurita Spear will help with the call for art work,
etc.
Comedy Night will be held
again in February or March, with the exact date chosen to not be too close to
the Art event.
Cranney Home Services gives
$1000 to a non-profit in a random drawing each month.
Matt will rally our mailing list members to submit entries via the
Cranney website.
2. Construction Committee
Dutch was not present to give an update, so we are still waiting for
firm numbers in a budget. Manny
spoke of the need to have a thoughtful design for the park, and cautioned that a
rectangular, entirely-utilitarian structure may be less satisfactory in the long
term. As a landscape architect by
trade, Manny offered to design a park that would “fit” with the location, taking
into account grade, drainage, accessibility – he held the design of the new dog
park in Gloucester up as a model.
The costs and benefits of any design change would need to be weighed, and
this is best done by the subcommittee.
Carla asked that Manny and Dutch try to meet and come to a consensus
before our February meeting. We
will hold off presenting anything to the Historic Commission until some of these
issues have been resolved.
A more elaborate design would also be more costly.
The subject of the warrant article was revisited.
Carla will ask Wayne Marquis (town manager) how the process works, then
reach out to Dave Mountain to see if this is something he would pursue on our
behalf or if we would be on our own.
Another subcommittee was formed to follow up.
The Warrant Article Subcommittee will include Maureen, Keith, Carla and
Manny.
3. Sign Committee
No official update. We
will take photos of the signs already present at Endicott Park, and consider a
design which would allow the posting of notices as well as sponsor names,
etc. It was mentioned that the
rules should be put on the gate so they are visible to all who
enter.
4. Rules Committee
Maureen and Carla presented a list of rules to be discussed by the group
at large. The list was gathered by
researching the rules used at other parks. The members present discussed them one
by one and voted to come to a preliminary consensus.
Carla noted that the final rules will require approval through the town
authorities, so nothing established on this date is final.
Terri requested to be added to the membership of this committee. A brief synopsis of the what was agreed
upon: Enter at own risk; dogs
must be licensed, vaccinated and spayed/neutered; children under 10 are not
recommended in the dog park, all under 18 must have adult supervision; no more
than 2 dogs per guardian; guardian must remain and be in control at all times;
waste must be cleared and disposed of properly; problem dogs must be immediately
removed; no smoking; no dog over 25lbs in the small dog
area.
New Business
Carla is optimistic for a 2013 opening, and wants to start planning
the celebration. A subcommittee
was formed to include Cheryl, Carla and Lisa.
Lisa handed out flyers for her pet care
business.
Matt will continue booking the bank’s community room for our
meetings. The first Tuesday in
July is the 2nd, so we opted to move that meeting to the
9th.
All others through 2013 will be held the first
Tuesday of the month, at 6:30pm.
Next meeting: Feb 5, 6:30pm
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
November 6, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Carla, Maureen, Keith & Jackie, Terri, Tom
Dragosits of North Shore Dog, Barbara, Pam C, Michael Grandmaison, Art, Matt,
Dave & Judy.)
Introductions
Approval of October minutes
Treasurer’s Report
Current balance in account is just over $17,000.
Recent deposits have included a $120 check from Texas Roadhouse for our
fundraiser there and some donations made by Danvers dog owners in response to a
recent solicitation letter.
Thanks to Barbara for her role in getting 1876 letters printed and
stuffed, and over 1700 of them labeled for mailing.
Beth at Friends of Danvers Recreation is very helpful making sure the dog
park is being credited appropriately for
donations.
Committee Reports:
1. Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
There are 110 Danvers businesses still to be solicited via
mailing. Cakes for Occasions is
willing to do a fundraiser for us where they have a theme and promote a
percentage going toward the dog park; Cheryl will talk to them about doing that
in January. Cranney Home Services
also gives $1000 each month; we need to pick a month to do a concentrated blast
of entries, since more entries does increase our chances of
winning.
2. Fundraising Events Subcommittee
Comedy Night coming up
November 15that Village Green.
Tickets sales are going well; Carla will pay the comedians $1200 that
night out of funds collected via ticket sales. Cheryl will help
make signs for the raffle items.
Howl-o-ween was a success in
terms of visibility and making contacts with the other vendors present. We only raised $35 or
so.
Pet Photos with Santa will
happen in December at the Pet Life stores in Danvers and Stoneham.
Volunteers for Santa and a helper will be
recruited.
Art Show/Auction is still in
the works for early March; will be held at Danvers Art Association, details to
follow.
Vendor Fair was suggested if
we could find a venue; suggestions included Holy Trinity Church, Putnamville
School and the Carriage House at Endicott Park. But there was not a strong commitment
that we could put this together before the
holidays.
3. Construction Committee
Dutch wasn’t present to give an update, but he sent some information
along with Matt and Carla. Another
site visit has occurred with markings laid out by the town, but Dutch estimates
the park as presented will be significantly smaller than the 1 acre approved by
the town selectmen. There seems to
be a disconnect with the information coming to and from the different entities
involved; was the approval specific in its description, or was it only approval
of the concept of a dog park?
Michael Grandmaison offered to speak to Dave Mountain and Dave Lane to
clarify how to move this process forward.
Matt presented various estimates for tree/brush clearing and fencing, but
without Dutch present it was hard to know what park design the estimates
specifically addressed.
Clarification is needed.
4. Registration Committee
The email list has been cross-checked with the new Yahoo group. People can now sign themselves up to
receive communication and alternatively, remove themselves from the group. Only moderators can send emails. It is set up to automatically send
reminders about the meetings.
Carla also shared some business cards people can use to spread the word
if you encounter a potential member while out and
about.
5. Rules and Regulations
Maureen volunteered the lead this effort and will look at what other
parks/programs have used to address issues of registration, fees, usage rules,
etc. Michael Grandmaison suggested
that a dog park fee could be added to the dog licensing process already in
place.
6. Sign Committee
Carla, Cheryl and Pam agreed to serve on the sign committee and will meet
to discuss options and then present them before the Historic Commission to get a
sense of what they will approve.
Michael Grandmaison indicated there is a sign bylaw in town that may
provide guidance.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
September 6, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Pam M, Art, Judy, Dave Carla, Maureen, Erin, Dutch, Matt, Lisa)
Treasurer’s Report
Given by Carla in Cheryl’s absence. Current balance in the account is $11,530.51 with another $3600 awaiting deposit. Feedback has been positive on the spreadsheet format of the report, but final approval from Friends of Danvers Recreation is still pending. A reminder that all donation checks need to be made payable to Friends of Danvers Recreation, Inc. The brochure has been updated to reflect this.
Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
The solicitation letters have been updated and approved by FoDR so they can go out to the remaining businesses on our list. Carla contacted town hall to see if the list of town residents with registered dogs can be provided electronically to simplify the printing of labels for another solicitation campaign. The software contractor gave a price of $385 for this service, which was deemed too expensive. We will do the work by hand if necessary.
Also, it was reported that the PETCO Foundation grant application has been submitted. We asked for $15,000, which is the estimated cost of the fencing materials; it takes 12-16 weeks to get a response.
Fundraising Events Subcommittee
The yard sale will be held Sept 8 & 9 at 147 Maple St. Advertising was done on Craigslist and Danvers Patch, and Cheryl put out a press release to the Salem News and the Danvers Herald. We also purchased an ad in the Salem News. Signs are needed to post in the vicinity of the sale. We will sell tshirts and have brochures, and also distribute flyers for the upcoming event at Texas Roadhouse. Some children have offered to sell lemonade and popcorn, with proceeds to be split between the dog park and a cystic fibrosis charitable organization.
On September 20 from 4-10pm, we will sponsor an event at Texas Roadhouse where all patrons who turn in a flyer will have 10% of their check donated to the dog park. Flyers will be available at the yard sale and will be promoted through Facebook, email, Danvers Patch, etc. We will have a table from 5-9pm with tshirts for sale, brochures and some raffle items. Texas Roadhouse will provide a basket for the raffle; folks volunteered to solicit New England Dog Biscuit, Daily Harvest, Supinos, Maple St Tavern, etc.
We will have a table at the Howl-o-ween event in Endicott Park on October 14. We are looking for ideas to add to our efforts selling tshirts and handing out brochures.
The art show fundraiser proposed at the last meeting will be postponed until February, so it can be held at the Danvers Art Association. We are coordinating with Margaurita Spear and John Archer to finalize a date.
Since the art show will be a winter event, we will explore a comedy show for November. Carla will look into holding it at the Village Green, so we can hold a bigger crowd (200+).
Lastly, we hope to have a recurring (dog) nail cutting fundraiser. We are coordinating with a veterinary technician who proposed the idea, and the owner of New England Dog Biscuit who has offered to host the event(s).
Construction Subcomittee
Site visit on Aug 18; trees that need to stay were tagged but the stakes had not been moved to reflect move away from the stone wall. Dutch and Dave have discussed the possibility of the park being located in the lower half of the field, closer to Forest St. This would save significantly on the cost, as fewer trees and stumps would need to be removed. It also alleviates accessibility (seniors) and parking concerns (what if the church bans dog park patrons from parking there, and Forest St is dangerously busy); the area is more level and a small parking area could be included immediately adjacent to the park. The entrance to this parking already exists, as it is something the town has considered in the past. It was agreed that Dave Mountain would be contacted to discuss this alternative.
Other/General Business
· The “thermometer” sign will be updated to reflect the new account balance, and it will be moved from Carla’s house to Pam McMasters’ house after the yard sale.
· Cheryl communicated with Cakes for Occasions about involving them in fundraising.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
August 8, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Pam C, Maureen, Carla, Ann, Steve, Keith, Dave, Judy, Cheryl, Art, Matt)
Election of Officers
It was determined that the election of officers was needed, to formalize responsibilities and facilitate communication within and by the group to outside entities. Four posts were created: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Clerk. The duties outlined for each are:
Chair: set meeting dates and agendas, collect reports from subcommittees, act as spokesperson for the group.
Vice Chair: assist and fill in for the chair in the event such need arises.
Treasurer: execution and accounting of all financial transactions, with reports provided to group and Friends of Danvers Recreation.
Clerk: keeping and posting of meeting minutes.
The posts were filled by Carla King (Chair), Matt Faino (Vice Chair), Cheryl French (Treasurer) and Pam Crum (Clerk.)
Update on meetings with town
A meeting was held in July with Friends of Danvers Recreation to address their concerns in regard to recent actions taken by Friends of Danvers Dog Park; Carla and Matt acted as representatives for the group. The concerns expressed had to do with the wording in a solicitation letter sent out to local businesses, the wording in our brochure distributed to the public, the desire for a single contact person to interface with town officials, and the establishment of an accurate accounting of the funds we are collecting. It was felt the meeting was positive and productive, and the relationship is on solid ground going forward.
In addition, a site visit at Endicott Park was held with town officials, to stake out the park location and address concerns/questions; Carla, Dutch, Judy and Dave represented FoDDP. The area mapped out was more wooded than previously set forth, and it included a portion of a historically significant rock wall. FoDDP expressed their dissatisfaction, concerned that the wall was a dangerous impediment, the clearing of too many trees would be cost prohibitive and the installation of fencing around established trees could be problematic if the fence required any depth below ground level. The town has since agreed to shift the area 15 feet out, so that the wall will be outside the fence. Some wooded area will remain. Another site visit will be scheduled for August 18 at 9am.
Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
· Letter has secured some significant donations from local businesses: People’s United Bank ($2500), NMTW Credit Union ($2500), ITW ($750), The Canine Comp. ($250), Herb Chambers ($200), Danvers Animal Hospital ($100), Phil Richard Insurance ($100).
· The remaining 140 business solicitation letters will be held until wording can be approved by Friends of Danvers Recreation. Dog owners will also be solicited; Cheryl and Carla will work on getting information electronically from town hall. This letter will also require approval, and we will target Sept/Oct mailing.
· Two new contacts were introduced: Art spoke with Dennis F., the owner of the new store New England Dog Biscuit, who would like to get involved; and Carla spoke with Rob at Pet Express in the Liberty Tree Mall who expressed similar sentiments. We will think of ways to make use of these contacts for future events and/or solicit them for donations.
· Carla will explore signage issue again, so we have a tangible way to acknowledge bigger donors at the park. Will get prices and approval through Dave Mountain, and the possibility of plaques on benches was discussed.
Fundraising Events Subcommittee
· Yard sale to be held Sept 8/9th at 147 Maple St, donations are being accepted and can be left in garage at end of driveway as convenient. We will advertise in newspaper, Facebook, Patch, Craigslist, etc.
· We will have table at Howl-o-ween event in Endicott Park on Oct 14, selling t-shirts, etc. Looking for another “add-on” to draw people and donations.
· We are exploring two other ideas: an art show/raffle for November where artists are asked to donate a piece of art, and people vie for a chance to take home an item of their choosing. Maureen has connections at Danvers Art Association as a possible venue, and at Merchants to see if wine can be donated. A second idea is for a nail-cutting service to be held monthly, with proceeds benefiting the dog park fund. We are investigating different venues.
· Restaurant fundraising nights will be arranged for a night following each of these bigger events so that coupons/flyers can be distributed.
· A repeat of the successful Comedy Night will be planned for early 2013, with Carla leading that effort.
Construction Subcomittee
· See notes on meetings with town officials, re: site visit that was held in July. Another site visit will be held August 18th at 9am. We are confident that compromises can be made so every party involved is satisfied with the end result.
Other/General Business
· The “thermometer” sign will be moved from Town Hall to in front of Carla’s house until after the yard sale.
· Cheryl will update the brochure again to reflect changes required by Friends of Danvers Recreation.
· The creation of a Yahoo group to distribute information was proposed and will be explored.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
June 5, 2012 Meeting Minutes
(Present: Dutch, Steve, Pam M, Keith, Cheryl, Art, Pam C, Dave, Judy, Erin, Matt)
Matt suggested the July meeting be held on the 10th rather than the typical “second Tuesday of the month” to avoid the holiday. He will book the PUB community room for that date.
Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee
· Letter has been drafted identifying different levels of corporate giving and how such a donation will be recognized. Need to ask Carla to update website to match these giving levels.
· Obtained list of 2100 Danvers businesses from the town, trimmed it to 1600 when duplicates and closed businesses were eliminated. Will be solicited in groups of 500 or so, the 1st 500 have gone out.
· Got our first corporate gift as a result of mailing, $25 from Jack’s Sub Shop on Liberty St. Cheryl will create spreadsheet of donors to track and thank.
· Right now we are paying full price for postage, etc. Pam M suggested contacting Brenda Martin, postmaster in Danvers, to see about bulk mailing. One town department has permit for mailing at reduced cost but it is not available to us. Also suggested pre-stamped envelopes.
· Town gave us hard copy of registered dog owners in town for another targeted mailing. 1500 on the list but some multi-dog families so needs to be trimmed. Hoping for electronic copy or for town to print mailing labels to save on labor of entering data.
· Subcommittee will separately target potential larger donors: banks, large chain pet stores, etc. Anyone with a connection at such an institution should share that information with Corporate Fundraising Subcommittee. Pam M will explore connection at Beverly Hospital at Danvers.
Fundraising Events Subcommittee
· Car wash this Saturday, June 9, 9am-2pm at Firestone. Committee set with materials (hoses, buckets, soap, sponges, towels, signs) but we still need volunteers. Sheet passed around to help fill open slots. Dog costume in lieu of live dogs to attract customers. T-shirts will be sold, flyers distributed.
· 50/50 raffle to be sold for months of June and July. Will sell at multiple locations and times through the months, post updated prize tally on website/FB, pull winning ticket at August FoDDP meeting. June selling events at car wash (6/9), Merchants (6/16), McKinnons (6/11), Daily Harvest Café (6/21). July events will be at Post Office, New England Dog Biscuit and perhaps PetLife.
· Will seek permission to have table with tshirts, donation jar and brochures at Oldies Night and Endicott Park Day. Will ask about selling 50/50 raffle tickets but expectation is that it will not be allowed. Dog costume would be a welcome addition here.
· At each of these events, we should have table with banner, email signup list, brochures and map of dog park location and layout.
· Other ideas: Whisker Walk, table at parks/ball fields
Construction Subcomittee
· Walked the site but need to do so with town officials so exact location of fence posts can be determined. Contacted David Mountain but told meeting will require coordination with tree department, native species expert, etc. It could be a while. Concern is that without hard numbers, it is impossible to approach fencing companies about prices on materials. Dutch has access to team to do installation.
· Dutch talked to manager of Home Depot, secured donation of wooden stakes and surveyor’s tape. Spoke of future donation in form of piping, etc to extend water to site.
· Survey team looked at site and raised concern about installing handicap accessible ramp. Height of park is 100” which would require 100’ ramp at the correct grade. With necessary excavation (4 ft) the cost would be prohibitive at $35K. Discussion followed about need for ramp and whose responsibility it would be to install. This is on the list of questions for the town.
Other/General Business
· Dutch suggested an artist’s rendering of the finished dog park would be good for public relations. His daughter can do it.
· Cheryl will redo our brochure. Changes will include reprioritizing ways that people can help, and specifying that donations by check should be made payable to Friends of Danvers Dog Park.
Friends of Danvers Dog Park
May 1, 2012 Meeting Minutes
·
A canister with logo is
available for placement in business or the like to collect cash donations. Suggestion
was made for town hall, so Art is going to see if it will be
allowed.
·
Gail reported that the
Historic Commission approved the use of black vinyl-coated chain link for the
dog park fencing.
There was some discussion
about the required height, but that will be determined with input from the
Recreation Committee.
·
The agenda of the
meeting was to form subcommittees to focus on specific tasks, to improve
efficiency of the group overall.
The committees proposed were Construction, Corporate Fund Raising, Park
Rules & Regulations, Fundraising Events and New Members.
An additional subcommittee
was suggested and adopted to handle Public Relations, i.e. Facebook, newspaper
announcements, promotional materials like t-shirts, etc.
·
Dutch Norden offered
his services as a local builder with knowledge relevant to construction and
plumbing, plus access to various equipment. He
was enthusiastically placed on the Construction
subcommittee.
·
Various subjects were
also discussed more informally: signage to honor sponsors, benches which cost
$3000 including installation by the town, switching the email list to a Yahoo
group, a dog park blog on Patch, liability issues and ideas for our next
fundraiser. These topics will be discussed further by the
appropriate subcommittees.
·
It was reported that
the Comedy Night in March raised approximately $2300 and our funds currently
total $6500. The dog bone thermometer outside town hall will be updated to reflect
this amount.
