2026-10-27 - Dog Park Committee

It's for Zoom only. >> Okay, let me let me let me see if I have that. >> I can pull it up if you don't >> If you're Andy, are you able to read it? >> Yeah, let me just see if this Do you guys still

see me? >> We do. All right. >> If you don't mind, Mr. Vice Chair, I'll read it for you then. >> Of I just found it. So, I'll I'll go ahead and read it, Andy. >> Okay, perfect. >> So, okay, everybody.

Um so, welcome to the October 27th, 2026 special meeting of the Dog Park Committee. This meeting is being recorded and streamed by Millbury Public Access Cable Television, available live on public

access channels, Charter 191 or Verizon 26. This meeting is also available through zoom.us/download or by phone. Anyone who is participating through zoom.us/download or by phone should state their

name and address when speaking. So, I'll call the meeting to order. And uh thank you. And I think uh for our first um our for I I think our only agenda topic tonight is uh really uh to hear about an

Eagle Scout project for the Butler Farm uh dog park. And so, with that, um we can uh turn it directly over to our um our Eagle Scout, Kennedy. So, go ahead. >> And you've been muted. >> Okay. Repair

the um wooden structures around the um the dog park to because they haven't been replaced since they were put in, I don't I I I was also going to repair made by another Eagle Scout in 2016 when he was

doing his project. Uh his name is Cameron Berry. I have to get in contact with him to see if it's okay if I if I can repair his bench. I was also wondering if you guys or the committee had any any

other things they would like me to like build, repair, or anything else at the dog park while I'm doing my um project. Um yeah. >> Well, thank thank thank you, Benjamin. And so, and I say just just

for uh I I guess for my benefit because I I kind of went in and out a little bit. I hate to ask you to repeat that again, but could you could you repeat what you were proposing to us one more time? >>

Y- yes. Um my plan was to repair the structures around the dog park that are made of wood cuz I don't think they've been replaced since they were put in. And I was also going to while there uh build

or repair a bench made by another Eagle Scout uh his name is Cameron Berry. He was from Troop 110. I need to get in contact with him to see if it's okay if to repair his bench. But, yeah. And there

was another thing with the question of if there's anything else of what the dog park would like or the committee would like me to build, repair, or anything else they need me to do during my project.

>> Well, that thank you. That that's helpful. So, um why don't we uh why don't we open it up to uh questions from committee members if they have any questions or or comments on what you're you're

proposing? Um so, I'll just open it up uh to any of the committee members. Andy? I see you. Yeah, Benjamin, nice to meet you. Um are you are you looking for funding as well to do this? Um how do you

stand with um what what you'd like to accomplish? Um do you have funding for it? Are you looking for funding? How does How you doing with that? >> Ben I don't think we can I can't hear you Benjamin.

>> We can't see him anymore either so I don't know if we lost him or what. >> Let me give him a give him a second to see if he can straighten out his connectivity. >> Oh there he is. There he is. >>

Yeah sorry. Did you get what I was saying or do I have to repeat? All right um So my my troop for all First I need to get the project approved by the council. And the troops committee. And this

committee. Then I can start like planning more. But I will my I was planning on um asking for donations from businesses like CNS Lumber and stuff around places who would be willing to donate money and

like materials. And then if I have and if I need to use my scout account money which when we do fundraisers my troop gives like the some of the money to each of the scouts who participated in the

fundraisers. >> So Andy I think you're excuse me Benjamin Benjamin I think you're heading in a really good good direction with this. Um and just a couple of other questions it sounds like you've

thought about funding which is great and you've thought about the types of things that you would like to do and work on. Um which is also great. Is there a um a timeline that you have and would it be

just yourself, or do you get other people involved, and are you looking for uh for for help from some of uh some dog park volunteers, or from the committee? Uh because this is a pretty big, you know,

it can be a pretty big uh a task. >> Okay. Um yes. Um that question's good cuz I will my timeline is going to send in my paperwork hopefully by spring and start by January and get starting working on

it by spring. And like I can send out emails to my troop mates, and then like other people who would be willing to help with my project. I know my I messaged someone already about being my coach for

my Eagle Scout project. Um he still hasn't responded. I sent it like an hour ago. So, I will get back to like like get back to uh the committee about that. And yes, that yeah. >> And part of this

here, yes. >> Okay, that that sounds good. I have another I don't mean to monopolize the questions here, but I have another another question for you, Benjamin. >> That's good. >> is is part of of

getting this project approved, is there some type of a a written document that you would normally need to uh uh uh show uh somebody? >> Yes, I will it is a um document that is on the uh Council and

Scouting America's website. I haven't started it. I have to get back to I have to finish the paperwork and then get approved by the committee, the council, and then the you guys as like also your

committee to get it. Um yeah. Before I can start my project. Yes. >> And And is there a time when you want to have or when you should have the the the paperwork completed and our our approval given to

you? >> I'm hoping before January or during January. Yeah, I I go by >> Darian, I do have a few questions when you have a moment. >> Uh please go ahead. >> All right. So, first um do you prefer

Benjamin or Ben? What is more preferred for you? >> Uh I go by Ben. >> Okay, Ben. So, first then, I want to tell you that I myself have a scout. My son is a scout in troop 243 and he's part of the

Eagle Scout uh troop in that um Eagle uh patrol in that troop. So, I want to thank you first for choosing the dog park as your Eagle Scout project. Um I'm very familiar with what goes into Eagle Scout

projects. I've been participated in them um ourselves with numerous projects. Um so, I know a lot of work goes into it. So, uh one of the things I think may be beneficial as part of what you're

talking about is replacing those wooden structures. Um and then, you did mention also like uh that bench and looking at that, but also opening it up and seeing what else we might like throughout the

dog park. It may be good for us to do a walk-through of the park um you know, as a committee and you can kind of show us. But, one of the things that I think is a true need here um is also from a a

lighting perspective. So, one of the things that has been a something that we've been uh talking about throughout the years has been how do we get light up to the dog park um you know, as the days get

a little bit shorter. So, that's something that you may want to consider as well as something that might be a need is just maybe getting some electrical up there. I don't know what that would go into,

but it might be something to explore. >> Melissa, that gets that gets a little deeper than that because the dog park is slated dusk to dawn. So, that's that's the town requirement. >> I see. I see. I

see. Okay. Um So, we can we can table that, but I know that that was something there that uh there was to talk about. Um But, I do I don't know if if maybe it is something that we could do that we

could walk through and just maybe ask membership what they think. It might be something that we could do. Would that be appropriate committee? For us to do? >> Yes, and I also had other suggestions

cuz I've also been the beneficiary of many Eagle Scout projects with the Little League with school organizations. And thank you very much, Ben. But But, what one of the questions I have is is it

feasible to poll the members to see what they would like. I have no idea what to you know what what could be made for dogs. We used to have the teeter-totter which wasn't a a great thing, but I guess

in the beginning I have no idea how it operated, but there's you know like tunnels or something like that. Is it feasible to to poll the the members of the dog park that have the dogs that are there

every day? >> Uh yeah. >> easily done through like polling them. Um Charlie, it's pretty easily done through Facebook. You can actually set up um a poll. I guess that's in would be in answering Ben's

question about what suggestions we have. If we don't have one as a committee, we can ask the members and um certainly pass along to you ideas that we've heard. But, we can set that up on Facebook

easily, Charlie. >> But, I I understand where Ben wants to get moving cuz I mean, when you're doing these Eagle Scout projects, you have that whole you have that whole binder, right? Where you have to

go step by step. >> Yeah, so so my thing with how this would go is any questions we have for Ben would be right now, and then when Ben leaves a meeting we discuss those particulars as a um committee.

>> So >> I think all we need is whatever info we need from um from Ben, and then we can have discussion when Ben's not in the meeting and um discuss those particulars. >> And Andy, is it is it

feasible to set up a walk-through date in the in the near future? >> Um >> I think Ben Yeah, well, Ben, go ahead. >> I do, to address one of the questions about a walk-through, I do have some pictures

of the current equipment that and stuff that might need to be repaired. So, if you want me if I if I could share my screen, that would be a good >> Okay. >> Uh yeah, one >> uh with you know, questions

or questions from you. So, it's expected that this is not just a one-time conversation. Uh you know, this could be you know, Ben does research on what sort of apparatuses people want, and then he, you

know, presents about that, and then you can discuss that. So, I I want everyone to know that you isn't a one-time discussion only. Um I don't know if the public access TV or whoever it is can uh,

permit Ben to share his screen. >> So, I think one other question that I might have um, maybe a little preemptive that we just discussed, but I I what it has to do uh, is logistically um, you know,

when is the work prepared to be done? So, I I do understand that most eagle projects occur on the weekend, which is when we have a lot of high attendance at the dog park. Um, so I I know we would

probably want to work around that. Um, and just in just ensuring that you know, we we kind of uh, span the work time here around when it's least impactful to the members. >> Um, yeah. I think we can

also we can also set up temporary fencing and Ben Ben can add that into his plan, basically, right? >> Yeah, I could do that. >> Right, because one thing Ben that I think you're going to want to

consider is while you're you're you know, fixing these apparatuses and and doing that um, you know, is is how to to prioritize safety of the animals while there may be work ongoing. >> I understand

that people will want to be at the dog park at during the uh, times of building. So, I was hoping to do it during after schools and maybe on weekdays during the spring. And >> Okay. >> Also some maybe

weekends if I could do fencing. So. Uh, yeah. >> Sure, and we can we can definitely work with you Ben as far as you know, making sure that you have the time to do your projects. So, what we just want

to be able to anticipate that and communicate that to the members as to what we they will expect when they come to the dog park. >> Yeah, that's yeah. Yeah, so it seems to be having difficulty

sharing, but the photos that he has and others will be included as part of his written proposal. So, they they will be in there. Um and if you want to just sort of look at your pictures and tell them

the various things that you saw, that might be helpful. >> Yeah, let us move this out of the way. Okay, yeah, just click on that. All right, yeah, so one of the benches one of them is like the one of

the pictures is of the bench, it's uh very worn down and it's like very sun-bleached. Um and um one of a few of them are from of the ones of near the um near the where the the things that the dogs

jump over. And they're also very sun-bleached and like warped from like heat and the time outside during the uh winter and summer. Um these are pic- some of them are like the bases of the uh uh

apparatuses which are uh they are like like I think I wouldn't say like rotting, but >> Rotting? >> Moldy, rotting, sim- like turning greenish. And then there is more pictures of the things the dog

jump over. The um ramp is also missing um some of the grips for the dogs run up on up on it and some other parts of the other pictures of the things rotting and another ramp and the other ramp is uh

like very bleached and greenish say. >> Ben is is your plan to to replace that with composite type material? >> We might have temporarily lost him again. I think Andy you've had your hand up for a

while. So while we're waiting for >> Sorry. >> No, go ahead. >> Now my question for Benjamin was if he was you know planning on replacing things with a composite type material. >> Sorry, I was muted.

No, it was a question for for Ben because a lot of the logistics is something that can be worked out later to build to um to build to discuss um a uh it looks like we have Ben back. My my question um

for you Ben is for you to go forward with your paperwork with the council and your pack and all that. Part of that you would need our approval to proceed to keep going with your paperwork. Is that

correct or not? >> Yes. >> Okay. That's So that's the reason I was cutting to that is short of any other logistical questions that could be answered in the future that way we don't take up too much of

Ben's time and then we can then we can discuss it sounds like we're a step in his paperwork um even being submitted. So I think I think a lot of the logistical stuff is something that could be

answered at a later time. Um it's more of a less approval or non-approval of the project so he can do I'm sure it's a lot of fun paperwork Ben but unfortunately that's part of the process but that's

what I Okay, so that answers my question is you know, which is why we had a special meeting too so that we could um >> It's also a vote. >> Well, no so we don't we don't do further discussion on

approval or anything while the person is in the meeting. >> Okay. >> So it's the only question for Ben. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> So you had asked about if there was anything else and I had a thought

because this is something that um Andy and I have really been very passionate about and um I think other members of the committee would agree but we have some memorial stones that are for some of the

dogs that unfortunately are no longer with us and that may be an opportunity for you to create some form of a memorial garden or something for those stones and those dogs. Um so that way you know that

that's a section where we've been you know considering and thinking about and that might be something you could potentially add. Um my other thought was you mentioned >> Time out Alyssa. We were going

to take care of those next week when we spread the stones and do the cleanup. >> Yeah, I just didn't know if maybe he wanted to take a look at that and there was something that he wanted to do for

that as well. Um and then the other thing Ben is um you had mentioned that the bench um that you know, the other boy in your troop had initially put in that you wanted to take a look at that and you

had mentioned that it was sun bleached and I think that presents a really good opportunity um to maybe think about is there opportunity to put another tree over there that would maybe reduce some of

that um that you know, sun bleaching happening in the future. So that's something that I could just think of off the top of my head two items for you to maybe consider. >> All right, yeah. That's a >>

good. >> I think I think in the interest of being able to discuss this too, um I feel like Ben's answered all the logistic questions that we need initially. Um That way we can move into um discussing

this as a committee. Unless there's other pertinent questions um for Ben that way in the interest of time that we can discuss um the project kind of as a whole loosely cuz we know things will

particulars will come into place, but I don't think we need to get too finite about the project to discuss approval. >> I don't have any further questions as far as logistics on my end. Thank you,

Ben. >> Thank you, Melissa. So, I So, I'm I'm feeling like we've heard a a lot of the type of things that Ben is willing to do for his project and we've got a couple of thoughts as well. I know Ben,

you asked us to to think about that a little bit. So, kind of following in these lead here, maybe maybe a good thing to do now is for the committee to kind of talk through some of the the things kind

of offline and um we will get back to you with likely some type of a list a short list of some of the things that you've mentioned and maybe some of the things that we've thought about as a next step

for kind of consideration for a project. Does that seem fair? >> Yes. Thank you very much. If you need to contact me, uh my email is um Did I all right. Susan has his email, yeah. And I think um I can

provide it if any of you want to contact me. Uh I I can provide his email as well. >> Also, I will be sending if you do approve it, I will give the rest of the paperwork at like the next meeting.

Yeah, maybe. >> When it's done. >> When it's done, yes. >> Okay. >> Well, thank you very much. I will pick my leave so you can discuss. >> Thank you, Ben. >> Thank you for all your hard work, Ben. >>

Ben. >> Thank you, Ben. >> No problem. Thank you very much. >> And Ben, congratulations on making it to Eagle. >> Almost. >> Almost, yes. Thank you very much. >> Almost, you're there. You're welcome.

>> All right, thank you very much. Have a nice night. >> Thank you, you too. >> All right. So >> That was great. I I uh really feel like um he could put a good project together uh and be helpful uh

for the park, so. Um >> Ben and Barry, the what the way I see it, I mean, it's obviously he has he has ideas. The request is pretty simple. It's are we going to let an Eagle Scout do their project to

improve the park? I I think it's it's very basic. It doesn't have to be specific in that way he can do his paperwork. Either either we're letting Ben um do his project and improve the park or we're

not. All the particulars it it could morph into something bigger or be simple like you said that I mean, those wooden structures they do need to be worked. If that's all it was, I'm all in favor. If

you wanted to do more stuff, I'm all in favor. I think short of getting into a lengthy discussion, it's are we going to let Eagle Scout candidate Ben do his project at the park? That's the way I see

it to not drag it out into a long discussion. >> Yeah, if if if the answer that we need uh to to uh to give to Ben is is that simple. Um then you know >> it is and I I would make the motion to approve

the Eagle Scout project. >> I'll second it. >> Okay. >> And we have to do a roll call vote. >> So we'll do a roll call vote and if just raise your hand well Melissa say yes or no. >> Yes. >> And

Charlie? >> Yes. >> Okay. I'm yes Andy. >> Yes. >> Okay and I think that's the that's everyone tonight, right? So it it passes. So we've we have a we have approved the idea of a project for Benjamin.

>> Perfect. Great project great cause too. >> Yes. >> Good to receive be recipients of the Eagle Scout project that's for sure. >> Yes. >> Yes so then I Barry either yourself or Susan can reach out

and give him the good news. >> Okay. All right. Well I'll I'll connect with with Susan as the as the president and and then we'll we'll we'll reach out that way. >> Thank you. >> Perfect. Sorry I'm

sorry I'm late like I said I'm out in the Berkshires and I was like I probably don't have to and then I said uh-oh I better jump in there so. >> Are you near the forest are you near the forest fires?

No. >> I haven't seen any. >> Okay. >> Thankfully though. >> Do we have a motion to adjourn? >> Second. >> We need a motion first. >> I'll make the motion to adjourn. >> Do we have a second? >> I

thought that was it. >> All right. All in favor I. >> Yes. >> I. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you everyone. >> Thank you guys. Have a good night. >> Barry your voice sounds much better.