The Recreation Advisory Committee met Jan. 18 via Zoom. Volunteers on the committee include Kim Ringhoffer, representing Ward 1, Tricia Dickert, representing Ward 2, Pat Jacoby, representing Ward 3, Mark Wilson, representing Ward 4 and Frank McCullough, representing Ward 5. Recreation Director Genny Baillie also attends the meeting.

Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich was also in attendance.

Members of the public attending included Daniel Soria, Dennis Grejda, Joshua Wells and Jerry Collins.

Under old business, the committee discussed the issue of hunting at Franko Park.

Wilson said a letter was sent to the commissioners on behalf of the committee stating its position on bow hunting at Franko Park.

Wilson said there is a place for hunting other than Franko Park such as Walking Purchase Park.

At a previous meeting, the committee felt it was unsafe for children to be playing on the fields while people were hunting on the property.

Walking dogs at Franko is also a major concern for residents at Franko Park - the only park which allows dogs.

Soria said the Salisbury Youth Association was holding fall baseball and someone came out of the woods with their hunting vest on. “It was a surprise to see that,” Soria said. He said he had not encountered hunters at the park before. The committee reiterated the master plan at Franko Park includes additional recreational activities for adults and children which means increased traffic at the park.

Wilson said the board of commissioners didn’t seem interested in changing the policy now although the board said they would entertain it as the master plan is developed.

Dickert suggested limiting the time the hunters could be there when the kids are not playing organized sports.

Baillie said parks are closed when the bathrooms are closed. The township is not permitting activities in the park now although people still go in and walk.

Bonaskiewich said you can put restrictions but enforcements will be difficult.

Grejda sees the issue as a failure to warn argument. He suggested signage - failure to warn is a huge liability. No hunting during this time, in this area, be aware of sports activity, etc. He encouraged the township to engage Attorney John Ashley with the liability issue with failure to warn.

Baillie said signage was removed when the police building was built but it didn’t have restrictions.

Wilson asked Bonaskiewich what the next steps should be. Bonaskiewich said there are no easy solutions. First and foremost they are going to work on signage. The board will consider revisiting, revising or stopping when they begin development on the master plan.

The next item on the agenda was the use of fields by the Salisbury Youth Association and the Hamilton Park Athletic Association.

Wilson reminded everyone in attendance the committee’s charge is to sponsor, plan and execute township sponsored activities. “We are not arbiters of the fields,” Wilson said. “We have no say on which team plays where.” He also said the committee does not set policy.

Soria is the president of SYA and Collins is the president of Hamilton Park. Grejda is the assistant director-senior baseball for SYA.

It was said township employees manage the fields by issuing permits.

Grejda, representing SYA, said they are dealing with the recreation advisory committee because he believes there are policy issues and logistical issues.

A list of questions was presented to the committee which Baillie suggested the committee go through individually. The basis is that “Both youth associations have a need for a 60.5/90 playing field which also drives the need for field allocation at Lindberg Park and Devonshire Park,” according to the list of questions from SYA.

According to the Internet site, How they play, “The pitching distance starts at 46 feet for young kids and progressively moves back to 60 feet 6 inches for major league baseball. The reason it starts close is that young kids can’t throw the ball as far or as hard. As they age up and get stronger, they begin to throw the ball harder. If they stayed 46 feet from the hitter the whole time, it would be much too difficult to hit the ball. The distance of the pitching rubber is mostly about reaction time of the hitter.

“In Little League, the base paths are 60 feet long, perfect for young kids who aren’t as big or fast. The infielders must be able to make the throw all the way from one base to another, so you can’t start with an infield that is too big. As kids age, the bases go from 60 to 70 to 80 and finally 90 feet apart.”

SYA asked why Franko Park couldn’t become a 60.5/90 field and shared between the two youth associations.

Baillie said she works for the township and all of the residents and what benefits them. She said they met two years ago to try to open up fields for more residents’ use beyond the two youth associations and discussed maintenance of the fields. She said the township always receives requests for use of the pavilions and fields. Part of the goal is to free up fields for residents to use beyond the youth associations. There were complaints from two different softball teams who wanted to use Devonshire fields. Baillie said she has received over 10 plus complaints on average.

Soria said there are times fields are available yet they are blocked off.

He said SYA has a larger membership than Hamilton Park and they need more time on the fields.

Collins said he provided Baillie with a weekly calendar which Baillie said was very helpful.

Grejda said the question of making Franko Park a 60.5/90 field is a policy question. Baillie said it is a logistics issue which needs to be discussed with Public Works Director John Andres. Baillie said Andreas does the field assessments and she needs to consult with him. The youth associations said a 60.5/90 field is needed for regular major high school teams - that is what the tournaments are doing.

This is why they are discussing the allocation of fields for baseball use.

Bonaskiewich said the township has community fields. Youth associations are asking for a little bit more - there is a need to adjust grass and add a mound. Grejda said they are not looking to increase square footage. Soria said there is a water drainage problem on all the fields. He suggested some of the maintenance of the fields might ease up if improvements and modifications are made.

Both teams said a 60.5/90 field is needed. All leagues are all going to have mounds. Lower level players use flat ground. To stay competitive both teams need 60.5/90 fields and mounds.

Only Franko Park is proposed to be 60.5/90 field as per the two youth associations.

Regarding the use of fields by township residents, Soria said 99.9 percent of SYA membership are residents. “Our membership is driving this request. The reality is our youth association benefits from using these parks. We appreciate it. It is a privilege. We are Salisbury Township,” Soria said.

Baillie said Salisbury is a township of 14,000 residents. Laubach and Franko will undergo changes in the near future. She said she believes the fields should have a low impact so residents can use the parks.

Grejda said there is a dedicated field for kids to play baseball and “all you are doing is adding a mound. I see no difference in liability.” They said it does limit younger players who could not play on that field.

All fields would be open to the community as well - not just for youth association baseball.

“If you reallocate the fields, it would open up more time for the community to use them,” Soria said. “Set up a rapid method of scheduling.”

Soria said Salisbury Middle School does not have a baseball team and they don’t use the field at SMS. The only field utilized at the middle school is for soccer. SYA hasn’t used the middle school field for two to three years.

Collins said Hamilton Park has one team who will use the field.

SYA has three teams who would utilize the field.

Both youth associations proposed sharing the maintenance of the field.

They said Devonshire has a 60/70 field; Lindberg has one 60/70/80 field and they are proposing a 60.5/90 field with a mound at Franko Park.

Grejda asked when the master plan will be budgeted. Baillie said that is a question for the commissioners. He asked if the committee would support this interim plan to the Franko Park field.

SYA also asked why the requested 80 foot baseball field use by the two youth associations at Lindberg Park is not possible.

SYA said they have cleaned up the Laubach Park shed and have addressed the township’s concerns.

Wells chimed in regarding SYA. He suggested an update at every Recreational Advisory Committee meeting from both youth associations to the committee. “Can’t make a bright future by always bringing up the past. Let’s not let the bad things that happened in the past dictate the future,” Wells said.

Wilson suggested Collins, Baillie and Soria move forward with this request and he hoped this forum helped open the communications between the two youth associations.

Grejda said a decision has to be made by March 1 to abide by the junior Connie Mack League commitment.

Grejda proposed a meeting next week with Andreas.

The two youth associations also have to work out their willingness to share equipment at the fields.

Wilson recommended Soria and Collins get together and formulate a plan and then meet with Baillie and Andreas. Bonaskiewich suggested they work out the logistics before a meeting with Andreas, Baillie and the township.