September 2005 DOA Meeting Minutes

Attendees: Rachel Adams, Liz Begosh, Sharon Blumberg, Nanci Bucca, Peg Connor, Jonathan Fingerut, Wendy Gosfield, Cathy Holland, Sean Kaplan, Dorothy Natale, Frank and Cintra Rogers, Al and Annette Rodin, Jen Scoliard, Sam Soldan, Zeth Weisman, and Arnie Zacharias

I. Dog Park Maintenance/Improvements

A. Spring Clean-up:

• The spring clean up will be held on Saturday, April 29 at 10:00 AM. Rain date Sunday, April 30.
• Jonathan Fingerut, Rachel Adams, and Sean Kaplan will organize the Clean up.
• Tools will be borrowed from the garden co-op next to the dog park and look into a stone-moving machine to move stones from the fence.
• We will buy pond liner to keep stones in.
• Decided not to order additional stones.
• Will try to saw off exposed root in little dog run.

B. General Maintenance:

• People need to regularly sweep back stones from the periphery of the run.
• People need to regularly make sure surface is covered
• People need to donate extra poop bags (supermarket recycling bags and newspaper bags work well)
• Water fountain is backed up, we need a filter to prevent stones from going down the drain. Sharon called the plummer
• Will look into bringing someone in to level small dog run

C. Trees:

• Discussion of care needed
• Additional trees discussed-decided additional tree not necessary at this point
• Dedication of tree in memory of Sully-decided to hold off until we decide if we will have a dog run memorial. Cathy, Zeth and Liz looking into competition for local artists to design dog run memorial

D. Area between the dog park and train tracks:

• Newly cleared by CSX
• Expansion of dog run was discussed- suggestion tabled until someone has time to look into cost, location of gas line, tax assessment and ownership of area
• Landscaping of this area was discussed-it was decided that we will spread “meadow in a can” to beautify the area for this summer

E. Other Ideas:

• Increase fence height- Zeth will look into cost

II. Dog Park Safety and Hygiene Issues

A. Aggressive Dogs

• People need to speak up about aggressive dogs
• Sharon looked into dog specific legislation, call police if individuals repeatedly show up with aggressive dogs
• People need to feel free to speak up against people bringing children into the dog run (safety issue) and people monopolizing small dog run with aggressive dogs

B. Red Cross Training

• Was informative, some expected the instructor to be more informed.
• Should offer to the dog run as a group again.

C. Poop Patrol

• People need to pick up poop that is lying around even if it wasn't produced by their dog

D. Dealing with bug issue this summer

• Immediate poop disposal is key in keeping fly population in check this summer

E. Report dead bats and birds if found in or around dog run

III. Dog friendly Activities & Community Issues

A. Purina Beneful event

• Will be held a weekend in late June or early July
• Movie night in the park
• Donation of $5,000 to dog run
• Other activities we want to have in conjunction with event (blood drive and micro-chipping van discussed)
• Peg Connor and Sam Soldan will help organize the event

B. FSRP Festival this fall (October 21)

• Will need volunteers to man booth for dog park

C. Other

IV. Fundraising

A. Membership:

• $20 membership, forms available.
• Ideas to get people more involved in the dog owners' association raise money for park improvements/resurfacing
• Input on dog park decisions
• Participation in dog park events
• Send in photos of yourselves and dogs for website

BACK TO HOME