Kingston residents will see a price hike for shellfish parking this year as the Recreation Commission moved to align those rates with standard beach stickers. During the March 9 meeting, Recreation Director Brandy explained that while resident beach stickers were set at $30 last year, shellfish parking had been maintained at a lower $20 rate. J. Baitman initially suggested keeping the baseline steady, noting, I make a motion to keep the sticker prices the same as last year, but the board ultimately accepted the Director's request to bring shellfish permits into parity with the $30 resident and $60 non-resident beach rates. Motion Made by J. Baitman to maintain beach sticker prices at $30 for residents and $60 for non-residents while increasing shellfish parking stickers to match those rates. Motion Passed 4-0.

Parking logistics at the beach are also set for a shift to accommodate the town’s booming pickleball program. E. Moan pointed out that the current use of "hang tags" for the roughly 60 participants has become very cumbersome and confusing for our park staff and the police department. To streamline enforcement, the commission discussed phasing out tags in favor of traditional stickers. To cover the administrative costs, Brandy proposed a $15 increase to the pickleball program registration fee, which would include a parking sticker valid through the following March.

The department is also bracing for significant inflationary pressure on field maintenance, a concern that mirrors the town's broader struggle to maintain a 3% budget growth cap. Brandy informed the board that turf maintenance costs could see a $10,000 spike this year. She suggested that the department might have to scale back care for local fields if youth sports organizations cannot bridge the financial gap. It has become challenging to always continue to go to the user and say you've got to pay more money, Brandy said, questioning if the town should forgo one of the applications of fertilization or skip lime treatments to save costs.

Field infrastructure was also at the forefront of a proposal from youth lacrosse representative Nick, who requested the installation of a permanent pre-cast concrete skills wall. Pointing to successful models in Duxbury and Bridgewater, Nick argued that pre-cast is less labor and time than traditional block or poured walls. However, the proposal met with caution regarding the underground infrastructure at the "V-shaped" field. Brandy noted that the town lacks "as-built" maps for the area’s plumbing, making any excavation risky. The hard part with irrigation is we've never had an 'as-built,' she said. I am concerned about the digging up of the turf and the irrigation lines.

Liability remains a primary concern for the town, which is self-insured. Brandy noted she would need to consult with the town's insurer, MIIA, before proceeding, warning that if somebody's playing on that thing and the ball comes back and takes a kid's eye out, the town owns that. P. Rooney suggested that if the project moves forward, delivery trucks should use existing infrastructure to protect the turf, noting, they could just take the fire road down the side instead of coming through the center gate and going down the middle with those things weighing a lot. The commission scheduled a site visit for April 6 to evaluate the proposal further.

In her Director’s report, Brandy highlighted the rapid growth of local recreation, noting that the Silver Lake spring cheer program nearly reached its 60-person capacity almost immediately after opening. The board also noted that the Farmers Market will return to its seasonal schedule starting May 3, and Music Nights are being planned for late June through September. These community events continue to expand as the town prepares for its 300th Anniversary celebrations.

Administrative changes are also on the horizon as the town approaches its May 16 elections. J. Cunningham reminded the public that this meeting is being recorded and noted that two seats on the Recreation Commission will be on the ballot. This comes as the department navigates its first full budget cycle under Town Administrator Scott Lambiase. Brandy reported that the Finance Committee recently voted unanimously in favor of the Recreation budget, which now moves toward Town Meeting on May 2.