Four Barrington residents applied for the lone public vacancy on the town's newly formed Ad Hoc Advisory Athletic Field Committee.

Two of the applicants (Bill Horn and Steve DeBoth) are current youth sports league presidents, one (Ed Roskiewicz) is a youth sports coach and former 30-year veteran collegiate sports coach, and one applicant (Anthony Arico) is a former member of the town's park and recreation commission.

After a short discussion during Monday night's meeting, council member Joy Hearn made a motion to appoint Mr. Arico to the committee, and Steven Boyajian seconded the motion. The council then voted 4-1 in favor of the motion — councilor Jacob Brier cast the lone dissenting vote.

Mr. Brier had questioned the council, asking if it was prudent to build an athletic fields committee that does not include a single youth sports league official. 

Mr. Boyajian countered, saying that he manages a Barrington Little League baseball team in the spring, and he also referenced Dave Boyes, another appointee to the committee who volunteered for Barrington Youth Soccer years ago. Mr. Boyajian and other council members were not sure if Tom "TR" Rimoshytus, another appointee, was still volunteering for Barrington Pop Warner. (He is not.)

Mr. Brier had earlier made a motion to appoint Mr. Horn (the president of East Bay Lacrosse) to the committee, but other members of the council said Mr. Horn's wife sits on the town's Park and Recreation Commission and has also been appointed to the Ad Hoc Advisory Athletic Field Committee. Mr. Brier's motion failed to get a second.

In an interview on Tuesday morning, Mr. Arico said he was shocked that he was appointed to the Ad Hoc Advisory Athletic Field Committee.

"I feel bad for the leagues," he said. "I'm happy about the election and I'm honored… but I think it should be all of them (on the committee). There's four youth leagues and they should all be at the table."

Mr. Arico added: "But it's the council's decision… I'm going to be objective and fair to both sides."

Mr. Arico said he would not be surprised if the council added openings to the committee for the youth sports leagues. He said the sports leagues should remain involved with the topic. 

The ad hoc committee is charged with drafting a report that discusses how the town can improve and maintain athletic fields, acquire more field space, and also explore the possibility of constructing a new artificial turf field in town. 

The ad hoc committee is currently slated to include two members of the town council, two members of the school committee, three members of the parks and recreation commission, one member of the conservation commission, one member of the general public, five members that will be selected by the school committee, the director of athletics and student activities at the high school, the superintendent of the department of public works, and the director of the town's recreation department.

The council did not address the proposed field fee increase at Monday night's meeting.