In one of their first votes, members of the new Barrington Town Council approved a $1.37 million bid for Haines Park athletic field renovations. 

During a special meeting on Monday night, Dec. 9, the Council voted 5-0 to approve the bid submitted by Johnson Landscaping Inc. The project will include the construction of a new multi-sport athletic field, the relocation of the Little League baseball field, improvements to the softball field and parking lot, construction of two batting cages and a walking path, and installation of an irrigation system at Haines. 

Council members also voted to use $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to pay for most of the work. The remaining money will come from the $5 million fields and culvert bond approved at this year’s Financial Town Meeting. 

Deadlines placed on the ARPA funding required the special Town Council meeting — the town needs to obligate all of the ARPA funding before Dec. 31, 2024. There is also a Dec. 31, 2026 deadline to spend all of the federal funding. 

After briefly discussing the Haines Park renovations, Councilor Kate Berard made a motion to award the work to Pawtucket-based Johnson Landscaping, Inc. Johnson was one of four companies to bid on the project. It offered the lowest bid at $1.312 million — officials opted to include the $60,000 add-on of a second batting cage. East Coast Construction submitted a bid of $1.495 million, followed by Yard Works, which bid $1.891 million. United Fence and Construction Co. submitted the highest bid, $1.973 million. 

More for the Y?

An official from Bayside YMCA approached the Council during Monday night’s meeting and asked them to decrease the ARPA allotment to the Haines Park project. 

Bayside YMCA Executive Director Ryan Queenan suggested the Council pull $214,000 out of the Haines Park allotment and instead gift it to the Bayside YMCA. The previous Town Council recently voted to give $106,375 in ARPA money to the Bayside YMCA to make repairs to its outdoor pool. 

Queenan told the new Council members that they could use more money from the recreation bond to make up the difference in reduced ARPA funds for Haines Park. Queenan’s request was combined with an apparent email campaign from residents, who sent dozens of emails to the Town Council. 

Council members Jordan Jancosek wanted to acknowledge the number of emails sent from residents who support the Bayside YMCA. She also said she was open to working with the Bayside YMCA on a capital campaign or more widespread fundraising effort. Jancosek said her in-laws had donated money to the local YMCA for a special piece of equipment for the pool.

Councilor Liana Cassar said the town should do more to support the local YMCA. The private nonprofit organization is one of six branches that operate under the Greater Providence YMCA umbrella. 

Councilor Berard said the town’s ARPA funds have been available since 2022. She asked why Bayside YMCA officials waited until just two months before the deadline to approach the Council with a request for funding.  

Queenan, who has served as executive director at Bayside YMCA for the last two years, blamed previous leadership at the Greater Providence YMCA for not acting sooner on the ARPA money. He said Bayside YMCA officials only became aware of the federal funding a couple of months ago. 

Berard also asked if any other communities in Rhode Island had dedicated ARPA money to any of the YMCA branches. Queenan said they had not, although, he added, YMCA officials are communicating with South Kingstown municipal leaders. 

Queenan also proposed to Council members that if the town could not allocate more ARPA money to the Bayside YMCA, they could consider including the YMCA when using money from the $5 million field improvement bond. 

Barrington resident and Park and Recreation Commission member Tom Rimoshytus told Council members they should not give any more money to the YMCA. He said the town would only be benefitting YMCA members and not all residents. Rimoshytus reminded Councilors that Haines Park will be open to all residents, and that the town’s 27 other athletic fields will also be open to all residents. He said Barrington Schools have to pay the YMCA for the BHS swim teams’ use of the pool. 

Rimoshytus then asked Councilors to reallocate $8,660 in the remaining unassigned ARPA funds to the Haines Park project. 

A short time later, Berard made a motion to allocate the $8,660 to the Bayside YMCA. Jancosek seconded the motion, which passed 5-0. 

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