Regular Meetings Starting for Year
The City of New Meadows Parks & Rec Committee resumed their regular meetings for 2026 this past Monday, February 2. Discussions around upcoming events and activities throughout summer were included.
The Committee kicked off discussions outlining next steps for summer baseball and t-ball including contacting last year’s coaches, updating forms, finalizing a t-shirt vendor, checking age ranges for teams, and assessing current inventory and ordering any items needed for the teams. Member Angie Mettie also discussed efforts led by Klaryssa Keane and John Rhodes to update the baseball field and Mayor Julie Good said the City would see how they can support those efforts. Keane and Rhodes have plans to update the dugout areas and clean up the field and diamond for the upcoming season and are seeking community support and donations. Good also brought up possibly doing some fundraising during games with food sales. Mettie said sign ups occur around the time of the City Easter Egg Hunt and practices would start around the beginning of May.
The Committee then discussed the most recent information about Youth Basketball. In 2025 a proposal for shared coverage of the youth sport between Meadows Valley school and the City fell flat and neither entity took oversight of the season. Coach Shawndale Howard recruited volunteer support and kept practice and games going for the youth in 2nd to 5th grade. Practices were held at the school gymnasium.
Mettie clarified that the school can’t run multiple basketball programs and Good said the City did not have funding for insurance coverage. Mettie said program participants have not paid a fee to pay unlike summer baseball. If the City were to cover the program, they would likely need to charge participants to cover insurance and other costs. Good said she would look into cost estimates.
Good mentioned the City has hired Stepheny Becker as the Community Events and Outreach Coordinator and she will be assisting with some Parks & Rec events, handling sports registration, and working with rentals of the freight room and youth center, along with a host of other duties.
Mettie outlined some possible repeat Summer events the Committee could participate in including Farmers Market days, Meadows Valley Days, and doing some crafts and games. Good mentioned there may be a larger kick off event planned for the market’s first day this year. She also said the Committee could consider working with the City on an event to go along with the upcoming seeding at the Skatepark to possibly include music and food.
The group moved to discussions around possible Water Days in the park in late summer without conflicting with the library summer program and possibly joining with the local YAC programming.
Good mentioned on a related note that two more picnic tables would be added to the park thanks to grant funding. The group discussed possibly doing a fundraiser by updating, painting, and auctioning the park’s old wooden picnic tables.
Future meeting topics may include open mic and music event ideas, youth basketball, April 4 Easter Egg hunt plans, and putting flags across town and down the main street for Memorial Day weekend. Member Joe Sullivan had proposed the music event ideas to possibly be once a month or once per week during the summer. Good said an offer had been made to fund a stage or band shell in the park, but she wanted the City to ask the community about their interest for this first.
Parks & Rec is looking for more committee members to join them in their work to plan and put on activities for the community. The commitment includes a monthly meeting of about one hour in length, fundraising efforts, hosting and coordinating events. Depending on the month this includes about 4-5 hours per month. Contact City Hall for more information or to join.
