Parks & Recreation Commission chair Kyle Smith will lead the commission’s coordination with the town’s Human Resources Department as the search begins for a new Parks & Rec director.

At its meeting Tuesday, the commission discussed the finer details of director Jon Lewitus’ departure from the Parks & Rec Department. Lewitus, whose last full day on the job is Wednesday, has accepted a director role with Sudbury Park and Recreation. He ends his tenure with the town after being hired three years ago to replace Jay Guelfi.

Lewitus told the commission that while his official departure date is Wednesday, he will remain as director on a per diem basis. “The goal of that is to make sure all services continue as usual, specific to budgeting, invoicing [and] staff training,” he explained. The outgoing director also said his focus would be the department’s capital projects until he could hand them off to the new director.

In the beginning of his shift to per diem, Lewitus anticipates contributing about 12-14 hours a week, with most of those hours taking place in the evenings. Hours hopefully would scale back as the transition to the new director took place, he noted.

Smith said his priority for Lewitus was making sure Parks & Rec continues its operations so that “we don’t have programs falling apart [and] we don’t have staff without direction.”

Member Amy O’Donnell recommended there be a focus on ensuring that Autumn Tallent, the department’s new program coordinator/summer supervisor, be brought up to speed.

“It sounds like a pretty smooth transition plan, Jon,” commented member Brad Fenn. “You’ve been spot-on with all your work, and I really appreciate all your efforts.”

Smith informed the commission that the Select Board would be voting Tuesday night to approve the job posting for the director position, and that hopefully it would be live Wednesday morning. He added that the commission would need a liaison with HR to help with recruitment and selection.

Vice chair Dan Terry recommended Smith take on that role, citing the chair’s professional experience in hiring. The commission voted unanimously to make Smith its HR liaison.

Lewitus called his departure from Hopkinton “bittersweet,” noting he was making the move to Sudbury for his family. “My family’s number one, and it’ll continue to be that way,” he said.

During his time with Parks & Rec, Lewitus oversaw the installation of new pickleball and tennis courts on Fruit Street, renovations to the Hank Fredette Skate Park, improvements to Sandy Beach and advancement of the Pyne Field project. He reflected on his career in Hopkinton in a statement he shared with the Independent earlier in the week.

Town Common campout discussed

Determining it needed to review available options, the commission agreed to come back to a request by Hopkinton Girl Scouts to use Parks & Rec properties for a campout at its next meeting.

Girl Scout leader and Hopkinton Scout Leaders Association member Juanita Hanson appeared before the commission initially to pitch a family camping event at the Town Common. The campout, which she hoped would be held in October, would allow Scouts and families to stay overnight on the common. The evening could include some coordinated activities, and the HSLA would provide snacks and s’mores, along with either a continental breakfast or a food truck in the morning.

Hanson characterized the event as a way to bring the community together. “I think it would be a really awesome thing to add to our lineup,” she added.

Lewitus said he was open to the request because he and Tallent had experience with these sorts of events before. 

“I think the common’s a good idea, but I do have some reservations about it,” he said.

He told Hanson Hopkinton Police and Fire would need to be involved, as well as the Board of Health. Lewitus said he would be comfortable with limiting the event to 10-15 families.

Hanson pushed back on that number, asking if it were possible to map out the available capacity on the common. Later on in the discussion, she explained that she envisioned capping the event at 40 families. 

Terry raised concerns over safety with more than 15 families camped out on the common. He and other commission members noted that traffic cuts through the area at all hours of the day. 

“Why the common?” he asked Hanson. “Is that something that … you’d really be interested in?”

Hanson cited the visibility of Town Common as part of the appeal for holding the campout there. “I’m not married to it,” she clarified. “I think [of] the common first because it’s so centrally located.”

“If there is another park that would be more appropriate, I’m open to that,” she added.

Commission members threw out other Parks & Rec properties that could work for the event, including Pyne Field, Victory Field, EMC Park and Fruit Street. Lewitus mentioned that bathrooms would be something the Scouts needed to consider. He added that Fruit Street might not work depending on fall sports schedules.

Terry shared his perspective that the discussion could not move toward a motion to allow the campout to take place until the availability of other properties was understood. Hanson agreed to work with the Parks & Rec Department to look at the options and return with a proposal at the next commission meeting.