Karate Program Is on the Horizon for Montville

Montville will soon get a new karate program, taught by Any Bakoledis, a math teacher at Tyl Middle School, and former owner of his own karate studio.

The karate program was one of the topics of discussion when the Parks and Recreation Commission met earlier in the week.

Members of the committee were excited about the program; fees were still a question. 

“The problem with a class like Karate is you don’t want to start it at one price and change it down the line,” said Stan Gwudz, chairman of the commission.

Other new programs that they were coordinating included an adult dodgeball league. Students aged kindergarten through 5th grade could also sign up for the Mad Science program at Fair Oaks Academy, which will be on Saturdays at 9:30 if there is enough interest from the community. Fair Oaks will also be hosting a “Puzzlethon” with other towns across the state, as a means to raise money for autism.

Commission members' thoughts were already turning  to Montville’s Summer Day Camp, and whether funds would allow for a five-, six- or seven-week program.

Meanwhile, the town is expected to receive a $200,000 state grant for restorations at the Fair Oaks School. The work will include new paint, an upgrade to ventilation and two fire walls inside the building. Fire code issues have prevented the hall from being used for dances and other events. When the state approves the grants, Montville will be able to place the project out to bid to contractors.

Other improvements on the horizon include new restrooms at Camp Oakdale. The Public Works department could either go ahead with a concrete modular or a wooden “stick build” construction.

Concern about cigarette butts and spit from tobacco chewers has led to a new ordinance, drafted by the Town Council’s liaison to the Parks and Rec Department, Candy Bubendorf.

If approved by the council, the ordinance would fine violators who use tobacco on Parks and Rec properties a fee of $99. The department members would have some time to review the document and add suggestions.

“Hopefully it will be adopted for early May,” Bubendorf said.

The commission has also adopted more comprehensive guidelines for screening new coaches. Parks and Rec will work with  Police Department to run background checks on applicants.

A set of standards bars violent and sexual offenders, but allows for individuals with offenses in their distant pasts to be considered on a case by case basis. Interest in a standardized screening process came about when a coach appeared to have an assault on his record. Further investigations revealed that this coach shared a first and last name with somebody else who had been convicted.