Select Board conditionally appoints Tim Davis as Brookline recreation director; hears recreation budget and equity program update

The Brookline Select Board on April 9 conditionally appointed Tim Davis to serve as the town’s recreation director, subject to Parks and Recreation Commission approval and completion of background checks and other hiring conditions. Town staff said Davis will begin May 5 if both bodies approve. The board voted unanimously to approve the appointment.

Interim Recreation Director Jeff Nutting introduced a budget presentation by Justin Lawson, general manager of the Brookline Golf Course, and Jerry Kelly, business manager for recreation. Lawson said the department’s FY25 general-fund request is approximately $1.2 million, with program and enterprise funds increasing to $4.5 million and about $2.7 million for the golf enterprise. Lawson said the department’s equity initiative has enrolled 157 families and distributed 113 scholarships worth $273,000 in FY24, and reported program-specific takeup across swim lessons, summer camp and soccer.

Lawson told the board the department’s priorities include growing equity membership by about 20 percent, beginning construction phases identified in a new landscape master plan for the golf course, and renovating Sewell’s Courtyard; the department also plans to expand junior-golf programming. Jerry Kelly said the equity scholarships have been used across program types and that the scholarships are currently 100 percent covered by a mix of ACHRA funding and the recreation revolving account.

Members pressed for more details about capital needs at neighborhood facilities. Select Board member Paul Warren described inadequate conditions in the gym used by youth programs and characterized the problem as an equity issue because scholarship recipients use that basement facility while other programs use better-maintained locations. Staff said the scale of renovation needed is multi‑million dollars and noted the project’s place on the capital plan; they also described ongoing outreach to housing and community partners to increase program access.

The board thanked staff for the presentation and unanimously approved the appointment motion after a brief discussion about scheduling opportunities for board members to meet the new director before final introductions.