JAY — Selectpersons voted Monday to allow the town’s recreation and ball fields to be used and set the deadline for overdue vehicle registrations for June 22.

Even prior to a request from Area Youth Sports to use the fields, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere had added a discussion on field use to the board’s agenda.

Some towns are allowing use of fields, she said, such as Wilton, and others like Farmington and Livermore Falls are not.

“Let the kids use the fields,” Selectperson Judy Diaz said. “They don’t have recreation programs.”

The use is contingent upon a paragraph being added to the town’s parks and fields use form that will require users to follow state guidelines under the COVID-19 restrictions.

Summer recreation programs have been canceled because of the coronavirus. The state released guidelines for community sports and large public gatherings under Phase 2 of the restarting plan for Maine’s economy. On June 1 outdoor trainings were allowed for community sports. Organizers of the outdoor community sports are responsible for limiting the number of individuals that can gather in a shared space to 50 or less.

Area Youth Sports has developed a criteria for return to play plan/protocols. It includes that participants have no signs of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and not being exposed to someone who has been ill within that time period. Participants are required to have their temperatures taken before going to training.

Coaches or staff will ask each athlete if they are experiencing signs or symptoms of the coronavirus. The organization will also make sure there are appropriate infection prevention supplies present in multiple areas. Those include hand sanitizer, facial tissues, facial coverings, and disinfectant wipes. The activities will take place outdoors where there is space for social distancing. Participants should use their own equipment and properly sanitize it after every training session. In cases of shared equipment, it will be disinfected between each use. Any parent outside of their vehicle will be counted as part of the group.

Area Youth Sports plans to offer an alternative modified softball, T-ball and baseball program for youth hopefully starting in mid-June.

In other business, the board set the date for overdue motor vehicle, trailer, boat, ATV registration renewals from March, April and May to be completed by June 22. The state set the deadline of July 11 under the state civil executive order but allowed for towns who are processing registrations to set an earlier date.

The town has processed many registrations already, LaFreniere said. Any registration that is not overdue can be done before the normal expiration date.  This allows for excise tax revenue to be counted for the year it is due, she said. The fiscal year ends June 30.

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