The topic of Memorial Park’s overcrowding and the proposal to charge non-residents took center stage during the meeting. The board grappled with residents’ concerns about the park’s capacity, particularly regarding the use of the splash pad. The overcrowding has led to dissatisfaction among local residents, who feel that non-residents should contribute financially to the park’s maintenance and operations. While the idea of implementing a fee system was debated, the board also considered logistical and legal implications, such as consulting with Town Council to ensure the avoidance of liability issues. The possibility of using RFID cards to regulate access to the splash pad was mentioned as a solution to control the influx of visitors and ensure that the park’s facilities are sustainably managed.

In conjunction with the park’s issues, the board deliberated over the Parks and Recreation department’s request to change the job title of the Administrative Assistant position to Recreation Coordinator. The board raised questions about the potential effects of this change on job descriptions, wage levels, and the current town employee chart. The implications of the title change on the blending of roles within the department were of particular concern.

Moving on to matters of town administration, the board discussed the upcoming launch of a new dispatch system, which is scheduled to proceed in two phases, with the first going live on the 17th and the second on July 1st. The topic of whether the anticipated call volume would be adequately managed by current staffing levels was a point of discussion for the board. The board also approved the dispatch system proposal and addressed changes to the quorum requirements for the dispatch center.

The meeting continued with the consideration of reorganizing the government study committee and the recent town meeting. Further administrative matters included the annual board and commission appointments, which encompassed positions in the fire department, police department, and other committees. The Town Administrator updated the board on the installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargers at the senior center and suggested distributing a questionnaire to gauge residents’ preferences for a weekend versus a weeknight town meeting. The board also recognized the need to finalize the timing of the fall town meeting and considered the implementation of early voting for the presidential election.

Additionally, the board contemplated engaging a firm for a building assessment and expressed frustration over the lack of progress with the town’s legal counsel. A motion was made to suspend services with the current legal counsel.

Lastly, the board touched upon the upcoming events, including a fiber optic committee meeting, a Conservation Commission hearing, a public forum for the master plan steering committee, and the upcoming parade.