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Selectmen agree to resume closing gate at Kaylee Park after residents cite night-time disturbances
Summary
After residents described repeated overnight activity and property break-ins near Kaylee Park, the Board of Selectmen agreed April 14 to resume closing the park gate at night and to place clear signage showing park hours, rather than relying on constant DPW labor.
Residents and police staff discussed recurring overnight activity at Kaylee Park at the April 14 Board of Selectmen meeting. A nearby resident told the board the family has experienced frequent night-time activity, headlights around the park and occasional break-ins on nearby private property.
Police and public works staff reviewed call data for the park dating back several years. The police chief said calls for service specifically tied to the park were relatively infrequent in official records, but the resident and selectmen said many incidents go unreported because response time or priorities make calls ineffective. The chief reported that the department had performed directed patrols and that the volume of formal calls did not support an indefinite policy change without community input.
Board members discussed options including relocking the gate nightly, installing a single consolidated rules sign at park entrances, placing larger hour signs on gates, and increasing public outreach. Several selectmen voiced reluctance to require DPW to perform regular lock/unlock duties because of resource constraints; they said volunteer assistance or police staff could support gate closure.
The board reached a practical consensus: (1) the gate will be closed at night (park hours enforcement); (2) a large, consolidated sign with park hours and rules will be placed at main entrances; and (3) staff will work to ensure the gate closure is consistently implemented and that there is a procedure for unlocking it for permitted early-morning users and scheduled events. The chief said the department will continue targeted patrols and public outreach.
Why it matters: Residents who live adjacent to Kaylee Park raised safety and nuisance concerns; the board’s decision prioritizes deterrence through controlled access and clearer signage while avoiding a formal ongoing DPW workload increase.
What's next: Public works will obtain quotes for park signs, and police will coordinate patrols and a communications plan; the board asked staff to return with cost estimates and implementation details.
