Trustees request cemetery kiosk; parks staff propose shade, play additions and bench replacements

Trustees of the town trust funds asked the Selectboard to include a kiosk for the cemetery in this year’s budget. "The only thing they wanna do this year is... they would like to put a kiosk in or work towards getting a kiosk down there," a staff member said, describing the trustees' request.

Parks and Recreation staff outlined several small capital improvements for town parks. Proposals included adding a sun shade to provide shade over playground equipment, adding small play items such as bongo‑style features, installing a half‑court basketball area, and replacing frequently damaged wooden benches with heavier designs to deter theft and reduce maintenance. "We're looking into a couple more small things... and then between the park and stone wall to the left, there's room I think we put a little basketball at the half court," a parks speaker said.

Staff also described a mulch maintenance approach that adds material rather than removing existing mulch to avoid uncovering underlying organic material. "If you rip up what's there, all you're gonna do is unearth mushrooms and undergrowth... so you leave what's there... and you just put a new layer up," a staff member said.

During the discussion staff and board members also noted that some concrete benches have started splitting and that wooden benches require frequent replacement because screws work loose and seating becomes uncomfortable. The board agreed to keep these items under review as part of the parks budget and to advance the cemetery kiosk request through the trustees' recommended funding process.

No formal vote on the parks or cemetery items was recorded during this meeting; the topics were part of the departmental budget review.