Tamworth accepts $5,000 town foundation grant for swim program; recreation director outlines summer plans

The Tamworth Select Board on April 8 voted to accept $5,000 in unanticipated funds from the Tamworth Foundation to support the town’s recreational swim program and heard a broad update from Jeremy Phillips, Tamworth’s recreation director, on spring and summer programming.

Phillips told the board the department has several programs under way or planned, including basketball, pickleball, track and multiple youth field trips, and that summer swim lessons and day-camp programming are a priority. “I probably have 75 kids signed up so far,” Phillips said. He described active recruitment of instructors and said, “Right now we have 2 instructors, and 1 is is on the fence, and I think we'd easily be able to get a third.”

The grant acceptance occurred after Phillips’ presentation. The motion on the floor — “accept unanticipated funds in amount of $5,000 from the Tamworth Foundation for the Tamworth Recreational Swim program” — passed on a roll-call vote recorded in the transcript as Bear yes, French yes and Roberts yes.

Phillips outlined ongoing scheduling and facility issues. He said coordination with the school has mostly been smooth but noted one recurring limitation: restricted access to an office that contains the controls for raising basketball hoops, the scoreboard and some utility outlets. That restriction affects set-up for Saturday open gyms and for the Fourth of July event, he said, and he described working with school administrative staff and volunteers to find workable solutions.

Phillips described options for swim lessons, including hosting lessons at the Bearcamp Center and at White Lake. He said White Lake imposes parking fees and certification requirements for instructors. “They require it,” Phillips said of White Lake’s instructor certification rules, adding that the program can still be run there if the town can meet those requirements and staffing ratios. He also said the recreation program is discussing transportation options, including vans for field trips and coordinating middle-school activities with neighboring towns.

Board members and staff discussed logistics for summer staffing, use of multiple town facilities (Union Hall, Cook Memorial Library, recreation fields) and whether to move more programming south in town to increase access. Phillips said he is scheduling summer staff interviews and plans to post program sign-ups within about two weeks.

The board’s acceptance of the grant was framed as a routine appropriation of unanticipated funds to support a seasonal program; the Select Board did not attach additional conditions in the meeting. The transcript shows Select Board members expressed support for the swim program and for Phillips’ outreach to other groups and towns.

The recreation director said he would continue to report back to the board as staff and facility issues are resolved and as summer sign-ups and instructor staffing are finalized.