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Council adopts temporary 7–9 p.m. restroom hours for remainder of summer to limit vandalism
Summary
After staff and police described repeated nighttime vandalism at seasonal public restrooms, the council approved a temporary change to close staffed restrooms earlier and adopt a trial 7–9 p.m. schedule for the remainder of the summer, with staff adjusting part‑time schedules accordingly.
Town staff and police told the council on July 14 that recurring vandalism and late‑night calls for service at public restrooms are costly and hard to manage with current staffing. Staff recounted damage over the years — broken partitions, smashed sinks and ripped‑out fixtures — and said the new custodial hires were intended to open restrooms at 8 a.m. and close them at 8 p.m. daily.
Given recent incidents, staff said they temporarily allowed police to close the bathrooms at 10 p.m. over a recent weekend to manage vandalism. "With us leaving them from 8 to 8, they're still being closed in the daylight... nighttime, it's more frequent for break ins and vandalism than during the day," staff explained.
Council members discussed options including hiring more staff, shifting part‑time schedules, installing 24‑hour portable toilets in some locations and changing opening/closing times. The council settled on a temporary schedule: restrooms will be staffed from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the remainder of the summer so staff can evaluate vandalism and staffing impacts.
Police noted they can lock facilities to prevent access but will not perform cleaning during closures; staff said the full‑time crew arriving in the morning would clean and reopen facilities. Council asked staff to monitor impacts and report back as needed.
