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Parks Commission to return with pavilion-rental policy after board questions on fees and insurance
Summary
The Parks Commission proposed reserving and charging for rentals of the Curtis Rec pavilion. Board members raised questions about whether prior state funding restricts charging fees, when certificates of insurance would be required, enforcement of reserved times and possible policing burdens; the board asked Parks to return with a draft policy at the next meeting.
The Parks Commission presented an initial proposal to allow residents to reserve and pay a fee to use the Curtis Rec pavilion for small private gatherings. The commission said many towns charge nominal fees and use a revolving fund to maintain facilities, and that their preliminary work suggests a policy could allow family events with no COI but require insurance for larger or commercial events.
Board members asked whether state or federal funds originally used to build the park would prohibit charging fees; Parks said they would research that and return with legal and policy details. Members also raised enforcement questions (what happens if a group refuses to leave), suggested clear signage and scheduling and recommended a balance between public access and private reservation convenience. The board agreed to put a pavilion rental policy on the next meeting agenda and asked Parks to bring a draft policy covering fees, certificates of insurance, trash/bathroom responsibilities and scheduling enforcement.
Quotes: "If it's just a birthday party or kids, we have a blanket liability policy that would cover general liability," a Parks representative said. A board member asked: "Why waste your time on the policy if we don't agree to move forward with this?" The chair directed Parks to return with a draft policy for the next meeting.
Next steps: Parks will research state-funding constraints and COI rules and present a draft policy at the next Select Board meeting for discussion and possible adoption.
