Council supports RPOA funding request but presses for tighter event controls after large turnout

Town staff presented a $25,500 funding request from the Ross Property Owners Association for community events; the council indicated support for including that request in the FY27 budget but pressed RPOA to tighten event controls after last weekend’s Live on the Common drew a larger, county‑wide crowd.

Jeff Koblick, representing RPOA, and Recreation Manager Maureen Borthwick spoke about event programming and attendance. Borthwick said the town dinner generally attracts about 300 people and suggested combining this year’s town dinner with a scheduled Live on the Common event to reduce duplication.

Chief Pata warned that an unexpectedly large crowd strains parking, traffic control and police staffing. "These events require contingency planning," he said, noting the department has been relying on mutual‑aid assistance and donated overtime in earlier years but that such assistance is not guaranteed.

Staff noted litter and contaminated recycling after the recent event and said one sponsor that had been providing waste‑collection services warned it may no longer do so without more robust on‑site sorting and cleanup. Ford said the event permit includes conditions and that, for events at that scale, the ABC alcohol permit will require private security and evidence of contracted cleanup and trash handling.

The council asked RPOA to limit external marketing for future events, to build permit conditions into organizer contracts, and to ensure the cost and plan for police overtime, private security and post‑event cleanup are addressed. Staff said they will include the RPOA funding request in the draft budget to be considered on June 11.