Council approves temporary beach amusement contract with amended terms; vendor to pay porta‑potty and minimum revenue share

The council voted May 4 to authorize a temporary contract with Rockwell Amusements / New England Rides to operate family‑oriented rides, games and food booths at a town beach parcel for a seasonal period. Debate at the meeting ranged from environmental concerns to process and who should have been consulted: members of the recreation board presented an alternative community‑driven beach programming plan while a business representative pushed for rides on a particular town lot.

The contract discussion covered insurance and safety, regulatory review, traffic/parking impacts, exclusivity of concessions on that parcel, and revenue terms. After back‑and‑forth amendments, the council adopted a change requiring the vendor to provide and maintain portable restrooms and refuse handling; it also set fiscal terms of “15% of gross sales or a $5,000 minimum, whichever is greater.” The amended terms also clarified the revenue share applied to gross receipts from rides, games and related sales on the contract parcel. Administrative conditions remain: licensing board review and sign‑offs by police, fire, building and public‑works staff are required before operations may begin.

Supporters said temporary amusements would draw families and visitors and could be tried for one season; opponents raised concerns about process, the parcel choice and potential environmental impacts. The town manager said additional town‑owned parcels are available for programming and that if the pilot fails, the council can end it and pursue alternatives such as the rec board’s rotating programming plan. The vendor proponent told council he would comply with licensing and permitting requirements and stressed modern portable rides subject to state inspection use sealed systems and drip pans to limit leakage.

Next steps: contract language will be finalized to reflect the 15%/ $5,000 floor amendment, include the parcel address and vendor responsibilities (porta‑potties, waste management, electricity metering), and the license will proceed through town administrative and licensing reviews before operations can begin.