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Recreation commission reviews budget freeze, registrations and multiple upcoming events
Summary
At its meeting, the Thompson Recreation Commission reported a budget freeze tied to salt-and-sand overspend, shared registration and participation numbers for summer camp and other programs, and discussed logistics for Maker Faire, a 5K, concerts, and senior programs funded by ARPA.
The Thompson Recreation Commission reviewed finances, program registrations and event logistics at its regular meeting. Chair Cynthia Antos said the town remains under a budget freeze related to overspending on salt and sand this winter and reported a general fund balance of 48,389 and a miscellaneous revolving account of $360,036.66 (as of Monday).
Antos provided program updates: summer camp registration is open with roughly 25 children signed up toward a 60-child capacity; regular campers are kindergarten through sixth grade, while seventh- and eighth-graders may register as CITs (counselor-in-training) assigned to assist younger groups. She said the camp runs June 29–Aug. 14 with regular hours 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and described bus pickup from Thompson Middle School to Quattock, where the bus remains on-site during the day.
On events, Antos said the Red Coat Retreat 5K is scheduled for Saturday with volunteer check-in about 7:30 a.m., the race at 9 a.m., and an estimated 60 registered so far. Maker Faire is scheduled for May 2; vendor registration closes the next day with 100 vendors registered, five food trucks and two stages planned. Antos noted Maker Faire overlaps Little League opening-day parade (~11 a.m.) and that emergency management will direct traffic and parking; many Maker Faire attendees have parked at Saint Joe's or town hall in past years.
Senior and adult programs received updates: Tall Ships trips are sold out; the Cape Cod trip and Foster's Glambake have fewer than 20 seats remaining. Senior offerings include monthly ARPA-funded mindfulness sessions (16 registered for the next session), acrylic art classes returning in July, chair yoga, senior strength classes and new pickleball lessons. Antos said the senior bus is in for brake and alignment service and that a per-diem driver from Putnam (Lori) has been added to expand availability.
Youth programs include mini-soccer (30 kids across two sessions) and a science club that began March 29 but will not run this spring because the art instructor took a full-time school position; staff will seek a replacement for later in the year. Antos also said the commission distributed its 400th spring-cleanup bag across town during volunteer efforts.
The commission reminded members of the upcoming bonding referendum tied to the 2026–27 fiscal budget, which includes lights for the softball field; Antos said passage of the bonding measure would allow that project to proceed.
