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Select Board advances street-closure policy to a vote after resident input
Summary
Manager Judie Milner presented revised rules making the Select Board the final approver for road closures; resident Carl Johnson urged summer Main St. closures to boost foot traffic, and the board agreed to bring the policy forward for a vote.
The Meredith Select Board on May 11 reviewed updates to a draft Parks & Street-Closure Policy that would make the Select Board the final approver for road closures and require permit routing through Department of Public Works, Fire, Police and Code Enforcement.
Town Manager Judie Milner said the revised policy keeps the process content-neutral and gives preference to longstanding community events; for-profit events would come to the board before the permitting process while municipal and nonprofit events would follow the established permitting route. The board discussed whether to cap the total number of street closures per year and how to prioritize events.
Resident Carl Johnson urged the board to use Main Street closures in summer to increase foot traffic for brick-and-mortar businesses, suggested revised signage (for example, "Foot Traffic Only"), and requested that the library parking lot remain open during closures. Selectpersons Jeanie Forrester and Lynn Leighton supported more positive, inviting language on closure signs. The board reached consensus to bring the policy forward for a formal vote at a future meeting.
The policy will return to the board for a vote after any further edits and departmental review; no final adoption occurred on May 11.
