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Residents urge select board to preserve Ray Center preschool, trails and events as budget cuts bite
Summary
Multiple residents and nonprofit leaders told the Select Board that cuts to the Ray Center, WVAIA and community events would harm young families, safety and tourism; speakers urged transparency or alternative fundraising to preserve key services.
Several Waterville Valley residents and nonprofit leaders told the Select Board on March 23 that proposed cuts to community nonprofits and programs risked harming young families, trail safety and local revenue.
Former CFO Heather Nickerson told the board she reviewed the Ray Center’s 2024 tax filings and said the nonprofit reported roughly $136,000 in retained earnings, that preschool operations cost about $57,000 and that the preschool generated about $41,000 in revenue. “If you look at strictly their Ray Center...they have a $136,000,” Nickerson said, urging the board to seek transparent budgets before making funding decisions.
Responding to concerns about whether those funds can be tapped, resident Naja Stratton said there may be a settlement and a nondisclosure condition that restricts access to some funds until about 2033 and cautioned that cutting revenue-producing programs can reduce town receipts and hurt efforts to attract young families.
Warren Wheelock, president of the Waterville Valley Athletic Improvement Association (WVAIA), urged the board not to view trail maintenance as discretionary. He outlined the association’s recent investments in trail repairs and safety work and said the group holds roughly $50,000 in reserves but relies on town support for projects. “WVAIA safeguards our trails...AIA should not be viewed as discretionary,” Wheelock said, adding that his organization removes blowdowns and hires professional crews for major repairs.
Other residents asked whether nonprofits could pursue a warrant article or ramp up fundraising, and several suggested privately funded or volunteer-supported alternatives for specific events — for example, donors covering entertainment or prizes for the fishing derby while the town retains the fish purchase for pond maintenance.
Why this matters: multiple speakers said the Ray Center preschool and trail infrastructure are important to recruiting and retaining young families, supporting the school system and sustaining local businesses. Board members acknowledged those concerns but said the town faces a structural funding gap that required hard cuts to meet the town-meeting-directed $7,000,000 cap.
What happens next: board members asked staff for more clarity on restricted funds and noted the financial-advisory committee being formed to review municipal spending and relationships with local nonprofits.
