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Gilford Selectmen adopt winter rules for Town Beach, add cameras and deny nonresident pass
Summary
The Board of Selectmen adopted amended winter‑operations rules for the Town Beach, including a designated vehicle corridor and new surveillance cameras, accepted a donor gift to buy additional cameras, and denied a nonresident's request for a beach sticker to avoid setting a precedent.
The Gilford Board of Selectmen on June 24 adopted amended winter operations rules for the Town Beach that formalize a vehicle corridor for dropping off ice fishing ‘bob houses’ and add new surveillance cameras to monitor winter parking.
Chair Dale Channing Eddy opened the public hearing on the changes and said the town seeks to preserve safe public access while protecting beach property. Resident James Carlson asked whether a corridor would allow dropping off and retrieving bob houses and why the parking lot would be open to non‑taxpayers in winter. Selectmen said a designated corridor would permit temporary vehicle access and explained that staffing a paid gatekeeper in winter is infeasible because of irregular hours and lack of a heated shelter.
Town Administrator Scott Dunn said cameras will be installed to monitor the beach during winter months to deter inappropriate parking and ensure compliance with the new rules. Michael Eastman, representing NH Fish and Game, thanked the Selectmen and said the agency will help make the arrangement work to keep the lake accessible in winter.
After closing the hearing, the board voted 3‑0 to adopt the amended Town Beach Regulations for winter operations and to authorize enforcement steps including camera installation. Separately, the board accepted a $1,000 donation from the Belknap County Sportsman Association and approved spending an additional $1,490 from the Technology Capital Reserve Fund to purchase more security cameras at the beach; that motion also passed 3‑0.
The board also considered and denied a request from a nonresident to obtain a Town Beach sticker, with Selectman Gus Benavides saying the board sympathizes with the letter writer but will not set a precedent of allowing nonresidents a sticker; the denial passed 3‑0.
The Selectmen said the winter rules aim to balance longstanding public access to the lake with protections for the Town Beach infrastructure and to address staffing and safety constraints during winter months.
The board authorized staff to implement the camera purchase and to post updated signage and guidance reflecting the winter operations rules. The Selectmen closed the public hearing and moved on to other agenda items.
