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Selectmen debate Waterford Beach amphitheater plan; $30,000 planning request survives
Summary
Recreation staff proposed a covered stage at Waterford Beach and a $30,000 planning line; some selectmen proposed deferring the planning cost given fiscal pressures, but the board voted against removing the $30,000 from the CIP.
Recreation staff proposed plans for townwide playground improvements and a covered staging area at Waterford Beach intended to protect summer events from rain. The preliminary planning line was $30,000; staff estimated construction could range $250,000–$350,000 depending on scope and accessibility improvements.
Selectman Greg raised concern about appropriating planning funds while residents face affordability pressures, suggesting deferring the line-item. "I'm not going to move to reduce it tonight," Greg said, but he later moved to remove $30,000 from the amphibian planning line; the motion was seconded for discussion and then voted. The board recorded votes for and against the reduction; the planning line remained in the CIP after the board's final vote. Staff said the design work would clarify total cost and accessibility requirements before any construction appropriation.
Recreation leadership and selectmen emphasized balancing quality-of-life investments with current fiscal constraints, and said any future construction would be scoped and timed with attention to broader capital needs and grant possibilities.
