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Elmore board weighs raising unsupervised age, life-jacket rules after underage campers found at town beach
Summary
After staff reported dozens of underage children dropped off at the town beach — and discovery of alcohol cans in a boat — the board discussed requiring signed emergency contacts, enforcing life-jacket rules and considering raising the minimum unsupervised age to 16.
Chair (S2) and staff member (S1) opened a discussion about a recent incident in which many minors were left at the town beach without an adult present. Staff reported finding more alcohol cans in a boat and said the children later "confessed" after a parent was contacted. "We don't let them go out in the kayak if there's not a parent there," Staff member (S1) said, describing current on-the-water practice.
Board members discussed short-term enforcement steps and longer-term rule changes. Committee member (S3) said staff is preparing clarifications to the rules and suggested the board consider raising the unsupervised age to 16 next year so older teens with licenses could be treated differently. Chair (S2) emphasized the town's liability concerns and asked staff to draft a written permission/contact form so parents explicitly state what their child may do at the beach.
The board did not adopt a new rule at the meeting but directed staff to prepare a draft change for the next meeting and to consult legal/insurance guidance about the town's liability when minors leave town property in private watercraft.
