Fairgrounds Working Group

January 17, 2024 - Fairgrounds Working Group Public Meeting Video

May 16, 2023 - Fairgrounds Plan Public Meeting Video

"Thanks to all the folks who attended the Public Meeting on the Fairgrounds on Tuesday, May 16th. It was great to see so many of you there and we appreciate the comments and suggestions. The Fairgrounds Working Group will not meet again before the vote in June. If Article 11 is approved, we will continue planning work. We will take the comments from the Public Meeting into account, refining the proposal, and using a process similar to what we used for the softball field to look at options for where to best locate a basketball court in the village area. We will also consider other aspects of the proposal based on public comment."

Passcode: 925462

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PROPOSED PROCESS:

1. Working Group to include representatives of key town committees and related organizations.
2. Starting point for discussion is that there is agreement that a softball field is needed. The Working Group’s task is to determine where best to site it and determine the best future use of the fields area of the Fairgrounds.
3. Starting fresh – but doesn’t mean we won’t utilize work that has been done. Rather, it means that we will start with a clean slate and build together toward an outcome.
4. Also means that we will leave the history, including bad feelings, behind. We’ve had a meeting to share our thoughts about what went wrong last year. Now it is time to move forward.
5. Agree to operate by consensus. We want to create a plan that everyone can support, or at least live with.
6. We will use the decision-making framework outlined in the Fairgrounds Management Plan.
7. Planning to work on a schedule that will allow for Town to seek LWCF funding – application due by June 30. Means agreement on generic warrant article by early March and proposed plan by mid-April. Plan is to meet at least monthly to accomplish this outcome.
8. Expectation is to involve public mid-stream and at end of process.
9. We will have the assistance of park planner to do design work if needed at the appropriate time.