Select Board Addresses Community Power, Infrastructure, and Town Meeting Preparations

The Waterville Valley Select Board convened for a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 5, 2026, to discuss a range of town matters, including updates from various departments, progress on key projects, and final preparations for the upcoming Town Meeting.

Theater Under the Stars Seeks Continued Town Support

The Artistic Director of Theater Under the Stars and Shakespeare in the Valley Festival addressed the Board regarding the organization’s intention to return to Waterville Valley for its 20th season. The festival has been in town since its founding in 2006, and operated last year on Packard’s Field from mid-July to mid-August, utilizing the hockey rink for costume storage and dressing rooms (link).

A Select Board member raised concerns about turf damage to Packard’s Field from last year’s tent, with repair estimates around $4,000. The Artistic Director noted that drought conditions were a contributing factor. The Board indicated that a decision on the festival’s return and use of Packard’s Field would be addressed after Town Meeting, contingent on voter approval of a $2,500 allocation in the operating budget (link). The Artistic Director was asked to provide or confirm a written statement outlining the request, and the Board acknowledged that a prior letter had already been submitted. The Board noted that this season would be dedicated to the late Town Manager Mark Decoteau.

Departmental Updates

Public Safety: The Public Safety Chief reported a blockage in a drain line at the public safety facility, suspected to be frozen, requiring weekend pumping by an outside contractor. The issue may resolve with warmer temperatures, though the possibility of further investigation into the line’s installation was mentioned (link). The Special Olympics event successfully concluded, with the Chief thanking the Public Works Director’s crew for snow removal assistance in preparation for the event. The Chief noted that this was the third consecutive year in which out-of-town building fires occurred during the event, requiring the dispatch of local trucks (link).

A Board member raised concerns about the difficulty of localizing 911 calls within large buildings, citing a recent incident in Town Square. The Chief acknowledged the issue and committed to investigating current capabilities and potential testing with 911 services (link).

Recreation Department: The Recreation Director provided an update on ongoing programs, including a Kids Night Out event scheduled for March 6 to support the ski mountain. Staff retention for summer camps stands at approximately 95%. March is a busy month with 12 facility rentals already booked. Online camp registration for Waterville Valley residents and taxpayers will open the Wednesday following Town Meeting — once the budget is decided — with general public registration opening the following Monday, March 16 (link).

The Director also flagged a significant typo in the recently published annual report: the Parks revenue line on page 13 incorrectly shows a decrease of 5.3%, when in fact revenue is projected to increase by 3.1%. A separate data entry error listed solo classes at $9,300 for the FY2025 budget column when the correct figure is $3,900. The Board discussed issuing an errata page, reprinting the affected page for remaining copies at the post office, and posting a correction on the town website (link).

Municipal Works: The Municipal Works Director informed the Board about a persistent frozen sewer line at a residence on Snow’s Brook Road, affecting only that one property. A temporary solution of frequent tank pumping is in place, with plans for a permanent fix after Town Meeting and ground thaw, pending budget approval (link).

The Board also received a $60,000 grant agreement for lead service line inventory and replacement work, requiring no matching funds from the town. The grant is reimbursement-based and was available because Waterville Valley qualifies as a large water system based on the number of service connections, including those used for fire suppression. The project is intended to certify that the town’s municipal water system contains no lead service lines (link).

Trash Management: The Public Works Director reported that the town’s trash truck remains out of service, with replacement parts delayed. A temporary open-top roll-off dumpster has been placed at the transportation facility, and residents are asked to bring their trash there in the interim. The transfer station will also be open Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM to accommodate drop-offs. The Board directed staff to post updates immediately on the town website and social media (link).

A Board member inquired about mutual aid agreements with surrounding towns for trash pickup, but it was noted that most neighboring towns do not operate their own collection services — instead using compactor systems. A working group, which met the prior Tuesday, presented a two-page comparison of the town’s current trash collection system versus a compactor-based model used in surrounding communities. Preliminary estimates suggest potential savings of up to 50% with a compactor system. The Board also noted the impending spring 2027 closure of the Bethlehem landfill, which would affect the Pemi Baker Solid Waste District’s 19 member towns and underscores the urgency of finding a longer-term solution (link).

The Board discussed the possibility of reallocating the $25,000 warrant article currently designated for a solid waste truck into the municipal facilities capital reserve fund, which could be used to help fund compactor infrastructure. Initial estimates suggest approximately $200,000 would be needed to set up a compactor system at the transfer station, with a projected payback period of four to five years. The Board agreed to place the full solid waste system discussion on the agenda for the next meeting and to explore whether any Town Meeting amendments are legally possible (link).

Short-Term Rental (STR) Permitting Update

The Town Administrator provided an update on the new STR permitting process. The Board decided to delay full implementation until after Town Meeting, so that application instructions can be finalized in light of potential regulatory changes. The new framework aims to require permits for all short-term rentals regardless of rental duration, simplifying the prior system that had required permits only if a property was rented for more than 30 cumulative days in a calendar year. STRs managed by condominium associations or real estate entities will continue under separate provisions (link).

Veterans Memorial Project

A Board member requested an update on a proposed Veterans Memorial. The Municipal Works Director outlined plans to form a committee that would include the Waterville Valley Foundation, the Hall of Fame, the Historical Society, and local veterans, followed by a public solicitation for additional participants. The committee would then develop a plan and cost estimate for the memorial. The Board decided not to pursue seed funding this year given other financial priorities, but indicated the concept would be raised at Town Meeting to gauge public support. A warrant article with a funding request is anticipated for the following year (link).

Town Manager Search

The Board received an update on the Town Manager search. Three candidates have been recommended by the selection committee, and interviews are tentatively scheduled for March 19. The Board noted that the outcome of the Town Meeting budget vote could affect the hiring process — if the budget is not approved and the town must operate on a default budget, it may be necessary to delay interviews or adjust next steps (link).

Wastewater Treatment Facility Project

The Municipal Works Director confirmed receipt of the engineering report for the Wastewater Treatment Facility project, which was to be reviewed at a separate meeting the following morning. On the funding front, a meeting with the finance team at Black & Veatch was scheduled for the following afternoon to explore potential grants and financing opportunities — including four to five avenues not previously discussed — with quarterly conversations planned going forward. The Director noted that authorization of the bond article would also enable the town to pursue congressional directed spending (link).

A Board member emphasized the importance of clearly communicating to voters that the $75.2 million bond article represents an authorization to borrow and pursue additional funding — not a commitment to spend that full amount. The current figure reflects a worst-case engineering estimate prior to value engineering or any reductions from grants, loans, or loan forgiveness. The Board agreed this message needed to be repeated throughout the Town Meeting presentation (link).

Town Meeting Preparations

Select Board Coverage: The Board finalized its coverage schedule for Town Meeting ballot voting on Tuesday, March 10, from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM, ensuring at least two members are present at all times. Members also agreed to assist with ballot counting after the polls close (link).

Warrant Article 18 (Community Power) Withdrawal: The Chair of the Community Power Committee, accompanied by other committee members, requested to withdraw Warrant Article 18. Two reasons were cited: first, a delay in a planned solar project for the DPW garage roof, which was found to have leaks that must be repaired before solar arrays can be installed; and second, language in the article that could be misread as requesting a new reserve account, when the committee’s intent is to fund the existing reserve account once the program launches (link).

The Board agreed to table the article at Town Meeting. A committee member also addressed a Board member’s question about a different community power coalition that recently suffered significant financial losses, clarifying that Waterville Valley’s program operates under a completely different business model, in a different utility territory (NHEC co-op), and that residents may opt out at any time (link).

Potential Reconsideration Session: The Board set a tentative date of Thursday, March 19 at 6:00 PM in the elementary school gymnasium for a reconsideration session, should one be formally requested at Town Meeting. Under state law, a reconsideration must be held at least seven days after the vote. The Board elected to handle audio-visual in-house rather than hire outside support, with the goal of recording the session for public access (link).

Other Town Meeting Logistics: A bake sale will be held at Town Meeting, beginning around 5:00 PM. The Town Administrator confirmed that absentee ballots will be available from the Town Clerk’s office beginning Thursday morning. The Board acknowledged receipt of a letter from the Friends of Italian Americans referencing RSA 288:1 and HB 1014, which the letter contends prohibits governmental authorities from referring to Columbus Day by any other name (link).

Respect for Town Employees: A Board member made a statement emphasizing the importance of treating town employees with respect. The member noted that during the budget period, some individuals had made comments to town staff suggesting their jobs were at risk, and characterized such behavior as unwarranted and uncalled for. The member highlighted that the town operates with approximately 29 active full-time employees and that the entire staff works hard to serve the community (link).

Town Meeting Presentation Finalization: The Board reviewed the Town Meeting presentation slides in detail. Key decisions included: displaying the full warrant article language on screen for all major bond articles; referring voters to the corresponding page numbers in the town report; using a live Word document managed by a staff member to display any proposed amendments in real time; and combining slides where possible to improve clarity. The Board also discussed how to present road project spending in historical context using the town road map, with color-coded segments indicating completed, authorized, and proposed work.

On the operating budget slides, the Board directed staff to correct a description of solo classes revenue, clearly label the funding source (general taxation, fund balance, or bond) for each warrant article, and note that the FY2025 figures shown represent the proposed — not audited — budget. The Board also confirmed that the town currently has 29 active full-time employees and directed that the organizational chart reflect current staffing, including any vacant positions.

The meeting concluded with a motion to enter non-public session for negotiation purposes.