The Waterville Valley Select Board convened on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, for a regular meeting addressing resort operations, waste management, and ongoing infrastructure projects.
Privilege of the Floor
A candidate for New Hampshire State Representative introduced themselves to the Board and provided campaign materials (link).
A resident who serves as board president of Noon Peak raised concerns regarding the future of the mountain bus service, noting confusion about its operational status for the upcoming ski season (link). The Board clarified that the bus service is operated by Waterville Valley Resort, not the town, though the town has historically contributed funding — approximately $73,000 per year. The Board did not include that contribution in the current year’s budget due to a round of cuts totaling $514,000. The Waterville Valley Business Association had also been a funder but was unable to continue after its allocation was redirected to the Waterville Valley Lodging Association. The current funders are the resort and the Waterville Valley Lodging Association. For the upcoming ski season, the Board indicated service is expected to be limited — likely weekends only — with the schedule determined by the resort. The Board noted it is leaning toward placing the town’s contribution on the 2027 warrant as a standalone article, estimated at $75,000–$80,000, to let voters decide. Residents seeking up-to-date schedule information were directed to contact Tim Smith at the resort.
Town Manager Update
The Town Manager reported on successful summer programming, including the 21st season finale of Theater Under the Stars and the recreation department’s final week of field trips. Public safety and police department flyers were noted as available monthly in the Wig Wag (link).
New Business
Corcoran Pond Winter Operations
The Board discussed a proposal from Waterville Valley Resort, submitted by General Manager Tim Smith, to install six air diffusers at the bottom of Corcoran Pond to prevent ice buildup during winter operations (link). The system would operate without electrical equipment in the pond, addressing a recurring problem in which water drawn down for snowmaking caused pumps to burn out. The proposal would be fully funded and operated by the resort. Staff supported the initiative, noting benefits for both dam safety and pond management — particularly given recent limitations on dredging. The Board raised the importance of clear public messaging about thin ice, noting that the proposal’s drawings include thin-ice markers along the pond’s edge. The Board directed staff to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the arrangement, with emphasis on protecting town equities related to the dam and avoiding the coordination failures that caused difficulties in prior seasons. Further discussion will take place in non-public session once the MOU is drafted.
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Permit and Transfer Station Policy
The Board addressed the town’s MSW permit and the policy on commercial solid waste at the transfer station (link). While the transfer station has never formally accepted commercial municipal solid waste — such as restaurant or lodge food waste — this practice had not been codified by vote. The Board agreed to formally vote on the policy at the next meeting, when all three members will be present, and will cite the applicable RSA in the motion. Fee-based services such as construction debris and mattress disposal will continue to be available.
The Board also reviewed a letter from Black Bear Lodge formally requesting a tiered fee schedule or a municipal trash fee rebate for properties compelled to use private commercial haulers. The letter cited concerns about double taxation, disproportionate property tax burdens, and the risk of increased unauthorized dumpster use. Staff reported visiting Black Bear Lodge the previous day and running financial scenarios: shifting costs to general taxation would add approximately $0.50 per $1,000 of assessed value to the tax rate — a meaningful impact across Waterville Valley’s tax base — and would closely approximate what affected properties would pay for private hauling at $60 per quarter under current volumes, a figure that will rise as disposal costs increase.
A counterpoint was offered by a representative of Golden Eagle Lodge involved in the MSW Working Group, who expressed the view that commercial enterprises should be treated as commercial entities and bear their own business costs. The Board acknowledged the tension between these positions and indicated that various fee structures — including a potential tiered or user-fee model — remain under discussion. The Board emphasized that individual condominium unit owners are entitled to use the transfer station with a placard; the change affects only properties disposing of waste as a commercial operation.
A resident questioned why the town is pursuing a transfer station model rather than continuing to haul trash to other regional landfills, citing information from a NH DES contact about facilities in Berlin (39 miles), Pettacott (47 miles), and Rochester (52 miles) that may accept Waterville Valley’s waste. Staff responded that prior research found the additional driving time would require haul crews to spend approximately six hours per run — the equivalent of a full workday just for disposal, separate from collection duties. Staff also noted that the Waste to Energy facility (WIN Waste Concord) had previously been assessed and would not accept the town’s mixed waste stream; the town had gone as far as drafting a contract before that option was ruled out. Additional factors include the town’s aging truck fleet, the workforce capacity ceiling currently reached at 74 dumpster stops, and the roughly $400,000–$500,000 cost of a replacement truck. The Board committed to reviewing the resident’s information about the Berlin facility in greater detail (link).
The MSW Working Group will meet Tuesday, August 25th at 1:00 PM to finalize the public presentation. A public hearing on the MSW transition plan is scheduled for Friday, August 28th at 6:00 PM in the multipurpose room at Waterville Valley Elementary School. The presentation will include detailed financial breakdowns and proposed transfer station operating hours — a key factor for condominium associations deciding whether to engage private haulers. The Board noted this is the last Select Board meeting before that public hearing (link).
Old Business
Wastewater Treatment Plant Project
The lead engineer and project manager visited the existing wastewater treatment plant on the day of the meeting, conducting a hydro survey of the lagoon — measuring sludge depths by boat — and a walk-through of the aging facility (link). The inspection identified a number of employee safety issues, and the engineering team was charged with returning quickly with the lowest-cost, safety-first solutions to keep the existing plant operational for at least five more years. Preliminary construction cost estimates for the new wastewater treatment plant are expected by September 4th and will be shared with the Board at the following Select Board meeting.
Two newly hired licensed wastewater operators are expected to begin before the end of August, joining existing staff and bringing the licensed operator count to five. A sixth employee, currently unlicensed, will pursue certification in the fall. The Board noted that the new plant’s staffing requirements are still being evaluated, with discussions ongoing about remote monitoring capabilities — though cybersecurity concerns remain a key consideration given recent infiltration attempts on water systems statewide. The Town Manager noted that grant funding secured prior to the current administration has the town’s existing systems well protected.
Road Projects
Boulder Path Road: Contractor Piper Construction is back on schedule after initial delays. By the end of the week, all underground infrastructure is expected to be in place (link). The following week, work is expected to shift to asphalt removal and full-depth road base construction, followed by curb setting and sidewalk reconstruction. The contractor plans to keep one side of the road open throughout to maintain pedestrian and vehicle access to the tennis courts, ski academy, and residences. A cost overrun of less than $100,000 is anticipated, driven by unknown existing infrastructure encountered during excavation. The final top coat will be deferred until after Snow’s Mountain Road construction — saving approximately $70,000 this season — and the road will be left at binder course for winter. All infrastructure is being geo-mapped and satellite-marked for future reference.
Snow’s Mountain Road: Engineering firm HEB is continuing work on drainage and water line redesign (link). A public presentation on the costs and feasibility of adding a sewer line — including the possibility of utility relocation outside the right-of-way and the need for easements or eminent domain — is planned for late November or early December. The Board noted that previous sewer proposals for Snow’s Mountain Road have been voted down four times. Any amendments to the current road reconstruction contract will affect the project timeline.
Valley Road Culvert: HEB has been contracted to engineer the failing culvert on Valley Road, and borings were conducted earlier this summer (link). A road representative monitoring the site reports the surface depression is growing by approximately one-sixteenth of an inch every 10 to 14 days. While no alarm has been sounded yet, the Board acknowledged the project may need to be accelerated on the Capital Improvement Program schedule.
Financials
The Board reviewed the town’s financials (link). Revenues are tracking as generally healthy, with most major departments at approximately 45–47% of budget expended at this point in the year — in line with expectations. Several revenue line items showed decreases from the prior report, which staff attributed to likely recategorizations rather than actual declines. A question was raised about the classification of abatements within the revenue section, which staff agreed to research. The budget overall is described as tight, with fund balance contributions this year expected to fall well short of the $200,000–$300,000 levels seen in prior years; department heads will be encouraged to conserve where possible.
On the Community Power front, staff met with a representative of the town’s power program provider to discuss how funds collected through a potential rider on the upcoming power contract would be managed. Rather than a capital reserve account, the Town Manager proposed exploring a revolving fund — similar to one being considered for other town services — that would allow more flexible revenue intake and expenditure, with strict controls on how funds are used. Staff will seek references from other towns that have implemented similar rider programs.
Board Concerns and Directives
Walkway posts, Golden Eagle to Town Square: The pressure-treated posts installed approximately 10 months ago along the walkway from Golden Eagle Lodge to Town Square are ready to be painted. The Board directed staff to coordinate with Golden Eagle Lodge on scheduling, as portions of the walkway cross lodge property. A related task — relocating a set of lights from the bridge — may be coordinated at the same time (link).
Dam access doors: Padlocks previously securing the Corcoran Pond dam access doors were kicked off by vandals. Staff is exploring alternative tamper-resistant fastening mechanisms, including specialized tool-required screws and slide-pipe systems (link).
Contractor parking on town walkways: The Board noted an increase in contractors — particularly landscaping crews — using town pedestrian walkways as temporary staging and parking areas, blocking pedestrian access. Options under discussion include pavement markings and additional signage (link).
New Hampshire state flag: The state flag displayed at Town Hall has faded and should be replaced (link).
Ice Arena capital planning: The Board noted the need to schedule a presentation with the Ice Arena’s management to discuss their capital improvement and replacement plan and their overall plans for the facility this winter (link).
The meeting concluded with a motion to enter non-public session to discuss personnel and legal matters.