HARTFORD — Selectmen are mulling the possibility of charging a small fee for beach users for the upcoming season after it was suggested by Constable Chuck Merritt, who oversees use of the town beach.

The issue was addressed by Elizabeth Garcia-O’Keefe of the Recreation Committee at the Hartford Selectmen’s Thursday, Oct. 1 meeting. The proposal is to charge residents $5 for new beach stickers, as transfer stickers are now used as beach stickers and given to all residents when they register their vehicle. The stickers would give town officials an accurate count of how many people are using the Thomson Road beach and the fee would defray the cost of the stickers and money could be put back in the Recreation Committee account, according to the proposal penned by Merritt, Garcia-O’Keefe and Ramsey Ludlow.

“This is really Chuck’s suggestion because he was the one who spoke to the people from Nashua (New Hampshire) who were there without their host,” Garcia-O’Keefe said about a situation earlier this summer. “We discussed towing cars and he thought this would work a little better.”

Selectmen Chair Lee Holman said the idea of towing cars has been floated around in the past, but an impound is required and the closest one is in Rumford.

“It is an awfully long way to tow a car,” she said. “Parking is overcrowded but at the same time, half of the cars there don’t belong there.”

The other part of the proposal is for nonresident swimming lessons families be charged $50 to extend their temporary two-week parking pass, as a way to encourage swimmers to keep practicing. Holman was worried that some families might not be able to afford the fee.

“We do make exceptions for some families. That’s how we do swimming lessons,” Garcia-O’Keefe replied.

As for guest passes, the trio recommended the passes be valid for one day only, include the license plate number, be required for each car parking at the beach and would be invalid unless a Hartford resident is at the beach with the guest.

“I think the idea of charging for beach stickers probably makes sense,” Holman commented. “People spend five bucks on a cup of coffee nowadays. Five bucks is not so much.”

“Then we would have an accurate figure of how many people want to use the beach in town,” Garcia-O’Keefe said. “We (would) just hit the people who were taxpayers or guests then we would know whether the parking is something we really need to deal with.”
Town Clerk Lianne Bedard asked selectmen if the town could charge people for beach stickers without an ordinance or a vote. She then referenced the town’s Beach Ordinance that said any fees would be used to defray town costs and enforcement of the rules at the beach. Fees can be established by the selectboard after public hearings are held.

Merritt plans to recommend different fines for parking without a permit, dogs at the beach and alcohol on the beach, among others. He wrote he needed a dozen citation books. Bedard said he could pick them up at the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.

Holman said she wanted to digest the proposal before taking any action on it. It is estimated that 1,000 stickers will cost roughly $380, according to Garcia-O’Keefe.

“We don’t need them now, beach season is pretty much over. … We can maybe make a note for budget time,” Holman said about the stickers. She noted her pleasure with the Recreation Committee meeting with Merritt to hammer out a plan. “I am pleased to know you are on it. Good work.”

The beach sticker fee will be revisited at an upcoming selectmen’s meeting.

In other selectmen news, the board tabled filling the vacant fire warden’s position until more details could be figured out. The position became empty a few weeks ago after Norman St. Pierre resigned.

The selectboard set its general assistance hearing for 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, ahead of the regular selectmen meeting at 7 p.m.

Holman noted the security camera is installed at the town’s salt shed after years of allegations of people taking more than their fair share of salt.

“Tell everyone about the candid camera at the salt shed so everyone will know,” she said.

[email protected]