Selectmen Consider Fairground Use Changes

Now that the private use of the Town-owned Rochester Country Fairground by the SouthCoast Working Dog Club has caught the attention of the Rochester Board of Selectmen, the regulations surrounding fairground use could change – and the SouthCoast Working Dog Club may have to find another place to hold its regular four-days-a-week training sessions and special events.

The topic first came up in July after a number of complaints lodged by Pine Street neighbors about barking disrupting the peace.

Back in July, the Rochester Country Fair Committee, which granted the club permission to use the fairground in exchange for in-kind upkeep of the grounds, supported the dog club’s use of the property, saying that the Town and the Country Fair benefitted from the club’s presence at the fairground.

However, on August 7, selectmen questioned whether or not allowing a private entity to use a Town-owned space for four days a week, nine hours a day was the original intent of the somewhat vague policy governing fairground use.

What began as a general discussion of concrete regulations surrounding acceptable kinds of events that could take place at the fairground turned into a question as to whether the Town should continue letting the SouthCoast Working Dog Club use the fairground as often and as regularly as it does now.

Kicking off the conversation, Selectman Greenwood Hartley suggested that perhaps allowing the dog club to use the fairground on a regular basis constituted a change of use of the property and should go through a public hearing process.

Country Fair Committee member Kelly Morgado pointed out that, although review of fairground regulations was up for discussion, the committee was not informed nor was it invited to attend the meeting.

As the conversation continued, Co-Chairman of the Country Fair Committee Dave Souza expressed frustration about the seemingly increasing complexity of fairground use.

Souza lauded the board’s draft of fairground use regulations; however, he said he had hoped the Country Fair Committee could be involved in the development of the regulations. Souza’s tone shifted as he explained how the country fair has become “nothing but a money-costing thing out of everyone’s pockets.”

All of this talk about regulations and fairground use, said Souza, “…is just taking the wind out of our sail.”

“Everything is just getting so hard to do. Something so simple … that’s become hard,” said Souza. “I’m sorry that we can’t keep them all happy,” Souza continued, alluding to neighbors complaining about the dog barking. “It’s just time for the Town to say either do it or don’t, because we’ve just lost the drive. When it becomes too much grief, your love for doing it goes away pretty fast.”

Souza said he was glad the selectmen stepped up to address the matter, “because it does take a lot of heat off of us.”

The Board of Selectmen voted to form a committee of five to study fairground use that would consist of the town administrator, a selectman, town counsel, a Country Fair Committee member, and a Pine Street neighbor not on the Country Fair Committee.

Once a representative from the SouthCoast Working Dog Club said the club has permission from the Parks Committee to use other properties in town, Selectman Naida Parker asked if it was possible to spread out the dog club’s activities over a number of properties so that it wasn’t all concentrated at the fairground.

As for allowing one group to use the Town property so regularly, Hartley said, “It’s not at all what was intended from the beginning.”

“This brought up a lot of issues that we’re trying to decipher,” said Board of Selectmen Chairman Brad Morse. “It kind of developed its own storminess here, especially with the neighborhood.”

Parker added, “I think we also need to do some serious thinking … and come up with something reasonable.” She said the dog club should look to other places to hold larger events such as two-day agility training shows. “I don’t think the neighborhood really wants to see something like this at this point.”

Hartley suggested postponing the discussion until the next meeting to allow the board to ponder the matter. He later said, “I am not in favor of any repetitive use of a non-town organization day after day … week after week. I think it’s a bad precedent to set.”

Morse added, “The intent of the Town property is not use the property nine hours a day four days a week by a [private] group.”

The matter was tabled until August 21.

The Lions Club and the Fire Department did, however, receive permission to host a “Touch-a-Truck” fundraising event at the fairground on October 23. The event is sponsored by the Lions Club and will benefit the Fire Department.

“[It’s a] use of a Town property by the Town, for the Town,” said Morse.

Souza said this was the perfect example of how to use the fairground.

The selectmen also set the Fall Special Town Meeting for Monday, October 23, at 7:00 pm at Rochester Memorial School.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for August 21 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

Rochester Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

 

Leave A Comment...

*