Southwick Park and Recreation Committee Re-Elects Chair Amid Workload Concerns

Other Committee · Meeting of July 9, 2026

Southwick's Park and Recreation Committee re-elected its chair and flagged a beach staffing shortage at its July 9 meeting. The committee voted 5-0, with chair David abstaining, to return him to the position after no other member was willing to step up, with David warning "it's been like a job" and asking members to split oversight of the park, rail trail, and beach to ease the burden. Recreation Director Kristen, attending remotely and only two weeks into the role, reported that Tao Beach was forced to close that day — its first closure of the season — after the beach manager failed to appear and only one of the required minimum two lifeguards showed up; the beach normally charges $2 for residents and $6 for out-of-town visitors and is otherwise open seven days a week.

Kristen said the lifeguard roster is roughly half its normal size after a two-and-a-half-month hiring gap while the town was between directors. On the pickleball courts at Wally Park, members said a contractor restart meeting was set for July 10 but cautioned the courts are unlikely to be fully finished — including painting — before season's end.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,469 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of July 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.