Williamstown Fin Comm Splashes Sand Springs Pool Funding

A divided Williamstown Finance Committee declined recently to recommend that town meeting approve a request to help subsidize the Sand Springs Recreation Area.

iBerkshires.com reports the non-profit, which purchased renovated the existing pool on Sand Springs Road and offers memberships at a reduced rate from that charged by its for-profit predecessor, is asking the town for $19,000 to help fund its operational expenses.

The request represents about 13 percent of the facility's expected expenses of $143,551 in 2018.

The Fin Comm, which sought additional information from the non-profit at its previous meeting, looked at a projected budget provided by Sand Springs and discussed the wisdom of town support before voting 2-4-2 on a motion to recommend passage of the warrant article at the May 15 annual town meeting.

That non-recommendation is what will be printed in the warrant.

No one from Sand Springs attended the meeting or addressed the committee because the panel did not ask for more testimony, only more information. Town Manager Jason Hoch relayed the non-profit's 2017 budget summary and 2018 budget estimate.