Wentworth council OKs school refrigerator/freezer purchase, updates rental rules and fees for consolidated school

Wentworth’s council approved purchases and finalized rules for the newly renovated Wentworth Consolidated School, creating a framework for rentals and adding equipment the town said is needed to operate the facility as an event space.

Town clerk and finance officer Yvonne Russell presented quotes for a commercial refrigerator and freezer (Avaco models) and recommended purchasing both for a combined cost of $7,200. Council approved the purchase and a minor budget amendment to move funds between line items.

The council also approved a $3,698.34 purchase for new office computers and a monthly IT service agreement (Nottingham Solutions, $313.60 per month). Those costs were addressed in a proposed budget amendment that reallocates existing general‑fund amounts; the council voted to approve Budget Amendment No. 3 to cover capital outlay and monthly service lines.

On facility rules, council reviewed and amended the Wentworth Consolidated School facilities-use agreement. Major changes approved include: no baseball/softball practice inside the gym (no bats/softballs/related equipment); no dunking; only clean, non‑marking athletic shoes on the gym floor; a $150 security deposit forfeited for large cleanups; a resident 4‑hour event block fee reduced to $400 (from $450) and a nonresident 4‑hour fee set to $500; and an additional $10 fee for use of kitchen refrigerator/freezer for the small event room (one‑time fee per rental). Council also added explicit no‑tobacco language for indoor premises and adjusted other operational details; the measures passed on voice votes.