Residents urge delay to Jones Pond drawdown; selectmen to consult town attorney

At the Aug. 27 meeting the board revisited a recent presentation about Jones Pond and a planned drawdown scheduled for Sept. 2, 2026. Several members and residents urged the selectmen to seek a postponement while outstanding questions about wells, shoreline impacts and remediation funding are resolved.

Committee member (Speaker 2) read a letter dated 08/26/2026 from state representatives Susan DeRoy and Michael Harrington asking Corey Clark to postpone the planned 09/02/2026 drawdown of Jones Pond. The letter asked DES to provide an estimate of shoreline change for waterfront property owners and said a short delay would allow additional analysis and time for the community to use the waterfront through the end of the summer season.

Members said residents downstream are worried about wells, possible contamination and ecological impacts. Several selectmen noted that DES staff had indicated there was not an imminent danger of structural failure, but that the state's $750,000 request for restoration is not a guarantee of additional funding beyond that figure. With less than a week before the scheduled drawdown, the board agreed to contact town counsel immediately to ask whether the board can request a postponement or pursue an injunction; the chair volunteered to expedite an inquiry and to alert the attorney that formal correspondence would follow.

Members asked staff to assemble subject-matter experts and to give counsel clear direction on questions to pursue (shoreline estimates, well impacts, funding contingencies).