Webster Family Campground permit granted by Board of Health

Webster - The Board of Health renewed the year-round operations permit for the Webster Family Campground at a special meeting March 12. The board issued the permit with the condition that owner Michael Finamore present a plan by November 1 for providing year-round running water to the individual camper residents.

Mr. Finamore has operated his campground on Gore Road (Rt. 16) with yearly permits from the town for 38 years. The campground has a non-municipal water supply, private wells, and is governed by the Department of Environmental Protection. By deed, Webster Family Campground can operate 104 registered campsites, of which 24 can be year-round sites.

The state Department of Public Health regulations, however, stipulate that camp sites open year round provide water directly to each site. Mr. Finamore’s campground residents carry water from the well house to their individual trailer tanks during the winter months. The campground’s water lines are above ground, which is acceptable during the warmer part of the year, but they may freeze during the winter months.

All other utilities, including electric, cable, gas for furnaces, security, and sanitation are provided year-round.

“Webster Family Campground is in violation of the state sanitary code,” said Health Agent Cathleen Liberty. “If I have to go by the book, it’s seasonal.”

The board stipulated that Ms. Liberty will make unannounced monthly visits to the campground to check on the water conditions. There was a recent instance of excess chlorine in one of the wells, prompting BOH concern. Mr. Finamore said the well is now not accessible to tenants.

Board members and Mr. Finamore discussed a timeline for providing a permanent water supply for each trailer.  He asked for five years, but the board insisted that Mr. Finamore formulate a plan this year, and begin implementation within two years.

All the current residents of the campground, eleven total, accompanied Mr. Finamore to the Board of Health meeting, and several spoke on his behalf, explaining that various life circumstances have made the campground their permanent home.  Some of them have been there for many years, and they are a close-knit community, helping each other out.  If one of them is not able to carry water to his trailer, there will be someone to do it for him, they said.

Residents expressed their gratitude to the board for allowing them to stay.