DIXFIELD — Police Chief Jeff Howe told the Board of Selectmen recently that the organizer of a July 18 music festival is aiming to initiate another one in September.
Howe said Donald Litwin, who organized the festival at Mountain View Campground, was hoping to organize another in September, with a focus on country music instead of hard rock and heavy metal.
“The crowd for the music festival in July wasn’t all that large, but everything went pretty smoothly,” Howe told the Board of Selectmen. “I reached out to the people that organized the event and they said they wanted to hold a country music festival. I expect that there will be a much larger gathering at something like that, so I’m sure he’ll be in contact with you as it gets closer.”
Howe added that he felt the music festivals at the campground are “beneficial to the town, in terms of bringing businesses and people to the town.”
“So you would be in favor of the board approving that concert when it comes to it?” Selectman Dana Whittemore asked.
“Yes, I would,” Howe said. “After meeting with Mr. Litwin and discussing it, he wants to do events like this a few times a year. This is a new thing to him, and it’s obviously a new experience to us. He has good intentions and wants to do something good for the town.”
Chairman Hart Daley asked Howe if the department has sufficient manpower for the July 18 festival.
“We had one extra officer out there, making regular appearances in the crowd,” Howe said. “It helped let them know that an officer was in the area. If the crowd got larger, we would’ve brought more officers, but the crowd was low key.”
According to Litwin’s Facebook page, the country music festival is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 12
Howe later told selectmen that he was “finishing up the final paperwork for a new radar unit.”
“The radar unit is $2,034, but with the 75 percent grant match, it will cost the department about $500,” Howe said. “The one we have right now is in pretty rough shape. It’s operational, but needs some significant repairs.”
Selectman Eugene Skibitsky asked Howe what could be done with the old radar unit.
“Well, if you’re looking for a new paperweight, the old unit would work pretty good,” Howe joked.
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