Town officials are moving closer to finding a solution to the trash problem at the middle school basketball courts.

“We’re looking at multiple options,” said Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey.

Earlier this month, the town locked the doors to the courts because trash was piling up. Department of public works employees said they found all sorts of debris on the courts — discarded water bottles, food wrappers, pizza boxes, empty beer cans, whisky bottles, and even hypodermic needles.

Mr. Hervey said he met with some other town officials last week and discussed the issue. He mentioned police enforcement of a litter ordinance, adding that town leaders would prefer to find a different solution that does not include issuance of tickets. 

“We’re still in the process of discussing it,” Mr. Hervey said. 

The topic also surfaced during the Barrington Park and Recreation Commission meeting on Thursday, March 24. Commission member Fletcher Thomson offered a possible solution: locking the courts after the lights go off each night. He said that would eliminate the opportunities for people to hang out in the courts late at night, and could reduce the trash problem. Barrington uses a similar approach with the town beach parking lot — police officers stop by and lock the gates to the beach parking lot each night.

Commission members suggested a police officer could stop by the basketball courts when the timer on the overhead lights is about to expire — it is believed the lights go off each night at 10 p.m. — and lock the doors. Then officials could re-open the courts the next day. 

Commission member Catherine Horn liked the suggestion, and the commission’s student representative, Max Dunn, said it was a lot better than the town locking up the courts and not allowing anyone to use them.

Barrington Recreation Director Michele Geremia said the commission could not take a vote on the issue, as it was not listed on the meeting agenda. She added that other town officials have been discussing the courts also. 

Officials decided to add the basketball courts discussion to the April meeting agenda for the Park and Recreation Commission.

Commission members asked about the security cameras located at the middle school courts. It was not clear whether the cameras were monitored by the police or if the feed was sent to the middle school building.