Waters Pond Committee Votes to Hire Independent Consultant for Pond Restoration Work

CARLISLE — June 4, 2026 — Carlisle's Waters Pond Advisory Committee unanimously chose an independent pond management consultant model over a turnkey contractor approach, advancing the central procurement decision shaping the town's response to invasive aquatic plants in Waters Pond. The five-member panel voted unanimously to proceed with what members called Option A — hiring a consultant whose sole obligation is to the town, who would conduct baseline monitoring, develop an adaptive management plan, and help competitively bid any treatment work separately — rejecting an alternative approach that would have combined consulting and treatment in a single contract. Member Bill, a task force veteran, argued that the independent model had already generated community buy-in: "We believed in having an independent person do the review with us, handle all those logistics, but not necessarily be the contractor for the actual work to be done." Member Dan, who drafted much of the RFP language, estimated initial consulting costs at roughly $50,000 to $70,000, with annual sustaining fees of $25,000 to $30,000. A near-final RFP draft is due to the committee by Monday, with a target handoff to the Natural Resources Commission following the July 2 meeting. The committee also split three to two recommending that the NRC approach two previously screened but unselected applicants before reopening a broader search for a seventh committee seat.