NEWBURY — Newbury may soon be for rent.
Not all of it, of course, but Town Administrator Chuck Kostro wants to establish a system that would allow private sponsors to donate money to maintain a number of local public sites.
Kostro said budget cuts have adversely affected the ability of the town Department of Public Works to keep up the maintenance of about two dozen municipally owned locations.
The list of potential sponsorship sites includes some high-profile locations, such as the Upper Green and Lower Green, and some that are less prominent, such as some traffic islands around town.
Kostro provided a list of 23 potential sites, including Town Hall, Plum Island Center, the Sgt. Donald Wilkinson Bridge to Plum Island, the Newbury Town Library, the Boston Road transfer station, the Yellow School and Byfield Town Hall, Manter Field on Central Street, and the Woodbridge School.
He said the Newbury Official Town Sponsor program would function similarly to the state's "Adopt a Highway" campaign.
Individuals, businesses or other organizations, such as service clubs, would bid for the right to maintain sites for a specified number of years, according to a summary of the program drafted by Kostro.
After the first year, the sponsor would have the exclusive option to renew its arrangement annually until the end of the contract, when a new round of bids would be sought.
The town would erect a sign on the site, identifying the sponsor.
"This is one way to help us support the DPW in its efforts around town," Kostro said.
Selectmen will discuss the proposal at their Nov. 24 meeting.
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