EXETER - While voters will have the opportunity to decide the fate of a $7.1 recreation park proposal thanks to a citizens petition, the Board of Selectmen voted Monday night not to recommend the big ticket project.

The petition was submitted by President of Exeter Junior Softball Steve Singlar, whose organization has pledged $200,000 to the project that would provide them with new fields. The citizens petition deadline was last week, prior to Monday night's public hearing on the budget, bond and warrant articles where selectmen crafted the town warrant.

Chair of the Budget Recommendations Committee Niko Papakonstantis told selectmen despite the project's form as a citizens petition, the project was presented as a Capital Improvement Program bond article.

"The budget number was exactly the same and I just want to remind the voters the BRC voted unanimously for this project," he said.

While the notion of a multi-million dollar bond petition warrant article drew controversy from board members and residents, Greg Bisson, assistant director of Exeter Parks and Recreation, said, "The residents aren’t going to go off and do their own project up there. It’s a Parks and Rec project."

Selectwoman Anne Surman said she was still concerned with undetermined costs of site work and the fact that Parks and Recreation did not solicit for private funding sources when asked to do so after rejection of the project by the Budget Recommendations Committee last year.

Selectman Dan Chartrand called the proposal a "strategic investment in the quality of life in this town."

"There’s no question we have a top rated recreation department," Selectman Chairman Don Clement said. "One of the concerns I have again is the ever-growing debt service that we have in this town."

Selectwoman Kathy Corson continued her discussion of the town's growing bond debt that has spanned several selectmen meetings. She noted the Planning Board felt the recreation park plan could use some more exploration.

"I am responsible for looking at how future generations are going to be able to live in this town," Corson said.

Two selectmen voted for the proposal, while three voted against. The selectmen's recommendation will appear on the warrant with the text of the citizens petition.