A look at what Seacoast towns will vote on at March town meetings
By Charlie Weinmann
On Tuesday, March 10, residents around the Seacoast will cast their votes at town meeting for new elected officials, town budgets, new plow trucks, and a host of other measures. Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot in five Seacoast towns, along with candidate lists and information on where and when to vote. Most towns have warrants, budgets, and other information posted online for review, so check your town’s website before you head to the polls.
Newmarket
Elected positions
This year’s candidates for a three-year term on the budget committee are Daniel Smith, Dan Hill, Jeff Raab and Russel Simon. Also running are Ezra Temko for a three-year term on the planning board, Terri Littlefield for a three-year term as town clerk/tax collector, and Carol Ross for a three-year term as supervisor of the checklist.
Proposed budget:
The proposed operating budget is $9,485,476, up about 4 percent from the 2014 operating budget of $9,138,435.
Notable warrant articles:
Residents will vote on several articles to set money aside for future projects and purchases in capital reserve funds. That includes Article T-8, which calls for $46,500 to be placed in the fund for police vehicles; Article T-5, which would set aside $130,000 for the public works capital reserve fund, and Article T-13, which would place $50,000 in the fire department capital reserve fund. According to town administrator Steve Fournier, the funds are put toward expenses like vehicle replacement. “We withdraw money from (those funds) to replace equipment and trucks,” he said.
Article T-16 is a citizen petition asking for $10,403 for Lamprey Health Care’s senior transportation program. Town council member Toni Weinstein said $10,000 was originally cut from the town’s social services budget because the money wasn’t labeled as being specifically for senior transportation services. The article restores that funding. “I don’t think it was clear at the time the town council voted and put it to the budget committee that it was for senior transport. I don’t think there is any doubt in anyone’s mind that it would be beneficial for the town,” Weinstein said.
Residents will also vote on Article T-4, which approves a collective bargaining agreement between town officials and the police union, which would increase taxes by four cents. “It was a quick negotiation with the police department,” Weinstein said. “The town council approved it unanimously, the budget committee approved it unanimously. … I can’t believe there would be any reason it wouldn’t pass.”
When and where to vote:
Tuesday, March 10 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 182 Main St., Newmarket.
Exeter
Elected positions:
Daniel W. Chartrand is the only candidate running for reelection for a three-year term on the board of selectmen. For town treasurer, Susan Penny and Allan Corey compete for a single two-year term. And, for a one-year term as supervisor of the checklist, Susan Gorman is the only candidate.
Proposed budget:
The proposed operating budget is $32,125,041, up about 4 percent from the 2014 operating budget of $30,808,886.
Notable warrant articles:
Article 10 asks voters if the town should raise the sum of $6,845,312 for the design and construction of new infrastructure improvements in the Epping Road tax increment finance (TIF) district. TIF districts use future gains in property taxes to pay up front for capital improvements meant to attract development.
Articles 12 and 13 ask voters if the town should raise $580,000 for the installment of sidewalks, curbing bumpouts, storm-water management structures and street trees in the greater downtown area, and $175,000 to add brick paver enhancements to the area.
Article 19 asks voters if the town should spend $750,000 on creating bike paths and sidewalks on Kingston Road; the project would also use $150,000 from a capital reserve fund, along with $600,000 from a N.H. Department of Transportation grant.
When and where to vote:
Tuesday, March 10 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Talbot Gymnasium, 30 Linden Street, Exeter.
Rollinsford
Elected positions:
Jodi Lavoie Cranes and Denise Knowles are vying for a three-year term on the board of selectmen. Verne Crosier, Nancy Dionne, Gary Feildsend, Celia Leopold, Carlton Spencer and O. Andrew Viel are competing for three seats on the budget committee, each with a three-year term. Cary Boyle, Emily Leach, Jonathan Ordway and Toni Talas are the candidates for a single one-year term on the budget committee.
Proposed budget:
The proposed budget is $1,948,985, up $8,180 (less than .5 percent) from the 2014 budget of $1,940,805.
Notable warrant articles:
Article 7 asks voters if the town should raise $65,000 to replace the town’s current one-ton snowplow truck; $10,000 would be withdrawn from a capital reserve fund established for this purpose, and $55,000 would be raised through tax revenue. Select board member Suzanne Huard says the current snow truck “has at this moment become unusable.”
Article 8 asks voters if the town should raise $75,491 to purchase 13 SCBA airpacks for the fire department. Huard says, “The packs they have been using now have really reached the end of their life span. We considered various ways to replace them. … We decided to just purchase all the packs we need to replace.”
When and where to vote:
Tuesday, March 10 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 667 Main St., Rollinsford.
Hampton
Elected positions:
Running for two three-year seats on the board of selectmen are James Waddell and Philip W. Bean. Maurice Friedman and Tracy Emerick are running for two three-year seats on the planning board, and Tammy Deland and Ann Carnaby are vying for a single seat with a one-year term. Michael Plouffe, Glenn Farrell and Sunny Kravitz are vying for a three-year term on the budget committee, and Allan Scott Blair for a one-year term on the committee.
Proposed budget:
The proposed operating budget of $27,151,600 is up $1,531,091 (about 6 percent) from the budget adopted in 2014 of $25,620,509.
“(It’s) time to get a new up-to-date fire truck that will serve the town for the next 20 years.”
— Hampton acting deputy fire chief Bill Kennedy
Notable warrant articles:
Article 15 asks for $615,000 to buy a new fire engine/pumper for the Hampton Fire Department, which would replace a 26-year-old pump truck.
“It should have been replaced a few years ago,” says Hampton acting deputy fire chief Bill Kennedy. “She’s aging and she’s done her time … served the town well for 26 years. (It’s) time to get a new up-to-date fire truck that will serve the town for the next 20 years.”
Article 17 asks voters if the town should spend $449,156 on replacing and upgrading a portion of the downtown drainage system, including 955 feet of old drainage pipe, six drain manholes, and eight catch basins on Lafayette Road and High Street. The project would help mitigate flooding in the Lafayette Road and High Street area, and assist in obtaining Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) funding. The project would increase the tax rate by 16 cents per $1,000 valuation.
When and where to vote:
Tuesday, March 10 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Winnacunnet High School, 1 Alumni Drive, Hampton, in the cafeteria.
Newington
Elected positions:
Jan Stuart is running for one three-year term on the board of selectman, and Laura Coleman is running for one three-year term as town clerk/tax collector. Also running is Susan Philbrick