Candia News

Candia Fire chief investigated

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:59:00 GMT

Candia Fire Chief Rudy Cartier submitted a request for a leave of absence from the department on Friday, Oct. 9, after the release of a report issued by the Rockingham County Attorney’s Office that criticized his leadership abilities.

Selectmen granted the request the same day.

Although selectmen were not prepared to discuss the situation, residents at their meeting on Monday, Oct. 13, had questions.

Cartier also made a statement, and released a five-page “initial response” letter to a summary report issued by Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams, following an investigation into the Candia Volunteer Fire Department.

The investigation was conducted at the behest of the County Attorney’s Office following investigations of several arsons in town.

In his summary, Reams wrote that “evidence suggests that the public is placed in danger by the lack of leadership of the Candia Volunteer Fire Department and the conduct

of the department.”

On Oct. 9, selectmen met to discuss the information and accepted a request for a leave of absence from Cartier. Cartier said he chose to take a leave of absence in order to review the information, handle a response and to help protect the reputation of his department.

“We have built a phenomenal cadre of people at the fire department,” Cartier said. “I don’t want them hurt. I want them to be coming out of this holding their heads high.”

Some residents at the meeting asked why Cartier wasn’t given a chance to respond before the board took action.

Cartier said in his letter that he was never given the opportunity to review and respond to the allegations and was put at a severe disadvantage to provide a balanced response as no documentation was available to him prior to the letter being released to the news media and the scheduling of a disciplinary hearing by the board.

“He has been asked to submit a request for a leave of absence, he is turning in all his property right here ... in my mind, it is like getting fired without a real good explanation for it,” resident Boyd Chivers said. “I don’t think anybody in this audience is satisfied that this has been handled properly.”

As part of the agreement Cartier reached with the town’s attorney, and which was approved by the board of selectmen, Cartier had to turn in all equipment and files to the town and is not allowed at the Fire Department.

In his letter, Cartier refutes many of the items of concern noted in the report from Reams.

Among the items was the lack of trust fire chiefs in surrounding towns have in Cartier’s command.

Cartier said he spoke with the fire chiefs of Deerfield and Raymond who informed him that they did not state this. He said he attempted to contact the Auburn Fire Chief, but his call was not returned.

Cartier also refuted a statement in the report that he is not responsive to safety concerns voiced by other chiefs.

“I have always been open to constructive criticism and take safety seriously. The issues that have been brought to my attention have always been taken seriously and action taken,” Cartier wrote in his response.

Cartier also responded to concerns in the report regarding the conduct of other firefighters in the department.

“I am at a loss as to how I can be held responsible for the actions of any town employee when they are on their own time, in their own vehicles and, in the instance of the Langford Road incident, at their own residence. I know we should always present ourselves as being ‘model citizens’, but I fail to see how off duty firefighters not adhering to this expectation is my fault,” Cartier wrote.

Cartier has been chief for the past five years and has been a firefighter for 26 years. He is also a trained fire instructor, he said.

“Rudy is an excellent chief who treats people with respect and sincerity even if they don’t agree,” resident Amanda Soares said in a post to the Union Leader Web site. “I have worked with Rudy on many town committees and have a great respect for his position and the workload he takes on for himself for the town and the fire department.”

Selectmen Chairman Fred Kelley said after Cartier has a chance to review all of the information, and confer with town counsel, it will be his decision if he wants to bring the matter back before a public meeting.

The board said it is also reviewing the information.

Businesses step up to pay for bug spray in Candia

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:54:00 GMT

By GRETYL MACALASTER

Car World Used Auto Parts owner Jeff Kantor did not want the town to have to take money from other departments to pay for emergency mosquito spraying, so he went door to door to local businesses and raised $2,915 to fund the spraying, which began Friday, Sept. 25.

“I said I think businesses in town can rally and raise the money,” Kantor said.

An educational effort has also been put forth, with a seminar on avoiding Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, at Moore School on Sept. 29.

Selectmen voted to conduct emergency spraying of Moore Park and Moore School after learning the state’s only confirmed human case of EEE this year was a 3-year-old girl from town.

“The reason I rallied is I felt terrible that this little girl had come down with that and I knew some alpacas in town that had contracted the disease,” Kantor said. “I said, ‘It is not going to be much to raise that.’”

The cost for three rounds of emergency spraying, plus the cost to apply for the emergency permit came to $2,250. The remaining balance of the money raised will go toward next year’s mosquito program if approved by voters in March.

Sarah MacGregor, president of Dragon Mosquito Control Inc. in North Hampton, said the insecticides should be effective for up to four weeks.

“It will kill mosquitoes that are there that night and will continue to provide control for the upcoming weeks when mosquitoes land on the vegetation,” MacGregor said.

Businesses that contributed to the fund for EEE spraying include ATS Equipment of NH, Inc.; Becker Transportation, Inc.; Candia Getty Station; Candia House of Pizza; Candray Pet Care Center, Inc.; Car World; Carleton Robie Ent. Inc.; Coppola Physical Therapy & Fitness Gym, LLC; Cutting Edge Industries, LLC; D&M Auto Repair, Inc. D.C.; Mobil; High Speed Technologies, Inc.; Jack Roberts Autobody; Lahr’s Transmissions Speed & Performance Shop, LLC; Machine Solutions, Inc.; Page Street Leasing, LLC; Pasquale’s Ristorante; Pleasant Hill Landscaping, LLC; Severino Trucking Co., Inc.; Stubby’s Place; and Synaptic Engineering.

Athlete of the month: Candia freshman stars for nationally ranked Wheaton

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:29:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Sponsored by Indian Head Athletics

Cassey Muse may be just a freshman, but she hasn’t played like just anyone.

The Central graduate and Candia resident, now playing for the Wheaton College women’s soccer team, notched goals in her first six games, helping the Lyons move into the national rankings and earning the Indian Head Athletics Athlete of the Month honor for September.

Muse earned the start and scored twice in her initial collegiate game, the first goal coming just 57 seconds into the contest.

The former Little Green state-title winner went on to become the first Lyons freshman to find the back of the net in six consecutive contests since 1999.

“It’s like she’s not a freshman,” said Alessia Viscomi, a Wheaton captain. “We look at her like an experienced upperclassman. I can only imagine what it’ll be like during her senior year.”

The Lyons are now 9- 1 on the year and recently reached a No. 13 ranking in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.

During her first days of practice, Muse immediately began to click with her teammates. Her team captains said she quickly became vocal with her fellow freshmen, as well as the team’s upperclassmen.

“Just because you’re a freshman doesn’t mean you can’t be a leader on the field,” said Lyndsey McManus, another Wheaton captain. “It’s essential on the field to have great communication. Especially playing (forward), you have to have that constantly. You could tell that she really settled in.”

During 10 September games, Muse managed a gaudy nine goals, in addition to dishing out three assists for a total of 21 points. Muse said she is happy to help the team as it battles for New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference supremacy, but she worries there may be a down side to her early success.

“It’s really exciting, but in a way it’s scary knowing that because of the start I got off to, I’ll always be compared to this season for the rest of my time here. Anything less could be seen as a letdown,” said Muse, whose twin sister, Jordan, plays key minutes for the team’s stingy defense. “I try to forget about the statistics part and just play with heart and desire. I just want to be able to help in games and not make any mistakes.”

Entering a new system under a different head coach took some time for Muse to get used to, but she said she has been helped by motivating e-mails from Central head coach Peter Lally throughout the transition.

Viscomi said Muse’s determination and hard work during practice have led to her success.

“Since she first got here, she stepped on the field and wasn’t worried or scared. She said, ‘How can I help this team?’” Viscomi said. “It definitely has boosted the team to hear that.”

Muse said she is proud to represent her hometown and sends a message to her former teammates at Central: it is possible to have an impact at the college level.

“I’m just a girl from Candia, New Hampshire,” said Muse. “I’m showing it doesn’t matter where you come from. You can be successful.”

(Editor’s note: The Athlete of the Month receives a $50 gift certificate courtesy of Indian Head Athletics.)

Candia child gets EEE

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:17:00 GMT

By Gretyl Macalaster

Rosemary Shifflett is her typical 3-year-old self, talking and running around. It is a relief for her parents, Erik and Amber.

The toddler contracted Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, a mosquito-borne illness that is untreatable, earlier this month.

Erik Shifflett said he thinks doctors at Children’s Hospital in Boston are “blown away” by the little girl’s recovery.

The state confirmed on Monday, Sept. 14, that the child is the first New Hampshire resident to contract the illness this year.

On Friday, Sept. 11, doctors told the Shiffletts that their daughter would have to undergo speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy and therapy for her fine motor skills.

“Since then, not only is she walking again but she is trying to run. She is talking and won’t stop talking. She is her 3-year-old self again,” Erik Shifflett said.

Now that devastating mosquito bite is behind them, Shifflett said he is focused on making sure that Candia takes action against EEE.

“The focus is going to be one making sure that next year Candia is not resting on its laurels, that we’re actively notifying people in town coming up to EEE season,” Shifflett said. “It is like flu season and the flu shot, there are precautions you can take.”

On Monday, Sept. 14, Shifflett made a plea to Candia selectmen that they start dealing with the mosquito problem.

After hearing from Shiff-lett and others, the board voted to find $2,250 in this year’s budget to spray Moore Park and the Moore School three times before the end of the season to help create a buffer around those areas where children congregate.

Selectman Rick Lazott said he is also working with health officer Bill Hallock to draft a warrant article asking for about $38,000 to institute a mosquito control program next year.

Shifflett said although he is not a big fan of spraying, he supports mosquito abatement at the larval stages. Mosquito pools can be treated with a bacterium that only affects the mosquitoes and treats the problem before mosquitoes reach adulthood and begin to fly, he said.

Shifflett said he is positive that his daughter contracted the illness in her own backyard.

The area is bordered by swamp land and a pond.

A llama and an alpaca just a few miles down the road from the Shifflett home also contracted the illness.

He and his wife put bug spray on Rosemary religiously, but she still seemed to attract the bugs, he said. He planned to bring the issue of the need for notification and mosquito abatement to the Board of Selectmen during their meeting.

Fred Kelley, chairman of the board of selectmen, said Candia does not currently have any mosquito control program because voters turned down a petition warrant article that would have established a program in 2006. Because of that, it was never put back on the warrant.

Shifflett said he is not surprised that it was voted down, and harbors no resentment about it.

“Until something like this hits home it is sort of like, it is not going to happen here,” Shifflett said. “Now that this particular year we have such a high number of mosquito pools testing positive, mosquitoes in the pools testing positive, we are in a designated high-risk area … and now that my daughter has had this incident, people will think this does hit home and we should do more to protect the kids.”

“We are hoping people … think for what’s right and not what is going to save a dollar or two in the pocket of the taxpayer.”

Fifty-nine towns in the state are now on a public health threat list because of EEE.

A horse in Boscawen and a horse in Henniker have also tested positive for the illness.

Shifflett wants to help ensure that no other parents have to go through what he and his family went through over the past two weeks.

“It was a major ordeal of ups and downs but I tell you, we are so elated right now to bring her home tomorrow,” Shifflett said.

Vision Appraisal to conduct property reval in Candia

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:54:00 GMT

The appraisal firm of Vision Appraisal Technology has been hired by the town of Candia to begin a townwide revaluation update. The following is a general outline and explanation of each phase of the project.

Vision Appraisal will be working with the assessor’s office to make the process a successful one. There are four major phases to a municipal revaluation that are being utilized: Market Analysis, Valuation, Field Review, and Informal Hearings.

Phase one – market analysis
A variety of resources are used to analyze the real estate market. Appraisal personnel will be analyzing recent sales that took place over the last few years to determine which market factors influenced property values.

A data collector will visit each property that has sold since April 1, 2007, and inspect the exterior and interior of the property. Vision Appraisal Technology will gather and use information from The Registry of Deeds, property managers, developers and local real estate professionals.

Once all the data is collected and reviewed for accuracy, the appraiser will determine land and building values.

Phase two – valuation
Valuation is done using one of the three recognized methods: replacement/market cost, income approach and sales comparison approach. The sales comparison is the most widely used approach, and most easily explained to the taxpayer.

During this phase, individual characteristics of the building are analyzed using information gathered in phase 1. Each property is compared to other comparable properties with similar characteristics.

Then the market value of the improvements are added to the land value that was previously determined. This value is the final estimate for each parcel of property, building and land.

Phase three – field review
Field review is the method of checking and re-checking both the values that have been determined and the data. During this review, properties are viewed in the field by experienced appraisers who double-check for uniformity and accuracy of information.

Phase four – informal hearings
Once the field review is completed, a notice of new values will be mailed to each property owner. At this time, anyone with questions concerning the revaluation process or about the data on their property has an opportunity to meet with a member of Vision’s staff to discuss their property value.

After all four phases are completed, all data, files, records, etc. used in the revaluation are then turned over to the assessors office. This will allow the town to maintain the data collected during the revaluation on a continual basis.

Horses recovering after rescue

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:13:00 GMT

BY GRETYL MACALASTER

Two foals seized during a raid in Candia in early March were malnourished, had extreme cases of worms and needed additional care.

The two colts and a 3-year-old stallion are being cared for now at Rockin’ Horse Ranch and are recovering nicely on a regular diet of hay and grain, said Joe LeBlanc.

The horses’ owner, Heidi Fredrick, 45, of 456 Critchett Road in Candia, has been charged with nine counts of animal cruelty and eight counts of inadequate shelter after 12 horses were seized from the property she shares with her husband, Brian Travis.

In addition to the 12 horses seized, 17 remain in Candia. LeBlanc took in the horses at the request of the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and has been caring for them since. LeBlanc said the initial condition of the foals made him “sick.”

The young horses still had worms in their manure more than a week after they were initially treated, LeBlanc said.

“The problem with the two babies is they were eating but they weren’t getting nutrients because they had an extreme case of worms,” LeBlanc said.

The foals also needed to be shaved because the condition of their coats was so bad.

“They had blankets on, and after we pulled the blankets off, we found they had incredibly oily, matted, nasty fur under there,” LeBlanc said. “We made attempts to clean them up ... but found it was impossible.”

He said the coats were matted with dirt, dust, grime and fecal matter. He said the fur came off in clumps when they were shaved.

LeBlanc said the horses also suffered from a bit of “rain rot” -- a fungus that grows on the skin, caused mostly by wet conditions. The stallion was brought to the farm March 23 for additional care.

It is also recovering from malnourishment and numerous bite marks, likely caused by other horses he was paddocked with, LeBlanc said.

He said it appears the stallion was bullied by other horses and was probably underfed because other horses would not let him near food. He said the horse had numerous scabs and cuts over his body.

“I don’t believe he was abused physically, except by his peers,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc said the horses were evaluated by Dr. Simon George of the Deerfield Veterinary Clinic and he continues to be their veterinarian.

George was one of two veterinarians at the scene of the seizure. They helped determine which horses were in need of care and had to be removed.

All three horses are gaining weight and look healthier, Le- Blanc said. Ribs were visible in the baby horses when they were seized, even more so when they were shaved.

NHSPCA investigator Steve Sprowl said he is not making any comment regarding the case, which is being handled by the Candia Police Department.

Police said they are working through Fredrick’s attorney to return some of the horses.

Fredrick and Travis have built additional shelters on the property since the seizure and have repaired other shelters damaged during the December ice storm.

Fredrick is scheduled to appear in Candia District Court on May 6 to face the charges.

No charges yet in Candia horse seizure

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:44:00 GMT

BY GRETYL MACALASTER

Many questions still remain as to why 12 horses were seized from a Critchett Road property on Monday, March 9.

Police have cited shelter and welfare concerns, as well as a lack of health certificates as reasons for the seizure, but the search warrant remains sealed and no charges have been filed in the case.

Candia Police Chief Michael McGillen said the investigation is ongoing as they await reports from veterinarians who examined the horses on scene and reports from others involved.

The property owner, Brian Travis, said the horses were perfectly healthy and alleges they were taken because of a dispute with Steve Sprowl, an investigator with the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

In November, Sprowl attempted to search the property to determine if there was adequate shelter, but was denied access because Travis was not home.

Travis’s son Cooper videotaped the exchange and was taken into custody after refusing to stop the recording. No charges were filed and Cooper Travis was released the same day.

Brian Travis said if the situation had been handled differently, he would have worked with Sprowl and shown him the work he was doing to provide the adequate shelter required under state law.

The weekend of March 14, about 25 friends and fellow “Free Staters” joined Travis and his wife, Heidi Fredrick, in building two new shelters at the back of the property. Fredrick said the harsh winter had delayed the project, but was in progress when the horses were taken.

The 12 seized horses, as well as an additional 17 horses remaining on the property are under quarantine because they each lack health certificates and proof of an equine infectious anemia test required by state law.

EIA is a contagious disease that can pass quickly between horses and is “reportable” under state law, according to state veterinarian Dr. Steve Crawford.

Travis said he was not aware of the law, or that he was in violation of it, until he received the search warrant on March 9.

Police said the horses were seized because of shelter and welfare concerns not because of the health certificates.

At least one resident confirmed lodging a complaint with the NHSPCA about a possibly injured horse on the property about three weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Colorado authorities confirmed that last fall they investigated concerns regarding malnourished horses at a farm owned by Fredrick but no charges were filed and the case was closed.

Travis and Fredrick moved to New Hampshire from Colorado this past summer.

Travis is a member of the Free State Project, an effort to move 20,000 people to New Hampshire to be active for freedom. Free Staters believe the government’s role should be limited to protecting life, liberty and property.

Fredrick said her primary concern is getting her horses back.

“I don’t know where they are, or if they are OK. I can’t sleep at night,” Fredrick said.

Town on default budget while school passes in Candia

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:36:00 GMT

BY GRETYL MACALASTER

Candia will operate for the third year in a row on a default budget after voters rejected the proposed budget by a vote of 454 to 339.

Residents spent hours discussing the budget during the deliberative session of Town Meeting and increased the Budget Committee’s recommendation by $214,000.

The default budget of $2,355,410 is the same as last year’s with adjustments for contractual obligations.

The school district’s operating budget did pass, 514 to 263. Voters also rejected a number of other warrant articles, including a combined $10,807 for Lamprey Health Care and Rockingham County Community Action.

The Budget Committee will continue doing its job as voters rejected an article to rescind the committee by a slim margin, 336 to 401.

An advisory article to see if residents are in favor of constructing a swap shop at the Candia Recycling Facility barely passed by a vote of 397 to 390.

Voters agreed to expend $25,000 to replace the roof at the fire station, but rejected an article calling for $50,000 to be placed in a capital reserve fund for fire equipment.

Richard Snow will join the board of selectmen, filling the vacancy left by Tom Giffen. Carleton Robie was re-elected to the board. Many write-in candidates won seats, including Ginny Clifford for Planning Board, Erin Asselin for a two-year term on the Budget Committee and Clark Thyng for a one-year term on the Budget Committee.

12 animals removed from Candia farm

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:14:00 GMT

BY GRETYL MACALASTER

Twelve horses were seized from a property in town on Monday, March 9, over concerns about shelter and welfare, according to police.

Charges are yet to be filed and the investigation is ongoing. Brian Travis, of 456 Critchett Road, said the Arabian horses, owned by his wife, Heidi Fredrick, were seized from his horse farm.

He said the horses are perfectly healthy and alleged they were taken because of a dispute with Steve Sprowl of the NHSPCA.

Two veterinarians from the New Hampshire Society for the Protection of Animals were on scene, but NHSPCA director Lisa Dennison referred any questions to the Candia police department.

Police Chief Mike McGillen said he could not comment further as the investigation is ongoing.

Candia School budget increased by voters

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:30:00 GMT

BY DAN DeCONINCK

Just one week after a grueling seven-hour Town Meeting, citizens of Candia reconvened at Henry W. Moore School for their second deliberative session.

While the meeting on Jan. 31 was to discuss the town budget and other social programs, the deliberative session of School District Meeting on Feb. 7 focused on school funding. The figures voted on during this session are the figures that will go on the official ballot in March.

With just four articles to be discussed, the majority of the town’s attention was on Warrant Article 2 – the school operating budget. Article 2 is the total of three factors: the school budget, grant money and food services. However, the school budget accounts for roughly 95 percent of the article.

Ed Caito, chairman of the School Board, began the debate by recommending an amendment to the article that would add more than $170,000 to the yearly school budget the Budget Committee recommended.

Caito explained that the School Board had taken a “proactive approach” in developing a comprehensive system to determine exactly how much money would be needed.

The goal, said Caito, is to “maintain the level of education of the children of Candia that the voters of Candia have supported so strongly over the years.”

Carla Penfield, an active member of the Budget Committee, stressed that the struggling economy is demanding cutbacks.

“It’s the responsibility of both the town and the school to make do,” said Penfield.

Despite Penfield’s insistence though, Caito and the School Board had the overwhelming support of the voters. Out of nine citizens who addressed the crowd through the microphone in the front of the room, eight urged voters to side with the School Board and spend a few more dollars for the sake of the children. Several speakers even received large ovations for their impassioned speeches.

In his final remarks before the vote went to a secret ballot, Caito reminded voters that, it was their “responsibility as a community to advocate and balance (their) own individual needs with the needs of (their) children.”

Eighty-two percent (102 of 126) of those who cast ballots sided with the School Board. The final budget to be voted on in March is $7,794,384.25. If the budget is approved, Moore School will be able to keep the school psychologist position and will have the option of rehiring one teacher who is considering retirement. The Budget Committee recommended that the town eliminate those positions.

Candia voters side with selectmen

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:03:00 GMT

BY DAN DeCONINCK

Residents of Candia gathered at Henry W. Moore School on Saturday, Jan. 31, for the first of two highly anticipated town meetings. More than 100 citizens assembled for the deliberative session of Town Meeting to decide how the town would recommend residents vote in the polls this March. The agenda, which consisted of 36 articles to be voted on, was headlined by Article 15 – the disputed town budget.

After articles 1 and 2 were omitted, the Board of Selectmen recommended making articles 3 through 14 a block and voting on them all at once. These articles asked for relatively small amounts of money for social programs, and were approved nearly unanimously.

Though the first 14 articles were complete in just over 20 minutes, Article 15 dominated discussion for nearly two consecutive hours. The debate over the “Big Kahuna,” as first-time Moderator Scott Tierno named it, was the result of a disagreement between the newly formed Budget Committee and the Board of Selectmen. The Budget Committee, after conducting more than 18 hours of financial analysis, proposed a town budget of $2,317,771.12.

“This is the closest we can come ... to operate on the year and not have to let anyone go,” said Carla Penfield, chairman of the Budget Committee. Penfield went on to stress that the selectmen would be able to reallocate the money from the bottom line budget as they saw fit. This proposal was not greeted warmly by Selectman Rick Lazott.

“How can you move money around if there’s no money to move?” Lazott asked. “The proposed budget clearly underfunds fixed costs, and leaves no room for unanticipated expenditures.”

As the debate raged on into late morning, Article 15 was finally called to a halt. A 10- minute intermission was taken to conduct a secret ballot, which revealed a 90-40 vote in favor of the Board of Selectmen. However, voters were unaware at the time of the ballot that the town can only legally increase the suggestions of the Budget Committee by 10 percent. Therefore, $7,000 was taken off the town budget. The final total to be recommended on the March ballot is $2,525,265.

The rest of the meeting passed relatively smoothly, and articles 16 through 27 were approved in just minutes. Article 28, which dealt with money for a local youth program, provided the only other real debate of the day. Two proposed amendments were voted down (one after a recount reversed the initial ruling of approval) before a third was passed by a vote of 57-47. The final vote knocked off $8,000 of the original proposal of $18,000 to be raised and appropriated for the Candia Youth Athletic Association.

The meeting lasted well over six hours and saw a large turnover in voters between the beginning and the end. When the final town budget was approved at 2:47 p.m., only seven voters who had participated in the secret ballot at 11 a.m. remained.

In total though, there were only 13 fewer voters the second time around. The crowd had almost completely regenerated as citizens came and went.

Voters will reconvene Saturday, Feb. 7, for a discussion on four articles concerning the School Board.

Candia’s new recycling center hurt by economy

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:59:00 GMT

BY TOBY HENRY

Candia officials say the more than 20 large bailed stacks of soda cans, plastic bottles and newspapers at the new recycling center are a telltale sign of the nation’s economic woes.

“We’ve met with (recyclers), and the market is null and void right now,” said Solid Waste Committee member Amanda Soares. “A lot of this stuff was shipped overseas, and right now, the market is pretty much flat. We’re kind of hoarding some of the commodities until it goes back up.”

Officials hoped early on that the recycling center, which opened its doors less than six months ago, would boost the town’s recycling income to as much as $100,000 annually. In 2007, the town brought in slightly more than $60,000, and recycling center operator Chuck Whitcher and Soares both said the town had been getting a good price for its commodities until mid-autumn.

Soares said that before Thanksgiving, the town had already earned around $50,000, and the price for a ton of old newspapers peaked at $100. But shortly afterward, she said that same ton of newsprint was valued at a paltry 5 cents, and Whitcher said this crashing market value was prefaced by a nearrecord high only weeks earlier.

Today, the bottom floor of the recycling center has a temporary “wall” of crushed and bailed cans, cardboard and other commodities positioned up against the massive concrete containers that hold back tens of thousands of cans, bottles and plastic jugs.

At the recycling center’s second story, where residents throw their recyclables, the level of cans in some areas is almost as high as the concrete walls themselves.

“This has been going on for a few months now,” Whitcher said. “We’re just trying to stockpile everything. When we get to the point where we don’t have storage anymore here or in our trailers, we have to get rid of it.”

Whitcher said the town has already paid to get rid of one shipment of paper recently, but the invoice has not been received yet. While the impromptu stockpiling is a situation that officials never described in the lead-in to the center’s opening, the center itself is still clean and organized, and Whitcher said it makes a good visual impression on how much trash and recyclables are generated by the town of about 4,100 residents.

“And Candia is a pretty small town,” said Whitcher as he looked out over the growing pile of soda cans.

Whitcher said the recycled items are not winding up buried in landfills, and the “hoarding” is still a cheaper option to the town than burying trash. As of Jan. 29, Whitcher said one exterior storage trailer was three-quarters full while another was half-full, and the stockpile is not an obstacle for residents who stop by to get rid of their trash.

Fire Chief Rudy Cartier said the pile-up is becoming “a moderate concern” for himself and his department.

“A lot of things were taken out of the original design (for the center),” he said. “There’s no fire suppression system in there at all, and there’s also no cistern. But we at least have a fire alarm system in there, and there are a couple 30,000-gallon cisterns in the area.”

Candia town, school budgets lower than default

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:41:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

This is Candia’s second year under the official ballot law, commonly referred to as SB-2. The deliberative session of Town Meeting takes place Saturday, Jan. 31, at 9 a.m., at Moore School. The deliberative session of School District Meeting will take place a week later, Saturday, Feb. 7, also at 9 a.m. at Moore School.

Residents may discuss the articles on the warrant and make changes to wording and dollar amounts, but the final vote will take place March 10.

School
The deliberative session of School District meeting is likely to be a short one, with just four warrant articles, only three of which are up for discussion, as Article 1 asks the town to choose school district officers.

Article 2 asks for $7,617,149.92 as an operating budget. If defeated, the default budget would be $7,941,313. The default budget is actually higher than the proposed budget by $324,164. While the School Board did not recommend the proposed budget, the Budget Committee did.

Article 3 asks for $12,500 to be added to the technology fund. This would not affect the tax rate, as the money would come from surplus. It was recommended by both the School Board and Budget Committee.

Article 4 asks for $50,000 to be places into a capital reserve fund for facility needs. The School Board recommends this article, but the Budget Committee does not.

Town
There are 36 articles on the town warrant. Articles 1 and 2 will not be discussed, having to do with electing town officials and changes to zoning ordinances.

Articles 3 through 14 ask for relatively small amounts of money for social programs.

Article 15 asks for $2,317,771.12 as the proposed operating budget for the town. If defeated, the default budget would be set at $2,355,410, which is $37,638 higher than the proposed budget.

Articles 16 through 22 asks for money for the Fitts Museum, playground maintenance, police details, road maintenance, the library and fire equipment.

Article 23 asks to establish a compensation system for paid call firefighters.

Articles 24 through 28 ask for money for roof replacement at the Candia Fire Station, revaluation costs, a hazardous waste day, town office maintenance and the Candia Youth Athletic Association.

Article 29 asks to establish a swap shop at the Candia Recycling Facility at a cost of $15,000.

Article 30, a petitioned article, asks that the Budget Committee be abolished.

Articles 31 and 32 address the amount of money going to the Conservation Commission Fund. Articles 33 through 36 address the acceptance of gifts and the Conservation Commission’s role regarding gifts.

PTO letter draws fire

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:12:00 GMT

BY TOBY HENRY

Some Candia residents say they’re angry after a recent letter warning about “significant reductions” in the school budget was sent home with students.

“I think it’s outrageous,” said Ingrid Byrd, the School Board representative to the Budget Committee. “They have an absolute right to notify parents about the deliberative session, but they don’t have a right to send a letter home with children ... urging parents to vote in a certain way.”

Henry Moore Elementary School Assistant Principal Jim Lewis said that during the week before a Jan. 22 meeting, a letter from the Candia Parent Teacher Organization was sent home with students telling them about that upcoming informational meeting. The letter included the names of PTO members Emily Roster and Kristine Pouliot, and Lewis said the letter was a PTO decision and not an official newsletter from the school.

School Board member Dave Fischer said one side of the flier has a brief of the upcoming school budget, which was recommended at $7,313,239 by the Budget Committee. The wording on the letter sent home with children warns that this budget is more than $177,000 less than what the School Board recommended.

“The most significant of these recommended reductions are the elimination of two fulltime teachers and a reduction in psychological services,” the Some Candia residents say they’re angry after a recent letter warning about “significant reductions” in the school budget was sent home with students. “I think it’s outrageous,” said Ingrid Byrd, the School Board representative to the Budget Committee. “They have an absolute right to notify parents about the deliberative session, but they don’t have a right to send a letter home with children ... urging parents to vote in a certain way.”

“The most significant of these recommended reductions are the elimination of two fulltime teachers and a reduction in psychological services,” the letter states, and it mentions that the Jan. 22 meeting was intended as an informational session “to help parents better understand how the Deliberative Session will be conducted and how your School Board prepared the recommended 2009-1020 school budget.”

It closes with the statements “There is no substitution for a proper education and they are only our children for a short time. These children are in fact our future!”

But Fischer noted that nowhere on the letter are parents told how to vote.

In a landmark 1973 case, the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals eventually ruled that the City of Boston School Committee broke the law when it sent home some 100,000 fliers with students urging parents to vote against a busing and redistricting plan. While some committee members said they think the recent Candia flier might be illegal for similar reasons, it does not appear to tell parents to cast a vote either way on the issue.

“It may have pushed it right to the line, but it’s not over the line,” Fischer said. “I don’t see where (a vote) is pushed one way or the other.”

Telephone messages left for Pouliot were not returned. Lewis said that as of Jan. 21, the letter had not generated any complaints from parents.

Petition to downsize Candia Board of Selectmen is handed in past deadline

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:54:00 GMT

BY TOBY HENRY

A divided Board of Selectmen nixed a citizen petition to reduce their number from five to three during a Jan. 16 meeting after a majority of officials said the proposale had been submitted the day after the deadline.

Candia’s final deadline for submitting warrant articles was Jan. 13, but board members said the petition was not officially received until the morning of Jan. 14. During a separate interview on Jan. 15, local resident Amanda Soares, the final signer of the petition, said she brought the article in after 4 p.m. on Jan. 13, but Town Clerk Christine Dupere’s office hours ended that day at 3 p.m.

Selectman Tom Giffen moved to accept the article “despite its tardiness,” and the board acknowledged that Soares had at least made an attempt to serve the article by the Jan 13 deadline. Giffen said that the article itself was a sign that some citizens are “disgruntled with the specific board” and that acceptance of the complete yet late article would demonstrate that the board is ultimately “not as bad as it seems.”

Candia voters approved the change from a three- to a fivemember Board of Selectmen in 2005.

Giffen also summarized the issue as a “minor technicality,“ and said two attorneys consulted on the matter indicated that the “doctrine of substantial compliance” appeared to be a supporting factor for the acceptance of the article. But Selectman Rick Lazott, who participated in the meeting via telephone, was among those who maintained that both the spirit and letter of local statutes indicated that the board should not accept a late article.

“Rules are there to be followed,” he said.

Selectmen said that Dupere’s closed office did not in fact represent an obstacle to the article, and Soares could have lawfully submitted the article that day by seeking out a selectman to hand the petition to in person. Kelley noted that the petition had “plenty of signatures on it beforehand” and could have been submitted at any time prior to 3 p.m. on Jan. 13.

As the board neared a vote, Giffen warned that the issue could open up litigation for the town in the event the board rejects the article, but Lazott said an attorney had stated that the town would still have a good position for defending such a decision. The board voted 4-1 against the article, and it will not appear on this year’s warrant.