Selectman, for three years, vote for two
Joshua Solomon – 299
• Richard Butt – 720
David Bougher – 517
• Keith R. Lacasse – 592
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Chief of police, vote for one
• Gregory C. Begin – 1,238
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Trustee of the Trust Fund, vote for one
• Frank A. Farmer – 1,203
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Library Trustee, vote for one
• Raymond J. Kelly – 1,129
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Ethics Committee, vote for one
• Michelle Allison-Galligan – 1,066
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Board of Firewards member vote for one
• David P. Hewey Sr. – 1,161
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Board of Firewards non-member vote for one
• William F. Tiffany – 1,203
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Article 2: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment 2, as follows: Shall the Town amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Planning Board as follows? Amend Article 14, Article 27 and Article 30 to encourage the preservation of important farmland in cluster developments and to clarify the density allocation in the Rural Conservation Overlay District. (Recommended by the Planning Board)
• Yes................................1,133 No................................379
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Article 3: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment 3, as follows: Shall the Town amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board as follows? Amend Article 3 to add a Right to Farm Ordinance. (Recommended by the Planning Board)
• Yes................................1,227 No................................274
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Article 4: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment 4, as follows: Shall the Town amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board as follows? Amend Article 34 in order to make changes to the regulation of signs in all zoning districts. (Recommended by the Planning Board)
• Yes................................949 No................................529
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Article 5: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment 5, as follows: Shall the Town amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board as follows? Amend Article 22 to provide frontage requirements in the village districts and to establish standards for development in the Weare Center Village District. (Recommended by the Planning Board)
•Yes................................1,038 No................................481
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Article 6: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment 6, as follows: Shall the Town amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board as follows? Amend Article 3 to clarify how the planning board will determine when a project has earned a vested protection from subsequent zoning or other regulatory changes. (Recommended by the Planning Board)
• Yes................................1,034 No................................416
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Article 7: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment 7, as follows: Shall the Town amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board as follows? Amend Article 32 to require camouflaging of wireless telecommunications towers and to provide space for Town communications equipment. (Recommended by the Planning Board)
• Yes................................1,064 No................................434
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Article 8: Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment 8, as follows: Shall the Town amend the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, as proposed by the Planning Board as follows? Clarify, correct and make minor technical changes to certain sections of the Zoning Ordinance without changing the intent or effect of the Ordinances. (Recommended by the Planning Board)
• Yes................................1,077 No................................404
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Article 9: Shall the Town raise and appropriate a sum not to exceed $900,000 for the purpose of constructing a new Public Works (Highway Department) and Transfer Station/Recycling facility and to authorize the issuance of not more than $900,000 in bonds and/or notes in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33) to finance the project and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to negotiate, issue, sell, and deliver such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon and the maturity and other terms thereof? (3/5 ballot vote required). (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................759 •No................................779
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Article 10: Shall the Town raise and appropriate a sum not to exceed $1,250,000 for improvements at the Town’s Bolton Field Memorial Complex and to authorize the issuance of not more than $1, 250,000 in bonds and/or notes in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33) to finance the project and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to negotiate, issue, sell, and deliver such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon and the maturity and other terms thereof? (3/5 ballot vote required). (Not Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................246 •No................................1,293
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Article 11: Shall the Town raise and appropriate, as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling 4,658,578? Should this article be defeated, the Default Budget shall be $4,529,870 which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town or by law; or the governing body may hold one special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised Operating Budget only. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................734 • No................................803
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Article 12: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $426,934 to be added and allocated to the previously established Capital Reserve Funds as shown in the chart below? (All the items listed in this article are part of the Town’s Capital Improvement Program ) Anticipated tax impact= $ 0.48 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................817 No................................712
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Article 13: Shall the Town raise and appropriate $286,500 to be placed in the previously established Government Buildings and Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund? Anticipated tax impact= $0.32 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................768 No................................754
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Article 14: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $390,000 for road reconstruction and resurfacing of roads? Of the $390,000, the sum of $238,572.45 would be received from Highway Block Grant Funds from the State of New Hampshire (Pursuant to RSA 235) with $151,427.55 to be raised by taxation. Anticipated tax impact= $0.17 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,221 No................................347
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Article 15: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000 to cover the costs of the Town’s participation in one local Household Hazardous Waste Collection in 2008? This warrant article has been designated by the Board of Selectmen as a Special Warrant Article so that the funds, if approved, may not be transferred for any other purposes. Anticipated tax impact = $0.007 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,200 No................................347
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Article 16: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $35,000 to have a Town Buildings Needs Assessment conducted to evaluate the current condition of Town facilities and to anticipate and plan for the future needs of the Town and how to meet those needs, and to fund this appropriation by authorizing the transfer of this amount from the undesignated fund balance as of Dec. 31, 2007? This will be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the needs assessment is completed or by Dec. 31, 2010, whichever is sooner. (Majority vote required). Anticipated tax impact = $0.00 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.
Yes................................702 •No................................846
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Article 17: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $80,085 to hire two new full-time firefighter / EMTs to cover eight hours per day during the week Monday – Friday? The $80,085.00 includes wages, benefits, equipment, uniforms and training to cover the last six months of this fiscal year (2008). If approved, future funding for this position will be included in and become a part of the Fire/Ambulance Department Operating Budget on a full fiscal year (12 months) basis. Anticipated tax impact = $0.09 (Not Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................547 •No................................1,113
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Article 18: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $23,023 to provide funding to staff the Ambulance Department during Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays for eight hours per day with two EMTs using present staff? The $23,023.00 includes wages to cover the last six months of this fiscal year (2008). If approved, future funding for this position will be included in and become a part of the Fire/Ambulance Department Operating Budgets on a full fiscal year (12 months) basis. Anticipated tax impact= $0.03 (Not Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................582 •No................................983
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Article 19: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $92,000 for the purpose of hiring two additional full-time Weare police officers? The above stated amount will cover a nine-month cost of salary, benefits, uniforms, equipment and training. If approved, future funding for this position will be included in and become a part of the Weare Police Department operating budget on a full fiscal year (12 months) basis. Anticipated tax impact= $0.10 (Not Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................323 •No................................1,241
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Article 20: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $3,700 for the purpose of making repairs to walkways and improvements to the fire alarm system as cited in the 2006 safety inspection, and to repair masonry on the exterior of the Weare Public Library, and to fund this appropriation by authorizing the transfer of this amount from the undesignated fund balance as of Dec. 31, 2007? This warrant article has been designated by the Board of Selectmen as a Special Warrant Article so that the funds, if approved, shall be non-lapsing and may not be transferred for any other purposes. Anticipated tax impact= $0.00 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,165 No................................399
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Article 21: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $54,868 needed to implement a new personnel pay scale for full and part-time Town employee positions, exclusive of Fire Department personnel, stipended personnel, and those positions subject to a collective bargaining (labor union) agreement or other contracts? If approved this amount will cover nine months of this fiscal year 2008 and will be allocated among the positions subject to this new pay scale and become part of future Operating Budgets on a full fiscal year basis. Anticipated tax impact = $0.06 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................779 •No................................790
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Article 22: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $20,000 for cemetery improvements? This sum to be withdrawn from Cemetery Trust Funds Cy Pres Account. Anticipated tax impact = $0.00 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,018 No................................519
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Article 23: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $6,000 for the purpose of purchasing fireworks for the 2008 Weare Patriotic Celebration? This warrant article has been designated by the Board of Selectmen as a Special Warrant Article so that the funds, if approved, may not be transferred for any other purposes. Anticipated tax impact = $0.007 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,011 No................................532
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Article 24: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $200,000 for the purpose of purchasing conservation easements in the name of the Piscataquog Watershed Association on approximately 175 acres in the Melvin Valley Area? The Town will have an executory interest and enforcement rights in these conservation easements. Anticipated tax impact = $0.22 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................706 • No................................821
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Article 25: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of up to $30,000 to be placed in the Community Access TV Equipment Capital Reserve Fund? This is the amount anticipated to be received from the Cable Franchise Agreement with Comcast as a capital payment for the purchase of Public, Educational, and Government (PEG) access equipment. The amount deposited into the Community Access TV Equipment Fund will not exceed the amount of money actually received from the Cable Franchise Agreement with Comcast. Anticipated tax impact = $0.00 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................870 No................................659
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Article 26: Shall the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $30,000 to be placed in the already existing Employee Retirement Capital Reserve Fund? Anticipated tax impact = $0.02 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................784 No................................744
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Article 27: Shall the Town modify the purposes of the existing Capital Reserve Fund established under the provisions of RSA 35:1 and titled the Government Building and Maintenance Fund so as to include the following purposes: maintenance, repairs, capital improvements, and professional studies to/for Town buildings. (2/3 vote required for passage). Anticipated tax impact = $0.00 (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,003 No................................520
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Article 28: Shall the Town establish an Agricultural Commission pursuant to NH Statute 674:44-e,f, and to consist of five members appointed by the selectmen for staggered three-year terms? The initial appointments being 1) one-year term, 2) two-year terms, and 2) three-year terms. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................966 No................................546
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Article 29: Shall the Town authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a three-year lease with Sugar & Spice Preschool Inc. for property located at 8 High St. and further, to authorize the selectmen to renew said lease for periods not in excess of three years each subject to such terms and conditions as the selectmen deem to be in the best interests of the town? (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,218 No................................308
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Article 30: Shall the Town place into Conservation two adjoining landlocked Town-owned parcels adjacent to N.H. Fish and Game Perkin’s Pond Wildlife Management Area to be managed by the Weare Conservation Commission for open space and natural resource values and named Mt Misery Conservation Area? Said parcels containing 25 acres are map 407 lot 127 and map 410 lot 56. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,258 No................................282
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Article 31: Shall the Town place into town forest four Town-owned parcels adjacent to existing Ferrin Pond conservation lands to be managed by the Weare Conservation Commission for open space and natural resource values? Said parcels containing 40 acres are map 407 lots 156, 157, 160, and 161. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,255 No................................280
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Article 32: Shall the Town place into town forest twelve Town-owned parcels for the purpose of conservation adjacent to or near existing Ferrin Pond conservation lands to be managed by the Weare Conservation Commission for open space and natural resource values? Said parcels containing 43 acres are map 410 lots 3, 4, 243, 249, 250, 252, 255, 263, 264, 267, 268, and 270. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,243 No................................290
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Article 33: Shall the Town place into conservation two adjoining Town-owned parcels previously donated by Gordon Russell for the purpose of conservation adjacent to existing Ferrin Pond conservation lands to be managed by the Weare Conservation Commission for open space and natural resource values? Said parcels containing 6 acres are map 410 lots 247 and 248. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,265 No................................268
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Article 34: Shall the Town approve the changing of the name, but not the purpose of, the previously established and currently active Fire and Rescue Vehicle Replacement Capital Reserve Fund to “Fire Department Vehicle Replacement Capital Reserve Fund”? The reason for this name change is to be able to better distinguish this fund from the identically named Special Revenue Fund. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,282 No................................261
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Article 35: Shall the Town amend Article 33 of the Town Meeting Warrant of 1986 to change the appointing agent of the members of the Weare Economic Development Authority from the Town Moderator to the Board of Selectmen. All other provisions of the original Article will remain the same and in full effect. (Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
• Yes................................1,135 No................................366
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Article 36: Shall the town of Weare raise and appropriate the sum of $16,769 to change the part time Building Department Secretary’s position to a full time position, beginning on April 4, 2008. This position would be included in the Building Department budget for a full 12 months for future budgeting purposes. Due to continued growth in The Town of Weare, this position would provide full-time coverage in the Building Department. Should a raise be approved for all town employees, this position will be increased by a similar percentage to keep the position on par with the rest of the employees. Estimated tax impact =$0.019. By Petition (Not Recommended by Board of Selectmen.)
Yes................................387 • No................................1,154
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Article 37: Shall the Town of Weare vote to amend the current 75 percent deposit to 50 percent of the Revenues of all future payments collected pursuant to RSA 79-A:7 (the land use change tax) in the conservation fund in accordance with RSA 36-A:5, III as authorized by RSA 79-A:25, II? To be used for Tax Relief only. By Petition
Yes................................337 • No................................1,175
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Article 38: Shall the Town adopt the provisions of RSA 72:62 for the property tax exemption on real property equipped with solar energy systems, which exemption shall be in an amount equal to 100 percent of the assessed value of the solar energy systems. In order to show Weare’s support for the use of renewable energy, the following warrant article proposes to offer a partial tax exemption for those Weare taxpayers who utilize a solar energy system. The intent of the tax exemption is to alleviate the additional tax burden created by installing a solar energy system. Solar energy systems are expensive, and people who make the decision to install are primarily motivated by the larger social issue of energy consumption. Similar tax exemptions already exist in 62 towns in New Hampshire. If instituted, the positive tax implication on each taxpayer in Weare will be about 1/100 of 1 percent. By Petition
• Yes................................804 No................................729
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Article 39: To see if the Town will vote to approve the following resolution to be forwarded to our state representatives, our senator and our governor: Resolved: We the citizens of Weare believe in a New Hampshire that is just and fair. The property tax has become unjust and unfair. State leaders who take a pledge for no new taxes perpetuate higher and higher property taxes. We call on our state representatives, our state senator and our governor to reject the “pledge”, have an open discussion covering all options, and adopt a revenue system that lowers property taxes. By Petition
• Yes................................855 No................................651
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