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Almost 100 people get tax bill with error in Hooksett

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:14:00 GMT

Nearly 100 Hooksett property owners were incorrectly charged penalties on the tax bills recently mailed out, town officials said.

Last winter, the town mailed inventory forms for property owners to fill out. If the forms were not received by April, property owners would be charged 1 percent of the property tax as penalty on their October tax bills. The amount couldn’t be below $10 or more than $50.

However, town councilors fielded phone calls the week ending Nov. 7 from people who said they filled out and returned the inventory form but were penalized anyway.

“The people had either completed the form or were added into the computer as they hadn’t submitted the form,” Town Administrator Carol Granfield said. “Some people said they never received the form. There were under 30 that said it wasn’t delivered.”

The purpose of the inventory form is for each property owner to explain to the town how he is utilizing his land. One reason for the inventory is to track the town’s population growth.

A few months ago, the Town Council voted to stop sending out the inventory forms next year.

“No one likes doing it and that’s why the council eliminated it,” Granfield said.

Town Assessor Todd Haywood urged residents to examine their tax bills. Many people pay through mortgage companies or online and may not have noticed the penalty charge. Refunds are available to those who were overcharged, he said.

“If they bring it to our attention, sure,” Haywood said about a refund. “We’re probably not going to go through all 6,000 inventories.”

“It’s probably good advice to check your bill on a regular basis anyway,” he said.

Town officials still aren’t sure how the error occurred.

Town Councilor George Longfellow said he fielded calls asking questions about the mistake.

He said one woman who purchased property in June was penalized, even though the inventory form was due two months before she bought the land. Apparently the previous owner didn’t return the form.

However, Longfellow said he was in the minority who voted this year to continue sending out the forms.

“It’s a real good track on population growth,” he said.

Longfellow pointed out that a population count will be taken next year to determine if the town needs to be redistricted. If there’s a large population growth in one area of town, then Town Council district lines would be redrawn.

“We received $77,000 last year in penalties for people who didn’t turn it in. The maximum anyone would pay is $50,” he said. “I don’t think it’s that much of a problem to turn in an inventory form. All it costs is a stamp and if you don’t want to pay for the stamp, you can turn it in at the Town Hall.”

Citizens protest Hooksett police chief

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:53:00 GMT

By Dan O’Brien

Holding signs that read, “Support SRO Defina” and “Agrafiotis is our dirty laundry,” a group of a dozen people held a protest against the town’s police chief outside the Wednesday, Nov. 4, Town Council meeting.

The group set up a clothes line that held protest signs with clothes pins while one person held a T-shirt that read, “Hooksett’s Dirty Laundry.”

The protest came the same day the Police Commission confirmed that David Gagnon stepped down as chairman and was replaced by Joanne McHugh.

On Sept. 9, Town Councilor

David Boutin, who is also a state representative, said he delayed filing legislation to increase the number of police commissioners to five because Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis told him privately he would, “hang Hooksett’s laundry out” if he did so. Agrafiotis denied making the “laundry” remark.

The statement was made one day after Jason Defina, a school resource officer that had been at odds with Agrafiotis, was fired after 10 years on the force.

Defina’s attorney from Teamsters Union Local 633 has said Defina was told he was fired because he did not properly complete field officer training, which was a requirement after serving suspensions.

Defina was fired about six weeks after a standing-room-only Police Commission meeting where several parents and Cawley Middle School students lent him words of support after he was removed from the SRO position.

“There’s a process and that process needs to be followed on both sides,” Agrafiotis said last night. “I respect everybody’s opinions.”

Agrafiotis attended the Nov. 4 Town Council meeting to participate in a non-public session. One protestor ran alongside his car holding a sign as he pulled into the town hall parking lot.

Gagnon said he stepped down as chairman because he is too busy with work but will remain as commissioner.

“It’s too time consuming being chairman and I don’t have the time,” Gagnon said. “It’s not fair right now.”

The protest group issued a written statement from Ashley Forcier, who is Defina’s sister. The group alleges the department has a high employee turnover rate due to a large amount of internal investigations by the chief. One officer left the same day of the protest.

“Sadly, today was the last day for our K-9 officer,” the statement read. “This is the third dog to retire under the tenure of Chief Agrafiotis.”

A Hooksett police spokesman confirmed that Sgt. Rob Megowen has left for another police department, taking the police department’s K-9 dog with him. Because police dogs are aggressive and live with the care-taking officer, the dog had to be retired.

“We are concerned the situation will get worse with more officers expected to leave in the coming months,” the statement said.

“The Hooksett Police Department has become a revolving door for employees.”

Police chief says he’ll air town’s laundry over move to enlarge Police Commission

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:36:00 GMT

Dan O’Brien

The chairman of the Hooksett Police Commission is defending the Hooksett police chief, who reportedly made a remark to a town councilor that some interpreted as a threat.

“He could not have said that,” said David Gagnon, Police Commission chairman.

Gagnon is referring to a comment Chief Stephen Agrafiotis allegedly made to Town Councilor David Boutin, who is also a state representative, about a proposal Boutin plans to bring to the State House to increase the number of Hooksett Police Commission members from three to five. Boutin explained at the Sept. 9 Town Council meeting that he delayed filing the bill because of a perceived threat Agrafiotis made to him if the bill were filed.

“He told me he would hang Hooksett’s laundry out to dry,” Boutin said.

Once Boutin made the statement, several councilors asked if he considered Agrafiotis’ alleged words a threat.

“No,” Boutin said. “He wasn’t threatening me. He was saying what he was going to do.”

After discussion with the councilors, Boutin said he had no problem filing the bill with the council’s support.

“Many of us have talked to people in the community and the community will support it,” Boutin said. “If you’re willing to take the risk, I’d be happy to do it.”

Hooksett’s Police Commission was formed through the state Legislature in 1975 and any changes to the commission must be approved at the state level. The Town Council unanimously passed a motion during the Sept. 9 meeting to support legislation to increase the number of members.

In a phone interview, Agrafiotis said he did have a conversation with Boutin following a nonpublic Town Council session Aug. 26, but denied making the “laundry” remark.

“What I told him was that I did not believe that it was good for the town to have an expanded Police Commission at this time,” Agrafiotis said. “And that if the bill went up to Concord that I would go up to testify and say what has been going on.”

Gagnon, who has served on the Police Commission for nine years, said he cannot understand why there’s a push to increase the number of board members.

“I would like to know the reasoning behind it,” Gagnon said.

Gagnon said he was nearby when Boutin and Agrafiotis had the conversation and does not remember hearing the alleged threat. “If they (town councilors) feel he did say it, they can come to us and file a complaint,” he said.

Every town councilor gave input about the issue during the council meeting and all said they would support increasing the members from three to five.

“I think a larger group would be better,” Councilor David Ross said. “When you have more people involved in the decision you have less of a chance or having ill-perceived ulterior motives.”

“The size of the town has grown since the commission was set up for three members 34 years ago,” Councilor Nancy VanScoy said.

The commission has been a source of controversy in the past few years. Many believe the Police Department has suffered a high employee turnover rate since Agrafiotis took over in 1999. In 2005, Agrafiotis was suspended when 17 officers filed a formal complaint alleging harassment and intimidation. The chief was eventually allowed back to work after an independent investigation was completed by Gerard Hayes, a labor consultant from Brookline, Mass. Agrafiotis said he was exonerated, but the results were never made public.

One of the 17 officers was Jason Defina, who was fired by the Police Commission in a 2-1 vote during a nonpublic session on Sept. 8. The Police Commission has not stated why Defina was terminated, citing confidentiality laws.

Hooksett Police Commission may increase to five

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:46:00 GMT

By Lauren Sausser

The Hooksett Town Council unanimously voted at its meeting July 8 to add two members to the Police Commission, but it will take an act of the Legislature and approval of town voters to make it happen.

The Hooksett Police Commission, which now consists of three appointed members and oversees budgetary and personnel issues of the Police Department, was established by legislation passed in 1975 and adopted by Hooksett voters in a special town meeting that year.

Because of the nature of the legislation, Rep. David Boutin, the newest Town Council member, explained the council will have to appeal at the state level to change the number of commission members.

Boutin said if the council submits a request to change the legislation by September, the House will likely begin reviewing the request next March. He said it should offer the town enough time to include the proposed change in the town warrant in May to be approved by local voters.

The motion to increase the number of residents on the commission was posed by Town Councilor Michael Pischetola, who recently accused two current members of the commission of acting inappropriately.

Police Commissioners Henry Roy and David Gagnon wrote two joint letters outlining their belief that no one with any police experience in their background should be considered as a viable candidate for the commission.

Pischetola, a former police officer himself, felt the comments reflected a negative bias.

The council ultimately chose to fill an empty seat on the commission with Joanne McHugh, a former School Board chairman, who has no police experience. She beat five other candidates for the volunteer job, three of them current or former police officers.

The council also amended its policy for adopting new police commissioners. The council, which formerly sought advice from any current commissioner on the applicants, eliminated that step from the process.

It will continue to conduct criminal background checks on candidates.

McHugh chosen for Hooksett police commission

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:40:00 GMT

By Lauren Sausser

Joanne McHugh was chosen to replace Marianne Maksalla on the Hooksett Police Commission on June 24 by the Hooksett Town Council.

Also under consideration were Clark Karolian, Richard Sullivan and Steven L’Heureux. There was some controversy regarding the council’s unwritten policy not to appoint anyone with police experience, which both Karolian and L’Heureux had.

After McHugh was appointed to fill the three-year term, councilors discussed the possibility of changing the selection process for that board.

Currently, the town adheres to a policy adopted in 2004 whereby town councilors solicit input from current police commissioners on individuals who apply for open positions.

Members of the public and Town Council expressed their belief the process is flawed.

“I see this as picking the people you want in your club,” Town Councilor Nancy Van-Scoy said. “I don’t see why (the police commissioners) should have any input.”

Resident Matt Comeau said he felt the police commissioners should have no say in who gets appointed to their board because it is ultimately up to the Town Council to make that decision. “I find the fact that they’ve been involved in the process at all is disturbing,” he said. “I’m not really sure why that’s being done.”

The discussion on the issue reached a boiling point after two confidential letters surfaced earlier this month in which Police Commissioners Henry Roy and David Gagnon wrote they thought no one with former police experience should sit on the commission. Three of the six applicants for the volunteer job had police experience on their resumes.

The commissioners justified the letters, explaining they felt that a police background could lead to micromanaging the Police Department – a job that the Police Commission was not set up to do.

Others, including Town Councilor Michael Pischetola, a retired police officer, took offense at the opinion that public safety experience could potentially be harmful in a Police Commission candidate.

Although no action was taken on changing the policy at that council meeting, the issue will be revisited on July 8.

McHugh, who has no police experience in her background, said she will resign from the Hooksett Planning Board. She said she has no immediate plans to bring about sweeping reform to the police commission, which has drawn its share of public scrutiny in recent months.

Police commissioners request nominees have no police background

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:28:00 GMT

By Lauren Sausser

Although Police Commissioners Henry Roy and David Gagnon expressed in two confidential letters their shared belief that no one with prior police experience should sit on the Hooksett Police Commission, they ultimately have no say in the matter.

On June 10, the Hooksett Town Council nominated four potential candidates for the open seat. Nominee Clark Karolian is the only one of the final four with a public safety background. He served on the Manchester police force for years and is now retired.

Of six candidates who applied to fill the position, Richard Sullivan, Joanne McHugh and Stephen L’Heureux were also nominated for further consideration. Town councilors will vote to appoint one of these nominees as the new police commissioner at its next meeting on Wednesday, June 24.

Mary Anne Maksalla, who sought reappointment to the post on the police commission that she has held for the past three years, was not nominated to serve again. John Patti, a Hooksett resident and a current detective sergeant with the Manchester Police Department, was not nominated for further consideration, either.

In related business, the Hooksett Town Council voted against a motion to send the two confidential letters to the state Attorney General’s Office for the investigation of potential conflict of interest violations.

Gagnon and Roy signed two letters on official Hooksett Police Commission stationery detailing their opinion that former or current police officers are not ideal candidates for open police commission seats. Town Councilor Michael Pischetola, a former police officer himself, said he felt the police commissioners acted inappropriately in expressing those opinions.

According to a portion of one letter that Pischetola read aloud in public session, the police commissioners wrote that a person with a police background would not be an asset to the commission and that it has been a longstanding tradition of the council to follow that reasoning.

“I don’t think it’s a detriment,” Pischetola said. “I think it’s probably an asset.”

Other councilors agreed that the letters written by the two police commissioners were inappropriate but the majority ultimately decided that sending a complaint to the Attorney General’s Office would only fan the flames of negative publicity for the town and the Police Commission.

Town Councilor Nancy VanScoy, who voted against the motion to send the letters to the Attorney General, said it is a practice of the Town Council to seek advice from current police commissioners about candidates who apply to fill vacant posts. The council also forwards copies of all applications from candidates applying for a vacant police commission post to current police commissioners.

“We should explore protocol,” VanScoy said. “If we are sending these packets on to the Police Commission, why are we doing that if we aren’t looking for some type of response?”

According to Hooksett Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis, it is part of a procedure the council adopted in 2004 in an effort to streamline the vetting process for would-be police commissioners and to appoint the most suited person to the position.

“This is the most arduous vetting process for any town board and for good reason,” Agrafiotis said.

Police Commission draws interest

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:38:00 GMT

By Ginger Kozlowski

Hooksett town elections take place May 12, but there’s one job in town that soon expires which residents won’t be able to vote on – that of police commissioner.

The Hooksett Police Commission is staffed by three members, each appointed by the Hooksett Town Council. They serve three-year terms, and each year one position is reappointed. Current commissioners are Chairman David Gagnon, Henry Roy and Mary Anne Maksalla. Maksalla’s term is about to end, and while she is interested in returning, she’s got some competition from Joanne McHugh, Clark Karolian, Richard J. Sullivan and John Patti.

There has been increased interest by Hooksett residents in the operating of the Police Commission due to the public hearings regarding suspensions of school resource officer Jason Defina. Residents participating in a discussion board called Hooksett Issues, hosted by Google Groups, have called for both the replacement of all the commissioners as well as the abolishment of the commission itself.

One person on the board identifying himself as John Grabowski proposed an online petition asking for the police commissioners to step down. That post was followed by one from Trisha Korkosz asking for an investigation.

“Can townspeople request an internal investigation of the Police Chief and the Police Commission?” wrote Korkosz. “I believe in all I’ve read and seen that is where the problem is.”

An investigation is currently being performed by the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office. Hooksett Town Councilor George Longfellow said the council will be interviewing candidates by June, perhaps mid-May, and is looking for someone with some “backbone.”

“In order to make changes in the Police Department,” said Longfellow, “we have to be more careful about who we appoint as commissioners. I’m at point now, we need to change ... people on commission.”

Longfellow noted that if the commission were abolished, he would like having more control of the Police Department. Currently, the only power the Town Council has is to appoint commissioners.

Town Councilor Michael Pischetola would like to see a change.

“After being on the council for almost one year,” he said, “I have come to learn that the present board of commissioners are too close to the chief and management staff of our Police Department. It appears that communications ave broken down.”

State law requires a warrant article to be presented to voters to rescind the Police Commission. “Abolishing the commission is a choice of the people,” said Pischetola,”and it certainly would bring more control under the council, along with the budget and accountability controls. I would examine the pros and cons and continually have an open mind, but in the end it needs to be in the best interests of the town.”

The commission was established by a vote in 1975, said Longfellow, and at the time it was meant to “get the politics out of it.” At that time, there were only four fulltime police officers and the chief, but there were also 40 or 50 people deputized to act on behalf of the Police Department. The commission was put in place to bring the department to a more professional level.

Tri-Town Ambulance to lose Hooksett

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:33:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

The Hooksett Town Council unanimously voted to end the town’s relationship with Tri- Town Ambulance and create the town’s own ambulance service, beginning in July 2010.

Hooksett currently contracts for emergency response services with Tri-Town for $79,880 per year. Tri-Town also serves Pembroke and Allenstown.

The new service, which will require the Fire Department to purchase another ambulance, will operate from the Safety Center.

The town already owns one ambulance, which serves as a backup for emergencies.

Fire Chief Michael Williams said he anticipates the cost of the ambulance at $150,000 to $200,000, which would come from the department’s impact fee account. The balance of that account exceeds $300,000.

Williams said the council’s decision could add more than $260,000 in revenue each year, but more importantly will mean quicker response times for residents. “That was the catalyst of why we started looking into the ambulance service,” Williams said. “It comes down to response time.”

The Tri-Town ambulance vehicle that serves Hooksett is headquartered at the Hooksett Safety Center during business hours Monday through Friday. On weeknights and weekends, it is stationed in Pembroke.

Town Councilor David Ross supports the change, but said he would have preferred the decision be made by voters.

“Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should do it without going to the voters,” Ross said. “I really think it should be on the warrant article and I’m confident it would pass.”

Budget Committee cuts police spending

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:57:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

The Hooksett Budget Committee made deep cuts in the proposed Police Department budget, including significant erasures in the wages and benefits lines.

The committee cut more than $200,000 from the $4.1 million budget that was recommended by the Town Council. Roughly $168,000 – enough money to hire a lieutenant detective and a dispatcher for the police department – came from the wages and benefit lines alone.

Budget Committee member J.R. Ouellette said the budget surpluses that the Police Department routinely accrues speak to the fact that their overall bottom line is too big.

“Over the past five years, (Police Chief Steve Agrafiotis) has had over $300,000 at the end of the year to play around with it and do with what he wants,” Ouellette said.

David Pearl, also a member of the committee, said the fact that the Police Department spent $33,000 on a new sign for the Safety Center speaks to the reality it is overfunded.

“We need to trim (the budget) down because the sign issue was on obvious misuse of those intended funds,” Pearl said.

The Budget Committee cut the bottom line based on salaries and benefits for positions that are not currently filled.

Over $73,000 was cut during one motion – enough money to fill the currently empty dispatch position. Another $95,000, which would have funded the salary and benefits of an administrative lieutenant detective position, was cut separately.

Additionally, the Budget Committee voted to zero-out the $13,000 miscellaneous line as they cut the proposed $75,000 legal line to $50,000.

Budget Committee member Mark Miville said he thought $75,000 for legal services spoke poorly of the department’s management practices.

“The turnover is very high in this department,” Miville said. “They need to get their act together. It’s a reflection of management and not just employee issues.”

But Police Commission Chairman David Gagnon said cutting funding for wages, benefits, legal fees and other miscellaneous items does not make the need for those items go away.

“Let’s take the miscellaneous line. It still has to be funded because it pays for blood tests, it pays for prisoner meals, it pays for blankets. So even though they zeroed-out the line, it doesn’t zero-out the need for it,” Gagnon said. “Yes, we all know it’s a bottom line budget. What they used for their lines to cut made no sense at all. More than likely, it’s patrol that’s going to suffer.”

In other business, the Budget Committee increased the library’s budget by $17,475 so that employee salaries would be more equitable with those in comparable towns.

The Budget Committee will vote on its final budget recommendations at a public hearing Thursday, March 5.

Tax exemptions wanted for solar, wind

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:51:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

Hooksett resident Lee Scott wants to reduce his carbon footprint and his energy bills – that is, as long as his property taxes don’t skyrocket in return.

That’s why Scott has been working tirelessly with the Hooksett Town Council to pass a local ordinance that would provide property tax exemptions for renewable sources of energy like solar panels, wind turbines and wood-burning stoves.

“I am going to start out small with my solar system,” Scott said. “It will be a fixed 2,000- watt system, which will cost me around $18,000 to construct. I will be doing the installation myself to save around $10,000, but I’m probably one of the few who could accomplish the task on their own.”

Anyone who invests in such an expensive initiative to be green should be offered a property tax break, he said.

Town Assessor Todd Haywood said his office does not currently assess solar panels, if they exist, on Hooksett homes.

If the Town Council passed an ordinance that would exempt potential users from paying extra on their tax bills, it would require Haywood’s department to assess the homes with solar panels and then to deduct that added value from the final bill.

That process could take upwards of five years, he said, which would not necessarily be a problem, he added, because the town is currently beginning a new five-year cycle of revaluations anyway.

At a Town Council meeting earlier this month, some councilors expressed the idea that passing the ordinance would be unnecessary since Hooksett currently ignores the existence of solar panels anyway.

“The town would have to start assessing something we currently don’t assess to accommodate this request,” said Town Councilor David Ross. “I think it’s almost a moot issue until the day we decide to start assessing these things.”

Town Councilor Paul Loiselle said that because the town is not assessing the different sources of renewable energy technologies, the process of adding them and then exempting their values from town property cards seems time consuming.

“It’s kind of redundant, isn’t it?” Loiselle asked.

But Scott isn’t willing to spend almost $20,000 on a series of solar cells when the town could potentially turn around and increase a tax bill that he says is already hard enough to pay.

“Do I take a chance and spend $22,000 to $25,000 this year and see if they keep up their current practice?” Scott asked.

He doesn’t have the answer yet. Neither does the Town Council, which has indicated it will revisit the topic at an upcoming meeting.

Property tax break sought for autistic man

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:36:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

Dennis Couture may not have the ability to speak, but that’s not keeping his mom and dad from speaking out loud and clear for him.

“Dennis never worked and never will work. He is at the mercy of everyone and everything,” said his father, Albert Couture, describing his son, 35, who is a nonverbal autistic adult.

Albert and Jannette Couture, both Manchester residents, are fighting to get a Hooksett property tax exemption for their son, who owns a condominium in Hooksett.

The council did not pass an exemption but approved a motion that will allow for property owners with physical or development disabilities to apply for a hardship abatement. Councilors said this process will allow the board of assessor to review each request for property tax credits on a case-by-case basis. Richard Boulanger, a friend of the family, said Dennis Couture’s income is extremely fixed.

He was able to purchase the condo in Granite Hills in Hooksett in May 2008 through a state program called Home of Your Own, which no longer exists.

After making his mortgage payment, paying his bills and meeting other financial obligations, Boulanger said Dennis’ food budget is less than $7 per day. He spends less than $100 on clothes for an entire year. Meanwhile, his Hooksett property tax bill is nearing $4,000 annually.

“As property taxes and all the other things – those are challenges for him, just like any other homeowner. But he doesn’t have the ability to go get another job,” Boulanger said. “He could lose his home because the budget that he receives does not change. He only gets $7 a day for food – that’s not a lot of money.”

Fighting for the property tax credit was a crucial step in ensuring Dennis Couture can remain in his home.

“It’s important for Dennis – it’s important for all individuals with developmental disabilities – who have struggled with independence and trying to become a part of this community,” Albert Couture said.

Boulanger and Albert Couture agreed that Dennis, who has been transferred between institutions for the majority of his life, is much happier situated in his permanent residence with around-the-clock professional care. They are both committed to making sure he stays put.

“He is happy there. He is a different boy. He is a different man,” Albert Couture said.

$9M Hooksett sewer upgrade could get $7M in aid

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:24:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

The Hooksett Town Council will consider adding a $9 million article to the town warrant to address upgrades and repairs to the local wastewater treatment plant.

Hooksett taxpayers would only be responsible for raising $2.3 million through local taxes. The other 75 percent of the project – if passed – would be funded through a federal economic stimulus grant.

The Town Council will hold a public hearing on the possibility of including the project on the May 12 warrant at its next meeting on Feb. 18. Even so, many councilors expressed the opinion that such a huge sum is unlikely to get far with voters.

“For the past three years, the Sewer Department has been asking for a million and a half,” said Vice Chairman Paul Loiselle. Each time the expensive projects have been voted down by taxpayers, he said. “Now they’re asking for $2.3 million. That’s all I’m saying.”

Town Councilor George Longfellow said he thinks the project is “a shot in the dark.”

Town Councilor David Ross agreed it’s a long shot. “I, personally, think it would be waste of time,” Ross said.

Town Councilor Nancy Van- Scoy, although agreeing with others that in such tough economic times an article as expensive as the one proposed would be a hard sell, said it is worth consideration.

“I think we owe it to the public to hold a public hearing,” VanScoy said.

In other business, the council discussed the possibility of offering a property tax exemption to disabled people in the community. No action was taken on the issue; Chairman Dave Dickson said the matter would be readdressed at the council’s March 11 meeting.

The Hooksett Town Council will meet again at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, in the Hooksett Town Offices, 35 Main St., Hooksett.

Leaks continue to plague Hooksett Safety Center

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:03:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

Hooksett Police Chief Stephen Agrafiotis says the ceiling of the Police Department is poised to crumble on top of him.

Poor insulation, bursting pipes and melting snow account for the majority of concerns in the 12-year-old Hooksett Safety Center complex. But that’s just in winter.

During the summer, Agrafiotis said, downpours often lead to officers strategically placing buckets and trash cans around the building to catch leaking water. Bug infestation is another hot-weather problem.

“I used to pick up the bugs in the conference room prior to commission meetings,” he said. “I stopped doing it.” Police Capt. Jon Daigle said a combination of poor construction and minimal maintenance over the building’s 12-year life has led to the conditions the department currently works in.

“That first summer when we first moved in, it started leaking when it rained,” Daigle said. “It’s still leaking now.”

Throughout the years, the town has replaced ceiling tiles and pipes, but only after the tiles collapsed and the pipes burst, Daigle said. The water damage has ruined expensive electrical equipment and is likely breeding mold spores, he said.

Daigle said it is frustrating that no one can seem to pinpoint where the problems originate. Another setback is the reality that the town only has one part-time building maintenance employee on the payroll.

Working 20 hours a week, it is impossible for one individual to address all the building concerns in town, Daigle said.

“I think it boils down to nobody knows exactly what the problem is,” Daigle said. “I’m not even sure what the answer is.”

Agrafiotis said the department was dealing with a hot water pipe that had burst on the first floor and flooded the armory and storage areas on Thursday, Jan. 18.

Interim Town Administrator Carol Granfield said the myriad concerns are worth consulting with an architect to see what areas of the safety center need addressing.

“It sounds like it’s been one thing after another,” said Granfield, who saw the first-floor water damage Thursday. “I think it needs evaluation beyond what our people can do. It’s unfortunate that when all this first happened 10 years ago, we didn’t jump on it.”

If Hooksett voters approve the $14.6 million operating budget recommended by the town council, a full-time building maintenance employee could be hired.

Town Councilor Bill Gahara, who also toured the safety center that Thursday, said the building needs more than just new ceiling tiles and insulation. “Obviously, this is a huge problem,” Gahara said. “To put a Band-Aid on something like this constantly is not good.”

Hooksett town councilor furious as five councilors sign contract without vote

Hooksett Editor — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:08:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

Hooksett Town Councilor Patricia Rueppel is calling for the resignation of five of her fellow council members following the handling of a contract for the services of an interim town administrator.

The five town councilors, David Dickson, George Longfellow, Bill Gahara, James Gorton Sr. and Paul Loiselle signed a contract with Municipal Resources Inc. for an interim town administrator’s services without waiting for a discussion and vote on the contract.

“We had the Hooksett four, now we have the famous five. Is the stupid six next?” said Rueppel. “I want the famous five to resign, whoever the five are who signed. Their act was not only inappropriate, it’s illegal.”

Rueppel said she spoke to Don Juton of Muncipal Resources Inc., who confirmed the contract was stamped received on Dec. 16, a day before the Hooksett Town Council would have met to vote on it.

Carol Granfield has been doing the job of town administrator since Nov. 17, shortly after David Jodoin left to take the same job in Pembroke.

She came to Hooksett through Muncipal Resources Inc., or MRI, which assists state and local governments with planning, management and support services. She is being paid $70 per hour for two and half work days per week, said Hooksett Town Council Chairman David Dickson.

The contract for her services was presented at the Dec. 3 Town Council meeting, said Town Councilor Michael Pischetola, but no one had had a chance to review it beforehand. Dickson suggested members take the contract home to review, and it would be discussed and voted upon at the next meeting on Dec. 17.

When that meeting took place, said Pischetola, Dickson said the contract had already been signed by five members and there was no further need for discussion.

“When Dave said the contract’s been signed, everyone looked around, like who signed the contract?” said Pischetola. “To this day, I don’t know which five signed it. How can you do that? How can you have a meeting with five councilmen? Was it phone calls, all together?” Pischetola said he felt he did not get a chance to represent his constituency as the contract was approved without any of his input.

Town Councilor Nancy VanScoy echoed that sentiment. “Councilor Rueppel and I felt the contract should have been discuss in public so all councilors had an opportunity to addressed the terms of the contract as a voting body,” she said.

Dickson says he now realizes he should have waited to get everyone’s input.

“The disagreement was that I asked five councilors (a majority) sign the MRI agreement for Carol’s services. These were the councilors I saw over the period from Dec. 11 to Dec. 17, and when the vice chair told me he would not be at the meeting, I asked him to sign also,” said Dickson.

“The contract was in all councilors’ possession for review since our last meeting, Dec. 3. After I got five signatures, I had it forwarded back to MRI. My mistake was that I should have waited for the council meeting on the 17th and offered everyone a chance to discuss one more time and sign at the same time. In my rush to get one more thing off my plate I definitely should have waited til the meeting on Dec. 17th. Lesson learned.”

Rueppel had harsh words for the chairman’s handling of the contract.

“He felt it was OK because he had five councilors sign it without the benefit of a discussion or a vote,” she said. “Need I tell you, I was furious.”

Among the issues Pischetola and Rueppel are concerned with is a cap on the amount of money being spent on the interim town administrator, with no cap on spending. Pischetola said the council did agree to have a cap on spending, but wondered if this was passed on to MRI. Jutton told Rueppel he was unaware of the cap, said Rueppel.

“Pat explained to me the reasons she wanted a cap, which sounded extremely logical to me,” said Pischetola. “You don’t go and spend money you don’t have. We’re spending that money without discussing it.”

The Town Council agreed on Dec. 17 to place a $7,000 per month cap on the interim town adminstrator’s compensation.

Rueppel said the council also agreed to spend $12,000 on a search for a permanent replacement, with MRI handling that process. She was unable to explain why Assistant Town Administrator Elizabeth Dionne was not asked to handle things in the interim, despite having acted as interim in the past.

“Three times, Liz Dionne was acting town administrator,” said Rueppel. “She’s done an excellent job every time.”

Rueppel also wrote a letter to The Hooksett Banner, published on Dec. 4, asking voters to remove every town councilor who had anything to do with the so-called Hooksett Fired Four, four female Town Hall employees who were fired for gossiping about the town administrator.

$33,000 sign sparks debate

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:31:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

The Hooksett Budget Committee chairman said the Hooksett Police Department is spending money on items that were not approved by voters, and that they should be acting more transparently when it comes to big-ticket purchases.

Specifically, Chairman John Pieroni told the Hooksett Town Council on Wednesday, Dec. 3, that the Police Department is spending taxpayer dollars from its $3.2 million annual budget on projects that were not discussed during the previous year’s budget cycle.

“I think it is particularly disturbing when you have money being spent on items that never came before the Budget Committee,” Pieroni said.

A new sign for the town’s safety center, which cost $33,000, and an outdoor, fenced-in firing range for police officers, which cost more than $16,000, caused Pieroni acute concern. Furthermore, the Police Commission’s refusal to submit a financial summary of large expenditures to the town’s finance director is a sign of non-compliance, he said.

“We need to know how (the money) was spent in the past to see what needs to be spent in the future,” Pieroni said. “I think it was a reasonable request. (The Police Department is) part of the town budget ... so I would expect them to provide all the information that the finance director might need.”

Mark Meville, a member of the Budget Committee, also told the council he thought expenditures were shrouded in mystery and should, in turn, raise some eyebrows.

“That’s what we’re talking about: transparency and accountability,” Meville said. “The voters should have known about (these purchases). There was no transparency here.”

The comments were made during a portion of a regular Town Council meeting during which Pieroni was scheduled to deliver a brief overview on the workings of the Budget Committee.

Hooksett Police Chief Steve Agrafiotis was also present at the meeting and took an opportunity to counter the Budget Committee’s concerns.

Agrafiotis insisted purchases made by the Police Department were necessary and that the Town Council particularly directed the Police Department to move forward with buying the new sign.

“I see his point of it not being discussed earlier in the year,” he said. “But we wouldn’t have done the project if the council hadn’t approved it.”

Agrafiotis also said the Police Commission, which oversees the Police Department’s budget, is often required to spend money on items during the fiscal year that were not foreseen during the budget process.

Additionally, he said, the Police Department returned money to the town that was not spent during the previous fiscal year and that several town-wide purchases, including a new air conditioner for the renovated town offices, were purchased without discussing the expenses with the Budget Committee.

Town Councilor Pat Rueppel said she was puzzled why the Police Department was raked across the coals at the meeting.

“What happened was unfair,” said Rueppel, who made the motion last May to allow the Police Department to purchase the new safety center sign. “The Police Department turns any excess money back to us every year. It was unfair what happened to Steve (Agrafiotis) last night. One of the reasons the council moved on this sign in the first place was because nothing was getting done about it.”

Town Councilor David Ross responded to the Budget Committee’s comments by insisting the sign purchase was made above board.

“There were meetings and discussions about this,” Ross said. “It was not done in secret or darkness.”