Hooksett Banner : voting

Hooksett Police Commission may increase to five

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

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.

Hooksett sewer bond OK’d

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:14:00 GMT

By lauren sausser

By a more than 3-1 margin, Hooksett residents agreed during the May 12 town vote that doubling the size of the wastewater treatment plant is in the town’s best interest.

Half of the $6.2 million project, which will double the capacity of the local plant, will be funded by federal economic stimulus funds. The other half will be covered by rate increases imposed on sewer users – approximately one-third of Hooksett residents.

Estimates project that sewer ratepayers can expect about an $88 increase per year for 20 years to fund the project. The vote to approve the project was 712-197.

If the project had not been approved, the town would have been required to forfeit the federal funds.

The majority of voters who showed up at the polls also approved the $15.8 million municipal operating budget. If that budget had not passed, the default budget would have been approximately $60,000 more.

State Rep. David Boutin was elected to the District 1 Town Council seat. Boutin will replace Patricia Rueppel, who had served on the council for nine years and did not seek re-election.

Town Councilors David Ross and James Gorton, who ran unopposed for their seats, were re-elected for three-year terms. Residents also approved the hiring of a full-time children’s librarian for the Hooksett Public Library, beginning in January. Nearly $32,000 will cover six months of salary and benefits for the future employee. Future salary and benefits for the position will be incorporated into the 2010-11 fiscal year budget.

Residents voted against the creation of a fund to establish public access television in Hooksett. Currently, Comcast cable users pay franchise fees, which, townwide, total about $120,000 annually and are deposited in the town’s general fund.

About 10 percent of 9,114 registered voters cast ballot.

A full list of ballot results is available on The Hooksett Banner’s Facebook page, which can be accessed through www.hooksettbanner.com.

Hooksett Town Meeting takes place April 4

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:58:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

Hooksett voters will give their yay or nay to 18 warrant articles to be presented at the deliberative session of Town Meeting on Saturday, April 4. The meeting starts at 1 p.m. at Cawley Middle School.

Once the wording of the articles is approved, a secret ballot vote will take place on May 12, along with the elections of town candidates. The filing period for those interested in running for town council and other offices ends Friday, April 3, at 5 p.m.

Here’s a rundown of the articles up for discussion: Article 3 – In order for Hooksett to receive federal stimulus package money, this article will need to be approved. It asks for $6,224,375 in bonds for construction, replacement and expansion of the wastewater treatment plant. If the article receives the necessary three-fifths majority vote, half would be paid by the state and the other half would be paid by the federal stimulus package funds. Should the federal money not come through, the article would be null and void.

Article 4 – This article asks for a town operating budget of $15,878,857. This amount is lower than the default budget number of $15,937,590.

“The budget being lower than default was the work of the Budget Committee, mostly from cuts in the Police Department,” said Town Councilor David Ross.

The Hooksett Police Commission’s request to the town was for a police budget of $4,192,073, said Chief Stephen Agrafiotis. The Town Council suggested $4,119,849 to fully fund 29 positions, which citizens had approved in 2004.

The Budget Committee recommended $3,913,308, decrease of $206,541 from council.

Should the recommended operating budget pass, said Agrafiotis, he can’t fund two positions that are currently open now anyway, so there would be no layoffs. He would also still have to make up $36,000 from other line items. If voters say no to the proposed budget, the Police Department would have a budget of $4,206,588.

Article 5 – A collective bargaining agreement between the town and the Hooksett Permanent Firefighters Association outlines increases for the next two years.

Article 6 – If Article 5 is defeated, approval of Article 6 would allow for a special meeting to reconsider the vote.

Article 7 – This article asks for $75,918 for salaries and raises for nonunion town personnel.

Article 8 – This article asks for $130,000 for the Town Building Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund. This does not raise taxes as it comes from the general fund balance.

Article 9 – In order to complete repairs to the northeast retaining wall at the corner of Martin’s Ferry Road and North River Road, this article asks for $64,000. This does not raise taxes, as the money would come from the general fund balance.

Article 10 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Town-Wide Computer Development Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 11 – This article asks for $40,000 to be placed in the Town Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 12 – This article asks for $10,000 to establish a capital reserve fund to update the town’s master plan.

Article 13 – This article asks for $34,000 to establish a capital reserve fund for a road impact fee traffic study.

Article 14 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Fire Cistern Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 15 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Parks and Recreation Facilities Development Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 16 – This article asks for $10,000 to be placed in the Emergency Radio Communications Development Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 17 – This article asks for $140,000 to purchase a plow dump truck for the Highway Department.

Article 18 – The Hooksett Public Library would hire a fulltime children’s librarian if this article is approved. It asks for $31,955 for six months’ worth of salary and benefits for the new librarian.

Article 19 – This article asks for $20,000 to be placed in the Fire Air Packs and Bottles Capital Reserve Fund.

Article 20 – This petitioned warrant article asks to take the franchise fees currently charged to Comcast customers in Hooksett and direct the money to establish and operate a public access television service for Hooksett instead of placing the money in the general fund.

Federal stimulus money could pay for Hooksett sewer plant upgrade – with town vote

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:16:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

Hooksett Sewer Commission Chairman Sid Baines says a $9.4 million warrant article that taxpayers will vote on in May should be a no-brainer.

That’s because not a cent of the price tag will affect local property taxes and the article, which would fund a project to double the capacity of the local wastewater treatment plant, is crucial.

The majority of the money – just over $7 million – will be awarded through funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan of 2009. Baines said the rest of the tab will be covered by ratepayers who use the sewer system in Hooksett or collected from developers who pay system development fees.

“In order to be on the list for the stimulus money, the state said we had to put together a (warrant) article,” he said. “If this doesn’t pass, we can’t apply for any stimulus money.”

The reason the Sewer Commission is required to put the article on the town warrant is because it needs permission from the local taxpayers – a three-fifths majority of them, to be precise – to spend federal money on the project, which would double the size of the treatment plant.

It’s a project that’s sorely needed, said Bruce Kudrick, superintendent of the plant. “This town is growing by leaps and bounds. Right now, (the wastewater treatment plant) is 100 percent at capacity,” Kudrick said. “All we’re trying to do is get in the game for the stimulus money.”

The fact that no new developments in Hooksett can be linked into the town’s existing sewer system is a huge detractor in luring new business, Kudrick said.

Baines, who was scheduled to speak during a public hearing on the issue at the Town Council meeting Feb. 18, stressed that none of the money for the plant expansion would be raised from property taxes.

“We want the public to know that it will not affect their tax rate,” Baines said.

What may be affected, however is the ratepayers’ bills. With the federal stimulus bill only just passed on Feb. 17, Baines said it has been unknown exactly what plans would be offered.

There may be a grant for projects like this one, or there may be money offered only with matching funds paid by Hooksett. Still, Baines said, passage of the warrant is needed simply to be eligible.

Record turnout at polling stations

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:15:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

The preparations paid off, as local polling stations handled record crowds in the choice for president in 2008. In Hooksett, more than half the population cast a ballot, while Candia saw an 89 percent turnout of registered voters.

Lines were to the street as the polls opened at 7 a.m., according to Town Moderator Marlene Lein. By 9:30 a.m., Cawley Middle School’s parking lot was still busy, but voters were whisked through the lines. One side of the gym was set up for a snaking line to corral those who still had to register, and police and highway workers had many signs directing traffic around the school.

Ultimately, 7,189 people voted in Hooksett, with 760 new voters signing up on Election Day, a 75 percent turnout of the 9,553 registered voters in a town of about 12,000 residents.

“All in all, it was a very smooth day,” said Bob Ehlers, chairman of the supervisors of the checklist. Hooksett Town Clerk Leslie Nepveu agreed it was a day that went well, thanks to cooperation from everyone.

In Allenstown, of 3,024 registered voters, 2,211 cast ballots for a 73 percent turnout. Town Clerk Diane Demers said it was a “really good day,” with no long lines or parking problems, since there was no school that day. In Pembroke, of 5,613 registered voters, 3,963 voted, for a 70 percent turnout.

In Auburn, 3,194 people cast ballots, said Town Clerk Joanne Linxweiler. There were 217 newly registered people, making the total registered voters 3,983 – an 81 percent turnout. “It was busy and steady all day long and everything ran smoothly,” said Linxweiler.

In Candia, 86 percent of registered voters came out, with 2,567 casting ballots. Of those, 170 registered on Election Day. Epsom had a 75 percent turnout, with 2,528 voting.

Large turnout expected Nov. 4, police in Hooksett and surrounding towns prepare for traffic

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:33:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

A record turnout is likely in the works for the presidential election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, and area police and poll workers are gearing up for the crowds.

In Hooksett and Pembroke, police will be enforcing a change in the usual traffic patterns at the school buildings where voting takes place. Police in Epsom, Allenstown, Candia and Auburn were not making any changes in traffic pattern, but will be prepared for more traffic than usual.

In Allenstown, poll workers will be available an extra hour in the morning, with hours now starting at 7 a.m., and ending at 7 p.m., for this election only. Parents of Hooksett’s middle school students will have to be aware that voting is likely to make parent-teacher conferences scheduled for that day difficult to get to on time.

“Be patient,” said Hooksett police detective Paul Cecilio. “If you have a parent-teacher conference, get there early. We anticipate a large crowd.”

Cecilio added that there will be message boards and officers to direct traffic. Additional lighting will also be provided so those voting after dark will be able to find their way to the auxiliary parking areas behind Cawley Middle School.

Expect to wait in line.

“If we get an influx of people,” said Cecilio, “it could be all the way to (Route) 28.”

And if you are in line near the time the polls close?

“If your car’s in line (at 7 p.m.),” said Cecilio, “they’re last to vote.”

In Auburn, there will be extra voting booths at Auburn Village School to help manage the crowds, said town clerk Joanne Linxweiler.

“If people are in line waiting to vote at 7 p.m. (closing time),” she said “the moderator will allow those already in line the opportunity to cast their vote.”

In Candia, town clerk Christine Dupere said she is having additional poll workers to help that day, including same-day voter registration. Again, if you are in line by the time the polls close, you will be allowed to vote.

“The moderator and I are doing a lot of advanced planning to keep things running smoothly,” said Dupere,” and I will be holding a training class for all the poll workers and election officials.”

Allenstown Elementary School will be closed that day.

“We will have extra officers on duty,” said Police Chief Shaun Mulholland. “However, there are no plans to change traffic patterns. We do expect parking problems, there is no real way to resolve that issue.”

In Epsom, there will be extra help at Epsom Central School.

“We will be having greeters that will direct people where to go to vote or if they need to register to vote,” said town clerk Dawn Blackwell. “We will be having two check-in tables.”

Traffic pattern changes in Pembroke

Pembroke is making the following changes to the traffic pattern on Election Day:
• Pine Street from Broadway to High Street, westbound only.
• High Street from Pine Street to Maple Street, southbound only.
• Maple Street to Broadway, eastbound only.
• Prospect from Maple to Pine Street, northbound only.

On-street parking will be limited to one side of each affected street. It will be properly posted with no parking signs. The Police Department will have officers at the polls to assist with the new traffic pattern. There will also be personnel on hand to assist with traffic flow in the school parking lot. Extra lighting equipment will be in place to help light the area after dark. School will not be in session on Election Day. Handicap parking will be available.

Traffic pattern changes in Hooksett

In Hooksett, all traffic will enter Cawley School through the entrance off White Hall Road in two lanes approaching the school. All traffic will exit through the rear gate of Cawley onto Farmer Road. Traffic wishing to exit back onto Whitehall Road should use Whitehall Terrace to reverse direction. All other north/south traffic should go to the end of Farmer Road and exit via Londonderry Turnpike (Bypass 28).

Officers will be at Farmer Road and Londonderry Turnpike to assist with traffic should it back up on Farmer Road.

Town Meeting debates sewer, cable TV needs

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:37:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

The 60 or so voters who showed up at the deliberative session of Hooksett Town Meeting on Saturday, April 5, sent all monetary warrant articles to the May 13 ballot virtually unchanged, except for a few clarifying amendments.

Articles including a $1.5 million sewer expansion bond, hiring two additional firefighters and establishing a public access television program absorbed the most discussion.

The town’s proposed operating budget, totaling $15,786,795, was sent to the ballot with little discussion. The proposed budget would comprise an estimated $6.60 per $1,000 of assessed value. If the proposed budget and all warrant articles are approved, it would result in a tax rate increase of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value, a tax bill increase of $300 on a $300,000 home.

According to Town Administrator David Jodoin, Hooksett’s taxes did not increase at all in 2007, and in 2006 only increased about 2 percent.

Sewer bond
The sewer bond, which represents an increase in taxes of 17 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, would pay for the second phase of a $14 million construction project. The expansion would double the plant’s capacity, bringing it up to 2.2 million gallons per day.

The tax bill for a $300,000 home would increase by $51, should voters approve the bond.

The $1.5 million for phase two of the project was included as part of the Cabela’s package, but with the sporting goods giant delaying the construction of its Hooksett store after a drop in profits at the end of 2007, Sewer Commissioner Sid Baines said the expansion needs to happen sooner rather than later.

The total cost of phase two of the project amounts to about $8 million, and Baines said the bond would bring the total funds available for the construction to around $6 million.

“Even if the $1.5 million does pass, we’re still going to be about $700,000 short,” Baines said at the deliberative session. “If the money isn’t approved, we’ll upgrade as much as we can, but won’t look for any more capacity,” he said.

Currently, according to Baines, the plant has no more capacity to sell to commercial or residential developments, which would bring in more money for the project.

Baines added that Cabela’s representatives have assured the Sewer Commission that they would still be good for the $1.5 million after they’ve completed the planning process, but there’s no time line on when that would happen.

“It might not come in until 2012, when they break ground,” Baines said.

He added the Sewer Commission hopes to get to a point where the state would allow a 10 percent increase in the plant’s capacity so they could sell gallonage and make more money to complete the project.

Fire Department
Article 24 from the Fire Departments asks the town to approve $129,548 for the salaries, taxes and benefits to hire two firefighter/EMTs.

Approval of this article would reduce the Fire Department’s overtime budget by $99,672, setting the net cost to taxpayers at $29,876.

This article was amended at the deliberative session because the warrant listed a tax increase of 10 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, which was representative of the total $129,548. The tax information was changed to 2 cents per $1,000, which accurately reflects the $29,876 the taxpayers would actually spend.

The Town Council put its stamp of approval on the article, but the town’s Budget Committee voted 3-7 not to recommend the article.

“Right now, we don’t think people can afford this extra burden on their taxes,” said acting Budget Committee Chairman Tom Keach, adding the two new employees would add costs down the road for training and certifications.

Public access TV
Peter Farwell of the town’s newly formed Public Access Committee spoke to a citizen’s petitioned warrant article asking voters’ permission to earmark Comcast franchise fees to set up and maintain a public access channel.

“This is just the first step in getting public access. We just see this as an unlimited possibility,” Farwell said.

The Town Council already voted to add a line item for the public access station into the budget with an initial appropriation of $1, allowing the Budget Committee to add money into the budget for that purpose at a later date.

Currently, Jodoin said, about $100,000 per year in Comcast franchise fees goes into the town’s general fund to help offset taxes. The fee is about 3 percent of each Comcast bill.

The proposal has been a contentious issue in town, with some residents supporting the station, others wanting the money to continue going into the town coffers and still others saying the fees should be removed from the Comcast bills altogether.

Deputy Emergency Management Director Harold Murray spoke as a resident against the article at the deliberative session, saying he’d rather see the money go toward tax relief.

“This is being presented as no cost to the town. That couldn’t be further from the truth,” Murray said. “That hundred thousand has got to come from somewhere.”

He added public access channels often repeat content, run old programming and often have low viewership.

Resident Frank Gray agreed, saying the town and school appropriations plus the county and state school tax rates would result in an estimated tax increase of $3 per $1,000 of assessed value.

“I have no problem with public television. However, we have to look at priorities,” Gray said. “This is nice to have, but I don’t think we can afford it. It’s only a small amount, but by God we have to stop spending someplace.”

David Pearl, also involved in the public access committee, said there is a growing constituent of Hooksett residents – including himself – who would like to see the fees removed from their cable bills because it is an unfair tax, with Comcast users essentially contributing more money to offset taxes than the rest of the town’s residents.

Other articles
Other monetary warrant articles include the purchase of a new $55,000 backhoe/loader for the highway department; $113,975 in raises for non-union town employees; $33,000 for a traffic impact study to prioritize how impact fees will be spent on construction projects; $118,294 to hire two new highway workers; and $10,400 to hire a parttime Assistant Building/Zoning Inspector.

Residents will vote on the entire ballot on Tuesday, May 13, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Cawley Middle School.

Hooksett to consider sewer plant expansion

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:52:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

Among the items Hooksett voters will discuss at Town Meeting on Saturday, April 5, are a $1.5 million bond for sewer plant upgrades, two new trucks for the Highway Department, raises for nonunionized town employees, additional staff for the Highway and Fire Departments, and starting up a public access TV station.

They will also weigh in on a proposed budget of $15,786,795, more than $400,000 higher than the default budget, which would project the tax rate at around $6.60 per $1,000 of assessed value. For a home assessed at $300,000, the proposed town budget alone would comprise $1,980 on the tax bill.

Sewer expansion According to Sewer Commissioner Sid Baines, the $14 million plant expansion needs the $1.5 million from voters to add to $6 million the plant has already raised to fund the second phase of the project, which would add a second clarifier and increase the plant’s capacity by 10 percent.

About half of the $6 million raised came from a state revolving loan fund and the other half through developers. Sewer rates increased in the past year to help pay back the loan, Baines said.

The $1.5 million was originally built into the plans for Cabela’s, which have been put on hold due to reduced profits. The bond would increase the tax rate by about 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. For a Hooksett home assessed at $300,000, that’s an increase of between $45 and $51 on the tax bill.

At the Budget Committee’s public hearing on the warrant, the idea of comitting 30 percent of the plant’s flow to commercial business to foster growth was discussed.

“I think it would be much more appealing and guarantee it to pass,” said Budget Committee member Gerald Kearney about including such a promise in the warrant article.

Town Administrator David Jodoin said the idea was discussed with town attorney Bart Mayer, who said that would only “murky up” the language. Baines agrees with that advice. “Anything more that you put in an article muddies it up when it goes to the bond bank,” he said.

Town Council Chairman Paul Loiselle said the town cannot continue to say “no” to prospective developers because there is no more sewer capacity. “I definitely am adamant about the voters getting behind this 100 percent,” he said.

More firefighters
While the Town Council and Budget Committee were in agreement on the majority of warrant items, they differed when it came to Article 24, which asks for $129,548 to fund two additional firefighter/EMT positions in the Fire Department.

While the Town Council voted 6-1 to recommend the article, the Budget Committee voted 2-6 against recommending it. Passing this article would reduce the operating budget by $99,672 in overtime, leaving the town with a net increase for the coming year of $29,876 should voters pass the article.

Assistant Fire Chief Dean Jore said the department has saved the town money by doing its own vehicle maintenance and repairs, and plowing out the town’s hydrants and cisterns. “I don’t think firefighters should be plowing cisterns,” said Budget Committee member John Pieroni.

The two additional employees would also bring the department closer to state standards for staffing levels, Jore said. Currently, at least one officer and two firefighter/EMTs staff both the Central Station at the Hooksett Safety Center and Station 1 by the Town Hall 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

More highway workers and trucks
The Highway Department is asking voters to approve a total of $324,294 to purchase two trucks and hire two more employees.

Passing Article 16 would grant the Highway Department permission to enter into a 5-year lease for $151,000 for a plowdump truck, and would further collect $30,205 from Hooksett taxpayers for the first year’s payment.

Article 17 seeks $55,000 for a one-time purchase of a backhoe for the Highway Department.

Unlike the Fire Department’s endeavors to get two more firefighters, the Highway Department’s request for $118,294 to hire two full-time truck drivers went to the warrant with recommendations from both the Town Council and Budget Committee.

Public access cable TV At the public hearing, the Budget Committee also heard from resident David Pearl on a petitioned warrant article to bring public access television to Hooksett.

The program would be paid for through franchise fees the town currently collects from Comcast customers, which is currently about three percent of the total bill.

Right now, the money collected from those fees goes into the town’s general fund, and it would more than cover the estimated start-up costs for the station.

The total amount needed for the first year could approach $100,000, which would pay for a typical set up for the station and fiber optic cables.

Hooksett Town Meeting takes place Saturday, April 5, at 1 p.m., at Cawley Middle School.

Hooksett seeks $1.5M to upgrade sewer

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:29:00 GMT

BY GRETA CUYLER

Without $1.5 million from voters, commercial and industrial development, even some major residential subdivisions, will come to a halt, say Hooksett Sewer Department representatives.

All of the town’s sewer capacity is either being used or has been pre-sold to developers for upcoming projects, said Sewer Commissioner Sid Baines.

In May, voters will be asked to fund $1.5 million of a $14 million expansion project to double capacity to 2.2 million gallons – the first time in 38 years tax dollars will pay for plant upgrades, said Superintendent Bruce Kudrick.

“For what that $1.5 million will give them, there should not even be a question,” said Baines. “If the (voters) refuse us, we’ll close our doors.”

This is the third time the warrant article will appear on the ballot and needs a three-fifths majority to pass. If approved, it’s expected to add 15 cents to 17 cents to the tax rate, or $45 to $51 to the tax bill for a $300,000 home.

Planning Board Chairman *** Marshall said that without the sewer expansion, single-family homes using septic and well will drive the town’s growth, putting strain on town services, especially schools.

Commercial and industrial projects can help to offset the residential tax rate.

Already the Sewer Department has started turning down some proposed projects in town, including two over-55 housing developments and a self-storage facility, making it impossible for those developers to bring their proposals to the Planning Board.

The Sewer Department has raised more than $6 million for the expansion, which was once enough to complete the work, Baines said. But delays and statemandated changes have driven up costs.

The Sewer Commission has agreed to a number of statemandated changes, including rerouting a small stream by cutting down trees, re-sloping the area and replanting trees. That change alone increased the project’s cost from $10,000 to $250,000, Baines said.

Hooksett’s treatment plant has undergone five expansions since 1970, but the only time taxpayers contributed was in 1970, to the tune of $125,000, 5 percent of the project’s cost, said Kudrick. In the early 1980s, the Sewer Commission started charging users a system development fee, paid upfront per user. That money is used to upgrade the plant as necessary. But with no more capacity to sell, the Sewer Department is stuck.

Even the 428-unit Head’s Pond development has sewer capacity for only 130 units, said developer David Campbell. He bought that capacity three years ago and won’t need to buy any additional for at least four more years.

If taxpayers approve the warrant article in May, the Sewer Department can do enough upgrades to convince the state to expand capacity by 10 percent, and then they can sell capacity to fund the remaining upgrades.

There is a possibility that the Cabela’s developer will pay for the $1.5 million upgrades if all goes well with the planning process this spring. But the money wouldn’t come to the town until the store’s possible opening in early 2010 and then the taxpayers’ debt would be repaid, said developer Gene Beaudoin.

It’s time to vote

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:10:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

New Hampshire towns are gearing up for the annual vote on town and school issues. Polls will open Tuesday, March 11. Hooksett’s official ballot town elections are not until May 13.

Pembroke and Auburn adhere to the traditional Town Meeting format, and are only electing officials on March 11.

Auburn will, however, decide whether to change to the official ballot law, or SB2, at the March 11 vote. Auburn will also decide between Paul Raiche and Harland Eaton for selectman.

Hooksett – school
Hooksett will choose two of four candidates for School Board and vote on four warrant articles. The four running for School Board are Becky Berk, Pat Rueppel, Paul Cournoyer and Trisha Korkosz. Warrant articles include a $25 million school budget and renovations to the Underhill kitchen.

Allenstown – town
There are two contested races in Allenstown. David Bouffard, James Rodger and Chris Roy are competing for one road agent position. Lawrence Anderson, Thomas Irzyk, Richard Keeley, Sandra McKenney, Robert Lee and Roger LaFleur are running for one selectman’s slot.

• Proposed operating budget: $5,055,264. Should the budget fail, the default would be $4,541,936.

• The Suncook Wastewater Treatment Facility expansion: a $15 million bond to be paid over 20 years would expand the sewer plant, Allenstown taxpayers being responsible for 48 percent of the total costs and Pembroke 52 percent.

At the town’s deliberative session, voters amended the wording of the article to say that the town would only go for the expansion if at least half the costs could be secured in state and federal grants. A 60 percent majority vote is needed for this article to pass.

• New fire truck: This article asks voters to approve a $450,000 expenditure on a new fire truck to replace one dating back to 1976. The new truck is a 2,500-gallon pumper/tanker that would do the work of three of the older trucks for the Fire Department.

• Road agent: This article asks to change the method of putting the town’s road agent in place from official ballot election to Board of Selectmen appointment.

Allenstown – school
• Proposed operating budget: $9,954,853. Should the budget fail, the default budget would be $9,838,008. School warrant articles would add an extra $78,802.

• A warrant article asks for $58,802 for the first year of a four-year collective bargaining contract with the Allenstown Paraprofessional Association.

Epsom – town
The only contested race in Epsom is between four people running for three slots on the Budget Committee. They are David Fiorentino, Greg “Whitey” Foss, Mar Lou J. LaFleur and Carol McGuire.

• Proposed operating budget: $2,882,220. Should the budget fail, the default budget would be $2,469,881.

• Various articles ask for money to pave and maintain roads, projects that have been put off in the past few years due to defaulted budgets.

• A citizen’s petitioned warrant article asks voters whether they favor going back to a fivemember Board of Selectmen.

At this year’s election, three members will be voted in after Epsom residents voted last year to reduce the number of seats on the board down to three.

• The police and fire departments submitted a warrant article asking for $57,054 for six months’ salaries for one full-time officer and one full-time firefighter.

The article states $4,500 of that would come from a line in the police department’s budget, with the rest being raised through taxes. Another article asks for $82,815 to give all fulltime fire and police personnel pay raises.

Epsom – school
• Proposed operating budget: $8,071,443. Should the budget fail, the default budget would be $7,904,002.

• The school district asks in a warrant article for $36,292 to fund pay raises for school support staff.

• Another article asks for $34,884 to pay for bus transportation for Epsom high school students attending Pembroke Academy. Currently, there is no school district funded transportation for those students.

• To remove asbestos flooring left in the Epsom Central School, the district asks voters for $70,069.

Candia – town
Candia has two contested races. Dannis Lewis and Paul C. Vallee are competiting for road agent. For selectman, voters will choose between Todd D. Allen, Frederick Kelley and Amanda Soares.

• Proposed operating budget: $2,321,660. Should the budget fail, the default would be $2,265,781.

• A citizen’s petitioned warrant article asks whether Candia voters are in favor or selling a 12-acre parcel of land by Exit 3 off of Route 101. A 2003 vote already gave selectmen the authority to sell the land for a grocery store, but the article voted in also allowed for a citizen’s petition after two public hearings on the land sale.

• Selectmen submitted a petition asking voters’ stance on “rescinding” the town’s Budget Committee. The wording was changed at the town’s deliberative session, and now asks whether voters are in favor of “retaining” the Budget Committee.

Candia – school
• Proposed operating budget: $7,486,408. Should the budget fail, the default would be $7,526,161 (almost $40,000 higher than the proposed budget).

• The most expensive article asks voters to allow the Candia School Board to enter into a tuition agreement for a joint middle school with Auburn, and further to spend $296,708 for the first year’s payment on building costs. The tuition agreement would be in effect for 20 years, with Candia paying 38 percent of the school’s building and operating costs based on current enrollment.

• A warrant article for a collective bargaining agreement with Moore School teachers would require $83,347 to be raised in taxes.

• The school district is asking for $91,885 to purchase a generator for the Moore School.

Record turnout for primary

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:03:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

High voter turnouts, particularly among young people and independents, characterized this year’s primary election as one of a possible culture change.

More than half of registered voters in Hooksett, Pembroke, Allenstown, Auburn, Candia and Epsom participated in the primary vote, with Hooksett hitting a high 68 percent turnout.

Overall, New Hampshire is one of the more independent states in the country. According to an ABC News exit poll, about 40 percent of registered New Hampshire voters who participated in the nation’s first primary on Tuesday, Jan. 8, were registered as undeclared or independent.

Republican winner John McCain, who took 37 percent of the Republican vote, was the favorite coming into the primary for his perceived ability to capture independent votes.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were in a dead heat for most of the night as results poured in, but Clinton pulled away overnight and came through with 39 percent of the Democratic vote to Obama’s 36 percent to take the win.

In Hooksett, where just three votes separated McCain and Romney on the Republican ballot, Clinton was a favorite with about a fifth of the total 5,337 votes cast for both parties.

Including write-ins and 25 blank ballots from voters who wrote in their choices and forgot to fill in the oval, 5,487 votes were cast, a 68 percent turnout.

Leslie Nepveu, Hooksett town clerk for the last 21 years, estimated more than 500 new voters registered at the polls. “For a primary election, it was definitely the highest turnout,” Nepveu said, but added checklist supervisors did not yet have an exact count.

The Associated Press set up shop at the polls at Cawley School with a live feed to a news program in Europe, Nepveu said.

About a third of Candia’s voters are registered as undeclared, 1,176 out of a total 3,228 names on the checklist. The total number includes 224 new voters, who accounted for one-tenth of the primary votes. About 65 percent of Candia’s registered voters showed up at the polls.

“I’ve been the town clerk for 24 years, and this was probably the best primary we’ve ever had,” said Town Clerk Christine Dupere.

Pembroke registered 45 new voters, bringing the checklist total to 5,505. According to Town Clerk James Goff, 3,025 votes were cast for a 55 percent turnout. New voters accounted for about 15 percent of the total votes. Democrats on the whole got about 40 more votes than Republicans in that town.

Pembroke election moderator Tom Petit, who has been working at the town’s polls since 1972 in various capacities, said he thinks the spike in voting numbers is a sign of the town’s growth.

“My first thought is our town, like a lot of other towns, is in a state of change,” he said, adding new people, particularly of a younger generation, have come to town in the past few years.

Before the election, said Allenstown Town Clerk Diane Demers, there were 2,554 registered Allenstown voters, 1,205 of those registered as undeclared.

By the close of the polls, 279 new voters had contributed to the 1,696 votes cast, making up about 17 percent of the total votes. The total turnout was 59 percent of registered voters.

“I think there’s a lot of things going on that’s sparking people’s interest,” Demers said, referring to the younger generation’s surge in political involvement and world issues.

Joanne Linxweiler, Auburn town clerk, said 2,541 votes were counted, amounting to a potentially record-breaking 66 percent turnout. Complete numbers for new voter registration were not available by press time, but Linxweiler said she was impressed with the amount of new voters who came out.

Epsom counted a total of 1,905 ballots. Of those, 227, or almost 12 percent, were from newly registered voters. Out of the total 3,261 registered voters, Epsom had a 58 percent turnout.

Blackwell said the inundation of political calls and mail in the weeks before the election could have spurred people to vote, as well as the outcomes in Iowa where Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee took their respective party’s victories in caucus.

Epsom was the only Banner town to vote mostly Republican, with 1,004 total Republican ballots to 901 Democratic ballots counted.

Cabela’s vote is Oct. 23

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:18:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

Soon, Hooksett voters will be charged with the duty of either accepting or rejecting a new financial plan for the proposed Cabela’s development off Hackett Hill Road.

On Tuesday, Oct. 23, polls at Cawley Middle School will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to allow citizens to weigh in on the revised TIF district and reduced bond obligation.

Voters passed a financial plan at last March’s Town Meeting for a 300-acre TIF district and $18 million general obligation bond, putting the responsibility of the costs of development directly on the town.

Since then, the developer and town officials have come up with a new plan they said would be less complicated and reduce the town’s responsibility to fund the project.

After months of planning, Warrant Article 1 was submitted to the Town Council and Budget Committee, both of which recommend the article’s passage.

But many Hooksett residents are left wondering why, if the new plan is better for the town, it is once again being put to a vote.

The new plan

The financial plan outlined in Warrant Article 1 is different from the plan voters passed last year in two major ways.

First, this new article asks voters to approve a reduction in the size of the tax increment financing district, or TIF, from 300 acres down to 100 acres.

Tax revenues from the 200 acres excluded from the TIF would go directly into the town coffers.

At a Town Council meeting last month, councilors voted to approve the TIF reduction and include it as part of Warrant Article 1.

The 200 acres west of I-93 can easily be added back into the TIF district or can form a new one in the future, Council Chairman Paul Loiselle said.

At the time, Loiselle was against reducing the TIF, but now thinks it was a wise move. “I think the council did the right thing because there’s already significant interest in the properties west of 93” without them being included in the TIF, Loiselle said.

In the future, if a developer should want to build there, sewer improvements outside of the improvements being made for the proposed 100-acre Cabela’s TIF will need to be put in place.

Second, the article seeks to reduce the town’s obligation bond by $16 million.

Last year, voters passed an article approving the town to issue an $18 million general obligation bond for the project. As part of the new plan, that bond will be reduced to $2 million, which will be backed by a letter of credit by Miami and Pierce, a developer in the TIF building a Wingate Hotel.

The project developer, New England Expeditions–Hooksett LLC, will acquire the remaining $16 million through private lenders.

Over the next 20 years, the developer will pay off those private loans with taxes the development generates.

Marc Hughes, the financial advisor from First Albany Capital, who is representing the town on the development, presented the 20-year tax increment projections for the new plan at a Town Council meeting in September.

The town will refund the developer $1 million each year from their taxes to pay off the $16 million in private bonds borrowed.

The town will pay down the $2 million bond in a projected time period of five to seven years through taxes generated by the hotel, in the same way the Cabela’s project will be paid for.

In the first year, according to projections, the New England Expedition development will generate about $1.15 million, leaving about $150,000 in excess revenue which will go directly into the general fund.

Currently, the undeveloped area in question puts less than $100,000 in the town’s general fund,
according to Loiselle and Hooksett Town Administrator David Jodoin.

Over the entire 20-year period, according to Hughes, the town will get about $11 million in tax revenue from the TIF with the potential for tens of millions in the years after that period.

Why vote again?

Montagne Communications, the public relations firm representing the project’s developer, had a booth at Hooksett’s Old Home Day on Saturday, Oct. 6. Montagne employees Cassandra Pappathan and Darwin Cusack fielded questions about the project and the upcoming vote.

Cusack said they fielded many questions from Hooksett residents, most of them dealing with the upcoming vote.

“The most common question we got was, ‘Why are we voting on this thing again? We thought it was a done deal,’” Cusack said.

Loiselle said the council pondered the idea of not bringing the new deal to a vote because
“it’s a better deal,” but was advised to do so to make sure Hooksett residents understand exactly what it entails.

“We decided it was best that the public knew the complete scenario,” Loiselle said. “There is absolutely no money coming from the taxpayers.”

Jodoin said the council wanted to ensure voters understand the change in parameters from the first deal passed in March.

“It’s a different type of deal and a different structure,” Jodoin said.

He added that he wants to make sure residents know the council will seek to rescind the first $18 million bond deal if this one passes with voters.

He said some voters think the previous funding deal will still be in effect, and that the project has turned into a cost to the town in excess of $30 million.

“It’s not like we’re trying to keep an extra $18 million,” Jodoin said.

Contentions

Gene Bowdoin of New England Expeditions said he cannot see why voters would not pass the newly restructured deal if the last one was passed.

“If you hated the whole notion, that’s one thing,” Bowdoin said.

There are some residents in Hooksett who are against the project as a whole and others who believe the new deal is no better than the last one.

Some think there is a catch to the new deal, and question why the town would need to vote on something better than it already passed.

Hooksett resident Ed Groves called the deal “a wash,” adding that he does not think the town will benefit from the deal down the road.

He said he did not agree with the town giving Cabela’s a “tax exemption,” saying the town has not offered the same incentives to other businesses that came into town, such as Walgreen’s.

“There’s not two sides to it, there’s one side. The people that want this thing up there, they want it come hell or high water,” said Groves.

Deb Daigle of Montagne Communications said the developer realizes there is resistance in the town to the project, but that development is inevitable.

“There’s got to be progress too. I guess it’s just balancing it and keeping it in check,” Daigle said.

A new deal on Cabela’s plan – Hooksett to vote on $16 million bond reduction, TIF district Oct. 23

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:51:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

A completely restructured deal that will result in a Cabela’s sporting goods store and a hotel in Hooksett will also reduce an already approved bond authorization from $18 million to $2 million as well as create a new TIF, or tax increment financing, district in the town.

The new plan requires voter approval, a decision which Hooksett Town Council Chairman Paul Loiselle called “a no-brainer.”

If voters don’t pass this deal, the town and developer are back to square one, as no one – including taxpayers, town officials and the developer – wants to touch the original plan voters passed last year.

While several citizens raised concerns about the project itself, including tax impact, real estate values and possible effects on state aid at a special town meeting on Saturday, Sept. 22, others in Hooksett are glad to accept the new plan, which proposes a decrease in the town’s general obligation bonds for the project by $16 million.

At last year’s town election, Hooksett residents voted to approve a TIF district, a 300-acre parcel that the town would be obligated to for $18 million in bonds.

Earlier this month, the Town Council voted 8-1 to approve a reduction of the size of the TIF district to 100 acres and also to propose the new finance plan to voters which would reduce the town’s responsibility to $2 million in bonds.

The town’s general obligation bonds will be backed by a letter of credit from Miami & Pierce, the developer for the Wingate Hotel, also inside the TIF district.

Feldco, the developer operating on the project under the name New England Expedition-Hooksett LLC will obtain the other $16 million to fund the project up front through cash and private bonds.

Feldco produced Warrant Article 1 to seek voter approval for the TIF reduction and revised financial plan.

Saturday’s special town meeting was specifically held to introduce the warrant article outlining the new plan to voters and to get input on it.

Voting will take place Tuesday, Oct. 23, at Hooksett Cawley School. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

If the new article passes, the council will seek recision of the previously approved TIF district finance article.

The new deal

Under the TIF district plans, New England Expedition would fund the development with future tax revenues they generate.

Any excess tax revenue would go directly into the town’s general budget.

Marc Hughes, the financial advisor from First Albany Capital, who is representing the town on the development, presented the 20-year projections for the new plan at a Town Council meeting earlier in September.

The town will refund the developer $1 million each year from their taxes to pay off the $16 million in private bonds.

In the first year, according to tax increment projections, the development will generate a total of about $1.15 million, leaving the town with the excess revenue to the tune of $150,000, which will go directly into the general fund.

Each year for the 20-year TIF period, according to the projections, that excess revenue for the town will increase, and will eventually far surpass the $2 million in bonds the town will put up.

TIF reduction

The Town Council approved the proposed TIF reduction from 300 acres to 100 acres, excluding the area west of I-93 from the district, a council decision Chairman Paul Loiselle voted against.

At the time, Loiselle said he was concerned that the excluded property would offer no incentives for future developers, and thus would not ultimately lead to increased property tax revenues for the town.

In the future, if a developer does build on the area outside the proposed TIF, those tax revenues will now go straight to the town as the property will no longer be included in the financing plan for the current TIF.

Council members also have said that the excluded area can be added back into the TIF in the future.

Public input

Many of those who spoke up at the meeting voiced concerns about the tax impact the developments will have on the town, particularly on the schools, in the future.

The Town Council, Beaudoin and Hughes addressed many of the residential concerns by reminding that the passage of Article 1 was only the first step in the process, and that the town was not being asked to vote on issuing the bonds.

“We’re not looking for a bond approval,” Beaudoin said.

Loiselle pointed out that the article would only approve the $16 million reduction in the town’s liability and allow the council to enter into negotiations with New England Expeditions.

Budget Committee Chairman Vincent Lembo expressed concern over the $2 million in bonds backed by Miami & Pierce.

“They could walk away, and we’re still going to take on a shortfall,” Lembo said.

Loiselle said that the town will not be on the hook if Miami &Pierce do not follow through on the bond because the letter of credit is backed by cash.

“There will be no revenue or dollars coming from taxpayers in any way, shape or form,” Loiselle said.

Impacts on schools, police and fire response, and population levels have not been conducted yet.

Joanne McHugh, chairman of the Hooksett School Board, addressed the council at the special meeting, pointing out that the state cut financial aid to Hooksett schools when the TIF for Exit 10 improvements began to get extra revenue.

“You should take into consideration that analysis needs to be done,” McHugh said.

Loiselle responded that the Exit 10 TIF generates $700,000 in excess tax revenue each year that goes directly into the general fund.

Lembo said the fire and police departments will need more equipment and staff once the development opens to the public.

He wondered whether the tax revenues generated by the development each year would be enough to balance potential negative impacts elsewhere in the town.

Hughes said those types of studies could not be produced until the town approves the new plan.

Lembo also questioned the council’s decision to waive $500,000 in traffic impact fees for Cabela’s, a tax break that put many Hooksett residents on edge.

Deborah Brewster of T.F. Moran, the engineering company in charge of the Hackett Hill road improvements that will go with the development, took the floor to explain the waiver.

The traffic impact fees were waived so the developer could spend a total $1.5 million on improving the area surrounding the intersection off of I-93.

The improvements, which amount to about $7 million, include adding a lane and toll both to the exit, a roundabout into the property, and a five-way traffic signal at the intersection.

According to Loiselle, the state Department of Transportation has already deemed the intersection dangerous, and that the proposed improvements would take it out of the “failed” category.

Bill Sirak of the Hooksett Economic Development Committee called the deal “a financial home run” by the town, adding that he believes the council has demonstrated the ability to work on the taxpayer’s terms.

“The Town Council has been especially concerned with the taxpayers. I have every confidence that you will take the appropriate steps to go forward,” Sirak said.

Only the first step

The most important thing that town members need to understand, said Scott Tranchemontagne of New England Expeditions LLC, is that the developmental process will being with the passage of this article.

“First and foremost, it’s critical for people to know they need to come out and vote,” he said.

No deals have been made with Feldco or Miami&Pierce yet, and will not be made unless the town votes to accept the new TIF and financial plan.

Tranchemontagne said he thinks the meeting went very well, and that voters asked great questions.

“People just want to understand what the vote is about,” he said. “It’s giving the town authorization to negotiate with the development team.”

He added that 62 percent of voters passed the first plan. The new plan makes the town responsible for only about 12 percent of what they agreed to before.

“If you supported this project two years ago, you would definitely support it now,” he said.
He added that there are many more steps on the road to development. “It’s a very specific and defined process that any
developer has to go through,” Tranchemontagne said.

Voters, he said, will have a say in every step of that process, and this is just their first opportunity to do so.

“The people of Hooksett are going to have many opportunities to weigh in on this project beyond Oct. 23.”

State involvement

The state is not contributing any funding to the project. The developer is undertaking the costs of the road improvements by the intersection off of I-93.

Mike Vlacich, director of the state’s Division of Economic Development, attended the meeting to show support for the project, he said. He took notes on the proceedings.

Vlacich said the state wants to ensure the project is a successful undertaking for the town and the developer, adding that he sees the deal as “a win-win for all parties.”

State Rep. David Hess of Hooksett has been following the project closely, attending Town Council meetings and offering input in the discussions about road improvements, sewage restructuring and tax impact.

Hess did not agree at all with the first deal, but said that the new proposal is “incredibly superior” to the old one, which he said would not have produced tax revenue for the town until around the 13th year of the 20-year agreement.