BY RYAN O’CONNOR
Bio Energy, Gould Hill Orchards, Columbia Hall, a new senior center and taxes dominated the 2006 news year in Hopkinton.
Bio Energy
• At the turn of the year, Dec. 30, 2005, the state Supreme Court dismissed a 2003 ceaseand- desist order on Bio Energy from the town of Hopkinton. Bio Energy had planned to resume operations at its West Hopkinton by burning construction and demolition debris by July 2006.
• Two weeks later, Hopkinton selectmen appealed the decision by filing a motion requesting the Supreme Court reconsider portions of its Dec. 30 ruling.
• New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services announced Bio Energy had to go through a new source review before resuming operations.
• On Feb. 4, Regenesis, the owner of the Bio Energy plant, temporarily closed its facility and laid off 20 employees. The move was in response to the board of selectmen’s announcement that it would sue Bio Energy in U.S. District Court under the Federal Clean Air Act.
• The New Hampshire Waste Management Council, on Feb. 23, upheld the Department of Environmental Services’ 2005 decision to revoke Bio Energy’s solid waste permit.
• On March 23, the Air Resources Division of the Department of Environmental Services, in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and New Hampshire Attorney General’s office, ruled against a Bio Energy appeal to resume operations, citing the company should have undergone New Source Review.
• The next week, Bio Energy officials said they would appeal the decision by the state’s Air Resources Division, citing a contradiction in the state’s original ruling, which didn’t require a new source review.
• The state Senate, on April 12, passed a bill extending a moratorium on the burning of construction and demolition debris. Regenesis spokesman Mark Dell’Orfano said while the permit didn’t affect Bio Energy because it was prohibited from burning solid waste at the time, he felt the legislation was directed at his company.
• On June 19, Citizens for a Future New Hampshire, led by state Rep. Derek Owen, filed a motion against Bio Energy requesting a hearing with the Waste Management Council to address Bio Energy’s “lack of reliability and integrity.”
• Hopkinton resident Thomas Burack was appointed commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Burack’s law firm, Sheehan, Phinney, Bass and Green of Manchester, had represented Bio Energy in the past.
• The Citizen’s for a Future New Hampshire again appealed to the Department of Environmental Services to uphold Bio Energy’s permit revocation, despite a formal appeal from the West Hopkinton energy plant.
• In December, officials from Bio Energy filed a petition with the Merrimack County Superior Court seeking clarification on a ruling that the company must undergo new source review. Bio Energy officials said they hoped the plant can reopen to burn clean wood chips only.
Gould Hill Orchards
• Erick Leadbeater, owner of Gould Hill Orchards, said he was actively exploring options to sell and maintain the orchards as a working farm.
• Leadbeater and members of the Hopkinton Open Space Committee began discussing the possibility of the town purchasing Gould Hill Orchards and preserving it as open space and a working farm. The town is searching for a partner with whom to purchase the property.
• After assessors moved a view tax from acreage covered under current use to a small seasonal cottage on the property, Leadbeater’s tax bill rose more than $50,000. He said he can no longer afford to wait for the town to find a partner and he will explore all options to sell the property. Although he hopes to sell the property to a working farmer, he said he will consider selling to a developer.
• The Little Nature Museum at Gould Hill Orchards is also affected by the possible sale of Leadbeater’s farm. Sandra Martin, who founded and operated the museum, said she may be forced to close if the land is sold to a developer or unwelcoming farmer.
Senior center
• A group of Hopkinton seniors announced they would pursue a 4,000-square-foot single- story senior center at the cost of $450,000 through a warrant article at Town Meeting. Selectmen did not support the plan saying they wanted to wait another year before bringing their own plan to voters.
• At Town Meeting, voters agreed with selectmen and voting 264-1,129 against the senior center.
• Following the defeat, Eugene and Anne Slusser donated $1 million to the town of Hopkinton to build a new senior center at Houston Fields.
• Hopkinton officials hosted a public hearing to discuss plans for the new senior center. The first public hearing called for energy-efficient lighting and other cost-saving technology. On Aug. 16, a second meeting finalized plans and called for an April 2007 opening of the center.
• The initial bid to build the senior center came in at nearly 50 percent more than the expected $1 million. But, after several cost cuts and a reassessment by the contractor, the senior center falls within anticipated cost guidelines and proceeds as planned.
Columbia Hall
• On the Fourth of July, residents celebrated the Strawberry Festival at Columbia Hall, possibly an end to the annual tradition, as officials said they could no longer afford to keep the nonprofit community center running.
• At the end of August, Columbia Hall was vacated by Community Center Inc., the nonprofit group that had run the center for 30 years.
• At the beginning of September, the recreation department moved into Columbia Hall and resumed many programs, including senior and youth activities.
• The recreation department, with the help of many volunteers, painted and repaired the interior and a worn roof at Columbia Hall.
• Recreation director Robert Mattes organized the first “Breakfast with Santa,” at Columbia Hall, an event that benefited Hopkinton’s Human Services Department.
Budgets and taxes
• In early February, the town and school district their proposed budgets and warrants. The town proposed a budget of $5,556,718, a 3.18 percent increase if the budget and all warrant articles were approved. The school district proposed a 5.9 percent increase from $13,490,765 the previous fiscal year to $14,286,720.
• The budget committee proposed a school budget of only $13,673,897 for the school district.
• At School District Meeting, residents voted to provide an additional $300,000, as requested by the school board, to bring the budget to $13,973,897. Residents also approved all warrant articles at Town Meeting that made up the town’s operating budget.
• Residents voice shock and frustration when tax bills are released on Oct. 10. A $1.5 million budgetary increase, between the town and school district, combined with a reassessment raise of 22 percent on property values, caused massive property tax hikes.
• The school district established its proposed 2007-08 operating budget and warrant articles in December. If all articles are approved at the 2007 School District Meeting, taxes would increase 3.05 percent.
New superintendent
• In January, Hopkinton School District Superintendent Dr. Richard Ayers announced he would retire after nine years with the district.
• In May, Brian Blake, superintendent of the Farmington School District, was hired to replace Ayers as superintendent.
• Blake, who officially took over as head of the district in August, was welcomed at a meet-and-greet at Hopkinton Middle/High School on Sept. 25. Roughly 30 residents, teachers, students and district officials attended.
• Hopkinton Middle/High School authorities introduced a new dance code during its homecoming festivities. After concerns of inappropriate behavior and “grinding” arose, Principal Steve Chamberlin and school officials enforced a faceto- face dancing rule.
Other school news
• In January, after a four-year legal battle, the New Hampshire Board of Education validated the Hopkinton School District’s 2002 decision to fire Maple Street Elementary School thenprincipal Mary Beth Stevens- Whitcher. The board ruled the dismissal did not reflect “actual bias” after Stevens-Whitcher’s contract was not renewed due to performance-related issues.
• After 18 months of study, the Hopkinton School District Facility Planning Committee announced it would not propose an article on the 2006 ballot, citing more research needed to be done before bringing any drastic facility renovations before voters.
• Hopkinton High School students Sam Norden and Alex Howe become the first recipients of the Josh Russell Ski Racing Program Scholarship. Each student received $1,000 toward alpine and Nordic ski racing endeavors.
• Led by state First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch, Maple Street Elementary School hosted a WalkNH event to encourage children to be more active.
• Harold Martin Elementary School began a digital portfolio program aimed at storing children’s work, from kindergarten through graduation, on a district server.
• On July 28, Matt McGonagle, former Hopkinton Middle/ High School assistant principal, plead guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Gilford. He was sentenced to a two-year sentence.
• In August, a special committee aimed at addressing district nutrition policy, announced it was considering eliminating sugar-filled drinks and other “junk food.”
• After considering eliminating class rank at the high school, Hopkinton school officials decided to table the idea pending further research. The policy would have also eliminated the district’s numerical grading system in favor of a college-level system based on a 4.0 scale.
• James Prentice Smith of Hopkinton is arrested and charged with felony counts of allegedly selling drugs in a school zone. The charges stemmed from a Sept. 25 incident in Weare. He waived a probable cause hearing and was released on bail Oct. 10.
• In October, an 18-month facility needs study is received by school board members. The study made recommendations for all three district schools based on safety and adequacy concerns.
• Hopkinton High School’s boy’s soccer team wins the Class M championship with a 3-2 overtime victory over Gilford in November.
• Several school district employees serve lunch to senior citizens at Columbia Hall on Nov. 15.
Other town news
• On Feb. 5, several local residents, including Claire Thesing, Lilly Smith and Katie Jackson of Hopkinton, took part in the annual Penguin Plunge at Hampton Beach to benefit New Hampshire Special Olympics. Atlantic Ocean temperatures were roughly 40 degrees.
• On Feb. 14, Jeffery Jones, a local electrician, was arraigned on charges of possession of child pornography. No further update is available.
• On Election Day in March, residents voted 745-134 to readopt and amend the town’s growth management and landuse control ordinance for another five years.
• The New Hampshire Department of Transportation in May finalized plans to make safety upgrades to a stretch of Route 202/9 nicknamed “Death Alley,” after a high number of serious accidents on the highway.
• Early May marked some of the worst flooding in New Hampshire in decades. Several areas of Hopkinton were affected, including a 15-home evacuation on Deer Path Road and a 20- home evacuation on East Penacook Road and Flint Lock Road. A Pillsbury Lake dam breached and flooded the area.
• At a special Town Meeting on May 17, residents approved a 68-acre land purchase by a 118-58 vote. Through a $173,000 state grant, the land, which abuts Hopkinton Village on Route 103, was obtained through a 20-year $368,250 bond.
• On May 19, resident Michael Morison, a National Guard chaplain, received his theology degree from Weston Jesuit School of Theology. Morison was also awarded the National Guard’s Distinguished Service Medal.
• On June 3, resident Mary Congoran organized and hosted the third bi-annual Contoocook Carry, a triathlon benefiting human services in town.
• Town officials announced no fireworks show would take place on the Fourth of July because of a lack of money.
• Hopkinton celebrated the Fourth of July with the 77th annual parade.
• Town hall received a major facelift focused on energy and cost efficiency. It had been nearly 80 years since the last significant renovation of town hall.
• After being closed for 16 months, Kimball Pond reopened for the final two weeks of summer. Floods washed the local swimming hole out in early 2005.
• Hopkinton officials announced in August that for the first time in more than 300 years, town elections and voting would no longer take place at town hall, but would move to the high school gymnasium beginning in November.
• On Aug. 28, Hopkinton selectmen voted to purchase a 1.25-acre lot adjacent to the Old Hopkinton Cemetery.
• Hopkinton celebrated its 91st annual state fair Aug. 31 through Sept. 4.
• In September, selectmen voted to purchase a 24-acre woodland on Farrington Corner Road and a 111-acre property on Bound Tree Road for preservation as open space.
• In September, the Little Nature Museum hosted NatureFest 2006, an annual event to educate local children and residents about nature.
• Robert Lewellen, who helped create the Contoocook Riverway Association in 1987, was honored by the association at a Oct. 14 open house at the Contoocook Train Depot.
• On Dec. 1, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church welcomed the Rev. Kevin Nichols as its 25th pastor in its 203-year history in Hopkinton.
• On Nov. 13, Hopkinton resident Hylan Nunn was arrested and charged with alleged possession of child pornography. Nunn, a former department of transportation employee, waived a probable cause hearing Nov. 28.
• Joshua Wilson, a Hillsborough resident and Hopkinton school bus driver, was arrested on Dec. 6 and charges with sexual assault on a Hillsborough minor. He will be arraigned on Jan. 29.
• On Dec. 13, 900 marijuana plants are found at 1191 Maple St., Hopkinton, as part of a statewide operation to crack down on a pot-growing operation. Four people were arrested in connection with the Hopkinton home.