Hopkinton News : politics

Tempers flare at Town Meeting

Bow Editor — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:03:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

New St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Hopkinton rector, the Rev. Kevin Nichols, led the Hopkinton Town Meeting with a prayer, encouraging residents and town officials to break down the walls between them.

In his opening comments, Selectman George Langwasser expressed a similar goal.

“Let’s leave here as neighbors and not adversaries,” said Langwasser.

Still, tempers flared, and it took until 1 a.m. for Town Meeting to finish on Wednesday, March 15, but many residents said they feel comfortable that selectmen got the message.

“I think we’ve berated them enough,” said state Rep. Richard Kennedy. “I think we’ve given them plenty of juice, now let’s let them stew in it.”

Langwasser said it was obvious to him and other members of the board that there is a general mistrust between residents and selectmen, adding that more lines of communication must open for reconciliation to occur.

“It behooves each one of us on this board to try to improve this situation,” said Langwasser.

“One of my goals, this year as a selectman, is to do everything in my power to restore the trust, to restore that cooperative spirit and to move this town forward.”

Operating budget
The general municipal operating budget in Hopkinton was broken up into 10 of the 34 articles on this year’s warrant, each detailing an individual department’s expenses.

Budget committee Chairman Karen Irwin said under her committee’s advisement, selectmen cut their original proposed total operating budget from $5.5 million, a 7.28 percent increase, to $5.35 million, a roughly 4 percent increase.

She said based on a level assessment this year, she expects the tax rate to go down 17 cents.

That, said resident Al Bloomquist, wasn’t good enough.

“My view is we really need to examine the budget and pass only the necessities and not the nice to have things,” said Bloomquist. “In years past, I would vote on whatever selectmen recommended, but now I can no longer afford to employ that strategy.”

Bloomquist asked why selectmen didn’t warn residents of the impending tax crisis and wanted to know why selectmen were proposing an increase and not working toward a decrease.

He then suggested a $25,000 decrease to Article 4, which covers general government functions, explaining that selectmen have the ability, once all budget articles are passed, to cut the money from any area of the municipal government it chooses.

After a voice vote failed to provide a clear answer, a ballot vote was called for by moderator Gary Richardson.

The amendment passed by a two-to-one majority.

Article 4 then passed as amended.

Bloomquist submitted a similar $35,000 decrease to Article 6, the public works budget. Again, voice vote failed to reveal a clear answer, but this time Richardson requested a standing vote.

The amendment was rejected, 301-295 votes.

Selectmen Don Lane then explained that selectmen already cut much of the public works budget and were bound into increases in fuel, asphalt and other necessities.

The public works budget passed.

Public safety expenses Article 5, which covers public safety expenses, drew much debate.

Resident and budget committee member Dan Coen proposed a $41,000 decrease to the article because he said he didn’t want to pay for a new EMT/firefighter who was recently hired. He also said he didn’t want a full-time chief, which a detailed narrative in the town report seemed to imply.

Selectman Peter Russell said the town has no immediate plans to hire a full-time fire chief.

He explained that the board, rather than hiring a full-time chief at substantial cost, asked Deputy Chief John Pianka to take over code enforcement duties in town.

To ease the workload on Pianka and allow him to assume more administrative duties, the town hired a full-time EMT/firefighter at a much lower cost.

The motion to amend was rejected.

The public safety budget, however, was voted down after more questions arose about the potential for a new full-time fire chief, while others took issue with the decertification of a fulltime police chief in town with Chief David Wheeler retiring and moving to part-time.

The article was later reconsidered.

After many of those who opposed the article noted that they didn’t oppose the fire and police departments, but wanted to have more of a say and have a better understanding of town government, Carr proposed an amendment to strike the narrative that seemingly supported the town hiring a fire chief.

The town approved the public safety budget.

Senior center
Another article drawing debate was $12,436 to support the Slusser Senior Center’s operating budget.

After several residents questioned how the budgets were figured and where the money will go, others argued support of the senior center.

Residents approved the article and all other operating budget proposals.

Other articles
A petition warrant article, which asked residents to rescind $3,073,250, the remaining debt accrued through a 2003 conservation bond, failed by ballot vote, 286-104.

Other rejected petition articles include a proposal to limit the number of town employees to current staffing numbers and a request for selectmen to retain 5 percent of regular operating expenditures from annual surplus.

Mixed views on SB2

Bow Editor — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:06:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Changes could be in store for Town Meeting in Hopkinton if a group of citizens has its way.

Fifty-nine Hopkinton residents recently signed and submitted a petition warrant article requesting the town to accept an SB2 form of government.

Under SB2, or official ballot law, the town would still hold a deliberative session to review and potentially amend warrant articles.

Residents would then vote on the articles, via official ballot, on Election Day.

Though many towns in the region have accepted SB2 over the last decade, several are sticking to their roots.

Last year, Dunbarton overwhelmingly opposed transitioning to SB2.

Donald Gleason, who saw the assessed value on his 720-square-foot home jump from $114,600 assessed value to $210,700 last year, wants to have more of a say, but he wants to do it without the scrutiny of others.

“I feel that a lot of people, if they have an idea at a Town Meeting, if the public sentiment seems to be going one way, they don’t want to stand up and say their piece because of public sentiment,” said Gleason. “If you look around in a meeting, especially if your own neighborhood is strong on one thing, you hate to stand up and say ‘no,’ but if you go into a booth, you can say whatever you want and vote on whatever you want.

“I’m not saying this is the way that it is, but some people think that if the police department is looking for a new police cruiser, you’re definitely hesitant to stand up and speak in opposition. Or if the public works department is looking for a new truck, some people feel that they won’t get their street or driveway plowed for weeks.”

Selectmen have a different view.

“I don’t think SB2 should be considered as an alternative for Hopkinton,” said Selectman Don Lane. “The stance of the selectmen is we don’t support it, but it is a ballot initiative, so people are going to be able to vote on it.”
Lane pointed out a lot of towns, even those larger than Hopkinton, have a difficult time drawing decent turnouts to their deliberative session.

“If the attempt is to involve the citizens, it’s worth it. But the problem is that it just doesn’t seem to work,” he said.

Moreover, Lane noted that those who attend the deliberative sessions often have an agenda and, with little opposition, can often change the intent of an article.

“SB2 has a history of being a negative influence on the town,” said Lane. “You work to keep the town moving and going all the time and then you adopt SB2 and you lose a lot of what you’ve worked toward.”

Some residents, like Diane LaChance, don’t have an opinion yet, but are in favor of allowing the SB2 form of government to be presented and considered on the floor at Town and School District Meetings.

“I support the idea being discussed,” said LaChance, who signed the petition warrant article. “I haven’t made a decision yet, but I’m hoping my mind will be made up by or at the meetings.”

Who’s on the ballot?

Bow Editor — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:13:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

When voters go to the polls on March 13 in Hopkinton and Dunbarton, they will be choosing candidates to fill open seats for town and school district positions.

Hopkinton

Two of Hopkinton’s most prominent officials have decided not to run for re-election.

Arpiar Saunders of the Hopkinton School Board and Selectman Clarke Kidder have decided to step aside at the end of their terms in March.

Kidder has been a selectman for the past three years and Saunders has been on the school board for 12 years.

Saunders, however, will run against outspoken resident and School District Treasurer Arnold Coda for a one-year term.

For Hopkinton Board of Selectmen, Chairman Louise Carr is seeking re-election to one of two open seats. Challengers for the two three-year terms are Tom Congoran, Scott W. Flood, and Joanie McIntire.

Those seeking re-election are town clerk/tax collector Sue B. Strickford for another three-year terms, and trustee of the trust funds Chairman Richard Gourley for three years.

On the budget committee, Chairman Karen Irwin, Daniel Coen and Patrice Gerseny are running unopposed for re-election for three three-year seats.

George W. Chase, Holly Gagne and Beth Taylor are competing for two three-year library trustee seats.

Sharon C. Baker is looking to assume a one-year term as supervisor of the checklist, and Patricia C. Smith is running for a three-year term as cemetery trustee.

Running for open school district positions in Hopkinton include the following: David Luneau, Marion L. Paxton and Peter B. Yunich are all vying for Saunders’ vacated three-year term on the school board. Charles Dibble is also running unopposed for another year as school district moderator, as is Sue Batchelder for a one-year seat as school district clerk.

Dunbarton

Selectmen Chairman Mert Mann will be challenged for a three-year seat on the board by David Pellenz.

School board member Brian Little will not seek another term, opening the door for Carl Metzger who joins incumbent Rene Ouellet on the ballot for two three-year seats.

Those running unopposed for re-election include the following:

Martha Rae, who is running for a three-year seat as tax collector; Bryan H. Clark seeking another three-year term on the board of assessors; Brigitte Cook is running for another three years on the ethics committee; Tiffany Dodd, seeking to retain her seat for another three years as library trustee; and Richard Schaeffer who wants to serve three more years as cemetery trustee.

Kirstin Petretta was appointed as a library trustee when Meegan McCorkle moved out of state last year. Petretta will run for another one-year term.

Because no one filed to run for a two-year term as a trustee of the trust funds last year, James Mann was appointed by selectmen. He will step aside this year and Jan VandeBogart will run unopposed for the seat.

Bill Jenkins will not seek re-election for his three-year seat as trustee of the trust funds, leaving the position vacant on the election ballot.