|
|
Municipal Building, 41 South Main St., Hanover, NH 03755 / 643-0742 x109 | |||
| You are here: Home | Town Manager | Town Meeting 2001 Search | ||||
| | ||||
|
Julia Griffin Meeting Minutes of Boards and Committees Department Sitemap |
Town Meeting 2001The annual Town Meeting of the Town of Hanover, New Hampshire was convened on May 8, 2001 at 7:00 a.m. by the Town Moderator, Harry Bird, at the Hanover High School Gymnasium. Moderator Bird explained that the polls would be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of voting for the candidates for Town Offices and for all other articles requiring vote by official ballot as set forth in Articles One through Thirteen of the Town Meeting Warrant. Moderator Bird noted that there were hearing assistive devices for those with hearing impairments. After the polls were closed at 7:00 p.m., the following thirteen articles which were voted on were tabulated. ARTICLE ONE: To vote (by nonpartisan ballot) for the following Town Officers: One Selectman, to serve for a term of three (3) years; Jay Pierson 355 (elected) One Town Clerk, to serve for a term of three (3) years; Sallie Johnson 360 (elected) One Treasurer, to serve for a term of one (1) year; Michael Ahern 360 (elected) One Library Trustee, to serve for a term of three (3) years; Margaret Bragg 365 (elected) One Trustee of Trust Funds, to serve for a term of three (3) years; Lawrence Draper 360 (elected) ARTICLE TWO: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 1: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 1 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 1 would amend sections 204.4, 209.4A, 209.4F, and 902 to allow buildings in the Institutional zoning district on slopes downward from the street or building front to have a maximum height, measured at any point directly above the grade of the ground, of 75 feet. While this height limit is already allowed in some circumstances, this amendment would give more flexibility to conform the overall building to the topography of the building's site, for instance by stepping the roofline, so that better design would not be prevented. RESULTS: YES 351 NO 50 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE THREE: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 2: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 2 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 2 would amend section 204.5 in order to restore an earlier zoning provision that allowed two-family uses in the GR General Residence zoning district as permitted by right and not by Special Exception as the ordinance has required in recent years. Two-family houses are common in the GR zoning district, and adequate provisions already existing in the ordinance to protect the character of these neighborhoods. RESULTS: YES 335 NO 66 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE FOUR: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 3: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 3 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 3 would amend sections 204.5, 304, and 902 and add a section 209.5 in order to set forth maximum lot coverages for buildings and impervious areas within the GR General Residence and SR Single Residence zoning districts, so that overall sizes of houses could be kept in reasonable relationship to the character of the neighborhood. RESULTS: YES 337 NO 62 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE FIVE: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 4: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 4 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 4 would amend section 209.4E and Appendix A of the Zoning Ordinance to remove all references to the GR General Residence zoning district as a district which allows buildings over 35 feet in height. For the past several years, the GR district, comprising sub-districts GR-1 and GR-2, has had a height limit of 35 feet, but when the old GR-3 district, which did allow heights up to 60 feet, was converted into the I Institutional zoning district, these references were not deleted. RESULTS: YES 344 NO 56 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE SIX: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 5: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 5 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 5 would amend sections 210.1F and 1004.2 by making it clear that it is the owner of a property who is responsible for the property's compliance with the provisions of the zoning ordinance. While this is an underlying concept of both state law and the zoning ordinance, it has not yet been explicitly stated in the ordinance. RESULTS: YES 369 NO 29 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE SEVEN: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 6: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 6 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 6 would amend section 322 of the zoning ordinance, having to do with communications and telecommunications facilities. It would further define what these facilities are and where they may be located. This amendment would introduce incentives for utilizing existing structures ("co-location"), for obtaining independent expert advise at an applicant's expense, for annual certification, for removal of defunct facilities, and for bonding such removal. Also, this amendment would strengthen requirements for identifying and mitigating the visual effects of towers. RESULTS: YES 377 NO 22 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE EIGHT: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 7: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 7 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 7 would amend section 323.1B by reducing the allowable maximum noise levels as measured in decibels (A-weighted), and by advancing from 10:00 PM to 7:00 PM the period during which the lesser nighttime noise levels would come into effect. RESULTS: YES 319 NO 80 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE NINE: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 8: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 8 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 8 would add a new section 325 Impact Fees. In a recent decision, Simonsen v. Town of Derry, the state supreme court changed traditional legal understanding concerning the legal right of planning boards to impose on developers fees to pay for off-site improvements deemed necessary by a planning board to mitigate the effects of a development. With that case, the court decided that these improvements or payments for improvements could not be imposed unless the zoning ordinance specifically contained provisions authorizing impact fees, consistent with the impact fee provisions of state law. This amendment would incorporate such provisions into our zoning ordinance, thus enabling the planning board to continue to require off-site improvements or payments for them by developers. RESULTS: YES 362 NO 31 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE TEN: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 9: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 9 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 9 would amend section 702.7 by changing the words "at any previous time" to the word "previously" and by changing the word "completed" to the word "undertaken", in order to clarify the conditions under which a wetlands Administrative Permit may be issued. RESULTS: YES 366 NO 26 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE ELEVEN: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 10: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 10 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 10 would amend the definition of the term "structure" in section 902, by removing the last sentence of this definition, which sentence has allowed several types of construction to be construed as not being structures in floodplains that would be construed to be structures anywhere else. RESULTS: YES 357 NO 37 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE TWELVE: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 11: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 11 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 11 would add a section 1008 which would stipulate that if any applicant for a permit or approval denies access to the property subject to that application to board members, town staff, or other agents of the town, for the sole purpose of inspecting the property in connection with the application, such denial would be grounds for the disapproval by the board of the application or for the refusal by the town to issue the permit. RESULTS: YES 352 NO 41 ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE THIRTEEN: (To vote by ballot) To see if the Town will vote to amend the existing Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 12: The following question is on the Official Ballot: "Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 12 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?" Amendment No. 12 would amend the Hanover Zoning Map by rezoning the following properties to the NP Natural Preserve zoning district: map/ existing RESULTS: YES 374 NO 23 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE FOURTEEN: To choose the following Town Officers to be elected by a majority vote: One member of the Advisory Board of Assessors for a term of three (3) years; A motion was made by Selectman Black to nominate the following persons for the following offices: Paul Young to the Advisory Board of Assessors for a term of three (3) years; Frederick Crory, Edward Lathem, Edward Lobacz, and Robert Morris to serve as fence viewers and an alternate fence viewer, each for a term of one (1) year; and Willem Lange and John Richardson to serve as two Surveyors of Wood and Timber each for a term of one (1) year. The motion was seconded by Selectman Walsh. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Black's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Fourteen was ADOPTED. Selectman Walsh announced that the Open Space Priorities Plan for the Town of Hanover was named Plan of the Year by the Office of State Planning in New Hampshire. He recognized the following individuals for their contributions to the Open Space Priorities Plan: Denis Kelemen, Anne Morris, Elaine Bent, John Colligan, Ed Chamberlain, Shawn Donovan, Jim Hornig, Bob Linck, Kittie Murray, Judy Reeve, and Senior Planner Vicki Smith. ARTICLE FIFTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to purchase a replacement dispatch console and related equipment for the Hanover Dispatch Center, and to vote to raise and appropriate $165,000 for that purpose; and further to authorize the Selectmen to borrow such sum under the New Hampshire Municipal Finance Act, RSA 33, by issuance of bonds or notes, and to take all action as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this vote. Funding for the debt service for the first year of this bond is included in Article 26. A two-thirds ballot vote is required. A motion was made by Selectman Pierson that the Town vote to purchase a replacement dispatch console and related equipment for the Hanover Dispatch Center, and to vote to raise and appropriate $165,000 for that purpose; and further to authorize the Selectmen to borrow such sum under the New Hampshire Municipal Finance Act, RSA 33, by issuance of bonds or notes, and to take all action as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this vote. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Selectmen Pierson explained that the current dispatch equipment was 15 years old. He said that Motorola (the manufacturer of the equipment) would no longer service the equipment because it was obsolete. He said that the dispatch center serves 15 communities. He said that replacement equipment is usually funded through a reserve program established when the equipment is purchased. He said that a reserve program was not established when this equipment was originally installed. He said that was the reason this new equipment needed to be funded with a bond. He said that a reserve program would be established for future equipment replacement. He said that the new equipment should last another 15 years. There being no further discussion, a ballot vote was taken on Selectman Pierson's motion. The polls remained open for 1 hour 15 minutes. The yes votes exceeded the required two third majority. RESULTS: YES 148 NO 13 ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE SIXTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $406,160 and authorize payment into the Capital Reserve Funds in the following amounts for the purposes for which such funds were established: Police: $ 45,000 This article is included in Article 26. A motion was made by Selectman Connolly that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $406,160 and authorize payment into the Capital Reserve Funds in the following amounts for the purposes for which such funds were established: Police: $ 45,000 The motion was seconded by Selectman Baschnagel. Selectman Connolly explained that these were the monies added to each of the funds every year to avoid any bump in the tax rate when larger sums were removed later on. Kari Asmus said that she was confused by the fund balances on page 53 of the Town Report. She said that deposits were made every year but a deposit was not shown this year and the withdrawals listed did not seem accurate. Manager Griffin said that there were two bases for tracking expenses, accrual basis and cash basis. She said that the trust fund statement did not reflect the actual transactions. She said that it was prepared for the auditors. She said that the goal for next year was to make the trust fund statement more clear for the general public. Robert Morris asked what the Parking Fund was. Manager Griffin said that the Parking Fund was comprised from funds generated by parking tickets and rental of parking spaces. She said that it also included funds from a downtown parking tax. She said that the revenues were then allocated to expenditures related to parking. Robin Carpenter asked if the balances shown in the trust fund statement were not an accurate reflection of the actual balances. Manager Griffin said that they were not a completely accurate representation of the actual funds in the trust fund. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Connolly's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Sixteen was ADOPTED. ARTICLE SEVENTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $242,135 for the purposes listed below and to authorize funding these items by withdrawal from the listed capital reserve funds for the purposes for which such funds were established, in the following amounts as set forth in the Town Report: Howe Library - automated circulation $ 40,000 This article is included in Article 26. A motion was made by Selectman Connolly that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $242,135 for the purposes listed below and to authorize funding these items by withdrawal from the listed capital reserve funds for the purposes for which such funds were established, in the following amounts as set forth in the Town Report: Howe Library - automated circulation $ 40,000 The Motion was seconded by Selectman Baschnagel.
There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Connolly's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Seventeen was ADOPTED. ARTICLE EIGHTEEN: To see what sum the Town will vote to raise and appropriate to provide for the cost items contained in the collective bargaining agreement, approved by the Board of Selectmen on April 2, between the Town of Hanover and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Local 561, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits for its members: Year Estimated Increase and further, to raise and appropriate the sum of $19,723 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year and the sum of $26,730 for the 2001-2002 fiscal year, such sums representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those of the appropriations at current staffing levels paid in the prior fiscal year. A motion was made by Selectman Baschnagel that the Town vote to raise and appropriate to provide for the cost items contained in the collective bargaining agreement, approved by the Board of Selectmen on April 2, between the Town of Hanover and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Local 561, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits for its members: Year Estimated Increase and further, to raise and appropriate the sum of $19,723 for the 2000-2001 fiscal year and the sum of $26,730 for the 2001-2002 fiscal year, such sums representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits over those of the appropriations at current staffing levels paid in the prior fiscal year. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Baschnagel's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Eighteen was ADOPTED. ARTICLE NINETEEN: To see if the Town will vote to approve amendment to the Town's charter under RSA 49-B by eliminating section 10-d, thereby abolishing the sidewalk special services district. If this amendment is approved, any amounts held in special fund accounts for this purpose will be transferred to the General Fund. A motion was made by Selectman Black that the Town vote to approve amendment to the Town's charter under RSA 49-B by eliminating section 10-d, thereby abolishing the sidewalk special services district. If this amendment is approved, any amounts held in special fund accounts for this purpose will be transferred to the General Fund. The motion was seconded by Selectman Connolly. Selectman Black said that Hanover was the only Town in New Hampshire with a Sidewalk District. She said that when the Town and Precinct merged in 1963, the only sidewalks were in the Precinct District. She said that approximately 80% of the people in the Sidewalk District who are paying the tax do not have sidewalks. She said that there are also sidewalks that extend outside of the Sidewalk District. She said that the Sidewalk District tax only pays for the construction of the sidewalks. She said that the maintenance and snow plowing of the sidewalks was paid out of the General Fund. Manager Griffin said that currently the people in the Sidewalk District pay a tax of 16 cents per thousand. She said that if the Sidewalk District were eliminated, there would be an 11-cent per thousand increase in the general tax rate. She said that would be a decrease of 5 cents per thousand for people in the Sidewalk District and an increase of 11 cents per thousand for people not in the Sidewalk District. Kari Asmus said that she read the Charter. She said that the solution to the problem of sidewalks being located outside of the Sidewalk District was for the Selectmen to change the boundary lines of the Sidewalk District. She said that process was clearly explained in the Charter. She said that the people who live in rural Hanover use sidewalks less than the merchants. She said that there are fewer services and amenities available in rural Hanover. She said that the Charter said that the sidewalk fund should have been paying for the construction and the maintenance of all the sidewalks. James Walk said that he lived in the Sidewalk District on Hovey Lane. He said that there were no sidewalks for half of the distance between his house and the post office. He said that it was aggravating to be taxed as part of the Sidewalk District when there were not sidewalks for half the distance to the post office. He said that he did not feel they should be taxed more than property owners who live outside the Sidewalk District. Martha Cassidy said that she lived outside of the Sidewalk District. She said that all of the children in the Town use the sidewalks, regardless of whether their homes are located in the Sidewalk District or not. She said that it was fair for everyone to share the cost of sidewalks. Augusta Prince said that she lived on Lyme Road where there was a sidewalk outside of the Sidewalk District. She asked if eliminating the Sidewalk District would encourage the proliferation of sidewalks throughout the rest of the Town. Selectman Black said that more sidewalks might be built in the future when there was more growth. She said that no new sidewalks were planned for this year. A citizen asked why the Sidewalk District could not be adjusted to include only the areas with sidewalks. Selectman Black said that if 80% of the properties currently in the Sidewalk District were removed from the district, the tax levied on the remaining 20% would be quite hefty. Caroline Tischbein said that it was not appropriate to charge the whole town for sidewalks when the primary use of the sidewalks was by the businesses and Dartmouth College. She said that she understood that there were different tax rates levied in different areas of the town. She said that rural lands had less benefits and were therefore taxed less. She said that people in rural Hanover did not use the sidewalks much. Selectman Black said that there were different tax rates based on the fire districts. She said that the tax rates were based on the distances from the fire stations and fire hydrants. She said that it was based on insurance rates. Nancy Carter said that she was in favor of eliminating the Sidewalk District. She said that more people should be walking rather than driving. She said that the cost of constructing and maintaining sidewalks should not be decided based on who uses the sidewalks and who does not. Kim Perez agreed with Ms. Carter. She said that there were many services that some people used more than others, such as schools. She said that the cost of town services should not be divided based on their use. Selectman Baschnagel said that the Sidewalk District had not been administered properly. He said that it could be solved by eliminating the district or fixing it. He said that Hanover should be a more pedestrian friendly area. He said that everyone uses the sidewalks. He said that they should build on the foundation they have now. He said that the sidewalks were a valuable infrastructure. He said that they should keep the Sidewalk District. Moderator Bird announced that the vote would be taken by paper ballot since the motion involved amendment of the Town Charter. RESULTS: YES 130 NO 46 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE TWENTY: To see if the Town, as authorized under Section 7 of the Charter of the Town of Hanover (1963, N.H. Laws, Chapter 374, as amended), will vote to delegate to the Board of Selectmen, and authorize them to exercise, the power granted to the Town under RSA 674:51 and RSA 674:52, as those statutes may be amended from time to time, to enact and amend a local building code for the construction, remodeling and maintenance of all buildings and structures in the Town. A motion was made by Selectman Baschnagel that the Town, as authorized under Section 7 of the Charter of the Town of Hanover (1963, N.H. Laws, Chapter 374, as amended), will vote to delegate to the Board of Selectmen, and authorize them to exercise, the power granted to the Town under RSA 674:51 and RSA 674:52, as those statutes may be amended from time to time, to enact and amend a local building code for the construction, remodeling and maintenance of all buildings and structures in the Town. The motion was seconded by Selectman Connolly. Selectman Baschnagel explained that the Selectmen have periodically been reviewing and amending the Building Code Adopting Ordinance to match the Codes as they evolve over time. He said that it was brought to their attention this past year that the State had passed an Ordinance after the Selectmen started amending the Ordinance that required Town Meeting to authorize that power to the Selectmen. He said that this Motion was intended to give the Selectmen the power to continue to do what they have been doing for over 15 years. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Baschnagel's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-ONE: To see if the Town, in accordance with RSA 80:52-c, will vote to authorize the acceptance of payment by credit cards of taxes, charges generated by the sale of utility service, or other fees, provided that there shall be added to each amount due a service charge to cover the credit card company's charges to the Town and any other actual costs for the use of the credit card service. A motion was made by Selectman Pierson that the Town, in accordance with RSA 80:52-c, vote to authorize the acceptance of payment by credit cards of taxes, charges generated by the sale of utility service, or other fees, provided that there shall be added to each amount due a service charge to cover the credit card company's charges to the Town and any other actual costs for the use of the credit card service. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Selectman Pierson said that municipalities can exercise the option for taxpayers to pay with credit cards. He said that there had recently been more requests by the taxpayers for this ability. He said that State law permits the service charges being passed along to the users. A citizen asked what would happen in the case of default. Manager Griffin said that the Town would still collect from the credit card company. She said that the credit card company guaranteed payment to the Town, whether or not they received payment from the card holder. Anne Morris said that she was opposed to allowing the use of credit cards to pay tax bills. She said that people who did not have enough money to pay their tax bill and put it on their credit card would end up paying more. She said that this was an immoral decision for those people. She said that there was a downside. Lilla McLane Bradley said that allowing people to use credit cards would encourage people without enough money to put it on their credit cards. She said that the Town of Hanover should not encourage that. Nancy Carter asked if this would create more administrative problems, such as if different credit card companies charge different rates. Manager Griffin said that they would secure an agreement with one bank. She said that this would actually make it administratively easier. She said that it would actually be easier for people who want to pay their parking tickets. She said that the Town currently incurs more costs by having to continually send notices of overdue payment. She said that in response to the comments by Mrs. Morris, there was an off-setting issue. She said that when times are tough and people can't pay their taxes, communities often have to go to the bond market for TAN (Tax Anticipation Notes) at high rates of interest to cover their operating costs when there is a failure to receive payment. She said that is something all the taxpayers have to pay for. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Pierson's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-One was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-TWO: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from unreserved fund balance the sum of $28,947 into the Public Works Capital Equipment Reserve previously established. A motion was made by Selectman Connolly that the Town vote to appropriate from unreserved fund balance the sum of $28,947 into the Public Works Capital Equipment Reserve previously established. The Motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Selectman Connolly said that this was a collection of money from funds that they stopped collecting for. She said that the funds had never been distributed. Mr. Bradley asked how this related to Article 16, which put money into the Capital Fund for Public Works. Selectman Connolly said that the two funds did not relate. She said that the collection of monies for this fund ceased a few years ago but the funds were never distributed. Manager Griffin said that these funds would be in addition to the funds allocated to Public Works in Article 16. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Connolly's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-Two was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-THREE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $78,170 for deposit in the Conservation Fund, and to authorize funding of this amount by transfer from the Land Use Change Tax Fund, with no funds being raised by taxation. The amount appropriated is equivalent of 50% of the total amount collected in the Land Use Change Tax Fund in the fiscal year 1999-2000. A motion was made by Selectman Baschnagel that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $78,170 for deposit in the Conservation Fund, and to authorize funding of this amount by transfer from the Land Use Change Tax Fund, with no funds being raised by taxation. The amount appropriated is equivalent of 50% of the total amount collected in the Land Use Change Tax Fund in the fiscal year 1999-2000. The motion was seconded by Selectman Walsh. Selectman Baschnagel said that these funds were collected two years ago and put in the Land Use Change Tax Fund. He said that 50% of the funds collected would be put in the Conservation Fund. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Baschnagel's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-Three was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-FOUR: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $78,170 for deposit in the Land and Capital Improvements fund, and to authorize funding of this amount by transfer from the unreserved fund balance, with no funds being raised by taxation. The amount appropriated is the equivalent of 50% of the total collected in the Land Use Change Tax Fund in the fiscal year 1999-2000, and will be transferred from the Land Use Change Tax Fund into unreserved fund balance for the purpose of funding this appropriation. A motion was made by Selectman Connolly that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $78,170 for deposit in the Land and Capital Improvements fund, and to authorize funding of this amount by transfer from the unreserved fund balance, with no funds being raised by taxation. The amount appropriated is the equivalent of 50% of the total collected in the Land Use Change Tax Fund in the fiscal year 1999-2000, and will be transferred from the Land Use Change Tax Fund into unreserved fund balance for the purpose of funding this appropriation. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Robin Carpenter said that he supported this Article but was concerned by the statement "no funds being raised by taxation". He said that although there would not be new taxes, the money did come from the land use change tax. Manager Griffin said that the DRA and the Town Attorney required that it be worded that way. She said that it was required statutorily. She said that they were required to use that language by the State. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Connolly's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-Four was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-FIVE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $100,000 for the purpose of completing the final design of a combined Senior and Community Center at 36 South Park Street and 48 Lebanon Street, and to authorize funding of this amount by withdrawal from the Land and Capital Improvements Fund, with no funds being raised by taxation. A motion was made by Selectman Black that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $100,000 for the purpose of completing the final design of a combined Senior and Community Center at 36 South Park Street and 48 Lebanon Street, and to authorize funding of this amount by withdrawal from the Land and Capital Improvements Fund, with no funds being raised by taxation. The motion was seconded by Selectman Connolly. Selectman Black said that the Recreation Center moved into the 10 School Street building in 1980. She said that the seniors moved into 42 Lebanon Street when the Senior Housing was built in the 1970s. She said that neither building was adequate to suit the needs of the programs. She said that a committee was established in 1990 to study the need for a Senior Center and/or Community Center. She said that the Roberts' property was purchased in 1996 for the purpose of putting a Community Center on that lot. She said that in 1997, Town Meeting appropriated $40,000 to do a survey and needs assessment for the Town. She said that a committee was established at that time, which was comprised of Nina Banwell, Chrysanthi Bien, Kristen Clarkson, Andrew Kline, Candy Lee, Stephen Marion, Donna Stinson, Elizabeth Tobiasson, Sue Young, Brian Walsh, and Peter Morrison. She said that a survey was sent to the entire town in 1998. She said that 76% of the respondents indicated there was a need for a new Community/Senior Center. She said that at last year's Town Meeting, the 48 Lebanon Street property purchase was approved. She said that the Town hired Tennant/Wallace, architects, and Provan/Lorber, engineers. She said that they generated a design that met all the Zoning requirements and met the needs identified by the committee. Selectman Black explained that the two buildings presently being used for the Recreation Center and the Senior Center were inadequate. She said that there was no entrance to the 10 School Street building that did not require climbing stairs. She said that the bathroom could not accommodate a wheelchair. She said that there was parking for only 3 cars. She said that the Senior Center entrance required climbing a set of stairs and the Community Counselor, Dena Romero's office was up a second flight of stairs. Selectman Black said that no new taxes were proposed to fund the final design. She said that the Land and Capital Improvement Fund had $238,000 and they just allocated another $78,170. Maureen Hall said that she was in favor of this Article. She said that there was a great program and a great director (Gail Schaal) at the Senior Center. She said that they desperately needed more space. She said that it was exciting to envision a place that the whole community could call its own. She said that there would be a meeting scheduled in June for planning the Community/Senior Center. Suzanne Young, Vice Chair of the Hanover Parks and Recreation Board, spoke in favor of the Article. She said that a lot of thought had gone into the design. She said that the 10 School Street building was dismal. She said that it was a tough facility to provide wonderful services to the community. She said that last year over 1,300 children participated in events. She said that all of their uniforms had to be picked up from the Recreation building. Ellis Rolett asked about the expenditure of funds. He asked if the architects were being paid a fixed sum rather than a percentage of the final expenditure. He asked if a budget had been set for the center. He asked what would happen if the bids were over budget. Selectman Black said that the architects were working for a fixed sum. She said that their fee would not increase. She said that building would cost approximately $2.4 million. She said that the Public Works bond was scheduled to be paid off next year. She said that $1.5 million could be paid with a new bond. She said that if the bids came in higher, the architects would not get paid more. Barbara Munson asked the total amount of funds appropriated in 1997. Selectman Black said that $40,000 was appropriated in 1997. She said that it paid for the work that had been done already. Barbara Munson asked if this appropriation of $100,000 would go to the architects and engineers. Selectman Black said that the $100,000 would pay for the engineers and architects to draw up the plans. She said that they could not apply for a bond without the actual cost of construction. She said that to get the actual cost of construction, they needed construction drawings. Kari Asmus said that she was in favor of this type of project. She asked whether this was an appropriate use of the funds. She said that the Land and Capital Improvement Fund was for acquiring land and constructing capital improvements related to growth and development. She said that a Senior Center was not needed because of growth and development. She said that she was concerned about changing the purpose of the fund. Selectman Black said that it was the intent that the fund be used for purchasing land, designing facilities, and building facilities. Tim Pillsbury said that when they voted to purchase the Roberts land in 1996, the Town considered buying land adjacent to it. He asked if the Town was still interested in buying adjacent properties. He asked if the architects were considering the option of expansion in their designs. Selectman Black said that she thought the Town was interested in acquiring abutting properties. She said that the opportunity for expansion was being kept in mind in the design of the building. Ms. Stacy said that the Recreation Building was scary. She said that this project was long overdue. She said that they were not rushing into anything. Ned McCarthy asked the size of the building and the split between the Community Center and the Senior Center space. Pete Tenant said that the Community and Senior Center building would be 13,194 square feet plus an unfinished basement of 3,355 square feet. He said that there was a lot of overlap space so it was not possible to split the numbers. He said that it was roughly a 50:50 split. Dave Cioffi asked how much property would come off the tax rolls as a result of this project. He asked if approval of this Article would commit the taxpayers to spending $2.4 million. Selectman Black said that no additional property would come off the tax rolls. She said that the Town properties involved in this project were taken off the tax rolls when the Town acquired them. She said that a bond vote would be required for the expenditure of $2.4 million. She said that would not happen tonight. Ann Crow said that she was in favor of the Article. She said that the design was fine. She said that next week the School Board would be looking at possibly re-locating the schools. She asked if that would change the area that the Community/Senior Center was located. She said that the Howe Library was also looking to make changes. She suggested waiting a few years for the school and library to make their changes. Selectman Black said that the Senior/Community Center needed to be located next to the Senior Housing. She said that HUD provided $500,000 for the building to be located at 42 Lebanon Street. She said that if the Senior Center were re-located, the Town would have to repay that $500,000. She said that regardless of the schools, the Community Center should be located in the downtown. She said that the school population would not be the only population using the Center. Selectman Walsh said that the Senior Center and Recreation Department had made compromises and agreed to this joint facility. He said that a lot of people had worked very hard to develop this building. Robin Carpenter said that there was a real need for a solution. He said that something needed to be done. He said that his only concern was that if only one design was developed, the taxpayers would be stuck with a choice of "take it or leave it". He asked if the architects and engineers could develop a couple options for the taxpayers to choose from. He asked if they could design a smaller Community/Senior Center as one option. Selectman Black said that was a possibility. She said that the conceptual building they had now would meet the needs of both programs. She said that cutting the building would cut the spaces of both the programs. She said that until the construction drawings were done, they would not know the cost. Roy Banwell encouraged the architects to provide a superior building. He said that it would be better to have a slightly more expensive but well-designed building. Kari Asmus submitted a written request, signed by 10 present voters, to request a written ballot on Article Twenty-Five.
RESULTS OF WRITTEN BALLOT: YES 170 NO 14 ARTICLE PASSED ARTICLE TWENTY-SIX: To see what sum the Town will vote to raise and appropriate to pay the expenses of the Town for the 2001/2002 fiscal year, for the purposes set forth in the Town budget. Articles 15, 16 and 17 are included in this article. A motion was made by Selectman Walsh that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $12,599,509 to pay the expenses of the Town for the 2001/2002 fiscal year, for the purposes set forth in the Town budget. The motion was seconded by Selectman Pierson. Selectman Walsh said that the Selectmen gave Manager Griffin a task at the beginning of the year to bring in a budget at inflation. He said that there were 8.8% ($377,000) of cost increases split between the following: a 28.8% increase in health insurance premiums for employees ($210,000), a 100% increase in budgeted fuel costs ($58,435), a 24% increase in electric rates ($34,969), a 15.1% increase in Group 2 retirement rates ($46,000), and a half percent increase due to people opting out of health care insurance ($27,596). He said that they started out above budget. He said that Manager Griffin and the Department Heads did an amazing job in bringing in a budget at inflation. He said that two items from the "wish list" were included in this year's budget. He said that a new highway worker was added and another bridge on Ruddsboro Road would be added. He said that the budget surpluses in the Ambulance Fund were moved to the General Fund. Jim Rubens thanked the Selectmen, Town Manager, and Department heads for year after year maintaining the budget at the cost of inflation. Peter Christie said that the Finance Committee voted to support the budget. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Walsh's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-Six was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-SEVEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $1,000 to be used by the Hanover-Joigny Exchange, Inc. in the furtherance of cultural, student and adult exchanges between the Town of Hanover and its sister city of Joigny, France. A motion was made by Selectman Walsh that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $1,000 to be used by the Hanover-Joigny Exchange, Inc. in the furtherance of cultural, student and adult exchanges between the Town of Hanover and its sister city of Joigny, France. The motion was seconded by Selectman Baschnagel. Selectman Walsh said that this Article had passed the last 3 years. Pietie Birnie said that she had been involved in the Hanover-Joigny Exchange program for the past 11 years. She asked that the amount be increased to $2,000. She said that already this year 60 people had been sent over to Joigny, France. She said that there was increasing activity. She said that $2,000 was requested to be allocated for the Nihonmatsu, Japan exchange. She said that there were similar, if not greater, needs that justified raising the allocation for the Joigny, France exchange to $2,000. Ms. Birnie moved to amend the motion by voice vote to change the allocation from $1,000 to $2,000. The amendment was seconded. The amendment was passed. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on the amended motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-Seven was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $2,000 to be used by the Town of Hanover in the furtherance of cultural, student and adult exchanges between the Town of Hanover and the City of Nihonmatsu, Japan. A motion was made by Selectman Connolly that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $2,000 to be used by the Town of Hanover in the furtherance of cultural, student and adult exchanges between the Town of Hanover and the City of Nihonmatsu, Japan. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Selectman Connolly said that the City of Nihonmatsu had been paying all of the expenses for the exchanges for the last four years. She said that Nihonmatsu had been scrupulous about paying not only all of their expenses for visiting Hanover but also paying for Hanover citizens to finish the friendship ceremony in Nihonmatsu. She said that students from Hanover would be going to Nihonmatsu next month. She said that she hoped this would be only the first of many exchanges. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Connolly's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-Eight was ADOPTED. ARTICLE TWENTY-NINE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $2,000 to support the services provided to the Upper Valley by the AIDS Community Resource Network (ACORN). A motion was made by Selectman Walsh that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $2,000 to support the services provided to the Upper Valley by the AIDS Community Resource Network (ACORN). The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Selectman Walsh said that if approved this third year, it would become part of next year's budget. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Walsh's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Twenty-Nine was ADOPTED. ARTICLE THIRTY: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $2,000 to support the services provided to the Upper Valley by the Family Place. A motion was made by Selectman Pierson that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $2,000 to support the services provided to the Upper Valley by the Family Place. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Caroline Tischbein said that she had an issue with the Town choosing charities. She said that it was a personal choice where the citizens wanted their dollars to go. Manager Griffin said that the Town did not choose the agencies. She said that Town Meeting voted on requests for funding submitted by the agencies. A citizen asked how many groups they currently supported. Manager Griffin said that there were 8 groups currently in the budget. Stanley Hugh asked if any funding was passed three consecutive years if it would automatically become part of the budget. Manager Griffin said that was correct. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Pierson's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Thirty was ADOPTED. ARTICLE THIRTY-ONE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $5,000 to support the capital campaign currently being conducted by the Haven. A motion was made by Selectman Black that the Town vote to raise and appropriate $5,000 to support the capital campaign currently being conducted by the Haven. The motion was seconded by Selectman Pierson. Selectman Black said that when the capital campaign for a new Haven was reached, this Article would not come back before the Town. She said that the Haven was housed in an inadequate building. She said that 400 families were turned away last year because there was not enough space. There being no further discussion, a voice vote was taken on Selectman Black's motion. The motion PASSED and Article Thirty-One was ADOPTED. ARTICLE THIRTY-TWO: To receive reports from the Selectmen, Town Clerk, Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and other Town Officers and to vote on any motion relating to these reports and to receive any special resolutions that may be appropriate and to vote thereon. A motion was made by Selectman Walsh that the Town receive reports from the Selectmen, Town Clerk, Treasurer, Collector of Taxes and other Town Officers and to vote on any motion relating to these reports and to receive any special resolutions that may be appropriate and to vote thereon. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. Moderator Bird introduced Selectman Walsh for the reading of the following resolution: Resolution for Dianne Quill Town elections run smoothly because of the hard work of the Town Clerk, Moderator, Supervisors of the Checklist, and the hardy souls who help staff the check-in process. Elections consist of very long days, beginning early in the morning and concluding late at night, and are typically a test of stamina for all involved in making sure all goes well. The Town Clerk must be comprised of equal parts logistics manager, enforcer, soothsayer, information source, technology consultant, weather forecaster, and caterer. They can find themselves thrust into the middle of political confrontations, substantial confusion, the chaos of a controversial election, and just plain lousy weather. And they are expected to do it all in a calm and professional manner, in spite of sore feet, hot gymnasiums, snow and ice, cold pizza and low pay. That, in a nutshell, is Dianne Quill. Dianne has been Hanover's elected Town Clerk since 1995. She has performed the job quietly, calmly, and professionally, providing the Moderator, Town staff and the Supervisors of the Checklist with wise counsel and strong support. She picked up the reins with limited training, and quickly learned her way around the state laws governing Town Clerks and Town Meetings. She put together her elections with equal measures of both efficiency and style, always able to attract willing election workers and to keep elections humming along on all cylinders. She even had the opportunity to manage the Town through the great voting machine snafu of 1996, when the Town of Hanover was the first to discover a programming error by the voting machine manufacturer resulted in inaccurate recording of votes cast. Through it allΣthe media spotlight, the frustration of the affected candidates, and the time required for the Secretary of State's Office to resolve the controversy, Dianne handled the situation with strength and grace. All this while parenting a busy family and working a demanding job as a radiology nurse. Dianne, the Town of Hanover is grateful to you for your six years of strong leadership and steadfast service in your capacity as Town Clerk. Your help was invaluable and your good cheer infectious. Best wishes in your "retirement" from public service, and may you be able to relax and enjoy the next Election Day as a regular voter. Presentation of Hanover Parks and Recreation Board Volunteer Service Award Moderator Bird introduced Suzanne Young, Vice Chair of the Hanover Parks and Recreation Committee, for the reading of the following Hanover Parks and Recreation Board Volunteer Service Award: Resolution for John Hochreiter I don't normally look to the comedienne Whoopi Goldberg for philosophical inspiration however she once said, "If every American donated five hours a week, it would equal the labor of twenty million full-time volunteers." Something to think about, isn't it? In Hanover, many residents volunteer more than five hours a week and every year the Hanover Parks and Recreation Board of Directors honors one of them with the Volunteer of the Year Award. This year's recipient is an amazing individual who could be Whoopi's role model for the entire country. However, before he heads to Hollywood or Washington to take on that task, I would like John Hochreiter to come up here to receive his Volunteer of the Year Award. Twenty-one years ago John moved to Etna with his wife Shelley, having grown up in Buffalo, NY. He became involved in the local community almost immediately and hasn't stopped yet. John is the President and CEO of Computac in West Lebanon, a very demanding job, yet he still has managed to find time to serve as an Etna volunteer fireman for 18 years - he is now a Lieutenant so be sure to salute him the next time you see him. He has also served as a member and chair of the Hanover/Dresden School Boards for six years, member and past president of the Hanover Rotary Club for fifteen years, the Vice President of the Hanover Improvement Society and on the Board of Directors for the Mascoma Savings Bank. He has been a tireless fundraiser for the Rotary Club, Campion Rink, Hanover Hockey Association and the High School Booster Clubs for hockey, baseball and golf. In addition, John has twice chaired the fundraising efforts for the Hanover High School Alcohol Free Graduation Night Parties. John's passion, however, really lies with coaching children which he has done for all of the past twenty-one years. Hanover hockey and baseball players from the ages of 4 - 19 have benefited from John's quiet yet intuitive style of coaching. In hockey, he has taught the little ones to skate and the teenagers to score. In baseball, John's favorite sport, he has coached everything from t-ball to Senior Babe Ruth all star teams, including once taking a team to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY and watching son Sean hit a home run. No matter what level or sport, every child on John's team leaves the bench knowing that they've learned something about the sport and that they are an important member of the team. Many of you are probably not aware that John has almost single-handedly kept the Babe Ruth Baseball program afloat in Hanover. Not only has he coached Babe Ruth teams long after both his sons, Sean and Mark, moved onto other sports, but he was the organizing and fundraising force behind the program at a time when interest waned. It is now a strong and vibrant program thanks to John's efforts. St. Francis of Assisi, a little more respectable sage than Whoopi, commented "Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received - only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage." John, your heart must be full because we all have been enriched by your honest service. It is my great pleasure to present to you the Hanover Parks and Recreation Board's Volunteer of the Year Award. Moderator Bird introduced Selectman Baschnagel for the reading of the following resolution: Resolution for Richard Bradley If you ever visit the Hanover Dispatch Center and watch a Communications Officer in action, you will have a new appreciation of what it means to work under stress. These officers are at the heart of the Town's response to emergencies. No one exemplified the knowledge and skills of an emergency dispatcher more than Richard Bradley. In a career spanning thirty-two years, Richard worked as a Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician, and a Police Officer. Perhaps no one else in the State of New Hampshire brought that kind of knowledge and experience to the position of a dispatcher. Richard served the Town of Hanover for over twenty years, until his death on April 11th. He was widely recognized for his skill in emergency situations and his knowledge of the area and our residents. He was our liaison with the Upper Valley Mutual Aid Association, and in that capacity solved many dispatch problems. Perhaps nothing captures Richard's service more than the account of a 911 call he answered on March 4, 1992. The mother of a 2Π-year-old boy called. Her son was having convulsions, had stopped breathing, and was turning blue. Richard reassured the woman and gave her instructions over the phone on how to resuscitate her child. In the Valley News article about the incident, the mother said, "The dispatcher was really excellent. That guy was really amazing." Richard, for all of your life saving efforts over the years, we thank you. You will be missed. Moderator Bird introduced Selectman Black for the reading of the following resolution: Resolution for Robert Burns Bob Burns started his career with the Hanover Fire Department on January 1, 1971, and he retired thirty years later to the day. He was forever vigilant in responding to alarms. Even when he was off duty, Bob could always be counted on to show up for the call. Bob is the kind of person you would want to deal with the unexpected. A skier whose serious injuries required the use of a backboard, wrote to thank the Town for his trip to the hospital was made easier from the comfort given by Bob. Bob was the one person in the department qualified to teach first-aid and CPR. Over the years he conducted first aid and CPR instruction for hundreds of Hanover citizens, businesses and Town employees. They wrote letters of appreciation for the opportunity to acquire the skills that Bob capably taught. They commented on his good humor and sensitivity. One of our employees reported an incident when she and her husband came upon a terrible accident and how she administered first aid to an elderly man pinned under his vehicle. She wrote, "I was pleased with myself for being able to take control of the situation and do what I could at the time, because of the wonderful job you have done in training me. You have imparted not only the knowledge but the confidence one needs at a time like that."
Bob is a Firefighter, an Emergency Medical Technician, a teacher, and a valued employee. As he moves into the real world from his life as a firefighter, we wish him well and many nights of uninterrupted sleep. Thank you Bob, for serving the Town of Hanover so well for so many years. Moderator Bird introduced Selectman Black for the reading of the following resolution: Resolution for Michael Gilbar When Mike Gilbar came to work for the Town of Hanover, one large main frame computer (affectionately known as the System 36) was in use in the organization and financial management was awkward and slow. Over the course of Mike's 8-year tenure, he moved the Town into the computer age. He was ever prodding staff and computer consultants to provide more information faster, so he could use the information to improve the Town's overall financial management. We could always count on Mike to provide us with yet another analytical spreadsheet. Night after night he would trudge out to his trusty pick-up truck, two briefcases in hand and the ever-present laptop by his side, looking forward to another evening of crunching some set of numbers in the quiet of his own home. Mike's quest for perfecting the Town's financial record-keeping was never-ending; he always had another project he wanted to tackle to streamline the Town's financial management capability and to improve the presentation of the Town budget. Many people assume Finance professionals are conservative and rather dull. Mike Gilbar was anything but! Wherever "Mikey" went, laughter accompanied him. He brought a wonderful brand of humor to the Town, and kept employees laughing as he stumbled through another tale of his absent-minded adventures as our "green eye shade" person. Always the recipient of good-natured teasing because he is vertically challenged, Mike took short person jokes to new "heights", poking fun at himself and making sure he wasn't the only one to suffer. A superb guitarist and vocalist, he would frequently provide musical entertainment for Town gatherings and even agreed to play the role of Santa's guitar playing elf at the annual Senior Center Christmas party. Mike's professional expertise combined with his wonderful sense of humor made him an invaluable resource for Town staff. He had a steady stream of visitors to his office, constantly seeking his assistance or counsel. Rather than steering away from the "finance guy", Town staff gravitated toward his office and he was always willing to help in exchange for a moment of light-hearted entertainment. A historian by choice, and a bean counter by trade, he had a soft spot in his heart for the folks at Howe Library. The library staff held a particular fondness for him and would frequently alert him to the latest interesting tome on Vermont history or American presidents. Mike had the tenacity of Ebenezer Scrooge, the heart of Bob Crachit, the wit of Groucho Marx, and stature of Mickey Rooney, but to those of us who worked with him, he was not a little elf, but a man who stands tall in our admiration for him. He led us ably into the new millennium, and all of us in the Town of Hanover wish him well in his new endeavors to move the Vermont League of Cities and Towns forward just as he did with us. God speed, Mike! Moderator Bird introduced Selectman Connolly for the reading of the following resolution: Resolution for Richard Kingston Richard came to the Hanover Wastewater Treatment Facility after six years of service as an Assistant Wastewater Operator at the Newport, NH Wastewater Facility. Originally hired as a Wastewater Operator / Laboratory Technician, Richard began with the Town of Hanover in August 1979 when the Wastewater Treatment and Line Maintenance Divisions were combined at the Primary Treatment Facility. With the upgrade of the Wastewater Treatment Facility to Secondary Treatment level in January 1988 Richard was promoted to Assistant Chief Operator / Laboratory Technician. Richard made the operation of the new plant his number one priority, working hard to bring to the facility to its' present level of excellence. As the Town's first chemist Richard dealt with many challenges. Anyone familiar with wastewater treatment knows that it has many very involved processes and ever changing situations and is full of experiments, tests, not unlike his new jobΣ Early on Richard and his wife planned their future: work hard, save, and retire at 50. After twenty-one years of uninterrupted service to the Town of Hanover Richard got his wish, although not quite in the way he had expected. Instead of retiring, he began a brand new work adventure with many guaranteed challenges, experiments, tests, very involved processes and ever-changing situations. What is this new job? Why, raising children of course! The hours will be long but the rewards will be worth it! Between the challenges Richard and his wife Carol face with their current employers, young sons Chris and Alex, the family enjoys time at their camp in the Northeast Kingdom, deeply immersed in activities ranging from peace and quiet (when the kids are sleeping) to fishing and sailing. Thank you Richard for giving us twenty-one years of your service. Enjoy your new career as parent! You will, no doubt, perform your new job as carefully and thoroughly as you did on behalf of the Town. Our best wishes to you. Moderator Bird introduced Selectman Black for the reading of the following resolution: Resolution for Betty Messer If you have ever registered a motor vehicle, applied for a marriage license, or purchased a hunting, fishing or dog license in the past sixteen years, chances are you have talked to Betty Messer. Bettyjoined the staff of Town Hall as a Public Service Clerk on September 19, 1983. Six months later the Town Manager conferred "permanent status" on Betty as a Town employee. Even after her retirement last July, Betty has remained a "permanent" fixture of Town Hall, filling in at the front desk when we need additional coverage. Through the miracle of technology, you still hear Betty's voice when you call Town Hall and get the automated answering system. If citizens didn't know Betty by name, they knew her by reputation, she was the one whistling and singing while she worked. Betty always managed to maintain her friendly, upbeat mood, even when the tasks were getting stressful. Beginning with processing forms by hand, she quickly adapted to the electronic age, finding computers both a challenge and fun. Betty kept the main office supplied with beautiful flowers from her Orford garden, and brought a bit of New Hampshire sunshine with her to work. Town parties were never quite complete without one of her superbly decorated cakes. Her personnel file contains a letter from a Hanover citizen commending Betty for her "Σ courtesy, helpfulness, and professionalism." The letter concludes by saying, "It is rare today to find such fine people in public service." We are fortunate to have had Betty Messer as an employee over the years, and are even more fortunate that "the maple sugar lady" continues to help us serve the public. Thank you Betty. Moderator Bird introduced Selectman Connolly for the reading of the following resolution: Resolution for Winona Tyler Twenty-five years of continuous service with the same employer is a notable accomplishment for anyone, but even more so when you consider all that Winona Tyler has done for the Town of Hanover. She started as a clerk typist on April 14, 1975 and eight years later, she was appointed Deputy Town Clerk. In addition to performing all the functions of a Public Service Clerk, for seventeen years Winona also published elections notices, audited voter registration lists, and assisted poll workers with voting machines and absentee ballots. In the two years before her retirement she did all those things in addition to providing clerical services to the Planning and Zoning Department. One Hanover citizen wrote a thank you letter after Winona helped her correct a motor vehicle registration problem. She said of Winona, "You have the rare grace to make the process virtually painless." People needing assistance were helped whether in person or long distance. A resident of California wrote the Town Clerk and thanked Winona for her helpfulness over the phone saying, "The taxpayers in your community are well served." A funeral home in Vermont once sent a thank you to Winona for her understanding and kindness in handling a death certificate. Enclosed was three dollars in cash. The Town Manager at the time noted that Winona spent the money on doughnuts for Town staff. We are grateful for all the services Winona provided over twenty-five years and will miss the daily presence of grace, intelligence and good-humor that is Winona. Her retirement is well deserved. Our loss is Florida's gain. Thank you Winona. ARTICLE THIRTY-THREE: To transact any other business that may legally be brought before this Town Meeting. A motion was made by Selectman Pierson that the Town transact any other business that may legally be brought before this Town Meeting. Hearing no other business, Moderator Bird stated that he would entertain a motion to permanently dissolve this meeting. A motion was made by Selectman Walsh to permanently dissolve the 2001 Hanover Town Meeting. The motion was seconded by Selectman Black. The motion carried and the meeting was dissolved at 9:38 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dianne Quill, Town Clerk Taken and transcribed by: Annie R. Hood
|
|||