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Explanation of WarrantChapter 1: Information for Town Meeting Part II: Explanatory Information What is Town Meeting? All Hanover citizens are encouraged to participate in the yearly Town Meeting, a living example of direct democracy. Town Meeting is a meeting of citizens who come together to form the legislative body of the town. It is held yearly, the second Tuesday in May, to elect town officers, adopt the town budget, and consider other issues that require Town Meeting approval. This year, Town Meeting will be held on May 11.
What is the Warrant? The Town Meeting agenda is called "the Warrant"; each agenda item is called an "article". The official Warrant precedes this document in Part I, Chapter 1. The Warrant includes two sets of articles: 1. Ballot voting (Articles One through Nine): Voting on Articles One through Nine - which includes voting for candidates for office and for amendments to the Hanover Zoning Ordinance - is conducted by ballot during the day of Town Meeting (Tuesday, May 11, 2004) from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, in the Hanover High School gymnasium. The daytime ballot voting is held by secret ballot, referred to as the "Australian Ballot" or the "Official Ballot". 2. Business meeting (Articles Ten through Thirty-Four): Discussion of and voting on Articles Ten through Thirty-Four - including the proposed budget in Article Twenty-Seven - takes place at an open meeting, called the "business meeting", which begins at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, May 11, in the Hanover High School gymnasium. At the business meeting portion of Town Meeting, citizens sit down together and discuss, modify, and vote. What if you cannot attend? If you cannot attend Town MeetingΣ 1. Ballot items: You may vote by absentee ballot on the items decided by Australian or Official Ballot voting by requesting an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk's office at Town Hall, and delivering it in person by 5:00 pm the day before Town Meeting or by mail by 5:00 pm the day of Town Meeting. 2. Business meeting items: You must be present, however, to vote on or contribute to discussion of any Warrant items to be discussed at the business meeting. By state law, no absentee balloting is allowed on these items. How can you register to vote? To become a registered voter, you must be a U.S. citizen, eighteen years or older, and a Hanover resident. Information that must be provided at registration includes name, address (mailing and legal residence), place and date of birth, and proof of citizenship. You may register: (1) at the polls on Town Meeting day, May 11; or (2) in advance at the Town Clerk's Office in Town Hall up to ten days before the election; or (3) with the Supervisors of the Checklist whose public voter registration sessions are advertised before any election. What is explained in the rest of this chapter? The rest of this chapter, prepared by the Town staff, provides an explanation of all of the articles in the Warrant. The official Warrant precedes this document in Part I of Chapter 1.
Part II-2 Ballot Voting
Voting on Articles One through Nine will be conducted by ballot on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm in the gymnasium of Hanover High School.
Article One: Election of Town Officers The Selectmen, so named because members are selected on Town Meeting day, perform most of the Town's legislative functions outside the legislative role granted voters at Town Meeting. One position, currently held by Judson T. Pierson, Jr. is to be filled in 2004 for a three-year term. Judson Pierson is not running for re-election. John L. Currie and Allegra B. Lubrano are the two candidates competing for the single open position. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes is elected to fill the position. The Town Moderator oversees all elections and also presides over the business portion of Town Meeting. The incumbent, Marilyn W. "Willy" Black is seeking re-election to a second two-year term. The Treasurer is responsible for receipt and disbursement of Town funds and the short-term investment of excess funds. The position is elected annually and the current Treasurer, Michael Ahern, is seeking re-election to a one-year term. Both the Howe Library and the Etna Library are Town-supported. Each has a Board of Trustees, but they are elected differently based on their history of foundation. The Howe Library Trustees are elected by members of the Howe Corporation; the Etna Library Trustees are elected by Town Meeting for a three-year term. One Etna Library Trustee is up for election and the incumbent, Margaret A. Bragg, has decided not to seek re-election. Caroline Tischbein has filed to serve for a three-year term. The Supervisors of the Checklist are legally responsible for overseeing the voter registration and certification process and for maintaining the updated voter checklist. The term of one Supervisor position, currently held by M. Lee Udy, expires in 2004 and Mrs. Udy has filed for re-election for the six year term. The Town Clerk is legally responsible for overseeing elections and various administrative functions required by State law, and is the only Town administrative position for which residency within the Town of Hanover is required. Sallie Johnson, Hanover's former Town Clerk, has sold her home in Hanover and has not yet acquired a new home within the community. On April 5, 2004, the Board of Selectmen appointed Town Manager Julia Griffin, who is a Town resident, to the position of Town Clerk on an interim basis. This is a role which she can fill in addition to her duties as appointed Town Manager. Pending Sallie Johnson's domicile relocation within the Town of Hanover, Julia Griffin seeks Town Meeting approval to fill the post of Town Clerk on an official basis. The Trustees of Trust Funds oversee the funds reserved for special purposes, and their responsibilities are governed by state statute. One Trustee position is up for election and the incumbent Trustee, Lawrence Draper, is seeking re-election to a three-year term.
Part II-3 Note: The following Articles Two through Nine are Amendments No. 1 - 8 to the Hanover Zoning Ordinance, which must be approved by Town Meeting. Seven of the proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance have been approved by the Planning Board. One of the proposed amendments was submitted by petition, and the Planning Board is recommending that Town Meeting not vote in favor of the article.
Article Two: Zoning Amendment No. 1 - Master Plan Implementation in the "F" Forestry and Recreation Zoning District At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend that Town Meeting approve this zoning amendment. The full text of this amendment is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. The zoning in the "F" zoning district does not conform to the uses and density of development promoted in the Master Plan. Forestry is a use which should be encouraged in our "F" zoning district. Fragmentation of lots into parcels of ten acres, as currently allowed by the Zoning Ordinance, makes management of woodlots less economically feasible than if land is kept in larger parcels. It is desirable to make changes to this district in order that our Zoning Ordinance becomes consistent with the Master Plan. Specifically, the minimum lot size, and the ability to create new subdivision roads conflict with the intent of the Master Plan. Thus, the proposed zoning amendment would increase the required minimum lot size from 10 to 50 acres and would prohibit new public or private roads which provide required frontage for new lots. It is not the intention of this amendment to prohibit access ways which do not legally provide frontage, such as logging roads, farm roads, and cart paths. Currently existing lots which are less than 50 acres would, by the operation of State Law and other provisions of our Zoning Ordinance, be "grandfathered" (become legally non-conforming) and would retain their current development rights. Article Three: Zoning Amendment No. 2 - Creation of an "RO" Residence and Office Zoning District At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend that Town Meeting approve this zoning amendment. The full text of this amendment, together with a map of the proposed new zoning district, is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. Although the area around South Park, Summer, and Lebanon Streets has long been zoned General Residence (GR-2), the area has actually become a mixture of various types of residential, professional office, and institutional uses in a convenient, central, densely settled area of generally residential appearance with the full panoply of municipal services and infrastructure. The area contains 28 properties and portions of two others; with 9 single-family, 4 two-family, and 8 multi-family residences, for a total of 85 dwelling units; 1 student residence; 4 professional office or mixed professional office and residential buildings; the Lutheran Church; and the Town's new Community and Senior Center. Immediately adjacent to this area is the athletic end of the College, the High School and Middle School, the Friends' Meetinghouse, and (in the adjoining B-1 district) a bank, service station, and the Hanover Co-op. Part II-4 After considerable discussion and a detailed proposal by several property owners, the Planning Board included in the 2003 Master Plan a call for the creation of a mixed high-density residential and professional office zoning district in this area. This proposed amendment would achieve this goal by rezoning this area to a new zoning classification, "RO" Residence and Office. This new zoning district would keep many of the "GR" General Residence standards regarding uses, dimensional controls, noise limitations, and signs. It would allow professional offices as permitted uses by right, provided that the existing number of dwelling units on each property would not be reduced because of the introduction of offices. It calls for the retention of the residential scale and appearance of buildings in the district and would not allow off-street parking to be located between the street and the front of any building. Article Four: Zoning Amendment No. 3 - Creation of Conservation Lot At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend that Town Meeting approve this zoning amendment. The full text of this amendment is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. The strictness of our current zoning regulations have inhibited the ability of landowners to separate out parcels of land for conservation purposes, primarily because each lot, whether to be developed or not, is required to have a minimum length of frontage along a street right-of-way. This prohibits the conservation of portions of many lots with large acreages, particularly those which are beyond the dwelling portion of the property and which the landowner is not necessarily interested in owning, managing, or maintaining, or on which the landowner would like to conduct limited conservation and recreational use. The requirement for road frontage is a dimension regulation in our Zoning Ordinance-without road frontage, a new lot for development cannot be created. However, lots that are used for conservation purposes do not need to use valuable road frontage, provided that there is provision made for access to such a lot, for instance, by access easement across adjoining property. By defining the characteristics of a conservation lot so that such a lot would have usable access and can be used for agriculture, silviculture and non-commercial outdoor recreation, but cannot be developed residentially, commercially or institutionally, and by allowing a conservation lot to be created without having to have frontage, this amendment would enable landowners to create conservation lots. Article Five: Zoning Amendment No. 4 - Amendments to Front, Rear, and Side Setback Regulations and Exceptions At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend that Town Meeting approve this zoning amendment. The full text of this amendment is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. For some time the Town has been seeking to install bus shelters for the convenience and safety of public transit riders. However, the existing terms of the Zoning Ordinance do not allow structures, including bus shelters, within the front setbacks of private properties, even though in Part II-5 This proposed amendment would allow essential service uses such as bus shelters and water and wastewater treatment and filtration plants and their appurtenances, to be located within setback areas when, because of function, they cannot reasonably be located outside of these areas. Article Six: Zoning Amendment No. 5 - Park and Ride Facility At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted 6-0, with one abstention, to recommend that Town Meeting approve this zoning amendment. The full text of this amendment is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. As an increasing number of Hanover area employees seek housing in other towns and as local businesses and institutions increase their employment and expand their facilities in the central part of town, commuter traffic congestion increases and demand for parking also increases. One way to decrease peak-hour Hanover traffic is to create alternatives to "on-site at-destination" parking by commuting single-occupancy-vehicles. Our current Zoning Ordinance has limited provision for off-site employee and customer parking, and it does not clearly allow for the use of peripheral locations for park and ride lots, from which employees, visitors and customers can carpool or take shuttle buses into downtown, the College campus, or other central Hanover destinations. This proposed amendment would add a definition of "Park and Ride Facility" as a principal use and would allow a Park and Ride Facility by Special Exception in the "BM" Business & Manufacturing, "OL" Office & Laboratory, "I" Institution, and "GR" General Residence zoning districts. Article Seven: Zoning Amendment No. 6 - Creation of a "GR-3" General Residence-3 Zoning District and Rezoning of Parcels in the Grasse Road Vicinity At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend that Town Meeting approve this zoning amendment. The full text of this amendment, together with a map of the proposed new zoning district and related proposed zoning map changes, is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. Housing: There is an inadequate supply of housing in Hanover to meet existing demand. Amending the Zoning Ordinance to accommodate moderate density housing in the Grasse Road area can help to address this problem, as recommended by the Master Plan. The property is across the street from existing residential neighborhoods along the westerly side of Grasse Road, is served by municipal water and sewer, would lend itself to a flexible pattern of housing types, and would allow for the efficient use of roads and utilities. Allowing Planned Residential Developments (PRDs) would encourage the creation and preservation of meaningful open space. Part II-6 With respect to housing, the proposed zoning amendment would: " Establish a new zoning district, to be known as "General Residence-Three (GR-3)," on the easterly side of Grasse Road. The GR-3 District would be similar in many respects to the existing GR-1 and GR-2 Districts, but would not permit as great a density of development. Planned Residential Developments (PRD) would be permitted in the GR-3 zone. Conservation & Open Space: It is difficult to balance the need for the creation of housing with the preservation of open space. The construction of new housing necessarily results in the loss of undeveloped land, and the traditional form of residential subdivision does not lend itself to the preservation of meaningful or useable open space. The proposed zoning amendment, however, presents an opportunity to balance housing and open space in ways which are specifically contemplated in the Master Plan. The Master Plan not only designates the easterly side of the Grasse Road area as appropriate for moderate density housing, but also identifies Balch Hill, located on the westerly side of that road, as "Proposed Open Space" and as an area "of high scenic priority." The Balch Hill parcel abuts existing Natural Preserve (NP) District lands owned by the Town of Hanover and the Hanover Conservation Council, and the proposed amendment would add the Dartmouth College property at Balch Hill to the existing Natural Preserve (NP) District. This would preserve the land in its natural state for recreation and conservation purposes, and would also serve to link Balch Hill and abutting property of the Town of Hanover and the Hanover Conservation Council with the Appalachian Trail-Velvet Rocks area. The amendment would also rezone Dartmouth land, currently zoned Single Residence, One (SR-1) but located within the watershed, to the Forest and Recreation (F) designation of the abutting Water Company land. In addition, by permitting the Grasse Road land to be developed as a PRD, meaningful open space would be able to be preserved.
Part II-7 " Amend the zoning map so that the Balch Hill parcel (Lot 45/20) would be rezoned to Natural Preserve (NP). Most of the parcel is currently in the Rural Residence (RR) Zone, with a small portion along its northerly end being in the Single Residence-1 (SR-1) Zone. Taken together, the changes would promote both the preservation of meaningful open space and the creation of housing, including Town-managed affordable housing. Article Eight: Zoning Amendment No. 7 - Satellite Dish Antennae in the "D-1" Downtown District At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend that Town Meeting approve this zoning amendment. The full text of this amendment is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. When the "D" Downtown zoning district was created in 2002, it was the intent to allow in the new "D" zoning district everything that had been allowed in the "B" Business zoning district that had preceded it. The zoning ordinance was searched for areas where the "B" district was being re-designated as a "D" district, and the "D" designation was included in those sections. Unintentionally, this particular section was overlooked. The result is that satellite dishes with over a 24" diameter are not allowed anywhere in the "D" zoning district, although they had previously been allowed in the downtown area when it was within the "B" District, and continue to be permitted in the other areas within the "B" District. This amendment would rectify this oversight by changing Section 210.1 M so as to add "D" to the second sentence, thereby allowing satellite dish antennas in the "D" downtown zoning district. Article Nine: Zoning Amendment No. 8 - Design Criteria for Single Family Residential Development At a Public Hearing held on March 23, 2004, the Hanover Planning Board voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend that Town Meeting NOT approve this petition zoning amendment, for reasons cited below. The full text of this amendment is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. In support of the petition, the petitioners stated: "Currently the Town of Hanover has very limited control over the appearance of proposed new construction. While we feel that this is not an issue for the landowner who wishes to build one home, it is a problem when a developer wishes to put a number of identical homes in a subdivision, particularly in the case of an Open Part II-8 "We propose an addition to the Zoning Ordinance, a new section called "Residential Design Criteria for a Single Family Residential Development". The section would provide guidelines to developers wishing to subdivide tracts of land within the Town of Hanover, in order to preserve the scenic character of Hanover, while meeting the demands of the single-family residential market and respecting the rights of property owners. These design criteria promote variation in building placement, landscaping and outward appearance to create variety along streets." At its Public Hearing, the Planning Board cited the following reasons why it voted to recommend against adoption of this zoning amendment: " The proposed zoning amendment was drafted with insufficient time and discussion between the petitioners and the Board to provide assurance that it would not result in unforeseen consequences or that it would be effective in accomplishing its stated goals;
Business Meeting Voting
Article Ten: Election of Additional Town Officers This article includes election of additional Town Officers that do not need to be elected by written ballot. The officials are: One member of the Advisory Board of Assessors for a term of three (3) years. The Advisory Board of Assessors reviews requests for property abatements and makes recommendations for resolution to the Board of Selectmen. Three Fence Viewers, each for a term of one (1) year. The Fence Viewers, dating back to the colonial era, are available to adjudicate fence disputes. Two Surveyors of Wood and Timber, each for a term of one (1) year. The Surveyors of Wood and Timber also date back to the colonial era, and are elected to adjudicate disputes regarding the sufficiency of a delivered cord of wood. While no longer utilized, many New Hampshire towns still elect Surveyors to maintain this colonial tradition. Part II-9 During consideration of this article, the Parks and Recreation Board will read a resolution honoring the Recreation Volunteer of the Year and the Board of Selectmen will honor retiring Town employees. Article Twelve: Report of the Town Meeting Taskforce The Board of Selectmen developed a charge for the Town Meeting Taskforce during the fall of 2003 and appointed 12 citizens to the Taskforce in December of 2003. The role of the Taskforce, as determined by the Board, is to "help initiate a public process to rearticulate the fundamental goals of Town Meeting and to begin considering alternative ways to meet those goals". The Taskforce has been given approximately 18 months to carry out their work, with implementation planned in two phases. The first phase, which began in December of 2003 and will conclude with a presentation by the Taskforce at the 2004 Town Meeting, has been devoted to fact finding and examination of options. The second phase, which will begin shortly after the 2004 Town Meeting and will depend on feedback received, will include developing some concrete proposals for consideration by the Board of Selectmen and the 2005 Town Meeting. Among the Taskforce's many activities leading up to the 2004 Town Meeting, a questionnaire was mailed to over 1,800 resident property owners, e-mailed to approximately 1,000 tenants of rental property in Hanover, and distributed to 350 Kendal residents, seeking input relative to many aspects of the current Town Meeting format. At the beginning of the Business Meeting portion of Town Meeting this year, representatives of the Taskforce will report their preliminary findings regarding citizen feedback about the current Town Meeting format and will seek further feedback from Town Meeting attendees during the presentation. Article Thirteen: Distribution of Revenue into the Land and Capital Improvements Fund The 1999 Town Meeting voted to create a Land and Capital Improvements Fund and a Conservation Fund, and then annually to consider taking the proceeds from the preceding fiscal year's Land Use Change Tax and distributing 50% to the Land and Capital Improvements Fund and 50% to the Conservation Fund. This article distributes 50% of the Land Use Change Tax revenue from FY 2002-2003 into the Land and Capital Improvements Fund. This fund can be utilized to purchase land for Town facilities or to assist in the construction or renovation of Town facilities. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Article Fourteen: Distribution of Revenue into the Conservation Fund Mirroring the action taken in Article Thirteen, this article distributes 50% of the FY 2002-2003 Land Use Change Tax revenue into the Conservation Fund. This fund can be utilized to purchase conservation land, conservation easements, or to implement land conservation-related activities. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Article Fifteen: Transfer of Funds Collected into the Municipal Transportation Improvement Fund State statutes enable New Hampshire communities to establish a Municipal Transportation Improvement Fund, pursuant to RSA 261:153 VI. Such a fund is created by adopting a motor Part II-10 Article Sixteen: Withdrawal of Funds from the Municipal Transportation Improvement Fund The Town's Bicycle Committee has requested the withdrawal of funds from the Municipal Transportation Improvement Fund to support the replacement of prioritized storm drain grates with bicycle-safe grates, as well as the painting of additional pavement markings to insure safer travel of bicycles within the Town. This is a purpose for which the Fund was established. Town staff recommends that $5,000 be withdrawn from the Fund in FY 2004-05 to continue our commitment to this work on behalf of bicyclists. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Article Seventeen: Payment into Capital Reserve Funds This article appropriates and authorizes the payment of monies into various Capital Reserve Funds. All of these actions are taken as part of the recommended budget for FY 2004-2005. The Town makes regular, annual contributions to these funds and then, as required, expends monies from the funds to replace vehicles and equipment. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Article Eighteen: Withdrawal of Funds for Vehicle and Equipment Replacement This article authorizes the withdrawal of funds from three different Capital Reserve Funds to replace the following vehicles and pieces of equipment: Highway Construction and Maintenance The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Part II-11 The Town of Hanover is responsible for maintaining and ultimately replacing twenty-five bridges. These bridges range from 3 to 65 years in age. In the past the Town has budgeted for major bridge repairs when such work has been required, often necessitating the expenditure of large sums of money. In a continuing effort to standardize capital reserving to reduce the need to periodically budget for major capital repairs which significantly impact the municipal tax rate, the Town has moved in recent years toward actively reserving for an anticipated schedule of major capital improvements on an annual basis. Toward that goal, the Town is recommending the establishment of a Bridge Replacement and Renovation Capital Reserve to enable the annual set-aside of funds toward future bridge replacement or repair. An initial funding deposit of $34,000 is recommended for FY 2004-2005. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Article Twenty: Establishment of Town Revaluation Capital Reserve By state statute adopted within the past three years, all New Hampshire communities are responsible for conducting a thorough revaluation update every 5 years, such update which must then be certified by the State of New Hampshire. This statute was passed by the State Legislature in response to concerns around the state that communities were not updating property values on any sort of regular schedule, leading to an unfair, differential impact of the recently enacted statewide property tax utilized to fund a portion of education expenses at the local level. Hanover implemented its first regular, five year valuation update in August of 2003 and anticipates that the next update will be implemented in 2007/2008 for implementation in 2008. The cost to implement such an update is approximately $60,000, as it requires the retention of a part-time employee to assist the Town Assessor with in-depth data collection. Rather than budget for the full expense in FY 2007-2008, the Board of Selectmen recommends establishment of a Revaluation Capital Reserve and the depositing of $10,000 in that reserve in FY 2004-2005. In each succeeding year, a similar amount will be budgeted, enabling the work to be fully funded by the implementation date of the work in 2007. This approach eases the one-time impact on the municipal tax rate and is consistent with the Town's efforts to establish and fund other capital reserves. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Article Twenty-One: Lyme Road Improvements - Land and Capital Improvements Fund As part of the Three Party Agreement, the new Richmond Middle School will soon be constructed on a parcel of land located on the corner of Lyme and Dresden Roads. During the site plan review process with the Hanover Planning Board, Town staff, working in conjunction with the Dresden School District's architects and engineers, developed a plan for Lyme Road improvements designed to: facilitate safe traffic flow through the area; allow for safe ingress and egress into/out of the Middle School property; increase pedestrian safety through extension of the sidewalk on the east side of Lyme Road; provide for safe bicycle use by adding bicycle paths; and add street landscaping elements designed to signify vehicular entrance into a village Part II-12 Of the total estimated cost of $358,000, the School District has committed $75,000 and the Town has committed to funding the remaining $283,000 over two fiscal years beginning in FY 2004-2005. In FY 2004-2005, the Town has budgeted $120,000 for this work, with one portion of the funding ($25,000) to be appropriated from the Land and Capital Improvements Fund (this Fund is described in the information provided for Article 13); one portion ($50,000) to be appropriated from the Municipal Transportation Fund (this Fund is described in the information provided for Article 15 above); and the remaining amount ($45,000) to be transferred to a Road Construction and Improvement Reserve, covered in Article 25. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004.
Article Twenty-Three: Authorization to Provide Fire Department Mutual Aid Recognizing that it is cost prohibitive for each individual fire department in New Hampshire to be adequately staffed, trained and equipped to respond to complex hazardous materials incidents within their own community, the State Fire Marshall's Office initiated an effort in 2001 to encourage the development of several regional hazardous materials response teams and to provide funding for these teams. The Midwestern New Hampshire Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team has been developed for this section of the state and Hanover has become an active member. In order to secure targeted training and, ultimately, to either provide support as a participating responder or to receive support from the regional team in the event of a hazardous materials incident in Hanover, the State Fire Marshall has requested that each participating community receive either Town Meeting or City Council approval to provide mutual aid pursuant to RSA 154:24. This is the state statute which officially empowers any city, town or village fire district to provide aid to another such entity. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this warrant article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. In 1997, Town Meeting adopted RSA 202-A: 4-d, enabling the Howe and Etna Libraries to accept personal property donations (e.g., art work, furnishings, etc) as municipal entities. Curiously, at that time Town Meeting was not asked to adopt the companion RSA 202-A: 4-c, which enables both Libraries to accept and expend cash gifts, presumably because it was either assumed this RSA had been adopted by an earlier Town Meeting or because cash gifts of a substantial nature have typically been given only to the Howe Library Corporation (a private entity) rather than to the Town of Hanover on behalf of the Howe. A recent review of Town records, however, reveals that Town Meeting has never adopted RSA 202-A: 4-c. Given that both the Howe and Etna Libraries regularly receive cash donations and expend such donations for the purposes for which the donations are intended (generally to enhance certain aspects of both Libraries' collections), the Board of Selectmen is requesting that Town Meeting officially Part II-13 Article Twenty-Five: Renaming Road Construction and Improvement Reserve The 2002 Town Meeting established the North College Street Reconstruction Capital Reserve Fund to enable the accumulation of funds for the reconstruction of a portion of North College Street. The bulk of the proposed reconstruction work was implemented during the 2002 and 2003 construction seasons, however the Town has opted to postpone reconstruction of the intersection of North Park Street and Lyme Road pending the College's expansion of the Dewey Field parking lot and related entrance improvements at this intersection. This work, which will necessitate the upgrade of the signal and potential reconstruction of the intersection, could require the expenditure of up to $40,000. In addition, as noted in the background information for Articles 21 and 22 above, $45,000 is appropriated toward the Town's reconstruction of Lyme Road in conjunction with the new Middle School project. The Board of Selectmen is proposing revising the name of the North College Street Reconstruction Capital Reserve Fund, to be renamed the Road Construction and Improvements Capital Reserve Fund, so that funds for the future reconstruction of Town streets such as the North Park and Lyme intersection and Lyme Road can be accumulated for this purpose. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing on April 5, 2004.
Article Twenty-Six: Upper Valley Trails Alliance Funding Request The Upper Valley Trails Alliance is a local nonprofit coalition of trail and land protection organizations, civic groups and landowners which supports multi-modal trails and the creation of a cohesive trail network in 40 towns throughout the Upper Valley. In 2003, UVTA was awarded a $200,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's "Active Living by Design" program to implement "Trails for Life" in the Upper Valley, a program designed to promote physical activity on trails in order to address negative trends in diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. As part of the grant, the UVTA is required to raise $50,000 in local matching funds, and is seeking $10,000 from Hanover over the next four years. The Board of Selectmen recommends providing the first $2,500 payment in requested matching funds from the Land and Capital Improvements Fund, and is recommending that the second year of funding be provided in FY 2005-2006 from the Conservation Fund. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing on April 5, 2004.
Article Twenty-Seven: Proposed Municipal Budget for FY 2004-2005 Once again for FY 2004-2005, the Board of Selectmen felt very strongly that - in light of the sluggish economic recovery, uncertainty regarding the future status of the statewide property tax and the pending tax rate impact of the school facility bond issue that was approved in May of 2003 - it was important to minimize the impact of the proposed budget on the municipal portion of the tax rate. Therefore, the General Fund budget for FY 2004-2005 represents a 2.1% municipal tax rate increase, net of the 1.9% impact resulting from the first of 20 annual $100,000 payments the Town has agreed to pay the Dresden School District as part of the approved Three Party Agreement. The Town Manager's Budget Report, located in Chapter 2, page 11 of the Part II-14 Article #27 - Appropriations to be Voted on for the Proposed Municipal Budget for FY 2004-2005 $14,114,969 The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to support the budget as proposed for FY 2004-2005 during their final budget public hearing held on March 3, 2004.
Article Twenty-Eight: Appropriation of Conservation Fund Monies to Acquire Land or Conservation Easement East of Moose Mountain The Conservation Commission has been working to conserve nearly 1,000 acres owned by an individual on the east side of Moose Mountain. The land is held in three separate properties: 1) Property A, consisting of 239 acres, is on the eastern slope of Moose Mountain; 2) Property B, to the east and south of Goss Road, consists of 555 acres; and 3) Property C, to the north of Goss Road, consists of 205 acres. A map displaying the location of the three parcels is included in the Appendix which follows this section of the Town Report. The Conservation Commission had the land appraised and the total value of the three properties is $570,000. With less than $570,000 in the Conservation Fund, the Commission has sought conservation partners in the hopes of finding a potential owner for the land in fee, allowing the Town to purchase development rights and ensure public access to portions of the properties. As no such potential owner is known to us at the present, the Commission wants to go forward with the purchase of Property A, consisting of 239 acres on the east slope of Moose Mountain, for the asking price of $145,000. The Commission is requesting up to $55,000 in additional funding to cover costs associated with the purchase such as title search, transfer tax and legal expenses, but, more importantly, to purchase development rights on the remaining 760 acres should a potential owner be located before the 2005 Town Meeting.
Part II-15 " To promote the conservation, protection and sound management of the natural resource base. The threat of development of the land on the east slope of Moose Mountain is moderate. The logging that has taken place has left a gently sloped hillside with views north to Smarts Mountain and south to Mascoma Lake. Seasonal dwellings are permitted and when built, could be visible from Goss Road, Pasture Road and the South Ridge Trail. Certainly the wild land character of a hike on the South Ridge or Pasture Road would be affected by being in the backyard of three seasonal residences. New houses with long driveways would also have a negative impact on the wildlife that inhabits the hillside. There are four principle reasons why the Conservation Commission feels strongly about conserving the 239 acre property: 1) it offers protection to a significant portion of a Class VI road; 2) it provides valuable wildlife habitat; 3) it allows travelers along Goss Road to view the Moose Mt. ridge that is beautiful to look at, and; 4) it affords outstanding views for hikers and walkers along the length of the trail that runs along the ridgeline. Pasture Road is a Class VI road connecting Moose Mt. Lodge Road to the west with Goss Road to the east. It runs along the north side of Property A. Six-tenths of a mile of the south side of Pasture Road and nearly three-tenths of a mile of the north side of this road would be protected by purchasing this property. The town's Class VI roads are well-loved and well-used recreational corridors and provide the backbone to the town's trail system. By protecting land with frontage on our Class VI roads, the pressure to upgrade the roads to provide frontage and access for development is decreased. The entire eastern slope of Moose Mountain is a large undeveloped area which provides important wildlife habitat - signs of moose, deer, and fox were evident this winter. The stream that runs through the northern portion of the property is undoubtedly a favorite place for birds and animals to drink and offers an aquatic environment for amphibians. The Town's Trails Committee has been working on re-opening the old snowmobile trail that runs near and along the top of the southern half of Moose Mountain's ridge. Long abandoned by snowmobilers, this trail is now used only by foot travelers (including moose and other critters). The Moose Mountain ridge is blessed with fine views east to Mount Cardigan and west to the Green Mountains, wonderful wildflowers and trees, and abundant wildlife. The entire ridge of the mountain also offers an unspoiled natural vista seen not only from Hanover, but also from parts of Canaan and Enfield and other towns. The higher mountainsides host undisturbed headwaters of both Mink Brook and the Mascoma River.
Part II-16 Approvals Needed: As stated in the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation Fund, capital expenditures by the Conservation Commission from the Conservation Fund for land acquisition of any type shall not exceed an annual aggregate total of $50,000 without approval by the Board of Selectmen and Town Meeting. The Commission received the support of the Board of Selectmen 4-0 with one member absent during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004 for the expenditure of a sum not to exceed $200,000 from the Conservation Fund to purchase land and/or conservation easements as outlined. Approval of this article will not result in an increase in taxes because this money already resides in the Town's Conservation Fund. Article Twenty-Nine: Establishment of a Downtown Business Service District State law (RSA 31:120) enables communities to implement "Downtown Business Service Districts", whereby property owners in designated downtown district areas can be assessed an annual fee, the proceeds from which can be used either for downtown beautification or for other programs, including downtown marketing. The Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce and its Downtown Committee have requested that Town Meeting adopt the provisions of RSA 31:120 so that a Downtown Business Service District may be implemented in Downtown Hanover, essentially corresponding with the D1 and D2 zoning district boundaries, along with the small B1 zoning district located at the intersection of Lebanon and Park Streets (including only the Ledyard Bank satellite office, the Hanover Food Co-op and the Mobil gas station properties). A map of the proposed Downtown Business Service District is included in the Appendix that immediately follows this section of the Town Report. If Town Meeting adopts the provisions of RSA 31:120 as requested, Town staff would work with the Chamber to establish an appropriate fee per property based on assessed valuation and to assess the fee on an annual basis. A District Advisory Committee would be appointed by the Board of Selectmen, and this Committee would guide the expenditure of the collected funds in implementing a comprehensive downtown marketing program. It is proposed that the sum of $50,000 be assessed and collected from the District in FY 2004-2005. After the first year, the Advisory Committee would prepare expenditure budgets and seek support for the annual assessment of the fee through participation in the annual budget process conducted by the Board of Selectmen. During a public hearing held by the Board of Selectmen on March 31, 2004, downtown business and property owners came out in large numbers to express their strong support for the proposed Downtown Business Service District fee assessment program. The owners who testified that evening indicated that they recognized that the proposed fee per property will be quite low and that the benefits of pooling their marketing dollars via the assessed fee so that a comprehensive marketing program could be implemented was an excellent investment of their funds. After hearing the level of popular support for this proposal from downtown property and business Part II-17 Article Thirty: Modification of Finance Committee Constitution The Town of Hanover created an advisory Finance Committee many years ago. Under state law (RSA 32:24), a municipality or school district may establish an advisory budget or finance committee with the duties to be determined by the municipality or school district. While Town Meeting approval is not technically required for the establishment of such an advisory committee, the tradition in Hanover has been to have Town Meeting adopt and modify the constitution which empowers the work of the Finance Committee. The current Finance Committee "Constitution" was last modified by the 1971 Town Meeting. The current Finance Committee recently conducted a review of the 1971 Constitution and determined that the actual role of the Committee has changed over time, largely related to the time availability of its volunteer members and the ever-changing financial issues facing the community. The Finance Committee is recommending that Town Meeting this year adopt a new, modified Constitution to more accurately reflect their current role and activities. The 1971 Constitution, the proposed revised Constitution and a helpful comparison of the two prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Upper Valley are included in the Appendix that immediately follows this section of the Town Report. The Board of Selectmen voted 4-0 with one member absent to support this article during the Pre-Town Meeting public hearing held on April 5, 2004. Article Thirty-One: Adoption of Optional Tax Credit for Military-Related Total Disability In 2003, the legislature combined the Standard and Optional Veterans' Tax Credit into one statute, the Standard and Optional Tax Credits for Service-Connected Total Disability into another, and revised the Surviving Spouse Tax Credit. Each statute contains a standard and optional component. Currently, the Town administers the Standard Veterans' Credit ($50), the Standard Total Disability Credit ($700), and the Standard Surviving Spouse Tax Credit ($700). Not all veterans qualify for a tax credit; the required qualifications are detailed under each statute. Under the Optional Veterans Credit, by local option, the town may choose to increase the credit amount from $51 up to $500. Under the Optional Tax Credits for Service-Connected Total Disability and the Optional Surviving Spouse Tax Credit, by local option, the town may choose to increase the credit amount from $701 up to $2,000. The tax credit is subtracted from the total tax due for each qualified Veteran. The total of all tax credits granted in a given year is accounted for in the municipal tax rate. As you increase the credits, the municipal tax rate goes up to offset the loss of tax revenue from qualified applicants. The Board of Selectmen considered these options on March 31, 2004 and recommends that Town Meeting vote to do the following: " Raise the Optional Tax Credit for Service-Connected Total Disability from $700 to $2,000; Part II-18 Article Thirty-Three: Funding for West Central Behavioral Health West Central Behavioral Health, a local community mental health agency that serves individuals in Hanover and throughout the Upper Valley, requests funding in the amount of $9,300 for FY 2003-2004. This funding helps to support a wide range of services provided to Hanover residents, from child and adult therapy to substance abuse therapy, vocational services, and case management. The agency finds the need to request funding from communities it serves as a result of reductions in available state and federal funding, thereby shifting costs to the local level. This is the third year that West Central has requested funding from the Town, and the final year in which it will appear as a separate warrant article for Town Meeting approval. As part of the FY 2004-2005 Town Budget, the Town would maintain funding to the following social service agencies in addition to the funding level requested by West Central: " Acorn $ 2,000
Article Thirty-Four: Other Items This warrant article allows attendees at Town Meeting to raise any other items for consideration.
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