Board of Selectmen Meeting, March 3, 2025
Confusing warrant articles on Stevens Hill Road. New clothing recycling program. Shade structure approved.
Stevens Hill Road Reconstruction Warrant Articles
There was a discussion about how the board’s voters guide should handle the issue of road reconstruction on Stevens Hill Road. As is customary for the board, it created a warrant article for road reconstruction - warrant article #12. This warrant article includes Stevens Hill Road as one of several the board thinks should have a major upgrade. Separately from this, there was a citizen petition for work on Stevens Hill Road - warrant article #22. This petition was created based on the belief that last year’s road reconstruction warrant article which included Stevens Hill Road, was voted down because it included unpopular projects: paving part of Priest Road and the creation of paved aprons for some of the town’s dirt roads. These projects perceived to be unpopular were not included in this year’s warrant article proposed by the board.
Because of the way NH law works, if the voters approve #12 (which includes Stevens Hill Road) but reject #22 (which is specific to Stevens Hill Road), the rejection of #22 will override the approval of #12 with respect to Stevens Hill Road, prohibiting funds in #12 to be used on Stevens Hill Road.
There was an attempt at the deliberative session to fix this by removing Stevens Hill Road and its funding from article 12, but it was voted down.
The voters guide issued by the board contains contradictory recommendations from the board. On the ballot warrant article #22 says the the board is unanimously opposed to the warrant article, yet in the voters guide the board says it is in favor of the warrant article. Selectman Shirland claimed that the board could not officially recommend warrant article #22 on the ballot because it would put the town over the tax cap. [This is erroneous, as is the statement to the same effect in the voters guide, below. Only the Budget Committee is bound by the tax cap. The Board of Selectmen is not bound by the tax cap. See RSA 32:5-c.]
Clothing Recycling
The Recycling Center is now accepting clothing and other textiles for recycling. The new clothing recycling container is near the exisitng electronics container. The recycling services are being provided by Apparel Impact, based in Hookset, NH.
Town Report
The 2024 Town Report is available online, or in print at the library, town offices, and the two post offices.
Playground Shade Structure
The board approved a $15k quote to install a shade structure near the playground at the Community Center.
Outgoing Selectman Morin Honored
In thanks for his six years of service to Nottingham as a Selectman, the Nottingham Historical Society recognized John Morin and gave him a t-shirt.