Town Meeting 2023: Here are top issues, races facing voters in Exeter area towns
Exeter area voters will get to weigh in next week on who they want to represent them, as well as town and school budgets.
In Exeter, the town is seeking a $16.3 million bond to construct a new police station and a fire substation.Brentwood voters will once again debate whether they want to keep its “traditional Town Meeting,” while East Kingston is seeking a $4 million bond to conserve land from development.
Here's a look at the top issues and contested races in the Exeter area.
EXETER
Voters will decide 32 warrant articles including the town’s proposed operating budget of a little less than $21.3 million, water budget of a little more than $4.5 million and sewer budget of a little more than $7.4 million.
The big-ticket item, however, is whether voters will approve a $16.3 million structure to house a new police station and a fire substation.
The proposed two-story complex at 6 Continental Drive would be 23,165 square feet and feature an outdoor deck, a fitness room, a large community room and designated spaces for each department.
Big decision: $16.3 million bond sought for new Exeter police HQ, fire substation
The current safety complex at 20 Court St. was built 40 years ago, and officials said it's too small to fit the current needs of the departments. The Fire Staffing and Deployment Analysis conducted in 2020 deemed the public safety complex as “undersized” with the lack of space for administrative personnel, training rooms, shower amenities and storage.
The 20-year bond needs a three-fifths majority vote to gain approval. It would come with a tax rate impact of 65 cents per $1,000 of property value, which translates to $195 for the owner of a $300,000 home.
Two other bond articles are also up for a vote. Article 4 seeks $6 million for water and sewer improvements in the Westside Drive area while Article 5 seeks $798,000 to install a roundabout at the intersection of Front Street at Pine and Linden streets near the Exeter Inn as well as make minor improvements at the Winter, Railroad, Columbus intersection.
Voters will also decide on a citizens’ petition calling for Swasey Parkway to remain open for vehicular traffic. The petition comes a year after voters approved an article to make a portion of the road pedestrian-only from Water Street to the parkway’s gazebo and allow two-way traffic from that point to Newfields Road. A probate judge recently signed off on the request paving the way for the road’s closure.
Dave Staples said he filed the petition because he wants to see the road remain open to allow people with mobility issues better access to the road.
Citizens' petition:Exeter petition to keep Swasey Parkway open to traffic may put brakes on planned closure
Town officials have not said whether Staples’ new petition is binding and how it would affect last year’s vote if approved.
There are no contested races on the town ballot.
To view a sample ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3T5EvxR.
EXETER SCHOOL DISTRICT
There are four questions on the ballot including the school district's proposed $23,374,631 operating budget, which is $347,502 more than the default budget. Driving the 2.2% increase are salaries and health insurance.
Voters will also decide the fate of a new three-year teachers' contract with the Exeter Education Association.
School Board member Patrick O'Day said at the deliberative session the contract calls for a 3% wage hike in the first year, 2% in the second, and 2.25% in the third.
To view a sample ballot, visit https://bit.ly/41Z0kDf.
EXETER REGION COOPERATIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Exeter Regional Cooperative School District will decide on three warrant articles, including its proposed operating budget of $69,913,899, which is $310,131 more than the proposed default budget.
There are two contested races on the ballot. The race to represent Exeter on the Cooperative Board pits Dawn Bullens against Aunksika Ann Slayton. Running to represent Brentwood on the school district’s Budget Committee is former School Board member Melissa Litchfield and Erin Steckler.
To view a sample ballot, visit https://bit.ly/41T81et.
BRENTWOOD
There are four contested races on the March 14 town ballot, including a three-way race between incumbent Andrew Artimovich, Paul Kleinman, and Melissa Litchfield for two seats on the Selectboard. Current Selectboard member Bob Mantegari opted not to seek reelection.
Brentwood's traditional Town Meeting will take place Saturday, March 18, where voters will decide the town's proposed operating budget of $5,525,898, an increase of $599,449 or 12% over last year.
Also on the ballot is a question to replace traditional Town Meeting by adopting SB2. SB2 towns have a deliberative session in which voters amend articles with a hand count vote, but then go to a ballot box later to cast their final votes on warrant articles. The question has been brought forward four times in the past by citizen petition, most recently in 2016.
To view a sample March 14 ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3kTxIuJ.
BRENTWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT
Three people are running for two seats on the School Board at the March 14 election. They are Allison Higgins, Brian Duffy and Bill Dunham.
Voters at the School District Annual Meeting on March 10 at 6 p.m. will decide the district's proposed $6,460,079.53 budget, which would be $383,965.67 higher than last year’s budget.
They will also decide on a four-year contract extension for the Brentwood Educational Support Professionals that in its first year would see a $181,602 cost. The following three years would see $57,769, $38,122, and $37,970 raised to pay for salary and benefits.
To view a sample March 14 ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3kTxIuJ.
EAST KINGSTON
On the March 14 ballot is a $4 million bond for the acquisition of conservation easements to aid in the protection of the town's rural character, open space, safe drinking water, and wildlife.
To view a sample ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3kVFSCS.
EPPING
Voters will decide 30 warrant articles on the Town Meeting ballot, including the town’s proposed $17,194,269 operating budget, which is $378,504 more than the default.
Also on the ballot is a $79,050 request to bring on a new firefighter. That article covers seven months of work for the firefighter, after which the salary would be $119,185 per year starting in 2024.
There are seven petition warrant articles to be decided including one that calls for the elimination of all tax dollars for the Epping Youth Athletic Association. The petition claims the group has "participated in political campaigns over the past two years to influence the outcome of Epping town elections." Selectmen voted 5-0 to not recommend the article citing that the issue was addressed, and the matter has been resolved.
There are four contested races on the ballot, including a two-way race between incumbent Pamela Tibbetts and Steve Thomas for one selectman seat.
Seven candidates are running for three seats on the town's Budget Committee. They are John Scully, Michael Charkowski, Marty Dyer, Robert Konrad Hodgman, Bret Lincoln, Gary Mac Leay and Steve Ozols.
To view a sample ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3kYgEDE.
EPPING SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Epping School District ballot has eight questions including the proposed operating budget of $22,596,832 and a new teachers’ contract.
Also on the ballot are several petition warrant articles including one that calls for the district to return to the "long practiced, traditional, grading system" of "A, B, C, D, F" and another to eliminate the policy of "homework being worth only 10% of a student's grade for every subject offered."
There are two contested races on the ballot. A three-way race for two seats on the School Board features Aarron Dupuis, Jennifer Jacoby and Robin O'Day. The race for school moderator pits Michael Vose against Adam Munguia.
To view a sample ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3kYgEDE.
STRATHAM
There is only one contested race at the March 14 election and that is for one seat on the Select Board. Incumbent Michael Houghton is being challenged by Denise Lemire.
Voters will also decide 9 zoning articles including three that would impact development in the town’s Gateway Commercial Business District, which includes the corridor of business activity along Portsmouth Avenue.
Article 2 seeks to require greater front setbacks in the district and along Portsmouth Avenue to ensure room for landscaping and pedestrian facilities while Article 4 seeks to establish minimum standards in the district for sidewalks and driveways to reduce conflict points between pedestrians and motorists. It also includes standards for electric vehicle charging stations.
The town will hold its traditional Town Meeting on Saturday, March 18, at 9 a.m. in the Stratham Memorial School.
The town will decide 9 warrant articles including the town’s proposed $8,211,188 operating budget, which is a 2% increase over last year.
One article, if approved, would allow the Select Board to establish or amend fees following a public hearing. According to the town voter guide, the article would allow the board greater flexibility to adopt fees to respond to changes in the cost of providing services, such as at the transfer station facility.
To view a sample March 14 ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3T4PdVC.
STRATHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT
On March 14, voters will decide a three-person race for two seats on the School Board featuring Erik Herring, Elizabeth Ellis Ohr and Sophie Saltonstall.
The Stratham School District hosts its annual School District Meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 6, at the Stratham Memorial School.
Voters will decide the district's proposed operating budget of $14,548,969 and a four-year contract extension with the Stratham Educational Support Professionals.
To view a sample March 14 ballot, visit https://bit.ly/3yqAef0.
Where to vote in the Exeter area on March 14
Exeter
Time: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: Talbot Gym, Seacoast School of Technology, 40 Linden St.
Epping
Time: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: The Middle School gymnasium, Epping Middle High School, 33 Prescott Road
Brentwood
Time: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Swasey Central School, 355 Middle Road
Stratham
Time: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: Stratham Memorial School, 39 Gifford Farm Road
East Kingston
Time: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: East Kingston Elementary School, 5 Andrews Lane
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Town Meeting 2023: Exeter area voters to decide on these key issues
