Town Meeting 2024: $17.5M public safety complex in Exeter, effort to save Fort Rock trails

Exeter area voters will weigh in this week on town budgets, capital projects, and other questions impacting their towns during the first half of Town Meeting, known as the deliberative session.

Town and school districts, like Exeter, Newfields, Kensington and Epping, have deliberative sessions because they adopted Senate Bill 2. It's similar to a traditional New England Town Meeting, the only difference is the actual "yeas" or "nays" are done out of the spotlight and in the voting booth on March 12.

Why are deliberative sessions important?

What goes on the ballot is determined by what happens at these sessions.

The meeting is where you can debate, make amendments to the wording of an article (except for zoning amendments and as long as it doesn't change the intent), and, yes, potentially even “zero out” a money warrant article. Because money-related warrant article amounts can be brought to $0, residents at deliberative sessions can effectively vote down a spending request before it reaches the majority of voters at the polls.

Here is a look at the top warrant articles on the ballot in Exeter, Newfields, Kensington and Epping.

'Unjust action': Former Exeter selectman files petition to keep Swasey Parkway open to all

Exeter seeks $17.5 for new police station, fire substation

Exeter is asking voters to support a $17.5 million for a new Police Department headquarters and fire substation at 6 Continental Drive.

The bond article, which needs a three-fifths majority vote, is one of five on the ballot.

Select Board Chair Niko Papakonstantis said the police and fire departments have “outgrown” the current two-story, 18,000-square-foot complex at 20 Court Street.

“You can actually see the present facility and just how outdated it is, and how cramped it is,” said Papakonstantis. “It’s not ADA compliant, there’s just so many needs right now that the building that was built in 1978 cannot accommodate. The town has grown, and the needs of our citizens have grown.”

Last March, Exeter voters narrowly shot down a plan to build the same public safety complex – the only difference was that it was for $16.3 million instead of the current $17.5 million price tag.

Town Manager Russ Dean said the price increase is due to inflation.

“That’s not uncommon with capital projects, they tend to increase in cost as the years go by,” said Dean.

Other bond questions include $6 million for water, sewer and drainage improvements in the School Street area, $213,300 to replace the Webster Avenue sewer pump station, and $500,000 to design and engineer a new surface water treatment plant.

Other articles on the warrant include the town's proposed $22.8 million budget, the water budget of $4.9 million, and the sewer budget of $7.4 million.

Also on the ballot is a citizens' petition to reverse course and keep Swasey Parkway open to through traffic. The petition filed by former selectman Don Clement seeks to keep “a one-way road northbound in its entirety for motorized vehicular traffic” at Swasey Parkway. The article also asks for $2,500 to construct speed bumps along the road.

“My intent is to correct an unjust action, which was to exclude people who have mobility issues or elderly from driving to that portion of the parkway,” said Clement.

The town deliberative session will be at 9 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 3, at Exeter High School.

'Let’s get it passed': Exeter seeks voter support for $17.5M public safety complex

Exeter School District

The Exeter Elementary School Board is asking voters to support a $24.5 million budget, which is a 3.33% increase over the 2024 budget.

Finance Director Mollie O'Keefe said at the board's Jan. 9 meeting, that the major changes in the budget are salaries (non-union salaries increased by 3%), and increases due to inflation, bus service and technology services.

The Exeter Elementary School district's deliberative budget is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Fort Rock trails at risk: How Exeter, Newfields look to save 148 acres from development

Newfields eyes purchase to save Fort Rock trails from development

A proposal to preserve 101 acres of woodlands from future development, which includes the Fort Rock trail system, will go before voters in Newfields.

Voters are being asked to approve a Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan of up to $2.5 million at its Town Meeting via citizens' petition.

The Trust for Public Land and Southeast Land Trust is looking to work with Newfields and Exeter to purchase the 148-acre property from the Rugg family for nearly $5.2 million.

Exeter voters are being asked at its Town Meeting whether they have an interest in purchasing 47 acres in its town, which would cost them between $800,000 to $1.1 million.

“The Rugg family needs to sell the property,” said Duane Hyde, conservation director for the Southeast Land Trust. “They have graciously agreed to give us, the community, and the land conservation community, the opportunity and the time to try and put a project together to conserve this property. But if we fail, the only other option for the family is to sell the property and likely sell it for development.”

The Newfields Select Board is recommending voters reject the bond article, which requires a three-fifths approval at the ballot booth

Select Board Chair Michael Sununu said he voted against the project because "it is too much money." Select Board member Hoby Harmon said he had an issue with the appraisal and would also like to know what Exeter plans to do before committing the town.

Another citizens' petition regarding the Rugg property is also on the ballot. It asks whether the town supports the future purchase of the property but allocates no money. Instead, the article directs the Select Board to review the project and evaluate funding options.

Also on the ballot is the town's proposed $2.09 million budget and a citizens' petition to reinstate biweekly curbside recycling.

The town's deliberative session is on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m.

Newfields board votes to end recycling: How residents are pushing back

Newfieds School District

The Newfields Elementary School Board is asking voters to support a $3.25 million budget and a new three-year collective bargaining agreement for the Newfields Staff Association. The school deliberative session is at 6 p.m. at the Newfields Elementary School on Monday, Feb. 5.

Petition seeks to change Exeter Co-op Board elections

A citizens' petition has been filed to alter the way members of the SAU 16 Exeter Regional Cooperative School Board are elected in the future.

The petition calls for amending the Articles of Agreement of the Exeter Regional Cooperative School District by deleting that "all board members shall be elected by the voters 'at large.'" Instead, the petition calls for board members to be elected in the specific town they reside in and will represent on the cooperative board.

The petition was filed by Melissa Litchfield, who is a former Brentwood member of the Exeter Cooperative School Board and state representative.

“It’s just not fair that the larger towns decide who represents the smaller towns (on the cooperative board),” Litchfield said previously.

Also on the ballot is the cooperative school district's budget of $68.5 million, which is a 1% (or $693,473) decrease over the prior year.

The cooperative serves the towns of Exeter, Brentwood, Kensington, East Kingston, Newfields and Stratham.The school district's deliberative session will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Exeter High School.

Kensington voters to decide town budget, zoning and more

Kensington voters will be asked to approve a $2.6 million town budget, a $138,627 increase over last year's budget.

The article is one of 24 on the ballot, including five zoning amendments as well as three articles adjusting the elderly, veterans, and service-connected exemptions and tax credits.

There is also a question on the ballot on whether to accept the gift of 2.67 acres of land from Elaine Kaczmarek to be used for public parking next to the Grange Hall.

The deliberative session is at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Kensington Elementary School gym.

Kensington School District

The Kensington Elementary School Board is seeking voter support for a $4.27 million budget, which is 5.4% over the 2024 budget.

Finance Director Mollie O’Keefe said the additional $224,664 includes non-union salary increases, a 2.95% increase in transportation with First Student, a 9.9% GMR for health insurance, and a 4.7% increase for dental insurance.

The Kensington Elementary School district's deliberative session will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Stratham joins Community Power: What does this mean? How will it lower electricity costs?

Epping to vote on adopting Community Power Plan

Epping is asking voters to support the Community Power Plan, which is intended to help electricity customers save money.

Under RSA 53-E, the Community Power Law, towns can pursue electric cost savings through electricity aggregation–in other words, by bundling consumer power to get the lowest possible rates. At the recommendation of the Epping Electric Aggregation Committee, the Epping Select Board has voted to join the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH).

As a nonprofit power supplier rather than a regulated utility, CPCNH helps New Hampshire cities and towns share and maximize the benefits and savings of community power programs statewide.

There is no cost to join CPCNH, and the existing utility companies (e.g., Eversource and Unitil) will continue to operate and repair electrical transmission lines. Since it launched in March 2023, CPCNH has saved more than $10 million for the state’s residential and small commercial ratepayers. For example, it has announced a base rate of 8.1¢ per kilowatt-hour for these ratepayers from February 1 through July 31, 2024. Customers do not need to do anything to receive these lower rates. They can, however, opt-in to slightly higher rates for cleaner energy if they wish.

A warrant article authorizing the plan will be discussed at the town deliberative session on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. at the Epping Town Hall.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter area Town Meetings 2024: What you need to know