Council to set budget hearing date, vote on extending social district hours during summer concerts

LACONIA — The city's proposed fiscal year 2027 budget will be open for input soon, if a public hearing slated for June 22 is voted upon by the council at their meeting Monday night. 

According to a document prepared by Finance Director Glenn Smith, City Manager Kirk Beattie recommends the council schedule the hearing. The proposed budget was presented on April 27, and city charter requires a public hearing to be held before it is adopted.

The proposed budget includes revenue and expenditure estimates for the general fund; Motorcycle Week; Pumpkinfest; ambulance EMS, sanitary sewer, water works and internal service funds; and TIF District funds for downtown, Lakeport and the Weirs.

According to information provided by the city, for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2026, the proposed total appropriations are $118.6 million; non-tax revenues total $49.8 million; fund balance use is $2 million; and the balance to be raised by taxes is $66.8 million.

At the meeting will be a first reading of the budget and resolution, with the public hearing and second reading to be scheduled that night.

Activities in the city’s social district went off without a hitch over the first couple of weekends as the state’s first community to give it a shot, and on Monday, council will vote on extending its hours for the Concert on the Canal series on Friday nights.

The concert series was approved by the city’s Special Events Committee, and documents provided by the city say event organizers asked for the hours to be extended until 9 p.m., on concert nights. Social district operating hours are currently noon to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.

“With the first concert being prior to tonight’s council meeting, the city manager has administratively approved the request and is requesting council ratifies this decision,” according to meeting documents.

The first concert was scheduled for June 5, and the next will be Friday, June 19. Concerts are also scheduled for July 3, 17, and 31, and Aug. 14 and 28.

This will require an additional hour of police coverage, and Beattie is recommending approval.

Diane Clary, business administrator for the Laconia School District, submitted a request for $65,000 to be used to fix a water pooling problem in the Elm Street School bus loop.

Meeting documents state that water pooling has caused traffic problems along Elm Street, in an area where parents pick up students at the end of the school day. The work proposed includes reconfiguring drainage angles, while using swales to fix the issue.

If approved, there will be a balance of $185,337.93 left in the school department expense line. Staff recommend council hold a public hearing on Monday, June 22, during the regular meeting, to gather input.

The Belknap Mill is also requesting a temporary traffic order be approved to reserve parking spaces for two free events, on Wednesday, July 1, and Friday, Aug. 7.

The request is for up to four parking spaces for food trucks to use on Beacon Street East. With safety in mind, customers will be served from the sidewalk side of the trucks.

A document submitted by Beattie states the Belknap Mill was asked to notify business owners who may be affected, and Mill staff plan to reach out to Fit Focus.

The events are from 5 to 8 p.m., and the request is for parking spaces be reserved starting at 2 p.m. so the food trucks have time to set up.

Beattie also recommends the council approve 26 “carry forward requests,” according to a document showing money appropriated for special purposes that hasn’t been spent. This could be due to timing, or coordination with third parties.

There are 21 carry forward requests not to exceed $1.4 million in the general fund; two carry forwards not to exceed $108,982 in the Internal Service Fund; and three carry forwards not to exceed $440,663 in the Sanitary Sewer Fund. The report was submitted by Smith. A public hearing is recommended at the June 22 meeting.

Mayor Mike Bordes is expected to appoint councilors as liaisons for the TIF Advisory Boards for downtown, Lakeport, and Weirs Beach, as well.

Council meets at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 8, at City Hall downtown.