Councilors seek community input on adding parking lot lights downtown

LACONIA — The Downtown Tax Increment Financing District Advisory Board hopes to improve lighting downtown, and illuminate Rotary Park, after determining costs. 

The board was established by the city council to advise councilors on the planning, construction and implementation of the district’s development program, and maintenance or operations within. At present, downtown Realtors Warren Clement and Kara Chase, Mayor Charlie St. Clair, Jim Daubenspeck of Daub’s Cobbler Shop and Myles Chase of MC Cycle & Sport sit on the advisory board. 

The city has three TIF districts — one downtown, another in Lakeport, and one in the Weirs.

The concept of a TIF district is such: property taxes within a district are split into two categories, existing tax revenue based on the assessed value of properties at the time the district is formed, and property tax revenue based on the increased, or incremental, property values resulting from capital improvements. The increased tax revenue is used to pay for the costs of those improvements. Once it's paid, the incremental assessed value typically becomes part of the tax rolls. 

One of the projects completed with input from the TIF District advisory board was the lighting installed over Canal Street last year. Now, the board hopes to install more lighting in other areas of downtown.

At the meeting of the city council on Monday night, councilors reviewed a request from the advisory board to spend $6,000 in TIF district funds to amend an existing concept design and cost estimate for lighting at the Beacon Street East parking lot, the parking lot at City Hall, and at Rotary Park. 

A conceptual design and cost estimate was produced in 2023, at the request of that city council, but the figures did not include Rotary Park, located along the Winnipesaukee River downtown.

“It’s been asked to expand it down to Rotary Park, to add lighting down there,” City Manager Kirk Beattie said. 

“I think this is a great idea, we spoke about it at the TIF meeting last month. We have another meeting Wednesday, so I’m sure we’ll discuss it again,” Ward 6 Councilor Tony Felch said Monday night.

At present, there’s a general lack of lighting in those locations at night, particularly in the winter, when the sun regularly sets before 5 p.m. For example, there’s hardly any lighting along the river walk near City Hall. The new lighting, if approved, would be created to blend in with existing lighting downtown.  

Councilors will hold a public hearing on the matter at their meeting on Monday, Dec. 8.  

“If my memory serves me, these lights are going to be like the ones we have downtown, so they’re matching up. They’re not going to be these ugly-looking things,” Ward 5 Councilor Steven Bogert said. 

In other business, councilors set a public hearing for Dec. 8 regarding a request for the fire department to replace a failing motor on the large bay doors at the Central Station downtown. 

The failing motor is the one responsible for operating the ambulance bay door, which Chief Tim Joubert said sees the most use on a daily basis. They’ve been limping that motor along for some time, but it’s become impossible to continue servicing it. That particular motor is no longer manufactured.

“The motors now are 10 years old,” Joubert said. “Unfortunately, to our surprise, one started leaking oil, and we started to go down a rabbit hole. We found that those motors are no longer manufactured or supported, and nobody really works on them.

“The request is to replace the most damaged motor, which is the ambulance [bay door motor], and rotate the other motors based on use, so we can prolong their life.” 

Impact fees not to exceed $11,000 will be used to fund the purchase and installation. Councilors also directed Beattie to identify funding to replace a second motor. There are five total motors. Three others will likely need to be replaced at some point. 

“There’s certain doors that get used a lot more than others, and I think, by having the company rearrange where those motors are located, will prolong their lives,” Joubert said.