Meredith Selectboard to discuss creation of 9/11 memorial on Monday afternoon

MEREDITH — The selectboard will meet at the Meredith Public Library on Monday afternoon, as repairs are made to the community center stemming from a burst pipe. They are expected to discuss public forums about the town government.

The selectboard discussed at their March 30 meeting hosting at least two public education forums on the differences between the current town manager form of government, and that of town administrator. This is a result of an 88-51 vote at Town Meeting for an advisory, petitioned article to hire a town administrator instead of a manager.

According to documents posted with the agenda, Town Manager Judie Milner has given the initiative further consideration over the past several weeks, and is looking for feedback from the selectboard on how to best present the forums.

The preferred dates, times and locations will be discussed, as well as the potential to use an outside facilitator, and any need for legal support. Other items to be considered will be coordinating with the New Hampshire Municipal Association, or Primex, the town’s insurance provider.

Milner is looking for direction on the format of the presentation, whether it be a roundtable or slide deck, and whether to include experienced town managers or administrators.

Another workshop will be held for infrastructure strategic goals prioritization, which will include an update on the Route 25 water main replacement, from DuBois & King.

In September 2025, the selectboard and management team met with Rick Alpers of Primex to create a vision and mission statement, and develop strategic goals and objectives for the next 18 months. They met again in November to finalize the strategic goals summary, and the board adopted the vision, mission, and strategic goals on Jan. 12. Now, they are working on prioritizing the objectives.

Water Superintendent Jason Bordeau and Public Works Director Craig Hale, and representatives of DuBois & King, will discuss the Route 25 project. Bordeau and Hale are also expected to update the board on other projects.

Bordeau will also recommend signing the Water and Sewer ordinances, to accept the 2026 rate increases of 8.25% for water and 9% for sewer, as approved by the selectboard in November.

The selectboard will also meet with Hale to discuss revised cemetery pricing, which replaces recently implemented rates deemed inconsistent with industry standards and other municipal cemeteries. This proposal is expected to align better with market prices.

Fire Chief Ken Jones has an appointment with the selectboard to discuss the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony. Last year, American Legion Commander Al Wilson asked if they would be interested in taking over organization of future ceremonies, and within a few months, the fire department established a 9/11 Committee with department members, Wilson and John Dever of the American Legion, and selectboard member Jeanie Forrester.

Forrester said at the March 30 meeting she was concerned about how this came about, saying while she sits on the committee, she was not able to attend the first meeting.

The committee met on Jan. 21, and initiated organizing the ceremony, according to agenda documents, and an idea arose about a 9/11 memorial. If approved, it would be placed in front of the Meredith Fire Department Central Station, adjacent to the flagpole.

A granite 9/11 memorial will be unveiled at Hesky Park at the beginning of this year’s ceremony, which commemorates the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Committee members drafted a letter seeking donations to cover the cost of the memorial and ceremony.

Forrester said she was forwarded a copy of the letter, but felt the selectboard should have known about it before the letter went out. She supports the concept, she said, but doesn’t like how it has been rolled out, calling it “premature.”

“It seems to me this should have been a board involved discussion,” Forrester said, expressing disappointment. “I personally would like to have a presentation before this moves forward.”

Forrester said when the veterans memorial was erected in town, there was much more information provided, including a proposal to the board.

“I believe the selectmen are in charge of town property,” Forrester said on March 30.

The Waukewan Watershed Advisory Committee will also give an update about the Lake Waukewan Boat Launch, which includes recommendations to consult and engineer to redesign it to divert runoff.

The agenda documents show the committee has seen polluted stormwater entering the lake through the ramp, which is eroding, along with the park itself. Committee member Donna Murphy is expected to address the board about this, and potentially other matters.

The selectboard will also be discussing the America 250th Committee, at the request of Forrester at the March 30 meeting. The Greater Meredith Program was charged by the selectboard to oversee the celebration and activities for the celebration in 2018, and according to agenda documents, the board can appoint an ad hoc committee if it so wishes.

The GMP has a subcommittee working on the 250th anniversary already, and $15,000 was appropriated by the town for the event in the 2026 budget.

The Meredith Selectboard will meet at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 13, at the Meredith Public Library. To see the agenda, visit meredithnh.gov/AgendaCenter.