Town election roundup

ALTON — Voters will be asked on March 10 to approve an Alton operating budget of $8.26 million.

If not approved, the default budget would be $8.09 million.

Also on the town warrant will be an article to raise and appropriate $50,000 for engineering needed at the New Riverside Cemetery to plan for required expansion, road and utility work.

Another article calls for $100,000 to be used toward the purchase of a fire ladder truck, with the money to come from an undesignated fund balance and with no impact on the tax rate.

Voters will be asked whether the town should add $950,000 to the highway road construct capital reserve fund, an amount partially offset by revenues from the Highway Block Grant Fund estimated to be $201,000.

Another article seeks $350,000 to be added to the Highway Department Equipment Capital Reserve Fund.

The town is also seeking approval for a $50,000 expenditure to replace the first floor lift that provides access to the second floor of the Town Hall, $80,000 for a geographical information system and $80,400 for replacing the dock attached to the Shibley’s on the Pier for public docking.

Voters will also elect two people to the Board of Selectmen. The candidates are Rossiter "Bob" Holt, John Markland and incumbent Reuben Wentworth.

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ASHLAND — The town would buy the former elementary school property for $525,000 from the Tri-County Community Action Program under a town warrant article that will be put before voters on March 10. 

The building at 41 School Street would be used by the Ashland Town Library.

A two-thirds vote would be required. The estimated tax impact for 2021 would be 23 cents.

This town warrant article was recommended by the Board of Selectmen, but not recommended by the budget committee. 

The overall budget before voters totals about $3 million. Should it be defeated, the default budget would be $2.93 million. 

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MOULTONBOROUGH — The town would raise and appropriate $3 million for the design, construction and equipping of a Community Center under a warrant article to be decided by voters on March 10.

The center would be located on the former Lions Club property on Old Route 109. 

A two-thirds vote is required for passage of this article, which is recommended by selectmen and an advisory budget committee. 

An article by petition calls for the town to raise $6.7 million for a community center that would include a full gymnasium on land to be acquired from the Moultonborough School District. This article is not recommended by selectmen or by the advisory budget committee. 

The overall municipal budget on the town warrant totals $8.2 million.

Another warrant article asks whether the town's fireworks ordinance should be amended to prohibit the individual use of consumer grade fireworks within 50 feet of any waterbody greater than five acres or aimed at such a waterbody.

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NEW HAMPTON — Voters will be asked on March 10 to approve a $2.97 million New Hampton operating budget.

Should the town warrant budget article be defeated, the default budget would be $2.89 million.

Another warrant article would authorize the selectmen to enter into a 5-year lease/purchase agreement for a six-wheel dump truck with a plow and sander for the Highway Department. The total cost would be $220,000, with the first year’s payment totaling $44,000.

Voters will also be asked to raise and appropriate $200,000 for repaving of town roads, with $50,000 of the money coming from the fund balance and the other $150,000 through taxation.

Another warrant article seeks to enter into a five-year lease/purchase agreement for a backhoe for the Highway Department at a cost of $154,000, with the first year’s payment at $27,010.

Voters will also be asked to approve a 5-year lease/purchase agreement for a new ambulance for the fire department at a total cost of $220,000, with the first year’s $60,000 payment coming from the department’s special revenue fund.