Water Works rebuffed at Prescott Farm

A move by the Laconia Water Works (LWW) to build a water tower on the site of the Prescott Farm Center on White Oaks Road has met with stiff opposition from the Prescott Conservancy, the owner of the property, and New Hampshire Audubon, the operator of the center.

Last Friday Rodger "Mike" Matthewman, Superintendent of the LWW, outlined the project to the directors of the Pardoe Foundation, which funds the center, and Prescott Conservancy, the president of New Hampshire Audubon and the director of the New Hampshire Audubon's Prescott Farm Center during a meeting at the center. On Monday Charles H. Pardoe, II, vice-president of the Pardoe Foundation wrote to Matthewman, advising him "to explore all other avenues in lieu of spending further time and effort on the proposal presented to us" and warning that "we will vigorously defend Prescott Conservancy's position on this issue." Pardoe copied the letter to the Water Commission, City Council, Planning Board, Conservation Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustment.

City Manager Eileen Cabanel said yesterday that she was not aware of the LWW's plans, or surprised by the reception it received. She said that in the past there had been some discussion that a parcel owned by the city at the foot of Fillmore Avenue might provide a suitable site for a water tower, but apart from retaining possession of the property, the city took no action.

According to the letter, Matthewman presented a plan to build a water tower about 40 feet high and 65 feet around within 300 feet of the education building recently constructed by the center. Pardoe noted that this was the first the directors of the foundation and conservancy heard of any such plan. When the education center was planned and built, there were no suggestions that the site might also become home to a water tower.

Diane Hanley of the Conservation Commission suggested that the proposal has come to the fore now because the developers with projects in the area have agreed to finance construction of the water tower. A person with knowledge of the meeting, who asked not to be identified, said that when the proposal was dismissed out of hand, Matthewman indicated that the power of eminent domain could be invoked to acquire the property required for the water tower.

In his letter Pardoe also expressed misgivings about the residential developments planned or underway between White Oaks Road and Weirs Boulevard, which he said were "driving the expansion plans of the Water Department." He explained that "we are committed to smart growth and the protection of contiguous green areas that preserve wildlife habitat and natural beauty of the area" and stressed that "should the Prescott Conservancy's property become a minor natural feature in the midst of high-impact development, and should the Prescott Conservancy itself be potentially scarred by a massive water tower built to enable that development Laconia would be jeopardizing the viability of a major resource for the city and its residents."

Pardoe went on to remind Matthewman that during the past two years the foundation has invested more than $1-million in the education center, a contribution augmented by donations from more than 40 families and businesses. Last year more than 8,000 people took part in programs and camps sponsored by the Prescott Farm Center.

Matthewman could not be reached yesterday for comment.