Jeanie Forrester: Meredith Selectboard approves grant for Waukewan pollution

The Aug. 24 Meredith Selectboard meeting included presentations on 250th Anniversary activities, the Prescott Park master plan, two police department requests, and approval requests for a grant application and an emergency medical services agreement.

Chris Kelly, representing the 250th Anniversary Committee, presented the time capsule project to the selectboard. The committee made several recommendations including a list of items to be placed in the capsule and burying it at Community Park during Old Home Day on Sept. 19. The time capsule will be engraved with the date of burial, to be exhumed on July 4, 2076, and have an engraved granite capstone marking the site. The selectboard agreed to the recommendations presented.

The Prescott Park Renovation Committee presented a comprehensive master plan for the park. The plan was a culmination of months of planning that included community outreach to residents and park users. The proposed multipurpose park would address outdated and damaged amenities, deteriorated park features, renovations to existing park buildings, and poor drainage conditions. The estimated cost is $18.5 million in 2027 dollars. Phasing the project over two to three years would likely increase costs by 12%-15%. Ongoing maintenance costs of the park and amenities have not yet been calculated. The committee would pursue a variety of grant funding sources to defray the cost. For more details, visit meredithnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2134/Prescott-Park-Master-Plan---August-2026-PDFpdf. This was a workshop only and the selectboard took no action.

The police chief advised the selectboard that a critical dry pipe valve in the 20-year-old police department building sprinkler system is at risk of failing if a fire should occur. The chief requested withdrawal of $6,500 from the Town of Meredith Buildings and Facility Maintenance Expendable Trust Fund to replace the valve (the ETF balance is $162,762). The selectboard unanimously approved the request.

The police department annually applies for and receives funding from the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency for the Enforcement Patrol Grant. This grant supports critical enforcement initiatives, including speed enforcement, pedestrian contact efforts, DUI enforcement, and distracted driving. The chief submitted an application for 2027 for $10,300 and a town match of $2,575 is required. The selectboard voted unanimously to support a necessary public hearing to accept this revenue.

Representatives from the Waukewan Watershed Advisory Committee informed the selectboard about a NH Department of Environmental Services watershed assistance grant for which they are seeking approval. The grant application is for a project to mitigate the two most egregious water quality pollution sites on Lake Waukewan: the town boat ramp and the Forrest Hill Road site. Tests at the boat ramp confirm conditions exceeding state maximums and are worsening each year. The Forrest Hill Road site is the worst phosphorus polluter site into the lake. The grant allows for cash and in-kind matches and the committee expects their match to be in-kind. The committee also advised they will be pursuing an NHDES Source Water Protection Grant later in 2026, to provide additional mitigation efforts. The selectboard unanimously approved the grant application.

The fire chief presented the selectboard with a contract to secure emergency medical services through June 30, 2031, and includes the towns of Center Harbor, Moultonborough and Sandwich. As with the previous contract, each town’s cost is based on their respective call volume. Meredith’s estimated base annual cost is $406,805, Center Harbor $81,167, Moultonborough $183,05 and Sandwich $89,201. The selectboard unanimously approved the contract.

The next selectboard meeting is Monday, Sept. 14.

Jeanie Forrester serves on the Meredith Selectboard.