Jeanie Forrester: Meredith Selectboard not ready to impose commercial docking fees

In their May 11 meeting the Meredith Selectboard discussed boat launch fees, town property policies, tax abatements, and infrastructure goals.

The police chief returned to discuss launch ramp fees for commercial operators which have been discussed before without reaching a policy decision. His research found no surrounding municipalities or other public launch facilities in the Lakes Region charge a separate launch fee for commercial operators. A wider search found only Portsmouth with such a policy, charging $50 per launch, or $300 per season. Currently, the chief has no recommendation and is looking for more guidance. Options from past discussions range from no fee to a seasonal fee of $1,500, or something in between. The board will seek more public input about the fee structure before deciding.

This year will be the 25th anniversary of 9/11. In all previous years, the American Legion has led Meredith’s remembrance event at Hesky Park. This year, at the request of the American Legion, a citizens committee was formed to elevate the remembrance for this quarter-century event. The fire chief presented the committee’s work to date, noting two memorial black granite towers have been designed and ordered from India. A fundraising letter has been sent to prospective donors from the Wamesit Engine Companies, the Meredith Fire Department relief organization.

The selectboard enthusiastically approved the concept, but inquired why the board had not been presented with the plan in January, when the idea was conceived. Per state statute, the selectboard has authority to manage all real property owned by the town, unless delegated otherwise by the board. Memorials, donated trees, gardens and memorial benches on town property are under the selectboard’s purview. The need for selectboard review was discussed and assurance received from the town manager proper policy would be followed.

The town manager and fire chief will provide the board with a plan, including an image of the monument and its location at the Monday, June 8 selectboard meeting, for the board’s consideration.

The selectboard reviewed a draft of the Event Policy for Street Closures and Park Usage, which is designed to ensure safe, fair, and consistent management of events requiring road closures or use of public spaces, while supporting community activities and protecting public resources. The draft policy covers municipal, nonprofit, and for-profit events. Approval criteria include public safety impacts, traffic and emergency access impacts, economic/community benefit, frequency and cumulative impact of similar events and availability of alternative locations. The policy was approved.

The June 2025 tax bill was the first Meredith tax bill generated from a new enterprise accounting system. A flyer was enclosed with the tax billing explaining the new system and the need to re-register for an online account for automatic payments. While most taxpayers were able to navigate the new system, there were some who were not and those taxpayers incurred interest charges. These folks asked for an abatement on the interest charges. Because all these taxpayers had a history of making on-time payments, the board felt that the abatement requests should be granted.

The selectboard reviewed the list of infrastructure goals created in collaboration with town department heads and identified their initial priorities. The board agreed with the recommended priorities identified by the department of public works and water and sewer superintendent, and asked that the Lake Waukewan Boat Ramp project (presented at an earlier meeting by the Waukewan Advisory Committee) be included in the list of priorities. Projects include sidewalk improvements, the Pleasant Street Wall reconstruction, the routes 3 and 25 water and sewer infrastructure repairs/upgrades, the Winnipesaukee River Basin sewer lines and valves, Route 25 waterline replacement, water treatment plant (rehab of filters), underground utilities at routes 3 and 25, and town-owned docks. Many of the projects are long-term and incremental (e.g., underground utilities) and some can be addressed more immediately (e.g., sidewalk improvements).

Monday, June 8, is the next selectboard meeting.

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Jeanie Forrester serves on the Meredith Selectboard.