Jeanie Forrester: Meredith Selectboard votes on new ballot machine, sends fire boat purchase to voters

From replacing a cemetery fence to consideration of funding a new fire boat, the May 12 selectboard meeting ran the gamut of items that would save or cost the town money.

The board heard a revised proposal to address the aging fence at the Meredith Village Cemetery. The latest suggestion was to remove the section of chain link fence facing Route 3, place PVC pipes over the existing galvanized posts and pass sections of chains through each pipe. This proposal is estimated to cost $10,000 and would be funded by donations, with no cost to the taxpayer. After some discussion, it was agreed this project should be more fully evaluated during the selectboard’s goals setting process in the fall. A more complete evaluation would provide cost estimates to improve fencing for the entire structure and replacing or repairing the gates.

There was a brief discussion on short-term rental licensing and there will be a public hearing at the next selectboard meeting on Monday, June 9, to consider fees and fines for the new program.

The board authorized the expenditure of $3,500 from the remaining proceeds of a 2024 grant to purchase a new electronic ballot-counting device because the current voting machine will not be serviceable in the future. There will be zero fiscal impact in 2025. Moving forward, there will be a $2,000 yearly maintenance fee and $1,500 expense for programming of each election. These costs will be accounted for in the town clerk’s budget.

In 2021 the New Hampshire Dam Bureau issued a letter of deficiency classifying the Lake Waukewan Dam as “a high hazard structure” and identified deficiencies requiring further assessment, repair and rehabilitation. The selectboard voted to accept the terms of a FEMA grant award to fix the deficiencies. The total cost of the project is $7.8 million, with $5.1 million being funded through the FEMA grant, and the remaining $2.7 million being funded by Hampshire Hospitality Holdings, the owner of the dam.

The board authorized the town manager to administer a NH Department of Environmental Services grant for the removal of milfoil in Lake Pemigewasset. There will be no expenditure of town funds for this project.

The fire chief asked the selectboard to approve the purchase a new fire boat in the amount of $446,031. At the 2025 Town Meeting voters approved adding $320,000 to the Fire Department Vehicle Replacement Expendable Trust Fund. While there are sufficient funds in the ETF, the majority of the selectboard felt the final decision for this expenditure needed to go back to the voters for approval.

The board also authorized the town manager to execute necessary documents relative to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for the Lead Service Line Inventory Project, as approved at the 2025 Town Meeting. This project is expected to cost $740,000 with a $525,400 grant from the state and remaining funds, $214,600, coming from the Capital Reserve Recovery Fund.

May 26 is Memorial Day, and there will be no selectboard meeting. The next meeting of the board will be on June 9.

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Jeanie Forrester serves on the Meredith Selectboard.