Jeanie Forrester: Meredith Selectboard will hold hearing on Lake Waukewan Dam improvement project May 12

The April 28 Meredith Selectboard meeting included presentations on grant opportunities, a new fire boat, a new fire engine and police uniforms.

Pemigewasset Lake residents requested assistance from the town to administer a New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) grant funding the removal of milfoil in the lake. The lake borders New Hampton and Meredith along the Route 104 corridor. NHDES advised milfoil was present in 2024 and residents, through their association, need administrative support to be eligible for a grant program worth up to $8,550 toward total removal cost of $17,100; the balance is being paid by the East Shore Drive Association. The grant would be awarded to and administered by the Town of Meredith with no requirement for the town to spend any municipal funds towards this project.

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. This historic dam is owned by Hampshire Hospitality Holdings (HHH), drains into Lake Winnipesaukee and serves as the primary outlet and water level control for Lake Waukewan, the town’s drinking water source. HHH retained an engineering firm to assess the dam relative to the letter of deficiency and to engineer repairs and rehabilitation.

The town and HHH applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for financial assistance to make necessary repairs. The total project cost is $7.8 million, with 65% being paid from federal funds and 35% being paid by HHH through a grant administration agreement between the Town of Meredith and HHH with no fiscal impact to the community. This project offers an extraordinary opportunity for the town to make necessary repairs to the canal while it is drained. On Monday, May 12, a public hearing on this project will be held at the regularly scheduled selectboard meeting.

At the 2024 Town Meeting, voters approved adding $320,000 to the Fire Department Vehicle Replacement ETF toward the purchase of a new fire boat. The fire chief requested purchasing a new boat at a cost of $446,031. He stated that while the town recently invested $94,000 in our current boat (including new motors), it is inadequate; a new boat will improve safety for department members and will improve transport of EMS patients.

The chief advised the current boat is used 18-30 times a year. Gilford and Alton have fire boats, the City of Laconia does not. The new boat would fall between Gilford and Alton relative to quality and will require 16 months for delivery upon signing the contract.

The fire chief requested approval to apply for a Volunteer Fire Assistance grant to help fund wildfire equipment. Items in the grant include a portable pump, chainsaw, backpacks and work gloves. The $4,000 cost would be funded by $2,000 from the 2025 Fire Department budget line and a $2,000 grant from the Volunteer Fire Assistance program.

The Meredith Selectboard approved a $17,775 change order requested by the fire chief for a new fire engine, bringing the total cost to $864,877 with delivery in October 2025. Funds will come from the Fire Department Vehicle Replacement ETF. The new engine will replace one currently at the Meredith Center station and have an expected life of 25 years.

The Meredith Selectboard also authorized the police chief to use $12,857 from the Police Department Revolving Detail Fund for the purchase of uniforms which include outer carrier vests. These new uniforms are suitable for use during both police details and regular patrol duty.

The next meeting of the slectboard will be on Monday, May 12. There will be no meeting on Monday, May 26, due to the Memorial Day holiday.

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Jeanie Forrester serves on the Meredith Selectboard.