Passage of sewer project demonstrates need for SB2

To The Daily Sun,

With all the national news and voting, it’s easy to forget that municipal elections will be coming up in about six weeks. Attendance at Town meetings has been declining over the past decade. Voters just don’t have the time or the interest to sit through marathon sessions to decide the minutia of Town government. As a result, a small number of voters can make decisions that aren’t necessarily the best policy for the majority of residents and taxpayers.

As an example, at last year’s Bristol Town meeting, 110 voters approved a $20 million sewer to the lake project. This article was presented as necessary to preserve the quality of Newfound Lake. What it will do is exactly the opposite of its stated purpose. This plan will increase density and development along the shorefront. This current plan utilizes a pressurized sewer line that will allow contractors to forego blasting ledge necessary in the previous gravity flow plan. The cost for this is now downshifted onto the local property owner who will be required to install a grinder pump system at about $15,000 a pop. In addition a $610 “betterment tax” will be placed on those residents served yearly for the next 30 years. This whole project should have never been passed.

There will be a petitioned Warrant Article on the ballot this year to adopt SB 2 (RSA 40:13) which places projects such as this one on the official ballot and gives all registered voters, whether absentee ballot or in person, a chance to be heard.

Paul Simard

Bristol