Richard DeMark: Attend Belknap County budget presentation

To The Daily Sun,

This Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m., the Belknap County Delegation Budget Committee will present a 2026 operating budget for Belknap County to the County Delegation. I urge you to attend to support the County Commissioners’ budget recommendations.

I write on behalf of the Belknap County Conservation District. The County Commissioners reviewed the BCCD budget request and after direct discussion with the volunteer board of the BCCD, increased what the BCCD had requested for 2026 to $60,000. The Commissioners understood the negative impacts on the BCCD programs and services for Belknap County residents from the 2025 budget level approved by the County Delegation ($25,000) and accepted the reasonable tax increase of $0.73 on a $500,000 property. Additionally, more than 200 Belknap County residents have told the County Delegation they support the BCCD’s request and the Commissioners recommendation of $60,000.

However, the Budget Committee has recommended level funding at $25,000.

Here are the impacts of funding the BCCD at that level. Immediate conversion of BCCD’s sole employee to part-time (20 hours per week). Inability to conduct the food security gleaning program. Inability to research, write and manage grants for additional revenue. Ending stream restoration projects in Sanbornton and Meredith. Ending the Town Forest Project in Belmont. Reducing the service and scope of tree, plant and bulb sale fundraisers. Inability to provide prompt and valuable technical support to taxpayers and communities. Questionable ability to be able to continue the Community Garden program at the Opechee State Forest. Reduced capacity to manage the critically important Farm Equipment Leasing Program. Reduced capacity to manage the Climate Resilience Grant Program benefiting farms in Belknap County.

I urge residents and taxpayers to contact their state representatives and County Delegation member(s) to urge them to support the budget presented by the county dommissioners and attend this important meeting.

Richard DeMark

Meredith