Town Meeting preview: Haverhill

Published: 03-03-2024 11:25 AM

Article of note: A petitioned article seeks to eliminate the position of town manager and move to a town administrative form of government. Separate articles would have voters adopt ordinances on short-term lodgings, false alarms and frivolous complaints, and special events. Another article would allow voting by ballot on all articles. Separate articles would discontinue Tannery Road, Slight Hill Road, Anderson Lane and Tailgate Lane. Another article, not recommended by the Selectboard, would open roads to off-highway recreation vehicles and all-terrain vehicles. Two separate articles would set the town clerk’s salary at between $40,000 and $55,000 annually, and require the town clerk’s office to be open at least 40 hours per week, including at least one evening a week. A petitioned article would expand the North Haverhill Water & Light District.

Contested races: Theresa Paige and Greg Mathieson are competing for a one-year position on the Selectboard. There are no contested races for School Board.

Budgets and other spending articles: The proposed municipal operating budget is $5.2 million, which is expected to result in a tax rate of $6.79 per $1,000 of property value or $1,697.50 on home valued at $250,000. The town budget is up from $5.1 million last year. Petitioned warrant articles, not supported by the Selectboard, seek $103,000 for the Woodsville Fire Department and $246,000 for the Woodsville Highway Department. The proposed school budget is $16.6 million, which is up from $15.6 million from last year. In separate articles, voters also will be asked for a $2.29 million bond for renovations at Woodsville Elementary School and a $700,000 bond for an expansion at French Pond School. Another article asks whether voters will support the cost of a new bargaining agreement with support staff, which is $160,000 in the first year.

When, where and how to vote: Ballot voting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 12 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Town Meeting is Saturday, March 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Haverhill Cooperative Middle School in North Haverhill. The annual school meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 16 at 1 p.m. at the middle school. 

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