RESULTS FOR THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
GRAFTON, SS TOWN OF HANOVER
NOTE: AS A RESULT OF THE NATIONAL AND STATE EMERGENCY DECLARED RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BOTH THE OFFICAL BALLOT AND BUSINESS PORTIONS OF TOWN MEETING WERE POSTPONED TO TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2021.
ARTICLE ONE: To vote (by nonpartisan ballot) for the following Town Officers: For Selectboard (3-year term) David Witt Millman 730 Joanna Lee Whitcomb 1,019 Nancy A. Carter 1,000
For Trustee of Etna Town Library (3-year term) Elizabeth Cornell 1,352
Tor Trustee of Trust Funds (3-year term) Judson T. (Jay) Pierson 1,353
ARTICLE TWO (to vote by ballot): To see if the Town will vote to amend the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as proposed by the Hanover Planning Board in Amendment No. 1: The following question is on the official ballot: “Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 1 as proposed by the Planning Board for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?”
YES 1,068 NO 570
ARTICLE THREE: (submitted by petition) (to vote by ballot): To see if the Town will vote to amend the Hanover Zoning Ordinance in Amendment No. 2: The following question is on the official ballot: “Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No. 2 for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?”
YES 705 NO 901
ARTICLE FOUR: (submitted by petition) (to vote by ballot): To see if the Town will vote to amend the Hanover Zoning Ordinance in Amendment No. 3: The following question is on the official ballot: “Are you in favor of the adoption of Amendment No .3 for the Hanover Zoning Ordinance as follows?”
YES 594 NO 1,088
ARTICLE FIVE: (submitted by petition) (to vote by ballot): Do you favor the continuation of the town manager plan as now in force in this town?
YES 1,200 NO 475
BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA 7:00 p.m.
ARTICLE SIX: To choose the following Town Officers to be elected by a majority vote: Three Fence Viewers, each for a term of one (1) year. Two Surveyors of Wood and Timber, each for a term of one (1) year. Such other Officers as the Town may judge necessary for managing its affairs.
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE SEVEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Nine Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($950,000) for the purpose of capital repairs and renovations to selected bridges throughout the Town, and to authorize such sum to be raised through the issuance of bonds or notes under and in compliance with the provisions of the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33), as amended; to authorize the Selectboard to apply for, obtain, and accept federal state, or other aid, gifts, and donations, if any, which may be available for said project and to comply with all laws applicable to said project; to authorize the Selectboard to issue, negotiate, sell, and deliver such bonds or notes and to determine the rate of interest thereon, and the maturity and other terms thereof; and to authorize the Selectboard to take any other action necessary to carry out this vote or to pass any other vote relative thereto. This action shall be by written Yes/No ballot; polls shall remain open and ballots shall be accepted by the moderator for a period of not less than one hour following the completion of discussion on this article. (3/5 ballot vote required to pass.)
ARTICLE PASSED (YES – 193; NO – 4)
ARTICLE EIGHT: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $18,790 for deposit into the Land and Capital Improvements Fund, and to fund this appropriation by authorizing the withdrawal of this amount from the Unassigned Fund Balance. The amount appropriated is the equivalent of 50% of the total collected in Land Use Change Tax in the fiscal year 2019-2020.
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE NINE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $18,790 for deposit into the Conservation Fund, and to fund this appropriation by authorizing the withdrawal of this amount from the Unassigned Fund Balance. The amount appropriated is the equivalent of 50% of the total collected in Land Use Change Tax in the fiscal year 2019-2020.
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE TEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $33,430 for deposit into the Municipal Transportation Improvement Fund, and to fund this appropriation by authorizing the withdrawal of this amount from the Unassigned Fund Balance. This amount is equivalent to the total Transportation Fee surcharge for each motor vehicle registered in the Town of Hanover ($5.00 per vehicle) during fiscal year 2019-2020.
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE ELEVEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,432,125 and authorize payment into existing capital reserve funds in the following amounts for the purposes for which such funds were established:
Ambulance Equipment Capital Reserve Fund with funding to come from the $82,567 Ambulance Fund Building Maintenance and Improvement Capital Reserve Fund with funding to $160,000 be raised through taxation Dispatch Equipment and Dispatch Center Enhancements Capital Reserve Fund $26,381 with funding to be raised through taxation Fire Department Vehicle and Equipment Capital Reserve Fund with funding to $82,567 come from the Fire Fund Highway Construction and Maintenance Equipment Capital Reserve Fund with $398,353 funding to be raised through taxation Police Vehicles and Equipment Capital Reserve Fund with funding to be raised $114,000 through taxation Sewer Equipment and Facilities Improvements Capital Reserve Fund with $391,757 funding to come from the Wastewater Treatment Facility Fund Water Treatment and Distribution Equipment and System Capital Reserve $176,500 Fund with funding to come from the Water Utility Fund
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE TWELVE: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $1,820,400 for the purposes listed below, and to authorize funding these amounts by withdrawal from the listed capital reserve funds in the following amounts:
Building Maintenance and Improvement Capital Reserve Fund Partial exterior siding replacement of RW Black Community & Senior $95,000 Center; cabling and fire alarm work in selected Town properties Fire Department Vehicle and Equipment Capital Reserve Fund $35,000 Plumbing repair and renovation in main Fire Station Highway Construction and Maintenance Equipment Capital Reserve Fund Replace pick-up truck (Truck16); replace heavy Highway Department $686,400 equipment including: excavator, sidewalk tractor, vacuum sweeper Parking Operations Vehicles and Parking Facility Improvements Capital Reserve Fund $146,000 Replace single-head parking meters with kiosks throughout parking system Road Construction and Improvements Capital Reserve Fund Reservoir Road Roundabout Truck Apron repair and replacement; Audible $149,000 Pedestrian System (APS) upgrades at targeted intersections Sewer Equipment and Facilities Improvements Capital Reserve Fund Pump Station #2 Phase II; Grasse Road Solar Installation (to provide power $502,000 to Water Reclamation Facility -WRF- plant) Phase II Water Treatment and Distribution Equipment and System Capital Reserve Fund $207,000 Treatment and monitoring equipment; improvements to electrical wiring and metering to improve efficiency
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE THIRTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $20,000 for funding the construction of a sidewalk segment along Crosby Street and to fund this appropriation by authorizing the withdrawal of this sum from the Municipal Transportation Improvement Fund. This will be a non- lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until these improvements are complete or June 30, 2026, whichever occurs sooner.
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE FOURTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Selectboard and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 93, Local 1348 (Public Works Department employees) on May 17, 2021, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level:
Year Estimated Increase 2021-2022 $43,718
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE FIFTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Selectboard and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 93, Local 3657 (Police Department employees) on May 17, 2021, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level:
Year Estimated Increase 2021-2022 $35,989
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE SIXTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Selectboard and the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 3288 on May 17, 2021, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level:
Year Estimated Increase 2021-2022 $28,761
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE SEVENTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate $26,321,356 to pay the operating expenses of the Town for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, for the purposes set forth in the Town budget. This sum does not include the funds voted in any of the preceding or succeeding articles.
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE EIGHTEEN: To see if the Town will vote to adopt the Hanover Community Power Electric Aggregation Plan which authorizes the Selectboard to develop and implement Hanover Community Power as described therein (pursuant to RSA 53-E:7).
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE NINETEEN: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the exchange of two parcels of undeveloped, town-owned land at 60 and 61 Goose Pond Road totaling 4.08+/- acres, for 26+/- acres of undeveloped land at 79 Tunis Road owned by the Bear Hill Conservancy Trust. The Town parcels will be merged with other lands of Bear Hill Conservancy Trust and will not be used for development. The property at 79 Tunis Road will become part of the Town open space system and used for conservation and recreation purposes.
ARTICLE PASSED
ARTICLE TWENTY: (by petition) To see if the Town will vote to urge that the New Hampshire General Court, which is obligated to redraw the maps of political districts within the state following the federal census, will ensure fair and effective representation of New Hampshire voters without gerrymandering. Additionally, these voters ask the town of Hanover to urge the NH General Court to carry out the redistricting in a fair and transparent way through public meetings, not to favor a particular political party, to include communities of interest, and to minimize multiple-seat districts. The record of the vote shall be transmitted by written notice from town officials to Hanover’s state legislators within 30 days of the vote.
ARTICLE PASSED