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April 2015 Edition The Bow Times “Of the People, By the People, For the People” BOW, NH ISSUE 2 APRIL, 2015 FREE RECORD CROWD DEFEATS Retired Selectman Jill Hadaway Honored For Her Service BOND ISSUE The second night of town Meet- to build a new community build- ing drew a record turnout of vot- ing somewhere. The vote on this ers. Bow has about 7,500 residents late at night was a close 178-170 and 6,062 are on the checklist as in favor. Over seven hundred voters. 18% of those, or 1,115 voters had left by this time. voters, turned out for the second All other warrant articles night of town meeting to defeat were approved by votes at the the $5 million safety center bond two meetings except for Ar- issue. The high school auditorium ticle 29 concerning a conserva- had over 500 voters in it and about tion easement over 55 acres of the same number in the gym. land. The latter will come be- That 18% turnout of voters slight- fore the meeting again in 2016. ly exceeded the 1,000 plus that voted on Tuesday, March 10 for BOW BUSINESS candidates in the town election. TO However, the school meeting BUSINESS EVENT on Friday, March 13 only had The Bow Business Develop- 326 voting or 5% of the voters. ment Commission will be hold- Photo by Cindy Martin The bond issue failed to receive ing the next Business to Business the required two-thirds vote by event on April 22, 2015, 5:30 p.m. about 124 voters with 612 yes and to 6:30 p.m., at the Baker Free Li- BOW HIGH SCHOOL TO HOST CHINESE 503 no votes. That was the fourth brary, 509 South Street in Bow. EXCHANGE STUDENTS vote in three years that rejected a This summer Bow High School and gether all students and host families. new combined fire, police, emer- Business to Business provides the surrounding communities will gency management building. the opportunity for members host a cultural exchange camp for Host families are needed to house The vote on Article 30 to spend of the Bow business commu- twenty-seven high school students these visiting students along with $550,000 to repair the community nity to meet, exchange ideas from China. The goal of the program their two teachers: they are to be center/fire department also failed. and make important connec- is to engage young people from Chi- housed two in each home. High Article 4 was next consid- tions in a relaxed atmosphere. na and a selected group of Ameri- School and middle school (grade 7 ered. It appropriates $35,000 can students and families in expe- & 8) are invited to apply to be Peer to develop Design/Build plans If you would to attend the event, riences that allow them to enjoy Ambassadors and to participate in for a combined use building. please contact Nicole Gage, Town each other’s company and to learn the camp. There will be an evening The need for a phased approach Manager’s Office, 228-1187, ext. firsthand about each other’s culture. training session for Ambassadors and was debated but the hand carded 110 or [email protected]. This is one of numerous Chinese- a host family orientation meeting. vote did give the nod to spend American exchanges taking place in Vermont and New Hampshire. At a time when China has risen $35,000 to design a 20,000 to rapidly on the international stage, 25,000 square foot building for up this short exchange in our com- to $5,000,000. A floor amendment On weekdays, students will partici- pate all day in English language les- munities is a promising opportu- to spend not more than $2,500,000 nity to create new friendships. for a fire and emergency build- sons and culture camp activities and ing (but not police) was defeated. excursions, led by local teachers For more information please contact: After that the meeting on the and a selected group of high school Angel Burke (Camp Coordinator): students serving as Peer Ambas- 19th of March moved on to Article [email protected] 5 for $25,000 to design a renovat- sadors. They will spend time with host families in the evenings and Gina Aubin (Home Stay Coordinator): ed community building or to con- Photo by Cindy Martin struct a new building. The 2013 on the weekend. There will also be [email protected] Excitement at Town Meeting several social gatherings bringing to- Capital Improvement Plan had Or call BHS at 228-2210 estimated a $4 million bond issue 2 EDITORIAL Some Notes About Bow Town Meetings BOW HIGH IN FINALS FOR SAMSUNG COMPETITION by Chuck Douglas Bow High School was recently se- up on a map that is shared with One of the fascinating scare tac- scribing their opponents, I would lected as one of 15 national finalists groups in town looking for com- tics at the two meetings was the point out that American politics in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow munity service projects (ie. Boy constant reference to the “unsafe is not based on unanimity but on Competition. This competition is to Scouts, Venturing Crew, Bow Open nature” of the community center debate and disagreement leading find creative ways to use technology Spaces, Conservation Commis- and fire house due to wiring and to better decisions. The divisive- to solve local problems. We will be sion, etc). These groups will even- other defects. Yet both are still ness charge denigrates those who getting $35,000 worth of Samsung tually go out, remove all the trash equipment and are now competing and then mark that the site has open. The irony is that if someone disagree with the power structure nationally for up to $150,000 more!!! been cleaned up. Dump site loca- is injured the town is liable under which prefers for everyone to Students wrote an app for their tions will also be analyzed to see if RSA 507-B for defects and negli- march forward and salute rather mobile devices that will allow peo- there are any patterns so our town gence involving its buildings. By then to question or challenge. ple to mark where large piles of trash managers can make changes to re- saying how unsafe it is, the town As long as people can disagree (illegal dump sites) are found when duce this practice in the future (ie. has actually handed some plaintiff in an agreeable manner, there is walking, biking, hunting, skiing, install gates, police patrols, etc). etc around the town forests of Bow. The Community Choice a very easy admission of liability. nothing wrong with having al- The app marks what it is, how award will be given to the proj- On another note, the argument ready successfully saved $2.7 mil- large it is and where it is located. ect that gets the most recog- that firemen or police who are lion thanks to divisiveness. That This info automatically shows nition through online voting. injured on the job could have a is the difference between the plan big workers’ compensation suit three years ago and the current the next three months, the governor services for victims of sexual abuse and the legislature will develop the and domestic violence, still others is totally specious. There are no attempt at $5 million. If saving two-year budget. The budget will sought more and better programs for workers’ compensation suits in the taxpayers that much money determine which services the state substance abuse prevention and treat- New Hampshire, there are only is divisive, than it certainly was will provide and how we will pay for ment. Some spoke against the gover- workers’ compensation claims. worth it rather than wasting $2.7 them. nor’s proposed increase in the ciga- rette tax and its application to the new Employees cannot sue their em- million on unnecessary spending. Our current budget is about $10.5 electronic cigarettes. ployers for unsafe conditions but And despite snarky letters in billion, with slightly less than half are able to receive medical bene- the Monitor it should be noted supported by state taxes and most So, why not follow the path chosen of the balance supported by federal by the governor? Why not raise taxes fits and indemnity payments paid that not one mailer, sign or ad taxes and federal borrowings. The and use the new revenue to satisfy for by the town’s insurance com- for Concerned Taxpayer’s en- governor has proposed a much larg- recent developments and meet the pany. Thus taxes are not affected dorsed candidates ever even er budget. She would expand state requests for expanded services? Be- because it comes out of insur- mentioned, let alone attacked, services by about $1 billion, increas- cause it would harm our already not- ing the state budget to $11.5 billion. too-robust economy and reduce our ance. No lawsuit can be filed be- the opposing candidates. We ran She proposes to pay for this in part opportunities for more and better- cause of the existence of workers’ positive, not negative campaigns. by raising our state taxes by $95 mil- paying jobs. We can’t have it all. compensation for town employ- As Dick Swett said at the second lion. Expanding state government ees. So much for that fear tactic. night of town meeting, there is no is problematic. The more money that The House’s budget will be larger comes out of taxpayers’ wallets to than the current budget, but not as reason folks with differing views support a larger government, the less large as the governor’s proposal.
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