www.newhampshirelakesandmountains.com Publishing news & views of Lancaster, Groveton, Whitefield, Lunenburg & other towns of the upper Connecticut River valley of New Hampshire & Vermont [email protected] VOL. CXLIV, NO. 4 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012 LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE TELEPHONE: 603-788-4939 FORTY PAGES 75¢ Groveton mill property attracting potential buyers Brooklyn Dam William Firestone of Capital Re- covery Group will decide hydro project in whether or not to tear all or a substantial portion of the exist- consultation ing mill buildings down. phase “I’m encouraged,” Epstein said. “I just don’t want to carry By Edith Tucker the buildings through another [email protected] winter.” He is concerned, however, GROVETON — Both wood Epstein said, that 5440 Hydro pellet producers and potential Inc., has filed notification of its biomass investors have ex- intent to file for an application pressed interest in looking at for a new license, including pre- the former paper mill proper- application and consultation, ties, Groveton Acquisitions LLC using the traditional licensing spokesman Jerry Epstein re- process (TLP), in connection ported in a Friday telephone in- with the non-operational Brook- terview. The rising price of oil is lyn Dam hydro facility on the PHOTO BY MIKE PELCHAT sparking more interest in wood Upper Ammonoosuc River, Guy Jubinville works two days a week in Mount Washington State Park doing all kinds of chores, from shoveling snow around the entrance to the pellet production, and generat- which Groveton Acquisitions Sherman Adams Building to refinishing the Park information desk. ing electricity from a renewable owns. resource, such as biomass, re- These documents were filed mains an attractive possibility, on Jan. 17 with the Federal En- said Epstein, noting that he has ergy Commission (FERC), and a Guy Jubinville works on been in touch with Jeff Hayes of legal notice was published in North Country Council which last week’s issue of this news- has a $250,000 EDA grant to ex- paper. The filings are available plore viable reuses of the prop- at FERC’s e-library online or at the Mt. Washington summit erty. Ampersand Gilman Energy LLC By Edith Tucker in Bretton Woods,” Pelchat point- tain Fire & Rescue. He is also a team “It’s a great job, very interest- Greater interest in the site at 35 Riverside Avenue in [email protected] ed out. member of several search and res- ing,” said Guy in a Friday evening and its buildings has led Epstein Gilman, Vt. Jubinville worked seven years cue (SAR) teams including AMC, telephone interview. “Mike Pelchat to extend the deadline before The energy company first SARAGENT’S PURCHASE — at the AMC lodge at the top of AVSAR and Pemi Valley SAR. has a great full-time crew, and I’m he and his business partner Groveton Mill,PAGEA3 Guy Jubinville of Twin Mountain Crawford Notch, finishing his stint “Guy is a good man to have on just learning various parts of the works full-time in summer in and there in 2010. duty when the inevitable emer- complex operation that managing part-time in winter — an average “Guy was the seventh hiker to gencies arise on the mountain,” the electrical power and buildings Tax impact of proposed of two days a week — in Mount complete ‘the grid’ — hiking each Pelchat continued. “When not in requires.” Washington State Park. Technical- of the 48 4,000-footers in each crisis mode, he’s using his wood- Jubinville said that it has been ly, he is a state park winter care- month of the calendar year to com- working skills to repair broken an odd year for snow; it was only WMRSD operating taker “in-training,” explained Park plete 48 x 12 = 576,” Pelchat noted. benches and signs and also refin- after New Year’s Day that the snow- Manager Mike Pelchat in an e-mail “Guy’s well at home in the moun- ishing the state park information cat could go all the way from the exchange. “Of course, Guy has tains which is a good quality to desk.” This is the kind of work that base to the summit. He gratefully budget up 9.05% been already been well trained by have when working on the summit is far easier to accomplish during explained, “I couldn’t do this job If all warrant made up of Twin Mountain and the Appalachian Mountain Club, along with his training as an the Park’s off-season, the park without the support of my life-part- Bretton Woods, has a 2011 net working at AMC Highland Center EMT/Firefighter with Twin Moun- manager said. ner, Josephine Cabral.” articles pass, assessed valuation of $398,810,506 or very nearly 11.75% $400 million. Its projected 2012 NCIC to help Balsams View identify, secure financing tax rate would be $7.35 per By Edith Tucker $1,000, up by 50 cents from this Architect [email protected] year’s $6.85 — a 7.32 percent in- crease. hired; name WHITEFIELD — Even though Dalton’s projected 2013 Dis- the proposed 2012-2013 trict assessment is $960,103. not disclosed WMRSD operating budget re- The town has a 2011 assessed mains under $19 million, the five valuation of $93,356,808, the By Edith Tucker District towns would collective- District’s lowest. Its projected [email protected] ly experience a 9.05 percent in- 2012 tax rate would be $10.28, crease in their school tax rates up 23 cents from this year’s DIXVILLE – Balsams View, LLC, if voters adopt it. The projected $10.05 — a 2.33 percent in- selected the Northern Communi- 2012-2013 District assessment crease. ty Investment Corporation for the proposed operating Jefferson’s projected 2013 (NCIC), a nonprofit economic de- budget — the monies that must District assessment is velopment organization serving be raised by local property tax- $1,568,866, and its 2011 net as- the six northern counties in New payers — is $9,895,233, up by sessed valuation, $123,359,683 Hampshire and Vermont, on $821,001 from this year’s actual — the fourth lowest in the five- Wednesday to take the lead in FILE PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER assessment of $9,074,232. town District. Its projected 2012 helping them develop and exe- Renovations to the Balsams Grand Resort and Hotel are expected to take about 18 months from Jan. 20, allow- Each member town’s District tax rate would be $12.72, up cute the financial package for the ing it possibly to reopen in time by the Fourth of July 2013. assessment is based on 60 per- $1.04 from this year’s $11.68 — renovation of the Balsams Grand cent Average Daily Membership a 9.27 percent increase. Resort Hotel. arrangement is exciting since we hired an architect, met with state months. The clock on that time- (attendance) and 40 percent on Lancaster’s projected 2013 “We regularly work with busi- will be able to have a broader role agencies, and is moving swiftly to frame began ticking today, ex- equalized valuation. District assessment is nesses to coordinate and partici- in helping the new owners — secure financing needed for reno- plained E.J. Powers, the owners’ Carroll’s projected 2013 Dis- $2,350,327, and its 2011 net as- pate in financing,” explained NCIC Daniel Dagesse and Daniel Herbert vations, according to a press re- spokesman at the public relations trict assessment is $2,931,859 president Jon Freeman in an e- Jr. — restore this wonderful, his- lease. firm Montagne Communications —nearing $3 million. The town, WMRSD,PAGEA4 mail exchange. “This particular toric landmark and restore critical The resort’s owners are not yet of Portsmouth, in an e-mail ex- North Country jobs in the ready, however, to release the change. “There are a number of process.” name of their first important hire: factors, however, that could influ- Week 8 photo winner Colebrook natives Dagesse and the architect they have selected. ence the timetable,” he said, Herbert set up Balsams View in The Balsams is listed on the Na- early December 2011 in order to tional Register of Historic Places; Balsams,PAGEA2 team up to buy the resort, includ- the resort — one of only five sur- ing nearly 8,000 acres, most of viving grand hotels in the Granite which will be under a “working State — topped the 2011 “Seven to INDEX forest” conservation easement Save” list promulgated by the New purchased by the Society for the Hampshire Preservation Alliance, Protection of New Hampshire that said it hoped the property’s Business Directory . .B7 Forests that prohibits most devel- historic and cultural significance Calendar . .B6 opment. would be honored by a new own- The Balsams’ last major reno- er, while jobs are preserved and Classified . .B9-11 vations occurred more than 40 its legacy continued. years ago and much work needs The renovation process is ex- Dining . .A10 to be done. Balsams View LLC has pected to take approximately 18 Editorials & Letters . .A4-5 Obituaries . .A2 Real Estate . .A11 Sports . .B1-4 The latest winner of our photo contest was Brandy Dreyer of Lancaster with this picture of a fox pup tak- ing a look out of its den. There are still four more weeks to go in the contest so start snapping. For con- sideration in the contest send your photos to [email protected] by Friday afternoon. Please pro- vide info on who took the photo, where it was taken and what town the photographer is from. Each winner will be in the running for a gift card from a local business of his or her choice.