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. CXLVIII, NO. 43 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2015 LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE TELEPHONE: 603-788-4939 TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES 75¢ Les Otten seeks NHDOT help to make Balsams project a reality BY EDITH TUCKER Colebrook town manag- ates one car. [email protected] er Becky Merrow, two Otten believes that ap- DIXVILLE — Devel- Colebrook selectmen, proximately 60 percent of oper Les Otten of Dix- and other stakeholders resort guests would come ville Capital LLC who were also on hand. through Colebrook. But, heads up a team effort Otten said The Bal- he explained, 40 per- to revitalize and greatly sams project would bring cent would likely drive expand The Balsams and enormous economic ac- through Errol, driving surrounding acreage tivity to Coös County, an three to four hours from into a year-round desti- area hard-hit by a series the Boston area through nation resort met with of economic blows over Portsmouth to Maine. now-Commissioner of the last decade as well as Employees will likely Transportation Virgin- to the state as a whole. live in the surrounding ia Sheehan and DRED To give Sheehan an towns, he said, noting Commissioner Jeff Rose idea of the near-term that over 350 reasonably EDITH TUCKER in the Captain’s Lodge impact of reopening priced houses are now Destination resort developer Les Otten of Dixville Capital, LLC, left, Rep. Larry Rappaport of on property that is all The Balsams, Otten ex- for sale within a 45-min- Colebrook, now-Commissioner of Transportation Victoria Sheehan, and District 1 Executive Councilor Joe Kenney (some also seen in mirror) sat over lunch on Oct. 13 in the Captain’s still owned by two Cole- plained that in its ear- ute drive. The timing of Lodge in Dixville and discussed the highway infrastructure needs of Colebrook and Dixville with brook natives, Dan Dag- liest phase there would employees’ highway use a tableful of stakeholders. esse and Dan Hebert. be 450 to 500 bedrooms, is typically opposite that Executive Counselor roughly equivalent to of guests, Otten pointed As now planned, The Coös County Planning cently filed for The Joe Kenney set up the what the resort could out. Balsams has at least Board for Unincorpo- Balsams Resort PUD meeting so that Sheehan handle when it was op- The project fits the ar- three projects that would rated Places has not yet (Planned Unit Develop- could become familiar erating at its peak capac- ea’s outstanding natural involve NHDOT, and a approved amendments ment) notes that the two- with Balsams resort proj- ity. resources: outdoor rec- fourth the state Bureau to its ordinance creating mile-plus-long Golf Links ects in Dixville as well Guests would arrive reation and tourism, and of Trails of the Parks and a special resort district, Road, which provides as a Main Street-Route and park 250 to 300 cars farming and agriculture Recreation Division of although that could hap- primary access from the 3 project in downtown and on average stay including the revived DRED that would impact pen tonight at a 7 p.m. historic resort hotel to Colebrook. Resort devel- three days. Each bed- concept of “food-to-ta- Route 26. meeting in Lancaster. the 18-hole Panorama opment team members, room-and-a-half gener- ble.” As this is written, the The application re- Golf Course, is within the proposed Develop- ment District. Under Northern Pass filed application for N.H. siting approval Dixville Capital’s plan, BY EDITH TUCKER application on Monday need in order to diversi- cludes a new total cost state-of-the-art cable, NHDOT would cover the [email protected] afternoon with the state fy our power supply and estimate of $1.6 billion, bringing the total up to cost of repairing and re- CONCORD — Ever- Site Evaluation Commit- stabilize energy prices,” up from $1.4 billion. This 60 miles. paving this deteriorating source’s proposed tee (SEC). said Bill Quinlan, presi- figure reflects takes into A $200 million For- paved road but only to its 192-mile-long Northern “Monday’s filing dent of Eversource Op- account project changes ward NH Fund will also existing width. Pass Transmission proj- marks another import- erations in New Hamp- announced in August as be part of the project’s The resort would then ect, designed to bring ant milestone in our shire, in a prepared part of the company’s annual operating ex- assume ownership and up to 1,090 megawatts of effort to deliver a clean statement. new Forward NH Plan, pense but is not part of responsibility for the Hydro-Quebec electrici- energy solution that our The controversial including burial of an the new project cost es- road. ty into the state, filed its customers desperately project’s application in- additional 52 miles of Pass, PAGE 15 NHDOT also owns and maintains both the existing Cold Springs Sen. Rand Paul campaigns at Dalton Gang’s cabin & range and Spur Roads. The BY EDITH TUCKER PUD plan anticipates [email protected] swered questions. home.” that NHDOT would also DALTON — Sena- When asked what he However, he would pay to renovate these tor Rand Paul of Ken- thought of the current keep two popular deduc- roads, and then transfer tucky, candidate for trend in the court system tions — charitable do- ownership over to the ap- the presidential Repub- to try to skip jury trials, nations and home mort- plicant or related entity. lican nomination, left Paul replied that juries gages — plus a $20,000 The developer does not the luxury of the Omni are part of the American exemption for a husband want to change the width Mount Washington Ho- system of checks and and wife, plus $5,000 of either Cold Springs or tel to campaign before balances, designed to for each child. “A fam- Golf Links Road, noting a small gathering at the work against the possi- ily with four children their “historical signif- Dalton Gang’s cabin and bility of ending up with a would have an $40,000 icance, high aesthetic shooting range, arriving tyrannical government. exemption,” Paul said. value, and limiting sur- shortly after 8 a.m. on When asked about his He would slash the cor- rounding topography.” Sunday, Oct. 18. flat tax proposal, Paul ex- porate tax rate from to- Although NHDOT Co-owners Don and plained, “I believe there day’s 35 percent to 14.5 EDITH TUCKER also owns a portion of Nancy Mooney greet- should be a 14.5 percent percent. “Our corporate Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who is running for the Republican Valley Road, the resort ed the candidate in the tax for businesses and tax is higher than in presidential nomination, campaigned at the Dalton Gang developer does not want Range in Dalton on Sunday, Oct. 18, in 20-degree weather. members’ cabin where individuals. I’d get rid of Canada, France and the to assume ownership. Retired Marine Crystal Pelletier of Stark, a certified instructor a gas fire threw out wel- the payroll tax; for some- U.K., and a reason com- who co-owns Raven Firearms Training with her husband Jake, All roads within the come heat on a brisk one earning $40,000 that panies move jobs over- gave the candidate pointers on using a Smith & Wesson .357 District, except Valley 20-degree morning and would mean an addition- seas.” revolver, Model 686. Once he adjusted to its kick, Paul hit the Road, would become pri- Paul immediately an- al $2,000 a year to take Paul, PAGE 16 bulls-eye. vately owned and main- tained after the NHDOT pays to repair and re- Fuller’s Sugarhouse is successful bidder for maple tapping lease pave them. BY EDITH TUCKER taps that are all on very excited and Any new roads would [email protected] leased land,” their pro- pleased that the Ran- be constructed by the RANDOLPH — Full- posal reads. “We cur- dolph Forest Commis- developer and also be er’s Sugarhouse LLC of rently have a lease on sion decided to entrust privately owned and Lancaster was selected New Hampshire state this new venture to us. Otten, PAGE 15 as the successful bid- land on Weeks State We’ll work hard not to der on a publicly ad- Park on Mt. Prospect disappoint the Com- vertised 15-year lease and have been there missioners, townspeo- INDEX for commercial maple for 18 years. Another ple, and everyone who Business Directory ......... B6 tapping on up to 723 lease on private and made this locally con- Calendar ........................... B5 acres, now specifically has been running for trolled community as- designated for this pur- 28 years.” set a reality.” Classified .......................B7-9 pose. They also pointed When asked how Editorials & Letters ....A4-5 EDITH TUCKER The Commission in- Dave and Patti Fuller, co-owners of Fuller’s Sugarhouse LLC out that all of the ma- many people would Obituaries .............. A2, A17 terviewed both outfits in Lancaster, submitted the successful bid on a maple tap- ple syrup produced likely be hired as Real Estate ..................... A16 that submitted bids in ping lease on up to 723 acres within the 10,000-plus-acre from this new oper- they begin to develop response to a request “working” Randolph Community Forest (RCF) at a special Oct. ation would be pro- a sugarbush, Fuller Sports .............................B1-4 for proposals at its reg- 15 meeting of the Randolph Forest Commission, subject to cessed and packaged in replied, “Near term, ular monthly meeting further negotiations and approval of the state Department of their Main Street facil- between four and six on Oct.