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. 4 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE TELEPHONE: 603-788-4939 TWENTY-FOUR PAGES 75¢ Governor’s North Country Inaugural Ball is a grand success BY EDITH TUCKER ballroom together. hotel’s energetic and [email protected] Gov. Hassan wel- hard-working hotel staff. comed everyone, noting A delicious four- BRETTON WOODS that the evening’s venue, course meal was served, — The North Country’s the Grande Dame, repre- all plated by 25 hotel em- beauty, history, and its sented both the state’s ployees in an adjacent emphasis on neighbor- past and its future. room. The first course liness and relationships John “Bud” McMa- was a Jonah Crab Tower were all on display at hon of Whitefield, a that included heirloom the Governor’s North WWII veteran who is a tomatoes; the second Country Inaugural Ball member of VFW Post course, artisan lettuces on Friday night at the 10675, led the recitation with sun-dried cherries; Omni Mount Washing- of the Pledge of Alle- and the third course, a ton Hotel. giance. “duet of tenderloin and A social hour of min- Gorham High School salmon,” was followed gling in the Grand Lobby freshman Max Sjostrom by a dessert sampler: and in the Conservatory, of Shelburne sang “The spiced cider cheesecake, where Gov. Maggie Has- Star-Spangled Banner.” dark chocolate torte, and san and First Gentleman Hassan thanked the lemon crunch bar. Tom Hassan posed with Inaugural Committee Then the Wicked guests for memento pho- co-chairs and members, Smart Horn Band, led tographs, was followed including Russ Keene, by Joe Cimino of Fran- by some formalities in CEO of the Androscog- conia, began to play, and the Grand Ballroom. gin Valley Hospital in the First Couple soon A four-member color Berlin, and Alex Ray of danced together. Many guard carried in the col- Holderness, owner and others joined them, in- ors. founder of The Common cluding their two adult The governor and her Man family of restau- children: Ben, who uses PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER husband, now serving rants. a wheelchair because of John “Bud” McMahon of Whitefield, who liberated the Dachau concentration camp in April his last year as principal Hassan also thanked extreme disabilities; and 1945 during WWII, led the Pledge of Allegiance at Friday night’s Governor’s North Country of Phillips Exeter Acade- the resort’s managing Meg, a student at Brown Inaugural Ball at the Omni Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods. Gov. Maggie Hassan, my, made an exuberant director Steve Hilliard, University. First Gentleman Tom Hassan, and Sen. Jeff Woodburn of Dalton joined in reciting the Pledge, entrance into the elegant a Lancaster native, and Ball, PAGE A10 hands over hearts, while the color guard stood at attention. FILE PHOTO Rep. Leon Rideout Woodburn sponsors bill to allow state to of Lancaster, who represents Coös’ guarantee $25 million in BFA bonds for Balsams sprawling floteri- BY EDITH TUCKER SB30 as now written municipal revitaliza- would specifically allow al District seven, [email protected] under the direction of tion district through the Governor and Coun- was presented with the pres- prime sponsor Wood- an agreement between cil to award an uncondi- tigious Norris CONCORD — In New burn would extend the governmental units. tional state guarantee of Cotton Award Hampshire, state sena- use of municipal eco- Revenue Bonds issued the principal and inter- by Coös County tors can introduce bills nomic development and by the Business Finance est on BFA bonds not to Republican into the legislative hop- revitalization districts Authority (BFA) for dis- exceed $25 million. Committee chair- per at a later date than to “certain water dis- tricts established by this Earlier drafts appear man Karl Ruch of House members are al- tricts” and also clar- bill “shall be eligible for to have set the cap at $8 Groveton at the lowed to. ify the state’s ability a state guarantee….” million. Jan. 10 annual District 1 Sen. Jeff to establish a regional The bill’s provisions Balsams, PAGE A10 meeting of the Woodburn, a Democrat New Hampshire of Dalton who is now the Republican State School board seeks to comply Committee, held Senate Minority Leader, in Derry. This is has taken advantage of the second consecutive year that Rep. Rideout, who also that privilege by intro- with fire safety codes at WMRH serves as a Lancaster selectman, has been recognized for ducing at least one bill his outstanding work in both the Coös County Republican to amend existing legis- organization and the New Hampshire Republican Party. lation that is designed Cost estimated at nearly $800,000 The award is given in the name of Norris Cotton, who to give a big boost to the BY EDITH TUCKER hearing for Tuesday terms of becoming code was one of youngest citizens ever elected to the New redevelopment of The [email protected] night, Jan. 13, it figured compliant is the total Hampshire House of Representatives. Cotton then went Balsams as a world-class out a route by which it lack of a sprinkler sys- on to represent the Granite State in the U.S. House of year-round resort in Dix- WHITEFIELD — Af- could meet state Fire tem plus an out-of-date Representatives for four terms and in the U.S. Senate for ville, an Unincorporated ter the WMRSD school Marshal’s Office dead- noncompliant fire alarm nearly 20 years. Place in Coös County. board posted a bond lines without needing system, explained SAU to secure the needed 60 36 Interim Superinten- percent “yes” votes re- dent Dr. Harry Fensom Soon-to-be Village Gun Store owners quired to gain written on Jan 13. ballot approval to float “We’ve worked with a nearly $800,000 bond the Fire Marshal’s Of- plan to reopen shop in February at the March 10 school fice to clarify and define meeting. these issues and to devel- BY EDITH TUCKER ed in June 1974. munity with their three Nonetheless, until The District received op a mutually agreeable [email protected] The new owners, who young children. the legal and financial a letter from the Fire plan to move forward hail from the Plymouth “They checked out paperwork is actual- Marshal’s Office contain- without having to alter WHITEFIELD — area and have the exper- the schools and the ly signed, both parties ing a list of safety code the use of any classroom Stan and Sandy Holz tise to run this specialty churches, and they’re have agreed not to re- deficiencies at WMRHS space in our building,” just retired after 40-plus retail store plan, have ready to make the com- veal the new owners’ that must be addressed Fensom said. running the Village Gun told the newly minted mitment,” Sandy said identity. as soon as possible. The District must in- Shop at 4 King’s Square retirees that they plan during a Sunday tele- “We’re 99.9 percent Of greatest concern stall a sprinkler system (Route 3) that they start- to move into the com- phone interview. Village Gun, PAGE A10 and the most crucial in served by a 30,000-gallon tank (a.k.a. underground reservoir) fed by an ex- isting well and also sub- stantially upgrade its fire alarm system, including different placement of its detectors and installing visual alarms and audio notice, to be compliant WMRSD, PAGE A13 INDEX Business Directory ......... B6 Calendar ........................... B5 Classified .......................B7-9 Editorials & Letters ....A4-5 Obituaries ....................... A2 Real Estate ..................... A15 Sports .........................B1-3, 5 PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER A view like no other The view of the Presidential Range, including the 6,288-foot-summit of Mount Washington, center, from the Verandah of the Omni Mount Washington Hotel was spectacular on Saturday morning, Jan. 17. Nearly all of the land visible from this east-facing venue is in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF). A2 COÖS COUNTY DEMOCRAT WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 ••• Margaret T. Demers, 92 Ronald Grover Berlack WEST STEWART- 1983; a daughter, Mar- FRANCONIA--Ron- Bryce Astle, 19, of San- STOWN — Margaret T. ilyn O’Connell; as well ald Grover Berlack was dy, Utah. The two ski- Demers, 92, formerly of as two brothers and six born on April 21, 1994 in ers died together doing Errol and Colebrook, sisters. Winchester, Mass., and what they loved. passed away early on There are no public died in a skiing accident Ronnie was a deter- Wednesday morning, calling hours. A grave- in Soelden, Austria, on mined, funny, and kind Jan. 14, 2015, at the Up- side service will be held Jan. 5, 2015. He was a young man. He will al- per Connecticut Valley in the spring at the Er- warm, kind, and caring ways be remembered for Hospital in Colebrook. rol Village Cemetery young man, in addi- his ability to see how he She was born in of which notice will be tion to being an accom- could move his life in a Branchdale, Pa., on given. plished ski racer and a positive direction, in Feb. 23, 1922, a daughter Expressions of sym- member of the U.S. Ski spite of his weaknesses. to the late John and Su- Margaret Demers pathy in memory of Team. Ronald Grover Berlack Surviving Ronnie san (Sabol) Stadnar. For the past few years, Margaret may be made Ronnie was adopted conia Ski Club. As a are his parents, his sis- Margaret and her she had been a resi- to the CCNH Residents’ at birth by his parents, 10-year-old, his ski race ter Carolyn, numerous husband moved to Er- dent at the Coös County Activity Fund, P.O.