Winnisquam Echo THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2010 SERVING TILTON, NORTHFIELD, BELMONT & SANBORNTON, N.H. FREE Winnisquam breaks ground on biomass plant BY MEGHAN SIEGLER tition. [email protected] “We had a member of the TILTON — Kicking off public who felt very strongly the construction of a bio- (that it was the right time to mass heating plant, Win- move forward),” Somma nisquam Regional School said. District held a groundbreak- Ian Raymond, chair of ing ceremony Friday after- Sanbornton’s Energy Com- noon. mittee, brought an article The event celebrated both forward in March asking the biomass plant, which is voters to allow the School part of a comprehensive en- Board to move forward, ergy efficiency upgrade proj- which ultimately led to a spe- ect currently underway at all cial meeting in August, five district schools, and the where the biomass project people who helped make it passed overwhelmingly. happen. Raymond said he had The biomass plant will waited for the project to heat both the high school break ground with an “anx- and middle schools and will ious anticipation” that ri- be fueled by wood chips. It valed the time his pregnant will add a third fuel alterna- wife was about to give birth. tive to the existing #2 fuel oil Raymond said the schools and natural gas duel service will be greener and more ef- boilers. ficient, and paying for the Business Administrator woodchips will be the equiv- Cheryl Somma said that al- alent to purchasing fuel oil though the School Board at 89 cents per gallon. It is signed a letter of intent with projected to save $4.5 million Honeywell in June 2008, the over the next 25 years, and board decided in March 2009 the plant’s construction has not to put an article on the no impact on the tax burden. PHOTO BY MEGHAN SIEGLER From left to right, State Senator Deb Reynolds; Representatives Dennis Fields, Deb Wheeler, and Liz Merry; Ian Raymond; State Senator Kathleen warrant for the project. At After touting the project’s Sgambati; and Winnisquam Budget Committee Chairman Keith Murray do the ceremonial dig at the biomass plant’s groundbreaking ceremony that time the board members benefits, Raymond said that Friday. said they wanted more time “this is not the end,” as he to study the project’s feasi- and school officials are al- bility.But the article made it to the warrant anyway,by pe- SEE BIOMASS PAGE A7 Tilton committee will focus on police station for just new police station, mittee had a “lengthy dis- on the committee for the past LSBC seeks and not life safety building. cussion” on whether to focus year but has not been a vot- “It was quite a crowd,” on a life safety building or on ing member. The second is two members Consentino said. “A lot of a police station. She said it Joseph Jesseman, who re- people wanted us to focus on was not unanimous, but the cently wrote a letter to the BY MEGHAN SIEGLER [email protected] a police station.” decision was to focus on the editor asking that the com- Selectman Katherine police station. mittee stick to a police sta- TILTON — The Life Safe- Dawson said she attended The committee also talked tion concept. ty Building Committee will the meeting as a resident and about which members were “After spending tens of focus on a police station, not not as a selectman, and she willing to stay on for anoth- thousands of dollars and a a joint police/fire station, in asked the committee to look er year. Two people have very potential loss of nearly the coming year. at the Business Park Drive stepped down, and although half a million dollars on the Tilton selectmen’s repre- building again to see if it two people were recom- building we already own, the sentative Pat Consentino would be viable for just a po- mended to Town Moderator town has nothing to show. told the board last week that lice station. Chuck Mitchell, he is still so- The LBSC is still out there at the committee’s first “They did say they would liciting applicants from oth- doing its best to look out for meeting since Town Meet- do due diligence and look er Tilton residents to give the best interests of the ing, several members of the again,” Dawson said. everyone a fair shot. The town, but I assure you they public spoke in favor of Consentino said that after first person recommended is studying potential locations public discussion, the com- Tom Gallant, who has served SEE LSBC PAGE A7 Public OK with multi-million dollar requests BY DONNA RHODES [email protected] it," said Lehr. ment that now is the time to from Steele Hill Resort own- CCI has constructed simi- act. The $1.1 million dollar er Bill Cutillo drew attention SANBORNTON — Ap- lar buildings in Tilton and al- construction fee will mean to the fact that the road was proximately 20 people came so in Lyme, which the board an additional 37 cents per in complete disrepair, mak- out for two public hearings investigated and approved of. thousand in taxes on a 10- ing a big impact on visitors in Sanbornton last Wednes- "Our project though," said year bond but will hopefully to the town's largest taxpay- PHOTO BY DONNA RHODES day, and most spoke in favor Chairman Andrew Liver- save a lot on maintenance er and employer. Johnny Riordon, Abby Riordon, Kai LaChapelle and his mom Yunhee of the bond proposals to con- nois, "will include a cold stor- and upkeep for town equip- "I'm not asking for a road showed off their Bunny goggles and bounty of plastic eggs during the struct a new highway garage age building - a pole barn ment, selectmen said. paved in gold, but this has Sanbornton Egg Hunt at Bodwell Farm last weekend. and rebuild over six miles of type of structure to hold A second hearing for im- gone beyond the reality of Upper Bay and Bay Road. equipment we can keep out- provements to Upper Bay what a road should be," Cu- The highway garage, doors, like plows and Road was held immediately tillo said. Egg-cellent time deemed in poor condition by sanders. Roughly calculated following the town garage He said he simply was ask- a recent engineering study,is they are going to work to hearing. The proposal is for ing the town for a drivable in need of replacement, and meet our numbers." $3 million to be spent to com- road surface for his employ- was had by all selectmen feel now is the The building proposal by plete the "Y Project" in town, ees and guests to travel. time to move forward with CCI is for a 102 x 82 square reconstructing Bay and Up- Many of the guests to the re- SANBORNTON — The sponsored by the Recreation that project as bond rates are foot main structure. Select- per Bay Roads. Recent visits fields of Bodwell's Tree Department. low and contractors are look- men noted that the building to the selectmen's meetings SEE PUBLIC PAGE A12 Farm in Sanbornton were Behind the scenes, it was ing for work. will be capable of sheltering hopping with activity late Boy Scout Henry Stock of "This really is the time for the new equipment the town Saturday morning as over Troop 82 who made the hunt us to build a new building if has purchased in recent Three running for single 100 children gathered for the possible as he put in eight we can come up with the years as well as giving better annual Spring Egg Hunt hours of labor stuffing the money," said Selectman Dave working conditions to town selectman seat in Sanbornton brightly colored plastic eggs Nickerson. employees. Nickerson noted INDEX with all kinds of treats. Hen- Conneston Construction that the town has spent a lot SANBORNTON — The ning for another term and ■ ry, earning a badge in com- Inc., whose proposal for the of money on new highway closing date for filing for Kathleen Wells (no relation) Volume 4• Number 13 munity service, then showed garage was selected earlier equipment and said it is im- public office in the Town of is running for the second 18 Pages in 1 Section up at Bodwell's bright and by the board from two final- portant to have proper stor- Sanbornton was Friday. seat being vacated by Marcia Community Commentary......A5 early Saturday morning ists, has come forward with a age for this investment along For selectmen, incum- Martel. Editorial Page .......................A4 where the members of the Guaranteed Maximum Price with giving the crew a "de- bent David Nickerson has For the Trustees of the Li- Winnisquam High School for the construction. Project cent place to work." filed for re-election. Chal- brary,incumbents Wayne El- North Country Notebook .....A6 Student Council joined him Manager Bryant Lehr said "What they have now is lenging him for the three- liott and Linda VanValken- Schools .................................A8 for the task of hiding the that any costs below the com- too small. They can't even get year seat are Michael Far- burgh are seeking re-elec- Obituaries...........................A11 2,000 eggs he had prepared. pany's proposal, based on the equipment inside. I invite rington and Bill Whalen. tion. Carmine Cioffo is look- Culture................................A12 "I thought this would be a what voters approve in May, people to come take a look at For Budget Committee ing to fill the opening on the good community service will be deducted from the what's there," Nickerson this year there are two open Trustees of the Trust Fund ©2010, Salmon Press, LLC.