Meet some more What does vocational candidates: aid cut mean for See pages A2 & A3. Kingswood: See page B6. Mailing Label The Baysider THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009 COVERING ALTON, BARNSTEAD, & NEW DURHAM - THEBAYSIDER.COM FREE Select board contenders face tough questions Local elections, BY BRENDAN BERUBE Durham’s Board of Select- Night at the public library. on this year’s town ballot to the Fire Bells, had started Staff Writer men faced a variety of tough Moderated by resident state their reasons for run- the Wish Upon a Star pro- town NEW DURHAM — The questions from a standing- Michelle Kendrick, the event ning, and for the public to get gram, and had worked with three contenders for Peter room-only crowd last week was designed to offer a fo- acquainted with and ask the Strafford County Court meetings Rhoades’ seat on New during a special Candidates’ rum for the five candidates questions of them. Diversion program. Dorothy Martin Veisel, Her purpose in listing her begin the sole candidate for a public service experience, three-year term on the plan- she explained, was to demon- next week ning board, kicked off the fo- strate that when she sees a rum by contradicting a re- problem, she tries to join Election Day polling cent newspaper article that forces with like-minded in- locations and times: she said described her as a dividuals in the community “newcomer” to town. and address it. Alton: Prospect Moun- Pointing out that she has, While observing the plan- tain High School auditori- in fact, been a resident of ning board’s decision-mak- um, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. New Durham since 1974 (and ing process as one of the ap- Barnstead: Town Hall, summered in the area with plicants seeking to move the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. her family prior to that), town food pantry into the New Durham: New Veisel explained that she abandoned church across Durham School gymnasi- had earned her Bachelor’s from Town Hall, Veisel said um, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. degree from Brown Univer- she had developed “an im- sity and completed her grad- mense respect for that body,” Town Meetings: uate studies at Boston Uni- as well as a sense of the enor- versity and UNH before be- mity and complexity of the New Durham: Wed- coming a teacher at the New problems facing the town, nesday, March 11, 7 p.m., Durham School in 1977, a po- whose rural character and New Durham School sition she held until 2002. tradition of providing a gymnasium During her time in New “helping hand” to its own Barnstead: Saturday, Durham, she said she had al- she felt might begin to erode March 14, 9 a.m., elemen- BRENDAN BERUBE ■ so helped to found the Par- in the face of an expanding tary school gymnasium Hitching a ride ents for Recreation group, population. Barnstead School Dis- had served on the Recreation Stating that her goal was trict Meeting: Saturday, This snowmobile-loving pooch took in the sights and sounds while waiting for its owner next to Commission for a number of March 21, 9 a.m., elemen- Shibley’s at the Pier at Alton Bay Sunday afternoon. years, had been a member of SEE NEW DURHAM PAGE A7 tary school gymnasium Barnstead candidates have their say at Meet the Candidates Night BY BRENDAN BERUBE ferent during the coming cant storefront next door to commodate the overwhelm- election, Swinford replied “ the dignity and privacy of Staff Writer year,Swinford explained that Bosco Bell. ing amount of donations. “I think I’ve made a differ- those who come to the pantry BARNSTEAD — Despite the thrift shop had received The food pantry, she said, Asked by school board ence,” adding that the most for assistance. the presence of only one con- so many donations that it had also had to be expanded member Kathy Preston why important aspect of the posi- tested race on Barnstead’s to be expanded into the va- length-wise in order to ac- she had chosen to run for re- tion for her was protecting SEE BARNSTEAD PAGE A9 ballot this year (between in- cumbent Phil Grillo and challenger Doug Darrell for a three-year term on the Birch Ridge proposal closes New Durham town Warrant board of selectmen), nearly BY BRENDAN BERUBE ation, wildlife, wetland and pend any federal, state or pri- priate an amount not to ex- tial units). all of the local residents Staff Writer timber resources” and “ex- vate grants that may become ceed $1 million in municipal Faced with widespread seeking town and school dis- NEW DURHAM — A pro- erts a profound influence on available in support of the bonds to support the conser- public opposition to their trict offices turned out for posal asking voters to grant the water quality of the conservation effort. vation of the property. original plan, the developers the Oscar Foss Memorial Li- the board of selectmen the town’s most important water -Negotiate the terms of the The 2,038-acre parcel of agreed in July of 2008 to sign brary’s 27th annual Meet the authority to pursue the con- resources”; and whereas the purchase of a conservation land overlooking the south a letter of intent to sell the Candidates Night on Feb. 25. servation of Birch Ridge will permanent conservation of easement and/or the fee in- shore of Merrymeeting Lake property,at fair market value, State Rep. Elaine Swin- close out New Durham’s the property would advance terest over all or a portion of was initially targeted by Red to an entity or entities capa- ford, up for re-election to a Town Meeting next week. the goals and policies of the the property. Oak Ridge, LLC (backed by ble of placing the entire par- one-year term as Overseer of Article 13, the final non- Master Plan, the town au- -Cooperate with federal or Gruss & Company,a Madison cel under a permanent con- Public Welfare, opened the housekeeping article on the thorizes the board of select- state agencies and/or private, Avenue-based real estate in- servation easement. evening, describing her first 2009 town Warrant, asks vot- men to engage in the follow- non-profit conservation or- vestment firm) in November A group of local residents year in the position to a small ers to approve a resolution ing activities: ganizations to conserve the of 2007 as a possible site for an calling themselves the Birch audience of voters at Town stating that whereas the first -Vigorously pursue the property. open space conservation sub- Ridge Conservation Project Hall as “the greatest learn- major policy goal of the permanent conservation of -Submit a Warrant article division consisting of 94 sin- Group, supported by the For- ing experience.” town’s Master Plan is to pro- the Birch Ridge property. to the 2010 Town Meeting ask- gle-family homes and 63 du- Commenting that stu- tect open space and rural -Apply for, accept and ex- ing voters to raise and appro- plexes (a total of 220 residen- SEE WARRANT PAGE A8 dents at Barnstead Elemen- character; whereas the Mas- tary School recently donated ter Plan includes a natural re- more than 1,000 cans of food source implementation strat- to the town food pantry, egy to “investigate capital re- Sample ballots on display Twombly property Swinford thanked the towns- serve or bonding efforts for people for their generosity town-supported open-space ALTON — Samples of Alton’s 2009 town ballot and war- toward the pantry and the preservation”; whereas the rant are currently available for review by the public at forums today thrift shop over the past year. Birch Ridge property in- Town Hall, the Gilman Library,and the police and fire sta- Asked whether she cludes some of the town’s tions, as well as several local businesses. ALTON — Voters at the members who prefer not to planned to do anything dif- “most valuable scenic, recre- The Warrant includes a bond issue recommended by the Jan. 31 deliberative session drive after dark. selectmen in Article 12, which asks voters to raise and ap- for the Alton School District The second forum is sched- INDEX propriate an amount not to exceed $1,999,000 in municipal heard the details on a War- uled for 6:30 p.m. in the music ▼ bonds or notes to cover the cost of improvements to Town rant article for the proposed room at the Alton Central Daylight Hall, the Pearson Road senior center, the Central fire sta- purchase of the Twombly School, located at 41 School Volume 5 • Number 10 tion, and the police station. property at 19 Depot St. St. 22 Pages in 2 Sections According to information released by town officials on To ensure that voters have At each of the forums on Business..............................A7 Savings Time March 3, the bond issue will not impact the 2009 tax rate, an opportunity to be fully in- March 5, participants will be Churches.............................A8 as the first payment of interest will be due in 2010, and the formed and to ask questions able to hear more details next payment of principle and interest in 2011. The select- about this article and pro- about the property, the rea- Classifieds .................B8 - B11 men chose to pursue a 20-year bond, in order to minimize posed purchase of the prop- sons for this particular piece Editorial Page......................A4 the impact on taxpayers. The annual impact will be further erty,the district will hold two of land, how it will be used, reduced by discontinuing capital reserve funding for the forums today,March 5.