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. 8 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2012 LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE TELEPHONE: 603-788-4939 TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES 75¢ Budget Maple syrup-making likely in February Committee By Edith Tucker [email protected] resists efforts LANCASTER — Sugarmaker Dave Fuller of Lancaster started to fully fund “catching some sap” — 500 gal- lons — on Friday, Feb. 17 in a sug- arbush off Route 2, he explained Police on Saturday in his busy retail shop where he and his wife Patti Department sell supplies for other sugarmak- ers, maple syrup and candies, By Mike Fournier and hard-to-find northern New Contributing Writer Hampshire gifts. NORTHUMBERLAND – De- If the weather turns out to be spite encouragement from audi- as predicted, Fuller says he will ence members at the Feb. 15 pub- probably be boiling by the end of lic hearing on the proposed 2012 the week — well before Leap Year town budget, members of the Day — at Fuller’s Sugarhouse on PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER budget committee resisted ef- Main Street. Sugarmakers across the North Country are getting ready for what forts to restore full funding for “The earliest I’ve ever boiled appears will be a record-breaking early sap run. Dave Fuller of Fuller’s the town’s police department. before was just barely in Febru- Sugarhouse in Lancaster sold Steve Tilton of Groveton, who operates The two and one-half hour ary — and that was just once,” Tilton’s Sugarhouse with his wife Brenda, some tubing and other equip- meeting, attended by less than he said, noting that he and his ment on Saturday. 20 townspeople, generated little family have kept good records. discussion on most of the pro- “If we do make syrup — and as by the tree,” he said. “About half said. posed budget, but saw much of always that depends on the my customers who have vacuum When Fuller was asked what the one and one-half hour public weather — it will be the earliest pump systems use them to pro- kind of sugaring season lies hearing portion concentrated on we’ve ever made it. Back in the long the viable lifespan of tap ahead, he predicted, “It will be the proposed elimination of 70s we expected to be making holes.” early and fast.” three of the town’s four full-time syrup some time between March An old rule of thumb was that There’s a sharp rise in the police officer positions. 15th and 23rd.” a quart of syrup could be made number of maple sugarmakers in Budget committee members Technology has played a role from the sap collected from each northern New Hampshire. were challenged on the cuts by in allowing sugarmakers to be tap, Fuller pointed out. For those “There are 50,000 to 60,000 new Police Chief Marcel Platt, selec ready for the sap to flow, Fuller who use the CV adapter, the new taps in the Colebrook area on tboard and budget committee said. Plastic check-valve (CV) rule is that a half-gallon (two both sides of the Connecticut member Rob Gauthier, fellow se- adapters, developed by scien- quarts) of syrup can be made, River, including Lemington, lect board member Barry Cole- tists at the UVM Proctor Maple PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER with some getting close to three. Canaan, and Pittsburg” Fuller bank, Town Clerk Min Kennett, Research Center in Underhill Sugarmaker Dave Fuller of Fuller’s Sugarhouse in Lancaster holds a “This means that sugarmak- said. “There’re two or three in- and several other audience mem- Center, Vt., and produced by check-valve adapter, left, in his right hand, and a stubby spout in his left. ers can pay off their bank loans,” vestors looking potentially to put bers. Budget committee member Leader Evaporator in Swanton, Fuller who both sells the device and uses it says that installing a check- Fuller said. in 15,000 taps, and, of course, I’d Al Rossetto, who had made the Vt., potentially allow new fresh valve allows sugarmakers to be ready if the sap runs early. Today’s rules for large-scale like to supply them with all their original motion to cut the police and clean tap holes to last about sugaring are: embrace technolo- equipment.” department, defended the com- 12 weeks, double the span of time cy,” he said. Each one costs 35 of sap being collected, Fuller ex- gy; don’t decide when to tap by Fuller smiled happily as he mittee’s action, despite accusa- of regular taps. “Sugarmakers cents and must be replaced plained. “There’s a little ball in- looking at the calendar, and be continued, “There are a lot of tions the committee had been now can be ready when maple every year, but installing them side the CV adapter that does not ready. “Taps with CVs can be put maple trees up here, and there’re less than forthcoming in its de- trees are coming out of dorman- can result in double the amount allow any sap to be reabsorbed in in the middle of January,” he Maple, PAGE A17 liberations concerning the police department and admitting they had failed to invite anyone from the department to their meetings to defend the proposed budget. Following the public hearing portion of the meeting, the last hour was devoted to finalizing the numbers for the warrant ar- ticles and voting to recommend (or not) each of the individual ar- ticles. An attempt to amend Arti- cle 14 by increasing the town’s operating budget by approxi- mately $85,000, proposed by Rob Gauthier, failed. Budget commit- tee approval of the proposed $1,801,267 operating budget then barely gained approval of the committee on a 5-4 vote. Committee members recom- mended voters not approve Arti- cle 15, a petitioned article seek- ing to add $355,002 to keep the police force at full strength. Se- Funding WMRHS CTE Center upgrades is a political process lect board members had also rec- ommended that voters not ap- By Edith Tucker planned. It would a “first” for the [email protected] prove that article. The budget Legislature could pay 75% of costs upfront Granite State. committee also recommended WHITEFIELD — A nearly two- CTE Director Lori Lane ex- that voters not approve Article year-long effort lies ahead if tendent Dr. Harry Fensom. “It plus some CTE Advisory Com- percent of the capital cost a year plained that students in CTE 19, a $25,000 appropriation for state and District monies are to will be beneficial to our entire mittee members and CTE teach- from now on March 12, 2013. programs become better stu- the equipment capital reserve be secured to upgrade the region.” School board chairman ers gathered in the cafeteria on By then the school board will dents who are prepared to take fund, Article 27, a $52,000 appro- Paradice Career and Technical Greg Odell of Dalton said the Tuesday evening, Feb. 13, to given its stamp of approval to the next steps in their lives. priation for the purchase of a Education Center at White board is 100 percent behind the learn of the opportunities and the CTE’s program of studies, “Over the last four years, be- one-ton truck for the highway de- Mountains Regional High project. obstacles that lie ahead in the which could include two new tween 85 to 90 percent of our partment, and Article 30, seeking School. Elected officials — five Coös quest for state monies. The state programs: marketing and heavy program completers continue $39,633 for various charitable or- “The project’s impact will go County state reps, Sen. John Gal- could pay up to 75 percent of equipment operation and main- their education beyond high ganizations. All three of the arti- well beyond the White Moun- lus, Councilor Ray Burton, four the proposed project’s capital tenance. school,” Lane reported. “Forty tains Regional School District WMRSD school board members, costs. The Army JROTC program percent of these students con- Budget, PAGE A17 (WMRSD) boundaries,” ex- and two Lancaster selectmen — District voters will be asked could become a part of the CTE tinue their education at the four- plained SAU 36 Interim Superin- Leo Enos and Leon Rideout — to approve a plan and paying 25 program in June, if all goes as CTE Center, PAGE A18 INDEX WMRSD school board selects design-build option Business Directory . .B6 By Edith Tucker Harry Fensom pointed out that state Department of Education for the proposed Arthur T. addition to the existing CTE cen- Calendar . .B5 [email protected] Paradice Regional Career and ter and renovations to WMRHS. a major plus of a design-build (DOE). WHITEFIELD — The WMRSD Technical Education Center proj- The board turned down the process is that voters would In June, the board will vote Classified . .B7-9 school board voted unanimously, ect, send out Requests for Pro- idea of sending out RFPs for the know the maximum price of a to finalize the renovation plan. 6 to 0, on Monday night to have posals (RFPs) to some qualified traditional design-bid-build project, giving certainty in this In July the DOE will begin to Dining . .A15 George Brodeur Sr., coordinator architectural firms to design an process. important area in which there present this plan to state Leg- Brodeur explained that both are likely to be some unknowns. islative committees. Editorials & Letters . .A4 Under Brodeur’s timeline, The school board intends to he and the appointed volunteer Obituaries .