Winnisquam Echo THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 2010 SERVING TILTON, NORTHFIELD, BELMONT & SANBORNTON, N.H. FREE Bean Hill Road problems more extensive than anticipated PROJECT MAY HAVE TO WAIT AS COSTS INCREASE BY DONNA RHODES above ground and under- [email protected] ground drainage system sim- NORTHFIELD — Plans to ilar to one installed on Zion repair Bean Hill Road may be Hill Road. put on hold another year af- “That seems to be the big ter selectmen received a difference in the construc- price estimate exceeding the tion costs now. We’re work- dollar amount the town has ing with the state though and River ride set aside for the project. want to build this road right Each year since 2004 the so it lasts 25 years or more,” Photo by Donna Rhodes voters have approved any- said Chairman Steve Bluhm. A flotilla of tubes and other floating devices made its way along the Winnipesaukee River in Tilton Saturday as the happy group enjoyed a where from $50,000-75,000 to As a result of this price in- leisurely summer day. The river affords a number of activities in the area from fishing to kayaking, canoeing, tubing, swimming and other be set aside in an account crease selectmen requested recreational fun. specifically for Bean Hill re- the engineering firm for the pairs. Last year at town meet- project, Quantum Construc- ing they allowed for $80,000 tion Consultants, seek alter- to be appropriated in order to native ways to get some of bring the account up to the more critical work done $265,000, the price of an esti- while the rest of the funding mate received three years is sought. They’re fun to look at, but ago. Selectmen had hoped to begin the roadwork this year QCC engineers divided but were recently informed the work into two phases in that bigger drainage issues hopes the project could move officials say ‘Don’t feed the bears’ with the road were found. forward. Phase 1 in their new Water coming down the hill plans would address major is greater than originally BY DONNA RHODES Birdseed is especially at- a woman had been purpose- Timmins said his office sees thought, requiring both an SEE BEAN HILL, PAGE A9 [email protected] tractive to the creatures fully feeding bears in her fewer complaints in Lincoln LAKES REGION — Sum- since it is more nutritious yard. As a result a bear be- as a result of this ordinance mer in New Hampshire and helps them gain weight. came brazen enough to actu- and now Gorham, Franconia means picnics, cook outs and Fish and Game recommends ally enter her home on two and, most recently, Bethle- camping, activities that can people cease feeding birds on occasions, prompting a call Small businesses also generate tasty treats for April 1 when the birds have to wildlife specialists. The SEE BEARS, PAGE A9 some four-legged residents plenty of feed in the fields same bear, a sow (female) who, come June and July,are and woods. Bears will seek with cubs, has since created slowly dusting off just dying for a tasty treat. out feeders in the spring and problems in eight other Residential Bears pull these manmade summer months, often de- homes, even though the snacks from garbage cans stroying them in the process woman has stopped feeding prevention and other residential loca- of getting at the sunflower them. application forms tions each summer as they and other seeds. “What you do can affect Take down, clean and put away bird feeders by await berries and other nat- Timmins said removing your neighbors, too. Peer BY LAUREN TINER April 1. Store the bird come in September,when the ural foods in the woods to them is vital to keep bears pressure in a neighborhood [email protected] summer season is over, and feeder until late fall. LAKES REGION — Ac- ripen. The problem is that from becoming accustomed is important if someone sees (Birds will do just fine the improved job growth cording to the U.S. Depart- trend will either continue to eating human food can actu- to human food sources. people are leaving feeders or with the natural foods ment of Labor, New Hamp- ally jeopardize a bear’s “A fed bear is a dead bear” garbage around for the available.) Bear damage grow or taper off. shire has the second-fastest Lee’s Candy Kitchen in health. has become the slogan bears,’” said Timmins. to bird feeders is a com- growing job rate in the na- Meredith, unlike many other New Hampshire Bear Pro- around Fish and Game as Feeding bears became ille- mon and growing spring tion, yet many smaller local complaint. local businesses, has main- ject leader, biologist Andrew bears become increasingly gal in the state in 2006. Since businesses are still strug- Clean up spilled seed tained their success and Timmins, said bears prefer gling when it comes to hiring. number of employees over PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIN CONNOLLY below feeder stations. Statistics show that 8,900 high quality foods that help Bears, like this one found trying to dismantle a birdfeeder in the Lakes Keep garbage in air- the past two years. jobs have been created over Owner of Lee’s Candy to fatten them up. In the hot- Region, are especially attracted to birdfeeders during the months of June tight containers inside the last year, from June 2009 Kathy Fagan said the fact ter months the vegetation di- and July before the berries ripen in the woods. Fish and Game advises your garage or storage to June 2010. Annette Nielsen that she is a small business et they ate all spring begins area. Double bagging people to remove the feeders from their yards by April 1 to prevent bears of the Economic and Labor also means she doesn’t need to harden and is not as at- from being accustomed to finding food in residential areas. “A fed bear and the use of ammonia Market Information Bureau will reduce odors that at- a boatload of help. tractive, forcing them to seek is a dead bear” is the motto they are trying to relay, as bears acclimat- for the New Hampshire De- tract bears. “We have been appropri- out alternative foods, which ed to humans can become a safety issue. partment of Employment Se- ately staffed for the summer. Garbage for pickup curity said the employment often times are part of their should be put outside the We have very busy times in rate for the region is going in here, but you can’t staff for natural diet. more brazen when they find that time, towns have also morning of collection the right direction compared “About 90 percent of the ready-made meals in garbage drafted local legislation con- and not the night before. one hour of extreme busy- to a few years ago and should ness. We are well covered,” complaints we receive are for cans and backyards. Tim- cerning bears. Lincoln was Do not place meat or improve as the summer goes sweet food scraps in your said Fagan. bears getting into garbage mins said officials are deal- the first to enact a law against on. Having owned different and birdfeeders,” Timmins ing with an ongoing situa- feeding bears and leaving SEE PREVENTION, PAGE A9 In June 2009, the unem- businesses at different times said. tion in North Conway where garbage available for them. ployment rate in New Hamp- of her life, Fagan said she is shire went from 6.2 to 6.4 per- familiar with economic cent in and June 2010 from 6.4 trends and considers herself to 5.9 percent. fortunate at this point in Tilton to ask state for crosswalk at Riverfront Park “This is good and not good. time. These rates are higher than Tilton owner of Pat’s This BY MEGHAN SIEGLER front Park. the state and asking for per- ting some of the freestand- normal levels for New Hamp- [email protected] Elaine Grace wrote a let- mission to paint a sidewalk, ing signs that are used on shire – we are not used to SEE FORMS, PAGE A9 TILTON — Town officials ter to the Board of Selectmen since the state had been un- Main Street in the cross- these high levels of unem- are acting on a written re- after she was almost hit by a willing to do it themselves. walks reminding drivers that ployment, yet compared to ER quest from a Tilton resident car trying to cross Route 3 to “I think it’s worth explor- it’s state law to stop for pedes- the rest of the country,it’s not URG Y•R •S ES to put in a crosswalk at River- get to the park. ing, because it is a safety is- trians. bad,” said Nielsen. S T C O Job growth is happening, I R The selectmen agreed that sue,” board Chair Pat Con- The selectmen briefly dis- T A E but many people still find T INDEX crossing the intersection sentino said, noting that res- cussed where the crosswalk H I V T ) ) E ■ near Winter Street is danger- idents from Winter Street would go. Boudreau suggest- themselves unemployed, S E Volume 4• Number 8 ( ) • A ous, but Selectman David and Cedar Street often cross ed putting it right at the Win- with businesses still in the P R • 18 Pages in 1 Section E process of recovering finan- S Wadleigh pointed out that over to get to Riverfront Park. ter Street intersection, but V T H E N cially and racking up clien- N A the matter has been dis- Selectman Norm some of the selectmen dis- T L A Community Commentary ..A5-6 P T I M I V E cussed with the state already.