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. CXLVI, NO. 38 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2013 LANCASTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE TELEPHONE: 603-788-4939 TWENTY-SIX PAGES 75¢ PHOTO BY JONATHAN BENTON Last Wednesday White Mountains Regional High School ended class a few minutes early for the reveal of the “Spartan Rock” new paint job done by this year’s seniors. Following the ceremony a picture of the entire student body and faculty was taken with the rock. Groveton cell tower could be Northern Pass holds Open operational by end of October By Edith Tucker work and equipment installa- House for residents of 4 towns [email protected] tion, but the expectation is to By Edith Tucker Software packages made it GROVETON — Workers have all work completed by [email protected] possible for landowners to see are focusing on the prep the end of October.” LANCASTER — The North- how tall the proposed towers work – drilling and testing A&TT has committed itself ern Pass Transmission project on their property would be, if rock anchors as well as pour- to placing its equipment on provided a chance on Tuesday, built, and their exact location. ing foundations — in anticipa- the tower, but there is suffi- Sept. 10, for landowners and The proposed overhead line tion that in another week or cient space for three vendors. other stakeholders to learn in the existing ROW in Lancast- so, the 195-foot-tall cell tower The Northern Border Re- some specific details about the er would run almost due south will start to be erected on a gional Commission (NBRC), overhead lines proposed to from the Northumberland town 100- by 100-foot parcel owned established under the 2008 be erected on existing rights- line, 5.6 miles to the Whitefield by the Red Dam Conservancy Farm Bill, granted New Hamp- of-way (ROW) in three Coös town line, crossing Route 2 LLC (the Wemyss family) on shire towns: Lancaster, Whitefield below Roger’s Campground. which there is a 20-year lease. $200,000 to the Northern and Dalton, plus Bethlehem in The minimum structure height “We expect to begin con- Community Investment Corp. Grafton County. Fifty people would be 70 feet tall and the structing the tower in the (NCIC) to help pay for con- attended, according to Martin maximum 110 feet, with the final week of September structing a road to the tower Murray, Manager, Media Rela- most common, 85 feet. Today, and into early October,” ex- site. tions NH for the most common height is 43 plained project spokesman The project combines PSNH, a subsidiary of North- Scott Tranchemontagne of the NBRC grant with funding east Utilities. SEE Pass, PAGE A16 Montagne Communications from the federal Economic of Manchester. “The actual Development Administra- tower construction should tion (EDA), Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) and PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER take about two weeks, maybe Northern Pass Transmission project engineer Brian Bosse, left, dis- a little less with good weath- Northern Pass LLC. PSNH cussed the proposed high-voltage, direct current overhead lines and er. agreed to put up $81,000 and towers in an existing PSNH right-of-way in Lancaster with Jon Quay “There will then be an- the Northern Pass project, of Lancaster at the Sept. 10 Open House held at the Cabot Motor Inn. other few weeks of electrical $200,000. Selectmen to eliminate mill demolition escrow account Green Steel to donate $30,000-plus to town hall By Edith Tucker $30,000-plus escrow account be [email protected] dissolved. It was set up some PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER NORTHUMBERLAND — months ago to ensure that the Rep. Herb Richardson, right, a Republican of Lancaster, talked with Mike Stirling, Green Steel of Ar- owner would have enough mon- Northern Pass Transmission project representatives Marvin Bellis, izona’s project manager at the ey on hand to cover any failures left, and Brian Bosse at the Sept. 10 NPT Open House at the Cabot Groveton mill demolition and or liabilities. Originally 10 per- Motor Inn. Rep. Leon Rideout, a Republican of Lancaster who rep- cleanup project, wrote to the resents 6 towns in floterial District 7 in which NPT is proposed — select board to suggest that the SEE Mill, PAGE A16 Lancaster, Stark, Dummer, Northumberland, Whitefield, and Dalton, was also on hand. Venue for final USDOE public “scoping” hearing moved to Colebrook By Edith Tucker [email protected] about the capacity of venue that was first announced. COLEBROOK — A public U.S. The site was changed “in re- Department of Energy “scop- sponse to public requests that ing” hearing on the proposed PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER raised concerns about insuffi- Northern Pass Transmission Sandy Dannis of Dalton, who wore a bright orange jacket and hat to cient capacity” in the ground- (NPT) project has been moved indicate her opposition to the proposed Northern Pass Transmission floor space at the Spa Restau- from West Stewartstown south project, spoke with NPT project manager Sam Johnson at the Sept. 10 rant and Outback Pub in West to Colebrook after the state’s Open house in Lancaster. Johnson told Dannis that she could request Stewartstown, according to a Congressional delegation and that NPT prepare a drawing that would show her how the existing USDOE statement. Coös County Commissioner ROW would look from her home should the proposed HVDC towers The meeting will now be Rick Samson raised concerns be approved and built. held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Cole- brook Elementary School at 27 Longtime WMRHS teacher Lisa Dumont Street, off Route 3. Perras nominated as CTE Director SEE USDOE, PAGE A15 By Edith Tucker Odell. [email protected] The school board is expect- INDEX WHITEFIELD — Lisa Perras, ed to confirm her appointment Business Directory ................B6 who has been a business edu- at its next meeting on Monday, cation teacher since 1998 and Sept. 23. Calendar ..................................B5 hospitality management direc- Perras is best known in Classified ..............................B7-9 tor and instructor since 2003, the District for developing the Editorials & Letters ...........A4-5 has been nominated as CTE Di- award-winning Mountain View FILE PHOTO rector at WMRHS. Academy, a two-year hospi- Obituaries .............................. A2 Greg Odell of Dalton, chairman of the White Mountains Regional Since a trio of interview tality management Career and Real Estate ............................ A14 School District school board, was appointed on Tuesday after- committees recommended her Technical Education (CTE) Sports ....................................B1-4 noon, Sept. 10, by the New Hampshire School Boards Association unanimously for the post as did program that meets for the first (NHSBA) to fill an open seat, according to executive director Ted WMRHS principal Mike Berry, PHOTO BY EDITH TUCKER two periods of each day at the Comstock. Odell is eligible to attend his first quarterly meeting on SAU #36 Interim Superinten- Lisa Perras of Groveton has been Mountain View Grand Resort. Nov. 12 and can run for a 3-year term in Jan. 2014. Two other dent Dr. Harry Fensom asked nominated as CTE Director at In 2009 Perras won a Louise men who serve on Coös County school boards also serve on the her to immediately step in, WMRHS and at SAU 36 Interim Tillotson Teaching Fellowship NHSBA that can have up to 21 members: second vice chairman with the agreement of WMRSD Superintendent Dr. Harry Award that honors excellence John Falconer of Colebrook; and David Auger of Northumberland. school board chairman Greg Fensom’s request has taken up her new duties immediately. SEE WMRHS, PAGE A15 A2 Coös County Democrat WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2013 ••• George Steven Saffian Maurice A. Tice, 67 TWIN MOUNTAIN—George ly volunteers at The Morrison DERBY, Vt.––Maurice Lorriane and husband, Randy Steven Saffian, 39-year resi- nursing home, offering a prayer A. Tice, Jr., 67 of Derby, Vt. Griffin of Morgan, Vt. and by dent of Twin Mountain, New opportunity to interested res- passed away on Sept.13, 2013 many aunts, uncles, nieces and Hampshire, passed away at his idents. Both were also strong surrounded by his loving wife nephews. He was predeceased home on September 12, 2013 at supporters of Pathways Preg- and family. Maurice was born by his father, Maurice Tice, Sr., the age of 87. He was born in nancy Care Center and other on Jan. 5, 1946 to Anna (Lucas) as well as by his grandsons Al- Michigan the fifth child of Helen Right to Life activities. Tice and Maurice Tice, Sr. Mau- bert Lyon and Benjamin Lyon. and Paul Saffian. George was George is survived by his rice was a truck driver and had In honor of Maurice’s re- an avid Boy Scout in his youth seven children: Karen Saffian been since the young age of quest, there shall be no funer- and teen years achieving the (Twin Mountain); Mark Saffian 17. He had been driving a truck al. There will be a celebration rank of Star Scout. George left (Whitefield); Linda Barnett and for Pike Industries for the past of his life held at the Eastside school after finishing the 10 husband Jeff (Eagle River, Alas- 34 years. His hobbies included Restaurant in Newport, Vt. on grade and enlisted in the Army ka); James Saffian and wife Amy spending time on Gore Moun- Sunday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. with Air Force and was honorably (Cumberland, Maine); Kathy tain, fishing, hiking, hunting, Kevin Deslauriers officiating for discharged in 1945. George re- Syphan and husband Art, (New snowshoeing, gas and steam those that wish to celebrate turned to his home in Detroit, Florence, PA); Bill Saffian and engines, antiques, restoring with his family.