Articles of note: One article asks voters to reduce the length of the town clerk‘s term from three years to one year. Another article asks voters to approve a $10,000 appropriation for a scoping study to increase the capacity of the Woodsville Fire District Wastewater Treatment Facility which is “at capacity and limits any potential housing or development within its service area.” A petitioned article proposes to give citizens who are at least 70 years old a $1,000 annual tax break on their primary residence if they have owned and paid taxes on the property for at least 25 years.
Contested races: Three people are running for two Selectboard seats; incumbent Ronald Hurlburt is facing challengers Richard Guy and Ronald Fournier. Joe Longacre is not running for reelection. Candidates Keith Charpentier and Michelle Reagan are competing for a one-year term on the School Board.
Budgets and spending articles: The proposed municipal operating budget is $5.58 million. Last year, voters approved a $5.23 million budget. Three petitioned articles seek funding for Woodsville: $150,000 to fund road paving and reconstruction projects, $351,000 for the Highway Department of Woodsville and $134,000 for the Fire Department of Woodsville. The proposed school budget is $18.28 million, an increase from last year’s $17.7 million budget.
When, where and how to vote: Town Meeting will be held on Saturday, March 14 at 9 a.m. at Haverhill Cooperative Middle School, 175 Morrill Drive. Voting on town and school officers will be by ballot on Tuesday, March 10 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 2975 Dartmouth College Highway. The School District meeting will be held on Monday, March 16 at 6 p.m. at Haverhill Cooperative Middle School.
