At the March 10 Lebanon election, voters will be asked to decide Article 10. This article would authorize the School Board to negotiate a land lease with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central and Northern New Hampshire (BGCCNH) for a portion of School District property adjacent to 20 Seminary Hill Road, and a portion of City land at Civic Memorial Park that is used primarily for overflow parking.
As CEO of BGCCNH, I want to be clear about what we are — and are not — asking the community to approve.
BGCCNH will fully fund, build, own, and operate the proposed child care center. We are not requesting City or School District general-fund dollars for construction or operations, and we are not seeking municipal bonding for this project. Our funding plan relies primarily on grants, donations, and foundation support, which we are actively pursuing. Any lease would be structured to protect taxpayers through standard provisions on insurance, maintenance, and clear responsibility for all project costs.
BGCCNH currently serves more than 2,500 children annually across 28 sites, including early care programming for more than 400 children. We have successfully developed and operated facilities in several New Hampshire communities, including Berlin, Lisbon, and Pennacook. In Concord, we rebuilt our main facility through a long-term land lease arrangement similar to what is being explored in Lebanon.
Lebanon and the Upper Valley face a significant child care shortage. Demand for early childhood education far exceeds supply, and the resulting gap affects working families and local employers alike. When families cannot find reliable care, it becomes harder for employers to recruit and retain workers—and harder for parents to stay fully engaged in the workforce.
That is why BGCCNH has been working with community partners to explore a center that would add approximately 50 child care slots in a safe, welcoming environment designed to support children’s social-emotional, cognitive, and physical development.
It is also important to understand what Article 10 does not do. A “Yes” vote does not approve construction, and it does not authorize spending. It simply allows the parties to move forward with negotiating a lease. If Article 10 passes, the lease would still need to be drafted, negotiated, and approved through the appropriate public processes. At that stage, the lease would include standard taxpayer protections—such as insurance and maintenance requirements, and clear terms confirming that BGCCNH bears the project’s costs. Any project would also require normal local permitting, including Planning Board review, which provides opportunities for public input and design refinements.
We also recognize the importance of Civic Memorial Park to the community, including parking needs during events. Parking, traffic, and site impacts would be addressed as part of the design and permitting process. Just as importantly, the community’s green space and existing recreational amenities—including playing fields and courts—will remain available for public use.
Child care is not just a family issue—it is a workforce and economic issue. Expanding access to child care helps parents remain employed, strengthens local businesses, and supports Lebanon’s long-term economic vitality. Article 10 is an important step that keeps the decision-making transparent, protects taxpayers, and allows a privately funded solution to move forward through normal public review.
I respectfully ask voters to support Article 10 so we can continue this work — without drawing on City or School District general-fund resources — and take a practical step toward meeting a clear community need.
Chris Emond is the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Central and Northern NH.