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For NH town voters, duty calls Tuesday

By Staff | Mar 12, 2013

Admit it: After November’s national election, getting motivated to go to the polls Tuesday to vote in New Hampshire town elections isn’t easy.

Come Wednesday, there will be no new president. No changes to the state’s congressional delegation. No switch in party control in the New Hampshire Legislature.

Still, that’s no reason for town voters to stay home Tuesday, when they have a chance to put their stamp on the future of their communities through the election of their neighbors to serve on the Board of Selectmen, School Board and other public bodies.

And for voters who live in towns or school districts that have adopted Senate Bill 2 – including Amherst, Hudson, Litchfield, Milford, Mont Vernon School District, Pelham and Windham in this region – they also will have final say on budgets, labor contracts and other warrant articles that will help determine the bottom line of their next property tax bills.

Among the key decisions facing voters around the region besides the approval of town and school operating budgets:

• Hudson: After several failed attempts to build a new senior center in recent years – including a $1 million addition to the community center that fell short of the required 60 percent majority in 2008 – it is back on the ballot in 2013.

This time, plans call for a combination senior center and cable television facility to be built in Benson Park.

The design, construction and operation of the two-story, $1.8 million building primarily would be covered by funds already in reserve: $896,000 from the cable access center capital reserve fund, $502,000 from the future senior center capital reserve fund and a donation of $306,000 from the Hudson Seniors Council on Aging. The remaining $118,000 would be raised through taxation.

Hudson voters also will be asked to vote on seven labor contracts – including police, fire and teachers – and to choose among five selectmen candidates running for two three-year seats.

Similarly, five candidates are running for two three-year seats on the School Board.

• Amherst: A four-way race for two seats on the Board of Selectmen and a new police contract are among the major decisions facing town voters Tuesday.

Voters also will be asked to authorize $410,000 for a replacement fire engine – $150,000 would come from a capital reserve fund – and $200,000 to make structural repairs to Town Hall.

• Litchfield: Like in Amherst, town voters also will settle a four-way race for two three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen.

They also will be asked to weigh in on an advisory article asking whether
they want to revert to conducting the town’s annual business in a traditional town meeting format. If approved, selectmen would place such an article on next year’s ballot for final consideration.

• Milford: Town voters will be asked to settle a dispute that arose at the School Deliberative Session over the purchase of land to expand the parking lot at Milford High School.

Voters will be asked to authorize $60,000 to buy the 90 West St. property, which was supported by the School Board (4-0) but opposed by the Budget Advisory Committee (8-0).

This is just a tiny sampling of the many decisions facing area voters this year. Don’t let someone else make them for you. Go vote.

But before you do, be sure to visit our special election section at www.nashuatele
graph.com/townmeeting.

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