Community Center put on hold...
www.meredithnhnews.com
Printed 1/17/08
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From the Meredith News
MOULTONBORO — Though the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously not to recommend the plan for a community center in Moultonboro last week, they do remain open to the option of setting aside money for future construction.
After listening to attending members of the community express their feelings on the community center during the past month, each selectman took a turn voicing their own opinion. The general opinion from the board was that although it was a good idea, it was an idea that could and should wait a few years, considering the potential for economic trouble ahead.
Printed 1/17/08
__________________________________________________________________________________
From the Meredith News
Community center plans will have to wait a few years
MOULTONBORO — Though the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously not to recommend the plan for a community center in Moultonboro last week, they do remain open to the option of setting aside money for future construction.
After listening to attending members of the community express their feelings on the community center during the past month, each selectman took a turn voicing their own opinion. The general opinion from the board was that although it was a good idea, it was an idea that could and should wait a few years, considering the potential for economic trouble ahead.
"We're looking at your dream, a beautiful dream," said Selectman Betsey Patten, referring to the Recreation Strategic Planning Committee's report. "But we need a reality check on what we can afford and pay for."
The potential of creating a fund to pay for a community center in the future was raised by Selectman Joel Mudgett, who proposed that until the town was more certain of the future financial situation and the status of the land, a portion of the budget should build in a capital reserve fund. Mudgett said that the first thing to do would be to conduct an engineering study of the land, to determine if it is, as some have suggested, a wetlands.
Selectman Ed Charest pointed to a number of other big-ticket items that the town has on its slate, including the forthcoming reconstructions of Ossipee Park Road, the transfer station, and the intersection of Fox Hollow Road and NH Route 25, and said that the selectmen had a responsibility to determine which projects would best serve the town. Recalling that the funding for the pathway project had been done in phases to minimize the impact, he also said that he would like to see funding for a community center considered in this form.
Charest also noted that the population of Moultonboro was rapidly aging, and new families with lower incomes were having a hard time finding affordable housing in town. Senior demands on the budget, he said, like the Meals-on-Wheels warrant article proposal for $6,000 considered that evening, were higher than in years past.
"Within the tax rates, there needs to be planning for all groups, not just one," said Charest. "At this point in time, I can't support (a community center). This will please some, and it won't please others."
One of those displeased was Lisa St. Amand, a member of the RSPC who read a letter to the board about her concerns to the board. St. Amand spoke about the process that the committee went through, and expressed frustration that there was "more negativity" about the process than there was guidance through feedback, causing some to wonder about volunteering more time. She also said that families with children had a tough time making it to the board meetings.
"Families have to be choosy about their time, and that's why there haven't been as many, rather than a lack of support," said St. Amand. "Many told me that they wished they could come. Also, (this meeting) taking place during the same time as the One Book, One Community event where many families are (which) calls into question what the town sees in their value."
Though Chair Karel Crawford cautioned against naming a specific amount while the selectmen were "still crunching numbers" in the budget process, she did note that most budget items took planning to buy. The selectmen, she said, would come up with a number in planning.
"In every one of the 30 years I've been to Town Meeting, it takes a while (to plan)," said Crawford. "I plan for certain things in my own household. I got a fuel bill recently for $750, and I didn't plan on that."
If residents in the community still wanted to push ahead with the project, Crawford noted that petitioned warrant articles were not due until Feb. 5. The rest of the board agreed that an amount of money should be set aside in the budget for future building, in a warrant article for the town's consideration this March.
"If the RSPC is not satisfied, then we welcome a petitioned warrant article," said Crawford. "It's your prerogative and the legislative body would vote yea or nay. I don't believe it will happen next year."
New RSPC Chair Tom Howard said that his committee was "taking the long road" in regard to their plans, mentioning that it was first brought up in a municipal report in 1982. Though he said he would be "surprised if 10 percent of the people in this room have read the strategic plan," Howard said that the committee did not want their work to go to waste, and would support a plan of several years.
The potential of creating a fund to pay for a community center in the future was raised by Selectman Joel Mudgett, who proposed that until the town was more certain of the future financial situation and the status of the land, a portion of the budget should build in a capital reserve fund. Mudgett said that the first thing to do would be to conduct an engineering study of the land, to determine if it is, as some have suggested, a wetlands.
Selectman Ed Charest pointed to a number of other big-ticket items that the town has on its slate, including the forthcoming reconstructions of Ossipee Park Road, the transfer station, and the intersection of Fox Hollow Road and NH Route 25, and said that the selectmen had a responsibility to determine which projects would best serve the town. Recalling that the funding for the pathway project had been done in phases to minimize the impact, he also said that he would like to see funding for a community center considered in this form.
Charest also noted that the population of Moultonboro was rapidly aging, and new families with lower incomes were having a hard time finding affordable housing in town. Senior demands on the budget, he said, like the Meals-on-Wheels warrant article proposal for $6,000 considered that evening, were higher than in years past.
"Within the tax rates, there needs to be planning for all groups, not just one," said Charest. "At this point in time, I can't support (a community center). This will please some, and it won't please others."
One of those displeased was Lisa St. Amand, a member of the RSPC who read a letter to the board about her concerns to the board. St. Amand spoke about the process that the committee went through, and expressed frustration that there was "more negativity" about the process than there was guidance through feedback, causing some to wonder about volunteering more time. She also said that families with children had a tough time making it to the board meetings.
"Families have to be choosy about their time, and that's why there haven't been as many, rather than a lack of support," said St. Amand. "Many told me that they wished they could come. Also, (this meeting) taking place during the same time as the One Book, One Community event where many families are (which) calls into question what the town sees in their value."
Though Chair Karel Crawford cautioned against naming a specific amount while the selectmen were "still crunching numbers" in the budget process, she did note that most budget items took planning to buy. The selectmen, she said, would come up with a number in planning.
"In every one of the 30 years I've been to Town Meeting, it takes a while (to plan)," said Crawford. "I plan for certain things in my own household. I got a fuel bill recently for $750, and I didn't plan on that."
If residents in the community still wanted to push ahead with the project, Crawford noted that petitioned warrant articles were not due until Feb. 5. The rest of the board agreed that an amount of money should be set aside in the budget for future building, in a warrant article for the town's consideration this March.
"If the RSPC is not satisfied, then we welcome a petitioned warrant article," said Crawford. "It's your prerogative and the legislative body would vote yea or nay. I don't believe it will happen next year."
New RSPC Chair Tom Howard said that his committee was "taking the long road" in regard to their plans, mentioning that it was first brought up in a municipal report in 1982. Though he said he would be "surprised if 10 percent of the people in this room have read the strategic plan," Howard said that the committee did not want their work to go to waste, and would support a plan of several years.
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