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BOS 9-10-26 Approved minutes

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TOWN OF NEW HAMPTON 
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BOARD OF SELECTMEN 
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MEETING MINUTES 
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Thursday, September 10, 2026 
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MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Drake and Mr. Harvey were present. Mr. Shaw was present via phone. 
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OTHERS PRESENT: Town Administrator Corey Davenport, Mr. Provencal, Mr. Morse, and Mr. Howe. 
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CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Drake called the meeting of the Board to order at 6:00 PM and led the group in the 
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Pledge of Allegiance. 
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MINUTES: Mr. Harvey made a motion to approve the 9/3/26 Public Minutes as corrected, seconded by Mr. Shaw. 
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The Board voted 3-0 in favor of the motion. Mr. Drake made a motion to approve the 9/3/26 Sealed Non-Public 
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Minutes (B) as corrected, seconded by Mr. Harvey. The Board voted 3-0 in favor of the motion. 
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WORK SESSION: The Board reviewed/signed manifests, invoices, requisitions, purchase orders, and leave 
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request forms. 
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A form was received from Mr. Lyford accounting for being on leave all week due to being sick. 
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Five invoices were received from the New Hampton Cemetery Association. 
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Public Works submitted a purchase order of $3,281.17, being an accumulation of disparate bills that 
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together exceeded $3,000 and required signatures from the BOS. 
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APPOINTMENT: 6:30 – David Perfield & Kathleen Howe; New Hampton School 
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The Board met with David Perfield and Kathleen Howe at 6:28. Mr. Perfield reported that enrollment is currently at 
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308 students total, comprising 231 boarders, 53 day students, and 24 remission students, and that the total is 
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expected to rise to 310 by next week. Ms. Howe noted that boarding capacity is 260 students and the enrollment has 
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been declining, something Mr. Perfield stated is the case across the market. 
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Mr. Perfield reported that Ms. Howe had recently been made Chief Financial and Operating Officer and that his 
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current focus is work on the school’s strategic plan, looking forward toward the next 5, 10, and 20 years. Mr. Shaw 
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asked what percent of faculty lived on campus and Mr. Perfield replied that it was 90%. Ms. Howe reported that the 
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card access system was completed for all dorms and most academic buildings. Mr. Drake asked if there were any 
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major projects coming up in the next few years; Mr. Perfield said that the school board still needed to discuss plans 
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for 91 Main Street and that there had been some talk of a new combination dining hall-student center in the next 5 
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years, but it hasn’t been revisited yet. Mr. Drake asked for Mr. Perfield’s feelings on the issue with NHS faculty 
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children going to the SAU and Mr. Perfield said he was planning to discuss the matter with the interim 
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superintendent of the Newfound School District, Ryan Connelly.  
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Mr. Shaw asked if the school bought any properties in the last quarter, and Mr. Davenport confirmed there had been 
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no sales in that time. Mr. Perfield asked about the school’s potential engagement in a celebration of the town’s 250th 
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anniversary. Mr. Davenport reported that although a committee had not been successfully formed, Chief Cathy had 
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been spearheading the idea of a parade in concert with Old Home Day. Mr. Davenport directed Mr. Perfield to 
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reach out to Mr. Akers, who was working on setting up some additional events surrounding Old Home Day. 
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Mr. Drake brought up the matter of expanding the cemetery, which abuts property owned by the school. Mr. 
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Harvey identified Blood Pit as an area for potential expansion. Mr. Perfield asked about the timing of the expansion 
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and Mr. Harvey and Mr. Drake stated that it was still a way off, but something they wanted to put on his radar. Mr. 
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Perfield said that in light of upcoming discussions about the school’s master plan, this would be a good matter to 
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discuss. 
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 Permits: 
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Building Permits: 
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 None 
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Occupancy Permits 
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(Board of Selectmen, September 3, 2026, cont.) 
 
 
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 None 
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Septic Systems: 
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 Kathleen Jensen & Manuel Sousa; Old Bristol Rd; Map R13, Lot 12B; 3 BR septic, approved by 
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Land Use Administrator 
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Sign Permits: 
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 None 
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Intent to Cut Wood/Excavate: 
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 Intent to Cut Wood – Smith Family 2018 Joint Trust; Little Hollow Rd: Map R10, Lot17 
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(Signature Required) 
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ACTION & DISCUSSION ITEMS: 
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❖ Center Harbor Planning Board Update: The issue related to the camp in Center Harbor will go back to a 
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judge in Manchester for review regarding the regional impact process that was followed at the Center 
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Harbor Planning Board. Mr. Drake confirmed that neither the letter nor the email sent by the Board of 
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Selectmen was read at Center Harbor’s September 1st meeting, which did not feature any public comment. 
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❖ Excavation & Trench Permit (Signature Required): Sewer line repairs at 23 Old Bristol Rd. will require 
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excavation in the roadway. Rowell’s provided a traffic plan, a sign plan, a certificate of insurance, and a 
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$5,000 bond. The police and fire chief had signed off on the plan. The Board signed the permit. 
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❖ Budget Schedule Discussion: Mr. Davenport requested to schedule the meeting around Mrs. Capone’s 
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work schedule. The Board decided to meet on Thursdays at 1:00 PM to discuss the budget. Mr. Davenport 
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said he would update a schedule for the Board’s review. 
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❖ TA Update and Schedule Discussion: There are 19 candidates who applied to the Town Administrator 
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position and MRI is currently conducting phone interviews. They will have recommended candidates and 
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all resumes ready for the Board’s review by Monday afternoon. Mr. Shaw said that he’d rather have town 
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staff schedule the interviews instead of MRI. 
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❖ FYI – MS434: The tax form is complete, and the MS1 will be to the Board by next week. 
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❖ FYI – DPW Weekly Update: One candidate for a position at DPW has called back, one potential candidate 
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received a pay raise at their current job and will not be pursuing the position here, and one has yet to 
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respond. 
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NEW BUSINESS AFTER AGENDA WAS POSTED:  
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➢ FYI – Lien Redemptions 
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➢ FYI – ZBA Decision – Westcott Appeal from Administrative Decision: Mr. Davenport informed the Board of 
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the ZBA’s decision to approve Mr. Westcott’s appeal on the grounds that his firewood production was 
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agricultural use. Mr. Shaw was not interested in appealing the ZBA’s decision, but Mr. Harvey felt that the 
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decision set a bad precedent. Mr. Drake recommended waiting for further input with Ron Cormier to make a 
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decision on appealing the ZBA Decision.  
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➢ Fish Hatchery MOU: Mr. Davenport has met with the Fish Hatchery to discuss putting together an MOU prior 
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to winter. The Hatchery reported that most of the work left is inside the buildings. Mr. Harvey stated that he 
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would like to see the second means of egress, which intersects with Main Street, paved. 
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APPOINTMENT: 8:00 PM – Ron Howe 
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The Board met with Fire Captain Ron Howe for a non-public meeting. 
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NON-PUBLIC SESSION: At 7:31 PM, Mr. Drake made a motion, seconded by Mr. Harvey, to go into non-public 
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session under RSA 91-A:3 II (a) Personnel. A roll call vote was held. Mr. Drake – Y, Mr. Shaw – Y, & Mr. Harvey 
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- Y. 
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PRESENT: Mr. Drake, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Shaw, Fire Captain Ronald Howe, and Town Administrator Corey 
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Davenport. 
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(Board of Selectmen, September 3, 2026, cont.) 
 
 
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RETURN TO PUBLIC SESSION: At 8:21 PM, Mr. Drake made a motion, seconded by Mr. Harvey, to come out 
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of non-public session and seal the minutes for five years. A roll call vote was held. Mr. Drake – Y, Mr. Shaw – Y, 
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& Mr. Harvey – Y. 
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NON-PUBLIC SESSION: At 8:21 PM, Mr. Drake made a motion, seconded by Mr. Shaw, to go into non-public 
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session under RSA 91-A:3 II (a) Personnel. A roll call vote was held. Mr. Drake – Y, Mr. Shaw – Y, & Mr. Harvey 
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– Y. 
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PRESENT: Mr. Drake, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Shaw, Police Chief Michael Foster, and Town Administrator Corey 
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Davenport. 
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RETURN TO PUBLIC SESSION: At 8:42 PM, Mr. Drake made a motion, seconded by Mr. Harvey, to come out 
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of non-public session and seal the minutes for ten years. A roll call vote was held. Mr. Drake – Y, Mr. Shaw – Y, & 
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Mr. Harvey – Y. 
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OTHER BUSINESS: Mr. Davenport showed the Board a sample for the public safety building roof and reported 
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that work on the roof would begin on September 15th.  
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ADJOURNMENT: At 8:44 PM, Mr. Drake made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Harvey. Vote was 
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unanimous. 
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Respectfully submitted, 
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Gretchen McGowan 
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