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2026-09-10 Selectmen’s Meeting for Public Hearing — BOSMinutes-260910

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Office of Board of Selectmen

143 Main Street, P.O. Box 310, Belmont, New Hampshire 03220-0310
Telephone: (603) 267-8300 Fax: (603) 267-8327

Selectmen’s Public Hearing Minutes
Wednesday, September 10, 2026 10:00 am
Belmont Mill, Tioga Meeting Room

Present were Chairman Ruth P. Mooney, Selectman Travis O’Hara, Selectman Jon Pike,
Selectman Sharon Ciampi, Selectman Mark Lewandoski, TA Alicia Jipson, Executive
Assistant/Assessing Administrator Colleen Akerman, and Police Chief Steve Akerstrom. Also
present were Budget Committee Members Tracey LeClair and Susan Roache, Planning Board
Member Mike LeClair and Zoning Board Member Dennis Grimes. Via Zoom was Town Clerk/Tax
Collector Assistant Devon Tibbetts.

The Chairman opened the meeting at 6:00 pm and those present stood for the Pledge of
Allegiance. Attendees were requested to refrain from whispering during the meeting because the
acoustics are not good in this room.

Chairman Ruth P. Mooney explained the speaking rules for this evening.

Public Hearing to Demolish Town-Owned Property at 154 Main Street per RSA 41:14-a:

Chairman Mooney stated this is a public hearing to hear public comment pursuant to RSA
41:14-a for discussion and to receive public input to demolish town-owned property located at
154 Main Street, also known as Map 122, Lot 008.

The Chairman opened the public hearing at 6:02 pm.

Nikki McCarter of 75 Wild Acres Road had concerns about procedural defects with state
statutes and the National Register of Historic Places; the process for obtaining quotes for
demolition; and conflict with the Town’s Master Plan.

Dennis Grimes of 21 Gilman Shore Road advocated saving the bank building because it has
a lot of good bones and should be refurbished and reused for a library expansion or parks and
recreation.

Rhonda Cairns of 15 Oak Drive suggested selling the property. She was informed that the
Planning Board does not think that is a good idea. Ms. Cairns would like to see something come
to Town that would bring tax relief.

Tracey LeClair of 321 Brown Hill Road introduced herself as being the Budget Committee
Chair and a member for over a decade. She was not on the committee when the Town obtained
this land and building but she knows that the intent was to keep it as Town property and not have
a business or apartment building in the middle of the downtown area. It should not be left sitting

Selectmen's Minutes 1 September 10, 2026


as a hazard and it would cost more money to transform it than to demolish it. Ms. LeClair said the
library is not interested in the building, and the Heritage Commission was in favor or taking it
down.

Kevin Tash of 48 Horseshoe Drive asked if the fill for the project would be the sand that
we use on the roads. Selectman Lewandoski stated that the Town owns a pit and has access to
sand and gravel and the DPW has enough material available to slope the property. Mr. Tash also
asked about drainage and engineering.

Selectman Lewandoski stated that we have a cost for demolition and disposal of $36,000
for the building and $2,000 for the wall. That is a price that will only be good for this year. The
other vendor has a cost in the mid-$40,000 range not including the wall. The building needs a
roof and HVAC and there is a document from 2019 with a feasibility study. There are past minutes
that note no asbestos was found in the building, but we are unable to locate that documentation
and NHDES and Spears Brothers will require an asbestos survey.

Terry Coyman of 23 Drouin Drive asked if there was a complete budget. There will be
$2,500 for the asbestos survey and if there is no asbestos, there will be $38,000 in demolition and
removal costs. The numbered stone on the site will be moved and retained. No outside
contractors would be needed for the slope work.

Nancy Naughton of 7 Sawicki Lane questioned why the Town spent money to purchase a
building and let it go into disrepair. Selectman Lewandoski noted that when he voted it was to
purchase the land not the building. If we sell the property, we can’t regulate what goes in there.
Ms. Naughton asked why the building was not demolished years ago. Current Board members
and staff are unable to answer that.

Norm Duval of 118 Sunset Drive had questions about the costs associated with the
demolition project and suggested plans to bring businesses to Town because taxes are not
sustainable. He would like to see the plans to move Town Hall to the Mill and the future plans for
the current Town Hall. He would suggest selling the bank building to stop spending and start
receiving some money.

Ed Williams of 14 Leavitt Road stated the prior votes were to buy the property that
included the land and the building and there was no option to purchase the land only.

Sue Pilliod of 504 Province Road had concerns about the costs because we don’t have a
firm number until the asbestos survey is completed. There was a question about deed restrictions
if the building was sold, but that would be a planning department question. Ms. Pilliod asked if
there was a contingency or funds set aside for concealed or unexpected conditions or additional
work. Selectman O’Hara responded that the Selectmen would need to authorize other work and
there is a capital reserve fund that could be used. Chairman Mooney mentioned that an
underground fuel tank was found and already removed, the water and sewer are already shut off
and we are not aware of anything else that needs to be done.

Selectmen’s Minutes 2 September 10, 2026


Selectman Pike spoke about the prior charettes and the 2019 feasibility study that looked
over the town’s building needs and involved professionals and volunteers. We didn’t borrow
money and it was a mistake of the prior Board that we did not go out to bond for the Mill building.
Selectman Pike mentioned grants the Town has obtained, the library’s expansion needs, and
looking to the future to bring commercial business to Town.

Diana Lacey of 233 Union Road was in favor of selling the building. She said we can’t be
guilty for not being here for prior decisions and we can’t go back. The Town purchased the bank
building with the land. Ms. Lacey had concerns about everyone’s budgets and stated that federal
grants received are still taxpayer money, commercial exemptions are subsidized by residents and
how often would the green space downtown be used. We could also put a fence around the
building and wait to do something with it.

Travis Toner of 31 Hackett Road asked how long this project has been discussed and where
the money would come from. This Board started discussions in mid-July and funds will come from
the Municipal Facilities Capital Reserve Fund, and the Environmental Contingency Fund if asbestos
removal is necessary. The funds are available with no tax increase. Mr. Toner asked about a
maintenance plan and was informed that we have a Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). He was also
concerned about why the building was never taken care of and the value diminished.

Bob Hunt of 344 Brown Hill Road suggested the building be rehabbed for the library. The
library is not interested in the building and that decision is up to the Library Trustees who are
elected by the voters. It is not the Board’s decision; the library project will go before the voters.

Donna Cilley of 83 Jodi Drive spoke about the history of the charettes and building
committees and that there was no purpose found for the bank building. The library expansion is
needed because of the amount of use, and Town Hall moving to the Mill will leave the current
Town Hall open for parks and recreation and a senior center. Town Hall departments are so
intertwined it would be difficult to break them up in different locations. The Town doesn’t want
to spend any money, and things drag on until there is a crisis. The bank building is deteriorated.

Mike LeClair of 321 Brown Hill Road spoke in favor of removing the building. He said
although he is a Planning Board member, he is not here as a representative of the Planning Board.
The planning board does not work with deed restrictions; they do site plan review. Mr. LeClair
encouraged people to attend their meetings. A lack of people at meetings leads to the assumption
that we are doing a good job. A lawyer would be required to consult on any deed restrictions.
The library would have difficulty managing two separate buildings and children back and forth, as
well as extra staff and cameras. He appreciated all of the people in attendance this evening and
listening to the different opinions and viewpoints.

Barbara Binette of 171 Main Street was in favor of removing the building. At the time of
the original vote to purchase the property she thought it could be used for Town Hall. She is
disappointed the building was left to run down and asked for a rough estimate to restore the
building to put people at ease.

Selectmen's Minutes 3 September 10, 2026


Nikki McCarter spoke a second time about statutory obligations and a project review by
the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). TA Alicia Jipson questioned the request for more
information because the project number received in an email from Ms. McCarter references a
property in Portland, Oregon, not Belmont, New Hampshire. The Factory Village is eligible for the
NRHS, but it is not listed. The Town is not breaking any RSAs. Ms. McCarter asked about a Master
Plan mandate to preserve street scapes and adaptive reuse evaluations. The Planning Board
reviews the Master Plan, which is from 2002. There are goals discussing defining the district or
complementing the area with green space.

Mike LeClair explained that the Master Plan review includes holding charettes and
presenting to the Selectboard and other groups in Town, but no one comes to the Planning Board
meetings.

Kevin Tash asked about having Town employees tear down the building which brought up
concerns about equipment, rental costs and disposal costs. Mr. Tash suggested it could be cost-
effective if the bricks and stones are resold.

Travis Toner asked about the plan for the adjacent road but that is not part of this
demolition project.

Dennis Grimes asked about a professional asbestos inspection, which will be $2,500. He
again suggested repurposing the building and expressed concerns about telling people about
things before tearing the building down. Selectman O’Hara noted that this has all been previously
discussed at public Selectboard meetings.

Tracey LeClair mentioned that the library mentioned at a Selectboard meeting within the
last month that they are not interested in the bank building. They are sticking with their plan, and
the architect presented it at the last meeting.

Ed Williams suggested “let’s kick this down the road more or put it up for sale.” The Town
will not be responsible for it after it is sold.

Diana Lacey agreed that we can kick this down the road. It took 8 votes to get the high
school approved. We have an aging community which can’t sustain us for the future. She again
suggested selling the building and looking for grant money to do a Main Street like Laconia or
Tilton.

Selectman Lewandoski commented that it hurts us that we don’t have water and sewer in
certain places.

Selectman Ciampi reported the Library Trustees receive funding from the Duffy Fund only
if the library stays in the current building. At one time they did ask the Town to hold off on demo
of the bank until they could study it, but they determined it would not be effective. They do not
want to jeopardize use of the Duffy Fund.

Selectmen's Minutes 4 September 10, 2026


Gary Grant of 244 Hoadley Road supported demolition of the building because the building
has been neglected. He requested more solid plans and costs for the project.

Donna Cilley said the history of trying to retain businesses on Main Street is less than
favorable. It is off the beaten path. She hears that people don’t want to spend money but why
take care of a building with no specific purpose. We will pay now or pay later. There was concern
about what happens if there is big asbestos remediation required. Chairman Mooney suggested
we would not have the money and the project would stop.

Diana Lacey proposed giving residents a vision or something to want. What we are doing
is not working. Chairman Mooney commented that if the building is torn down and we make
green space now it doesn’t mean that down the road it couldn’t be sold or something couldn’t be
built there.

Norm Duval asked about how to get information about projects like this. There have been
many discussions during public meetings, which are available on our YouTube channel, or meeting
minutes area available on our website.

The CIP goes before the Planning Board as well, and all of the departments go to the
budget committee. The Planning Board gets the first look.

Ed Williams said we are worried about taxes and the tax rate is concerning.

The School Board is looking for 3 Belmont volunteers to be on their advisory budget
committee.

Mike LeClair asked to clarify some language because the word historic is overused. There
is no historic district or overlay for the special zoning layer that would be required to protect
architecture. There would be extra rules and design guides that Belmont does not have.

The Town has heard that there is a petitioned warrant article to bring this to the voters to
decide but we do not have the details of the petition language and if there is any money attached
to it. If there is no money and the voters choose to save it, the building would sit for another year
until there is an article to put money into saving the building. Chairman Mooney said if there is a
petition submitted it is a public document that can be viewed by anyone.

Mike LeClair again commented about the word historical and repeated information about
the NRHP and it does not appear that the bank building qualifies. The village district was made
eligible, but was not ever listed. The Library, the Mill, the Bandstand and the Gale Building are
the only listed historical buildings in the Village. The Heritage Commission found no historical
reason to keep the building after tabling their first meeting to do more research.

Dennis Grimes asked about direction from the Town and what the priority is. It is to get
Town Hall moved to the Mill building. Mr. Grimes suggested a comprehensive report about what
needs to be done and what the cost is. Chairman Mooney said the voters determine our direction.
We are trying to get to the Mill, but the voters don’t vote for funding.

Selectmen’s Minutes 5 September 10, 2026


All of the bank hearing documents are available on the home page of our website.

The Board is trying to be proactive instead of reactive. The most recent feasibility study in
2019 recommended tearing the bank building down within 1 to 3 years.

Kevin Mitchell of 69 Wild Acres Road supported removing the bank building. The building
is an eyesore, and it is dangerous. The cost is minimal and would not affect the tax burden. The
longer we wait the more it will cost.

Second Public Hearing: September 22, 2026 @ 6:00 pm
Board Decision Meeting: September 30, 2026 @ 10:00 am

It was noted that if a petition surfaces then this process stops and we would not hold a
second hearing. If the petition surfaces after the second hearing the process stops and it would
move to the voters to decide.

Chairman Mooney closed the public hearing at 8:00 pm.

Adjournment:

Selectman O’Hara moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 pm; seconded by Selectman Pike.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0).

Respectfully Submitted By: lex Nhvimar
‘olleen Akerman, Executive Assistant

Approved by the Board 09 / Ib /2026:

Coes? Wh

Ruth P. Mooney, Chairman

so

Travis O’Naya, Vice Chairman

igh Pike, Selectman

Selectmen's Minutes 6 September 10, 2026