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DRAFT – NOT YET APPROVED 
Town of East Kingston Selectmen Meeting Minutes – September 14, 2026          Page 1 of 2 
TOWN OF EAST KINGSTON BOARD OF SELECTMEN 
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PUBLIC HEARING #1 ON DONATION OF LAND MEETING MINUTES 
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September 14, 2026 
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Pound School 
41 Depot Road 
East Kingston, New Hampshire 
6:00PM 
 
Joseph Cacciatore, Chairman 
Matthew Freeman  
Edward Warren 
In compliance with RSA 41:14-a, the East Kingston Board of Selectmen shall hold public hearings on September 14, 
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2026 and September 21, 2026 to solicit comments regarding the proposed acceptance of a gift of a 12-acre parcel 
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identified as the Henshaw Lot #4 located at the end of Robin Lane. A vote shall take place no sooner than 7 days or 
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later than 14 days after the second public hearing is held. This is hearing number one. 
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Board Members present: Joseph Cacciatore – Chairman, Matthew Freeman and Edward Warren.   
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Others Present: Town Administrator Grace Ruelle, Conservation Commission member Vicki Brown and Marie Nadeau.  
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Mr. Cacciatore opened the public hearing at 6:00 pm with the roll call and then yielded the floor to Conservation 
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Commission member Vicki Brown. 
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Conservation Commission member Brown stated that the Conservation Commission has been working with both the 
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Southeast Land Trust (SELT) and the Henshaws to place several of their parcels in conservation easement, however, 
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the property owners received a better offer in which they will be pursuing.  They also agreed to donate one of the 
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parcels, identified as lot #4 on the list, to the Town of East Kingston.  This parcel is ideally situated between two other 
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conservation easements, and, from a conservation standpoint, will provide and preserve the wildlife habitat/corridor 
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on those parcels. The Conservation Commission unanimously supports the town accept this parcel to be added to the 
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other two conservation easements. She noted the town would lose approximately $350 in annual tax revenue when 
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the parcel becomes town-owned as it is in current use. Additionally, and though not documented, it is very likely the 
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parcel serves as home to federally-protected turtles as much of the parcel is wetland. 
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Marie Nadeau inquired of any sightings of the turtles on any of the abutting parcels to which Conservation Commission 
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member Brown responded they have not; however, they have been sighted in other town wetlands and waterways. 
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Mrs. Nadeau expressed her support in placing the parcel in conservation easement. 
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Conservation Commission member Brown further stated that over time, the parcel may become drier at which point 
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the town could consider using the parcel for some sort of recreation. 
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Other conserved parcels in close proximity to this parcel include the Redgate Farm, the Clark, and Corbett parcels, all 
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of which are not publicly accessible. Those parcels are currently managed by the Rockingham County Conservation 
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District (RCCD) and SELT. 
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Mr. Freeman opined that open space is the best and he intends to support this donation when taking the official vote. 
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Town Administrator Ruelle noted the process to accept this land donation is to hold two public hearings to solicit 
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feedback from residents, and after the second hearing, hold another meeting to take official action. 
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Board members then reviewed the tax map depicting the donated parcel as well as other important, conserved parcels 
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(Corbett, Redgate, Clark).  It was noted that no other information or documentation is needed from the Conservation 
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Commission for the second public hearing which will be held on September 21, 2026 at 6pm. 
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There being no other comments or questions,  
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DRAFT – NOT YET APPROVED 
Town of East Kingston Selectmen Meeting Minutes – September 14, 2026          Page 2 of 2 
MOTION: Chairman Cacciatore motioned to close the public hearing; seconded by Mr. Freeman.  The motion passed 
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3-0-0 and the meeting ended at 6:14pm. 
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Minutes prepared by Catherine Belcher.   
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Joseph Cacciatore 
 
Matthew Freeman 
 
Edward Warren 
 
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