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Board of Selectmen Meeting

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It's not bad.
Yeah, we did that.
Yeah, what's all now?
Sorry to see that.
Oh, you don't mind?
Oh, yeah.
I didn't realize she's out there was to be.
He's 150 pounds.
Yes.
You can take 50 or 70 by.
Yeah.
So getting hot spots?
Well, I think what happened to see that room.
And then I think the black boys came out.
And they just started out for a fellow.
Yeah, and it was just,
chewing as long as to prevent a hots, but I put on a shirt, I guess it takes a minute or
a shirt and it's where I have also short to warm.
Yeah, so that's why I don't let them stay home.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I guess sometimes it takes a minute or two forth to warm up, but.
All right, is there being 601, 6.02?
Oh.
Open the meeting, the public session, and we'll start with new business, tax exempt properties.
Mary?
Mary, could you do me a favor?
Could you sit over there?
This is a mic and pick up?
Yeah.
The mic and the camera, we've had some issues where people are complaining that they can't see who's talking.
and they can't there's too much chatting under the sure and the green I'm assuming
means it's working okay all right my name is Mary White I've been a resident of
Orham New Hampshire since 1983 as of April 7th 2026 Orm's online property
lookup listed 79 properties that are exempt from paying property taxes this includes
five categories of owners. Federal government, non-profit and religious organizations,
schools, state government, and the town's own properties. The combined assessed value of all those
properties totals almost $44 million. At the current tax rate of 2345, that's a huge amount
of lost property revenue. At the BOS meeting on May 11, 26, the board's
a two-year lease with a non-profit agency called Ahead. That stands for affordable
housing, education, and development for the property at 123 Main Street, commonly known as the
FRC building. I have numerous concerns about the town signing this lease. At the BOS meeting
on February 10, 2025, the board unanimously recommended warrant Article 15, which asked the vote,
the voters to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell the town's ownership in the 123
Main Street building in Gorham. At the same BOS meeting, Selectman Mike Waddell stated,
for the benefit of the public, why do we want to sell the resource center? And Judy responded,
because we don't want to be landwards. And Selectman Waddell also stated his hope that, quote,
someone buys the building, not that someone would lease the building.
At the annual town meeting in 2025, the voters passed Article 15, authorizing the select
board to sell the Family Resource Center building. This sent a message loud and clear to the
voters that the voters in Gorham wanted the select board to sell its 89% ownership
in the building. At the annual school meeting,
in 2026, the voters passed Article 11, authorizing the school district to sell the
FRC building. This again, sent a message loud and clear that the voters wanted the school district
to sell its 11% ownership in the building. And yet here we are again, being landlords,
not sellers, with a two-year lease with a non-profit organization called ahead. According to the lease
obtained via a 91A request, the lease shall be renewable for up to five additional
years at the option of the lessor, which is the town.
Even though town manager Peter Gagman had stated at the BOS meeting on May 11th, that a head's
quote, quote, plan is to sell the building within the next two years.
If their plan is to buy the building within the next two years, why did the board include a
clause in the lease?
for an option to continue leasing the building for up to five more years,
total of up to potentially seven years as landlords.
Prior to signing the lease agreement with the head,
our newest selectman, Dr. Richard Cardell, asked a very important question.
Do we inspect it to make sure that they're keeping up the maintenance and stuff?
In other words, did the town monitor how well the Family Resource Center agency was
maintaining the Family Resource Center building during its two plus decades of leasing
the building from the town. The response he received was a resounding yes.
Unfortunately, public comment is not allowed until typically the latter part of select board meetings.
That was long after the ink on this lease agreement was already dry. I wish I could have
provided public comment before the lease was signed. I would have told Dr. Carlin.
that when I went to the FRC building in 2025, the elevator was out of order and apparently
had been for a while. My husband previously confirmed that the elevator had been out of order
the last time he had gone into the FRC building, which was quite a bit before I went.
I also would have told Dr. Cardell that I'd personally had conversations several years ago
with staff at the Gorham Community Learning Center, and
They were very unhappy because many of the building maintenance issues they reported to the Family Resource Center agency had not been addressed or repaired.
I also would have told Dr. Cardell that selectman Mike Waddell had stated at the February 10th, 2025 meeting that, quote,
somebody at some point is going to have to take responsibility for the building and start putting money away for capital improvements.
The rental is now.
20-something years old. I would have asked if the Family Resource Center agency
had been properly maintaining the FRC building for over two decades, why would there be such
a dire need now for someone to start taking responsibility for the FRC building and putting money
aside from capital improvements? Section 5 of the lease with the head states that the Gorham Board
of selectmen has full right and power to execute and perform this lease as approved
by the town meeting dated March 10th, 1998. However, warrant article 26, which was approved by voters
at the town meeting on March 10th, 1998, asked the voters to, quote, authorize this
selectman to lease on such terms and conditions as they are able to negotiate, certain real
property located on Main Street, Gorham, New Hampshire, formerly known as the old high school
and the community center, two, the Family Resource Center of Gorham, Inc. Ahead is not
the Family Resource Center at Gorham, Incorporated. I would further argue that the votes in March
2025 and March 26, which authorized the Select Board and School District to sell their
respective ownership in the FRC building replaces the initial authorization from
1998 to lease the property at 123 Main Street to the Family Resource Center at Gorham, Inc.
I believe this argument is supported by the fact that the family resource center of Gorham
Incorporated has now chosen to vacate the building and refused to renew their lease or purchase the
building. In response to my statements and questions made during public comment at the
BOS meeting on May 11th, which was after the lease with a head had been signed, chairperson LeBlanc
stated, quote, we have been in talks with them about a pilt. It's a payment in lieu of taxes. And they
are agreeable to a pilt. She further stated, we have a couple of nonprofits that are going to pay pelt or
are paying pilt. However,
According to the 2025 annual report, as of December 31st, 2025, the town of Gorham had only received pills in the amount of $29,612.
That's a drop in the bucket compared to what these properties would be paying if they were held by private owners, businesses, or developers, and not owned by non-profit organizations.
My strong opinion is that the town and schools should focus on finding a buyer for the property at 123 Main Street
that will allow the town to tax the property in the future.
The building is worth over $1.3 million assessed value.
It's a lot of tax money.
At the BOS meeting on May 11, 2026, town manager Peter Gagnin stated that the Family Resource Center moved out this
month. We went as far as we could and never ended up getting a bid. We had several groups that we went to sharing site plans, maintenance costs. We had one group that was interested, which is ahead. I find that interesting because I did another 91A asking for, quote, all written documents supporting all of the town's claimed attempts to sell the family resource center building from March 11, 25,
to May 11, 2026. The only documents I received from the town of Gorham will written communications between the town and the Family Resource Center agency.
There were absolutely no other documents attesting to the town's active attempts to sell the FRC building once the Family Resource Center made its decision to vacate the building, not renew its lease, or purchase the building.
The town provided nothing that you.
showed the town had listed the building with a real estate company, advertised in
periodicals that the property was for sale, or any kind of written communications with other potential
buyers, including several other groups that Mr. Gaghan had referenced. The town certainly can't
prevent those with tax-exempt status from purchasing land or buildings from private property
owners. However, the town can and should, in my opinion,
be mindful when selling property owned by the town.
The town should seek out businesses, developers, or private individuals
when it looks to transfer ownership of its property,
so that property can be taxed on its assessed value, adding to Gorm's tax base.
This was recently done when the town sold the former Methodist Church and parsonage
to the highest bidder, which was an LLC,
which plans to turn it into a climbing gym, cafe, and gathering space.
This is how the town should be selling its property and focusing on lease, rather than focusing on leasing or selling to non-profit agencies,
which simply will remove the property from the tax rolls.
And I thank you for your time.
Thank you. Peter.
Do you want to explain me ahead, Lee?
No, ahead.
The idea is to actually get that building sold.
The reason why the extension was put in, if they're ready to buy the building, but the lease
runs out and they need another six months to pull together financing or they're talking about
a CDFA grant or other grant funding, we don't want to be in a position where your lease is
up and now we're in some kind of awkward month to month and so what
do? So that's why that was in there. Right now, I don't think the town or ahead has any
plans to just lease that building for up to seven years. But we only need some time just in
case. The 89% ownership was very difficult. There isn't a real estate agent that
would be really interested in selling 89% of a building. So that's kind of tough. So both the
school and the town, you would have to agree to sell. They were authorized to sell both school in that town
by the people. Right. If there was a buyer.
Actively seek a buyer. I'm sorry?
Actively seek a buyer.
Well, I spoke one.
who's not a non-profit. I spoke to two real estate agents. And I don't have any documentation.
I know you wanted documentation as to whether we listed the property or whatever. I think Peter
spoke to other real estate agents. And I asked them, based on what building that the town owns that
would like to sell, which is the FRC building,
What do you think?
And they said, based on the fact that the town only owns 89% its location,
its parking issues,
that the chances of its selling on the open market were slim to none.
That certainly can be considered.
We did deal with two other nonprofits that were interested in the building,
but it became clear after many hours.
of negotiation and many hours of meetings and many hours of walking through that
building with them that they were looking for a donation. So as a non-starter. So the
next best thing was the ahead lease, which is a short-term lease for two years, which
gives us the opportunity to see how much value they bring to the community and for
them to see if we're a good fit for them as well.
So we didn't want to put the financial burden on the taxpayer
of while that building was up for sale if we did put it out for bid
or put it out on the open market of the maintenance costs,
the heating costs, the utilities costs, because we couldn't shut that building down.
We just can't do it.
So that was the reasoning behind that.
Yes.
for? It's about $4.3 million. But how's that possible when you just said you can't
sell it? Which market value in something you're just saying you can't obtain? You just said
you can't obtain it, so that means the value is much lower than 1.3. Isn't that what you're
saying? I guess I don't understand the question, Lisa. Repeat it for me, please.
Okay. She said the assessed value is 1.4.
right. And then you just said you can't sell it. You had talked to a realtor, two
realtors, they said that they could never sell it because it doesn't have parking, it doesn't have this,
it doesn't have that. Wouldn't that make that value drop that they don't have all these things
that you're saying? Well, I believe it's a $945,000, but you could correct me.
According, everything I got is from the online property lookout.
And I know you authorized the department to do that only twice a year.
So it doesn't make it very helpful or up to date, but there's said 1.3.9.
Is it? Okay.
The other, the biggest question in this whole thing, the select board decided in February of 25 to recommend Article 15.
which was to authorize the select board to sell, not lease, to sell the FRC building.
Their 89% portion. And then it was pointed out, well, how are we going to sell a building if we only own 89%?
The school the following year in 2026 did a similar warrant article number 11, and that also,
was approved and it basically authorized the school district to sell, not lease,
not wait around, not have extensions, so leases to sell the building. That's what the people
voted for the board and the district to do. What does that say to the people that you turned around
and did a lease when the authorization was to sell it.
So I think it was an authorization to look at it. It wasn't a mandate that we had to sell. We didn't have a buyer.
Authorization to sell. Right. If you look at the town report. If we had a buyer.
And if you, I don't think it said that. That was the intent. Was there a timeline on that? Like we had an authorization to sell within five years, two years.
I don't believe so.
I don't believe so. I believe the select board was the one who put things together and recommended it in a three to zero vote to sell.
And Mr. Waddell at that same meeting suggested that he was looking forward to someone buying the building, not selling.
It was authorizing the select board to sell. And I will find it for you.
I just have to find the copy of the town report, but it was authorizing the select board to, in fact, I think I wasn't exactly in April.
Well, she's looking that up. I go back to my original thing about the maintenance.
How do we assure that the, like, if the other bidders aren't working, how do we assure that they're responsible for that?
How do we assure that that gets fixed?
Regular inspections, I would think.
Well.
the FRC, we could reach out to them, but as a not-for-profit, and I think Mary brought up,
not everybody was happy with their maintenance or whatnot.
And, you know, I guess the...
What recourse do we have?
That's my basic point is what recourse do we have?
Well, you kind of get into that not-for-profit blood from a stone.
You know, we could talk with our council to see what kind of options we might have.
But ahead has talked about putting in the money that that building, because they're going to be buying it.
That's the plan.
But it's...
They don't buy it.
They don't do the maintenance.
Yep.
Then we're left with the building now that needs all this work.
And it's certainly not going to be worth $1.3 million or even $900,000 at that point.
Not that it is.
point. Correct.
So we have, I guess, you know, it's supposed to be doing records, but who checks on that?
Who is the person that is responsible for making sure that they have that maintenance done?
Oh, making sure.
You know, a fire department that requires them, I believe, but when they have it, at least annually.
But I think a more frequent schedule is needed to do a lot, you know, maybe seasonally.
I know to keep working in the AC work.
Right.
Ultimately, the board is the one that's who the lease was from.
So the board would have to get motivated, and they would go over and look and...
So we're responsible to check on the maintenance.
Yeah.
Unless you designate it to the town manager or something like that.
Right.
Or code enforcement.
Don't we have a building inspector?
You could do it.
He could.
And it was designated the town manager.
I would probably designate it to fill it.
I think that we should make sure we have quarterly reports that somebody goes and inspects,
you know, that make sure that that they're upkeeping, they're under the bargaining since we're releasing it.
Yep.
Makes sense.
I did, I had quoted, um, it asked the voters in warrant article 15, quote, quote, to, quote, to
authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell the town's ownership in the 123 Main Street
building or otherwise known as the Family Resource Center or FRC building.
So it made it clear when people said yes or no, the warrant was approved. They voted yes to sell
the building. It didn't put the board of selectmen under any.
kind of
time frame in which
to do that.
It did not put
any kind of restrictions
that it could only be sold
to a nonprofit and for some reason
this board for ages
has focused on
selling that building to a nonprofit.
I don't know why.
If we've got a building that's
worth hundreds of thousands
at least,
why would we not try to get
the best bang for our buck.
Sell it for a decent price
and then continue to get the gift
that keeps on giving,
which is property taxes,
from someone who is not
tax exempt status.
So
you had said
when I told you that we had spoken
to real estate agents and
they were not
optimistic
about being able to sell
and you suggested putting it out
for bid.
With a minimum
bid.
And what if
we don't get a minimum bid?
Then you
let it sit there.
You figure out
where to go
from there,
but you let it
try.
And the other thing,
I hate to say this,
but in the law,
anyone who's
familiar with the laws,
if it doesn't exist
in writing,
it doesn't exist.
I'm not saying
you didn't talk
to people.
But when you
do not have
something to say
this is
who we contacted.
This is what
the discussion
entailed.
I mean, supposedly...
Oh, I can tell you
who I talk to.
I talk to Steve Brown.
I'm just saying.
I'm just saying
if you just
list it,
I'm sure there's
plenty of properties
in Gorm and the people
say, I'm not willing
to accept less than
600 grand for this property.
It's my house. I'm setting a 600k limit as to how low I'll go.
They will list it at 600 grand.
It may not sell for a long time,
but they're still listed.
I mean, I see properties and I just go,
that's double what the assessed value currently is.
That's crazy.
And it sits there and sits there and sits there and sits there.
But it's important to me,
and I think many.
the voters that the board respects the decision of the people, which was to sell that building for both town and school portions. And by engaging in this two-year lease, potentially becoming an additional five-year lease max, what does that say to the taxpayers who said, we want you to sell it? We want it off of our role.
in terms of ownership.
We want it on the tax rolls.
Because right now, I mean, we're not going to tax the town of Orum.
Well, you know, that Warren article also did not specify who we sell it to.
So it could have, the only entity that would be interested would be a nonprofit.
And then we're into another quagmire with you.
You don't know that.
We don't know that because no.
attempts were given to try to sell the property that I have. I was given only documents exchanging information between the FRC as the agency and the town of Gore, which primarily revolved around things like can we, can we get out of our lease early? Well, if you get out of your lease early, we'll have to charge you. Okay? Then they didn't want to extend the lease. They stayed through the lease.
they expressed they did not want to continue leasing.
They had other plans because when they started off, it was just the agency in Gorham.
They now have buildings, either they own or rent, in Berlin, I believe Littleton, Lancaster, and Colbrook.
So they've expanded greatly over the past two plus decades.
And they're looking to expand into Gorham as well, which is based on
the type of organization that it is is going to be beneficial to GORM.
I'm not so sure. I'm very familiar with FRC, and I don't think we have...
Not FRC, I'm talking about a head. Oh, ahead.
Yeah. And my understanding is that ahead, I know they do education, workshops, home buyer workshops, and so forth.
And I believe the development part talks about buying up kind of not the
greatest condition blinded kind of buildings you might have a lot of
opportunity there but we've been our own too I don't know if they retain the ownership
of that building after they purchased it originally renovated turn it into
presumably not affordable housing do they retain the ownership of the building or
do they put it back on the market it's not indefinite it depends they have different programs
Some of like a habitat for humanity almost where they put money in, grant money in,
and then they will either lease it and try to recoup some interests and money for investors.
And then depending, it could be five years, could be 10 years, it's not as long as 20.
Then they would sell it and, you know, pay back investors and it would go often.
I apologize I thought it.
So for the time that they are owning it is tax exempt to us.
Yep.
So if you get up to 20 years tax exempt, that's a problem.
Well, I think if we had a, if we had a tax exempt, if they bought it, if they bought it,
if they bought it from the town, then they own it and they could turn it into affordable housing.
more. Yeah. Right, but if they continue to own it rather than develop it and sell it to a private developer or whatever,
if they continue to maintain ownership of whatever building they develop,
it's tax exempt because it's under their umbrella as a nonprofit. Do you know how many non-profits we have in more?
I believe there were nine off the top of my head.
There's eight. There's eight. And based on the amount of parcels that we have in quorum,
not taxpayers, but parcels, we have 1697, and out of 1697, we've got eight.
There is one nonprofit that has, um, there is one nonprofit that has, um,
three of those parcels, which brings it down to like five now. And we have another one,
the Historical Society and the Railroad that has two parcels, so that brings it down
to four nonprofits. And the nonprofits that we have are Coas County Family Health, North Country
Health, um, the historical system, I already said.
Well, they're not, oh, they're not there. They aren't there, they aren't listed yet.
They had purchased the building. They, right, but they're not complete yet with their, with their process.
But they won the building, so it will be tax exempt because they will. And they are agreeable to a pilt. So, yeah, that'll make it three. So just, just based on on that number, the tax
on the nonprofits so far are $83,927 a year. And if we get, we have the
PILT, which offsets that, which I'm only counting the 20,000 from the North Country Health brings it
to 63,927, which is 12 cents on the dollar, on per thousand.
and it drives me crazy when I hear, oh, it's only a few cents on the dollar on the tax rate.
It's only this, it's only that. But if you add up all of those only this is, it comes up to a large amount.
And the bottom line is to, you're talking about one of five categories. We have no control over the other categories.
Agreed. We can beg, but they can turn it.
to us and say, what, get any from us? Yeah. Okay? So we have all of these other properties,
almost $34 million of assessed value that is tax-exempt. Nonprofits are a smaller amount of that,
but they do exist. What I read in the town report was 35, 687 for non-taxable property. But the three
non-profits that we just talked about, which is, of course, County Family Health, North Country Health, and GCLC is coming on board.
They all provide an essential service to the community and create a lot of jobs as well.
Understood. But if it was highly owned, it could provide a lot of tax reviews. That's all I'm saying. And the bottom line is, we were not telling you to lease the building. We were
telling me to sell the building, huge difference between those two.
And I think, I think at the time, it was the anticipation of the Family Resource Center moving out because their lease was done.
And we had to decide.
And it was anticipating selling it. But then after all of the meetings and the house, but then after all of the meetings in the
hours and the showings and the nonprofits that we're looking at it, who are the only ones that were expressing any interest in it,
we're looking for a donated building that was just not going to happen.
When you focus on nonprofits and don't list it with a real estate agent and don't advertise it in periodicals that deal with property being sold by town,
yeah, you tend to get nonprofits who respond.
no offense, but if you focus on that, that's what you get that.
But if you put that building on the open market, the, I don't know if there would be as much interest in it, I don't know.
And that's the thing. We don't know unless we try. We don't know. You chose, you had a direct, you had a directive from the people.
you have a situation with FRC leaving and not wanting to renew a lease vacating the building and not wanting to buy the building.
Well, they had expressed, they wanted to buy the building.
They just didn't want to pay for it. Well, yeah, well, that's not buying it. That's being given it.
But that was not what we were anticipating. They had expressed interest in purchasing the building, which is why that warrant article.
was worded the way it was. And as it turned out, they didn't want to purchase the building. They wanted it to be donated.
And no offense, I could have told you that. But the bottom line is, when that happened, you chose to go in this direction to lease when the people had told you to still sell it.
Regardless of the situation with the Family Resource Center, that was not included in the warrant article.
It wasn't to sell it to FRC as an agency.
It was to sell the building.
And apparently we weren't specific enough.
That's the warrant article that you guys approved, 3 to 0.
Well, we'll be more specific next time.
My information, how many buildings do we own the town?
Oh, 69.
We own 69.
The town owns 69.
There's 106 tax-exempt properties in town out of 1697.
Seven are federal.
17 are state.
There's eight religious organizations.
There's schools.
There's five schools.
And the town owns the rest, which is 69.
Of the 69, I'm sorry.
Go ahead.
Of the 69, how many are buildings like that that that we could sell rather than, like, the town?
The,
The buildings that the town owns, that's the only one.
That's the only one.
Right.
Everything else is like the town hall, the fire department,
the public works, the water and sewer, the airport.
Okay, so it's only the one building.
I never disagree with that.
I think there's a lot of land that is owned.
I believe there's like 204 acres down in the TNC.
I don't know what's on it, but that's what it's listed as is land.
So there's some properties that were taken over by the town, like, for example, the one purchase for high ground.
I agree.
And a lot of the land that has been purchased around town was to protect the watershed.
It was to increase the recreation.
It was, there isn't anything that the town is purchased.
In fact, most of the land that was purchased was purchased through grant money.
and it had a specific purpose.
I understood, but again, we just purchased a property near the trestle area that had been a taxed property,
and it is now owned by the town, I believe, and has gone from a taxed property to a non-taxed, tax-exempt property,
and that's close to the riverfront property, if I'm not the state,
and maybe that could have been sold on a farm market to a private individual who might have to have that.
Somebody who likes to live next to a trestle bridge and VIP, I guess.
You know what? I'm not going to judge who buys what.
There you go.
When I bought my house, it was a disaster, and people said, oh, my God, what is wrong with you?
I think Lisa has a question.
Why did we purchase that?
It was purchased through grant money to improve.
the, do you want to explain that?
Sure. Thank you.
Yeah, Denise Valley, former town manager, got a grant for a community trail hub, and the idea was for economic development to highlight what's kind of across the river.
There's a six, five, six, eight, maybe, depending on the size of the car parking for that trestle bridge to walk across.
So it really limits things.
And then that was a six, five, six, eight maybe, depending on the size of the car of parking, parking for that trestle bridge to walk across.
also an eyesore dilapidated building that became notorious for people crashing in there.
VIP folks would say, hey, there's somebody who's in there and we've got to get them out.
So it was a beautification, expand parking, put in a few amenities, and to highlight people using for hiking,
and whatever across the river.
So that's what that was for.
Lisa, did you have a question?
I just had a question.
Do you guys do a comparative market sales from those real estate agents?
I don't think they do it for municipal buildings.
That residential does CMS.
That would have given you the area.
But not municipal buildings or federal buildings or unusual things.
Another thing is that we have other buildings that could be sold
And that would be occupied by rec center or something else.
And so the rec center, there's other buildings that can go other places that don't eat.
Well, the rec center was donated by Danny Digest.
And I'm trying to think which...
Which one?
This building is a historical building.
And we have a few of those.
I'm trying to think.
But anyways.
I think we all get the message, Mary.
I can tell them.
Yeah, and the other thing is it's not a quagmire for Mary.
She's just pointing out the fact that the voters said this based on what you guys wrote
and you got a signed that we voted on.
It's not a crime member for her.
It's actually your quagmire.
Not hers.
Right.
Not hers at all.
We are the tax figures.
But I think that the spirit of the Warren article
was to just get that building filled,
whether we sell it, lease it, whatever.
We just didn't want the town having to pay for maintenance, heating, utilities.
It's just not feasible.
And you pointed that out, and we will be more specific next time.
So, are we ready to move on to the next time.
Yes.
Okay.
Tax deed redemption.
Race deed.
So we have three tax deeds.
I guess you want to do it one other time or all three.
Whatever is your pleasure.
So these are Ray Streets.
These are, let's see, seven Ray Street,
and nine Ray Street, and 15 Ray Street.
They're all commercial.
one is this land.
A couple have buildings on them.
These were tax-deeded by the town.
December 2020-5.
And the owner has paid off all of the back taxes and interests and penalties.
So we are ready to redeem these or send them back to the previous owner.
So if I guess,
I guess we'll just do each one.
So 7 Ray Street is going to send this back to S.D.C. Realty, L-L-C.
Which I believe is owned by Sunny Kachore or Arthur, Arthur, Kachor.
Yep.
Also known as Sunny.
Yes, also known as Sunny.
Yes, alias is.
Yeah, the money has cleared.
If you have a question, the town clerk, tax collector,
verified, deposited, so everything is
ready.
So 7 Ray Street, 0.22 acres of land,
including the buildings thereon.
So I'll take a motion.
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
I'll notarize those after.
The next one is 9 Ray Street,
which is also an SDC
Realty LLC holding.
This is 0.4410 acres, and any buildings thereon.
Am I feeling AC?
Yeah, it's making my nose go crazy.
Do I get a motion for two to accept it?
Second.
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
And the third deed is, again, to SDC, Realty, LLC,
15 Ray Street, 0.19.19.
three acres, including any buildings there on.
Motion to approve.
Second.
All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
So Mr. Kature is back in possession of his property.
Yeah, not technically until they're filed, but they have filed very quickly.
Yeah.
Is there another?
No.
Nope, that's it.
Okay.
Let's move on.
Final review of updated 91A policy.
To be honest, I have not had the time to sit down and actually read through it.
I can't with that.
Well, you could just pass over it for, I understand that we're pretty close to going live with that.
Yes, Bronson has done a lot of work.
We, there are basically four parks to the policy.
We tried to keep it straightforward and simple.
So one was submission.
of requests.
We suggest
that people submit
91A requests to a designated
town email
along with a
what they call an
Adobe fillable?
Which Bronson created.
And I'll point out people can still
certainly make legal requests in person.
They can show up
with their own letter, but just
in terms of trying to formalize things.
So that
that's the first change.
Second one is review
and pick up the documents.
All 9.1A requests that result
and document responsive
success
will be reviewed
or picked up
from the finance executive
office. And the
request here shall schedule the time
with staff during regular business
hours to pay and collect
for any requested documents.
So what I'm making
out here is just that one
page explanation, correct?
Yep.
And then, so I just read through this,
which I didn't have time to do before I came.
Are the fees the same,
or is that an increase?
No, the fees.
We kept the same.
We found some other
towns really, you know,
they'll charge a dollar a page
or more.
And,
you know, we felt
it has
to cover our cost and, you know, speaking with legal counsel, the idea that you're going to make it
prohibitive for some people. Oh, it's $5 a page. Well, that's what it is. Well, that defeats the spirit
of the law. So we've kept it the same. It's 25 cents a page. 50 cents for double-sided,
but, you know, and any redactions would be 50 cents a page. So if you have to hire somebody
to go through redact.
information. And as always, a requester will be notified of the total cost of the request.
And no documents will be turned over until all fees have been paid.
Which sums up that page, so I'm ready if you are.
Motion to approve. Second.
All in favor?
Hi. Hi.
And I'll just say not to make more work for Joe or the board, but as we go through this, you can always
update this policy, I'd say every year, you know, see what wrinkles are there.
Well, the fees may change over a year.
Yeah, the fees might change.
The 91A loans might change.
Yes.
As Chris was explaining to us.
They will change.
All right.
Police commendations.
So we have two.
The first is for Officer Nathan Halliburg,
a Gorman Police Department.
This is a letter of appreciation.
Dear Officer Nathan B. Hallberg, on behalf of my entire staff, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for providing assistance to the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training during the second, the 2002nd, New Hampshire Police Academy session.
Your assistance was a substantial help to our staff and to the recruits of this session, the support you provided to the training efforts of our
recruits serves New Hampshire, law enforcement, and the communities that these
recruits will serve.
Thank you again for your assistance, and please pass along my appreciation and warm thoughts to your
agency sincerely.
John Skippa, Director of New Hampshire Police Standards and Training.
Nice.
So I'm happy to report that.
The second one is from Chief Will Hoyt to Lieutenant Owen Stapleton.
I'm writing to formally commend you.
For your outstanding professionalism and exemplary police service, public service, which was brought to my attention this morning.
On June 4, 2026, I received a phone call from Ms. Teresa Henley, a visitor to our community from West Point, Mississippi.
Ms. Henley requested to speak with me specifically to praise an interaction she had with you during her visit to go on last week.
During our conversation, Ms. Henley stated, quote, I met an officer named Owen, and he is absolutely a wonderful gentleman.
He needs praise, and I want to give it to him.
He's awesome.
Thank you.
There's a lot of enforcement officers, our daily interactions, shape the public's perception of our department and our community.
When a visitor takes the time to call to express their gratitude, it speaks volumes about the lasting positive impact of your conduct, your professionalism, courtesy.
dedication to the community.
Police can characterize the highest standards of the Go-on Police Department.
Thank you for your exceptional service, your leadership, and representing Go-M-PD so well to those who visit our town.
The copy of this accommodation will be placed in your permanent personnel file.
Keep up the great work.
Awesome.
That was nice.
Thank you.
Okay, do we have any old business?
I'd like to bring up two things.
One, the abatement on Zornio that I voted against, because I was told that they could go to BTLA.
Who told you that?
We did at the meeting.
They could appeal to the BTO.
Yeah, to the BTLA.
That was for yours.
No, there was Zonia.
No, it was Zonio should be.
Oh, was it?
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then it comes to my attention that we tabled it because.
They were requesting stuff back several years and never received that information.
And so I assume when you go to the BTLA, that they would look at all that.
But then I found out that BTLA only does the last year.
So that would cut out the prior two years.
So if I knew that, I wouldn't have voted against the, that I would have voted to give the abatement.
Okay.
So just want to make note because I mean, I think they were.
Requesting information that they never got, and I still don't understand why they would never see that information through the office.
Second thing I wanted to bring up was the snowmobiles.
You know, we kind of talked about what's the best policies.
I think we'd be remiss as a board, though, if we didn't still consider that snowmobiles used the arrested sidewalks,
and there's pedestrians that still use it.
I think it would be remiss if we didn't still work on another way for snowmobiles to get into town to use the businesses.
Because if we don't, those sidewalks are going to have to be replaced.
And when I said that maybe we'll get another grant, I mean, I said that we won't get another grant for 20 years.
So that means that it's going to fall on us to repair those sidewalks at some point in the future.
And I think that's why this presidential range riders, the snowmobile club, wants to work with us directly from here on in.
Okay, because I know the committee was disbanded.
You know that's correct.
So I think it would be good for us to continue to work on a resolution because I've heard from other people sent that time that people who walk on the sidewalk when the snow are there have difficulties.
You know, they have to move out of the way into the deep snow sometimes.
And I know at least one person said that he has three places front lawn every year because the snow is right up on his lawn.
When the snow gets a little less on the sidewalks, they ride on his lawn and tear up his lawn.
Yeah.
And I think that.
that's part of their proposal look for other to show ultimate solutions as well as well as long-term
long-term long-term goals and plans to avoid that with your same I think a key is going to be having some private landowners
well they already do this with several people they have um either rights away or licenses to kind of go over and I looking at
map and I don't, I'm not the huge map person, but there are, there could be other alternate
routes maybe better route. I mean, I don't think snowmobilers like to drive on sidewalks,
I don't think, but.
But, and talking to property owners, which I think was fabulous.
Yes. Anything else?
Old business updates. Do we have any?
Ah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Let's see. Well, we're, um, moving along with FEMA to take to take a look.
at getting more funding for the Peabody River.
Patriot Hydro has concerns with the DES permit and for any exposure they may have as a property owner.
So we're working through that process with them.
DES was scheduled to come out today to meet with Joe Phil and I to take a look at a couple sites,
but they couldn't make it, so they're going to reschedule down the road.
And that's the old Jimtown Road culvert, and taking a look at the Peabody, which really is fine.
And then there's another project along the Moose River, kind of off Bellevue, or Bellevue,
that we'd like DES to look at what they would permit and what they wouldn't.
And that was by the request of FEMA.
Otherwise, otherwise, if you have any questions specifically for a project, okay?
Okay.
Any other business?
Public comment.
Scott.
So I mean, just to go back to Mr. Cardell's question, on the lease, and I don't want to go around and round again,
I think we spend out time on the building portion of it, but in the lease group, do we have something so that
before they, like, before a family learning center leaves,
we go and inspect it to make sure that it's up to a certain code,
or are they responsible for anything it happens?
I mean, when I lease a building,
I'm responsible for if I break something and I leave it,
I have to fix it before I can leave.
Is that part of the lease?
Is that part of the lease moving forward in this?
Yeah, so they, the lease moving forward,
we have the right to inspect with reasonable.
notice and the expectation is they are going to maintain the building.
So there is something you just so they can maintain that stuff?
Oh, they have to, yes, yes, yes, yes. That's, that was the principle, I mean, from day
one was the town doesn't want to be responsible for stuff. Now the question that Rich
brought up was, what was the quality of the maintenance when the FRC leased it? And
we actually don't know because that was something that came about 23 years ago.
I believe in a long time, that's why I'm saying, moving forward.
Yeah.
So we should have to establish a big slide now.
Right.
That's the opportunity of the way of us.
Yep.
Yeah.
No, you're the board, not to, not to spoil the fund,
but you'll have an email for me that talks about getting,
working with a head, having a meeting with a head,
and getting a third party to get a, what they call building,
what we call it a building inspection or about an inspection of something like that.
So we all go through together and walk and look at things.
Now, where that goes from there, but at least we'll have the baseline and know what needs to be done.
No, the big dollar item is really going to be able to be able to take.
Okay, any other questions about anything else?
Can I ask about a sidewalk?
I was there at the presentation, and I noticed that all the sidewalk,
presentation was on this side.
Have any of you ever walked down the sidewalk from Dunkin' Donuts on down?
It's absolutely horrendous.
People can't go on that sidewalk.
They walk in the street.
They ride their little motorized scooters in the street.
It's not safe.
Why didn't they look at replacing and fixing that first before a more viable section?
Yeah, I guess you'd have to ask the engineers,
but I've walked it from,
from intersection to intersection twice.
And I found that the worst sections were down below.
It starts about, it starts getting better.
And I talked to the five-mile walkers,
I don't know what they call,
I guess that's what they call them, they do it every day.
And talks with them about the worst sections.
and it starts getting better from about Skoggins up.
So that's what they concentrated on.
And the fact that the school is right across the street from Skagans.
And that was the number one priority that people wanted to address
was the safety of the schools.
But there is some good news.
I mean, it's a good point, Lisa.
You look at all types of plans.
The good news is that the town does have $80,000 a year we put for the road,
kind of our in-house road resurfacing.
Sidewalks, if they need to be patched up, or it's a little bit of a larger project,
but just like we did Railroad Street or planning on doing Railroad Street,
we could bid that out using town money, taxpayer money,
and there are no strings attached.
So you don't have.
have to worry about grant strings attached to what we can't do.
And as long as we don't like pave them in marble or something, we could make them better.
They might not be perfect, but they could be improved.
I think it was, yeah, there was one section I was walking with one of the walkers and
she showed me where the actual sidewalk was flat and in pretty good condition except for.
a crack about that wide, which can be fixed in-house.
So, and we can probably hit some of those sections of the upper sidewalk
with the money that Peter was just explaining it has.
Almost, some sections have almost no sidewalk left there.
Yeah.
Okay. Okay. We're aware.
They said it wouldn't do patchwork.
Right.
Not with great money.
No, we can do it in house.
Right.
Yeah.
Because I know we were below budget, so we could have, if they did pass work, everyone could.
Okay.
Okay.
I would like to go to those sidewalks.
A couple of things.
When someone has a private driveway, okay, or a business has a private driveway.
How much a day responsible for?
Because if you look at the sidewalks, an awful lot of that sidewalk is partial driveway that's all cracked up and really awful.
If they're responsible for handling that?
or is that the town's, it gets to be a little bit of a give and take here.
So that's something to consider if we're looking at improvements, something to consider.
The other thing I'd like to talk about, a little tight bit, is the committee.
When we formed the committee at your request and that last information meeting.
It was a suggestion.
At your suggestion.
Potato, potato.
I apologize.
You're suggested.
Mr. Gardner
had asked me to join the room as kind of a non-snow-machine person.
I haven't done that ever, ever, but pedestrian and non-snow-machine person.
So now that the committee has been disbanded, and I found out about it right before the select board meeting because of an email that was sent out.
I had no idea.
I thought we were moving forward quite well.
My concern is that now, you know,
have just representatives of snow machine riders and no pedestrians advising
the war and that's a concern of mine because Peter you had sent out an email to
someone in the state and they were concerned about ADA compliance and the town
did a really good job with parking spaces under your leadership on that got those
parking spaces there and school
at the high school did the same thing.
The ADA compliance, it's huge.
My concern is
pedestrians are not going to have a voice.
They're going to be walking.
They're going to have to be encountering snow machines.
If I'm walking, I can't climb the backs
with this whole thing.
And it's a little intimidating
if you're pulling a baby behind you
and they're going face to face with it's no issue.
An alternative
needs to be.
found I think there might be an alternative that was proposed as part of the last
committee meeting and then all of a sudden it was like gone the committee's gone
suggestions gone there it goes and it just was like so now that's nothing that we had
any control over well I'm not going to say your suggestions and your information is
gone we all talked about it and I think was a good transfer of information and
some very nice ideas that was brought and those are the ideas and the comments
that the snowmobile club is trying to accommodate which we will all see on the
selecting meeting of the 22nd when they proposed but I think everybody was in agreement
about you know the potential conflict with recreational vehicles and pedestrians trying
to occupy the same place especially
in the wintertime of slippery sidewalks and that message was pretty clear
and I believe the snowmobile club understood that fully and that's why they're
seeking alternate alternate routes with some common parking areas that they can
walk to some of the local establishments that's what they're working on
also looking for something in writing to tell us them where they can ride and where they can't
because at the meeting that was said it would be TPD where they could and couldn't ride.
We know that they are supposed to be on the grant project side and you've made the choice to make it both sides
rather than one side all the way up there. So that point down, apparently I think for the grant is not accessible to snow machines.
But I think they're looking to find out the right.
rest of it. And so if they continue using that sidewalk, they can use to get torn up.
And if we're trying to do patchwork, that gets torn up. And people are still coming face-to-face
with a very powerful machine when they're just walking. So...
We'll see what their proposal is on 22nd because they were aware of all of that and they were aware of the concerns.
give an agreement with those concerns, hence their pursuit of ultimate routes
with new proposed groups and new negotiations with landowners. So I honestly think that
meeting that we all had was very productive. And I would just encourage the board to be
very cautious about putting anything in writing that is a blanket you can you can
lie here and leave it at that because
then I think we're looking again that they will probably get a little
five we'll probably get a little ahead of myself but we'll see what they have to
offer for us then take it take it from that okay I mean we have anything
out okay let's approve review and approve meeting minutes for June 1st
prove it second all in favor hi hi so these are public and non
yeah it's and for the town manager reports I'm going to let Joe
kind of jump right in and what was the town manager report Joe yeah thank you here
appreciate that trial by fire Joe yeah so I have been as most folks have know I've been
spent some time a little bit in April a good chunk of time in the month of May and now
to June you know as a transitional period and you know I've been to more meetings
and I'd like to admit a lot of meetings you know but have met some important books
folks that can work with us both that have worked with us and I've partnered with the town
Warren Mark Brady Ray Gorman up at the county level Northern Forest Center Mike
Warren went to a breakfast meeting the other day
at the federal state prison met all kinds of people here including the
president of White Mountain Community College again HEP engineers who we
work very closely have had a lot of information and discussions with them the
school SAU 20 and Dave Fackler presidential range riders from Brian Thrive
Thrive which is the company we used
who managed our technology and you know again working with Bronson he's
giving me a quick overview of the accounting system and I've met quite a number
of residents so it's been a good a good transition period I would say and you know
I could probably use another month or two grounds with him there's a lot a lot to
learn but but I'm ready to go ready to hit the ground running and I'm glad to do so as far as
manager report information as Peter just mentioned railroad street they're
doing some prep work out they may have seen them they're doing some prep work for
for a repave which is going to be roughly around the third week of June from
Route 16 all the way there Wilfridge Street yeah so again that'll be nice that'll
be done before the 4th of July and then some preserves are here Stony Brook phase one is
also a gaming project that's up
coming roughly around the same time residents have been notified of that and
they're all thrilled because I think it's great way over here so we do have an RFP to put
out we haven't posted it yet for the hiring of a new chief of police so that will
be posted shortly first farmers market I think was last week which went off well
so looking forward to more of those
and just a quick note I think school may be out next week Friday Friday at noon
is it this right okay so yeah school is out and kids are around so just a heads up on
the road in the crosswalks and then careful driving through town that's it and for my part
here if you want to add to it feel free well for me just thank you is my last board meeting
and I wanted to just say I appreciate this time I've learned a lot this
community is special I was fortunate to work with a lot of great boards the current
board has a great skill set a lot of intelligence in the past different skill sets
and I've learned from all of them there's been challenges along the way but that's
municipal government nobody plans on floods nobody plans on floods nobody plans
on disasters changes in the law those things has happened and you have to go
with it I'm very confident Joe is going to do a great job and I know the department
has work hard and supporting each other and yeah I'm not going to get emotional but
it's it's been a good it's been a really rewarding time and I like to think I've helped
more people than I haven't
and for those of you who know me well I appreciate all of you for being there and
helping out in your own way we need everybody and for those community members I haven't met
yet I'm sure I will out and about hopefully see me walking and maybe running at some
point so thank you so Peter we just want you to know that we appreciate everything you've done
for the town and are sad to see you go happy to see Joe step in and
you will definitely not be forgotten and be referred to as an asset to the town
so thank you don't don't cry I'm not going to cry
you said asset right asset asset asset okay asset asset asset okay
good thank you is there anything else I just had one quick question sure again
still getting used to the board there was a check cut for $11,000 for airport access
anybody what is that word to that was that a mowing contract maybe I just had an airport
access and I didn't know there was an 11,000 dollar check so
access road access so that put a check mark next to that
I think I saw it first so I was just wondering what that was about and is that how
well Joe can find out tomorrow and nothing big but those checks you go
through there and any of the big number checks I'll put a check mark next to
a question yeah I was going to have a problem but you see the check mark that's
me I'll give you a tip Joe
the airport is often water and sewer as well so in-house you know John
Bees you but it might be Jeff Tennis who yeah had that yeah because you'll notice on
the manifest that each check is associated with a department yeah when you see
because I've had questions about checks before and looked over and saw that it it was a
reimbursement of some kind or right right and is charged on the on the on the books
to the correct department okay then I
thank you all David hi aye aye aye aye aye aye aye so seven 18 yep for the minute
holy smokes I thought that was going to be able to be able to be a
air conditioning I would have worn a sweater well I hopefully the air conditioner
doesn't mess up the audio too much