Littleton Selectboard Meeting 9/14/26

Speakers are labeled SPEAKER_N. This transcript is machine-generated.

Recording

Hey, good afternoon everybody. We'd like
to start the meeting.
Can we start with the pledge of
allegiance, please?
I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
>> And can we have a brief moment of
silence, please?
Okay.
First item up. We'd like to approve the
minutes from 8:24
26.
>> I don't
either. You second. I'll second it. Make
a motion.
>> Uh, no. I move to approve the minutes.
>> All right. And I'll second it.
>> Dated Monday, August 24th.
>> And I'll second.
Okay. Next we have from A26.26
would be the joint quarterly budget
meeting.
>> I was not at that meeting. So
>> well that's
>> you may defer that.
>> I'm going to refer to Picky on this one
cuz I was only there for an hour.
>> He was not there.
>> I was here. I was here.
>> He was there. So how do we call that
shot?
>> I would just punch to the next meeting.
Picky
>> the approval of minutes and we have a
full board.
>> Yeah, we can do that. Does that have to
be approved by all
it yet either?
>> All right, put that off.
Okay, moving on to business.
We have December Rust who's going to do
two presentations
and the first one will be establish a
building code enforcement officer.
Thank you very much for allowing me the
time tonight. Actually, yeah, I do have
two proposals that I'm not asking the
board to implement tonight because this
is going to take some exploration to
find out if identify the gaps and things
in the town. But actually I wanted to
start if I could with the um
establishing municipal infrastructure
and asset um commission um just just for
the floor kind of how I want to work
things through here. Um, basically what
what I'm looking for here is um, you
know, the a municipal infrastructure and
asset commission, you know, a more
comparable municipal body to promote the
long-term inspection, maintenance,
safety, documentation, and
sustainability of Littleton's municipal
infrastructure and fiscal assets. Uh, we
just purchased not that long ago a new
town building, a town office building.
Uh, so we have the current bridge, we
have the volunteer bridge, we have the
community pool, which as we all know is
seeing a $2 million um fill to try to
get that back up to to a full operating
situation. So there's um what this would
be, it wouldn't replace this commission
wouldn't replace the select board, any
existing departments, engineers,
inspectors, or other qualified
professionals, nor would it assume their
operational authority. So this isn't a
board to make decisions telling making
the ultimate call on on on these these
projects. It's going back to the
departments that oversee those
particular um uh pieces of
infrastructure and then working from
there. And the purpose really is to
provide something uh municipal
infrastructure requires cross gener
generations and that's continuity. Um
again as we've seen with the pool
there's been uh years of deferred
maintenance and that has gone through
multiple directors multiple uh commit uh
parks and rec commissioners. So this is
uh this is the idea of of of a
commission that is solely responsible
for what are the town has for assets and
infrastructure and you know the
infrastructure frequently outlives
people responsible for governing and
maintaining it. uh select board members,
commissioners, town managers, department
heads and employees change and even
within those different departments,
there's a lot to handle. I mean,
Department of Public Works as as I've
learned over the past couple years is
way more involved than than I understood
and have has a lot more responsibility
and a lot of of of infrastructure and
assets to already over oversee. So this
is something that again is is not
placing any this isn't about placing any
sort of particular blame. This is about
identifying where we have gaps uh in the
current in current situation. Um so
little you know should explore the
system that maintains an institutional
knowledge of significant municipal
assets uh including present condition
and responsible department professional
inspection history future inspection
dates uh identified safety accessibility
or maintenance deficiencies recommended
and completed corrective work unresolved
or deferred maintenance and anticipated
long-term capital needs. So you know an
issue that cannot be addressed during
one budget um a year would remain uh
documented and visible uh until it is
resolved. So again you know two current
examples and this is something again
this is not a this is not an indictment
on any one particular department or any
any any one director at all but the
current suspension bridge. So I mean
it's it has been updated over the last
87 years but it's it's original steel
structure is from 87 years ago. So uh
again you know there have been uh I
guess the bridge itself there used to be
the wooden planks. So those were
replaced at one point because from my
recent understanding um people were
removing the planks and causing safety
problems. So this was back I guess in
the 70s maybe the early 80s. So, there
have been updates over the years, but in
speaking with um town manager Brown, I
guess, you know, and again, they, you
know, just because they can't find any
inspection record doesn't mean
inspections haven't been done. But if we
can't if we can't locate or we don't
have any actual record of inspections
taking place, that's I mean, that's kind
of it's liability for the town. I mean,
that I use the suspension bridge
sometimes multiple times a day. I know
other people do as well. So, it's
something that it's used by locals, it's
used by tourists, and being able to say,
"Yeah, we we've inspected it. Here's
when we inspected it. Here's when we
identified problems. Here's when we
updated those problems." This commission
would be able to have a year after year
record of overseeing just that, making
sure that those issues are being
addressed. So, you know, um
uh you know, uh in so yeah, and there's
not I mean, currently doesn't possess a
readily identifiable record. So, again,
it's not saying that one wasn't done,
but for a lack of record, we can't if
something were to happen, uh if one of
those cables were I mean, there's rust.
Uh you know, I I I from what I can tell,
it's not like deep pitted rust on the
suspension cables themselves, but
there's absolutely visible rust. So, I
don't know. None of us really know to
what extent that rust level is. Also,
the you know the the fencing that goes
along the edge and the railing uh you
know that seems again I'm not I'm not an
engineer or an inspector but it seems
rather low to me. So people ride even
though it's a foot bridge only uh bridge
people ride their bikes across it
constantly. So riding a bike the level
that those railings are may not be the
correct height for what we're looking at
for real safety on that. So again, this
is, you know, this is a um uh you know,
an elected commission. So that would be
my ultimate thought is that it's a
commission of of elected by the people.
Uh it's not a paid position by any
means. Um so it's not a tax in that
respect, but it's it's uh elected people
who are elected to oversee um this year
after year these particular um assets
and infrastructure, you know, and also
the town pool. So I mean it was for many
years ahead of 1951 it was it was
brought before the people and there was
a big push. People wanted to bring a
pool to the town. It kept getting
knocked down year after year. Finally in
51 um it was approved but it took 18
years to even build the pool. So once it
was built in ' 69, I mean there have
been some improvements along the way,
but as we all know, I'm sure from or at
least some people might know from the
recent assessment is there are years of
deferred maintenance that have had has
occurred and things that have not been
so well paid attention to. I mean, um,
you know, um, Director Clark, she
definitely inherited problems, uh, from
previous directors and from previous
commissioner, uh, commissions. Um, you
know, and she has raised some of these
issues along the way. Um, but it has
gotten to the point where now we're at a
$2 million bill for that. And you know,
I'm not, you know, not saying this would
have been this would have fixed that,
but this could have this commission
could have been a way to have eyes on
the pool throughout those years to say,
"Hey, we we can't be deferring this."
You know, these are these are things
that we should be looking at.
Recommendations to the parks and rep
commission, uh, you know, and and
recommendations for, you know, for for
this assessment that maybe could have
done be done sooner than well, it had to
be closed last year. in I mean this year
and that's the only reason why the the
uh assessment was performed was because
the pool was closed. Many of the issues
in that pool uh including the uh the
lift which I guess hasn't I guess hasn't
been working in a few years. Um these
are these are not new problems. So the
report uh showed us a lot of
deficiencies that didn't just happen
this year and they have been kind of
pushed away by other commissions over
the years as not really needing to
address just wanting to get the pool
open. Let's get the pool open. Well, now
here we are by just that mentality of
let's just get the pool open. Um you
know we don't we've got so much to
cover. So, you know, in long-term
stewardship, um, a municipal
infrastructure and asset commission
could help those consider assets across
three, uh, time horizons. You know, the
immediate with safety, inspection,
compliance, tracking inspections, known
safety or accessibility concerns,
regulatory requirements, and conditions
requiring attention. As as with pool,
there are several regulatory
requirements that we have not been
meeting uh and haven't been for a couple
of years and they just haven't they
weren't realized until the assessment
was produced. You know, intermediate uh
preventative maintenance and capital
planning. Well, identifying the
maintenance and rehabilitation needs
before manageable deterioration becomes
an expensive emergency as we're seeing
with pool and long-term generational
stewardship. uh you know consider the
the expected needs and useful life of
municipal infrastructure over 10 25 50
and even 100 years. Let's look well into
the future of how are we preparing
future generations for use of these town
assets and preparing to not spend money
down the road because we have been
paying attention along the way. You know
what happens is we get a big bill at one
point because we haven't been taking
care of maintenance because we were
pushing things off and then it becomes
you know a big issue when along the way
we could have spent less money and it
wouldn't have been such a big uh burden
to taxpayers. So you know what should
those thing examine? Well before
establishing a commission the town
should determine you know which assets
fall within the scope what inspection
maintenance records and schedules
currently exist. How outstanding
deficiencies and deferred maintenance
are tracked. How institutional knowledge
is preserved when municipal leadership
changes. How the commission uh would
coordinate with existing departments and
governing bodies. How asset management
could complement capital planning. What
membership and professional expertise
would be appropriate and how comparable
municipalities approach long-term
infrastructure stewardship. So the
commission would not perform inspections
or substitute it judgment uh for
qualified prof uh professionals. The
role would be to help ensure that
inspections occur, findings are
documented, and recommendations
remaining visible and unresolved
conditions do not disappear through
changes in personnel or municipal
leadership. An annual state of Lily's
municipal infrastructure report could
provide the select board and public with
a continuing record of asset conditions,
inspections, outstanding concerns,
deferred maintenance, completed work,
and anticipated capital needs.
So you know what I'm I'm looking at
doing is asking the select board to I'm
proposing an exploratory group. So, you
know, to designate a group of of of
uh of individuals like the one slot
board member uh town manager Brown uh
perhaps um DPW director uh Oliver uh
maybe director Riley Clark from parks
and uh cultural arts, you know,
appropriate financial or capital
planning representation and any
additional official professional the
board uh that the town manager
determines would uh material assisted
review. So input would be sought from
engineers, inspectors, uh little water
and light where appropriate risk
management professionals and residents
with relevant infrastructure,
engineering, construction facilities
expertise. So, you know, again, this I'm
not asking the board tonight to adopt
this or to create uh this commission
right now, but really to uh to to accept
and to understand that there's already
substantial and uh importance enough to
to look at this that we have already
seen with the pool, with the current
suspension bridge, with you know other
assets that has lost along the way. why
you know what um the opera house that's
been taken great care of. So again
that's that is another asset that we
could fold into this and it would be
another group overseeing and looking at
to make sure that that there aren't uh
things falling by the wayside. So that's
my, you know, my my resolution tonight
is just to um for the select board to
further uh to support further
exploration of establishing this
commission um or a comparable municipal
municipal body and the board um to
direct the time manager in consultation
with a designated select board member
and each municipal officer uh you know
uh to to to to look at this to look at
what uh what gaps may exist uh where we
don't have inspections on file where
we're not looking at the resilience of
our infrastructure and assets over time.
So that's really what this is is looking
at, you know, not saying, well, yes, we
have these are the gaps, these are the
problems, but looking at finding out,
well, are there the gaps, which I I can
already foresee some gaps, and then and
what, you know, what the town itself can
do moving forward to make sure that
ultimately we're looking out for the
infrastructure, but also the taxpayer
because if if something happens
liabilitywise,
for example, like at the town pool, the
the the depth the water depth is too
short for even too it's too shallow for
even jumping in the pool off the diving
board. So that is currently I mean a
liability. It's not being used but as
it's been used in the past few years
that is an absolute liability if someone
were to jump in and hurt themselves. We
we need to be looking at protecting the
municipality, protecting the taxpayer
ultimately by ensuring that we're not
deferring maintenance and that we are,
you know, that we're performing really
due diligence for the for the town's
folk, you know, for the people. Um, so
yeah, so that's I mean that's that's
kind of what that's what I'm looking for
is just for is for the the board to is
to form an exploratory group um to to to
to see whether this is something we move
forward with with an elected commission,
you know, whether I'm not saying it's
going to happen this, you know, this
coming year, but this is something to to
to look out for the future for. So
that's my my ask for the board.
I'm not sure if the board's willing to
look at look at that now or to make or
if that's something you'd rather Yeah.
Yeah.
>> Well, I would say uh that um since we
don't even have a full board here right
now, uh making the decision would be not
uh prudent. Um but a conversation should
happen in either one of our work
sessions to discuss this. uh you've put
a lot of work into this obviously uh and
you brought up some reasonably good
points. Uh but like I said, I'm and I'm
also the new guy. So, so I don't know
how all the things work here, but uh um
but I' I'd say, you know, at our next uh
work session that we should at least
discuss this.
>> Well, I appreciate that.
>> No, I'm in agreement with that.
>> All right. Thank you. No, that's I think
that again just getting the conversation
moving. So, I'd appreciate if that was
the step of the work session and then go
from there. So, thank you.
Um All right. Well, I'll just I'll just
move right in then to I mean this is
this is again this is looking at um more
of the the private, you know, asset
infrastructure, but a building code
enforcement officer. So this is
something when I ran for select board
this last year, um one of my platforms
was uh establishing a building code
enforcement officer, uh I did speak to a
couple of different um department heads,
a couple of different uh or officials, I
should say, and I found support for for
this. I found support for, you know, for
that we our lack of a building code
enforcement officer. Yes, we have a
planning board. Yes, we have zoning
ordinances. Um and but we have zero
enforcement
mechanism to ensure that those those
ordinances are being followed unless a
neighbor rate you know writes in and
says hey so and so did this or so and or
this is happening there's no oversight
right now and also from my talking with
at least one official that there are and
this was not a blanket indictment of of
local contractors but there are local
contractors who are not building to code
because they know there is no oversight
happening. So, I'm not this is not a
this is not on all contractors and I'm
not I I'm not stating any contract in
particular, but I but from what I've
been told from an official who actually
oversees uh some of the steps along the
way with new buildings and and and and
updates that their the state building
code is not being followed. And we
already it's it's not I'm not asking
Littleton to to start its own um to
follow rules that don't apply. There's
already a state building code in place.
We already have zoning ordinances in
place, you know, but we have zero
enforcement mechanism. Uh, you know,
it's it's kind of like our our
ordinances that the uh police department
uh enforces. We have 26 chapters in that
list of ordinances. If we didn't have
the police department enforcing those
ordinances, they would be meaningless
because there there's no one there's no
there's no oversight. There's no there's
no checks and balances in that. So what
I'm looking at doing here, this is this
isn't a a full you know my proposal
again this is to explore I'm asking the
board to explore this concept the same
idea of having a select board member
present having a town manager uh chief
miller uh present uh in in the process
because he is the safety officer he also
you know oversees fire inspections and I
I'm sure in his even though he doesn't
have the authority to uh to with certain
uh with certain aspects of building
code. He certainly is overseeing part of
that process already. And to my
understanding, you know, uh our fire
chief supporting that, which he does
support a building code inspect
inspection officer.
Um and to my understanding, there's also
even space at the fire station that if
we wanted to have an office for that
building code inspection officer. So,
this isn't again of having to build a
whole new office space. This isn't even
even the matter of a full-time employee.
So, adding a full, you know, to the to
Littleton. This is the fact that from at
least the publicly available information
I have uh been made aware of,
Littleton's about to grow go through a
little bit of a growth uh stage here.
It's been a little stagnant, but with uh
the homes within reach um uh aspect that
you know where we're trying to build
more housing and affordable housing with
the casino going in with more buildout
on on Metal Street from my understanding
there's a high-end grosser perhaps going
out there. So there's um there there's
there's building that's happening and
there's no oversight happening with any
of that building. um you business
businesses uh property owners already
required to get a a permit but there's
zero um mechanism in place to make sure
that that the state's building code is
actually being followed in our own uh
zoning ordinances there's no there's no
checks and balances to make sure that
those are actually being followed. So,
you know, what were the professional uh
building code administration? What are
the benefits? Well, public safety, you
know, they address structural integrity,
safe exits, occupancy, accessibility,
electrical and mechanical systems,
renovations, and other conditions which
affect the people who live and work and
gather inside the building. So, it's
making sure that landlords are making
updates and and and if they're if
they're turning a a one two-bedroom or
two, you know, two-bedroom unit into a
oneb, make sure that it's all being done
to code so that there there's proper
ways for people to uh to exit the
building uh in case of a fire or
emergency situation. Um, you know,
contractors and property owners, a clear
local process can help responsible
contractors and homeowners homeowners
understand what is required when
inspections are necessary and how
compliance is documented before problems
become expensive. So, housing and
economic development, you know,
Littleton is continuing to address
housing development, ADUs, downtown
reduh development, um, upper floor
housing and commercial conversions. One
of the aspects that I've heard is that
there are some reputable builders who
will not build in Littleton because
there isn't a code enforcement officer
to sign off on that. So, we we are
losing opportunity to work with certain
reputable builders who may want to may
have ideas for Littleton uh to to to
broaden our tax base to build more
housing, but those builders
those those projects aren't coming to
Littleton because we don't have someone
to sign off on on on these projects, you
know, and also, you know, fire uh
department coordination. A building code
enforcement officer would obviously not
replace the fire chief's
responsibilities, but building and fire
codes are distinct and they overlap. So,
you know, making coordination between
the two functions would be an important
part of the of the system. Long-term
growth and community resilience.
Littleton is like I said is we're
entering a period of of growth here
which um you know is great for Little
Tim's tax base is great for hopefully uh
more housing because housing we're in
desperate need of but again right now we
don't have any mechanism to make sure
that what is being built is sustainable
for the long-term you know resilience of
Middletown looking ahead 50 years 100
years uh a professional building code
function would also prove continuity for
significant exist existing properties
like the rail trail village. Uh they've
gone through a huge renovation of that
property. The idea was you know give
them let them come in work with them on
the on that 79E
allow them to build that but we have no
oversight on what has been built there.
We don't have any idea on what is built
in there and whether it's built to code
at all. um Great River Hydro, another
example of uh where we have no mechanism
to ensure that the improvements and
upgrades that they're doing to that
property um fall within state building
code or even our own um ordinances.
You know, it's ultimately, like I said,
an issue of community resilience and
long-term stewardship. Let's look ahead,
not look ahead 5 years, 10 years, let's
look ahead 100 years and make sure these
buildings are going up. will stand the
test of time. They'll be need to be
replaced eventually, but let's make sure
that they're they're they're they're
lasting and they're not creating
problems for tenants, not creating
problems for both commercial and and
residential tenants, you know, and what
what should examine? Well, uh before
creating anything, again, this is I'm
not looking for the office to be created
tonight, but the town should determine
what building code administration and
enforcement gaps currently exist. Well,
we don't have anyone over. There's no
oversight. There's no mechanism. So,
gaps currently exist already. You know,
what is what's the town's authority and
responsibilities under New Hampshire
law? uh the volume and type of
construction and renovation that's
occurring in Littleton, what duties and
professional qualifications would be
appropriate, how the function uh would
coordinate with fire planning and zoning
and other town departments, and really,
you know, whether a full-time or
part-time or contracted or shared
regional or hybrid model would best
serve. You know, this isn't about
creating a full-time position
necessarily out of the gate. It's seeing
what needs could be met in Littleton
with this type of position. Um, from my
understanding, Bethlehem has they don't
have a full-time uh building inspector,
but they have a they have a great it's
like more of a PD type situation, but
they have a great um system there. Uh,
and I mean, they're they're smaller than
Littleton, meaning they're they're
buildout. They don't have Meadow Street
buildout. They don't have the same type
of downtown buildout we have. They don't
have Great River Hydro. They don't have
these these large properties um to to
look over. little thing does you know um
let's see here you know and so again
this what I'm asking for the select
board is is and maybe it's a work
session because again it's the same idea
of it's the board's not all here but
designating a small group you know one
select board member town manager fire
chief maybe department heads someone
from planning and zoning perhaps uh to
to get together and meet and see what
gaps exist and how we might not be
protecting the the long-term resilience
of Littleton. How we might not be
protecting the the commercial uh tenant
or the res uh residential tenant in
buildings where as it stands right now
um there could be building code
violations and we're not those aren't
being addressed because there's nobody
to address them. Um so that's kind of
you know same same idea. Just looking
for the stock board to hopefully you
know bring this up in a work session. uh
you know this this is not a it's not an
overnight type deal. This is going to
take some some uh some research and some
discussion. I know there's been previous
discussion of this and very light
discussion in the past at a couple
different public meetings. Uh but in my
talking with when I ran for select board
in talking with the residents I spoke
with they were on board with this idea
once they understood it's that the
planning board doesn't do this already.
The planning board doesn't provide a
mechanism of oversight. The you know the
zoning ordinances are there but there's
nobody making sure they're being
followed. Um under once they understood
that this isn't you know this isn't
something where oh it's my property now
I can't do anything on my property.
Well, no. What we're looking out for is
to make sure that if you're going to
make upgrades to your property, if
you're going to add buildings to your
property, that that the municipality
understands what's being done and that
it's being done in a in a way that that
um complies with state building code.
So, that's that's really what I'm hoping
that the board will do is is put this
into maybe the next work session as
something to to talk about and then go
from there.
Thank you.
>> Uh I do have one question for Troy
though. Should that position if when we
look and whenever that happens,
shouldn't that fall under planning and
zoning
when they be responsible for the zoning
officer than us?
>> Uh it can fall
towns do it different ways. Sometimes
under the fire department, sometimes
under planning and zoning. Oh, I was
just wondering if we ever got to that
point, we don't have enough people to
start overlooking every little
garage,
storage shed.
>> Yeah. I mean,
>> there's hours upon hours.
>> You'd have to adopt a building code.
>> Yeah.
>> So, you have the authority to inspect
it. Um, and there's towns that do it.
Most of the towns do it.
My observation of this town is that
everything that's been built in this
town has been built just like any other
town that has inspectors and they're
paying hundreds of thousands of dollars
for salaries and benefits, but haven't
seen any buildings falling down or any
safety concerns. So, it's everything's
money. You know,
>> it's been discussed before and certainly
it's it's it's a good point. I think at
some point you need to have particularly
for some larger commercial buildings a
code enforcement officer whether it be a
town position. I don't know
fairly reasonable to have applicants.
You have a you have a contractor and
applicants required to pay for that in
order to get a inspection certificate of
occupancy.
>> Yeah.
>> All right. Cuz it's an added value. It
cost money. All right. So, uh, and, um,
a new building, um, as opposed to a
garage has a much different level of
inspection. You may have concrete,
structural, electrical. So, I know
there's a lot of towns where it is it is
a fee or requirement that's put on a
building permit applicant. So, you're
going to have to pay for this this third
party code enforcement officer who
ultimately along with the chief signs
off certificate documents. you cannot
use the building until code enforcement
and life science is signed off on life
services. Um, so that's
that's the way to go, I think, at some
point. Um, and it should not have to
cost me money.
>> All right. For a homeowner, it's a
pretty minor cost. All right. For a
building, it's going to cost more, but
that's expected.
All right. Right? You build a new
building from scratch, a new building on
Meadow Street or a new supermarket,
whatever. That's a big building. There
may be hundreds of people in it. We
expect to be multiple inspection points,
right? So,
>> we have to bring new positions to do
that.
>> Yeah. I was just trying to figure out,
you know, if we look at it hard, how do
we look at it? Uh I happen to know
somebody who's new to town and they're
doing building inspections. They're
licensed building inspector in other
states. So there's another you want to
build a house, what's your fee?
That way we wash our hands of it, but we
know things are getting done by the
book.
>> Yeah, that's right. As long as as long
as it's required, right? There's a
certain responsibility
the town has. It's not our job to make
sure all contractors build the code. Any
reputable contractor knows the codes and
builds the code.
>> All right. But for large public
building, we do have a responsibility to
make sure that's built safely, right?
Any place where there's people are
assembling, there could be lots of
people,
>> casino, a supermarket, a hotel,
restaurant, something like that.
>> I mean, Chief Chief Miller can explain
as far as Chief just had his handle.
>> I think one of the most concerning
things is we don't issue occupancy
permits and we often run into issues
with that. buildings change use and
they're not designed for their new use
uh and we're about to run into a serious
problem with a large building in Wilton
like that uh without any building
enforcement. And there's there's uh
we've done building enforcement on one
building in town that was recently built
a large healthc care occupancy in the
state by uh plans approved by the fire
marshall's office and approved by uh uh
DHS
found that the contractor was not even
remotely building the structure to the
code.
you can imagine. Uh it wasn't that it
was being overbuilt. Um it never is. And
we asked the state to be the building
inspector for that process and they had
to spend 2 days a week here
straightening that out. That's very
common. We're dealing with a large box
store that none of the gas piping to the
RTUs was done to code.
Uh we have another one where the gas
piping was done by another building
official in another town. Uh that was
not at all done to code. and all had to
be replaced.
Uh there's no point in a speed limit
sign if there's no police department to
ever be there to just check on things
occasionally. It's just human nature. Um
Reagan had it right. Trust but verify.
Um there's there's a some steps we can
take uh to get there, but but I think an
occupancy permit uh square foot got a
thousand stories, but one that just
popped up the other day was with a
septic system design I had to sign off
on. And we had a disagreement on this
waterfront property on the number of
bedrooms. We've had it at three bedrooms
for 30 something years and it turns out
it's a four bedroomedroom unit. Uh
obviously that plays into assessing,
right?
and whether the existing
uh septic system uh was appropriate for
uh for the number of bedrooms it had and
we ultimately agreed that it had the
number of bedrooms that uh it does
actually have and we were able to
process everything. But there's just a
million things like that that that
happen in this town. Uh one it'd be one
step along the way. Uh there's some
grant opportunities. the brick grant
that we got for
is that man's hell forget I think we end
up with brick building resistant
communities uh you can you can do
building code enforcement out of that
but I think there's some small things we
could do that don't have large cost
impact
something that needs to be planned and
thought through
anybody else anything else
not my specialty But I did do a big
renovation.
>> Yeah,
>> we've got something to work with.
>> You think it might be something that
would be perhaps to address in the next
session?
>> We'll take a hard look at that.
>> Okay. All right. I appreciate that.
Thank you very much. Thanks, Chief, for
speaking up. I appreciate it.
All right. Next item is a proclamation
that was done by Carrie.
I didn't bring my rulers.
Sorry about that, Mr. Chairman.
Uh, you want me to just read it straight
out or you want to make a just read the
proclamation? Uh, proclamation by the
Littleton Select Board, Town Littleton,
direct support professionals
appreciation week from September 13th to
the 19th, 2026. Whereas direct support
professionals are essential to the
physical, mental, and emotional security
of New Hampshire citizens, living with a
disability and direct support
professionals commitment and dedication
to caring for others with disabilities
personifies the true meaning of
community. And whereas direct support
professionals, direct care workers,
personal assistants, and inhome care
providers are the primary providers of
publicly funded long-term support and
services for individuals with
disabilities in Littleton. And whereas
direct support professionals assist New
Hampshire citizens with disabilities in
leading independent lives and are
dedicated to developing close and
trusted relationships with individuals,
their families and their community to
provide a broad range of daily living
support. And whereas direct support
professionals devoted to commitment
enriches lives by enabling community
engagement of citizens impacted by
disabilities and further strengthens
communities by including people with
disabilities. And whereas 2026 m marks
19 years of celebrating direct support
professionals contributions to improving
the lives of those they support and the
communities they enrich. Now therefore,
the select board of the town of
Littleton, New Hampshire, do hereby
proclaim September 13 through 19, 2026
as Direct support Professionals
Appreciation Week.
Period.
Okay, I'll make that motion to adopt.
I'll second it. All in favor? No, it's
not your job.
Everybody raise your hand.
Everybody agreed to shut.
>> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yeah.
All right. I think next one we hear from
you.
All right.
I just got a couple quick things. Um I
know the board is in receipt of uh a
couple documents. I just wanted to
mention it for the public record. The
first one is we received correspondence
from the chairperson of the historical
society
um where they were just uh reiterating
their support to have birther stored at
the opera house. they laid out in their
correspondence which you all have a copy
of um some some importance of that uh
where they think one just make
accessible for everyone to build a view
and um and then second with just the uh
the hopes that uh it would increase foot
traffic and more you know uh people
visiting the the historical museum in
the building. So that's that we're you
know we've kept that letter in our file.
Uh also I was delivered with uh a binder
which you all I think have a copy of
now. Um it was information containing
um cpacer
um material. Uh there was it was
delivered hand delivered to me
but we're not really sure and the person
couldn't share uh who the um lead person
or contact person is with this material.
Some of you may recall that we were
asked last year by a local development
um company here that was working on the
Artemis
>> um facility. They were looking for us to
do the CPACER program and we had a
presentation and we did not act on that.
But shortly after the presentation, we
learned about the financial status of
that facility. I'm I can't make
assumptions, but I'm going, you know, I
shouldn't be making assumption. I'm
going assume that this um this effort
here is kind of tied to that facility as
as well.
>> Um
>> but we don't know that.
>> We don't know.
>> It was just anonymously dropped off.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. So, I did I did tell the uh the
individual that dropped the material off
that we really need to have a contact
person. The person should should reach
out to me. There's there's petitions
that have been signed
in this packet. Uh but the primary
petitioner is not identified. That's
that's required now. was chosen.
>> Is that an actual petition to be added
to the warrant? Um I I don't believe
this is legal because we have with the
state law now you the petitioner needs
to be identified as you know
>> right
>> we have not made that determination if
someone submits that
>> also needs to be verified by the
supervisor of checklist to make sure
that all the
>> that they're registered voters but
there's no sponsor listed which is
required by law so it's
>> appears to be invalid
>> yeah so I'll I'll seek the legal opinion
on just to make Sure. Um,
but
I'm hoping that the, you know, someone
put a lot of effort and time in putting
together this this packet. Um, it's well
done
and I'm hoping that they'll they'll
reach out to us.
>> Certainly, if they want to identify
themselves and want to present to the
board, it'd be welcome. Obviously, it's
a subject of active litigation. There's
a lot going on with that. What? Troy,
what were the dates on those signatures?
>> Recent or recent?
>> Yeah, I looked at them.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Just curious cuz I thought that
those are recent, but they have Linda
McNeel on a board.
>> Yeah, I got them on here first, but then
Yeah,
>> I think it's on the first page that they
had Linda listed as a board member.
>> 23.
>> Maybe they printed those out before.
They all seem to be obvious. They're all
reason.
>> So, can I just
>> Yes, please.
>> Um,
so this the program that they're from
what I saw
is for a that's called the CPACER
program. It's a new It's an It's a
adaptation of an old um law that the
state had, which is the goal is to help
share the cost through a debt product.
It's not a grant, but through a debt
product through a private lender to help
offset the cost of energy efficiency
projects or, you know, clean power
generation like solar or something.
Um,
by itself, I think that's a reasonable
program. I'm not sure I see the
connection between
that and what this is. Um, the two
pieces kind of go, but I I think that we
it we should look at the program at some
point
from this
>> because I mean there may be businesses
that want to use that.
>> Um,
>> because you can do a retrofit like
replace a boiler, I believe, and maybe
But but the piece that that it why it
involves us has to do with that the the
payback for the the debt product is
through your property tax bill. So
there's certain certain advantages to
that. Um and it kind of lives through
the through ownership.
>> Okay.
>> So there are things Yeah. But what I'm
saying is that there are things that we
would need to understand
more fully before we decided to make
that available cuz what what what we
would be doing is saying um through a
public hearing like we think this is a
good program and we authorize it and
then people can use it. It's kind of
like 79E right where you you have to
have somebody say the town has to say
they want it or the select board in this
case
>> and then it can be made available. But
there are
>> decide eligibility for there are other
parties that do that at the state level.
>> Okay. And who issues the debt product is
that
>> it's so has to be a private lender. It's
my understanding.
>> And who coordinates a CDFA or some other
state agency?
>> Uh business finance authority I think
has the statutory authority for the
program. So at the very least maybe
having them come and I think they came
once but it was before you and I were on
the board. So approving the just
adopting CPACER does not imply an
endorsement into any particular project.
No,
>> it just allows the developer, builder,
owner.
>> Yeah. They'd still have to go through
the whole process with their lender and
with their mortgage holder and with
everybody else um before they could get
any any sort of benefit from the
program.
But, you know, so members um of the
state that some of the folks down in
conquer that work with this program um
you know, they have offered that they
could come back up here again and and
present to the board so we all
understand it because as Taylor said, uh
this program itself is is is something
that this board might want to consider
putting in place so that as we have
existing businesses business or new
businesses. Um, this would just be one
tool that they could possibly use to
help with their project.
The town would play a role in it, but
it's very limited.
>> Yeah.
>> But I want us to understand what that is
way before, you know.
>> Yeah. The tax the revenue impacts have
got to be understood. That's that's key.
>> Exactly.
>> Is it something that requires a ballot
article or just adoption by the way? the
state um I'm not an expert on this but
this the law did change uh since the
last time this board um had the
presentation because uh a year ago the
select board would uh was required to
bring it to the annual town meeting call
a special town meeting. Um now it is
optional. We can the select board can
choose to bring it to the annual town
meeting vote or after holding a public
hearing we could adopt uh the CP pacer
district energy district.
>> Can you set an actual district or is it
townwide?
>> I don't know the answer to that. Um but
I think you can do it town
come back up um and and uh
quiz them again about the nuts and bolts
of how it works.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah. I'll coordinate that with the
state and get them off here. They've
already made contact with me and has
volunteered that they could come up and
give a presentation
whenever we want. Great. So
>> yeah, the funding and the tax evade is
something that I understand a bit more.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay, good.
>> Uh the only let's see so that was CPACE
or the historic society and the other
thing I'm just working on um tomorrow be
working with
my last day. Uh we start off early in
the morning all the way to the end of
the day meeting with all the um last
remaining departments which are the
bigger ones, police, highway, wreck,
fire. Um we'll be going over their
budgets and so that process is well
underway. We've started working uh
starting to draft some of the warrant
articles and
>> um
do you bring us weeks a snapshot a peak
under the hood at some point?
>> No, not really. Come on.
That's going to regret my words. So,
but it's it's going well. I mean, we're
we're So, it's we'll see.
>> They had one thing listed on here. Cable
franchise agreement.
>> Well, that's um I had I I got to pull
that off. That was a little neat.
>> Okay.
>> Apologize for that. Our just background
on that. Uh we the cable franchise
agreement in this town as well as many
other towns in in this area uh is I
guess you could say it's not been
renewed. It's not that it's expired. It
just stays in place until we renew the
next one. And there's an attorney that
had been working with a regional group
and Littleton was part of that that
group. Um just reached out to me a
couple weeks ago and said, you know,
this is just really stagnant. We need to
get it going again. Even though this
would probably be your last franchise
agreement because it is starting to
become
uh older technology, you know.
>> So why why is that? So is law not caught
up with that because franchise
agreements were back when you had a
monopoly and now anybody could stream
using that's
>> startling or whatever. So are they
feeling like there's there's no need to
have these agreements used to bind
providers to sometimes money for
community TV low income. Are they
essentially saying, "Look, we shouldn't
do that anymore cuz we want to compete
the same level as anyone else has."
>> I mean, the industry has just changed
regarding internet service. So, they
they find that they're I think they're
losing the actual traditional cable
subscriber and it's all going streaming.
So,
>> we don't make any money off the
streaming. And back in the day, we would
make a cable franchise fee off the
actual cable,
>> right? greater fee structure,
>> but essentially they're saying let the
market decide.
>> Yeah, that's where we're at right now.
>> Well, it kind of did.
>> Yeah,
>> which is why they're not as
>> cuz it's the same company in many cases,
right? The franchise agreement I assume
is like Spectrum,
>> right?
>> Right. So, it's they're they're the
major,
>> you know, internet provider now, too. So
it's easy.
>> So it's it's something, you know, I
think it it's probably in the best
interest of the town that we look into
trying to get uh an agreement in place,
an up-to-date modern agreement and
understanding
that it probably would be the last
agreement and by the end of it, it will
just be ancient,
never being renewed again. the the
difference being that they own well or
maybe they own assets physical assets
like a utility while a direct TV or
Starlink it's just using
>> satellite bandwidth right so that is
still a difference they own wires they
have wires they have attachments on
poles
>> all right it's a little bit different
than the other providers
>> well and don't forget like to some
>> we put up all the broadband and the
fiber and that's a different company. I
>> was going to say is that under the whole
cable thing cuz that's a different kind
of cable.
>> It's is a different Well,
>> that was that was just internet, not TV.
>> Well, same thing now.
>> Well, they're not regulated because it's
just internet. It's not
>> That's right. You can get internet only
internet and content, right? Or anybody
just have internet and use whatever you
want, right?
>> But some people still use cable and
that's going to still exist. I mean, and
it does because I think a lot of
internet traffic in Littleton still
travels over uh the coax type, you know,
and and with the fiber there though,
that's an addition that is now a
competitor to that. So, it takes away
some of the monopoly arguments, I think,
and why we had the franchise agreements
originally,
>> right? But but they do have physical
wires on poles
>> that their competitors do not. It's a
little bit different.
>> It may not matter anymore. The
broadband's on satellite.
>> The broadband's on the poles.
>> Yeah.
>> But the uh Yeah. satellite's not
obviously.
>> Interesting. Okay. Going away at phone
booth and uh
>> yeah
booth.
>> What's that?
>> It's going way back.
>> Hard to tell my kids what a phone booth
was.
>> They're selling for big money now if you
can find one.
You're afraid to toss anything in a
phone booth. All
right. Select board reports. Anybody
want to share?
I think your mind mentioned there's a
joint planning board zoning board
meeting tomorrow here I think at 5:30 to
consider I think potential amendments to
zoning rules to put on the ballot. Uh
and I'm going to plan to attend just to
listen
>> not not to uh
not to make fun of uh Taylor or
something like that.
>> Yeah. fun.
>> We had a series of talking about last
year. They kind of didn't go that well.
Hopefully, they're going to do it better
this time. And not that I'm in there to
oversee that. I just want to get a a
little bit of a preview as to what
they're considering.
So, and Taylor may be there. It's I
think it's actually you never know.
>> Mystery mystery board member may or may
not arrive.
I don't know if the planning board is a
host or zoning board.
>> It's a regular planning board meeting.
So,
I'm planning to do that. That's all I
have.
I got a little something.
>> All right. Um, put your glasses back on,
>> Paul. I got a little something
comment. What was that?
>> I got a little something. Oh, I'm sorry.
No worries.
>> Um, well, it doesn't it's not having to
do with town stuff, but it does have to
do with town stuff. So, um, way back in
2011, I started the gathering of the
jacko'lanterns and, um, we're working on
it again this year. Uh, so we started
working on it and, uh, have reached out
and working with, uh, Riley at, uh,
parks and wreck and cultural and then
also pairing up with friends of Remic
Park as a nonprofit. Uh so
uh it's going to be a doozy. Uh this
year it's on Halloween. Uh so not
realizing the total headache I was
giving both chiefs, but sorry guys
meeting
along on it and uh uh we will have to go
through the whole uh um event permit
process also. So, um, but just giving
everybody a little bit of a heads up,
uh, praying for good weather and, uh,
and, uh, hoping a lot of it's dependent
upon, uh, whether the Riverfront Commons
project gets started as far as exact
placement. So, we have alternative plans
to be able to adapt.
>> How many people do we usually see at
that?
>> 2500 to 3,000.
>> Wow. A lot. 800 trick-or-treaters on
Main Street. That's a lot of seven.
>> Good thing we have world's largest candy
can
open buffet down.
What we do do is uh so um I do raise
money through sponsorship dollars uh to
help pay for the event. So it doesn't
cost taxpayers anything. We don't ask
for a warrant article. We've never done
that. Uh but we actually had usually end
up raising more money than actually is
needed for the event. So we do actually
help out the uh retailers on Main Street
because it's a you know, all right, 50
kids come looking for candy. It's not
big of a deal, but 800 kids come looking
for candy and price of candy hasn't gone
down. So, uh, so we actually help out,
uh, buying a substantial amount of, uh,
candy and distributing it to the
merchants.
>> Uh, and they can also bow out if they
don't want to have trick-or-treating.
They we give them
>> turn lights off.
>> We give them a little skull cross.
>> Uh, so it's, you know, there's going to
be a carving party uh, combination with
police and fire department hopefully
working on. So, from what we're saying,
>> and we'll end up with hopefully
somewhere around 750 lit jack lanterns
on the Riverwalk and the bridge and
planning on trying to get more on this
side of the river, too, this year. So,
so little bit of work.
>> Very nice. It's going to be cool.
>> That's what I got.
>> Nice.
All right. Um,
you'd like to be first?
Whatever.
Go ahead.
>> My name is Dan Edward and I've lived on
Broomstick since 1981
and I'm just here to find out what the
painting
uh schedule is for Broomstick Hill Road
and the uh Men's Hill Road.
uh
that portion of broomstick that's paved.
I think in all the years, I don't think
it's ever been worse than it is
currently.
And I'm just wondering what the schedule
is.
>> My boss is right there. I saw I saw
activity out there just today.
>> Yeah, they cut the I was just going to
ask him how we stood on things going on
in town, but Eric, do you want to feel
this? There's
>> something going on. Um, so yeah, we we
definitely one of the things that uh
when I started
that was one of the roads that I noticed
right off the bat. I think I saw like
wood in the road like actually embedded
in the road. Um and
>> we talked about it uh for this season
and with the prices and stuff that was
happening uh with the price escal
escalation with diesel fuel and uh
liquid asphalt
uh it's been moved. Uh the biggest
question is
what do we do with the length of it? We
need to the base needs to be fixed and
then it needs to be repaved. Um so
that's it is definitely on our radar. I
would say more than likely next year. Uh
but
when you do see something there, it's
going to be fixed correctly.
Unfortunately, right now that's that's
the biggest problem is time and money.
this season
>> are black top prices I'm sorry black top
prices really elevated cuz oil cost
right now or no
>> so when we when when we when they bid in
April or when we opened bids in April
liquid asphalt was at $642
a gallon right now it's at $717
so that's been added on to our cost
along with the diesel fuel prices I
don't remember the exact numbers for
diesel fuel but that's that's gone up as
And Eric, you talking about broomstick
itself? You're not talking about man's
hill man.
>> Just the broomstick from the corner to
the doctor past to the doctor's house.
Correct.
>> Yep.
>> Because I I mentioned an overlay and
speaking with Ralph Lucas and Keith
Reinhardt. Um we need to address the
base as well. It the long term is better
than the short term. And I and I agree
with that philosophy
>> for sure. I think uh
well that portion hasn't been done in
anything to that tired portion in 20
years which is kind of a disgrace for a
town like this that is now being seen
uh which it hadn't been for a long time
and now we're I think Pleasant Street
many of Mansill Road are a disgrace for
this town. They really are. and maybe
put some new culvers in. The sand has
decreased. They're terrible now as well.
>> That'll be that that will be addressed
this year with the
>> where the new co that's why the new cos
were put in
>> but we've I think done a a peacemeal job
on the hill road for a long time
>> for a long time.
>> The newest section on it is peeling off
now because it was done incorrectly.
So, uh, I knew I know things are
expensive,
but this town has lousy roads
all over.
>> Yes.
>> And a lot of it has to do with
>> We're getting a lot of focus now, but
people that come here see the roads,
they're driving them.
>> Mhm.
>> And Mansill Road is just a disgrace. So
we have we also have uh the Palmer Brook
crossing
Mansill bridge project that is in
process. Uh once that comes in that
lower section will be addressed this
year. We're starting at Cardinal Lane
and going up overpass where you've seen
the coverts up to is it bear paw beer
path.
>> That's being addressed.
when hopefully we have shovels on the in
the dirt by the end of next season with
the Man's Hill Bridge/Pmer
Brook crossing
that's raising the road that's new
asphalt that's going down there and then
we can address that and tie in from
Cardinal Lane down to there and I
understand absolutely where you're
coming from. It's just one step, one
foot in front of the other and trying to
address something like you said has been
I'm not going to say neglected, but it
just didn't get done in the past for
whatever reason there was.
>> Well, I think there's a great deal more
traffic now than there is previous
years. More housing, more people using
the road.
>> So, we have grant money for the bridge
work, right? and and it wouldn't make
sense to do any paving down there
because that bridge the whole road has
been raised up to support higher flood
levels.
>> Y
>> so that's going to change the approach
to that bridge and of course the paving
job that goes with it.
>> Right. But we have grant money that I
think we accepted
>> yes
>> a month or so ago and that is going to
go to bid and then will work does it get
designed first? Would actual work get
done next year? Is it first engineering
then be 28?
It all dep it'll all depend on the
schedule. We've got permitting that has
to happen and we have design that has to
happen. So, we addressed money last uh
voting to keep this project moving
forward and that money is going towards
permitting so that we can move on to
design or get both of them rolling at
the same time. The goal would be to get
bids out as early as we possibly could
next year so that we could at least
start prepping at the end of 27 for 28.
>> Okay.
>> You know, kind.
>> So 27 start, 28 finish.
>> Y
>> um
>> well the cycle you you've been here
since 1981. So now it's getting back
cycle
every 50 years. Whether
>> every 50 years guarantee will redo our
>> Where's all of our road money going now?
>> Where's all of it going?
>> Yeah.
>> Cottage Street.
>> No, that's state.
>> That's That's state and us. 80% state,
20% US.
>> There's some work in the industrial
park. There's some
>> industrial park railroad street. Uh
water was finished this year. That's
been completely done the last few years.
Mount Eustus.
>> Yep. Well, there's been some work coming
out. You just had some parts that really
needed the two coming apart.
>> The need is we have we have more than we
have money. I mean, that's
the
>> No question. All right. There's no
question.
>> But the goal has been Troy's talked
about this.
You try and potentially get out of the
mode of always being so far behind at
the road that you're just so bad cuz it
gets more costly. You'd rather get on a
regular schedule where you top coat it.
You grind and top coat it than have to
rebuild it. Uh cuz you're going to take
some time and more money.
>> The one thing I'm definitely avoiding
more road each year.
>> You know, we're not burying structures.
We're raising structures. We're we if
the road base needs to be addressed,
we're going to address the base. That
cuts down on the amount of material of
road that we can repair just because of
time and schedule and money. But if
we're going to do something, we're going
to do it right moving forward. Um that's
just I think the approach we got to take
until we can
catch up. But it there's
there's many many many streets that are
in the same same type of issue. And we
are we are working uh with North Country
Council right now to do a road
assessment so that they're going to give
us scores on our roads
visual uh not visually but mentally. I
have scores. I want to see what their
scores are and that'll be used when we
forecast paving. So hopefully we have
that report by the end of the year. Once
we get that, I can apply that to next
year. Um I'll meet with Troy, uh my
operations for Ralph Lucas, Keith
Reinhardt, and together we'll try to
come up with a plan that actually over
the next 5 to 6 years see substantial
improvement.
>> It would be better if they tore up the
tired portion of Broomstick. It's that
bad. I had I had mentioned that
>> road is
>> and what what was mentioned is that we
don't want to go backwards but I didn't
see this going backwards if we address
the base
>> and then we can pivot the next year
>> 20 years it's been
more than
>> and Dan I'm telling you deferred
maintenance is becoming quickly the
theme of this of this board right now in
this town there's so much deferred
maintenance that we're being forced to
deal with
>> that's not just this road in this Now
I'm surprised full of publicity we're
getting because it really
>> roads water treatment plant pool you
know I mean all these things that are
are just constantly like coming back on
us right now because for so many years
it was like well let's you know we'll
just let it go. So I think Eric's doing
a great job at making sure that when
we're doing it we're doing it so it'll
last more. It'll be better this time. I
mean, you know, man still gets chewed up
every winter cuz everyone's going up
and, you know, you get a little saw in
the road and you got to gun it a little
bit right at that spot in front of the
house. It's like off it goes. So, um I I
agree with you. I think that there's a
lot of infrastructure that we're working
our way through here. There's a limited
pool of money. We got a lot of
priorities right now. Um, but man, I
mean, all of us sit here every meeting
talking about some other thing that
we've got to now deal with because it's
just been deferred for so long.
>> Well, this fellow talked about
didn't didn't mention the treatment
plant, but what happened to us there?
>> Yeah, right. I mentioned that. That's
>> so This is one area that might have
stopped some of that. Now, we got this
huge bill for the treatment,
>> right? I agree. then that's and but
we're working through it as best that we
can and I think we'll get that treatment
plant done and we'll get these roads
fixed up over a little bit of time. But
I I truly believe the board has its eyes
open now and we're looking at all those
things in this town that need attention.
Buildings, roads, you name it. Waste
treatment plants. We're paying attention
to everything so we don't wind up like
we did.
>> Yeah. We uh somebody mentioned here
tonight that we bought an office
building down for the town.
>> Mhm.
>> Where is that?
>> The old telephone building on Pleasant
Street right down the bottom right next
to Lisbon, but maybe broadcast when
we're not here, but uh
>> it was a warrant article as I recall.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you. All right. Just a reminder,
we got little time left. Three minutes.
If you're a resident,
>> I didn't see you. I didn't see you.
Um, so I just, so past couple of years,
I spent amount of time on the Riverwalk
walking along there, a couple times a
day, um, across the volunteer bridge.
And some I noticed starting last year
was, so there's three different issues I
kind of see happening. And there's no
I'm not sure if it's a matter of putting
signs up because people just don't read
signs or it's a matter of people not
understanding the local ordinances
versus state law and federal law and
things. But one aspect that along riverw
walk is uh dogs off the leashes. Now, we
have an ordinance of uh chapter 3 that
deals with that directly or three or
five, but um it's if people aren't aware
of it, cuz there's no signage. And
again, I know people ignore signs, but
if people aren't aware of it, I'm
consistently
being accosted by dogs and telling
people you got to have your dog on a
leash. There's there's that part of the
Riverwalk where there's water, you
access right to the water. Kids play
down there. There's actually a fox that
lives down there. There's uh weasels
live down there. So there's wildlife
that lives down there and calls it a
home, but dogs just come barreling
through to get access to the water. And
I mean, we have an ordinance that
specifically states that that's not to
happen. Um so I that's one aspect I'd
like to see because it's growing. I saw
it last year, my first year down there.
Now I'm seeing it more this year.
Another aspect is public drinking. So
last year on the volunteer bridge, it
was just one individual that was
drinking on the bridge and he did a
pretty good job of hiding it. Um this
year we have multiple individuals
drinking openly on the bridge. I saw one
guy riding by on his bike and he had his
beer right on right no brown bag and
nothing just sitting 24- oz can on his
bike. It was parked and he was talking
to people on the bridge. Today I crossed
it and there was someone brown bagging
it and he left the brown bag just
sitting on the railing. It's obvious
what he has. So there's no it's a
growing problem now. It's it's it's not
just and it's not going to go away
because we don't have any foot patrols
happening currently that that I've ever
seen except for special events there.
The the police aren't crossing over the
the volunteer bridge and walking along
the riverwalk. Now they can't be there
all times of the day. So, it's not like
you can have an officer or two there all
the time, but there's no deterrent
currently. And if the problem increased
from last year of one individual to at
least four, I can tell this year, it's
not going to go away because it's being
accepted. And they're if if one's doing
it, then someone else is going to do it.
And then and it's not just it's I see
tourists. Well, I'm guessing they're
tourists. They come down to buy beer up
at some places up on the downtown and
they they come down the bridge and they
just figure well pop open a can here. So
it's not just one demographic of
individuals. It's it's all across the
board. Same with that one spot down the
riverwalk. People this year are openly
drinking cans of alcohol. And the last
thing is drug use. It it it occurred
last year in the Riverwalk and it's
occurring this year in the Riverwalk.
So, I I you know, putting up a sign that
says don't do drugs is that's
ridiculous, but you know what I mean?
Like, but I I'd like to see and I don't
know what tax burden that creates, but
I'd like to see maybe some signs or
signs regarding dogs, but maybe some
signs regarding no drinking. But I think
we need some some oversight so that I
mean we're coming to the end of a season
now, but so that maybe next year it
doesn't grow even more, you know, and
then then it becomes a public safety
issue even more because maybe people are
intoxicated and because they've been
allowed to drink all day long without
any checks and balances. So, it's
something I just wanted to I kind of
kept quiet last year and then I saw it
grow worse this year and um I know
there's a lot of kids that play down
there. There's a lot of families that
come here to Littleton. Um they may go
to a restaurant to drink, but they
certainly don't we shouldn't have public
drinking and it's so open. So, anyway,
that's I don't want to take too much
time, but I just would like to see
something whatever that might be, you
know, some shift next year in the way
that that area is is is handled. way
they'll change with Riverfront common to
get it all all changed around. I'd like
to see some some shift in that and some
oversight and and in a greater public
safety presence on that. So thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Uh anybody else have anything they'd
like to share? All right. Um
and I guess I'm going to look for a
tournament from somebody
movement.
Wait, what is that?
Did you want to talk about your grant?
>> Yes. Thank you. Sorry about that.
>> I apologize.
Okay. And uh you'll be seeing more about
this, but I was just down with the
Franconia select board and we'll be
entering in contract negotiations for
EMS services with Franconius in Sugar
Hill. Um, and as part of that, we've
applied for and received a planning
grant through the rural transform of
healthcare grant process for $40,000. to
uh for a twofold part. One to help the
um
uh town determine the uh actual cost for
providing the services including all
overhead administrative type support
capital so on and so forth in a manner
that's uh defensible and can be
replicated across other communities in
New Hampshire. And then the second part
of that is more of um a look at what
regionalization of those services may
look like uh and how some community
discussion about it and uh what
processes exist for that.
So, since it's more than $10,000, at
your next meeting, most likely there'll
be a public hearing for you to ask
questions and officially approved the
funds.
>> Okay.
>> All right. Nice.
>> I saw a hand come up. Don't want to
short anybody else. All right. He made a
motion. Anybody want to second? I'll
second it. All in favor? All right. All
right.
Heat.
Heat.