Items of Note for Monday’s, October 15th City Council Meeting:
Public hearings on four items related to the Police Department receiving grant funds from the Department of Justice, NH Highway Safety Agency, and Granite United Way for a total of $132,805 for law-enforcement programs, outreach initiatives, training, and expense repayment.
Report lists three options for the Beaver Meadow Golf Clubhouse: renovation for a cost of $5.24 Million, renovate with an addition that expands the footprint from 4400 to 9525 sq ft for $8.07 Million, and build a new facility for $8.05 Million. This is separate from the $900,000 approved previously to fix the parking lot. None of the options includes any fundraising efforts, grants, or donations.
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Review, 7pm on October 21st, Council Chambers. This will be an overview of the CIP Budget and CIP out-years project prioritization. This is a public meeting, but there will be no public hearing. What do you think should be a priority?
Connect with me at these events:
Tree Subcommittee meeting, October 18, 8 am, Council Chambers, 37 Green Street
I-93 Widening Public Information Meeting by NHDOT, October 24, 6-8pm at Heights Community Center, 14 Canterbury Rd
October 26: group hike at Batchelder Mill Trails, 9am. Meet at the gate just past Mill Brook School. (This is the forest that would be cleared for the proposed middle school.) After the hike, head to the Bow Memorial School for the free NH Energy Expo from 9am-2pm and learn how to reduce energy costs and use renewable and energy-efficient technologies. Attend free educational workshops, check out electric cars, and enter for door prizes donated by the exhibitors.
Bulk leaf collection begins on October 28th. This year, crews will start at the Bow town line and move north. Streets in yellow will be picked up on Nov. 11th.
New information regarding the Middle School Project:
Nobis Engineering confirmed more than 29 acres of trees at the Broken Ground location will need to be cleared for electrical access, long, two-lane driveways, 198 parking spaces, a 203,000 sq ft school, and playing fields. Unlike at Rundlett, there are no fields within walking distance of the proposed location.
Currently, 23% of middle school students live within a safe walking distance of Rundlett (1.5 miles), compared to only 3% who could safely walk to the proposed location at Broken Ground (one mile).
Plans will be presented and a public hearing will be held at the Planning Board on December 18th. The City will provide an analysis of the plans at that time.
Make your plans now to vote on Tuesday, November 5th, at Christa McAuliffe School. Polls will be open from 7am-7pm.
Did you know that according to state law RSA 674:54, the School Board is not required to abide by local land use regulations the same way a developer is? All other municipalities in NH maintain some control by requiring voter or City government approval for bonding. Concord School District is an outlier as the only NH municipality with full autonomy. They can legally ignore all City and Planning Board recommendations, public comments, and our Climate Action Plan.
Two amendments on the ballot empower Concord voters: one requires a simple majority of voters to approve a school relocation, the second requires a simple majority of voters to approve the sale of school property larger than one acre.
Scenes from Ward 5: New England Half Marathon, 6 miles out of 13.1
Join me Sunday, October 20th, for the Delta Dental New England Half Marathon. Six miles out of the 13.1 is in Ward 5! Only in-bound traffic to Concord will be open during the race.
You're in Ward 5 shortly after Beech Hill Road. During the next six miles: you'll pass SHARA Vineyards, two of Concord's largest employers, St. Paul's School and Concord Hospital; catch your breath among the trees along the Langley Trail; curl by Bishop Brady High School; lean downhill on historical Auburn Street; and wind along the west side of White Park.
You leave Ward 5 when you cross Franklin Street, but you are only 2.5 miles from the finish on Capitol Street just past the Christa McAuliffe statue.
Books I am reading: The Great Good place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community by Ray Oldenburg. Available at the Concord Public Library.
Comments