Selectmen's Update - April 22, 2024

Selectmen’s Update April 22, 2024

The Selectmen spent the work session reviewing/discussion applications for property tax credits and exemptions:

Seven Veteran’s Tax Credit applications were received, all of which were approved.
Ten Solar System Exemption applications were received, all of which were approved.
Three Elderly Exemption applications were received, all of which were approved.
Four applications for Discretionary Barn Easements were received. The Board accepted the applications and have scheduled public hearings for the proposed easements for Monday, May 20^th beginning at 5 PM at the Sandwich Town Hall. Proposals were received for:
- Map 408 Lot 51 (Gurien)
- Map 239 Lot 17 (Wardwell)
- Map 234 Lot 20 (Fleischmann Rev. Trust)
- Map 102 Lot 47 (Samwich, LLC)

As a reminder, the town has adopted several property tax credits and exemptions. Eligibility criteria and available credits/exemptions have changed in recent years. The most up to date information can be found by reaching out to the Selectmen’s Office or on our website here.

In other business, the Board reviewed/approved several items:

Ginger Heard was approved for reappointment to the Historic District Commission.
The Board approved a raffle permit for the Community Church of Sandwich’s Old Home Week raffle. Raffle permits can be found here.
A timber tax warrant for $2,238.78 was approved.
Accounts Payable and payroll manifests were approved.

The Board also discussed resident requests to accommodate recording of Selectmen’s meetings. The Board is eager to improve access to meetings and is considering such proposal for the future, however town hall staff as well as board/committee members are currently learning how to use (and at times troubleshoot) the town’s newly implemented video/audio systems. The Board wishes to ensure seamless operation prior to adoption of additional technology/systems.

In the regular meeting, the Board discussed the upcoming Police Chief transition due to Chief Varney’s retirement from full-time service effective May 30^th. The Board convened a group of residents with relevant experience to discuss the transition process. Based upon feedback from these residents, other members of the public and Chief Varney’s recommendation, the Board opted not to conduct a candidate search and unanimously approved the promotion of Sergeant Karl Koch to Police Chief effective upon Chief Varney’s retirement. The Board appreciates Sergeant Koch’s eagerness to serve the town in this capacity and looks forward to supporting him during this transition.

Members of the public with a variety of name suggestions attended the meeting to discuss a proposal to rename Eastman Cove. The Board recently received a request from the Bureau of Geographic Names (BGN) regarding the proposal. Much discussion ensued regarding the lack of community support for the name Eastman Cove. Several alternative names have been proposed with the BGN currently considering the proposed name of Senskwa Cove. The Board agreed to abstain from commenting on the proposal as many other experts and organizations have already weighed in on the matter; the Board agreed the scope of the name change is outside of their expertise and purview.

The Board accepted a $500 donation from MCB variety d/b/a The Village Station to support Remick Park Revitalization efforts. We greatly appreciate the support!

We are looking forward to improving this important community asset and thank the taxpayers and Quimby Fund who have also invested in the project to date. Individuals and/or businesses interested in supporting the project can reach out to Parks & Rec Director Ole Anderson at parksandrec@sandwichnh.org.

Members of the public in attendance discussed the town hall clock’s disrepair with the Board. Attendees were interested in brainstorming ways to improve access to the clock to allow for appropriate assessment of the issues and easier maintenance in the future. The Board will continue researching options that do not put the town in a liable position, but we appreciate the enthusiasm of our town volunteers!

The Board will reconvene on May 6^th for a work session and regular meeting. An abbreviated special session will be held on Monday April 29^th to discuss police personnel only. The Board seeks to maintain a bi-weekly meeting schedule throughout the summer unless circumstances require special meetings. As always, please check our calendar here for the latest information. Note that meetings/events on the calendar several weeks away may be subject to change, however we seek to make the updates as soon as possible.