| Local Budgets/Economy/News
Voters Cautious About Stimulus Dollars (NHPR, Jon Greenberg)
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There might be millions of federal stimulus dollars running around but residents in one town weren't ready to count those chickens before they hatch. I'm Jon Greenberg with this town meeting minute. The people of Marlborough met last night in the school gym. The big item on the warrant was a bond just shy of one million dollars to replace the town's drinking water supply. The selectmen made no secret that they've already taken steps to get some of the bill paid by Washington. But while stimulus money came up in debate, it wasn't center stage.
'No' votes echo in hollow economy (Concord Monitor, multiple staff)
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The terrible economy was no doubt on the minds of voters yesterday, as they said no to teachers contracts, budgets and big-ticket projects in communities across the region.
John Stark Regional School District voters rejected a $13.5 million operating budget by a wide margin. Weare voters rejected their school budget, town budget, teachers contract and a $1.25 million highway garage. Gilford said no to a $1.6 million police station. Deerfield rejected its school budget. Allenstown declined to improve its sewer system - and rejected town and school budgets and a raise for teachers' aides. Kearsarge voters picked the smaller of two school budget proposals.
Town Meeting 2009: People had their eyes focused on the bottom line (Citizen, Gail Ober)
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A police chief became a road agent, a land surveyor became a police chief and the Gilford police will stay where they are, said the people in Tuesday's municipal elections. In a day where the weather cooperated but voters chose to mostly stay home, the ones who did vote largely held on to their wallets and voted down a new police station in Gilford and a municipal building overhaul plan in Alton.
Town Meeting results: Alton (Citizen)
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The town of Alton will have two new selectmen join the town offices come next week.
See also: Alton election tally
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Amherst says no to town, yes to schools (Telegraph)
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Andover: 'Lean' budget is quickly approved (Concord Monitor)
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Andover residents moved quickly last night to pass a "lean, meaningful budget," in the words of budget committee Chairman Edwin Hiller.
Town Meeting results: Ashland (Citizen)
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Ashland voters rejected a proposed $6. 3 million municipal budget resulting in a default budget being adopted of $6,138,379 under the terms of SB2.
See also: Ashland election tally
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Barnstead election tally
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Town Meeting results: BARRINGTON (Fosters)
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BARRINGTON - Voters chose to save money during Tuesday's town elections by voting against a number of warrant articles that would increase the town and school budgets.
Town Meeting results: Belmont (Citizen)
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By a significant margin, voters elected longtime municipal volunteer David F. Morse to the Board of Selectmen.
See also: Belmont voters pass $6.4 million budget by a 2-to-1 margin
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See also: Belmont election tally
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Boscawen: Selectman and town clerk ousted (Concord Monitor)
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Chairs were in short supply for the hundreds of Boscawen voters who packed town hall last night. In just over 30 minutes, they passed all 17 articles on the warrant, including the $2.9 million operating budget.
Appointed selectman is elected (Telegraph)
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BROOKLINE - Incumbent Selectman Jesse "Tad" Putney won a three-way race Tuesday for a three-year seat on the Board of Selectmen, winning 362 votes to 292 for William Batte Jr. and 77 for newcomer John Carr. Putney was appointed to the board last year to finish out the term of the late Bill Owens, who had resigned due to health problems.
Dunbarton: 'Getting-along' budget passes (Concord Monitor)
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In the words of Selectman Leslie Hammond, Dunbarton voters passed a "getting-along-as-best-we-can budget" of just more than $1.9 million, which met the board's goal of spending at least 5.4 percent less than last year.
Town Meeting results: Center Harbor (Citizen)
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Articles for the replacement of a Red Listed bridge and money toward the funds for a new salt shed and a new public safety building were approved by Center Harbor voters, though many expressed trepidation over some spending proposals.
See also: Center Harbor election tally
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Town Meeting results: DURHAM (Fosters)
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DURHAM - Incumbents Neil Niman, Diana Carroll and Robin Mower all won seats on the Town Council during town balloting on Tuesday. Carroll led the pack with 825 votes, followed by Mower and Niman with 791 and 724 votes, respectively.
Town Meeting results: FARMINGTON (Fosters)
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FARMINGTON - In an eight-way race for two seats on the Board of Selectmen, the successful candidates were Charlie King, with 323 votes, and incumbent Jerry McCarthy, seeking another three-year term, with 275 votes. Bill Tsiros came in third, with 235 votes, and the rest of the field is as follows - Ann Titus (148), Cindy Snowdon (105), Joe Pitre (62), Tim Moody (61) and Paul Parker (58).
Gilford election tally
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Town Meeting results: Gilmanton (Citizen)
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There were few surprises in the annual town election Tuesday as voters re-elected the municipal road agent and incumbents to the budget committee and Board of Selectmen.
See also: Burns elected tax collector in only contest on Center Harbor ballot
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See also: Gilmanton election tally
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Town Meeting results: GREENLAND (Fosters)
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GREENLAND - A zoning ordinance change paving the way for residential wind turbines was among the items approved by voters during Tuesday's official town balloting. Voters approved all of the 15 zoning amendments proposed on this year's ballot and re-elected all but one incumbent seeking to regain town office.
Hebron election tally
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Hollis selectman easily captures seat (Telegraph)
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Hillsboro: Town hall renovation turned down (Concord Monitor)
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As in many other communities, voters in Hillsboro were in no mood to spend money at the annual town meeting last night.
Hopkinton: Selectmen slice budget by $80,000 (Concord Monitor)
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Department heads in Hopkinton may be forced to revisit requests for next year, after selectmen scratched nearly $80,000 from the town's $5.5 million operating budget going before voters Saturday.
Hudson voters nix plan to fund Kindergarten (Telegraph)
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Town Meeting results: Inter-Lakes School District (Citizen)
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Voters in the Inter-Lakes School District, which includes the towns of Meredith, Center Harbor and Sandwich, defeated SB2.
Lebanon School Bond Fails (Valley News)
http://www.vnews.com/03112009/...
Lebanon -- A proposed $24.9 million bond issue to build a new middle school fell 39 votes short of the 60 percent needed for approval yesterday.
Town Meeting results:LEE (Fosters)
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LEE - All five warrant articles were passed and a selectman was re-elected Tuesday during annual Town Meeting balloting. Frank Reinhold Jr., the owner of Flag Hill Winery, retained his seat on the Board of Selectmen for a second term with 352 votes. Dwight Barney received 80 votes.
Litchfield voters not in spending mood Tuesday (Telegraph)
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Lyndeborough:Voters reject adding kindergarten space (Telegraph)
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Lyndeborough voters failed to add two rooms to Central School for the new public kindergarten, meaning the pupils will either be taught in leased space or sent to another district in the fall on a tuition basis. The proposed $990,000 addition got majority support, 236-210, but fell far short of the 60 percent needed for bond items to pass.
See also: Retired nurse wins school board seat
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Town Meeting results:MADBURY (Fosters)
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MADBURY - Residents easily approved two Planning Board articles during the balloting portion of Town Meeting Tuesday night. Article 2, which asked to add the zoning ordinance "Flood Hazard Area Overlay District," in order to bring the town into compliance with federal requirements for participation in flood insurance programs, passed by a vote of 168-19.
See also: No quick meeting for Madbury this year
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Town Meeting results: Meredith (Citizen)
Meredith SB2 initiatives fail to get necessary majority to pass
Petitioned warrant articles asking voters to switch to an SB2 form of government, in which votes at town meeting are replaced by a deliberative session and ballot voting, did not receive the necessary 60 percent of votes in favor and were defeated in both the town and the Inter-Lakes School District.
Town Meeting results:MIDDLETON (Fosters)
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MIDDLETON - The school district budget was voted down Tuesday and officials must sort out a multifaceted tie for two positions on the town's budget committee. Even though there were five contested at-large positions for the budget committee, Alan Caplette was the only name on the ballot for one of the two three-year positions. As a result, a slew of residents became write-in candidates, but it is unclear who is willing to serve on the board at this time.
Town Meeting results:MILTON (Fosters)
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MILTON - Voters denied the Milton Fire Department new facilities at the polls on Tuesday by a vote of 415 to 550. Fire Chief Andy Lucier was not surprised. "You look at today's economy and pretty much everything with a dollar figure failed," he said. "We're still going to provide the quality service we always have. The need's not going to go away."
Town Meeting results:NEW DURHAM (Fosters)
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NEW DURHAM - The $67 million bond to repair the Kingswood School Complex passed and Terry Jarvis was elected as selectman, but the Town Center District ended up a dead tie Tuesday. Despite concerns that Gov. John Lynch's proposed state budget does not include the 75 percent reimbursement for vocational school projects, residents across the Gov. Wentworth Regional School District voted 2,954 to 999 in favor of Article 2, which needed at least 2,372 votes to meet a three-fifths majority.
Town Meeting results: New Hampton (Citizen)
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The race for a three-year term as selectman in New Hampton was uncontested and the only name on the ballot, Paul J. Tierney, won with 281 votes.
See also: $2.16 million budget narrowly passes in New Hampton
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See also: New Hampton election tally
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Town Meeting results: Moultonborough (Citizen)
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Town and school district voters in Moultonborough soundly defeated articles to adopt the Official Ballot Act which would change the town meeting form of government.
See also: Moultonborough election tally
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Town Meeting results:NEWINGTON (Fosters)
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NEWINGTON - Newcomer David Mueller won a spot on the School Board in one of the town's only contested races Tuesday. With 89 votes, Mueller beat out Alan Thompson, who received 50 votes, for the three-year position. The 43 year-old logistics manager for Asian Atlantic Industries in Stratham is currently the chairman of the Newington School Supporters and has lived in town for nearly 12 years. He is married with three children, two of which are enrolled in the local school system.
Town Meeting results:NEWMARKET (Fosters)
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NEWMARKET - Voters approved all four warrant articles involving the school budget Tuesday, including a $14.2 million operating budget for the school district. The proposed budget of $14,270,987, which was the same as last year's approved budget, passed by a vote of 298- 50.
Town Meeting results: Northfield (Citizen)
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James Knowlton beat incumbent Glen Brown to win a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen.
See also: Northfield election tally
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Town Meeting results:NORTHWOOD (Fosters)
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NORTHWOOD - A one-vote margin in the race for Board of Selectmen in Tuesday's election will require a recount on Thursday, while voters re-elected three incumbents and one newcomer to the budget committee. Current Selectmen Chair Kenneth M. Curley, seeking his second term, and Budget Committee Vice Chair Bob Holden, battled for the one open seat for a three-year term as selectman. Holden received one more vote than Curley Tuesday night, 204-203. A recount will be held Thursday to determine the winner.
Town Meeting results:OYSTER RIVER SCHOOL BOARD (Fosters)
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DURHAM - Three new faces will be joining the Oyster River Cooperative District School Board. Jocelyn O'Quinn defeated Edward Valena and James Gard to earn the Durham seat on the School Board. O'Quinn received 966 votes to Valena and Gard's 841 and 120 votes, respectively.
Town Meeting results: Plymouth (Citizen)
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A measure that would have had the town going to an SB2 format for its yearly meeting failed to garner the required 60 percent of votes and did not pass.
See also: Plymouth election tally
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Town Meeting results:ROLLINSFORD (Fosters)
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ROLLINSFORD - With a record 532 voters turning out for Tuesday's ballot elections of the 2,027 registered voters, the town saw some dramatic changes in its elected officials. Replacing longtime fire chief Harry Knowles will be Mike Spinney, elected to the one-year position with 321 votes over opponent Dennis Burke's 189 votes.
Salisbury: Residents resist the idea of online records (Concord Monitor)
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Fearing a breach in security and privacy at a time when identity theft has crept deeper into mainstream crime, Salisbury residents rejected the chance to download town property cards during town meeting last night.
Town Meeting results: Sandwich (Citizen)
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He has served on the judge's bench and at the helm of Sandwich's planning board. Now Willard "Bud" Martin is preparing to take a seat on Sandwich's board of selectmen to further serve the town that has been his home for two decades.
See also: No surprises in Sandwich balloting
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See also: Sandwich election tally
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Souhegan articles OK'd (Telegraph)
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Town Meeting results:STRAFFORD (Fosters)
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STRAFFORD - With no contested races on the ballot, voters elected all those running for town office Tuesday. R. Stephen Leighton was elected to another three-year term as Selectman with 185 votes. He currently serves as the chairman of the board.
Town Meeting results: Tilton (Citizen)
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In a close race on Tuesday, three new faces came out on top in the battle for positions on the Board of Selectmen in Tilton.
See also; Tilton election tally
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Town Meeting results:WAKEFIELD (Fosters)
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WAKEFIELD - Residents voted against several key issues in town Tuesday, including imposing impact fees, allowing contractor yards, repairing the Opera House roof, saving for technology, leasing a town truck, accepting Pinewood Crossing and removing Article 34 for the zoning ordinances. |
